Monday? =/

Hi I'm Corri and I like candy!!! :) Haha just thought I'd share that with everyone..

This blog's gonna be short and sweet because I'm not feeling well today.. =[

Ugh I feel like such an old person.. my back is killing me and I feel like I'm catching the flu. :( It may be because of my new job that requires me to do a lot of walking outside- whether it's

sunny rainy or snowing.. and I've been going out every day doing it. Sighhhhhhhh Utah confuses me.

. one day it's warm and the next day it's snowing! I LOVE my new job but still gotta get used to being outside in this Utah weather. Hmmm besides that...

Yay!!! 3 more days and I will be "sailing away through the ocean wind to go see my beloved Twin!"

OK so I'll actually be driving to California, but I imagine that while I'm out there I'll visit the beach. I just wanna get in my

car Now and GO GO GO!!! So I can feel the

wind through my Fro! Whoop Whoop! I'm so excited- I haven't seen my genetic replica/clone/mono-zygotic reduplication/equivalent reciprocal simulacrum since last Christmas!! :D :D

CAN YOU BELIEVE I'M GOING ON 7 MONTHS OF INDEPENDENCE AS OF MARCH?? Wow I never thought I'd see this day! I'm so proud of myself! Here are some of the things I've accomplished since I've been out here on my own:

-......................

-....uh...........

-Hmmm... Oh! ......Oh wait, nope.. that wasn't me..

-??

OK so I've still got some work to do. And I have another 6 months to do it!

JK JK. Since I came to Utah, here are some (not all, just some) things I've done that I don't think I would have done if I stayed in Cali:

-Went on over 30 dates

-Taken break-dance, salsa and hip hop dance lessons

-Did 4 photo-shoots, a radio commercial, a music video by myself and I'm working on a short film now

-Successfully completed a semester at one of the nation's Top academic colleges

-Watched a full moon from a moving ski lift when there was no snow

-Visited 3 Temples (Bountiful, Salt Lake and Provo)

-HAVEN'T gotten pulled over by any cops (Take THAT, Karri! Ha!!!)

-Did genealogy and found some of my ancestors

-Went on a few $hopping sprees (just cuz)

-Got recruited into a professional dance crew

-Made over 500 friends

-etc. etc.

Trust me, there are a LOT more accomplishments I've done but I can't remember them now.

Remember I said earlier that I feel like I'm getting old? Well, I guess if affected my working memory as well.. Ughhhh... I'm going to bed early tonight. :(

BTW I LOVE MY FAMILY!!!! My Brother Gary is coming home from his mission this weekend and I'm going to Cali for his homecoming! Wow I can't believe it's been 2 years! I'm so proud of him and can't wait to see the family! :D Take care followers! Happy Monday!

Zzzzzzzz.......

These are a Few of My Favorite Things... ;)

Hot guys and ice cream

and small dogs and dancing,

Sleeping in, waking up, dressing up fancy

Mani's and pedi's and dresses for Spring,

These are a few of my favorite things!!

Laughing hysterically,

Eating barbarically,

Going to Dairy Queen

soaring high on a swing,

Singing loud in the shower each morning..

These are a few of my favorite things!!

Ohhhhhhhh,

When I'm annoyed

When I need a nap

When I'm feeling like crap

I simply remember my favorite things

And then I don't feel so bad...

[repeat chorus twice]

Soooo, whenever you're feeling down, just remember YOUR Favorite Things, followers!!! :D That oughtta lift your spirits! Happy Monday everyone!

College Life- From an Individualistic's Perspective..

Here lies Corri Lauritzen.. a good student and a great friend. Unfortunately her social life as we know it ended shortly after a certain Professor (ahemm) decided to schedule an exam that makes NO SENSE WHATSOEVER to the pour helpless soul. May she rest in peace and may her troubles be swept away as the dust on a porch, cuz that's literally how she feels 2 hours before the test.. :(

Poor unfortunate soul...

I soooooooooooooooooOOOOOOOOOOOOOooooooooooooooo cannot WAIT for school to be done!!! Gahhhh!!!! I seriously think that College may just be the #1 cause of chronic stress, early aging, loss of sensation, selective attention, acne, hair loss, strained eyes, neck and back pain, wrinkles, weight gain, enhanced appetite, premature aging, peer pressure, low self esteem, denial, emotional distress, loss of sleep, lack of exercise, loss of social life, psychological disorders, lack of faith in the future, loads of debt (for some), arrogance and eventually if I don't graduate soon... DEATH. Whew! Good thing I don't have to deal with any of those!! Haa! I feel so sorry for all the other college students in the world!

..So goodbye world, it was nice knowing ya! I'll be sure to tell great great great great great Grandma and Grandpa everyone in the future says Hi.

Just kidding..

Ugh, college.. can't live with it.. can't "live it up" without it.. college is the future.. it's also a choice. College is a plan.. College is a choice to plan for the future. Who am I kidding?? Its SO DEMANDING!!!!

OK Corri- calm down, take a deep breath and find a happy place!

Let's change the subject.. maybe that'll help..

So I got the job I was talking about in the last blog.. I'm doing door-to-door marketing again, only I'm not selling anything this time, just getting people's phone numbers so an insurance company can call and quote them on auto plans. It's super easy and I get to work my own hours and get paid based on how hard I work. No need to worry about injudicious bosses, pizza flippin' or 9-5 minimum wage shifts.. I like this! It's fun..

