Words

I believe that words have power.  Sticks and stones do break bones, but words will hurt us long after broken bones are done healing.

I hardly ever think about the time I broke my wrist in Kindergarten.  But there are times when all I can do is run hurtful words that people have said to me over and over again in my head. Even if they happened in Elementary school, they're still there.

Someday I'll be able to shake off those words.

Growing Up

Lately I've felt like I've outgrown Provo.  Like I need to get out of here.  Fast.  There's so much more STUFF outside of Utah.  Stuff that I need to be a part of, that I need to experience. 

I'm finally able to admit to myself how unhappy I am in Utah. I've spent the last 5 years being so busy defending the state against haters that come to BYU and call the people that live here Utards that I pushed down the fact that I wasn't happy here anymore. 

Don't get me wrong, there are so many good things about this place, and it will always be my home.  But I'm tired. Tired of the social and religious pressures that are put on me.  Tired of feeling as though my life, my REAL LIFE hasn't started yet.

I'm moving in August. I'm moving with no money, and no job, but heaps and heaps of excitement. 

I'm ready. I'm set. I'm going.

If I Were Mitt Romney

If I were Mitt Romney, I wouldn't work on downplaying my religion.  I would instead promote answering questions that people had about Mormonism in order to promote understanding about Mormonism. 

I just read in Newsweek that one-fourth of registered voters who aren't LDS are much less likely to vote for a candidate because they are LDS, and we have politicians who (while I will grant that they don't hide that they're Mormon) spend the whole time trying to prove that they can be good people in spite of the fact that they're LDS. (Here's the link to the Newsweek article: http://www.newsweek.com/2011/06/05/mormons-rock.html, I like it) 

My personal feelings are that these people should own the fact that they are LDS.  Promote understanding of the LDS Church, and (suprise!) understanding comes.  Right now people think we're too weird. (Who can blame them? If they don't actually search out answers, all of their info seems to come from the most random of places.) 

I guess that may be my problem with Mr. Romney and Mr. Huntsman.  It feels too much like they are spending all of their time trying to downplay their religion. Members of the Church are good people, and I wish that they would use this opportunity to prove that.

P.S.- I listened to the music from the Book of Mormon musical, and I mostly enjoyed it.  Horrible language, but also quite amusing.