No work No posts

So turns out when I'm not at work I don't think about blogging... And I didn't work the past week because I got to go back to Dallas this past weekend.
It was wonderful!
Now if it wasn't for the many many people that I know and love there now I don't know why Dallas would be a vacation destination. Although sitting by the pool in 80 degree weather the end of March was pretty freaking fantastic. However come May when they are hitting the high nineties and it doesn't get cool till like November... not as appealing.
I got to witness two beautiful 8 year old children get baptized on Saturday. They are from two separate families that I taught while serving in Heath, TX. The parents were baptized last year and now here, these two children are getting to be raised in the Gospel with all the blessing attached. I was so happy for them and I realized how truly eternal this gospel is and how everything we are asked to do is truly for our eternal good and progress. It's truly beautiful. I was so honored to be there.
It was a very short trip but a great weekend seeing family... Because now it really is a second home.

p.s. just in case you ever have to fly in or out of Denver... Turbulence is crazy. I have been on a plane a fare amount of times and never have I let out a yell of fear while being in turbulence. Most of the cabin joined me, we then proceeded to laugh at ourselves.

No room for southern manners in the west...

So after living in TX for some time I picked up just a few phrases that have become every day conversation. There are some I refuse to use. Fixin...as in 'I'm fixin to go the the store.' Why do you need to fix anything? And even though I throw a 'y'all' in there every once in awhile, you'll never hear me say 'all y'all' isn't that why your saying y'all. To imply that you're referring to everyone?
However I did like everyone saying 'yes ma'am and yes sir.' I don't know when I started saying it out there but it's stuck. I say it all the time. Even to people younger than me. I don't mean it to imply I think you're an old man or woman. It's just now what goes along with yes when I answer a question. I guess females aren't offended by this because they haven't said anything. But yesterday after church this mid-twenties single male asked me a question and I, through habit responded, "yes, sir." He said, "Okay. And don't ever call me sir again." I was a bit taken back. I don't mean to offend at all. But for some reason he didn't like it. I said, "Sorry, it's a Texas thing. It just comes out." The same thing happened about a month and a half ago. I was asked a question at rehearsal and I replied "yes, sir" to a 50 something male and he said "thank you and don't ever call me sir again."
Both instances I've just been in shock. Thinking, "I'm trying to be polite. I'm sorry you don't like that."
So one day when you ask me a question and I reply with a 'yes, ma'am' or 'yes, sir' please know that I mean to only show you respect, not imply that you're old.

Naah. . .

So yesterday I reflected on how often I say to myself, "Naahh, I'll just do this." Here is a simple example of the benefits of giving in.
So I had made plans to spend time at the temple yesterday after work. When I got to the temple I noticed that the wait time for the initiatory ordinance was non-existent. I thought this was weird and the thought came to mind to go and participate in that. I then proceeded to argue with myself all the way to the lockers. I thought "No, I have time today I should do an endowment session." 'No, go do initiatories.' "No I should do this[endowment] today, although it would be nice to get home sooner. But should that be my motivation? No, I'll do an endowment." 'You could do initiatories and be home sooner.' . . . This was the conversation with myself. This is not the first time I find myself debating within myself. I've learned far too many times that I always regret not listening to those thoughts placed in my head. So I picked up my bag closed the locker and walked over to the initiatories.
So once I got all settled I started thinking "okay so what great thing am I going to get out of this? Some new insight or some revelation about myself? An answer to prayers maybe?" I was very excited. Well, none of those things happened. I still was uplifted and very happy upon leaving but I didn't feel there was any significance to me participating in that ordinance yesterday.
I arrived home and my dad said, "We're going out to dinner with Annie and Kelley, do you want to come?" I accepted and asked when we'd be leaving, he said 5 minutes. The night merely consisted of going to training table and making sure my niece was provided for and entertained. The night was not all together life changing but there was a moment that I will never forget, something I had not experienced yet.
My niece was going 'potty' and after she was done her mom told her that we were all going to dinner. She ran out in her pink sheer princess skirt without putting her pants back on. So with bare bum and pink skirt my almost 2 and 1/2 year old niece runs out of the bathroom yelling, 'Cami!' and leaps into my arms and gives me a big hug! Then her mom advised her to get her pants on. So she ran into her room got her pants and ran back to me with pants in hand once again jumping into my arms smiling from ear to ear. A tender mercy if I've ever seen one. That right there was good enough reason for me to stop arguing with myself and listen.
Why do I do this? I've thought about this many times but I realized this morning that it's hard for me to change my mind and go about doing something when I don't know why I'm doing it or what the outcome will be. So basically two things are interfering with my obedience to these kind whisperings. First my pride, me thinking that my plan is better, and second, my faith not being strong enough to just move forward not knowing why. I remember teaching someone once who was looking for a big booming voice to come out of the heavens and proclaim truth to him. He realized quickly that if it was a big booming voice how much easier it would be do act. There would be no reason for faith. We would never question.
So I suppose the questioning is okay for me to do... I just need to work on telling myself to shut up and go with that first impression. Because at the other end, there might be a little two year old just dying to see you.

