writer's block.

I'm not a professional writer or even a talented writer by any means, but I believe I am experiencing writers block. I don't know what to blog about. I try to make posts about a specific subject or a story. But I am coming up with nothing. A big fat blank.

I've heard about these exercises where someone will just start writing and they will keep writing and writing and then they will have a masterpiece. Malcolm even tried to get Cole to do it in the Sixth Sense because he heard that once you keep writing and you get into a flow of it you write and write and all of these feelings come out that you didn't even know you had. Which seems a little bit scary, if you ask me but I thought that seemed like a pretty cool idea so I tried it. Yes, I took life advice from a fictional character. Thank you M. Night Shaymalan.

Truth be told? It didn't work. At least not for me. And I'll tell you why. Because I'm a worrier. And my mind is constantly racing. This didn't work because I didn't know where to start. I mean how do you just start writing? What do you just start writing about? The possibilities are seriously endless. And what if you start writing about something and it gets you nowhere? Or you should write about a different subject because maybe it would bring something out that's more interesting, but how am I supposed to know what that subject is? See. Told you. I have and always will be a worry wort. My mom can verify.

But this is where you, my lovely friends, can come into play and to my rescue.

Leave a comment and ask a question(or statement, topic, etc). Maybe it can get some creative juices flowing. A question/whatever that might help me recall a story or experience or something to blog a post about.

Please and thank you.

WARNING: I'm getting old.

The other day as I was getting ready for the day I noticed the culprit. I tried to take a picture for proof but it wasn't working out so well. You'll have to use your imagination.

A GRAY hair. Gray and shiny. A GRAY HAIR?! And this isn't the first time one has surfaced. I think my sister so lovingly pointed one out to me while we were in Target by pointing at me, grabbing and yanking my hair and saying, in not the quietest voice you've ever heard, "Is that a GRAY hair?!" I think I was maybe 19 at the time.

Since when did teenagers and college students start getting gray hair? Isn't that something reserved for our grandparents? And really old people? When my grandma died she still had mostly brown hair.

I mean I'm not that old. I'm only 23. 24 next month. Of course according to Mormon folklore I'm a few years shy of becoming a menace to society. But still, I'm only in my 20's. Early 20's mind you.

I have heard that gray hair is a sign of stress. Which I guess wouldn't be that far off. I tend to get stressed fairly easily. And I have about two million things to figure out before I graduate in December. But the fact still remains that I've fallen victim of early-onset graying in the hairs.

For future gray hairs: please keep your distance. You're not wanted.

behold the power of...

CHEESE.

Yes, that's right ladies and gents. An entire post dedicated to our beloved cheese.

I don't even know where to begin. I'm sure I can trace this love back to the fact that I was born in America's Dairy Land. Wisconsin. I know they say that "Happy cows come from California" and it may be true, but you just can't compete with America's Dairy Land. Plain and simple.

For example. Wisconsin (and Minnesota...maybe other parts of the Midwest?) is home to the greatest fair food EVER.

Enter Cheese Curds.

Delicious deep fried nuggets of ooey gooey cheesy goodness. Now tell me these don't look scrumptious. Never mind the fact that it's cardiac arrest on a plate. It's yummy anyway. They are SO bad for you that my friend's dad who is a cardiologist doesn't let his family eat them. But they sneak them at the fair sometimes anyway. I thought these were a common staple among state fairs. I had grown up eating them every summer (and looked forward to it too!) But when I got to college people looked at me like I was crazy. "I'm sorry...have I ever eaten what? Cheese curds?" I tried hard to defend them, but I still came up short. They're a close cousin to the mozzarella stick...but better. Loads better. Sorry mozzarella sticks. Although you are quite delicious too.

I will firmly say that I could eat cheese every day and never EVER get sick of it. And I usually do. I try and work it in somehow. Whether it's a string cheese, cheese and crackers (I eat cheese and crackers so much that my roommate used to call me cracker), on top of a salad, on my sandwich, you get the point. And thankfully cheese has none of the common side effects on me that it may on others. Just saying.

