Getting Tired. (It's a good thing).

Today is "Green and Thrifty Thursday."

And I found my thoughts turning to recycling/upcycling/reusing/repurposing/all-those-other-terms-that-get-thrown-around-these-days.

And I thought about THESE in particular:

(source)

...and how they pile up.

not. cool.

Because something tells me those things aren't exactly biodegradable...
Besides, would we even WANT that stuff
seeping into the ground?

Blech.

And so after a lovely little google image search, 

I came across THESE:

(source source source source source source)

 And, my personal favorite:

(source)

But for the rest of us who don't make elephant sculptures 

in our spare time,

there are always options like these:

(source source source source)

How nice.

Are you tired of your same old planters? ...ha.
Monica.

Giants DO exist.

Today is "On a Whim, On a Wednesday."

And today my whimsy is elated.. Here's why:

For a really big chunk of my childhood, I was solidly determined that I would become a marinebiologist.

As in... I really really believed it with all my heart. 

Even into my teenage years.

So, naturally, I was a big fan of things like the DISCOVERY CHANNEL and ANIMAL PLANET and NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC.

The occasional documentaries centered on the SEARCH FOR THE GIANT SQUID were basically my Superbowl.

It was well known to me at a young age that the Giant Squid had NEVER BEFORE BEEN RECORDED IN ITS NATURAL HABITAT.

There was the occasional washed up carcass.
And sometimes they would even be found
moments before death.
And that was enough to know bits and pieces about their existence.

But to my adventurous little heart, 
that was all just sushi to me.

I wanted to SEE it.

Alive and free and beautiful.

(yes... yes, I realize I was a strange child.)

And then... on September 27th, 2005,

THIS photo (among many others in a series) was released:

(source)

First photographs EVER taken of the beast in its natural habitat!!!

Thank you, National Science Museum of Japan.

But seriously... couldn't you have invited me along?

Ah well.

Oh, and to give you a little bit of perspective, one of its tentacles got hooked on the line (sorry, buddy) and was roped into the boat along with the camera. The tentacle was 18 feet long.

Eventually, my excitement over the event overcame my grudge that I was not a part of the discovery team.

And for nearly a decade, that was it.


Until....

(source)

Well hello there, Mr. Squid.

Isn't he beautiful???

The Discovery Channel will be broadcasting the full documentary on January, 27th.

Which happens to be the two-year anniversary of our wedding.

And as proof that my husband was fully aware of the strangeness of this girl he got himself hitched to......

....he agreed without opposition to watch it with me.

(source: me!)

Happy Anniversary and Squid Day!
Monica.

All Aboard the Spotify Train.

Today is "Tuning in to Tuesday."

Thus marking the one-week anniversary 

of The Music Catastrophe of 2013.

Also known as that one time I accidentally deleted my entire iTunes library.

oops.

But never-mind-you-that.

Because I decided that this was a good opportunity to take the next step in my attempts to be savvy about the gizmos and gadgets of this modern day.

(spoken like a true 21 year old...?)

As stubborn as I have been at times when it comes to the digital conversion of EVERYTHING, I gotta say:

Technology really is a pretty cool thing.

And, no, embracing it does NOT mean that I will become an uncultured, touch-screen-addicted zombie.

(probably)

Technology DOES mean that there are beautiful things like THIS:

I've meant for some time now to try out this raved about, seemingly too-good-to-be-true piece of modern tech.

And after my first week of dipping my toes, 

I am quite pleased.

 Because making playlists is pretty much my favorite thing ever.

(along with regularly saying the phrase, "pretty much my favorite thing ever.")

And NOW I can have a pretty much unlimited supply of music just WAITING to be meticulously sorted into playlists for my every fleeting mood and whim....

Ooooh, the possibilities.

Let's just say that I may or may not have a dinosaur themed playlist entitled "Songosaurus."

Monica.

Superstition Mountain = HOME.

Today is "Mountains, Trees, and Mondays."

And rather than my usual post regarding the
figurative mountains of life,

I'd like to take a moment to reflect on my good friend,

The Superstition Mountain

Photo shout out goes to Gordon Wolford.

Just came across this photo in a search engine and was led to some of the most 

beautiful photography I've ever seen.

Seriously... CHECK IT OUT.

Nothing says "home" to me more than that red, rocky beauty right there.

