As I'm sure many of you know, life has been... interesting for me lately. To give a brief rundown of the past three weeks: school and work have been very stressful lately; I lost my debit card and driver's license and haven't had any food or money for the past couple of weeks; my car tire went flat and I haven't had any money to fix it because I didn't have a debit card; I haven't had any personal time to myself (something that I highly value); I spent hours studying for a midterm that I failed; I have no idea what to do for a major; I have to take out a loan for the first time in my life and there have been so many problems come up... it hasn't been very enjoyable. I've tried to do my best to keep my chin up, but I'm sure that I haven't been very pleasant to be around lately.
Today was different though. I got my new debit card in the mail yesterday and I was able to buy bread and cereal for the first time in a week and a half. So I had cereal for breakfast instead of some combination of tortilla shells and peanut better, or just going without. I had an RHA meeting at 8:00 AM and it was probably the most fun meeting I've been to in my 2+ years working with the organization; our advisors, Ben Hess and Todd Fishio, were both in very jovial moods and I don't think I've laughed that hard in at least a month.
On the way home, I decided to stop by the BYU Barbershop to buy some hair gel (which I've gone without for a week) and ran into two friendly faces, Seth Bott (whom I met over the summer) and a girl from back home who was cutting Seth's hair. What are the chances of that? Then, as I exited the Wilk, I ran into my friend Katelyn Absher, who had gotten out of class early and had just happened to cross my path. As I continued my journey, I ran into another friend, Natalie Cook, who was standing on the side of the path and eating a sandwich- she'd been talking to her husband and had been wandering around aimlessly, somehow ending up on the path to Helaman Halls (and the route that I was taking home). She's always so positive and never fails to brighten my day.
As I continued my path through Helaman Halls, I ran into my friend Joanali Evans, and her two little adorable kids (who were so excited to see me!!). Nothing brings a smile to my face faster than seeing little one-year old Mayley smile at me and wave. Finally, on the last leg of my journey to Wyview Park, somebody honked at me (it was a happy honk). I think it was my friend Mitch, but I'm not sure.
Now I am sitting here waiting for my car to be fixed... it'll cost about $270, but my mom gave me $130 to help pay for it and I somehow have $500 in savings. I just ate a big lunch of pasta and pomegranate juice. I finished up my chemistry homework last night (and it actually made sense). My bid is done. My hair is styled. I'm listening to country music. Jessica just called me because her stove was on fire and I was able to instruct her on what to do. It's Friday and I only have two classes to go to. My roommate is singing along to his rock music...
Life can be so hard. Sometimes you think to yourself, How can it get any worse? And then it does. But it's not going to last forever; there will always be that light at the end of the tunnel. And when you do finally reach that light, think about how much more grateful you'll be for that light when all you've seen for the past little while was darkness. It's almost like your reward for making it through the trials you just endured. God's not going to put us through trial after trial after trial after trial; life's to be enjoyed too.
And life is good. :D
Friday, October 22, 2010
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Success?
Disclaimer: yet again, this is not prideful.
I've accomplished many things in my short 21 years of life (yes, I'm saying 21 even though I technically still have a month and a half); many of them are things that the average 20 year old wouldn't even consider: I've performed in Carnegie Hall, the Jefferson Memorial, the Washington, D.C. temple visitor's center, the De Jong Concert Hall (BYU), the Libby Gardner Hall (U of U), the Assembly Hall on Temple Square, and on the Tabernacle Organ in Salt Lake City, not to mention countless chapels and homes throughout the Intermountain West; I was one of the best choir presidents that Box Elder High School has ever seen and one of the principal accompanists in a community that produces the top musicians in the State of Utah; I was BYU's "Freshman of the Year" and served as the president of the second largest student-run organization on campus; I've read the entire 1st book of Nephi in Spanish; heck, at one point in my life I had two stake callings and two ward callings.
So how can someone who has "accomplished" so much actually accomplished so little? I'm a junior in college and I've never officially declared a major, I'm having to take out a loan to pay for school, I don't focus on my schoolwork as much as I should, and I hate writing bids. Sometimes I feel like I'm broken- I see everybody else around me devote most of their time to studying and their major, and they always seem to end up with As and -As. Then there's me, who is perfectly content with a B, maybe a +B (or sometimes a +C). I'll probably end up with some dead-end job and look back on my life, saying, "a lot of good that did you."
The End.
I've accomplished many things in my short 21 years of life (yes, I'm saying 21 even though I technically still have a month and a half); many of them are things that the average 20 year old wouldn't even consider: I've performed in Carnegie Hall, the Jefferson Memorial, the Washington, D.C. temple visitor's center, the De Jong Concert Hall (BYU), the Libby Gardner Hall (U of U), the Assembly Hall on Temple Square, and on the Tabernacle Organ in Salt Lake City, not to mention countless chapels and homes throughout the Intermountain West; I was one of the best choir presidents that Box Elder High School has ever seen and one of the principal accompanists in a community that produces the top musicians in the State of Utah; I was BYU's "Freshman of the Year" and served as the president of the second largest student-run organization on campus; I've read the entire 1st book of Nephi in Spanish; heck, at one point in my life I had two stake callings and two ward callings.
