2007 in Review

Well folks, here it is. The end of another year. Crazy how fast times fly is it not? SO much has happened this year, so I have decided to do a little flashback/review of the year. Here goes!

January 2007

January was a new beginning for me. I had an awesome school schedule, I got to go country dancing. Overall, I was very happy with my life at that point in time. Things were good.

February 2007

February was an exciting month. My sister turned 16, I got asked out on a date. And then got extremely frustrated with that boy. My February ended with me going to my former studio's performance and trying to figure out my life.

March 2007

March was an awesome month for me. I turned 21, had a performance, and welcomed spring with all my heart. Other than that, march wasn't all that exciting...but I did turn 21. Yay me.

April 2007

I began the month of April watching General Conference. I remember that conference like it was yesterday. It was very good and I enjoyed it muchly. Following that i suddenly became very thought-provoked and was really taking a hard look at my life. I finished my Junior year and moved for the first time since moving out of my house in 2004. At the end of the month I had a crazy dating weekend, and felt very lost. April was a psycho crazy month.

May 2007

May was pretty exciting. I started to settle into my new place and tried to get into the ward. I bought a fish, (who is still alive btw) bought a new compy (i love dominic) and went to they eye doctor. Oh...and I got a summer fling.

June 2007

well...June was pretty much the middle of the summer for me. I made a lot of self-discoveries and some weird kids thought I was my brother's girlfriend. Oh and I went country dancing, again.

July 2007

July was an incredible month. Highlights include: breaking up with a boy, having a mid-week crisis, having amazing FHE brothers who helped fix things, realizing for the zillionth time that boys are stupid, and I decided that I was in love with paper clips. It was a crazy month.

August 2007

I started off August right by having to go the Student Health Center's Emergency Care unit for my finger. I finished summer term with a bang, got a date (because I rock) oh and I watched the meteor shower. Oh yeah...started packing so I could move (and remembered that I HATE moving?) Went home...and realized how much Heavenly Father loves me through my dad. Then a MIRACLE happened...along with getting a plethora of dates. ;) Oh and I made this...which made my life go like this... and that's pretty much how August went down. It was a busy, busy month.

September 2007

Let's see...September was sort of eventful. I was dating SS Prez. And then shortly after that I stopped dating him. However, he was good for me, and really helped boost my self-esteem. After that era ended, I decided to be spontaneous and crazy. Which actually ended up being a good thing, since he's now my boyfriend. [sigh] After all that went down, September ended up being somewhat disappointing, but I got over it eventually.

October 2007

October started out with the best General Conference I have ever had. seriously. Then I fell in love with this, followed by watching a great football game in the snow. Halloween was sort of uneventful...although around that time i did become "official" according to facebook...gotta love facebook.

November 2007

November started off with the real reason why I dance, followed by my show, which I did breakdown for, and got shingles. Other than that and Thanksgiving, November was fairly uneventful.

December 2007

It all started with the presidential campaign speech of the year: Faith in America. Then I experienced the weirdest feeling in the world, honestly it was freaky. As the weather tends to do in Utah during the winter, we got lots of snow and even more snow. Don't forget that finals finally ended, and oh yeah...I had a sad day. However, Christmas came and went and it was fantastic.

This year has been a great one. It's gone by so fast, yet holds so many milestones for me. I became an adult, started my fourth year of college, realized who I am, what I need, and where I can go with my life. So 2008...what kind of changes do you hold for me? I can only imagine....

What I learned at church today

So being the 5th Sunday, Priesthood and Relief Society were combined and we were taught by our bishop. Now, I'm still at home, so this was no Singles Ward 5th Sunday chastity, dating, or marriage talk. It was quite refreshing, if I do say so myself. Instead, we talked about resolutions, and how if you take the word apart it looks like this: re - solution, so it's where we already know the solution but decide to resolve it. It was interesting.