Wisdom from the Elderly

So this story I'm about to share happened months ago but has now become one of my favorite memories of my grandfather.
We were visiting him as a family for his 85th birthday. Near the end of the visit his wife, asked me if I was dating anyone? And if there were any cute boys in my life. I replied with the usual response. "Nope. Boys don't ask me out on dates." * My grandfather then looks at me and asks, "Well, are you wearing dirty makeup?"
This is the moment I guffawed with laughter. Here this 85 year old man asking his granddaughter if she wears dirty makeup, implying that would get her more dates! Now the first reaction when I tell this story is people ask, "What is dirty makeup?" Well people I don't really know. But I'm assuming we can put along the lines of trashy makeup. He's 85 for goodness sake he doesn't know our lingo.
I told my grandpa that I would always remember he said that. While laughing he said, "please, please don't remember that."
Now my mom will ask me before I leave to a social event, "Do you have your dirty makeup on?" Apparently ladies that's all we need to do.

*disclaimer: this statement was not included to induce sympathy. Just stating the facts of the conversation.

Sitting

So the other day as I was driving home from work and I thought to myself . . ."where are we all going?" I know that I am headed home so that I can lie down before I have to leave again. But what about everyone else? Are we all just racing home from a job where we just sat for 8 hours in front of a computer to get home and sit down on the couch? I merely found it comical how we are so quick to get places just to sit down again. I mean aren't we sitting in our cars too! 
I realize now this take further reflection. Come to think of it why do we sit so much? Who invented the chair? Was this person a genius or someone that has molded us into a species that can't stand for long periods of time? Is it a way to confine us to a space for an allotted amount of time? I think it's time for an alternative. I've seen people sit on those exercise balls instead of chairs. Supposed to be good for your back, or your abs, or your butt or something. Maybe we should all look into kneeling! Or just raise our desks to waist height. Then we could stand all day! Now that would make sense to race home on the freeways so we'd be able to sit down! 
Hmmm... not sure I'll ever be able to get to the bottom of this. Perhaps I'll sit on it for awhile.

My Friend Jen...

Do you have a friend that without fail will say something that shocks you every time you see them?
I do. . . Her name is Jen.

Do you have a friend that had a childhood crush on Harold Ramis, aka Egon from Ghostbusters?
I do. . . Her name is Jen.

Do you have a friend that knows all of the 'best' places around town?
I do. . . Her name is Jen.

Do you have a friend that can teach you all about 'the big doll house?'
I do. . . Her name is Jen.

Do you have a friend that is an expert on Buffy the Vampire Slayer?
I do. . . Her name is Jen.

Do you have a friend that is writing the Best New Musical of the Year? To include the new hit song, "Horse Bra?"
I do. . . Her name is Jen.

Do you have a friend that in spite of feeling inadequate will step up, work hard and prove to 100's of people that she can do something she'd never done before.
I do. . . Her name is Jen.

Do you have a friend that is exceptional at showing others how much she loves and cares about them?
I do. . . Her name is Jen.

Patience...

