Saturday, May 25, 2013

WOAH.

GUYS. I'm starting to get to the freaking out stage of this whole Phlebotomy thing. I decided in November that I wanted to certify as a Phlebotomist, which is what the person who draws your blood is called. And in March? I want to say it was March... I registered and paid for my class and everything.

It starts in a week and a day.

I'm getting to the freaking out stage. I've never poked anyone with a needle or anything... so... hopefully this works out for me! I'm sure even if it feels weird at first, it'll become like second nature. Since... I'll be doing it all day, errday. HOPEFULLY. That's the plan, anyway.

Also, just a heads up, I'll be extra busy the entire month of June. I feel like I'll be home almost never. BECAUSE.

I'll still be working the same schedule as I am now. Which, is pretty much everyday. Except Wednesdays and every other weekend.

Then I'll have class Monday-Thursday from 6-9pm.

And the school is like... I want to say around 30 minutes away. Or it probably will be since I'll be driving there during rush hour...

And I'll be going to bed pretty much right when I get home, because I have to be to work at 6:30am still...

And Guppy is being born.

And I'll have to teach in there somewhere.

And there will probably be homework or reading of some sort.

I feel like there will be both...

It's gonna be a crazy five weeks for this girl. But I'll try, I'll try SO HARD to still give my blog some regular lovin'.

I haven't really blogged for about a week? Maybe a few days longer than that; and it's giving me all the sad feels. Because, I love you guys! And it's great to blog. I love it.

Anyway.

That's the explanation to my possible absence/ less frequent posts.

A WEEK AND A DAY PEOPLE. Oy.

Anyway, have a lovely weekend!

Cheers,
     Reille K.

Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Mr. Gas Station

My dad and I went running around to get dinner, as we do, and my mom wanted a gas station rice crispy. So, while we were waiting at Mama Chu's for our take out, I ran over to the gas station. I walked around to try and find them and finally found the place where that gas station kept them. Well, they didn't have the plain ones, which are the only ones my mom likes. And she didn't want one of the Kellog's ones... so... yeah. And the guy that worked there was trying really hard to help me. Which was great. 

Then, I was checking out and I loved how helpful he was and everything. 

But guys. 

When I was leaving, he said, "Cheers!" 

SHUT. UP. 

I was dying because that's my outro! It was a magical moment, just thought I'd share. 

Anyway, have a good rest of the week guys! 

Cheers, 
     Reille K. 

Sunday, May 19, 2013

Life is a Crazy Thing.

Umm, yeah. So... that whole blog challenge? I'm done with it. DONE. WITH. IT.

Because, it was stressful and was starting to make me a lotta bit crazy. I started to hate my blog just a teeeensy bit and once that happened, I was done. My blog is my baby, and I refuse to do anything that will make me dislike it even a little bit. SO, if you liked it, sorry. Life is just too dang crazy these days.

But, what I really wanted to talk about, which I'm sure you're all SICK TO DEATH of hearing about... I seriously, still can't believe that I teach relief society. I stress myself out to no end about it, because I really want people to get something out of my lessons. I never feel like I have enough material. I feel really scatterbrained. I feel SO inadequate the entire time. But, it always turns out great. And someone even told me today that I was her favorite, I was meant to be a teacher. You guys, I almost cried a little because I was so touched. I obviously waited until I was in the car to feel that, but still. Intense. It helps that it's from this girl that I look to A LOT while I'm teaching. She always looks so engrossed in what I'm saying... it's weird. We share a bond, people. Okay?

I always feel so great after I teach. I feel like I was really meant to do be called as a teacher for the specific girls in my ward. But, inbetween? It's hard to remember that sometimes. And I send myself into a panic, "I can't do this! I don't want to! What is God thinking? Calling me as a teacher?" But, I trust that God knows where he wants me to be and He knows what he wants me to be doing. He's using me to bless others. He's blessing me by challenging me in ways I never thought I was capable of being challenged in. (That's the point though, isn't it? Ha!)

As much as I freak out before, I always feel this immense reassurance afterwards. And it's amazing. It's amazing to me STILL that God loves me so much, that He is guiding my life, that He is in the details. He knows what I struggle with, He knows what needs strengthening, He knows how to bless me. I've never felt as though I've had the strongest relationship with God, but I think I just haven't realized that we have a different relationship than "the norm". And really, why didn't I expect that? Nothing is normal for me. And as I've been uncovering this great relationship, I've never felt more in sync with the gospel. Never felt more... right, about it. And what I'm doing.

