wishlist and 1000 awesome things

I've been thinking recently of what I can do/make/buy for those I love this Christmas. Which has also got me thinking, poor college student that I am, of the things I wish I could buy/receive for myself. So, just to get it off my mind so I don't have to think on it anymore and can move onto the selfless 'spirit of the season' feeling I should have, I've decided to write out my wishlist.

• A nice edition of a Greek & Latin New Testament, with notes and vocab.
• A similarly nice edition of the LLX or Septuagint.
• A pair of Toms with laces
• New headphones
• Recent printed pictures of my friends and family
• A small pocket-sized Book of Mormon (and New Testament too)
• Jimmer poster
• Practice shoes and latin skirt (a nice one)
• Greek sculpture
• Kindle books
• New snow boots and rain boots
• A new camera: compact, large pixel count, 10x zoom or higher, options for self-settings, blue (preferably)
• Stamps

While I'm listing my "I Want"s I would rather not seem to needy or greedy. For I have been feeling quite thankful recently. Especially after seeing/listening to the prophet at devotional today. I found a blog, 1,000 Awesome Things that I'd like to share. Here's a link to #180: Tripping and realizing no one saw you.

And life goes on...

It's weird; life. Time and age and all those things that are so very, very present in the world, so very important. Always moving, always changing, but always there. And yet how easy it is to forget.

I just had my 21st birthday. I'm an official adult. Time has gone by so quickly, and I don't feel like I should be a legal adult. I guess I'm competent enough. But still. On my birthday I had a strong desire to eat ice cream for breakfast, jump on my bed, and watch Chip and Dale: Rescue Rangers. So much for growing up. Life moves on, but I feel rather left behind.

"Growing old is mandatory; growing up is optional."
-Chili Davis

And just today, not even a week after my birthday and all these rubbish 'getting old, coming of age' thoughts, I became an aunt! My first nephew (no nieces yet). Just as I'm thinking "where'd my childhood go?" A little kid pops in and gets to start the journey himself.

Blows me away. I'm not sure I can express it.

-
Sort of... like a forest. If you've ever seen a brand new forest, or an artificial or well-logged one, it's not nearly as impressive or majestic as one that's been around for a long time. The really great forests have huge, ancient trees, that have been there for a long time. But there are also a lot of medium and small trees. And thousands of ivy, vines, bushes, moss, shoots, etc. The growth and diversity is everywhere.

And they build on each other, giving to each other. They cycle through, growing, living their life, moving on. They seem so willing to share: the moss under the rocks and on the tree bark, ivy and vines climbing up and twisting around every available, space bushes upon bushes growing up, sideways, over and under. They all have some place they can fit, searching for those stray shafts of sunlight. When a tree or plant dies, it drops back into the ground, where the next tree or plant comes along and uses those necessary nourishment and vitamins to grow.

I'd like to think I'm a fair-sized tree in the forest. I've worked and fought for a strong place with sunlight. And maybe, as I live and grow and cycle through seasons, I can provide leaves and support and shelter for others. I'd like to give birds a rest in my branches, moss and ivy a trunk upon which to grow, little animals and budding flowers shelter from harsh weather. Maybe I can share and protect and boost that little nephew of mine as he experiences this amazing world of ours.

And now I feel ostentatiously sentimental. Still....

*tags to: Time and The Bridge Builder

Why My Professor Cried

I walked into my Judaism and Christianity in the Classical Near East class on Friday and the Professor was wearing jeans and a neon orange-striped shirt. This was NOT normal, as he usually is in a suit, or at least a dress-shirt, slacks, and a tie. He's actually a very lively, bold, and level-headed teacher. He talks fast and intensely and confidently.
But Friday was different.

At the start of class, he explained that he had been at his son's spelling bee, and he hadn't had time to change, and was going to be off his game that day, and his son was amazing, and if we wanted to know about it we had to read his article because there was no way he would get through an explanation. He said all this choking back tears. He really was "a mess" that day, as he put it. He kept getting off topic, and several times he just stopped and zoned out before he would say "stay on track Hunt" or "I am out of it, today" etc.

Anyway, I just read the article and it really touched me. Sometimes, I (we?) tend to be overly critical and emphasize the perfection in something, but miss the actual success. My professor, in one of his 'off-topic moments' tearfully said something that may not make sense before you've read the article.

