stars in space

      I've made it into a game. Log on to Netflix. Type a random word in the search engine box and see if anything good comes up. Rule #1: You have to watch whatever comes up. Rule #2: Rule number one is voided by any mention of David Bowie. It's rather challenging. Today, I was fortunate enough to stumble upon a documentary about the human race's first moments in space. Don't ask the name, after scanning for David Bowie, I don't really notice.

      This was one of the greatest films I've seen in quite a long time. Original footage, first-hand interviews, shiny space suits and one of the most influential events in human history. Let me clarify, I do not classify this as an influential event due to our making it to space and the moon. No, this makes the list of times when the human race proved that they are amazing and in doing so, influenced everything else. This is my favorite list. 

      Humans have long been known as a group of individuals comprised of many different hobbies, tastes, interests, abilities, desires and perceptions. It's amazing to me that we haven't blown up the planet yet (though we have come close). Throughout the years, humans have found ways to link those skills and interests and whatnot to create and improve. 

      Concerning this documentary, I found another great thing about human beans: we are brave. Not only were the astronauts brave in risking their life to explore, but we were brave in believing we could send them out there and bring them back alive. Space, for me, represents the epitome of "the unknown."  If you think about it, there is really close to nothing that we know about space. Sure, we've progressed since that day in 1961, but if you think about it, there is a lot out there that we have absolutely no solid knowledge about. And can you imagine back when Yuri was suiting up? Someone was looking into that black abyss one day and thought, "we should wrap a man up in a shiny suit, fling him up there and see what we find." And then someone volunteered. And then someone built a spaceship. And then that volunteer got into the spaceship and was rocketed up into space. And THEN, a few years later, someone got to the moon. What if the moon was acidic, and one step could have disintegrated you? But Armstrong did it. He left that shoe print that looked strikingly similar to every pair of shoes you ever wore before the age of 8.

"That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind." 

       

     Here is a human bean, testing the limits. What I love about that, is that people do it everyday. I had an irrational fear of turning on a blender once. Fortunately, the only job I could get freshman year was at Jamba Juice. I walked in, and after making my first smoothie, started the blender. So maybe it would explode and rip my face to pieces (that was the irrational fear part), but I did it. Martin Luther King Jr. knew the risk of standing up for his rights, but he did, and because of that, our entire nation was changed. Firemen jump into burning houses to save people, soldiers fight to protect their freedom, a kid stands up to the bully at school, you leap off the plane with nothing with a backpack that supposedly has a parachute in it. 

                                             

     It's amazing. The human race is a lot of things, and brave is perhaps one of the greatest. So, here's to being brave. Cheers. 

Stormy Weather

For some bizarre reason, whenever there are clouds and a slight drizzle, I get in this contemplative mood. So I sit here, and type up some advice for myself while the epiphany lasts. Here are some things about life that we all should know. I think it's becoming cliche to say things along the lines of "I know this is cliche, but...." but I don't really mind being cliche. I think it's totally mainstream and cool. #makingmainstreamcool #beforeitremergesascool

1. First off: if you're going to do something, do it and be amazing. Nothing is more impressive to me than someone who found their passion and pursued it with all they had just because they loved it. Even if you don't become the best, if you've done your best, your best will be enough to make you happy, which is the most important thing. 

2. L.I.V.E

      An acronym for how life should be lived.

L: Lusciously. No, don't just buy all the things. I believe a luscious life can be lived in a sub-Saharan hut or a penthouse apartment in New York. The ability to find luscious qualities about your circumstances is something that can make or break a satisfied outlook on life (I've got to find another word for life, it's gonna get old real quick). 

I:  Involved. If there's anything I've learned about this existence, it's that YOU are in charge of how involved you are. So many times I've missed out on things and blamed it on someone not making the effort to involve me or reach out to be my friend. This is a symptom of laziness. If you feel left out, it's because you're not making an effort to be let in. Be friendly, reach out to others, always be kind, etc. If you're this kind of person rather than a pity party in the corner, you'll not only be more happy with your current relationships, but will perhaps assist in brightening the day of someone else. 

