THE ILLNESS

Well, it happened. I knew it would. It's an inevitable occurrence. We musical theatre people know that if you are in a show during cold season the whole cast will, at some point, pass around an illness of some sort. This is the first time I've been away from home, so being sick has been really fun. I quickly realized that I couldn't go to the medicine cabinet that my mother keeps so well stocked and just find something to help me out. I try to sleep a lot, but that can be kind of hard when two other people live in your room and have different schedules and interests than you. So much pressure on my nose and head and ears. I just want to fall asleep for a week or so. "Hello, Dolly!" opens next week, and I am all sick and gross. I got four bloody noses over the weekend. This is great. This morning I got up nice and early to take a shower (my roommates tend to spend long periods of time in the bathroom, so I have to wake up before them if I want to get ready), hoping that the hot water would sooth my muscles and the extreme steam (that rhymes...) would clear up my sinuses. But no. I turned it on full blast and it never got more than lukewarm. The one time I really need it to. And then I had to go to class. Five of them. And then I have rehearsal and it starts earlier than usual. And my whole wardrobe is in my dirty laundry pile. And I've been needing to go to the store for a week. And I have a ton of reading I should be doing. And what will I do? Well, as soon as I get out of this class, I will probably go take a nap. If time, body, and roommates permit.

THE POEM

You will love me now

For I am yours forever.

Eternity and a day.

THE LIFE

We all have our problems and things we don't like about ourselves. Everyday, I find myself suffering from chronic procrastination. I think it's genetic, as I know a few family members that are the same way. But not only am a great procrastinator, I am also a super perfectionist. This is something I have been trying to overcome since the beginning of my life, or maybe just the beginning of junior high school. I find myself wanting to do well in school, but getting so easily distracted that I put things off for days. Then I don't sleep much the night before something is due. If there were an award for procrastination and time wasting, I think I would win it. I am still trying everyday. It's a process. Other than that, I am pretty content with my life, except my nose... Let's not get started on that genetic problem.

THE BEST

I really can't decipher what is the best piece of literature or the best film made. There are so many great ones in each medium, to the point that there isn't a best one, there are just a lot of really great ones. I cannot be asked to pick just one. Well, I guess I can be asked to, but I cannot answer that question. But I suppose I can give you a bit of a list. I love beautiful books. Elizabeth Orton Jones' Twig, Jerry Spinelli's Milkweed, Corrie ten Boom's The Hiding Place, and Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, Barbara Kingsolver's The Poisonwood Bible, Lois Lowry's Number the Stars, Kevin Henkes' Chrysanthemum, Caralyn Buehner's, Fanny's Dream, Elie Wiesel's Night, Kate DiCamillo's The Tale of Despereaux, and F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby, to name a few. 

Some of my top films include: Ever After, The Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Prince of Egypt, Life is Beautiful, Remember the Titans, What about Bob?, The Emperor's New Groove, 42, That Thing You Do, The Field of Dreams, Pillow Talk, Breakfast at Tiffany's, Sarah's Key, To Kill a Mockingbird, Calamity Jane, Mary Poppins, The Princess Diaries (1 & 2), Annie Get Your Gun, Stardust, My Fair Lady, Funny Girl, Little Women (Winona Ryder version), People Will Talk, Anne of Green Gables trilogy, Pride and Prejudice (Kiera Knightly, Colin Firth, and Mormon versions).

While I'm at it, I might as well list my favorite t.v. shows too. We have: Pushing Daisies, Christy, The Dick Van Dyke Show, Miranda, Life Goes On, Hart of Dixie, Call the Midwife, I Love Lucy, What's My Line, and Downton Abbey.

THE WOMEN

Well, it's a hot topic in the LDS world. Women were denied access into the priesthood session of conference last week. I don't see a problem with that. The priesthood session is for priesthood holders, just as the Relief Society session is for the members of Relief Society. I don't know the exact details of these women being denied access, but I'm pretty sure it wasn't just because they were women. I think it must have been because they would have been a distraction. Priesthood session isn't for protesting, it's for the enlightenment of the men in our church. Had these women been men protesting something, I'm sure they would be denied access as well. Women are great. Men are great. But they are two different things. You wouldn't expect a cardboard box to have the same capabilities as a soccer ball.