This term is flying by! I know I have said it before, but holy buckets! How is this happening?

I was walking to class this morning, looking at the beautiful leaves changing colors right before my eyes.  This campus seriously catches on fire in the fall, the trees are the most amazing colors, so bright and awesome.  I wish I could just stop, make a pile of leaves, remove any spiders, and then roll around in them. I have a feeling that doing that would make my day infinitely better.

Every fall I am reminded how natural change is in our lives. In some way or another we all resist it, because it's scary, but it has to happen.  We see the trees go through an enormous change every fall, and can they resist it? No way, they embrace it, it is how things are supposed to happen. So why am I always pushing change away? I need to learn to be like the trees, and accept the change with bright, beautiful colors.

If you are wondering why I am going on about change, it's because a lot of it has come my way in the past 5 weeks, and I know that so much more is on its way.  The next few years will be packed with changing times, changing places, and changing people. I want to be ready when it comes, I want to be happy when it comes, and I want to thrive in those changes.

I hope you all have a wonderful week! Take time to admire the beauty of fall while you still can!

<3 Tayleranne

Never alone...

It has been a good amount of time since I last posted, and while a lot has happened in the past few months, I really don't feel like re-capping it all. So...I am not going to.

That being said, I just wanted to share a song with anyone who chooses to read this, and actually pays attention to what I am saying.  Never Alone, by Lady Antebellum has been on repeat on my iPod for the past few days because it is a constant reminder to me that we are in fact, never alone.  Lately I have been feeling a bit down and out, lonely, unimportant.  This song reminds me every time I hear it that things are never as bad as they seem.

Listen to the lyrics carefully, and know how true they really are.  <3

Little bits of advice...

I came across this bit of wonderfulness yesterday in the strangest of places, Amazon.com.  But, I like it a lot, so I thought I could share it with anyone who actually cares to read what I have to say!

Below is a guest post by psychologist Dr. Mardy Grothe, author of six books of qoutations. His newest book Neverisms is a comical, and at times even instructive, collection of things never to do.
When people say things like "Always do your best" they're engaging in the time-honored practice of exhortation. But what is the proper term for strongly-worded attempts to discourage people—as when people say things like "Never ruin an apology with an excuse." The proper term is dehortation, the opposite of exhortation. That word is rare, though, so I've coined my own term for these kinds of strongly-worded cautionary warnings. I've also used it to title my new book. In Neverisms: A Quotation Lover's Guide to Things You Should Never Do, Never Say, or Never Forget, you will find nearly 2,000 pieces of "dissuasive advice given with authority." Some are ancient, but with modern relevance.


1) "Never dare to judge until you have heard the other side." --Euripides, 5th century B.C.
2) "Never promise more than you can perform." --Publilius Syrus, 1st century B.C.

Some come from modern, and even slightly unexpected, voices:

3) "Never dull your shine for somebody else." --Tyra Banks
4) "Never let go of the fiery sadness called desire." --Patti Smith

Even legendary sports stars have gotten into the act:

5) "Never underestimate the power of dreams and the influence of the human spirit."--Wilma Rudolph
6) "Never let the fear of striking out get in your way." --"Babe" Ruth

Some have an impressive metaphorical quality:

7) "Never cut what you can untie."--Joseph Joubert
8) "Never offer your heart to someone who eats hearts." --Alice Walker

And some are beautiful examples of paradoxical phrasing:

9) "Never let your sense of morals keep you from doing what is right." --Isaac Asimov
10) "Do you wish men to speak well of you? Then never speak well of yourself."--Blaise Pascal

The conclusion? Never underestimate the power of a neverism to improve your life.

It has been a while...

I have started so many blogs recently, but none of them have been published. But today I am actually going to do it.  A lot has happened recently, and it has taken me time to process everything. I ran for Vice President of the Associated Student Body of Western Oregon University. I put in a good fight, but in the end it just wasn't enough.  This isn't the first time this has happened to me, I have lost before, and I will likely lose again sometime in my future. Luckily though, this loss didn't crush me as past losses did.  I have learned that out of every loss, out of every heartbreak, something better comes. I have seen this happen in my life twice now, and I know that it is going to happen again. The exciting thing about this is that I have absolutely no idea what this new thing is going to be! It could be anything in the world, and I am so so excited to see what God has coming my way!

In other news...I will be 20 a week from today, and I am not really sure how I feel about that. In the past I have had a countdown to my birthday because I loved it! This year though, I am not sure that I am ready for it to come.  20 just seems so...old. I know its not old, but it is going to be so weird not to be considered a teenager anymore.  I have one week left of my teenage years, what will I do with it? Well...we will have to wait and see :)

Love,
   Tayleranne

Week 4?!?

The weeks are literally flying by. I cannot believe that it is week 4 of Spring term already...it just does not seem possible.  A lot has happened in the past few weeks...past 6 weeks actually, so I have a lot to say!

I know that Spring Break was quite some time ago, but I figured I could write about it anyway? Okay good, I am glad you agree :) I went to Nashville for my break, which was a really awesome experience. Most of my time was spend helping out my mom and dad with the trade show they produce, but I got to do some sight seeing while I was there! Nashville is such a fun city, there is always something going on, and there is so much music its amazing! While I was there I got to meet Ruben Studdard, who won the 2nd Season of American Idol. His season was the first one I watched and it was because of that season that I became really invested in Idol. I don't watch it anymore, I left when Paula left.  Anyway...seeing him perform and meeting him was a really awesome experience.

My mom, Ruben, and I after the show.

After the week in Nashville I got to experience my first cross country road trip. Nashville to Eugene in about 3.5 days. Needless to say, it was a TON of driving. But, I got to see some incredibly beautiful landscape.

