Memories

So this year for Thanksgiving my wonderful family drove out to Utah to be with Rachel, Jenna and me. It was a great week. At the dinner table we did our traditional going around and saying what we're thankful for.

This year I said memories.

I think their importance is SO underestimated. Ya, there are bad ones. But hopefully for most people the majority are good. And memories are what builds a relationship. Can you imagine if all of a sudden you have no recollection of things you've done with your family? or your best friends? For some people thats all I have left of them....memories.

Memories get you through the hard times. Remembering that it hasn't always been this hard. And remembering that times that it has been hard those times have always come to an end.

I have had such a wonderfully happy life. Full of wonderful memories. And so this year....thats what I'm thankful for.

I think the TV show The Wonder Years said it perfectly, "Memory is a way of holding onto the things you love, the things you are, the things you never want to lose."

Wonderful Wonderful People

I have had one of the most stressful months of my life. It involved LOTS of crying. But I was bored and so I started reading through my blog and realized something I haven't acknowledged all week.

Life is great. Seriously great.

And its because of wonderful wonderful people.

Its because I have a Mom who knows me and knows exactly what to say when I call her sobbing. And knows exactly how I hurt and how to make it better.

Its because I have a Dad who calls (when my mom's told him that I've had a bad day haha) and asks how I'm doing.

Its because I have a sister named Rachel who I've been going to visit on my lunch break and we play text twist. and rock it. and lets me have sleep overs in her king size bed.

Its because my little sister Jenna leaves me for 10 days and neither of us can handle it and so we talk MULTIPLE times on the phone every day. and she always listens and cares about what i have to say.

Its because my Karrie and I can still be best friends when she's so far away and I haven't seen her in six months. and we're ALWAYS on the same page. She is truly a light in my life.

Its because Nick will get me soup on a cold day and we can watch Anastasia. and he spoils me even though i'm being a TOTAL baby.

Its because I can have a bonfire with Matt and the whole time he's trying to blow stuff up in the fire. (The whole night I would randomly be told "Ok. Run!")

Its because my Shane and Cassie are amazingly great examples and have phones and we can randomly text. Cassie is one of the sweetest people that has ever lived. and Shane loves to text me and call me nicknames (he loves me....)

Its because of my friend Jason. Who knows EXACTLY what to say to make me laugh out loud. and we have a ridiculous amount of sayings and jokes. and knows me a lot better than i like to think he does.

Its because of Raegan. Who feels like another sister and makes my Fridays and Saturdays so happy. and cause even though she won't admit it to Jenna, she likes my favorite donut better :)

Long and short......Heavenly Father has placed angels in my life. And I am blessed every day to have them.

Dreams

A SHORT LOVE STORY IN STOP MOTION from Carlos Lascano on Vimeo.

Happiness lies, first of all, in health....

Remember the days when you hoped beyond all hope that you'd get sick? Just so you could legitimately stay home from school or call in to work?

SOOOOOO not worth it!

I've been sick since Sunday. I stayed at work all day on Monday. Went home early yesterday. Came in late today and left early. Which, by the way, is not because I'm being a slacker. But because I have a wonderful boss who takes one look at me and says "Seriously Carly....go home."

Its weird to say. But I'd really love to go back to a full day at work.

U-Turn

I worked a twelve hour day today. And I was super tired by the time I got to my second job. So I found myself complaining (quite a bit) at work today (sorry Raegan!).

And it makes me feel even yuckier. I mean every once in a while you need a good whine but I overdid it.

So I'm taking an emotional u-turn.

Here are the very small things, that weren't so small for me, that made my day today.

1-I came home from my very long day and Jenna had cleaned the bathroom. WOW!

2-Raegan taught me how to make boutonnieres today at the Flower Patch. New skill!

3-My boss and I ALMOST won at Foosball today. its always downstairs vs upstairs and I'm HORRIBLE. And poor guy has to put up with me. But today we lost by 1 point instead of 8.

4-When I told my boss goodbye for the evening and that I was headed to my next job, he looked at me and said, "Man. You need to go clubbing or something." HAHAHA. So not like him to say. Or me to do. And we both know it.

5-The very long relaxing shower I took and when I got in bed to write this post with sopping wet hair and pjs. And my fake classes :)

6-Talking to my mom and dad and seeing Rachel and Jenna on my lunch break.

7-Reading my mom's blog post. She's too funny.

In need of a trip

Okay. So here it is.

I WANT TO GO ON A VACATION.

Not the kind where you go visit someone and chill at their house. The kind where you get a bunch of your friends together and GO somewhere.

Anyone in?

Love.

Can I just say that I love Heavenly Father's little reminders that He's aware of me?

They're wonderful.

New Start

Alright. So here it is.

I started a new life on Monday.

I moved into a new apartment and I started a REAL job. I bought my very own car insurance. I now pay my own cell phone bill. And I created a budget for myself.

Wow. On top of that by the end of this week I'd worked 53 hours. I am EXHAUSTED but I feel good.

