#26

26. Pave your own path. Write your own book. Share these ideas with everyone and advise them to do the same. You can't spend this time before college checking off a list. Do things for the memory, not because you wrote them down. Live fast and die young. Be wild and have fun. Leave no stone upturned and no door closed because these will be the best years of your life. Don't stop here. Live your life this way. Be the best person you can be. Feel love and heartbreak, anger and excitement. Rely on others but be independent. Every day is a new adventure, so grasp it. Open every book and look around every corner. You'll never look like this or move like this or think like this again. Love it or hate every second but feel. Feel every thing.

Live Life While You Can

19. Fall in love. Fall in love with people and ideas. Let them fill your thoughts all day everyday. These moments will fade but it's nice to hold on to them while you can.

20. Discover new locations. Explore tunnels and bridges. Find your own spot.

21. Take risks. Eat a new type of food and tell someone how you feel about them. Make your heart explode and your mind race.

22. Dance in the rain. Take that one friend who's just as crazy as you and make fools out of yourselves. Anyone who thinks that sunshine is pure happiness has never danced in the rain.

23. Write yourself a letter to open in ten years. Realize how you have changed and even what has stayed the same. What you promised yourself you would do and if ever did it.

24. Sleep under the stars. Just look at the stars. There the same stars as last week, last year, same as when we were kids. When we weren't even born. In a hundred years no one will ever know who we are, but they'll know those same stars.'

25. Seek Adventure. Never think you've lived life to its fullest if you've lived in the same place your whole life. Move. Travel. Compare different places, accents, cultures, people. It changes you. It's easy to stay with the ones you've always been with but those kind of lives lack adventure

Don't Wait. There Will Never Be A Perfect Time.

14. Embrace your inner child. Growing up is boring. Eat ice cream cones and go to the park. Tell someone you "like like" them. Sleep with a stuffed animal and eat microwave dinners on Saturday nights. Watch cartoons and don't be afraid to look like a fool. Never let your imagination cease. There's plenty of time to be an adult later, but you can only be a child for so long.

15. Have your heart broken. Give everything you have to one person and watch them throw it away. Lose yourself in their eyes and tell them you love them. Watch them break you to the point where you don't think you'll ever recover. Cry your eyes out. Find shelter in a friend. Get mad. Run down the street with tears stinging your eyes  screaming at the top of your lungs. Allow it to hurt. Become so depressed to the point where life seems pointless. But recover. It will only make you stronger.

15. Start writing. Write everything. Your feelings and thoughts. You'll look back on these journals and remember. You'll see the smudges and the creases how your handwriting flows when you're happy and sharpens when you're mad. Even the tiniest details will flood  your mind with images in the future. Trust me you will be grateful.

16. Keep in touch. Call up old friends from elementary school. Get together and go on a picnic. Tell them about your life and reconnect. Some of the most influential people in your life ate the ones you might have to let go.

17. Improve your talents. Find something you're passionate about and practice it. Share it with everyone.

18. Travel. Go as far and wide as you can. never pass up the opportunity to go somewhere new. Your idea of globalization will change and that's something you're going to want to experience.

The Bucket List Part 2

6. Get a job. Earn your own cash and feel proud of yourself. Love the people you work with and look forward to going there every day. You'll need the money and the experience so why not?

7. Take a stand for something you believe in. When half your school laughs at you, take it with pride. Someone agrees, even if they're too scared to say so.

8. Make enemies. Make the kind of mistakes that cause your life to implode. Loose everyone and everything to these mistakes. Only when you fall will you find that you can pick yourself up again.

9. Make wishes at 11:11. Wear your pajamas backwards in hope that your wishes will come true. Believe in anything. Believe in everything.

10. Do something good. Donate clothes or volunteer at a soup kitchen. Only in helping others can you truly help yourself.

11. Find your happy place. Find a coffee shop or a trail or anywhere that you can truly claim as yours. Go there when you're feeling down. Read a book. It's nice to have something to go back to.

12. Be a bad ass. Never turn down a dare, always be honest. Go skydiving and wake boarding. Jump of cliffs with your friends. Live as if you were going to die tomorrow.

13. Be outgoing. If someone invites you to do something do it. You never know what memories might sprout from a simple drive to the grocery store. Accept every opportunity to get out.

