The Brooklyn Bridge

Every girl needs to tell her cheesy story while flailing her hands around and squealing, so here's the transcript of how Jon and I decided to get married and stuff if you'd like to read it.  July 2015 - First Met As a missionary for the LDS church in the Japan, I first met Elder Tanner (code name: Jon Tanner) at a conference in Fukutoku, Japan, where we were welcomed our new mission president. We shook hands and ate delicious lunch with 145 other missionaries! For six weeks, Jon and I both worked in the Matsumoto Branch in November 2015. We were good friends there (riiiight, "friends" ;) [no really, just friends who both had not great haircuts] uh huh, sure), and it was a little sad to say Goodbye to him, just like every elder and sister who goes home. However, I did not expect to see him again. The following January, as a junior at BYU, he emailed me with a couple updates about "real" life, and how much better it is to be in missionary life. We ...

Me, Teagan, Alyssa. Two of my best friends, the day Teag got her mission call. This weekend I was doing a show at a seven-year-old's birthday party, and as I was setting up, I noticed the middle of a scene. Two of the party guests seem to have a minor quarrel, which ended in "Fine!" from the first girl and "FINE!" from the one talking with her. I'm not sure what happened, but that second grade drama is serious stuff, as many of you know. As the show went on, they laughed and had a good time but did not sit by or talk to one another. At the end, all the kids sit in a circle to meet and pet the rabbit. Bitter Girl tried picking up the rabbit and stumbled with how to hold it. Ex-friend immediately (out of habit, I infer)  helped her and showed her how. They paused and (no longer) Bitter Girl said "Do you want to be friends again?" And Helper/Healer Girl said, "Yeah, let's do it." And bam. Besties again. How easy was it for these ...

This was a very, very fortunate random grab off the "Featured" shelf at my library. Sentence-Synopsis:  An explanation of common autistic behaviors through an extensive interview with a thirteen-year-old autistic boy. At only 193 pages, this was a two-hour read, which became two important hours of my life. Naoki answers the questions about autism honestly and fully, providing unexpected understanding for an outsider. The active effort to understand and love each other is essential, and this book provides another opportunity for that. It reminded me that as I go on my mission, it isn't "my" mission. My mission is for others, for the people in Japan. To love them, understand them, and render service to them the best I can.  The Reason I Jump  is a gentle, wonderful reminder to simply follow a commandment: Love One Another. Overall Grade:  A Disclaimers: No controversial or adult material.

So there's that moment. When you have to use the bathroom at your guy friends' apartment, and you're like ew. Just ewwww.*Shiver* No Brooklyn, it's okay, they're boys. Boys just do, they don't analyze spaces. Boys are messy. No big deal. But then you realize, oh my goodness. I'm marrying one of these someday. And that means live in the same proximity thereof. So conclusion: Boys (or messy people): ask your mother if you're rather messy, and if so, enhance your bonus points enormously by working on it in the name of love. Girls (or fellow anxiously OCD people): take a deep breath and calculate priorities. Messy rooms are not rebellious backlashes of evil laughter. They are humane occurences. Wishing you peaceful, strong, responsible and passionate love, Brooklyn

A Reflection of my Religion 101 Class, with a rather pretentious but honest-as-possible ending. As soon as I started registration for college, I asked the counselor if there was a Religions of the World class. I was eager to take it because I plan on serving an LDS mission in the fall. I wanted to know as much as I possibly could about what other people were thinking before I went out and told them my way was better. The two most memorable phrases Dr. Anderson has ever said to me came on the first day of class. First, “What the hell is Religion?” I thought it was witty and ironic, and I liked to think I understood witty humor and was cool enough to nod in comprehensive laughter.  Religion is a system comprised of people with similar belief, with rituals to enact those beliefs. Religion is a community, a therapist, and an inspiration. Religion is controlling, violent, and destructive. These are all things Religion can be, and have been. Learning about all these denominati...

That's about as new as twenty-fourteen me gets, and that's my satirical slam on society for the day. I don't do New Year's Resolutions. I don't make them either. Now before you write me off as a snob hipster, which you're free and probably entitled to do, read my rant since you're already here and internet-wasting time. First, Nearesos seem impulsive. There is ALL THE MUCH going on in November and December such as recovering from Halloween's awesomeness, deciding how you feel about Christmas music, eating too much, NaNoWriMo, pretending to study for finals, frantically "shopping" for gifts even though you're broke as a joke (thanks Kate) and have no idea what your family could possibly enjoy, working ridiculous hours, deciding how to make your one party dress look different at each party, contemplating on conforming to ugly sweater day, and then shifting into quality family time mode and magically getting along with everyone. So by the tim...

So. In true Brooklyn fashion, I committed to a project, started it a day late, made it look like I was going strong complete with pictures, and then waited until the morning it was due to finish it. Yay. Therefore, if any of you invisible audience members were looking forward to reading all my Thank You chapters, you should seek a new hobby. NO. I joke, I mean I'm sorry. Sorry. It's crazy to think I'm so blessed that I won't even be able to list MOST of the things I'm grateful for. I present, Chapter 3-28: Abridged. 3. Dear J.K. Rowling, thank you for the magical world my heart calls second home, and for creating a story about real magic. Love, Brooklyn. 4. Dear 1970s Clariol Kindness Hot Rollers, thanks for being there daily to calm the storm. Love, Brooklyn. 5. Dear Musical Theatre, Thank you for making my mornings theatrical,  letting me dance through high school, and making me cry at the gym. Love, Brooklyn. 6. Dear Clocks, thank you for giving me someon...