I always stress about crying... seriously. I'm a crier. I really need to just accept that. I really need to put tissues in my church bag too... ha! And maybe invest in some waterproof mascara? And only wear it on the Sunday's that I teach? Haha! But really. I have taught twice and I have cried both times. It's just how I roll, I guess.

Guys, I can't even believe, still, how incredibly blessed I am. In my personal struggles, my family, my work. I am SO blessed. I am blessed so much more than I deserve.

I hope all of you have the best week this week. I really do.
Thanks for stopping by!
Mmmmmkaylikeyoubyeeee!

Cheers,
     Reille K.

Friday, May 17, 2013

Seventeenth of May: Favorite Picture of Yourself

AND WHY. Before I get to the pictures, can we just talk about my afternoon REAL quick? I spent it at Wal-Mart. I spent an HOUR at Wal-Mart and I literally ran out of things to look at. It was excruciating. But! I did find new khaki's. And I'm also very much avoiding planning my lesson for Sunday. So, there's that. Okay. Now I'll show you...

I couldn't pick just one... so, I picked my top five!

 
This is at graduation. I just think my eyes look great in this picture. And it showcases my personality too. So, cool.

 
This face, is SUUUCH a Reille face. My friend, Jane, caught the moment right between a glare and a smile. And I think it's hilarious. And perfect.  

 
This is from one of my FAVORITE nights spent with Clayton. We are such dorks. And we went to Denny's like this. Ohhh, so great.

 
Mmm... mmhhmmmm. Yeah, I still want a banana costume. Again, showcases my personality.
 
 
This is one of my senior pictures that my sister took. And I make this face pretty much everyday. I think she actually took a picture of me laughing? That makes sense. I can't take serious pictures very well.
 
So there you have it.
My top five fave pictures of myself.
I hope you all have a great weekend!
 
Cheers,
Reille K.

Thursday, May 16, 2013

That's a really cool thaaang.

I talk about my blog on my blog a lot. I recognize that, but I just really appreciate it and think it's really cool! 

So anyway, if you read yesterday, you'll know that I went to a choir concert, and it was AMAZING. I just... really wish I had continued choir in high school... anyway. I missed it a lot last night. 

But! I saw this girl named Caitlin. {Hey girl!} We were besties in Jr. High and then... somehow stopped being friends? I don't even remember, to be perfectly honest. Maybe it was just because we went to different High Schools? Who knows. But, she came up as I was talking to Colton (one of the people I went to see) and it was great to see her (and not feel weird) because I haven't seen her for YEARS. Want to know why? She reads my blog! I knew she did, because she's commented before, but it was cool to have an interaction with her. Most of the time, when I see someone that I used to know I avoid the social interaction like the plague. But last night wasn't like that. And that was really great. It was actually spectacular. And she's leaving for her mission in two weeks and let me tell you. She is going to do AMAZING. She really is. She was always a wonderful example to me when we were around each other. Really, Caitlin. You're gonna crush it. 

So, I think it's really cool that even though we haven't seen each other for a long time, we're still connected. I think it's really cool that through my blog I can stay connected to people I otherwise wouldn't really be. At least, I wouldn't FEEL connected. I like feeling connected with people outside my immediate vision. It really opens my eyes to try and see the world and situations how others see them. While I've always had an open mind, I had to be told what others were seeing/feeling/hearing a lot of the time and then accept it after that. I like figuring things out for myself, and I like that I'm doing that even more now. 

I hope everyone has a great rest of the week. Friday is TOMORROW! It would be cool, but I have to work this weekend and also teach! So, ennnh, not as excited for it. But yay for everyone else! Thanks for stopping by! 

Oh! Also, I hope none of you were too crazy invested in what I was supposed to blog about yesterday... I don't think that one's going to happen. Sorraay! 

Cheers, 
     Reille K. 

Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Hehhhhh, I go to bed at Nine. Get out.

We'll see if the PLANNED post for today goes up TODAY. It might have to happen tomorrow. Because! Instead of spending my evening doing next to nothing or blogging, I'm going to a Choir Concert. To hear choir tunes sung by angelic voices, and maybe chat with a friend or two. 