So how can someone who has "accomplished" so much actually accomplished so little? I'm a junior in college and I've never officially declared a major, I'm having to take out a loan to pay for school, I don't focus on my schoolwork as much as I should, and I hate writing bids. Sometimes I feel like I'm broken- I see everybody else around me devote most of their time to studying and their major, and they always seem to end up with As and -As. Then there's me, who is perfectly content with a B, maybe a +B (or sometimes a +C). I'll probably end up with some dead-end job and look back on my life, saying, "a lot of good that did you."
The End.
Monday, October 18, 2010
Awkward Situations
Before you read this post, please note: this is not meant to be prideful in any way. It's a legitimate concern that I have.
Have you ever been walking across campus and passed by someone who said, "Hey!! How are you?!" You have no idea what their name is or even who they are. Awkward situation, right?
Now put yourself in my shoes; I experience something like this almost every day. Macy's, church, the Wilk... it's all the same. Nowhere is safe, not even the Brigham City Walmart.
One time I was at the mall in Orem, trying on pants at one of the stores (I can't even remember which one). I went up to one of the workers to ask for a fitting room and she looked at me and said, "Hey, isn't your name Skyler?" I replied with a surprised look, "Yeah, it is."
"I think that you were in my freshman ward."
Lying through my teeth, "Oh yeah! I remember now!"
I then went on to have this conversation with this girl I didn't even know, about how she was engaged and how good life was. Now you may be saying to yourself, "Surely you know her; you must have just forgotten her over the years." Nope. I don't think we ever officially met.
Another situation (this one just happened a month ago). It's short, don't worry:
I walked into Macy's (the grocery store) and grabbed a shopping cart. I didn't even make it to the first aisle before some girl was yelling my name from halfway across the store. She seemed excited to see me and we carried on a short conversation before parting ways. But to this day I have no idea who she was.
So why am I writing this blog post? These occurrences are being more and more regular, literally almost daily. I'm almost to the point where I walk across campus and hope that I don't see someone I know. I mean, I know I'm not the best at remember names and faces, but as I hold more and more prominent positions (RHA President, NRHH President, ward organist, the only junior in the ward, etc) it seems like the amount of nameless people that know me increases exponentially. And it doesn't help that I'm so recognizable; my blond hair (and friendly personality) is kind of hard to forget. Just one more hit I'm taking for the team.
So if I run into you on campus and forget your name, please don't take offense. Just nod your head and go along with it, because chances are my brain will be on information overload.
Have you ever been walking across campus and passed by someone who said, "Hey
Now put yourself in my shoes; I experience something like this almost every day. Macy's, church, the Wilk... it's all the same. Nowhere is safe, not even the Brigham City Walmart.
One time I was at the mall in Orem, trying on pants at one of the stores (I can't even remember which one). I went up to one of the workers to ask for a fitting room and she looked at me and said, "Hey, isn't your name Skyler?" I replied with a surprised look, "Yeah, it is."
"I think that you were in my freshman ward."
Lying through my teeth, "Oh yeah! I remember now!"
I then went on to have this conversation with this girl I didn't even know, about how she was engaged and how good life was. Now you may be saying to yourself, "Surely you know her; you must have just forgotten her over the years." Nope. I don't think we ever officially met.
Another situation (this one just happened a month ago). It's short, don't worry:
I walked into Macy's (the grocery store) and grabbed a shopping cart. I didn't even make it to the first aisle before some girl was yelling my name from halfway across the store. She seemed excited to see me and we carried on a short conversation before parting ways. But to this day I have no idea who she was.
So why am I writing this blog post? These occurrences are being more and more regular, literally almost daily. I'm almost to the point where I walk across campus and hope that I don't see someone I know. I mean, I know I'm not the best at remember names and faces, but as I hold more and more prominent positions (RHA President, NRHH President, ward organist, the only junior in the ward, etc) it seems like the amount of nameless people that know me increases exponentially. And it doesn't help that I'm so recognizable; my blond hair (and friendly personality) is kind of hard to forget.
So if I run into you on campus and forget your name, please don't take offense. Just nod your head and go along with it, because chances are my brain will be on information overload.
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Lynnisms
I think my roommate plugged the toilet, so while I wait for the smell level to go down and it's safe to enter, I'll blog!
Tonight as I was going through my "special box" (you know, the box where you save all of your important letters and birthday cards), I came across some blue post-it notes that contain the precious knowledge of my former boss, Lynn. Oh how I miss that man and his Lynnisms. He was like a grandfather to me. At this time I would like to share with the world his wise words of life; may you be as enlightened by them as I was.
"I am not a sayer of things."
"I want to be a monkey's uncle. I have no ambition."
"The worst is when you think you're about to get a drink of cool water and it ends up being someone's throw up."
"Do you want to hit him now, later, or both?"
"Chip the barnacles off your butt and get to work!"
"He's gonna hunt you down like a dog in the street."
"Being an extra is like having a pimple on your butt... it's an extra!"
"Susan, why don't pigs fly? Because they don't have wings!"
