The Lost Art of Letter Writing

         I love getting letters. There is something really magical about going out to the mailbox and finding a letter from a friend or loved one with your name on it. It seems to say, "Why, hello there! I'm here to tell you that someone out there cares so much about you that they wrote you this letter." (Hopefully the letter doesn't actually talk to you...if that is the case, then you have entered Hogwarts. Then you need to contact me IMMEDIATELY.) A letter that is two pages or more means that this is the real deal. That person really cares about you. Honestly, getting letters is one of the greatest joys in life.

        Unfortunately, it seems to be a dying art. People are not taking the time to sit down and write letters to one another. An e-mail can be thoughtful, but it is not nearly as exciting or meaningful as a letter penned with thought and care. To quote Manny Delgado, "It's a lost art. No one puts pen to paper anymore." Hopeful this art does not fade away, like cursive handwriting seems to be headed. That is another tragedy that I will try to preserve in my future classroom, along with letter writing. I want people to experience the pure joy of receiving a hand-written letter, and then help them cherish that gift they have received.

      This entire love of letter writing has led me to my happy musing for today. I am amazed and ecstatic over a "worldwide collaborative art project" that I discovered called Snail Mail My Email. This incredible project takes an email that you send them (100 words or less) and turns it into a beautiful, handwritten letter. You provide them with the address to send it, and they will do the whole thing for free. They will also even include a little extra touch, like a lipstick kiss or a flower petal. All of the instructions are on the website that can be found by clicking the link above. It is seriously an amazing opportunity, and it runs until this Friday. Please, be a part of this amazing phenomena. You could even get a little crazy and write one on your own. :)

      I have sent one to someone special today, and I encourage you to do the same. It only takes a few minutes, and it is well-worth the effort. Just do it! Send a letter to someone to show how much you care. I promise you won't regret it. And that is the musing of a marvelous me.

      Please comment below if you chose to send a letter... I want to hear your stories!

A Day to Never Forget

Today, I lived up November 6th. I was a volunteer for the Utah Colleges Exit Poll. It was a chance to really participate in political research, and it felt wonderful to witness the United States political system at play. I loved the instantaneous feeling of helping learn results and asking people for their opinion. I believe that is the real beauty of election day: demonstrating that everyone's opinion matters. It is a feeling of validation rarely found anywhere else. It is a true expression of free speech.


But the greatest moment of my day was voting for the very first time as a United States Citizen. I am going to proudly admit that I almost cried in the voter booth. (Of course, remembering Leslie Knope at that moment, too.) I realized that my opinion matters; that my voice is important. I loved voting. I thought of my suffragette heroines, like Emmeline B. Wells and Susan B. Anthony who made it possible for me to vote. Susan never got the chance, and it breaks my heart. But I vote in respect of her hard-fought battle that made it possible for me.


Maybe someday I will be just like Leslie Knope, and vote for my name on a ballot. But for now, I am simply extremely grateful for the chance I had to vote today. I love voting. And that is just the musing of a marvelous me.

Wishing for a Way to Stop Time

            More often than not, I feel like there is simply not enough time in the day. I mentioned it in a previous blog post, but I keep a crazy schedule, with color coding and endless checklists. Some days I wake up and look at everything I have ahead of me, and I think, "Maybe I will just curl up in bed today, make some *Nutella hot chocolate*, and watch a movie."That moment of implausible thought is enough to make me realize that I can't stop, that I just need to keep moving. But in that small moment,  I begin to ache inside for peace and quiet. I love for a day or two to myself, with no required schedule or deadlines to meet. This year, in an attempt to do everything possible my Senior year, I think I have booked myself too full. From fifteen credits to work to conferences to planning committees and more, I just feel like I am run on schedule that will not stop. I find myself worn down, feeling like a horse that has run too far without stopping. 

             In these times, I wish for a way to stop time. To simply press pause on my life and take a break from the chaos. It would be the greatest gift in the world. I would love to just take a day off. I know this is a first world problem, but I have been in school for four straight years. I have worked a full time job during most of that time. I just feel tired, and I know that this is only the beginning. Adulthood is calling, as my senior teaching classes keep reminding me. I hope that Thanksgiving Break and Christmas Break will be enough to really help me relax, take it easy, and re-cooperate. And next semester, I will definitely re-evaluate my schedule. 

*The Recipe for Nutella Hot Chocolate*- I recommend two tablespoons, not one and a half. The more, the better. 

Serious with a Side of Funny

Tonight, I had plans to take a step away from the posts about random dance parties and British chocolate. I wanted to turn my attention to a more serious topic and discuss my thoughts after watching the PBS Documentary Half the Sky. It was inspiring, incredible, powerful...insert your own intensifier here. I watched it tonight online because it is expiring at midnight, and I decided it was more important than my other homework or cleaning checks. My assessment was correct: it was the best thing I could have done for myself today. I recommend every checks it out. Half The Sky will change the way you look at improving the lives of women around the world.

Anyways, I was going to devote my whole blog post to the topic until I entered the necessary pastime of all college students- watching YouTube Videos and looking at blogs about animals. I was reminded that sometimes it is good to keep the troubles in check with some hearty giggles and belly-aching chuckles.  I want to fill the world with smiles, and I think that sometimes the best way to do that is through sharing what I find inspirational and sometimes just a little silly. So here are my top five pics for the night:

5. Squirrels with Day Jobs- Yes, you read that right. It is a slideshow of pictures of squirrels dressed up in costumes. Hopefully, it is not too ridiculous to bring you at least a smile or two. Here is a teaser image for you:

4. Extreme Sheep Herding

There are LED lights, photo imaging, crazily talented dogs...just watch it. You will not regret it. And make sure to tip your hats off to talented Brits with mad sheep herding skills

3. A little surprise- Just click on the link, and smile.

2. The Girl You Wish You Hadn't Started a Conversation with at a Party- This video is proof that Saturday Night Live can still be funny. I know way too many of these girls and guys. We need to stop pretending we care, and actually start listening to ourselves, rather than staring at our phones.