Besides that, I went and got a nice massage yesterday, then went to Target to celebrate MY Valentine's Day by getting loads of chocolate- ALL HALF OFF!!! I found this popcorn that said "half off" also and when I took it to the front, they tried charging me the original price. I'm not the type of person to hold up an entire line at a grocery store and have a fit because of a $2 dollar difference but, just to say that I've done it before, YOU BET I DID!!! :D LOL the lady at the register was sooo irritated! Hahaha Saw it, wanted it, had a fit, GOT IT! Half off, too :) That was my fun for the day..

So, followers, it's just me and you! I wanna just remind you to KEEP IT REAL!!! Be yourself and remember to have a little fun in life! Having fun doesn't mean going out and risking your life, but just do little things to keep yourself entertained! Go to a dance by yourself and battle people- but an EXTRA LARGE Slurpee at 7-11 and drink the whole thing, take pics of animals' faces after you scare them; dress up in sweat pants and a Tshirt and enjoy some fine dining in a nice restaurant.. play with kids for more than 30 minutes, hang off a freeway overpass and yell out HOOPLAAAAAAH!!!! and then loudly munch on a frozen pickle in a library! :D

We're never gonna survive.. unless, we get a little crazy..

Have a Great Day followers!

Friday at last!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Friday has never felt better, Especially because I've been studying allllllll night last night and allllllllll morning for a HUUUUGE Exam that my life depended on!!! Being a procrastinator, I've often thought of ways I could escape it-- I could move out of town, change my name, grow a beard and shave it off-- and then disguise myself and move back into town!!! But then I realized, no matter how much you kick or scream or complain or hide or how far you run or how long you procrastinate, there's still a test tomorrow. This taught me to always be prepared and to use my time wisely. Am I willing to sacrifice my study time to play and hang out with friends all week?? This would leave me with less and less time to study and more pressure and stress when I do start studying. On the other hand, I can sacrifice a few days of hanging out with friends, going out dancing and online shopping for a few good hours of PURE CONCENTRATION!!! It all worked out, despite my ADHD kicking in every 30 minutes and the strong yearning to run outside to my car, blast the radio and throw slices of raw ham at my neighbor's windows (he's a cop) while he's out of town on duty.. Sighhhhhhhh someday Corri, someday..

As far as that test, I DOMINATED IT!!!!!! :D

Besides that, I just wanted to say HOW GRATEFUL I AM that I am doing well! School is not SO bad, and I just proved to myself that I can handle a little sacrifice.. As far as my Twin goes, I am glad that she's okay. I always worried about myself going to Utah and just leaving her behind seemed like such an overwhelming burden to me! But I'm glad that she's back at home with Mom & Dad-- of all places in the world to be right now, I'm glad that she chose to go back home for a little while so she can work out her autonomy there. I'm glad that she has a car, a place to stay, college to go to, AMAZING parents to entertain and abide with, and all the basic necessities of life there. I'm glad that there are tons of nieces and nephews who come over all the time that she can play with. Karri and I absolutely love kids and plan on working with them in the future. We THRIVE and become so ecstatic whenever we're around children and I'm glad that Karri has many opportunities to practice while she plays!

If you are separating from your Twin, one thing I can say is DON'T FEEL GUILTY!!! It's best for the both of you that you separate for a small while so you can learn how to be Amazing as an individual! It shouldn't be hard, and always know that your Twin will be just fine. Just do your best and trust that they're doing the same. I know that Heavenly Father watches over us all and there's a reason you were born with a Best Friend. He will take good care of your Twin as you do your best and of course, He will take good care of you and bless that you never feel alone or abandoned, whether you're the Twin that's moving or staying. REMEMBER THAT!!! :) :)

Well, that's pretty much all I wanted to say for now.. I have a job interview soon that I don't wanna miss. Hope all my followers have a great day!!!

P.S: Hi Mom!!! =P

Ahhhhhh Sunday...

If you are receiving this blog as an email and cannot read the writing, follow the link to www.icorri.blogspot.com for your conveneince.

Speaking of Sports:
Sooooooooooo today is Sunday, February 6th, 2010. I had a wonderful Sunday and I went up and shared my Testimony with everyone in Sacrament meeting in Church today. The Spirit was so strong there today and I felt peace. After Church today (I confess) I went to a Super Bowl Party at a friend's place (Go Packers) and ate TONS.. I also learned a lot about the sport of football. Last night I went on a double date to my very first basketball game ever and then as I rapidly inhaled my share of a rather large pizza, I used my acting skills to pretend I was interested in an hour long conversation between my date and the other couple about SPORTS. I was interested in my date, just not the sports he was talking about because I know literally NOTHING about sports!! I just didn't get it..


Of Gimps & Guys:
I think the thing that totally devalues me is my lack of knowledge about ANYTHING that guys talk about!! I thought I understood them well. In all honesty, people find it pretty pathetic that I'm from California and seem so sheltered and innocent (childlike, as they see it). I don't participate in dirty conversations, I don't like it when people curse around me, and I don't know what the real meaning of "perdiddle" is.. =/ (Well I picture some gimp walking one day and he sneezed and he ran into a moving car with his face, which blew out a light, that's the sound he made as his teeth were individually put out of their misery..)

