If life were a rerun, it would be fantastic. There would be zero guessing, no major decisions on where to go. We would already know what to wear, what to say, what career we are meant for. We would even know who to marry, how many kids to have, and what their lives are going to be like also.

But really, who enjoys reruns, truly? At least as much as they enjoy them the first time through, when there are endless possibilities, and endless chances to be proven right or wrong. That's where the adrenaline comes. Its such a great feeling. I mean, if you're deep in a forest, your backpack fell down a cliff taking with it everything you have but the clothes on your back, and you're being chased by a particularly malicious bear, you're not going to get scared and start truly fearing for your unfulfilled life as your feet are pounding through the thick and dark forest if you already know that your intuition- filled friend is going to show up with a well-timed helicopter and whisk you safely away.

Be honest now. Would it be as rich of an experience without the adrenaline and without the mystery? No! It wouldn't! And be honest, is watching Inception or other some such movie a second or third time through as exciting? No! The mystery is gone!

Now, this is all coming from a girl who LOVES to re-watch movies, TV shows, and re-read books. Ask me how many times I have seen Tangled, and its only been out on DVD for a couple of weeks. And ask me how many times I have read Harry Potter. And I will go ahead and tell you now that I am going through Chuck episodes for the second time, and I will probably go for a third, fourth and fifth.

So, going back to the idealistic side of the rerun philosophy, a part of me does think that it would be stupendous. I am at a sort of transition in life. I look ahead and I have NO idea how its going to go. Am I going to graduate and get a great job, am I going to get married before or after that, am I going to change my major at some point because I will realize that teaching is not for me, am I, am I, am I? It goes on. The possibilities are endless because this is my first time through, this is not a rerun. But, just as I really wanted a heads up before the power went out last week, I would really kind of like a similar heads up in my life. Sadly, though, and probably beneficially, thats impossible.

So, I keep on guessing.

But here is another thought. What if our lives were written out in a book? Our own personal pre-memoirs.  That offers up a simple solution. Just read ahead. We wont know everything in life, just a small part of it. We could figure out, for example, just WHEN something is going to happen. Or how. Whatever. Just as long as some of the maddening mystery were taken away.

That's innocent enough right? Wrong. Dead wrong.

Hopefully, you have read Harry Potter. All seven books. And if you have then you would recall that at the beginning of each chapter there are pictures, having something to do with the story. NORMALLY they are blameless and unoffending, not giving anything away. However, towards the end of the very last book, (therefore the most important ending, right?) there is a very infuriating picture. Well, I used to look ahead at the pictures only, studiously avoiding the words themselves. I thought it was the okay part of reading ahead. Once again, DEAD WRONG. I saw this picture (not wanting to spoil for those who haven't read the book, I wont say which one, although a Potter expert could probably guess) and I was soooo mad.

I will leave it at that to avoid pointless ranting. However, I describe this to illustrate the dangers of reading ahead, so that theory is also out.

Sadly, that leaves me still guessing.

Our lives haven't been made into a movie or written in a book because they are still being written. But, THAT, dear readers, is the exciting part. We don't already know so we get the full and delicious suspense out of life.

One of my many philosophies going through my head at random times. Apologies.

Always musing, always looking forward to the next page, never reading ahead, and always,

Amanda In Logan

6 #1 Reasons Why:

Something I have been thinking about lately. I have a Top 3 for almost every category; movie, book, song, artist, writer, etc. Or approximations of some of those. So I decided to say why. But instead of running the risk of repeating myself and talking about my #1 favorites ( I tend to talk about them a lot). So I will just talk about the other things, that are less discussed in my daily life. (Is this making any sense? 'Cause it does to me, but I do recognize that it is probably very convoluted. I apologize. )


Anyway, so here goes. 


1. The #1 reason why I love John Keats.


If you don't know who this guy is, check out this masterpiece:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-YItOUJlZpY


Okay, so he does happen to be my number one favorite poet, but since I have newly discovered him, I haven't yet exhausted the topic.


