Monday, May 2, 2016

The Brain

This semester I was enrolled in a neuroscience class, and I loved it! I am so amazed by the complexity of this lump of white and gray matter. That lump is your thoughts, personality, memories, everything you are! People don't appreciate what a miracle this organ it is. To celebrate the brain, here are some awesome facts:

  • While awake, your brain generates between 10 and 23 watts of power—or enough energy to power a light bulb.
  •  Neurons develop at the rate of 250,000 neurons per minute during early pregnancy.
  • The average number of thoughts humans are believed to experience each day is 70,000.
  • Information can be processed as slowly as 0.5 meters/sec or as fast as 120 meters/sec (about 268 miles/hr).
  • The human brain makes up 2% of our body weight, making it the largest brain to body size in the animal kingdom.




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Saturday, April 30, 2016

Tulips and Sunflowers

When people need some perspective, there's a reason the saying, "Stop and smell the roses," gets passed along. Think about how wonderful this world is! To me, one of the biggest evidences of a God, especially a God that loves His children, is flowers.

From the time I was young, my dad and I took care of our family gardens. In autumn we planted tulip bulbs, so they could sleep through the winter and poke their sleepy heads out in the spring sunshine. Once the tulips said goodnight again, we'd plant a colorful mixture of petunias, marigolds, and snap dragons. We'd also tend tomato, zucchini, pumpkin, and pepper plants. To say that these are some of my happiest memories is an understatement! 

When I was thirteen I started planting sunflowers on the south side of our home, where the sunshine was abundant and nothing else grew. They went wild. Now every year the sunflowers come up, and many of them top thirteen feet tall! They attract swarms of tiny, colorful finches who munch on their seeds.

Out of all the beautiful flowers, tulips and sunflowers have to be my favorite. One is a spring flower, one is a summer, but both are reminders to slow down and enjoy this life. When I see a field of tulips or sunflowers, I absolutely can say I believe in miracles. 



Better Together

Coming from high school, I can say that I had a somewhat skewed idea of what love is. After a relationship with a complete narcissist that left me in pieces, I came up here to Utah State, not really wanting to fall for anyone. I've always been ambitious in my education, so I was focusing on completing my bachelor's degree and heading out of state for a master's. Marriage was definitely not a priority. My plans changed completely though when I met Joshua Deron Tinsley.

I used to think that love was a dance to please the other person, giving up much of who I am. I used to think that love was critical.
I used to think I was never enough.

Now, there are days I can't help but feel these things still. Some scars don't go away overnight. However, I always have Josh to remind me the way it should be.

Love is being who you are and accepting the other person. Josh has never asked me to be anyone other than Hope. He has never been critical of me and my weaknesses. I am his everything, and I am enough.

We're getting married 20 days from today, and I couldn't be more excited. Things are so good because we are truly better together. *Cue Jack Johnson*


Everything I Learned During Freshman Year

1. Everyone has different priorities. It's important to decide on mine and be firm.
2. Hauling it to the nutrition building in ten minutes every day takes some serious stamina.
3. If people talk about you, whatever. Keep standing up for what you know is right.
4. When you have a bad day, it's okay to stop and get hot chocolate at the library. Take care of yourself.
5. Things don't always work out the way you think they will, but that's part of the excitement of life.
6. Patience. Sometimes your roommates want to build a blanket fort that takes up the entire living room and makes it impossible for you to get to the stairs and kitchen.
7. All people want is empathy sometimes.
8. You need to decide who is genuinely on your side and who is not.
9. Take things one day at a time and don't worry about what you cannot do at the moment.
10. It's all about perspective. Maybe I can't understand where someone is coming from, but I can appreciate their view and cumulative experiences.

Friday, April 29, 2016

Focus Determines Reality

Qui-Gon Jinn, in Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, tells the young Anakin Skywalker to "Always remember your focus determines your reality."

George Lucas, you are oh-so-wise.

In other words, what we dwell on daily is going to become our days. It's important to evaluate every once in a while where our focus lies or else we will end up where we had no intention of going. 

I've realized with finals and a lot of busyness going on that I may just be trying to get through one thing to the next. This isn't how it should be though. These finals and classes are vehicles to my career, a career where I'll be able to help people and make a difference in the world. That should be my focus. I've also realized that I've been down on myself about a lot of small things. It's so easy to let negativity creep in, but if I allow myself to feel this way, it will become my reality. And what a scary thought that is!

It's so important to know where we want to go and what we want to be, so that we can align our everyday actions with those goals. Only then do we achieve the reality we dream of. 

Tuesday, April 26, 2016

Hey, I like writing.

