Dinner Party

Isn't there a way I can consume every wonderful piece of literature ever created?

Can't I read like I chew?

Chomp up and swallow the words, taste them, roll them around in my mouth?

People spend so much time writing books-sometimes lifetimes developing the ideas-and then we read them in hours! It's like magic. Music to my ears-it's the ultimate in sharing. The other magic: it doesn't even take talent to read. If you like it, you're automatically good at it. How much better does it get?

Chalk Chuck

I can hardly wait!! THIS Saturday, Festival of Colors. Last year was a total blast, partly because we weren't expecting such wonderful brouhaha-the cardigans, the foreverly pink-tinged WHITE shirts, the llamas, the chalked temple, the delicious pizza afterward (slash scaring the people in the pizza joint with our chalk-diseased skin) and the friends. Although the group is discombobulated this year, I am stoked for another round of incredible pictures, chalk throwing, and memories.

And this time I won't wear a white shirt.

For Delicious Carrots

Here's what you do:

1. Take some perfectly healthy baby carrots, full of rich antioxidants and delicious vitamins.

2. Boil the nutrients out of those babies.

3. Drain.

4,Add the loveliness of butter and Kendra's dark brown sugar.

5. Enjoy.

(p.s. don't you wish butter and brown sugar from regular cupboards looked like this?)

Post #51

I have a very specific reason for posting today: I just saw that I have a total of 50 posts on this blog, and I have to change it.
I have a weird complex about numbers/time. I don't ever, ever set my alarm for 6:30. It has to be 6:27 or 6:28, 6:32...for some reason, I hate the monotony of waking up at a logical increment of time.
This is one of many symptoms of a greater condition: thriving on change. I crave it. It permeates my life, from needing 37 combinations of shampoo/conditioner to never being able to eat the same cereal two mornings in a row. Sure, I'll never get the guts to go totally blonde or wear my 'Tuesday' underwear on Saturday*-but when I think of the worst feelings in the world monotony is pretty close to the top of the list. There is so much life to live, so much world to experience that I have to try every single way. So what does it feel like to wake up at 6:26 instead of 6:30? It feels four minutes earlier. But I am happier to see the numbers-thinking somehow I'm sticking it to The Man.

So here it is, post #51, redefining the way you get up, eat breakfast, and shampoo your hair.

*This happened once by accident. It was a disaster.

More than a man, less than a pioneer.

My daddy called me today and casually announced that he is going to be the seminary principal at West Lake High (name of the brand new Saratoga Springs High school opening up ) this fall. Opening a new seminary all his own! Training the teachers the way he wants, training the students, setting everything how he wants and getting back in the classroom, FINALLY. 4 years of the COB will drive any normal person to drink-that's why my dad is more than a man, but less than a pioneer.*
My old man is living my dream-to make a difference the way he wants, teach the way he wants-at age 40huminaha. Am I crazy to think I can live mine starting at 19?
Kendra and I had a freaking amazing discussion tonight about teaching and how we're going to collaborate and make wonderful things happen. In my excitement, I was like, "Yeah! And when I have my Jason Mraz unit you can come be a guest speaker!!"
But now I'm realizing....probably lots of schools aren't okay with a Jason Mraz unit.
Can't I just make my own school system?
Blah, blah. Logistics. I should just be able to do. Let me be, school systems! Just let me skip the rest of college and start teaching! Don't bug me anymore.

*this is a direct quote from an 'about me' Garrett did for the 'dad' section...in 1995.

Revists.

Yesterday I decided to visit my English professor from last semester.
Now, you need to understand-I am not the go-back-and-visit type. I don't know quite what it is, but when I feel something in life is over, I loathe revisiting it in any way. Even if it's just a polite hey-how-are-ya stop by or a harmless reunion, I cringe at the thought. I think I associate it with throwing off nature, or the flow of life because that period is supposedly done.
Um, I take myself too seriously sometimes.
Anyway, I just felt like I needed to talk to this professor. She was incredible-I learned so much from her class, not to mention from her. She pushed me to be a better writer but more importantly a better learner; a better reader but more importantly a better thinker. She was one of the toughest, most knowledgable, most genuine people I have ever met. We chatted. And she cared. It was incredible to witness-even though I'd only been her student for a semester, she was actually interested in every word that came from my not-as-educated, not-as-experienced, much, much younger mouth. When I was unsure whether or not she would even remember me, she was happy to see me.

Sometimes I think things are over when there is still much more to be learned, and much more happiness to pursue.

sneak peak

Happy summer.

Soap Bubbles

I think we most often do the things we swore we'd never do unintentionally. Realize after the fact that we've broken those promises we make to ourselves in the confines of our little minds, willing ourselves to not. Thinking of not doing it is still thinking about it. But how do you stop the torrential flood? What do we have for that? Telling things to stop, words to our subconscious selves.
If you allow the wall to crumble, the barrier is gone and the feelings free float like soap bubbles from the sink and flitter off to do the damage you were trying so, so hard to prevent.

Trying is not enough. Our capacity to stop ourselves isn't enough to counteract that other capacity we have to damage. The capacity not only to let walls crumble, but to crumble them-intentionally or unintentionally. The capacity to poison with the soap we try to rinse ill-speaking mouths with, to break those fragile bubbles into falling suds. Accumulating in film on the gritty floor, and in letting things slip we let the others slip we were trying so, so hard to buoy up. Our capacity for doing is so much greater than our capacity for fixing-what do we have for that? "I'm sorry." I'm resolved to invent something stronger and better and with a greater capacity to undo the damage we innately have the ability to do.
Why do we have so much power to destroy and so little to repair?

Tuesday in 10 Items or Less

Let me just tell you about my day today. Would you like to know?

1. Interview for awesome opportunity I'm thrilled at the prospect of: check
2. Peruse bookstore, explore everything from "Simply Dessert" to "On Becoming An Artist: Secrets of the Capacity for Change Using the Human Mind": done
3. Wonder what I could find more important than spending my life reading every book in the BYU library: happened
4. Amazing photography class with Bethany Jackman : so inspiring.
5. Irresponsible consumption of Kraft caramels: um. yes.
6. Delicious din with the girls: got excited to cook for family, for once in my life.
7. Spanish test: aced.
8. New BYU ID card: picture looks freaking good. Thank you, hair. I remember why I keep you.
9. Obtain seed #3 for exam: hopes of less pain than the previous two.
10. Feeling like my life has purpose, meaning, direction, and potential: a glimpse:D:D

Who Wears Short Shorts?

The other day I had the most magnificient run of my livelong life.
It was warm and windy, and I wore SHORTS. It was magnificent.
I partook of my new favorite playlist entitled "C'mon get HAPPY". It was, again, magnificent.
I ran my usual 3-3.5 miles, and got back to the 'clave.
And then I just kept going.
For another three miles.
I am happy that running makes me happy now.

David, can't you help a sister out?

Hi, I'm David Archuleta, and I am freaking sexy.

Not only will my gorgeous vocal chords blow your mind and make you want to bear my children, I am the nicest, most adorable boy in the world. I am coming to the E Center on March 27 to perform because I knew it would make Brooke so, so happy...but I had to go and be so awesome and everyone and their grandma wants to come so Brooke might have to drop out of college to be there.

I just hope she doesn't turn into this girl, otherwise we probably can't get married like we planned.