Reminders

Sometimes you just need a reminder. One of my old roommates posted this talk on Facebook the other day. I love Elder Holland. Well all the general authorities. But he can be so powerful.

While I was reading the talk I kept thinking back to something one of my other old roommates has told me many times through the past year. Doctrine and Covenants 45:62:

"For verily I say unto you, that great things await you."

I am applying to several different things right now for next fall. While I am excited for each potential opportunity, I am also scared out of my mind. And I keep wanting to back out and just stay with what I am comfortable in. But I can't do that. I know that the things I am doing are good and that I should be doing them.

That talk was a great reminder. Fear not.

Lessons From Roomies

I have decided that everyone needs to experience living with a variety of people. I know for some people it just works (and happens) to go from living with their family to living with their spouse. But I have had the chance to live with a variety of people and I think that if people have the opportunity to do that they should take it. I learned so much living with all my roommates in Provo.

I learned that no one likes other people's messes and you need to clean up after yourself.

A bowl of cereal at midnight is always a good idea.

Love someone and support them through their trials.

Sometimes, when you need to focus on something, it's ok to put your headphones in and pretend you are listening to music.

How to make really good homemade potatoe soup.

It's the little acts of service that mean the most.

Express your emotions. People feel the same way or have been in similar situations and can help.

Dancing in the kitchen isn't normal.

We all have our quirks, but those were the things I always loved most.

To all my former roomies: you guys are great. I miss you and love you all!

Acca-Believe It.

I love movies. I really do. I love to watch movies and I love to buy movies. And I love to go to the movies. Fortunately, my brother works at the theater so if we are ever not working at the same time (it has happened 3 times so far) we get to go enjoy some sibling bonding [but mainly] movie time. One of the movies we saw together was Pitch Perfect. Hilarious. So hilarious in fact that I paid to see it two additional times. And all three times were within the same week. I think I have the movie memorized.

Another movie I just saw that I would go see again is The Perks of Being a Wallflower. So. Good. I tear up in a lot of movies, but rarely do I have tears coming down my cheeks. There were tears on my cheeks during this one. This movie was funny and sad. You became friends with the characters, and just wanted to give Charlie a hug and shake him out of his awkwardness. But then Kaitlyn and I highly recommended it to our parents, telling them we both cried, and they came home saying it was just okay and questioning what part(s) we cried at. I'm going to say it's a generational thing. Or maybe not and if so, then they're heartless. Just kidding. A difference in taste? Or maybe who they saw it with? Cause believe it or not that makes a huge difference.

Anyways, the whole point of this post was going to be to vent my frustration on the rating system. And the fact that Hollywood feels the need to drop the F-bomb in movies, have nudity, sexual content, all that crap, when there is no need for it whatsoever. Most of the movies coming out in the next little bit that I want to see have the unfortunate rating of R. WHY?! Why has it become socially acceptable to be degrading, to promote immoral relationships, to use inappropriate language loosely and carelessly? It's so frustrating that the moral standard has become so low.

Now, I am not saying that all R movies are bad. I will admit that I have seen a couple where the reason that they were R was for reasons that are historically accurate/depict actual events. And with that I don't see a problem. People need to understand history and the world and not be coddled or protected from it. But some movies that are out or will be out soon that I would really like to see are R purely because the writer/director/producer decided to throw in some language and some nudity instead of leaving it out. And it frustrates me.

Right now the only two movies coming out anytime soon that I think I have interest in seeing are Wreck it Ralph and Les Miserables. Because everything else that has a trailer that appeals to me ends up with an R rating. Like Argo, Flight, and Gangster Squad to name a few.

And that's my rant for now. Stupid movies. But I still love them.

Sidenote: A movie I saw this summer that I just bought: Moonrise Kingdom. Go watch it. It's different but funny. And not obvious funny. Funny as in everyone in the movie takes themselves completely seriously but they do the most ridiculous things. And the placement of everyone in every scene and every movement is so deliberate. Wes Anderson is fantastic.

Morning Musings

I have officially joined the age of technology. Up till now, I have resisted Apple. I did not have any form of a smart phone, had my dell laptop from 3 years ago, and my iPod nano from 4 years ago. Well, I am officially the owner of an iPad. I am still pretty clueless to apps, do not understand Instagram, and #idontunderstandthis #itbugsthecrapoutofme. But not lugging my laptop back and forth to work everyday is fantastic.

Tomorrow I go to Utah. Hallelujah.

In case you didn't believe that I had a crazy schedule before, the stress of it resulted in shingles. A very mild case, but for about a week there it sucked. No worries though! It's all gone.

