tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-74358488879590263882024-02-19T16:24:47.442-07:00HillecamHillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04026504113468304478noreply@blogger.comBlogger307125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7435848887959026388.post-29340899983536775562016-03-15T13:19:00.001-07:002016-03-15T13:19:13.617-07:00The BucketHillist: See Muse Live <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<br /><br /><b>What:</b> Muse live, Drones World Tour 2015-2016<br /><br /><b>When: </b>Saturday, December 5, from 6:30 p.m. - Sunday, December 6, 12:30 a.m.<br /><br /><b>With:</b> Bonnie, Matt Bellamy (vocals, guitar, piano), Dominic Howard (drums), Chris Wolstenholme (bass), some seriously sedated-by-liquor-or-marijuana individuals, and a cheerful security guard. Oh, and a thousand other people that I experienced immediate kinship with.<br /><br /><b>Where:</b> Glendale Arena.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Why: </b>Some orchestra friends introduced me to "Starlight" in 2008 and I fell in love with the song immediately. Later I discovered their album Absolution in 2009 that reaffirmed that real, good rock was not dead. <br /><br />Annnnd over the last six years or so after listening and pining over their music and wanting to finally attend their concert, my love for their music remains unchanged but rather more deeply appreciated as each new album released. <br /><br /> Thought-provoking lyrics that attribute inspiration to 1984, music deeply inspired by Queen, and heavy piano solos laced with memorable guitar solos serve the foundation for why I love them so. <br /><br />But there's so much more - they serve as my muse in many different ways: from learning more Chopin on piano because his "Nocturne In E-Flat Major, Op.9 No.2" gets attributed in "<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_of_Eurasia">United States of Eurasia</a>," to keeping me motivated during every <a href="http://hillso.blogspot.com/2013/11/a-runners-ode.html">running race and weekend run</a> since I began hitting the pavement (2008-2009), to influencing my wardrobe by motivating me to add <a href="https://youtu.be/R8OOWcsFj0U">some sneakers </a>and a leather jacket. <br /><br />Long story short: They're my favorite band of all time. I need to stop trying to explain why, I feel weird - no matter how hard I try to write about why they're pretty much favorite, the words never adequately accomplish what I hope to express. <b><i>That's a reason I love music so much - it takes words and heightens and transcends them into deeper emotions. </i></b><br /><br />So let's move on to the actual concert. <br /><br />It began with some sweet potato fries and Smashburgers, then Bonnie and I rocked out to Muse during the entire car ride over, songs I specifically selected based on the set-list homework I conducted prior. I found not psyching myself up for certain songs (<i>they have seven freaking studio albums for crying out loud!</i>) and for others massively improves my live experience - <i>can you tell I've gone to probably <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/ynAAj3iu1K17Vf5AmZZffMgaabNyTLcvBUPJQ0/?taken-by=hillecam">too</a> <a href="http://hillso.blogspot.com/2013/04/goodbye-march.html">many</a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/6qFY9WCuy2vwhkgSWv6Vkrg_qNdzy7dA16IKk0/?taken-by=hillecam">concerts</a></i>? </div>
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<br />We went sufficiently early - so we visited the merch tent and I purchased their classic logo t-shirt I dreamed of purchasing and wearing since 2012. I hope it's a shirt I can hold on to for decades to come and it'll serve as my "Oh yeah, I was there" and maybe "I'm a cool mom and you have no idea" shirt.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br /><br />After some time waiting on the floor level after their "meh" opening band performed (<i>Sorry Phantogram, wasn't feeling you!</i>), almost getting my DSLR confiscated by the security guards (they said I "barely" made the cutoff with my lens size - so thank me for the amazing images and footage below), and speculating with Bonnie about what the crew men hanging from the ceiling risers had in mind for those robotic-looking things - I blinked and noticed a random futuristic army man (similar to Halo or a <a href="http://thehungergames.wikia.com/wiki/Peacekeepers">Hunger Games peacekeeper</a>) march around the stage on the floor behind security. </div>
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Very subtle in a giant crowd, but it gave me chills. <br /><br />A few riotous noises from other floor participants responded to this as well. And then the lights dimmed...<br /></div>
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<br />Imagine having a "drone" flying ten feet right above your head, slowly floating down towards your face, and they're singing, "Killed by drones." Queue a slight overwhelming sense of terror and excitement that this could be a musical apocalypse (<i>consult Bonnie's reaction in above video</i>). Then they ran on stage and began their <a href="http://www.setlist.fm/setlist/muse/2015/gila-river-arena-glendale-az-33f2fc39.html">set list</a> with the new single "Psycho" from their new album, <i>Drones </i>and the show took off. <br /><br /><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-V2hlpckRnpw/VueUCcyKhXI/AAAAAAAAEpI/8Wli8GvfkI46hJ_ltpPr8lmlIMoMnBO7Q/s1600/IMG_0841.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-V2hlpckRnpw/VueUCcyKhXI/AAAAAAAAEpI/8Wli8GvfkI46hJ_ltpPr8lmlIMoMnBO7Q/s640/IMG_0841.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
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With drones floating around, the circular rotating stage in the center of the whole audience, the multi-angle cameras panning super-close ups of the bands' faces and hands on their instruments, the million different lights and special effects displayed in a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FGJWBBzZgHM">multi-media 360 degree experience</a> - it's no wonder they <a href="http://muse.mu/news,las-vegas-and-san-diego-tour-update_1719.htm">announced a few postponed U.S. shows</a> due to tour size and described it as a <a href="https://youtu.be/UBa2mG11T3c">"ridiculous ambitious tour we've taken on... bitten off quite a lot" when they accepted their Grammy last month</a>.<br />
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Fun fact - yes, I go all nerdy and read up on my bands, did you know <a href="https://youtu.be/Cx8DA-O8cwo">they worked with the same man</a> who created Pink Floyd's "The Wall" tour?<br />
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Let's not forget the pristine sound quality - my camera doesn't do it full justice, but it does do a bang-up job showing it - hearing them live almost sounded just like their recordings and it required me to pinch myself multiple times. I couldn't believe I was there and it was real.<br />
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I'm really glad I saw them when I did - I liked this album so much than their previous one, they decided it was time to revisit their <i>Absolution </i>album, and, of course, they kept the best from every album in this line-up.<br />
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I'm also grateful we spent a little more for floor "seats." Although we chose to stand on the fringes to avoid having tall guys block our view, beer spilled on us, mushroom clouds, and/or any potential moshes (again, I've had my fair share from experience), we still had the fortune to get up and close with the band.<br />
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The band definitely made contact with their audience in every angle. Matt ran out to the edges of the stage and looked down and rocked out to Bonnie,me, and maybe seven other people hanging on the side - more chills went down my spine. I often forget my favorite musicians are real, tangible people!<br />
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Chris and Matt would rotate ends of the stage so we got a handful of close-ups with their songs.<br />
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To be honest, I didn't record a lot of my most favorite songs because I chose to (try to) absorb the whole experience, and I started rocking out to "Uprising," "Supermassive Black Hole," "Hysteria," and "Knights of Cydonia," so I didn't take footage or images due to some serious head-banging.<br />
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But there was other amazing things going on with the stage during, I promise you. The encore finished with some serious streams of confetti and probably a long evening ahead for the janitorial crew.<br />
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<br />Bonnie and I <b><i>couldn't even </i></b>when the show ended. I stood there for minutes stunned, paralyzed by the sheer awesomeness. Then like a herd, they began goading us out through the exits to our cars. <br /><br />We sat in my car for 45 minutes talking about how much we loved them, how long we dreamed seeing them, and how unreal the experience was. </div>
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Bonnie determined this post-excitement thrill selfie worthy. I'm glad she convinced me to snap one.<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , "trebuchet" , "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; line-height: 18.48px;"><br /></span></div>
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<br />Like I said, I could probably still go on and on about how much I love this band and why this concert was amazing - but I'll wrap it up here.<br /><br />Muse is THE rock band for our generation - as <a href="http://puluche.com/reviews/queen-a-night-at-the-opera-95/">a former classic rock album critic</a> and <a href="http://universe.byu.edu/author/hillary-millecam/">music columnist </a>for my university's paper I feel highly qualified to make this statement. So if you haven't given them a shot already, I'd encourage you to try. </div>
Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04026504113468304478noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7435848887959026388.post-42662661596540710872016-01-12T16:23:00.000-07:002016-01-12T16:23:59.246-07:002016: A Year for Gratitude<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span data-offset-key="e13ia-0-0">One of the goals I made last year was to stop saying "Sorry" when it really wasn't necessary or I wasn't actually sorry. </span></div>
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<span data-offset-key="ffck2-0-0">I.E. Contributing ideas at work when it might challenge the discussion, asking questions that start with "Sorry to bug you," etc, etc... There's a lot of self-shaming that comes from using sorry outside of making genuine mistakes (Solid read <a href="http://www.fastcompany.com/3032112/strong-female-lead/sorry-not-sorry-why-women-need-to-stop-apologizing-for-everything">here</a>). </span></div>
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<span data-offset-key="ffck2-0-0">I don't really do "resolutions" so much anymore as I do themes - since I think goals need shorter, more measurable periods than a year, but can tie into something bigger long term. </span></div>
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<span data-offset-key="6d597-0-0">One of the three themes I picked this year involved "Gratitude." T<a href="http://brightside.me/article/stop-saying-sorry-if-you-want-to-say-thank-you-a-seriously-insightful-cartoon-57255/">his article</a> made me realize how I could replace one habit of self-shaming into something outward-focused and positive. it's amazing how turning "Sorrys" into "Thank Yous" makes all the difference. </span></div>
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On that note, thank you for reading my blog. Even when I write sporadically because I want to keep my life private or I decide all my thoughts need to go out into the world to fulfill themselves. </div>
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Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04026504113468304478noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7435848887959026388.post-4972910573615880462015-11-22T15:45:00.000-07:002015-11-23T10:46:41.999-07:00The MilleMarathon, Month 1<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Dear Friends, Family and Future Self,<br />
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I will run my first Full Marathon the end of February (<a href="https://www.raceentry.com/races/phoenix-marathon/2016/register-referral/203873">the Phoenix Marathon</a>, specifically) and my training officially began a month ago.<br />
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I currently follow <a href="http://www.halhigdon.com/training/51138/Marathon-Novice-2-Training-Program">Hal Higdon's Novice 2 Marathon Program</a>, only slightly modified (different days), if anyone really wondered, and his routine definitely pushes me. The program lasts about four months and I wanted to document the fun quirks and isms about the journey before I forgot about all the details by the end.<br />
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Month 1 of 4 synopsis of the #MilleMarathon training:<br />
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<li>Yesterday's 11-mile run went great. Except when a giant black rat attacked me at Mile 3 and I screamed audibly high-pitched in front of a bunch of construction workers. I became a paranoid, emotional wreck all the way until Mile 6. </li>
<li>I slept 12 hours last night and feel like a new person.</li>
<li>I ate two lunches and two dinners yesterday. And a snack before bed so I could fall asleep without my stomach hurting. I feel like the Hulk in the kitchen.</li>
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<li>Don't. Don't. DON'T. Take any supplements or vitamin capsules a few hours prior to running. (In this case, Magnesium) Learned this the hard way on a Wednesday evening 6-Miler. </li>
<li>When I go shopping almost anywhere I usually think about what at that store can supplement my run... Nordstrom Rack - running jacket? Sprouts - Honey Stingers? WinCo - Water to put in my Camelbak?</li>
<li>I often want to blame Hal for making me get up and workout. I also imagine Hal feeling proud when I accomplish the exact mileage he wants in a week. </li>
<li>First two weeks were really rough. I'm not bothered by the distance but the increased frequency (i.e. four-runs per week) kills me.</li>
<li>Each week feels like its own personal accomplishment. </li>
<li>I sacrificed hip and leg flexibility for awesome cardio. And I suddenly really suck at Pilates and any exercise not constituted as running. Can't win them all I guess.</li>
<li>I can eat anything and it will not stick longer than two hours usually. I can also eat very little and tolerate feeling hungry for a longer span. </li>
<li>My butt went numb from Monday morning's run. In other news, also wore shorts in 53 degrees. </li>
<li>I hear about running groups and feel like the perfect candidate to join them until I think, "Oh, but they might not want to get up at 5 a.m. and run 8 miles." </li>
<li>Running three miles now = running one to two miles back then.</li>
<li>I have my first permanent blister on my left heel - more to come, no doubt.</li>
<li>I ran 79 miles total in the last 4 weeks. Yet I get the terrible looming notion that come January I will complete the same accumulative mileage in half that time. </li>
<li>I salute the crane who sits along the same spot by the lake and looks suspiciously at me as I run past him three-to-four times every week. Somebody holds me accountable at least. </li>
<li>Stretching sucks. And rocks. </li>
<li>I bought a massage ball and it so far saves my feet from crazy swelling. </li>
<li>I get irritated when seasoned runners tease or criticize my "cozy" 11:30 running pace. I'd like to point out that I never experienced any serious leg injury in the five years of half-marathon, Ragnar, and marathon training and all those running critics have. So, do what feels right, peeps. Haters gonna' hate. (Or laughers gonna' laugh?)</li>
<li>No feeling compares like running into a golden sunrise over Tempe Towne Lake. The colors in the sky reflect in the water and it feels mystical. </li>
<li>Additionally, a canoe-r or rower always seems out on that perfectly colored lake and it looks like that opening piano and bird scene in The Notebook. </li>
<li>Jackrabbits are very awake and active at 6 a.m.</li>
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Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04026504113468304478noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7435848887959026388.post-88644982480191447242015-08-28T19:50:00.000-07:002015-08-28T20:50:33.629-07:00What the Land of Extremes taught me<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I feel like a trip doesn't realize its full potential if I don't come back with some lessons learned, so here's what my experience in Iceland taught me:<br />
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<b>The Value of Simplicity. </b>After a little homework and a quick grocery store run, we learned the cheap eating staples for Icelandic people involved mainly Skyr, a Greek yogurt type, and Meusli, a oatmeal/steel cut oats breakfast meal. Very healthy, very filling, and honestly not extraordinarily tasty. But when I ate that stuff, I could hike for hours. With virtually other luxurious spices and flavors needing importing, I found it easy to feel grateful to access a good, simple fuel source that only took a few bites to sustain life indefinitely.<br />
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America makes these complex foods and diets for top sports performance, for rapid weight loss, for energy, etc. And it drives me nuts! I loved that Iceland was so modest and straightforward with health - how I think health should be.<br />
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Its clothing and transportation also very straightforward and modest in Iceland - it did its job and that was good enough.<br />
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Another way I learned simplicity came from just escaping into the mountains with no internet connection (or showers, cough) for days and thinking about all the unnecessary concerns I create in my own life. Stepping away from it all, and clearing my head made it easy to decide what day-to-day thoughts, worries, and frustrations back home just don't matter.<br />
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So I came home and unsubscribed from many emails and websites, cleared my inboxes, wore t-shirts and jeans with no makeup more often, stopped going to everything I felt pressured to attend before, and focused on the basic "sharpening the saw" things in my life.<br />
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I feel so grateful for simplification because it gives me time to focus and appreciate the little things more. Which leads to my next lesson learned.<br />
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<b>What and who really matters. </b><br />
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<i>(Spoiler Alert, skip this paragraph if you haven't seen Walter Mitty!)</i> A significant moment occurs in Walter Mitty after he travels through the Afghan mountains looking for the "quintessence of life" - he realizes what he looked for was back home in his pocket the whole time. I could analyze this story's outcome two different ways: either one lesson says we don't really need to travel because we have what we need where we stand or another lesson that traveling teaches us a new perspective that helps us to recognize the perfection in where we call home and the love connected to it.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-p9_qZk1pVEQ/VeEVMgVVTWI/AAAAAAAAD98/nMWzoLqbgtE/s1600/HillsoReykJanes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="260" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-p9_qZk1pVEQ/VeEVMgVVTWI/AAAAAAAAD98/nMWzoLqbgtE/s400/HillsoReykJanes.jpg" width="400" /></a>What I want to say from this analysis is that if you don't find an opportunity to travel then it's not a big deal as long as you can recognize the quintessence of your home, loved ones and work where you stand. But, unfortunately, for Walter and I, we need those new experiences to cherish the familiar ones more deeply.<br />
