Food for Thought

Last night I was able to go see the new movie "How To Train Your Dragon." Holy cow, it was fantastic. It wasn't only fantastic because I enjoy little kid things, animation, Norse mythology and history. No, it wasn't just because of those things. It was because of something else entirely different.

The whole premise of the movie is about this Viking boy, Hiccup, and his trials as he tries to become a dragon killer, like his father. His father is the biggest, buffest man all around and the village's chieftan. Hiccup was a small and weak boy, so no one ever took him seriously or respected what he had to say. At one point in the movie, his father even says that he doesn't even recognize Hiccup as his son anymore. Hiccup only has one friend, his dragon Toothless.

This made me think.

Just because we're not perfect and as good as we should be, God doesn't disown us. He doesn't say "Hey, you're not my kid anymore. You suck." If we try to talk with Him, He will listen. If we need help, He will help us. God is the best dad in the entire world. And if we're ever alone, like Hiccup, we have companions: Christ, and the Holy Ghost. Both are there for us as long as week seek them out.

Anyway, this movie was fantastic. I would see it again and again and again and again. :)

Ten Tidbit Time (I love alliteration)

I am in a random mood today. I think it is because the sun is out and I'm feeling cheery. Kind of bizzare for an ever-so cranky pessimistic person. You think I'd be furious about the Obama health-care crap...which, I am, but at least I can milk off my parents' health insurance til I'm 26! Woo hoo.

I thought I'd share some tidbits about me. I know you know the generics about me, but I felt like being more...in depth...today, I guess. Not really sure, honestly. Haha.


PS. I'm sorry that not everything is lined up perfectly. It's not working. I just spent half an hour trying to make everything look exactly the same (font wise) but it didn't work. It's making me mad, so to avoid deleting this blog, I am going to get on facebook :)

Tidbit Number One:When I was in the 8th grade, I was diagnosed with sever's disease. It's basically when the achilles tendion and ankle bone grow apart. My ankle swells like up like an elephant if I put too much pressure on it, wear the wrong shoes, or the weather jacks with it. I had to wear a cast for six weeks to help "fuse" my ankle bone back to the tendion. It did work, but I still have problems sometimes...and I don't think it helps that my arthrits spread to my ankles, either.

I have arthritis. I think most of you know that, but some don't. Some think I'm faking. Let me ask you this: why the heck would I want a disease were my joints ache all the time, especially since it showed up when I was in the 7th grade. I have it in my elbows, ankles, knees, and my fingers swell...bye bye CTR rings.

Tidbit Number Two:I've always been an artstic kind of person. Math? No. Science? No. Art, yes. I use to draw all the time, and I am slowly starting to pick back up that habit. I mostly draw little pictures for my friends, and I enjoy mailing them. I love mail, it's my favorite. I would write everyone in the world if I could--I think I get that paper obsession from my mother. As you know now, I am a photo freak. I don't know how, or why, I like it, but it makes me happy.

Tidbit Number Three:I went to a Star Wars convention in 2005. I didn't want to go, and basically denyed enjoying it. Well, for the record, I LOVED IT! I loved it so much that I am actually going to another in August in Flordia. I talk about Star Wars on everyday that ends with a "y."

Another thing: I hate any pictures of me with glasses (so from 2nd to 8th grade) so this is probably the only one I'll ever post.

Tibit Number Four:
I have an odd obsession with dead animals. My favorite thing about Missouri for years was all the road kill. I don't know why, but it just is something I oddly enjoy? Maybe that's why I love Cabela's...

Tidbit Number Five:I always have hair trama. Always, always, always. I'm never ever happy with it. I've dyed it, highlighted it, cut it, let it grow (not for Locks of Love) and let it do whatever it feels like. I've always had bangs. I probably had bangs in the premortal existance, actually. Ha! I have a callic, so I'm growing them more...side swipe? Please don't let me cut my bangs or dye my hair ever again--okay? Thanks.

Tidbit Number Six:I'm always doing something weird and completely unexplainable. Don't ask why because I honestly do not know. I'm sure 99% of you already know this about me.

Tidbit Number Seven:
I have no athletic skill whatsovever--unless it involves a video game controller (and even then I'm only good at the Call of Duty and Rock Band.) I did ballet--quit 2 weeks in. I did teeball, my dad as the coach--I quit the first inning of the first game. I cheat through mini golfing. I use the bumpers when bowling and still manage to be the worst out of everyone. I love to dance, but I have no coordination.