     

V: Vivaciously. Building off that last one, seriously if you are happy and try to have a positive and excited attitude about this time in which we are alive, you will have so much more fun. I live the 3 second 5 minute rule: you've got 3 seconds to be annoyed or mad, then you decide whether, in 5 minutes, this thing will influence the rest of your journey or not and whether it will be worth being sad or angry any longer. It happens all the time, where we just blow up or sit there and mope for forever, and then regret that time lost later. So just take your 3 seconds, judge your 5 minutes and move on to the bigger and better. 

           

E: Eclectically. Technically meaning "selecting or choosing from various sources," I choose this word to mean something along the lines of DON'T JUST BE IN YOUR OWN LITTLE BUBBLE ALL YOUR LIFE. I was this person. I was in my own little head, sitting in my little house, in my little city, in my little state watching How I Met Your Mother and various David Bowie films for a lot of my life. I believe that there is a section of happiness that comes from exotic encounters. Expanding your horizons, choosing to be influenced by "various sources." For some, this means travel the world. For others, like me, who also want to travel but have no money, it means to take the time to value eclecticism. Read the news, learn how to belly dance, create your own tea ceremony, be an eclectic person, made up of different things or skills or anything. Don't just become really good at basket-weaving and think that's all the accomplishment one needs in life. Well-roundedness. That's the key. 

I was going to go on, but even I got sick of reading this. So anyways, live your life my friend. 

My Dislike of Spring

First of all, allergies.

Second, I hate tulips. Sue me, Alice.

Third, in Utah we don't really get Spring. We get more of a "is it summer....? Dare I get out my shorts? Sandals? Oh wait...no, here's another foot of snow....which will disappear by morning!"

Fourth, literally everyone is in love and not afraid to show it. I don't necessarily hate people in love, I just dislike this season at BYU when they're all outside roaming the campus like they own the place.

Fifth, I don't have an excuse to stay inside all day.

And last, but not least, it's not summer and there's still school.

When Writing: Land

Land:

January, 23rd 

I can feel it. 

Our soles are thick, 

But the beating heart is pounding.

I can hear it.

Her cool breath,

Seeps its way into my bones,

Leaving her stained kiss 

Upon my cheeks. 

Maternal love.

Through my veins, 

Runs a surge of belonging. 

The earth, 

Her body, 

The silence of the wood,

Reconnecting us.  

Softening our callused hearts.

Our souls are thick, 

But I can feel it. 

La nouvelle année

   It's a new year, folks. I'd like to start it off agreeing with my friend Neil Gaiman. 

"I hope that in this year to come, you make mistakes. Because if you are making mistakes, then you are making new things, tryig new things, learning, living, pushing yourself, changing yourself, changing  your world. You're doing things you've never done before, and more importantly, you're doing something. So that's my wish for you, and all of us, and my wish for myself. Make new mistakes, make glorious, amazing mistakes. Make mistakes nobody's ever made before. Don't freeze, don't stop, don't worry that it isn't good enough, or it isn't perfect, whatever it is; art, or love, or work or family or life. Whatever it is you're scared of doing, 

DO IT. 

Make your mistakes, next year and forever." 

        I've spent my whole life making New Year's Resolutions hoping to prevent mistakes. Mistakes are my worst fear. Really though, the worst. I'm that kid that won't do something because I might not be perfect at it or it won't go as perfectly planned as I had hoped. This is unfortunate and mostly results in me being unhappy with where I am in life because I won't just go do what I want to do. 

       

       Come on, Marina. You own enough Nike apparel, and have read 1 Nephi 3:7 enough times to be motivated about this. 

       But on the reals, it's been called to my attention that I am horrendous on follow through. I've got my shot all lined up, knees bent, ball in hands, eye on the prize, but I just can't let go of the ball. If I let go, who knows what's going to happen? I can't come to terms with the possibility of failure. I figure, if I don't let go of the ball, I will never miss the shot. What I'm learning is that if I DO let go, there's not only the possibility that I will make it, and have thousands of screaming fans rush the floor, but there's also the possibility that I'll miss, but have a failure to tuck into my experience file. My pocket of learning. A Batman utility belt for life. 

       I need to learn that failures can be just as rewarding as successes. 

      The fear of risk and failure is not entirely illogical. I think the basis of our progression in life is built off the recognition and the dedication to overcoming these fears. I have a theory that joy in life can be attributed mainly to us doing remarkable things, remarkable in this case referring to any amount of progression. Progression can be anything from learning a language, to mastering the art of Kung Fu, to watching others progress, and using that as motivation to progress yourself. At work, at school, at play. In all times, in all things, and in all places. Progress. The noun and the verb.

