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Aug 31, 2010

Day 14 - Week 2 and then some

Hello!!!
How happy was I to get the package from home? Let me tell you. Very. In fact, the Elders in the older district made fun of me because I had to lug it to dinner and back (because we checked the mail before dinner) and I guess I looked sort of pathetic because they were like, "Wow. Looks like you're carrying the gold plates there." but I said, "It's alright, it's just crammed full of a mother's love." And Anziano Strobolt was like, "Well, I got a letter." and I was like, "Hm, not as good." I made a couple people feel how heavy it was, etc and carried on for a while. Then Anz. Healey finally made me open it even though we were supposed to be studying, "C'mon, it's as exciting for us as it is for you." Then, they weren't super excited because it really was just things I asked for that made me really excited (like that gray sweatshirt, mmmmmm, so cozy!!!) and my notebook from Italy has my first talk ever in Italian in it and it made me really happy to know that I get to do that all the time now.

Speaking of talks, guess who talked on Sunday. Me. Guess how they do it here...Well, they wait until it's time for people to speak and say, "We will now be hearing from Elder so-and-so and Sorella Laws" and I go, "Great, thanks." Guess what else. I SANG on Sunday, like in a small group. And did I mess up? Yes, significantly, because the Elders decided to practice without us and change things around. But so it goes. Sorella Mullen and I have learned to count on them to not be all that considerate.

Guess what else. "Solo" means lonely in Italian. And Sorella Mullen and I are the Lonely Sister. I will be even lonelier and more orphan like because SHE IS LEAVING A WEEK FROM TODAY! All my roommates are. And I wish I could follow them, but...Alas.

My mom mentioned that I am probably owning the place and making a name for myself, and of course it's true. I've become a legend of sorts for a number of things. You know, people I don't even know come up and mention things I've done. Example, I wowed everyone on the softball field with an AMAZING catch that got someone out. We will leave out the part about how I ran towards it yelling, "Oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no!" the important part is I caught it. And then I sang the mission rap Lynzie and I came up with two years ago to one of the Elders and at dinner. Then another Elder goes, "So I hear you have a rap..." Our branch is huge because we have a lot of people who were supposed to go to Brazil but got their visas denied and random people have been coming up to me and telling me how great my talk was, people I didn't realize were there, but I appreciate nonetheless.


And then there's the one Elder I accidentally cussed at, who will probably never forget me. So, we were in line for a sack-breakfast and I tried to get a bagel off a tray and knocked the whole tray over (classic, right?) and so I said, "Ufa!" Which in Italian means "good grief" well, an Elder turns around and goes, "What language was that??" and I was like, "Um, Italian." and he goes, "Oh, well, that's a bad word in Samoan." Yep. I'm a swearing missionary.

Meanwhile, the Anziani in the older district have apparently been trying to figure out what Disney character I remind them of. I know this, one because they told me and two because sometimes they look at me and go, "Maybe, but I just don't know if I can imagine her chopping off the head of some Hun." I love the older district and am SO sad to see them go. The other day they decided they were only going to speak in Italian and they all told me about a ceremony they had where they said their "last English phrase" and then walked across the room never to speak English again. Well, they did this right before dinner and we always sit all together (the 3 Italian districts) and it was the most entertaining dinner ever. They were trying to communicate with each other and those of us who don't speak Italian all that well and it was sort of a mess. But in a delightful way. I got to practice translating and when all else failed they pretended to shoot at each other and Anz. Parker (who is close to my favorite these days) did an impeccable Iron Man impression and shot back at them.

Never a dull moment. Which I enjoy.

I love the Hermanas (Sisters in Spanish) in my room. One of them has tons of drama with a boy that she's finally hopefully over, but it was good, because there's got to be some drama right? And the other one had a stuff jackalope by her bed (so I knew I'd like her right away) and she is endlessly amused by how often I just lay on the floor (being on the top bunk is haaaaaaard) and they all think I'm hilarious. We go to the field together for gym...And sometimes we parcore on the way back.

Another friend we have in our district is la voce or the voice. There's a lady from the travel office that always calls in over the intercom asking for "Anziano Ma-aaaaaal-duh-ween" (Mauldwin) because his visa isn't in yet. And basically, English isn't her first language and it cuts out a lot so we have a good time whispering what we think she wants to each other and with our ideas combined usually figuring out what she wants.

