Je pensais que si

When I'm looking for pictures on a search engine I usually come upon some pictures that aren't related to my search words (or so I personally think). This time I came upon this picture of some slinky's when I was seeing what google thought 'forgiveness' looked like.

Forgiveness is a hard spoonful of medicine to swallow. Most of the time I think it involves following rule number 6: Don't take yourself too seriously. Honestly, people have been trying to utilize it for years considering all of the analogies concerning forgiving. But to perfect it I think is a bit foolhardy. Each experience with others that involves forgiving someone or something is so unique. To think you need to perfect it to utilize it usually brings about more complications for your own mental health.

What I've learned recently is that it takes the humility provoked by my aforementioned rule number 6. I've often seen people fall prey to becoming offended because they think they've discerned an insult from another. I've occasionally seen a real reason to retract trust from another because of a wrongdoing. And I've rarely seen a person with the intent to offend (that's probably because I choose to ignore them in the intent to annoy them back).

Like I said before, each situation is unique. My best suggestion would be don't assume or jump to conclusions. Your imagination can be your own worst enemy sometimes. However, I cannot get up on my soap box with a clear conscience knowing that my opinion can't ever be flexible enough to cover every wrong.

But I am going to try and be more forgiving. I'm going to forgive my room mates for making fun of my flamingo cups.

I'm going to forgive myself for buying a cd that I should have checked before I bought it. I'm going to forgive a villain and a hero in the next book I read. I'll consider a large sum of money some smart alek owes me utterly forgotten. And that's about all I feel like listing...please forgive me of my curt list. The hope is that I set a good example and forgive beyond just this haha! ;)

Chinese New Year

Today was The Chinese New Year. Cool no? It's the year of the Ox! Check out your personal horoscopes and may this year bring you good fortune!

Having an Ephiphany.

Alright...so I'm 16 days late...but today I celebrated the glorious thing that is Epiphany. It's originally celebrated on the 6th of January. I don't know the oober detailed history behind it...so please do see the link if you're curious, but I do know it's the day to celebrate the three wise men and their visiting the Christ child.

But, as is the case with all religious holidays, there comes a secular version of it. According to 'Le Club' in my local town, you are to celebrate it by eating King's Cake.

This is King's Cake. Yes there was a crown on the cake. Our cake was made with Marzipan in the middle...quite good. And so it goes; the oldest person at the table cuts the cake while the youngest says what person the slice goes to. Then you hope and you pray that you find a...

BABY! That's right. In each cake there is a random baby figurine baked (or placed) into the cake and the lucky person whose slice has the baby gets crowned King (or Queen)!

So that's the basics of the event. It wasn't a very serious celebration, but we had some fun. We filled out questionaires, listened to Beatles songs that were translated into French, and (of course) enjoyed lots of cake. Can you guess who won :D! Well...let's just say I've been wearing my crown all night even though my roommates aren't too keen on believing that I'm a Queen...yet. I'll be milking it, no worries. In fact *heavy sarcasm*, I think I'll require royal paper, constant oaths of fealty, and deep bowing all week.

Couched

Couch (verb)->9. to express indirectly or obscurely: the threat couched under his polite speech.

And with that beginning, let me talk about photoshop. I never really knew what photoshop was until I watched 'A Walk to Remember' and that wasn't very condusive to my liking it. So I've always had this great aversion for it.

For those who don't know, Photoshop helps you edit photos, etc. I've always been too sentimental of the pictures I keep to edit them. I delete the pictures I don't like and keep the ones I do, so why should I change them if I've already decreed them acceptable?

In truth, that opinion is a little ridiculous...and full of farce. More of the real reason why I really don't use Photoshop->1) Photoshop takes time to use and learn 2) There are some pictures that you want to look more 'picturesque' than others and then they are worth the time and effort to 'clean them up' so to say (hence why the last paragraph is farce), but if so-> 3) I use Paint.net for my editing needs...so there.

That being said, I was wondering if you could tell if this picture was photoshop-ed or not. It's such a beautiful couch, don't you agree? Looks like it needs to be broken in a bit, which we all know can only be done through jumping on it. :D

Never Evers Land

So I wanted to remember this whole day because I KNEW it was going to be a good one. :D It started early with a meeting for work. Some are excited, some are tired...but everyone is posing for this picture. :D

But my day wasn't going to be good because I had to wake up early, nope! It was because today was the day that I had the wonderful opportunity to learn how to ski! :D That's right, after much anticipation and contained potential, I unleashed it all on the slopes today.





Not only did I get to glide down hills of amazing snow, I met some amazing
(ly connected to me) people today. First there's G. I couldn't say/remember her whole name no matter how hard I tried. We got our ski's fitted on the same day awhile ago surprisingly enough haha. Then there's Aaron. You know it's a bad sign for what the rest of the day will entail when you can't carry your own ski gear. Luckily Aaron was there heading to the bus to help me out. We 'elbow' fived many a times for odd reasons...hence the picture. He also happens to be in my 'never ever' class. Lastly there's Joanna. She happens to have been in my freshman ward and...I didn't remember...but she remembered me...but we had fun all the same despite my deplorable memory. As Sherlock Holmes would say ->If only we could see all the intricate strings that attach us to one another...

