Growing up

Do you remember when you were little and in Elementary school, and at least twice a year the teacher would ask you what you wanted to be when you grow up? I remember very well. Every time I was asked that I had a totally different answer:

"I want to be a ballerina!"

"A Paleontologist!"

Or most memorably, "A marine biologist!" 

Yes, I got teased for that. The strange child who liked spinach and math, plus planning to live on a houseboat in the middle of the ocean to study fish. Weird wasm't a strong enough word.

After Elementary school I changed my mind at LEAST six times. I finally settled on being an Author. But then I thought, "Why settle on just one?". So add 'Concert Pianist', 'Jeweler', and 'Teacher' to the list. I think it is healthy to have many interests. So I am learning how to play piano from an amazing teacher and friend, and practicing making jewelry, and learning knowledge and patience to become the world's best teacher.

When I first started writing, I was twelve, almost thirteen. My first attempt at writing stories resulted in a 36 page manuscript(unfinished) that I gave to my parents on Christmas morning. I read it to my family while we were all still in our pj's, surrounded by heaps of torn wrapping paper and scattered gifts. When I read I was so nervous about having my work, my inner thoughts really, bared for those I loved to see, that I stuttered on every other word. After I finished reading, my parents praised me so much that I blushed with pride, and told me that I could be a writer if I wanted to, that they loved their gift. I am sure that that is one of the happiest days in my memory, among the top five. The reason why, is that looking back at that old manuscript, which I kept, I realize that it was terrible! The font was huge and impossible to read, the grammar a mess, and the story was barely a pamphlet in length. But my parents loved it because I put my heart and soul into it, honestly giving my all to please them. They saw the needle in that ramshackle haystack, rather than a pile of cow fodder. And for that I am forever grateful.

I have been amazingly blessed with the resources, family, and friends that I need to fulfill my dreams. I am also trying to be open minded about it though, because I know that plans change on a dime according to circumstance, and circumstance is something I cannot control or predict. I know that despite all of this, I still need help. Yet another reason why I love my parents, because I do not know anyone who could ever lead me right as they do. They are the reason I am the way I am today.

Happy Mother's day Mom. I love you. :)

Love,

Your devoted writer,

Cody

'Baby, I love you.' aka, the flirting game.

 I can chock at least half of social awkwardness up to flirting. It presents to other girls a standard of how to act and what gets noticed, and as time goes on most guys are completely desensitized to the normal and far more subtle interest of some pretty amazing girls. I know at least a hundred such young women. When I see a girl flirting, I am caught somewhere between 'She is going to blind the guy with that smile or the hurricane force winds off those hummingbird-speed eyelashes', and 'Why do guys notice that and not me just being me?”'.

          Don't get me wrong-flirting has it's place. When a guy flirts with you in a non-creepy-just-trying-to-make-you-smile kind of way, then it is fun and innocent, as long as that isn't the normal behavior. I cannot speak for the young men-why, I know plenty who look like they love the attention. And maybe this is just the ramblings of a silly girl, but I think that we should all keep to the age-old saying, 'all things in moderation'. Throwing your attention around is TOTAL overkill, likely to kill. Either through the breaking of sincerely interested souls or through actual maiming. I have seen some killer flirting in my few years!

        Imagine for a moment that there is a country called 'Flirtasia', filled with amazing people all going about their days with their eye-catching ways and beautiful clothes. You have to be noticeable to be noticed. Off the shore of this country is an island called 'Uncharted', populated by people in robes and sandals, always looking for ways to better themselves and ways to help others. The people on this island are without contact with the mainland, except for those rare occasion when someone from the mainland takes a chance and goes beyond themselves to make contact.

        That small island is where I live most days. It gets lonely sometimes, and other times I wish I could move to the mainland and be just like all of the other girls. But most days I remember who I am, and I think of how much Heavenly Father loves me, that he made me the way I am for a reason and especially for someone special. That one day, maybe, that person will leave the mainland to find me. When I remember this, I am happy again. So as with most things, I will just, wait.

As always,

Your faithful writer,

Cody

Puppy Love

We are fostering a puppy!(Vicki mostly)

He is the cutest little guy in the whole world! <3


Later!
Cody

SpRiNg FlOwErs!!!

#1: The very first day....

 

#2: My choice of flora...