     But don't get crazy.

     Challenging yourself is one thing. Spreading yourself too thin just makes for not enough honey on every bite. And that's not fun, or delicious. Which is what life should be. Expand and reach, but don't 18th century style torture yourself.

     Mosiah 4: "And see that all things are done in wisdom and order; for it is not requisite that a man should run faster than he has strength. And again, it is expedient that he should be diligent, that thereby he might win the prize; therefore, all things must be done in order." 

       My train of though just jumped off that band wagon, but anyways, New Years. Don't be afraid to make mistakes. Failures can be good. Utility belts are awesome. Batman is awesome.

D&C 100:12 "Therefore, continue your journey and let your hearts rejoice, for behold, and lo, I am with you even until the end." 

Best regards, 

M

On Demand

     Concerning percentages, I've found that a plethora of my time spent as a university student is comprised of attending school, studying for classes, working, and Netflix. As I'm sure is the case with many of my fellow comrades, we take part in the battle with On Demand resources every day. There is much to be said about these assets, both in and out of favor. Their unmeasurable convenience, portable capability and entertainment value are off the charts. However, these attributes also make them ridiculously distracting. After a hard day's work, one sometimes feels deserving of an episode of How I Met Your Mother which can conveniently be watched alongside a math assignment, or one of the odd assortment of 20th century David Bowie films while reading Milton, but at one point, one must face the inevitable truth that the simultaneous attempt of homework is futile. 

    I would categorize these new resources under the label, "potential threats." Not unlike a bar of good Swiss chocolate or Benedict Cumberbatch's face, they all succumb to the saying, "too much of anything can take a wrong turn," with chocolate launching one into a state of a diabetic coma, Benedict's chiseled cheekbones slicing through one's rational function of thought, and Netflix hurling a stick of dynamite at your "A" in Critical Theory 101. 

    In moderation, however, these "potential threats" become valuable resources. Often, have I been enlightened on subjects that concern my field of work while watching one of the many available documentaries uploaded to Netflix, or, perhaps, culturally immersed in a foreign film. There is no denying that this "age of potential threats" carries with it benefits to the student, however, like Swiss chocolate, it must be in moderation, as to avoid an educational sugar coma, which, I will assure you, results in nothing but minimal sleep, tears, and an odd desire to drop out of school to become an unemployed street performer. 

When Writing

Future furrows his brow,       his feigned surroundings

Harboring those who wish to live,   within his frail walls, 

Reality relinquishing those     who resided in his company. 

The given-gift             and the fate-finder

Competing for casualties     within their realms. 

For those who perish in reality,    live eternal

But those who sever,       Clotho's thread

Within the sphere,     of endless tomorrows

Find fate to be,  a cruel master

The day of repentance,    lying in wait 

In an empire of days,    yet to come

 
  

When writing in the style of Anglo-Saxons for your literature class.  

When Running

The weather report for Saturday: 

      Cloudy, with 40% chance of snow. 

My plans? 

       RUN.

What a perfect time to reunite with our old friends Michael Buble and J. Bieber, their Christmas albums, and  this beautiful earth. 

It was one of those days where you wake up, all the roommates are asleep, it's snowing outside, and you can't wait to break out the new running jacket. There are times where it's completely appropriate to want nothing but a snowy day, a blanket, creamy hot chocolate, croissants, and some T.S. Eliot at 8:00 AM on a Saturday, and then there are times where you want nothing but red cheeks, soaked shoes, and the road beneath your feet. 

I couldn't believe how happy I was. It had been a rough couple of weeks, and I hadn't expected 30 degrees and heavy snow to turn that around. I stood outside my door as giddy as Hermione in a bookstore with galleons in her pocket. 

I don't think I've ever ran a faster first mile. 

When people ask if I'm training for anything, I usually say no. And that's just because it takes to long to explain that I'm training to become myself. If I said that, they would look at me funny and punch me in the arm and say, "no, but really though." 

When I run, I figured out that I'm not running to "get fit.". If I was trying for that, I would have to stop eating all the sweets that I do, heaven forbid. Health for the soul. That's what I'm shooting for. (Chocolate cake being a major part of that plan)

But running helps me to sequester (woah. that was a tricky word) myself from the world, and not worry about the general populous. Which, unfortunately, is a big issue for me. When I'm out running, all I focus on is getting where I need to go, and getting there preferably in one piece. It helps me recognize all that I'm blessed with, and how awesome human beans are. 

