Okay... Hi.

Yep. This is me apologizing for not posting-
I AM SOOO SORRY! I HAVE NO EXCUSE!!! I keep coming on here to post something but I don't know what to post :( So then I get sad and go back into my dark hole of Blogger's Block. I can't write. Pathetic, I know.

Well, life is good on the... good side :) I have made lots of really good friends in the past month or so, and things are going really good. It's amazing how one person can change your world. I was kind of stuck in rut, and I didn't know how to get out. So I just kept trudging through, and somewhere along the way someone pulled me out. I don't want to go back in my rut, It's better out here.

So, uh, Utah weather is ruh-tarded. What. The. Heck. Seriously, over Spring Break, it was really warm and nice, so me and my dad were playing catch, and it started snowing. (?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!) WHAT?! And last night I got no sleep because the wall by my head is basically just one huge window, and I got an enormous draft all night D: but I'm grateful for the good weather we have been having despite the bipolar-ness.

I don't know what else to say, soooo... ta-ta for now! :)

-SAM

Racism and To Kill a Mockingbird

As I promised before, here is my essay on racism, based off of the book To Kill a Mockingbird. What originated as just another school assignment for me, took off into something that made me stretch my brain a little further than what I thought. I know I'm not that great at organization, but for whoever reads this, I hope it makes sense and at least gets an idea working in your head. These are my thoughts

TKAM Essay Sam Stott A1

      You would think that by this point, our country would be over racial differences. Yet interesting enough, some people do feel that way. In fact, if you are Caucasian, then you probably do believe that. Because according to an article by Charles M. Blow from NY Times, through an ABC News/ Washington Post poll taken last year, “twice as many blacks as whites thought racism was a big problem in this country, while twice as many whites as blacks thought that blacks had achieved racial equality”. The reason we talk about about blacks and their racial equality does after all, come from our country's background of inferior treatment. But, although we have passed a hundred years and a civil right movement, our country has still failed to accept a multi-racial situation. Some people would like to think that there is almost no racism- and idea that appears to be false.

      We are living in a world that is pretending. From the same article, Blow explains that “white people don't want to be labeled as prejudiced, so they work hard around blacks not to appear so.” In return, I then have to admit that this is something that I myself learned to do at a young age. Growing up in an area of Utah where there is very little racial difference, it often caught me off guard to see a non-Caucasian person walking around. And consciously, I would try to ignore it. Unfortunately, as the same article yet again points out, “blacks thought that whites who [tried to appear unprejudiced] were more prejudiced than those who didn't.”

      But you do have to give credit to the whites for trying. Alice Park, and author for Time magazine, (through John Dovidio, a Yale professor) suggests that “although our minds are in the right places, and we may truly believe we are not prejudiced, our hearts aren't quite there yet.” I'm not necessarily saying that “it's no me, my heart has a mind of it's own”, but maybe being self-conscious about being prejudiced, is our mind's way of compensating for the past.

      In the 1930's, we see that our past was to a point, where author Harper Lee sat down and wrote about children growing up in a time where there was no equality. And back then, there was a need for change. Lee's character Atticus Finch is challenged to defend a black man. As Atticus is giving his closing statement to the jury, he leaves us with one idea of what it was like back then, “You gentleman would go along with them on the assumption- the evil assumption- that all negroes lie, that all negroes are basically immoral beings, that all negro men are not to be trusted around our women, an assumption one associates with minds of their caliber.” And that is the time they lived in. It feels good to say that we have come far from that, but there is work to be done.

      As I have mentioned before, being raised in a densely diverse population has kept me from being able to say that I am an anti-racist person. I admit that when I see someone who looks different from me, I notice it, and I often judge from it. But not only me, but our country is improving. In the 1960's, not too many years after the after the time period To Kill a Mockingbird was written in, we elected a colored man for office in the Supreme court. And in just this past year we have elected a black man for president, which sadly is a pretty big time marker for our country. I would like to quote Ellis Close in agreement when I say, “We are no longer a country where blatant prejudice and unexamined biases control the judiciary.” But I would also like to remind you when I say that we have far to go. Diversity is definitely more prominent now than in the 1930's when when odd as it seems now, men as just as the heroic character, Atticus Finch, weren't always supporting African-Americans. And although we are coming out of our dark hole that is perverted by racial inequality, we have much more to move on with.

-SAM

All FIFTEEN years? :O

So, I realize it's been a while. Not a lot has happened for me to actually say anything, but I know that's a lame excuse, so sorry. This morning I was thinking about how much I've needed new friends, and how... routine, my life has been. I've made several new friends over the past couple weeks, and it has just felt really good. I'm thinking this might be a new page in my little book of life. Some of my closest friends are being distanced from me in both the social and physical state. So hopefully some good changes will come from this. (:

Among other things that have come to my realization- my birthday is in one month (May 3rd)! So my blog will now be called... *drum roll* DUN-DUN-UUUUUH! All 15 Years! Isn't that so cute? Like a freakin kitten, I know.

