CONFESSIONS (dun dun dunnnnn)

(Oh my gosh I am SOOOO BORED TODAY!!!)

Have you ever wanted to get something off of your back but have been too afraid to say it in fear that someone will think you are crazy? Well, I have decided that a blog is a perfect tool to use to solve this problem! There are some little “secrets” I have had that I am tired of keeping under wraps.

First off, I like watching court shows (the ones on Fox 13). I don’t know what it is about them but I find them immensely entertaining! The things people sue each other over are just completely ridiculous sometimes. It is so funny to watch people just dig themselves into a hole and to make complete fools of themselves. My favorite one to watch is Divorce Court, mostly because of Judge Lynn Toler. She is so funny!!! I like Judge Joe Brown too because he's kind of dead pan and sarcastic sometimes. And, because I am sure you’ll ask, I like Judge Judy sometimes—but mostly she is just mean. On a plus side, I do not get to watch them now that I am back to work and it’ll be significantly less now that school has started again. It probably is for the best because, as some would definitely say, it is mindless, I.Q. dropping TV.

My second confession is that I have not seen the original Star Wars trilogy since I was probably 8 or 9. Also, in junior high and high school I HATED all the movies, except for Episode 1. I remember specifically making a college in a class with my likes and dislikes and Star Wars was placed firmly in the dislikes. Now, before a mass mob breaks out I want to say that I do not feel that way anymore. From what I remember about the original trilogy I think they are very good. Yes, I DO need to watch them again and I plan on doing that someday. I also want to say that I have NEVER liked Episode 2 and yes I realize now that Episode 1 is cheesy and weird, but I still kind of like it.

Third I have to confess that I have been a closet fan of Gwen Stefani for years and years now. Some of her songs don't make sense and a lot of the time she is really weird but I like her nonetheless. It all started in 6th grade when my friends introduced me to the No Doubt album Tragic Kingdom. You know the feeling you got when listening to something "grown up" that was kind of like, "Man, this is cool! So this is what being a teenager is all about?" Yeah, so in a sense I attribute that album to my transition from preteen to teen. Actually, that album is still the only one I own but have have a dozen or more of her songs that I've bought or, ahem, downloaded over the years. And I will say this, despite the fact that she's blond, I've always thought she was very, very pretty.

Finally I have to say I really don't like watching Bill O'Reilly. In fact, I hate watching Bill O'Reilly. I don't know what it is about him but I just can't stand listening to him! HE'S SOOOO ANNOYING!!! It's not that I disagree with him, it is just how he presents himself. He's really cocky and self-absorbed. I know that Hannity and Rush can be like that too but to me O'Reilly is that but ten fold. And on that same thought I hardly ever listened to Rush in the past and I don't listen to Hannity anymore because I'm just not really into talk radio anymore. That's right, Steph the Hannity-obsessed-fan girl is no more (but it is still sweet that he waved to me, ha ha). That Steph died after I left Utah State. (I do like Glenn Beck, though. He's funny and really entertaining!!!)

These, of course, are not ALL my secrets but I do feel better releasing them into the void. Blogging has turned out to be very therapeutic and well-worth my time. I hope reading my blogs are worth your time. Oh, one last thing...

ANDREW, WRITE A BLOG, WRITE IT NOW!!! SERIOUSLY...

Changes

I want to write today about the subject of change. I cannot say that this topic is recently on my mind because, in fact, it has been a part of my everyday thought process for almost six years now. In a way it has been a burden on my mind and I would like to alleviate the pressure a bit. I figured today would be as good a day as any after hearing the marvelous homecoming talk from newly-released Sister Meredith Law.

I have never really liked change. As Steve Martin says in Father of the Bride II, “This town hasn’t changed much in the last forty years and as a man who’s not big on change, this town fits me like a glove.” (That may not be the exact wording but you get the idea). I do not know all the reasons for my dislike though I am sure there are many. I do know that change most always brings about a feeling of uncertainty. It’s like going through a labyrinth—you never know what creature will pop out! The fear of the unknown is strong and, at times, most inconvenient.

Despite all of that there have been numerous instances of change in or around my life as of late. Graduating high school, changing colleges, changing jobs, moving out/in, watching people get married, meeting people’s children, seeing people leave and return from missions, and so forth. I know I am not really old (I’m 23) but these changes sure make me feel it. It is not uncommon to hear that my friends often feel the same. In a strange kind of way it is pleasing that I am not alone. However, change affects us all differently, so in a way I am alone.

