Autumn Adventure Thursday: Sundancing

Our Autumn Adventure Thursday consisted of a rainy drive up the canyon to Sundance, gawking at three hundred dollar fox sweaters, exploring, real photo taking with my brand spanking new camera friend, general adoring of the season, and grand puddle jumping. Shout out to Ariel and Riley, my sundancing buds.

AAT Part 2 consisted of my car breaking down in the MIDDLE of the road, and our friend Logan having to come save we three damsels in distress, plus then hot chocolate, salsa, ice cream, awkward stories, and dating rules and tips.

Overall? One dang good day.

What I learned from Adventure Thursdays

I wanted to talk more about what I learned from Adventure Thursdays.

In my head and on Pinterest adventures look like this:

But in my real life they actually look like this:

And I got to a point where I just had to draw it out, on my Big White Wall:

And when I first started Adventure Thursdays that drove me insane. Because I very much like it when things are aesthetically pleasing-- parties, outfits, the feel of my blog. Even writing this blog post is freaking me out because it just doesn't look very good, it doesn't match the brand I am trying to create. But just like right now I have to stop and realize that the things I write about are just as important as how it looks, with our adventures I had to step back and realize that it was okay that they didn't match the look in my head.

At first I was tempted to wait until I bought my nice camera to begin them, because I knew I was going to write about them constantly on my blog and I wanted good pictures. Then I had the crazy thought to give people ideas on how to dress like an adventurer when they came on Thursdays, weird, I know. Then I got to the first adventure and realized that to me going to an art museum seemed like a lovely adventure, but no one else really cared about the art, and the same sort of thing happened with other adventure ideas of mine.

So I had to try to not stress about the aesthetics, or pleasing everybody, or making sure every single person had a ride. I realized that anyone can be an adventurer, and I had to let go of my already established ideas about people and learn to invite them anyway. And now that I get to take it all in and really think it all through, I know what I want to improve next summer, and anytime I plan an adventure during the school year-- I want to share my vision of Adventure Thursdays with people more, because right now I don't think all of the adventurers completely get what they are really about and what they have the potential to become. And because I do know that aesthetics are important to me, I want to make our adventures match my branding, as well as the individuality of all the adventurers as best as I can, while still maintaining the "come as you are" atmosphere. I want to better live the anyone is welcome part of my vision, by inviting people I wouldn't normally.

Man, next summer is gonna be the bombdotdiggity.

Last Adventure Thursday of Summer 2013

Though last night was the last Adventure Thursday of this summer, it certainly was nothing close to the last adventure. Next summer they will begin again, and until then and forever there will be plenty of less official ones to fill up our lives.

Because it was the last planned one for a while I wanted to make it BIG. And it was.

The gang came over to my house and we feasted on crepes and all the toppings. Then we watched a slideshow of all the pictures from all our adventures. (actually the slideshow didn't work... I was kinda embarrassed haha) Then we watched Psych. Honestly in my head I was imagining watching something way classy like Sabrina or something, but not everyone has my taste in movies. And I really do enjoy Psych as well. It was great fun, some of my favorite friends in the whole world, old and new, were there. Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves. The crepes were yummy. Overall it was a smash, and a lovely way to end our summer.

Micah, Sarah, and Marohn

I quite like that banner.

My newest buddies.

And this isn't even all of the adventurers.

Now that it's all over for a while. I am very happy with how Adventure Thursdays came out. I learned from them, my friends and I were inspired, I grew, and we all created memories. I cannot wait until they can begin again. Next summer will be even better. But until then-- keep adventuring. 

Adventure Thursday #5

This adventure ended up being another girls night out! I love spending time with just my girls. We went to ComedySportz in downtown Provo and got some great laughs. They are an improv comedy place, and improv is so much fun. Plus I just can't get over how great their building is. They have old posters and records and funny signs everywhere. It makes me happy, and makes for some great pictures, well, it would have if I hadn't been having too much fun to take more than three. 

  

Savanna, Riley, Rachel, Marohn

For free, come and get it.

I give out adventures, for free, on a regular basis. Some people accept them regularly, they count down the days until the next one, they tell me how much they love those weekly bits of something more than the abyss of normality. Others want to come, but life gets in the way-- jobs, lack of a form of travel, other plans. I wonder if those people realize they don't have to only have adventures on Thursdays... Other people never respond when I reach out to them, or they are constantly full of excuses. I don't mind if they don't come to Thursday Adventures, it just makes me sad-- to watch someone who seems to be afraid of adventure, afraid of meeting new people, afraid of being uncomfortable. People who are so stuck in their normal pattern of life that they refuse to take part in that "something more" even when it's being completely planned for them and handed out for free, to anyone who wants it.