School started again, 4 weeks ago, and since then things have been crazy.  My schedule is about as bad as the come, Spanish at 8 am, and one class or another every night. Not my ideal schedule, but there is nothing I can do about it now.

A couple weeks ago I went on the PLUS Team Retreat, which was very special. It was a very emotional weekend, but I got to connect with some people that I would never have connected with otherwise. I can't wait for this summer and new student week! Its going to be a blast!

One last thing to say before I sign off...I got some awesome news! I was accepted to a summer leadership program through Portland State University. I applied for it in March, and I just found out I got in! Its called New Leadership Oregon and its going to be a fantastic experience! I really cannot wait!

I think thats it for now...I just have to make it through 6 more weeks and then summer is upon us! :)

Love,

Tayleranne

Century of Action

    Last night was truly one of the most amazing nights I have experienced. This term I took a class about Oregon Woman Suffrage History. Next year, 2012, will be the centennial of women Oregonians getting the right to vote. In my class we were each assigned a topic and a handful of articles from 1912 to transcribe and then write an essay about. My topic was the Portland Woman's Club and the 1912 Campaign.  At first I was intimidated by the thought of writing this big contextual essay, it seemed so hard! But as I progressed I became more and more interested in my topic, and slowly realized that I could do it!

  Last night was the official kick-off event to celebrate the website.  It was held at the capitol and many very important people were there. Along with Oregon Secretary of State Kate Brown, former Governor Barbara Roberts, and various legislators, were many authors who have written about the very topics we were researching.  Both the Secretary of State and the former Governor spoke. Those of you who know me know that I am still trying to figure out exactly what I want to do with the Political Science degree I am currently working for, but after the speeches I heard last night I think I may have an idea. No, I won't share it with you yet, but just know that I was inspired, and that I have a lot of hope for my future.

In addition to hearing a few inspirational speeches I got to meet some awesome people.  Never before have I met an author whose work I cited in a paper, and when Jean Ward (one of the authors I cited) approached me, I was simply overwhelmed. It was such an awesome experience to talk with her, and share my knowledge with her.  What was even cooler was the fact that I had some information from the old newspaper articles that she had not come across before, and the fact that I was able to help her out was very fulfilling.

All in all, it will not be a night that I will soon forget, and I am looking forward to many more just like it.
If you are interested in reading my article (come on, who wouldn't be right?) here is the link. Enjoy!

http://centuryofaction.org/index.php/main_site/document_project/the_portland_womans_club_and_the_1912_campaign
  

Love,
  Tayleranne

A friend is the one who comes in when the whole world has gone out. ~Grace Pulpit

A certain someone has been bugging me to write a new post for a few days now. The problem is, I could not figure out what in the world to write about! So, I sat here for a while starting various posts and then erasing them. Finally and idea came to my mind. There is a website that I am a fan of, called http://lettersillneversend.com/. I love reading all the things people would say if they could, if they had the nerve to actually send that letter. I have written to the site, but there are two people in particular that I want to know how I feel about them. They will know who they are, I don't need to include any names. And, if its not you, please don't be hurt, I am sure that one day I will end up writing about you too :)

 

Person Number 1

 The summer before our Freshman year was the first time I had ever heard your name. I was scared, we both were, how were we supposed to live with a complete and total stranger?! Looking back, I am beyond grateful that God did what he did. I cannot imagine life without you. We clicked so fast, I was afraid it wouldn't last at first. But as time has marched on I have realized that we were meant to meet, we were meant to become best friends. It makes me laugh sometimes just how different we really are. Usually big differences tear people apart, but for us it somehow created a bond that cannot, and will not be broken.  You helped me through a very difficult time in my life, and through it all you were on my side %100. I am so so thankful for that, and I don't think that I have ever thanked you. So, thank you.

This past weekend when we were at my house, and we sat in the hot tub for 2 hours just talking away. As we were sitting there I was thinking about the future, imaging what it would be like, and I could not imagine it without you and that other girl who was in the hot tub in it. I want to be middle aged, married with kids, working at a job I love, and hanging out with you in a hot tub whenever we find a free weekend.  I am looking forward to years of friendship, I am looking forward to getting to know you even better than I already do. I love you, you mean so much to me.

Person Number 2

I have known you for about a year and a half. We met last fall as awkward Freshman. We were both trying to figure out who we were now that the comfort that was high school was no longer surrounding us.  We were not instant best friends, but that quickly changed.  Now that we are best friends I know that I am so incredibly lucky to have met you, and that God brought you into my life (and kept you there through some difficult times) for a reason.  We can read each others expressions, we often predict what the other is thinking, I know that you love chocolate, you knows that I love being on time.  We are so different, and yet so similar. 

There was a time when I thought I had lost you, and it broke me heart. Since then though, we have become even better friends, and I could not ask for a better friend.  You deal with my strange obsession with timeliness, and I know that it can be so annoying, yet you just smile and remind me to slow down, which is something I need to be told often.  

Recently we went into business together, taking on the names Deborah and Pam.  Why did we do this others may ask? Well, because when we are best friends we simply cannot work on a project together without getting distracted.  This simple fact shows me how perfect our friendship is. We have so much fun together, even when we work on homework. 

I will say the same thing to you as I did to Person Number 1. I can't see my future without you in it. I love you so so much.

 They say that you make your life long friends in college, and though this is only my second year I have made two best friends that I expect to last a life time. 

Some people come into our lives and quickly go.  Some stay for a while, leave footprints on our hearts, and we are never, ever the same.  ~Flavia Weedn

Love,

   Tayleranne