Hp 65w AC adapters

My third one since I got my laptop in 2008 died today.


I'm not happy, Bob. Not happy.

Individuality

it's encouraged, but only within boundaries.

For example...

we're all supposed to be outgoing, friendly, social. I'm introverted though, so this can be difficult for me. So do you do what society desires of you, or do you make an effort to be yourself?

I ran across an interesting article recently called "The Ophelia Syndrome." It discusses how to foster creative thinking in an environment that discourages it. I really enjoyed it.

Now I'm off to Wal-Mart in an effort to get a DS Lite for a Christmas present...hooray for Black Friday!

On the road again

Sooo.......I'm going to Utah this week. Which is great. It might be a little weird at first...just because I'm visiting my school, my roommates who are living with different people...a life that isn't mine anymore.
The thing is, lately I've been kind of wondering if I even want to go back at all (next spring---not to visit. don't worry. I'm still coming). I'm tired of all of this change every few months. Sometimes, I just want to stay here and get married. Then I could plan for the future and finally just get on with my life. All of the stress of choosing a major, auditioning for choir, finding somewhere to live, dumb roommate fights...I'm done with it. I do want to go back, and finally be in Singers, live with my friends and everything that made me happy; but I guess I need to decide if it's worth it. Would I be ok with giving it up?
I don't know anymore. I guess that's what prayer's for...

but what if God tells me I shouldn't go back?
*sigh*
decisions, decisions.

((can't wait to visit on Thursday!))

A place to call my own

For most of my life, I've believed that I should have been born in a different time period...maybe a few centuries ago. I would have been a rather accomplished young woman in most time periods, with my varying interests and quiet disposition...but I'm stuck here.
For the past little while, I've longed for one thing from years gone by: solitude.
I don't mean just going to my room or even being in a house; I mean real, complete solitude. Away from civilization and the world...
There are few places I can think of where the chances of running into another person are almost nothing while not trespassing at the same time. Everywhere belongs to someone, whether an individual or the government. Why can't we have somewhere that belongs to no one? I guess it wouldn't work out in this day and age.
I'm looking for a place...a secluded meadow in a forest, with flowers in the spring. A place where I could go when I just want to escape. A place to stargaze on dark summer nights. A place to find peace on a crisp winter morning, the grass and trees covered with a fresh, undisturbed blanket of snow.
I guess I want my own version of Walden Pond, though I'm not sure I want to spend years there. Rather, days, hours, seconds.
Moments of peaceful stillness.
No cell phone signal.
No fences and signs.
No iPods.
Just...silence. Birds chirping. Deer crunching in the snow. The sound of my breathing.
Just me and nature.
And God.

Updates

I haven't written about my life lately...so here's wassup
I've been making Christmas cards almost constantly for the past three days...my mom and I decided to make Etsy businesses, so greeting cards are mine. I should get some of them up tomorrow (hopefully), so check my shop out when you've got the chance.
I've rediscovered that oftentimes logic and reality don't coincide. Sometimes...you have to take a leap of faith and accept the truth, then God will fill in the gaps.
I love fall. It's my favorite season. It only lasts a couple of weeks here...but I love it. It hasn't snowed yet, oddly enough.
Even with my love of the beautiful Colorado autumn, I wish I wish I wish it was Christmas. I've wanted it to be Christmas for at least two months already...I absolutely adore Christmas with all of my heart. Can it be here yet?
It's amazing how two piano students can have completely different issues. It's also amazing how easily seven year olds are distracted.
I miss BYU.
I finally did something I've been needing to do for a VERY long time. Years. and more years. I'm glad I got it over with.
Did you know you can add scents to embossing powder? Cinnamon Christmas cards, here I come.
I've had terrible insomnia for the past week or so...mine brain just won't shut up. Over nothing.
I love math.
and engineering.
and music.
and art.
and life.

Freeware

The internet has become an interesting thing...it's own entity (also see this one and this), with it's own laws.
Governments think they can control it, but nothing can contain the vastness of this land of Internet.
Within this new world, social norms have been broken: sex, stalking, and free stuff run rampant.
I suppose, in a way, this is the digital form of anarchy.
Does anyone else find it strange that so much of the things online are free?
There is free entertainment (games, movies, tv shows), free education, free news...there are even free programs and applications for computers, along with everything that goes with it. There's free art, free music...you can even become a minister for free!
Outside of the internet, most of these luxuries are not available so freely. People rarely shared any of the things that are shared online with many people for free before the internet became such a large part of society.
So this begs the question...what on Earth does this mean??
It means that we don't need what we currently have: laws. Not anarchy...just less laws. "That government is best governs least," after all. Many people in this country, and world, have discovered what it's like to freely share with others; you don't have to worry about paying anyone or getting paid for something that you really just want to share.
So do we even need money anymore?
Yes. Not everyone has pure intentions online...most have pretty darn pure intentions, with some selfish gain involved (look awesome I am at music/art/writing/sports/etc!). We're only human; we're naturally selfish beings. However, we might be on the road to living in a moneyless society. Not communism...Just naturally giving and receiving without greed. Ok...maybe communism in its purest, least corrupt form. Or the Law of Consecration, in a realistic way for today's society.
The internet has become a piece of Utopia, and a piece of Hell. It's the only place where almost anyone can speak completely freely.
It's my favorite place in the world.

Remember Remember

I watched Remember the Titans a few days ago, and it really got me thinking about racism.
We have a racism problem in our country, but it's different than ever before: not only are whites against blacks and blacks against whites, but many are racist towards others of their own race as well.
In America, we have many cultures coming together, forged into a new culture. Every other nation has had the ability to evolve into what they are now, but America has completely chosen its destiny. The problem is, this is difficult when there are so many competing inherited ideas.
Now, it is great to embrace and respect our own and others' cultural heritage. It is a defining characteristic of most people. However, Americans, especially white Americans, have no cultural heritage, as our forefathers sought to forge their own past, present, and future, separate from the world. It's true, I could get in touch with my German, Swedish, French, and British roots, and I want to. However, most white Americans don't particularly care about their heritage. Because of this, many whites find it somewhat difficult to respect others' cultures. Yes, it's cool and fun to watch and experience other cultures, but it doesn't really matter that much. Let's go see a movie.
The cultures existing inside the U.S. have come to cling to one another. Many have decided that it should define an individual to the point that it controls one's ideas, beliefs, and goals. As part of the founding ideals of America, though, we believe in individualism; that every one is entitled to his or her own views, regardless of socioeconomic status, religion, or race. This isn't to say that someone can't choose to embrace the ideas of their culture or religion (I strive to live the ideals of my religion in all areas of my life), but because of the push for individual recognition and the idea that everyone should be defined by their culture, there has become a clash of ideas in this country. There has come to be a fine line between having cultural influences in one's life and racism.
There shouldn't be hatred or scorn towards those that choose paths different from those of their typical cultural or religious ideals.
An easy way to completely rid the world of racism is to completely eradicate culture. Instead, let's embrace the individual with their culture, with no stereotypical judgments based on beliefs, ideas, or color.
It's worth a shot.

We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may.

~The Articles of Faith of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, by Joseph Smith