"Life is real! Life is earnest!"

            A PSALM OF LIFE


      WHAT THE HEART OF THE YOUNG MAN
                    SAID TO THE PSALMIST


    TELL me not, in mournful numbers,
        Life is but an empty dream ! —
    For the soul is dead that slumbers,
        And things are not what they seem.

    Life is real !   Life is earnest!
        And the grave is not its goal ;
    Dust thou art, to dust returnest,
        Was not spoken of the soul.

    Not enjoyment, and not sorrow,
        Is our destined end or way ;
    But to act, that each to-morrow
        Find us farther than to-day.

    Art is long, and Time is fleeting,
        And our hearts, though stout and brave,
    Still, like muffled drums, are beating
        Funeral marches to the grave.

    In the world's broad field of battle,
        In the bivouac of Life,
    Be not like dumb, driven cattle !
        Be a hero in the strife !

    Trust no Future, howe'er pleasant !
        Let the dead Past bury its dead !
    Act,— act in the living Present !
        Heart within, and God o'erhead !

    Lives of great men all remind us
        We can make our lives sublime,
    And, departing, leave behind us
        Footprints on the sands of time ;

    Footprints, that perhaps another,
        Sailing o'er life's solemn main,
    A forlorn and shipwrecked brother,
        Seeing, shall take heart again.

    Let us, then, be up and doing,
        With a heart for any fate ;
    Still achieving, still pursuing,
        Learn to labor and to wait.


That is my favorite poem ever.  I figured I'd share.

Top 8 things I love about Rexburg

A couple weekends ago I came to the realization that I really love this small, boring town.  It's often complained about that there's nothing to do here, it's so podunk, everyone is super lame, etc.  I don't know what people are thinking, but there is SO much to do!  I went to the caves one weekend, to Idaho Falls the next, I've gone to dance parties and movie nights, to walmart late at night, and out to the park to longboard.  I've gone to events on campus, over to friends houses for movie nights or to play games.  There is always something to do out here, you just have to look around you.  In addition to the atmosphere of the town, I love being at BYU-Idaho.  It's a great school with a great spirit and great people.

That being said, here is my top 8 favorite things about this place.

1.  The PEOPLE!

• I have fantastic roommates.  I've lucked out this semester with girls I don't know too well and girls I haven't ever met.  They are all fantastic.  We have the same kind of humor, we have the same ideas for how an apartment of six girls should operate.  We've already signed contracts for the winter to live with the same six people...that's kind of a big deal.
• The ward I'm in is excellent.  It's heavily full of girls, but thus far I really enjoy them.  The boys, too.  Our FHE group is a hodge-podge mix of people, but it somehow works really well.  I'm stoked for my ward.  And the guys across the street, because I'm over at their apartment almost as much as I'm at my own apartment.
• The professors are so amazing.  I've made the habit of thoroughly researching my professors on ratemyprofessor before actually registering for any classes and it's made all the difference.  I have a ton of wonderful teachers this semester who make me actually excited to come to class and do the homework.  

2.  The Campus of BYU-Idaho.
          Have you SEEN the new BYUI Center?  The improvements made on this campus since I've been gone are outstanding.  The Manwaring Center improvements are amazing, along with the sky walk and the new gym.  The campus is absolutely gorgeous.  I love BYU-Idaho.

3.  Porter Park
          I love porter park.  Granted, the fall and winter aren't prime for spending Sunday afternoons napping on the grass, having picnics with roommates and friends, it's still a glorious place.  Can't wait for the spring and warm weather.

4.  The Food
          Now, I know that Rexburg is pretty limited as far as cuisine goes, but there are some good eats here.

•   Taco Bus.  There are two on them, but the one that's worth going to is the one that's right by the round-a-bout, across from Rockland.  I prefer the macho burrito with steak, but I hear the carnitas are delicious as well.  Authentic Mexican food in small town Idaho.  In a bus.  So good!
• Sammy's famous pie shakes are delicious.  I wish I had thought to make a shake with real pie in it...  Their concerts are pretty fun, too.  I went to a ska concert, ate a banana cream pie shake, and had a good ol' time.  Too bad the shakes are WAY over priced...
• It took me five semesters to ever get myself into Wingers.  It spectacular like I was expecting, due to the hype people have made, but it's not bad.  I rather enjoyed it.  
• Sushi in Idaho seems a little bit strange, but Da Pineapple Grill is tasty.  I've spent a couple birthdays there for birthday dinner, enjoying myself some scrumptious sushi.  I kind of want some right now...
• Frontier Pies has mediocre dinner food, but their pies (excluding the cream pies) are dang good.  I haven't had any since I got back to Rexburg, but every time I think of berry pie, their jumbleberry pie comes to mind....mmmm

There are plenty of other places to eat, but they're more fast food , like Taco Bell or Little Caesar's.  All the same, there are lots of places I like to eat.

5.  The Dancing
          I love to dance.  I love dance parties, swing dancing, ballroom dancing...pretty much, if it involves moving to music, I want to be there.  I'm currently taking a ballroom technique class and I'm loving it.  We just started swing dancing and the technique is harder than you'd think, but it's so much fun!  I'm stoked.