I know it is August but the one thing I have learned this year is that change is NECESSARY. That was totally cliché, but I absolutely know it is true. We as humans have been subject to change our whole lives. Every year we celebrate a day that marks our body as having aged another year. And all year round we experience the changing of the seasons. We watch the renewal in spring, the maturity in summer, the harvest in autumn, and the hibernation in winter. Change is necessary, change is important, change is vital, change can be bad, but change can also be good.

After all I have written it might be surprising to learn that I, in fact, now want change. It is both liberating and relieving when you finally get the strength to pull yourself out of a hole. Or, I should say when you realize you WANT to pull yourself out of a hole; when your eyes are opened and you see how awful a place the hole really is! Getting out of the hole was a change; a hard change, but an awesome change. (And yes, I did have help getting out of the hole. I needed the strength of the ladder which is the gospel. But that is another topic altogether.)

Oh my, I have written a lot already. I thank you for sticking it out this long. It was very therapeutic to release my thoughts into this void we call an internet. I just want to end by saying that I am looking forward to the changes that await me. Yes, I am still a little wary, but I supposed it is only natural to be. If I look back at all the bumps in the road I have already crossed I will try not to dwell (though “dwelling” and “worrying” are second nature to me), but to try to use the experiences to my advantage. And although she probably won’t read this I must again say WELCOME HOME MERRI!!! YOU WERE GREATLY MISSED!!!

Accents

The last couple of days I have been listening to a lot of Celtic punk/rock music. I normally don't like punk music but for some reason I enjoy this. As I was working today I suddenly realized why...it is the accents. Just as I had come into this realization a guest came up to me and asked for a fitting room. Guess what he had? An Irish accent!!! Irish accents--oh, how dreamy!!!



(Schmaltzy Steph, really schmaltzy...)



So while I worked the rest of today I began to ponder about accents themselves. Irish accents, Scottish accents, British accents, Australian accents...what IS it about them that are so appealing? The only answer I have is that they are just different. I don't mean different in a negative sense but different like unfamiliar to what we're accustomed to.

And then I began to ponder about my "accent". When I worked at JC Penney there was this girl who moved here from Brooklyn, New York. She had a very strong Brooklyn accent and (until I found out she was psycho) I enjoyed talking to her and listening to it. The funny thing is that she told me that she really liked Utahn accents. She said it is funny how we say "cool" and thinks the "oh my heck" is hilarious. Now, the only Utahn accent I've ever been aware of is the occasional removing of the "T" like in "Lay-in, moun-in," and so on. But I've never really thought I had a definable accent like that.

So the question I ask is do I have an accent or do I just not think I have one because I am used to it? Did that Irish guy from work yesterday think my accent was "dreamy" as I did his? (Unlikely) Do people in London think that they don't have an accent while everyone else does, like how I think?

Oy gavalt! My mind is schlepping like a schmeared bagel!

El Bloggo Numero Uno

Hey, so I decided to join the blogging business. Well, it's not really a business, but it is certainly pretty popular amoung the kids these days. But seriously, I know a couple people who have blogs and Andrew told me I should start one too, so here I am!

To draw a little from my own experiences, as of late, I would like to talk about a little thing called COMMUNICATION. It is amazing to me that in this world of telephones, cellphones, texting, e-mail, social websites, etc. that a simple thing called communication is so hard to come by!

Wait, what?

Yes, you heard me. Why is it hard to "Tell it like it is" to somebody? Why when somebody is being a jerk you can't just go up and say, "Hey! Quit being a jerk, ya jerk!" Why is it so hard to say what is really on your mind?

Ok, so I know that there has to be a certain amount of self-censorship when you're out in the public eye. I certainly couldn't expect to keep my job if I told some mothers that they are letting their teenage daughters dress like hookers. And I suppose it is a good thing that there are laws against yelling out profanities and stuff like that.

I guess what I'm really asking is why I have such a hard time communicating with people? Why can't I tell someone they've hurt my feelings without feeling horrible myself? Why do I speak epistles in my head but only blurt out randomness?

Hmmmm, perhaps blogging will help solve these problems. One can never tell.