Craziness that I'm apparently grateful for.

Crazy days. That's sums up my life for the last 3 months. I have had a really good semester. Only 2 weeks left! yikes. The semester has been SOOOO busy. I have actually been amazed at my ability to roll with the punches and keep on top of all the things I am doing. This semester, for the most part, I have felt like I have finally come into my own. I was actually being the student I've always known I could be.

But I don't deal well with change. It takes me a while to readjust.

So when I started dating someone in the beginning of October, I dropped a ball or two that I was juggling. And I picked them back up again after a couple of weeks. But it's the end of the semester and I am so stressed out I have no motivation or excitement for anything. Which drives me nuts.

For the most part, I did a really good job juggling everything. But I found, that as project deadlines came knocking this month, I started to drop the balls again. And I am now realizing that my spirituality has suffered. I'm so distracted by all that I have to do, that I can't focus on things. The most frustrating of which is my scriptures and saying prayers. I feel like I'm in a funk. I'm not doing anything terrible. But I'm also not where I want to be. And it's OK, I'll get back out of it. Life is about figuring out these kinds of things, like learning to have your spirit overcome your body, even in new situations. While I am struggling to do all I committed to at the beginning of the semester, before I was dating someone, I know that I can do this. Even when I really don't feel like I can, like on days like today.

With a 10-page paper looming over my head, due in 2 days, that I haven't really even started, I want to just crawl in a magic hole and rewind time, so that I didn't have a cold the whole of Thanksgiving week (Which was great, by the way. I loved being with my happy little family.) and then I could have gotten myself to do more homework and less sleeping. But you know what? That's life. And I am choosing to be a creator of my circumstances. I don't have to be a victim to things that happen to me. I just have to keep reminding myself of that. And so, with that in mind, I guess I will end this long over-due post, and get on to the stinking paper about Bach and Handel that I have....get to write.

Life is good. I truly can't complain. I am so blessed I don't even see it all. And when I stop to think about it, my heart swells with gratitude for all the love that I've been given and shown and for the life that He has lead me to have. I know it will only get better with him steering me.

So, I'm off to research dead composers! Hope you had a great Thanksgiving!

Joanna

Things I am doing

• LDC- Institute choir :4 hours a week of rehearsals and then personal practices and the performances are just about to start
• UVU Chamber Choir: 3 hrs/week and 2 concerts coming up
• Voice Lessons: 1 hr or more practicing a day + weekly master class and voice lesson
• Chamber Music class: 1credit, learn one song, perform 1 song in a concert in 2 weeks
• Astronomy 1040: 3cr class, I rarely go...But do ok on the tests.
• Biology 1010: 3cr, I have a great teacher.... Biology is just not my subject
• Music History part 1: 3cr This is the class with the huge paper, and one big fat final left
• French 1010: 4cr. I love this class. But I don't have enough time to really learn all the vocab.
• My job at the library:14 hrs a week.

Thats a total of

• 4 different things I memorize music for
• 3, 3 credit classes. 1, 4 cred class, and 3, 1 credit classes, and LDC, and an Institute class
• And my job
• And my calling. Which has a minimal time commitment, for which I am grateful for.

YEs. I am insane.

Some Summer adventures. a visual post

A picture says a thousand words.

Here are 13,ooo words of what I've been doing this summer.

enjoy

library-ness

I LOVE my job at the library. I am writing this post from the library.

You know you have a good job when you usually look forward to working and when, if you're having a bad day, you go in to work and always feel better by the end of your shift.

Here are some reasons why it's so great:

Great co-workers.
Interesting Patrons
Great hours.
Great co-workers
no-stress
conveniently close to school
Great co-workers and bosses.
AND my pay checks are tax-free during the school year, since I get paid from a grant. love it.

Sometimes, I don't even want to leave when my shift is over.

And today, I have 2 stories to share with you from yesterday's shift.

During the shift, my co-worker comes in the back (where I also happened to be.) to tell SupervisorCS what had just happened out front. You need to know, before I begin, that Mike Freeman is the Director of the Library, the big-wig, head honcho. I think the only person he reports to is President Holland (president of UVU). Anyway.
Co-worker begins. Gentleman A comes down and returns a text-book(2hour checkout only.)
2 minutes later friend of Gentleman A, Gentleman B(G.B.), comes down and asks if he can check out the same book. Yet, Gentleman B does not attend UVU, does not have a library card, is not allowed to check out said textbook.
So, c0-worker explains this to G.B. but G.B. wants to use his drivers license as collateral. No go. not allowed.
G.B says to co-worker, "Do you know Mike Freeman?"
Co-worker, "uh.. sort of. I know who he is. But, I don't really know him."
G.B "Well, Mike is my neighbor. You don't think he would mind if I checked this book out, do you? Why don't you call him and ask if it's ok."
ok, A, it's 8 o'clock at night. B, G.B wants us to call our boss' boss' boss, at home!
Co-worker says, "Well, if you want to call and ask, go right a head. otherwise, you can wait the 30 minutes and your friend can come and check it out again."
Haha, Name dropping at the library. Gotta love it.

