just for fun

1.What was the last thing you put in your mouth?
a tomato

2.Where was your profile picture taken?
Murfreesboro, TN

3.Can you play Guitar Hero?
nope- never tried

4.Name someone who made you laugh today?
my roomates

5.How late did you stay up last night and why?
10:15-- i was done chatting at that time. :)

6.If you could move somewhere else, would you?
maybe

7. Ever been kissed under fireworks?
how about, ever been kissed?

8. Which of your friends lives closest to you?
tie between JW and BL

9. Do you believe ex's can be friends?
yep

10. How do you feel about Dr Pepper?
Don't drink it- but its fine for others

11. When was the last time you cried really hard?
i dont remember

12. Who took your profile picture?
me

13. Who was the last person you took a picture of?
people at Wheelchair Dodgeball

14. Was yesterday better than today?
about the same

15. Can you live a day without TV?
all the time

16. Are you upset about anything?
yep

17. Do you think relationships are ever really worth it?
yes

18. Are you a bad influence?
depends on who and what i am influincing

19. Night out or night in?
'pends on the night.

20. What items could you not go without during the day?
Air, water, food

21. Who was the last person you visited in the hospital?
Ralph Roberts

22. What do/es the last text message in your inbox say?
dont got no texting :)

23. How do you feel about your life right now?
its there

24. Do you hate any one?
Satan

25. Say you were given a drug test right now, would you pass?
Of course. Unless it was an Ibuprofen test when I have a headache

26. Has anyone ever called you perfect before?
heck no!

27. What song is stuck in your head?
a christian song. i was listening to the christian station today. :)

28. Someone knocks on your window at 2:00 a.m. Who do you want it to be?
not a kidnapper or a hitperson

in the Snow

While in the Snow, you can usually hear all sorts of people practicing. A couple people just happened to be practicing this while I was trying to practice organ this morning. on one hand, it makes me jealous of their sweet skills, but on the other, it sounds really cool, and I'm glad there is someone in this world who has musical abilities to make really sweet music. Enjoy! (you'll want to turn the volume up quite a bit. This is inside my practice room, while listining to someone else practice, so its pretty quiet)

The Lord is my Shepherd

normally when I listen to the song The Lord is my Shepherd, I think about the fact that the Lord is my shepherd, and that He wants to lead me to a pasture where I will be able to partake of the word of God. Tonight, I heard it, and it struck me differently. In the second verse, it says:
Since thou art my Guardian, no evil I fear.
He isnt just my shepherd, trying to feed me the word, he also is my Guardian- and he wants to protect me. It goes on to say:
Thy rod shall defend me, thy staff be my stay. No harm can befall with my Comforter near. No harm can be fall with my Comforter near.
As my Guardian, he will protect me. His rod shall defend me. He will defend me from Satan, and wants to protect me from everything. He doesnt want any harm to come over me. He wants me to be comforted in my hard times, and wants me to be happy. The hard times will come, and Satan will attack. But we have someone better and stronger than us, a Guardian who will protect us with his staff.

Park Ranger

During some homework for a class, i got the opportunity to look up a job descriprion for a park ranger. i enjoyed it, and wanted to share. after all, its what i will hopefully one day be doing. :)

PARK RANGER
Do you like working directly with the public? As a park ranger for the National Park Service, you (1) interpret and explain park resources to visitors; (2) facilitate visitor enjoyment of the park and its resources; (3) help ensure visitor behavior that protects park resources and gain friendly compliance with the laws and rules for safe use of the park; and (4) encourage visitors to develop a sense of stewardship of park resources. You research and present interpretive programs, and present a variety of formal and informal programs including orientation talks, environmental education programs, conducted walks, demonstrations and campfire programs. You tell visitors about park facilities and resources such as visitor centers, campgrounds, historical sites and auditoriums. Other duties may include gathering information for reports, compiling statistical data, assisting with search and rescue efforts or helping to combat wild-land and structural fires.