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As I stood overlooking grand oceans, deep volcanic craters, golden waterfalls, and astonishing fields of black rocks, my mind would wander and eventually trace back to those who I love and cared for. Those who mattered in my life. Those who I wished to express more gratitude and love for than prior to leaving. Those who I wish could share those moments with.<br />
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I also found who didn't matter barely crossed my mind too, whereas at home they constantly distracted my heart and mind from who should really have more of my time and attention. <b><i>The people and meaningful work I share in my life are essentially my quintessence. </i></b><br />
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<b>How to pronounce things in Icelandic. </b>Well, sort of...<br />
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Or in other words, gaining a new paradigm. So the slaughtering of Icelandic and immersing in a different culture always becomes a reminder that not everybody thinks the same way, but each way different countries approach life can be incredibly beautiful. I think I mostly struggled to wrap my head around how people could cope living somewhere so insanely cold nine months of the year. The Of Monsters and Men concert really helped me understand their perspective more deeply. Lead singer Nanna explained (in English!) how her song "Winter Sound" described her experience living in Iceland in the dead of winter.<br />
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This story she shared in song became a reminder that every place you live in comes with perks and with cons, and my trip definitely taught me the pros and cons from this place. Also, that there's a silver lining in the cons: I had the fortune to catch the Northern Lights the last night, and realized that God blesses these people with some incredibly beautiful things amidst their blistery, painful conditions. I didn't see any actual glaciers, but the pictures on Google justified themselves and showed how gorgeous winter can be.<br />
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Which leads to my final main lesson learned.<br />
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<b>God created a beautiful, marvelous world for us because he loves us. </b>My great travel buddy Bonnie helped me recognize this as she frequently stopped to go soak in the scenery around us on her own.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-j0pTPZFa6wU/VeEcNYed1-I/AAAAAAAAD-U/70Iz78_qhi4/s1600/NatureShot1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-j0pTPZFa6wU/VeEcNYed1-I/AAAAAAAAD-U/70Iz78_qhi4/s320/NatureShot1.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a>Frankly put, life is hard, and there's a lot of crap going on in this world. I really struggle lately as I see so many stories about shootings in my country, terrible bombings in other countries, economies falling apart and bad things happening to people trying to live through their already difficult problems. So many opinions on what's best, what's wrong in the world, what to do, who to be, what to look like, how to really succeed. Sometimes I find myself really disgusted to live in this world, but God shows his grace in the beautiful things around us, and in the not-always-noticed or unseen good things of the world. From the small wildflowers to the grand rolling waters, to magical glowing spring water and a place where lava and ice exist together, it's hard for me to deny a divine designer for it all.<br />
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So there you go, that's Iceland. Thank you world for always teaching me remarkable things and giving me incredible experiences. I feel very grateful for the opportunity to go abroad - for a job that provides the time and money for this, for the friends willing to take crazy journeys with me, and for modern transportation that makes it feasible to see the most northern corners of the Earth. Also, thank you for reading this. Now enjoy some pretty, epic pictures where I totally love life:<br />
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Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04026504113468304478noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7435848887959026388.post-16734248464083346792015-06-09T19:53:00.001-07:002015-06-09T20:14:33.345-07:00The BucketHillist: Phoenix Comicon<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Starting a new section to enjoy encountering later: The Buckethillist. These blog names, just pure genius oozing out man (sarcasm).<br />
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Anyway, I want to document these significant bucket list events for posterity, or personal hilarity... or for something I guess. Anyway, struggling to write a good introduction for this, so let's move on.<br />
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<b>BucketHillist #42: Attend a Comicon</b></h2>
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6vOZ6mla6i0/VXeghg3R3jI/AAAAAAAAD2w/gCFxgAZ21xE/s1600/Comicon%2BDr%2BWho%2B2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6vOZ6mla6i0/VXeghg3R3jI/AAAAAAAAD2w/gCFxgAZ21xE/s320/Comicon%2BDr%2BWho%2B2.JPG" width="240" /></a><b>What:</b> Phoenix Comicon - #PHXCC<br />
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<b>When: </b>Saturday, May 30, from 8:30 - 3:30 p.m.<br />
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<b>With: </b>Bonnie, Casey, Casey and 8000 other people<br />
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<b>Where:</b> Phoenix Convention Center, also the Phoenix Light Rail<br />
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<b>Why:</b> Whether it's a secret or not, that's up for the jury - but I'm a closet nerd who wanted to appreciate the free reigns to geek out with fellow beings who understood my enthusiasm for certain subjects of interest.<br />
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Comicon had this magical phenomenon over society I wanted to understand further. Also, I wanted to admire not-so closet nerds for their boldness in cosplay. The costumes were phenomenal man.<br />
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To name the costumes I called out in joy when I saw:</h3>
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<li>Dozens of Doctors from Dr. Who (and hundreds of fezzes)</li>
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<li>Still on the Dr. Who Train: Children dressed up as weeping angels, Daleks, companions, etc... (Dr. Who seemed to be the main champ for cosplay this year)</li>
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<li>Stormtrooper, "Sand Trooper," and I didn't even know there were more troopers than that...</li>
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<li>Basically any Star Wars character a recognized (and discovered just how little I actually know about Star Wars from all the characters I didn't recognize)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.homestarrunner.com/tgsmenu.html" target="_blank">Teeeen Girlll Squad</a>: Cheerleader, So-in-So, What's Her Face, The Ugly One! (No joke)</li>
<li>And of course No Face from Spirited Away. I quite literally yelled "No Face" in a busy, crowded hallway and stopped him(her???) for a picture. See that face below? That's pure Hiyao Miyazaki enthusiasm coming out. Remind me to blog about why he's one of the greatest cinematographers/artists of our time (if you like Pixar, then, you know, you should probably be thanking this man).</li>
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Oh, and funny story time: Bonnie and Casey totally wanted to get a picture with this Halo character guy.<br />
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So remember when I was in Video Games Live last March? Well, as an orchestra member I got exclusive access to all those who cosplayed it up for the costume competition. I made mention of getting a picture last year at VGL with a Halo guy and he lit right up. Long story short - same dude. The world if a very small place. Nice to see you again, mysterious suited guy. I guess I didn't recognize you because your voice was significantly lower...<br />
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Overall, my takeaway included several things: There are many interests I had no idea existed. Like British Zombies? Indeed. In addition, I learned that <a href="http://hillso.blogspot.com/2013/04/kiss-wookiee-kick-droid.html" target="_blank">I do not know that much about Star Wars</a>. Also, there is a whole business empire built around the magical and futuristic worlds these movie, TV, comic, and gaming creators designed and Comicon is where they go to cash on it. I discovered that girls get in free for sci-fi speed dating (it was the equivalent to clubs in the mainstream world - guys wrapped around the conference hall). Also, I let my inner emo child out - decided I was too happy to be an emo child after that (search #EmoSelfie on Instagram sometime - it's quite fantastic).<br />
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And finally, nerds are my favorite group in society - it is so much better to be interested and passionate about things in the world than boring and concerned about what people think of you. I'll close with this favorite Shel Silverstein poem:<br />
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I deeply admired Comicon goers for not wearing figurative masks (it was quite literally the opposite). Be yourself courageously, you're not alone, and there's a group out there who feels like you. </div>
Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04026504113468304478noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7435848887959026388.post-35240694872357554032015-02-16T21:19:00.002-07:002015-02-16T21:19:28.789-07:00Don't Wikipedia Your Favorite Bands <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
