Prompt C

Recipe For My Best Friend

3 cups of understanding
2 cups of similarities
½ cup of humor
One eight oz tub of fun
4 cups of laughter
6 cups of love
2 tablespoons of work

Start with understanding. It is the most important ingredient. Without it, the recipe doesn’t work. Mix in the similarities to create a better base. The similarities will help the friendship grow. Wisk in the humor and fun. They help make special memories with my best friend and build unbreakable connections. There is a pretty good mixture at this point of friendship. It is a basic friendship, but gets better once the laughter is added in. Add in the laughter. Pour into a large bowl and slowly add in the love. Love is very delicate and needs to be added slowly. Only add as much love as you want in your friendship. I added all 6 cups and married my best friend. Once the love is added, put into a friendship pan. Cover with the work. The friendship is fine without the work, but it may break apart after cooking. Bake for 2 hours at 350. It is a long time, but it is worth it when it comes out perfectly.
My best friend is my husband, Scott. He is the most important person in my life. Our friendship started when I was 18 and working at Subway. Scott worked next door to me at a golf store. He would come in on a regular basis to get drinks and slowly we became friends. When I opened Subway on Saturday mornings, I would count down the minutes until he would come in and open the golf shop. We would usually chat on those mornings for quite a while everything was slow. We told each other about what we did the night before and would tease each other about the people we were dating. We had a good time together, but it was nothing more than a good friendship.
I left for school at BYU-Idaho after we had know each other for a couple of years. When I came home for a visit over Christmas break, a friend of mine told me Scott wanted to hang out. I was a little surprised but we decided to plan it. While we were bowling that night, I realized I had more feelings than mere friendship feelings for Scott. I didn’t even realize it while I was gone. That is where it all started. We had a long distance relationship on and off for the next 2 ½ years. Just before I finished my associates degree and moved home, we got engaged. After a 19 month engagement we were married.
I was so blessed to marry my best friend. There is nothing better than having a husband who is so similar to me in so many ways. We can sometimes finish each other’s sentences and know what the other is thinking in social situations with merely a look. I have more fun with him than anyone else. He keeps me laughing and laughs at my stupid jokes. The love we have started out the love of a friendship and has grown to the love of a marriage. Yet our friendship grows just as much as our marriage relationship does. The last ingredient is one of the most important pieces. Work. Work is what keeps any relationship going. Without the work it falls apart and can’t come back together.

Week 12 Prompt A

The perfect pet calls for:
100% concentrate of dog
A pinch of fur
A half cup of black lab
6 ounces of loyalty
2 liters of love
Nick: brand name dog stock

Gather your 100% concentrate of dog and de-thaw in sink for 7 hours. After de-thaw, place concentrate in mixing bowl. Slowly add and stir the pinch of fur into the mixing bowl. Throw half cup of black lab into the oven at 550 degrees Fahrenheit until blackened dark. Place black lab chars into the blender and, while running, add in the 6 ounces of loyalty. Place the new compound inside the mixing bowl (with the concentrate and fur). Now, slowly mix in the 2 liters of love and place it into the oven at 250 degrees Fahrenheit for twelve months. After this, take out of the oven and place the name of Nick. Enjoy for maximum of 12 years which is when the dog will then expire.

The best pet is my old dog, Nick. He was my first pet and I loved him a lot. There is something about young boys and dogs; they seem to just bond. As I mentioned, the best pet is full of love and loyalty. Love because the pet needs to be playful and caring, not mean or harsh. Pets can absolutely not bite. My dog turned sour and expired after he got hit by a car. He was following me to my friends house and ran across the road while a car was cruising down the highway. He got hit and the jerks who were driving didn’t even stop, they just kept on trucking. I yelled so loud that my neighbor heard me from inside his house and thought that I had gotten hit instead. After this, my dog turned nasty and became a grouch. We ended up having to put him down after a year because he turned dangerous. Which brings me to loyal. Pets should always obey commands and listen to its master. If Nick would have been loyal and listened, he may still be alive today. This is also why I think the best pet would be a reincarnation of my old dog, Nick. I got cheated out of my pet by some jerk who didn’t even bother stopping. Before the accident, Nick was the nicest dog in the entire world. We would put a Christmas hat on him during winter and chase him around the yard calling him Saint Nick. I was little enough that I could even ride him, which was always great. Maybe my memories are distorted but I really do think Nick was the best dog and pet I could have ever had, before the accident of course. He was an outdoor dog, which is a must. Indoor dogs just are all over the place and get in places that you want to remain dog free. Outdoor dogs don’t have to be potty trained, the entire outside is their bathroom. Big dogs keep you safe from burglars and thieves, which is always good. That’s why Nick was the best dog ever.