A New Beginning

1. Start over. Forget the past and the people who have forgotten you. Donate your unwanted clothes, enhance your style. Start journaling and redecorate your room. Cut the toxic people out of your life. It's okay to leave someone behind if they don't need you anymore. Reconnect with old friends. Clean up your social networks. Forget the person you were and start new.

2. Learn. Teach yourself a new language or skill. Actually pay attention in class one day knowledge is beauty and there is nothing wrong with expanding your mind.

3. Go on a road trip. Take a handful of T-shirts, the change from atop your dresser, and the book with its spine worn to paleness by your fingers. Take the whole of your heart; it will keep you safe at 4 a.m. when they sky is cold and the neon signs are telling you that you are alone, alone, alone. Put on your favorite sweater, buy a coffee from the gas station, put your tired, frightened forehead against the steering wheel and breathe. This is when the magic happens. You are alone, but not lonely. You are a traveler, a wanderer, a being of infinite potential. This journey is yours, all yours. You are a god here. You choose your fate. You are free. Drive until the sun rises. Walk into the sea in your old clothes and lick the sadness from your lips...Stay as long as you like. Find sanctuaries in the mountains, the deserts, the hearts of the biggest cities. Rent apartments with skylights and broken tiles. Fall in love to teach yourself about vulnerability. Leave to teach yourself about loss. Keep your hope in your pockets and hold it tightly when the night gets too dark. This is when the magic happens. One morning you'll wake up and find that you aren't afraid anymore. Do it alone or do it with friends, but get out of this town. Plan it down to the tiniest detail and just leave.

4. Find people you will cherish forever. Find that group of friends who love you no matter what. Who will always have your back and will never talk behind it. Never forget these people because you will need them when the demons get too strong.

5. Go to concerts. Find artists you love and go see them live. Have an experience of a lifetime. There is nothing more magical than being in that place with a group of strangers who have the same interests as you.

Make It Count

At the start of this blogging project I chose to write about those moments that I'd never forget, the moments that changed my life, and all of those rare moments when I cherished my life. My hope was that through these experiences, you might cherish those little moments in your life too. I'd like to believe that my goal was achieved. I read some great comments and felt as if my words really influenced my fellow classmates and Mr.Wood. I would like to continue with this topic however due to senioritis I've gotten lazy and have been more focused on graduation and getting out of this school then my homework...

As all of you know graduation is right around the corner. It’s time for the official countdown to begin (if it hasn't already)...21 days *cough cough*. These are your last days of high school, and as annoying as this time period may have been in your life, it’s still a pretty big deal. You’re about to enter the real world, and things just won’t be the same next year.

I was never a big fan of high school, but Senior year will always stand out to me, especially the end of this year. This year was the first time during school that I was actually able to feel comfortable and happy with all of my classmates. This year I made new friends that I wish I had had all four years, and participated in school activities that I actually found enjoyable. If you're like me then this year is your favorite at St. Joseph; however Its not over yet. I want to make not only these last few weeks count, but also the summer before I start college.

This blogging project is almost over, but I feel like I should change my topic to something everyone can really relate to during this difficult stage of senioritis. We have just enough time left in the year to do everything that needs to be done before graduation. I'm not talking about getting good grades, doing well on finals, or even completing community service hours. I'm talking about the cliche high school bucket list. This is a list of everything that I personally believe should be completed before you start college. This list will be a combination of what I have already completed in high school and what I plan on completing before college next year.

Please leave in the comments some of your own high school experiences that you believe should be included in this list or what you plan on doing before college next year. I might add them on my bucket list which you can read in my next posts.

Which Second Will Be Your Last?

     So I know its kind of late to write my blog post, but I forgot last week and I decided to write it today before I completely forget...As it turns out today just wasn't one of my best days. *Fair warning this is probably going to be one of my more depressing posts...*

     Just today I got news that my friend Steve died and it really made me question whether or not I was a good friend. It's just a shock when someone so close to you is unexpectedly gone. It makes you question the last words you said to them or if they felt like you were really there for them...I'd like everyone to know that if you need me, you could call me. I don't care if I'm sleeping, if I'm having my own problems or if I'm angry at you. If you need me and if you need to talk to me. I'll always be there for you. No matter how big or small you problem is, I'll be there.

     You should live life while you can because you never know which second will be your last. Today I was fortunate to wake up and I don't want to waste this life arguing and fighting with the past. We were never given a good life nor a bad life. We are given a life, and It's up to us to make it good or bad.

