Camera phones..

Camera phones are really, really convenient. No, they aren't the best quality, but they do the job. A few weeks ago I left my laundry at my Aunt's house overnight, not remembering that my bath towel was in with the load. The next morning I wasn't quite sure what to do, so I found these two hand towels and a Tshirt in my closet and used them to dry myself off. Conveniently, I brought my phone into the bathroom with me and was able to take a picture of the towels so I could document the event.

Feelings..

Last night I was thinking about how movies make each person feel differently. For example, one of my roommates HATES the Pursuit of Happyness because it's sad & it doesn't show anything happy happening in the end of the movie.. but I love it. I love movies that help you understand people better. I love movies that motivate me to help. Take Hotel Rwanda for instance... holy smokes. I had to hold back the tears the whole entire time. I can't imagine living that way. I want to help those people in Darfur right now so badly. I wish I had thousands of dollars to donate.. I really, really do. We're lucky.. end of story.

BYU v. utah

Guys.. I left the game vs. Utah at the beginning of the fourth quarter! My roommate and I were SURE we were going to have an easy win, and we were hungry and tired. So we left when the score was 20 to 6. Fifteen minutes later we got home, started eating dinner, and turned on the TV. The score had changed to 20 to 17!! Holy smokes. We couldn't believe it, but let me tell you.. we were so grateful that the game was being shown on TV so we could feel like we were still there!!! Whew, what a game... it's crazy how many emotions we can feel during a football game. I love that it brings out so much passion in so many people, even when they're watching it at home. Gooooooo COUGARS!!! :)

He's Just Not That into You..

Ever since I saw previews for this movie, I was hesitant to see it. I'm a strong believer in love.. in faith.. and in hope. When I'm in a relationship, I trust with everything that I have. I love with all of my heart. I'm just programmed that way. It's great at times, but it's definitely the perfect way to get your heart broken over and over again. I knew this movie would represent me well.. the girl who is SURE the guy likes her.. who makes up every excuse possible for him and who believes anything he says. So I waited.. I waited months and months and I didn't see it. Well, last night I caved. My roomie and I watched it, and I loved it. It did make fun of everything I live by, but in the end.. love worked its way out. I thought it was an entertaining and honest portrayal of most girls I know. I liked the different stories it followed, and I liked to picture myself as the different girls in the movie. I thought it'd make me sad or make me question the way I live and love, but it actually made me happy that I do live that way.. that I don't hold back.. that I'm not afraid.

Relationships..

What do you guys think about starting and ending relationships through the media? Like... on facebook, over the phone, through texting. Do you think it's an insult or that it's just the way our society works now? I mean making things official on facebook is a big deal.. that's how the rest of the world knows if you're really dating or not. I'm not much of a fan of "firsts" through the media.. ask me out in person. Tell me I'm pretty in person. Tell me you love me in person. Maybe I'm just crazy.. :)

Forrest Gump

This is my little brother's all-time favorite movie, so I watched it the other day as I was thinking about him. I really like this movie. It does have a few innappropriate scenes, and there is some bad language, but I really like the messages it sends overall: fight for what you want, nothing's wrong with being different, love who you love.. and so much more.

Miss Congeniality

I love this movie! I remember it was my favorite when I was about 14, but my parents got rid of it because it wasn't appropriate. While I was watching it for the sexual content assignment, I was surprised at how "clean" it was to me. Don't get me wrong, there were inappropriate comments, but not like PG-13 movies that are playing now. It makes me feel like I'm a little too tolerant.. I love the movie nonetheless.

Everybody Loves Raymond

My family is OBSESSED with this show. A few years ago they bought all of the seasons on DVD, and I'm pretty sure they still watch it together at least 5 times a week. I really like it, but don't find too much time to watch it. When I was home in August I took one of their seasons back to Provo with me so I could watch it when I needed to laugh. My boyfriend and I love watching it together. Most of the time it's relatively clean.. not too much sexual content. Some episodes are pretty shady, but it's nice when you have it on DVD and you can skip to the next episode. If you ever need a good laugh about a family that oftentimes reminds me of my own, turn on Everybody Loves Raymond.