Sheltered Suspicions:
I was not allowed to watch TV in many of my foster homes growing up, and once I emancipated, I figured that I did not need a TV as a college student and so I haven't really watched TV for years. People always talk about news and TV shows that go on and I usually have NO IDEA what they are talking about. Like The Office, Glee, Survivor, ALL OF THEM!!! I haven't seen any of those shows. I did not play any sports growing up, and those that I was forced to participate in (in P.E. classes), I did not do too well in. I think it's fair to say that I AM LIVING PROOF THAT IT'S POSSIBLE TO SUCK AT *EVERY* SPORT. That's one of the main reasons why I chose modeling and acting instead.

Pathetic Perceptions:
I feel like I am a sophisticated yet simplified version of a person-- like I somehow skipped a few years of experience that most normal people need to make sense of the world. Here's a few other random but almost pathetic things about me that I never knew I never knew: (don't judge LOL)

-I don't know how to roller blade or ride a bike (it's been so long, I forgot!)

-I do not know how to divide, add, or subtract fractions
-I still can't divide double-digits
-I have NO IDEA what's going on in Egypt right now or why everyone out there is acting so injudicious there- just know it has something to do with their President??
-I haven't read a full book (from cover to cover) since like, 4th grade
-I went Trick-or-Treating last Halloween and ate all my candy too ;)

YET, I am currently taking highly complex graduate-level classes in one of the Nation's highest achieving Universities.. it is here where I have met some of the smartest people- students who are used to getting 4.0 grades since like, kindergarten! The University of Utah.. Boy do I feel privileged!! :D

As a matter of fact, THIS IS GREAT!!!!! I am living proof that it IS POSSIBLE to get so far in life and miss some of the basics! :D But I'm not the only one, I mean, 95% of Americans think cows drink MILK!! HAHAHAHAAA!!!! Here I am, being a 5th year college student, in the process of acquiring the knowledge required to pursue my future career, inevitably taking on life's courses one at a time while I manage and lead a healthy and balanced life, yet, I have more fun playing with kids than talking to adults!! I almost feel as if I'm an adult version of the kid I was growing up, only it comes and goes and I can be whatever I want. I-I am BRILLIANT!!! I realize that I am a great actor- one who is cleverly disguised as a responsible adult! Not even disguised- but I literally can be both!

-I can dress up professionally at a job interview and go in and ACE the interview, all while having a plastic princess tiara in my purse, stuffed animals on my bed at home, and then celebrating afterwards by ordering a kid's meal at Subway!

-I still jump on my bed and am obsessed with Princess movies & I sometimes eat cake for breakfast or wake up at 3am just to draw pictures.

-I prefer bendy straws and juice over soda and energy drinks. (I actually HATE soda)

Now what does this have to do with sports or guys or being sheltered growing up?? I have a confession to make- NOTHING!!!! =P

Here's a cool quote I found:
"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It is not just in some of us; it is in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others."
~Marianne Williamson, A Return to Love: Reflections on the Principles of "A Course in Miracles," 1992 (commonly misattributed to Nelson Mandela, 1994 inauguration speech)


Have fun and be yourself! Who cares what others think?! I honestly feel that being true to ourselves is what make us thrive inside. :) Happy Sunday, followers!

5 months into the whole "twin separation thing" aaaaand...

OK so here it is.. a sort of self-review. Everyone wants to know what it's like to grow up with an IDENTICAL TWIN your whole life, always being together, always having the same EVERYTHING including looks, personalities, opinions, likes/dislikes, etc. and then spontaneously SEPARATING for the very first time ever--

..I really admire those parents who teach their Twins how to be individuals at an early age.

..I really admire those friends who treat Twins each as a unique person and never make them feel too much like a unit or a couple or pair because it would have been SO MUCH EASIER TO GO THROUGH THIS if I had even a tiny bit of experience being an individual before..

..I really admire those Twins who remain strong even during hard times in their lives, such as their Twin being sick, one getting married, themselves being separated for the first time, their huge leap into different lives, etc.

I have a nice life with or without my Twin being a part of the picture- it's not like I'm suffering any material losses here.. honestly, many people admire me as an individual and many admire me as a Twin and the things WE do together that make a difference or set an example in their lives. LOL some people have even said that they are envious of our lives and that they wish they could live a day in the life of me or my Twin.. =/

So yeah, I would say I pretty much have it good. I'm an actress and a model, I go to college that is completely paid for, I have kind and wonderful loving parents who support me and all the things I do, I have good friends, I'm not in any kind of debt, trouble or psysical pain, and I pretty much have all the materialistic things I've ever wanted. My Twin sister has the same things if not more than me in all these.

Yet, as we live in completely different states and are almost 1,000 miles away from each other in distance, even having everything we've ever wanted is Sooooo not enough!! We both realize that we actively chose this for ourselves- its something we wanted- we thought..

