Daily Prompt: Beyond the Pale| Ready, Aim, Fire!

That’s me in the blue shirt.

I smiled when I saw the topic for January 4th’s Daily Prompt: When was the last time you did something completely new and out of your element? How was it? Will you do it again?

The shooting range near the Joshua Tree campground is about 30 min away from the national park itself. Green shrubs and rocks litter the area. (Green shrubs in the desert? Surprising). A power station rose a few meters into the air. It was so ugly out there in that part of the desert I didn’t bother pulling out my camera. Then we heard it.

Several shots rang out into the sky and bounced off the small hills, the sound jumping towards us in the last instant. The noise was weak by the time it got to us. We planned to enjoy this, since we had lost our way over to the range.

My friends and I wandered past the pickups and SUVs until we came to a wide clearing. It was close to noon and the sun was relentless, covering everything. Tables contained rifles, pistols and shotguns of varying sizes and shapes.  Ammunition lay next to the weapons.

“Have you taken the gun safety test yet?” No, I hadn’t. But could I? “Sure!” Once I had repeated the basic safety rules, only shoot past the safety line in front of the tables, keep the safety on the gun until you’re ready to shoot and never point the gun towards my fellow shooters, I lined up with the rest of them and gave it a try.

Control was a key part of the exercise. I practiced keeping my arm steady and resting my chin on the stock, which was a challenge if I wanted to reload the ammo fast. I also learned to adjust until I could see a clear picture of my target. It was exciting when I hit the first few targets and helped my team shoot the other team’s targets down first. I tended to make my shot when I wasn’t super concentrated on what I was doing. At the same time, if I made two or three in a row, I’d mess up the next one if I got too cocky.

Shooting for the first time last November was a fun experience. I wish I had gotten to try the pistols and the bulky airsoft guns. The people were friendly and the men who taught me how to shoot helped me become better and more confident.

I’ve never had the desire to shoot animals and I didn’t think I would be shooting on this trip. But when people asked me if I wanted to shoot, I decided I should at least give it a try.

I’m so glad I did. Next time: bigger rifles and pistols!

Delicate as a Crystal

Dublin Castle, The Throne Room

 

Welcome to Dublin

1/1/14

It is not difficult to navigate in County Dublin, a fact for which I am most grateful. Either that, or my Frommer’s travel guide was a good investment. The streets are well-marked and even though there are several areas and postal codes in Dublin, it doesn’t take long to get around.

I liked walking through Dublin 1 and 2. Dublin 1 is an area with a slightly older, shabbier appearance than its counterpart. Still, Dublin 1 has a few good pubs and makes a convenient location for travelers. Dublin 2 is more ritzy and is known for its famous pubs, like The Temple Bar and The Auld Dubliner. Dublin 2 also houses Trinity College, which has a picturesque, Ivy-League school quality to it.

St. Mary’s Pro Cathedral on Marlborough St. was enjoyable. It was warm inside which surprised me, as I have been in freezing cold cathedrals before. It smelled of incense and it was nice seeing people kneeling in worship. The displays of Mary and Jesus were not overly elaborate. Then I walked a short distance to the General Post Office on O’Connell St. Lower. I didn’t go inside as they were doing repairs, but it was an impressive building. To me its Georgian exterior seemed regal. It was hard to find the right word for that earlier! Anyway, as I felt the bullet holes on the facade, I thought about the 1916 Easter Rising that took place in Dublin. This was before Michael Collins helped Ireland become a free state. Leaders died by gunshot and fire–a pretty gruesome piece of history.

O’Connell St. was next, one of my favorite discoveries during the tour. You get a great view of the city and you can do everything from banking to buying souvenirs for your friends. I went to Fleet St. and saw the River Liffey in the distance, so I had to go to the famous Ha’Penny Bridge and take pictures! The River Liffey divides North and South Dublin and it is pretty to look at. There are several foot bridges across the river.

After I saw the river I headed towards the charming Temple Bar District. Music, great food and plenty to see there. One day I’ll have to go eat in a couple of pubs with live music! I wanted to see Trinity College, so I kept going and literally stumbled onto the campus. It almost looked fake, everything seemed perfect about the place. I can’t wait to see the Book of Kells and the beautiful library there. I finished my tour at Grafton St. and then called it a day.