We really just study all day. And eat sometimes. Studying is fun though. We try and focus it all on a lesson we teach in the TRC each Monday this Monday Sor. Mullen and I got to teach together! Because our teachers thought they'd throw us a bone and it was fun and we were trying to think about how to teach people and talking about why the Fall was actually important and I go, "Yeah, without the Fall there would be no decisions to make, it'd be like, 'Hm, do I want to play with the lion or the lamb today?'"

So the companionship I am with the most is Anz. Barnes and Anz. Knutson. And Anz. Barnes LOVES to study in total silence (I don't feel the same, but I'm working on appeasement) and so we always lock ourselves away in the classroom, but the other companionship Anz. Healey and Anz. Mauldwin love to burst through the door like Kramer to interrupt (which I always love and definitely encourage). Last night they flung open the door and Anz. Healey goes, "Why do you think God created dinosaurs" and Anz. Barnes, without hesitating goes, "Fossil fuels. He knew we'd need them." Then we have a 20 minute discussion that ended in a completely different place and I go, "What did you come in here to talk about?" And Anz H goes, "Dinosaurs" and they leave.


Love them.


Sometimes they are very much 19-year-old boys, like when we were getting ready to sing a hymn and all the sudden I realize they're talking about fiber...and it's effects... and I start to join in before I'm like, wait, why are we talking about this? Or like when I made a football analogy to Anz. Knutson about how prophets are like coaches and it blew his mind. But other times they're so profound it blows me away and it reminds me why the Lord continues to call 19 year old boys to preach His Gospel. Like when Anz Healey said, "everything we have to do has nothing to do with us." or when I catch a glimpse of them beginning to learn what it really means to love the people you teach. Not to mention that they are so patient with me and try to understand the girl-like things I do. Like the fact that I get really upset when all the mint brownies run out before I get there or that if anyone has curly fries I will always want "just one or two" or when I go, "I just dented my shoes when we were praying" and they go, "you what?" and try and see why it was a semi-traumatic occurrence. But they love me and told me they appreciate my comments and my fun-lovingness.

Lest we forget how FUN I am.


Oh, and the big news of the week, ELDER HOLLAND CAME! Does every missionary here love him to death? Yes. Did everyone stop breathing when he walked in to the gym where we were all seated? Yes. He told us loads of amazing things about missionary work, but one thing I really love that he said is that we simply have to give "The best you've got for as long as you can give it" Which I thing is important to remember in everything that we do.


I miss pockets and I miss hugs and I miss you all. But I am constantly reminded that I am exactly where I should be.

And that is an amazing thing.

30 seconds. Ahhhh, good thing I'm the fastest typer ever.

LOVE YOU!!!