     My biggest mistake in my long....long....18 years of life is that I did not realize how precious life is and did not live in the moment enough. This is even more clear now that the moment is gone, captured only by photographs...here are five rules to live by so that you might live in the moment not in the photograph:

1. Free your heart from hatred.
2. Free your mind from worries.
3. Live simply.
4. Give more.
5. Expect less.

"Be grateful for every second of every day that you get to spend with the people you love. Life is so precious." -Many Hale

An Inspiration

     As most of you have realized, we only have 8 weeks left of school! In other words...I need to finish my Senior desk. I spent an entire week just thinking about what it was I wanted to do. I was hoping that an idea would pop into my head sooner or later...

     After performing at the St. Patricks Day parade I thought about how much music has influenced me; it's my escape from the bullshit in life and is how I express myself. One of my all time favorite artists is Jimi Hendrix. In only four years he became the most influential guitar player who ever lived. He didn't hesitate to push musical boundaries in order to bring the music he heard in his head to life. His influence on modern music ranges far beyond mere heavy metal and embraces the influences of blues, ballads, rock, R&B, and jazz. He would actually call his music "electric church" because he believed music was his religion. Just by listening to his music you know that he truly believed this. It's whenever I'm stressed about school that I can just listen to Hendrix's music and easily calm down...

     So you're probably wondering what this has to do with my Senior desk. Well that's because this is what I decided to do for my senior desk; a portrait of Jimi Hendrix. It wasn't just music that helped me through life; it was Hendrix. 

10 Essential Jimi Hendrix Songs:

-The Wind Cries Mary

-Hey Joe

-Red House

-Little Wing

-Castle Made of Sand

-If 6 was 9

-All Along the Watch Tower

-Voodoo Child

-Crosstown Traffic

-Machine Gun

The True Meaning of Family

 Last Thursday was my last cheer game. It was full of great memories, a few tears, and some amazing stunts. This was one of my favorite years on the cheer team. I'm so glad that I've had the chance to cheer with these girls and make new memories...



From those moments right
 before a halftime routine
when our captains gave their
amazing speeches.

 And our team

cheer before

every performance

that helped us

become a team.

                                                            Those routines
that we spent
weeks perfecting.

 But were worth it

 in the end when 

the crowd was 

on their feet 

cheering.

                                      

When a stunt pod
achieved a nearly
impossible stunt.

And the entire

team cheered

them on.

To becoming close
 friends with your 
stunt pod and 
trusting them with
 your life.

Our team dinners 

when we realized 

that we would 

always be there 

for one another.

And those long
nights at State
when we told
each other
everything...

I love my team

 like a family.

And I will never
forget the memories
 we've made.

pause.think.change.

     Often times we judge those who we don't really know, its part of human nature. I know that at times I can be very judgmental of  those who I don't know. I never really took a moment to realize just how much I judge others based off of what I've heard. It was only a few weeks ago that I  thought about this; It's when I'm judging others that I define who I am, not who they are...so when exactly did I realize this? Well....
     It was a Friday night and I was basically forced to go with two of my closest friends who wanted to hangout with some guys. I had to drive my friends since neither of them could drive. I knew who their friends were and wasn't very excited to go. I had never actually hung out with them before even though I've known them for almost four years. I thought that they would be really annoying and not much fun to hangout with.
      We meet up with them at Starbucks and decided we would all drive up to the top of South Ogden. We had to followed the guys since I had no idea where we were going...by far one of the scariest drives of my life. They were nearly impossible to follow and I felt like I was going to drive off a cliff...lets just say I'm not a very fast driver. I prefer to go the speed limit (safety first).
     Once we reached the top of South Ogden we parked our cars near a ledge. The view was amazing! We spent the entire night laughing and just talking about crazy stuff. It was really a great night and in the end I realized how great of friends they were.
      I was quick to judge and I regretted that when I realized who they really were. No, I didn't learn everything about them in one night, but I did learn that my accusations were wrong. And I needed to change the part of me that is quick to judge others.


Sadly, we are always critiqued,
By the people that we know.
By the title or occupation,
And by the possessions that we show.

We judge by skin color,
Or by awards received.
What we hear from others
And by what we believe.

We're judged by what we spend,
Or by what we give.
We're judged by age and gender,
And by where we live.

We're judged by our past,
And by our education,
By the language that we speak,
Or by our nation.

We evaluate cosmetically.

