positivity.

DAY NINE

something you're proud of in the past few days

so i tried this thing the other day. i studied for a test i was worried about. and then then i stayed positive. i decided if i had a positive attitude, and did the best i could, everything would work out. and if it didn't, i would be happy with how i did because i know i did all i could. and guess what?

i did really well!

and then i tried the same thing for my next test and got an A! it even said

way to go!

next to my score on the computer screen. talk about a self esteem booster! i was very pleased. it doesn't take much to make me happy, and that definitely did the trick.

goals.

DAY EIGHT

short term goals for this month and why

i guess a short term goal i have would be:

get good grades and finish the semester strong

but most of my short term goals are more on the personal side, so i won't share.

BUT

i'm going to answer the flip-side of this question and mention a long term goal.

a temple marriage.

:D

on the seventh day.

DAY SEVEN

a picture of someone/something that has the biggest impact on you

to the rescue.

DAY SIX

favorite super hero and why

i've never really been well-informed on super heroes. sure, you've got:

Batman, Superman, Spiderman, Hulk, WonderWoman, Wolverine...
BUT to be quite honest, i'm not really into the whole super hero thing.

I can think of a couple of non-traditional heroes, however.

my mother dearest

my mom is the coolest momma on the planet. i'm sorry, but yours just does not contest. but in all seriousness, i love this woman with every single fiber of my being. she is my bestestest friend in the world. since i left for college, i know she's been worried about me and misses me, but i worry about and miss her just as much. she gives great advice and support. and even when i'm not doing my best or if i'm having an awful day- she know exactly what to say. i miss her alot. especially the things we would do together, like going on walks, grocery store runs, sharing ice cream at TCBY, going shopping together, watching our shows together, cooking together...and now that i'm living on my own i think we talk on the phone more than we ever have. but it's great. i hope to be as good of a mother one day as she is to me.

Thomas S. Monson

could this man get any cooler? i don't think so. he is so inspiring and such a light of hope and happiness, not only to me but i'm sure to millions of other people. he is the Prophet of my church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. i love this man. i find it amazingly cool that he has actual ties to my family. and after getting to know him, (i'm taking a living prophets class here at BYU), i have an even greater appreciation for everything that he says and all the counsel that he gives. i got to hear and see him speak at the conference center this past october. it was such a cool feeling being able to be in the same room as him. and when he waved to everyone in the center as him and his counselors were walking out, i felt like he was waving at me. i'm so grateful for him and all he says and does. i can't wait to meet him one day.

Harry, Ron and Hermione

these guys. i feel like i've grown up with these three. i will admit...i'm a die-hard, closet Harry Potter fan. and i might possibly already have my midnight premier movie tickets for the seventh movie...but that's besides the point. they're not your typically "fight crime, beat the bad guy, get the girl" heroes. but they do fight bad guys, he-who-must-not-be-named...and they end up beating him (sorry if i just ruined the whole story for you)...and they do get the girl!...well at least ron and harry do. what i'm getting at here is that their story is great. and i've read the books, multiple times because they never get old. i hope their stories become classics for the future generations. and i am so so so excited for this next movie. the trailer gives me chils everytime i watch it. go ahead and feast your eyes upon this "worldwide phenomenon". :]

what a view.

DAY FIVE

a picture of somewhere you've been to

Zion National Park

and this wasn't in the description...but here is the one place i dream of going...

New Zealand

habits. habits. habits.

DAY FOUR

a habit you wished you didn't have

i don't have very many habits. that's a good thing, i guess?

but i do have a few worth mentioning.

procrastination.

everyone on the face of the planet that is capable is more than likely guilty of this habit. putting things off until the last minute is something that happens more often than it should. but mostly with little things. like...

i'm almost out of shampoo. a week later....i'm out of shampoo and didn't go to the store...

i want breakfast at the cannon but it's 9:50 and breakfast closes at 10...

we have cleaning checks...oh, tomorrow?

you know...just little things like that.

stress.

again, most everyone stresses out. me, i tend to stress way more than i ever should. and in the end, everything usually works out just fine. and if it doesn't, i've more than likely done all that i can and just have to be okay with whatever the outcome is. easier said than done.

worrying.

what if i don't finish in time? what if we can't go do this? what if they don't like me? what if i trip and everyone laughs? what if things don't work out?

so many what if's....but i've really been better about this lately. i've realized i don't care so much what people think about me. if they can't like me when i'm wearing sweatpants and a sweatshirt, then maybe i don't want them to like me when i'm dressed cute. if i trip and fall, who cares? everyone trips. and if you laugh, you'll probably be the next one to trip. :]

BFF.