Also, last night, I was on the closing shift. 6-midnight.
I'm in the back, laminating some books. And my supervisor comes and starts chatting with me. I'm not sure how, but we got on the topic of ghosts. And he proceeds to tell me this experience he had while he was on his mission, while serving as a Zone Leader in Tooele Utah. Basically there was a ghost in an Elders' apartment and my supervisor didn't believe them. When he went to check it out for himself he heard voices and saw the bathroom light rapidly flashing on and off and saw a door slam shut. Anyway, the next day he had that companionship moved out.

So, then we start talking about scary movies we've all seen. (By this time other co-workers had joined in.) And Supervisor decided to show us some videos on YouTube of real life ghost sitings. Now, this doesn't really bother me. I am more scared by the fake movies than the real thing. Just because the movies are incredibly exaggerated. Anyway, I get home after we close the library and I'm finally getting in bed at right around 1am. I had washed my face and everything, and I went in my room and left the light off and closed the blinds and found myself in serious darkness. So, I hop in bed and keep telling myself not to freak out. No worries. I feel good, my mind is just trying to play tricks on me. The closet door was open and I was nervous about things hiding inside. Finally, I was getting so sleepy and about to fall asleep, when I felt something on my cheek! I flinched in horror and brushed my hand over where I had felt something. And I find....my decorative pillow, the corner of which had grazed my cheek. I picked my pillow up and threw it in annoyance. And I feel asleep two seconds later. It's a good thing I was exhausted.

the end.

Library learnings

Sophomania
noun
To have a delusion that you have greater or superior intelligence than others.

baha! I think lots of people have this at times. I probably have it sometimes too. It's a disease, Watch out for it!

This little jewel comes from the book "Foyle's Philavary: A Treasury of Unusual Words".
Library of Congress catalog number: PE1460 .F635. Look for it at your library!

Also, I learned about the Bubble Boy today. Did you know there was a real Bubble boy? I didn't. I thought it was just some made up movie. I didn't think anyone would actually subject a child to a life like that. sad day. The poor kid really lived in a bubble his entire life. Until he died at the age of 12. He had a immune deficiency disease. I know about those! (If I had a past blog to refer you to read about that, I would. But I don't. Just know that, my immune system hated my liver for a while. ) Any way, the Bubble Boy's name is David Vetter. He was from Texas. :) Anyway, basically, the kid suffered from doctors that suffered from sophomania. basically. look it up on Wikipedia.

In real life. I mean, my life. The Summer is great. I'm loving the weather. embracing my A/C-less car. I love being a renter and getting management to fix all issues in my apartment, namely, the formerly broken A/C. Other than that.... I'm just flirting it up. (that sounds really bad.) No, but really, I'm trying to be friendly and get dates and such. I am earnestly seeking that eternal companion of mine. Wherever he may be. No more games please. uh, and I'm just working at the fabulous Lib.

This week the Institute for Young Dramatic Voices (IYDV) is starting up again. And I will be volunteering my time, again. My Aunt, Sarah Agler, and my voice teacher, Rosemary Mathews, have paired up with Dolora Zajick, a world traveled Mezzo Soprano. Don't worry, she's just sung at the Metropolitan Opera in New York and Sidney Australia, is all. (these three ladies know each other from school. in Nevada, I believe.) anyway, I will hopefully get a lesson in with my Aunt while she's here from San Diego. Anyway, good summer times.

Hope your summer is just as happy, fun, and relaxing as mine!

It's the little things in life. Toilets.

I have a secret joy. When using a public restroom it is the best to walk in to the stall and see pink/green/blue water. Why? Because this means that you are the first person to use it since it was last sanitized. And that is a good feeling.

Here are some interesting toilets and some facts about the toilet. Enjoy!

this is a "green" toilet. it lets you wash your hands and that water goes down into the tank to be used the next time the toilet is flushed. Very cool. I want one.

This toilet is a self cleaning one. I used one like it in Germany I think. It cleans the seat after every use!! Glorious!! The thing at the back of the seat actually has the cleaning stuff and the seat rotates, which is why its a perfect circle. :) genius!

This is just Cool! I'm not sure if those are real fish or not. I don't know how it would work, but kinda cool.