"Patience is the capacity to endure delay, trouble, opposition, or suffering without becoming angry, frustrated, or anxious."(PMG pg. 120) This brief description of patience changed my life.
How many times do you hear, 'I'm praying for patience.' Well don't do that! Because then you'll be put in a situation that causes you to use it!! I've been thinking a lot about how my patience is being tested. It was for sure tested on the mission...many times. But in real life every day we are faced with opportunities to enlarge our capacity to have more patience.
I was looking over this definition again the other day and I recognized that I've gotten a lot better at not getting angry in a lot of situations. Not all. But I realized I'm still way behind on the frustration and anxious side of using my patience. While serving I found a good trick to help with patience, was to recognize those times I felt, angry, frustrated or anxious and then simply remind myself to not feel that way. To not fuel those natural feelings. It was like a miracle! I found that the more I asked the Lord to help me recognize the moments I was feeling angry, frustrated or anxious, the more I remembered to use patience. This inevitably enlarges that capacity mentioned above, that helps us to endure delay, trouble, opposition, and suffering.
So now that I realize that I'm not doing so good on the frustrating and anxious front, I'm going to be careful on how I pray for help in those areas.
Like someone said ... "patience is a virtue."

Be of good cheer...

So for my job I have down time between phone calls. Immediatly I'm welcomed by msnbc and their coverage of the tsunami in Japan. I like my job being able to keep me up to date on news and what's goind on. But I'm afraid it causes a greater sense of reality for me. Last month Christchurch, New Zealand suffered a large earthquake. There story written on a college student and how she was able to text her family just after it happened. The story had her text conversation to her month. Asking for help and expressing fear. Her family lived in Africa, and her last text asked them to hurray. She was not recovered.
Then today I was watching footage of the huge wave of water spiling into cities of Japan and I saw a car driving on a highway to get away from the wave that was bounding towards them.
Not only does my heart go out to all those effected but I was very effected by these two instances. I put myself in both those situations. Suffocating to death, alone, while texting my mom. And watching as a wave of water destroys my home town and coming at me, possiby sweeping me up any minute. The fear would be overwhelming.
I thought, 'what would I be able to hold onto so as  not panic and remain calm? The only thing that came to mind were the words of our Savior, 'Be of good cheer and do not fear, for I the Lord am with you..."(Doc.&Cov. 68:6) as well as in the book of Joshua the lord repeats to the prophet,  "only be strong and of a good courage."

Reasons why 'Hairspray' is so good.

NO I'm not about to argue why 'Hairspray' is a wonderful musical, but more so explain why our production at Centerpoint Legacy Theatre is so good. These are just a few things you probably wont see if you come... But trust me they make the show what it is!
At the beginning of the night we begin with hair and makeup. This consists of a time of ratting ones hair to inexplicable heights and dancing in our pre-costume clothing to anything but Justin Beiber and Coldplay. Discussion on what happened on Glee, and The Real Housewives of what not and more television shows I know nothing about, this continues until someone says something like 'My grandpa was a Nazi.' this then draws our attention away from the current topic.
We then all convene in the 'green room,' no it's not green. If you're lucky you'll get to hear things like 'Father, help us to blow the audiences minds tonight with our singing and dancing.' during a prayer.
Then I walk my fellow council girl to our hiding places during 'Good Morning Baltimore' where we continue to perform our own choreography and make faces at fellow actors, on our platforms that could fall over at any moment with too much movement.
Then the moment comes when we are revealed to the audience in all our glory. Little do you know, that all we are thinking about is how not to fall off and break our leg! But we sure do look cute!
If anyone has any ideas on how one can comment on a butterfly pin that moves, I'm stuck on 'I really like your butterfly pin.' or 'I hate your butterfly pin.' I've used both for the same scene. Don't worry this wont be heard by the audience, just two other council girls.
At the conclusion of the first act we freeze mid action, I go as fast as I can offstage to avoid freezing awkwardly on stage. Sometimes, Velma and I make it....Sometimes she doesn't. That's when I persist in rejoicing off stage with her watching in hatred. Usually we do a victory dance though. She's usually quite fast.
Intermission= Ugly dance dance off.
Big Doll House= Favorite scene of the night. Don't worry not only have I almost fallen off the bench, I've also sang part of the soloist's line, tripped of the set piece, and gotten hit in the face by a fellow council girl. Again I'm open for any ideas on what the definition of a 'Hardy Harr Hutt' could be. Again this will not be heard by the audience. So far we've gotten, skin factory, tanning salon, hot dog vendor, saloon....anything to break a fellow actor will do.
Prior to the number 'Hairspray' if you were back stage you would get to see the council kids hold hands and in a line serpentine their way to their places off stage. Where we then jump through the splits in the curtains so as not to be seen by the audience.
Those are just a few things you probably wouldn't get to enjoy if you came to show. . . But I reassure you that they all impact the awesomeness that is 'Hairspray' at Centerpoint Legacy Theatre.