Now for some Superstition Mountain fun facts:

This mountain and surrounding area are the home base for the legend of the Lost Dutchman's gold mine 

(hence the mountain's name). 

Apparently, some German man named Jacob Waitz stumbled upon a mother lode of gold. He revealed its location on his deathbed to a boarding house owner.

And no one has seen it since..... 

(cue dramatic music).

Also, it is believed by some that the entrance to the "lower world" is located in this mountain, and that the winds blowing up from it cause the severe dust storms of this area.

And finally, did you know that the saguaro cactus

ONLY GROWS IN THE SONORAN DESERT??? 

As in, Arizona, a small portion of Northern Mexico, and an even SMALLER portion of California.

Which really, isn't a Superstition Mountain fact.

But it is a fact that makes me happy.

(source)

Because this is home.

Mountains make good friends.

Monica.

Earthy Words of Wisdom

Today is "Green and Thrifty Thursday."

And I'm feeling simple.


So here we go.
Some simple, feel-good, "green" quotes.

"I go to nature to be soothed and healed, and to 

have my senses put in order."

John Burroughs

"Wilderness is not a luxury but a 

necessity of the human spirit, 

as vital to our lives as water and good bread."

Edward Abbey

"All I want is to stand in a field 

and to smell green, to taste air, to feel the earth want me, 

without all this concrete hating me."

Phillip Pulfrey

(source)

"Never does nature say one thing, 

and wisdom another."

Juvenal

"He that plants trees loves others, beside himself."

Thomas Fuller

I found these quotes in this lovely collection,

along with many more gems.

"To feel the earth want me."

Monica.

Just a Wee Whim

Today is "On a Whim, On a Wednesday."

And my whim of choice is a simple one.

And here it is:

I initially felt unsure about it.

But after giggling to myself about "Harold" 

the rest of the day, I decided it was genius.

(not to mention the charming artistry of a 

"Heather Mattoon").

Best part: there is a whole 2013 calendar full of these beauties.

I found it here.

"Part time science fiction writer."

Monica.

On Losses and Fresh Starts (or that one time I accidentally deleted over 3000 songs from my computer)

Today is "Tuning in to Tuesday."

Which has proven to be a sick, SICK irony.

Because in my "new year, new life" mentality, 

I have been organizing my computer like a boss.

Thus the tragic unfolding of these events:

While perusing my neglected computer files, 

I came across a folder labeled, "music."

Upon opening the folder, 

I discovered sub-folders featuring all my customized, 

alphabetized genres from way back in the high school days. 

Back when I didn't own an iPod. 

Back when Windows Media Player was my 

music listening program of choice.

And I thought to myself,

"Awwww... nostalgia."

And then I remembered way back 

to when I was first setting up my iTunes account, 

and how I duplicated all of my music files 

into my iTunes. 

Back when I said, 

"Sayonara, Windows Media Player."

Aaaaaand since I am determined to 

turn myself into an efficient, 

savvy, minimalist

 super-woman, 

I thought to myself,

"These folders aren't really serving any purpose. 

I never use them. I only use my iTunes."

"Sayonara, old duplicate music folders."

....and then my hand hesitated... 

what if these WEREN'T duplicates? 

What if deleting these would make them 

disappear from my iTunes, as well?

"Hold it. Not so fast, old 

(debatebly) duplicate music folders."

A minimal-loss test run was in order.

Which came in the form of deleting the folder with my 

Alison Krauss album.

Because that would be easy enough to 

burn back onto my computer, should it be lost.

Delete it I did.

Checked my iTunes, I did.

And there it was. Right where I left it.

Hello, Alison.

And so I decided to follow through with my computer file purge.

"Sayonara, old (definitely) duplicate 

music folders."

And then I did something REALLY stupid.

Because upon deleting the "definitely duplicate" music folders, 

a little window popped up.

That little window tried to warn me, bless its heart.

It said to me, "These files are too big for the recycle bin. Deleting them will be permanent. Do you wish to continue?"

....The End.

And THAT'S the story of how I lost my entire iTunes library.

(Notice how I couldn't bring myself to actually write out the very end. But I think we all understand what happened next. Apparently, it takes a bit of time for iTunes to get the memo that its music file sources have been permanently deleted).

And - for the record - I have indeed searched the 

digital nooks and crannies of my computer. 

