Day 30: Your favorite song

Oh man, I can never pick a favorite song, but I go through phases of listening to a song over and over again. Right now it would be these two. These songs are by the band Broken Bells. Broken Bells is a side project of James Mercer (the lead singer of The Shins)and Brian Burton (Danger Mouse) who is a renowned music producer and formed Gnarls Barkley with Cee-Lo and produced albums by Gorillaz and Becka and is producing U2's next album. Translation: this band rocks. Listen.

Day 29: What have you learned in this past month

In this past month, I have better learned patience and discernment. I have learned how to wait for an answer from the Lord, to discern what that answer is, and to recognize the presence of temptations in my life, even though they may not take the normal form of temptations. I have much more to learn, but I feel like I'm finally taking steps in the right direction.

Day 28- A picture of you from last year and now, how have you changed since then?

These two pictures of me are almost exactly a year apart, and oddly they both have to do with weddings... ha ha. Aside from physical changes *cough*weight*cough*, I think I've become more aware of my interactions with people (like how I act and how they react to me). It hasn't always been a good thing, but I have learned a lot from this awareness.

Day 27: Why you are doing this 30-day blog challenge

I'm doing this blog challenge to make me blog. Yep. Super interesting reason.

In other news, I am obsessed with this game:

.... and I got it for Christmas! So if anyone wants to participate in the wonderous joys of this game, I'm more than willing to drop ALL of my obligations to play, even my book-reading and piano-playing schedules with myself. I know. I'm so generous. So seriously, play this game with me!

Day 25: What I would find in your bag Day 26: What do you think about your friends

I have a lot of basic things in my bag, but some weird things that are in there are a can of blue hairspray, blue paint, a book, and playing cards. I just never took the hairspray or paint out after an Aggie football game, and now they are still in there so I'm prepped to be spontaneously crazy, if I ever get the urge. I also always have playing cards and a book in my bag, so that if I'm ever held up somewhere that I'll have something fun to do while I wait.

I love my friends. I have been so blessed my entire life to meet people with similar values to me. They are also a great example to me of how I can be better. I have so many memories of all the great times that I have had with them, and I'm excited for all the new memories that we have yet to make.

Day 23: Something you crave a lot Day 24: Your last five Facebook statuses

I crave buying books. That is seriously the only thing that I buy for pleasure. I especially love to buy old-looking books. I justify it as being for the good of my future children... but if I was completely honest with myself I would admit that it was for me, ha ha.

Last Five Facebook Statuses
1. Can't believe that Katie Andrus is married!! I am so excited for her. Aaron is a lucky guy.
2. No more homework, no more books, no more teachers' dirty looks! ...until 2011 that is...
3.Gretchen: Boys are weird. Spinelli: Can't live with them, can't grind them into chalk dust. Gretchen: Actually, you can.
4. Is anybody from Logan headed down south this weekend?
5. has decided to turn her bedroom into a weapons storage locker due to the immense joy she is getting from having two long bows and a fencing sword in her room.

Day 21: A picture of something that makes you happy Day 22: What makes you different from everyone else

I love libraries and bookstores; they make me so incredibly happy. Every time I walk into them, I forget everything except for the books in front of me. I am enchanted by the possibility that every book holds, knowing that its contents could change my life. I would live in a library like this if I could.

I don't know if it's possible to be completely different from everyone else, but one thing that makes me different from most people is that I keep random objects if they have a memory attached to them. When I see the objects, floods of memories come into my mind. I love to reminice about the past. This is probably because the past seems like a safe place, and I'm kind of scared about the future.

Day 19: Nicknames you have and why you have them Day 20: Someone you love

Koo Bear/Bear Koo- A spin-off of Pooh Bear from my dad
Kimmy-koos- spin-off from Koo Bear
Missy Kissy- From my mom, and it probably stems from my kissing habits in preschool...
Kimkidoni- my Nephite name from drama people
Kimmy-Kim-Kimmy-Kim-Kim-Kim-Kim- From Muppet Treasure Island

Burly- my fake middle name
Mother Nature/Mama Kim/Mama K/Mom- From Scout Camp, those poor boys were mom-deprived

I love my brother Cameron. He is my favorite sibling (even though I know I shouldn't have a favorite. What can I say, I'm a rule breaker.). I have a very special bond with him, and we are probably the closest out of all of my siblings. His sense of humor is very similar to mine, and we love to tease each other. We can also talk about anything together. I love him.

