Do You Remember?

September.

 Have you ever seen a more gorgeous month? September, to me, ranks higher than summer ever can. Golden and rouge apples, the waves of colors in the trees on the mountains, the lingering breeze in the weather, the nimble crunching of leaves beneath your feet, and my birthday.

 I've always had this fixation with the number 18. Yes, it is my lucky number, and I will be turning 18 on the 18th. It is my lucky birthday year, and I am bound and determined to have a glowing positive attitude this month.

To celebrate another "General Happiness" I am going to do one or more of my favorite things daily until my birthday, and maybe even through the whole month. Sadie Williams who will be 18 on the 25th is also in with this charade and I am ever so grateful for her friendship. I promised that I am going to wear skirts/dresses every day, and eat oatmeal, herbal tea, or wheat bread and butter daily. Sound a bit extreme?

 Completely. I am being a bit conceited and celebrating myself for the next 18 days because I want to look back on what I've accomplished and achieved within the last 18 years and to see what things contributed and are contributing  to the person I am today. 

 I am a firm believer that every person has something they love, whatever it is. I had an experience a few days ago while working with an individual who couldn't think of anything that they were passionate about, or even cared about- at least that they were willing to share. The idea that the things that bring us joy, fill us with longing, or even raise up from our most difficult times doesn't matter, astounds and horrifies me. To think that what you enjoy doesn't matter? Doesn't matter?!

 I am here to say that is does matter. Every random quirky bit of ourselves has a purpose, and has a meaning that sometimes we need to step back and think about. In words of Franz Kafka,

“Don't bend; don't water it down; don't try to make it logical; don't edit your own soul according to the fashion. Rather, follow your most intense obsessions mercilessly.” 

Amen Franz. Amen. 

Though this is an introduction to my journey, I hope you'll tune in to 18 of my favorite things, and get a better understanding of just how mental I am- after all I am a Herdman. 

Captain of My Soul

Lately I have been slightly obsessed with a band whose music is deep, moving, and reflective. I love The Lumineers and I'd like to share their music with you. This last week I had the opportunity to go with a dear friend (Lizzy Ungerman) to St. George as a last quick vacation to figure out what we wanted to accomplish this school year. We both had an experience while driving home that made us ever so grateful for each other and for Heavenly Father who knows what is in store for us. It's alright for us to not know. Don't be afraid of not knowing. You have a whole world out there, filled with the unknown- and isn't it a beautiful thing?

"And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud

 was more painful than the risk it took to blossom." 

-Anais Nin

 

 

 

 

 

Sunshine State

Hello everyone!
As of late, my insane schedule prevented me from posting. I am currently sitting in the Salt Lake City Airport... just waiting to board at 3:09. I'm not sure whether I'll have internet, so I'll just post the lyrics to my favorite song: Paper Bag by Fionna Apple.
The video I guess is the music video.... but I only watched the first 38 seconds... so I hope it is appropriate... if not... flog me.

I was staring at the sky, just looking for a star
To pray on, or wish on, or something like that
I was having a sweet fix of a daydream of a boy
Whose reality I knew, was a hopeless to be had
But then the dove of hope began it's downward slope
And I believed for a moment that my chances
Were approaching to be grabbed
But as it came down near, so did a weary tear
-I thought it was a bird, but it was just a paper bag
-Hunger hurts, and I want him so bad, oh it kills
'cause I know I'm a mess he don't wanna clean up
I got to fold 'cause these hands are too shaky to hold
-Hunger hurts, but starving works, when it costs too much to love
And I went crazy again today, looking for a strand to climb
Looking for a little hope
Baby said he couldn't stay, wouldn't put his lips to mine,
And a fail to kiss is a fail to cope
I said, "Honey, I don't feel so good, don't feel justified
Come on put a little love here in my void,' - he said
"It's all in your head,' and I said, "So's everything' -
But he didn't get it - I thought he was a man
But he was just a little boy
-Hunger hurts, and I want him so bad, oh it kills
'cause I know I'm a mess he don't wanna clean up
I got to fold 'cause these hands are too shaky to hold
-Hunger hurts, but starving works, when it costs too much to love
-Hunger hurts, and I want him so bad, oh it kills
'cause I know I'm a mess he don't wanna clean up
I got to fold 'cause these hands are too shaky to hold
-Hunger hurts, but starving works, when it costs too much to love

From Blossoms

From blossoms comes
this brown paper bag of peaches
we bought from the boy
at the bend in the road where we turned towardsigns painted Peaches.

From laden boughs, from hands,
from sweet fellowship in the bins,
come nectar at the roadside, succulent
peaches we devour, dusty skin and all,
comes the familiar dust of summer, dust we eat.

O, to take what we love inside,
to carry within us an orchard, to eat
not only the skin, but the shade,
not only the sugar, but the days, to hold
the fruit in our hands, adore it, then bite into
the round jubilance of peach.

There are days we live
as if death were nowhere
in the background; from joy
to joy to joy, from wing to wing,
from blossom to blossom to
impossible blossom, to sweet impossible blossom.

