If you aim at nothing, you'll hit it every-time.

It has also been quoted by the great Rob Dyrdek that "the only enemy of success is laziness".  I really think it's true that you get out of life what you put into it.  The only way to have a friend is to be one.  I know sometimes I am selfish and not the best friend out there, but I am trying to do better and put other people first--sometimes it's just kind of hard.

Preparing to go to Europe has had me in a dream like state these past few days for many reasons:

number one:  I am going to effing EUROPE!

number two:  I am going to see some beautiful art and be M-O-V-E-D by it.

-Researching that art has taught me a lot about the artist and the tales of   the time

number three:  It makes me wonder what else is out there for me

number four:  with my new passport, i can TRAVEL

number five:  I am the lucky one because I am not the one getting married at 20 and I get to still be selfish for a few more years. :)

-I'm just not ready to get married yet.

number six:  Euro-trash hipsters

number seven: Youth Hostels

number eight:  I am so grateful for my family and the fact that my mom works again.  Even though it was hard and lonely in high school, it is worth every day home alone now because my mom can help me out with school and traveling and self discovery through both.

number nine: I have gotten a lot of lucky breaks in my life. 

number ten:  I can't sleep when I am excited!!!!!

All in all I think that this trip will let me get to know myself a lot better, and hopefully the ME i am suppose to be, not the ME i use to be or the ME i think i should be.  (She's really not that cool and actually, kinda lame.)  It's funny how much more enjoyable life is when you finally realize "maybe God does know me a little better than I know myself, and maybe he knows what's good for me a little better than my friends do..."  Imagine that.

I started my EutoTrip wish list for my travel studies class.  I am making it into a little book that i can write in with a ball point pen since all i do with an english minor and communication major is write papers and and do projects on the computer.  It's cute and I am very happy with how i is turning out.  

I also started researching for my 30 pieces of art I need to research before we leave: We have to write a one page paper about each one, that way, when we find them we can know their history and hopefully have a stronger reaction to the piece of art.  I am doing some Monet, Van Gogh, and Manet as well as Michaelangelo, Degas, and some Impressionist art.  I am also interested in architecture, fountains in Rome, and the egyptians and greek art that will be in the Lourve and other museums.

p.s. i think my indie-cred is about to SKYROCKET.  j.k (but seriously...)

TWELVE DAYS

10 things that make katherine happy

1. Pinkerton (bonus: dog and album)

2. Hip Hop, Rap, and Ludacris

3. crazy hair--borderline manes

4. Travel and dreams of it (not to mention planing!!!)

5. dorms PSYCH!  

6. Bright Eyes/ Conor Oberst

7. Guitars and pianos

8. Lists (bucket, wish, to-do...)

9. Dance Parties.  drop it drop it low girl.

10.  Missionaries

janesville doll:

Back in High School,  I played on the Lady Spartans volleyball team.  It was fun and I've got some good memories; however, the strongest one has nothing to do with the games, and everything to do with the bus rides to away games--specifically the games in Mankato and the ride through Janesville.

The Janesville doll is: weird, bizarre, and all together horrifying.

The Janesville Doll is a doll, hanging in the attic window in this little old house in Janesville MN.  It looks out over the park across the street, and year after year it sits there and watches life go on.

creativity

I was thinking the other day about education and how wonderful it is from a "life" point of view.  It is absolutely good to know things about the world you live.   Take time to learn about your country and your culture, then leave it all behind and travel to the four corners of the world and learn about theirs.  I am all for making the world your classroom, but I also believe that our intelligence enslaves us as well as liberates us.

Once we are educated, we no longer can believe that clouds are the left over smoke from fires all over the world, or that we can roast tree tops on sunsets like marshmallows.  The fire can no longer tan your skin.  Stars aren't just ideas that were never given a change to become anything and tiny people no longer live on my globe. 

When we are educated life looses its poetry and its magic.  

