I have so much to say! It's no good when you don't blog for a whole week, especially when it's the first week of a semester! Now I've got to relate all the interesting things that happened! But really, there's only one that I'm going to post about right now, and that is my present to Mariah!
It's been quite a while since I first posted that I was making it, but I couldn't post what the present was until I had given it to her, in order to not spoil the surprise. And then I had a busy week of school, so I'm just barely getting around to it.
I made a necklace for her, after reading another person's how to. Here's the site so you can make your own! Mandipidy - Book Page Necklace
All you need is a 30-inch long chain, some pages of a book (or printouts), pearl beads, jump rings, and a clasp. Also some Modge Podge for the finish of the paper cutouts, and a lighter if you want to burn the edges like I did. Make sure that when you get the jump rings, they aren't the coiled ones, because those do NOT work (I speak from experience).
This is a picture of my finished project:
I am so proud of myself for making this. And the reason both I and Mariah love it so much is because I made it special to her. For example, the pages that I chose are things that are a part of her life. There is: German, Italian, Music, The Hobbit, Marvel, the Book of Mormon, and a dictionary definition that pertains to her. It's awesome! So when she wears it, it isn't just a stylish accessory, but it symbolizes pieces of her heart.
If I were to do anything differently, I would put the same picture on both sides of the circle cut outs, so that when it flips around you can't tell. It's a hassle having to make sure they are always flipped the right way.
So if you need a gift idea, this is a great one! You can do a bracelet version too, or maybe even earrings.Just experiment with it and make it special to the giftee.
I watched one of the best movies last night, as far as being emotional, action-packed, thought-provoking, sci-fi, romantic, etc. You must watch this movie! Here's the trailer, though I don't think it does the film justice.
Deja Vu is seriously worth two hours of your life, if not more. My mind was completely blown by the whole idea. I'll try not to give the whole story away, but the main theme is based around time travel.
That's where I want to go with today's post. Time travel-- is it possible? Okay, so maybe I won't start with that question, because honestly nobody knows. There are so many different stories incorporating this interesting fantasy. Why is it so attractive to our minds? The idea that we can change our past, or change our future. The chance that what we do is not set in concrete, forever unchangeable.
The idea that rather than be accountable, we can make mistakes and then go back and do it again. Something that all of us wish were possible. And yet this goes directly against the point of life: to live and learn. If we could go back and change our mistakes, would we learn from it? Perhaps in the moment we would understand why it was a mistake, but in the long-run, the consequences are what teaches the strongest lesson.
However, in the case of Deja Vu, it is using time travel as a way to prevent catastrophes. So what about these situations? If time travel is used, not for personal gain, but for others? This is where I'm open to anything. It could be the same, what's done is done. But it's saving lives, while capturing the bad guy. What could be wrong about that?
I've got no answer for this, so if you do then I would love to hear it! Time travel is one of the most interesting fantastical notions.. Another story that I enjoyed with time travel was the book Ben Franklin and the Chamber of Time. Cool stuff!
Today was the last day with my family... and now I'm back in Provo!
We played scrabble today.. and it was the best game of scrabble I have ever played (with a real board and no dictionary). Usually it always seems to be three letter words, and its really hard to get to the edge of the board. But this time the whole last half of the fame was crazy difficult because we were already to the edge. Here's a picture of the finished game. There are some pretty good words on there.
Pretty much as soon as I got back I went on a date sledding. It was a blast! I wiped out my first two times down the hill, because I was on a bent sled so it always went right-- right into all the disrupted snow of course. But after that it was great! The park was a sledding paradise, with hills all around, plenty of room for everybody.
Now I'm hanging out with my best friends, Apt 107! These guys were the first friends I made last semester in Centennial Apts. where I can just head over to the place anytime. I love chillin' here!
As the last day to be able to just enjoy the day without school worries, I spent it well!
I guess I'll tell you about my sad games, both against my mom. First of all, whenever I play with her, it takes forever because she thinks about every turn for five minutes. So the first game, I would do other things between each turn and then she wouldn't remember to tell me that I was in check. Then, after I've already gone ahead with my plan that required two moves in a row with the same piece, she tells me "Oh, you're in check!" So then I have to move my king rather than continue with my other move, which results in my queen being killed. This happened multiple times, all with special pieces.
I was then put in check-mate, when I should have been check-mating her.
The second game we both had the same strategy, which was defensive. For the first half of the game, neither of us got anywhere. It ended with her having her king, bishop, knight, and pawn while I had my king, queen, and pawn. I then made a dumb move that got my queen killed, so I gave up.