It's hard for me to even say "me" or "I" anymore when I write or talk to others without referencing my Twin sister Karri. I miss her a LOT. I miss having someone here who shares the same opinions, I.Q., and sense of humor as me.. I miss having someone to laugh at my jokes; someone I can share clothes and food with and I miss all the attention we got whenever we went out together- we always had TWICE as much attention as everyone else, we made twice as much money when we worked together, we ate twice as much food as everyone at social outings.. and no matter what we wore, everyone thought it was so cool that 2 PEOPLE had it, so we were known as trend setters all throughout high school.. like DoubleMint Gum always said- "Double the pleasure, Double the fun." It was definitely like that for us.

I remember how one day, after 20 years of not sharing clothes with each other, we just decided one day to go "cold turkey" and share everything we owned (didn't always work out but it was super fun). Karri would sometimes come home from work and bring dinner for me, or surprise me after a shopping trip and say, "Here, I bought this for you." I remember we used to go to dances and auditions and jobs together and NEVER FAILED TO IMPRESS everyone there. It's so much fun having a replica of yourself!! (I still don't understand how or why some other sets of Twins ever argue or fight.. it's totally unnecessary!)

I was born with a Best Friend, and sometimes its hard not to think of how selfish it was of me to think that I needed "My Own Life" or to be one of those "Individuals." I now realize how unique, but absolutely BORING it would have been growing up without a Twin!

I go to new classes in school and to different wards in Church and now I know what it's like NOT to know anyone. I'm so used to having my Twin with me that I didn't realize how scary it was to ever be by myself!! I always wonder how other Twins got through this phase in their lives?? When they had to face reality and separate one day.. yikes its hard!

I'm not a total wreck. Thanks to the latest forms of technology and transportation, I can communicate with my Twin and go visit her when I have a break from school and work. I'm really grateful for this opportunity I've had to explore life as an individual and I know that I have a LOT to learn about myself that I have not learned already. I'm learning interpersonal communication skills at a fast rate and I'm learning how to not always depend on my clone for guidance, support, dates with guys that I don't like, or tests that I can't take. =P

Its been quite the roller coaster here in Utah but I always know that, no matter how scary the ride is, I am strong enough to:

-Not get sick

-Laugh at the terrified face I was making as the ride took my picture

-Look back and say, "That was fun! I think I'll do it again!"

..and happily press forward. :)

Take care followers! If you can, send me some advice on the "Comments" section below! If it doesn't appear, then respond via email or on my actual blog at www.icorri.blogspot.com. I'd really appreciate it. Thanks!

The World Would Be a MUCH Better Place If Everyone Thought Like Me...

I'm sure we all say that to ourselves.. We think that we're doing things the right way and everyone else is off or wrong.. But I actually believe it.

Utah is a great place.. There are nice people here, fun things to do, many places to visit, etc. etc. Yet its sooooo possible to feel like a complete failure at times, even people who Everyone knows, or people who seem to have it all..

In a place full of people, it seems like one could never feel alone. In a city full of events, venues, parties, Church activities, and get-togethers, it seems like one could never feel bored. In a school full of over-acheiving students it seems like one could never feel disadvantaged or inefficient in their work.





..that's the problem out here though. It seems to me like everyone out here assumes that everything is fine. That everyone is taken care of and that no one needs a little extra assurance or advice at times.

Everyone who knows me knows that I'm not selfish. I don't get angry easily and I never hold a grudge. I'm kind, caring, and do my best to ensure that EVERYONE around me is taken care of, even if it involves giving rides, food, money, advice, being a friend, etc. which I go out of my way each day to do. I can't let myself pass someone up who stands alone in a crowded room and I won't allow myself to ever be too good for anyone. That's just not me.

"Do unto others as you would have them do unto you," is a quote that I've heard many times throughout my life. I think that quote is unfair in many ways and I don't see it as 2-way function. There are so many nice people in this world who are taken advantage of, used, tormented and taken for granted. People take, take and take from them until they have nothing left to give- they absorb everything they have and leave them there to rot. I've had so many friends who have told me that they feel this way and its always hard for me to advise them because sometimes I feel this way too. I can't see the point of being altruistic because in all reality, good things don't always return to the good person.





So what do I do??





Face the reality that I'm in. Its hard to do good things ALL THE TIME and not get recognized for it. I'm sure many people feel that way. I know my Mom (Donna Lauritzen) is a great example of one who can do this and happily press forward, ungrudgingly. I admire her and the many things she does that go unnoticed. She never complains- like, at all! Maybe this is good practice for me for when I am a parent and will be doing a lot of work to keep my future family together. I can use these "skills" that I have developed to help my kids and husband and friends out and maybe possibly hopefully teach others to do the same.

Yes I guess it's normal to feel alone at times, but after an hour of sitting outside of the Salt Lake Temple in 28 degree weather without a jacket as many people passed me up and didn't even look at me, I learned that Heavenly Father sees us all. I know that he is aware of me at this time and I didn't feel cold or upset anymore. I felt as if my Father was talking to me- like He was telling me, "Hang in there, Corri, everything is gonna be fine. My timing is different than your timing. Be patient, my daughter, I see you. There's no reason to feel under-appreciated or alone; I am here with you. If they don't thank you for your kindness, I DO. Thank you for being good and kind and setting a good example for my other children. Not now, but in a little while, you shall see the fruits of your efforts."



It took me a while to understand this, but now I see it more clearly. Now I get it.