I even did a system restore.

 All of the FOLDERS 

restored themselves... 

...just none of the music that was IN them.

ALSO for the record, I am well aware that you can log in to your iTunes account and still have access to all of your purchases music. But for me, that meant, like... 

1 soundtrack and 

a small handful of Italian Restaurant atmosphere music.

For those moments in your life when you want 

the atmosphere of an Italian Restaurant.

But I've come to peace with this debacle. 

Because, funny thing is, this has turned into 

a fresh start in and of itself.

Albeit, a much FRESHER start than I would have preferred.

But fresh, nonetheless.

Time to break out all the CDs and start new!

Sayonara, digital music collection of my life.

Monica. 

Why I "graduated" without a degree.

You could call me a college dropout.

And by all technicalities and transcripts, you'd be right.

But on Thursday, October 25th,
when I decided to
discontinue my semester courses,
leave Brigham Young University - Idaho,
and move back to Arizona with no intentions of
continuing my college education,

I was most certainly NOT choosing to drop out.

I was choosing to graduate.
I was an Integrated Studio Art major with
5 semesters under my belt.
And this 6th semester was turning out to be the
best and most successful of them all.
And it seemed that the stars were, to my relief,
aligning in my favor on more levels than just my GPA.

Life was good.

SO good, that I couldn't shake the feeling that something lay ahead.

Something on the next page.
Something just around the riverbend.

Like this:

Because all the knowledge I was gathering - whether it be in my academic courses, art projects, or just the school of general life - seemed to be teaching the same thing.
Different as they were, these sources of learning and thought and pondering were undeniably pointing in ONE DIRECTION.

Like this:

And after some apartment hunting around town, considering alternate areas of academic study, and many MANY "what if" conversations with my husband...

...I came to the conclusion that I had absolutely
NO CLUE what it all meant.

And so I took Grandmother Willow's advice,
and listened with my heart.

Like this:

But actually, more like this:

(photo source)

And I knew then that yes, change was coming.

But rather than search the seven seas
trying to figure out what it was,
I needed to just continue about my life
diligently, patiently, and faithfully...

...and the answer would come.


And come, it did.

And SURPRISED ME, it did.

Because whilst going about my day, something dawned on me. It dawned in a simple way. In the same way that you would be brushing your teeth and think to yourself, "I need to get eggs at the store today."

Except my thought was something more like this:
"I have completed my college education."

I did not have a degree of any sort.
I was not even finished with the current semester.

And yet, within a few hours of individual and spousal contemplation...

(like this)

...it was decided.

I was indeed finished with my college education.

Because for me, college was never about the degree.
It was about getting the education,
experience, and
tools I needed
to be a professional artist
and a good, well-rounded person.

And all this was for the purpose of providing a
good life
for myself and my family.
And the compass was telling me that my college experience had served its purpose. It took me as far as needed with these goals,
and it was time for the next chapter.

And I felt graduated.


Is it the norm? Nope.

Is it what I expected? DEFINITELY not.

But do I know with every fiber of my
spunky being that it is right?

You betcha.
Dabbling in the future,
Monica.

Changes....

On a Whim, on a Wednesday: Is Creativity Becoming Extinct?

Technology.

It is kinda a BIG DEAL.

For better, or for worse.

...or for both.


Technology is creating a society of
short attention spanned,
hot headed zombies.


OR....

Technology is creating a world of
information,
collaboration,
and opportunity.

"I've heard it both ways."
(Thank you, Sean Spencer).

I definitely have some rather developed, supported, and
-most importantly-
evolving opinions on the matter.

But I think that I'll hold off on writing that post.
Especially since I am smack dab in the middle of some pretty expansive research on the matter.

Because, you see, I'm writing an essay.

An essay where I basically explore
the impact that technology has on the
creative foundation of adults,
as well as on the
creative potential for children.


Soon to come: My new-and-improved opinion on the matter.

And just in case this subject is as important you to as it is to me, (or even if you just want to dip your toes in a bit)
here is a list of my chosen research sources:

THESE books:

And THESE articles from the internets:

>Want To Be More Creative? Get Bored.
by
Martin LindstromLink:
http://www.fastcompany.com/1829462/want-be-more-creative-get-bored

A blog post centered on an
interview with Isaac Asimov
by
Maria PopovaLink:
http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2011/01/28/isaac-asimov-creativity-education-science/


And please oh PLEASE share your thoughts on the matter!