This weekend's magical endeavor was Colorado's best convention! It was my first time at Magic in the Rockies and I had a blast! I met some majorly radical magicians like Walter "Zaney" Blaney, Autumn Morning Star, Danny Orleans, Duane Laflin, Losander, Becky Blaney and Arthur Stead! They are fabulous performers with very successful and entertaining careers. I had so much to learn from them and had the opportunity to chat with all of them. Amazing! I also performed in the showcase which was so fun, especially because I received so much useful feedback. My whole family got to come, which was awesome. Family bonding time for the win. I'm so excited for every upcoming day. Thanks to the incredible MITR committee for making this extraordinary weekend happen! Check out my eccentric vlog of the weekend: Or, for a quieter approach, the photos below(click to view full size):

If you weren't aware, the moment  you turn 18, your whole life is yanked up, sloshed around in the wash machine on an extremely high speed, and spat out in a completely different shape. It's kind of like accidentally touching a portkey for the very first time on your birthday and arriving somewhere completely different. I'm guessing to an outside source it really wouldn't seem that different. But that's a bit of how it feels. Most of it is good, I'm sure. First, the week before school started, I went to this totally amazing, radical magic convention in Las Vegas called MagicLive! It was my very first time and I absolutely loved it. They have a giant showroom with several dealers selling super cool new and old magic, workshops with incredible, accomplished performers, and then the best magic shows ever to top off each night! I wish I could properly express the awesomeaucity that occurred. The whole thing was the epitome of radicality, but I did have some favorit...

        YAWN. My lips stretch over my entire face as the invisible Exhaustion Monster creeps up my throat and out of my mouth. I accidentally glance at my daddy and the Monster bites him too. We each finish our yawns as we stumble into the theatre, another early morning session after a very late evening. Here we are at MagicLive!, a week-long, complete submersion of learning, buying, talking about, and showing off magic. Lectures in the morning, workshops in the afternoon, shows in the evening, and endless brainstorming, chatting, and rehearsing all night. Not to mention a big change of heart, speedily on its way to me and my career.   This convention is, without a doubt, the best four days of my whole summer. As we find our seats in the theatre, we’re weary but very anxious to know who takes the stage to bring their very professional, experience-oriented, and possibly invaluable wisdom. I open my official, laminated, designer MagicLive! binder and flip ...

This is definitely me at the present moment.

"This is it, I have found it. I am in hell." This journey is an absolute gem. It has all my favorite feels in it. Steel Magnolias is the story of six friends who give their story to the audience through visits to Truvy's salon. Shelby is about to be married, her mother M'Lynn is like any mother-of-the bride, widow of the mayor Clairee enjoys watching all of it unfold, Annelle is a brand new stylist and scared to death, and Ms. Ouiser Boudreaux is just about every cranky loud grandma you've ever met, combined and magnified by 18. As their lives and love change, we see the beautiful strength in these women. This is one of the plays I am most grateful for. I hold an overwhelming appreciation to my director for trusting me with the gift of Ouiser. She's a nut, like me, but I can't believe he actually believed in me that much, and for that and many other lessons he taught me, I'll be indebted to him in my entire life. I had so much fun in this wonderful...

If things were different,  everything would be different.  No one really knows what another is thinking. You might know all your thoughts, but you probably don't know how to express them thoroughly. At least I don't. Words are usually good, if you can find the proper ones. I bet there's a perfect word for everything we feel, we just don't know them all yet. I certainly don't know quite how to write yet. Words are good. But if we don't use words we do use other things.  No words is a thing. Logically, no words might mean no thoughts. But it probably means a lot of thoughts. It usually means a lot of thoughts. Thoughts you can't write, thoughts you don't know how to write, thoughts you don't believe, thoughts you really don't want to be thinking. Thoughts completely and constantly quarreling with each other. Thoughts that come and never go. There's also bodies. Hitting, something we shouldn't do. Hugs, something we should do more. Sex. H...

A day I never thought much about coming came. Today was wonderful! I am so happy. High school was truly an amazing adventure.  I love it and am proud to be a Spartan. Thank you for the opportunity to speak. Thank you to every remarkable soul in my life, especially my family, and my friends just like family. I love you! In the high school, we are supposed to learn a thing or two, so hopefully, you would agree with me that we did! Mrs. Hanson and Mr. Drake taught me to write cautiously and bravely. Ms. Spackman and Mr. Georgelas taught me to decide to have always have energy. From Mr. Wood, I learned that if at first you don't succeed, just succeed in being a bad example. From Ms. Chappell, I learned that with hard work and smile you can basically accomplish anything. However, I think the most valuable lesson, among many, I have learned comes from Mr. Saxton (if you all weren’t sure, I’m kind of into the theatre-drama stuff). He taught us that STORY IS KING. Any production can be ...