"<span style="background-color: white; color: #292f33; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">In September 2010, Passion Pit toured with the English band Muse as their opening act for eight shows during their fall tour through parts of the U.S. " - <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Angelakos" target="_blank">Wikipedia</a></span><br />
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WHEREWASIANDWHYWASNTIATTHISCONCERT!!!!</div>
Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04026504113468304478noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7435848887959026388.post-70989382057646314872014-11-28T00:05:00.002-07:002014-11-28T00:05:30.381-07:0050 Things that Make Me Happy/ I'm Thankful For<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<li>Dogs who stick their heads (and sometimes their tongues) outside of car windows while driving</li>
<li>Free meals - whether that's from work, dates, church events - thank you for keeping my food expenses low!</li>
<li>Canned Peaches</li>
<li>Smooth razors</li>
<li>Dry Shampoo - because it makes any bad hair day a great hair day</li>
<li>Foot fives</li>
<li>My mother once telling me in her corrective, motherly voice, "Hillary, bust your sister."</li>
<li>High fives</li>
<li>Blogilates</li>
<li>Lakes and bridges to run around and over</li>
<li>My roommate's "Pink Bible." That's all I'm saying about it.</li>
<li>Humidifiers</li>
<li><a href="http://instagram.com/p/v4EK5pLBfz/?modal=true" target="_blank">Worksgiving.</a></li>
<li>My new iPod having a Nike running feature. Saves me equipment and second-guessing how far I run.</li>
<li><a href="http://youtu.be/oiSwnWw65Wo?list=PLF14FBBAB07015ACD" target="_blank">Haunted Toasters. </a></li>
<li>Amazingly hilarious YouTube channels, such as: Studio C/BYUTV, Nothing Much to Do, etc...</li>
<li>Arizona Sunsets. Because nothing is better. NOTHING.</li>
<li>Arizona freeways. Because no others are better. NO OTHERS.</li>
<li>Clean inboxes.</li>
<li>Having time to actually clean those inboxes.</li>
<li>Goodwill for taking my old clothes.</li>
<li>Kale Cleansers, because I never feel fat again.</li>
<li>Long weekends off work.</li>
<li>Not having finals around the Christmas season.</li>
<li>Guys asking me out - because even they don't work out, getting good experience and stories.</li>
<li>Smartphones. Because mine has become another limb. </li>
<li>How I can look up anything I have question about instantly.</li>
<li>Having friends who live in cool places and I can visit them and make my expenses cheap.</li>
<li>Silky Pajama Pants</li>
<li>Dipping rolls in gravy</li>
<li>Boots</li>
<li>All of my amazing friends who always seem to know when to be there for me when I need them</li>
<li>My awesome singles church congregation</li>
<li>Nail Polish - because it makes looking at your hands and feet more interesting</li>
<li>Dog costumes</li>
<li>Parodies to things</li>
<li>Movie quotes</li>
<li>Books and how they make me think beyond my realm of knowledge.</li>
<li>Hand dancing</li>
<li>My crocheted vest thing. You'd have to see it.</li>
<li>My faux feather vest. Because I just love touching it.</li>
<li>The song, <a href="http://youtu.be/s3w4pjE90ZU" target="_blank">"See my vest"</a> from Simpsons</li>
<li>Intellectual movies</li>
<li>Ted Talks </li>
<li>Window blinds</li>
<li>The education I received - (go BYU Public Relations - #3 in the nation baby)</li>
<li>Finally purchasing new things to replace your old, broken stuff</li>
<li>Two turkey dinners this week that were amazing</li>
<li>Reviving my whole DVD collection in one evening thanks to Black Friday</li>
<li>Emerson escapes into nature. </li>
</ol>
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Happy Thanksgiving to all and all a goodnight! </div>
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Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04026504113468304478noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7435848887959026388.post-19499542047121762632014-11-05T22:36:00.003-07:002014-11-05T23:06:31.208-07:00Put some skates on, be your own hero. <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Happy belated Halloween, friends!</span></b> </div>
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The story of my roller derby alter ego, <b>Hellary on Wheels</b>, goes to the distant future, the year 2011. March twenty-something, the evening of the picture below.<br />
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Weren't we cutest 19, 24, 21, and 19 year olds??? What you don't see in this picture is the few minutes prior when I was attempting to flirt with a guy and my skates flew up and I landed hard on my butt and, what I didn't realize at the time, fractured my arm. The picture was my friends joining me on the bench after my body and ego felt tender after that. (<a href="http://hillso.blogspot.com/2013/11/my-most-brilliant-friends.html" target="_blank">I have great friends, have I mentioned that before? </a>)<br />
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Long story short. Weeks of pain killers and sleeping on my arm until it went numb, followed by months of physical therapy and not being able to play violin or run scared me silly of bodily injuries.<br />
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So this year was a little bit more than a costume: it was a symbol of overcoming my </div>
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personal fear of getting back up on skates after falling.</div>
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Before I went out to do normal Halloween festivities this year, I took my wheels to the streets and began the clumsy process of relearning to skate.</div>
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I lost my balance a few times and almost fell again, but the practice taught me something important in the quiet of that October night:<br />
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<b><a href="http://hillso.blogspot.com/2013/07/faith-over-fear.html" target="_blank">Don't let fear dictate your life.</a> </b><b>Falling can be incredibly disheartening and painful, and you might get broken in the process. But things heal and you should never be afraid to try again. </b><br />
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<b>Also, don't try to flirt with boys by showing off your mediocre skating abilities.</b><br />
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I can't promise I'm a roller derby star now, nor possess great roller talent. But I can tell you that I saved myself from my fears. <i>Whip It</i> really spoke to me one Saturday afternoon.<br />
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With that in mind, enjoy some costume pictures, courtesy of my coworkers and office:</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1ka_QFQUWco/VFgJN1ruarI/AAAAAAAADuM/yOOTkJKJzVk/s1600/IMG_1233.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1ka_QFQUWco/VFgJN1ruarI/AAAAAAAADuM/yOOTkJKJzVk/s1600/IMG_1233.JPG" height="640" width="426" /></a></div>
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Also, thanks to my superior mother for finding the skates and some of the gear at Goodwill half off, helping me realize the costume's full potential.</div>
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Oh yes, and I really miss those red highlights. It's always been a dream of mine to have some<span style="text-align: left;">. </span><br />
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Anyway, ride on, friends!<br />
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Love,<br />
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Hellery on Wheels </div>
Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04026504113468304478noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7435848887959026388.post-78410971228522994062014-11-02T15:52:00.001-07:002014-11-02T15:53:07.172-07:00Twenty Prompts Challenge - Prompt 13: Live Like You Were Dying<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Q13: If you knew you had only year to live, what would you do? What if you only had one day? One hour?</span></b><br />
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A13: I've been avoiding this one because it's been making me uncomfortable. So I'll just be frank:</div>
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One Year - Make some of my bucket list items a higher priority. Spend more time with friends and family. </div>
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One Day - Probably what I'm currently doing. Call family, friends. Make sure my conscious is clear with death. </div>
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One Hour - Probably what I'm currently doing. Maybe call my mom but not tell her it's happening. And pray. </div>
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Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04026504113468304478noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7435848887959026388.post-78581335724124727622014-10-10T09:31:00.000-07:002014-10-10T09:32:57.683-07:00The Idealist <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<i>Some blog posts are like a fine cheese: they sit in my drafts for months until they are ripe for publishing. I couldn't settle on the words until the right editing eye stumbled on it. Trying some poetry because I needed a little more creative writing and wild romantic notions in my life. Enjoy. </i><br />
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You and I, we run and break the rules.<br />
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Together, we turn air into mountains.<br />
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Together, we fill burgundy hallways with silent content.<br />
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Together, we rule the backyard.<br />
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Together, we zip line into the bluest unknowns.<br />
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My eyes? Your home. My arms? Your refuge. My hand? An invitation to discover something crazy.<br />