To push myself to the best of my abilities is something that I love. Unfortunately, in other aspects of my life, when I'm challenged to do my best, I get butterflies in my stomach, and can't do it. I play along, laugh, crack a good joke, sometimes crack a not-too-good joke, and doubt myself, because I"m afraid everyone's better than I am at everything. Which, granted, is often true. But sometimes, it isn't, and I need to own up to what I've been blessed with. 

Running is what takes me away from all of that social pressure, and helps me see what I can really do, which, though not much, is amazing. And then, we think about using our amazing-ness to make this world a better place. (Cliche overreaching theme time) There is a whole lot of amazing here, I think that we each just have a different way of distributing it. Life is about discovering how YOU best distribute your amazing human bean-ness.  

Here's an inspirational quote for the day: 

"Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go." --T.S. Eliot

Anyways. There's a few of my thoughts about running. 

Collage

Yup. College. It's for reals.

     I never thought that one day I would be goin' to school when I was 18. I thought that I would be colonizing Mars, or living in southern France, both of which would be ridiculously awesome. However, I'm kinda glad that I'm here. At school, that is. I've learned some things, I guess.

1. Bananas grow on trees.

2. Hawaii is off the west coast....not by Florida.

3. Chocolate cake is always acceptable.

4. Some people (me) don't wanna grow up.

5. Who studies in the library?

6. Don't live a mile.5 away from campus.

7. Bring your guitar to school. It's a good distraction from the unnecessary.

8. Facebook.

9. Don't be OCD, cause then if you can't think of 10 things to put on "things you've learned list" it drives you crazy and you put something stupid like,

10. I love selective members of One Direction.

     So ya, I learned some stuff. But one of probably the biggest things I've learned is probably that it's all gonna work out. Life's a collage of bad stuff and good stuff and boring stuff and sometimes all that is confusing, but at one point, you're gonna be like, Hey. This is gonna be good. It's fine. It'll all work out.
                                            So give someone a hug, smile, and be weird, cause that's
                                                              what people are made for.

Rubik's Cube

Perhaps it's just my OCD-ish nature.
 
      But I very much dislike the Rubik's Cube. And I'll tell you why: To solve the Rubik's Cube, even if you have a whole line the same color, you must sometimes be willing to ruin it, in order to bring another line together. There are loads of equations, and formulas you need to know and you have to take the time to practice in order to solve it like this guy,

But seriously.

       This is the reason why I hate the Rubik's cube. Then I was like, woah, this is kind of like our life.

Cheesy analogy time:
       It's like a Rubik's Cube. In order to solve it, we have to be patient, and sometimes, we have to mix up what we've just put together in order to obtain a whole side. It can be so frustrating, but we've got someone who can solve any Rubik's cube ever, and He knows all the equations. All of 'em. It's crazy.
 And He knows when there is something better then the simple two squares of blue we've put together.

   Or maybe I just can't solve a Rubik's cube. It's been 4 WEEKS. I might have to succumb to actually learning the math behind it. Yikes.

FALL + Unicorns.

FALL

      A lot of people underestimate how much I love fall. It's unreal how much I love it. Unreal.

Or like, unicorn real.
It's just the most beautiful time ever.

     I got to go for a drive up the canyon a few days ago, and guess what? It's so pretty. I've actually never even seen it like that before. It was like a painter dumped his fall pallet all up in those mountains. The colors were so bold and distinctive. Wow.

ALSO. Fall is marvelous because you can wear sweaters.

Real sweaters.

The kind your grandma gives you for Christmas. Or the one you found at Savers for that ugly sweater dance. Or that one that you keep at the back of your closet, for when you just want to be cozy. I love sweaters. They make me feel like I'm wrapped in comfy warm goodness. Oh wait.

       Pumpkin things also happen to be my favorite ever.

Ever.
In my life.

     People joke about it, and those haters gonna hate, but pumpkin pie, pumpkin doughnuts, pumpkin bread, pumpkin chocolate chip cookies. Yum.

And those sugary pumpkin candy corn things?? So good. So bad for you....but so good.

And that concludes my thoughts about fall.
Have a good one.

Sinseriously,
Marina

Ellington

Interviewer: "Where do you get your ideas?"