I was good at one sport in school: FLOOR HOCKEY! Best on my team. Even ask my parents. My team was almost to the championships...we would have won but I was paired up against the tallest boy in the grade and being a sky-skraping 4"7 didn't help at all. Plus, the pansy girls on my team did nothing...needless to say, I am still bitter about that decisive 5th grade game.

Tidbit Number Eight:
I smuggled in Dr. Pepper to youth conference last summer. I know, I'm bad. I'm doing better at giving up NASCAR on Sundays then I am at not drinking Dr. Pepper. Kind of weird.

And yes, you read right. I am trying to avoid watching the races on Sundays. I still check the scores online, but I dunno...I just feel like I have better things to do with my time.

Tidbit Number Nine:
I'm always telling everyone I love them. I just want them to know in case something bad were to happen, y'know? I started to especially after Megan passed in December of 2008. I don't remember ever telling her I loved her, and now she's gone...so to avoid that feeling again, I tell everyone.

I love you :)

You may be asking why I stopped. Well, if you caught it or not, the tenth is in the title of the blog. AH HA! Oh so clever. Not. Haha. I'm in a goofy mood, and I kind of like it.

Not another infomercial

When the phrase "sixty days" comes to mind, it makes me think of those corney infomercials that all say you'll lose 100 pounds in just 60 days if you buy this new ab burner. If you were to ask me on January 1st, 2010, if something significant could happen in just a mere 60 days, I'd probably laugh and make some joke about it. However, today is not that day, and I have a different view point.


On January 3rd, I was in the Relief Society (women's class at church) meeting with the rest of the teenage girls. A piece of paper was being passed around to everyone, and on top of it said "Book of Mormon in 60 days" on the top. There were two columns, and a bunch of numbers. One set of the numbers represented the days you were to be reading, and the other numbers were what scripture block you'd read each specific day.


"Great. I'm so not doing this. I've read the Book of Mormon four times since July, I'm all good for now. I'm reading it in Seminary already, and I should read the Old Testament or something," I thought to myself quitely. I'm sure it showed on my face when we were encouraged to participate with the rest of the ward in this challenge.


Reluctantly, I agreed to try to read the Book of Mormon in only 60 days. Today, being February 23rd, and if my math is correct (all y'all know I suck at it), today is day 52. I finished the Book of Mormon this afternoon. I would have been done 17 days ago, but, a little thing called Georgia and sleep-deprivation got in my way (not a very firm excuse, I know...)


Anyway, I learn more every time I read. I am grateful we were encouraged to participate in the challenge and finish it in a certain time frame. I know it has helped me.


I encourage you all to do as Moroni encourages--


"And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.  And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things." (Moroni 10:4-5)


I know this is the true church, regardless of how many snide remarks I get about being Mormon. It is my testimony that keeps me from floating off into the world and saying "You're right. This is stupid to believe in. Congradulations."


It is all the joy I've found in my life from the gospel that assures me this is where I'M suppose to be. Everyone has the ability to choose what is the best game plan for them, and as for me, this is what I am suppose to be doing. I can feel it in my young, arthritic bones.

From catepillar to butterfly

I feel like a catepiller about to transform. For the longest time, let's say until I was about 13-14 years old, I was just a shell. I didn't talk, I didn't do anything by myself and I didn't even express any opinion whatsoever (except I wasn't afraid to say I had a crush on Apolo Anton Ohno.)

Over the recent years, I've started to build my cacoon...a cacoon of my identity. I opened myself up more and more, expressing what I wanted how I wanted. I got into photography and photomanipulation. I finally had my own testimony of religion. I stopped changing who I was to fit in with everyone else.

Like we all were taught in the first grade, after a period of time, the catepiller's cacoon breaks free and a butterfly emerges. I think this process is just starting to happen for me.

As you may or may not know, the state of MO has a program called "A+" and it basically means if you keep good grades/attendance, you get to go to a community college for free for 2 years. No brainer, right? Right. So, with this program, I get to go to a school that's less then 5 minutes away from my house, live at home, and work...FOR FREE!

Some of you may think it's better to go off to college, but lemme tell you...I'm not ready for that at all. Honestly. My wings haven't quite fully developed yet.

I applied for Maple Woods. I got in (everyone does as long as you know your name basically.) Even though it's considered "dumb" to go there, I think going into dept is dumber! Thank goodness for transfer programs...I'm so going to Utah State. Anyway...