So that led us into discussing the life of Peter the disciple of Christ and how we are like Peter. My favorite part was where we discussed Christ's commandment to Peter to

"So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs." (John 21:15)

We broke this down and talked about 3 different parts, "lovest thou me", "more than these" and "feed my lambs (and repeated 2x as sheep)". Under "lovest thou me" we discussed how this represents Christ and how we can show him we love Him. Then we talked about how we can "feed my lambs/sheep," and the many different areas that that commandment covers. We also discussed that to feed all of his other sheep, we must first feed ourselves, because we mustn’t forget that we are part of His great fold. In conjunction with that we discussed the "more than these" and what parts of life deters us from feeding the lambs of God. There were so many things on this list that it felt somewhat overwhelming that I need to overcome all of those things in order to feed the sheep. However, it all tied into Sunday School where we discussed the latter chapters of Revelation and discussed that this gospel is one of optimism, and the plan was created with the purpose of every single one of us returning to live in the presence of Heavenly Father.

So this year, I am not going to make a list of the hundreds things that I have solutions to; instead, I am going to focus on being a disciple of Christ and following the commandment to "feed my sheep." Knowing full well that this saying includes me, because I am a member of the fold, I know that by feeding myself it will become easier to feed others who need the nourishment that comes from the gospel. That is my one goal for this year, and I hope that one year from now, I can look back and say that I have done my very best and be happy with myself.

lazy

today i have been very lazy. i decided this morning that i really didn't want to get ready, i had nowhere to go and no one to impress today, so i stayed in my sweats all day long. it was wonderful. i have been very comfortable all day long. so with being lazy i was roaming some blogs and notes on facebook, and i found this little list that i had never seen before...so i filled it out. enjoy some randomness from the life of alishka.

1. Do you know someone named Amanda? Yes, yes I do.
2. Do you know anyone named Chris? Yup…I’m related to him!
3. Ever kissed anyone with a name starting with S? nope.
4. Do you have any siblings? Sure thang.
5. Do you look alike? People say we look similar…but I’m not so sure I believe them…
6. What color are the walls in your bedroom? White.
7. Who did you see in person today? My family.
8. Are you named after a grandparent? Nada.
9. Are you a heavy sleeper? Sorta…
10. Who did you last hug? My madre
11. Are you taller than 5'3"? why yes I am!
12. Eaten a bug before? Not on purpose.
13. Ever see a dead body other than at a funeral? Nope.
14. Do you like the color green? Yep…I wear lots and lots of green.
16. Who was the last person to send you a text message? My friend from high school.
17. Who did you last call?a friend from high school (but different than who text’d me)
18. Do you like to read? Yep, yep, yep! I’m reading a really good book right now too…
19. Are you a jealous type? In some ways yes, but I try not to let it get to me.
20. What made you smile today? Talking to my boy. ;)
21. What are you doing today? Absolutely nothing…I stayed in my pj’s all day, although there is girl’s night in tonight, I’m chillin’ with my mom and sisters. :) chocolate will be involved, that’s a guarantee.
22. What did you do yesterday? Worked all day, went to dinner with my friends from high school and then hung out with my family.
23. What's the first thing you would do with a million dollars? Pay off my school loan, go to Disneyland, buy a car, and invest the rest. Or something like that.
25. How many hours did you sleep for last night? Um…10 ish…I love Christmas break!
26. Who was the last person you had a sleep over with? My siblings on Christmas eve!
27. Who’s the last person that creeped you out? Uh….this boy that called me wanting to go on a date…
28. Do you like your school? Yes I do.
29. What jewelery are you wearing? A pair of blue earrings.
30. Anything fun happen today? My mom and I did 3ish crossword puzzles, there’s girl’s night out tonight, and I got to talk to my boyfriend…:)
31. Anything bad happen today? Nope.
33. Are you mad at anyone? nada
34.What's the last thing you bought? Italian dressing for dinner.
35. Have you cried today? Nope.
36. Do you think that someone is thinking about you right now? Perhaps.
37. Do you have shoes on? No, but I am wearing some funky slipper/sock things. They’re very comfy.\
38. Whats the closest thing to you that is pink? he he he…nothing really.
39. Do you get annoyed easily? Not so much, but some people tend to annoy the heck out of me.
40. Are you photogenic? People tell me I am.
41. Do you like to draw pictures of woodard? Um…I can’t draw.
42. Are you good at saving money? I try to be.
43. What should you be doing right now? Nothing. I’m doing nothing today. That was my goal.
44. Do you have a tattoo? nada
45. Do you still watch cartoons on Saturday mornings? When I am getting ready for rehearsal I tend to turn on some cartoons to help wake me up while I eat breakfast, but that’s because there is no news on tv on Saturday mornings.
46. Is there a secret you've never told your best friend? Probably. But not anything I can think of right away.
47. Have you ever told someone you hated them? To their face? Possibly, but it was probably in jest.
48. Have you ever changed your clothes in the car? Oh yes…many times. The joys of ballet.
49. What are you doing in 2008? Going to school, maybe going back east, definitely working, and making lots and lots of decisions.
50. What are your ringtones? Well, my fam’s ring tone is drums or something like that. My other main tone is the Little Mermaid “Kiss the Girl.” :) I like it.