DAY THREE

a picture of you and your friends

day two.

DAY TWO

the meaning behind your blog name

well, for starters, it's my actual name. i've always thought my name was short and sweet. plain and simple. and this blog is about me, right? and also, i just couldn't really think of anything creative enough to call my blog. and the "this is the story of girl" part is, as most of you might know, a song by Nine Days called "Story of a Girl". The girl in the song doesn't really describe me, but I am a girl. And this is my story, in a sense of the word. So, hence...my blog was born.

enjoy. :]

list.

so, recently i came across a list. it's a checklist of sorts that spans about a month.

each day...well, i'll let you read for yourself.

day 1- recent picture of you and 15 interesting facts about yourself
day 2- the meaning behind your blog name
day 3- a picture of you and your friends
day 4- a habit that you wish you didn't have
day 5- a picture of somewhere you've been to
day 6- favorite super hero and why
day 7- a picture of someone/something that has the biggest impact on you
day 8- short term goals for this month and why
day 9- something you're proud of in the past few days
day 10- songs you listen to when you're happy, sad, bored, hyped, mad
day 11- another picture of you and your friends
day 12- how you found out about blogger and why you have one
day 13- a letter to someone
day 14- a picture of you and your family
day 15- put your ipod on shuffle: first 10 songs that play
day 16- another picture of yourself
day 17- someone you would want to switch lives with for one day and why
day 18- plans/dreams/goals you have
day 19- nicknames you have and why you have them
day 20- someone you love
day 21- a picture of something that makes you happy
day 22- what makes you different from everyone else
day 23- something you crave for a lot
day 24- your last five facebook status'
day 25- what i would find in your bag
day 26- what do you think about your friends
day 27- why are you doing this 30 day challenge
day 28- a picture of you from last year and now, how have you changed since then?
day 29- in this past mont, what have you learned
day 30- your favorite song

so, i'm gonna try this! we'll see what you learn about me, and what i learn, too. here goes nothin'...

DAY ONE.

15 interesting facts about Kara Ann Forsey

1. I just got a pretty drastic haircut. Today, actually.

2. I'm addicted. To peanut butter.

3. I'm a college student at BYU. ...yeah, it still feels weird to say that.

4. I'm actually excited for the snow. That'll probably change when I have to start walking up that huge hill in it, though.

5. I love college.

6. I can't believe I'm almost half-way through my freshman year. Crazy.

7. I'm actually pretty shy.

8. My favorite color is yellow.

9. I kinda wish I had a southern accent. Everyone here asks me why I don't have one.

10. I like to smell good, and my large accumulation of perfume and lotion reflects that.

11. I don't feel as old as I am.

12. I love to sleep and appreciate naps now more than ever.

13. I miss my boom doggle.

14. I miss summer more than anything.

15. I'm way excited to go home for Christmas. I miss home.

touched.

I'd like to share a story my friend told me...I hope he doesn't mind. :]

"I handed my dad the rolls of film to take for development. They had been sitting on my dest for a month now and it was high time to hand them off. A great sense of anticipation had built in me, just to see what I had shot. Robbed of the simplicity of reviewing shots on the camera's LCD, I had reverted to the impatient child within me.

A few hours later, I went and visited my grandparents and went to pick up the film. As I approached the counter, I could sense the wide eyed reaction of the man working the counter didn't mean good news.

His first words were "I had some questions about your film. I've never seen anything like it." I had hoped that he had complemented my skills, but no such luck. As I reviewed the prints, I was horrified by the green tint and ruined photos. I used expensive Fuji Velvia film, custom ordered, so I knew that it couldn't be the issue.

