Superwoman

My mom is Superwoman. Do you want to know why? Let me tell you a story.

One upon a time, about twenty-two years ago, there were two college students, a boy and a girl, and the girl was in about the same life position I’m in right now. She was an Elementary Education major at BYU. Then the boy came home from his mission, and they ran into each other in the RB. The rest is history.

If you didn’t guess, they got married! She got further into the education program, but nine months after they were married (in the Salt Lake temple, in April. It snowed.) a baby came along. Just perfect timing for the girl be doing her student teaching! That in itself is a big deal, because I can tell you that student teaching is extremely stressful and time-consuming– some of my single friends doing it now are on the breaking point– but the bigger deal is those previous nine months. The baby literally almost killed the girl, caused living hell, and almost kept the her from graduating. But she persevered! She graduated! And she stayed at home to raise her baby as much as she possibly could. She read to her, and sang to her, and played with her, and taught her about Jesus, and set the greatest example of the kind of woman her baby should become that any mother ever has.

The next twenty years were pretty crazy. When the baby was two, she had a seizure, which was the first indicator that she had epilepsy. This entailed expensive health insurance, countless doctors appointments and medical bills, expensive medicine, and eventually a major brain surgery. The girl, who had of course become a very wise woman and mother, was with her baby, who was by this point almost a grown-up girl, literally through the entire process– at every single doctors appointment, from that first seizure, up to the very last day she was in the hospital after her surgery. There was never a single minute during those twenty years that she wasn’t serving her baby girl.

Guess what? The girl is my mom, and the baby is me! Because of my epilepsy, I wasn’t able to get a drivers license, so my mama had to drive everywhere, including early-morning seminary, summer cross-country, concerts, and about a million times down Timpview Drive for everything. She also always kept the house clean, and made good and healthy meals everyday. She practiced the piano with me everyday, even when I complained and threw my theory books on the floor next to the piano. And she never ever ever complained a single time. Ever. Oh, and she also raised three other girls.

Now you must agree with me when I say that my mama is Superwoman.

TO DO Summer 2012

1. Sunset +Teds
2. Diamondhead
3. Dole plantation
4. Ala Moana + craziness
5. Stairway
6. Chinaman’s Hat
7. Skydiving
8. Shark’s Cove
9. Aulani
10. Waimea Falls
12. Pounders
13. Zoo

Pi Day Again

Remember that haiku I tried to write on Pi Day? Turns out I did it completely wrong. So, as pie is my favorite food, and an incorrect haiku is unacceptable, I’ve decided to write a second one. Please enjoy my Pi(e) haiku.

Pi Day

Pi is a number
Irrational and quite strange
Also a dessert
My favorite in the world
Lug does not like it
She is a total weirdo
Chocolate Haupia
Delicious, sweet, cool, great crust
From Ted’s Bakery
I don’t actually know
How to write Haiku
But it’s really late
And pi deserves a haiku
I really love pie
Best holiday of all time
3.14159

Same-gender attraction

Although my struggle with same-gender attraction has been excruciatingly confusing & agonizingly lonely during the last 10 years, I have come to know that IT IS VERY POSSIBLE to resolve these feelings in the context of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I have found IMMENSE strength/insight/hope in regards to dealing with my intense same-gender attraction through reading these 2 fantastic LDS books: “In Quiet Desperation” (2004; by Matis/Mansfield) & “Voice(s) of Hope” (2011; compiled by Mansfield). These books helped dispel so many myths surrounding this controversial subject & helped me feel like I’m not so alone in my journey to stay true to my testimony of the Gospel. Here’s an excerpt from “In Quiet Desperation”:

“People have often said that unless I was true to my “real” self & found a male companion to share my life with, I could never be truly happy. My response to that is this: I have. I have found Christ, my God & my King. And it is His blessing & the companionship of His Holy Spirit that mean more to me than any mortal companionship. It is in Him that I find joy & happiness, & it is in His name & in the “good news” of His life & atoning sacrifice that I glory. And though I do hope that with His help & strength, marriage is still a possibility for me in mortality – though it may not be for some – I’m also deeply grateful for the understanding I am gaining of the importance of making Him & His righteousness the prime focus of my life.” (Ty Mansfield; 2004)

“We could be bringing in really fine musicians, and instread we use the money to bring in Mormon pop artists…”

Okay. Jon Schmidt is awesome. Well, that’s my opinion. However, many (most) classical musicians actually look down upon him, which puzzles me. I’ve concluded that there’s possibly a subconscious jealousy, because their own music doesn’t receive the same reaction as his does. I mean, really, why would they care if someone was less technically strong or as talented in the same ways? If that person was more appreciated than him or her, that might trigger the “harsh feelings”. Hmmmm.

What about how this has brought more kids into piano because of his books?