So there you all have it, readers- no matter where you are or what you do or how you feel others think, you're Always exceptional. People may not recognize you or what you do, but someone notices. Maybe you are admired from a distance. Everyone has a little good in them. The world may Actually Truly be a better place now because YOU are in it, and many people are good or better people because they follow your examples of doing good works. Never think that you are alone or unnapreciated!! "To the world you may be one person, but to one person, you may be the world." Take care everyone. :)

My Grown-Up Christmas Wish

Well, since I happen to be a grown-up, and I'm considered a "starving college student" and many people across the nation have empathy on me due to the stressful living conditions in which I reside, here's what I feel that I want AND need for Christmas:


-SHOES!!!!! Cute boots, with fur on the tops (and treading) so I can uhhh, walk safely to and from my classes in style and without risking my life by slipping on ice..


-A new monster bag (preferably pink and shiny with diamonds on it) to transport my oh so heavy college books and school materials..


-CHOCOLATE to keep me sane, so that my studies may go easier and I may be awake in class..


-A BRAND NEW Mazda 3 to transport me safely from home to school and to work- cute and reliable, and maybe with snow tires..


-Everything else, you may buy me at your own expense.. I'll be grateful..



I am especially grateful to the Orphan Foundation of America for SENDING ME A CHRISTMAS CARE PACKAGE!!!! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOUUUU!!!!! :D


..Sorryyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy I haven't blogged in soooo long!!! Ugh school has been absorbing my very life!!! You may be wondering howso, I assume? Because I only go to school on Tuesdays and Thursdays until 3:20pm.. so what's occupying sooo much of my time? Well let's see: I take acting classes, dance classes, dance performance rehearsals, I babysit, I do online promoting for my job, etc. and that's only the stuff I do for free. I'm actually working on getting a new job during the day and on Saturdays so I can occupy more time because I hate sitting around not doing ANYTHING!!


..If that makes any sense..



Sooooooooooooooo, as of 31 minutes ago...



SCHOOL'S OUT FOR WINTER BREAK!!!!! WHOOP WHOOP!!!!!!!! =D


I would always sing as a kid whenever school got out, "No more homework, no more books! No more teachers' dirty looks!" Haha I don't know why LOL..I feel that I've done well in all my classes and on all my tests so I have no reason to be discouraged.. I'll support that with a scanned copy of my report card on my next blog ;) ..I'm just glad that I get to go back to good ol' California and visit family and friends for Christmas.


I'm kinda weird in a sense that, I REALLY LOVE LIVING IN SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH. On the flip side though, there are many times when I get frustrated and want to move back to California. but whenever I visit California, I always feel like I'm missing out on Utah and my new established "home" out there.


Maybe it's because I'm so used to constant change. That's normal, being a female, but this is officially my 30th "home" since I've been born and my 18th school since kindergarten. Its been an adventure and sometimes its exciting to be in a new place, but I just want one place that, at the end of the day I can call HOME and a safe haven.


I'm very excited to go to California tomorrow. My older sister Kasia's getting married and supposedly a LARGE amount of biological family members of mine will be there. My birth mother and father will be there, along with almost all of my siblings. Can't wait!!! She has Mr. Right as her fiance and they're PERFECT for each other!!! I'll be sure to share lotsa pics with everyone!


I look forward to the opportunity I have also to spend time with my adopted family. LOL they have so many kids that each year we do a Secret Santa for them and we choose a name and buy a gift for one sibling. They're amazing-- It's gonna be fun =D I also get to see my DEAR SWEET TWIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNNNNN!!!!!!!!!!!!11 .. -11 LOL. YEEEAAAAAHHHH!!! :D




WELL, THAT'S WHAT'S GOOD! Have a VeRy MeRrY ChRiStMaS EvErYoNe!!!!! Spread some cheer this holiday season!!! ;)

I'm Dreaming of a Whiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiite post-Thanksgiving!!!!!!

Yeesh, what a crazy but fun week I've had!

Thanksgiving was a blast- I drove to Cali with my 2 brothers and a cousin to spend the holiday with my adopted family. I got to visit many members of my biological family also, which was awesome. Thanksgiving was AMAZING and I have MY FAMILY as the #1 thing I'm grateful for. I'm sooo grateful to have been adopted and to be a Lauritzen! I'm going on 3 months now, but it seems like it's been an eternity with them already and I hope it ends up as one. I got to decorate the table by myself- my Mom was super tired and overwhelmed the night before so I snuck into the dining room after she went to bed and stayed up until 1am decorating and cleaning the place :) I'm glad I finally have somewhere to go and people to visit for the holidays that I can call my own family, people who are interested in my well-being and who sacrificed so much just to call themselves my family. I had sooooooo much fun visiting my Twin Sister, seeing family and friends, playing with 16 kids and consuming a week's worth of calories..

We all talk about things we're grateful for during Thanksgiving, but Thanksgiving's over now so let's get real. Today has been a very ungrateful day for me. Don't get me wrong, everyone and their moms know that I am Miss Grateful when it comes to life but today just hasn't been my day!!

Lemme start off by saying that I'm in Utah.. here's where the *understanding spot* in everyone's hearts may swell a bit, hopefully.. Yep, I just got back to Utah (safely) last night from my Thanksgiving vacation. I woke up this morning and got ready for Church and the minute I went outside I was like WHOAAAFALIPATHUHH!!!!!!