"It's the trying that matters. Of course, we, in the church with our emphasis on 'works', know how important it is to do our best. But how can we forget, for even a moment, that Jesus already has everything taken care of? He did all that for us, and it really doesn't matter if we fail or not. We just have to try. My boy- he didn't even get one word out, not even one letter. He stood up there and said 'I can't.' And yet, God loves that amazing kid. He loves him and doesn't care a bit about whether he won or not. Because it's okay to say 'I can't.' Isn't that what He's there for?" (paraphrased)

Here's the article.
The Failure that was a Success
.

Kwerky Kin

Just a quick list of quotes members of my family say/have said, so I won't forget them. I will most likely periodically update/edit this post to add new ones as I remember them.

"That's hilaaaarious Jy-im!"
"I do love you as a sister, but as a person you're kinda dumb."
"Daddy 'pang mine hine en'!"
"Inner peace... inner peace..."
"Stop it, you twerpy, little go-go butt!"
"Get me the government!"
"Bring 'er home!"
"Flump on a log on a head on a head."
"Sam is a man. Sam is simple. Sam... "
"Eager, egid abacumov, savage, cross-eyed, crooked, plar, slan, fodder, batoot, deportment, mad libs, mytrix, Triple S, lardin' my mass, slan, LBS, banda, RAB, plar, and more."
"Guys, don't worry- he's hurt and Jack has grenades!"
"Good job, Gary!"
"And you notice- he walks like a duck?!"
"What is this... what is this...?"
"But... where is the bathroom?! I can't find the bathroom!"
"Mailbox!"
"желтый me желтый"
"It doesn't make me feeeeel good."
"Sing a sohhhng."
"I don't want people to make me mad."
"Oh Larry Bo-o-oy!"
"Huw axed fow bweafaxst." (she asked for breakfast)
"That's sahcasm, deah!"
"Excellent."
"23-19! 23-19!"
"It's funny, because it's unexpected."
"I realized..."
"...Or you'll DIE!
"...and yell of vinegar and pepper..."
"Get out an' puuush."
"Rice and Rootbeer, Rachel?"
"Bread? Bread...?"
"Oh, you mean a glass cup."
"You're a star student."
"I saw the movie, I feel very confident."
"Because quitters... QUIT."
"Hey-try this. Hey, that is pretty good. That's pretty good.."

" - Well, Caleb told me that he couldn't sleep with us because you said no.

~ No, that's not what happened. He told me that I couldn't sleep with you."

"... and mean. and mean..."

"Gary, the car is moving..."

"Those nasty little birds- they're vicious! They always attack the big birds. It's mean!"

"An unpopular or socially inept person."

"Did you know, your friend Melanie is coming. And you haven't seen her in years."

"Angel, no!"

"That is worthy of Emily's Book of Slanish Adventures."

"Your face..."
"I need to kill Clara... no, wait I need to kill Carsten... No... I need to figure out who to kill. *regretful voice* I guess I don't need to kill anyone..."
"Voldie Voldie Voldie-Mort."
"I lose."
Julian Smith.

Albums

So, I got this idea from a friend, to randomly generate what your 'first band name and album' will look like. It's pretty fun. I've made a few (I actually made two 'album covers' for one of the band names I liked) and even one for Clara. Here are some, click on them to see a bigger image:

Magic Trips

So I've decided that I'm not meant to be a magician 'when I grow up'.
I've been remembering back to this summer and some of the interesting experiences I had. One of them resulted in this decision I previously mentioned. I was downstairs with my Aunt Nonnie and her adorable little (now 3 year old) daughter, Boo. And, to entertain her, i decided to do a 'magic trick.'
You know, the first time, it actually turned out really well. I had some strange little water-glitter-pillow-tube thing and I told Boo that I would count to three, lift it over my head, and it would disappear. So I shook it in my hands as I counted, and on three, I easily tossed it over my shoulder into the next room. She was very surprised and had no clue where it had gone. I then managed to pick it back up without her seeing. I stuck it in under the hat my brother was wearing and, after she'd searched around for some time (in both my hands, my pockets, etc.), told her to look there. She lifted the cap off and was thoroughly impressed with my skills. It was some sweet moves on my part.
Unfortunately, I didn't stop there. I should've learned by now that, if something actually does happen to go right for me once, I shouldn't push my luck- just be happy with it. But Boo thought it was so cool, she wanted me to do it again.
I tried.
But the second time, I threw the stupid thing too high and it whacked into the low ceiling and thumped onto the floor directly behind me. Boo raced under my legs and picked it up, smirking in triumph. The little devil.
She then told me that she wanted to show me a magic trick. She held the toy, waved it around for a bit, chanted some string of kid-babble and threw it across the room.
"Where'd it go? Magic!" she proclaimed like a true entertainer, as my aunt laughed uproariously at my expense.
Hmph. So yes. I've decided that I'm not going to be a magician... ever.