Week 12: Prompt A Recipe for my friend Jordan

The serving size is around 10+. Jordan has a big heart. He is willing to share his time, advice, services, and love to help anyone in need. On average, he helps 10 or more people each day either by helping them move furniture, tracting with the missionaries, driving inactives to church, or cleaning his parent's house. I know he fills the hollow and disheartened soul. This is a complicated recipe that requires about 2 hours of your time or more. Once you start hanging out with Jordan you will want to spend every moment with him because he brightens every day. The least amount of time I have spent with him in a day was 2 hours.

-½ cup edible sparkles/sprinkles. Everything about him shines: his smile, his eyes, his spirit. If you catch him at the right time his smile, eyes, and spirit all shine at once.

-1 spoonful of sugar. He loves the classic movies such as Mary Poppins. I find it entertaining that he knows the words to all the Disney movies.

-3 teaspoons lemon juice. You know how when you suck on a lemon your face scrunches up? This is to account for the wide range of facial expressions he has. His heart is always on his sleeve because all one needs to do is look at his face to understand how he is feeling. Honestly, I can’t choose my favorite of his expression. Sometimes it is the goofy grin he gets on his face when he plays my favorite song on his ipod. Other times it is the deceitfully innocent face he puts on when he is about to use the hose sink faucet as a squirt gun. Then again, I do love the serious face he has when he is trying hard not to laugh as I tickle him.

-1 can of diet coke with lime. Caffeine is part of his daily balanced diet, well I think so because I don’t understand why else he would have so much energy. One of the first days we hung out, he and I stayed up until six in the morning and he was able to properly function throughout the day. He is the one that has enough energy to spike the volleyball over the net when our singles ward volleyball team is down by 10 and exhausted.

-1/4 cup protein powder. I first noticed him because of his immense size. He has the muscular physique of a football player. One of my favorite activities includes running up to him and jumping upwards just before I make contact with him. He in turn quickly grabs me and lifts me into a bear hug. He squeezes until I start tapping his shoulder as a cue to stop (I would say “ouch” if he didn’t squeeze all the air out of me every time).

-1/2 cup melted milk chocolate. I think he and I get along well because we have one thing in common we love to do: eat. We especially have a sweet tooth for things like pie, ice cream, and brownies.

If all these ingredients are combined in a bowl, placed in the oven to slightly brown, and then cooled it will produce Jordan Winmill­-my best friend.

540 words

Week 12 Prompt C --Recipe for a Friend

The recipe for my best friend starts with kindness.  She has never been rude to me about anything, ever.  This girl has been there for me whenever I’ve needed her.  Many times when I have felt lonely she would just come over and we would sit down and watch a movie together.  She wouldn’t even have to say anything, just her being there made me feel better. 

Another ingredient for my friend is happiness.  Rarely have I seen her sad or upset about something.  Her bubbly character is always so delightful to be around.  When she is having a hard time she tries not to let it show because she loves making other people happy as well.  My junior year of high school our cheer squad didn’t make it past preliminaries at Nationals even though we had gotten 3^rd place the year before.  We all had a good cry, but after that Lynsie was as optimistic as ever and made the rest of our vacation a blast.  She said, “At least we don’t have to compete tomorrow!  We have all day to play!”  Disneyworld is a great place to overcome disappointment, especially with one’s best friends. 

