Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Why can't we be friends?
Chunky peanut butter or smooth peanut butter? The two types of peanut butter seem to be bitter rivals. Like BYU and U of U, it seems like you can't like either one, unless you are a weirdo. I'm one of those weirdos who enjoys both chunky and smooth peanut butter. Both have delicious peanutty benefits, and it doesn't seem like either has a negative side to it. You get your nice "crunch" from the peanut butter, and the nice smooth feeling from the smooth. Why everybody can't enjoy both styles is beyond me. Every time I mention that I enjoy both styles, I get very odd looks back. Nobody enjoys both! Peanut butter is peanut butter, it doesn't matter the texture of the peanut butter. Stop arguing! Just enjoy the sweet peanutty taste of peanut butter!
Saturday, September 18, 2010
I like college
I'm starting to enjoy college now. Here is a list of my favorite things. (In no particular order)
1. Playing a piano with four broken keys
2. Losing 6 pounds in four weeks
3. Playing spoons until 2 in the morning
4. Playing ward volleyball with 20 teammates
5. Pita Pit
6. 4 games of bowling for $5.00
7. Having my roommate disappear for a week
8. Getting drenched with foam
9. Having my name appear on a fridge for no apparent reason
10. Taking 9 tests in 2 weeks
11. Tripping on every staircase I walk on
12. The football practice horn
13. Leaving the football game at halftime, then finding out that the game went into 4 overtimes, and Weber in fact won the game.
14. Seeing my bowling teacher at the football game without a shirt
15. Watching 5 seasons of the office in two weeks
16. Forgetting my ID, and running back to my dorm room to get it so I can get into a class
17. Having one of my coworkers leaving work early because he was too hungover
18. Leaving my ID at pizza factory
19. Remember the Titans
20. Discovering that Oreos are dark brown, not black.
1. Playing a piano with four broken keys
2. Losing 6 pounds in four weeks
3. Playing spoons until 2 in the morning
4. Playing ward volleyball with 20 teammates
5. Pita Pit
6. 4 games of bowling for $5.00
7. Having my roommate disappear for a week
8. Getting drenched with foam
9. Having my name appear on a fridge for no apparent reason
10. Taking 9 tests in 2 weeks
11. Tripping on every staircase I walk on
12. The football practice horn
13. Leaving the football game at halftime, then finding out that the game went into 4 overtimes, and Weber in fact won the game.
14. Seeing my bowling teacher at the football game without a shirt
15. Watching 5 seasons of the office in two weeks
16. Forgetting my ID, and running back to my dorm room to get it so I can get into a class
17. Having one of my coworkers leaving work early because he was too hungover
18. Leaving my ID at pizza factory
19. Remember the Titans
20. Discovering that Oreos are dark brown, not black.
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
History of Music
So i haven't blogged in quite a while.... ha sorry. Anyway I wrote this Essay about my own personal music history. Hope everyone enjoys it!
My first memory of being exposed to music was ten years and 36 days ago. On my 8th birthday my sweet mother introduced me to the beauty of the piano through formal piano lessons. Very rapidly in my studies of the piano I was introduced to wondrous and beauty melodies of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Ludwig van Beethoven. While I was learning basic musical theory and classical style music on the piano, my mother once again introduced me to music coupled with words, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. Although I did receive many queer looks from my schoolmates when I informed them that my favorite music was classical, I was very proud of my musical tastes. The combination of classical music and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir served as a base to my favorite musical styles for years to come.
After my 8th birthday, the only music I can recall listening to (other than piano music I was playing and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir) was in the movies that I watched. I quickly developed a taste for musical scores from movies. In fact, the first song I ever purchased was a song from the movie “Pirates of the Caribbean”, and I still enjoy musical scores today. Through grade school and seventh grade I participated in the band programs as a percussionist to stay involved with orchestra type music. I even won a student of the year award, and from that award I was able to obtain an acoustic guitar. I quickly set to work teaching myself the rhythms of the acoustic guitar, and I still have a small knowledge of that instrument today. By 8th grade I was able to play the piano, the acoustic guitar, snare drums, bass drums, vibraphone, xylophone, and many more percussion instruments fluently.
When I entered 8th grade, I quickly found my musical selection changing. Because of my background in piano, acoustic guitar, and percussion, I was drawn to music that had primarily those three instruments. In time I found my favorite artists: The Fray, Jack Johnson, and Jon Schmidt. All three have piano, guitar, or percussion as the main instrument portrayed. While I do enjoy other types of music; the more piano, acoustic guitar, or percussion a song has in the song, the more drawn I am to enjoy it. My background with these three instruments helps me relate to the song better.