Aug 24, 2010

Day 7

Okay, there is so much to tell you I don't even know where to begin.
1. Yes, it is me, Wendy and the lost boys again. I, Sorella (Sister) Laws, have no companion. I didn't know it was possible but it's true. I am with 4 Anziani (Elders) and have to be with at least 2 of them when I am not with Sorella Mullen (the wonderful sister who leaves for Italy in 2 week, but is going to Milan, sadly). I love them all though. They take good care of me and I am starting to get them to laugh at my jokes. When we had companionship inventory they told me my best strength is that I'm always happy and optimistic and that I tell stories that connect with our "investigators". Teaching with them is hard sometimes though, because we're sort of one different pages as far as HOW to teach, but we'll figure it out soon enough. It's sort of like being Hermione. I do love them, but sometimes it feels like, "Ugh, boys!" and I get so excited every time I see Sorella Swensen, or the three going-to-Brazil sisters on my floor.
It was hard convincing them I had a sense of humor, but I did break them once when Sorella Swensen said, "Okay, now I am going to continue in Italian" and then in English says, "raise your hand" and I said, "Ohmigosh, gift of tongues! That sounded like English"
Anziano Mauldwin's current favorite story is the time we were walking and I saw Lisa Tate my old visiting teacher. I was so excited to see her and we started walking and talking. Then some other Elders tried to stop my Elders to teach them and I said, "They can't, they're with me!!!" And they were like, "Oh, um, gotta go." And then, even though I immediately felt bad, they teased me endlessly about how I didn't give others the opportunity to teach.
2. Real quick thought--In Relief Society on Sunday they announced that in a month a sister will be coming from Lebanon, near the Syrian border! She is the first sister from her country. I have a feeling I will run into her when she gets here and cannot wait to meet her!
3. We had our first pretend contacting/teaching yesterday with volunteers who speak Italian. Well, we were supposed to pretend like we were in a park and introduce ourselves and then tell them a little bit about our messagio. You know "We believe God loves us and has a plan for us. Christ atoned for our sins, etc." Well, there were three real Italians we talked to and they were like, "How is your Church different than the Catholic church" and before I knew it I mentioned the Book of Mormon and then fumbled through the entire Joesph Smith story--In Italian. Yeah, I didn't know I could do that either. The Elders stood there and didn't say anything. I apologized later, but turns out it made me a sort of legend with the older Italian district (who have all been the sweetest to us and giving us advice and support and quizzing us on our Italian).
I have to tell you about my teachers. I LOVE them. Sorella Swensen is the sweetest little thing you will ever meet. She always asks us how we're doing/adjusting. She practically dances as she comes in and told us, "I'm the teacher that makes you talk about your feelings" and that pretty much sums her up. She is always near tears when we talk about teaching and loving people and has such a passion. I love her! She pulled me aside and said if I ever need girl talk I can tell her, even if she's in the middle of teaching.
And don't worry, I warned the Elders that I might sometimes cry and that when I do I won't be lying to them when I say, "Really, nothing's wrong, I'm just crying" but no breakdowns yet!
Then there is Fratello Skanchy (actually prounounced skanky, bless his heart) He is my main source of entertainment here. It is SO funny to watch him try and teach the Elders Italian. Last night he threw his hands in the air and fell to his knees for a second before getting up and starting again. The Elders, of course, didn't even notice. They will ask the same questions over and over. And no matter how many times he tells them not to speak English, they will. Meanwhile I just sit and laugh because I can relate to all sides of the conversation and he gives me pathetic looks and I try and help him.
Hopefully we don't break him. He really is a kind soul who always tells us he loves us (which the Elders don't understand, of course).
"Ciao! Vi voglio bene...It means I love you...The good kind of love."
"Is there a bad kind of love?"
"No, but--"
"It's like the kind of love you can have as a missionary."
"Yes, it translates to 'I want you good'"
[no one really tries to contain laughter]
"Ugh, you know what I mean!"
"Well, we know what that means."
[Sighs, and leaves]
When he was really frustrated yesterday we got him talking about what of the people he taught in Italy and he got really happy again. I said something about Rome that made him think I hated Milan and he said, "No, we all love each other because we are all going to Italy." And, since I was wrongly accused, I now make jokes about how Southern Italy is way better than Northern Italy whenever the opportunity presents itself and he makes a face and ignores me.
I know you're probably thinking I'm ridiculous, but Sorella Mullen (who's had him as a sub) thinks I'm good for him.
I have three minutes--but I want you all to know that I am SO happy to be here. I am sure this honeymoon phase won't last forever. But I cannot even describe how amazing it is to be spiritually uplifted every moment of the day. There are really brilliant people here who are teaching me so much about loving, teaching, and the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It's true! It's true! It's true!! We can do ANYTHING because our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ love us and want us to succeed. We're not here to be miserable. We're here to have joy. I want you to know that I realized that I am doing this not just because I want to love and serve, but because I want the world to know that they can be as happy as I am because I have this knowledge!!

Vi voglio bene!
Sorella Laws

Hi, I'm Mama Laws and I'm the keeper of this blog for the next 18 months (minus 1 week), Feel free to leave comments and I'll forward them to Sorella Laws. I know she would love to hear from you.

Aug 18, 2010

Day 1


-Up at 4:30
-In the car with family by 5:05
-No wait at the Delta check-in
-Long line at security gate, that moved to fast at the end (who's idea was it to open a new line)
-Quick hugs and good-byes as the those without tickets were kicked out of line.
-Last sighting: Lauren smiling, waving, and blowing kisses as her and her red shoes headed for gate D7.