Next was the bus up there. I <3 onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEMWn5CD0OBdwVsaRKNjAjFHw85-0ThvcgvcE9EO_ROgqnlgZwxVZyHe5S68ZiBV0JrhKLpkk8HlBcD4ZTIny-EWYk8H0rc7GGZ4VZTuNp_oWcomy8_exUpSJyJC3_GDXV5gTC-vSfENBI/s1600-h/DSCN0581.JPG">
I have to give kudos to the people that helped me today too. There's Sue the golf teacher on the left who happened to be my ski instructor. She has amazing patience and it is my goal to smear peanut butter on pizza just as well as she can by the end of this adventure. On the ski lift are the people who were kind enough to witness all 3 of my falls and not laugh at me. Or so I hope @_@;.

Yes I fell three times. We learned all the basics today. After we learned how to stop we traveled up to what I fondly call the 'bunny hill' (just because it's called something else but I've ALWAYS wanted to go on a bunny hill so yes...). There I learned how to turn and practice...there was no falling until I went up the lift (surprise). I'll give you one of the falls...just one. I was going pretty well on when I didn't straighten out my ski in time in one of our gentle turns...so I started going straight down the hill and began to think "Oh no I'm going faster...lots faster". Making a wedge wasn't slowing me down and fear had taken a hold of me so I wouldn't turn. Usually I like rides that go fast...I bet it was that waiver I had to sign that scared me...yes. Anyways, I had just past a group of snowboarders and I decided to take a leaf out of their book. I slid down on my side in a sharp turn and stopped dead in my tracks! :D Then a random instructor helped me back up and pointed out "You have little-kid syndrome!" If falling down for the third time wasn't humbling enough, this clinched it to be sure.

The funny thing is that I was expecting to have to switch out my glasses for sunglasses while on the slopes. Though it didn't happen this time, I did end up wearing them on the bus ride back. Probably better than being blind and hitting people in my downward run.

Well, my roomies and I decided we were going to make this day even better for me by pumping full of some of my favorite foods...and play with chop sticks.









As my room mate said, "oh how sad...*looks at second picture* you got your sushi!"

Yes I did Alec, yes I did.

Lactose the Intolerant

Today I got in a lot of arguments. A strange and mule-like attitude over came me and I would ridiculously accost anyone about any topic presented to me. It culminated when I went to make some instant pudding. I haven't actually made jell-o for awhile now...it used to be a monthly occurrence that fell of the face of the earth when I started to buy my own groceries. Anyways, I kept saying that I was going to make some jell-o but when I brought it out my roommate insisted that I call it pudding. After a poignant stare down I pointed at the box with the large JELL-O on the front. Let's just say I think I won that controversy.

But the directions got me thinking. They were kind enough to make this note for the unfortunate souls who don't drink 2% milk.

*Fat free, 1% low fat or lactose-reduced milk can be used but may result in a softer set.

What did I start to think about you may ask? Those who are lactose-intolerant.

I have fortunately never had any serious allergies...though the link above says lactose intolerance isn't 'serious'...allergies scare me. I do take them seriously and rather think anyone who is able to live a life with any sort of hindrance has my admiration. I must admit...they eat healthier than I do. I love my 2% milk. It's almost a guilty pleasure because I know 1% or things like soy milk are better for you and I therefor feel morally obliged to change to them...but I haven't crossed that bridge yet and am still holding a lighted torch.
So what do I do with things I'm scared of? Make bad guys out of them. See, I draw random comics and one series I do involves these two dastardly villains. Thanks to my friend Mckel we named them each respectively: Lactose the Intolerant and his faithful henchman Soy Boy. I have to say it has to be the best naming-of-a-super-villain to date. :D

How to Get a Garage in Heaven

Occasionally there comes a time in my life where I have to defend the odd idiosyncrasies I pick up. So today when I argued with my new friend and roommate Alec (who was actually agreeing with me) that we couldn't 'commandeer' a shopping cart cause it was just WRONG, I used my trump card for why I do the things I do: "Well...I'll have a garage in my house in Heaven and you won't"

I believe in life after death, so inherently I have to have a place to live. I don't know if there will be cars in Heaven-I haven't decided yet-but I know that having a garage is better than not. Sometimes I will deter and say that I'll have a west wing or a game room or something like that...but a garage is definitely a winner.

Club hopping

There was only one I needed to sneak into...


We knew that not being the same age as my cohorts was going to be a problem should anyone find out. As I entered the fog filtered room and headed towards the sentinels that would past the final verdict as to whether or not I could enter the party, I was filled with confidence that they would fail to see through my charade. I would not be turned away this night.
Though they did still manage to trick me. They didn't even ask for id's. After standing dumbfounded for a few moments, we strolled in with ease.


Celebrating our small victory and ready for the party, we began by checking our things and then going to all the various parts of the club house.

We hit each section with flair. The Jump house was ours for the taking. The 'buffet' line was full of treats and goodies hand picked for the new years. And of course the game room was a hot spot for all those guitar hero and DDR enthusiasts.

But we all know the main attraction would have to be the dance floor. I have to give props to the DJ. If Techno music is your lifeblood then it was the best party of your life, to be sure. There were a few songs that I enjoyed in particular. Though it started to get wild toward the end there. The sans rouge plastic cups began to abound, and who knows how long the chocolate fountain stayed clean...This young gentleman began dancing with a cardboard cutout of a monkey and was soon asked to leave.

:D
It was a Happy New Year after all though. We got to count down and pop the copious amounts of balloons that fell upon us when it happened. We staggered to the van that took us home and were ruthlessly interrogated as to our antics for the evening. But we never gave way. A night that will live in true infamy.