We're all going to die. We don't know when. We don't know how. We don't know where. But we live as if none of this is true.

I love this place. Seriously, such an awesome trip to California. 6/5- 6/9/10

Have you ever thought...

That maybe doing dumb, spur the moment, exciting things while we’re young are actually worth all the while whether you end up regretting it years from now or not? Because the point is, don’t regret. Realize everything you’ve done has some sort of meaning to the stage in life you are at now. Whether it be something permanent or not, it’s all worth the while. We learn a lot from our mistakes and the things we actually get right. Everything will have a purpose and a memory attached to it. Don’t make the mistake of missing out on something life changing and memorable. You can’t get it back.

Yup…. Starbucks most definitely spelled my name “fam”. That’s a new one.

“Stand strong behind your beliefs, if you can even manage to stand at all.”

I thought I would repost this from my Facebook notes. Leave feedback if you feel the need :)

After moving out of my house in July of 2009, my life was one big mess to say the least. There were multiple disputes between my family and I and plenty more with Jared and my family. As tough as it was not getting along and disagreeing on countless things, I can now see all the positive things that come from hard times.
4 months have gone by now and I feel like a completely different person. I've grown up and matured and have come to see the reality in life. The month or two before I moved out, I was constantly arguing and not getting along with my parents especially. I didn't appreciate or even realize how much they had done for me, how much they just wanted to help me, and take care of me. It was just a time where all I could see was the negativity of the situation. All I wanted to do was get away, do what I wanted, and not be held back. I soon began to realize how much I valued their opinions and their relationship with me. I missed them a lot.
You have no idea how good it felt to meet up with them and Jared and actually be on good terms. The biggest weigh was lifted off my shoulders and I was so incredibly happy. I feel like I actually have a good relationship with them, one where I can talk with them about anything and not be treated like a child. And I'm really happy because I feel like they've let go and just let me live my life. They actually trust my judgement and me.
Patching things up is still a work in progress, one person at a time. I met with my brother and girlfriend, which was something that needed to be fixed and sorted out for a long time. My relationship with my brother these past few months was something that really hurt and bothered me. We used to be inseparable and were the best of friends, until things just began to change. After sitting and talking with them, we really got to the bottom of it and finally made up. I have my brother back : ) and now I can start a good friendship with his girlfriend, Dakotah, which was something we both wanted, but didn't know where to start.
When you lose everything, you really realized how important things and relationships are to you, even if at the time, it seems hard to imagine. I've grown through this and have gained more now than I had lost in the beginning. My life is headed toward a good direction. I have a job, a car, a new future, and I've found God. And along the way I maintained to keep my relationship with Jared which was threatened throughout it all. They say once you hit rock bottom the only way to go is up, and I can truly say I've experienced that the past 4 months. Now I'm just moving up, growing along the way, and seeing the truth in life.

A school book will never teach you how to love yourself, a teacher will never tell you how to heal, and no class can help you learn how to brush yourself off and try again.

So Much So True: Two Quotes On Originality.

“Even in literature and art, no man who bothers about originality will ever be original: whereas if you simply try to tell the truth (without caring twopence how often it has been told before) you will, nine times out of ten, become original without ever having noticed it.” — C. S. Lewis

“Nothing is original. Steal from anywhere that resonates with inspiration or fuels your imagination. Devour old films, new films, music, books, paintings, photographs, poems, dreams, random conversations, architecture, bridges, street signs, trees, clouds, bodies of water, light and shadows. Select only things to steal from that speak directly to your soul. If you do this, your work (and theft) will be authentic. Authenticity is invaluable; originality is non-existent. And don’t bother concealing your thievery—celebrate it if you feel like it. In any case, always remember what Jean-Luc Godard said: ‘It’s not where you take things from—it’s where you take them to.’” — Jim Jarmusch

Yes, this is where I'll be tonight with Jared :) First time seeing them, really excited.