Email

So this past wednesday was my 21st birthday!! Party! :) On special occasions like these I realize how grateful I am for email and other forms of communication. My dad's in the air force, and he's often overseas. He's been in England, Germany, and Afghanistan for the past week. I was so happy to see an email from him on my birthday. It's amazing that we can communicate with people all over the world. We live in an amazing time in the history of the world.

Couples' Retreat

Don't see it. My roommates wanted to take me to see a movie for my birthday, so we decided we'd see one around 8:00pm. None of us watch TV so we hadn't seen previews for any of the movies, so we just chose the 8:15 showing of Couples Retreat. Whew.. it was crude. Some parts were hilarious, it's true.. but the majority of the movie was dirty and uncomfortable. Don't waste your time or money on this one.

Lately..

Lately I've noticed something: I can't stand the TV being on in the background. First of all, I just flat out don't watch TV. I maybe watch an hour of it once a month. There are great shows on, I just don't find time for them. But having the TV on bothers me.. it bothers me that so many households have one on all day just to have one on. Who wants all that extra noise? Not me :)

The internet..

Right now I'm trying to study for the exam, and I'm struggling. When my study guide for any test is on my computer, it's too hard sometimes to not get on the internet while I'm trying to study. Sometimes I check my email, sometimes I chat on facebook, sometimes I write on my real blog, sometimes I go on our family website. There are just too many options on computers these days.. at least this time I was "productive" and blogged for a class assignment!

Google Earth

Have you ever played with Google Earth? I remember when it first came out, and our family had so much fun finding our school and our town's library. Since our house was so old, it wasn't on the original Google Earth, but do not fear: It's on there now! If you haven't used it, you can find pretty much anything in the world on this site. It's pretty awesome. Try it out at googlearth.com & download your free trial.

My newest love.. Asher Book.

I love Asher Book. I love the movie FAME. I just love happy, motivational movies :)

Media and Relationships..

For about a week, the idea of media messing up relationships has really been bothering me! First of all, we (mostly being females) are obsessed with being pursued either by friends, family, or boys. There's a feeling in the air that it's necessary to be reminded of how wonderful and how missed you are very often. There's a phone call, there's texting, there's email, there's facebook, there's myspace, and there's skype.. There are SO many ways that we can be constantly reached, and I feel like we expect to be constantly sought after. We rely on these forms of media to strengthen our relationships. We expect too much from the guys we are dating. It used to be a phonecall a day and a date every few days. What ever happened to that? Too much pressure is put on men to call, to text, to facebook chat, and to leave comments on their girlfriends most recently posted pictures. I think media is destroying relationships. It is making us too dependent on one another for our happiness. Going from hearing from your boyfriend every morning when he wakes up, when he knows you're on you're way to school, when he knows you've finished your test, when you have a break on campus, when you get home from school, and when you're going to bed, to not hearing from him at all when you break up is too much of a change. It brings your self-esteem way down. The entire schedule of your life is altered. Something's wrong, guys..

The good old days..

When I was five, my favorite book was Leo the Late Bloomer. Leo resembled me in many ways... he never felt like he could do anything right. He was behind all of his friends in his abilities. I struggled to learn how to read as a first grader, and this book was the first book I actually memorized. I was so, so happy I could read, although my parents were not fooled by my memorization :) Anytime I'm "behind" in life, my parents quickly remind me of Leo, and reassure me that everything will eventually be ok.

Media and the Church

I know most people are going to blog about conference over the next week, but that's ok.. I feel like it's something I have to express my feelings about. I think it is amazing that the church can provide general conference and other meetings to people all over the world. Last week when the General Relief Society Meeting was on, I wasn't in the mood to go to a church building or to the Marriot Center, but our TV wasn't hooked up. So, I just sat in bed and watched in on my computer. It doesn't get better than that. Also, today's sessions of conference were fantastic, even more so since I could watch them from the comfort of my own living room. That church is wonderful. The church is true. I love it.

So You Yhink You Can Dance?!