This guy KNEW poetry in a time when apparently no one else did, because he was very unsuccessful in making money in this trade. He wrote it beautifully. A few months ago, I watched Bright Star and instantly fell in love with this guy's words. The movie is a portrayal of part of his life, of his love affair with Fanny Brawne. I don't know how accurate it is historically, but it introduced me to his poetry. If you actually sat and listened to the poem that I gave a link to, you might also understand why its so deliciously, canorously stupendous. But I also know that some people don't take to poetry as much, so its okay. Nevertheless, here is an example of one of my favorite poems of his:


                          When I have fears that I may cease to be 
                          Before my pen has glean'd my teeming brain,
                          Before high-piled books, in charactery,
                          Hold like rich garners the full ripen'd grain;
                          When I behold, upon the night's starr'd face,
                          Huge cloudy symbols of a high romance,
                          And think that I may never live to trace
                          Their shadows, with the magic hand of chance;
                          And when I feel, fair creature of an hour,
                          That I shall never look upon thee more,
                          Never have relish in the faery power
                          Of unreflecting love;--then on the shore
                          Of the wide world I stand alone, and think
                          Till love and fame to nothingness do sink. 

    This is a masterpiece in my opinion. These and others that Mr. Keats wrote make my heart sing because he skillfully entwines words like no other, except maybe Shakespeare.  


"Poetry should... strike the reader as a wording of his own highest thoughts, and appear almost a remembrance." So true. Check out more quotes by the master himself. He is a brilliant philosopher, taking the form of a poet. 



Also, admittedly, the movie also made me fall in love with Ben Whishaw. I think he expertly portrayed the poet with magnificence. I would love to see him in more stuff. 


2. The #1 reason why I hate dinosaurs. 


Okay, I think I might be alone in this but I HATED Jurassic Park. While it is a good movie, I do know that, I just hate that movie. Mainly because it came out in 1993 and so I saw it at a very young age, and it gave me extremely vivid and frightening nightmares. They handicapped me. Ever since then, the only dino movie I can watch is The Land Before Time, and even then I hated the parts with T Rexes. Please, no judgments. If you had the nightmares I had, you might be the same way.


3. The #1 reason why I tolerate commercials.


Basically, they are a fixture of the modern world, and all must tolerate them. We all know they suck. Especially when you are watching a movie. They just don't have the same rhythm when interrupted by those darn ads! 


What's this? You mean, with new technology you can somehow skip the commercials? What? Tell me more?!? Unfortunately, myself and my family are not yet advanced in our technology that we can enjoy this luxury...


If I was in the ad industry, I might just like them more, but as it is, I am not (maybe not yet). So I do nothing more than tolerate them, except in the case of the one Super Bowl commercial with the little kid Darth Vader. Did you see that?!?! So cute.


4. The 5 reasons why I cant get enough of musicals.


Les Miserables
Moulin Rouge
Tangled
The Lion King
The Phantom of The Opera


And these are only the ones I have discovered (but not the only ones). They are simply phenomenal, each for they're very own reasons. Les Mis for the tear jerking effect the music and lyrics have; Moulin Rouge for Come What May, that is such a beautiful song especially when sung by Ewan McGregor and Nicole Kidman; Tangled for giving us a singing Zachary Levi :) ; The Lion King because well, why not?? Jason Raize, who played the original Simba on Broadway, FLOORED me when I heard Endless Night. He is flawless; The Phantom of the Opera because this is the archetype of awesome music. The whole thing is awe-inspiring. 


Note: These productions are in no special order, just simply the order I wrote them down.


5. The #1 reason I believe in Jesus Christ.


Forgive me for going into a bit of religious rant, but, especially lately, my testimony continues to grow. The reason is that the spirit repeatedly confirms in Jesus as our Savior, and the Savior of the world. Hymns, the Scriptures, other's testimonies like Joseph Smith, Amanda Smith, and cute little kids'. And then there is that wonderful feeling I get when I pray to my Heavenly Father. It is better than when I hear Jason Raize, or that feeling you get when the commercials are finally over, or the blessed peace I feel when I think about how dinosaurs do NOT still roam this Earth, and even more than when I read the words written by "the magic hand of chance" belonging to John Keats. 


Thats my kind of testimony. :) 


The #1 reason why my life is so unexciting: I spend my time thinking about things like the above points. Someone please find me a new hobby. 


As always and always finding new things to delight in, 


Amanda In Logan