Who knows.....I might be able to handle this grown up thing...

My friend Mike

I miss my wonderful friends at NK!

I asked Mike, one of the Group Creative Directors at NK, for a few words of recommendation to use in my job search. This was his reply....

What could I possibly say about you beyond your charm and wit?

How about this?

Carly was an intern with us at NK. She is an enthusiastic worker, is eager to learn and has a delightful personality. Her technical skills are way beyond my expectations for a student. She dealt with real world deadlines with the grace of a seasoned professional. I highly recommend Carly as a valuable member of any creative team.

Mike Davis
Group Creative Director
Nicholson Kovac, Inc.

Good luck my sweet friend. I wish we could hire you.

Mike


I miss that place with all my heart.

It is solved by walking

On an effort to save money I have not put any gas in my car. I've been walking.

I've walked to work. And to jamba juice. And to Rachel's apartment. And to the boy's apartment. And to subway.

I forgot how much I missed it. I did it all the time when I was in school. Walk to and from campus. And I got so much done.

I'd talk to my mom. Or think. Lots of thinking. And I got to enjoy the beautiful weather and nature.

So....I'm walking. And as a Latin proverb put it "It is solved by walking."

I just have to decide what "it" is exactly...

Its not the end

Today I had a meltdown. A big one.

I was at work. Working with my big sister when something she said just triggered it. All these emotions I hadn't let out yet. I told her everything.

I told her how I feel like I'm failing in some aspects of my life. How hard that is for me to feel and that I imagined my life to be so different at this point. I definitively stated all the ways I'm failing:

1-With money
2-With my physical fitness
3-With relationships
4-With my spiritual growth

She listened. And laughed as I made my very not convincing "I am NOT going to cry about this" statement over and over again as my eyes filled with water. Even as the tear drops were falling I was still saying it.

She told me something important. She's very wisdomous my big sister...

She told me that its okay. She told me that everyone feels this way at some points. I may not be rich. I may not be a size two. I may not be married. I may not be ready to be translated. But I'm working on it. That's what counts.

She told me that I'm a good friend. That I'm a good sister. That I take care of people. That I make people want to be better by being who I am. That may not have anything to do with how much money I have in the bank or my dress size. But it has to do with my relationships and my spiritual growth. We can take our relationships with us in the next life. Not our money. She told me that I can't be a spiritual slob and make people want to be better.

So...from this I learned. I'm not perfect (imagine that...). And there are areas of my life that need improving. But that doesn't mean I'm a complete failure. Just get to work. Set little goals. And be happy and optimistic.

One of my favorite quotes......

"Everything works out in the end. If it hasn't worked out it's not the end."

Lovin It

I love my life. I really do. Here are a few reasons:

1. I have wonderfully supportive, wise, loving parents who I can talk to about anything.
2. I have siblings who are my best friends.
3. I had the opportunity to go to college. And get a college degree.
4. I might not be rolling in the dough but I have enough. I have a roof over my head and food to eat.
5. I have the gospel. I know who I am. I mess up (a lot) but I can always repent. I have direction in my life.
6. I have wonderful wonderful people the Lord has placed in my life to be my friends. People like Karrie and Heidi and Ashley and Matt and Nick and Michael. I learn so much from each of them.

I am so blessed. and happy.

Good Things To Come

For real?

So for the last few weeks my mom has received a series of text messages at random times with this message "Did it come today?!"

And a few days ago it finally did! I can't even believe it. My diploma. I have graduated from college. From COLLEGE!

Am I for real old enough to have graduated from college?

Weird...

The Manner of Happiness

Well...I gave in. I have a blog. I always argued that blogs were for when you were married or had a family to write about. But hey...my life is still interesting and worth writing about. So here it is.

I was in reading my scriptures one night and came across this verse in 2 Nephi, "And it came to pass that we lived after the manner of happiness."

Wow. The manner of happiness. What exactly does that mean?

I decided that along with my personal motto of "Endure to the End" that this would be my life's goal. One day people would look back at me and say "she lived after the manner of happiness."

I was talking to a friend today who is having a hard time. They said they had nothing to be happy about. WOW! What a statement. I started listing off the littlest of things they could be grateful for.

Happiness is a choice. I think this life is hard enough to go through without a bad or pessimistic attitude about it. Why NOT be happy? I understand there are times to be sad, disappointed, or upset. But like my mom always encouraged..."give yourself a time limit." "I'll be mad for two more minutes. Then I have to be over it." Seriously....it works. I've used it for years. I'm by no means perfect. I still go over my time limit sometimes, but I'm working on it. And that's all anyone can ask.

I was having a discussion with some friends the other night on some of our best qualities. I loved that they said I am happy. It might be one of my favorite things they said. I AM HAPPY.

As Gordon B. Hinckely said, "And in all of living have much of fun and laughter. Life is to be enjoyed, not just endured."

So this blog combines my two personal mottos. I will not only endure. I will also live after the manner of happiness. I will be "Enduringly happy."