The reason I started this blog back in good ole' 2013 was mainly because my sister had one (with lots of followers and a pretty good lookin' format). Granted, this blog only has two official followers and looks like a sixteen year old (who didn't know what they were doing) put it together, but I loved writing the few posts I did. And as I've started writing on it again (even though it's for an English class and about silly things), I've remembered how much I love writing. It feels so good to put down my thoughts.

Writing makes a moment, an idea, a feeling permanent. It may not seem like it most of the time but our lives and very beings are dynamic, always changing. I'm not the same person I was five minutes ago and neither are you. I find it incredible that sentences made out of words made out of letters made out of lines can be used to communicate ideas and are capable of preserving people with their personalities and thoughts! 

Smiling at Strangers

Why do humans smile? 

Emotions are one of the most compelling things about humanity. Are we born with them? Are they universal? What are their purpose?

Yeah, there are all those evolutionary answers about how they helped us survive and such. Cool but whatever. Research has shown that even though emotions can be  expressed differently across cultures, we all have them and they are similar, if not the same. Babies are born with the ability to emote, but they may be developed differently through nurturing. 

I believe we have emotions to connect us to others because that is truly what life is all about. When one feels pain, we can sympathize and cry with them. When another feels joy, there is nothing better than sharing that happiness. Emotions make us who we are, and without them we would be no different from the rest of the animal kingdom. 

What about smiling? Ask people what smiling means, and they'll generally answer happiness. Not necessarily though. There are two types of smiles: fake and Duchenne. Fake smiles are... fake--they don't reach the eyes, meaning they don't actually have the emotion of happiness behind them. On the other hand, a Duchenne smile is genuine, reaching the eyes and showing the light we all innately have.

I started something at the beginning of the year where I would walk to and from class smiling at people, counting the smiles I received in return. Some may dismiss me as a weird girl, but I find that sometimes I receive a Duchenne smile in return. As I walk past this person, I hope I made their day just a little bit better. Not only does smiling improve moods, but it reduces stress, lowers heart rate, boosts immune systems, and increase longevity.

So you could probably just call me the smile doctor. 




Monday, April 25, 2016

Golden Days

Ya wanna know the hardest part about college? It's not finals week. It's not late nights finishing essays.  It's not the social life. It's the lack of adorable furry friends. All my apartment can lay claim to is a beta fish named Cucumber. Although he seems to perk up endearingly when the fish food shaker approaches, his attentions do not suffice.

This is not Cucumber the beta fish.



Nothing compares to the love, loyalty, and adoration of a dog. I miss not having to sweep (because you have a living vacuum cleaner on-duty 24 hours). I miss hearing the jingle of dog tags coming down the hall. I miss being woken up in the morning because someone is so excited to lick your face. Despite being able to see my dog, Brinkley, when we visit my family occasionally, my fiance and I decided we need a dog of our own. WE ARE THE DEFINITION OF DOG HUNGRY (meaning we really want to love and own one, not that we're from Korea and barbarically consume the most wonderful creature on Earth). 

The dog of choice for our first pup? 


THIS GUY.


Well, probably not this exact guy but one of his kin. Golden retrievers are incredibly adorable, both in looks and personality, and we just know that Stockton (yes, we already have a name) will be loved and love in return. We'll take him hiking, feed him pretzels, and teach him tricks--all the important things.

 So until these golden (retriever) days, we'll just keep dreaming.

Thursday, April 21, 2016

The Middle Ground

Food is central to human existence. It sustains us. We gather around it. Our economy is ran by it. However, research suggests that the Western diet is killing us all--cancer, obesity, heart disease, even mental illnesses can all be linked to the high-in-saturated-fat, low-in-vital-nutrients lifestyle most Americans live.

As a dietetics major, I find myself immersed in study after study about what this nutrient does to your brain or how this food increases your risk of cancer. To be honest, I've found myself becoming slightly paranoid. Does that chocolate shake I had last night really increase my risk of developing Alzheimer's disease? Will the grilled cheese sandwich I had for lunch make artherosclerosis imminent?

I'll remind myself by telling you: there is a middle ground! It's called moderation.

mod·er·a·tion
ˌmädəˈrāSH(ə)n/
noun
  1. 1.
    the avoidance of excess or extremes, especially in one's behavior or political opinions.
    "he urged the police to show moderation"

Maybe it elicits an eye roll or a multitude of negative opinions, but what are of our lives couldn't do with a little moderation? With a synonym like "self-discipline," it can't be that bad of a thing. Merely a difficult one. 

Eating the very best we can about 70% of the time is going to be the most healthy, realistic, and rewarding. 

Tuesday, April 19, 2016

Two Basic Motivating Forces

"There are two basic motivating forces: fear and love. When we are afraid, we pull back from life. When we are in love, we open to all that life has to offer with passion, excitement, and acceptance. We need to learn to love ourselves first, in all our glory and imperfections. If we cannot love ourselves, we cannot fully open to our ability to love others or our potential to create. Evolution and all hopes for a better world rest in the fearlessness and open-hearted vision of people who embrace life." --John Lennon

Please don't ever tell me that fear is a more powerful motivating force than love. Just don't. Fear does nothing but destroy. Destroy relationships, dreams, the "what-might-have-been's." There is no power there.