Well, I know I can dance... now how about you? This show has to be my all time favorite. Man, it brings so much joy into my life. I decided to blog about it today, since we finally got our cable hooked up at our apartment and can watch it tonight! Dancing moves me.. and this show captures each emotion with a different style of dance. I loved last season so much, that me and 3 others are going to see them perform in Salt Lake in a month!! Whooo hoo!! If you don't have a show that you're attached to yet, and you're looking for one, turn on FOX tonight <3

fox.com/dance

Frustrated

Today I'm rather frustrated with the advertising industry... For the past few days my boyfriend and I have been trying to figure out a way to fly him home to Mexico as soon as possible. He had a family emergency and needed to get home, but he didn't have a passport. So we searched and searched for agencies that can get you a passport in 24 hours. Do they really exist? The answer is NO. There are at least 20 companies that claim to provide passports within 24 hours, but the truth of the matter is that they are fake. After you pay over $400, you find out that they can get you a passport within 24 hours.. not including mail time. So within 4 days. Now that is quick, I do realize that, but for paying so much money to them, you'd think they would tell you the entire truth before you're trapped in the process. Thankfully Brian and I called the government agencies, along with some of the bogus ones, and asked every question we could think of... We figured out that the companies were using false advertising before we paid the big bucks. Whew. We are grateful for that. Anyway, we eventually found loopholes in the passport system, and he's in Mexico today without a passport :) And his passport is on its way so he can come back to Provo soon.

Camila

This post is for anyone who loves Mexican music.. I dont mean normal, party scene music, but harmony in its most perfect sense. I love Camila so much I could scream! My favorite song by them is Todo Cambio.. cheack it out on youtube. Even if you don't know what they're saying, you'll fall in love with them :)

Books

So often I forget that books are a part of the media. I love books.. more than almost anything. They are able to reach my emotions far more than any other type of media. Right now for my Adult Developing and Aging class we are reading "Life with Big Al: A Caretaker's Diary". I feel like Craig (a 52-year-old man with Alzheimer's) is apart of my life. I love him so much, and can't imagine how hard it would be to care for him daily. I love his wife, Judy, even more. She is such a Christ-like woman. I hope that if I were in her shoes, I'd be able to find strength, hope, and patience like she does. I connect with her in a way, because I find refuge in writing in a journal. My journal solves a lot of my problems for me, and it relieves me of my daily stressors. Judy is actually coming to BYU to speak to us, and I'm so excited! I want to hug her and tell her how much I admire her, although that probably wouldn't be appropriate. I'm just grateful for books, especially ones that are based on real life experiences that I can grow and learn from.

Texting.

I used to be a huge fan of texting, but this week it's bothering me. It bothers me when I haven't seen someone in weeks, and they have to text throughout our conversation. It bothers me when people text me when I'm in class and then get mad when I don't respond. It also bothers me that it's hard to have "alone time" nowadays with a phone constantly by your side. Does anyone ever turn off their cell phone or put it on silent? Even in church people are texting! I just feel like something's gotta give.. that people need to somehow realize that they don't need their phone with them to live. Life does go on. It's even kind of nice every now and then to not be able to be contacted. I do love phones and all that they offer, but sometimes I wish they didn't rule everyone's lives, including my own.

Fighting

Monday night my boyfriend and I rented the movie "Fighting". I'd wanted to see it since it came out in the theaters, but some men told me it was a waste of their dollar at Movies 8! Secretely I still wanted to see it, although I deceided to wait until it came out on Redbox. For some reason I'm so drawn to fighting and/or dancing movies. They're dramatic; they're violent; they capture my attention. Brian is the kind of guy who thinks violence solves problems: I am not the same way. If someone says something really bad about someone he loves, he'll beat them up. I, however, will contradict the rude comment, and then I'll walk away.
When we watch movies like "Fighting" together, I can't help but wonder how they influence us. I can pick out the message and determine it to be false or not socially accepted, but can he? Can most men see how the media influences them? I guess I, along with many girls, have just the same problem. Just because you're a good fighter doesn't mean you can beat up 15 people on the street. Just because someone makes you angry doesn't mean you can almost kill them. Fighting shouldn't be a profession in my opinion. I think I like movies like these because it seems so fake and distant from the life I live. Do people really fight for 100,000 dollars? Insane. Did watching this movie make Brian and I a little more fond of fighting to solve problems? I mean, he wanted to help provide for the woman he loved.. that makes it ok, right?