So........ yeah. That's pretty much it. Have a nice life everyone :)

-SAM

9th Grade Night Dance

On Saturday night, me and my good friend Tiara went to pretty much the only dance the Freshman can go to at my school! I had no idea I was going until about 4 hours before it was supposed to start. It's a formal dance (not like 'prom dress' formal, but still) so I dressed up all cute n stuff and my wonderfully fabulous friends LACEY and KATRINA did my hair and make-up! We looked so cute! The theme was 'I Gotta Feelin'- and let me tell ya, it was a good night! haha ;D here are some of my favorite pics, they turned out good.

It was so cold and windy! Thus the Marilyn Monroe picture (:

Everyday

So pretty much, yesterday was the most normal day. You would wonder what made yesterday so more normal compared to all the other normal days, but honestly, yesterday was unusually uneventful. 

Well, I made dinner again! This time it was Macaroni & Cheese. It was so good! I also made some peas with bacon bits and sauteed onion (Bacon fat, by the way, is EXTREMELY hard to cut into inch long pieces! UGH!). I'm not a big fan of peas, but adding fat to them made it much better indeed. 

I will now begin by telling you of my baking wounds. 

• Baking Wound #1: When I was making the hamburgers, I decided to be uber senseless and flip a patty in some deep oil. Which splattered all over my arm. Fun times my friends. I don't know where my camera is, otherwise I would post a picture of the full extent of the injury, but basically you can just imagine two red scabby blisters on my arm. Yep (:
• Baking Wound #2: It was one of those moments when you thought you could get away with not listening to your mom for once. I was chopping some onions really fast (I REALLY wanted that Mac & Cheese), and the butcher knife went through my finger. It was fun. I was bleeding, there was a little piece of skin on the knife- oh yeah. Pretty cool.

And there it is. OH! And I watched the Oscars on Sunday! Cool stuff! I think it's great that the first woman director was given an Oscar! I really want to see The Hurt Locker now, I could have bet my life that Avatar would win everything! haha

-SAM

I just like this pic ^^^ [:

Another jazz festival! Not my band's best performance, but it was still very good, and educational. I had fun poking around BYU campus. I saw hott college men, got lost in the WILK for a few minutes, saw hott college men, had some Jamba Juice, Teriyaki Stix :P , saw hott college men, and played some awesome music. Oh, and I saw hott college men (:

It's been nice having the three day weekend. I was dreading third quarter because I didn't think there would be any breaks, but we've had a couple 4 day weeks so I feel very relaxed :) I'm reading To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee for English right now. I read it in seventh grade for kicks, but now that I'm looking out for specific points as I read it for my essay, it's a very interesting book. Lee captures a depth in racial equality, or justice for that matter, that really gets you thinking. I'm pretty excited to write my essay. I won't like typing it necessarily, but I like to think about things on a deep level. I'll post the essay when it's finished.

And now for my thought of the day: Prayers at the beginning of the day make a REALLY big difference. I love my Heavenly Father <3

Day who knows of the 'diet': meh. It's not enough of a challenge. My mom's trying to find something right for me, because I'm not seeing any results as much as I'd like to. Mmkay it was nice chatting ((:

-SAM

WHAT?! I can cook!?!?! SWEET.

I did it. I cooked. IT WAS SO YUMMY. That might have just been because I'm the one who made it,and I could enjoy the fruits of my labor, but I don't care. I did it. (Yes, I am wearing my owl shirt :D ) For the full and amazingly easy recipe, go HERE. I'm pretty positive that it took me more than a half hour, but I was going really slow too so you never know. (Yes, that is a red Le Cruet pot on my stove :D) I feel so chef-y now! I'm way excited for this project! Next, I'm making Spinach Artichoke Pasta Salad :P here's how the burger turned out- It was SOOO good!!! I'm eating the leftovers as we speak! haha

-SAM

"Who am I?"

Ah. The infamous question- "Who am I?". I have realized that this part of my life has really made me start to question my values and beliefs. Not question in a way where I am unsure, but I have been thinking harder about why I do, what I do. There are things I know. 

Things I know: 

-I have a deeper appreciation for everything. It might take me a little while to see the value in someone or something, but its definitely there. Some people have a hard time seeing that, and I see that as one of my special traits. I do have my issues with a couple people who are making things difficult for me in my life right now, but I can still step back and see that at least some of what they do and say is good. Everyone is good- everyone was made in God's image.