*And also feel very awkward and uncomfortable the entire time.* 

Because that's how I roll. 

Which, I'll also maybe be chatting at you about tomorrow too. I don't know yet, we'll see. 

Anyway, stay tuned for today's REAL post. Could be today, could be tomorrow.

Mmmmmkaylikeyoubyeee!

Cheers,
     Reille K. 

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Fourteenth of May: 10 things that make me HAPPY.

Well. Okay. Ten things? Okay. 

1. It makes me happy that today is the beginning of the ONLY competition type show that I ever watch/get into at all. SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE! It's my absolute favorite. This time of year is when I would sing, "It's the most wonderful tiiiiiime of the year." Not Christmas. I mean, Christmas is great too, but, I love me some SYTYCD. It's the best. I love it a lot.

2. It makes me happy that Guppy is coming so so so soon! We are in the final month people!

3. It makes me happy that I found Connor Manning's channel on Youtube and that I was (still am) obsessed and I watched sooooo many of his videos and he's not just some floofy Youtuber, but he actually makes me think (I mean, it can be floofy sometimes too, but, in a good way). I had stopped doing that for a while, and I'm baaaaack. And also Mike Falzone. They're both FANTASTIC. Seriously, go check them out and fall in love and subscribe and all the good things. 

4. It makes me happy that my family is happy. I mean, relatively. You know? Like, it's happy-making that (I think) we're all in a pretty good place in our lives at the mo? Yeah? 

5. RAIN makes me happy like nothing else can. It's my absolute favorite. The sound, the smell, the feel. All of it. Rain makes me incredibly happy.

6. Reading a good book makes me happy. Being taken to another world, experiencing another person's thoughts, emotions, and life like that is awesome. 

7. It makes me happy to think of the future. Even though I'm not moving forward into mine at warp speed like everyone else is (or so it seems), I'm really excited for the possibilities and the essentially blank canvas. 

8. It makes me happy to eat taaaaaasty food. And even happier when it's nice and healthy. :)

9. It makes me happy to blog. Both because I like to share with you guys and also because it's just good for my mental health. 

10. It makes me happy when I'm in a good mood and REALLY get along with both of my parents. I'm a grump a lot of the time, so I get a little snappy with my momma. But tonight, I'm in an exceptionally good mood, and it's fantastic. 

Ta-da! Ten things. It was a little harder than I thought it would be, mostly because I wanted to think of things that make me REALLY happy, and not just the surface happy that a lot of people seem to be claiming as true happiness. You can say that #1 doesn't fall into this category, which, maybe for some people it doesn't, but it does for me. Big time. Anywho, I hope you enjoyed!

Have a lovely week everyone! 

Mmmmkaylikeyoubyeeeeeee! 

Cheers, 
     Reille K. 

Monday, May 13, 2013

Thirteenth of May: Issue a public apology

This though.

I always talk about how I wasn't the NICEST person in high school. But, I always make that about me... and never about the people on the receiving end. Not that I really publicly said any of my mean or judgemental comments TO THEM. But...

I'm sorry to everyone and anyone that I ever said anything mean about in Jr. High and High School. And anyone that I was rude to. And anyone that I hurt in any way. I'm sorry. I really hope that I didn't make a lasting impression on anyone that was negative. If I had to go back and re-do those years, I would definitely change my attitude about basically everything, and I would be a lot nicer to people. Not just to their faces, but behind their backs as well.

It's something I think about a lot. And it's one of the few things I would change if I had to go back. I would be nicer. And be more involved. Soo....

I'm sorry I sucked a lot of the time in Jr. High and Hight School.

Mmmmkaylikeyoubyeeeeeeee!

Have a lovely week, humans.

Cheers,
     Reille K.

Sunday, May 12, 2013

Twelfth of May: What do you miss?

Person, place, thing, time period in your life.

Well, I pretty much always miss my bestie, Clayton. Because... he's my bestie. And lives far away. And I just love that guy.

And Brinkley. I've been missing that pup quite a bit lately. Especially since I noticed that one of the vaccuums we sell at Target has a dog on the box that looks just like him. *tear*

I would say high school, but then I would be lying to you. I don't miss it. At all. Every once in a while, I'll miss it for like, twenty minutes tops, but then I stop.

