Dog Tired

haha, get it? Anyway, there are several thoughts i have that i really want to post and share with all of you, but i'm just too tired. Dog tired.

Life Lessons from a Homeless Woman

Today I was driving along in downtown SLC and while stopped at a light noticed a woman to my right on the sidewalk. She was clearly a fairly aged woman, and by the looks of her clothes and slightly starved appearance I assumed she was homeless...(for those of you not familiar with SLC, I have noticed while going to and from school that the parks are filled with homeless souls sleeping on benches and at the foot of trees). What struck me was that she was wearing an old set of headphones and literally dancing her way down the sidewalk. Now the first instinct when seeing a scene like this is to laugh. But I couldn't help but think...here was a woman who probably had it pretty rough, more so than i ever have or can even imagine. And yet, she was finding joy in the moment. She was clearly enjoying the music and letting it move her, seemingly unaware or uncaring to who might be watching or poking fun. Maybe if we found more joy in our present moments, we would experience life to its fullest...the way I'm sure our Heavenly Father would like us to. We would instantly be filled with more gratitude because we would truly see the hand of God in our lives, grateful for what we have instead of worried about what we don't.

Unfairness

Earlier today as I took a drug test I had an epiphany. You know what i realized? We girls got the shaft. How so you may ask? Well, first of all a guy can throw on a pair of nice sweatpants, a tshirt and a backwards hat and be acceptable anywhere. If we wear that, people question our personal hygiene. Secondly, we can't just relieve ourselves of bodily fluids anywhere we please. We always have to find the *yuck* porta-johns or find a gas station every two hours on a road trip. Inconvenience. And lastly, taking drug tests just isn't fun or easy. You girls know what i'm talking about. Don't get me wrong, I love being a girl (3 out of 4 weeks a month) but i'm just sayin. While i'm on a rant, let me also tell you a pet peave of mine. When people who have two perfectly good legs and no physical limitations wait 10 minutes for an elevator to go up or down one floor. They slow up the rest of us who have to go up 8. Just sayin.

Feedback

What do you think of when you see/hear the phrase "Life Out Loud"? I'm asking for opinions and insights here, i'll tell you why later. Reply on here or email me, either way. Thanks!

Jillbug

You gotta watch out for these...

So today i was looking around online for people who need roommates, and i came upon this ad on craigslist. I seriously laughed for about ten minutes while Sara looked at me like i was nuts (pun intended). My guess is that they had some people come by to look at the room but then ran when they heard this part, so they just decided to say it right up front. Enjoy:


Hey! Glad you took a look! I am living with my dad here in murry, and we are looking for a third to come live with us in our openminded family. The room is a nice, two window, spacious closet, with wood flooring. Our house is a three bedroom home with a decent size kitchen, family room, a dining room (which my dad uses as an office) and a open fromt room. We also have a hot tub that we use freaquently, and you would be more then welcome to join us. The 200 is a flat rate that includes utilies, internet, and we do have a big screen tv with cable.

Sense we are offering a very cheap room we are looking for someone that would fit nicely into our situation. We are both slight nudists, where we will both walk around naked, and use the hot tub in the nude. I only stress this because we need someone who would not mind this, and would feel comfortable in joining us. THERE IS NO SEXUAL ANYTHING BY DOING THAT!!!!!!! lol my dad and i are both sexual beings and we are open in our sexuality. We both bring home people and do not mind if you do. We are both very opinionated, yet extreamly openminded people. That being said we are looking for someone that is open minded (out of the mormon bubble perferably), non judgemental, and would be comfortable in our living situation. We are also looking for someone who we can trust, leave the house to and such.

I would be more then willing to show you the house and get to know you a little bit to see if you are the one we are looking for! Please email me and we will get in touch! Please put Hot Tub in title so i know that you are real! :D Come join us in the hot tub, it feels dang good!!

Meditation Moment

I've been thinking about two statements i heard/read today. The first one i heard on the radio on my way to school this morning. It was advice given to a woman by another caller but it really hit home to me....."Don't quit 5 minutes before the miracle." The other one i stumbled upon while filling out job applications..."The best time to push on is when you reach the place where the average person gives up." We hear quotes like this all the time, but these have really taken up residence in my thoughts today. How often have i pushed myself to what i thought was my limit, and then given up? What could have happened if i had hung in there for that 5 more minutes? A miracle? maybe. I'm clear that I don't want to quit, I don't want to give up and think it is enough. Because i have a sneaking suspicion that the extra 5 minutes is well worth it. Besides, i've never had the desire to be average anyway. I don't want a life of complacency, blind to opportunity and adventure and joy. I don't want to float through life just doing enough to get by. I want to learn, grow and explore my limits. I want to push myself to that point where i really want to give up, and then push a little more. I want a life of spiritual enlightenment and soulful fullfillment. Possible? just maybe.

This is the Place

I really want to write about my fun trip out west with my sister, all the classes that i'm taking, etc....but the truth is, none of that seems to flow from my fingertips right now. What keeps spinning in my mind is something my fundamentals of entrepeneurship professor said today. I've really been dealing with alot of stress these past few weeks, and especially the past few days. There is so much uncertainty in my world and i'll be the first to say that i don't really care for it. However, as i have started class this week in an environment where the Spirit is sought after first and education second (I really really love LDS business college and their learning model, more on that later) i've been able to get a dose of perspective. When asked by a student his personal thoughts on the "fail your way to success" phenomenon often talked about by successful entrepeneurs, my professor said this, something i feel was inspired..."Failure is an excellent teacher because it hurts SO much. Success teaches you nothing." He followed up by saying that of course we don't seek after failure, but that instead of allowing ourselves to be discouraged we should do what the prophet Joseph did when seeking out the true gospel..."Observe, Analyze and Act." As he continued talking, he began to tell the story about the widow and her cruse of oil found in 1 Kings 17. Here was a woman who had tremendous faith, and no doubt prayed for months and possibly years during the famine for reprieve. Yet she was taken to the very edge, until she knew she had one meal left before death, and only then did the blessing come by way of a prophet asking for what remaining food she had. She gave, and was richly, even miraculously blessed in a way she couldn't have possibly forseen. As he spoke about this, i knew that that message was for me. While i feel like i am emotionally on the edge, i know that in reality i'm not even close. I could bear more (not that i'm asking for that). What i am going through is necessary for my growth so that i might do everything i possibly can to make things work. Only then will i receive the blessings i seek. It has been in this moment (and several others) that i knew that this is truly the place....the place the Lord would have me be for this period of time. I have already seen great blessings in the process....my sister coming with me on the long drive out west, a wonderful cousin out here that is giving me a roof over my head while i find a place (thank you sara and shawn, you have no idea how much that means to me...i promise to make it up to you one day), and being enrolled in a school that bases their education on scripture and inspiration...a place where we talk openly about the gospel every day and invite the spirit into each class. Truly amazing.