And so the adventure begins...




Sister Lauren Laws
Rome, Italy Mission
August 2010-February 2012

Aug 17, 2010

adieu.

Well, I was told that I owe it to you, my loyal fans, one last blog post before I head out for 1.5 years and my mom takes over with the posting. But I don't have many organized thoughts in my head right now. But I know some people who are smart:

First of all, I know you're going to miss my near daily updates with my thoughts on love, so here's something for that:

“True love requires action. We can speak of love all day long—we can write notes or poems that proclaim it, sing songs that praise it, and preach sermons that encourage it—but until we manifest that love in action, our words are nothing but “sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.

Christ did not just speak about love; He showed it each day of His life. He did not remove Himself from the crowd. Being amidst the people, Jesus reached out to the one. He rescued the lost. He didn’t just teach a class about reaching out in love and then delegate the actual work to others. He not only taught but also showed us how to “succor the weak, lift up the hands which hang down, and strengthen the feeble knees.

Christ knows how to minister to others perfectly. When the Savior stretches out His hands, those He touches are uplifted and become greater, stronger, and better people as a result.”

-President Dieter F. Utchdorf

Second of all, you might miss my optimism, so here's something for that:

“And if thou shouldst be cast into the pit, or into the hands of murderers, and the sentence of death passed upon thee; if thou be cast into the deep; if the billowing surge conspire against thee; if fierce winds become thine enemy; if the heavens gather blackness, and all the elements combine to hedge up the way; and above all, if the very jaws of hell shall gape open the mouth wide after thee, know thou, my son, that all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good." (D&C 122:7–8)


“Challenges, difficulties, questions, doubts—these are part of our mortality. But we are not alone. As disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ, we have enormous spiritual reservoirs of light and truth available to us. Fear and faith cannot coexist in our hearts at the same time. In our days of difficulty, we choose the road of faith. Jesus said, “Be not afraid, only believe.” –Neal L. Andersen

"For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind."

2 Timothy 1:7


Added to that, I'd like to tell you that there is a reason I always have the spirit of love and hope in my life. It is because I believe in the gospel of Jesus Christ and it teaches of love, the love our Savior has for us and the love we should have for one another. I cannot imagine not being religious, because I take so much comfort in knowing there is someone out there who is thinking about us and who has a plan for our eternal happiness. Isn't that fantastic and comforting?

I am excited for this next adventure, not just because I get a break from school and get to go to Italy, but because I get to teach and love a whole new set of people. And because I know I'll love them just as much as I love you.

And then I get to come back to all of you! Once again, I am the luckiest person in the world.

Please continue to read, as there will be weekly updates and they're bound to be more interesting than my normal stuff. And listen to the rad music on the side and think of me listening only to hymns.

All my loving,

Lauren M. Laws

Aug 15, 2010

thoughts from other people.

"I'm up in the tree. I'm 23-years old and I'm sitting in a tree with strangers."

"I don't want to get too into this, because I need to go to bed soon, but I don't understand why so many people hate cats!"

"That guy was a freakshow, but don't you go calling other people freakshows."
-Mother to Son in Ponyo

"Cheese is the best theme for a factory."

"where did you see that?"
"probably with you, on this couch."
-dad and mom

"I'm going to the beach tomorrow so I gotta go shave my body."

"He thinks it's a frog, but it's a leaf--That is a leaf and you are going to be sorely disappointed when you find out it's a leaf--IT'S A FROG!!???"

"do you have cardboard boxes?"
"no. where are all the things you're supposed to have at your house? don't you have extra cardboard boxes for making spaceships and stuff?"

"What!? Why do we not have a single cardboard box to our name? The recycling must have gotten picked up today--I hate everyone."

"You did not just hang up on me for a frog."

"the average person will spend 20,000 minutes kissing."
"that's almost 2 weeks."

"What's that Hugh Grant movie? Nine and a Half Months?"
"Um, 2 Weeks Notice."

"Don't be afraid to dream a little bigger, darling."
-Eames Inception (2010)


Aug 14, 2010

I discovered the secret of blogging.
If you want males to comment on a post, you write about video games.
If you want females to, you write about Gilmore Girls.

