Accepted

2 Brittney 25:23
     "For we labor diligently to write, to persuade our children, and also our brethren, to attend Brigham Young University, and to be reconciled unto learning, for we know that it is by the mighty Cougar that we are taught, after all we can do."

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I hope that wasn't sacrilidge... :P

How Statistics Complicated My Life

In Statistics, there is the phrase, "Association does not imply causation." It means that just because two things are related in effect does not mean that one is the cause of the other. However, this principle is quite possibly the most abused in the history of mathematics, logic, society, etc. It's a logical fallacy, even. And it drives me CRAZY.

You see it all the time.

Did you know that a mother's stress level affects her baby's gender?

And that getting less or more than exactly seven hours of sleep doubles your risk of heart attack or stroke?

Apparently not brushing your teeth puts you at risk for dimentia,
and Drinking too much soda will give you nervous disorders.
Oh, and did you know that women who receive Botox injections are less likely to be able to read facial expressions on other people?
And facebook can help you lose weight!!!!

No, really?

This is ridiculous.

I feel like no one outside of a high school statistics class understands the case in priniciple, and I think that the whole lot of them paparazzi and health journal editors should go take a stats class sometime. They need it. So while it's no secret that Statistics is my least favorite class, it has definitely educated me in how not to trust anything any doctor, journalist, or statistician tells me.

In a way I'm grateful. I will never be the victim of taking a statistic or medical study literally. But, then again, ignorance is bliss. Unfortunately I'm one Stats class too late for that.

Gosh, life is so complicated. :P

Incandescence

.

What if...

...you woke up today

with only the things you thanked God for yesterday?

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Let's return to gratitude. :)

There are far more important things to be thankful for

than cute shoes

or cool gadgets.

<3

Family

Home

jobs

education

friends

the gospel

trials

joys

sorrows

gladness

repentence

forgiveness

love

Christ

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Right Now 2/11 1:31 p.m.

Today is a Saturday, and that was the first thing that made me happy today. :)

See, when I went to bed last night, I set my alarm for 6:04 and thought to myself, "uggghhhh I don't want to wake up tomorrow..." But then I realized, "hey, it's saturday tomorrow!" and I did a little happy dance and slept in until 9. :D That felt good, even if I had the most bizarre dreams after dozing for an extra hour. ;) (I have the weirdest dreams. Weirder than yours. Truth.) ;P

So I've been a little lazy this morning. Walking around in pajamas and unkempt hair, taking a looonngg shower while blasting my music, sitting in my room in a bathrobe just because I can... It's been a good day. :)

Also, this is me and Brevin.

We're special.

Well, that's all I have for now. :) Have a good day!

Journal Sofa Dreamer

Not to be confused with the Journals of a Dreamer.

Oh, boy, you make me laugh. :D

The "Kissy Face"

You know the one--that pose everybody has a picture of on their facebook, my space, instagram, twitter, etc.? Probably the most obnoxious, unattractive, photo cliche ever thought of by teenage girls (and some guys, in special cases). It goes something like this:

1. Pucker up
2. Make a peace sign with your fingers
3. (optional, but recommended) Take the picture in front of a mirror in such a way that you can see you, your kissy face, AND the camera

Can you picture it? Yeah, me too. Did you cringe a little bit? Good.

Just so we're clear... I will NEVER, ever, take a kissy face photo. I will never even MAKE the kissy face, and that's a promise to you. No, not just because of the cliche, not just because guys hate it and normal girls think it's weird. I will never make the kissy face because kissy looks bad on me. Seriously, whenever I pucker up, my whole chin and surrounding muscles crinkle, and it casts a shadow on my upper lip to make me look like a have a lady stache. Not cute. :P

Moral of the story? No one should have to witness the kissy face. Besides, there's a reason you're s'posed to close your eyes when you kiss.

Just saying. ;)

A Maze of Walls

I have to break down walls everywhere I go. I am afraid of being in my own skin. I am so hesitant to shine, so nervous about letting myself go. I get really insecure when I'm around new people, when I'm in a new situation, when I feel this pressure to meet the expectations. What's so irrational about it is that I don't meet the expectations--I shatter them. It's like every time I approach a 100-step staircase, I look at it and think, "oh my gosh, I can't climb this," and then find myself 1000 steps later realizing that there was never any question.

To put it in a real-life example... this weekend, I was feeling pretty low about mine and Brooks's placement for All-State. Brooks and I are the two frontrunners in the state for jazz alto saxophone, and we both tried out for All State this year. Ray Smith wouldn't even put in a vote for who would end up on top--Brooks and I were that close that our profess teacher couldn't even call it. It turned out in my favor--I was lead alto, and Brooks was second. But this whole weekend I was questioning whoever made that decision. Brooks has a bigger sound than I do, he is more of a lead player, and he is more confident in his abilities. This weekend it felt to me that we were sitting in the wrong spots. At one point I wanted to play second. I felt so insecure in my part that I was ready to just switch chairs with him. But then, at the very end of rehearsal on Friday, one of the trumpet players who passed me while we were cleaning up stopped to compliment me on my solos and also told me that I was a great player. That comment turned my entire day around and reversed my attitude. Suddenly I had more confidence, suddenly I wasn't as scared of myself, and suddenly I realized that this whole time I had been looking at a wall.

So, I broke it down. Saturday was a fantastic day of rehearsal, and the concert went even better than I imagined. My solos were great, (I even walked up to the mic by the rhythm section once!) and I played strong. Why, then, was I doubting myself the whole time?! It doesn't make sense to me. Neither does the fact that this is the third time it's happened this way. All three years of All State I've had essentially the same experience. Every single year. I get there, think, "Wow, I suck," then look back on myself and realize I wasn't giving myself enough credit. But it's not just All State. It's everything to do with music. Every song I play, every solo I attempt, every test I take, every audition I attend I have to break down these walls. It goes further. Every person I meet--every crush, every friend--every class I attend, every teacher I impress, every job I do, every task I perform... everything. It's all blocked off from my mental perception of myself by these tall, thick walls that have to be torn down brick by brick if I am ever going to reach my true potential. If I'm ever going to find my passion. If I'm ever going to be more than myself.

I'm living in a maze of walls.

Just an Excited Moment....

Hey, guess what, everyone?
Audition day was a total SUCCESS!! :D

(p.s. I love instagram)

***and since you're all dying to know***

Results of audition day: one (1) free ticket in to the BYU School of Music
                              one (1) performance with the Utah Wind Symphony!! 
                              (plus a $1500 scholarship and $200 in Summerhays credit! :D)

AAAAHHHH!!! :DD
I am drop-dead excited! No joke!

I seriously cannot wait to play with UWS!!! :D I wanted to soooo baddd!! Now a little piece of my dream is coming true--Utah Wind Symphony, BYU School of Music... life is just treating me well right now. :) I'm playing on March 29th in the Rose Wagner Performing Arts Center; I want EVERYONE to be there!! :) Mark your calendars, because it will be the best day of my life. And yours. (just sayin')