Music to me is a way to serve. A wise man once told me, “May you have the sense of using your talent as a means of bringing beauty and joy into the lives of others.”I believe that music is a way to uplift and make people feel good. I strive to use the music that I play to serve people. I consider myself a musician, and as such I make music quite often. While I love playing music, I still love to listen to other artists as a consumer. Listening to other artists as a consumer helps me also as a musician. It helps me imagine new music puzzle pieces that I put together when I create my own music.
I enrolled in Music 1010 hoping that it would be an introductory course on musical theory. I was sorely disappointed on my first day of music 1010. I took the class because of the fine arts credit offered, but I stay because of the fascinating information I learn about my own craft. From learning the history of music, I can provide a more melodic future for music.
My first memory of being exposed to music was ten years and 36 days ago. On my 8th birthday my sweet mother introduced me to the beauty of the piano through formal piano lessons. Very rapidly in my studies of the piano I was introduced to wondrous and beauty melodies of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Ludwig van Beethoven. While I was learning basic musical theory and classical style music on the piano, my mother once again introduced me to music coupled with words, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. Although I did receive many queer looks from my schoolmates when I informed them that my favorite music was classical, I was very proud of my musical tastes. The combination of classical music and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir served as a base to my favorite musical styles for years to come.
After my 8th birthday, the only music I can recall listening to (other than piano music I was playing and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir) was in the movies that I watched. I quickly developed a taste for musical scores from movies. In fact, the first song I ever purchased was a song from the movie “Pirates of the Caribbean”, and I still enjoy musical scores today. Through grade school and seventh grade I participated in the band programs as a percussionist to stay involved with orchestra type music. I even won a student of the year award, and from that award I was able to obtain an acoustic guitar. I quickly set to work teaching myself the rhythms of the acoustic guitar, and I still have a small knowledge of that instrument today. By 8th grade I was able to play the piano, the acoustic guitar, snare drums, bass drums, vibraphone, xylophone, and many more percussion instruments fluently.
When I entered 8th grade, I quickly found my musical selection changing. Because of my background in piano, acoustic guitar, and percussion, I was drawn to music that had primarily those three instruments. In time I found my favorite artists: The Fray, Jack Johnson, and Jon Schmidt. All three have piano, guitar, or percussion as the main instrument portrayed. While I do enjoy other types of music; the more piano, acoustic guitar, or percussion a song has in the song, the more drawn I am to enjoy it. My background with these three instruments helps me relate to the song better.
Music to me is a way to serve. A wise man once told me, “May you have the sense of using your talent as a means of bringing beauty and joy into the lives of others.”I believe that music is a way to uplift and make people feel good. I strive to use the music that I play to serve people. I consider myself a musician, and as such I make music quite often. While I love playing music, I still love to listen to other artists as a consumer. Listening to other artists as a consumer helps me also as a musician. It helps me imagine new music puzzle pieces that I put together when I create my own music.
I enrolled in Music 1010 hoping that it would be an introductory course on musical theory. I was sorely disappointed on my first day of music 1010. I took the class because of the fine arts credit offered, but I stay because of the fascinating information I learn about my own craft. From learning the history of music, I can provide a more melodic future for music.
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
college
The first three days of living on my own have been hard. I've never experienced homesickness before, but I do now. It seems like I can't concentrate in my classes, nor can I make any friends, because I seem so down and depressed. Added upon my homesickness is my desire to know what I want to be when I grow up. I get nervous every time I ponder about it. I switched my major from athletic training to general education, which cost me almost 300 more dollars extra in book fees because the Weber State bookstore won't give me a refund on my athletic training books, because I took the plastic off the books. Added upon all of that is my lack of a job and friends. searching for a part time job in our current economy is frustrating to say the least. the only way that I can get through college is to find a job to support myself. It's been a lonely three days for me. My dorm room is the worst prison cell on the face of the planet. It seems like a weightlifter had dropped a dozen 700 pound weights on my back, and I have to carry those around from class to class. I'm so scared, and there is only one piece of knowledge that will help me get through this: My knowledge of my savior's atonement. My elder brother, Jesus Christ, suffered the agonies of Gethsemane so that I can return to live to my Heavenly Father again. In the third chapter of Mosiah, seventh verse, we read, "And lo, he shall suffer temptations, and pain of body, hunger, thirst, and fatigue, even more than man can suffer, except it be unto death; for behold, blood cometh from every pore, so great shall be his anguish for the wickedness and the abominations of his people." Christ knows exactly how I feel right now. He suffered for it in the Atonement. I'll never be alone with His atonement in mind, and that goes for everyone. He knows what you have experienced, and He is anxious to help you.
I also found words of comfort in section 121 in the Doctrine and Covenants. Verse 7 and 8 read, "My son, peace be unto thy soul: thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment; And then, if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high; thou shalt triumph over all thy foes." Later in the section it speaks of Job, the "perfect" man from the book of Job. We all know of his trials, he lost everything he had, and then lost even more. I am not yet as Job, so I guess I should stop complaining. I'll get through this. I know I will. Pray for me!
