This 25th Day of July

Memoirs. That's the word.

I've been looking for that word for years. And it finally hit me. I love memoirs. I love them. I love to catch glimpses into the experiences of others. I love a well-told story. I love life in its simplicity, and I especially love to turn something mundane into the extraordinary.

And I guess that's what memoirs do. They take something so simple, so commonplace, and transform it into a universally understandable work of art. They connect us. They help us look beyond social barriers and see that our hearts are shared. Though our hopes and dreams may be different, we all have something that we are striving to become.

You know?

Anyway, today is the day in which we celebrate Christmas in July. I plan on listening to Christmas music all day long, and reminiscing on the days when it was cold enough to wear pants, thick socks, shoes, three layers of long-sleeved shirts, gloves, and a coat--and still fight the urge to shiver in attempt to look normal while walking around Temple Square. While I'm at it, I'll probably drink some hot chocolate soon, before it gets unbearably hot. Then I'll eat some popsicles and pretend that they're snow. I will celebrate that the Christmas season has drawn yet another day nearer.

And, as silly as it is, there is no reason not to take the opportunity to remember what Christmas is all about. A Savior was born. He did all that was required of Him, He redeemed us. And He lives today and is ever reaching out to you, waiting for you to take His hand.

We are so, so blessed because of Him.

Photo Credit

Merry Christmas in July!

Sometimes I Wonder

Do you think that a person's bookmark says something about them? About their lives, about who they are and what they believe?

What do they have lying around, available to pick up and stick between pages at a moment's notice?

Yesterday I picked up a piece of lined paper, sloppily folded it somewhere around in half, and closed my book around it. And I wondered, what would that say about me to someone else?

I was in my room, on my bed. The paper was out because I had been writing letter after letter in attempt to get caught up. The paper is still out--and I am nowhere near caught up on my letter writing. Does that paper say that I love and value others as I write them? Or does it say that I don't love and value them enough, because I have pushed them aside for a time?

There are two questions that I always ask in a get-to-know-you situation. I will always come out knowing the color of that person's toothbrush, and his or her favorite ancient civilization. I have done this for years and years, and I will likely continue to for quite some time. Just another Dani quirk, now you know.

You know, the answers to those questions don't really tell me a thing about the person. But sometimes I think the way the answer is delivered might. And, though I don't consciously form my opinion on a person based on something so irrelevant as the color of my toothbrush, isn't that something we all do?

We make a lot of decisions about people. We form a lot of opinions, and probably cast more judgement than we are in the position to acceptably do. But we love, and we support, and try to lift each other up. We encourage and inspire. We connect. And how this all ties together, I have no idea. I don't know where we decide to stop deciding how we feel and just go with what our heart says. Some things are just beyond my understanding.

Still, sometimes I wonder.

Pink Umbrellas

A summer project of mine is underway: reread the entirety of the Harry Potter series. So far, I have relieved years one and two with some of the greatest characters known to wizardkind, and I am enjoying myself immensely. Much sleep has been lost over this project, as I seem to have developed a habit of starting a book and refusing to go to sleep until it is finished. But hey, Harry Potter is more fun at 2 AM anyway.

But here's the thing. Now I think about Harry Potter all the time, and how great it is and how much I love it. The other day, as my mom, sister, brother, and I returned from a rather exciting day spent at Six Flags, I asked my dear mother a question.

Mom, if Harry Potter were real and I got a letter from Hogwarts, would you have let me go?

Her response? No. Who says that? I mean, obviously Harry Potter is real and I just didn't get my letter from Hogwarts at age 11 because the wizarding world needed me to stay here and protect the muggles, but still. Really? I was in shock. And I didn't speak to her for the remainder of the drive home.

Okay, that's a lie. My furious silence lasted about 15 seconds before I realized that, in my anger, I was failing to protect my muggle family as I was assigned to do by my lack of letter. It was then that I used my secret de-angering technique and continued to intently stare out the window in search of any sign of danger. You know, fixed bludgers, swarming owls, Dark Marks, that kind of thing.

