Halfway through May

Well, shoot. I can’t believe I let three weeks go by without posting a new blog. There have certainly been some major events I need to document. Let’s get to ’em starting with…

Church!

My ward got divided on April 22^nd. The transition has been a bit of a challenge. Very close friends of mine were moved into a new ward. Luckily we still meet in the same building every Sunday (their ward meets at 12, my ward meets at 1:30) and we get to see each other here and there. The part I love most about the ward division is the continued unity I’ve seen over the past three weeks. There is no hard and fast line boundary line dividing us – we meander in and out of each other’s activities, classes and meetings. It seems we’d rather attend extra hours of church to be together than let our friendships fade. Last night my ward was still playing volleyball for Family Home Evening when the other ward’s FHE had already wrapped. It was awesome to see a bunch of my friends in the other ward hop into the back of my friend’s truck to talk and watch the rest of the game. Everyone just seemed so happy. I hope they are as happy as I am despite all the recent shake-ups.

Friends!

April had a few more bombshells up its sleeve. I was greatly relieved to see that my friends Chloe and Romy barely made the ward boundary cut. The only catch was that Chloe was already in the process of moving to South P-town. Sneaky, sneaky! She only lives 15 minutes away but life just isn’t the same without seeing her every Sunday at church. (Seriously, though, I have learned to support my friends in their desires for bigger and better things. There’s no time to feel sorry for myself when I have so many people to cheer on.) On top of that I heard the great news that my friend Malcolm will be taking an internship in DC this fall semester. He’ll likely leave town the week after my friend Romy gets married and moves to San Jose. Again, I’m happy for my friends but this is a lot of transition! If all that weren’t enough I was already looking down the barrel at my friend Eva’s imminent move to DC. (She left P-town this morning.) That’s right folks, the next stop on the P-town train is Washington, D.C.! Thank goodness my friend Jane already lives there. Now I’ll have three reasons to visit.

Cleaning!

The great P-town Exodus of 2012 is well underway. My roommate, Lola, moved out on April 30^th and headed to Atlanta for a quick school break before taking a summer internship in New York City. In anticipation of my new roommate moving in I grabbed my spring cleaning goal by the horns and spent the first week of May getting rid of “half the stuff in my apartment.” (Well, it was probably only 20% but it certainly felt like 50%.) I spent 2-3 hours each night searching for and destroying clutter. I combed over every closet, drawer, shelf and cabinet I have. I took at least six full garbage bags down to the dumpster and two garbage bags full of recycling in to work (we have a recycling program at work but not at my apartment complex). I gave away a ton of clothes to my friends and I took and entire carload of stuff to Deseret Industries. When my floors were finally clear of all of the piles of discarded items I ran around in circles just for the fun of it. As a special reward to myself I got my car detailed and felt more spic and span than ever.

Cycling!

The strangest thing that happened during my cleaning craze was my sudden urge to pull my bike out for a quick spin. (The first one of the year!) Let’s remember that when I bought my bicycle last July I was completely terrified to ride it. I spent the remainder of the summer trying to convince myself I could ride it without crashing needlessly. I had a goal of riding it once a week and somehow at the end of the summer that goal got away from me. Before I knew it the temperatures dropped and I was concerned my hands would be too cold to properly operate the brakes. (I didn’t want to spend additional money on winter riding gear since the whole bike experience had been so touch-and-go from the beginning.) As winter passed and my bike stayed in storage I worried about forgetting all of the technique I had picked up during last year's practice rides. How would I ever have the guts to get on the bike after an eight month hiatus? Lo and behold I pulled the bike out of my storage shed, got set, got ready, and went! Sure, I only went in a circle through the parking lot, onto the road, and back to my storage unit but STILL – it was easy and it was fun. The revelation that riding a bike really is “like riding a bike” has echoed in my head during my dread-free rides since then.

In summary…

My ward changed, a lot of my friends are moving, I got rid of my stuff like I said I would, I have a new roommate, and I’m back on my bike. (I’m even planning to ride my bike to work this week.) Although change can be traumatizing I hope to embrace every last transition gracefully. May is already halfway over and there’s no telling what surprises are still in store. I just hope they’re good ones!

Oh, hey, what's that I hear? Scarlett and Parley are engaged? Sounds like this is going to be a great summer!