I also found words of comfort in section 121 in the Doctrine and Covenants. Verse 7 and 8 read, "My son, peace be unto thy soul: thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment; And then, if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high; thou shalt triumph over all thy foes." Later in the section it speaks of Job, the "perfect" man from the book of Job. We all know of his trials, he lost everything he had, and then lost even more. I am not yet as Job, so I guess I should stop complaining. I'll get through this. I know I will. Pray for me!
Friday, August 20, 2010
Last Day
Today is my last full day in Provo. It is my last day living in the place I've called home for 18 days. It is the last day I have the security of my home surrounding me. It is the last day that I will sleep in a comfortable queen sized bed, before moving to a less comfortable dorm sized bed. Needless to say I'm a bit nervous to set out on my own. I think the nervousness cancels out my excitement. I guess that's part of growing up though right?
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Family Vaction
Today I got home from my family vacation from Island Park. We left Sunday after my ordination as an Elder, then arrived at my aunt and uncle's house four hours later. we spent the night there, then woke up at 6:30 the following morning. Me, my sister, and my cousin saddled up her horses and helped my uncle round up his cattle. We spent all morning riding horses and rounding up cattle to send to a feeding farm so our fellow Americans can enjoy the privilege of eating meat. After our adventure as cowboys and cowgirls we began driving to the cabin we would stay in for three days. On the way we stopped at Mesa Falls.
After our brief intervention at Mesa Falls, we arrived at our cabin and hour later. Our first night consisted of board games, movies, and food. After our first night in very comfortable beds, we left to go to Yellowstone National Park. It was my fist time going there in almost 10 years. We drove around for hours, visiting various geysers, and watching the geysers spurt water swiftly out of the ground. Then almost immediately as the boiling water reacted with the air, it turned into steam. We even got to watch "old faithful" exploded with a very large geyser. In fact the largest in North America.
After our encounter with Old Faithful we drove another two hours, passing the most beautiful tress and lakes. When you looked at the lake, you couldn't tell when the lake ended and the sky begun. The sky and the mountains were reflected off the water, making the most beautiful image in the lake. On our two hour drive to the upper and lower falls we faced a herd of bison. They decided to ignore the masses of honking cars and walk into the road, backing up traffic for miles.
We finally made it past the bison and proceed to view the upper and lower falls of Yellowstone park. The upper waterfall was a swirling flurry of water, rushing down a 100 foot drop. The lower waterfall was comparable to my favorite waterfall, havasu falls in the grand canyon. The lower fall was at least double the height of its upper counterpart and at least double the ferocity and beauty.
After our visit to the two falls our trip to Yellowstone was over. We survived the herd of bison and the 5/8 of a mile hike to both the falls. we survived at least 6 hours in the car going only 10 miles an hour most of the time. Yellowstone is a beautiful place.
We drove back to our homely cabin and played more board games, then promptly went to sleep. Our eyelids were struggling to stay open after our third game of 1-100. We awoke this morning and drove home! That was my 2010 family vacation.
After our brief intervention at Mesa Falls, we arrived at our cabin and hour later. Our first night consisted of board games, movies, and food. After our first night in very comfortable beds, we left to go to Yellowstone National Park. It was my fist time going there in almost 10 years. We drove around for hours, visiting various geysers, and watching the geysers spurt water swiftly out of the ground. Then almost immediately as the boiling water reacted with the air, it turned into steam. We even got to watch "old faithful" exploded with a very large geyser. In fact the largest in North America.
After our encounter with Old Faithful we drove another two hours, passing the most beautiful tress and lakes. When you looked at the lake, you couldn't tell when the lake ended and the sky begun. The sky and the mountains were reflected off the water, making the most beautiful image in the lake. On our two hour drive to the upper and lower falls we faced a herd of bison. They decided to ignore the masses of honking cars and walk into the road, backing up traffic for miles.
We finally made it past the bison and proceed to view the upper and lower falls of Yellowstone park. The upper waterfall was a swirling flurry of water, rushing down a 100 foot drop. The lower waterfall was comparable to my favorite waterfall, havasu falls in the grand canyon. The lower fall was at least double the height of its upper counterpart and at least double the ferocity and beauty.
After our visit to the two falls our trip to Yellowstone was over. We survived the herd of bison and the 5/8 of a mile hike to both the falls. we survived at least 6 hours in the car going only 10 miles an hour most of the time. Yellowstone is a beautiful place.
We drove back to our homely cabin and played more board games, then promptly went to sleep. Our eyelids were struggling to stay open after our third game of 1-100. We awoke this morning and drove home! That was my 2010 family vacation.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)