The old and true standby when it comes to everyday cheesy snacks is most likely string cheese.

Has anyone ever noticed how many types of string cheese there are these days?? It is quite the decision when I go to the grocery store. I don't have too much of a preference, although I did have this one really weird kind one time that was american string cheese. Yes, somehow they put those slices of cheese into string form. It was weird. I will eat American cheese melted on a sandwich though. But that's beside the point.

Back to string cheese. When I was little I thought that the string cheese that was one big lump and you pulled off the individual sticks of string cheese was THE COOLEST THING EVER. I tried to find a picture of it but couldn't find quite the right thing. The first time I ever had it was when my family went to Myrtle Beach and we bought it at Food Lion. And don't get my started on string cheese etiquette! You MUST pull it apart. Not just bite into it. OK, so on occasion when I've been in a hurry I've given in to this type of string cheese eating. But mark my words. This is not a regular occurrence.

Does anyone have as hard of a time as my family has in finding a decent cheese slicer? Doesn't anybody know how to make quality products these days? We have this one old one that we've had for as long as I can possibly remember. The wooden handle is cracked from so much use and cycles through the dishwasher. And it slices the cheese PERFECTLY. I guess we got it from one of those party packs that comes with summer sausage, cheese and crackers. Well wherever it came from, it's a gem. And every other cheese slicer producer should get in contact with them and ask them a thing or two.

It always produces a sound slice of cheese that is the exact same size as the surface of the block and it's the same width all the way though. All with one swift movement. None of this random thick parts or breaks off so you have a weird shaped slice which totally throws off the cheese ratio for your sandwich. Nothing can compare to this cheese slicer! We've even bought new ones by fancy brands and they just don't stack up.

My favorite kitchen chore? Grating cheese! I don't know why I love it so much but I really do. Whenever someone is making something that requires cheese to be grated I immediately volunteer.

And yes, I have grated my knuckles before. But just once. And it wasn't that bad...and I didn't take it out on the cheese. I still love and always will love cheese.

milestones a plenty.

Tomorrow is a BIG DAY.

Are you ready for this?? At 6 am Mountain Standard Time I will register for my last and final semester of my undergraduate education. That's right. Bring on the BS of Communication/Public Relations.

I am finally down to the final stretch, in every sense of the word.

Which means that after 11 semesters I will finally GRADUATE.

And the best part? I don't have that many requirements to graduate so I don't even need to take that many classes.

Don't worry Mom, I'll still take at least 12 credits so I still get the best bang for your buck. Or Grandpa's. Anyway. It will be a well worth it semester.

that's why you don't forget that you gotta fix that step

This was a tough one. My favorite show. So I narrowed it down to my two favorites.

arrested development and modern family. These shows can seriously make me LOL over and over and over again. I love the witty and sarcastic comments.

You also gotta love families that at times are so completely dysfunctional yet they make it work.

So...what's your fave show?

26.2

OK, So I realize that I'm already a day behind. But I'm not going to beat myself up about it because I'm still making progress and that's what's important. So here is today's post. A goal.

To run a freaking marathon.

To me it seems like the ultimate test of your in shape-ness. Can you imagine? What an accomplishment. It also wouldn't hurt having the satisfaction that I could say "WHAT NOW?!" to all of my elementary-high school foes who made fun of me for not being the most athletic or coordinated when it game to sports/gym class. If I should ever cross paths with them again, hopefully it will be after I ran a marathon. But who knows how many of them have already run one. Oh well. That's beside the point.

a picture of something...

...you hate.

Hate is a very strong word. You better really mean it before you use that word. And maybe it's even a little too strong. So I chose something very carefully that I can most indeed say

I HATE.

mushrooms.

Now, I have overcome a lot of my eating fears. Like this, for example. Among many others, scrambled eggs, tomatoes, macaroni and cheese (I know, I know. I was a very picky eater when I was a kid) and much more. But one thing that I will never overcome is mushrooms. NEVER. EVER.