I Dream of Africa

Late on the night of my 10th birthday party only a few of my friends were still awake. Everyone was wrapped up in sleeping bags on the living room floor. We decided to put in a movie my mom and I had rented earlier that evening. It was called "A Far Off Place" and it starred Reese Witherspoon (Nonnie) and Ethan Embry (Harry). The two main characters were forced to flee Nonnie's home after poachers murdered her parents and Harry's father. Left with few viable options Nonnie's bushman friend, Xhabbo, encouraged them to cross the Kalahari Desert and seek refuge in the nearest city 1,200 miles away. When Nonnie asked Xhabbo why he would propose such a risky escape he replied, "Wind can do it, we can do it." 


The trio's journey was so fascinating I had no trouble staying awake. It was well after midnight when the movie ended and my dream of seeing Africa began. Of course back in those days I thought Africa only consisted of deserts and tribesmen. In the years since my view has expanded thanks to a steady diet of movies and television. I am well aware that there is much more to Africa than what I see on-screen. That is why it's time I go see it for myself!


I was perusing airfare three weeks ago and I realized that fall flights to South Africa were only $200 more than flights to Brazil. The wheels in my mind started turning and I told my parents and a few other people I wanted to go to Cape Town for a week. While they were all supportive they insisted I go with someone. The overall message? "Cape Town is dangerous." Before I knew it my mom was volunteering to come along on one condition, "If I go to Africa I'm going on safari!" Thus my budget-friendly one-week trip has now turned into piggy bank-busting 13-day dream vacation. (Yeah, I like hyphens.)


Last night my mom and I tried to finalize our safari game lodge reservation but we had a moment of panic when we noticed a very limited selection of Delta flights. My mom called Delta and after an hour (or more) on the phone we ended up booking our flights. Our itineraries are almost identical (we'll be leaving from two different states) and as long as our flights don't get completely changed we're going to be in great shape. We'll spend six nights and five days in Cape Town before flying to a small airport near Kruger National Park. We'll stay at the game reserve (photo credit above) for three nights and spend almost four whole days there. We plan to drive from Kruger National Park to Johannesburg for our return flights but we're going take our time and stay in an off-the-beaten-path countryside inn along the way. We are pretty excited!


We still have a lot of planning to do. In my free time I want to spend time reading books and watching movies based in Africa. If you have any suggestions please let me know!


1. A Far Off Place (1993)


I already took the liberty of re-watching this movie and guess what? It's still great! I noticed in the opening credits that the film is based on two books by Sir Laurens Van Der Post: "A Story Like the Wind" and "A Far Off Place." I already bought the first one and I plan to read both of them before the trip.


2. Catch a Fire (2006)


I saw this movie when it was in theaters and I remember thinking, "I'm never going to South Africa." Well, times have changed and I want to see if my perception of this movie has as well. 


3. Hotel Rwanda (2004)


One of my college professors constantly talked about a former student from Rwanda. She had survived the genocide portrayed in this film and he encouraged us all to see it. For the longest time I assumed this was a bloody war movie but when I watched it I was very moved by true human stories portrayed.


4. Long Way Down (2007) 


After watching Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman's amazing 20,000 mile motorcycle journey from England to New York City (heading EAST) in "Long Way Round" my friends and I were very anxious to track down "Long Way Down." Ewan and Charley rode from Scotland to Cape Town and I think this was my very first glimpse of Cape Town. 





Their journey through Africa was amazing. It's definitely time to track down another copy!


5. Invictus (2009)


I've seen this movie twice but now that a trip to Robben Island might be in my future I'll definitely have see it again. I remember loving Chester's character and thinking Matt Damon did really well with is accent. I think things will make more sense after I study the Apartheid era.


Now for the list of new stuff...


6. The Gods Must Be Crazy (1980)
This movie looks pretty darn funny. I saw a clip of it in college in 2003 and I remember I wanted to see the rest.


7. Born Free (1966)

This one popped up on my radar thanks to "Mad Men." I hope it's something along the lines of Christian the Lion.





8. Out of Africa (1985)

Meryl Streep and Robert Redford? Sign me up!


9. The African Queen (1951)

I believe 'The Philadelphia Story" is the only Katherine Hepburn movie I've ever seen unless you count "The Aviator." (Haha j/k I know that was actually Cate Blanchett.) The poster for "The African Queen" kind of reminds me of the Jungle Cruise at Disneyland - and that's a good thing!


10. Casablanca (1942)

Alright... are you ready for it? Get ready... I'VE NEVER SEEN CASABLANCA. (Or "Gone With the Wind," for that matter.) 


WHOA - Oh my gosh - I was just about to write, "I've never been opposed to seeing the movie. It's just that I've never had an opportunity-" and guess what happened?? My friend just texted me to say it's playing in a movie theater in 30 minutes! Holy hannah! It's playing at one time, in one theater, on one night only. I'm going to try to make it and as a result I don't have time to proof read this post or fix the crazy formatting. Sorry in advance!!