Dr. Do-Less

Carsten, pops and I were reminiscing on some of our attempts at raising animals. These included the mauling of our poor bunnies and their babies. What kind of animal can skin a rabbit and never actually get it out of the cage?
We talked about the various chickens we've owned. Some we hatched and raised from their incubated eggs. Others we bought at Big R as little fuzzy, newborn chicks. They all produce very few eggs (total of 5 or so a week, from a dozen chickens) and have had rather traumatizing lives/deaths. One batch was attacked and eaten/scattered by a bear. Some would get out of the pen, wander into the woods and most assuredly were eaten before the next morning. One poor chick got caught in between the netting and the covering that were pressed against each other, when it was already sleeping at the bottom of the yard-deep box (we haven't a single clue how in this wide earthit managed that Houdini act). The rest ... well, they eventually ended up in the freezer.
I believe the oddest thing we ever produced was Clara's duck. We all went to Big R and picked out a chick. But the super-random 6yr old had to insist on the ugly duckling. As the only non-chicken we didn't really give it any special care. It ended up thinking that it was a chicken. It made the strangest, most pathetic quack. It wanted to walk like a chicken, with a duck's anatomy and ended up shuffling around on its stomach, constantly tripping and face-planting. It would get attacked by the actual chickens, so we had to separate it and then it would pace up and down by the separator and rub the tip of its feet raw.
I felt bad for the poor, confused thing.
You know, I think the only animal we've actually had any luck with are goldfish. We had a batch of 10 goldfish about 5 years ago that are still alive. How did that even happen? I didn't even know they could live that long! Don't goldfish usually die after only a few days?

Father's Day Tribute

Some Quotes:
"I am indebted to my mother for living, but to my father for living well."

"I talk and talk and talk, and I haven't taught people in 50 years what my father taught by example in one week." -- Mario Cuomo

"A father is a guy who has snapshots in his wallet where his money used to be."

"When I was a kid, I said to my father one afternoon, 'Daddy, will you take me to the zoo?' He answered, 'If the zoo wants you, let them come and get you.'" -- Jerry Lewis

"A truly rich man is one whose children run into his arms when his hands are empty."

History of Father's Day
Sonora Dodd, of Washington, first had the idea of a "father's day." She thought of this idea while listening to a Mother's Day sermon in 1909.
Sonora wanted a special day to honor her father, William Smart. Smart, who was a Civil War veteran, was widowed when his wife died while giving birth to their sixth child. Mr. Smart was left to raise the newborn and his other five children by himself on a rural farm in eastern Washington state.
After Sonora became an adult she realized the selflessness her father had shown in raising his children as a single parent. It was her father that made all the parental sacrifices and was, in the eyes of his daughter, a courageous, selfless, and loving man. Sonora's father was born in June, so she chose to hold the first Father's Day celebration in Spokane, WA on the 19th of June, 1910.
After the support and efforts of several presidents, Father's Day became an official national holiday on the 3rd Sunday of June, in 1966.

Carsten's Crazy Voicemail Message

Carsten's voicemail was hilarious. I'm not even sure it was him. Sounded more like dad. It was all "Uh... yeah... So, you missed Carsten. You know, some days are lucky days, and other days aren't so lucky days..." It didn't make any sense and was really goofy and had lots of background noise. Then, the annoying operator lady's voice came on with a sort of 'disclaimer' that I've never heard before! She was all "If you would like to disconnect, press one. If you still wish to leave a message for this person, press two."
HAHA!

Mother's Day

"A mother is a person who, seeing there are only four pieces of pie for five people, promptly announces she never did care for pie."

“I want my children to have all the things I couldn’t afford. Then I want to move in with them.”

"A good mother lets her children lick cake batter off the beater. A great mother turns it off first."

"Mothers of teenagers know why animals eat their young."

"It would seem that something which means poverty, disorder and violence every single day should be avoided entirely, but the desire to beget children is a natural urge."

A man loves his sweetheart the most, his wife the best, but his mother the longest.

"You don't really understand human nature unless you know why a child on a merry-go-round will wave at his parents every time around - and why his parents will always wave back."

Thank you mum!

Things...

So, I feel I need to jot down a few things so I don't forget.