Determined that I'm going to thoroughly read each of these books before my essay is due next week,
Monica.

Tuning in to Tuesday: Up and Up

I'm a mildly big fan of Christian Rock.

Sometimes, members of the LDS Church tend to shy away from this musical genre.

Because mixing the sounds of popular modern day music with subjects like
repentance
and the Spirit
and Jesus Christ...

can be a rather peculiar juxtaposition
that we just plain are not accustomed to.

And some would even argue that it is irreverent to mingle such sacred subjects with such casual musical form.

Okay.
To each his own.

But in this modern day when even my dear old country music becomes just as littered with inappropriateness as any other popular music genre,

I have no problem changing the radio station to
songs about the Savior.
Songs that give hope.
Songs about being charitable.
Songs about spreading the good news.

Are there sometimes specific doctrinal references that I don't necessarily agree with?

Hmmmm, yes.

But if disagreements on the specifics of a matter
(even eternally important ones)
mean that I should avoid association with the source,
then I guess it is time for me to go live in the mountains and cut off absolutely all ties with my fellow human beings.

And maybe raise goats, while I'm at it.

And although I strongly believe that there is in fact a need for reverent handling of sacred subjects,
I'm not going to reject a song just because it
accompanies Christ's teachings with
guitars and drums
instead of
a piano and violin.


And if you disagree?
That's okay.
I'm perfectly fine with that.
(see previous note on handling "disagreement.")

On that note, I would like to share one of my favorites:

Up and Up - Relient K

This song is for when
you feel guilty about digging a hole for yourself,
but you want to have faith that you can climb out of it.

And to remember that Christ is more than happy to join you for the climb.

This song is also for when your car is broken down and you have had a crappy day and you feel like there is just no way you can manage to walk up the monstrous hill back home.

Yeah.
When THAT happens,
cue THIS song:



I'm just trying to be a better version of me for You,
Monica.

Mountains, Trees and Mondays: On Ponds and Improvisations.

This semester I am taking a watercolor class.

At first, it was a bit daunting.
Because watercolors can be a little crafty.

(and no... no "arts and crafts" pun intended, there).

But I am very quickly discovering that using watercolors really is just getting back to my ROOTS.

I think that now I may just have to go and do a painting of roots for my next project....


But even after defeating the mountain of "I'm not really sure I like using watercolors," I one day found myself in class, completely petrified by the new mountain before me:

We were going to gather our supplies.
Walk up to the gardens.
And paint.
Outside.

(Which process is more accurately referred to as "plein air.")

Now, yes, you're probably thinking,
"but Monica... that sounds like just the kind of thing you would love to do!"

Yes. Yes it does.

Except for the part about me that gets exceedingly anxious about surprises that involve carrying things somewhere else and not knowing what to take and what to leave and feeling like I am carrying too much and am bound to drop it or lose it or find myself in some kind of unexpected circumstance and thus be faced with the choice of what to bring, what to leave, what to go back for, and in what order to do it....

My heartbeat is quickening just thinking about it.

(p.s. Yes, I DO have a hard time traveling due to these particular anxieties. Packing is... well, packing it nightmarish).

And I considered doing what half of my classmates did:
packed there stuff up, and left class early.

But I decided to be brave.
And so I grabbed my awkward-to-carry watercolor palette, my noisy and cluttered little "box" with brushes and pencils and tapes and erasers, my even MORE awkward-to-carry (and rather large) painting board, and a couple pieces of watercolor paper (which I was CONVINCED were going to somehow fly away from me and I would have to chase after them).

And I felt pretty good about my decision.

That is, until I got to the campus gardens and realized that I forgotten to bring water...
for my watercolors....

I almost panicked.

But then the adventurer in me kicked in
and I thought to myself,
"No water, huh? Well... maybe this is a good opportunity to paint a pond."

And so I found a little table and chair on a deck next to a pond.

And I... used the, uh... pond water.

Yes.
I occasionally leaned over,
stuck my little brush into that little pond,
loaded it with water,
and used it to mix up some "pond-ish" colors on my palette.

And I proceeded to paint some leaves that had sunken to the bottom of the pond.