The other day, my sister and I wanted to watch a family favorite: My Big, Fat, Greek Wedding. I guess we all kind of connect to it--we're loud and crazy too. The trouble is, our copy is very . . . well loved. In other words, the DVD has all kinds of scratches on it. Generally, we just skip past the first time it freezes, and the rest of the movie works fine enough. However, we have since misplaced the DVD player remote, so we were rendered completely helpless upon its first freezing. In desperation, I cast my eyes about the room in search of something, anything, that I could use to circumvent the scratches. And that's when I saw it. 

The pink umbrella.

Having recently been reminded of our dear friend Rubeus Hagrid, I instantly knew what to do. I picked up that pink umbrella, swiftly made my way over to the DVD player, and gave it a few light raps. And, I kid you not, the movie began playing again a few moments later. Not one more glitch the entire duration of the presentation.

It was the greatest of my achievements to date. Thanks, buddy. Let's do that again sometime.

Herald, My Love

I wish I was cool enough to be a nerd.

I wish I was brilliant. I wish I understood the world, I wish I could could completely relate to all the nerd quirks that are out there in this world. (Side note: I love this blog--Nerd Quirks.)

I mean, just look at these:

When you're allowed one note card for a test.

(All photos found on this blog.)

I'm close enough to understand them, to see the beauty in them, but not enough to feel justified in calling myself a nerd. It pains me--truly, deeply. I feel broken inside, not being nerdy enough. There is a dagger just hangin' out in my heart. I may as well just lay down on the table and let the true nerds dissect me so I can at least serve some purpose to the nerd community that I so long to be a part of.

On the bright side, I'm starting to figure it out. At least a little bit. I may never be a genius math major, or neuroscience, or whatever brilliant person it is that I see next and deeply covet their nerdy qualities, but I do recognize that the library encompasses all that is good in this life.

I may be a Recreation Management major, but I do love studying with all of my heart. I love to read, to learn, to grow. I love that I can hold adventure--true adventure--in my hands. I love how one little piece of knowledge can carry me through a day's worth of thought. I love to experience life, to soak it in, to make connections, to see the world around me. I love that learning is never over, that there is always something new to be experienced--to be discovered.

I think it's high time that I return to my love and bury myself in my studies. I miss it. Don't worry, my dear friend, I'll be coming home to you soon!

But for tonight, I'll make believe that I am the nerd I've always longed to be, and in my dreams I'll find myself adjusting my slightly oversized glasses while checking my stopwatch as I solve an unbelievably complex math problem. I'll quote Shakespeare and Thoreau with the best of them, and I'll spend my days in the most unknown corner of the library soaking in the knowledge of the world.

A Girl's Gotta Dream

Photo Credit

Remember when I told you that I love to read?

This is my dream: to have a library in my home. I don't care if it is the smallest room in the house, but I desperately desire a place to be set aside for books, reading, and the general feeling of coziness that accompanies the combination of paper and ink. In my fantasy land, my library will be the picture of perfection, as described below.

Upon entering the room, you immediately notice the walls--they are all lined with books. Naturally, they will be organized according to a system that I have yet to develop, but they certainly will be easily found.  The books sit on bookcases that contribute to an overall feeling of warmth, perhaps similar to those pictured above. Windows will allow for natural lighting during the daylight hours--and each window will be adorned with light, flowy, calming curtains. Comfortable seating will be provided, preferably individual reading chairs scattered about the room. Each chair will be accompanied by its own lamp. In addition, each will have a side table for organizational purposes. Tucked in a corner will be a basket filled with cozy and unique blankets, perfect for curling up under. On one wall will include a fireplace to add to the feeling of coziness, especially in the wintertime. No matter the season, the temperature will be kept just below the normal comfort level to allow for the curling-up-under-the-blanket-while-reading atmosphere. I absolutely would not be opposed to a rolling ladder. The walls will be painted a cozy tone--one shade of brown or another. Flashlights will also be available for those times that you desire to experience the staying-up-till-all-hours-of-the-night-reading feel. There will be outlets available for computers in case you are feeling writing more than reading. The carpet will be lush and soft. There will be a good amount of open space on the floor.

My library will be a sanctuary. I love it already.

This video is super cool. 

Why Read?

