Graduates

The time has come
for us to part
But our new beginnings
are about to start.

We have all learned lots
since we have been together
Through the good times, the bad
and through this crappy weather.

I remember years ago
we were so little, then
Sometimes I can't help but wish
we were all little again.

We had a lot of good times
and went to lots of school dances
We have lived on the edge
since being young is about taking chances.

We'll look back on the drama
and remember the fights
But none of it matters
because we're moving on with life.

We now say our goodbyes
and cry our last tears
We'll take lots of pictures
to last us through the years.

Tears of joy and sadness
will fill our eyes
Because on Thursday, June 2nd
We'll say our last goodbyes.

A new chapter lies ahead
we"ll all travel our separate ways
All new memories will be created
but we'll always remember our Lone Peak days.

Thank you.

Film Analysis

17 Again (2009)

OW: Mike works in the pharmaceutical field. He hates his job, he's in the middle of a divorce, and his kids want nothing to do with him. His future was going to be bright after high school due to his basketball abilities.
Call: While still in high school he gets a basketball scholarship.
Refusal: He chooses to be with his pregnant girlfriend rather than play college ball.
Mentor: Old Mike meets a "janitor" while visiting his old high school and reminiscing the glory days. The old man asks Mike if he had the chance, would he do it all over again? Mike says he absolutely would.
Threshold: Mike sees the old man about to jump off a bridge during and storm and goes after him. He gets dragged down by the man's "spirit" and gets changed back into his 17 year old self.
Tests, Allies, Enemies: He meets his kids as his 17 year old self. His daughter's friends are in love with him, she wants nothing to do with him, and he becomes buddies with his son. He helps his son make the school basketball team while dealing with his daughters freak boyfriend. He himself makes the school basketball team and begins to relive his dreams. He comes to realize that he was not switched back for his own selfish wants and needs but he was switched to help his kids.
Ordeal: Mike has to decide if he wants his basketball dreams to come true or if he wants to bring his crumbling family back together while trying to hide that he is their father and husband.
Reward: Mike gets closer to his wife and gets her to open up to him without him knowing it's really him. He gets a kiss.
The Road Back: Everyone thinks Mike's a freak because he's kissing his friend's mom but he works to make it back and be normal again. He decides to give up on trying to bring his family back together and just sticks with basketball. He's convinced he'll never be his old self again.
Resurrection: During Mike's final game, things start becoming how they were before. His wife realizes it's him and she starts to leave the big game. Like he did in the past, he chooses her and runs after her leaving all his dreams of basketball behind him.
Return: He switches back to his old self and stays with his family. living happily ever after.

Ordinary World

From little Jenny to J.Lo


Hi. I'm Jenny. I'm from the Bronx. I'm 18 years old. I love to dance and sing. Each week I have lessons that I pay for to learn how to become a better singer and dancer. I've grown up going to Catholic schools and next year I'm going to Baruch College. Everyone thinks I'm so excited to go. But this isn't what I want to do with my life. I want to be big. I want to love what I'm doing and do what I love. All the time. That's why I was so excited when I was asked last week to be a dancer for New Kids on the Block. They're a big deal lately and it's a huge deal that they asked ME. I'm just little Jenny Lopez. Could I be a big deal? Do I seem like someone who could be a big deal? Jennifer Lopez? Does that even sound like a famous name?
How much will this change my life?

Shake the Dust

Be You.
This is for the haters, for the lovers.
This is for the physically weak, for the gym rats.
This is for the shy, the outgoing, and those that keep to themselves.
Be you.
This is for the kids eating lunch by themselves.
Be you.

For those that think everyone's watching.
Be you.

This is for the self esteem issues. This is for the wallflowers.

This is for the little kids.
Never stop being you.

This is for the mid life crisisers.
This is for the free spirits.
Be you.

Be you through the winter, through the summer, and through the tears.
Be you when everyone around you is trying to be something other than them.

This is for the spontaneous and for the planners.
Be you.
This is for the the homeless.

This is for the bride to be. He loves you. Be you.

This is for the midnight cereal eaters. This is for the fast food goers.
This is for the ones that say I can't
Be you.

This is for William and Kate.
This is for Gandhi, for the seemingly impossible dreams you're chasing.
Be you.
This is for the stay at home moms.
This is for the pity laugh.


BE YOU.

Gandhi

I keep forgetting that I'm happy.
I move from day to day doing the normal things
and forget that those normal things,
are the things that make my life great.
Something inside my head takes over and speeds through the day,
the week, the month, the years.
I don't have control over it,
I have to remind myself,
to stop and take time to really think about it all.
When will we ever own ourselves completely?
when we don't have to reevaluate and remind ourselves we're happy?
when we have take control of the to do lists running through our minds?
Do we always have to stop and think about it?
To think about how everything in our lives is just fine
and that I am on the fortunate side compared to a lot of other people.
I compare myself.
It's natural for teenagers, isn't it?
Or am I the only one.
Tonight I realize,
That I can be happy whenever I want to be happy.
I won't have to think about it.
I'll just be it.
This is not the first time this thought has enlightened me.
and tonight is not the last time I'll see that light.

