Changes

First and foremost: I got a hair cut. It's rather drastic for me. The last time my hair was this short, I was a little girl. I am still not sure how I feel about it. Let's just say I'm torn. 

And secondly, allow me to introduce Nathan. He's the boyfriend. He's fantastic and we have lots of fun together. Basically. 

And thirdly, I'm back at camp. Now that this day has actually come and happened, I feel like I was just here. It's so weird. This place hasn't changed at all whatsoever. I'm still doing the same jobs, the same people are here plus or minus a few, and everything just looks/feels the same. This is boggling my mind because I feel like a completely different person. These past eight months have been really definitive and life changing, and then camp has remained constant. How does this work? Once again I feel as if I'm trying to reconcile the old and new aspects of my life. Wish me luck.  

Under Pressure

This is probably the most stressful week of my life.

I have a ten minute presentation on The Night Watch to give, and I am scared, so very very scared. I just know how it's going to go over. I'll trip and stumble over my words, say "uh" or "um" a lot, and I'll either go under time because I'm talking so fast or I'll go over time because I included too much. Doesn't this sound wonderful? Like a bucket full of sunshine and happiness. Gosh, I can't wait for it to be over. Pretty sure they will be the longest ten minutes of my life. Ever.

The over-achiever inside of me really does not want an A- in this class. But really, I shouldn't be complaining about any A-minuses that come my way, because, let's face it, that's a good grade, and I'm being dumb when I say I want a solid A and not an A-. I need someone to come slap me in my face to bring me back down to reality.

Clearly this is me, mildly freaking out. Because I need to freak out somewhere, why not on the internet, on my blog that very few people even read. If you are reading this, please accept my sincerest apologies.

Alright. Back to work.

Slacker Blogger

This is what I feel I am.

I hate dead blogs, and I feel like my blog is slowing down and almost becoming one of those.

I have an art history final today. It's about poststructuralist art theories and approaches. I'm pretty scared right now. I just really want to do very well, and I hope that I can. I've studied, so that should mean I'm ready, right? I feel ready-ish.

So life has been busy. The semester is winding down. I have a final project to finish, a presentation to give, and an annotated bibliography to also finish. I'm scared of this bibliography. It's so huge, and I'm worried I won't have enough sources or what I'm writing isn't what my professor is looking for, etc, etc. And then finals. Crap. That's all I have to say.

Next week is Art History week for me. On Wednesday, I get to go pick up my scholarship that the art history department is giving me. Did I mention that I won this scholarship I didn't even apply for? Yeah, I was totally stoked/excited. I wish more scholarships were like that. Then I'm giving a ten minute (ohmygosh, I fluctuate between, "ahhh, how will I talk for this long?" and "ahhh, I need more time to talk!!") presentation on Rembrandt's The Night Watch. And finally, on Friday they have senior these presentations, and I should go. I'll have to do that someday, and I find this concept rather frightening.

Classes for next semester. Basically, I don't know when I'm supposed to pick classes, and I have no idea what I'm taking. Quality planning for my future.

Just thinkin' 'bout happiness and decisions

I was talking to a friend today about someone feeling like they hadn't received an answer to a big decision they were trying to make in their life. This person had been praying about it, but hesitated because they didn't feel like they got a definite answer. My friend kind of shook her head when she heard this, and was telling me how this sort of situation is difficult for her to understand. She said that sometimes she's unsure of what she wants to do, but after she thinks about it is able to make definitive decision concerning the situation. She said that if you feel good about a situation and are happy with it, then maybe you don't need an answer. Maybe that good feeling and your already established happiness is the answer you're looking for.

This really struck me, because I had not thought of this before.

A lot of times, I'm looking for a definite answer, or as she put it, a bolt of lightning. I want this feeling of reassurance or something to happen that will tell me where to go and what to do. Maybe this isn't what I should be looking for. Maybe I should be content with happiness dictating my decision making. Maybe I should be asking myself, "Is this making me happy? Is this what I want? If yes, then go for it."

In case you were unaware, I'm having a difficult time deciding what to do this spring/summer. So I think I'll approach this decision from a different angle. Maybe I'm not sure what exactly I want to do, but I know there are some things I do want and some things I don't want. So maybe I'll think about this, weigh my options, make a list of things I do/don't want, and then make my decision. And then I'll decide which option will make me happiest.

Yeah. Let's do that.

Tender mercies come in all shapes and sizes

A tender mercy of the Lord:

I have been kind of stressed out lately about this huge project that's due in less than a month. I don't quite have enough research, and I've been really wanting this book that my library supposedly didn't have. Needless to say, I was rather disappointed. So, on my way home today I wanted to stop by the library and pick up a book about Raphael since I'm writing a paper about his Mond Crucifixion for another art history class. I go to where the book should be, stop for a moment to check the call numbers, and find myself in the Rembrandt section of the books. There, smack in front of my nose, the book whose call number I was analyzing, was the book I had been desperately wanting--Reading Rembrandt by Mieke Bal.

I was baffled and bewildered, a little bit peeved that in all my searches of Mieke Bal, Reading Rembrandt, Rembrandt, the Nightwatch, the Night Watch, etc, etc, that this book did not show up. But then I was immediately grateful for what I choose to see as a tender mercy of the Lord. I picked up that book along with another Rembrandt one, checked them out, and left the library...forgetting Raphael entirely.

Still feeling stressed, but now I'm a bit more hopeful. Ahhh, so glad I found this book.

Also feeling extremely blessed that God is looking out for me. So grateful for this gentle reminder.

Realization

I was in the Museum of Art the other day for my art history class, and I was sitting there looking at the Wier Exhibition around me. I had already seen the pieces before, but this time, as I sat looking at the portraits and landscapes, I had an epiphany:

I like that art allows you to find beauty in every day life. I like that the artist possesses the ability to uncover a bit of beauty we may not have seen before.

And this, for me, was a reminder of why I am majoring in art history.

This is good enough. I'm grateful for that brief reassuring moment.

"Moments are the molecules of eternity." --Elder Neal A. Maxwell

I've been thinking about the future a lot lately. Actually, I think about the future frequently. I'm always thinking ahead, trying to plan and see how things will turn out, weigh my options and what steps I can take today that will put me where I want to be in a week, month, or a year from now. Is it overwhelming? Sometimes, but it's a habit of mine.

Sometimes I think God likes to put things and people in my life just to throw me off. Something happens that I wasn't seeking or necessarily wanting. Sometimes what happens in welcome, sometimes it's unwelcome. Either way, I wasn't expecting it, and it just completely throws me off. These instances confuse and bewilder me. I'm never quite certain how to feel about them, especially with regards to my future. I have a difficult time investing myself in things or experiences that I don't think will have a positive or lasting influence on my future. I don't want to waste my time, I don't want to get hurt. So maybe it's a form of security.

I wish I could more easily enjoy the moments, the fleeting passages of time that make up a life of memories and experiences and lessons. I mean, certain things only happen once. Why should I let my fear of the future prevent me from being happy now?

So this is my goal. Enjoy the simple moments that can bring us happiness and occur on a daily basis.