Straight out of Urban Dictionary

One time I had a guy friend send this to me because he thought it was so spot on.
I giggled so hard I nearly fell out of my chair.

"A Taylor is a fascinating girl. You may hear blondes are the best, but you heard wrong. Brunette Taylor's are the one's you wanna meet. Characteristics of a Taylor are usually funny, outgoing, sarcastic, nice, and can be jealous at times, but not often. They would take a bullet for their friend's in a second. They also have a way of leading boys on, so be careful...But if they really like you, cherish it. Taylor's don't fall for boys easily. And don't let a Taylor get away, whether it's a friendship or something more, you will regret not having a Taylor in your life."

in his words:
"...........pretty close, eh?"
Do you know me well enough to say?

Still chuckling every time I read it,
Taylor Ann

pick-me-ups

Sometimes when I have bad days
[because, hello, they just happen...] 
I whip these out and remember that
even though some people aren't always wonderful,
and even though sometimes I'm dumb,
I know some real keepers.

"oh, she beautiful!" [insert heavy chinese accent here]
"Yeah, I sure think so" [good response homeboy, #winning]

"miss you
your such a champ you practically redefine the word"

"you are the most substantial human being i know
and you are the real deal"

"Oh I see, kind of like the way you're an enormously high powered super-magnet for precious boys because you yourself are ultimately the most precious person on the face of the earth"
 
"maybe we won't end up as old maids after all, because I'm pretty certain we are more than just decently attractive... ;)"

Bad days can end good.
Just make them

Taylor

because it happened

So, remember my rose-burning-fun a few months ago?

Well, around that time I also found my old box of notes.

And, you know, reading them helped me remember how much I loved them. 

And when you remember those times, you wonder how it ever came to be that you aren't close now.

In some cases, it was my fault. 

I was immature and did things that put a wall between us.

In some cases, time and distance placed us far apart.

And that was that.

Sometimes I get sad that they're over.

But then I remember to smile because they happened....those friendships that I needed so much.

I am so grateful for those memories that I shared with them, and I will forever look back fondly

on writing secret notes and sticking them under the church couch,

making waffles and peanut butter and dressing up late at night,

decorating envelopes and sending handwritten letters,

taking friends on family vacations to the beach and the mountains,

taking pictures and writing notes during class,

and giggling about silly crushes [these notes were chalk-full of those]

I will always love these girls.

No matter what comes between or where we are.

Their friendships got me through hard times.

And helped me appreciate the good times.

So in the words of Dr. Seuss...
smile because it happened.

Love Always, 

Taylor Ann

"i guess... we can blame it on the rain"

A few weeks ago I got to do something cool.

A CONCERT.

I have been to officially four concerts now in my whole 20 years of existence. 

The first?

Rascal Flatts. Taylor Swift opened for them. So sweet. SO good, but way far away, and with my family... which is not ideal for a concert. Why? Not that I don't adore my family, but it's a little less like going with girlfriends. Let's just say things aren't quite as exciting when you are the only one in  a twenty person radius that knows/sings all the words to every T-Swift song...

The second? 

A small concert here in Provo. On a date. I may have been half infatuated with the boy we were doubling with, who wasn't my date. So that was rough.

The third?
Backstreet Boys with Kelshead. So fabulous. We dragged her husband and brother along too. Mostly we just giggled because they tried to sing new songs and well... nobody sang along. They've lost the magic. Stick with Millennium, guys.

This one?

SWEET. That's what it was. Heard of He is We? If you haven't, you should. My friend Candace won tickets to a radio stations private concert, and she was great enough to take me, although I'm sure there were cooler people to go with. [seriously though Candace, you rock]

 

 Also, they're good. Weird... but good. 

Favorite Quote: "I know... weird right? We love grunge and heavy metal 

but we sing all this happy, fairy music"

Favorite... thing?: The people sitting behind us were at least 75. 

Question 1: Do they even know who He is We is?

Question 2: They know how to use the internet? (Crucial to entering the contest)

Question 3: ...they listen to MY99.5?

Yes. I was that close to them.

Day 6: Lovely Friendship

So yesterday I had class until six pm.

And it was frigid cold on my 15 minute walk home.

Mostly the wind was blowing. hard...the kind with little snow pellets.

I was freezing.

and hungry.

I came home to this

sitting on my dresser.

it contained things like...

this

and this

and this 

Let me tell you a story about that bunny rabbit.

So one time there was an old man who lived in Coarsegold

He would bring these....well, kind of hideous....
wooden animals to our elementary school.

Boxes and Boxes of them. 

We just didn't really know what to do with them.
Aspen and I adopted this one.
And send it back and forth.
Instead of annoying, now it's nearly endearing :)
Oh shoot, I love our friendship.

Why friendship?

"Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art... It has no survival value; rather it is one of those things that give value to survival."      -C.S. Lewis

This week I went to visit my dad's old mission companion.

I'd heard stories about him all growing up, and he teaches at my school....

so I thought to myself, I really should put forth the effort to meet him.

and I was so glad I did! We talked about our families and school a little.

Really nothing important, but as I left he very kindly said, 

"If there's anything I can ever do for you....let me know"

"I don't have much pull, but if you ever need anything, I'll do what I can"

It is such a reassuring feeling to know that there's someone on campus (aside from your peers), 

that you know is on your side and willing to help you.

Two things I learned from this experience:

1. The Importance of forming new friendships and relationships.

2. The importance, especially in college, of forming relationships with the adults who surround you. They love students, or they wouldn't be here! And we, as students, need adults in our lives. Who in college doesn't still feel like a small child most of the time? And we need the stability and wisdom of our teachers, administrators...what ever the case may be.

So I guess that's my question to ponder today, why are we here, surrounded by others, if not to build relationships with those around us? To build communities, not just residences?

What do you have to lose by making a new friend?

Go for it. Do it. It may not be easy, 

but it really is simple.