I'm not really sure what this is... A Siamese toilet?!?! I guess... Don't know the purpose.... I don't want to use a toilet where my butt would touch someone else's. Maybe it's just a photo shop trick...

13 Facts about toilets.

1. Int the film “Psycho” was the first movie to show a toilet flushing – the scene caused an inpouring of complaints about indecency

2. Pomegranates studded with cloves were used as the first attempt at making toilet air-freshner

3. Over $100,000 US dollars was spent on a study to determine whether most people put their toilet paper on the holder with the flap in front or behind; the answer: three out of four people have the flap in the front

4. King George II of Great Britain died falling off a toilet on the 25th of October 1760

5. The average person spends three whole years of their life sitting on the toilet

6. The first toilet stall in a row is the least used (and consequently cleanest)

7. An estimated 2.6 billion people worldwide do not have access to proper toilet facilities, particularly in rural areas of China and India.

8. The Roman army didn’t have toilet paper so they used a water soaked sponge on the end of a stick instead!

9. The toilet is flushed more times during the super bowl halftime than at any time during the year.

10. 90% of pharmaceuticals taken by people are excreted through urination. Therefore our sewer systems contain heavy doses of drugs. A recent study by the EPA has found fish containing trace amounts of estrogen, cholesterol-lowering drugs, pain relievers, antibiotics, caffeine and even anti-depressants.

11. Lack of suitable toilets and sanitation kills approximately 1.8 million people a year, many of them children.

12. The toilet handle in a public restroom can have up to 40,000 germs per square inch.

13. In a 1992 survey, British public toilets were voted the worst in the world. Following quickly behind were Thailand, Greece, and France.

Haha, sorry if the content offended. It's not my norm!

Sunday Blunders

Usually my ward is really great. And people give great talks. But there have been a couple, of late, that have really raised the eyebrows.
Firstly, there was the guy that got up two weeks ago and said that Nephi was no "beef cake", and that we could discover these kinds of "crack-pot theories" if you read the scriptures. Nephi was studious in the scriptures and so therefore he couldn't be a beef cake.... The man said the words "beef cake" and "crack pot theories over and over again. I think we all were just waiting for the bishop to ask him to sit down. It was pretty touch and go the whole talk. Haha! he's a nice guy and all, just came across the wrong way. But just remember kids, if you read the scriptures you can come up with these crackpot theories too!

Then there was this girl who was talking about virtues. And how they have the i-t-y endings. She's listing a few and says we need virtues like, "charity, humility, and the virtue of fertility...uh I mean fidelity. Oh man..wow." That one was soo funny. The whole congregation had to pull it together. Then she went on and talked about her not so clean past. There's nothing like revealing past transgressions to make an audience feel uncomfortable. Poor girl.

Anyway, I hope we return to normalcy soon, Although it is entertaining. If you have had any funny Sacrament meeting slip ups please share!

lazy days

For a while I was thinking I had nothing new to say; after reading several of my friends' blogs, I am inspired and I will give you something brief for a change.

These are the things I'm spending my summer days doing. I only work 18 hours a week, so I get to do a lot of play.

• Sleep, as much as I want.
• TV- Getting to catch up on Bones, 19 kids and counting, Glee and other various t.v. shows. Although I try to limit myself here.
• Trips to the Library! Love it. I've been riding the bike to the Provo Lib. So great! and then hauling 10 books in my bag on the way back. Free books is such a great idea. Here is the stack I had on my dresser next to my bed. from various libraries. :) I'm so meant to work at the library like I do.

• Getting ready for classes in the Fall...
• Watching Horatio Hornblower tv movies. Ioan Gruffudd is super hunky. (He also played Mr. Fantastic, in the Fantastic 4.) too bad he's married. Well, I mean, that is good for him. :) but I still like to look at him. And I usually don't get that superficial. Besides him, these movies are pretty good. If you like the seafaring, naval type show.

• Singing and practicing more. yay!
• Going to Institute! Also, I got my certificate of graduation/completion for Institute! Saweet!
• Going to the temple more. For my own family!
• Doing family history. I will have to post more on this later.
• I've thought a lot about exercising.
• Spent more time with Ben, my great brother. He's been taking me to movies. Last week we saw Prince of Persia. SO GOOD!! I loved it. I don't get overly enthusiastic about things, but I really thought this was a great movie. Perfect mix of action, romance, and mystery. He's pretty hunky too, if you like the long haired warrior look. Disney hopes this movie to be the start of the next Pirates of the Caribbean.

• I've been looking for a second job, half heartedly. This playing is too nice to give up...
• Spending time with my roommates and other friends.

All in all, the "Summer" has been great so far. Cool weather and good times. I am happy and loving it. Getting recharged for the craziness of school. Life is good, Heavenly Father is great!