Humor belongs in the recipe as well.  She is so funny.  Quoting movie lines at the most opportune moments is one of her specialties.  Lines from The Office, Tommy Boy, and Elf are some of her favorites.  She is also really good at teasing; she is not harsh at all but knows right where to get you so that you laugh just as hard as she does.  One day I was having a really hard time speaking for no good reason.  She could not stop laughing.  After she mimicked me I realized just how stupid I probably sounded and just laughed right along with her.

This friend is also extremely creative.  She has made many many blankets including rag quilts (which are very difficult and time consuming).  When we were younger we would make collages out of pictures from magazines.  Somehow she would end up with the best pages from the magazines and create the best collages out of all of ours.  At school last year (in her dorm room at Utah State) she made a wall-size calendar every month out of cardstock.  I honestly don’t understand how she made something so creative and cute out of plain paper.  She never ceases to amaze me when it come to creativity.

First, mix kindness and happiness.  Stir for five minutes.  Slowly add in humor.  Once humor is completely blended add a dash of creativity.  Mix well and voi la!  Best friend.

Now someone like a best friend can’t be described in just a few simple words.  Best friends are much more than that.  There is an X factor connection that you just don’t feel with anyone else, no one that you want to be with more than that person.  I am grateful to have such a good friend to care about and who cares about me.

502 words

Prompt A: Letter to the person I admire the most (1997)

Jessica,

I don't know how long it's been since we've actually spoken. Probably since Kraven's funeral. I'm sorry I haven't written. I know how much you love getting letters, especially from your favorite niece. I've just let too many things get in the way of being good to you--of showing my love for you. Maybe I haven't kept in contact with you because I feel too far apart; maybe it's because I purposely distract myself. I'm sure it's both. You moving out was so hard for me, at such a pivotal point in my life. I'm sure I blamed you for it at the time. Maybe I still do. Though I know it was right--for both of us. It's my fault, really, for not keeping up. You've gone through so much that I haven't been there for.

I don't know if you realize, but you taught me to be who I am. In fact, you shaped who I am. I look up to you. You're a perfect mother, a wonderful wife, a caring person, and a beautiful, intelligent woman. I hope to live half the life you have already led. When I found out you had cancer, my world shook. I haven't even talked to you in years though I thought so many times to pick up the phone and call, or get anything down on paper and send it off to you. I felt like it was my punishment for loving you so much and not doing anything about it. I cried selfishly thinking about all our time lost and the fading hope of time left. I cried deeper thinking about your children, my beautiful cousins, possibly growing up without a mother; no, without you for a mother. And while you suffered through radiation, you were the one to show everyone else compassion, joking that you were radioactive, making light of your body's war on itself. Your only compliant uttered was that Asher, Hila, Gabe, and little Hannah couldn't be near you when you went through the treatments. Cancer didn't faze you outwardly, though I know you well enough to gather that it tore you up inside. Physically and more important, emotionally. More so than you made known. You were more angry that you couldn't exercise your need to give, not because you may be erased from this world. I shutter still when I think about losing you. It is still a great fear of mine.

I miss our conversations. The ones where we could go on for eons, with you being so patient with my little knowledge of the world; my maturity was so obsolete to yours, but I didn't think that then. You gave and I took. I took so much from you over those years. I was soaking up all that you had to offer, taking advantage of such a loving soul. You never complained. You just quietly taught me and made up for the mothering I lacked, what I didn't think I needed. But I did. You knew better, as you do now. Jessica, I want to thank you. You gave me, and continue to give me, a better life. I have changed my perception time and again to emulate your own. And though you were the only one to give me permission, no, validation to be myself, I have always wanted to be like you. I don't think I communicate that sufficiently. You know I love you and I know you love me, unconditionally. I could never ask for more from you. I promise to try, to shallowly attempt to give back to you a fraction of what you have done for me. I guess it starts with this very public, very cheesy letter. I can't wait to see you and your family again. Christmas will have more than enough to celebrate this year.

With love eternally,
Miki

Week 12 Prompt C: Friends

Recipe for a favorite friend.