For starters they are 100% bona fide FUNGUS. Really? Whose idea was it to eat fungus? I've tried to like mushrooms. I really have. But I just can't bring myself to fully commit. One time I was at Macaroni Grill with my roommates and we were switching around plates. Someone got some tetra chicken something or other and I picked up a bite of what I thought was chicken and bit right into it. Wrong. Mushrooms. Cue gagging. It's true. They all even asked me if I was OK.

And that is the one thing that I truly hate.

here we go again.

As motivation to update my blog more regularly, I'm drawing inspiration from facebook. There is something going around about this 30 day challenge or something. It looks like it has something to do with posting a picture and then elaborating on it. I don't know if I will follow the 30 exactly and maybe it will go longer than 30 days, but here goes. Day one.

Day One: Post a picture and 10 facts about you

1. My middle name is Leigh (Like "Lee" not "Lay").

2. I have double jointed fingers.

3. My favorite animal is a dolphin.

4. Pets are like family members.

5. I only drink skim milk.

6. I have a metal rod in my back from a spinal fusion surgery.

7. And a 13" long scar to go along with it.

8. I don't really have any fears of objects, like spiders or bugs, etc.

9. People think I'm part to half black. And as much as I wish I could say yes, I can't.

10. When I was younger I had an extreme beanie baby obsession and I still have every one of them boxed away somewhere.

how do you eat an elephant?

My friend on the book posted this link and it immediately intrigued me. I can take no credit for any of the following context. But I can pass it along.

1. Let go of attachments: According to Buddhist Philosophy, attachment is one of the roots of all suffering. I can’t agree more. We attach ourselves to all sorts of things even the most self-slapping stupid notions in the universe. Are you attached to something? How much are you attached? Is it keeping you back from something? Is it making you suffer? Look at it straight through – break the illusion. Know that every attachment can be detached.

2. Let go of guilt: Guilt has absolutely no function whatsoever. Think about it – what could guilt possibly resolve? It just holds you imprisoned to self-mortification and sorrow.

3. Let go of Negative thinking: Pessimistic thoughts and negative attitudes keep you locked in a dark aura that permeates in everything you do. It’s a dangerous line to follow. Know that thoughts influence the world around us. Enough said

4. Let go of self-criticism: Many times we are our biggest pain in the neck. We criticize ourselves with the best of intentions but then go over the acceptable limit. Criticism then turns to disempowering messages. Let go of it and be kind and gentle to yourself.

5. Let go of prejudice: Prejudice keeps you bitter and resentful. It restricts your opportunities to connect meaningfully with others.

6. Let go of compulsive thinking: Do you keep on doing something just because you feel you have to do it without any apparent reason? It’s time to honestly reflect on its usefulness and its side-effects.

7. Let go of the need for others’ approval: We often tend to seek approval by others. This is an attention-seeking behaviour and one which threatens our self-confidence and authenticity.

8. Let go of limiting beliefs: Most of our limits are self-imposed. Life doesn’t have defined limits. Our beliefs do. Learn to identify those beliefs which narrow down your possibilities for action and let go of them.

9. Let go of grudges: Let me put it this way – grudges are bad for your heart. Keep them long enough or numerous enough and your health will eventually suffer. Research is showing the relationship between heart disease and emotions such as anger and grudges.

10. Let go of the “I’ll do it tomorrow” attitude: This is a delaying tactic of your subconscious saboteur trying to keep you from accomplishing important tasks. Try to be aware of it when you think it and consciously push yourself to do at least the first part of it. Naturally you will then continue the whole task because the hard part is only the beginning.

11. Let go of anxious thoughts: These are born out of our fear of the unknown and uncertainty about the future. The thought that something unpleasant may happen is only an unreal thought we have created ourselves. Ask yourself: “Is this thought based on real evidence?”

12. Let go of past heartbreaks: A heartbreak can take quite a long time to heal. Your heart is locked as your mind keeps on hovering over the same thought. The thing to realize is that in heartbreaks it is not the loss that make you suffer but the idea you create in your heads about that loss.

