1.28.2011

You Got Jimmered!

Thanks to my wonderful "connections" to all things sports, my brother and I got tickets for the game. It was awesome. (And that's coming from a non-sports person, mind you.)

Here's an entertaining (even if you're not a sports fan :) ) recap boy put together for his sister who is preparing for her mission in the MTC right now.


1        Behold, I, Robbie, who am thy older brother, and do speak all manner of things pertaining to righteousness, or in other words, of things pertaining to the BYU Cougars

2        Do address this epistle to you, Sister Bullough, who art in the service of our God, which service causes me great joy

3        For thou art doing that which is great in the eyes of God.  Thou art performing a labor that will bring souls unto Christ, yea, many souls, insomuch that no greater service can be performed than that which ye are performing at this time.

4        And I do write unto you this epistle to tell you of the great and marvelous battle which did take place in the land of the Cougars last night.

5        And it came to pass in the twelfth year of the oppressive reign of the Mountain West Conference – BYU having declared its freedom from those wicked judges

6        Which freedom was to commence on the first day of the seventh month –

7        And it came to pass on the twenty-sixth day of the first month, the Aztecs of San Diego State invaded the land of Provo.

8        And the Aztecs were mighty and strong, for they had yet to fall by the sword to anyone, being perfect in their record, and ranked fourth throughout the land.

9        But behold, the Cougars of BYU were also mighty and strong in their own right, yea, they were ranked ninth in the land.

10    And it came to pass that the Aztecs invaded the Cougars at the heart of the land of their possessions, yea, in the Marriott Center.

11    But behold, the Marriott Center was among the most fortified of all the strongholds in all the land.  Yea, in 31 attempts to invade the land, the Aztecs had only been successful thrice.

12    And behold, the leader of the army of the Cougars was a man by the name of Dave Rose, he leading the Cougars to battle in the Marriott Center 88 times and defeating his enemies 84 times.

13    And it came to pass that this particular invasion marked the first time that two top ten teams did battle in the Marriott Center since Lehi left Jerusalem, yea, and probably even before that.

14    And the people of Provo did gather themselves together in the Marriott Center, yea, 22,700, many of whom arrived many hours before the battle was to commence.

15    And never before had there been a louder gathering in the Marriott Center.  Yea, it was deafening to the ears and sent chills down the spines of all who had come to witness the battle.

16    And in the strength of their wives and their children and their bretheren did the Cougars go to battle with the Aztecs.

17    And it came to pass that there was one mighty and strong among the Aztecs, yea, and his might and his strength was known throughout the land.

18    And his name was Kawhi Leonard.

19    And it came to pass that Kawhi Leonard fell ill and did thrust up the contents of his stomach many times throughout the day and did receive IVs before the battle.

20    Nevertheless, he did fight diligently, insomuch that he did score 22 points and grabbed 15 rebounds for a double-double.

21    And he did hit a three-point basket in the final seconds of the first half.

22    Which first half was a truly great battle, for both sides did fight mightily for their cause, and neither team gained great advantage over the other, for it was a close and intense battle.

23    And it came to pass that the Aztecs had a 31-30 lead as the two sides pitched their tents for halftime.

24    And now, behold, the Cougars also had one mighty and strong, whose might and strength was also known throughout the land, yea, he was feared by many, and when others saw him tarrying in other parts of the land, his presence did cause them to quake, yea, quake even to the depths of their souls because of the great fear which he did cause to come upon them.

25    And his name was Jimmer Fredette.

26    And it came to pass that even Lord Voldemort did refuse to utter his name, and did call him he who must not be named.

27    And moreover, Chuck Norris did enter into a covenant with the Jimmer, whereupon the loser must grow a beard.

28    And it came to pass that Chuck Norris grew a beard.

29    And this Jimmer Fredette did have much weighing on his mind, for his brother TJ did perform for the students before the battle, yea, and twenty and four NBA scouts were there to observe the battle.