And I really hope I gave some passerby a good laugh.

Because goodness knows, I was a bit giggly, myself.

And I came away from the experience with the satisfaction that I had done something WAY out of my comfort zone, and it ended up being quite the relaxing experience.

...as well as the resolve to go get a really small, lidded watercolor palette, a small pad of watercolor paper, a small lidded container for water, and proceed to rubber band all these things together and create a "plein air" kit.

You know, for those "plein air" emergencies.

Can you paint with all the colors of the pond?
Monica.

Tuning in to Tuesday: Where the Green Grass Grows.

Let's just start out with a picture,
shall we?

yes.....


Yes, that just about
SAYS IT ALL.

On that note,
here is one of my all time favorite songs:



Please, oh please listen to this song.

Because I'm sure it will bring you all sorts of wonderful
NOSTALGIA.

On another note,
being able to do a slow fiddle,
that soulfully and cleanly,
is pretty much my greatest aspiration for
my stringed-instrument skill level.

It makes my heart just
slow down...

...and
be content.


Watch my corn pop up in rows,
Monica.

On a Whim On a Wednesday: Thank you, Joe Butt

So this first week of school...
(don't worry, I'll be explaining the significance of "Joe Butt" in just a moment)
...has solidified what I already knew but had yet to
dive into
and
submerge myself
mind, body, and soul:

I NEED TO FIGURE OUT WHO I AM AS AN ARTIST.

You see, I am taking this class called,
"Business for the Professional Artist."

And it's kinda a big deal for me.
Because this teacher is not only a wonderful illustrator, he ALSO is quite the successful artist (in terms of making a living off of it for his entire life).

And, well, if his lectures don't just hit on ALL of my weak points....
"This field is beyond competitive, and you will only be successful if you,
a. Know every detail of the market today.
b. Know every detail of the market TOMORROW.
c. Are able to confidently and verbally propose to clients what you have to offer.
d. Know for YOURSELF what you have to offer.
e. Are EXTREMELY self disciplined.
f. Do not succumb to distractions. Avoid excessive "hobby-ing."
g. Have a professional, online portfolio available at all times.
h. Have impeccable attention to deadlines and punctuality."

And SO,
even though I have yet to actually have an official assignment in this class, I have actually been spending most of my "homework" time on it.

Because I decided to dive into it.

Completely.

Like this....

...but far less graceful.
And so my sketchbook has become my beloved friend.
In fact, most of the time I don't even bother to put it in my backpack whilst gallivanting around campus.
Because it is only a matter of time before I want to pull it out and scribble some new raindrops (words) in my brainstorm.

First, this brainstorm began with the "clouds" of
"What do I know about?"
"What are my interests?"
"What are my potential artistic markets/fields?"
"What do DO with it all?"

Each of these clouds proceeded to shower.
Heavily.
All sorts of raindrops/words/phrases,
from "Da Vinci"
to "stuffed animals"
to "fumage"
to "the universe"
to "biospheres"
to "greeting cards"
to "graphite realsim"
to "rhythm"
to "oil lift-out"
to "flying kites"
to "ceramic sculptures."
Needless to say, this storm was beginning to get a bit
out of hand.
And so, I sought shelter.
(Meaning that I took a break from working in the printmaking studio and planted myself in a good spot on the floor in the hallway of the art building).

And I thought back to something that my teacher had said:
"Your artistic style is who you are."
Which prompted me to write the following "cloud" in my sketchbook:
Who am I?
This "cloud" has done 2 things.

1. Filled my mind for the rest of this day with an
epic Jean Valjean performance.

2. Led me to THIS:
http://www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/jtypes2.asp

It is a personality test.
And not just the kind you fill out in a magazine.
But the kind that is kind of a big deal and nationally recognized.
Or something official like that.

I had my skepticisms....
But THEN it showed me my results.
And good golly, it just about hit me right on the mark.
Down to strange little things I do that I didn't know a computer was capable of picking up on just from my answering a few questions.

The result came in the form of a four-letter personality identification.

I,
Monica Christiansen,
am an "INFP."
Introverted, iNtuitive, Feeling, Perceiving.
(I think they cheated a little bit on the "N" part).
And I was brought to a webpage
describing us "INFP" people.