What I learned from this experience. Never challenge anyone to a game of chess, because I would probably not win.
However, I would like to play more often so I can get some practice.
Another chill day with the family. I just spent at least two hours with my dad looking at different places in Bolivia on Google Earth. It was really great to hear his stories and see the places he was talking about at the same time.
My father is from a little town called Tupiza, right in between some mountains. It's literally impossible to expand because it's squeezed in there as it is. The whole geology of it is very interesting (I actually did gain something from taking that class last semester!) and I am interested to know how it happened. My dad pointed out that there two strips of red mountain, and in between them is normal, so what event caused those rocks to change? Somehow the mountains were petrified into solid rock, in small strips. I may just go to my former Geology professor and ask him, because it looks really interesting!
I seriously want to go there though. Like now, ASAP. But I just have no way! I'm going to have to wait at least three years before I could even think of taking a trip down there, and by then I could be married, so that would put a flaw in any plans.. But gah, I need to go visit and meet that half of my family! I feel so disconnected with them, like they aren't really my family, just some people who I hear stories about sometimes.
It will happen. Just you wait, in five years or so, I'll be blogging about my experiences with my family in the third-world country of Bolivia-- my heritage.
Today wasn't a crazy eventful day, just one of those good, relaxing ones! I was able to do some of a puzzle, play games with my little cousin Diana, watch a movie, and continue going through my music to see what I have and don't have.
Music is something that has been a big part of my life, but not in the way that most people who say that mean. I wasn't and am still not someone who listens to music all the time, and would die if I didn't have my headphones. When I was younger, my mom didn't allow me to listen to the radio at all, or even any music that wasn't religious. Anytime I tried to listen in my room, she (with ears like a dolphin) would call out, "Christina! Turn it off!"
So my childhood music was playing the piano, church music, flute in band, and some violin which didn't last very long. If you ask me about a popular song in the 90s, I probably won't know it.
However, the last couple years I've been able to actually pay attention to popular music, and over the past years I've finally found favorite artists and styles. I love being able to hear a song and know who it's by!
Currently, I'm trying to explore new artists and feel what kind of genre I like best. Whenever people ask me what my favorite genre is, I reply that I don't really have one. I always say that I just like songs I can sing to. One friend replied that you could sing to any song-- however, that's not true! What I mean by saying that statement is this: to me, the lyrics are the most important part of a song. I want to be able to hear them, understand them, and connect with them. And when I do, I will want to sing along! So it has to be something reasonable-sounding when it's sung. NOT screaming or husky voices.. None of that. And I'm not a huge fan of long instrumental solos either, at least in popular music.
My current job gives me a lot of time to get to know songs. I'm custodian working night shift, 10:30pm - 1:30am, and I clean the racquetball courts. Now these courts are awesome for singing in because they make everything about eight times louder. It's fantastic!So I get to belt my music nonstop for three hours without any distractions. That's one reason I'm still working there.
My favorite artists, the ones I can listen to everyday at work, are currently
Yes, they are all female artists.. I'm working on getting more male voices in my musical collection.
Because not many people are familiar with A Fine Frenzy, here's a sample of her work. This was the song that first struck me, resulting in my devotion:
One other type of music that I really enjoy listening to is soundtracks from movies. My cousin Mariah was the one that got me addicted on these the past year, as she is a music whiz and loves all that stuff. At first I was just infatuated with the Lord of the Rings soundtrack, but now I've been listening to any and all soundtracks! Some other good ones (though nothing can top LOTR) are Stardust, How to Train Your Dragon, and Pirates of the Caribbean.
I'm excited to be able to learn more great songs and artists, and appreciate this form of art even more than I have in the past. I'd love for you to tell me, what are you interested in and why?
It's the NEW YEAR!! Happy first day of 2013! In honor of the holiday, I'd like to give my New Year's resolutions so that I'm not only held accountable to myself, but to you guys as well!
My goals for this year:
Read the Book of Mormon every day in English AND Spanish
Pray morning and night
Serve a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Study and know Preach My Gospel before going on a mission
Blog at least once a week (my weekly letters on my mission blog will count)
Be able to pay for half of my mission
Get at least a 3.7 GPA this semester
Exercise at the gym at least three times per week
Swim two times a week
Give plasma to earn money, as much as I can
Become the best friend I can be to everyone
Finish Book of Mormon in Spanish
Write in my journal about the whole year-and-a-half that I've missed
Flat stomach
Touch someone, in a way that betters their life forever
This list is not necessarily in order of most to least important, just as they came to my mind. I wish everyone a happy and productive year, and the best of luck in completing your own resolutions! Don't give up too soon!