I also discovered the secret of life.
Making decisions, overcoming trials, and loving life and the people around us.

I'm listening to my family tell stories about when I was born.
I don't think my life, in general, has changed at all.

Aug 13, 2010

I, Lauren Laws, do not actually know what is best for everyone and will hereby trust the people of the world to make their own decisions and still love them madly.

I have really smart and really brave people in my life and we're all just trying to figure things out, right? I mean, there are a few things that I am pretty sure there is a clear right-and-wrong, and I'm still going to have opinions about things, but when it comes down to it, we only ever know parts of other people's stories. Because we, unlike the Lord, cannot see the inner workings of the soul.

Living life is the hardest ever, no wonder no one makes it out alive.

an aside: Listening to the Inception soundtrack while reading a fairly epic email was a good choice. I recommend it.

another aside: i am dying a little bit. i don't know what to do with these last days. i need to do the last little bits of things, pick up my glasses, print off pictures of my family, gather addresses (if you're reading this and i don't have yours, i want it!), pack for reals, hug my mother, make phone calls, sleep, write a talk, breathe fresh oregon air before i get trapped in the mtc, mail a few things, etc. listen to No Surprises by Radiohead a few thousand more times, gather churchalicious music, obtain red shoe polish, etc.
"It may seem boring, but I think the boring stuff is the stuff I remember the most."
-Russell, Up (2009)

Aug 10, 2010

The right to appear ridiculous is something I hold dear

I'm bursting. Lit'rally bursting at the seams.
With excitement, that is.

Yesterday we found me a messenger bag which was the last thing on the list of missionary-needs and all the sudden I felt this huge, I'm-SO-ready-to-go feeling. I just need to throw everything in a bag (or two) and go. I am ready for 18 months of who-knows-what Gospel sharing goodness.

I try not to get too excited about things and keep a level head. I know, you are probably laughing and thinking, have I ever seen her with a level head? But I try, now-and-again.

I am so happy. I love my life so immensely right now. I just laugh and laugh all the time. I laugh at my family. Because my little brother put "Helen Keller" for the Odd card in Apples to Apples and we all laughed and told him it's not appropriate and he said, "It is odd! How many people do you know who are deaf and blind?" And I laugh at my parents because mum makes up phrases like, "Eagle Seagull" (fun to say, but what we were really looking at was a vulture) and dad because he always has a perfectly time sarcastic, yet loving remark. And my aunt Sybil who can sew like a machine (especially with her sewing machine that plays a fanfare when you turn it on) while listening to ABBA and always has sour patch kids in the candy drawer (unlike our candy draw that has weird oats and chocolate chips, not quite the same level). And my dog is blind, which is sad, but also amuses me to no end. You bounce the tennis ball and she runs towards it, then has to nose around until she can actually find it and then pounces on it. And Heather, who is my favorite sister-in-law in the entire world who I always accidentally match with.

And I laugh at my friends because they make shrine-like facebook albums for me and engage in fantastic phone conversations that involve amazingly realistic animal impersonations and run around OMSI with me and stare open-mouthed at Michael Jackson laser light shows and are sometimes on the same exact wavelength as me like when we say "He's so beautiful!" at the same exact time.

We stayed in a beach house with 100 tiny mirrors on the wall and 40 dog pictures lining the staircase--the staircase which was too small and everyone would trip down. I could see the beach from the porch-like platform that was at the top of a rickety staircase (or you could climb out the window to get to it). And I didn't wear shoes and played soccer on the beach and ran until my lungs hurt. And it smelled like ocean and it looked so good when the sun started to set. Will and I took pictures of us jumping while jumping and the beach fills me with so much joy that it sort of makes me ache.

I was even a good sport and went to the aquarium even though the only kinds of fish I like are the ones that aren't really fish. And I even ate some fish when we ate at the Chowder Bowl. I am getting so brave!

In our Relief Society meeting in church I answered one of the questions in our fill-in-the-blank "quiz" and it was missionary and there was a cheer from the crowd, because everyone knows I'm going on a mission and it's sort of like being a celebrity because all these people I knew as I grew up will run up and tell me how excited they are for me and how proud they are. I haven't really thought about going on a mission as a huge deal but these sort of interactions cause a swell of excitement in me. And Sybil is making some secret food that she whispered to my mom about but I heard "but, in the colors of Italy." Everyone is so supportive I can hardly believe it.

