My Box of Memories

We all do that thing where when we clean our room, we find something from a long time ago and then take a stroll down memory lane. Let's just say I took a stroll today.

I have a box in my room filled with drawings, cards, pictures, and random stuff  I felt like I might want later on down the road. I found some pretty interesting things in my little Box of Memories but I didn't get nostalgic or misty eyed over past memories. I rejoiced in the fact that I had objects that reminded me of those wonderful times.

I want to list a few of the things in the box:

• duct tape corsage
• white sash that has "Princess" written in gold cursive
• a picture of my very first high school dance with my date

Let's start with the duct tape corsage. Probably one of the sweetest, most unique guys I know made it for me when he asked me to homecoming. He dropped off daisies at my more a few at a time with tags that said "
Will you go to Homecoming with me?" Daisies are my favorite flower so he was pretty smart :) I learned a lot from him and I guess I keep that duct tape corsage as a reminder of how great life could be if you aren't afraid of being different. He made me braver in so many ways and I will always be grateful.

The white sash was from a really fun girls camp that I went to in Park City. It was a princess camp so we stayed in a hotel and we all dressed up as Disney princesses. I was Belle from Beauty and the Best and I wore that sash proudly because I honestly felt like a princess. I keep it because that was such a fun time :)

The picture of me and my high school date is a pretty great one. This guy was super awkward and really quirky but he knew me really well at the time. He asked me by filling up my room with balloons and candy and Dr. Pepper (back when I was addicted to the stuff). It was cheesy but it made me smile. The one thing that I really loved about that night was after the dance (which was in down town Salt Lake) we decided to walk around the Gateway for a little while. I didn't realize I was getting cold but before I could say anything his jacket was around my shoulders. This kid was really quiet and shy to most people, but with me, he was a really sweet friend.

There is something about all of these memories that they all share in common. I really don't talk to the people involved with all of those memories. I like reflecting back on these times in my life by going through my stuff but I'm not completely sentimental or sad. I choose to smile because those memories happened instead of crying because those moments are gone.

What's in your Box?

My #1 Fan

So I have played the piano for about 12 or 13ish years now. I love it! But recently I have taken up a new instrument. The guitar. This was a strange transition for my fingers but it is going decent enough.

Well, after I learned a few chords and barely mastered one song, I came home from my wonderful job and played for my parents. My dad gave me some of the best advice that I will never forget :)

So, you all know that I am weird and most days, I dress weird too. My dad thinks I am crazy when I wear my grandmas baggy fringe jacket/poncho/sweater thing but he always tells me that I am brave and that  I walk to my own beat.

Speaking of beats, today as I very roughly attempted to show my dad what I learned on the guitar (while wearing a flower crown in my wavy hair), I fumbled in a few places and quickly got discouraged. My dad then told me about one of his friends who was a guitar prodigy that he had always admired. He said that his friend told him that he wasn't always good at playing the guitar and that he slowly had to learn to perfect his talent. After my dad told me this story, he simply told me to never be afraid to make mistakes because that is how you learn.

My dad is definitely the best at making any crazy idea, hobby, fad, or weird random talents seem important. Whether it is photography, playing an instrument, or learning how to use Microsoft Word, he makes it sound so fun and fascinating.

After his little pep talk, he told me to just play the song without stopping to think about the mistakes that my awkward fingers were making. So I simply (attempted) to play the song. Surprisingly, that song sounded better after a few minutes.

I know that I will ALWAYS be able to do my best at anything as long as I have my #1 fan cheering me on :)

Thanks Dad, I love you more than you know :)

R.I.F.B.F.

I have a friend who lives on the other side of the country. He didn't always though.

He was my back fence neighbor and doubled as my first love. Yes, I was "in love" as a kindergartener. Then tragedy struck and my little crush moved to the other side of the country when we were in third grade. We stayed in touch by writing letters and I even kept the necklace he gave me with my initial on it. But by the middle of 4th grade, I was over him and kicked the idea of him, to the curb. 

Then, after years of not speaking, he returned to our home state and came for a visit. Reconnected after all that time (which wasn't actually long at all) we used Facebook and Skype to rebuild our frienship. Little did I know that nerdy little boy at my back fence would later become one of the greatest friends I could ever ask for. 

We talk about everything. Doctor Who, the meaning of life, religion, and any other little thing that we can think of. The cool thing about him is that doesn't think anything is weird and he is a great listener :) He can be a real friend and cheer me up from the other side of the country. Not all of my friends that I go to school with can do that.

So, to the little boy who I would talk to through the fence, you will always be my first love :)

To the boy who is one of my best friends now, thanks for being you :) 

(Plus he introduced me to the Supernatural TV series and I will forever be grateful!)

I'll Stand

Capture the moment

I love photography :) Always have. I like being able to take a picture of something random and seemingly insignificant and then editing it into something beautiful. My most favorite style of photography is candid photography.