Stars are just balls of fire, trees are too far from the sunset to roast,  the light from a fire doesn't have the right kind of rays to tan you, and clouds are made up almost completely of water--not smoke.

It's good to be educated, but sometimes it kind of kills the A.R.T.

ART

While looking through some old folders on my desktop of pictures and poems and school work I found a folder FULL of art i have found online and liked,  I think when i get more settled I will start painting again and I think these might be my inspiration:

On another ART RELATED thread:  My classes for my euro-trip started today.  It's like art boot camp, but it's really interesting and it is getting me super excited about the trip.

One of the classes I am doing is an independent study where we make up our own research project to do.  We have to do research before we leave, then spend time looking for the thing we researched while we are in europe, then when we get home we make a portfolio or write a paper or compile it all somehow.  I think I might do how religion influences religious architecture in different countries.

For another class we have to make a bucket list (already have one) for our trip and then research 30 specific pieces of art and write a one page paper about them,  when we find them we do a little response and  make it all into a journal.  We also have to fine 15 pieces there that MOVE us and those we research when we get home.  All of this goes into our journal too.  I am super excited, but I think it might be a lot of work so  I will probably be in the l.i.b. all day tomorrow.

I know I am not as artistically inclined as a lot of my friends, and that I really don't now much about art from a statistical point of view, but I do know that art can MOVE people, and create though and change.  The world needs more leaders and less followers.  

I don't know, I guess there is balance in blazing a trail and being difficult, but it's the trial and error that shape us and make us.

Euroclasses: day one.

Today I started my euro trip classes.  I really am excited, even though it's all kind of a little overwhelming.  I will be in EUROPE in two weeks!

I could not sleep last night, at all.  I spent some time stumbling and thinking, but all in all I just laid in bed and waited for sleep to come... it never did.

This is one 

of the treasures I found while stumbling.  It reminds me of dreams and magnetic poetry:

FACTS:

1.)  My mom is sending me her nice camera so I can take it to Europe with me.  I am very excited, mostly because lately I have been having a lot of ideas about 

photography and different pictures I could take

2.)  I thought I had lost all of my paintings in the process of moving, but I found them im a remote corner of a discrete box.  True, I was mostly sad about loosing the canvases--the paintings aren't that great--but it's still nice to have them back.

Here is some inspiration for long locks, lovely looks, and life:

.

3.00 AM: insomnia

Is it okay that even though I don't have a boyfriend--or plan on getting married anytime soon--I have already made the following decisions about my wedding:

-I want my colors to be brown and goldenrod so I can have sun flowers in my bouquet

-I want the wedding party to release doves

-I want my first dance to be to "first day of my life" by bright eyes.  (cheesy?  don't care.)

-I want to get married in the SLC temple

-I want a reel dee-jay at my reception 

and set the following requirements for my future eternal roommate:

-He's gotta be tall enough that I can wear heels around him

-He's gotta be able to make my LAUGH until I can't stand up anymore

-He's gotta be adventurous and spontaneous but still responsible and spiritual

-He's gotta NOT say "dude" or use the words "fag", "gay", or " retarded" in casual talking

-He's gotta be an returned missionary and care about the church

-He's gotta be smart

-He's gotta like to travel 

-He's gotta think I am beautiful inside and out, and be able to deal with my crazy

-He's probably gotta be a little bit crazy too...

He will preferably:

-have dimple

-have dark hair and light eyes

-be musical and artistic

-be well read so we can talk about books

Having friends get married or start seriously dating is... really weird.  We are all still so young, and marriage is  E-TER-NAL!  It's a BIG deal to decide to hitch yourself to someone for the rest of time.

I guess for me it just doesn't seem like the right thing to do right now.  I just want to work on me for a while, have a few more years of fun and still be able to be selfish for a little while longer.

I just want to use this time to work on me and try to be the best version of me that I can be.  