I grew up on the movie Matilda. I wanted to be just like her--to the point that I checked out Herman Melville's Moby Dick from my local library and honestly planned on reading it. I was in the first grade. But there is a line in Matilda, said by her father, that seems true the general opinion of the United States today.

"There's nothing you can get from a book that you can't get from a television faster."

And with all the technology of today, doesn't it make sense? We have televisions, radios, podcasts, and other means by which we can obtain all the information that we need. According to the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), the percentage of adults in the United States who read dropped from 60.9% to 56.6% between the years of 1992 and 2002. It seems that America is taking advantage of what is placed before her, which leads us to the question--why read?

Dr. Seuss once wrote,

The more that you read, the more things you will know.

The more that you learn, the more places you go.

Well, naturally. I think that it is safe to say that everyone, to one degree or another, associates reading with the learning process. We all know that the letters, words, and sentences in our textbooks contain information. We all know that there is a meaning behind the classic literature we read in our English classes. But do we look towards books as the same escape as we do towards our iPods and TVs? According to NEA's results, many of us do not. Rather, we see reading as yet another item on our ever-growing to-do list. It is something that must be removed, avoided, or, at the very least, shortened via SparkNotes. What a shame.

In a world where speed is the objective, many of us fail to realize that reading is an opportunity. Not an opportunity to get us on the "fast track" of life, not an opportunity to obtain a PhD while still in your teens, and certainly not an opportunity for any kind of shortcut. Reading is an opportunity to slow down. To step outside of the rush. To think. To exist. To simply...be. There is something to be said for processing a story over a significant amount of time. While it is not the most convenient or time efficient, it is by far the most influential. By taking time from our busy schedules, we open ourselves to receive what a little paper and ink can offer.

Whatever it is that you choose to read, it offers a new perspective on the world around you. Through a book, a blog, a newspaper, a magazine--anything that is well written--you can step out of your own world and into another. You can gain experiences and insights that your own life never could have given you. While I will never experience what it was like to be a black woman in the early 1960s, live in Afghanistan, or fly on a broomstick in my own life, I have experienced all these through the work of Kathryn Stockett, Khaled Hosseini, and J.K. Rowling. There have been times that I, for a moment, have confused my reading for my own life. Like a dream, there is a faint line dividing it from reality. But, though I logically know that I did not live it, I feel that I experienced it. There is beauty in that; there is beauty in being affected, truly affected, by something outside of yourself. And that is why I read. I read because, without costing me so much as a penny, it is enough to change my life.

My Newest, Slightish, Obsession

I think this is healthy. I really think that it is one hundred percent beneficial to body, mind, and soul to be obsessed with the work of Theodor Seuss Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss.

So I will be.

Someday I will own the complete works of Dr. Seuss. And I will read a book every night before I go to bed. Most likely, this will be a bedtime story to my children. But secretly I will be reading them, not for my children's sake, but for my own.

Because, disguised behind all the clever rhymes, made-up words and silly pictures, each story contains a message. There is wisdom in his words.

Dr. Seuss is brilliant. It takes a man of a brilliant nature to take an important concept, wrap it up in lovely rhythms, pair it with some crazy characters and a splash of color, bind it, and sell it as a children's book. His words have reached countless ears of every age. Parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, siblings, cousins and other various relatives have read the words of Dr. Seuss aloud to their beloved whippersnapper on many a night. Not to mention babysitters, teachers, friends, and neighbors. Beyond that, his words are plastered all over the internet for any who may not have been included in the preceding list. Suffice it to say, Dr. Seuss has reached many lives with his words. And rightfully so.

Take a look at the messages he conveys. Listen to your parents, believe in yourself, set your sights high, keep moving past the hard times, it is okay to feel and express emotions, try new things, look beyond yourself, read, accept others, appearances don't matter, recognize your blessings, be the best that you can be. These are messages for everyone! No matter the age, background, or circumstance, Dr. Seuss will uplift, encourage, and inspire.

We could all use a little more Dr. Seuss in our lives.

Honey, Eggs, and Red Rock

It's about time I catch up on my bucket list successes. I will recount the experiences in chronological order.