Now I really must go to sleep. Thanks for reading!

Not the Safe Route

About four months ago I decided to study abroad in Ireland for the spring of 2014. It struck me that in order for me to make the most improvement in my college career, it would have to be in a foreign country. Sure, I could go on taking the usual classes and take the safe route. But how much would I get out of it at the end? True, I’ve learned at least half a dozen important life lessons from college, so I don’t dismiss my previous experience. However, I’m looking for something more that I can’t achieve at home.

12/30/13

This is it. I’ve started my international adventure, and I can’t back out of it. So far I’ve been doing fine on my solo trip: no panicking, a full stomach and an almost relaxed feeling. I should be sleeping, but I think the excitement is keeping me awake. Back home it is 7:30 in the evening, whereas the local time in Paris, my next destination, is 4:30 am. I still have time to catch up on sleep. But before I close my eyes, I want to take a few minutes to process what I will be doing for the next few months.

Honestly, I think I am going to love Ireland. The classes I plan to take are going to challenge me, but they sound fun. I will read literature and political science texts and will have the chance to analyze European politics and see it in their perspective. What’s more, I hope to see the Irish perspective in the classroom as well.  I need to prepare myself for the culture clash, I admit. I am going to be an international student among the Irish students and I realize that my American schooling has biased me. One of the challenges I predict will be to view the differences in how the two countries run things and learn how to disagree in a non-offensive way. Reading is one thing, but forming one’s own opinion and speaking up for it is quite another. By taking classes abroad, my goal is to listen and evaluate, with a focus on respect.

My time in Ireland is more than just school, however. I’m a bit of an introvert and don’t have many street smarts. I trust too easily at times. I tend to worry about things that aren’t worth the trouble in the first place. I want my weaknesses to become strengths, and maybe I can work on a bit of each at this time and place in my life. Lucky for me, Ireland seems like a perfect fit. For one, there are plenty of people I can meet there who won’t mind talking or getting to know me. Also, I won’t need to drive because the transportation is great. Traveling is my second priority next to school, and I’ll be in a country with tons of freedom. They have castles, pubs, beaches, street festivals, opera and many literary giants who originated from there. My strategy is to work hard on homework during the week and go explore on the weekends. I should also try to bring a couple of books with me to new locations and study. Immersion is important to me, and I need to fully commit myself.

Improving my photography and writing skills are part of my plan, too. Maybe if I combine the two I can write some photo essays! What I’ve noticed in my photography is that I can take nice shots of people and can sometimes capture the story of what I see behind the screen. However, I don’t think I get close enough to my subjects and I could do a better job of adjusting my camera to the scene at hand. I want to practice just taking shot after shot of people going about their business. I want to find interesting angles and reevaluate what I actually put in my compositions. As for writing? I need to work on the Blog, read every day and experiment with form. I can’t wait to see how it all turns out.

Now I guess the only thing left to do is to make it safely to Ireland and get started. And you know what the hardest part of it is? Getting started.

____________________________________________________________

Talk to you all soon. School and (life) in general have prevented me from Blogging since September. There’s no way I’m shutting this Blog down! Cheers, Jen

Tired Muscles, Happy Heart

Photo Credit: Bing Images

One of my personal goals is to get into the best shape of my life. I gave myself a year from last month and wrote that I would need to complete a few workout programs and do activities like swimming and hiking to get there. I think it’s a pretty realistic goal and I can’t wait to cross it off my list!

For the past six years of my life I’ve said, “I’m going to get into shape” and then after a week or two I’d give up. I didn’t push myself hard enough at the gym and stuck to wimpy levels on the treadmill. I wasn’t consistent in track and field, either. The first year of college I didn’t exercise properly–super long gaps between workouts to start with, and when I did a workout I started out running on a treadmill and wore down my muscles before doing the machines and strength training. Sophomore year, the latter end, was slightly more promising. I had a workout buddy and made sure to do cardio and strength training weekly. The problem was with my limited workout knowledge, school schedule and occasional laziness. I didn’t have a plan.

I sound like a hopeless case, don’t I? With this goal I mean to see it through. Some realities include *not* running marathons because I don’t like running all that much and not getting a flat stomach. I have a petite, muscular build (like a gymnast), and I am fine with weights and all. My body fat is mostly in my stomach, which I find incredibly annoying. If there were anything I could change, it would be my stomach and abdominal area. The last time I remember having a flat stomach was maybe freshman year of high school. Puberty is not about to reverse itself.

