Me

Today was a true Autumn day.
All of the colors in full bloom.
The sky a little gray.
Exploring outdoors.
Soaking up the life of nature before it hibernates with the winter.

This is me.
Me in my most peaceful state.
My favorite self-portrait is the last.
I sometimes know who I am, but most times I don't.
I am trying to find the balance between the buzz of my thoughts and the beat of my heart.
Therefore, Emily out of focus.
One day I will be all in focus.

Three Simple Rules

I really like these "rules".  They are all something my mom have always taught me, especially number two.  She would always say to me "it never hurts to ask!".  Usually I was too embarassed to go back and ask for because I didn't think it was possible or be an inconvenience.  But she always made me go back, and I thank her for it now. 

Two Groups of People

Here' some wisdom for the day...
These are my little sister's thoughts on facebook.  I just wanted to share with you:

"the secret is to know that there are two types of people in life...

those that you love and care about and those who take energy away from the first...

your 738 facebook friends and in the second group

...and being on facebook takes away time from the first group"


I know especially for me, facebook can take away from group number one (and...studying).  In addition, this is good wisdom to apply to the rest of your life....focusing on group one, and not on group two.

Hope everyone is enjoying the snow :)

Cats.

Cats.

Orange Cat.

Gray Cat.

Young Cat.

Old Cat.

C-A-T-S.

Cats.

-The wisdom of Patrick Patterson

*Photos taken by Emily Patterson

Goals for Christmas Break

To stay away from the television, to stay off facebook and away from boredom induced eating...I have created a reading list!  My goal is to read all twelve books that I've selected.  This Christmas Break of reading is to bring upon personal growth and education, a source for lively, engaging conversations, and a way to "rejuivinate" the mind before another stressful semester.  Besides, there is really nothing that interesting on facebook anyways.  Here is a list of the titles I've selected and why I've selected them:

1) Time Traveler's Wife- I want to watch the movie, but I heard the books is better so I though I would read it before I saw the movie.  Basically, you always got to have some of that mushy love in the mix of it all.

2) Comanche Moon- A recommendation from a good friend.  I'm excited to get addicted to this author.

3) Celtic Way of Prayer- I'm interested in the combination of both.

4) Slowing Down to the Speed of Life- I've recently been interested on how your thoughts affect your feelings and what you can do to change it. 

5) Love and Summer- Love from the Irish perspective.

6) The Kite Runner- I've been meaning to read this one since my D.C. roommate came home with a used copy from the market.  

7) The Seven Storey Mountain- Recommendation from my father.  Spritual growth.  

8) The Art of Happiness- Embracing my Buddhist education further.  

9) Cheating at Canasta- Short stories, that I've already been secretly been reading. 

10) The Simple Path- Mother Teresa. Enough said.

11) The Ways of a Peaceful Warrior- Another book recommendation.  

12) Unconditional Love- Lately, I've been curious about what creates unconditional love.  How it comes about.

I hope to be doing a mini-book review for each book that I tackle with the lessons learned.  Hopefully, I get through them all.

Live.Learn.Love.

For the past few days I've been battling a nasty cold and have consequently spent a lot of time in my bed, resting.  Well, my roommate, Ashley Rose has a homemade tapestry hanging above her bed, in perfect eye level of my bed and I didn't realize until yesterday that the middle said the words, "Live, Learn, Love"(the words are hard to see unless you stare for awhile).  At first I was puzzled by why it didn't go along with the popular phrase "Live, Laugh, Love", but ended up agreeing that while laughing is important, learning is even more important.  

Simple words to live by: Life, Learn, Love

Life: Recently, I've been reading a book all about how to enjoy life to the fullest.  We as people, often take basic life for granted.  We are too busy thinking about the next thing, or the next semester (which I am very guilty of) instead of soaking in that moment you are currently in.  Furthermore, we can change how life happens simply by having positive thoughts and interactions with things.  

Learn: What a privilege it is to learn.  We are lucky to become experts in a subject or have the opportunity to gain more knowledge.  That's why whenever I start to complain about school work I think to myself, "I should try harder because I have the opportunity to be well versed and read in Buddhism or Social Group Dynamics."  How cool is it to think that we get to become educated on whatever topic we choose.  Furthermore, learning goes beyond college, to life long learning.  I hope when I've graduated I can still go home and say I learned something that day.  

Love: Love is the greatest of all.  To truly have unconditional love is a wonderful thing.  I'd say people who have love are the happiest of them all. 

*Photo taken by Emily Patterson 

How To Build A Fire

This past weekend, while camping, Mike and I had a not so successful fight with building and starting a fire.  We eventually got some weak but constant flames, however, only after thirty minutes of ripping paper and continuous blowing on the sparks.   Therefore, I am bringing you some basic instructions on how to build a fire, because you never know...you might need it someday when your camping with a bunch of Girl Scouts Daisies.

Our fire pit the next morning.  Note how none of the wood was actually burned, rather the twigs and paper strips were.
1. Gather your materials.  To start a fire you need an ignitor like matches or a lighter.  Also, you need "tinder" which catches the initial spark like pieces of shredded paper or dry pine needles and your kindling which is twigs/small branches/large pieces of cardboard.  Finally, your fuel source aka wood or logs.
2.  Put the tinder inside of the kindling that is spaced so air can circulate, but close enough that the flame can spread from the tinder to the kindling. Light the tinder, as the fire catches add fire wood.  
3.  The easiest arrangement for a fire is called the "teepee", with the kindling and tinder inside the teepee and the wood standing up and leaning in the middle on one another.  As more gets burned, the fire wood eventually falls.




Overall, camping is a great test of a relationship.  You have to rely on the other person, work together to get otherwise small and overlooked tasks done.  Little challenges like building a fire or setting up a tent can either show the compatibility and teamwork capabilities in a relationship or just bring out frustration and misery in failed communication.  So if you can come out of the campgrounds happy and unscarred you must be doing something right.  

*Photo taken by Emily Patterson

Boda Yoda

There is always the "wise" character in movies.  Some famous examples our Gandolf the Grey in Lord of the Rings, Professor Dumbledore in Harry Potter and Yoda in Star Wars.  These character's quotes often go beyond movie wisdom and enter the realm of good life philosophy. 

Yoda's wise quotes:

1) "Do or do not...there is no try."

This quote to me is parallel to the idea that you wont succeed in personally going something if you don't believe in yourself.  Also, it reafirms the idea of just doing.  Don't put in only half your effort and expect full effort results?  Otherwise, you wont be able to life your aircraft using the force.

2) "Fear is the path to the dark side.  Fear leads to anger.  Anger leads to hate.  Hate leads to suffering."

Like my father has always said, "Sin is misery".  Meaning, no matter your intention when doing something bad/evil/wrong is will always come back to bite you in the butt.  Conquer your fears, and always love. 

3) "Size matters not, look at me.  Judge me by my size, do you?"

Apperance matters not.  Your character is what ultimately counts.  Strive to be a person of integrity and self improvement. 

4) "Named must be your fear be before banish it, you can."

If you don't banish it, you'll probably end up on the dark side. 

5) "Ohhh, great warrior!  Wars not make one great!"

Make love, not war, right?

Wise Yoda is.  Follow his quotes, you should. 

*Poster made by Emily Patterson