I really like people watching. I know, sounds creepy, but it is so interesting. I love trying to guess what a certain persons story is. The stories I make up can get pretty entertaining. But what I love most about people watching is the little moments that go unnoticed by the rest of the world.

Now, I'm not saying that I creepily take pictures of people that I watch around me, I'm here to tell you what I've learned from people I know and don't know.

The little moments that you treasure the most are the moments you need to capture. Whether with a physical picture or with your heart. Honestly, I have yet to have a friend or be in a relationship that wants to stop and document the random moments that I consider the best memories. Maybe I need to become that person. Maybe I still haven't found them yet.

Capture each moment you feel you want to remember later.

The Hippie inside of Me

I guess I kinda consider myself a hippie. Sunshine is my favorite thing in the world right now and wearing shoes is starting to become a burden.  But in all honesty, the clothes I wear and the music I listen to doesn't make me a hippie. The way I think does. I love finding creative ways to describe my life and sometimes they sound a little strange. I told my friend that my hair looked like it was dipped in sunshine, my dad calls me his little flower child, and I try to be as strange as I possible. I want to enoy the simple things in life and make them appear magnificient!  I want to soak up the sun, spend summer nights with some stellar people, make colorful memories, and see how many stars I can count :)

So if I look strange and act strange, I am mostly strange. How I express myself should be a representation who I really am inside. 

Dear World,

I love my life :) It may not be perfect and it may not look perfect to you, but to me, my life is an adventure :) My life is going the direction it needs to go :) I'm growing up (slowly) and now I am fearless! Nothing you can do can scare me anymore. No more monsters under my bed, no more insecurites, just me against you. So bring it on. The people who care about me and love me, will stay where they are in my life. I don't need to be accepted by the people that fill the Earth, I just need the people I love :) I don't need magazines to tell me how to be "pretty". I feel wonderful in my own skin :)

So, unfortunetly World, our fight is over. Because I am me now. Not even you can change that :)

Sincerely,
(Insert your name here)

Kissing the War Goodbye

Now that I am finished with high school, its time for me to clear the air and set some things straight.

I lost a lot of friends at beginning of high school because I changed.  I felt like people would make fun of the person I really was. So, I put on nerd glasses (real, prescription ones), wore funky clothes, and joined the jazz band. I wanted to do things that made me happy. People never understood that and decided who  I was, wasn't me. Even with all of the people who walked out of my life, new people walked in and got to know the real me. It was scary and sometimes I wouldn't open up but eventually it got easier.

I am kind of a victim of first impressions. Because people knew one version of me, they assumed that was all there was to me. This is why I am quiet and kind of awkward at times. People don't interact the old fashioned way (actually talking face to face and spending time together) and that is the way I prefer to get to know someone, not over texting.

I will be honest: I am down right strange. This does not bother me in the slightest. I like being barefoot, listening to indie music, star gazing, and trying new things. I love being spontaneous and having silly, wholesome, fun! :) I would be more impressed with a person who showed up at my door one evening and asked if  I wanted to go star gazing with them than someone who sent me a text that says "Hey."

I am going on a mission. It's out there now! :) I can't wait to be a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints :) This is how I am choosing to serve my church and represent the gospel.

The end of high school marked the end of that extremely lengthy chapter in my life. I don't want to look back and get stuck in the past.  I'm not crying because it's over,  I am smiling because it happened.

If you already know me, let's start over new and fresh and forget everything that happened.  If you don't know me, I hope we meet and create new memories and have lots of adventures.

My fight or "war" of who knows me, how they know me, and what they think of me is over. I survived and now I am done with the awkwardness that is high school. I kissed it goodbye the day I graduated :) High school is only one chapter in the Table of Contents of my life.

Noise

Have you just gone through a moment in life where all you hear is noise? Almost like the world is just on fast forward?

Today, I had one of those moments.

I wont lie, I woke up tired but something about today...everything was noise. Instead of listening to music on the way to school, I just had a moment to think. Actually think and be able to hear myself. But when I got to school, my peers were on fast forward and full blast.

I'm not saying people should press pause and meditate, but just slow down and smell the daisies every now and then.

Defy Gravity

Upside Down

I just barely watched this movie. . . IT WAS FANTASTIC :)

I'm not your average, traditional chick flick movie watcher - I like the unusual couples and unusual plots. This movie is definitely unusual.

What I love most is that this couple in the movie eventually defy gravity and go against the norms of their societies. I don't think I would ever be in love with someone who lived in a world other than my own, but if I ever did :P I would hope we would try to defy gravity to be together :) I am still waiting for the day when someone will walk into my life and turn my life upside down. That's what love is, right? ;)

This is also a cute date night movie if you are a nerdy romantic like myself :)