Bodies Museum!

Well, this weekend has been quite eventful! Friday morning I went in to work at my mentoring job and administer a test to the class. I was up in one of the little foyers that lead into the Snow Recital Hall; as I sat up there and person after person came through, I started to feel a little dizzy. I thought it might have to do with me constantly having to turn around, so I thought nothing of it. As the next few people came in, it slowly got worse to the point that I couldn't even stand up. I sat down and I could feel the heat in my body rise and I started to sweat profusely. A few of the students asked if I was okay, but I continually responded that I would be fine. I started feeling nauseous every time I drank water; but finally the test was done and I was having a hard time sitting up straight. Sister Blake, the teacher I mentor for, came in and was trying to help me out. But, because I didn't know what was wrong, I couldn't even help myself. I was going to try to stick it out for the day and continue to go to work and my classes. I called my friend, Nykele, and she came over and helped me walk to my next class.

As I sat through that class, I knew that it was a bad idea for me to stay. I couldn't look at the teacher due to her spinning around along with the room, I couldn't focus, and it was just all-around bad! I ended up going home instead of pushing myself through the day (which I'm convinced would have put me in a worse state than I was currently in). I called my Dad to see what he thought it was; we came to a few conclusions, but he told me that the best thing I could do was to take the time to relax and let my body heal and calm down. I guess "relax" in my book means to watch operas and sleep, because that's exactly what I did! I watched "The Magic Flute" by Mozart and "La Boheme" by Puccini! Then, I slept for a few hours in between! I also watched bits and pieces of "Die Walkure" by Wagner, but I couldn't finish the entire thing because it was so thick I didn't even know what to do with myself! But, I spent the rest of the day sleeping and relaxing a bit.

Yesterday was quite eventful as well. I went in to work (which I didn't have to) from about 8:30-10:50am so I could get some things ready for an activity that was happening that day. I was still feeling a little dizzy, but not nearly as badly as I was the day prior. I finished up that work and went in to a practice for the Student Composer's Society. A young man, by the name of Alex, arranged "Because I Have Been Given Much" and "Love at Home" and some of the Collegiate Singers and I have the wonderful privilege to sing it in a few weeks! It's an awesome arrangement! And after that practice I went on a date to the Body Museum in Idaho Falls! First of all, it was absolutely amazing! Second of all, I'm really glad that I wasn't feeling quite so nauseous this day because it totally would have set me off! But it was a lot of fun to go through and look at what our bodies really look like! I mean, you see things in text books and you see models and such . . . but these were real bodies! Absolutely amazing!!!!!

After I got home from the Bodies Museum I went to a Collegiate Singers activity. We were at Porter Park and we ate food and played games. There was also a water fight that I don't think was planned . . . but I could be wrong! There were two little boys, that none of us knew, that were chasing after Jenna with water guns and trying to spray her! It was so funny! Well, a few of the other people got in on it too and it became a little water fight. At one point, Adam and somebody else were fighting over the water gun (at least trying to get it away from each other) and I felt like playing. So, I saw that I had a combro filled with water and a small drinking cup. I decided that I would fill the cup up and get Adam (because I believe Nykele was the one trying to get the gun away from Adam). So, I did just that and I got Adam incredibly well! However, he got the gun back and I got a little wet ha ha! It was funny! Then last night, my roommate, AJ, and I went to Little Caesar's and Twizlberry and had a nice little chat. We then came home and watched the last little bit of "Phantom of the Opera" and a little bit of "Labyrinth". I'm excited to see what happens today . . . I might start a miniature water fight, but who knows! =)

Schubert, Schumann, and Verdi

Goodness, this week has been absolutely amazing! I can't tell you how tired I am, but it's a "good" tired! I didn't really get a good rest last weekend due to performances, homework, etc. This past week was really busy as well. Part of my job included mapping out the inventory . . . and I finished! At least with rooms 203 and 215! I'm so excited, and the map looks good too!

Not only that, but I had my listening test for Music Lit. II yesterday. I was so nervous about it . . . but I got 23/24! The test consists of Sister McNiven (my teacher) playing a 30 second clip of a song/symphony/lieder (German art song) and we would have to say the title of the piece, the composer, and the genre (lieder, lieder cycle, symphony, program symphony, etc.) The last time I took a test like this, I didn't do very well! But this one went incredibly well! I just mixed up one of the String Quartets and put Beethoven instead of Mendelssohn. I was so excited, 95%!!!!

On Wednesday, I went to a faculty recital; they sang nothing but Verdi songs!! It was AWESOME!!!! The "cast" consisted of Sister Michelle Broadbent, Sister Melissa Fife (I really don't know her that well if at all), Sister Katelynd Blake, Brother David Peck, Brother Andrew Peck (my voice teacher), and Brother Linford! It was such a cool presentation! It definitely made me fall in love with Verdi even more! His music is absolutely amazing! It was cool to listen to the men's roles verses the women's roles. The women had more virtuosity in their voices and the men's didn't have as much. It was cool! Verdi wrote the women's roles so that they would be going into almost all of their registers. They would go from their head to whistle down to chest voice! It was so cool . . . I want to do a Verdi piece!!!! I am pretty sure that I don't have that kind of voice . . . but I'd like to do one nonetheless.

This week is going to be awesome! It's currently 12:21 in the afternoon and I am done with homework for today through Friday!! I'm really excited!! The only thing I'm going to have to do is a group project (tomorrow evening), and then practice!! I'm so excited!!!