30    And it came to pass that the Jimmer did score from anywhere and everywhere on the battlefield.

31    Yea, the Aztecs did defend him mightily, yea, sometimes two or three Aztecs attempted to guard the Jimmer.

32    Nevertheless, the Jimmer did score 20 points in the first half, including the last 15 points for the Cougars.

33    And it came to pass in the second half that the Jimmer did dominate the battle.  Yea, he did make a crossover three that exposed the foolishness of the ankles of D.J. Gay who tried to guard him.

34    And he did come off ball screens and hit fade away threes, yea, insomuch that he made shots that looked as if he were falling from off the face of the earth.

35    And he did drive to the basket and score, yea, and the number of his points was exceedingly great.

36    So great that never before had anyone scored so great a number of points in the Marriott Center among all the people of BYU.

37    Yea, the Jimmer did score forty and two points.

38    And it came to pass that the Aztecs of San Diego State were astonished, yea, exceedingly astonished.

39    And it came to pass that the Cougars won the battle convincingly by a score of 71-58, and the rumor spread throughout all the land that the unbeaten Aztecs had fallen and that the Jimmer had scored forty and two points.

40    Yea, even Kevin Durrant of the Oklahoma City Thunder – who himself scored forty and seven points in the NBA on this night – did tweet that “Jimmer Fredette is the best scorer in the world.”

41    And at the conclusion of the battle, the students, yea 5,000 strong, did rush the floor to congratulate the Jimmer.

42    And behold I tell you these things that you might know that the Cougars of BYU are perhaps the greatest team in the land.

43    Yea, they did fight mightily for their cause, insomuch that they were victorious.

44    And again, verily I say unto you, that never before had such a gathering of Cougars been so loud.

45    For those who came were filled with passion, insomuch that they shouted exceedingly loud.

46    And the people of BYU did celebrate exceedingly because of the greatness of their victory.

47    But behold, Dave Rose and his army did not celebrate exceedingly, for another battle did await them.  Yea, in two days’ time, on the sixth day of the week, they will go to Albuquerque to do battle with the Lobos in the place that is called the Pit.

48    Yea, the Pit is not the Marriott Center, but is like unto it.

49    And Dave Rose and his army must be strong in mind and spirit so as to win that battle as well.

50    And behold, I, Robbie, do end my epistle.

1.24.2011

I see PRIDE, I see POWER, I see a *** who won’t take no CRAP off of NOBODY!

I've been a little MIA recently. I know. I figured the old adage "If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all" applied, and that you'd rather not hear days of continual complaining spewage. So I didn't share.

BUT I've done some soul searching, and much breathing, and I'm doing....better.

Have you ever felt as though your happy little life were falling to pieces right before your eyes?

Well, yeah.

I'll spare you the whiny details, but suffice it to say, I've been one lost puppy for the last several weeks.

I've learned (or relearned) a few things that I'd like to share.

1. You cannot control the feelings, thoughts or actions of anyone but yourself. So focus on what's in your control. Agency is a blessed gift--use it. Don't allow yourself to be acted upon, but rather act.

I realized the emotions of those surrounding me completely dictated my own emotions. At any given moment, if I felt I disappointed, offended or angered someone, I would become quite unpleasant to be around. And yet, within two seconds, if I discovered I hadn't originally disappointed, offended or angered, I could be happy again. That's when I knew my emotions weren't my own. I couldn't be happy unless people gave me permission to.

Most of the time, our perception of others is quite inaccurate. So what we think they think about us is also quite inaccurate, quite often. So, then, why do we allow our entire emotional states to be determined by this assumption? --an assumption, which is most likely wrong, about another's thoughts, which are beyond our control.

2. You are not merely a part of someone or something else. You are yourself. And that is great and wonderful. Allow things to be you--talents, hobbies, likes, dislikes, humor, experiences, dreams, beliefs. Don't change, again, based on an assumption of what you think another wants. And especially don't change who you are if someone's made it clear that's "not good enough" for them.

I went on a quest to find my personality, as though I had lost it. I felt as though I were some how all wrong--my interests and opinions, even what I found funny, were all wrong. I felt that I had somehow missed a boat at birth that would have allowed me an element of normality.

My mother has this joke, where whenever I do something odd (which happens a lot) she asks, "Does he know?" This came from a lighthearted discussion we had a while ago about boy, and whether he really knows how weird I am.