I sort of feel like I belong in a Disney movie because I wake up and feel like singing (and sometimes do) and I think about how I absolutely love everything, from the grain of sand on my toe to my Chacos (which I started referring to as Chacitos, because apparently I need an affectionate term for my footwear) and I want to pounce on everyone and smother them in affection. I have to wrestle Caleb as much as I can before I go, because he is currently 6 pounds lighter than me and I'm pretty sure will be much bigger when I get back. At least I got to enjoy 11 years of not being the littlest.

Last night I was sitting in bed (with a pillow with rams on it and crocheted blanket) and I actually wept a little because I could not believe how lucky I am. I get to go on a mission, to Italy, and they recently changed the dresscode for missionaries so I don't have to wear nylons or grandma length skirts and that, in itself, is enough to jump for joy about.

My brain is pretty much gone though, I say the completely wrong words in the middle of sentences. "I told him I was speaking in Church on Friday." "Church is on Sunday." or "At frozen yogurt they have mini blizzards now!!...I mean, at Dairy Queen."

maybe I'm crazy, but guess what!



It's not a hill, it's a mountain
As you start out the climb
Do you believe me, or are you doubting
We're gonna make it all the way to the light
But I know I'll go crazy if I don't go crazy tonight

Aug 8, 2010

Vampires Suck

1. I've already exploited that pun for my own use and made awesome shirts that said, "Vampires Suck" on the front and "Werewoves Bite" on the back. So, yeah, it's a clever enough pun. And you know how I love puns.

The ad says, "from the guys who couldn't sit through another vampire movie."

And yet, you're expecting us to want to? We've already all taken time to make fun of Twilight and it's accompanying movies. I highly doubt, especially after seeing repeated trailers during the commercial breaks of my all night the Nanny marathons*, that there is anything this movie has to offer that we haven't already mocked in our own conversations or seen on youtube.

It's just too easy and therefore I'm not impressed.
Try doing a parody of A Walk to Remember, now that takes skill.

*I have a problem. I'm starting to think all I want out of my life is to be a nanny for a dapper theater producer with an English accent and tend to his three kids and get into shinanagins and wear really tight neon/zebra/multi-colored striped dresses and banter with the cynical butler. and ohmigosh why don't they get together already??! Television shows are CRUEL. They just string you along and drag things out (unless it's Glee, then everything happens in one episode and they never mention it again) until your emotions are a scramble and you start to feel like these characters are your friends and you will just die if they don't find true love and happiness. Because it's always right in front of them all along. And SO obvious. The sexual tension is near deadly. Except Jim/Pam season 2, that was such a good kind of awful. And don't get me started on Minute to Win it. I only started watching because I wanted to see Courtney in the audience, but then you get people on there that you shouldn't care about, but you do and no matter how dumb sounding the task is (i.e. bounce this ping pong ball into some household object with some complication) you are immediately sucked in because THEY ONLY HAVE 60 SECONDS and WILL THEY MAKE IT? You know what that means? I need to go on a mission and stop watching television. Having free time and cable is something that I don't come across much and I am starting to think it is better that way.

Aug 7, 2010

mummy.

jennie has a cool mom that she blogs about. and i want everyone to know that i have a cool mom too.
she came down when i was sort of half-asleep on the mattress on my floor and not cleaning and goes "this isn't sleeping music!" and starts dancing to whatever Muse song was playing.

me: Want to watch a girly movie!?
mom: Iron Man?
me: sure. or I recorded My Sister's Keeper
mom: oh! yes! and then we can paint our nails.
me: (laughs)
mom: i really need to redo mine. and facials! okay, that was a joke, but the nails comment wasn't.
me: microderm abrasion and...cucumbers!
mom: then we couldn't watch the movie--we'll just cut holes in them! so they can reduce puffy-ness on the outside of our eyes and we can still see the movie.

mom: so still want to watch the movie?
me: actually, i started thinking about what it's actually about and i don't think i want to watch it right now. depressing.