I give out words, also for free. Some people tell me they love what I say, and even push the follower button, so they can read it all as soon as possible. Some people happen upon my words and say nice things, you're so profound, you're so talented, but they don't come back often. Most people never read what I say, and probably never will. There are plenty of words out there, some of them are read over and over again by person after person, my words aren't always. But I don't write for person after person, I write for myself, I write for my mom, I write for the small group of people who care, who read what I say and think I want to be friends with that girl.

I give out light, and you may have it, I just ask that you don't dim the light. Some people give me their light in return, and we both make each other brighter. Some people stick around until they find a little of light in themselves. Some people notice the light, and want to come closer, but they don't know how to respect it, and end up dimming it. I have to walk away from those people. Sometimes I try to stay around them too long, thinking more time will do the trick, that magically something will affect them and suddenly they will change. But really the longer I stay, the more light I lose, and sometimes it's hard to get back to the amount of light I had before. I'm learning to stick around the shiny people.

It's all free. Come and get it.

Adventure Thursday #4

I really need to broaden my adventures and do more than explore lovely town main streets, eh? But hey, we've only had four official Thursday Adventures, and as they get bigger and better we will do even more fantastic things. This is just the beginning.

Mainstreet Nauvoo, Illinois.

The Nauvoo Temple

In case you're new to this and don't know what I mean by Thursday Adventures-- every Thursday I go on an adventure, and anyone who wants to join me is welcome. Our adventures aren't big and fancy, they are the little things that become spectacular, when spent with other adventurers. There is always someone new, but no one feels left out. They began this summer, but I hope they will continue as long as people long for adventure. Through the craziness of summer, getting Thursdays planned has been messed up at times, but I can see the seeds of adventure starting to grow in my friends. Little moments suddenly mean something more, any random thing can suddenly be an opportunity for a picture, for a memory. I want to make memories with my friends in as many places as I can. I want to make life into a series of adventures, no matter how hard or how simple. I want people to come together, whether they are friends yet or not, and spend their time doing something classy. I want to share my passions with other people. That is what Thursday Adventures are all about.

Music of the day: Mindy Gledhill. Top songs: Pocketful of Poetry. All the Pennies. 

Adventure Thursday #1

The first official Adventure Thursday happened yesterday! We went to the mall, browsed the art museum (is that classy or what?!) dressed up, and took a bunch of pictures.

Not everyone knew everyone else, but we still had a lot of fun. That's a big part of these adventures, I think, that anyone who wants to can come, no matter who else they know, and they still end up having a blast. Yesterday was a fantastic start, I cannot wait for future Thursdays! I think they will just keep getting bigger and bigger.

Yes, I am very happy with this whole thing. I know I am going to end up learning a lot from these adventures.

First lesson: When Heavenly Father puts a lovely idea into your head, especially late at night, write it down. Then, no matter how much that idea scares you or pushes you, make it happen.

 

Trying to imitate the sculptures

     

Mckenna, Regan, me, Alex, Riley, Neal

The art museum mostly consisted of paintings of junk food. I am still trying to figure out why. I think it was to represent the direction America is going. The question that people were asked at the beginning of the museum was "What do you think the next movement of art will be called?" and evidently the artists being spotlighted think food will continue to become a larger part of our drive, even artistically. Just some food for thought. Eh? Get it? Bye now.

Adventure Thursdays

Take pictures in a photo booth.

Ride a zip line.

Take a hike.

Start a giant game of chalk twister.

Watch the sun rise.

Go on a classy dressed up outing.

Dance in the rain.

Star gazing.

Go to a drive-in movie.

People watching.

Wander around a town's main street.

Do yoga outside.

Visit an art museum.

Have a picnic in a park.

Mini road trip.

Chalk the Block at the Riverwoods.

Wander around Thanksgiving Point.

Bucket list pass off day.

Go thrift shopping.

Do a photo shoot.

This is something I am starting. Every Thursday I will be doing something adventurous, and whoever wants to join me can. In my mind, making little things into adventures are the key to living life to the fullest. Also, this weekend, through active mediation, I realized that I am very good at making lots of short-term friendships, but I need to work on making deep, long lasting friendships. I am hoping Adventure Thursdays will be one of the first steps towards making those friendships. This whole thing kinda freaks me out, because I have no idea who will show up and how it will turn out. This means I will be hanging out with people from completely different groups of friends, all at the same time. But when a bunch of people get out of their comfort zones and do something adventurous together, it brings them together. I want to make this a weekly tradition that continues through summers to come, maybe even for the rest of my life. They don't need to be big adventures, but they will be memorable. I don't want to limit ourselves to just things that are free, so I personally am starting an adventure fund so we can do spontaneous things. Being able to do things spontaneously is also a key to being happy, and it is something that I can improve in my life.

Our adventures will always be classy, and they will always be documented. This is stuff we'll want to remember!

Start an adventure fund! And feel free to join me any Adventure Thursday. 

p.s. If you can't make it on Thursdays, just talk to me about it. I would love to live life to the fullest, any day of the week!