And my #1 Pick.....Drum roll please....

Cuties and Their Equally Cute Canines- This slideshow changed my day. I loved it more than words can express. It was the ultimate inspiration for this blog post. The commentary below is even better. I know that it will make anyone smile. I mean, just look at Ryan Reynolds and his canine cutie.

I hope you find reasons to smile everyday. It is the small moments that really make a difference. And that is just a musing of a marvelous me. :D

My Obsession with British Chocolate

Well, its time to come clean: I am obsessed with British chocolate. My obsession fixates particularly around Cadbury chocolate, manufactured in the United Kingdom. (The distinction is important because the majority of the Cadbury chocolate available for purchase in the U.S. is now manufactured by Hershey's. The quality is not nearly as good....These facts are simply proving the extent of my obsession.) Roald Dahl's autobiography Boy tells of how he got the idea for Willy Wonka's Chocolate factory when he was a young boy in British boarding school. Cadbury would send little packages of their chocolates for the boys to try and then rate on a form they would send back to the company.  I can attest that this chocolate really is that powerful. It could inspire a legendary tale like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. 

My obsession is not something to be proud of, and it does not mean that I only eat chocolate from across the pond. I still enjoy a good bag of M&Ms or Reese Peanut Butter Cup. But it will never warm my heart like a Cadbury Milk Chocolate bar does.

The obsession started young. My family and I went to England when I was twelve to visit my grandparents who were living there at the time. We took a trip to Bournville, England, to visit Cadbury World. It is a place of magic and wonder. Our entrance tickets really were like Golden Tickets. They handed us each three full size candy bars with our tickets. At that moment, I knew then that I would never be the same.  

I went back to England on study abroad with an express responsibility to my family to bring back an entire suitcase filled with Cadbury. When I stepped off the plane at Heathrow, I discovered another magical site: a Cadbury chocolate vending machine. I knew I was in the right place. I would buy it in bulk and store it at the flat, enduring a lot of teasing from my professors and fellow students alike. But I knew it would be worth it. Real Cadbury chocolate is hard to come by in the U.S., and my stash would hopefully last for a while.





Unfortunately, it ran out quick, and I knew I needed to find more. That is when I discovered Blickenstaff's, a marvelous candy/toy store in the Riverwoods. There I found my Boost bars, my Twirls, my Cadbury Dairy, and even my mint Aero bars. Without their supply of British chocolate, I would be paying a crazy premium for Cadbury chocolate flown in from overseas. I love going to Blickenstaffs, and I love seeing the large tollbooth filled with my favorites.

So here is my slice of life: go to Blickenstaff's, and try a piece of Cadbury chocolate. It will bring a bit of magic into your life. There is a reason that chocolate is a cure for the despair of Dementors...but remember, its British chocolate they're eating. And that's just the musing of a marvelous me.

Impromptu Dance Parties

          As seems to be a running theme to my posts, life can sometimes throw you a curve ball and challenge you. Think of the old adage, "The only predictable part of life is its unpredictability." I have found a true source of instant relief and happiness. Crazy, funny, and unplanned dance parties. These can be at your computer while working on an insane amount of homework. They can be in the bathroom while brushing your teeth. They can even be while walking to a job. Maybe my passion for impromptu dance parties comes from my love of inane pop songs. I blame Lizzie McGuire...or any of her Disney Channel cohorts. My happiest days begin with a hairbrush as a microphone.

         While watching a really wonderful online video blog series called "Smart Girls", I discovered that Amy Poehler ends each video blog with a dance party. I love that idea. Life is amazing and incredible. We should all dance randomly every single day. Watch her for a little inspiration if you have a moment: 

Finally, I cannot help but recommend a few songs for your random dance parties. There is always the classic "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" by Cyndi Lauper. Or go for something a little newer with One Direction's "What Makes You Beautiful." Any of their songs will do just fine. There is even the extremely hyped up "Call Me Maybe" by Carly Rae Jeppesen. Find a song that makes you happy and puts a little pep in your step. I love walking to class every day with my headphones in and music blaring. I dance every day, even if it is just in my mind. I have even been known to execute some real-life fancy footwork and full on 360 degree spins when I think no one is looking. If dancing in public isn't your thing, try to catch me looking like a fool. Hopefully I will inspire you to have an impromptu dance party of  your own. Just a little musing from a marvelous me. :)

Slice of Life: Scrapping the Schedule

Sometimes, you may think that your day must stick to a solid schedule. No derivations for me today, you think to yourself! You have a perfectly catalogued day, with specific assignments and responsibilities outlined in a perfect color-coded system. It may look something like this:

If it is like mine, it would probably be much more complex and insane. Today was one of those days. I hit a point in my day where I needed to be productive. But I felt like I had been running non-stop. My emotional stability was....absent. So, I sat down and called my mom. I talked through my day and reconfirmed my sanity by consulting with the best counselor in the world. Talking with her is like talking with a much wiser and more mature me. I come from her and find that when life does not make sense, she is the obvious option for help.

As I closed up the conversation with her, I walked into the library and sat down for a moment before going in to complete my to-do list. I looked through the large glass windows and spotted two close friends from high school. I realized then that my list was unimportant. These friends had been put in my path to give me a better sense of direction than I had had with my perfectly planned schedule. I needed my mom, and I needed these friends to help re-establish my stability. They gave me the extra push I needed for the rest of the day. So sometimes, it is really the wiser choice to scrap the schedule and simply go with the flow. Just my slice of life for today. :)