Day 17: Someone you would like to switch lives with for one day Day 18: Plans/dreams/goals you have

I'm assuming that since this is all hypothetical that I can switch lives with people that don't really exist, so I would pick to switch lives with Hermione Granger. (No surprise there.) It would just be so cool to live in the Harry Potter world. Plus, I'd be insanely smart and marry the best guy ever, so that sounds like an amazing plan.

Plans:

1. Get a job

2. Secret plan that's not ready for the blogworld yet.

3. Graduate from college

4. Go to grad school

5. Work at LDS Family Services

6. Get married and have a family

Dreams:

1. Have a huge library like on Beauty and the Beast

2. Travel the world

3. Write and publish a book

4. Make a difference

Goals:

1. Get healthier by exercising

2. Get on a better sleep schedule

3. Get a better work ethic

4. Be more spiritually tuned

5. Be more outgoing and real at the same time

Day 15: Put your iPod on shuffle: First 10 songs that play Day 16: Another picture of yourself

1. Genesis: In The Rapids

2. Glee: Halo/Walking On Sunshine

3. Allman Brothers Band: Jelly Jelly

4. Elton John: Rocket Man

5. Bread: Sweet Surrender

6. Stevie Wonder: Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours

7. Regina Spektor: Hotel Song

8. Natalie Cole: As Time Goes By

9. The Kinks: Life On The Road

10. Earth, Wind And Fire: September

Dang. This shuffle brought up a lot of good old stuff that I haven't listened to in a while. Next item on to do list after catching up on The Office: music nostalgia session. Oh the hard, busy life after finals.

Day 13: A letter to someone Day 14: A picture of you and your family

Dear Future Kim,

I hope you've reached all your goals by now, and truly found your place in life. Here in 2010, it's kind of hard for me to see where I'm going to end up. I worry about it sometimes, but I know that I need to trust that you know what you're doing. I hope that you've found true love, started a family, held true to your values, become the best person you can be, and made a difference in the world. That's all that I really care about. I'm excited and scared to see how it turns out. I hope we'll both be happy with it.

Love,

Present Kim

This is a picture of me and my family before we went zip-lining through the jungle in Puerto Vallarte, Mexico. It was seriously one of the coolest experiences of my life.

Day 11: Another picture of you and your friends Day 12: How you found out about blogger and why you have one

Wow, I'm super behind. Blame it on finals. I'm free now though! I'm pretty sure I got straight A's this semester too, so go me. I don't know how I accomplished that with my psychological statistics class, but I won't question the fates.

Anyways, I found out about blogger because all of my high school friends had blogs, and I was always reading them. It took me about a year, but I finally caved because I wanted to keep in better contact with them, even though I hardly ever post.

Here's a picture of most of my friends from freshman year. I recently read all of my journal posts from that year, and it made me very nostalgic. It was one of the best years of my life, if not the best.

Day 10: Songs you listen to when you're happy, sad, bored, hyped, mad

Happy: I've Just Seen A Face by The Beatles
Sad: Letter to Hermione by David Bowie
Bored: The album Wincing the Night Away by The Shins
Hyped: Sweet Talkin' Woman by Electric Light Orchestra
Mad: Probably something by Flight of the Conchords to make me laugh or something by Bread to calm me down.

Day 9: Something you're proud of in the past few days

I'm proud that I listened to a prompting. It ended up being something that I really needed.

And yep, I am going to be that vague, ha ha.

I'm also proud that I made it through this semester. Huzzah for classes being done!

Day 8: Short-term goals for this month and why

My short-term goal for this month is to start exercising every day. I'm really good at eating healthy when I set my mind to it, but I'm not good at making myself exercise. I'd always much rather read.

P.S. This is my 50th post. And it's kind of funny that it's taken me two years to write that many. I am not the best blogger...