#21.18--Read The Secret Life of Bees

I believe it was Tuesday night. It was end of term, my independent reading assignment was due on Friday, and I desperately needed to buckle down and read a book. I chose The Secret Life of Bees, by Sue Monk Kidd, curled up under a quilt and a lamp in the corner of my room, and read until 1:30 in the morning. It was heaven. I had forgotten how much I adore reading. And the book was just wonderful!

Photo Credit

I absolutely loved it. It is definitely feminist, which I don't necessarily agree with, but it is an overall amazing book. It's one of those books that makes me feel like I'm in the story, one of those books that I can relate to in one thing or another. It talked about the importance of having something to believe in. Though I do not believe in the same things as the women in this book, I began to feel a greater appreciation for the strength that I draw from my beliefs. It also talked about love. My favorite quote from the book was said by a woman named August Boatwright.

"And when you get down to it, Lily, that's the only purpose grand enough for a human life. Not just to love--but to persist in love."

Honestly? I want to sit right back down with it and read it again. I loved this book. Well done, Sue Monk Kidd.

#48--Cook something in the odd hours of the night

Immediately following my completion of The Secret Life of Bees, I was wide awake. I don't know if I was just giddy from the excitement of reading, perhaps the book had simply put my mind back in motion, but whatever it was, I was not going to bed anytime soon. It was then that I realized that I had skipped dinner entirely, due to the excitement of the novel. With a growling stomach, I crept downstairs and proceeded to make myself a scrambled egg sandwich.

Though the picture begs to differ, it was marvelously delicious. And satisfying.

(P.S. Don't judge my photography skills off of this photo, it was not taken in the most artistic of circumstances. AKA: I was starving in the middle of the night and wanted to eat the sandwich, not take a picture of it.)

#38--Run a half marathon

This one happened yesterday. My mom, sister and I journeyed to Moab to run the Canyonlands Half Marathon. I ran it with the time of 1:53.30 and absolutely loved it! The canyon is beautiful, the supporters were wonderful, the event was organized, and I had a great run.

This paper was in our hotel lobby.

I fell in love with half marathons--everything about them is supportive, uplifting, and encouraging. There were some 4,000 runners on that course yesterday and every one of them succeeded. Not just the overall winners, not just the top finishers in the age divisions, but every single person that crossed the finish line. The volunteers cheered for every runner as if they were setting a world record. People I didn't even know were supporting me and helping me to be my best. People I had never met were proud of me.

I may or may not get around to posting pictures. I have yet to see the pictures that were taken (they're due to be posted sometime this week), but if they're worth anything I'll put them on display for all the world to see. Since all the world follows my blog.

We saw the coolest car in the world on the way home.

The full car

Close-up on the window sticker

The license plate reads, "RUNLOCO"
The license plate cover reads, "gotta run..."

Bumper sticker: Marathon Freak

I think I'm in love.

Also, I discovered this place. Brilliant. One of these days I'll get around to purchasing the Original Black T--because you can never have enough cotton t-shirts. Especially when it has brilliance printed on it.

Matilda

Photo Credit

I grew up on this movie. It is great. I aspired to be just like her. For a long time, I only checked out books from the "grown-up" part of the library, because Matilda always read things like Moby Dick (which, by the way, I checked out and fully intended to read...until I got bored). Then I realized that I had been doing it all wrong, I was supposed to read all the books in the children's library first. I was distraught. Clearly I had ruined all chances of developing Matilda Mind Powers because I had failed to complete the steps in the correct order. Just the same, I kept on reading books of all kinds and watching the movie on several occasions. If you have not seen this movie yet, you absolutely must. It's a classic, and you just can't beat that.

Okay, I originally planned to post all the wonderful quotes from this movie. But it was taking too long, and I found this link that includes everything you could ever dream of as far as Matilda quotes go. Instead of typing them all out, I strongly encourage you to visit that little link and indulge yourself in some wonderful memories and hilarious lines. (And, if you will, forgive a few of their mistakes. They are minor ones.)

I Like You and I Know Why

I Like You

by Sandol Stoddard Warburg

Photo Credit

I like you and I know why.

I like you because you are a good person to like.

I like you because when I tell you something special, you know it's special

And you remember it a long, long time.