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You and I. I'll follow you and you'll follow me. You don't care if I sleep through your favorite team's game and I don't care if you doze off during my favorite symphony (unless you snore).<br />
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We play cards to Bob Marley on lazy Sunday afternoons. We transcend context. We know the dustiest corners of each others' minds.<br />
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You. You're one step into the dark and two steps out to the light.<br />
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You. You're my favorite work of art. You're no quiet mind. You're a slow burn.<br />
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You. A deep sigh. An unfinished conversation. You're the moment after the skies fall. You're a moment of serendipity and an eternity of choices.<br />
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Until kingdom come, you are the gold flickering in the forest of my eyes. </div>
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Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04026504113468304478noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7435848887959026388.post-26895363580461884832014-10-07T07:30:00.000-07:002014-10-07T09:40:41.774-07:00Dream Diary, Episode 6: Can you tell me how to escape Sesame Street<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b><i>A Disclaimer: I found this dream extremely disturbing. Nothing graphic compared to the reoccurring zombie apocalyptic dreams I experience, but I woke up at 3:30 a.m. unable to go back to asleep because I believed Sesame Street-like characters waited outside my window to take me. For real. </i></b><br />
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So the dream starts at the house I lived in as a younger child in Utah, the same old neighborhood except my current roommates and I inhabit the house and my neighbors consist of members from my current church congregation.<br />
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The rain will not stop pouring and it continues to stay extremely gray outside. My current crush pulls up to my house in an old-school car and trench coat, almost identical to the iconic rain scene in Breakfast at Tiffany's (which is odd because I never watched that scene in the movie so it really has no significance to me).<br />
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He visited weekly, but today he looked especially grimaced and wouldn't make eye contact during his visit. He sat down at the kitchen table next to me, took my hand, and told me he married a girl today. Not a trace of joy in his voice, he explained how he knew it was the right decision and she would come over soon so they could leave for their big trip. On queue, the girl came down from upstairs with suitcases and they began loading the car - because it wasn't creepy at all that she hung out upstairs monitoring this conversation. The rain falls heavier while I watched her pack up the car. He stood there looking at me for a long time, as if we would never see each other again, and I told him that I hope he was happy. He didn't respond to my comment, looked down and said goodbye.<br />
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As the car pulls away, Fictionist's new album, specifically the song "Lock and Key" plays in the background as I hold back tears while the rain pours harder and gets darker.<br />
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<iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="380" src="https://embed.spotify.com/?uri=spotify:track:20UjedeHmo0QkjH9yMRhVL" width="300"></iframe>
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I go back inside, where my roommate stood present for the whole conversation, and I begin to explain that something about his marriage feels completely wrong. Without suggesting my feelings, I try to indirectly say he should've been with me. She questions why I think it's wrong and I explain how weird it is that a girl shows out of the blue since he's not the type to impulsively marry, and something about the girl came off as extremely controlling.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7f1S-WkdYx0/VDPKsx5gWZI/AAAAAAAADtg/N7j8rs6ukJU/s1600/1940-Chev.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7f1S-WkdYx0/VDPKsx5gWZI/AAAAAAAADtg/N7j8rs6ukJU/s1600/1940-Chev.jpg" height="243" width="320" /></a></div>
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She agrees at its oddity and the conversation goes silent when a black 1940 Chevy pulls up in our driveway. Rain still pouring. Song changes to another track on Fictionist's album, "Statue in the Stone." I get this immediate "something terribly bad is about to happen" feeling and hide back inside the basement stairs and ask my roommate to answer the door, or better yet, pretend we aren't home and hide.<br />
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A group of Sesame Street /Muppet-like characters stand outside, spaced out and arms crossed behind their backs with dark coats and sunglasses. My roommate gets chills but goes to answer the door as the characters already saw us and insisted we open the door.<br />
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As she starts to open a door, a yellow Sesame Street character identical to the one right outside the door magically shows up inside by our side, slams the door shut on her identical twin, grabs both of our arms, rushes us up the stairs and explains that they are the Illuminati out to get us, and since they found us we were no longer safe. She opens the closet door upstairs which changed to a teleportation device. She explains the only way to be safe now is to go where the teleport closet takes us and have our complete identities destroyed.<br />
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The closet transports me to a place that looks like District 13 from the Hunger Games. We stand in tubes that begin "fragmenting" us to destroy our identities that the Illuminati can track. I breathe deeply as my whole body floats in the tube, I watch my flesh turn into spinning number codes and the numbers begin to leave my body.<br />
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The volume to the chorus of "Statue in the Stone" increases and the dream closes out with me watching my DNA completely alter and the lyrics blaring, "I am young but I have grown to stand alone | I'm the statue in the stone | I am alive but I am ready to face the unknown."<br />
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<iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="380" src="https://embed.spotify.com/?uri=spotify:track:2VtENMhxpPoo7vFpwSTYEr" width="300"></iframe><br />
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Kind of epic, right? I could make a movie with this stuff and ruin everybody's childhood.<br />
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Still struggling to look out my window though because I'm convinced the Sesame Street Illuminati are out to get me, and thinking eating chocolate cereal right before bed is probably a bad idea since it always causes psychological thriller nightmares.</div>
Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04026504113468304478noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7435848887959026388.post-36306622950637775632014-10-02T17:30:00.000-07:002014-10-02T17:30:00.699-07:00Twenty Prompts Challenge - Prompt 12: LOST<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Q12: If you were stranded on a deserted island and could only have three books, what books would you choose and why?</b></span><div>
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A12: Prepare yourself for the most cliche Mormon person ever but....</div>
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<b>1 - I would bring the LDS Quad with me.</b> There's more than enough to read in a lifetime for me anyway. </div>
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<b>2 - Gone With the Wind. </b>It's big, it's epic, it's historical, it's romantic, it's about surviving crazy circumstances. I don't know, I guess it would give me sane entertainment value - I can't think of another book I would want to read right now that I love more than this one that isn't connected to a series. </div>
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<b>3 - How to Survive on a Deserted Island </b>- Duh! </div>
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Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04026504113468304478noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7435848887959026388.post-13977921256535081602014-09-30T09:00:00.000-07:002014-09-30T09:00:09.333-07:00Twenty Prompts Challenge - Prompt 11: Burninating the Countryside <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Q11: If your house was on fire and you could only save three possessions, what would you take?<br /></b></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">A11: Easy, piecy, lemon-squeezy, home-skillet. It would be 1) Scriptures, 2) Violin, and 3) Macbook Computer.</span></div>
Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04026504113468304478noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7435848887959026388.post-15238263159662151972014-09-25T10:04:00.000-07:002014-09-29T21:48:29.381-07:00Twenty Prompts Challenge - Prompt 10: The one that looks like it's about Batman<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Hey guys, do you like Batman? So do I. Like, a lot. </span></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Unfortunately, the next prompt on this list did not ask me to share pictures of Batman memes. So I had to improvise by throwing them in here and there. </span></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Q10: What are the top five qualities you would look for in a spouse?</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">A10: I'll tell you something about all these prompts, they are deeply fascinated in my romantic hopes and aspirations. <a href="http://hillso.blogspot.com/2013/02/day-28-describe-your-ideal-manwoman.html" target="_blank">Exhibit A. </a> And let's not forget the even older blog post I jokingly and affectionately wrote, called <a href="http://hillso.blogspot.com/2011/02/dreamboat.html" target="_blank">"Dreamboat"</a> in 2011.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">But first, a row of Batmans.</span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uVyuAKqlWB0/VCJPngdZMbI/AAAAAAAADtE/TohLGyZFP0U/s1600/Batman3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uVyuAKqlWB0/VCJPngdZMbI/AAAAAAAADtE/TohLGyZFP0U/s1600/Batman3.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Why am I trying to disguise this as a blog post about Batman? Well, the long-running joke is he has been a long-term relationship (when I'm not having flings with Peter Parker or Tony Stark). And I just love Batman so - Batman is synonymous with spouse, right? But really, I'm curious to see who just skims this vs. actually reads this blog post. It's got some meaty, personal details. </i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">So I had issues getting around to writing this blog post. I would much rather write about Batman. Thus you'll see why there was a several weeks-worth of hiatus between the prompts. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">To mix it up since my last post about my ideal qualities in an eternal companion, I would like to talk about the before and afters of my "top qualities" since I think it's a good chance to reflect on how my dating has matured. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>1 - Before: "</b><span style="line-height: 18.4799995422363px;">Let's just say he better home teach and have regular temple attendance."</span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 18.4799995422363px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>1 - After:</b> <b>The same - spiritually anchored in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and in Christ's Gospel.</b> After being slightly flexible on this in the past, I'm extremely rigid now. I see no point being romantically inclined for a guy who can't take me to the temple at all, period. Non-negotiable now.</span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 18.4799995422363px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>2 - Before: </b>"<span style="line-height: 18.4799995422363px;">Dark dark hair that the guy has spent more time working on than I spend on my own hair in the morning," "</span><span style="line-height: 18.4799995422363px;">Nice Jaw Line," "</span><span style="line-height: 18.4799995422363px;">Epic running poses in a J.Crew suit." </span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 18.4799995422363px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 18.4799995422363px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Ok, so maybe most of these were a joke. And the other blog post did ask for fantasy. Here's the reality:</span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 18.4799995422363px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 18.4799995422363px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>2 - After: I am mentally, emotionally, and physically attracted to him.</b> <b>(And vice versa).</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 18.4799995422363px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The specifics get complicated, but let's just say instead of crossing details off a list, nowadays I go based off of feelings, experience, and potential. Not to mention, getting pass this bullet point astounds me because, as I am sure applies to others reading, it's so hard to feel all of these for one individual. </span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 18.4799995422363px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>3- Before: </b><span style="font-family: inherit;">"</span></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 18.4799995422363px;">Secret talent to regulate corporation corruption through blowing things up and beating up the CEO's that hide on the other side of the world," and "F</span><span style="line-height: 18.4799995422363px;">inancial savvy to save post-war confederate America."</span></span></div>
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<b>3 - After: Intelligent and Passionate about life and his work. (Or, you know, Batman) </b></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IRnOjoXSLe4/VCI8c8aFWjI/AAAAAAAADsk/wMqyi2W4eQk/s1600/BoyfriendBatman.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IRnOjoXSLe4/VCI8c8aFWjI/AAAAAAAADsk/wMqyi2W4eQk/s1600/BoyfriendBatman.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b>4 - Before:</b> Cuddler.</div>
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<b>4 - After: Works with me towards a Devoted, Extremely Loyal, Loving, Kind, and Understanding Relationship</b></div>
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One the things I struggle often in my dating experience pertains to feeling judged too quickly and guys withholding affection. I feel blessed that in the mess of rudeness, curtness, criticism, that a good and healthy relationship came into my life or else I would not desire commitment. </div>
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I've learned with age it's one thing to be a good person, and it's another to be a good for a relationship. Cuddles are important, don't get me wrong. But as someone who could be better at this bullet point, I'm learning to express a variety of love languages better so I can be better in relationships.</div>
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<b>5 - Before:</b> <span style="line-height: 18.4799995422363px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Gets my random British rock references</span></span></div>
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<b>5 - After: We fill each others' lives with joy, laughter, and purpose. </b></div>
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Speaks for itself. </div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">But really, if you wanted the Sparknotes version of this blog post: I'm looking for Batman. </span></b><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7Ly32qxSbuw/VCJN6PvcuBI/AAAAAAAADs0/COY12SGT_HQ/s1600/BatmanComeIn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7Ly32qxSbuw/VCJN6PvcuBI/AAAAAAAADs0/COY12SGT_HQ/s1600/BatmanComeIn.jpg" height="640" width="418" /></a></div>
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Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04026504113468304478noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7435848887959026388.post-27881781612726861352014-09-23T20:03:00.001-07:002014-09-29T21:48:18.411-07:00Twenty Prompts Challenge - Prompt 9: Trade Places<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Q9: If you could change places with anyone for a single day, who would you pick and why?</span></b><br />
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<b>A9: </b>I noticed a pattern with all the people I crossed my mind...ready for it?</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cHAsdxy-lxw/VCIyoOEtk4I/AAAAAAAADsY/7p5e8rCKj_0/s1600/Dominic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cHAsdxy-lxw/VCIyoOEtk4I/AAAAAAAADsY/7p5e8rCKj_0/s1600/Dominic.jpg" height="320" width="177" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QYsEG7yiAio/VCIymPXY2OI/AAAAAAAADsQ/0b5D8TRcq_E/s1600/LindseyS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QYsEG7yiAio/VCIymPXY2OI/AAAAAAAADsQ/0b5D8TRcq_E/s1600/LindseyS.jpg" height="320" width="315" /></a></div>
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They were all artists. I'll be honest, I'm curious what they all do in a day! Making great music, having larger-than-life concerts, dancing all over the stage (well, not Dominic...), making music videos. It would be cool to live a day in their life, assuming I had the same skill set as them so I could get the full experience.<br />
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Another part of me really wishes I could trade places with a fashion / design blogger for a day. Ahh, to have a day to make whatever beautiful content pleases me - photos, graphic design, writing, and video - and have that be my only obligation. That would be swell.<br />
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I don't know, I am happy with my job, but I always envy those who have self-paved, wild, professionally risky and majorly creative lives. <a href="http://hillso.blogspot.com/2013/04/a-life-brimming-in-creativity.html" target="_blank">I always desire more of that. </a><br />
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Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04026504113468304478noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7435848887959026388.post-59569795850600258352014-09-08T09:00:00.000-07:002014-09-29T21:47:59.494-07:00Twenty Prompts Challenge - Prompt 8: Computer Hacking Skills, Nun-Chuck Skills...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Q8: If you could instantly be the best in the world at anything, what would you choose?</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b>
<b>A8:</b> Easy - sewing and general clothes making (so I could do shoes and bags too). Then I could make whatever I can't find for my closet. Simple as that. I have zero patience when it comes to learning how to sew unfortunately so if I could acquire that skill instantly that would be awesome.</div>
Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04026504113468304478noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7435848887959026388.post-86539611381611388672014-09-06T10:09:00.000-07:002014-09-29T21:46:15.058-07:00Twenty Prompts Challenge - Prompt 7: My Life Soundtrack<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Q7: If your life had a soundtrack, like a movie, what songs would you include? Why?</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 18.479999542236328px;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div>
A7: Guys, this one is hard because I have seriously considered this long before this prompt came into my life. Here's the playlist, I think I'll let it speak for itself. Enjoy:<br />
