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?