13. Let go of bad memories: Sometimes we remember unpleasant things that stir up some sad feelings in us. Bad memories make you relive those sad moments in the present. Keep them where they are – in the past.

14. Let go of useless things: We also attach ourselves to things of all sort. Sometimes we clutter our life with useless objects. Let go of them and simplify your working and living environment.

15. Let go of bad company: If there are people around you that are insincere, harbour envy, are highly pessimistic or disempowering, keep away from them.

16. Let go of the idea that you are a product of your past: One very common mistake we fall into is the belief that we are determined by our past experiences. This limits our view on future possibilities since we are stuck in believing that the future can only be more of the same as our past.

17. Let go of identifying yourself with your job/role: This is one of the risks of modern day life. Since roles are always becoming more specialized we think that we are part of our roles. This makes us lose perspective of our true nature.

18. Let go of counterproductive habits: These are the repetitive patterns of behavior that obstruct or distract you from constructive and productive behavior. They can be anything from watching too much TV and overeating to self-destructive behavior such as drug abuse.

19. Let go of taking things too personally: Very often we are disturbed emotionally because we interpret people’s words and actions from a very subjective perspective. When we take things personally we get irritated, hurt and disappointed. When you look at life from a more detached and objective point of view, we stay emotionally balanced and focused on our priorities.

20. Let go of the ticking clock: Time is one of our biggest sources of stress. Well, not time really but our perception of it. Sometimes we are enslaved by the concept of time even in our moments of leisure. This has devoured a lot of our genuine freedom and space. Learning to spend moments without the constant awareness of time can be liberating and finally productive.

Now the question is. Where to start?! So to answer my first question...how do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.

Although....I'm not sure who would eat an elephant in the first place. just sayin'!

never can, never will, CAN'T HOLD US DOWN

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is always in the public eye. Well not always, but it appears pretty regularly. And usually not in a good light. At least the stuff that gets the most attention isn't the best light.

Recently a broadway play was created about LDS missionaries and the Book of Mormon and the faith as a whole. Of course it's dripping with sarcasm and falsities and everything you could possibly imagine.

I wasn't going to waste any more time with it, but I was grateful when I came across this article. Especially this excerpt.

“As someone of Jewish faith,” he began, “I take personal offense at this show….I cannot believe that New York, MY New York, where I was born and raised, would ever do such a thing. Shame on you, New York Times, shame on Broadway, and shame on all of us who stand idly by and do nothing while the faith of others is mocked. Religious and cultural Jews need not support such bigotry.”

I'm grateful for kind people out there. People who may not have the same beliefs as you but still understand the principles of human decency and respect that people can worship as they choose.

If anything this play and this event only confirms my testimony of the church of Jesus Christ.

So producers of this broadway play, if you were trying to get anyone to sway from their faith...

Sorry.

The Standard of Truth has been erected; no unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing; persecutions may rage, mobs may combine, armies may assemble, calumny may defame, but the truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly, and independent, till it has penetrated every continent, visited every clime, swept every country, and sounded in every ear, till the purposes of God shall be accomplished, and the Great Jehovah shall say the work is done.

when life gives you lemons....you deal with it.

As I turned in my advertising final on Thursday morning I thought the stress of winter semester was finally over. I had fulfilled a majority of my responsibilities and was only left with a few more that wouldn't take too long.

I quickly learned that more responsibility was coming my way because other people decided to not fulfill theirs. I'm not going to go into detail or name names. I'll leave it at this: me, and a few other people had to pick up a lot of slack due to the choices of others.

But I want to focus on some thoughts that have been running through my head during the process. When did it become OK to totally tap out on all other responsibilities just because there is some stress coming from another part of your life? When is it OK to dump everything else on someone else just because you're at one stage of life and they aren't? Who are we to judge that we are in a more fragile state of mind just because someone isn't experiencing the same thing that we are? Don't you dare tell me that you are more stressed or more worried or more whatever, and that therefore you have less responsibility than me just because there's one event in your life and a different event in my life. And I'll do the same.