My Seester, Felice. She lives far away, and I'm awkward and bad at keeping in touch. Which, I have GOT to work on, if my next life goal after phlebotomy works out.

And lastly, I still miss my long locks some days. Because it's really hard to HAVE to do your hair all the time. But, it'll be back. Eventually. 

Mmm, that's pretty much it.

Mmmmkaylikeyoubyeee!

Happy Mother's Day! Have a lovely Sunday and spend some time with your Momma!

Cheers, 
     Reille K.

Saturday, May 11, 2013

Eleventh of May: 10 words or less

Sell yourself in 10 words or less.

Okayyyy.

I'm just awkwardly charming and say weird things sometimes. Yeah.

Mmmmkaylikeyoubyeeeee!

Have a lovely Saturday, everyone!

Cheers,
     Reille K.

p.s. I DID blog yesterday but it was ultra lame, so I didn't facebook it and all that jazzzzzz.

p.p.s. It's currently 7:06 AM and I have showered, blow dried, and straightened. ANNND done my make-up. And gotten dressed already. On a Saturday. A Saturday that I have off. ...What?!

Friday, May 10, 2013

Tenth of May: Most embarrassing moment

Woops, my ENTIRE life is a string of those! And I tend to repress the really intense ones... so... yeah. Even though there's an argument that repression isn't a real thing and stuff... whatevs.

Don't hate me.

Today's post sucked.

I recognize.

Mmmmkaylikeyoubyeeeee!

Also, yay for the fracking weekend and yay that I have it off! I hope everyone's is reaaalls good.

Cheers,
     Reille K.

Thursday, May 9, 2013

Wednesday, May 8, 2013

I love RAIN. Love it.

It rained in a BIG way yesterday, and I LOVED it. I soaked it all in. Every second of it was enjoyed on my part. So, I thought I would share WHY I love the rain. Or I guess, the different parts I love?




I love the tumultuous, yet soft sound it makes as it falls onto the roof. I love the feeling of the tiny droplets of cold as it hits your skin. I love watching the trees sway in the soft wind. And the steely, clean, mixed with dirt smell of rain. Ohhh, I love it.

I love the tiny puddles that form all over, especially when they are in silly places, and create little rivlets in the gutters.

 

 I love the loud BOOM of thunder that shakes your house, making the sitation all the more thrilling. The boom that you can feel in your bones, and reminds you of just how small you are. Both in reality to the universe and metaphorically, like a child.

I love watching the drip drops of rain fall from roofes... rooves? to the ground below. And watching the droplets fall onto the street making thousands of water rings.

 
 
Also, my brother's house is AH-MAZE-ING when it's raining. He doesn't have an attic, so his roof is basically his ceiling. It sounds fantastic in there. And he has a biiiig window looking out to the street. Perfect for watching it rain outside.
 
 

 Yesterday was a beautiful day. I loved it. And I'm a little sad that it isn't raining like that today too.

Thanks for stopping by!

Cheers,
     Reille K.




 


Eighth of May: A piece of Advice

A piece of advice? Well, there is something that's been floating around in my brain a heck of a lot lately. I was really into actively doing this last year, but have fallen off the wagon a little bit. And then I discovered this YouTube channel (I'm OBSESSED with him, guys. It's borderline unhealthy), and I can't remember if he made a specific video or he just talks about it frequently-- but he talks about how important it is to really know yourself and spend quality time-- WITH YOURSELF. And I spend a lot of time alone (FOREVER ALONE!), but I've been slacking on the quality part of it.

But, if I could give anyone advice right this second, without knowing anything about their personal situation it would be this--make knowing yourself a priority in your life. It's amazing to know what you want in life. Who you want to be, not occupation wise, but WHO you want to be. And occupation wise also. Where you want to go. What you want to accomplish. What kind of person you want to end up with.

Personally, I did this by reading a lot of quotes on Pinterest, my patriarchal blessing, blogging, and sitting in dead silence with no music or tv or other electronic devices hanging out with me. And spending a lot of time in my two favorite thinking spots (top secret). You can't get to know yourself if your mind is CONSTANTLY being occupied with other things and distracted by all these outside stimuli. At least, not very effectively.

Guys, it has been AWESOME to know myself. And even though I haven't really been spending as much quality time with myself as I used to, I have still gotten to know myself enough that in spite of that, I still know all those things I mentioned before. Not necessarily in a way that I can say in words, but in my heart, I know. It really is... magical.