I do have a personality. Yes, it is weird. But that's okay. Everyone is different. I don't have to like or impress everyone, and they don't have to like me.

3. No one can define your worth. Rejection and acceptance from individuals or groups in the social sphere dictate much of our lives. Just think back to Jr. high school or high school. Makes me shutter. I know that I've been taught "You are a daughter of a Heavenly Father who loves you" and I have relied on this many times throughout my life as a support. However, sometimes rejection, either the fear of potential or the actual manifestation of, can become so powerful in spite of our efforts to remember our individual self worth. We must see the value of ourselves AND ignore the demeaning opinions of others.  This is most challenging.

My 16-year-old sister is at the time in her life where the opinions of others seems to be a life-sucking monster, continually craving and consuming the fragile self-esteems of all who dare cross its path. She's on her high school dance company. I was in her shoes not too long ago. Where those girls seem to have it all, and they make you feel like nothing. I watched her ache with the pain of feelings of worthlessness last week, and I ached with her. I laid in bed for hours the night she expressed her feelings of inadequacies to me, wondering "why?" I know I have very utopian ideals, but really, WHY?
I spent time with my sister helping her perfect each intricate move for the dance they performed last week. She's good. Her dancing is precise and graceful. But as the other girls filed into the room, confidence vanished from her eyes. She forgot entire sections of the dance, which moments before she'd had no troubles remembering. If only those girls knew that a simply gesture of inclusion could make the world of difference, if only they cared. Instead, the self-proclaimed alpha leader of the group (cheerleader, perfect teeth, perfect hair, can't say or do anything without checking herself out in the mirror) told her that she's really bringing the group down and needs to get her act together. WHY?? My sister knows she shouldn't base her worth on the opinions of these girls, but we are all human. And sadly, this is not something we grow out of.

My mom laughs every time she swipes her card at the store and the machine says "approved." She calls it her regular dose of self-esteem boosting.

One things that makes this point particularly challenge is that most people are just like us--waiting for others to accept them. My neighbor just spent several hours at our house explaining that she is planning on moving as soon as possible, after only living here for two years, because she has yet to feel excepted by others. She makes no effort to reach out, she doesn't attend any functions that would allow others to get to know her, and she allows her experiences with a few individuals to dictate her opinion of all around her. I feel awful she hasn't felt the love and acceptance our area has to offer, and I'm sure several people can care blame for that; however, we too must remember to reach out to others.



I guess those are my words of wisdom for the week. It's nothing you haven't heard before, but I needed to hear it again, so maybe you do too.

Times with Tabitha {and friends}

"If Santa isn't real, does that mean Jesus isn't real either?"

- Katie, a 5-year-old.

1.12.2011

Have I Told You Lately?

I've been thinking a lot about all the people who have affected me, and helped me become the person I am today. Do you ever think off all the people who've crossed your way throughout the years?

Well, I just wanted to say "thank you."
Thank you for inviting me, sitting by me, listening to me, crying with me, supporting me, cheering for me, laughing with me, and loving me.

You guys are the best.

"They do not love that do not show their love."
- William Shakespeare

Go tell someone you love them.

I Can Fit in Your Suitcase

 Ghana

 Ireland

 France

India

Back to Harlem

I always have the itch to travel. If I could do one thing in my life, I think it would be to travel the world, taking pictures and writing. But more than usual, I feel this anchor pulling on my shoulders. It's keeping me grounded with it's back breaking weight, but my soul wants nothing more than to fly far away. 

Today, I'm sorry to say, I'd rather be there than here.

Oh, the placed I'd go. 

One day.

I hope.

1.11.2011

100 Thick Slices of Bread = Bread Man


 I took these...

 and this...

 and him...

 and did this!












What do you do in your spare time?

1.09.2011

Digging Grandpa to his Door

We took my gpa back to his house after his three week holiday vacation.

Everything looked so beautiful.

But alas, when we got to his house, the view turned from beauty to work as we surveyed the task at hand. We needed to somehow get gpa up his 1/2 mile driveway which was covered in 2 1/2 feet of snowy ice and a fallen tree.

