{20} What is Joy if It Goes Unrecorded

This will be the last post of my Writing 150 class assignment. However, I am pleased that I don't plan on it being my last post in forever. For this post, I would like to reflect on all my previous posts and the experience that I have gained from it. It actually ties in quite nicely to my presentation for my final.

Looking back on the thoughts and memories and perspectives I have shared over the course of the semester, I am struck by why we do it. Why do we record events, write down our thoughts and ideas? I know it is because we want to preserve it. If we didn't write it down as it happened, it would be forgotten. The details would be lost, and with them some of the joy of the original moments.For example, while writing my narrative I realized that specific details were hard to remember. What kind of trees were around us. What were we wearing, what tone of voice did they use, smaller details that would be easy to recall had I written them in my journal that night. One of my favorite quotes is " the dullest pencil is better than the sharpest mind". We will age, and memories fade. Our minds are very susceptible to suggestion, and it becomes hard to know if the memory is real or tainted by suggestion.

This is why we record our lives. Are we not commanded to record and journal? When we use good and effective writing skills, we can transform our basic recollection writing, events and vague memories, into descriptive and entertaining stories that can take a reader back to the event, even if it was tens or hundreds of years ago. I encourage all my readers to make journaling, a priority in your life. The longer you wait, the less you will be able to remember. I am grateful for this project and the perspective it has given me on the subject.

{19} The Happiest Place on Earth

This year, my biggest plans for my birthday were working. I was disappointed in that reality but I guess that's what its like to be an adult. However, luck ran my way when I got someone to cover for me on my long 430- 11 pm shift. So I didn't have to work, but my boyfriend did and that meant no big plans for my big day. So I called home to see if maybe I could head home for the weekend and spend some time with the family. Both my parents would be in town, so we decided I would come for a quick visit. A few days later, I got a call from my dad, which went a little like this: Hey Morgan, so i know that you're coming down next week for your birthday, but I forgot that we wont be here. Its the kids spring break and we're going to Disneyland, but if you want you can come with us. It'll be your birthday present. OH yeah, bring Travis too!" So after very little coaxing, I convinced my boyfriend to get work of and come to California with me. We had so much fun, and rode every ride we wanted to. My step-mom is awesome and got the whole group matching shirts, so we looked like your typical tourist family, and i loved every second of it.

{18} Geocaching Adventures

I have discovered a brand new hobby that I hope to explore more. Geocaching is a sort of activity where people hide a stash somewhere. I personally like those that are hid out in the wilderness, and you have to hike to them. They record the geographic location of their stash, and put those coordinates on a website where you can pick and choose the ones you want to explore. My boyfriend Travis and I have adopted this hobby, and we love it. When you find a stash, you put some interesting kniknack in the stash and take one someone else had put in there.

We have found so many places that we would not have discovered otherwise. Its a great way to bond, and to satisfy our adventurous spirits. Once, my mom even came with us! It keeps us healthy, happy, and active in our environment.

{17} Utah Mormons

I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Growing up in Las Vegas, the church was strong, but not widely known. I often had to describe my beliefs, and I rarely encountered opposition. I was firm in my beliefs as well as comfortable in my position.

Moving to Utah was a bucket of water to the face. I had believed that moving to the Mormon capital of the world, I would be overwhelmed with the faith here. I was very wrong. While the church is very strong here, so is the opposition. I have never been faced with so much Anti-Mormon messages. While it is often easy to ignore the mumbling and murmurings. It is sad to see so many people who have once had faith and fallen away. It is also difficult to see those who have fallen away so bitter and putting in so much effort to bring others down with them. While I will admit that I have seen many imperfect members here, it is not any indication of  the truthfulness of the gospel of Christ. I do not plan on raising my children in this environment, and I have seen the true beauty of the church in other places, not so marked by judgement and bitterness. 

{16} Plasmapher- whatis??

