Janae Says...

Does someone being passionate (verging on forceful) about an opinion necessarily mean that they are the type that always has to be right? Or does it just depend on who you're talking to? Because some folks just don't even want to discuss things; they yield really early instead of arguing for their side. Which lends itself to another question... Can someone who prematurely yields,  fairly accuse someone else of being the type that always has to be right? Because if you don't argue for your side, you don't know if the other side would have submitted to your claims. Maybe they would have acknowledged the other position. Then they wouldn't "always have to be right." Thoughts?

So without going into great detail, I've been a little worried about myself lately. I've felt really despondent and depressed for a couple of months now. I have felt especially bad about myself in the last few weeks due to some situations I'd rather not have gone through. My sadness has gotten increasingly worse as the summer has progressed. I guess I can only take so much hanging out by myself and feeling lonely. But it really has been bad. I haven't been able to find the motivation to do much of anything that needs to be done. And those who know me know that I am a highly motivated person, usually. No matter how much mental coaxing and self-lecturing I did, I literally have not been able to bring myself to do anything. I finally cleaned my apartment last week, but it got pretty bad (for me). I haven't done any planning for my classes. I repeat: I haven't done ANY planning for my classes. I've picked novels, and that's about as far as I've gotte...

I was reading my Rolling Stone Magazine today while I was at the gym. I like to read about celebrities and music and the lives of famous people. I love music so much and love to know about the geniuses behind it. So I tend to avoid the politics of it and be aware of the angle of every article. I was pretty anxious to read the one about plastic bags, who is fighting against them, who is fighting to keep them, etc. I recycle and re-use my plastic bags all the time. In fact, last time I went to the store, I brought my same plastic bags from last time to use again. I think we should take better care of the planet, and I try to do my small part. I couldn't help but notice this graph at the bottom of the article... Click them for full size. I find it ironic that those things "with us" root for energy efficient cars, renewable energy, and the curbing of pollution... But those things "against us" consist of a beer shortage, someone fighting pornography, and th...

On Thursday, the free concert for the Twilight concert series in Salt Lake was Bright Eyes. I love Bright Eyes. I really do. And I think Conor Oberst is so freaking darling. I can't even contain myself. Usually if I am not a die-hard fan who knows all the lyrics and albums, I leave a show kind of sad that an artist didn't do the songs I DO know. My favorite Bright Eyes album of the ones that I own is I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning. Naturally, I figured I might hear one or two songs I could name and sing to. But they performed about half of the album! I was so excited. Sydnie is so cute. They opened up with Another Travelin' Song. They also played First Day of My Life, Land Locked Blues, and Road to Joy. They played Four Winds, which was really good. Road to Joy was probably my favorite performance of the night because it was one of the encore numbers and was rock-out status. So fun! The best part of the night, though, came when Conor climbed down from ...

Since I was 18, my heart has done some weird things. My doctor didn't really listen to me and satisfied her conscience by having me get an echocardiogram, which I knew wouldn't show her anything, unless I luckily and coincidentally happened to have an issue in that small amount of time. Six years later, with my random heart palpitations--fast beating, hard beating, skipping beating--I have finally sought medical help again. For the past week, I've been wearing an event monitor. I have to wear three electrodes. One on each side of my chest, and one on the lower left side on my ribs. There's two of them. Now, they don't give very thorough instructions with this thing. So for the first few days, I was wearing the electrodes in the same place. This is what happened: The picture doesn't really do it justice, and now it's all flaky and weird, like I got burned. So anyway, I called them and they said to move it around/rotate positions so that doesn't ...

Remember this blog from a couple of years ago? I explored my path toward cynicism in regard to relationships and love. So we all know I am familiar with the dangers involved of becoming that way, and that I do not want to encounter them. But I think this tendency has gained some pretty deep roots within me. I say this because even though I do not want to be this way, I think I am. It's no longer even a conscious decision that I make! Here's why... I have been told by three different men in the last month the following things: - I don't appear to have feelings. - I am difficult to read. - I am very reserved/hold back a lot. If three completely unconnected individuals have made these observations about me--two of them after having spent a considerable amount of time with me--then something is obviously wrong. Here is the thing... I move pretty slowly, emotionally speaking. I have always been this way. It takes a lot (lot lot) of time for me to get to know somebod...

So... I go in spurts of being consistent and good about my scripture reading. During the school year I'm pretty good about it because I'm in more of a routine. But I've been struggling lately. About a month ago my bishop instructed me to read two chapters of the Book of Mormon per day, starting from the title page. For the first few weeks, I wasn't doing so hot. I had read, but not even close every day, and hadn't made a lot of progress. I had some obstacles come up that made me realize how very much I need the scriptures, and what a strength they are to me. For the past week or so, I have been reading every day (except I forgot on Saturday, and I felt really bad about it). I am now in 2 Nephi, on chapter 5. I have always loved the book of Ether, particularly this chapter . It's always been my favorite, with a few chapters in Alma on my favorite list as well. But I always forget (until I read it again) how much I love 2 Nephi 4, the last half of the chapt...

I fear that our watered down communication methods are putting many of us at a disadvantage. Here are some that I can think of: 1. When we rely on texts and emails, we are relying on technology to deliver our messages. People seem to use this as an "out," as it were. They can pretend like they never got that text you sent, asking them to hang out. 2. We are probably all guilty of reading a text and planning on responding to it later, but then getting too busy, or forgetting. 3. The phone was on vibrate, or they "didn't hear" that they got a text till it was too late. So they just don't respond--not even to apologize for not responding. In any case, I think everybody needs to grow a pair and just say, "No," if they don't want to do something. Here is one instance where this is a problem: Text to friend #1: "Hey, are you available for dinner later?" Friend #1: (no response) So... How long do you wait before trying to find s...