General Conference was this weekend and pretty exciting. I had to work during the first session though and when I got home my family told me the exciting news: boys can now serve missions at age 18 and girls at age 19. My response? I burst into tears and said, "That's so stupid!" Cause guess what? Wyatt can now put his papers in at anytime. And apparently I am not ready for him to leave yet.

I started training for a tough mudder about a week ago. And was sore for days. But that training is on hold for a little bit because I may be losing my race partner (see above).

And that is my life in a nutshell right now.

Tales of Work

Me: How old are you?

Dancer: 20!

Me: 20?! Are you sure? Are you 3?

Dancer: No! I'm 20!

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Dancer: I had a taco today!

Me: You did? Did your mom make it for you?

Dancer: No. I got it at McDonald's. We waited in the car and then I ate it.

Me: That sounds fun! What did you have for breakfast?

Dancer: I just had a taco!

Me: You didn't have breakfast?

Dancer: No! I had a taco!

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Me: How old are you?

Dancer: 3. My birthday's tomorrow!

Me: How old will you be tomorrow?

Dancer: 5!

Me: Will you be 4?

Dancer: 5!

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My dancers (ahem, my 3 year old dancers) can all be very insistent when they tell me things! But I love them and laugh every time I go to class with them. So really I started writing this post with the intention of telling the world about my day yesterday, but then wanted to include some funny conversations I had with my girls. So now the real story:

Having 4 jobs makes for a crazy schedule. Literally every single day is different. I don't even leave my house at the same time everyday (except Monday, Wednesday, Friday). So up to this point I have always checked my calendar for the day to make sure I know what time I need to be everywhere. Well, on Monday I knew I had to be at work in Phoenix in the morning (class then office hours) then a school in Mesa for an hour, then dance at Dance Element for 3 hours. 

In my head the whole day I was thinking I needed to end my office hours at 1:45 so I could be on the road by 2pm. Drive for about 45 minutes, teach an hour at the school, then drive 30 minutes and teach from 4-7pm at the studio. 

Have you noticed what I failed to notice? 

Those numbers don't add up right. Especially since I like to give myself an extra 15-20 minutes for each drive just in case something happens. Guess what time I was supposed to leave Phoenix? No later than 1pm. What time was I supposed to be at the school? By 2:10. When did I realize that? At 1:45pm. I had 25 minutes to make a 45 minute drive, change my clothes, and I wasn't even to my car yet. 

Oh. My. Gosh. 

My heart literally sank right to the ground. My worst nightmare was coming true. I panicked and took off at a run to my car (real professional like) and sped off. I called my boss to break the news. (Sidenote: For this job, we are an after school program. If we are late, I get charged $25 by the school. If we are more than like 20 minutes late meaning a no show we get charged a $100). Tender mercies. Let me tell you about them. Just for that particular Monday, I had an assistant that would be teaching with me. And she was already at the school. Also, my boss and her assistant were visiting my school as their first stop that day. Meaning they would cover for me. And my boss was so sweet and understanding about it.

I ran into the school only about 10 minutes late (tender mercy #3: no cops = no speeding ticket) still wearing my work pants with just my dance top thrown on. And I was super frazzled. But lesson learned. ALWAYS check my calendar. Even if I think I know my schedule.

Sidenote: I have 269 students. And I can name about 100 of them. Go me.

I heard it on the radio

I have recently started spending a lot of time in my car. About a minimum of 2 hours a day. Sometimes I am lucky and it is less. Like today! But time in the car = time listening to music (or a quick call to catch up with Utah friends, but they are typically busy with class when I am driving). When I was in Utah I always said that I missed listening to John Jay and Rich in the mornings (104.7) cause that's what I always listened to in the mornings in high school. And I never thought that I would say this, but they are kind of annoying. Like super irritating annoying. Especially John Jay. In all honesty, I feel like he belittles people and is just rude to others. Okay, sorry. Not my place to judge. But hard feelings going on there. Got it? I don't like listening to 104.7 anymore. So I switch between stations a lot. And I have recently discovered this song.

I love it. So now I just switch back and forth all the time between 102.5 and 107.9 and I usually hear it about twice a day. Today I decided that I just needed to buy it so I could listen to it forever. But, it is NOT. ON. iTUNES. What the heck?! What song isn't on itunes?? This song needs to get on there fast. Although, by the time it is I will probably already be hooked on some different song. Because, let's be honest, all good songs get overplayed and then you just can't take it anymore.

Oh well. For now I will love it and just keep flipping stations hoping to hear it.

Never Ever Breaking Up

Even if you aren't a fan of t-swift, you have probably heard her new song "we are never ever getting back together". Well, I was shown this little beauty today. It's awesome. Laugh out loud awesome. Pretty dang hilarious. Well worth the 4 minutes of your time to watch it.