Wild Wednesday

I just have to make it through the day and then I will be happy. I will still have lots of homework and lots to study for, but I won't have everything due in one day (four papers, two research projects and two midterms...all today). I just have to get through all of it and then some (my plan is to get a head in homework tonight) and then I can relax a bit (only a bit) tomorrow!

Love should not be conditional...

I have had it. I am taking a stand. Yes, this is a ranting blog, but I am so sick of such close-minded people. Yes, I do believe in God and that His love IS unconditional. I am also a liberal-minded person, or as some people might say, a democrat (I am more toward the independent party but a good chunk of what I believe falls into the Democrat category). Yes, my best friend (one of them) is gay. Next person that tells me that I am going to hell because I am associating myself with homosexual people is going to get socked in the face...hard. Last time I checked, Christ walked among sinners. He never judged anyone. So, why are we all judging.

I had someone tell me that righteous judging meant disassociating myself from "those gay people." I have decided not to judge anyone. I have a tendency to trust people whom I probably shouldn't trust and forgive them after they have hurt me. Why? Because that is exactly what God would do. Are we not trying to become like God? So, why are so many Christians going after homosexual people who are seeking equality? You want to know what I believe? Are you sure? Okay, I don't care who marries who aslong as they are willing to abide by all laws. We have more important matters to worry about such as child and human trafficking. Why don't we show love to them? Oh, wait. Because we are so wrapped up in deciding who is allowed to marry who and so on. Why don't we take care of the drug issues, or trafficking? Why don't we focus more on our failing economy and less on why gay marriage is or is not okay.

I truly believe the entire world is sick and broken and needs to be healed. There are two BIG factors that I think will help...love and forgiveness for ourselves and others. That's it. That is what I believe will heal this world. Love includes respect. You don't have to like someone, just respect them and agree to disagree. I had a professor that told me, if we didn't choose to disagree, no one would research problems. No one would get informed about political and religious matters. I am not anti-religion. I am just wondering, why must love be conditional? Because of the fact that I believe in so much more, in love and kindness, in forgiveness, I believe the world can be saved.

So, I don't care what you believe, just believe in love. I have seen it work wonders for people when I do something so simple as show love and kindness. I don't care if you don't believe the same things I do, just know that I love you! My love could never be conditional...

What We All Have Been Waiting For!

Fall season is officially here! Today was the second to last parade for my kids but the next parade is a joke so we are not worried about it and it is all the way in September). Now, this week, the kids are getting part of their show and then have two weeks of camp (phew). I just have to make through these next few weeks. Not only do I have every possible assignment due Wednesday, I have to get some fall contracts out, generate the calendars for the colorguard, order shoes and uniforms, take round-up to the back yard at the new house, get through my dance history timeline, generate a rough draft for my long research paper and still have some "me" time in there.

I have decided to include a fun little video involving my students. Their show was titled "In My Arms" with music by Plumb. The video below is the techno version. Take note that I am the one that says "you may now take the floor" and Lindsay is the one yelling "Exhibition!!" After which Lindsay and I could not stop laughing at how hilarious these kids are:




I love these kids. They are crazy and make me laugh!

I Don't Want It to End

Here I am on a Monday morning still happily sitting in my Grandfather's computer room, occasionally looking out the window and remember that I am a Northwest girl looking for the rain and overcast skies and having nostallgic moments. I remember our family trips consisted of driving three hours to Bellevue, Washington to visit the family or the have "cousin camp" for two weeks prior to school starting. Then, everybody grew up and got busy. I sit here and decided, I don't want it to end. I would rather stay here for a long time. I would even be  willing to take care of my grandparents if it meant I could stay. But school and work loom over me and I must return to my students before anyone has a mental breakdown. The next four weeks will be some of the busiest weeks I have known. I will need to get my room at the new house painted by August 17th (since that is when I have to be out of my apartment), have a guard camp and band camp in two weeks (back-to-back), complete finals the week of band camp, take care of all the copyright issues for fall and winter, finish the handbook and website for colorguard, get the media programing for the Springville High School marching band set up, homework, possibly find a second job, AND help around the house. I will be one busy girl for a while.

I love being here in Washington. I don't want to leave, I don't want this trip to end, and I don't want to go. Even the times when I sit and listen to everyone talk, I just feel relaxed. I feel that everything I knew about this place is going to change. I sure hope everyone is happy and healthy for a little while longer. I want to come to everything I knew at least one more time and stay longer than just the weekend.

I don't want any of it to end.

It's not the critic that counts...

"It is not the critic that counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, and comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at best knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement. And at worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat."
-President Theodore Roosevelt
Paris 1910

Discussions of Marching Band Staff

I am exhausted. I had a blast on Wednesday watching eight drum corps go head-to-head. I lost my voice half way through just from the excitement and screaming in support! It was such a great time. I loved hearing all the marching band and colorguard students say "whoa" during very visually appealing parts of drum corp shows!! On the way home from Salt Lake City, the band teacher, Ms. Teot (or Jamie) and I had a talk about the upcoming fall season. The band this year is doing a show titled "Pure Imagination." (yes are using the pure imagination song from the older Willy Wonka movie)! We both found out that we have the same feelings. We both truly believe that the kids will reluctantly trust us (the staff) during band camp. We have decided that we will sit them down that first day and tell them that they will be pushed far outside their comfort zone, but we will be holding their hands while it happens. Most of the band will learn VERY basic dance moves to enhance their visual performance. All four of us staff members know we will be stressed out and have a tough road a head of us while we get the kids to trust what we teach and do what we say. Jamie and I feel that this fall is going to be the "recruitment period" as well as the "building" time for the kids. We know the first few performances will be rough. However, my colorguard girls already have the first 40 seconds of their show AND over the next few rehearsals will be getting more and more of their show until the two weeks of camp. Then they will be in overdrive when we give them their whole show the first week and out drill to it the second week (can you guess which staff members will be tuckered out once band camp ends?). There will be so much interaction and visual stuff happening, we, the marching band staff, anticipate high marks in their visual and general effect scores. Plus, the percussion are sounding sharper and sharper every rehearsal. We all predict they will average 5th place (out of 14) the first few competitions and then start the slow climb to top three! I want the colorguard in top three as well. The next few rehearsals and the first week of camp will be spend pounding out technique (they are going to be tired...poor kids) and getting them to at least have the basics of the full week of band camp. That way I can spend the next month of rehearsals after that pounding technique and getting everything to look sharp! Camps start August 1st.

After the bus ride, we kept talking. We noted that last year the kids didn't start to peak until the BYU competition in the middle of the season. If they do that this year and push through the stretch of "close together" shows (they have 5 shows in two weeks and then state four days after that stretch) then they will come out in the top five at state (the staff wants top 3 but we will see how they do as the season progresses). All of the staff and parent volunteers think it can be done. I am hoping. Oh August please be fast.

The only down side to having two weeks worth of camp is the amount of work I will be doing. I will be doing camp with the girls and then going home to do homework. it will be the final weeks of summer block and, looking at my schedule, the toughest in terms of homework. I will have three research papers, a philosophy paper, a library assignment, reading assignment, midterm revisions, journal assignments, and a timeline assignment due (phew!). In fact if I posted a picture of my to do and homework list right now, people would wonder if I ever slept. The answer is not anymore but we will get into that later. Until next time, adios!