My Networks

In 2005 social networking basically consisted of Myspace and YouTube. By 2006 there were more than 100 million Myspace users and more than 100 million videos on YouTube. Everyone knew Tom's name and had seen the video of the man lip-synching the Numa Numa song.
While Mark Zuckerberg created TheFacebook in 2004, it was, at first, restricted to Harvard students and membership was only available by means of an invite. By July 2010, almost 8% of the world population was connecting with friends and family through Facebook. (source) Social Networking has influenced American culture substantially: employers now use Facebook to gauge your hire-ability, Skype helps you stay in touch with friends and family from long distances, and Facebook helps you find classmates or stay connected to family (I sure am friends with my grandma, thank you.) New networking sites continue to pop up. For instance, Google just launched a new site called Google Plus. It is similar to Facebook, but it uses circles and allows you to video chat with friends (similar to Skype.) My dad works as a news anchor in MT and his employers actually asked him to branch out into social media by starting a blog, Facebook page, and Twitter account. (You can read his take on this here at his blog: On the Mark)
Skype, Facebook, Myspace, Google Plus, Skype, Blogger. It's all pretty overwhelming.
I am a pretty big Facebook user. I will sit down at school to start homework and check my Facebook to see if someone wants to be my friend, already is my friend and has something to say to me, or look at someone I wish was my friend :) at least once before my homework is finished.

I started my Facebook page my sophomore or junior year of high school, I think. I have 537 friends and am tagged in more than 700 pictures. To me, those statistics are pretty worthless. I started college in the Fall of 2009 and Facebook seemed like an integral part of college life. I am ashamed to admit that I played Farmville, tagged my friends in and posted every picture I took, and probably updated my status twice a day. Pathetic.

Social Networking websites make me very grateful for real-life socializing. In the past year I have realized a couple things: my life is not interesting enough to post about every day, nor do I have something to say everyday, life is better spent in the company of tangible friends, not online friends, and computers hurt your eyes if you look at the screen for too long.
Friends are the best. I am so happy with the "networks" I have through my friends. Having lived in four states in my life (so far), through being homeschooled and public schooled, and by attending college now, I am very happy with the networks I have started to build. My network started on August 31, 1991 with my parents and my sister Aubrey.
Since then it has expanded to my younger siblings, extended family, next-door neighbors, homeschool/public school friends, church friends, teachers, college friends, and many other circles.

"Life is partly what we make it, and partly what is made by the friends whom we choose."
~ Tehyi Hsieh

I have a great life :)

A Day with Wendy

Since I have been home my life has consisted of hanging with the fam (including my very good friend Tiffany who is living with my family until she gets married this spring,) working out (My YMCA membership has definitely been a big joy to me since I left Rexburg and the gym at the Hart,) and working at Wendy's. I figure I'm due for a blog and since my life is occupied by the above three things, Wendy's it is!

Wendy and I will reach our four year anniversary this July. When I was fifteen and needed a job, I waltzed right into the Wendys where my older sister Aubrey worked at the time, and basically got hired on the spot. (Having older sibling is a wonderful thing. Also, in the picture is my sister and her best friend Laura.)

Many people are embarassed of working fast food. I suppose looking back I wasn't especially proud of working there at the age of 15 or 16, but I soon realized a few things: 1) a job is a job. 2) you get out of work what you put into it. and 3) if you stay positive, you can make anything a good thing.

Now, while I don't especially love coming home smelling like burgers and fries (or as Tiffany says, funnel cakes,) feeling like I am grease covered, or being constantly tempted to eat endless amounts of delicious frosty, I am grateful for the opportunities Wendy's has supplied me with.

Because of Wendy's I have met people and become friends with people I would have never met otherwise-- My managers and co-workers all have such different stories and life experiences.

I have learned to interact with strangers even when they are sassy and rude (because the customer is always right, right?) Wendy's has helped me further my education by giving me a scholarship! My boss is wonderful for working around my crazy school schedule and managing to give me forty hours a week every time I need to work! Also, I have learned to interact with coworkers as they come and go.