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<iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="380" src="https://embed.spotify.com/?uri=spotify:user:127518030:playlist:1wM431vGRrAlcpU6BkmwQN" width="300"></iframe>
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Oh crap, the question includes a why: Why? Um, some of these songs were there during very significant parts of my life such as "Hideaway," "Vagabond," "Exo-Politics," "He Doesn't Know Why," "Soldier On" and "It's a Hard Life." The rest I feel capture my personality or a repeated sentiment from my story. </div>
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Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04026504113468304478noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7435848887959026388.post-19937823920716495252014-08-29T11:03:00.001-07:002015-10-13T16:54:29.271-07:00Twenty-Prompts Challenge - Prompt 6: Nice Jerb, Hamstray <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Q6: What’s your idea of the perfect job?</span></b><br />
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A6: Probably what I'm currently doing except without creative restraints, deadlines, expectations, difficult people or budgets.<br />
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HA.<br />
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I suppose these could be my alternative career choices:<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Travel channel host</li>
<li>European musical instrument (namely string) curator</li>
<li>Playing violin in an Indie band (and then an awesome orchestra on the side)</li>
<li>Life Design and Fashion Blogger and Content Developer (i.e. not just writing, but also doing awesome videos, photography, graphic design)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.pinterest.com/camillecam/glammas/" target="_blank">Glamma Philanthropist</a></li>
</ul>
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I'm pretty happy with the current direction of my professional choices. </div>
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<b>Oh and speaking of jobs - GUESS WHAT? I completed my first year full-time at Ideas Collide. Crazy huh?</b> </div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZYN7KsQKdJs/VAC_6spjWAI/AAAAAAAADr4/rjiVO_t04sU/s1600/1Year.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZYN7KsQKdJs/VAC_6spjWAI/AAAAAAAADr4/rjiVO_t04sU/s1600/1Year.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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I guess it all too legit to quit now because -</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YfQNkWQ_LEk/VAC_l7SQ1rI/AAAAAAAADrw/6BEoCfnKBe4/s1600/I'manAdult.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="230" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YfQNkWQ_LEk/VAC_l7SQ1rI/AAAAAAAADrw/6BEoCfnKBe4/s1600/I'manAdult.gif" width="400" /></a></div>
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Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04026504113468304478noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7435848887959026388.post-69180923952590184942014-08-25T09:30:00.000-07:002014-08-25T09:30:01.013-07:00Because Mondays need a good laugh <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">1 - The <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oiSwnWw65Wo" target="_blank">Haunted Toaster</a> video I discovered on <a href="http://www.fridaywereinlove.com/" target="_blank">Camille's blog</a>.</span></b><br />
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A week later and I'm still dying.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/oiSwnWw65Wo?rel=0" width="480"></iframe>
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"Why have you kept this toaster?"<br />
"Well Richard, you know, when all is said and done, it's makes great toast."<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">2 - This comment in reply to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uk4Nu_5vSR0" target="_blank">this video</a>:</span></b><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qKw45RuwHBE/U_dvPMjxpiI/AAAAAAAADrI/6JSoH3aVS6k/s1600/Comment.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qKw45RuwHBE/U_dvPMjxpiI/AAAAAAAADrI/6JSoH3aVS6k/s1600/Comment.png" /></a></div>
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Using this phrase in regular context and especially on sick days? You betch'a.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">3 - Basically all the pins I added to my <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/hillecam/smile/" target="_blank">"Smile" Pinterest Board </a></span></b><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-D8Ay8VN1qRg/U_kXOTfobgI/AAAAAAAADrY/STwyH8gHjlc/s1600/LivedtheStarWars.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-D8Ay8VN1qRg/U_kXOTfobgI/AAAAAAAADrY/STwyH8gHjlc/s1600/LivedtheStarWars.jpg" height="640" width="374" /></a></div>
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I am so grateful that the world has humor in it or else it would be so much more difficult to bear. </div>
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Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04026504113468304478noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7435848887959026388.post-11396436055961392902014-08-23T10:44:00.000-07:002014-08-23T15:33:09.910-07:00Twenty-Prompts Challenge - Prompt 5: Make my life easier, genie<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="line-height: 18.479999542236328px;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Q5: If a magic genie gave you one wish (with the rule that you </span></b></span><b style="line-height: 18.479999542236328px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">can’t wish for more wishes!), what would you wish for?</span></b></h3>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Simple: ask the genie for the name of my future husband, when I will meet him, and when we will start dating seriously. Then I could merrily not worry about it and focus on developing myself and getting my shiz together in the meantime.</span></div>
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Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04026504113468304478noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7435848887959026388.post-31537669621593085662014-08-23T09:00:00.000-07:002014-08-23T09:00:00.422-07:00Twenty-Prompts Challenge - Prompt 4: Queen of this Rock<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Q4: If you were Queen of the World for a single day, what would you do?</span></b><br />
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Ohhhh, this one is good. Let's be real though, one day? What in the world could you fix or help in one day?<br />
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If I had that kind of power, here's what I'd do:<br />
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<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Give a bucket load of money to public education around the world, and especially to Fine Arts programs and teacher's salaries. Because one day isn't enough to fix most of the world's problems, but I think if we help education it's a good start.</li>
<li>Have an epic day of music concerts and invite all the homeless children and foster puppies to join me (ok, and my friends can come too and whomever else asks) - here's who I would make perform on my epic music day:</li>
<ul>
<li>Muse (Probably closing act)</li>
<li>Wolf Gang</li>
<li>Queen</li>
<li>Chvrches</li>
<li>Walk the Moon</li>
<li>Jason Mraz (only older albums specifically requested and "Long Ride")</li>
<li>Mumford & Sons</li>
<li>Neon Trees (yes, again)</li>
<li>Passion Pit (yes, again)</li>
<li>Of Monsters and Men</li>
<li>Ellie Goulding</li>
<li>Vampire Weekend</li>
<li>Fitz & The Tantrums</li>
<li>Fleet Foxes</li>
<li>Andrew Bird</li>
<li>Nickel Creek</li>
</ul>
<li>Oh yes, and this concert would be held outside in the gardens of Schonbrunn Palace or the Sydney Opera House, naturally </li>
<li>And everybody would be fed Thai curry and Mango sticky rice... except the dogs. </li>
<li>Make out with one of my celebrity crushes - whoever was most available</li>
<li>Epic zipline</li>
</ul>
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Wait, guys, don't let me get carried away. This list is good enough. :) </div>
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Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04026504113468304478noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7435848887959026388.post-17168107740954270022014-08-20T22:17:00.003-07:002014-08-20T22:20:05.550-07:00Twenty-Prompts Challenge: Prompt 3 - My Dream Day<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 18.479999542236328px;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Q3: Take a reader through your idea of a perfect day.</span></b></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 18.479999542236328px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Guys, this one is hard - what if I have five different types of perfect days depending on the outcome of my situation? I don't think one day would be superior to others, but here are a few that might top the charts:</span></span><br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="line-height: 18.479999542236328px;">DisneyWorld with fast-passes and a never-ending supply of water and Kind bars</span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 18.479999542236328px;">Two days after my wedding on some secluded beach with my eternal hottie (recovery time accounted for due to all that planning, wedding day stress and other shenanigans)</span></li>
<li>Riding a giant elephant through the jungles of Indonesia</li>
<li>Out in some secluded cabin in the northwest - no internet, no cell phone reception, nada - with my small little family and three giant dogs</li>
</ul>
<span style="line-height: 18.479999542236328px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Ok, however, given my current circumstances, and in some magical world where all these things could exist in one place and not take too long to travel to, my dream day would look like this:</span></span></div>