Sixer

Blurbs

Pieces (Rascal Flatts)
Since the time he met his girl, his life was changed. He regrets keeping her in his life for so long. He thought they had something, but she didn't. He doesn't want anything to do with her anymore because it hurts. He explains how he's given everything and she only takes. He says she refers to him as his convenient friend, the back up. He tries not to fall back into the trap but still cares for everything they had before.

Save the Last Dance For Me (Michael Buble)
Michael tells his girl that she can't dance with who she pleases. She can do what she wants but he tells her not to forget who she's going home with, him. He tells her to have fun and enjoy herself. But he tells her to always save the last dance for him.

Our Song (T-Swizzle)
Taylor and her lover are driving around town when she realizes that they don't have "a song" He tells her that their song is all the fun little things that they do together and their journey as a sweet lovin couple. She loves their song and wants it to played again and again. She rides shotgun and writes their song.

Cleaning This Gun (Rodney Atkins)
Rodney sings about how he doesn't remember much from school. The theories, documents, Spanish, but he remembers one speech. The talk he would get when he would pick a girl up for a date. About how the dad would silently tear him apart telling him that their daughter was everything to them. The speech concludes with dad saying, "Bet I'll be up all night, still cleaning this gun."

Little Moments (Brad Paisley)
Husband recalls first time his wife said a dirty word, she ran his truck into something. He sings about how he can't act like he's mad, because he loves the little moments like that. Little moments like when she burnt his birthday cake, he is glad she's not perfect. He likes the unexpected things that happen in his life and loves his guuurl.

Songs with Stories

Song title: You're Gonna Miss This
Song artist: Trace Adkins
Link to the lyrics: click here

Plot:
A daughter is constantly looking at what the future will be. She wants to be older and move on with each new thing. Her dad notices her eagerness and tells her to take life slowly. He tries to communicate to her that she is going to miss the things going on right in front of her.

Characters:
The dad/singer/narrator
The daughter
Her mom
The plumber
Her two kids

Conflict:
She wants to grow up and keep moving on with her life with every new point she reaches. Her dad realizes that she's just going to pass her life by waiting for the next best thing and he wants her to take it slow and enjoy the moment.

Theme:
Enjoying the stage of life that you're in.

Setting:
In the car outside the school
In her new house as a newlywed
In her home later in life

Song title: That Should Be Me
Song artist: Rascal Flatts and Justin Bieber
Link to Lyrics: click here

Plot:
Home boy Justin or one of the Rascals are on the rocks with a girl. He thinks she's with someone else and he tells how he feels about her being with another guy.

Characters:
Home boy Justin
The Rascals
The girl
The other guy

Conflict:
There's another guy. Who's getting in the way.

Theme:
Communication
Breaking up
End of the road in the relationship
Heartache

Setting:
They are probably somewhere private, grieving over their lost loves

Both songs are on the playlist to the right!

Jealousy.

On Turning Ten
By Billy Collins
"It is time to say good-bye to my imaginary friends"

I'm not a big poetry person. I never have been. And to be honest, I wasn't super excited about this assignments.

But I like Billy.

He can write about things in his poetry and still make sense. He doesn't have to write in the cryptic code of poetry.

I love the line above from his poem On Turning Ten.

This year has been a year of decisions and growing up. I have had to come to terms with the fact that my life is continuing whether I like it or not.

I decided to just accept it and love ever minute of it. I didn't want to let go of still being a kid and "saying good-bye to my imaginary friends" but that's what happens.
It happens. To everyone.
And I just have to keep on living and not sulk in the past.

I'm tiiiuurrrred.

I'm tired of being tired all the time. I'm tired of paying for overpriced gas. I'm tired of going to useless classes. I'm tired of waking up before the sun comes up. I'm tired of homework. I"m tired of having a job. I'm tired of thinking about how I'm going to pay for college. I'm tired of asking permission. I'm tired of my co-workers. I'm tired of my boss. I'm tired of working all the time. I'm tired of working all. the. time. I'm tired of having a group of friends and a group of "friends". I'm tired of high school kids. i'm tired of being in charge. I'm tired of earning money. I'm tired of saving money. I'm tired of the competitiveness of our community. I'm tired of comparing myself to other people. I'm tired of going to bed on school nights. I'm tired of the sound of my alarm clock. I'm tired of Calculus. I'm tired of dumb Chemistry. I'm tired of people who are disrespectful. I'm tired of not being able to trust people around me. I'm tired of curfews. I'm tired of drama. I'm tired of not knowing what he's thinking about. I'm tired of knowing that I have to go to school tomorrow. I'm tired of thinking about prom. I'm tired. I'm tired of complaining.

Love is...