Sometimes I wonder why I stay with Wendy... We have had quite an abusive relationship. I can't count the number of times I have gotten cut, burnt, or slipped. Overall we have a good thing going and while I know it won't last forever, for now, Wendy is good in my book!

The Importance of Good Music

Today, as I sat parked in front of the movie theater to pick up Hallie from the new Justin Bieber movie, I had to give my dad props for teaching me how to appreciate a good classic rock song.
I remember growing up listening to The Beach Boys, the soundtrack from Stand By Me, the Top Gun soundtrack, and many of my dad's old classic rock mix tapes containing Aerosmith, The Cars, AC/DC, and Van Halen. My sister and I can probably sing along to every song from the Beach Boys' album Still Cruisin' (and sing it proudly as well.)


I rarely listen to the radio anymore. One reason for this could be because the stereo in my car is broken, (now my only source of music is from the "ghetto blaster" which consists of my ipod plugged into a little speaker. It's awesome) but another reason could be because when I turn to the "new music" stations all that greets me are robot voices, trashy rap about sketchy endeavors, and techno beats. Whatever happened to making it because of talent? What happened to good tone and timbre? I don't know who was more embarrassed about the Super Bowl halftime show this year, the viewers or the Black Eyed Peas themselves?


Some of the people at my work make fun of me for liking the Beatles. It's crazy talk! They would rather be listening to some techno/robotic beat or cringe-worthy screamo than listening to the natural voice and harmonies of classic artists?! How silly.
Long live the greats! The people who people loved because of the ways they could manipulate their voices and instruments in ways that stirred something inside of everyone listening. The ones who sang about experiences in a way that was respectful and made sense: musically and otherwise. Thank goodness for those people and the music they created and shared.

No Place Like Home

Throughout my life I have lived in many houses, but have been blessed to have just one home.

Never have I felt like my home life was crumbling or even shaky.
My parents have always been incredible examples of making my home life very stable.
I moved when I was seven years old to Washington and then to Montana when I was eleven. Funny thing is, while it was hard to leave my friends, it was always exciting to go somewhere new with my family knowing I would never have to leave the feeling of "home" behind. Even now, when I spend eight of the twelve months in a year at school, I look forward to the holidays and breaks where I get to see my family and go home.

When I was little I used to get homesick just spending the night at a friend's house or spending a week at Girl's Camp during the summer. Funny now that I am in college, I don't really feel homesick ever. Not saying, I don't miss my family because I think about them daily and keep up to date by talking on the phone or through Skype (I'm pretty blessed to have my sister and brother-in-law living nearby when I am at school, so if I need a dose of home I just go visit them.)
I think the reason I don't get "homesick" anymore is because I keep that feeling of home close to my heart at all times. I'm not saying my college apartment isn't homey because we are a family in a sense. We fight and laugh together constantly, just like ordinary families do, but I know there is a reason I am a Holyoak.

One of my favorite memories of family vacations (besides Jace's rendition of "On The Road Again") occurred when returning home from vacations when I was young. When we would get close, my dad would always say this chant/song and it always pops in my mind when I think of home. It goes: "H-O-M-E, HOME!, HOME!, HOME!" and I can remember us all saying it together. I don't know why I remember that memory exactly, but I love it.

So, in summary, I love home. Dorothy couldn't have said it better, there truly is no place like home. Amen sister!

Monopoly

Sometimes I catch myself looking back on the past:

The regrets that I have, the choices I’ve made,

And I wish I could “return to start. Collect $200.”

Then I look at myself today and see how strong I am.

I see the choices I make now, and the opportunities I have

And am ready to tackle life.

I still make wrong decisions. “Go to Jail. Do not collect $200.”

It seems like sometimes the “property” I gain is sometimes a bonus

Other times a burden.

Exchanging with others, generally beneficial, but sometimes leave me worse off.

Life is not perfect, but God is.

Sometimes I see myself through others’ eyes:

In childhood, the girl scared of everything who liked to talk and eat popcorn with her toes.

In high school, the girl who liked to be liked, the band-loving geek.