I am here to bring to light your own personal "get rich quick" scheme.... DONATING PLASMA. kay guys in 4 hours i have made $100 dollars. I have always thought that I would never stoop so low, that I wouldnt need money that bad, but who am I kidding? easy money is easy money. The process was kinda scary to me, so I will outline it a bit. You go in, and they set up the machine. Lots of tubes and stuff, but they know what theyre doing. Then they stick you with a needle. I wont lie, I HATE needles. sidenote, this is the biggest needle used in the medical industry. imagine the size of a fork prong. huge. Thats because it needs to draw blood as well as return it to you. So they stick you, and they draw a bunch of blood. it goes into this centrifuge, and it gets spun around at a couple hundred rotations per minute. the plasma gets separated from the red cells, and goes into a separate container. the red blood is then returned to you, and over and over again until they have a certain amount of plasma. easy enough, and the whole process should take about an hour.

A few tips.
DRINK WATER: plasma is mostly water. so the more hydrated you are, the easier it is to remove it from your blood.
EAT A BIG MEAL: you have to eat something filling. the first time i went, I underestimated how much i needed to eat, and I tossed my lunch. No fun, but every subsequent time I have been fine.

LAST TIP!: if you take my advice and go to donate, GIVE MY NAME AS A REFERRAL!!  Morgan Smith! I get good perks if you do

. Go to Biomat USA on 501 N and 900 E! you can make something like 220$ a   month! and heres the best part. YOU SAVE LIVES. Your blood plasma goes to live saving medicine, and you can help change and improve lives. I am so grateful that I was referred:)

{15} Things as They Really Are Flooding the Earth

At the beginning of the semester, we read two talks by Elder David A. Bednar. Both the talks were applicable to our course, as out emphasis is New Media, and Bednar's talks were focused on the use of media in our lives as well as in a gospel sense. The earlier talk, "Things as They Really Are", he warns of the dangers of living virtual lives. He warns of the effects on our souls, and how our internet choices can change us. I especially love this quote from the talk.

"The devil has no power over us only as we permit him; the moment we revolt at anything which comes from God, the devil takes power.”

The talk is significantly contrasted from his subsequent talk, labled " To Sweep the Earth As With a Flood". In this address, he begins by noting how lucky we are to have so many media tools at our disposal. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Lds Tools, and many more. We have so many ways to spread the gospel, and we have been warned previously by Elder Bednar the dangers of poor media choices. I appreciate the order that he presented his ideas in. Instead of encouraging the use of social media to futher the gospel, and letting us all run wild with the internet, he first gives us the apostolic warning before encouraging us to be member missionaries. I have seen the power of spreading the gospel by means of new media, and I am thankful for the gentle push given to us by the apostles.

{14} Look Sister Steadman, No Hands!

Here's my post about my research paper that has long since been turned in. This post has lived much of its life in my draft section, so it is so happy to be out in the open!

We were assigned a research paper recently, and along with that assignment, I am introduced to the biggest school project I've yet to face. 10 pages on a single topic, seems extremely overwhelming to me, nothing like anything I've ever done. But I would love to explain a little about it.

The assigment is to take a research topic from a story in our family history, something that interests us. I have chosen vaccinations because my Great Grandma got polio as a child because there was no vaccine.

At this moment, I am feeling very anxious about tackling this paper, but excited to learn more about my history and the very controversial topic. Soon enough, I will have to decide whether or not to vaccinate my kids, and I would like to be as informed as possible.

I went to the Writing and Research Lab in the Library, and here's a bit how the conversation went.
Tutor: Tell my why you're writing this.
Me; Because it's the biggest grade in the class?
T: No, why did you pick this topic??
M; Well I never knew my Great Grandma, but I have chapters and chapters about her life where i can get to know her now. Having polio changed the course of her entire life, her abilities, and how people treated her. I think I can get to know her by learning and understanding her life.

Well it seems to me that as I do more and more research, it can easily be tackled by breaking it into little bits. All the research I am doing points to vaccines being helpful and beneficial, and alot of the misconceptions are spread by not learning the facts for yourself.

I hope I do well on this paper, as I am putting lots of work into it, and I'd never admit it but I really am enjoying this project.