Turns out the airheaded college kid running the counter had neglected to realize that he had used the wrong chemicals on my film...A simple mistake- but one that was hard to confuse considering the recipe for the film was on the outside of the cannisters I had turned in. I took the ruined photos...and left, biting my tongue and resisting tearing into him.

The photos I had shot on that roll were simultaneously meaningless and essential. I would stand to lose no money from this, but I was far more upset that these shots had been blown than any other photos I've taken.

As I flipped through, I noticed that one photo had turned out perfectly fine.

There's no reason that this photo should look the way it does. The rest are green and ruined, not even usable-seriously. But this one is as close to a perfect photo as I've made, and I truly and fully believe that.

It's attached."

i remember the night this picture was taken. my friend was using his film camera and wanted to get one shot. i had to "act natural". i am not a model. i honestly wasn't sure the picture would even look good. i'm touched that i could be part of this small little "miracle". my friend later went on to say...."One of my favorite photographers, Ansel Adams, once said "If you make one or two good photographs in a year, then you've been successful." so while blowing the rest of the rolls isn't great, i guess this is a lesson in being happy with what you do have."

that couldn't get more relevant to my life. i'm at a point where i need to be happy with what i do have, content with the effort i put in things, accepting of the things i can't change, and pleased with the outcome of knowing i've done my best. easier said than done, right? i honestly believe you can be happy if you live by that. i worry too much. but what i've come to realize is i have so much to be grateful for and so much that i am blessed with. and sometimes things turn out the way they're supposed to, even when you expect them not to. and regardless of what happens in the course of my life, i'll be fine by knowing that.

tender little mercies.

where'd the time go?

ever heard that song from greece? you know...

"summer lovin', had me a blast...summer lovin', happened so fast..."

that song was written about me...well, minus the actual "love" part.

recently, i've thought about summer a lot. and how amazing it was.

the decision i made to come out here early was one of the best things i've done.

i met so many amazing people who i'm sure will stay in my life for years to come.
and i rekindled friendships that i know will last till time ends. :]

<---this girl. andrea sarah hoffman. we met over four years ago at the magical place, EFY. i find it amazing, yet i'm not surprised, that we've stayed such good friends over the years. i knew when we met that we'd stay friends for sure. and just by chance she happened to be going to school at BYU this summer. it wasn't hard for us to become such good friends again. i owe her SO much. she introduced me to so many great people, and i have her to thank for some of the great friends i have now. i will forever treasure and never forget the manyyyy late night conversations about school, future, family, boys and life in general. she is such a good example to me and we are so alike in so many ways and i really consider her one of my best friends, for sure. she's so smart and wise and i think making some of the decisions i had to make this summer would've been a lot harder if she wasn't there. and sadly, she isn't here now. she's living it up at BYU hawaii. i know she loves it there, but i realllllllly hope she'll come back to Utah soon. our planned out "future" is gonna be so much fun, and i can't do it without you! [this is now my public plea to get you to come back. ;) ] but seriously, i LOVE ;] this girl. and miss her dearly. if you don't know her, you would definitely wish you did.



my favorite beautiful asian! alycia kayli ikegami. i love, love, love this girl. we met for the first time at PF Changs this summer. she is hometown friends with andrea, and so through her our friendship blossomed! she is a wonderful cook, has fantastic style, is so fun and easy to talk to and is an amazing friend. i missssss her. she is definitely included in mine and andrea's "future" plan. one day, we are going to live together and she is gonna cook me delicious asain food and it's going to be amazing. she's living in virginia attending southern virginia university. but hopefully, after enough convincing [along with andi] i can get her to move back. :] i love our skype dates and really am so glad that i got to know her so well this summer. she's definitely one of my best friends. loveeee you. :]

mallory, ryan, bryan, donnovan, john, julius, brittany, meghan, yuki, andrew, stephen, and sooo many more. all of these people have had an impact in some way on my life and i truly am grateful for each one of them in one way or another. coming to utah this summer and meeting all of these people has been one of the smartest things i've ever done.

i'll never, never forget this summer.

:D