Ellington: "Ideas? Oh, I have millions of dreams. That's all I do is  dream."

Interviewer: "I thought you played piano"

Ellington: "No, no, this is not piano, this is dreaming."

                                                                 "This is dreaming".

All Hail Futures Name.

With a week of college under my belt, I feel a bit better about the oncoming future. Before I was like,

"no way, man"

Because I was afraid of the work that had to come before consistency. I learned that what you get out of life is really what you put into it. And you can't just snap your fingers and be happily married traveling the world with little soccer or piano prodigy children.

I have spent so much time worrying about how I was going to get there, that I forgot or was discouraged by the now. I wanted time to fly, when, in reality, I needed to slow down, and enjoy the little things.

Dear Marina, 

Live your life. One day at a time. That's the way it's meant to be. 

Enjoy the little things. Even when the future seems daunting, stop and smell the roses. 

Be happy. Otherwise, you'll be sad. And that's no fun. 

So bring on the future. The good, the bad, and the ugly. Find the best in every day, don't lose an eternal perspective, don't be myopic, or a pessimist. 

Enjoy. Live. Create. Learn. Love.

Sinseriously, 

Marina

Singin', Dancin', and Kissin' in the rain.

Provo, UT:
Weather:
Current Temperature: 70 F
Forecast (Tonight): Cloudy; 30% chance of thunderstorms.

30%.

A measly 30%. Oh gods of thunder and rain why curseth thou my existence on this earth?

                                            Rain is my ultimate favorite thing.

You can make street shadows
Or dance,
Or stick your tongue out (until you get a raindrop in your eye.)
You can scream when there is a huge clap of thunder
You can try to take a picture of lightening. (Which never really works).
You can imitate the final dance in Step Up. (Try. Try to imitate it)
You can ride your bike.
                                      You can stand in the gutter and float boats or rubber duckies in it.

                                                                 
                                                             You can KISS.

         Or. You can watch the weather report SAY it's going to rain, and watch out your window simultaneously, and be continually disappointed till 3 o'clock in the morning when you finally drift off to sleep.

Changes, Chances, and Unicorns.

Our lives are like a blank piece of paper.
          Given to us to become what we make of them.
Some people fold them into paper cranes,
                   Some people draw on them with watercolors,
                                                                          or pencils,
                                                                               or sharpies,
                                                                                  or crayons.
                                            Some people just leave them blank.

       All of these things make us who we are. Any mark, or action we do will change the picture.
               And at the end of every day, we have a picture to hang in our little "gallery of life".

And at the dawn of ever new day, we are handed a new piece of paper. 

And sometimes things happen and things appear on our paper that we didn't expect. 

Like coffee spills, or a paint splatter, or a hole. 

And we can choose to either let them be, crumple up the paper, and throw it away, 

or, 

We can make something beautiful out of it. 

The decision between these two choices determines our happiness. 

Changes happen. Accidents happen. Life happens. 

We can always change. Or remain the same. 

But at the end of time, when we look back at our "gallery", 

We will see either beautiful artwork, or a pile of crumpled up paper. 

Make your mark. 

Sinseriously,

Marina

Carry on

I thought that they would be here,
By my side,
My whole life long,
But now I know they won't abide.
Change had sung her song.

All 'round the world, they went away,
I am left alone.
But soft through yonder window breaks*,
A figure, towards me roams.

He motions me to follow,
As a skeptic, I resist.
He waves once more, and turns,
He takes me gently, by the wrist.

We walk across a barren land,
Till we reach some rows of chairs
With people sitting in them,
Heads in hands, and tear ducts bare.

The figure whispers quietly,
As not to disturb their sorrow,
"Here is where the lonely lie,
with no hopes of tomorrow".

"The same as you, Change sung her song,
Their past was swept away,
Discouraged, Sad, and hopeless,
It was here they'd rather stay."

"They'd given up,
When crumbled, their foundation of the past,
Not wanting to move forward,
Spells of reflection had been cast"

The figure straightened up and said,
"This fate's awaiting you"
I looked around and felt there
was something else for me to do.

I said to Him, "Is there something,
Other than all of this?"
He said, "Oh yes, but first,
We must travel through the mist"

He pointed down the road a ways,
I saw with eyes of wonder,
a cloud of smoke, black as the night
in dreams when I was younger.