When did we forget about responsibility and agency? The right to CHOOSE. The right to dictate the choices we make?

Now I'm not saying that life doesn't get hard. I know it does. I've experienced it first hand and I've seen it in the life of others. But what I am saying is that no matter how hard life gets, you can always rise above. And you can rise above gracefully and not let anything get you down.

Helaman, a prophet from the Book of Mormon teaches his sons...

And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall.

Can't the same apply to us?

YES.

It can. I know it can.

When life gets stressful, when life hands you lemons, you make it work! You don't ignore other aspects. You solider on and rise triumphant.

You can look back and say...

"WOW!"

"Look how hard life was! Look at all the different things that were pulling for my attention and look how much I accomplished!"

awakening.

With Spring just around the corner, you can't help but think of renewal and a fresh start.  New hopes and new opportunities.  So much potential.  A perfect time fore reflection.

I have the tendency to focus on my have nots instead of my haves.  It's easy to stop and think about all the ways your life did go that you weren't planning on, in a negative way.  At least for me.

It's hard to let go and move on.  I like closure.  Whenever something ends, I like a reason.  Which is usually why I blame myself.  I may not like the answer, but at least it's an answer.  And then I dwell on it.  Which ends up being a pretty vicious cycle.

So I'm opting for a better approach.

"To cut my losses and let my profits run" -American proverb.

After all, there's no use crying over spilt milk.

before i die.

Yet another post as a result of browsing the internet.

This is in New Orleans. Someone constructed this chalkboard and then put it on the side of an abandoned house in their neighborhood. It's a project similar to post secret. There are buckets of chalk that anyone can use to write their goal or what they want to accomplish. When it fills up, a picture is taken, it's washed clean and the process starts all over again. SO COOL OR WHAT?

So what do YOU want to do before you die? Leave you answer in comment form. Even if you don't have a blogger, you can still leave a comment.

As for me. These are my top 5. As for now.

1. Fall in love, get married in an LDS temple for time and all eternity and start an eternal family.

2. Serve a senior couple mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints with said husband.

3. Run a marathon.

4. Learn Spanish.

5. Travel the world.

más fotos.

a list worth doing.

I was browsing around the internet and came upon this link

"66 things to do before you graduate college"

I'll admit. I was ready to not be impressed. I envisioned things like "get so drunk you can't remember your first name" or "streak at as many sporting events as possible". Things that for whatever reason define the college experience and aren't exactly up my alley. But to each his own.

But when I took a look at the list I was impressed. And intrigued. And curious. And inspired.

It's a list of legitimate things to do. That not only will improve you and prepare you for the future, but make your college experience a little more memorable and worthwhile. Some increase knowledge, some widen your scope of abilities and talents, and some are just for fun.

1. Principles » Your Dashboard

What beliefs equate to success to me?

01. [] Take the Gallup Strength Finder 2.0


02. [] Host a Potluck Dinner


03. [] Read The Alchemist


04. [] Take a Personal Development Course


05. [] Read Rich Dad Poor Dad


06. [] Journal for 30 Days in a Row


07. [] Hold 2 Leadership Positions


08. [] Read a Spiritual Text Cover to Cover

2. Passions » Your Keys

What do I love doing and why?

09. [] Play an Intramural Sport for Fun


10. [] Volunteer for an Organization that Moves You


11. [] Take a Graduate School Course


12. [] Finish an Assignment One Week Early


13. [] Do a Public Speech


14. [] Start a Campus Club


15. [] Learn to Play an Instrument


16. [] Write a Business Plan

3. Problems » Your Fuel

What social, scientific, technical, and/or personal problem do I want to solve?

17. [] Wear a Costume to Class (on a day other than Halloween)


18. [] Do Karaoke


19. [] Write an Article for the Campus Paper


20. [] Recite a Poem at an Open Mic


21. [] Correct your Professor


22. [] Do something you’ll likely get Rejected from


23. [] Get a Grade Change


24. [] Take a Quarter, Semester, or Year off

4. People » Your Motor

Whom do I want to serve and how?