- Li-Young Lee



Last summer I took a writing class with friends around the neighborhood. My teacher, showed us this poem which I fell in love with. I am an avid eater of peaches and I have this obsession with fruit stands, dust and the old way of life.
Finding inspiration from this poem by Lee, I created my own about blueberries. I'm still working on it and I only dabble in poetry. I love it though. Enjoy!

Two gems I see
patiently still,
placed in my palm
waiting to be loved.

Loved by the buds in my mouth,
blue, shiny with wrinkles,
cold to the touch.

Ripe in sight,
fresh with flavor,
waiting to be.

Rolling in my palm,
two gems to be loved.





The challenge for the day is find a food, or an item that reminds you of your favorite season. If you choose, take that item and make a poem, or find a picture or share your favorite memory with that item!
Happy writing!

(photos courtesy of www.adventuresinshaw.com and google.com)

Language

Today's post for the Inspiration Gala is focused on the use of language and how it is essentially an art form.
While at an author viewing of Bron Bahlmann at my high school, Bron showed us this video by Stephen Fry. I thought it was a hoot. Enjoy!

Salut, I'm Back!

Well folks:

It's minutes until 12 am... and that means that there is still time to post this entry before April 2... we are close. I'd like to announce that everyday this WHOLE month will be my Inspiration Gala... the Word Clambake so to say. Everyday this month, I'll post: some of YOUR inspired writings, some "ginger peachy" quotes, pictures, poems, short stories, excerpts from books, movie lines and music. What a sprawl!

Well to start it off with a BaNG, this is a poem written by Beatrice Schenk de Regniers (French?) that I grew up with:

Keep a poem in your pocket
and a picture in your head
and you'll never feel lonely
at night when you're in bed.

The little poem will sing to you
the little picture bring to you
a dozen dreams to dance to you
at night when you're in bed.

So-
Keep a picture in your pocket
and a poem in your head
and you'll never feel lonely
at night when you're in bed.




I hope that this month will help give you readers, family and friends something to "feast" on! Words and language are to be celebrated and shared! I think what we say and what we read go hand in hand in what we do. Surrounding ourselves with things that make ourselves cheerful can enrich and bless our lives in so many ways!
Maya Angelou once quoted:
"A bird doesn't sing because it has an answer, it sings because it has a song"

I don't have the answers to everything, but I do know that when we pick something we love whether it be stamp collecting, cleaning, music, sports, children, dancing, Spanish Soap Operas, and even quilting (anything you choose to fancy), our lives can bring a little bit more spirit into our everyday routine. I'm here now to trumpet what many others throughout the ages have celebrated: the human voice.

ENJOY!
(get ready...you're in for some romping, and tomfoolery)

(like this guy below...)



(see how merry?)(Or... like other chap below:)



(There we go... that's more like it. Great enthusiasm.)
*NOTE* I am not promoting his cigarettes in anyway... just his face.
Oh... and Happy April Fools!
(I'm not fooling around though, I really will be clambaking with words. Don't fret.)

A Little Nuts...

Hello everyone!
Sorry I just swamped my blog with videos- but I think it a such a powerful resource to express music and ideas. Plus it's all good, so why wouldn't I post it? I just wanted to tell you all the good news that I am FINALLY finishing up my 319 paged journal I've had since December 2007 today! I've been trying to get it done for the past year, and I'm so excited to be finished and move on with a new one. Its important to me, because it's a fresh start for. (not to mention my new journals are ADORABLE! Thank you Amy Butler and BYU Museum of Art!) Well that's all! And I'm still looking for writing excerpts that YOU love! So far I've gotten 3 entries! My goal for this week is at least 10! Please send me ANY type of writing you've found inspirational... picturesque, humorous, tear jerking, thoughtful etc. Check the previous post "A Quest For You" and email me at:

herdyherd18@hotmail.com

or just post it as a comment. THANK YOU! Check out the 80's videos for a blast in the past!

- Kelsey

Foreign Readers!

To ALL of my foreign readers! YOU can send me your favorite writing as well! Merci beaucoup! Grazi! (I hope that's italian) talk! Gracias! Com-sasi-masu ? THANKS!

- The Littlest Herdman

A Quest FOR YOU!

Hello Readers!
I am in the need of your assistance to help me find AMAZING, BRILLIANT, STUPENDOUS, FAR OUT, WILD, LOVELY, and SWANK poems/readings/essays/quotes/talks or any snippets of writing that you love, were inspired by, laughed, cried, cherish or find yourself reading over and over again. I want to compile mine and your favorite writings on a blog (soon to be created...!!!) where others can feel free to look at and admire. I also want to take this blog a step further and create it into a "zine" where I'll continue to post things about me, my life, and little facts about me. You can send me your own personal writings or of someone published, someone you know or etc. Let the games begin! Thank you so much!

Please send me YOUR copy at:

herdyherd18@hotmail.com

or email me if you'd like to give me hard copy or a zerox print.
or post a comment of a link for a website, or questions