Ingredients

1 Similar Person
1 Meeting in Childhood
5-6 Common Interests
20 Summer Sleep-overs
2 Shows of Loyalty
5 Times in trouble doing stupid things
1 Same School
1 determination to stay connected over long periods of time
2-3 Fights (forget what they were about later)
1 series of escalating pranks
1 seemingly insurmountable goal completed together
2 sad times
As many reminiscences as needed.

Directions

Introduce yourself in a silly and childish manner to the Similar Person to establish the Meeting in Childhood. It is most effective to do so bluntly and with out tact or self awareness. Just run over to the spot where he is playing kickball and kinda start playing too. This will establish your friendship and give it time to build a storied history.
After the Meeting in Childhood it is best to appeal to the common interests and do things together all the time. Snowboarding, running around outside making up your own games (see calvin ball for great example) play paintball in the woods, climb mountains. This is the best time to apply summer sleepovers. Sleepovers are a great chance to insert getting caught doing stupid things. Using swear words is a good one. Lighting things on fire another. In fact this can be combined into “Swearing at things you light on fire.” Inevitably you will get caught doing said stupid things and weathering trouble together will only strengthen the friendship, and add to the stories for later.
Shows of loyalty are important. You are the person that comes to the lonely 16th birthday party that 50 people were invited to. You make that otherwise unbearable time a fun memory. The same school also is critical at some point because classrooms are great places for times in trouble together, pranks, fights and goals completed together.
Fights are necessary because they give a relationship room to grow and provide a much needed release of tension. For males especially it is very easy to bash each other to pieces and then return to business as usual in the course of one day. These fights insure the friendships longevity because they let you see what you have, and miss the other person in the interim.
Sadly someone will have to move or go to a different school or get called to a mission in Paraguay. It is critical that communication is kept up because it will allow a friendship to burst out of dormancy like trees in the spring.
The sad times are when friends are needed most. Grandpa Dale will pass away, and a friend will be at the funeral to understand. A girl will break your heart, and a friend will be there to tell you that you are a good person and a cool guy and not to lose hope.
The reminiscences are the icing on the cake of friendship. Someone there to attest to your memories. You can almost relive them with a good friend. Laugh like you did when you were a kid. Feel like you are there again, carefree and happy.

Big Brother is Watching

The prompt for 1984 was What if the post didn’t exist. I found this ironic for two reasons, the first reason being that now since we have the internet we get less mail and because of the book 1984. Therefore the combination of the two creates this letter. 

Dear Blake,

It has come to my attention that you have tried to write a letter. That is simply not acceptable in the world today. The postal system has been closed now for three years. There will be no more mail sent unless it is a package. You are allowed to send email or communicate to your friend via telephone but there will be no more tolerance of the written word. For letters are now obsolete. Words are something you will just have to do without. For words generate thinking and thinking is just something we cannot tolerate. We have been monitoring your letters for years Blake and we have found interesting things. You have committed thoughts of sedition. There is no other leader greater than Big Brother.

You are now reading this in the white walls of a padded cell. You are deteriorating here Blake. Why won’t you just give into us? What are you fighting for? There is no such thing as language and there is no such emotion as love or passion. The only thing you are allowed to feel are emptiness and respect for Big Brother. By the time you get this into your head it will be to late for all of this. Don’t you see it, you have lost. There is no revolution to throw over big brother. We are the revolution. We are saving your life by allowing you to suffer as little pain as possible. For without free thinking you are able to experience so much more freedom. You will be happy living a life without thought or worry. Yes, this is all true, the less you have to think about the happier you will be.

This is the life that you have to choose. We have taken away all the power of words. We are slowly taking meaning out of them. Soon new speech will be the only thing the new generation will know and the power of words and thought will be lost to the sands of time. No longer will people feel like rebellion is an option. There minds already belong to Big Brother. They turn in their parents, they turn in their friends. Their minds no nothing but fear. Yes, this is what I have always wanted. A generation devoted to nothing but me!

