My Busy Life = More Links For You

I'm dreadfully sorry about how silent I've been over here. What with working six days a week, and now getting ready to go camping, I haven't really had much free time...
Here's some links then (I will try to post before I leave, but can't promise anything):

A friend of mine makes and sells jewelry, and she and her brother just designed a website:
http://dawningjewelry.com/

And here's another blog I discovered (and absolutely love!):
http://littlebandofbrothers.blogspot.ca/

If you are looking for free music, here is a site where you can get it for free - legally. All sorts of new artists, and some famous ones, put their music up here for people to listen to and download. I do have to warn you, some of the music is terrible. But I've also found some of my favourite artists here:
https://www.noisetrade.com/

My Summer Life

Sunburnt faces and arms and legs.

Dirty fingernails, stained hands.

Aching shoulders, burning muscles, sweaty exhaustion.

Talking and teasing and laughing.

Tanned bodies, healthy smiles.

Fast hands, strong limbs, cool, sweet water.

   On Monday I started my summer job: working on a vegetable farm. Right now we are hoeing the veggies - long, long rows of onions and tomatoes and squash and beans... The sun this past week - especially today - has been very hot. And of course I never wear enough sunscreen. My muscles and body are finally starting to get used to the hard physical labour, after being sore all week long. :P But I'm not complaining. I love my job. After being cooped up all winter, sitting around doing school, it is tremendously wonderful to be able to get outside, enjoy the sunshine, and get in shape. A few other bonuses are that I get to hang out with friends - right now my friends JJK and SK have been hoeing with me every day - my arms and legs and face get nice and tanned, and my hair's natural highlights brighten after slowly fading all winter.
   No matter how hot, long, or exhausting my day was, I always look back and feel that it was a good day. Maybe it's the hard work, the sense of accomplishment. Or perhaps it's the huge intake of Vitamin D, and that wonderful feeling of being able to be outside all day. Or maybe it's the memories I make, the good conversations my coworkers and I have, and the laughter we all share. It could be something else altogether, but I think it's a mixture of everything. I can't really explain the feeling I have even after a long day's work. But I can tell you this: I love my job, my boss is wonderful and easy-going, and I usually have a lot of fun with my coworkers as we get our work done.

On Writing A Journal

   I have written in a journal (or diary, it's really the same thing) ever since I received one for my 10th birthday. Not faithfully, I must admit. In fact I'm probably the last person who should be writing this post. There have been times where literally months have gone by without me so much as picking up my diary. But I've always gotten back into writing. I don't know what it is, but there is something so wonderfully compelling about writing out my hopes, dreams, successes, failures, and memories, so they will always be remembered... my life: a little part of history...
   I see journaling as three things:

1. recording history for future generations
2. a way to clear my thoughts - journaling seems to put things in perspective for me
3. an exercise in writing

   In only a few more days I will have filled up the last pages of my sixth diary. I want to share with you some of the things I have learned over the last several years about keeping a journal. I hope to make your journaling experience more enjoyable than I hope it already is. I know not everyone encounters the same obstacles when they are writing in their diary or journal, but I hope my tips help you out - even just a little.

1. Don't feel as though you have to write about something.

   I would have to say this is the most important tip I have to give you. I've had so many times when something has happened in my life and I've thought 'oh, I should write about this in my diary!' But then I didn't have time, and events to write about started to accumulated. Eventually I would simply procrastinate, because I really didn't feel like writing about everything that had happened to me. Writing in my diary became more of a chore than an enjoyment.
   Rather recently I realized I don't have to write everything that happens to me. (Honestly, you'd think it would be sort of a no-brainer.) I find it very hard to find time to write about everything, and no one except me is going to care if I skip over an event. When I feel I should write about something and don't want to I ask myself if it is really important. Most of the events in my life no one will ever realize even happened, unless it's my wedding - and I need to find a boyfriend before that happens ;) . If you ask yourself this, and still feel you must write about an event, but you'd rather not write about it in great detail, try to provide a summary instead, with some parts that you found interesting or special. (For instance: I had my graduation last month. My grad dress was red and I absolutely loved it. AA looked very spiffy and BB look very pretty in her dress. CC cleaned up nicely too. I didn't realize XX was graduating, and it was a pleasant surprise to see her :) The whole event was very lovely, and afterwards I had some family and friends come over to help me celebrate.). If you try my suggestions, but you still feel the need to write about everything, you could limit yourself. For instance, write only about what has happen the previous week, the past three days, or the last 24 hours.

2. Write about anything. (don't forget to keep my previous tip in mind!)
   When I write in my diary I write about anything that comes to mind, from what I ate when I went out for dinner the previous evening, to my deepest hopes and fears. I write about events that have affected me, and I record world-recognized catastrophes. A few 'letters', to God and to no one in particular, have made themselves comfortable between the pages of my diary, as have a couple 'poems' I've thought up, some prayers, and even a few lists. I also find, personally, that when my mind is racing about something that is troubling me, the very best thing I can to is sit down and write it out in my diary. Somehow doing this seems to put things into proper perspective, and helps me to think straight.
   You could also write out your favourite quotes (I have a separate book for that), stick in your best recipes, or write out short stories. If you travel, you could add details such as how far you traveled that day, or what time you arrived at your destination. Your journal is the story of your walk through life. Anything that affects you is just another beautiful addition to your own special story.
 