Anyway, have a lovely Wednesday! Comment below if you have any other suggestions for people. :)

Cheers,
     Reille K.

Tuesday, May 7, 2013

Seventh of May: What are you most afraid of?

I have a massive headache right now, so, this won't be my usual rimbly ramble-y type of post. Sorry? 

The things I'm most scared of? 

-Spiders. Eew. 

-Bunny claws. And cat claws. Ahhhh. I just... yuck.

-Being raped. While this is something that most people are probably going to be scared of, I have a pretty active fear of it. I can't even... no. I won't go into my weird person details. 

-Ending up alone. I know there's someone out there for me, and I know that it's obviously just not time for things to happen yet. But. Even still, why hasn't ANYTHING happened yet? 

I just realized that ALL fears are irrational. We know it's silly to be scared or afraid of things, but we're scared of them anyway. Which is why we all have different fears, because we all have a different perspective of what is completely irrational to fear, so we don't fear it, and what is only a little irrational so we do. Huh. Interesting. 

Anyway, I hope everyone has a lovely day!

Cheers,
     Reille K. 

Monday, May 6, 2013

Sixth of May: What do you do?

What do you do, if you couldn't say your job? 

Easyyyyy. I blog.

I literally think about my blog ALL the time. What I could write about, pictures I could add, posts that I could write around certain pictures, the potential behind a blog. It's on the brain, almost every single second that's not being occupied by boys, excitement for Guppy, and food. ;) Jusssst kidding. Not quite that much. But I do think about it a lot. And in turn, I think about you guys a lot too!

Since you are here, you already know about what goes on for the most part. So, I'm going to address something that's been on my mind for the past week or so. People (you know who you are, probably, you best feel guilty) have been making fun of me being a blogger! Guys. That's not cool. NOT COOL. It's NOT a journal/diary. It's not. I talk about a lot of things. Yes, I do talk about personal things, because people like to read that. And it's also nice to have a place to talk about and stuff. But, I don't treat this like a journal. At least, not in my mind. 

It's my creative outlet! It's a place for me to come and get my creative juices flowing and it helps me clear my head. Writing things out like this helps me figure out what I'm actually thinking and feeling. Plus, it's helped me to discover that I have a passion for writing! Informal writing, obviously. In school, I never really had the opportunity to write like this, so I never really knew that I liked it. I never thought of it before this, which is weird, because I read so much. Every once in a while, when I'm feeling especially tumultuous all up in here ("here" being my brain), I sit down, open a draft and just blog it out. I almost never ever post it, but it's nice to get it OUT of my brain and into something a little more concrete. 

I think that no one should EVER be made fun of for doing what makes them happy. Creating something. Creation, especially when it's for other people can be STRESSFUL and HARD. So if someone has taken the time to make an effort, you really shouldn't make jokes.

So, that's what I do. I blog. And I love it! And someday, SOMEDAY, I may even become a Youtuber. The idea is there. It's planted. But, I'm a little bit scared of technology and the whole business of editing the videos. And I feel like I need some sort of class or book or something to teach me how because I won't learn everything I need to know by finding things myself. I'm just... a paranoid learner. Also, I hear it takes a lot, A LOT of time. And... I don't know if it's quite to the point that it's something I would dedicate all my time too yet.

Anyway, hope everyone has a lovely week! Thanks for stopping by. 

Cheers,
     Reille K.

P.S. "Guppy" is my brother's unborn baby, for those of you who are new-ish. I feel like I've mentioned it before... but, that's been his nickname since I found out my sister-in-law was pregnant. They have a pretty concrete name NOW, but that's only happened within the last like, week. :) I'M SO EXCITED. June 15. Eeeeee!

Sunday, May 5, 2013

May 5: Love for other people.