White Christmas!!

Well...you can't ask for much more of a white Christmas than this:
Merry Christmas y'all!!!

It's Christmastime!

I love the smell of pine trees. Unfortunately, this year my family went the fake Christmas tree route (which it actually looks half decent, I have to admit, and maybe I'll post pictures later.) However, with having a fake Christmas tree one misses out on the smell of pine. *sigh* But guess what?! My mother was smart enough to buy a very good pine smelling candle. It's very good, and I love the smell of it. yum.

I came home the other day. Home is actually fantastic. I haven't killed anyone yet, so that's always a good sign that things are going well. :-) I've done a lot of family-things with my family the past couple of days and its been so much fun! Tonight we're going to make loads of cookies and tomorrow is Christmas Eve, which means we'll be cooking all day. See, our family tradition involves us doing the big celebratory dinner on Christmas Eve. Then all of us kids will pile into one room for the classic sibling sleep-over so Santa can come and no one will peek at the presents. :)

I love this time of year. It's so nice to relax and not worry about classes and the resulting homework. In other news I passed my Econ 110 class, hurray for me. All the rest of my classes I will get good grades in, so I'm not worried at all. I'm so glad that this semester is done. Only 3 more to go. Yahoo!!

Merry Christmas y'all!!

:'(

i'm slightly sad today. my boyfriend left today for home. which really shouldn't be that big of a deal, but I under estimated my girly-ness. Yes...I cried. [sigh] But thankfully it wasn't good-bye for forever or anything. In 18 short days he will be back, and I will rejoice. In the meantime I have 2 more finals (one in 40 minutes...) and Christmas and New Year's to celebrate. It should be a good holiday. I am excited. That's all for now folks!

HOLY MOLY!!!

where did all the time go? where did this semester go? aaahhhh!!!!!!!!!!! Today, is the end of Fall 2007. It is over. It's kind of crazy to think about all that has happened this semester. I never would have guessed I would be here today. With this semester ending, I look forward to a new one, and a new year to go with it! This last year has been amazing, but I think I'll save the year in review post for a more fitting time...like new year's. suffice it to say that it's been one crazy ride, but i have loved every minute.

I have 3 finals (one of them today) and one oral presentation/final thing. This is one of the first times in a long time that I don't feel overwhelmed/stressed over finals. It's a good thing.

horoscope hits it on the nose

so today...my yahoo horoscope is exactly what i feel like today:

If you feel like you'd like to take it easy today (why, yes i do!), then you are right in line with what the universe wants you to do! (sweet action!) Most of the big attention-sucking things in your life are calming down (true that), so you should take the opportunity to do some more loosely structured things. Instead of squeezing in a half hour at the gym, you should take a meandering, leisurely walk. Instead of picking up some fast food at the drive thru, you should see what's fresh at the market and whip up a healthy meal.

now, let's be honest, these horoscopes are kinda silly. but today's kind of works for me. so i'm going to take it!

SNOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I woke up yesterday morning to go to rehearsal and it was raining. 15 minutes later when i walked out the door to walk to rehearsal...it was snowing. It didn't stop until late last night. At times the snow was freaking crazy! like a blizzard crazy....and we have about 5 inches of snow! and I know we got more precipitation than that because of the rain on Friday, and the snow that didn't stick for the first little while. It's very pretty...but cold and wet. I love it!!

