Now.

"This is our one and only chance at mortal life—here and now. The longer we live, the greater is our realization that it is brief. Opportunities come, and then they are gone. I believe that among the greatest lessons we are to learn in this short sojourn upon the earth are lessons that help us distinguish between what is important and what is not. I plead with you not to let those most important things pass you by as you plan for that illusive and nonexistent future when you will have time to do all that you want to do. Instead, find joy in the journey—now."

Thomas S. Monson, "Finding Joy in the Journey," Ensign, Nov. 2008, 85

Void

i have been back half a year. and i miss it like you wouldn't believe. when i was there i missed home. but i came home to find that "home" was different than i remembered it. my home moved 285 miles. its not the same. i am glad to be back with my family but it's not the "home" i missed. i didn't miss the house. i missed belonging, familiarity and having loved ones at hand. there is a different feeling here. i don't know my place in this town. 5 streets are starting to become familiar but beyond that is unknown. i am "home" yet i am still missing...

i miss living on the 3rd floor of barrington plaza. i miss being greeted by beltus-my crazy stalker/doorman each night. i miss my 4/5 roommates. i miss late night chats with some of my favorite girls. i miss our girl talk and learning from each others experience. i miss smelling floyd and frederick as i walked in the door. i miss our dirty carpet. i miss sleeping across from collette and (brianne, tiffany, doris, suzy, etc). i miss getting ready for church on sunday mornings with my church music blasting through the wall to our non-member neighbors. i miss the boys upstairs. and k-ball, greg and vic. i miss the ward out there. i miss bishop eastland. i miss l-z relief society. i miss the friends i made in that ward. i miss tiff, mehgan and kelly, lise and hannah. i miss riding the metro. i miss the array of smells on the bus. i miss running up to the bus as it pulled away. i miss cms. i miss the crazy people i worked with. i miss the talented people i got to meet and be influenced by. i miss sharing an office with leonard. i miss doing makeup.

i could go on for hours listing the things i miss. each thing i think of brings up something else. there is so much there that i will never have here. i can't wait to go back and visit. i can't wait to see those girls. i can't wait. hopefully i won't have to wait too long.

My Bucket List

Learn to whistle

Become fluent in another language
Buy a 'round the world ticket' to see the world
Travel with a humanitarian aide organization
Work in an orphanage
Dive with a Whale Shark

Skydive
Step foot on every continent
Ride a horse on the beach
Adopt a child
Drive a car on the wrong side of the road
Ride a camel
See a Zebra in the wild

Run a marathon
Save a life
Attend major sporting event (Superbowl, Olympics (not in Utah), etc)
Paint a portrait to hang on my wall
Swim with Dolphins
Be in the audience of Ellen
Cross a glacier on foot
Learn to play a musical instrument with some degree of skill
Grow a garden
Find a charity that I am truly passionate about and get involved
Scuba in the Great Barrier Reef
Go deep sea fishing
Learn to make sushi
Illustration for a childrens book
Fly a plane
Learn to Surf
Visit 7 wonders of the world

Ride something bigger than a horse
Visit a real blues bar in Chicago
Buy a boat
Learn to sail
Travel India by train
Bathe in the Ganges
Photograph an endangered species
Travel the Pacific Coast Highway by motorcycle
Experience Love Parade in Berlin

Make a difference

Win the lottery to make all this happen!