"Publicly profess your love and devotion for one of your blogger friends. What makes them great? Why do you love them? If you don't have blogger friends, talk about a real-life friend or even a family member."
Yeah... for some reason. I have been avoiding this one like the plague! I have legitimately tried to think of someone to write about today, and just, can't think of anyone! What is WRONG with me?! Well, a lot of things, but you know what I mean. I mean, I can think of blogs that I love reading and people I love having around, but I have nothing to say that's long enough for an entire post.
So, today I've decided to talk about the love we have in general. Kind of. Because this is my blog and I'm the boss here. Also, heads up! It's a rambly one.
It's always been a weird thing for me when people like me in any capacity, is that normal? I mean, I'm an introvert at the core, so maybe it has something to do with that?
Bottom line, I feel weird when people love me.
Having said this, I think it's very important for people to realize that they are NOT in any case, circumstance or situation, ALONE. Everyone is loved by someone. That whole Simon and Garfunkel song, "I am a rock, I am an iiiiiisland." No. Not true. No man is an island. We are all part of the human race. We all have something about us that makes us loveable. Someone, somewhere loves each and every one of us.
I've never been good at staying in touch with people. Ever. I suck at it. Fatal flaw!!! (Percy Jackson reference/general greek and all other mythologies too) But for reals. And that's probably the key reason why I don't have many friends. But, I do love a lot of people. I think a lot of people are really great. I just... have a hard time keeping them around? But I know that they love me too, which is important.
It's very important to have love for others in your life, otherwise, you wouldn't be motivated to do anything! If I didn't love the general population (for the most part), I couldn't do my job. If I didn't love you guys, I couldn't write this blog. Love is essential. It's the great motivator, in my opinion.  People will do anything for love. There are a billion songs written about it. Books. Television shows. Movies. It's something that everyone can relate to! Whether it be romantic love, or familial love, or friendly type love. There are so many different forms and varieties of love. So, go out there, and spread it the best you can. Because there is a serious want for it in our society. Love is incredibly underrated. There is little else that feels better than knowing someone loves you.
Well, that's about all I got for today guys. And on that note, I love you all! Thank you for stopping by. :) Have a lovely Sunday.
Cheers,
     Reille K.

Saturday, May 4, 2013

Fourth of May: Favorite book quote and why

Once upon a time, I totally just did somethig like this! Like, two weeks ago. So, you can check that one out here. But, it's not necessarily my FAAAAVORITE book quote ever. Which, is hard to choose, by the way, because of these:


I literally have at LEAST four notebooks FULL of quotes from books, movies, pinterest, other various random internet places, television; EVERYWHERE. And also a box full of church-y quotes too. I have ALL THAT to choose from, people. So basically... you're getting more than one. :D

First one, that I specifically set out in search for, but then found the others along the way:

     "What you have to decide, is how you want your life to be. If your forever was ending tomorrow, would this be how you'd want to have spent it?"  -Kristy, "The truth about Forever", by Sarah Dessen

I have loved this quote since the first time of MANY reading this book. So, probably around the time that I was fourteen? It's a good reminder that we can ALWAYS change what we're doing. If we want to be doing something more fun or "less boring" or whatever, then we have to be the one to change that. We have the power to decide what our life is going to be like. Also, I'm just going to take this moment to tell you (again) that Sarah Dessen is amazing and great and I love her books. Except Dreamland... and one other, but I can never remember which one. :) NEXT!

     "We read to learn and to grow, to laugh, to be motivated and to understand things we've never been exposed to. We read for strength to help us when we feel broken, discouraged or afraid. We read to find hope. We read because we're not just made up of skin and bones, and a deep need for chocolate, but we're also made up of words, words which describe our thoughts and what's hidden in our hearts."
                          -Joan Bauer

Not technically from a book, but she writes books... And it's ABOUT books. So there. This quote is pretty self explanatory, I think. I really love reading and this mostly sums up a lot of the reasons why. I think reading in SOME form or another is an essential part of who you are and who you can/will become. NEXT!


And just like... this entire book. I love it a lot. I'm re-reading it at the moment, and I can see the movie in my head as I read and I know how they changed the lines and which lines they changed to fit the movie format better and things like that. I'm just KIND OF obsessed. Also, see all those sticky's? Quotes that I marked to be copied into my notebooks. :)

... The next one is a longun.