You say, "Remember when you told me something special?"

And both of us remember

When I think something is important

You think it's important too

We have good ideas

When I say something funny, you laugh

I think I'm funny and you think I'm funny too

Hah-hah!

I like you because you know where I'm ticklish

And you don't tickle me there except just a little tiny bit sometimes

But if you do, then I know where to tickle you too

You know how to be silly

That's why I like you

Boy, are you ever silly

I never met anybody sillier than me till I met you

I like you because you know when it's time to stop being silly

Maybe day after tomorrow

Maybe never

Too late, it's a quarter past silly!

Sometimes we don't say a word

We snurkle under fences

We spy secret places

I am a goofus on the roofus hollering my head off

You are one too

If I pretend I am drowning, you pretend saving me

If I am getting ready to pop a paper bag

Then you are getting ready to jump

HOORAY!

That's because you really like me.

You really like me, don't you?

And I really like you back

And you like me back and I like you back

And that's the way we keep on going every day

If you go away, then I go away too

or if I stay home, you send me a postcard

You don't just say, "Well see you around sometime, bye"

I like you a lot because of that

If I go away, I send you a postcard too.

And I like you because if we go away together

And if we are in Grand Central Station

And if I get lost

Then you are the one that is yelling for me

And I like you because when I am feeling sad

You don't always cheer me up right away

Sometimes it is better to be sad

You can't stand the others being so googly and gaggly every single minute

You want to think about things

It takes time

I like you because if I am mad at you

Then you are mad at me too

It's awful when the other person isn't,

They are so nice and hoo-hoo you could just about punch them in the nose

I like you because if I think I am going to throw up

Then you are really sorry

You don't just pretend you are busy looking at the birdies and all that

You say, maybe it was something you ate

You say, the same thing happened to me one time

And the same thing did

If you find two four-leaf clovers, you give me one

If I find four, I give you two

If we only find three, we keep on looking

Sometimes we have good luck, and sometimes we don't

If I break my arm, and if you break your arm too

Then it's fun to have a broken arm

I tell you about mine, you tell me about yours

We are both sorry

We write our names and draw pictures

We show everybody and they wish they had a broken arm too

I like you because I don't know why but

Everything that happens is nicer with you

I can't remember when I didn't like you

It must have been lonesome then

I like you because because because

I forget why I like you, but I do

So many reasons

On the Fourth of July I like you because it's the Fourth of July

On the fifth of July, I like you too

If you and I had some drums and some horns and some horses

If we had some hats and some flags and some fire engines

We could be a HOLIDAY

We could be a CELEBRATION

We could be a WHOLE PARADE

See what I mean?

Even if it was the nine hundred and ninety-ninth of July

Even if it was August

Even if it was way down at the bottom of November

Even if it was no place particular in January

I would go on choosing you

And you would go on choosing me

Over and over again

That's how it would happen every time

I don't know why

I guess I don't know why I really like you

Why do I like you?

I guess I just like you

I guess I just like you because I like you.

(Thank you to Bronwen darling for sharing this.)

The Kite Runner

Photo Credit

This book is outstanding. Well-written, beautifully painted, this novel tells a story different from most I've read. Obviously. It follows the life of a boy who grew up in Afghanistan and depicts what life was like there, how it has changed. It gave me a perspective I never would have found otherwise. I loved and hated characters at the same time. I laughed out loud, I panicked, I was shocked at parts. I couldn't put it down. It's a story about friendship, betrayal, loyalty, relationships, sin, and forgiveness. In the end, I guess you could say this book is about redemption. It's about life - the good and the bad, and it shifted how I view my own life. Khaled Hosseini created something absolutely beautiful with The Kite Runner.

#21-3 complete.

The Help

I highly recommend this book. Written by a fine lady by the name of Kathryn Stockett, this book will suck you in. Her writing is incredible; I am amazed at the voice each and every one of her characters carry. It takes turns you'd never anticipate and you'll find yourself turning pages faster than you can read. It makes you think and, in the end, teaches a message each of us can learn from. If you get the chance, pick this book up. You'll have it finished before you know it.

#21-3 is now complete.