Freaky...

So I have been thinking about some friends of mine over the course of the past couple of days.

Yesterday I ran into every single one of them.

even the one who isn't ever on campus...she's a stay-at-home mom in Payson for crying out loud! and where do i see her? the copy room for the JFSB, printing her husband's dissertation. CrAzY!!!

Now I know BYU can be a small place, but honestly...I hadn't seen most of these people for at least 3 months, some of them a year!!! It was freaky.


In other news the semester is starting to wrap up. Thursday will be the last day of classes, followed by a week of finals and then I'm done with this semester. It really hasn't been that bad, but I truly hate my Economics class. :P It's yucky. Next semester should be good htough, I am taking one GE: my least favorite class that I put off for last: Physical Science. I pray to get through it without dying. Although to counteract the awfulness of science, I am taking Beginning Piano. I am so STOKED for this class!! Add to that some ballet classes, some major classes and next semester promises to be pretty good!!

"Faith in America"

I was busy at work and didn't get the chance to listen to Mitt Romney's speech he gave today, but I just found the text! So for your convenience I am posting it here, along with the link from where I found it. Enjoy.

Romney's Speech on Religion

December 6, 2007 10:34 a.m.

Republican Mitt Romney, confronting voters' skepticism about his Mormon faith, gave a speech Thursday about his views on religious tolerance and how faith would inform his presidency if elected. Here's the full text of his remarks, as prepared for delivery.

"Thank you, Mr. President, for your kind introduction.

"It is an honor to be here today. This is an inspiring place because of you and the First Lady and because of the film exhibited across the way in the Presidential library. For those who have not seen it, it shows the President as a young pilot, shot down during the Second World War, being rescued from his life-raft by the crew of an American submarine. It is a moving reminder that when America has faced challenge and peril, Americans rise to the occasion, willing to risk their very lives to defend freedom and preserve our nation. We are in your debt. Thank you, Mr. President.

"Mr. President, your generation rose to the occasion, first to defeat Fascism and then to vanquish the Soviet Union. You left us, your children, a free and strong America. It is why we call yours the greatest generation. It is now my generation's turn. How we respond to today's challenges will define our generation. And it will determine what kind of America we will leave our children, and theirs.

"America faces a new generation of challenges. Radical violent Islam seeks to destroy us. An emerging China endeavors to surpass our economic leadership. And we are troubled at home by government overspending, overuse of foreign oil, and the breakdown of the family.

"Over the last year, we have embarked on a national debate on how best to preserve American leadership. Today, I wish to address a topic which I believe is fundamental to America's greatness: our religious liberty. I will also offer perspectives on how my own faith would inform my Presidency, if I were elected.

"There are some who may feel that religion is not a matter to be seriously considered in the context of the weighty threats that face us. If so, they are at odds with the nation's founders, for they, when our nation faced its greatest peril, sought the blessings of the Creator. And further, they discovered the essential connection between the survival of a free land and the protection of religious freedom. In John Adams' words: 'We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion... Our constitution was made for a moral and religious people.'

"Freedom requires religion just as religion requires freedom. Freedom opens the windows of the soul so that man can discover his most profound beliefs and commune with God. Freedom and religion endure together, or perish alone.

"Given our grand tradition of religious tolerance and liberty, some wonder whether there are any questions regarding an aspiring candidate's religion that are appropriate. I believe there are. And I will answer them today.

"Almost 50 years ago another candidate from Massachusetts explained that he was an American running for president, not a Catholic running for president. Like him, I am an American running for president. I do not define my candidacy by my religion. A person should not be elected because of his faith nor should he be rejected because of his faith.

"Let me assure you that no authorities of my church, or of any other church for that matter, will ever exert influence on presidential decisions. Their authority is theirs, within the province of church affairs, and it ends where the affairs of the nation begin.

"As governor, I tried to do the right as best I knew it, serving the law and answering to the Constitution. I did not confuse the particular teachings of my church with the obligations of the office and of the Constitution – and of course, I would not do so as President. I will put no doctrine of any church above the plain duties of the office and the sovereign authority of the law.