Recently, I've found that I've let fear creep into my life. The unknown can loom larger at times than others, and it's easy to take this as a cue to back away or stand paralyzed. Today I realized: what would I lose if I let this fear grow to control me?

I choose love. I choose the most powerful motivator and creator. And what a relief this determination is! It brightens the unknown future, beautifies the present, and dismisses dark days past. You may submit that John Lennon was a druggie, a hippie, or simply a musician, but he was right when he said the fate of this world rests with those who love with all their being.


This Magic Moment

Music has always been an important part of my life, and during the past seven years, I've been privileged to participate in ten different choirs. It afforded me many opportunities I wouldn't have had otherwise--from meaningful friendships to character-building work to the satisfaction of seeing tears run down an audience member's face. There is nothing quite as exhilarating as standing in front of hundreds of choir students, hoisting a first place trophy above your head while your winning choir applauds and whoops triumphantly.

Despite all of this incredible stuff, let's get down the nitty-gritty here: Why do we care about music? Because music is a language of its own, made up of pitch and rhythm and lyrics. These elements come together in ways that transport us to other times and places, make us feel and think in different ways. It's magic. Have you ever seen someone dance without music? The human experience without music would be much the same: a strange, unnatural waltz without destination.

The Logan Institute Singers performing in the Logan Tabernacle




Thursday, April 14, 2016

Why is Utah broken?

It's snowing... again.... lame. I don't think anyone's told Mother Nature it's April 14. Looking on the bright side, at least it gives everyone something to talk about! Almost every stranger I interacted with today mentioned the dreary cold and wetness lying outside the warmth of the TSC. Why is it a typical thing to make small talk about the weather? Even though small talk is known for not being sincere, the weather is a common human experience that one can't really escape. Unless they live in a locked room with no windows... a.k.a. prison. But something tells me that prisoners aren't the kind of people to make small talk anyway.


I'll just be sitting here in the fluorescent lighting, dreaming about brighter, warmer days. 



Tuesday, April 12, 2016

“If fate doesn't make you laugh, you just don't get the joke.” -Gregory David Roberts

I can't help but find myself laughing at the moments, especially as of late, where life has come up to me and yelled, "PLOT TWIST!" My life has taken new directions that I didn't think were plausible or possible. Although it can be frustrating at time, it is somewhat exciting to peek around each corner and not know what's coming. Life can't be compiled in a list of good and bad because honestly they don't always cancel each other out or cannot be equated; however, here's a few things from the past year.

NO BUENO
  • All of Hope's friends decide to attend Brigham Young University. She does the contrary and goes to Utah State University, seeking her own path.
  • Hope is somewhat nervous about starting college and pursuing her major.
  • During student elections at USU, Hope decides to be bold and run for Service Vice President, despite being a freshman and not having the network needed for such a zealous endeavor. After one of the most difficult weeks ever, a loss by 50 votes is devastating.
BUENO
  • On October 9, Hope started dating the love of her life, Joshua Deron Tinsley. They are getting married on May 20, and he is the best friend she's ever had.
  • Hope loves college and has done quite well. Dietetics is her passion and will allow her to help others.
  • Other opportunities have come along, such as serving as Executive Vice Chair on the CAAS Council and the treasurer in the Dietetics Student Association. 
Through the good and the bad, it's important to laugh... and that's what I find myself doing. Because in the end, fate's joke is pretty dang funny.

Monday, April 11, 2016

Let's Procrastinate.... Later

Today I saw a guy with a mustache and a sign that read: "Let's procrastinate.... Later." Although it was very funny, I had the sudden epiphany that I haven't posted a single blog post for English 2010, and the semester is swiftly drawing to a close. Why have I done such a crazy thing?! Oh well. In fact, I am sitting in the middle (Well, I'm not in the middle. I'm on an aisle.) of a Chemistry 1220 S.I., jumping between solving electrochemical reactions and writing this desperate first blog post. 

Which brings me to a question: why are humans so good at procrastination? Yes, some are better than others, but we have all done it at one time or another. This rather philosophical musing of mine could elicit several responses. Nevertheless, my answer is this: it is difficult to take the first step. Or leap. Or bound. It all depends on the difficulty of the task you are undertaking, whether it's leaping off the high dive or bounding (in a frantic manner) into writing 14 blog posts before the semester end. I'm all about making short and long term goals, so my new aim is to become better at taking first steps/leaps/bounds. Hopefully procrastination will no longer be a presence in my life.