Photo Walk 4-4-12

 

 

 

 

Spring of Paring Down

Disclaimer: This post has nothing to do with cooking or how to shop for the perfect paring knife. Foodies be warned!

If I counted how many coats, t-shirts and shoes I have I would be ashamed to write the number here. If I added all of my purses, scarves and gloves you’d think I was joking. I have a habit of holding onto clothes and shoes in case (“What if? What if?!”) I need them in the future. I always dread the day I’ll search for an item in my closet and then woefully remember, “Oh yeah, I donated that last year.”

My closet is like a time capsule. I can recall where I bought almost every item and which ones were gifts. I remember how much of a discount I got and the significant events I wore them to. Giving away a shirt or a hoodie is like giving away a packet of memories. For the past few months I’ve had a “To donate” pile in my bathroom. It just sits there. Every once in a while I add to the pile. Occasionally I pull an item out for rescue.

Clothes and shoes are only the tip of the iceberg. For lack of better words I have a lot of “just about everything.” I have a ton of inexpensive jewelry (hello Forever 21!), lotion (a popular birthday gift), old birthday cards and playbills. My collection of nail polish is so extensive I can hardly close my bathroom drawer without routine reorganizations. The presence of three different curling irons in said drawer isn’t much help.

I also have a problem area in my living room which has been boiling over for a while. My collection of scrap fabric and ribbon for craft projects is out of control! It used to fit in a plastic drawer set but lately it has spread to a few additional baskets and boxes and every once in a while it escapes onto the kitchen counter. Naughty, naughty!

I decided on this “Spring of Paring Down” seasonal theme almost a month ago. I tackled my fabric drawers first and made this entire wreath using fabric I already had. Not a bad start, right?

Looking around my apartment I know there is more I can do. I need to cut down my leftover inventory from my out-of-commission Etsy shop. I absolutely have to turn my old clothes and shoes in to Deseret Industries. I need to paste all of my souvenir tickets into my long-abandoned scrap book. Literally I want to get rid of half the stuff in my apartment. I am going to use the month of April to tackle all of this and then I’m going to spend May and June maintaining the new-found sanity.

In short Phase One will involve attacking these problem areas:

A. Closet: Pull every item out of my closet which I haven’t worn for one year. Say goodbye.

B. Bathroom drawers: Chuck all old nail polishes. Get rid of superfluous items.

C. Desk: Collect all tickets and other sentimental scraps. Slap them into scrapbook.

D. Fabric drawers & Etsy inventory: Organize all remaining fabric and ribbon. Re-open Etsy shop and sell everything at a deep discount.

E. Basement storage area: Remove all unused furniture/decoration items. Give them away.

Phase Two (read: maintenance) will test my resolve but I think if I make it all the way to June without re-cluttering my life then I can probably make it the rest of the year. If I can make it the rest of the year then maybe I can make it the rest of my life. Well, the rest of my “single” life at least.

If this doesn’t count as “paring down” I don’t know what does. I am already excited to see the progress. Happy Spring Cleaning to all and to all a good night!

Consider the People Fostered

These are some pictures I took at last week's Summit. The band onstage is Foster the People.

Fire Dance

Burn up the winter
Watch it float away
Pile up the timber
Make it bright as day

Winter is gone, spring is here
Come to claim another year
For those who live for skies so clear
This weather draws a joyful cheer

Catch the snow before it falls
Keep an ember for your pocket
Heed the spring when it calls
Take a picture for your locket

Light up the night, chase the light
Put away winter's fright
Keep out the dark, run in the park
Search for the faces for a spark

Meet your match, face your foe
There is only one way to know
Who is wrong, who is is right
All is clear in the fire's light

The Mask

On Sunday morning I was driving the final stretch to church. I was running a few minutes later than I had hoped. As I impatiently followed behind three other vehicles ascending a hill my mind skipped ahead to the stoplight which would soon come into view. My eyes flicked to the clock on my dashboard as I estimated how long it would take to wait at the light and what time I would get to church. Someone on the sidewalk to my right caught my attention. At first I thought he was waving to the cars and then I realized something really odd was happening. This person was riding their bike down the hill wearing a mask, helmet and sunglasses and adamantly waving his middle finger at all of the drivers in sight.