1. Tanya and my efforts in transporting my bike via her car to Wyview was... quite the experience. We first tried the trunk. Silly idea. Then we tried shoving it into the backseat handles first. Again, silly idea. We had to move around to the other side of the car so it was 'downhill' and finally got the bike in. But it was too long. So we stuck one handle out the rolled-down-window, didn't quite get the other door to latch properly and shoved the driver seat so far forward that... well. To save dignity, I will end there. In any case. I laughed quite hard about how ridiculous it must have looked. My hands were black, Tanya had grease marks on her face, and the top-inside of the car was marked up from the handles.
2. I rode to school this morning. In 40° -something weather, with a plastic sack over my ripped-up, water-logged bike seat, and while it was hailing (sort of). Note to self -and anyone wise enough to learn from my experiences- DON'T DO THAT! Bad for you!
3. I'm pretty sure that I'm going to take Astronomy, first half D&C, Dance 380, and Weight Lifting. But who knows, honestly. I'm hoping to get a job Ushering in the HFAC (I turned in an application yesterday), but I'm thinking that might not happen.
4. I'm mostly unpacked. Yup, already. In 2 days. A record for me.
5. My friends Yuri, Grant, and Ben (probably others as well) made Spring team. I almost tried out, but I didn't want to have to get up so early every day. I'm beginning to regret not giving it a go though, it would have been fun. Oh wells.

I think that's all for now...

Strange Dreams

I usually never remember my dreams. Sometimes I wake up with a few images or something, but they usually fade. Last night I had some pretty interesting, lasting dreams that I thought I would share. They actually have to do with a few things in my life, so I'll gives a short preface (if I can manage to keep it short).

Yesterday, during one of my short breaks from studying, I watched a couple Britain's Got Talent performances. I saw someone sing, a couple of kids dance, and a dog perform.
Also, yesterday, I was worrying a lot about having time to study and take all my finals, and still be able to pick up my sister (Donalee) from the airport and take her to the MTC. I thought the testing center closed at 5pm on Wednesday (my lovely roommate informed me this morning that it doesn't, fortunately) and I wouldn't have had time to pick her up and take that final.

So, on to my dreams. I had two. The first was that I was on Britain's Got Talent (even though I'm American, I know). But instead of several rounds (semi, finals, etc.) We had to perform three different things in a row, and I couldn't just sing three times. I hadn't known this ahead of time so, panicking backstage right before I went on, I decided to sing an opera piece, then dance the polka in a Tango outfit with my 7 foot tall turtle. Yeah. lol It was crazy. They showed this whole clip of me with my turtle and how I raised it from a little egg and etc. Then I went onstage to perform and some director dude rushed after me and started fixing my dress and telling someone to 'fix up her nose.' What was wrong with me nose? I think I sort of woke up after that or something, because I don't remember how I did, or what my third act would have been.

My second dream, has to do with seeing Donalee and finals and all. I dreamed that I was with Donalee, but we were somewhere... else, where she was living, by the ocean. And I was visiting her because she was going to be leaving. So we were hanging out, taking boats out on the water looking at starfish mounds (I don't those actually exist, tho) and she was super excited to go see this aquarium, but it was like a 5 hour drive, and I told her that I couldn't because I had a final scheduled at 2:30 and it was already 11 and, really, I should probably do some studying. lol Basically, I was just all stressed in my dream that I wouldn't get to spend time with her and do my finals. Ridiculous how obsessed I am with things...

Sunday Thoughts

Today it was really nice out, so Emily and I walked over to Kiwana's park and layed about on the grass for a bit. Walking back, I was smelling a couple flowers I picked, listening to When the Love Falls by Yiruma, and loving the beautiful day. But then a stupid, loud, smelly truck drove by and I just thought- "Now why did people have to go and ruin this awesome world by making those nasty things?"
I'm not an environmentalist, and I like air conditioning and dishwashers and motorcycles same as the next person. But they're loud and rather annoying, actually. And you know, for a while, all technology really made me miffed.

Later, I was in the kitchen trying to find something to eat. I finally decided to open a can of something, but most things I had were just sides, (beets, tomato juice, etc.). I found the can of freshwater shrimp that dad left for me when my family came to visit last month. It's funny, because, I remember him holding them out to me and saying "These are really good."
And apparently I wasn't paying attention, because I thought they were tuna. I said "Oh, I know. And I just got some baby dill pickles- which is perfect, because they're way good together."
He gave me an odd look. "Pickles?"
"Yeah, nothing better. SO good. I can't wait. Thanks Pops."
And he just half grinned like he thought I was super weird but he'd go along with me. I love him for that. I feel so silly now. Pickles and shrimp? Eh!