It was snowing outside!!! Not just light snow, like the kind we hope to someday see on Christmas day, but HUGE HEAPS of it was falling from the sky!!! Nonstop!!!

Luckily I was wearing cowboy boots, and as I trodged (I don't even know if that's even a word) through what seemed like almost a foot of snow covering my lawn, I finally found my car. Literally, there was soo much snow, I couldn't tell the difference between what was the street and what was the curb. It was awful.

..So I scraped off all the snow from my windows and mirrors (with my bare fingers and a Styrofoam plate because I'm from California and no one tells me where to get snow scrapers from..) and finally get inside my car and head to Church. About 2 blocks away from my house, my car swerves to the right and gets stuck in a giant pile of snow and won't move AT ALL. I was like, ughhhhh this can't get any worse!!! No matter how I tried to accelerate, my car would not go anywhere! I thought of taking a snow day from Church but realized that it wouldn't benefit me in any way so I finally gave my accelerator a good long shove and gunned it and finally was in the street again.

I made it safely to Church at the end of the first meeting, had a great day, and here's what made me ungrateful-- As I was leaving Church, I again attempted to shovel the thick snow off my windshield, mirrors and windows (again using an old plate and my bare fingers) and finally got the car started. As I was driving, I noticed some strange skid marks in the street and wondered why 2 cars had decided to park their cars in a bush with their trunks halfway in the street. I know it was cold outside, but it looked dangerous to park there! The drivers were talking amongst themselves and I was like, hah, what a bunch of gimps.. and no sooner had I pulled out, my car started veering left STRAIGHT TOWARDS THEIRS!!! I had no idea what to do-- my breaks weren't working and my car was just **sliding** their direction! I had to make a quick decision and ram my car into the same pile of snow and bushes that theirs were in. That's when I realized that the other 2 cars there had swerved and crashed, and were just as unfortunate as I was..

Here's the worse part- My car had stopped about 3 feet away from rolling down a hill and into oncoming traffic!!! As I put my car in park and tried to calm myself down and catch my breath and stop shaking, I heard people screaming and BAM!!! Another car slammed right into my tail.

It was then that I had many ungrateful thoughts come to mind. Thoughts like *I HATE UTAH* and *I HATE SNOW* and *I WANNA GO BACK TO CALIFORNIA* Some people came by and asked if I needed to borrow their cell phone and I thought, who would I even call?? I don't have too many close friends in Utah, at least not that I can call if I ever got in an accident, and my only family is in California!! So I did what the typical California girl does and I called my attorney. (Apparently he wasn't reliable on the weekends, ugh..) So I called my dad and inquired of his expertise opinion.

Although this all happened so fast and I didn't see any of it coming, here's what I learned that I should have been grateful for:

-I was safe and didn't get hurt (luckily no one did)

-My car only had a few scratches on it and no major damage was done, but the other cars were bent and busted up

-I made it home safely afterwards despite the continuous harsh weather conditions

-I DO have a family who loves and cares about me, and I know that they pray for me and my safety each night and that's probably the main reason I was okay

Maybe this accident was meant to happen. Maybe I was meant to have been involved in these so I can have experience driving in the snow and so I will know what precautions I should take to keep safe in this weather. Maybe I was meant to have a few dings on my car so I wouldn't be so prideful and laugh at other peoples' cars and how bad they looked. Maybe I was meant to go through this so I can practice using and trusting my judgement, just in case if something worse may come in the future- and I'll be more prepared next time.

I'm glad that I learned how to drive slowly and safely so I don't not only threaten my own life, but the lives of others around me. It's not fair for me to say that I am ungrateful for ANYTHING I've been through in my life because the good has always come in the end and I know that it always will come- and for that knowledge, for those experiences, for my very life, I am grateful.

Gloomy Day today.. but no reason not to SMILE!!! :-)

Halloween was Awesome!!! I got Lots of candy the popular way: by Trick-or-Treating. :) Hey, all the kids are doing it these days and chya know, it was free..

I never thought I'd be saying this- but I LOVE MONDAYS!!!! Why, you may ask? Well, unlike most "normal" people who make unconscious decisions to slave away in a cubicle or in a classroom fulla smelly college kids with glazed looks in their eyes, all hyped up on diet Coke and Jolly Ranchers from last night's hoppin' party.... I've decided to take Mondays off everything- off work, off school, off life so I can catch up with my personal life. Kinda like Missionaries and their P-days.

On Mondays, I get to sleep in, run errands, grocery shop, exercise, take a dance class, FHE with friends, catch up on all the homework I've procrastinated, study for tests, paint my nails, draw, enjoy the snow while eating candy & skipping merrily down the street, run back inside because it's flippin' Freezing outside, run back outside because I dropped my candy on the floor, run back inside and determine how many seconds the candy was on the floor to see how sick I'll get if I ate it, run back outside to examine the Exact location the candy landed to see if any bugs or dirt was there also, run BACK inside because it's freezing outside still, run a personal cost/benefit analysis on myself to consider the effects if I did eat this highly-coveted piece of sugary goodness, eat the candy, run outside and barf, run inside and watch the barf freeze onto the pavement, run to a Doctor's office....

Just kidding. Hahaha..