These are my favorite parts:

1. The personality description was written by a guy named "Joe Butt."

2. The first thing it did was quote Moby Dick.

3. "INFPs never seem to lose their sense of wonder."
I have always explained to Austin that much of my personality is based on having a good "sense of wonder." Like some people have a good "sense of humor."
Yeah, I thought I had made up that term...
apparently it is just part of being an INFP.

4. "It's as though they live at the edge of a looking-glass world where mundane objects come to life, where flora and fauna take on near-human qualities."
Um... that is pretty much my EVERY SINGLE DAY.

5. "INFPs have the ability to see good in almost anyone or anything."

6. "INFPs struggle with the issue of their own ethical perfection, e.g., performance of duty for the greater cause."

7. "INFPs live primarily in a rich inner world of introverted feeling."

8. "...quixotic nature of these usually gentle beings."
....usually???

9."...greeting the world on behalf of feeling."

10. "....a sound basis for the development of literary facility."

11. My fellow INFPs include
Homer (NOT the simpson),
St. John,
William Shakespeare,
Luke Skywalker,
A. A. Milne,
Laura Ingalls Wilder,
Mr. Rogers,
Neil Diamond,
Doug Funny,
Calvin (Calvin and Hobbes),
Anne Sherley,
James Taylor
Julia Roberts,
Fred Savage,
Bastain (The Neverending Story)
Tommy PIckles,
and...

E.T.


All I can say is...

YES.

I'll be right here,
Monica.

Tuning in to Tuesday: Firebird Palooza

What do "Fantasia 2000,"
Evan Lysacek,
and my recently begun
Fall semester
all have in common?

BEHOLD:
Igor Stravinsky's The Firebird

Technically, this piece is really a whole Russian ballet worth of music. But it is commonly performed as individual "selections of The Firebird Suite."

And it is, well...

SPECTACULAR.

Now, back to those 3 seemingly unrelated items.

First, I fell in love with this:



And then, during the 2010 Winter Olympics,
there came THIS:
(firebird theme really gets going around 1:23)



And if that is not one of the most
inspirational performances ever,
I don't know what is.

And then, a few days before this semester began, I got this email from my orchestra teacher:

I do recall my eyes tearing up a little bit.

That is how crazy in love I am with this piece.

And please....
PLEASE.
PLEEEEEAAAAASSSSSSE.
If you only watch one of the videos in this post,
MAKE SURE IT IS THIS ONE:



Because although it skips over the
EPIC "danger" music part,
it makes up for it.
Because that right there is
STRAVINSKY HIMSELF.
And if his explosion of emotion at the finale doesn't just say it all....

Oh, and if a slow cacophonous chord progression isn't really your cup of tea, feel free to skip to 4:20.

And if slow lyrical passages aren't your thing, either, go ahead and jump over to 6:00 for the emotion explosion itself.

It may very well be that I have the most
euphoric orchestra performance
of my life coming up.

Updates surely to come :)
The best conductors need only use energetic fist pumps,
Monica.

On a Whim on a Wednesday: Okay, School. Bring it On!

As you probably know, college and I have had quite the rough history.

And as each new semester approaches, I get a new bout of MOTIVATION.

And I pretty much ROCK the first 2-3 weeks.

And then... meh.

Life happens.

But do I let this cycle stop me?

NO WAY!
(Said like the kids in "The Magic Schoolbus," intro song.)

Because, with as much difficulty school and I have caused each other, it honestly is just about my
favorite thing ever....

Because I like classes.
I like learning.
I like teachers,
(even the crazy ones).
I like studying.
I like homework.

Not to mention being on THIS amazing campus:

Yeah.
I love it.

And this coming Monday just so happens to be the first day of Fall Semester.

And I just so happen to be taking THESE awesome classes:

Advanced Writing/Critical Thinking
University Orchestra
Business for the Professional Artist
Watercolor I
Printmaking I


Excited OUT OF MY MIND,
Monica.

Mountains, Trees, and Mondays: Hiking Souls and Hiking Soles

I've had this crazy idea in my head for some time now.

And it goes like this:

Every Saturday that permits, I want to go hiking.
Because everything about my soul/personality yearns for hiking.

