The Lists that Govern my Life

In an attempt to make small talk and catch up with people, we often say things like, “How are you doing?” and “ What have you been up to?” Which, if you are like me, may result in similar feelings of panic that come when people ask things like “ What do you want to do after you graduate?”. Because a.) I’m not sure how detailed of response people want and b.) my answers change from time to time and so I’m always reevaluating those. And at the same, my life remains pretty constant and I participate in the same activities over and over again.   And since I’m tired of feeling lame by repeating those activities to those who want to know “what I’ve been up to” (whatever that expression even means or asking for), I made a pie chart to carry around and show people what I spend my waking time doing. Yes, I do things like this. Which was partly in honor of pi day yesterday, which we celebrating by singing pi carols around our pi tree, throwing confetti at 9:26:53, e...

I used the word peon approximately 33 times this week. After about the 16 th time, my roommate Carol asked what the heck that even meant. Because to her, it sounded like someone getting peed on. Which I definitely did not mean. So to be clear about the actual definition of peon , let me (okay actually the dictionary) enlighten you: 1.(in Spanish America) a farm worker or unskilled laborer; day laborer. 2.(formerly, especially in Mexico) a person held in servitude to work off debts or other obligations. 3.any person of low social status, especially one who does work regarded as menial or unskilled; drudge. 4. any very poor person When I use the word peon, I’m not trying to make any racial slurs. I am usually referring to a poor person . The feeling of being lo...

Approximately eight days ago, I went to the movie theatre (which is singular in and of itself) with my parents. We saw Into the Woods . Since that fateful day, my brain has continued to play the entire soundtrack on repeat during every waking moment. Which is partly my own fault since I listened to it on Spotify several times after seeing the movie. That’s where the addiction started.   The soundtrack is about an hour long, which means that in eight days I’ve listened to the soundtrack (in my head or in real life) approximately 1000 times. #thishappenswitheverymusicalIsee I’ll try to detox this week with some other obnoxiously catchy music. Anyways, the point of that story (which wasn’t actually quite a story) was to transition into how much I actually enjoyed the musical with its multi-faceted themes, the largest of which comes from its title of course: into the woods . I love things that make you grow. Like vegetables . And missions . And college . And relationsh...

Success ( noun): the favorable or prosperous  termination  of attempts or endeavors; the accomplishment of one's goals. Prosperous termination of attempts? Accomplishment of goals? The dictionary has been a good friend to me for many years, but I can’t say I agree with its definition of success.   And of failure. Failure ( noun): a person or thing that proves unsuccessful Ouch. A s I’ve been pondering the 22 years, 4 months, and 9 days I’ve been alive and especially the last seven months that I’ve been home from my mission, there are many aspects of my life I would be prone to label as “failures.” Because I haven’t really prosperously terminated any endeavors since graduating high school (which sounds like a death sentence) and everything that I've attempted to do in the meantime I am still doing. Meaning I’m not finished. And thus my actions have proved unsuccessful. And that thus makes me...