25. [] Attend a Meeting of a Group you Think Thinks Differently


26. [] Get off Campus and go Camping


27. [] Join a National Organization


28. [] Mentor a Younger Person


29. [] Raise $1,000 for an Organization you Care About


30. [] Go on a Cross Country Road Trip


31. [] Study Abroad


32. [] Visit your Country of Cultural Origin

5. Positioning » Your Lane

What do I want to be #1 in the world at?

33. [] Buy your own Domain Name


34. [] Start a Blog/Website


35. [] Start Tweeting (Follow us at www.twitter.com/nscsroute66)


36. [] Buy Business cards


37. [] Create a Resume 2.0 on KODA.US/nscs


38. [] Do your Future Job Now


39. [] Create a Portfolio of your work


40. [] Intern with Two Companies

6. Pioneers » Your Pace Cars

Who are my models, mentors, or guides?

41. [] Watch 20 Videos @ Ted.com 


42. [] Find an Upperclassman Mentor


43. [] Take a Professor to Lunch


44. [] Seek to Meet a Prominent Alumni


45. [] Interview your Grandparents


46. [] Shadow an Alumni on a Project


47. [] Conduct Research with a Professor


48. [] Choose something to Master and Practice Everyday

7. Picture » Your Road Map

What’s my vision for myself and my world?

49. [] Learn WordPress


50. [] Master Excel and Powerpoint


51. [] Abstain from Something


52. [] Organize a Huge Event and Build a Team


53. [] Create a Vision Board


54. [] Learn how to use Photoshop or iMovie


55. [] Learn HTML & CSS


56. [] Sell something and Make a Profit

8. Possibility » Your Destination

What would be possible in the world with me that is not possible without me?

57. [] Learn to do your own Taxes


58. [] Run a Marathon


59. [] Take the GMAT, GRE, LSAT, or MCAT


60. [] Save $5,000 to $10,000


61. [] Clear your Credit Card Debt


62. [] Learn a Foreign Language


63. [] Get your Real Estate License


64. [] Earn a Certificate or License relevant to your Path

Last but not least…


65. [] Complete the 64 Things to do before you Graduate List


66. [] Graduate 10 Times more ready for the World than your Classmates

66. Route 66. Get the car theme? I thought it was pretty clever. These were all taken from the website. I didn't create any of them. I wish I was that creative . But for now I will have to benefit from the creativity of someone else.

Let's be honest. As much as I love college, it can get a little mundane. Not to say education isn't important, it's just easy to get into the school rut. You wake up, go to class, take notes, fail a test or several and there seems to be a never ending pile of homework. Your confidences waxes and wanes. And you do it day after day. Semester after semester. Year after year.

So needless to say....I'm getting a little sick of it. It being college. I think we all do. Maybe. It seems like I'm at that weird phase. About to graduate, not really sure what exactly I want to do. I have ideas, and in a perfect world I would bake cupcakes all day and sell them at my very own cupcake bakery.

Do you ever feel like life is just happening around you? Almost like you're observing it? At times I feel out of place. That I'm just here at school ever so temporarily and preparing to the best of my abilities for whatever comes next.

I think I'm in survival mode. Just taking it as it comes. Wanting to be done and on to the next phase of my life. After all, life is about progressing and growing. And I've been in this phase for so long. Since September 2005. Granted, I did take three semesters "off" to serve a mission for The Church of Jesus-Christ of Latter-day Saints But still. I've been in this phase for quite. some. time.

Well my estimated graduation date is December 2011. After getting a hold on my account due to high credits, going on a wild goose chase to get it lifted, changing to a Bachelor of Science to avoid any further Spanish classes, getting an internship, and a list of other things, graduation is finally in sight. Finally.

So with two semesters left, it's coming down to the wire. And I'm going to make my college experience the very best that I can. Personally and to benefit my future. All while keeping my mental health in check.

as promised.

It takes too long to upload photos. Stay tuned for more at a later date. When I have more patience.