And for goodness sake, THIS is where I live:

Hmmmm.
Yeah, I'd say it's about time to get myself out there.
But this CRAZY idea of mine has two flaws:

1. Winter is approaching. Fast. And I'd rather avoid hypothermia and frostbite, thank you very much.

2. Although I have a hiking SOUL,
and even hiking SOLES...
(meaning my beloved hiking shoes that I even drew a picture of once in art class)

...I don't exactly have a hiking BODY.

Because although things like
loving fruits and veggies,
doing yoga every morning,
attending a campus that is
built on the side of a monstrous hill,
and having a job where I lift heavy things and climb scaffolding and run around like a chicken with my head cut off (clearly this needs a post of its own in the future),
keep me in pretty healthy condition...
...that doesn't mean I'm ready to just up and hike all of Yellowstone.

Because I am also hypoglycemic.
And I have long suspected that I have exercise-induced asthma.
And the altitude here is KILLER.
And... I'm really just not that great at cardio stuff in general.

So, before I go out and take on REAL mountains,
looks like I'm going to be starting with some more figurative mountains.

Indoor heated gym with treadmills and stair climbers, here I come,
Monica.

Sweet and Savory Saturday: Brownies Save the Day

Now, despite this post's title suggesting that this day was bad enough to need saving, it was actually one of the best days I've had in quite a while.

There was even a beautiful thunderstorm.

Which always is rejuvenating.

...until it does THIS:

Not cool, rain.

Not.
Cool.
The remedy?

There are 2 parts.

PART I
Changing into pajamas with lightning speed the second I get home.
(Which explains why I am not actually WEARING the jeans in that picture. No way was I taking the time for a photo op).

PART II
These.

mmmmmm.
And what makes them even BETTER is the fact that I hardly had to do ANY work to make them.

Because this is one of those fancy shmancy recipes that makes a BUNCH of dry mix at a time.

Like this:

Mix together
8C sugar
5 1/2C fllour
2 1/2C cocoa
4 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp salt
Then, when it rains on your pants, you can just pull one of these:

To make 8x8" pan of brownies, combine
2C mix
1/2C melted butter
2 eggs
vanilla.
(Oh, and throw in some chocolate chips if you feel like it. Apparently from that picture, I only halfway felt like it).

Cook for 20 min. at 350.
Ending this post abruptly because I have to get my hands on those bad boys,
Monica.

Green and Thrifty Thursdays: My Kind of "GREEN."

(during this post, you can expect to be bombarded with debatebly relevant "green" pictures).

(like that one).
So, um... "GREEN."

That can mean quite a few different things.

Even once you narrow it down to definitions related to environmental responsibility, we've still got quite the wide spectrum, here.

So, let's take this in small doses of categories.

Because I love categories.

This is what "green" means to me:

OUR BODIES

Now, I'm not a scientist and will never claim to know everything when it comes to taking care of our bodies.
In fact, I honestly know very little.
However, I think one thing is for sure:
God would not have put us on a planet that did not have the resources to
grow,
fuel,
and
heal
our physical bodies.
That being said, I believe that when it comes to the food we consume and the remedies we use to heal our bodies, the Earth is the best place to look first.

Of course there is a place for modern medicines developed by science.
And that place is right after a good foundation of natural, diligent health habits and practices.

Don't get me wrong. I'm a big fan of science.
In fact, I believe that science is a rather spiritual thing.
(now THAT is a post for another time!)
But I think it is so important to take care of our bodies and avoid symptoms, rather than just mask the symptoms once they inevitably come up.

(And just in case you're wondering, I do not advocate striving to make our bodies like that green guy up there. Because then doing healthy things like yoga and eating salads would become exceptionally awkward).
OUR MINDS:

Stress.
It happens.
A lot.

But once again, I think that our Heavenly Father really thought ahead on this one, too.
Because although everyone has different ways of relaxing and rejuvinating, many of these sources come from the Earth.

Our minds are stimulated by our senses, and planet Earth has those covered pretty well.

There are things we see.

There are things we hear.

There are things we touch.

There are things we smell.

There are things we taste.

And experiencing all of these things that nature has to offer can do a LOT for the sanity of our minds. Is it any coincidence that the sound of the ocean waves or the scent of lavender flowers are common sources of "relaxation?"
OUR HOMES:

Now, this is a category that I can actually feel pretty good about writing.
Why?
Because it's the one where I actually have pretty extensively implemented my "green" ideals.

Basically, this is how I feel about common household cleaners:

Okay, okay, it's a bit dramatic.