3. If you find yourself short on time schedule in 10-15 minutes at the end of your day. 
   I don't know about you, but I live a very busy life. I find it very difficult to make time to write in my diary. I have discovered that the few minutes of pause ate the end of my day are the very best for remembering what has happened during the day, and for collecting my scattered thoughts. It helps my brain to slow down enough for me to fall asleep.

   If you are not at all a night person, you might want to try writing in your diary during the few minutes before your day starts. If you hit the day running, you could even try to wake up a few minutes earlier. I recommend one of these time slots, but if that just isn't possible, you could try to set a specific time every day where you sit down and take a moment to write in your journal and pause from your busy schedule. Do you usually eat lunch by yourself? Bring your diary along. Don't worry if you miss a day, a week, or even a month (although, that is what we are trying to avoid... ) You can always pick it up again. If you have a time scheduled in, set aside for this one thing, you will be more likely to write in your diary faithfully.

                                     

4. Add flair and colour. (This isn't so much a tip as a suggestion)

   A few months ago I was getting very inspired by my favourite blogs, and I really wanted to start my own blog. I knew, however, that I would never have enough time to write a blog and still spend the necessary amount of time on my piano and school. And of course I wasn't going to blog instead of having a social life. Starting up a blog at that point would have been foolish. So instead I decided to bring a little colour into my diary. I've used colourful scraps of paper, I've torn out blank pages from old notebooks, and one page is written entirely on stickey notes. After I went snowboarding at Blue Mountain ski resort this past winter I attatched both the the resort map and my day pass to my journal. Recently I pressed a lilac between the pages of my diary, and now it smells like a dream. You could also add newspaper clippings, magazine articles or comic strips, or write with colourful pens - really anything that interests you at the time.
   I find doing this just make journaling a little more fun. Now when I flip through the pages of my diary I am greeted by splashes of colour. Ordinary events I still write on ordinary journal pages, and the combination of normal and colour sort of highlights special events and thoughts.
   This does take a bit more time, so I would not recommend doing this if you always find yourself short of time.


   I hope these tips and suggestions have been helpful for making your journaling experience just that much more enjoyable and interesting. Please feel free to let me know what you think, or if you have any other journaling tips!

Graduation

   On Saturday my younger brother graduated from grade 8, and I graduated from grade 12. It's kind of crazy. I'm done school. And because I'm not going to college or university, I'm never going to be in school again. Of course, I will always be learning. I love learning, and just because I'm done school does not mean I'm going to stop. For instance, I plan, Lord willing, to work towards my teacher's ARCT over the next five years. That is a lot of learning. Also, this summer I am going to write a paper on Biblical Courtship. Technically I was supposed to have it done for grad, but there was no way I could get that done on top of my other school work. I am very excited to write it; the topic interests me immensely.  Also, I have a long list of books to read - both classic and theological. Probably about 40 in total.

   I don't think the fact that I've graduated from school has hit me completely yet. Now is the time of my life. I never have to do school again. I never have to learn something I don't want to learn again. I can focus on my piano and working. I can get married - If I meet the man of my dreams. I almost feel a sense of freedom - which is, perhaps, ridiculous, because it's not like I'm going to get a job and move out and do whatever I want. I'm still under my parents' roof, and under their authority. I can't really explain it. But it is a good feeling. :)

Summer Weather and Fresh Links

This week I unfortunately do not have very much time for blogging, as I am trying to finish the last bit of school in time for my graduation on Saturday. I thought that I would share with you some of my favourite links instead of writing a blog post :)

Here is a site that some of my friends and I waste many enjoyable hours on :) The name says it all:
I Waste So Much Time

He also has three other sites: (but the first one is my favourite)
Attack of the Cute
Dear Blank, Please Blank
Grouchy Rabbit

*I do not agree with everything that is posted, but a lot of  it is very funny (or adorable in the case of 'Attack of the Cute')

The following blog is the one that really inspired me to get into blogging in the first place. I absolutely love it:
A Beautiful Mess

A friend of mine posted this video on facebook:
Beautiful Ad

And here's the site that I usually get all my song lyrics off of, when I want to put lyrics on my ipod:
AZLyrics

Enjoy!
I'm working on another blog post, but you might have to wait until next week.

' Think Cozy Thoughts'

   I'm wearing my coziest hoodie and wishing for a steaming mug of hot chocolate with hazelnut cream. The weather is rather rainy and dreary and cold outside. Which is kind of crazy, because only two days ago I was fixing my tan in 34 degree weather (I say 'fixing' because I pretty much never tan with a purpose, but I have my graduation next Saturday, and I'd rather not have tan lines!). This is a 'Think Cozy Thoughts' sort of day. And I'm not complaining - today's showers have come on the tail end of a dry spell. We've needed the rain.