Observation

To be a true blogger... you must have a working camera.

What a strange place this is....

Sometimes I have days when I have plenty to do, plenty of people I could see, plenty of books to read, plenty of homework to do, but I just don't quite know what I want to do. The problem isn't the lack of options but rather too many. I know that I can't complain about this....most people would call me ungrateful for not picking something and sticking with it. Call it indecision, being fickle, young, immature, or simply not knowing what you want but that is it. Unfortunately this is not something just today. It is everyday. I am almost finished with school and I can't quite put my finger on what I want to do now. I know what I want to do later...in the far distant future. Is it possible to plan so far ahead that you simply forget about tomorrow?

I covet creative minds.

I know its a commandment not to covet...but dang! It is hard not to covet those people who seem to know everything. My favorite people to spend time with are those people who can say 2 words and inspire me to read what they read. to see what they have seen. to meet who they've met... jealousy.... coveting. There are several people I hear about or meet and I think....wow. Can you please sit down with me for a few hours and let whatever you have rub off on me?! Thanks. You're a doll.

This is the fate of Kate.

jumping back on the band wagon

Once upon a time there was a girl named Kate. She decided to make it one of her summer goals to blog more. Of course the definition of "more" is "more often than she used to"...which should be rather simple considering her last post was at Christmas time. She gives herself a hard time thinking that if she posts something it has to be amazing. or it has to be really thought provoking. or really long.

The ironic thing is that when she reads other people's blogs, she normally only has time to read the short ones anyway. Therefore, she now commits to no longer write insanely long posts and to post more often......That is the fate of Kate. the end

ps. The picture has nothing to do with anything. it just cracks me up! ;)

Thankful

I'm overwhelmed when I actually sit back and think about the things I have been blessed with. Sometimes we forget about all the things God has given us. Family, friends, gifts, talents, testimony, an education, a roof over our heads, food etc. Those are just the essentials. I can't even begin to describe the small tender mercies that I experience everyday. Its interesting to think that we are always blessed but we only truly see our gifts when the Lord pushes us to see them. Perhaps that is not the best way to show gratitude, to be given trials. Its when I have trials that I am reminded of the blessings I have. When I need God is when I realize his ever constant presence with me. I was driving through the snow up to Salt Lake City to be with family a few days ago when I heard this song. It is called "Thankful " by Josh Groban. I have always thought that it was a beautiful song but I never really listened to the words or even thought about them. But here are the lyrics. I listened to it about 5 times in a row and cried straight through. We should all be thinking about our great blessings in this time of hardship for our nation and economy. May the Christmas season remind us from whence our blessings came.
I created this video to remind us of how much we really have. Enjoy.





"Thankful"
Somedays we forget
To look around us
Somedays we can't see
The joy that surrounds us
So caught up inside ourselves
We take when we should give.
So for tonight we pray for
What we know can be.
And on this day we hope for
What we still can't see.
It's up to us to be the change
And even though we all can still do more
There's so much to be thankful for.

Look beyond ourselves
There's so much sorrow
It's way too late to say
I'll cry tomorrow
Each of us must find our truth
It's so long overdue
So for tonight we pray for
What we know can be
And every day we hope for
What we still can't see
It's up to us to be the change
And even though we all can still do more
There's so much to be thankful for.

Even with our differences
There is a place we're all connected
Each of us can find each other's light
So for tonight we pray for
What we know can be
And on this day we hope for
What we still can't see
It's up to us to be the change
And even though this world needs so much more
There's so much to be thankful for

Why is that??

So why is it that when we are insanely busy, we decide that we want to do the impossible and do things we don't have time for in a regular day. For example, its very late at night and you have a paper to write that is due tomorrow morning. Do you work on the paper so it can be finished earlier? No. Instead, you download music on the internet, look at pictures, read old journal entries, call friends and write blogs.

I have an absolutely absurd schedule. Literally every second of my day is mapped out, yet I find myself wanting to try things that I have absolutely no time for. Its frustrating because usually they are things that I previously had no desire to do when I actually did have time to do them. The worst part is that those great things that I would like to make time for, but can't, are the things I say no to and then I end up not doing what i planned to do in the first place. Like turning someone down to do something fun because you have a project due tomorrow and then once you get home, you don't even work on the project and you realize that you should have just gone instead of doing all these other pointless things like look at pictures and download music. I wish I could just decide what to do with my time and make the absolute best use of it, including doing fun things that shouldn't be missed.

A Little Obsessed, Are We?

So I have been obsessed with random music lately. Here are the obsessions:

1. Jason Robert Brown: Songs for a New World. (I sing "I'm not afraid of anything" and "I'd give it all for you" in the shower. I can't help myself. another shower pick is: "Come, Come Ye Saints" and "For Good" from Wicked)

2. Dream Girls Soundtrack: I have only seen bits and pieces of the movie but I randomely got the urge to listen to the music and there are a few songs I can't seem to get enough of. "Listen" "I love you, I do" and "And I'm telling you, I'm not going". I realize that everyone had their phases when they were obsessed with this movie. I am just a late bloomer.

3. The Very Best of Opera: Yes. I am classy. I was mostly obsessed with this during the summer but I certainly have my moments now. My favorite are the songs sung by the men. Particularly "Nessun Dorma" and "Donna Non Vidi Mai" both by Puccini. I also love "Recitar! ... Vesti La Giubba" by Leoncavallo. This one has me extremely confused. I can never tell if he is crying or laughing in it. My guess is crying. I wonder what he is crying about...if only I knew Italian. And of course the classic, "Rigoletto" by Verdi. This one gets me pumped for the day and reminds me of "Family Man."

4. Piano Cascades. It is this amazing CD with the most peaceful music you will ever hear in your life. It is just simple piano compositions with waterfalls and birds in the background. During the summer I would play this CD when I was reading a book outside on the hammock in the backyard and I felt like I was in heaven. But now I put it on when I go to bed and I am literally out before the first song is over. Its amazing! Try it.