I think my jaw might have dropped and I’m sure my eyes were incredulous. It only took a few seconds for the shock to turn to rage. Had I wanted to I would have time to swerve from the line of traffic and make a beeline for the sidewalk. I would have surely sacrificed my front tires but I could have scared the crap out of the bird-flipping cyclist. There were was only one problem: I had nothing to hide behind. Everyone would have seen what I did. Someone would have gotten a partial plate number and I could imagine the police tapping my shoulder during Sacrament Meeting, “Um, Miss, can we talk you? We noticed your wrecked RAV4 outside.” There was no guaranteed escape in the end but I think what made me furious was there was no provocation in the first place.

In all of three seconds I had gone from having a normal morning to contemplating attempted vehicular manslaughter. (My oh my how quickly things can change!) Luckily I stayed in line with the rest of the cars and stayed true to who I was. I wondered what on earth could have set off the cyclist as I seethed, “Cowards wear masks.” I looked up at the hill and thought it was ironic it was the same hill where Bridgett had been hit by a car in December. She had been coming down the hill on her bike on the other side of the road. Why did the masked bandit make it down safely when she could not? It didn’t seem fair.

The brief experience made for an interesting story at church. I told a few people about it but for the life of me I can’t remember who they were. I was ready to forget the whole thing when I sat down to watch the CES Fireside at 6 pm that night. Imagine my shock when Elder Quentin L. Cook said this six minutes into his talk, “There will be great pressure on each of you to act out of character - to even wear a mask and become someone who doesn’t really reflect who you are or who you want to be.”

You know that eerie feeling you get when you feel like someone has just read your mind? That was how I felt on Sunday! The timing was uncanny. “Mask” became the word of the day as I listened to Elder Cook say each of the following quotes:

“I do believe in our day when being anonymous is easier than ever that there are important principles involved in not wearing a mask and being true to the faith for which martyrs have perished.”

“One of your greatest protections against making bad choices is to not put on any mask of anonymity. If you ever find yourself wanting to do so please know that it is a serious sign of danger and one of the adversary’s tools to get to you to do something you should not do.”

“As you attempt to act your part and identify [Christlike] attributes you wish to develop you’ll want to list and study passages of scripture that teach about the attributes. Set goals and make plans to apply the attributes in your life and pray for the Lord to help you develop the attributes. In doing this you must not put on a mask and hide your true identity.”

“As you move towards marriage you must not wear any masks that hide inappropriate conduct that will be detrimental to you or your marriage.”

“Any use of the internet to bully, destroy reputation, or place a person in bad light is reprehensible. What we are seeing in society is that when people wear the mask of anonymity they are more likely to engage in this kind of conduct which is so destructive of civil discourse. It also violates the basic principles the Savior taught.”

“The righteous need not masks to hide their identity.”

“[I] pray that you will act well your part as you avoid wearing a mask, acting in accordance with your true identity, set appropriate goals and build the country and community where you live."

Pretty crazy, right? I was floored by the message and the immediate relevance it had to my experience that morning. I thought about all of the cheap shots anonymous commenters take at each other on one of my favorite news websites. I remembered Elder Bednar’s warning against becoming steeped in interactive computer games which offer the social crutch of an avatar. I wondered if there was ever a good reason to wear a mask.

I had just been listening to “The Phantom of the Opera” soundtrack the night before (another crazy coincidence) and I thought about his dependence on his mask. The Phantom wanted to be seen as a ghost. He had an immense gift for music but his naturally deformed face and the cruel treatment he received drove him underground. He set his sights on Christine Daaé and shepherded her to vocal stardom all the while scheming to keep her trapped with him forever. He had no qualms about murdering people who got in his way. While pleading for her fiancé’s life she was able to look the Phantom right in his unmasked eyes and kiss him. No one really knows her thought process (pure deception? a little bit of Stockholm Syndrome? true love?) but the Phantom found it in himself to let her go. Whether he destroyed himself moments later or lived the rest of his life in cloaked secrecy is unknown.

Contrasted with the timeless tale of Phantom of the Opera is the true story of Charla Nash. On February 16, 2009, Charla was attacked by her friend’s pet chimpanzee. She lost her hands, nose, lips and eyelids in the brutal mauling. Three years later she has undergone two hand transplants, a face transplant and countless other surgeries. Months ago I saw a picture of her on Oprah with a veiled hat. I was thrilled to read her latest update and see a recent video which gave me so much hope. Despite everything that’s happened she knows he has something to live for. I couldn’t be more grateful for the example she is setting for her 20-year-old daughter. She is absolutely one of my heroes.

In the end I’m very glad I didn’t act out of character (or illegally) when the mystery cyclist flipped me the bird on Sunday. He was probably just having a bad day. I’m very grateful for church leaders who constantly point me in the right direction and encourage me to reflect on the small things which would otherwise seem insignificant. Sunday’s fireside helped me see that my greatest heroes don’t need masks.