 

#3: Only three days later!! And they have already grown since these pictures were taken just this morning! My flower garden will be awesome this year. :)

Wish me luck in this grand endeavor!

Cody

Who doesn't love a fairytale?

Have you ever read the real story of 'the little mermaid'? It's a beautiful story, about love and devotion and sacrifice. However, Hans Christian Anderson's original tale is far from the Disney movie. I think we have all seen it, full of catchy songs and talking crabs, and in the end she gets the prince and they live happily ever after. 
The real story isn't so peachy. The little mermaid doesn't get her voice taken away by the witches magic, but by her tongue being cut out. Mermaids live for 300 years but have no immortal soul. There is no talking crab, or even a crab mentioned. The Prince calls the little mermaid his 'foundling', and loves her more than anyone. But he doesn't know who she really is, or that she saved his life, and he marries another girl. And because she needed to marry him to have a soul and live, the little mermaid dies and turns into sea foam. 
This sounds like a tragedy. Or even a bad breakup story if you don't know the whole story. But it isn't. It's a love story, because even through all of this, she loves him more than the world and would rather die than hurt him. 
That is my favorite story by Hans Christian Anderson, and I would encourage you all to read it if you haven't. 

Later!
Your studious writer,
Cody

Dear Citizens of Earth...

Greetings from Planet 'What the Heck??!'. We do not come in peace.

This is week four of living in Missouri, and I am finally settling in. I have amazing friends, a loving family, and am still STUFFED from Thanksgiving. So why the strange opening? I'll tell you why: Guys.
        It is a remarkable phenomenon, the effect that guys have on us girls. The usually intelligent, charming young ladies are replaced by fumble-footed teenage girls who can't think straight. We worry about what guys think of us, have rapidly changing moods from all the worry, and spend ten extra minutes in the bathroom 'getting our pretty on'.
           All of this is from personal experience, and might not even apply to some girls. But the truth of it is, if you asked the average girl what she thinks most about, guys would be right at the top of her list.
        Now with guys, there is also a list of things on their mind. And after a quick survey, I have the top three things. They are, in no particular order:

•          Girls

•         Food

•      breathing

      I cannot reveal where I got this information.
      So, in the end, both guys and girls are confused, and we all walk away trying to figure out why we act the way we do. Not the end of the story, but as far as I will go on the topic. 

     Thank you all of my awesome friends for being here through all of my randomness, and tolerating my 'red alert' attitude towards anything to do with guys. :)
     
      Love,
     the fumble-footed, semi-intelligent girl herself,
     Cody




 

The Hiccups

So suddenly it's October. Where did the month go?

Hello again! Hope you all had a fantastic September!

I am afraid, dear reader, that I have the hiccups. Again. For the last six months or so I get them almost every day, sometimes multiple times a day, I get stuck inhaling whatever food/drink/gum that was in my mouth. Yum, right?

But while it has this obvious irritant, it does have at least one upside.

      Laughter.

It doesn't matter who it is, it seems that nothing lightens a atmosphere better than a badly timed hiccup that is a cross between a donkey and a strangled cat. Last night during Family Home evening, we started our reading ten minutes late because even mom and dad were gripping their sides. Meanwhile I tried to smother myself.

But what are hiccups, I began to wonder. And where did they come from?  These questions nagged at me until I could stand it no longer. I had to know.

      THE HICCUPS: A study in synopsis 

A hiccup is a contraction of the diaphragm that repeats several times per minute. In humans, the abrupt rush of air into the lungs causes the epiglottis to close, creating a "hic" sound.

• The medical term, singultus, is thought to have originated from the Latin, singult, which translates roughly as "the act of catching one's breath while sobbing.

• A bout of hiccups, in general, resolves itself without intervention

• Some doctors recommend that you put your fingers in your ears to stop hiccups.

• Sticking out your tongue and yanking on it may stop hiccups.

• If you eat fast, you are probably not chewing food thoroughly, which seems to cause hiccups.

•  American man Charles Osborne had the hiccups for 68 years, from 1922 to 1990, and was entered in the Guinness World Records  as the man with the longest attack of hiccups.

   I found all of this fascinating, though I guess a lot of people(possibly you) do not. But hey, people surprise me every day. :)

   

   Later!

   Your writer,

   Cody <3 <3