Thursday, March 25, 2010

role models.

i want you to meet mine.
here's some beautiful people.
readers,

this is dana.
she paints murals on people's walls. her favorite colors are blue and green. she likes blue lemon and cafe rio. she laughs a lot. she never watches t.v. she spends countless hours on the phone with her friends. she taught me how to be strong, faithful, brave, and loving. she is my mother.



this is heidi.
she paints on canvases. she loves matisse, just like me. her walls are greyish brownish and pink. she makes tiny collages. she is pregnant. she is forgetful. she taught me that i can be an artist. she is responsible for the 4th most peaceful hour of my week. she is my art lessons teacher.



this is patti.
her mother was an artist and her father was a mathematician. she worked at her mother's antique store growing up. she reminds me that i'm beautiful. she likes to smash plates with me. i haven't seen her for a while, but i will tomorrow. she makes sure i'm healthy.


this is andrea.
she spends her whole life with music all around her. she is italian and went on a mission to spain. she expects the most of me. when i don't do my best, she is disappointed. when i do good, she makes sure i know it.



this is malia.
she makes everybody feel like sunshine. she likes happy things and i've never seen her without a smile. she makes me feel special. she likes balloons. and chocolate covered macadamia nuts, of course, because she used to live in hawaii.



there you go, kids. you've just met 5 of the greatest people that are living. women are smart, and they are loving. i aspire to be just like any of these women someday.
i'm glad you've had this introduction.

one more thought:
today i learned, don't take things personally.

By: Hannah

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Monday, March 22, 2010

Impulse.

I'm impulsive.
Utterly and ridiculously impulsive.
I never know what I'm going to do each day. Because I don't decide until I actually get to that point.
I'm not one to make plans. I'm just one to do things.
I never plan on a certain mood.
Because, let's be honest. When are my moods ever consistent?
Oh, right. They aren't.

I guess my point is that no one, not even I, knows what I'm about to do.
Sometimes I just do it.

Example A:
The other day, I went to Wendy's to have dinner with some friends. We'd been having a long rehearsal and were given an hour for dinner before we needed to be back. So we pulled in to the parking lot, and we all trailed out of my van. Everyone walked in, and two boys who walked in just before me thought they would be hilarious in holding the door closed so I couldn't get in, seeing as I was the last in line to go inside. Well, they were merciless. And weren't letting me in. So I simply walked away. I intended to go to the door on the opposite side of the building when something caught my eye: 4 girls playing jump rope at the opposite end of the parking lot. And I figured (impulse of the moment) it would be a lovely opportunity to make new friends. So I approached them and asked if I could jump with them. They seemed confused, but confirmed my request. We exchanged names, theirs being Sarah, Haley, Rachel and Destiny. They then explained that they were all home-schooled, and all of the ages 12 and 13. I told them I was nearly 17, and they were even more shocked that I wanted to play jump rope with them; giving each other the eyes that say "did you hear the same thing I did? This clearly calls for further discussion when she goes away..." But I didn't care. I spent twenty minutes with my new friends and had the time of my life.

Example B:
My parents suggested I run for Student Body Officer. I had a lot of thoughts against the idea, but figured that I'd do it if I was supposed to do it. So I put it off. I went to the meeting, but never really got around to filling out the applications, which were due today. Last night, I got on to the computer and checked my grades (which are the best they've ever been, if you wanted to know). I was on the school website about to do so when I saw a tab leading to the Student Body Officer applications. So I pulled it up and read through it. And then (impulse of the moment) I clicked print. Filled it out. And turned it in. Which took me all night, but my body handles lack-of-sleep rather well. So now I'm running for Student Body Officer. (...vote for Mallory...?)

Example C:
We had a lovely student teacher in my Modern World History class. The best thing about her was that she gave plenty of extra credit--I ended the term with a 103%... Anyway, on her almost-last-day of teaching, she was trying to kill time. She had clearly underprepared the lesson for that day. She had once said something about being a singer, and I begged for her to sing. Simply just to kill time. So she did (lovely voice she had) and we all applauded. She then asked for others who would like to sing for five points of extra credit. A few of my friends told her that I sing and she told me to get up. She asked me to sing in the sort of tone that meant "I'd love it if you did, but I'm not going to force you, even though you forced me. And I don't really expect you to be as good as me. But I'm never going to admit that out loud."
So (impulse of the moment) I stood up and gave her my own rendition of Amazing Grace. And she gave me extra credit. And I didn't do my best. And I wasn't as good as her. But I didn't really care.

Example D:
I'm not the largest lover of Valentine's Day. In fact, I see it as just another day. Because I never have anything special planned. It's just a day. This year, on February 13th, I was about to go to bed. Then something hit me: People like Valentines. You don't need to be "in love" to make it an enjoyable day. So (impulse of the moment) I crawled out of my bed and went to the basement where my mom's scrap-booking room is. I then hand made 15 valentines for some of my dearest friends. And stayed up all night to do so. I wrote personal messages in each one. And didn't regret the loss of sleep at all.


In essence, live by impulse. I know I do. And boy, does it make my life interesting.

Take every opportunity you have to make a new friend.
Take every opportunity you have to be a part of something new.
Take every opportunity you have to show people what you're best at.
Take every opportunity you have to make someones day.