Love is helping someone through the hard times. Love is always being there. Love is being the shoulder to cry on. Love is being the best part of someone's day. Love is carrying your son across the finish line. Love is being the one to read the bedtime stories. Love is having open arms. Love is learning to let go. Love is the support system. Love is the one who can always make you laugh. Love is catching when they fall. Love is losing yourself. Love is giving all you have. Love is being the best you can be for them.
Love is...

the best things in life

I love Disneyland. I love high school. I love riding bikes. I love my space heater. I love movies. I love chick flicks. I love Ryan Reynolds. I love basketball. I love watching football. I love Jimmer. I love riding bikes. I love warm days. I love the summer. I love romantic comedies. I love driving. I love the beach. I love winter coats. I love the Justin Bieber movie. I love cowboys. I love my N'Sync bobble head. I love my puppy. I love my cousins. I love BYU. I love my parents. I love being outside. I love fireplaces. I love Christmas morning. I love my best friends. I love the temple. I love Cafe Rio. I love chocolate covered strawberries. I love Olive Garden. I love the mountains. I love driving fast. I love going on walks. I love going on dates. I love the Lone Peak basketball team. I love sleeping in. I love going to the gym. I love watching Ellen. I love taking pictures. I love pictures. I love flowers. I love Stanford.
I love my freaking life.

Boulevard of Broken Dreams

I walk alone. I walk alone. It's raining. I'm on this street on my own. Listening to the silence. I walk alone. I walk alone. The trees are big and full of leaves. They grow together overhead. Blocking out the clouded skies. I walk alone. I walk alone. The setting seen through my eyes is black and white. Picking up occasional bursts of color along to road. I walk alone. I walk alone. Memories of the past scatter the streets ahead. Regrets. Broken relationships. Things left in the past for a reason. I walk alone. I walk alone. Hidden emotions flood through the street. Mixing with all of the past memories. I walk alone. I walk alone.

Thinking About You.

I'm thinking about you like water thinks about the ice. Like Asians think about rice. Like contractors think about being precise. I'm thinking about you like police men think about tickets. Like clocks thinks about minutes. Like grandparents think about visits. I'm thinking about you like dresses think about silk. Like milk men think about milk. Like hunters think about elk. I'm thinking about you like singers think about singing. Like teachers think about teaching. Like brothers think about teasing. I'm thinking about you like princesses think about ball gowns. Like basketball players think about staying in bounds. Like sad people think about frowns. I'm thinking about you like bankers think about money. Like comedians think about being funny. Like forecasters think about it being sunny. I'm thinking about you like sidewalks think about chalk. Like Kurk thinks about Spock. Like roll thinks about rock. I'm thinking about you like summer thinks about spring. Like he thinks about that ring. Like the queen thinks about the king. I'm thinking about you like pipes think about plumbers. Like students think about summer.

Direct Orders

You've been given direct orders to rock out.

Rock out like it's Christmas morning. Rock out like it's summer. Rock out like it's 2:14. Rock out like the roller coaster just pulled up and you're next in line. Rock out like it's your best birthday ever. Rock out like it's the last day of school. Rock out like mom and dad just said yes. Rock out like it's your favorite song on the radio. Rock out like it's the end of your shift. Rock out like there's an 80 degree high for the day. Rock out like it's 2:30am and you have four more hours to sleep. Rock out like it's Thursday night an there's no early morning tomorrow. Rock out like you are in love. Rock out like you just won a new car. Rock out like the streets are empty except for you and you're headphones. Rock out like you just quit your job. Rock out like he's on one knee. Rock out like you just won the big game. Rock out like you're in debt to your eyeballs and just won the lottery. Rock out like you just got asked to Prom by your sweet love. Rock out like you'll never have a textbook again. Rock out like you just won a scholarship. Rock out like it's Sunday night and tomorrow's a national holiday. Rock out like it's pay day. Rock out like your deceased grandpa just came back to take a drive with you in your new car. Rock out like you just found out you're in remission. Rock out like you have a full tank of gas. Rock out like you just got accepted to the college of your dreams. Rock out like it's raining outside. Rock out like you're skydiving. Rock out like your parents told you they're proud. Rock out like you just got your leg cast off. Rock out like you love your life. Rock out like somebody's got a gun pointed at you saying, "Rock out like your life depended on it." because it does.

Rock out.

Intro

J.Lo here.

Not really.

This first post of this blog is going to be like the first day of school. Awkward.

You know that feeling when you walk into a new class on the first day and you take 30 seconds to judge the room. You're eyes frantically search to see who is in your class. Who the annoying kids are, who you know, who the people are that think they're too cool for everything, the ones who soak up every second of learning, and then you. Everyone can place themselves with one of the "cliques" in the class even without realizing their doing it. Isn't it interesting that that is the way the brain works. Within one minute of being inside the room you can make a decision on whether you're going to enjoy yourself or not, and that decision sticks in your head and that is how you will view the class forever.

Something to think about isn't it?

You could change you're entire outlook on one class or one experience in life in less than a minute.

If we stopped the quick assessments and stopped ourselves from jumping to conclusions would we have a better attitude about everything we did?

PERHAPS.

That's all I have to say. That was word vomit if I ever saw some:)