"When you're sick, you just don't feel well."
"Your marriage won't last longer than a warm fart."
"This is not for eating, it's for looking through." (talking about an orange)
"He's smarter than turpentine on a dog's butt."
"How long is a piece of string?"
"Like chewing an elastic band." (talking about low-fat cookies)
"Like sliding down a banister of razor blades and landing in a bucket of alcohol."
Tonight as I was going through my "special box" (you know, the box where you save all of your important letters and birthday cards), I came across some blue post-it notes that contain the precious knowledge of my former boss, Lynn. Oh how I miss that man and his Lynnisms. He was like a grandfather to me. At this time I would like to share with the world his wise words of life; may you be as enlightened by them as I was.
"I am not a sayer of things."
"I want to be a monkey's uncle. I have no ambition."
"The worst is when you think you're about to get a drink of cool water and it ends up being someone's throw up."
"Do you want to hit him now, later, or both?"
"Chip the barnacles off your butt and get to work!"
"He's gonna hunt you down like a dog in the street."
"Being an extra is like having a pimple on your butt... it's an extra!"
"Susan, why don't pigs fly? Because they don't have wings!"
"When you're sick, you just don't feel well."
"Your marriage won't last longer than a warm fart."
"This is not for eating, it's for looking through." (talking about an orange)
"He's smarter than turpentine on a dog's butt."
"How long is a piece of string?"
"Like chewing an elastic band." (talking about low-fat cookies)
"Like sliding down a banister of razor blades and landing in a bucket of alcohol."
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Happiness
Happiness is...
spending General Conference weekend working on the cabin with my family.
sleeping in the cabin loft with my younger siblings, then waking up and having a big wrestling match with our sleeping bags pulled over our heads.
walking around the Weber State duck pond hand in hand with a certain girl.
driving through small farm towns on a Sunday afternoon and seeing the fields empty and the church parking lots full.
having a fall picnic in a mountain meadow with wonderful friends.
homemade blankets from Grandma.
catching my parents looking at each other with such love and adoration.
getting letters from my best friend on a mission and somehow it's just what I need to hear at that exact moment.
going home and seeing the excitement in my youngest brother's eyes as he tells me about all of his recent adventures.
seeing my teenage sister wear make-up for the first time... while kicking butt on the freshmen volleyball team.
phone calls with my brother, who somehow grew up and became a man overnight.
friends that never give up on inviting me to dinner parties, even though half the time I'm too darn busy to go.
receiving encouraging emails from friends from home, who never seem to forget me.
listening to others humbly share their talents on the piano, even if it's "only" Venessa Carlton's "Thousand Miles."
watching "Up" with my favorite three year old friend who reclines against my knee, then stands up and plants himself right in my lap for the rest of the movie.
getting Naked juice at Macey's and making jokes about it the whole time.
visiting Iranthea with Anna.
spending long days (and nights) with good friends in the Resource Center.
friends who's lives are a thousand times more difficult than mine, but never complain once.
working on the Homecoming float with Jay Brown.
wiping banana off the feet of a dear friend.
going to see the Joseph Smith movie and not even caring that I'm balling my eyes out the whole time.
and last but not least, happiness is knowing that because of our Savior, Jesus Christ, and our Heavenly Father's Plan of Salvation, all of these things will be possible for the rest of eternity. And that, my friends, is very happy news.
spending General Conference weekend working on the cabin with my family.
sleeping in the cabin loft with my younger siblings, then waking up and having a big wrestling match with our sleeping bags pulled over our heads.
walking around the Weber State duck pond hand in hand with a certain girl.
driving through small farm towns on a Sunday afternoon and seeing the fields empty and the church parking lots full.
having a fall picnic in a mountain meadow with wonderful friends.
homemade blankets from Grandma.
catching my parents looking at each other with such love and adoration.
getting letters from my best friend on a mission and somehow it's just what I need to hear at that exact moment.
going home and seeing the excitement in my youngest brother's eyes as he tells me about all of his recent adventures.
seeing my teenage sister wear make-up for the first time... while kicking butt on the freshmen volleyball team.
phone calls with my brother, who somehow grew up and became a man overnight.
friends that never give up on inviting me to dinner parties, even though half the time I'm too darn busy to go.
receiving encouraging emails from friends from home, who never seem to forget me.
listening to others humbly share their talents on the piano, even if it's "only" Venessa Carlton's "Thousand Miles."
watching "Up" with my favorite three year old friend who reclines against my knee, then stands up and plants himself right in my lap for the rest of the movie.
getting Naked juice at Macey's and making jokes about it the whole time.
visiting Iranthea with Anna.
spending long days (and nights) with good friends in the Resource Center.
friends who's lives are a thousand times more difficult than mine, but never complain once.
working on the Homecoming float with Jay Brown.
wiping banana off the feet of a dear friend.
going to see the Joseph Smith movie and not even caring that I'm balling my eyes out the whole time.
and last but not least, happiness is knowing that because of our Savior, Jesus Christ, and our Heavenly Father's Plan of Salvation, all of these things will be possible for the rest of eternity. And that, my friends, is very happy news.
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