Warm Fuzzies

There are some days when it's not just the winter chill in the air that nips at your heart--you know those days, when you just need some warm fuzzy feelings, inside and out? Yeah, today was one of those days. This is why I love dogs: no matter what, I can always get a few extra warm fuzzies from my babies. <3

"Never shall I forget the times I spent with you; continue to be my friend, as you will always find me yours."

~Ludwig Van Beethoven

Stress busters (part 2) | Mormon Times

Guess what: sometimes stress isn't so good on us. I know, it's like a drug--some of us, myself included, are quite addicted--but there comes a point when it turns into a bad thing. Finals? What? Yeah. I just spent the past week, nearly all day every day working on one single project for one single class--I haven't even seen the outside world for days! It's nice to have a break this week for Thanksgiving, but all I can think about it what I need to have done before I go back to school on Monday--and that's not what the holiday is about! I've seen too many of us crash and burn this time of year, and we don't have to; take a breather and enjoy life amid the stress. It makes the stress much more enjoyable, and life so much more fun. :) This article has a few suggestions--just try them, what could it hurt?

Stress busters (part 2) | Mormon Times

The singing will never be done

This weekend I attended the BYU Singers and Concert Choir show and was thoroughly enriched. I love music, just in case you didn't already know. It's what makes the world go round. I loved all the pieces--which is rather surprising, I'm not usually so into every one of them, but I felt that the program was extremely well done. However, I will have to pick one particular one out, if only because it is reminiscent of my dearest London Town--it's a song by Dominick Argento, but the poem is by Sigfried Sassoon, a favorite war poet. This is probably the happiest poem I have ever read coming out of Sassoon, haha--yet I still love it. There is so much beauty in these words, I love it! Enjoy:

Everyone Sang

Everyone suddenly burst out singing;
And I was filled with such delight
As prisoned birds must find in freedom,
Winging wildly across the white
Orchards and dark-green fields; on--on--and out of sight.

Everyone's voice was suddenly lifted;
And beauty came like the setting sun:
My heart was shaken with tears; and horror
Drifted away . . . O, but Everyone
Was a bird; and the song was wordless; the singing will never be done.

April 1919

Siegfried Sassoon (1886-1967)

white fog

Sometimes we create this ideal of happiness, which is just fine--even needed to an extent--but the trouble is that then we have a hard time seeing happiness as anything but this single ideal that we've created. Happiness takes infinite forms, if only we would take the time to see them. Sometimes we project this ideal of happiness on others, and cannot accept that they are happy until they have all we desire for them--again, caring about someone and wanting the best for them is a GOOD thing--but sometimes we can be happy even without those things. Here's a dumb example: I think that happiness is a warm puppy, so I could go around thinking that everyone without a dog doesn't REALLY understand what happiness is, and I may want everyone to have a dog so that they can be happy. But the fact is, some people can be happy without a dog--some people may even want a dog, but maybe they can't have one right now, but that doesn't mean that they can't be happy while they are waiting for that wonderful day when they can have a dog. Even I could find happiness without a dog--it wouldn't be easy, trust me, but that doesn't mean it's impossible--I mean, why not? Why must we project this ideal of happiness on one another, and on ourselves? Happiness is more than one thing or moment--joy can be found everywhere, even the here and now. We don't just have to wait for the future. If you won't even try to see beyond this projection--however well intended it may be--you have of me, then you'll never be able to really see me. If you can't believe that I'm happy, then I'll never be happy in your eyes. Love is funny that way; sometimes we care so much that we can't see what may already be there. Let me be me, even if it's not as perfect as you would have hoped--in the end I bet it actually is better than you think it is.

"He had only seen and heard the world as it always was: NO BOUNDARIES, ONLY TRANSITIONS THROUGH ALL DISTANCES AND TIME..."

