My blog is changing...

Hey there,

My name's Emily Randall and I'm currently a student at Brigham Young University--Idaho. There's nothing particularly extraordinary about me; i'm just your typical 19 year old college student, surviving on ceral and a minimal amount of sleep. My daily concerns involve boring things like homework, my call center job, and going to the grocery store. I've been blogging for a little over a year now, but I suddenly came to the realization that my blog had no point. I wasn't writing it to anyone, I wasn't writing it for anyone, I was merely blogging for the sake of blogging.

That's why I've decided to change things up a little bit.

I don't want my blog to be a pointless waste of space, so I came up with a purpose. It didn't take much time for me to realize what I wanted to write about. So many things happen to us throughout the course of our lives. Many things are good, but a lot of them are bad: death, discouragement, failure, misunderstandings, depression, accidents, and so on. As mere human beings, it's difficult to bear so many burdens. But my point is not to run from these things or wish they never happened, but to learn from them and look for the positive in every situation.

Easier said than done, right? "Look for the positive, hmmm. How exactly do we do that, Emily?" you may ask. Well my answer to that is pretty simple. I have no idea. But that's why I'm doing this. I want to find out. So everyday for the next year...that's right a whole year, I will look for the positive in at least one situation throughout each day and then record what I learned. No more "I hate the world" days. No more chocolate truffle pity parties. I'm going for an attitude adjustment one step at a time and my hope is that you, as a reader, might learn something too.

Back in Rexburg

WOW AM I BUSY! School, work, homework, school, work, homework! I now have a job at a call center. Not a fabulous job, but it'll get some money in my bank account. I'm loving my classes, even though they're running me ragged. I've already read one Shakespeare play, performed one monologue, written a couple papers, and done numerous assignments. Welcome back to college Emily!

There and Back Again

Pictures of my China Adventures

Since my last entry, things have gotten out of hand. My life became a dream. While in China, I swam in the China sea, fed a baby tiger, and was picked up by an elephant. There was a day when I walked the Sacred Way, did a cartwheel on the Great Wall of China, and visited the tomb of an ancient emperor. I've seen the Terracotta warriors and the Wild Goose Pagota. I rode a bike along the wall of Xi'an and went shopping in the underground markets of Shanghai. While teaching, I fell in love with my students. I slept on a hard bed and showered with a hose, I got used to squatters and travelled for 30 hours on a train.

Now I'm back home, looking out across the snowy landscape. I've done things in China that I never thought I'd get to do, but there truly is (pardon the expression) no place like home.

Hong Kong

After three outrageously long plane rides, I finally made it to China. The past two days have been spent in the beautiful city of Hong Kong. Here are a few pictures of my adventures:



On a little boat, taking a tour around the fishing area.



After baptisms for the dead in the beautiful Hong Kong temple


At Victoria's peak overlooking Hong Kong

Hooray! I don't have swine flu!

You can call me flower if you want to

Having WAY too much fun

What can I say?