Dirt is good

Change

Some friends and I have been talking recently about change. A lot of us are recently returned missionaries, and so change has been on our minds a lot. Being back at school just re-enforces those thoughts. Just how has my world changed? The kids grew up (and I got an addional one). That was probably the biggest change in my world. The kids were no longer my cute little kids that I had left behind. They went through some traumatic times while I was gone. And it affected them. In more mundane ways, the house I grew up in changed. It no longer looks like my house. The school I now attend has changed in so many ways. The buildings are different. The paths I took to school are different. there are different professors for my major (and the teachers I wished had left (for my minor classes) didn't). The friends I have here at school are all different. As I metnioned, most of us have recently gotten home, and apparently, that changes people. A lot of my friends are now gone- working real jobs, getting married and having kids, going on with life. Life doesnt just stop when one goes on a mission for the Lord. I almost wish it had. The life I left, though far from where I wanted it to be, was comfortable. And now its not. There were some changes that were hard, that I still feel the reprecussions of, but I suppose that is to be expected. Probably the biggest change in comming home was having to deal with stupid girly emotions. I was happily in a world where emotions didnt mean much. I had them, but they werent needed- so they stayed nicely tucked away in a box in the corner of my mind. And now, they are there again- and trying to run rampant even though I don't want that addition to my life yet.

A lot of the questions that come to mind are "How have I changed? I know my world has changed, but have I changed to my world?" It certainly doesn't feel like it. The kids say I did. One of the first things they said when I saw them was "Mindy, you've changed." On the cute side, when I first saw Dante again he said "Mindy, you shrank! No, Dante, I didnt shrink, you grew." Then after a few more minutes, he said "No, I didnt grow, you shrank." He was and is so cute.
Dante, the whole time I was home before I came back to shcool was "Mindy, you changed" I didnt like that, because they didn't like how I had changed. But I can't control if I changed or not, can I? I can control what aspects come out from being changed, but I cant change that I changed. Some of my friends say I am more social. Mostly, I think it is just that I'm not necessarily a fan of my home right now, so I'm out and about, avoiding it sometimes. Though, I could be considered more social becasue of it. Because of some experiences that I hated while going through them on my mission, I think I'm happier. That has to be good. But (according to the kids), also stricter in some things. We still have fun. But it isn't the same.

Yes. Life has definately changed. For the good? I'm still trying to figure it out. But one thing I do know is that it certianly has changed.

Philosophy of Life- brainstorming

In one of my classes, we have to come up with a Personal philosophy of life. In the dictionary, it defines philosophy as
"2.Investigation of the nature, causes, or principles of reality, knowledge, or values, based on logical reasoning rather than empirical methods."
that deffinition made the most sense of all the many deffintions. in my book, it says
a personal philosophy of life is something we all have, but many people have not thought about their own philosphy long enough to define it clearly
I'm not quite sure it would just be confined to those who havent thought about it long enough. I've been thinking about it for a couple days now, but I'm still not sure if I know what a personal Philosophy of life is, let alone what mine might be. the book goes on to give this encouragement
Understanding your Personal philosophy is important because it gives you an advantage in an internship interview and guides your search for fulfilling employment in recreation and leasure services
So, Apparantly it is realy important to have one of these. now, if they could have given an example one, that would have been nice, because this whole Philosophy of life thing has been confusing to me. though, it does give a bit of an example
A sound Personal Philosphy allows you to describe who you are and what life means to you. It also provides direction in your life by helping you recognize what things are important to you
so, a personal philosophy is something that describes how i look at life, and what is important to me, if i look at it right. so then the question becomes how do i get such a philosophy? luckally, the book seems to have some sort of answer for that too
to examine your personal philosophy it helps to condut a review of your life. How did you arive at this pioint in your life?
i arrived here by making plans, and working hard to reach those plans. i also had a childhood dream that i wanted to fulfill, and found a way to do so.
What life experiences have had a major impact upon your life?
i would think that childhood would ahve a big impact. the things we did (or sometimes didnt do) when i was a child. the trips we took. learning all the year round. going to the library weekly definately impacted my life.
who are the friends and relatives who have had an influence upon your life?
my siblings definately had impact on my life-they have encouraged me when times got hard, and in other times too. Jason and Brandon have also had an influence on my life. they encouraged me to go on a mission, and to stay focued on what God wanted me to do, instead of what I wanted to do. Sean- influenced how I think about people, and to an extent, how i communicate. the kids- also, how i think about and look at people. they help me to have something to relate to other people with (sometimes). Rachael- helped me to understand myself when i couldnt- sh e seemed to always be able to. President Hutcihngs- He helped me to be able to believe in myself, and knew what i was capable of, even if i didnt believe him.
What beliefs do you share with these people?
well, we all have the same religious background. we all know that we have a Loving Heavenly Father, and that Christ is our Saviour. we all believe some of the same basic things also.
What heros have you had while growing up? what was it about their lives that made them heros to you?
President Theodore Roosevelt- he started the National Parks- right where i want to work
my dad- he fixed everything, and made it all better

so, after answering all the questions, you are to take a mment to reflect on them.
...
...
and after a bit of thought, i think i may have come up with something!
that we have to trust in God, and know that he is in control. that we need to have fun in life, otherwise life is a drag. we have to take care of our planet, and make sure it is there to have fun in, and also for the future to have fun in

that, i think, is a start on a life philosopy. anyone else have a philosphy? i'm open to suggestions as to what one might be

Recreation- Aristotle Style

In one of my classes, we do a lot of reading (more than I would ever guess, since its a Recreation class-- shouldnt we recreate?), and in one of the readings we had today, i came across this, and it made me think.