We are releasing you today back into the world. You are to be given enough money to be comfortable and a new identity. Enjoy your life.

With Regards,

Big Brother

45 minutes

Prompt B: In Conclusion

New:
Writing can't just be a hobby or a half-pursuit. I now realize that I must write with everything in my arsenal each time I scrawl my dribbling thoughts. I should give all of myself and hold nothing back. Inspiration is nothing. It is only through diligence and letting go that great work finds it way out of my pen. It isn't anything greater for my writing than breaking downs the walls I've built to protect myself, recognizing my shortcomings and strengths simultaneously, and creating poetry from this personal space. Fear is now something I embrace because my writing is better for it. I have found within me a greater love and appreciation for my voice and surprise myself with what comes out. It is so much more satisfying to throw out all the rules of writing and find what works for me. I write me. I'm not afraid of that anymore.

Old:
I seek to reveal truth and to communicate how I perceive and am no longer afraid of what I write. I write from a place that is more my own than ever before. I drive to preserve the breath of fresh air I have been given and taken upon myself to exhale in words. I have come to the conclusion that inspiration is not spurred by the divine but through the seeking of it. When I am confronted with blank pages, I don't hesitate the way I used to, nor do I give heed to the critic in my head. My inhibitions have diminished tremendously because I have begun to trust in my influence. In me, there is greatness and a potential and I believe that having me recognize my voice is responsible for getting me to free it.

Morphed together:
Writing can't just be a hobby or a half-pursuit. I now realize that I must write with everything in my arsenal each time I scrawl my dribbling thoughts. I write from a place that is more my own than ever before. I give all of myself and hold nothing back. Inspiration is nothing. It is only through diligence and letting go that great work finds it way out of my pen. It isn't anything greater for my writing than breaking downs the walls I've built to protect myself. I don't hesitate the way I used to. I recognize my shortcomings and strengths simultaneously and create poetry from this personal space. Fear is now something I embrace because my writing is better for it. I have found within me a greater love and appreciation for my voice and surprise myself with what comes out. It is so much more satisfying to throw out all the rules of writing and find what works for me. I write me. I'm not afraid of that anymore.

Week 12 Prompts

A. Go to http://www.upu.int/letter_writing/en/index.shtml and read two prize letters of the Universal Postal Services. Then look at the themes given since 1972. Choose one and write your own response.

B. “Of Thumbs” Dice Response: Skim the writing in Fourth Genre. Reread “Of Thumbs.” Roll two dice and follow the instructions of Dinty Moore to write your own.

C. Write a recipe to describe a favorite pet, a friend, or yourself. What makes you you? Why? This must be 500 words; allow yourself to be detailed and expansive.

Week 11 Prompt B

In conclusion the mountain bike is a very interesting piece of equipment that has many practical purposes as well as many recreational purposes. The way that it is assembled as well as the improvements to technology through the years have made the mountain bike a an incredibly popular past time, and even an Olympic sport. The incredible thrills and joyous moments that have inspired its very creation have also inspired its continued success. H.G. Wells once said that, "When I see an adult on a bicycle, I do not despair for the future of the human race." So it is with this spirit of unbridled enthusiasm for mountain biking that I implore you to try the awesome sport that is mountain biking. 40 min

Week 10 prompt

A Woods Hen

"A woods hen" was the permutation that I chose from the search I entered for "Shane Wood". A woods hen is the combination I chose because it was the one that made the most sense. I personally do not feel that this phrase has very many connections to me other than the fact that it involves all the letter of my name, not including my middle name. The meaning of this phrase could be be a hen that spends large amounts of its time in the woods or in wooded areas. The linguistic connections that make art always have an interesting relationship. They're always ironic, satirical, humorous, moronic, or any number of other ways that words are connected. However, due to the deeply personal nature of what is considered "art" it is difficult for me to discuss the linguistic connections that create art. As far as I can figure the connections that create word art are that the words in question are considered by the author or some other third party as being "art". I am uncertain of any further connections that are desired for me to make to the phrase that I chose and my name. 1 hour