"As a young man, Lincoln described what he called America's 'political religion' – the commitment to defend the rule of law and the Constitution. When I place my hand on the Bible and take the oath of office, that oath becomes my highest promise to God. If I am fortunate to become your president, I will serve no one religion, no one group, no one cause, and no one interest. A President must serve only the common cause of the people of the United States.

"There are some for whom these commitments are not enough. They would prefer it if I would simply distance myself from my religion, say that it is more a tradition than my personal conviction, or disavow one or another of its precepts. That I will not do. I believe in my Mormon faith and I endeavor to live by it. My faith is the faith of my fathers – I will be true to them and to my beliefs.

"Some believe that such a confession of my faith will sink my candidacy. If they are right, so be it. But I think they underestimate the American people. Americans do not respect believers of convenience.

Americans tire of those who would jettison their beliefs, even to gain the world.

"There is one fundamental question about which I often am asked. What do I believe about Jesus Christ? I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and the Savior of mankind. My church's beliefs about Christ may not all be the same as those of other faiths. Each religion has its own unique doctrines and history. These are not bases for criticism but rather a test of our tolerance. Religious tolerance would be a shallow principle indeed if it were reserved only for faiths with which we agree.

"There are some who would have a presidential candidate describe and explain his church's distinctive doctrines. To do so would enable the very religious test the founders prohibited in the Constitution. No candidate should become the spokesman for his faith. For if he becomes President he will need the prayers of the people of all faiths.

"I believe that every faith I have encountered draws its adherents closer to God. And in every faith I have come to know, there are features I wish were in my own: I love the profound ceremony of the Catholic Mass, the approachability of God in the prayers of the Evangelicals, the tenderness of spirit among the Pentecostals, the confident independence of the Lutherans, the ancient traditions of the Jews, unchanged through the ages, and the commitment to frequent prayer of the Muslims. As I travel across the country and see our towns and cities, I am always moved by the many houses of worship with their steeples, all pointing to heaven, reminding us of the source of life's blessings.

"It is important to recognize that while differences in theology exist between the churches in America, we share a common creed of moral convictions. And where the affairs of our nation are concerned, it's usually a sound rule to focus on the latter – on the great moral principles that urge us all on a common course. Whether it was the cause of abolition, or civil rights, or the right to life itself, no movement of conscience can succeed in America that cannot speak to the convictions of religious people.

"We separate church and state affairs in this country, and for good reason. No religion should dictate to the state nor should the state interfere with the free practice of religion. But in recent years, the notion of the separation of church and state has been taken by some well beyond its original meaning. They seek to remove from the public domain any acknowledgment of God. Religion is seen as merely a private affair with no place in public life. It is as if they are intent on establishing a new religion in America – the religion of secularism. They are wrong.

"The founders proscribed the establishment of a state religion, but they did not countenance the elimination of religion from the public square. We are a nation 'Under God' and in God, we do indeed trust.

"We should acknowledge the Creator as did the Founders – in ceremony and word. He should remain on our currency, in our pledge, in the teaching of our history, and during the holiday season, nativity scenes and menorahs should be welcome in our public places. Our greatness would not long endure without judges who respect the foundation of faith upon which our constitution rests. I will take care to separate the affairs of government from any religion, but I will not separate us from 'the God who gave us liberty.'

"Nor would I separate us from our religious heritage. Perhaps the most important question to ask a person of faith who seeks a political office, is this: does he share these American values: the equality of human kind, the obligation to serve one another, and a steadfast commitment to liberty?

"They are not unique to any one denomination. They belong to the great moral inheritance we hold in common. They are the firm ground on which Americans of different faiths meet and stand as a nation, united.

"We believe that every single human being is a child of God – we are all part of the human family. The conviction of the inherent and inalienable worth of every life is still the most revolutionary political proposition ever advanced. John Adams put it that we are 'thrown into the world all equal and alike.'

"The consequence of our common humanity is our responsibility to one another, to our fellow Americans foremost, but also to every child of God. It is an obligation which is fulfilled by Americans every day, here and across the globe, without regard to creed or race or nationality.