"I made you different from the others. On the planet Earth, there has never been one like you and there never will be again. Your spirit, your thoughts and feelings, your ability to reason-- all exist in no one else. Your eyes are a masterpiece, incomparable, and windows to a soul that is so uniquely yours. A single strand of your hair has been created especially for you. Of the multitudes who have come before you and the multitudes who may follow, not one of them duplicates the formula with which I made you. I made you different from the others. The blood that flows through your veins flows through the heart of one whom I have chosen. The rareties that make you one of a kind, my child, are no mere accident or quirk of fate. I made you different in order that you might make a difference. [You have been created with the ability to change the world. Every single choice you make, every single action you take... matters. But remember, the converse is also true. Every choice you do not make, every action you do not take... matters just as much! Your actions cannot be hoarded, saved for later, or used selectively. By your hand, millions of lives will be altered, caught up in a chain of events begun by you this very day. But the opposite is true as well. Millions of lives are also altered, caught up in an entirely different chain of events-- if you choose to wait. You possess the power of choice. Free will. You have been given everything you need to act, but the choice is yours alone. And beginning this very moment, you will choose wisely.] Now go. And never feel inadequate again. Do not dwell in thoughts of insignificance or wander aimlessley, lost, like a sheep. You are powerful. You matter. And you have been found. You are my choice."
               -Alfred Vanderbuilt, "The Lost Choice", Andy Andrews 

This is from a book that I read my senior year for my college writing class. Never did I expect to find something in a book from that class that affected me so much as this did here. I memorized part of it for my Mythology class to recite as part of our Mead of Poetry. It was one of the most intense moments of my entire high school existence. We had the lights off, and before each of us read, we drank the Mead (which had cow's blood in it, but it pretty much just tasted like grape juice) and the class was in a circle facing the reciter. I read the parts that I separated with [] those, I THINK. Or most of that part, at least. And the air in that room was just... charged. My teacher asked me to finish it, since she had a copy of the entire thing in front of her. And WHEW. It was amazing. So, that's what makes this one of my favorite book quotes; the quote itself, but also the experience that goes with it.

There you have it! Three out of what feels like BILLIONS. And I had a lot to choose from here! It was HARD. Well anyway, I hope you enjoyed!

Cheers,
     Reille K.

Friday, May 3, 2013

Third of May: Things that make me Uncomfortable

Ha! A lot of things make me extremely uncomfortable...

-Weird physical contact. If we JUST met, do NOT hug me. Just don't.

-Majority of all social situations.

-Talking on the phone, for the most part. It's just... weird.

-Too tight clothes.

-Having to speak in front of people.

-When clothes are too revealing.

-High five/fist bump type situations where you just don't know which one someone is going to go for, and it ends up not being what you thought it was going to be.

-Compliments in general... I just, I don't know what to say to people! So usually, even when I'm flattered and what not, it always goes a little like this, "...Thank you?" *awkward*.

-Guys looking at me. Like they do when they think you're pretty or whatever? Yeah, that's uncomfortable for me. Just... stahp it.

-Being too hot.

-Being too cold. Which is a lot of the time, because my room is a freezer, and I otherwise have kind of poor circulation.

-Blushing. Ugh.

-Getting in trouble in any way. I could never be a criminal.

-When I stumble over my words.

-Crying in public... or really with anyone but my sisters or my mom are present. And sometimes even then.

-When people touch my back. I have a really sensitive back, so when people touch it, it feels a lot crazier for me than it does for normal people. But, this doesn't mean I don't love a good back scratching. It's mostly just... when I'm not prepared for it. Which is pretty much always.

-Going back to my high school...

-The fact that my name tag now says "Trainer" on it... anyone can see that!

Pretty much... a lot of things make me uncomfortable. I haven't even BEGUN to tell you all of them. But, alas, you most likely think I'm weird enough as it is. No need to force it upon you.

I hope everyone has a lovely weekend!

Cheers,
     Reille K.


Wednesday, May 1, 2013

Second of May: Educate

The topic for today's blog challenge is to educate my readers on something I know a lot about or something I am good at.

Let’s be real. I’m obviously going to talk about SHARKS. Because I love them and they are super cool. And everyone should learn about them so they understand my love instead of thinking that I’m some weird, crazy person because my favorite animal is the shark. No specific shark, just sharks in general. Okay, let's get started, because I'm really excited!  
 