Here’s my plan. I talked with a friend who loves exercising, and she sent me an ab schedule–I told her I needed major work on that area. She has me doing sit ups, crunches, leg lifts and planks. I do push ups, too, since I build muscle fast in my arms and match the number to my sit ups. And it’s kicking my butt. If I didn’t have my rock and metal music, it would be difficult to keep going. The exercises started out easy, because the number was so small, but now I’m doing numbers like 85 and up. I exercise 3-4 days and then take a break, and repeat. I can do these exercises at the gym or at home, which is convenient. Before I start the day’s workout I stretch so I won’t strain my muscles and stretch sometimes during the workout.

When I was in the second week of the program I got headaches (not enough water in my system) which caused exhaustion and minor frustration. Now I have timed my workouts to roughly an hour and then do half an hour of cardio on the free motion machine. In just over a week I’ll be done with the first workout program and will start a new one.

I’m starting to see results from my first workout plan. I don’t feel as tired during my day and my endurance is increasing. My muscles are not constantly sore anymore, either. Also, I don’t feel as embarrassed as I used to when I look at myself in the mirror. Eating healthier is also a part of this, and I am enthusiastic about finding great recipes to help me. I feel relieved that I am actually making this work. The health benefits are awesome!

There’s no turning back. I’m going to complete this goal and then I’m going to Blog about it!

Ashton Kutcher Was Right

“The sexiest thing in the entire world is being really smart. And being thoughtful, and being generous. Everything else is crap, I promise you.”
–Ashton Kutcher

On August 11, 2013 Ashton Kutcher delivered a powerful speech at the Teen Choice Awards, though I’m not positive that every screaming teenage girl in the audience heard him. I’ve admired Ashton for a while now, and I was even more impressed with him after I watched his speech online. It’s been a month since he gave the speech, and I can’t seem to get the above quote out of my head. This morning I re-watched his speech and noted how composed and serious he was when he said the words. He sounded sincere and paused for the applause after the first sentence, and by the end of it he punctuated the words in a near yell. His simple quote is an affirmation of the things I stand for.

Being really smart brings to mind my wish that everyone desired education. Our growing world has ample opportunities for us to learn: public, private and online colleges and universities, the Internet, work, print and online books and even apps. We have access to these devices and institutions at flexible costs for many budgets–there is no excuse not to use them.

Being thoughtful is easy. Show people you care by spending time with them, keeping your commitments and expressing your gratitude often.

Being generous doesn’t have to mean becoming a philanthropist and showering your friends with expensive gifts. Give what you can. If you have a little time to help a friend on a Saturday night, go do it. Even better, don’t expect a pat on the back when you do the favor. Generous people are more likely to have the acts reciprocated than those who aren’t. Also, studies show that they are the happiest people and tend to be less lonely.

What’s the crap, then? The crap is being vain and believing you always come first. The crap is caring about your appearance more than caring about what you think and why you think it. The crap is saying that you have learned everything there is to know–this is impossible, as each day is a new day and with that brings fresh learning. How do we avoid the crap? My advice is stick to the three things Ashton talked about. You’ll be fine.

It is my hope that the kids who nominated him learned something that night. Thanks for reading–I’ve included the video of Ashton’s speech here.

An Open Letter to Big Agnes

Note: This is the first time I’ve written a letter to an inanimate object. Let me surprise you. As a reader, I trust the writer in most cases and as I write this I trust you to make of it what you will. Thanks for stopping by.

Photo credit

Dear Big Agnes,

I find myself writing to you on a warm Friday night, reminiscing on the day we met. There you were, your maroon colored shell protecting your Insulated Air Core. There I was, a sad backpacker without a comfy bed on which to lay.

With night descending on our camp, all eight of us pulled out our Big Agnes’; we felt pure joy as we discovered a different way to sleep in the woods.

I have my uncle to thank for instigating the Big Agnes tradition, and my dad for buying you off Campmor.com last year. And what a tradition it is now! Eight of us Jopsons stretched out on a tarp, nestled inside our down sleeping bags, on top of your two-inch inflatable goodness. (We snored away–we didn’t even have to count sheep). The sleep was that good. Your air pad qualities astounded us, and we vowed to never buy a Therm-a-Rest again.