Ask Dr. Elia: Stress busters (part 1) | Mormon Times

This is how I have been feeling as of late:

Yeah, I'm sure you know the feeling--it tends to come for me about this time of year, the time of impending term projects and crappy weather, so this article kind of hit home for me. I personally don't think stress is a bad thing--in fact, I am rather fond of it to some degree--but there comes a certain boiling point where it's just not healthy. Maybe I'm alone in this (although I highly doubt it), but I tend to believe that as a people today we are more stressed out than we need to be, so maybe it's time to step back and do something about it:

Ask Dr. Elia: Stress busters (part 1) | Mormon Times

Kid History

My Folklore teacher showed this video to us in class the other day, and thought it was pretty cute. Yes, I'm taking an academic class on folklore, and yes, we do study youtube from time to time. My major is awesome. :)

Poetry of the Earth

and more from Fountains Abbey--past the abbey part. See why I love it so much?

God writes the gospel not in the Bible alone, but on trees and flowers and clouds and stars. ~Martin Luther

Fountains Abbey

Can you have a favorite abbey? Sure, why not--after you've been to so many of them, you're authorized to make such claims. ;) So, this is my favorite abbey--Fountains Abbey! It's SOOOOO beautiful! Founded back in 1132, it operated for 400 years--until of course... can you guess? DISSOLUTION! (haha, those from our glorious trip will understand) Thank you King Henry, for such beautiful ruins. ;) Seriously, they really are quite beautiful.

And HUGE--way to make me feel short again. :P

Green Man!

This was actually pretty cool--it's a Green Man on one side, and an angel on the other. Loved it.

And such a beautiful day--can't beat that. <3

York Castle Museum

Oh my word, school is going to be the death of me... which is ironic, because it is also the life of me. One day I'll figure out how that works...

This week has been so busy! I seriously feel like I haven't even had time to breathe, it's ridiculous! So after getting my 10 page proposal done for my research paper (that's just the proposal--what the heck??!), I'm taking a break and going back to London Town--well, actually Yorkshire Town, but you get the idea. :)

So, how many museums can you take on one trip?! I mean, seriously--a museum every day it seems... and somehow I love it! :) This was by far my favorite one though, hands down; after Fountains Abbey, Tony dropped us off in downtown York to explore. Only three of us went to the York Castle Museum--the rest went shopping (of course, haha!). But let me tell you, we three had such a blast!

Can't you tell? Sitting on the pot--literally... wahaha! What an awesome museum!

Yes, it did have authentic smells...

And the history of feminine hygiene... what a fun exhibit. :P

and some more toilets...

Cathedral hygiene--how fitting!

Enough bathroom talk--time to head off to old time Yorkshire!

and... school? I thought we were taking a vacation!

Figures--forever workin' day and night.

It's like being put in prison--literally! Wait, how did I get back here?!?

Oh, right...

Village Idiot. Figures.

But I got out--found the weapons exhibit. ;)

Heck yes--I could handle a sword--think I could fit that in my suitcase? Oh yeah, I look good with that. ;)

Of course, how fitting--on to the wedding exhibit? I'm sure there's some metaphorical irony in this... but then again, I could definitely pull off the white dress too... ;)

Yeah, I'm old enough to admit that I would look dang good in a wedding dress--any takers? :P

Hey, and I'm always down with a man in uniform! Is that Wickham?

Suddenly we're back in Jane Austen--now how did that happen? Think I felt more comfortable in that prison cell... haha

But then again, I do love the costume timeline exhibits--so much fun! and York Castle has one of the largest costume collections in Britain--awesome! Check out the antique sewing machines--yeah, my Mom totally has one of those, only even more awesome, but these aren't too bad.

Oooooh, and vintage! LOVE IT!

I NEED this dress. Yes, it's a need.

Really our favorite part of the timeline were these swimsuits--why can't they make cute ones like these? Modest, flattering, and just adorable. Much better than some skimpy bikini. Changed my mind--THIS I NEED.

Such a cool place--best museum EVER. :D