Life Lessons in Big Apples.

Hey, Blog. It's been a while... my bad.

(Now that we've acknowledged my lengthy hiatus from this place, let's move on to what I'm learning right now.)

I've been learning a TON in New York City, and I figure it is about time to share some of my musings and experiences. Perhaps to an audience of one, but hey, my mom would probably read your blog too if you asked her. (Thanks mom.)

(Back step: once upon a time in the fall of 2008, on the 4th floor of the Harold B. Lee Library, I made the incredible discovery that Graphic Design students in the BFA program do internships in New York City.

aka... MIND BLOWN.

Naturally, I spent many daydreams calculating unrealistic finances, envisioning the lovely life I could live for three months in NYC, and what exactly needed to happen in order to make this dream happen. Those daydreams probably were always at the wrong time, when I should have been doing other things, but...

Fast forward to March 2014 and the surreal reality of being offered an internship for this summer in NYC.

Bottom line: Daydreams are actually really great motivators. At least that's what I'm telling myself these days. :)

And so here I am, in New York City, doing something that has been in the works for about 6 years. Which is so bizarre. Getting to this point has been super crazy, with all the time and change of plans and changing of mindsets and expectations and realities... so yeah.

So anyway. In the coming posts will be some fallacies I've discovered, thoughts I've had, and experiences that have taught me a lot. But because I know attention spans are short, I'll just include one for now, and lots of pictures, because we all like pictures. :)

Fallacy #1: New Yorkers are Mean.

No they are not. Here's some evidence:

- I was coming home from a long and rough day. I got off the train and headed towards the stairs. As the train whizzes by, the MTA guy (his job is to stick his head out the window and make sure civilians don't get smushed in the closing doors) reached his hand out and waved goodbye to me. I waved back, and he gave me a thumbs-up sign, just quickly enough for me to see before he disappeared into the distance. I don't know that guy, but I'm going to find him someday in heaven give him a high-five.

- More than once, as I come up out of the subway station and stare cluelessly at my phone while trying to orient myself, someone has offered to give me directions.

- I couldn't decide what kind of donut to get, and when I told the lady in line behind me she could go ahead because I had no idea what I wanted, she gave me a 3 minute discourse on why the raspberry ones were her favorite and that I really should try the other three just to be sure, and wished me good luck in my final decisions.

- On my birthday I wanted THE BEST red velvet that NYC had to offer, and I had already scoped out Two Little Red Hens as the destination. (Fabulous. Seriously.) When I was buying my cupcake it came in passing that it was for my birthday. The cashier handed me back my cash and stuck a candle in it, and wished me a happy birthday.

- When I was living in Brooklyn (for the month of May), I would walk past blocks and blocks of people sitting on their stoops, and if I ever said good morning or good afternoon to any of them, I always got a positive and friendly response. Granted, some might have been a little more friendly than others, but for the most part, we became friends.

- A recent MFA student (masters of fine arts) saw me writing notes about my BFA project (bachelors of fine arts) while we were in the subway station, and he brainstormed with me for the next 30 minutes about what I could do. It was awesome and super helpful, and we parted ways in smiles and cheers. It was great.

I won't say I haven't seen anything rude, but I will say the mass majority of interaction is based in common courtesy and genuine kindness. New York has a big soft spot in its heart.

Public Library. booyah.

Happy Birthday Cupcake! and it was the best red velvet I've ever had

Birthday sunset. 

I often forget we're on an island.... until we go to the beach.

This is 10 minutes from my current apartment!

the workplace.

Visiting the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens. And the worms.

Who would have thought a nickname would cause so much chaos in the office? But seriously. Everyone and their email was confused for days.

This was the first and only time I've seen anything like that... it's a single wheel and motorized. crazy.

Amen.

Just saw this today! I'm so grateful for all the shows that give out general rush tickets.

Word of the day: Zedonk \ZEE-donk\, noun: the offspring of a donkey and zebra.

(what?)

Pet Peeve, Rainbows, and your Noggin.

This is a topic I have a lot of feelings about, but, for the sake of my dignity and for public class, I won't say much.

All I want to say is...

I dislike automatic toilets.

Let me stay in control of all of my business, please.

The end.

On another note...

I saw a rainbow today on my way home from Salt Lake City. It was beautiful. In fact, the entire sky was beautiful. We had some crazy thunderstorm clouds going on that were a dark purply-orange, a deliciously pink sunset touching the mountains, and green hills looking so vibrant against the entire situation. It was awesome. I wish we could have pulled over on the highway just to soak it all in. But that probably would have been unwise...

How often do we set ourselves up for moments where we can't appreciate our surroundings? How do I get myself so busy that I can't stop and enjoy the aroma of friendship or the color palette of learning?

Right now I'm in an art history class, and the first day we were talking about why it is important to study art history. Now, those of you who choose to read this, will probably have varying opinions. I know some art history graduates. I know some art-adverters. Either way, here's what I think about the arts. (Sometimes, I claim to know what I'm talking about. This is one of those times.)