We look like we don’t know how to relax!  Photo: Jim Jopson

Like tattoos, you can’t have just one.

Each morning of last year’s backpacking trip you stayed by my side as I popped my head out of my sleeping bag and ventured out into the cold air. You were my companion.

This year’s trip was fantastic, until I caught a cold and found it difficult to sleep on my back. In the few moments where I could actually breathe and lie down at the same time, it was bliss.

Even though I am not entirely sure where I’m going to sleep through half of September back at school, at least I’ll have a high chance of getting my beauty sleep.

Your loyal friend,

Jennifer

Daily Prompt: Can’t Drive 55| They Got Nothin’ On You, Baby

Secret’s out: I am secretly admiring somebody. I think it is working out so far, as he hasn’t called me on it yet. He’s tall, dark and handsome and charismatic. Not only is he employed, but he makes physical fitness and personal hygiene a priority, which is something I can appreciate. I’ve seen the way he talks and acts around his friends (mostly guys), and the friends I’ve confided in say he’s a stellar guy. The thing is, I don’t know him well enough to ask him out on a date point-blank. I wish we could actually sit down and have a longer conversation than “Hi!” “How are you?” I have talked with him briefly before on multiple occasions and have reason to believe he is intelligent and worth getting to know. But apparently I will need to put in more legwork myself or reevaluate my feelings for him in six months. I guess this is another one of life’s challenges–not getting what you want right away.

This is one of the cooler prompts I’ve chosen to take a stab at. Take the third line of the last song you heard, make it your post title, and write for a maximum of 15 minutes. GO!

Never mind my lack-of-relationship woes. Sit down, press play and enjoy this pop song with truly inspiring (and original) lyrics by B.o.B and Bruno Mars!

On Moral Agency and Assertiveness

For some reason, I’ve hesitated to write about anything spiritual on my Blog, the biggest reason being my personal development. I find that sometimes I have a hard time expressing my emotions or opinions in writing. I like to hide myself, my take, on a subject through humor or memoirs. It hasn’t been easy comparing myself against other writers who seem to take charge and say “THIS is how I feel, and I want you to know why.”

But now I am finally ready to get real for once and talk about something dear to my heart, without comparing myself to anyone else.

I speak of moral agency in terms of my being a Latter-Day Saint (Mormon). The quotes I have included come from teachings of the church doctrine, which I support. I’ve been a member all my life and have discovered the church’s truthfulness for myself. That being said, I hope I can enlighten you and share my own experiences on the topic.

Moral agency is really two things in one. It is our freedom to make decisions, and it is the power we have to choose good over evil. Let me break it down further.

Many of life’s decisions are simple. For example, last night I planned to wake up early this morning so I could be productive today. I ended up waking to the alarm and going back to sleep, and did not get moving until around 11 AM. Thus, I faced consequences beyond my control which led me to run errands late in the day and feel like I had wasted valuable time. There are, of course, larger decisions we can make. I try to live my life as Christlike as possible, and it means that I make some sacrifices. I do not drink, smoke or participate in activities that would drive away the spirit. I am not saying that I haven’t been tempted or that the high standards I set for myself are a terrible burden on me. Living this way is, in fact, a blessing because I know if I were to give in and break my trust with God that I would not be nearly as happy.

Along with agency, we are also given trials in this life. They are for our benefit. The trials test our agency. I especially like this quote, given by a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles:

Just when all seems to be going right, challenges often come in multiple doses applied simultaneously. When those trials are not consequences of your disobedience, they are evidence that the Lord feels you are prepared to grow more. He therefore gives you experiences that stimulate growth, understanding, and compassion, which polish you for your everlasting benefit. To get from where you are to where He wants you to be requires a lot of stretching, and that generally entails discomfort and pain…. to exercise faith is the trust that the Lord knows what He is doing with you and that He can accomplish it for your eternal good.

–Richard G. Scott

Once again I see that we weren’t sent here as perfect beings. Instead, it is up to us to work on our perfection so that we can live and become like Him. Both Elder Todd D. Christofferson and Robert D. Hales’ talks go into detail about the greatest example of moral agency: Jesus Christ.