-I am a realist. I appreciate optimists, in fact most of my friends are optimists. Pessimists make me a little sad, but hey. At the end of the day, it is what it is. Tomorrow is going to be different. I can't really tell if it's good or not, but I know that that depends on me. And frankly, I am perfectly okay with not knowing the end. I just got to get there one page at a time.

-There is nobody else out there that is like me. As dumb as that sounds, it's true. I mean, we've all been told that we are 'special', but once you honestly realize it, so many things make much more sense to you. That idea that there was no one who would perfectly understand everything about me used to bug me, but it wasn't until recently that I finally realized it was just because there is no else just like me. And I kinda like that. That's why people have friends- to find a few of their own traits in other people. 

-I like experiencing things. One time I snuck into my mom's journal, and the entry I read had an excerpt about me. It was the day after I had gotten braces, and she was saying how shocked she was with me. My mouth was extremely sore, and my mom asked "So I guess you aren't so excited about getting braces anymore?" and I told her that I was still excited. When I had broken my arm in 6th grade, the same thing. Reading glasses at 7 years old, same thing. I like having trials. And I want to experience everything. Good and Bad- what doesn't kill you makes you stronger, right? 

-I am a Daughter of God. I was sent to my family, on May 3rd 1995, for a divine role to act as a daughter of God. I was sent here for a good purpose. I guess sometimes my goal isn't always clear, I can't always see if everything I'm doing is actually benefiting anyone: but I know that I'm doing what He wants me to do. He knows what he needs me for, so I'm going to put on the yoke of Christ and just do it.

And that's a small scale of who I am. I know that I'm no where near to knowing every exact detail of who I am, but this is all that's important right now. This is me. So... yeah :)

Day 12 of the 'diet': It's actually not that hard! I have to step it up a notch now... *dang it* but that's okay. I'm up for a good challenge! Haven't stepped on the scale for a couple days, but whatever. I'm going to the gym in a bit here, so YAY for losing weight! :D

-SAM

Sam & Rachel

So, I know it doesn't sound as cool as 'Julie & Julia' but I was inspired! Me and my family watched the movie a couple weeks ago, and I was impressed! I really want to cook now! I mean, I love to cook. It's a pain in the butt to figure out if you have the ingredients or not, and then have to run to the store if you don't have the exact thing, but other than that I love cooking. And as I have noted before, eating is my favorite thing to do, so they go together hand in hand.

Since I don't have 'The Art of French Cooking', I'm going for Rachel Ray. My mom bought the '30-minute meals' cookbook forever ago, and I always love what's in there. For the Young Women Personal Progress program, I need to complete my Divine Nature project. I originally planned to get a bunch of recipes I love and make a recipe book for my hope chest, but then my YW leaders stole that one right out of my hands and I wanted to feel original, so I'm going to cook my way through a cook book(:

I think I will start on Monday. New week, new goals. Y'know? The first recipe is Sirloin Burgers with Mushrooms, Swiss, and Balsamic Mayo :P I'll give the recipe on Monday, and see how it goes. I'm so excited! Technically, I only need to do 20 recipes since the project only requires 10 hours minimum, but we will get to 20 and see!

Yay for food! <3

Day 8 (?) of the 'diet': I lost 4 pounds! And I haven't even been exercising! (I know, I know, but I'm going tomorrow, okay??) But I have to confess that on Sunday I had a piece of crumb cake, and on Wednesday I had an ice cream cone :( I'm sorry! But I did so good! That whole cake was in our house for FOREVER, and the brownies and ice cream too! But on Wednesday it was Young Womens, so cut some slack yo.

-SAM

Jazz Fest / Relient K SAY WHAT??

Yesterday I went to the Jazz Festival at Thanksgiving Point! I had so much freaking fun! Got to catch up with some friends that I wish I got to see more often, make new ones, mooch (?) some good food off of friends, and my band did awesome! I wish everyday was as cool as yesterday. But then cool would be the norm, and I would have to expect impossibilities as a cool day. It's confusing, I know, I'm sorry.

RELIENT-FREAKING-K IS COMING TO THE E CENTER IN MAY!!! (That rhymes... XD )Just a week after my birthday! AHH! I'm getting tickets to go, cuz there is no way in aych I'm not going, but I need someone to go with. The catch: they're only OPENING. And it's for Paramore. Not that I don't like Paramore, they just... eh. But anyways I'm still psyched. Anyone for a flippin awesome concert? :D

Day 2 of the 'diet': Not as bad as I thought. I think I might step it up a notch. We have brownies AND ice cream in the fridge D: but I'm holding out. Although I haven't been to the gym in a few days, I feel balanced for eating... better. Not necessarily good, but better. Thats how I do (:

-SAM