me: which one of these is best?
mom: all of them look great.
me: that doesn't help
mom: well, stop being so creative and coming up with so many good ideas.
me: oh...thanks.

mom: oh, i've seen that!
dad: where did you see it?
mom: probably with you. on this couch.

and she is fun to watch movies with because she laughs/cries/gasps at all the parts you're supposed to.
among other things, i really wish English had a word for a plural "you".
today i am going to declutter my life and pack it up while listening to Muse and U2.

and later i will indulge you all with some tales from "the week the laws family adopted djb, with pictures"

p.s.
no one answers when i call!! i'm not dead yet.

i am the luckiest.

sometimes i think about how lucky i am to even know you.
maybe we don't have as much time together as we'd like.
but
to even be able to watch/make one movie with you.
to have spent one school year/one semester/one summer/one minute with you.
to spend just one afternoon on the beach.
to share one milkshake. one pot of curry. or several slices of pizza.
to wrap my arms around you and have it reciprocated.
to stay up too late watching a movie/talking/getting lost.
to perform at elementary school talent shows.
13/8/4 hour roadtrips together.
dancing in the streets/living rooms/cars.
to have you stop by, just because
and to sit and talk or stand and talk or lay and talk.
to nuzzle your shoulder (whether you liked it or not, because i'm not really sure if you did)
to receive one compliment, one significant glance, one conversation, one mutual understanding from you.
all the time in the world isn't enough and at the same time the smallest moment is enough.

aren't we really fantastically lucky to have nearly endless small and significant moments in our lives?
all we had to do is take half a second to look back and think about all the great times we've had and can have with people instead of dwelling on the one or two things that piss us off now and again.

and while it might be sad to spend some time missing
i feel so spoiled to even have the opportunity to miss anyone.

i am SO lucky.
i don't know what other word to use, because i definitely don't deserve the massive amounts of affection i receive on a regular basis.


and the world is beautiful just look around
and the world is beautiful just look at all your friends
-harry and the potters

Aug 6, 2010

i sort of feel like a broken record.
but i love life
and i love you
and i sort of feel like shouting these statement from the roof of a tall building.

Aug 5, 2010

i have less than two weeks.
but 18 months in Italy is nothing compared to 4 years on a desert island.
(watched Castaway today and it broke my heart)

Aug 3, 2010

communication woes.

sometimes i don't respond to text messages.
don't take offense. don't take it personally.
i just have a habit of reading texts and then throwing my cell phone on the nearest piece of cushioned furniture.

in my opinion texting is for when you're too insecure to call people or when you just want to tell them one hilarious tidbit like, "just saw some kid slip on some ice, hilarious." or "thinking about you because of such-and-such thing" or for when you're on film sets/in dentist's offices and can't have real conversations. basically, there is a time and a place and i do indulge and enjoy the text messaging now and again. but there just aren't enjoy characters for what needs to be said usually. unless you have Verizon, i enjoy texting people with Verizon. in general, unless i'm engaged immediately, i'm just too lazy for the texting.

i really, really enjoy communication that involves vocal chords. face-to-face being the ideal, but actual calls being nice as well. then you can pace all around your house or lay in the grass while you're talking. and it's magic, really, that you can be miles and miles away and still hear each other's voice. and i'll only be able to communicate through the written word with people soon enough.
so call me already!


oh, but i do like postcard's.
and was pleased to receive two in the mail today.
<3 you j. mag and c. smitty!

story time

today i was pulling out of a parking lot and i stopped before i turned out onto the street.
and a kid ran into me.
with his body.
he was walking and i stopped and he ran into the back of my car with a huge thump.
and then he swore at me and yelled all kinds of things i couldn't really hear because the windows were up.
and i sort of thought he might try and beat us up.
but he didn't.
and i wanted to say, "you're the idiot that ran into a stopped car."
but i think he probably already knew that.

Aug 1, 2010

I am getting really good at giving advice, waaaaaay better than the people who took over than Ann Landers (because now that I'm home I read the newspaper, though I do really like Carolyn Hax's column).

If anyone has questions about anything please email "Dear Lauren" at the.lawsiest@gmail.com. But only if you have problems in the next two weeks. And I will give you wisdom beyond my years.