In college, the girl who laughs the loudest says things off the top of her head without a filter sometimes.

I carry all these parts of life with me, some attributes I have discarded, others I try to keep.

All-in-all it doesn’t matter because they all make up the parts of me.

I continue across the board with my chin up, shoulders forward.

Prepared for the struggle ahead.

Hoping the dice roll the way I want them to, but realizing life will go on if they don’t.

Grateful for the struggles because without them, learning is unattainable.

A Fair Life

The phrase "life is not fair" always seems to pop in our minds when things do not go our way.

• Example: You work really hard and are dedicated to your job, but people that do not work as hard as you are getting paid more than you. -Life is not fair.

• Example: You have a crush on a boy, but the boy is more interested in your friend or roommate. -Life is not fair.

• Example: You studied, but did not get a good grade on your test. -Life is not fair.

• Example: You practice really hard, but do not make it into the band of your choice. -Life is not fair.

• Reality: Other people have families to support and need more money. Ask your boss about it and discuss available options.

• Reality: You don't want to be with a guy who doesn't like you anyways. Duh.

• Reality: There are other methods of study you should try out that would probably help you learn more efficiently.

• Reality: Keep practicing and eventually you will get to go. That's how others made it, through hard practice.

It's funny how we so often have a sense of entitlement to things. We expect Google to pop up 0.5 seconds after we push enter on the keyboard. We expect that the older we get, the more respect we will receive. The reality of it is, you have to view situations from all angles. If you keep the right perspective, life really is fair ☺

Charles DeLee Pennington, my hero

I miss him already.
Today I said goodbye to my wonderful Papa, Charles DeLee Pennington.
Tomorrow he will return to Heavenly Father.
Charles DeLee Pennington has been known by many names. Yesterday, I learned my grandma first knew him as "Chuckypoo," the handsome air force stud that all the girls lined up to kiss. My mom and her siblings knew him as Dad, the always smiling, happy-go-lucky guy that loved them all so much. Some people knew him as a handy-man, always willing to put in ceiling fans or electrical outlets, Brother Pennington, a silly man from the ward, or a McDonalds manager, keeping the work environment enjoyable and spoiling his kids with happy meals.

I know him as Papa.
Everyone should be jealous of me and my cousins. We have had the best Papa any grandkids could ever have.
My Papa has a bald head. We always teased him about his bald head. I don't think I can count the number of times I kissed him on top of that head or asked him "Papa, do you use soap or shampoo?" He wore a cowboy hat and a southern drawl, and wore them well-- A Texas boy all the way through. My papa would make friends with anybody and everybody. Some of my fondest memories of Papa's visits set me at Home Depot, playing in the doors and with the faucets while Papa picked up stuff for a new project. I remember when he installed ceiling fans in almost every room of our house.
Usually when we'd go on these trips, we'd stop and McDonalds on the way home and pick up a Happy Meal.
I remember one time Papa decided to take Aubrey and I to the movies for a day. We went to three movies in a row, all at the movie theater. I can't remember what time we started, but can remember falling asleep during the midnight premiere of the movie Dodgeball.
I remember Papa and Grandma had a jar of coins in their Cedar City House and we would always have to ask Papa for a coin if we wanted candy from the gumball machine.
I also remember when Papa redid the backyard and put in a swingset for us grandkids.
My most recent memory of Papa was made this week. I had the chance to spend all of this week with Papa in the hospital. My Papa is a flirt. He loves to make people laugh. This week he told all of us how pretty the nurses at the hospital were and how he already had proposed to four of them!
Today I said goodbye to my Papa. I told him how much I loved him, hugged him and held his hand, and planted one final kiss on top of his head. I am so grateful for the opportunity I have had to have Charles DeLee Pennington in my life as my grandpa. I will always cherish the memories I have of him and be grateful for the wonderful example he has set for me of living the gospel and loving everyone around him. I am so grateful for the gospel and for the knowledge that I will get to see him again. I am thankful to know that Papa will be greeted by his family on the other side when he passes.
Papa, I love you.