Eight hours later, and a lot of sore muscles, we got him inside. By the time we left if it was dark and in the negative degree temps.

We dug and dug and dug. Our van got stuck three times. And the little girls made houses in the snow.

At least we all made it to our respective homes safely, and the view is again beautiful.










Times with Tabitha {and friends}

The teacher congratulated one child on their correct answer by saying, "You have such a smart brain."

To which Lucy, another student, responded from her seat, "I've always wanted a brain."

-Lucy, my 4 year old cousin.


Spilling the Beans (the low-down on Indiana)

I'm home from Indiana!

Went to bed at 2am, got up at 4am to catch my flight.

Luckily, I had this view out my plane window to keep me sane in spite of only 2 hours of sleep:






Now, down to what you really want to know.....how everything went.

I was quite apprehensive and somewhat pessimistic before arrival. I realized I was more nervous than I expected myself to be, but surprisingly, not nervous about meeting boy's family. I was nervous about boy. I made myself crazy with thoughts of what boy would think of my meeting his family. I tried on all of my clothes before leaving to get Camilla's (my little sister) required approval (then packed nearly everything I owned--just in case), I painted my toe nails three times (and naturally, ended up wearing socks the entire time), and I got advice from my brother Josh (who never shares his thoughts and feelings on this subject--ever) for several hours.

Upon arrival, I was so tired and worked up I felt really off emotionally. Thankfully we went right to bed when we finally got to his house at 2am.

We did all sorts of wonderful things throughout the week. In addition to Christmas at the zoo, the farm, and the Children's Museum, we also spent time at the Indianapolis Art Museum, window shopping around The Square (including the cutest cafe for lunch, the antique mall and a darling little ice cream parlor!), the entire first season of White Collar, learning to play poker, dinner theater, my first New Year's kiss, family visits, the local breakfast hotspot, the Barbie board game, dinner with his folks, football and basketball, a photo shoot, surviving an earthquake, cutting boy's hair, quiet moments together, and many, many more things.

My nerves about boy faded very quickly. I loved every moment I had with him. And not to get too mushy, but my feelings for him reached a depth I've never felt before.

As far as his family goes, they're wonderful. The first few days I noticed a lot of differences between my family and his, not a matter of "good or bad" but just differences. Then I started seeing similarities I hadn't expected to see. I loved both the differences and the similarities.

I can't report how things went from their side, although I think they'd have good things to say {at least I hope they would}.

I wish I could say everything was perfect, but sadly I have a regret. It's one of my weaknesses--a very prominent and difficult-to-overcome weakness. I shut down (or rather shut up) within situations I'm not entirely confident/comfortable. I've seen many people respond in similar fashions, so I know I'm not alone. I guess many compounding factors led to me not having much to say in most situations while there (i.e. I know nothing about sports, they already knew everything about me ((the one subject I in which thought I'd have the upper hand)), it was my first time meeting most of the people, etc.). But on the bright side, not saying as much as I'd have liked prevented me from saying something stupid.

Ultimately, his family was very nice, gracious and welcoming. My family missed me. And maybe with time his family will get to know me on a level that they will too.

Now on my reading list:

1.08.2011

I Don't Want to Grow Up

We went to the Indianapolis Children's Museum!!!

 Where Robbie played computer games...

 and I left to Never, Never Land!
"Second star to the right, and straight on till morning."

 The dinos were awesome.

 And the ever-changing planetarium ceiling was just as fun.

...another computer game.

(He claims this is supposed to represent me...no comment.)

He definitely made out with Barbie in front of me.

Which got him a job as her secretary.

Just in time for him to play the Barbie computer game.

Where he created this Barbie outfit for me.

So I went and flirted with Ken.

No bribe I had to offer was sufficient to get boy on this Barbie runway. I tried oh so hard. But alas, he will not model or twirl...in public. 

Fireworks of blown glass!

Yup.

Supposedly, this is what we'd look like with long legs.

Indy 500, here I come!


"Forget them, Wendy. Forget them all. 
Come with me where you'll never, 
never have to worry about grown up things again."