"How Will They Know?"

Yesterday we had devotional and it was incredible. The Collegiate Singers sang the song "How Will They Know" and it was beautiful! I could feel the spirit so strongly as we sang! Brother Kempton, at the beginning of the song, changed the words from "Mother . . . Father" to "Teacher". Every time I sang this, I would kind of direct it toward him. He didn't know that, nor did I ever tell him. Yesterday, during the presentation in devotional, I sang the line "Teacher, will you care for me?" and his smile broadened and and he nodded at me. I felt an overwhelming sense of love from him at that moment, and also from my Heavenly Father. I loved it!

Today we had our first choir concert! A-MAY-ZING!!!! We sang :"Revecy"; "Neckerein" (spelling?); "How Will They Know?"; "Ave Verum Corpus"; "Peace"; "Blow Ye The Trumpet"; and "Saints Bound for Heaven". It was absolutely exhilarating! I just love music, I'm pretty sure it's the greatest thing since sliced bread! I had the opportunity to tell my friend, Eli, about the experience I had a few weeks ago with the young lady in my ward. Eli was a little taken aback about the things she had said to me and I continued to tell him that it was all okay. When I finished my story I, for some odd reason, bore my testimony to him about music. I told him about how I was a mentor for Basic Musicianship and how excited I get when people get it! I also realized that I don't think I ever fully understood how much I love music, until now--this semester! I am so grateful for music and the influence it is in my life! I love everything about it, when it's used correctly! I can't even put into words how much I love everything right now!

Something I didn't tell Eli, but I wish I had, was that a lot of this had to do with him! All because of his faith in me and his support I continued in music. I think I've told him before, but it really is true. I've officially been accepted as a music major, and I couldn't have done it without his, or any of my other friends' support! Tomorrow evening, I have the opportunity to sing in a recital. I'm incredibly nervous . . . but I'm also incredibly excited about sharing my talent and developing it more.

Decisions, decisions . . .

This past weekend was a blast! It was a three day weekend, but I went home a day earlier. I went home Thursday evening for a funeral Friday morning. It was a beautiful funeral; somebody referred to it as a "home coming"! I thought that that was the coolest thought ever! For most people, it's the end when someone leaves this world; but just to have that reminder that he's home now was so comforting. I absolutely loved it!

The rest of the weekend was pretty chill! I got to spend a lot of time with my sister-in-law, Nini, and it was great. Dairy Keen got these incredible new machines with 106 different drink options! Crazy? Absolutely! But they sure are spiffy! We also played this game, as a family, called "Boggle". It's a spelling/word game; you shake up this cube with a lot of random letters in it. Then, from that you try to find as many words as you can within a certain amount of time. Nini destroyed all of us! But I feel that I did fairly well; I wasn't doing well at first . . . then I started getting a hold of the game. It was a blast!

I also had the opportunity to see a few of my friends at Dairy Keen; Matt and Michael Clegg. I didn't know that Michael was home . . . but he is! He made our ice cream cones I believe; at least he was out when we went up to get them. I spoke with him for several minutes, it was a lot of fun! Later, I was sitting with Ben and Anna at a booth and I saw Matt come out and look around for somebody. I wanted to go over and say hello, but I didn't because I was sure he was looking for Kim or Jan. He went back into the back and then came back out, still looking for someone. We made eye contact and he enthusiastically waved to me! I waved back and he walked away. Apparently, Deborah had told Matt and Michael that I was there; so they came out and said hello. It was awesome!

Sunday was quite enjoyable as well! I went and sang with my family wards' choir. We sang "A Marvelous Work", it was quite fun! I was sight reading the alto part, but I feel that I did fairly well with that. Then I went over to the singles' ward and that was quite fun as well. After Sunday school my friend Jenny and I spoke for several minutes. I saw Devin walking around behind Jenny quite aimlessly. Then he came over and he put his arm around me. I was slightly taken aback because, well, he'd never done that before. We exchanged hello's and he proceeded to ask "Did I ever thank you for the hymn book you gave me before my mission?" I told him that I couldn't remember (after all, it had been about two and half years ago). He continued, "Well, I wanted to thank you for it. I used it every day on my mission! It's all yellow and marked up . . . so, thank you." I was truly touched! It was so exciting to me to hear that he used it. I remember when I gave it to him, I pictured him chucking it onto his bed and leaving it in Utah whilst he was in Argentina. But he used it! Not only that, but he marked it up!!!! Oh my goodness, the power of music is awesome! I love it!

So, I've made a huge decision . . . despite that fact that I really want to, I'm not going to stay in the fall. I didn't account for how burned-out I would feel after this semester. I'm so tired and slightly stress (although I feel better now). I got a blessing from my dad while I was home this weekend. I was feeling very stressed, overwhelmed, and slightly frustrated (okay, the frustrated part is an understatement). In the blessing, I was told that the decision I was trying to make was a decision between two "good's". Both of the decisions (to stay in the fall or to go home) were good decisions. I really just needed to choose what would be best for me. Because of how important next semester will be (it'll be my pre-recital semester) I will need to have as much energy as possible, and I am already feeling burned-out.  It isn't a huge deal, but it is something that I've been thinking and praying about a lot; and I feel good about this decision. I'm grateful that I was able to feel the spirit strongly comfort me when I made this decision. I truly feel a peace about it that I hadn't before! Life is good! =)