"Through that?" I said,
"Is where a better future for me lies?"
He nodded, "yes", and we proceeded,
Into black and smokey skies.

We walked for miles,
Down into that dark and dreary waste,
 Until at last,
Fresh air was on my tongue to taste.

As we emerged, I realized,
 Upon a hill we stood,
A valley lay before us,
Far beyond, to see, I could.

I saw the road to travel by,
And so, continued onward,
Toward a village filled with joy and song,
I kept moving forward.

The town was called Opportunity,
Reached only be travels, far,
T'was infinite, when used correctly,
By hard work, and continuing on.

Upon arrival into town,
I noticed, by the road,
A wooden sign upon a post,
The words, worn, barely showed:

"Here lies the better future,"
For the few that, however long,
 have the courage to begin again,
The courage to carry on"

--M.R.

*Reference: William Shakespeare (Romeo and Juliet Act ll Scene ll)

Little bit of a rough draft, if you have suggestions, I'm open to 'em. :)

Singing songs of boredom

Bored? I have some advice.

I sent a text to my friend the other day saying that I was bored stiff and had no idea what to do. Later I read this quote,

          And I was like, oops. 

This makes me want to have the energy to do things all the time. Crazy things. Like make a treasure map and follow it to something you buried in the ground earlier. Go into an elevator and do things like make explosion sounds anytime anyone presses a button. Kidnap someone in the middle of the night and have an unbirthday party. With real china and a birthday cake that explodes. Learn how to speak French. Take a road trip to the coast for absolutely no reason at all. Watch a movie outside projected on your stood up trampoline. Write a novel. And publish it via Facebook post. Become an expert on wildlife of South America.

                                                                   JUST ADVENTURE.

I have realized that I have only 24 days until I move into an apartment and go to college.

                    I know,

      I know.
                    I can still adventure then, but this is summer. I have not made the most of it.
I hereby make a vow to never again be BORED. You all as my witness. And if I ever say it, feel free to..... remind me and shoot me with....a marshmallow gun. Cause then I would get mine and we would have a battle and then I wouldn't be bored any more.

First Love

When summer's gone,
Our time is done,
There's no more time for just,
Havin' fun.
And all we have,
Is what we remember,
From when we met,
That cold December.

Walks in the moonlight,
Dancing in the snow,
Singin' songs of romance
Till the rooster crows.

This was the beginning of something new,
I know I'm kind of crazy,
But I know that you are too.
We had eachother,
To dream those crazy dreams,
Road trips, and fancy cars,
And so much in between.

Some say our time's to end,
And that our journey's through,
And I will soon forget all the times I spent with you. 

But all this is only what we're told,
We know that when it's done,
We'll always have each other
Our hearts remaining one.

We're  riding on the wings of change,
He flips and banks and turns,
We hold on tight, and persevere,
Our love will always burn.

--M.R.

Dilligence

Diligence. 

The final frontier. 

Once mastered, 

One can go, 

Anywhere, 

at Anytime. 

The trick, 

Unfortunately, 

is to Master it. 

Which, 

As it turns out, 

Is 

                                                                Outrageously Difficult

               

 

 "If you want to succeed in the world you must make your own opprotunities as you go on...You commit no greater folly than to sit by the roadside until some one comes along and invites you to ride with him to wealth of influence" --John B. Gough

"All your dreams can come true, if you have the courage to pursue them"--Walt Disney

"Being forced to work, and forced to do your best, will breed in you temperance and self-control, diligence and strength of will, cheerfulness, and content, and a hundred virtues which the idle will never know" --Charles Kingsley

"Diligence is the mother of good fortune, and idleness, its opposite, never brought a man to the goal of any of his best wishes. "-- Miguel de Cervantes

Fortune Cookie Wisdom

Found my old collection of fortunes. From fortune cookies. Read through them. Mind: blown. 

Few of my favorites:

 1. If you want something, you must EARN  it.

                                        

                  2. Everything will soon come your way. 

  

   3. You will make many changes before settling satisfactorily.

4. There are lessons to be learned by listening to others.

                 
                Just as general advice for the college bound, I think these   were magically fitting.  

Like the missing piece to a jigsaw puzzle of a unicorn.

Just. Plain. Magical. 

                                                                                                      Thank you, 

Wise men of the Fortune Cookie factory. 

Sinseriously,

Marina