I'm only 20 and there are still a l.o.t of things I am figuring out about myself.

Summer2010.

dreams really do come true.

Dear Rob Drydek,

Will you marry me?

Love,

Katherine Ann Fleming

World Traveler.

In less than three weeks I embark on my Humanities Tour--I could not be more excited.  I have one more final today at 12:45, and then i am free.  At least until monday when I start my classes for my eurotrip.

I can't believe how fast this semester went, how different it has been from how I imagined, and how close Europe is.  Throw in the two moves I have to make between then and now and time will fly like paper.

I still am trying to construct a euro-bucket list.  Any suggestions?

My mom was right, I am lucky I'm not getting married at 2o. I still have a few years to be selfish and do what I want.

-travel

-music

-art

Dear MTV

I understand (and completely appreciate) that Fantasy Factory has filled the void to an extent, but there is still a hole in the MTV universe left in the wake of the closure of Rob & Big.  My name is Katherine Ann Fleming and I would like to take on the task of filling that remaining hole.

I am 20 years old, and attend Brigham Young University-Idaho in Rexburg Idaho.  Before you go get your maps let me tell you this: when you go to school in a small town you have to be more creative to have fun, and I firmly believe that you get better memories for the extra effort.

I value my education and work hard to make good grades, but I also value fun and work hard to make good memories and have good stories.

I am on a "fast grad" program and go to school year round now.   I am especially excited for the upcoming summer semester because a lot of my friends will be coming back to Idaho.  Their return paired with warm weather and long, summer nights means that all sorts of crazy things will be happening.

I have no professional training in acting, no job, and no shame.  

Do with that what you will.

Yours Truly,

Katherine Ann Fleming

think it will work?

Bucket List

This semester I started making a dent in my Bucket List, and next semester I will only continue to do so :)

infinite <3>

mighty change of heart, Mentors, and mad dance parties.

Who would have though they could happen simultaneously?

This semester has taken me to places I've never been before, and some places I am not eager to go back to.  I think I cried more this semester than I have in my entire previous college career combined, but hey: your eyes must do some raining if you're ever going to grow.  And grow I did.

The best thing about being crazy is that when you finally get over it, you have to hit the ground running.  Time will have been lost, and friends and relationships will have been neglected.  All of these factors lead to a desperate scramble to fix the things I did wrong and lead to a change of habits, thoughts, and heart.

At least two things this semester of the religious variety (devotional, firesides, church talk, etc.) have dealt with mentors in out lives and how we need to be prepared to meet them and also be humble enough to listen to them when they teach us.

wonderland.

 heard you fell into a rabbit hole
Covered yourself up in snow...

This semester has been a little bit like wonderland.  at least i learned that things really do fall apart so other things can fall into place.

yes please.

lists.

-i am getting sick

-my grades could be better

-i am doing all i can now, and for the rest of the semester, to get my grades up

-i'm done letting other people take my happiness

-only invest as much time in others as they invest in you

-never let someone be a priority in your life when you are only an option in theirs

-time, prayer, and music can fix anything.  ANYTHING

-i really don't have it that bad

-i've been dealt some pretty awful hands in life, but they only made me stronger, so to them I am grateful

-i miss pinkerton

-i get to go to europe

-i want to serve a mission

-i want to travel

-i need to marry a doctor to support all of my hobbies

-i am talented

-i am smart

-i am a good person

-i let other people into my head

-i let myself into my head

-i'm done doing that

-I am Katherine Ann Fleming and I am part of a legacy

... And in that moment, I swear we were infinite.

Today I had a meeting for my Eurotrip this summer, I am ecstatic.  I decided that i am only going to be in the hotel room the hours they require us to.  I also decided I am going to make a Eurotrip Bucketlist.