I believe that much of the Lord’s power is attributable to the fact that He never wavered in that determination. He had a clear, consistent direction. Whatever the Father desired, Jesus chose to do.

–Elder Todd D. Christofferson

I have seen many blessings come from moral agency. I am responsible for my actions and if I mess up I can fix it. I also don’t worry about disappointing anyone but myself. Real power and accomplishment come from making wise choices. If we persevere and choose the right, all things are possible.

Why Frozen Food is Such a Waste

I’m a college student, which means two things when I think about food: 1) I want it cheap and 2) I want it convenient. (Even better is free food). Last year I bought frozen food at the grocery store, like many college students do. Along with the fruits and veggies I picked up, I’d spend a ridiculous amount of time searching for frozen food that I thought would be edible and quite delicious. Going into it I knew there were plenty of preservatives and ingredient lists that barely fit on the box. But I kept buying it and making a sad face when the food disappeared from my freezer. Then, at the end of the school year I realized I had to start cooking on my own, as my roommate would not be around to cook dinners for me anymore. * It wasn’t like I had never cooked before–I could follow recipes and I usually didn’t burn food. My parents had me make dinner at home many times. I felt fairly confident in my abilities. All I needed was a cookbook.

Back in my pathetic frozen food days, I was a snob for sure. But I paid for my snobbery, and here’s why.

Pros:

Home cooked food is generally healthier for you than frozen food.

This one is just common sense. There is usually a lot of salt packed into the food and enough preservatives to kill a small animal. When you cook at home, you control the ingredients that go into a recipe–you can modify a recipe to fit your lifestyle and the nutritional value is higher.

It brings out your creativity.

Frozen food is lame because all you have to do is tear open the box and heat up your food in the microwave. You’re not doing anything cognitive. However, cooking is awesome because you can substitute ingredients and learn how to make complicated meals. You can garnish your food and plate with sauces, herbs and fruit for special occasions or otherwise. If you want to learn to make a certain style of food, you can. Yesterday I noticed I had a bunch of chicken broth to use up, so I glanced at the recipe on the back of the container and saw that I had most of the ingredients already. To make new yummy food, think about what’s in your refrigerator now.

You end up saving money.

I used to think paying $5-8 for two meals in the frozen food section was a real deal. But it’s really only two meals. When you cook a meal that serves four people and you’re feeding only yourself, you might spend $15-20 depending on the recipe. The payoff comes when you store the leftovers and realize you have enough for six meals and not four.

You save time.

Think about the time you spend selecting frozen food items. Then think about the time you could spend checking ingredients off your list as you walk through the grocery store. if you know what you need already, chances are you can find it quickly. Also, when you make a bunch of meals in advance at home, that’s time you don’t have to spend shopping or cooking.

You can store your homemade food in the freezer, and it will last for months.

This is a great advantage! As long as you place your food in freezer-safe containers or Ziploc bags and store it properly, you can enjoy a meal you made several weeks later.

You can impress people with your skills.

Invite people over when you hone a recipe. Eating is a very social activity, and not many people will turn you down if the food is hot and mouth-watering. They will probably ask you how to make it or what your secret is.

Home cooked food tastes so much better!

Of course it does. After the first time you try a frozen entrée, it loses its magic. The food you make yourself, though, doesn’t get old as easily.

Cons:

You may get tired of lunch.

This is true. I need to get more creative at lunchtime, because I either eat leftovers from dinner or make a sandwich. It’s all for the sake of saving money. The goal is not to starve yourself, so try light entrées.

You may have to make two trips to the store in a week.

The grocery store depresses me because it is expensive. But hey, you might get some good exercise in.

You will learn something new whether you like it or not.

Patience is one thing I have learned from cooking on my own. The dish might not taste fantastic the first time you make it, and the time you need to cook something will vary. Also, learning to prep food in a quick and efficient way is beneficial.

Ultimately, frozen food can’t win over home cooked goodness. You will be healthier and a lot less dissatisfied with your food if you take the time to cook. Two cookbooks I recommend for college students (and anyone!) are How To Cook Everything-The Basics by Mark Bittman and the Taste of Home Cookbook 3rd Edition.

*This is VERY rare for a roommate to do. I fully appreciated every meal Vanessa cooked for my roommates and me. The thing is, she liked to cook for us!