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<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 18.479999542236328px;">6:00 a.m. - 6:30 a.m. - Have a stellar scripture study session - wake up well rested, house/ apt completely clean, laundry done</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 18.479999542236328px;">6:45 a.m. - 8:30 a.m. - Go for an amazing 6-8 miler run through the mountains in Fall</span></li>
</ul>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 18.479999542236328px;">8:30 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. - Some yoga/pilates, stretching, relaxation</span></li>
</ul>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 18.479999542236328px;">9:00 a.m. - 10: 00 a.m. - Make an awesome breakfast like <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/50384089556502804/" target="_blank">this</a> or <a href="http://media-cache-cd0.pinimg.com/originals/d7/13/03/d7130367233cd4749f9f9ddd0a6a7c77.jpg" target="_blank">this</a></span></li>
</ul>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 18.479999542236328px;">10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. - Shower, get dressed, and snap a amazing new Facebook profile picture in <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/50384089553117480/" target="_blank">a fantastic, effortless outfit</a></span></li>
</ul>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 18.479999542236328px;">11:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. - Practice Violin</span></li>
</ul>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 18.479999542236328px;">11:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. - Practice piano</span></li>
</ul>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 18.479999542236328px;">12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. - Lunch with a close friend, catching up</span></li>
</ul>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 18.479999542236328px;">2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. - Read a new, amazing, inspiring book</span></li>
</ul>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 18.479999542236328px;">4:00 p.m - 9:00 p.m. - Bike riding to some park out in nature, watch the sunset and stargaze, I guess dinner would fit somewhere in here, again with close friends or a romantic interest</span></li>
</ul>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 18.479999542236328px;">9:00 p.m. -11:00 p.m. - Make and eat dark chocolate brownies and watch an episode of BBC's Sherlock - again, with somebody mentioned above</span></li>
</ul>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 18.479999542236328px;">11:00 p.m. - get ready for bed, go to bed</span></li>
</ul>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Yep, simple but awesome, right? I think the feasibility of this day would require moving cities. :/</span></div>
</div>
</div>
Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04026504113468304478noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7435848887959026388.post-45574288157279350792014-08-14T11:15:00.000-07:002014-08-15T14:59:05.296-07:00Twenty-Prompt Challenge: Prompt 2 - Ch-ch-ch-changes<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Q2: What’s one thing you’d change about your appearance if you could? What’s one character trait you’d change?</span></b><br />
<br />
A2: One physical appearance attribute - sounds cliche, but I would probably just want skinnier abs and thighs. Or clear skin. Oh gosh, that's three, sorry, I'll stop this train of thought - I'm pretty happy otherwise.<br />
<br />
One character trait I'd change - I wish I was less critical and hard on myself, it would really save me a lot of stress.</div>
Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04026504113468304478noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7435848887959026388.post-37653203879243600672014-08-10T11:09:00.000-07:002014-08-10T22:41:06.704-07:00Twenty-Prompt Challenge: Prompt 1 - Don't Spend it All in One Place<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uDwrP3roCS0/U-Zi7UzKkeI/AAAAAAAADq4/JNlEuPXpReI/s1600/MakeItRain.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uDwrP3roCS0/U-Zi7UzKkeI/AAAAAAAADq4/JNlEuPXpReI/s1600/MakeItRain.jpg" height="140" width="200" /></a></div>
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><i>Question 1: </i>What would you do if you had 100 dollars to spend today? </span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">What if you had 10,000 dollars? </span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">How about one-million dollars? </span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">What does this say about you?</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span></b>
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><i>Answer: </i></span></b><br />
<b><i>100 Dollars - </i>Add a few bucks and get a stylish beach cruiser bicycle. </b><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WUP7E3CsIz8/U-Zf4KF376I/AAAAAAAADqM/bNLQM4isLSw/s1600/Cruiser.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WUP7E3CsIz8/U-Zf4KF376I/AAAAAAAADqM/bNLQM4isLSw/s1600/Cruiser.jpg" height="320" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fat bottomed girls will be riding today</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b style="font-style: italic;">10,000 Dollars - </b><b>Traveling and More Traveling</b><br />
Tokyo, New York City, and probably somewhere rustic and sporty with good zip-lining and kayaking.<br />
<b><i><br /></i></b>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JjBGvuzpEQI/U-Zikg63lRI/AAAAAAAADqw/fSQ4BiSOgcc/s1600/Tokyo2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JjBGvuzpEQI/U-Zikg63lRI/AAAAAAAADqw/fSQ4BiSOgcc/s1600/Tokyo2.jpg" height="320" width="204" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PUJOClIfLOg/U-ZiV8tF2qI/AAAAAAAADqk/1LH3OoqVGY4/s1600/Tokyo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PUJOClIfLOg/U-ZiV8tF2qI/AAAAAAAADqk/1LH3OoqVGY4/s1600/Tokyo.jpg" height="320" width="230" /></a></div>
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PUJOClIfLOg/U-ZiV8tF2qI/AAAAAAAADqk/1LH3OoqVGY4/s1600/Tokyo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><br /></a>
<b><i><br /></i></b>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--GEsZgIuhXw/U-ZiVxS0uhI/AAAAAAAADqc/2b8IT4n8rcs/s1600/Brooklyn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--GEsZgIuhXw/U-ZiVxS0uhI/AAAAAAAADqc/2b8IT4n8rcs/s1600/Brooklyn.jpg" height="320" width="179" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FEHiyBrj6BI/U-ZiVooRN-I/AAAAAAAADqY/hAnEeSCwFjI/s1600/Kayak.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FEHiyBrj6BI/U-ZiVooRN-I/AAAAAAAADqY/hAnEeSCwFjI/s1600/Kayak.jpg" height="320" width="239" /></a></div>
<br />
<b><i>One Million - </i></b><br />
House, Grad School, new car and Travel (and anything remaining - future childrens' college funds)<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>What does this say about you? </b>Um, basically the following:<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Small amount of money: I buy things</li>
<li>Moderate amount: I buy experiences</li>
<li>High amount: I buy lifetime investments </li>
</ul>
</div>
Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04026504113468304478noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7435848887959026388.post-86652003075031050332014-08-09T10:51:00.001-07:002014-08-09T10:51:17.869-07:00Twenty-One Minus One Blog Prompts 2014<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1ppiF2dqYo8/U-ZfYfH9VGI/AAAAAAAADqE/LyEbJIOWIy8/s1600/MostExcellent.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1ppiF2dqYo8/U-ZfYfH9VGI/AAAAAAAADqE/LyEbJIOWIy8/s1600/MostExcellent.jpg" height="268" width="400" /></a><b><span style="font-size: large;">I'm doing another prompt set - most excellent!</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b>
<b><i>Why? Because they're fun and insightful into the depths of my soul. Or something like that. </i></b><br />
<br />
I'm pretty excited because these are not your usual blog prompts.<br />
<br />
Phew nelly, brace yourselves for this buck-a-roo - it's a dooz-ee.<br />
<br />
<ol style="text-align: left;">
<li>What would you do if you had $100 to spend today? What if you had $10,000? How about a $1 million? What does this say about you?</li>
<li>What’s one thing you’d change about your appearance if you could? What’s one character trait you’d change?</li>
<li>Take a reader through your idea of a perfect day.</li>
<li>If you were Queen of the World for a single day, what would you do?</li>
<li>If a magic genie gave you one wish (with the rule that you can’t wish for more wishes!), what would you wish for?</li>
<li>What’s your idea of the perfect job?</li>
<li>If your life had a soundtrack, like a movie, what songs would you include? Why?</li>
<li>If you could instantly be the best in the world at anything, what would you choose?</li>
<li>If you could change places with anyone for a single day, who would you pick and why?</li>
<li>What are the top five qualities you would look for in a spouse?</li>
<li>If your house was on fire and you could only save three possessions, what would you take?</li>
<li>If you were stranded on a deserted island and could only have three books, what books would you choose and why?</li>
<li>If you knew you had only year to live, what would you do? What if you only had one day? One hour?</li>
<li>What would you attempt to do if you were guaranteed not to fail?</li>
<li>If you could go back in time two or three years, what advice would you give yourself?</li>
<li>What is your mission in life?</li>
<li>If you could go back and relive one day of your life, which day would it be and why?</li>
<li>Describe your alter ego — someone who is your exact opposite.</li>
<li>If you could be any superhero, who would you be and why?</li>
<li>If you could get the answer to any question, what would you ask?</li>
</ol>
</div>
Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04026504113468304478noreply@blogger.com0