Take every opportunity.
You are given opportunities so that you will take them.
So get off your butt and do just that.

Grasp that world that is dangling in front of you.

Be brave. Just do it. Honestly.
If I've learned one thing from my voice teacher, Tracy Warby, it is to just try.
"What's the worst that's going to happen?" She says. "You'll suck and I'll laugh at you. And you'll get over it."
...She has a point.
If you're afraid to follow through with an impulse, ask yourself, "What's the worst that's going to happen?"

Be impulsive.

My life motto?
"Maybe the brave don't live forever... But the cautious don't live at all."

I love being impulsive. Other than it defining me, it also inspires me.

I wouldn't know most of the people I hold dear now if it weren't for me being impulsive.

So follow the impulse.
You don't get impulses for nothing, you know.






By: Mallory

Thursday, March 11, 2010

home.

i love to lay in my big bed and listen to the wind blow and the rain fall against the window.
i love to look out the kitchen window and watch the seasons change.
i love to see the tip top of the temple from a small vantage point at the bottom right corner of my window.
i love to dance on the wood floors in socks.
i love the memory of all 4 girls sleeping in my mom's room for months.
i love my somewhat vaulted ceiling.
i love the yellowish walls.
i love the drive home, from anywhere.
i love looking for where my house should be while my dad is driving me home, when it's dark, and all the lights of home are sparkling.
i love my family that lives inside my house.
i love all of our painted rooms.
i love the little hill in the backyard.
i love the trees.
i love that my house is right by a canal and a bridge that i can walk to.
i love my neighbors and the nice things they do for us.
my backyard reminds me of the good things about my dad.
i could never, never leave this place. i love it. it's home, where my heart is.
it's too much to ask someone to leave home. the place that holds the good memories. when everything else around is changing, home is stable. my room is still mine and the windows still frame pretty pictures.
i love pretty pictures.
i love home.


By: Hannah

Monday, March 8, 2010

Critics.

I'm better at taking criticism than I am at taking compliments.

I handle criticism very well. In fact, better than nearly anyone I know.
But compliments... Oh boy, do I make a fool of my self when responding to compliments...
It's like I turn in to a rambling, excuse making, nay-saying idiot.
I can not, for the life of me, give a simple "Thank you" and be on my way.

I feel bad about my compliment-taking disability.
I think people feel like I'm just trying to make their compliment in to a big deal.
Or blowing something way out of proportion.
But I am here to tell you that this is not the case.

Why do I fail at taking compliments? And why am I pro at accepting criticism?

This baffles me.
This should be easy stuff.
But no.
Most people are just the opposite.

I guess I'm not most people...





By: Mallory

Thursday, March 4, 2010

answers.


yesterday i realized how completely and utterly happy i am.
and i don't know how it's possible. considering the bad things going on all around me.
but my name is hannah. and i am content. i am blessed.

i have the best friends in the world.

i have the most wonderful mother anyone could ask for.

i have a smile.

i have a good education.

i have the opportunity to be a member of seminary council and a yearbook editor next year.

i have good health.

i have the cutest little brother that ever existed.

i have chocolate covered pretzels in my pantry.

i have a huge, warm bed.

i have a phone that works.

i have hands and pencils and paper.

i have a testimony.

i have enough money to live comfortably.

i have two parents. even if they aren't together, i still have two.

i have cute twin sisters.

i have talents.

i have faith.

i have a journal and two fantastic gel pens.

i have an abundance of paint samples.

i have things to say.

i have several 50's patterns waiting to be sewn.

i have a voice, even if it's not a good singing one.

i have shoes.

i have music to listen to.

i have a big, beautiful house.

i have places to go.

i have homework to do.

i have jokes.

i have midol in my cabinet.

i have eyes.

i have ability.

i have ambition.

i have love. lots and lots of love.


i have enough.
i have enough.


By: Hannah

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

A Testimonial.

Today, I'm testifying.

I testify that all-nighters are way more fun alone.
I testify that I will marry a man who goes dancing with me at jazz clubs.
I testify that soda is poison.
I testify that 9:11 is a sacred time.Italic
I testify that things such as cookies and muffins are better unbaked.
I testify that I am the only human being in the world who loses fifteen pounds and looks exactly the same.
I testify that all nails look best when painted red.
I testify that large glasses are for everyone.
I testify that reading is life changing.
I testify that Michael Jackson was king of the world.
I testify that books are better left un-reported.
I testify that fear is present in most things.
I testify that it doesn't have to be.
I testify that art almost always portrays some form of hope.
I testify that rain makes any day better.
I testify that jeans over $30 are completely not worth it.
I testify that everything was better in the 50's.
And, last, but absolutely not least,
I testify that heart is where the home is.


Wherever your heart is, your home is, too.
Home changes for me all the time.

And today, home is the piano.
Because, today, it stole my heart.

Home is a feeling, I think. It's where you feel the most comfortable; the most like yourself. Sometimes it's a person, sometimes a place. It can be a pair of socks or a musical instrument or a grilled cheese sandwich. It's what makes you so incredibly happy, you can't even seem to bear it. It's the thing that makes you feel like you're the only thing that matters. And you haven't the slightest problem being exactly who you are, even if just for that moment.

Home is that feeling.
And heart is what gets you there.

What's home for you today?



By: Mallory