Right now I'm staying productive and warm. It snowed outside earlier then rained and all the snow's gone. I'm a little worried because I've heard that it's awful trying to drive in rain/snow and that I need to get certain types of tires to accommodate my driving.. I have a dance class to go to at 7 that I hope I can learn how to glide from and not my car.

It's getting a little better- the whole "seperation" process. I talk to Karri all the time via Skype, text messaging, Facebook and phone calls. We also send pictures back and forth all the time. I miss her a lot, but I've learned from my own analogy of homework- no matter how much you kick and scream and throw a tantrum over it being hard, boring, dumb, not challenging enough or lame, it's still due the next day. Similarly, no matter what I do, she's still in California. I trust that she's doing well out there and I imagine that she trusts that I'm doing well out here. One more month and I'll go to California during Christmas break and go see her and the rest of the family. I can't wait for that day- but there's no point in moping around or being depressed because eventually, the time will come. I have to remain positive while I'm out here. The good will come- it always does.

Thanks for following and feel free to share this with friends and family!!! I need more followers in order to set a good example for MANY people ;) Take care everyone!!!

Fantastic Fall

*Gasping for breath* Hi everyone! Corri here! I'm.. *gasp again* outta breath because.. *inhale, exhale* I was running around barefoot outside.. in excitement and joy because I SEE SNOW!!!! =D


...REAL snow!!! Not the fake clods of bubbly gick they heave through the air at all the upscale shopping malls in Los Angeles! =D This is sooooooooo exciting!!! I ran like a bloodhound after pork to the front door, flung it open and BEHOLD!!!! ...It just looked like rain cuz it was dark outside. Well I don't wanna bore you so I'll tell you what really happened..


I felt it and I caught a few snowballs on my hand and felt the burrrrrnnn!!!! Then I proceeded to scream a loud squeal of delight to make the neighbors aware of my discovery. And THENNN, (I'm not done) I skipped merrily and lolligagged around my front yard and jumped from the porch to the driveway *getting lots of air* with my mouth wide open in hopes that I'd catch a few of these magically scrumptious clumps of sweet cream dreampuffs in my mouth!!! My neighbors may have seemed unresponsive at this special moment in my life where I experienced REAL SNOW, or they may not have shown any interest in my amazement and astonishment, but deep down inside, I bet a happy tear fell out of each of their eyes as they recalled their very first sight of REAL SNOW.. :)


LOL okay so all that didn't really happen the way I put it.. I didn't mention the part where I licked my car windows to see if my tongue would freeze and get stuck to it..(oh wait, I wouldn't do that!! That's why! Silly me..)




It's sooooooooooo weird to see snow-- in OCTOBER!!! When I think of snow I usually think of Christmas! and presents! .. and spending Winter break with family and friends!!! Not the fact that it's not even Halloween yet and I'm walking to school in 35 flippin' degree weather, not having ANY warm clothes that I dare wear in this wet damp weather.. shivering to my very soul, wishing that I was under California sunshine.. I was only dreaming of a white Christmas..


I need to practice a little more responsibility here.. this morning I woke up to find that I had a MIDTERM today that I had not studied AT ALL for... Oh mannn I didn't know what to do- what Do you do in that situation? Especially when you realize you have no time whatsoever to even study for it!! Luckily, I have a twin sister who IS responsible (no she didn't fly up here in a plane and take the test for me.. wouldda been nice though.. ahemm) and I remembered her intelligent words:


"Do your own homework!!!"


uh, not those words..



"That sweater looks better on me!!!"



Hmmm, not that either..

"You stole my face!!!"

Errrr not quite...

Hmmm what did she say? Must've been important.. Hm, oh well.. Have a nice day followers! Bye!!!!

Oh wait I remember now!!!!

Karri told me that she had used an online website called quizlet.com that allowed her to create online flashcards and quizzes and fun games that helped her study for and pass SO MANY tests! Without a moment to lose, I quickly signed up for the (free) website and BAM! I went to class feelin' like a total Super Star!!! I'm positive I ACED that test! Thanks Karri.. uh, I mean Corri.. after all, you stole MY face. :)

Happy Halloween everyone!!!!!

I LOVE MY LIFE!!!!!

This one will be short but I just wanna say that I'm on Fall Break for school and it's already Friday and even though I haven't gone out and went skydiving like I had planned, I went on 2 dates, ran around in circles, helped a bunch of people out anonymously, went to the Temple and the Family History Center and found a few names of my ancestors, skipped with a guy in a Wal-Mart, rolled down a 50 foot hill TWICE, tipped a nice waiter TWICE AS MUCH as my food cost, rode a horse and carriage through the city, ETC!!!! I'm having a lot of fun out here. I miss my friends and family in California and I really wish I could share the joys of life with them out here!!!

Hey, where ya going? I'm not done yet..

I HAVE AN AWESOME FAMILY, great friends, a fun job, (I won't mention school but I'm GLAD that it's paid for and I'll try to work harder on it) a place to live, an Amazing church to go to, and a pink digital camera now!!!!

I've also been informed by many people that I am their Role Model and that they look up to me. Followers, Fans, Family and Friends- I WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN. =)

I will be posting videos about My Wonderful Young Life here because it's just as fun as writing!!!