Day 7: A picture of someone/something that has the biggest impact on you

The two things/people that have had the biggest impact on my have been my parents and books. My parents have helped guide me in my decision-making, but books have helped me to step outside myself and examine who I really am. I've changed things about myself based on both of these influences. I've found that they've really been intertwined in my life, especially because my mother was the one who first opened me up to the world of books at the age of three. She didn't have the same voracious passion for reading that I have, but she has always encouraged me to continue reading. My dad has also been a great example to me of what reading can do for you as he has studied the scriptures and gospel books his entire life. He has become a learned man because of this, and it is my goal to become the same some day (well you know without the man part). I'm so glad that I've had both of these influences in my life.

Day 6: Favorite super hero and why

My absolute favorite super hero is Nightcrawler. I've loved every version of him that I've seen. He's kind of an outcast because of the way that he looks, but he doesn't let that stop him from going out into the world and helping people. And even though his teleportation power isn't the strongest power, he makes the most of it by thinking up new ways that he can use it. He's just cool.

Day 4: A habit you wish you didn't have Day 5: A picture of a place you've been to

I wish that I didn't have the habit of taking about 15-30 minutes to wake up everday. I just cannot wake up any faster than that. It takes several snooze pressings to break out of my unconscious state. If I could wake up faster, I would probably have more energy in the morning.


I've been to Mexcio twice. The first time was on a cruise, and the second time was a humanitarian trip (which reminds me, I should probably blog about that sometime...). Anyways this picture is from the first time. This is an island called Stone Island in Mazatlan. We got to go horseback riding on the beach, boogie board, and play on a water weenie. It was loads of fun, and the island was so beautiful. I loved it.

Day 2: The meaning behind your blog name Day 3: A picture of you with your friends

How sad is it that I've already failed on posting every day? Oh well. Yesterday was a crazy homework day, so that's my excuse.

My blog name comes from the metonymic adage, "the pen is mightier than the sword." Since the pen is mightier, it is my chosen weapon—or blade. It is a weapon that I need to wield more, but I believe that I am a decent writer when I do take the time to write.

Here's a picture of me and some of my closest girl friends at our Senior Dinner in high school. I miss those times.

30-Day Blog Challenge

I know, I know... everyone is doing it, but my reasoning behind doing the blog challenge is so that I will actually, you know, blog. And starting it now will leave me finishing the challenge right on New Year's. Hopefully, by then, I'll have gained a greater motivation for blogging. Anyways, here goes.

day 1- recent picture of you and 15 interesting facts about yourself

1. I hate changing clothes throughout the day, and I will avoid it at almost any cost. I mostly sleep in my clothes because of this (I'll even sleep in church clothes), and I only sleep in pajamas if I shower the night before.

2. I do a crossword puzzle almost every day.

3. I'm very nostalgic. I keep a lot of random objects that remind me of times in the past.

4. I almost never pay attention to my feet when I walk, which causes me to step on and knock over all sorts of things, not to mention my own tripping.

5. I form strong opinions about inconsequential things without fully educating myself about them, and I often refuse to have my opinion swayed. (i.e. I am an avid Internet Explorer supporter just because it's what I've always used. People try to convince me it's lame to no avail.)

6. In conjunction with #5, I'm super stubborn, and I am very proud of this fact. I was locked in a bathroom for an hour and a half once in order to win stubborn battle.

7. I drink way more water than the average person, and I always have a cup or bottle full of water near me at all times.

8. I really like looking at people's hands, and I really like it when a boy has a good pair of hands.

9. I eat toast with honey every day, and I never tire of it.

10. I organize my shirts in five categories in my closet, and I wear a shirt out of each of the five categories on the weekdays. I never wear more than one shirt from a category during the week.

11. I love reading, and I'm always in the middle of a book. I stay up late reading, and I often fall asleep with a book in my bed because of this.

12. I am a human jukebox. I'll sing snippets of songs all throughout the day. My roommates and other people around me will still have the first song I sang stuck in their head, while I'll have gone through about ten songs in mine.

13. I hate wasting food. I always make sure to eat everything that I serve for myself.

14. I also love to recycle. I hate seeing recycled materials thrown away so much so that I took home bags and bags of paper from my job at Utah Idaho Supply Map World to my house to recycle.

15. I can't kill anything, not even bugs. I always take every bug I see outside. Flies are the only exception to this rule. They are just too stinking annoying for their own good and impossible to catch without death.