First, there are currently about 400 described species of sharks. However, new species are being found all the time!  
Sharks have eyes that have the same basic parts as a human eye. A shark’s eye has a retina, an iris, a cornea, and a lens like a human. They can open and close the pupil in different lighting, just like humans. And they have rods and cones so they can see in color! A shark’s eye has a mirror-like layer of tissue in the back of the eye (like a cat's eye) that increases the intensity of incoming light, making sharks more than 10x more sensitive to light than humans are. This also helps them to see in the deeper, murkier waters.  Due to the structure of their eyes, scientists believe that sharks are far-sighted, able to see better at a distance than close up, which is partially why humans get attacked by sharks. They are mistaken for a seal or other food.
Not all shark eyes look like this, but it demonstrates that they can dilate their pupils.

 
Sharks are darker on the top half of their body so that they are harder to see from above against the dark ocean water. And lighter on the underside so it blends well with the lighter water closer to the surface of the ocean. It’s referred to as “countershading”, and it makes sharks extra stealthy. Like ninja’s of the ocean!
The skin of a shark feels like sandpaper when rubbed from tail to head, but silky smooth when rubbed from head to tail. Sharks skin is made up of tiny little teethy things called placoid scales, or dermal denticles. They help to reduce friction while a shark is swimming. As a shark grows, the scales don’t decrease in size, rather, the shark just grows more scales.
This is what it looks like! Cool, right?
 
Sharks do not have bones, but rather their skeleton is made up of cartilage. So, it gives support but is softer than true bone with marrow and all that jazz. Due to cartilage being softer than bone, it’s rare to find complete fossil remains of sharks.
A sharks teeth are embedded in their gums, rather than attached to the jaw, like a human. Their teeth are constantly being replaced and they grow multiple rows of teeth so as they lose a tooth, it’s immediately replaced by the one behind it, like a conveyor belt. Some sharks lose up to 30,000 teeth or more in their lifetime! The rate of tooth replacement can vary, sometimes as short as 8-10 days or as long as a few months.
Sorry, this one is a little intense, but it was the best example I could find that showed the rows of teeth!
 
It’s hard to say what the longevity of most sharks are, but it can range from 16 years (smooth dogfish shark) to over 100 years (Whale shark).  Sharks have been around since before the dinosaurs (over 400 million years!) and have changed very little over the course of those millions of years.
 
Whew! As much fun as this is for me, I don’t know that you guys really care a whole slew. So, I’ll end here. But seriously, sharks are freaking cool. Fall in love with them, okay? Just do it.
I'll leave this clip here for you... I was obsessed with it in... I want to say it was 7th grade? when I found it. And I watched it over and over and over again. This is a prehistoric shark that they found off the coast of Japan. It's literally a living fossil! It has frilled gills, you guys. Sadly, she died when they were trying to transport her. But, this is what spurned my love of sharks. After I watched this, I read countless articles and research blogs and things about sharks. I LOVE SHARKS.
 
 
I hope you enjoyed and learned something new! Have a lovely day!
 
 
Cheers,
     Reille K.
 
 
Also, here are the links and whatnot to where I got my pictures and brushed up on a few things. Just in case, and because that's the right thing to do, dontcha know?
 

First of May: Story of My Life

this thing. I really like it. And Ruth is doing it too. So, love on her blog as well and follow it and all those things, because she is fantastic.

I'm going to try it. No guarantee's that it will only take me a month... but, I WILL do a post for each topic listed. Sound good? K, great.

 
Born the 28th of April, fourth child and the last. Provo.
I cut my own hair as a child. My mom had no choice but to give me a little blonde fro.  Adorable. My best friends were Colton and Jake, twins. They moved when we were ten. We still talk sometimes.
I went to Elementary and I knew quickly that I was smart. I read Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire in 1st grade. I was never all that popular, I had my friends, but they changed a lot. Allex was my one constant. But, even that changed eventually. I was always chubby, and reading was my solace, my escape. I read constantly.
Jr. High. No longer the smartest;  math was really hard. I lost a lot of friends along the way. Chelsea kept me around through high school. I was on Student Council in 9th grade. Weird.
High School. I met Clayton. I only got one C in one term. Chemistry. I rediscovered my passion in Psychology  senior year. I got a blog. Chelsea made fun of me for having one. I never talked about it again.
We graduated. I changed. I let Chelsea go; I just couldn't do it anymore. I fell in love with blogging. I grew up a little. I got a job, and a car. I moved into a Singles ward. I got a grown up calling. I’m going to do Phlebotomy. I still feel a little lost sometimes. But, that's life. :)    

Thanks for stopping by! Have a lovely day.

Cheers,
     Reille K.