I just wanna say that Life is GREAT and I am BLESSED!!!! =D


HERE'S A LINK TO MY SECOND VIDEO IN CASE IT DOESN'T SHOW UP:

"Corri's Adventures in Temple Square!"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1SEl5H8hwLw&feature=youtube_gdata

57 days on my own now.. How am I you ask??

Hmmm.. Lemme think. I'm sitting at home at 2am, wide awake, eating leftover brownies (They're actually Really good). I probably should be sleeping right now but I'm not tired. It may be because of the sugar overload, it may be much more than that. Like, stress.. or anxiety.. My stomach is grumbling..

A bunch of people just left my house. We had a movie night and I made lots of treats. It was nice.. I like my friends and roommates here a lot. They're simply- Amazing.

I should feel EXTREMELY upset, sad, and heart broken at this same time right now because of a recent experience that I had- I fell a victim to internet fraud. I work online doing promoting. I made a lot of new friends along the way, especially this one guy who I became good friends with but never met him. Eventually I found out that he "didn't exist." It was a fraud. It was a guy going around making TONS of online profiles, a fake family, false pictures-- living a lie basically. I had no idea. Everything about him was believable and sounded so true and he seemed like an Amazing person- but I found out that it was an online solicitor, and could have been very dangerous. People asked me why the heck I am soooo nice and caring and naive? And why do I let people take my kindness for weakness and use me? And how, after I've been cheated so many times, why don't I put up walls and block everyone and everything that comes in sight and just completely shut down??

Earlier today I had a serious conversation with one of my roommates earlier and she asked me why I am always so happy, and how do I deal with stress and emotions; and howcome I never cry.

Its true that I'm not a cryer. No, seriously. I just don't. I don't get mad, I don't cry, I don't get angry. It's not my "persona" if that makes any sense. I actually forgot how to. It's kinda strange..

Growing up in foster care, I was always reprimanded for crying. The foster parents and older foster siblings would tell me that "Crying does not take the pain away" and that "It won't make your parents come back and get you." Unfortunately I believed them. I did not like how people acted when I saw them angry and so I decided to completely shut away those two emotions and for years, I've never found any valid reasons to display those feelings. It doesn't seem like much, but since then, I've created ways of taking out my emotions on "things" rather than people. At a very young age I learned that expressing emotions like fear, anger, sadness, etc. is pointless. Later on in life as I avoided most negative emotional expressions, I somehow forgot how to. I realized that everyone has a right to be mad or upset, but never to be cruel.

What I would do was write. I would write in my journal, online, in books or on my computer. I would write poetry expressing how I felt; I would write songs, short stories and letters to people that were never sent. It always made me feel better knowing that all of my frustration was taken out on a piece of paper or a document that can then be hid, torn or someday made public. If you type in my name on helium.com you can find a few poems and stories that I wrote about random people and things.. They may seem recently added but trust me, I wrote most of them lonnnnnnnnng ago when I was a scrawny little kid in the "system."

I also drew. I would draw pictures that were very symbolic and store them away from the world's eyes. I would sometimes be so upset that I would stay awake overnight trying to finish collages that I was drawing. I would always draw with a black pen on white paper and all my frustration was again taken out on something.

My old therapist saw some of the pictures and the poems and she was very impressed. She told me that it was "natural" for humans to display emotions, but it was a good and healthy idea for me personally to handle them the way I do. This may not be the smartest idea of taking out emotions, but it worked for me. Everyone who sees me knows that I'm generally a happy person. I'm very genuine and honest and I have absolutely NO ill intent. I do not desire to be a bad or a mean person at all. I love people and I love making new friends. I think that maybe more of us should try this-- to ensure that no one else gets hurt along the way or from seeing our bad reactions.

-I hate seeing children suffer because they have angry parents who can't express their frustration without yelling at each other or hurting someone.
-I hate when I see people laughing at other people or hating them just because of the clothing they're wearing, or their accents, or the color of their skin.
-I hate when I see people lying, or cheating, or stealing, or cursing, or talking bad about someone.

These things are simply "mean" and no one likes to get hurt, no one likes to feel bad, no one likes to cry. As humans, we all like being happy. We all like smiling. We all like feeling accepted and loved. THAT'S what I want to share with others. THAT'S what I want people around me to feel- happiness, joy, acceptance- no matter what they look like or what they do or how they act. I've experienced both acceptance and rejection and I prefer acceptance.

It's not like I haven't learned from this experience though- I have. I am a lot more cautious and aware when I talk to people that I'm not familiar with, but I never have and never will ignore or reject an opportunity that I have to be a friend or serve someone. I don't care that they do the same with me, I don't care that I do not get paid to do good works- I only care that others are taken care of because we are all children of God- brothers and sisters, and we all have similar needs.

Followers, take this time, take any opportunity that comes to be a friend and help someone out. It may not mean a lot to you, or you may not feel that it means a lot to them, but it does. The entire world could change for good by one person's small act of kindness. Trust me, it passes on, it's exchanged, it's given and taken each day. If we all simply "cared" about others as we care about ourselves, there would be no room in the world for loneliness, sadness, anger or hatred. I honestly believe that one smile could bring about world peace.

Here's a video that I put together of our reunion when Karri came last weekend. If it doesn't show up, here's the link to it on youtube:

http://www.youtube.com/user/calicorricutie1#p/a/u/0/7jRArhZ_gBM

Enjoy!