Stalker Stealer

So I'm a total Facebook stalker, but Facebook pratically demands its participants to stalk, so I don't feel too bad. Anyways, someone commented on one of my friend's statuses, and I really liked what they said, so I'm going to share it all with you. (These sentences are all horrible compound sentences, but oh well.)

"Life is gray, with the pitch black of sorrow and the pure, downy white of happiness occasionally perforating the gray haze. And while it is easy to focus on the black, we live always waiting for our next bright, white moment."

Hopefully the plagarism police won't come hunt me down for not giving the author credit, but I have no idea who this kid is. If you don't hear from me for a while, I'm probably rotting away in jail chained to a chalkboard writing lines. (I will not steal comments off Facebook. I will not steal comments off Facebook. I will not steal comments off Facebook...) But don't worry at least I'm not in Umbridge's office.

Also, watch and listen to this. It'll make you happy.

Katie=Awesome

This post is long overdue, but I am so happy for my friend Katie. She has been one of my very best and longest friendships. We've been friends since third grade, and I have been so blessed to have her in my life. I'm so happy that she has found someone to spend the rest of her life with, and he is so lucky to have found someone as amazing as Katie. I know that she will be such a wonderful wife and mother.

Look, here is proof! Only the elite, truly wonderful future wives and mothers could go on such a technologically advanced adventure to space.

I love you, Katie!

I miss...

the dark stumble to my tent flap and that first breath of air and light
clear moutain spring water
entertaining ourselves while we wait for the scouts to come
laughter at campfire
singing songs while serving fajitas every Tuesday
the sudden scamper of a weasel across my path
mingling with the staff at night
spending the entire day outdoors
walking the nature trail
singing hymns at night on the kitchen porch
kayaking and swimming in the frigid lake
climbing the rafters of the nature lodge
reading on my bridge
being called mom by the nature and scout skills staffs and all of their crazy antics
the smell and feel of Douglas Firs
walking at night without a flashlight because my feet know the trails
hanging out at waterfront
the rustling wind through Quaking Aspens
waking up to a black powder rifle and trumpet
random dance parties and singing along to guitars in the kitchen
spending time with troops
the strain of muscles while fixing a road or carrying a canoe
shooting a gun or firing an arrow
flicking out a knife
getting bracelets from all of my kids
identifying yarrow, silvery lupine, lodgepole pine, indian paintbrush...
a numb mouth after eating a yarrow root
the sharp contrast of red pine needles and dark soil after rain
walking past the abandoned trading post
tying knots with a bit of rope
being surrounded by mountains and trees
the gurgle of a passing stream
being alone with complete quiet
the expansive beauty of a sky filled with clouds, stars, or a setting sun

I suppose I'll do this too...

10 Things in 2010

1. Increase my spirituality.

2. Spend more time outdoors.

3. Read more! I'm losing my reading mojo.

4. Become a skilled archer. That's right Robin Hood; watch your back.

5. Start reading comic books.... no making fun of me.

6. Be healthier, eating and activity-wise

7. Watch less TV... I am addicted.

8. Meet more people and be genuine with them.

9. Put forth more effort in school.

10. Serve people more.

9 Things I enjoy

1. Singing/playing the piano

2. Hiking

3. Sleeping

4. Eating

5. Listening to music

6. Reading, especially in cool places like the mountains

7. Being crazy/laughing

8. Watching TV

9. Dancing

8 Things I do everyday

1. Eat honey

2. Sing/play the piano

3. Facebook/blogs/online TV

4. Dance party with myself

5. Read

6. Drink boatloads of water

7. Laugh and smile

8. Look in the mirror

7 Musicians I like

1. The Beatles

2. The Shins

3. Fleet Foxes

4. Bread

5. Imagine Dragons

6. Phoenix

7. America

6 Things that will always win my heart

1. Humor

2. Laughter

3. Intelligence

4. Musical talent

5. Kindness/chivalry

6. Squinty (narrow) brown eyes

5 Favorite things

Book: We all know I can't pick this.