We judge both fat and small,

We judge by ones appearance

Fact is, we judge it all!

Some judge because they're paid to.

Some judge intentionally.

Some judge to build self worth,

Some judge unwillingly

But who are we to judge anyone?

Insignificant Holiday

As most of you know last Saturday was Valentine's Day. This happens to be one of my least favorite holidays; it just seems overrated. I understand that it's a special day and it's great to show the one you love how much you love them, but if you truly love someone you should show and tell that person everyday of the year, not some arbitrary day in the middle of February that has no cultural significance.

Valentine's Day is just one random day society decides to shower a loved one with extra attention and love but has no personal meaning to any particular couple. It's not a wedding anniversary date, not our birthdays, etc. Get it? I'd rather not celebrate the love I have with someone on any day randomly decided by society. It's as if you're obligated to do something romantic. It's not spontaneous. Everyone is doing the same thing every year. Dinner reservations are fine and everything, but there are no surprises on Valentines day. I don't know why people care so much...

Why don't you tell your parents that you love them everyday? Or bring you girlfriend flowers just because? It just seems like a joke to me... This doesn't mean I ignore the fact that its a holiday or don't spend time with the ones I love on this day. I still give both of my parents and my sister a Valentine and I still go out with my boyfriend.  I just think you should treat everyday as if it were Valentine's Day.

"Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around." - Leo Buscagila

A Memorable Senior Night

Last Thursday was my senior night, it was an amazing and memorable night. I know that I'll never forget the friends I've made on the cheer team this year. They've accepted me for who I am and helped me become who I should be. One of my best friends, Breanna read a speech for me. It was really touching and in the end we were both crying. It was at that very moment that I realized I had found a true friend and St. Joseph. I realized what a true friend is and how I need to be there for my friends like they have always been there for me.

After the game I had plans to go on an adventure with a few people, I was really excited and was looking forward to it all day, but after Breanna's speech I realized that I needed to be there for my true friends and decided not to go. I had other obligations that I had been ignoring. I was about to make a huge mistake that I would probably regret for the rest of my life...and I know most of you will think I'm a horrible person for even thinking about going out with these people and I completely agree. It really is the smallest decision that makes the biggest impact on your life and I knew I needed to do what was right.

So that night I decided to go visit my best friend Corbin who I've known for as long as I can remember. His kidneys were failing and he was released from the hospital that day after having a second surgery...I knew he would need help getting around and would just want the company. After the game I drove to his house with a tub of his favorite ice cream (play-dough). When I got to his house he gave me a huge hug and then told me he was too sick to eat the ice cream which was kind of a downer because who doesn't love play-dough ice cream?... so we  put it in his freezer for later. We ended up staying up until 2 in the morning just talking about life...I was so glad I came to see him and if anything it made my senior night more memorable...So yeah it was my senior night and I was really looking froward to being with everyone from school, but I'm glad I saw Corbin instead because I wouldn't give up this night for anything.


"Love the friends you have, forgive the ones that hurt you, and NEVER let go to a memory that made you happy" - unknown

First Blog Post?

MOMENTS

In life there is only the present moment; that moment which we have enormous difficulty focusing on. We're always thinking about what we did, about how we could have done it better, about the consequences of our actions, and why we didn't act as we should have. And when we do focus on those rare moments it's the bad moments that catch our attention, a moment of misunderstanding that makes us forget in only a second all of those amazing and wonderful moments; the moments which impact your life and allow you to realize that everything has changed...When Mr. Wood first assigned this project of creating a blog page I thought "Damn, this is going to be easy." I was so excited, I already have several blog pages and thought this one would be no different. When I finally sat down ready to write I realized that I had absolutely no idea what I wanted to write about. I was so focused on what people would think, whether or not everyone would like my blog, and if anyone would take something I wrote too personal. With my other blogs I never allowed anyone I knew to follow me. I was free to write just about anything and not worry about what anyone thought. I wasn't focused on the future and what might happen, I was focused on the present and what I wanted to say at that very moment. 

I want to write about those moments that I'll never forget; the moments that change my life...so I guess this is my blog. I'll talk about all of those rare moments when I cherish my life, and hopefully through my experiences, you might cherish those little moments in your life too. So what are your experiences, who has impacted your life, and what are those moments that have changed you? 

"Sometimes you will never know the value of a moment until it becomes a memory." -Dr. Seuss