6.  The Snow
          Don't get me wrong, the snow is a pain.  I haven't yet survived a winter here in Rexburg, so that might change my opinion of the snow, but I can't help but feel giddy and excited when it snows.  I think it's beautiful,  I'd much rather walk to school in the snow than in the rain, where I'll for sure end up soaking wet by the time I get to class.

7.  Movie Marathons
          I realize that movie/tv marathons aren't unique to my experience in Rexburg, but they're still a big part.  Whether it's Pushing Daisies, The Office, or Hoarders, it's bound to be a good time.  It's fun with roommates, it's fun with friends.  It's fun with guys from home or guys across the street.  It's fun to chat during commercials and tease each other.  I feel as though there's this bonding that happens, even though we're all sitting around watching TV.  Maybe it's just the people I watch TV with...we get pretty emotionally involved.

8.  The SPIRIT here!
           Feeling the Spirit is awesome.  I feel it here all the time and it rocks.  I'm taking two religion classes, Pearl of Great Price and Family Foundations.  Those, combined with devotional, church, and random other moments of spirituality, make life here in Rexburg abundant with spiritual experiences.  I find that I'm more in tune with the spirit and less likely to focus on the downer things in life.  I feel my trust in God strengthened every day by even the littlest of things.  Having the spirit ever present here at BYU-Idaho makes things just that much better.


I was going to make this a list of ten things, but this blog has been at least a month in the making, so it's time to post it.  I love Rexburg, it's as simple as that.

“Promises and pie-crust are made to be broken.”

Why do I like pie so much?

I've been obsessing over Pinterest lately.  It's a neat way to collect visuals of the things I like.  One of my favorite boards is a collection of pies and tarts I've come across.  There are some classic ideas, innovative ideas, savory, ultra sweet...  It's a variety of delicious treats with the same basic structure.

I love pie. It's no secret, I really love pie.  Something about the rustic appeal just draws me in.  It's the combination of flaky, buttery crust and sweet, but slightly tangy fruit.  If I could drop out of school and just bake pies all day, I would.

I find that making my own dough, making creative crusts and preparing the filling with love is therapeutic.  It's something that takes my mind off things and I get lost in the process.  It's hard to explain why it's so lovely to me, it just is.  I think my calling in life is to be a pie baker.  And so today I made a pie.

“Music is an outburst of the soul"

I was listening to music on Spotify today when I came across a Hello Saferide song I hadn't heard before.  It's called I Wonder Who is like This One  and likens people to songs. 

It's fantstic.  I'm obsessed.  Here are the lyrics:

People are like songs, it’s true

Some seem dull at first but then they grow on you

Me, I’m like ”Can’t get you out of my head”

Annoying at times, but I make you wanna dance

But you are the only one I’ve met who’s ”God only knows”

I liked you the first time I met you

And it grows and grows and grows

People are like songs, I swear

Some found you as a child, and still they’re always there

A boy I once knew was ”Anarchy in the UK”

Burned out too quickly but in such a beautiful way

And you are the only one I’ve met who’s ”God only knows”

I liked you the first time I met you

And it grows and grows and grows

People are like songs, I’ve been told

Some claim your ears but you never hear story unfold

Oh, ”Lady gaga” or ”Your high school friends”

Reminds you of times when you were someone else

Then ”God only knows” and you pared up as two

As the turn of the seasons you come and go

I can never claim control of either of you

You’re too sweet to be just mine alone

And I try to stay humble over the fact that

Sometime when the time is right you will pass my door

The crescendo comes and…

And ”God only knows” and you have the same sad similarity

That every time it’s over I want to press play again

But the only difference appears to be 

I can force it on one of you and on the other I can’t

I'm the kind of person that puts songs to people, moods, certain events, etc.  I find joy in lyrics and I like music more when I can connect to the words I hear.  It's something that stirs the soul and fills me with so much emotion.  Music and poetry become the marriage of expression that I love.

Goodness, I love a good song.

“There is nothing wrong with change, if it is in the right direction”

Remember that one time I said I go with my gut?  Yeah, carpe diem seems to be the driving factor behind many of the things that I do. 

I was planning on moving to France in January.  I was really excited, I looked into a lot of costs and I dug out my old passport.  At the time, I really felt good about it because it was time that I did something.  Living at home, working at Starbucks was getting monotonous and I needed a change of scene, a change of people.  France sounded great.  France still sounds great.

I'm not where I was in August when I made that decision.  I feel as though I've undergone an internal change between then and now, understanding more who I am, who I want to be, and what direction I'm heading.  I know now that I'm a better student, more prepared for life at BYU-Idaho.  I've made some connections out here in Idaho with people who work at the local bakers and I feel strongly that I'm going to find a job for the winter. 

Yep, I'm staying in Idaho.  I've signed a contract, its a done deal.  I feel kind of bad for backing out of the France plan, but financially it wasnt going to work out.  It costs a lot of money to travel and live overseas.  Besides, living here in Idaho makes sense.  I'm doing well in school, I have solid friends, and its hard to beat the spirit in this town.  I feel uplifted by the people that surround me and I feel happy.

I'm happier than I've been in a long time.  Things are turning around and working out for me.  It's about time, life.  Let's keep things going this way.