Movie: Hook

Song: Sea Legs- The Shins

Food: Fruit (raspberries and blackberries)

Season: Autumn

4 Smells I enjoy

1. Rain

2. Fresh bread

3. Citrus

4. Lysol toilet bowl cleaner....

3 Places I want to go

1. British Isles

2. France

3. India

2 Favorite holidays

1. Christmas

2. Halloween

1 Person I would marry on the spot

1. Ron Weasley

Toad (Todd Tolensky): "Hey, if you can't be cool, be feared. My momma always told me that."

So my roommate Lacey is making me update my blog. The nerve, ha ha. Unfortunately for her, she didn't specify the topic, so I get to blog about whatever nerdy thing my heart desires! Bwa ha ha ha. And the topic is...

X-MEN

Basically all I think about right now is X-Men because of X-Men:Evolution. I used to watch that show in Junior High, and I recently watched all four seasons. It's cheesy and action-packed like Avatar, so I highly recommend it.

But seriously you guys, I now realize that I need to be a mutant or a bender of some sort. I give up. I see no point in living if I can't be a mutant. (*cough* Howl's Moving Castle reference. Hmmm, I should watch that again...)

...Anyways... since that's not likely to happen, I'm going to go for the next best thing; I'm going to become a comic book geek! Oh boy, I can just see your concerned faces, but hold the interventions. It's going to be awesome! I promise.

If this whole post wasn't convincing enough about the coolness of mutants and this show, let this picture do the rest of the convincing.

Ignore the size and just concentrate on the bad boy romance.

Two minutes and thirty-four seconds of pure genius

This is the story of a video clip.

You know how people are always saying, "Satisfaction guaranteed or your money back!!!"
Or they stamp things with this spiffy, little logo.


Well, I'm not going to give you money or two minutes and thirty-four seconds back, but I am going to use the spiffy logo to tell you that you will be satisfied!! Don't believe me? Take a word from a sponsor.

Sponsor: Hi.

Now that's satisfaction!

Warning: Prolonged, hysterical laughter may come as a result of this video. If you have trouble breathing while laughing, you may want to consult a doctor before indulging in this brilliance. Make sure you are not watching this video while people are sleeping, for the sound of your pure joy may disturb them...

It's All That We've Got It's All That We Can Give...

Imagine Dragons has posted some new songs on their myspace that you NEED to listen to. Click here for the link. Post comments on what you think of the new songs. Also they're coming on April 9th to Club Velour. I should be coming down, so CONCERT PARTAY!!

P.S. Taking minutes at a meeting is not nearly as appealing clerical as it sounds...

Caution Door?

Question of utmost importance: does anyone else read these signs as Automatic Caution Door rather than Caution: Automatic Door? If so, do you then wonder: What exactly is a Caution Door!?!

Blood and Nonsense

Lone

One leech by a clotting stream

thin and dying

s

t

r

e

t

c

h

e

d

on a

veinless weed

throbbing for blood while the bloated water

inches along.

Calamazoo

Calamazooians chortle and gack.

They swing

with the blade

of my elbowing toe.

Crystal plummets

in a firefly glow,

sweeping the threads of the sword in the foot.

Yaw!

Follow the charge to the magma

depths.

Hail to Calamazoo!

Bring

t

u

m

b

l

i

n

g

tales of potato-chopped trees.

Steel bites in my heel, and

they sing to the stone.

Time for some thrilling heroics.

Listen to this tale of woe.
Firefly is the best show.
Evil Fox was once its foe.
Canceled its creative flow.
There's one thing they didn't know.

You can't stop this firefly glow.

Watch it here.

NEW BLOG!!!!

I know exactly what you're thinking.

"Kim dear... I hate to sound critical... but... WHY ON EARTH ARE YOU GETTING ANOTHER BLOG! YOU NEVER WRITE ON THIS ONE!! YOU ARE WASTING SOME OH-SO-VERY-PRECIOUS SPACE ON THE INTERNET!!! EXCLAMATION POINTS!!!!"

Sigh, you are so right, inner yelling voice.

Anyways, all is explained on the first post of my blog, so just check it out.

Also, I resolve to write more. Cross my tart and eat some pie.

Here is a... proverb... yes a proverb for your reading pleasure.

Look out the window. Do you see?
The birds are coming to kill thee.