I am officially a Maple Woods Monarch :)

November 11th

"The nation will remain theland of the free so long as it is thehome of the brave."-Elmer Davis

Elmer couldn't have said it any better then that. Thank you to all our service men, and women, who have protected our country for this long of time, and will continue to protect it. You're the best.

I'm sorry that, typically, my generation has taken you for granted, acting like you OWE it to us all to protect us--not that you volunteered yourselves for this cause. Without you, we'd be enslaved...without war, there is no peace (as oxymoronic as that sounds, it is true.)

Thank you so very, very much.

It's Smoking Time

As you know from via the grapevine, or my mom's blog, I've had the best NASCAR week of my entire life--literally. (By the way, Smoke is Tony Stewart's nickname.)


Back in the beginning of September, I was able to go to a car show at Kansas Speedway, in the infield. I walked through the garages, thinking to myself that "Tony may have been here!" I walked through the Gatorade Victory Lane...I clearly remember saying to everyone "We (as in Tony Stewart) will be here on October 4th. I can feel it." Honestly, I never suspected to be even remotely close.



On September 30th, which I posted a short tidbit already, I met Tony Stewart. I missed some school for it, put off my homework, and stood outside for 6 hours just to do it. I made new best friends, ones who shared my interests; we connected immediately. It felt like oil and fire, burning up our souls into a friendship with an unbreakable bond. I felt so happy to meet Tony...my driver, my sports idol. He told me liked my shirt (I was wearing one I had made in an art class--it says Respect The Red Fourteen on it.) He looked at me with a smile, just like he did to every one of his single crazed fans. I didn't change his life, nor did he change mine, but, this experience did. Besides seeing myself on the 10 o'clock news being the "ring leader of the crazed Tony Stewart fans" as my father put it, I was excessively happy. "This week could never get better" I thought to myself, however, I was clearly mistaken.



October 4th came around--the biggest day in my lil redneck heart. Mounted up with my sandwiches and best friend, we drove to the track. I felt as though I had been stranded on the road, and that I was finally coming back to the mothership. The flags of the drivers, the smell of the tailgaters and rubber...I felt at home. Sporting my new Tony Stewart shirt, I watched my race. Tony was up in the front of the pack the entire race, and was able to snag first position towards the remaining 20-15 laps of the race. With Jeff Gordon fans cheering on as their rainbow warrior was seen in our rear view mirror, Tony held him off. My excitement was exponential as I screamed my driver to victory. All of us Stewart fans bit our nails down to a stub as we watched our friend hold off the looming 24, and all of us rejoiced. Poor Tom probably has a bruise because I was so excited I hit him.



I will never, ever forget this experience. "Aubrey, you couldn't have staged this any better," my teacher said to me this morning. What are the chances that the same week I meet Tony Stewart, he goes and wins the race I'm at? Talk about some serious "God Loves Me" luck! :)

Political Rant [Version 1]

I figured it was time I posted a political rant on my blog, especially being deemed "most republican" in my besides my Vietnam veteran grandfather, which I gladly will take second place next to him. After all, he did defend our country and he is very knowledgeable, plus all those years of watching FOX News with him are finally rubbing off on me.


Dear President Obama,
I don't like you, and no, it's not because of your race. I'm not a racist, and if I was, you would know. I like our troops where they are. Do you know why our death tolls are raising in Iraq? It's because you're pulling us out, leaving the Middle Eastern insurgents to run ramped and destroy all that we have worked for. So, you're for the death of unborn babies, but you're okay with letting terrorists go wild? You claim that the woman has a choice, well, she does; she chooses to keep her pants unzipped. You're okay with same-sex marriage, which I do not support. I enjoy having guns and for those who claim that guns kill people, did you ever see a gun shooting all by itself? I don't believe in Socialism. If I work hard for my money, I'm going to reap the benefits of it and not some lazy person who won't go get a job. I have a Messiah, and I want a president. Be PROUD to be an AMERICAN, which apparently your birth certificate says you are. You put your hand on your heart and you say the pledge. And lastly, you do not go and APOLOGIZE for the American country--you're the only President who has done that, and I think that was a horrible move on your part.


-From A Concerned Right Wing,
Aubrey


On Tuesday, Obama is going to be giving an address to us, the kids. My school is showing it if the teacher choses to show it, and for those who don't want to see it can leave the room. Because I'm curious, I found the speech's text. If you would like to read it, come here:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/MediaResources/PreparedSchoolRemarks/