Aristotle's discription of the good life contributes greatly to understanding the attributes of wholesome recreation. A central principle of the good life is the golden mean, or moderation; overindulgance hinders the attainment of the good life. According to this principle, it is possible to fish too much, ski too much, or watch too much television. Exceptions to this rule are gaining wisdom and understanding, which Aristotle described as limitless goods.

How much to I personally fall into the trap of overindulgance. I enjoy doing things, but do I enjoy it too much. Apparantly the one exception to this is homework, and other school work (good thing i'm a student right now, and so I can overindulge in it all I want). However, how many times as a student, or as any other person, do I take an activity and go to far with it?

To Aristotle, the crowing virtue of the good life is leasure. But leasure does not refer to idleness or napping; it refers to activites by which human beings learn and aquire intellectual virtues. The intellectual virtues such as art, knowledge, understnding, and wisdom are the highest virtues of the good life. For Arisotle, thinking and using our minds is a distinctly human activity and the ultimate purpose of leasure. To Aristotle then, ethical leasure activities must include thinking and reasoning. these activites may be practicle as gardening, cooking, or cabinet making,- all of which require skill or art- or as complex as scientific research, musical composition, and philosophical thought.

So just how many of my daily activites fit into "the good life" as defined by Aristotle? he's a pretty smart guy, and seems to know what he is talking about all the time, doesnt he? how will i need to change how i recreate, just so that i can make my life a better one?

Four charactaristics of ethical leasure have been derived from Aristotle's description of the good life. Intellectual activity, creative activity, meaningful relationships and moral behavior. In summer, Aristotle's good life is a life of reflection, a life of seeking that which is good and lasting. it is not a thoughtless life of passiveness and passivity, or a hedonistic life of seeking thrills and pleasure through artificial stimulants or exotic activites...

I suppose, that as long as you try and have some sort of recreation from all four of the areas, then you will be doing good? hopefully. that makes it all pretty easy to follow.

snow

I started my winter camping class (yes, I voluntarily signed up for a class that I get to go and klondike in... no, I don't know what i was thinking), and today the teacher showed us this film at the beginning of class. It led to a discussion of why do we even have a winter camping class, and why winter camping is different than regular camping. i thought it was just cool to begin a class with, so i wanted to share.

bitter sweet

So, I'm back at school, and expect everything to be fine, for the memeories I had created here before to just dissappear, or just be nice plesent reminders of the past. but they arent. i walk by something, and remember something like it was just yesterday. i listened to a talk once about emotions, and controlling them, and the guy said "memory has no age" and boy howdy, have i figured that one out these last two days. i walk around campus, and although everything has changed, it isnt necessarily for the better. i dont know how to get around campus any more, and there are buildings that have been built that i have to ask "what is that monstrosity is that? oh, its the MC, when did that happen. i thought they were finished two years ago with taht one." or "oh, wait, thats the size of the new auditorium? when did that happen?"
besides things i dont know being all around, i am barraged with a boat load of memories. some good memories that stayed good, some good memories that are now hurtful, and some dark memories that haunt the night hours. I spent a lonely day on Saturday moving in. i caught up with friends that night, but it was still hard. i wish my memory wasnt quite so attached to feeling things. i pass an apartment complex. "oh, so and so used to live there. now they are back home and working, and dating people, and i'll probably never see them again..." i pass the gardens "man, i wish it was summer right now. I would love to go back and see what they added to the gardens, and be able to study there now." pass another apartment complex, "man, why did she have to go do student teaching, she was supposed to be here." and the feelings that go with them all, they are still fresh, no matter how hard i try to make them not. it is wierd, because i want to be happy for the people, but it is hard. it makes comming up here bitter sweet. i was hoping for a nice smooth transition from the life of a missionary to the life of a student, but it isnt happening. maybe one day, it will. for now, i'll just live life in my mind, and try to remember the sweet parts of comming back, going to stadium singing and hearing songs, that were put there just for me tonight. friends that i havent seen in 3-4 years because of going on missions, the snow (i really missed it) some time to myself (although it still freaks me out when i do have it), and other such things.