MH's BLOG

I always see this in the airport and I have not bought it yet but I think one day I may have to. I know that I would have been so annoying to my parents about getting this when I was a kid. I used to be obsessed with killer whales. My dream was to be a killer whale trainer. I think the concept of the stuffed animal in a can was a good marketing technique because for some reason it makes me want it so much more than just the stuffed animal. I think that part of this is that you get the exciting experience of opening the can, which I am assuming was not costly when making the product. It makes it stand out from other products even though the idea is so simple. I feel like some people would buy this and then save it as a souvenir, but not open it for some reason. It also came with a bunch of different types of animals.

I went on a trip to Jamaica with my mom for spring break and the place we were staying had a beautiful barn with so many horses. We went swimming with them in the ocean and it was so interesting talking to the guides because they grew up riding in Jamaica and it was so different than my experience with horses, but we had so many similarities. It also was cool that it brought us together and gave us something to bond about. I grew up riding horses so I am biased, but I started thinking about how there are so many creative things that you can do with them. Riding for me has always been a creative outlet because I can zone out and think about nothing or I can use it to think more clearly about things that have been bothering me. Horses can also be used for sport, but people have come up with innovate ways they can help people with conditions such as PTSD, epilepsy, and down syndrome. I think it is so interesting learning about unique things that help people and I think that it is important that we keep on thinking outside the box so that we can explore all potential things that can help all of us feel better.

I was walking to get food with my friends the other day and saw this foot print in the cement. It reminded me of when I was little and we had this art project in school where we got a cement block and got to put marbles, handprints, or anything we wanted into it. I thought that this was so fun and the project is still outside on my grandparents porch. I think that the footprint in the road is also just really cool because it is going to be there for so long and it was probably an accident. It is cool because if it is still there in 100 years or longer people may think that it was recent, but it could be from someone from a different time. That makes me think about how long ago the road was paved because then maybe I would know how old the person is. It also made me think of when I graduated high school we got to carve our name into a brick and it was so cute because it was kind of difficult to make it legible so everyone got creative and did initials or their nicknames.

My mom sent me this picture of my grandpa and it made me think about how so many things have changed since when today’s generation of grandparents were young. My Papa is passionate about horseback riding. He loves to trail ride in the mountains and appreciate nature. I would have loved to do that with him back in the day when phones were not around so I could fully take in the experience without being distracted by technology. Whenever he tells me stories I can tell that him and his friends were truly living in the moment. The time he spent with his friends was always meaningful because they utilized each others presence and made conversation rather than just sitting on their phones. This type of quality time can still be achieved but it takes commitment from breaking the attachment to our phones.

This is a picture of my two roommates who are also my best friends. We were all supposed to go to Mardi Gras together, but I got so sick and had to stay home. I was already bummed I didn’t get to go and then it got a lot worse because I hate being alone and got so bored while they were gone. Although I hated this weekend, it forced me to get creative and learn how to entertain myself. It also made me think about where I want to move after college because I want to be surrounded by people and not be lonely. The way I cheered myself up from missing my friends was staying out of the house. I went on walks on the Katy Trail so I could be surrounded by people who were motived to be moving outside. I also get to see lots of happy dogs on the trail. I went to the sauna to sweat a little because I was sick and couldn’t really workout. I also went to the mall and looked around for a while because even if I’m not really in the mood to buy things I like to look at all the clothes coming out for the spring season. People in the stores also love to chat and hang out because they get bored at work. I knew I had to go back to my house at some point so I got a nice candle and a colouring book and I just listened to music and hung out and it really wasn’t that bad having alone time. Even though I missed the weekend with my friends, I think it was good for me because it pushed me out of my comfort zone. They also had a lot of fun which made me happy because they are so cute and I did not want to get them sick.

I saw a million people post pictures of this sunset the other night but it was the most beautiful one I have seen in a while. I lived on a lake in New Hampshire during high school and they had the most beautiful sunsets over the water, but the sunsets in Texas are pretty close even if you’re just in a grocery store parking lot. I really do think that sunsets are one of the many things that feel bigger in Texas. There is a lot more open space here compared to other places that I have lived. I love when the spring season is coming and everyone is excited to be outside in the warm weather and appreciate nature after the winter. I can already tell that I am in a happy mood because it is staying light out later. I also love how spring makes it feel like everything outside is coming back to life. Seeing sunsets like this makes me think about how the Earth was made. I am religious but I do not have one strong belief about how the Earth came to be. Seeing sunsets like this makes me think there is a God/higher power that created something so pretty. Thinking about nature that is so beautiful really makes me think about how Earth is so crazy and gives me creative ideas about how much is out there in the universe that is bigger than humans.

This weekend I went to visit my best friend in Charleston, South Carolina. I was excited because we have never visited each other in college and decided we have to show each other what the past four years of our lives have looked like before we graduate. I loved Charleston because it had so much natural beauty and creativity. The town is extremely casual and all the people seemed really relaxed. I found it to be really different from Dallas and it made me think about how me and my friend are so similar but have such contrasting college experiences. My favourite part of the trip was when this bulldog ran up to us on the beach. We did a polar plunge in the ocean and he chased us from the water to our towels. His name was pork! His owners made him a vest that said “Pork Patrol” which was really cute. He stayed and hung out for a while but then his owners got annoyed that he kept wanting to say hey to everyone and put him back on his leash.

Exploring the idea of brain-swapping with my friends has always sparked interesting discussions. They often express their fear of stepping into my seemingly carefree mind, little do they know that I secretly struggle with stress and anxiety more than any of us. However, my tendency to procrastinate and perform my best under pressure is not a weakness, but a unique characteristic that sets me apart. While my friends thrive on stress and turn it into productive energy, it stifles my creativity and hinders my performance. Despite my efforts to adopt their efficient habits, I have learned to embrace my style and recognise that it’s okay to work differently. Where would anything new or interesting come from if we were all the same? Today’s class has reinforced the idea that instead of letting others label my tendencies as laziness, I can acknowledge and even harness my strengths to achieve my best work.

My roommates and I made these cakes during the snow week! We could not find any milk or eggs at any of the grocery stores, so we had to go to multiple different neighbours. We got a little impatient and had to put the cakes outside to cool faster because we were ready to decorate them which was really funny for some reason. We also forgot to spray the pans for the chocolate cake so we had to reassemble the broken pieces and it ended up tasting better because the raspberry filling was all mixed in. It may not have been a smooth process, but it was fun and brought all of our friends together. It also showed me that making mistakes can work out for the better and make for better memories!

I drew this shark for my dad to put in his office as a way to show my admiration for his hard work. He has always been a role model to me and I wanted to create something special for him to display in his workspace. Fishing has always been a favorite pastime of ours and we love spending time together out in the ocean, admiring the coast and sea life. I drew this shark as a reminder of those special moments we’ve shared and as a way to bring a piece of the ocean into his office. It’s my way of saying thank you. I also enjoy the idea of being able to create something that can be treasured and appreciated for a long time.