So this Friday, I went to work for the second time and spent two hours sifting compost. To many that might sound miserable but I enjoyed it.

Why? Well, school is always there with a million things to study and no real end. It takes a lot of effort and brain power. And then I went and for a couple hours, I didn’t have to think about school, or actually think about much at all. I could just play with dirt. And when I was done, that was it. It’s a wonderful break. I wouldn’t want to do it all the time, but once in a while it is nice to have a task that is easy and you can do without thinking just to break up all the bookwork.

I watch TV and movies too much. I’m probably far under the national average, but I still think I waste my time sitting and doing nothing. A lot of movies and TV shows I watch, I don’t even really like, but simply watch because I’m tired or bored.

Fun, for me, is hardly ever TV. I do like an occasional good movie. But I’d rather do things like hike or snowshoe, and read. Friday night, I went to some hot springs with a bunch of friends. That was fun. Then Saturday morning, I went snowshoeing with Joe, and finished a book. Also fun. That night I watched TV. Not fun at all.

by Penelope Stokes 

This book was the best book I’ve read in a very long time, if not my favorite book ever. Short summary–four girls put there dreams in a blue bottle at the beginning of the depression and a reporter finds it in modern days, tracks down all the girls and finds out there stories.

The book is all about how we might have dreams for ourselves, but God also has a plan for us that is different then what we would plan. Every one of the girls was able to draw nearer to God and have a fulfilling life, but not one followed their original dreams like they planned.

It’s good. Read it.  

So the furious winds and pelting snow today convinced our school officials that they might as well cancel school. But only the night classess for today. Still…kinda cool. I would hate to be outside now. I was walking home from my last class, and could hardly get my head up enough to see where I was going. I think it’s finally clearing up a little, looking outside.

Last night was a good night. I’d just spent the entire day starting and finishing a book required for one of my classes. Finally, when I was done with that and all the other activities, Joe and I went out on a walk. It was actually warm, the sidewalks didn’t have snow on them and the sky was clear. We went out the the amplitheatre and looked at stars and talked until we got too cold.

And today the fuming winds dropped another good half a foot on us.

I never remember this much snow. I haven’t seen bare ground in ages–I’m stuck looking at fields of white. I have been generally opposed to winter in the past, and this winter, it just seems to keep coming and coming. Not too fun, but…

I was walking home from Joe’s one day, and it was snowing. It was around 10, but I remember thinking how light it was, and how beautiful it was. I helped someone push their car out, and just stood and thought–it was a beautiful night. I’ve come out of my basement apartment in the morning, only to discover the trees covered with fresh snow. It’s beautiful. I’ve watched the skies change from grey to white to blue, felt the bright sun, felt the cold that sometimes chills me to the bone, at other times just leaves me feeling a little more alive. And I really think I’m actually starting to enjoy winter. Maybe too much of something isn’t a bad thing.

But at the same time, it took me almost an hour to un-stick my car from the foot and half of snow and ice on top of and around it.

I realized that I am a cheap person. The only stuff I will spend money on, is if I can see myself using it for 20 years, and then only if it is still relatively cheap and useful. Hence I often have a hard time justifying buying music, books, and movies.

Book are easy to obtain for free. Go sign up with your local library. I did and it usually has all the books I want to read. I will buy some books, if I see the point in re-reading them. But for a lot of casual reading, the library works fine.

And luckily for me, the Internet provides all my movie and music needs. Well, not entirely, but it does do a lot. For music, go to pandora.com. I love it. I can pick a type of music I like, and listen to it. They introduce me to new songs and artists, and provide tons of music info. Cons–I can’t pick a specific song to listen too, repeat a song I really like, and the streaming sometimes gets off on my internet connection.

Movies are a bit trickier. I start with alluc.org. They list links to movies, TV shows, and the like. After I can find a link, I can either stream it or, using veoh (see veoh.com), download it. Cons are: there is no quality to any movie, I’m not sure of the legality, and they don’t have everything. I usually use it for TV shows, like the BBC Robin Hood.

Went home for the weekend, and with my Mom I planned more wedding stuff. Menu changed, colors changed, and I bought a dress. We looked at food stuff, and now we are getting fruit bars, chicken puffs, and a fruit and veggie tray. I think I want cheese too. You can’t have too much cheese. I looked at napkins and based on napkin colors changed my colors to sage and cranberry. I think I will do all the decorations in sage, and have burgandy and white flowers. It sounds pretty to me.

The dress was quite interesting. I tried on formal dresses, but it wasn’t what I was looking for. After hours of shopping with mom and Heather, I found a mid-calf white skirt, and lace top. Not formal at all, but definitely more me.

So all the frills of getting married are coming along. I don’t care all that much, I’m just really excited to marry Joe. He came over last night, and my happiness level went up a couple of notches. I am really in love with him.

Today, I’ve been going and going for quite a while and I thought, I should take a break and do such wasteful things as watch a movie. Then I thought why? I’ve read before that the mind doesn’t actually need rest, but it does need change. If you think about life, you shouldn’t ever stop to take a break, at least not mentally, but simply change what you are doing. We are able to accomplish more in life.

As of lately I’ve been depressed for no reason. I look at my life and I have everything–a great guy, a job, and I’m enjoying school. I’ve been pondering why I would feel depressed, and why I would also feel happy.

This morning, I was trying to write down what I should do to fully enjoy life. This is what I wrote.

I am my best self/I walk where the Lord wills/I fill my soul with loving-kindness/I seize every moment now/I live in beauty

It was nice, but I also felt like it really wasn’t what I was look for. After I wrote it, I started my scripture study and realized where I went wrong. Christ was not there.

No matter how hard I try, no matter how much I do, I cannot be perfect. I will fail at everything I do. The purpose of life is not how much we accomplish, how good we are at things, how we spend our time, the people we meet, or anything you can quantify. Anything  you can quantify will not measure up to what you could have done. We are all imperfect

Except for Christ. He did all He could do. And because of who He was, through Him we are able to be saved, and everything that didn’t measure up is brought up through His atonement. If I am to do one thing while I live, it is to know Christ, for it is only through Him that life has any purpose.

Life is not about anything quantitative, but it is about learning, growing and living in Christ. I rewrote what I need to do in life.

I am filled with faith in Christ/I repent daily of my sins/I remember and keep my covenants/I seek and follow the Holy Ghost/I will continue always, following the example of Christ