We were given two halves of a brain for a reason. Ying-yang. PB&J. Lock & Key. Assuredly, there are some people who are definitely more right-brained or left-brained, as there should be. If we were all left-brained, life would consist of metal 90 degree angles, whereas if we were all right-brained, it would be the perpetual 60s. Neither are very appealing. So I'm super grateful for the left-brainers who do what I cannot, and for the right-brainers that totally get me.

But we have two halves to experience the beauty of both. We are given two options to see how awesome this wonderful world really is, how we can associate and interact with others, and understand different cultures, people, places, and how they alllllllll tie together. Because believe it or not, they do.

Everything goes together.

But the only way we can figure out how or why, is if we use both.

Word of the Day: aeolian \ee-OH-lee-uhn\ ,  adjective: 1. (usually lowercase) of or caused by the wind; windblown.

And, because people really only look at blogs to look at pictures, here's a picture of me and one of my companions. It was her birthday and some of the greatest members gave her a great birthday treat.

Happy Birthday to Sister Mackenzie, March 2012

Notice he's using his left-hand? And drawing? #rightbrainer #proudaunt

Back in business...

Hey friends, family, and strangers!

You might notice that my posts from my mission aren't here anymore. I felt like to preserve privacy of others, and to protect what is precious to my heart, I pulled those posts. So I hope you enjoyed them!

But no worries. I am still going to talk about my mission. :) Being home has been kind of strange, because it was all such a whirlwind, coming home, Christmas, family, school two weeks later, and craziness, and I don't feel I've been able to properly reflect or digest what I've learned.

So in order to help me to continue to reflect, to share, and to express gratitude, I'll be commentating on my experience for the next while. Probably forever.



 I think the greatest, strongest, most recurring emotion I felt on my mission was gratitude. I mean, don't get me wrong... you feel a lot of things on a mission. Like every emotion possible, and usually all at once or within a 24-hour period. It puts Six Flags to shame. But yes, gratitude, for so many things...

 The Gospel of Jesus Christ

The Christus statue

temples

service

forgiveness

diligence

The Book of Mormon

The Bible

technology

bikes

sunscreen

100 degree days in October

cars

senior missionaries

Visitors' Centers of the world

selfless members

organization

humility

companions

friends

hymns

talents of others

The Easter Pageant!

Christmas Lights

the Mormon Tabernacle Choir

colors

my senses

mission meetings

the General Authorities

Christlike love

heartache

mormon.org

mormon messages

stake presidents

frybread

the rain

the Spirit

the feeling of satisfaction when you've done all you can

cactus

sunrises and sunsets

scorpions

and it goes without saying, the incredible people I met, served, taught, and am privileged to now know.

But there's a few people that were remarkably key in my mission experience, and what they've done for me is irreplaceable for the rest of eternity. I know that seems a bit extravagant, you might say, but it's the truth, and I know it of myself, so you think whatever you want.

First: My parents.

June 1, 2011, Provo, UT

As I continued to learn about the gospel of Jesus Christ and teach others about eternal families, I would reflect in my mind what my own parents have done for me. The list is endless, and words don't do it justice. Yes, they make mistakes and I know I've driven them a little crazy at times, but I am so overwhelmed with gratitude for the example and leadership of my own parents. So thank you, dad and mom. Thanks for preparing me, teaching me, and helping me serve a mission.

Second: my Mission President and his wonderful wife.

President and Sister Ellsworth had been serving for a year when I got to the mission, and I remember meeting them at the airport. I remember thinking, "These are my parents for the next year and a half." 

 What a challenge to spiritually, emotionally, and temporally parent 180-200 young adults at any given time for 3 years! I can't fathom how much stress they've felt, sorrow they've experienced, and rejoicing they've done. What an immense task, and from a worldly perspective, it would be okay to not care about the individuals for sake of efficiency. But the Ellsworths could not be more opposite!

December 17, 2012, Mesa, AZ

Again, I can't put into words the lessons that I have learned from under their tutelage, and most of them I don't need to share with all of you, but I can tell you this. I have learned what true humility looks, acts, and thinks like, I have seen faith exercised to facilitate miracles, and I have felt Christlike love in the most singular and individual way that I've experienced. And I know how I want to be.

I think part of the Plan is that we don't ever know the full extent of our impact on others. We simply continue to serve and do our best to bless the lives of the people around us, and one day, we will know, and what a day of gratitude and humility that will be. I hope they get to see the extent of their influence someday. I know from personal experience, they've left a permanent impression on me.

And in reality, these two really lead to the gratitude I have for God. He is our literal Father in Heaven, and if there are parents like these that are mortal and imperfect, what an overwhelming realization to think of the kindness, mercy, love, devotion, and kinship that God has for His children. He is real, with feelings, thoughts, and desires, and desires only to bring us the greatest happiness. He weeps when I weep, and rejoices when I rejoice. More than once did I feel a sorrow that was not mine for the choice of His children, or a joy that was more powerful than my own heart could produce for the enlightenment of another.

God is real, and I am so incredibly grateful for Him.

http://www.lds.org/pages/mormon-messages?lang=eng#earthly-father-heavenly-father

Word of the Day: linchpin \ LINCH-pin \ , noun: 1. something that holds the various elements of of a complicated structure together.