All i have to far is:

-Taking a coin from the Fontana di Trevi

-eating crepes in france and galato in Italy

The lights are on; I'm awake

So, maybe I do want my life to be like an indie movie... I think it's because I want to be alive and free like the characters in them--and I don't think thats always a  bad thing.  I'm not reckless with other peoples hearts (I know this because I'm the one who gets hurt every-time).  I try hard not to do things that affect other people, unless it lifts them up.  I try to be true to myself, but we all fall short at times and in different areas.  Thats why we have friends--to hold us up where we are weak.

THIS WEEKEND WAS SERIOUSLY SO INFINITE.

I have recently been reminded of just how much I LOVE light.  First of all light is symbolic of good things, which is rad, but i love physical light even more.

And mainly three kinds of lights:  

head lights/tail lights, skylines, and stars.

The coolest thing to me is that these are all big collections of smaller, single lights... and each individual light has it's own story, but then together all the stories come together and make up our cities and our life's and our cultures and... everything. 

 

The headlights all file down the streets in a organized line into the skylines.   From there they all disperse to their own homes and appointments and stories, and the stars watch it all.

CONSIDER THIS:

-If it's a clear night, pull over, get out of your car, and look at the stars.  Then remember everything good in your life and remember sometimes it's okay to just enjoy the ride.

-If you are driving and see something you want to get closer to.  Stop, pull over, and go look at it.  Maybe even pick a flower for your journal.

-Night is the best time of day becasue it's when all the lights come on and all the dreams come out.

basically I can sum it all up to this:  If you are curious, go explore.  Louis and Clark that because that's how we learn about the world we live in and how we grow to be ready to take it all in stride.

recharge.

This weekend I was lucky enough to come down to Utah with my friend Cody.  Her ride bailed on her last minute, and I needed a great escape, so I offered to drive her down if she would put me up while we were there--great trade off.  Everything about this trip so far has been infinite, and we still have today and as much of monday as we want to invest.  

We did sleep through church though, which i feel bad about.

Friday after classes we drove down to Logan, and got in at about 8 or 9 o'clock.  The drive was easy and fun.  Good music, good people, good time.  We didn't know much about our plans for the evening other than the fact that we were going to a dance party and when it's dance and party, I am always in.  When we got to her aunt's house I started talking to her cousin about Minnesota because he served his mission there and we pretty quickly made a list of other missionaries we both knew, and as it happened, we were going to Elder Benson's for this party.  wild.

Let me try to paint a picture as well as i can:

Roll up to the cutest college kid house ever (with a working mail flap on the front wall) and walk into the home of a boy I knew as a missionary.  In the corner there is a storage bin that is being used as a punch pool.  The deejay is great--editing is priceless.  Fun kids, and great music.  I haven't just gotten to dance since summer 08.

So that was already a great weekend, but it doesnt stop there.

After a severe night's rest on the floor of Cody's aunt's house we got ready for the day and headed into Ogden Utah for Winterfest 2010.

"okay a.  I now feel MUCH better about myself, b.  this is one of the most ridiculous things I have ever done, and c.  this is fun so lets enjoy the ride." nuff said.

After that we went down to SLC for the night and it was a dream.  I saw the Joseph Smith film, and Sister Morris, and the temple all in one night.  I also got to see Brent and hang out with Brady and Tori and Jack and Griff for a little bit in SLC.

After that Me and cody just took some time to explore SLC before going back home to Logan for the night.

INFINITE

ear worm

so far this semester I have had

Starstrukk (3oh!3)

It wasn't me (Shaggy)

and 

When you Wasn't Famous (the streets)

stuck in my head really bad.

February 8th 2010

2010 has already been a whirlwind of EPIC proportions.

Tears

Laughter

Stress

Anxiety

New Friends

Old friends

Best Friends

Bad friends

Movies

Mistakes

Growth

Apologies

Anger

Pain

Joy

Laughter

Music

Art

Painting

Disappointment

Basically what it all adds up to is that Ferris was right.  Life moves fast.

Sometimes you just gotta LET GO and see where the new path leads.