"Americans acknowledge that liberty is a gift of God, not an indulgence of government. No people in the history of the world have sacrificed as much for liberty. The lives of hundreds of thousands of America's sons and daughters were laid down during the last century to preserve freedom, for us and for freedom loving people throughout the world. America took nothing from that Century's terrible wars – no land from Germany or Japan or Korea; no treasure; no oath of fealty. America's resolve in the defense of liberty has been tested time and again. It has not been found wanting, nor must it ever be. America must never falter in holding high the banner of freedom.

"These American values, this great moral heritage, is shared and lived in my religion as it is in yours. I was taught in my home to honor God and love my neighbor. I saw my father march with Martin Luther King. I saw my parents provide compassionate care to others, in personal ways to people nearby, and in just as consequential ways in leading national volunteer movements. I am moved by the Lord's words: 'For I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: naked, and ye clothed me...'

"My faith is grounded on these truths. You can witness them in Ann and my marriage and in our family. We are a long way from perfect and we have surely stumbled along the way, but our aspirations, our values, are the self-same as those from the other faiths that stand upon this common foundation. And these convictions will indeed inform my presidency.

"Today's generations of Americans have always known religious liberty. Perhaps we forget the long and arduous path our nation's forbearers took to achieve it. They came here from England to seek freedom of religion. But upon finding it for themselves, they at first denied it to others. Because of their diverse beliefs, Ann Hutchinson was exiled from Massachusetts Bay, a banished Roger Williams founded Rhode Island, and two centuries later, Brigham Young set out for the West. Americans were unable to accommodate their commitment to their own faith with an appreciation for the convictions of others to different faiths. In this, they were very much like those of the European nations they had left.

"It was in Philadelphia that our founding fathers defined a revolutionary vision of liberty, grounded on self evident truths about the equality of all, and the inalienable rights with which each is endowed by his Creator.

"We cherish these sacred rights, and secure them in our Constitutional order. Foremost do we protect religious liberty, not as a matter of policy but as a matter of right. There will be no established church, and we are guaranteed the free exercise of our religion.

"I'm not sure that we fully appreciate the profound implications of our tradition of religious liberty. I have visited many of the magnificent cathedrals in Europe. They are so inspired … so grand … so empty. Raised up over generations, long ago, so many of the cathedrals now stand as the postcard backdrop to societies just too busy or too 'enlightened' to venture inside and kneel in prayer. The establishment of state religions in Europe did no favor to Europe's churches. And though you will find many people of strong faith there, the churches themselves seem to be withering away.

"Infinitely worse is the other extreme, the creed of conversion by conquest: violent Jihad, murder as martyrdom... killing Christians, Jews, and Muslims with equal indifference. These radical Islamists do their preaching not by reason or example, but in the coercion of minds and the shedding of blood. We face no greater danger today than theocratic tyranny, and the boundless suffering these states and groups could inflict if given the chance.

"The diversity of our cultural expression, and the vibrancy of our religious dialogue, has kept America in the forefront of civilized nations even as others regard religious freedom as something to be destroyed.

"In such a world, we can be deeply thankful that we live in a land where reason and religion are friends and allies in the cause of liberty, joined against the evils and dangers of the day. And you can be certain of this: Any believer in religious freedom, any person who has knelt in prayer to the Almighty, has a friend and ally in me. And so it is for hundreds of millions of our countrymen: we do not insist on a single strain of religion – rather, we welcome our nation's symphony of faith.

"Recall the early days of the First Continental Congress in Philadelphia, during the fall of 1774. With Boston occupied by British troops, there were rumors of imminent hostilities and fears of an impending war. In this time of peril, someone suggested that they pray. But there were objections. 'They were too divided in religious sentiments', what with Episcopalians and Quakers, Anabaptists and Congregationalists, Presbyterians and Catholics.

"Then Sam Adams rose, and said he would hear a prayer from anyone of piety and good character, as long as they were a patriot.

"And so together they prayed, and together they fought, and together, by the grace of God ... they founded this great nation.

"In that spirit, let us give thanks to the divine 'author of liberty.' And together, let us pray that this land may always be blessed, 'with freedom's holy light.'

"God bless the United States of America."

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB119695237944915800.html?mod=googlenews_wsj