And goodness knows I'm not criticizing ANYONE for using such products.
(Because judging others is just about the silliest thing I've ever heard of).

But I just couldn't take it anymore. I would rather have my house a little dirty than
sprayed,
swiped,
and sprinkled
with chemicals that make me cough and choke as I use them.

Whaaaaaaaat?????

It didin't sit well with me.

Using safe, chemical-free, even home-made cleaning supplies is probably one of the most popularly accepted forms of "going green."

First of all, it's LESS EXPENSIVE in the long run.
And most of the time, in the short run, too!
But also, it is just comforting to know that what we are wiping off our kitchen table with is safe, clean, and half the time made with the same ingredients that we use in the dinner we put on that table!

Plus they don't induce wheezing and choking.
Which, you know, is always a plus.
OUR FAMILIES:

What? Your family doesn't look like that?

OH.

Well needless to say, I don't think I'm going to go into much detail with this category.
Because my family, at the moment, is more like this:

And there is no way that I'm going to start talking about how to raise a family.

BUT, I have my nice little family of two.
And I'm quite fond of it.
And I think that the way we run our family now is so very important to how it will turn out later as it grows.

And we like our family green.

And, you know, it helps that my husband is kind of a HORTICULTURE major.
(Not to be confused with Herbology. As far as I have seen, Professor Sprout does not hide out in the BYU-I campus greenhouses.)
(As far as I have seen....)

But I just am a BIG advocate of encouraging all generations - ancient or brand new - to be conscious and, at the least, respectful of the environment.

More on this "consciousness" later.
OUR CONSUMERISM:

I'm NOT going to tell you to only support/purchase from companies that are environmentally friendly.
Why?

Three reasons:
1. Telling people what to do is just as silly as judging people.
2. I would be a hypocrite.
3. It is almost as impossible as it gets.

With the complexities of businesses, it is impossible to tell that every little decision they make is made with regard to the health of the planet.
For goodness sake, it isn't even possible to determine that they make decisions in regard to OUR health.

But what we CAN do is be as self reliant as is possible (or sane) for our own specific circumstances, thus reducing our consumerism altogether.
We can also do our best to buy our food locally, and (if possible) from organic farmers and ranchers. Not only is this healthier for ourselves, but it also supports our communities rather than large companies that try (and succeed) to monopolize food.
OUR OUTPUT:

About a month ago, our apartment complex announced that there will now be recycling bins by our dumpsters.

It was cause of much rejoicing for my family.

Because as much as me might like to think that all of our waste is vaporized into nonexistence...

it isn't.

It DOES end up in the oceans.
It DOES end up in the rivers.
It DOES end up in the soil.
It DOES end up in the air.

And we DO need those things in order to survive.

Now let's just make it clear that I am not saying this little planet of ours is a fragile thing.
God is smart enough to not make something that relied on the perfection of man.
The Earth is just about as enduring as it gets.

But just because someone gives you a diamond doesn't mean you are careless with it.
OUR CONSCIOUSNESS:

(No, I'm not really sure why an elephant represents consciousness, either.)

No one is perfect at this.
For some of us, recycling is as far as we get.
For others, we grow our own produce in our backyards.
And then there are those that go out and to things like this:

(Just to be clear, I am not advocating such actions.)
(But I DO advocate wearing one of those bad boys to a Halloween party.)

But the BEST thing that we CAN do?
BE CONSCIOUS.

And not just in regard to your current state of brain function.

I believe it is so important to just be AWARE of the importance of protecting our environment. Because it is our state of awareness that defines our choices.
Be aware,
be educated,
and be a
VOICE
so that others can do the same.
OUR SPIRITUALITY:

As a member of
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints,
I am a big fan of gifts from God.

He is quite generous when it comes to His children.

Also, I believe this:
"Unto whom much is given much is required."

And golly, if the creation of THIS doesn't qualify as "much"...

...then apparently I misunderstand the difficulty of
creating a world.

And whatever your spiritual beliefs be, I think it is so important to be grateful for this beautiful planet.
And to show respect for where it came from,
and respect for those who will be alive to see where it's going.

So there you have it.

This (in no few words) is what "green" means to me.

Oh, and just for good measure....

I don't know about you, but I know what I'M going as for Halloween,
Monica.