I was at work today when my colleague told me that he got a text message from a friend of his saying that there was a bombing at the Boston Marathon this afternoon at around 3 pm local time. When I got off work later and had called my sister-in-law, she told me about it too.
What is this world coming to when someone decides to bomb an area where there's a marathon? What is this world coming to when some hothead decides to shoot up a school or a movie theatre? I want to know. I just DO NOT UNDERSTAND!!!!
What's really sad is that one of the 2 fatalities was an eight year old child. :( I have a nephew who's just two years older than that and I don't even want to think about how I would feel if anything like that happened to him.
I'm more than just a bit scared, but then I remember the scripture: "Be still and know that I am God." I need to keep this in mind now. My thoughts and prayers are with the families of the victims.
Slan go foill...
Monday, April 15, 2013
Wednesday, April 3, 2013
Why I don't want to live in Iowa ever again...
There are a ton of reasons why I don't want to live in Iowa again. Sure, I could handle going back to visit, but to live there? No.
Here are some of the reasons:
No mountains! It's so flat there, and after living in Utah for almost two years, I'm used to seeing the mountains outside my window, on my way to places, and elsewhere.
No job prospects. Especially in my hometown of Muscatine, there aren't a whole lot of job prospects.
The "cliquish" attitude of Muscatine and other towns like it in Iowa. I had to put up with it for over 30 years; people looking down on me and mine because of where we lived. We were the poor Mexicans from the south end of Muscatine. I watched my brother get passed over in sports because of it. I suffered through it myself in choir and drama club because of it. Why would I put myself through it again?
No spiritual support. Even though I love them, my family is not very supportive of me spiritually. With Mom gone, I no longer have that buffer of support from her, at least on this side of the veil. And even though I have no family here in Utah, my friends, especially those in the Midvale Union Fort 9th Branch, more than make up for it.
So, I'm going to do everything I can to make sure I can stay here in Utah for a good long time. I've gone from being an Iowan to being a Utahn at heart.
Slan go foill...
Here are some of the reasons:
No mountains! It's so flat there, and after living in Utah for almost two years, I'm used to seeing the mountains outside my window, on my way to places, and elsewhere.
No job prospects. Especially in my hometown of Muscatine, there aren't a whole lot of job prospects.
The "cliquish" attitude of Muscatine and other towns like it in Iowa. I had to put up with it for over 30 years; people looking down on me and mine because of where we lived. We were the poor Mexicans from the south end of Muscatine. I watched my brother get passed over in sports because of it. I suffered through it myself in choir and drama club because of it. Why would I put myself through it again?
No spiritual support. Even though I love them, my family is not very supportive of me spiritually. With Mom gone, I no longer have that buffer of support from her, at least on this side of the veil. And even though I have no family here in Utah, my friends, especially those in the Midvale Union Fort 9th Branch, more than make up for it.
So, I'm going to do everything I can to make sure I can stay here in Utah for a good long time. I've gone from being an Iowan to being a Utahn at heart.
Slan go foill...
Saturday, March 23, 2013
Is it too much to ask to have some honesty in a friendship?
I'm angry! Why can't men be honest?
I invited a now ex-guy buddy to General Conference because I had tickets for the Sunday afternoon session, and he tentatively accepted. A few days later, last night actually, he sent me a message on Facebook telling me that he was dating someone new and that girl didn't want him spending time with other single women. Why couldn't he tell me when I initially invited him? Why wasn't he honest with me?
I'm going to ask him tomorrow, and I'm going to tell him how it made me feel. I felt worthless, and I still do!
Slan go foill...
I invited a now ex-guy buddy to General Conference because I had tickets for the Sunday afternoon session, and he tentatively accepted. A few days later, last night actually, he sent me a message on Facebook telling me that he was dating someone new and that girl didn't want him spending time with other single women. Why couldn't he tell me when I initially invited him? Why wasn't he honest with me?
I'm going to ask him tomorrow, and I'm going to tell him how it made me feel. I felt worthless, and I still do!
Slan go foill...
Thursday, March 7, 2013
Wow! It's been a while...
Well, it's been a while since I last posted in here. A little under a year probably, and so much has happened.
First of all, up until October, 2012, I was attending the Brookshire Ward in Taylorsville. And then, I found the Midvale Union Fort 9th Branch. This is a midsingles branch that caters to members of the Church who are 31-45 years of age and are still single, or have been married and divorced w/o custody of minor children. I had been doing double duty, attending the Brookshire Ward, and the branch for two months. And I was planning to finish out the year that way, and start fresh with the branch in the new year.
And then something happened that changed my plans drastically...
The branch had been meeting at the Midvale UF Stake Center. However, parking there was a horrid nightmare for 600+ singles, even with carpooling. Just to describe how large this branch is (and branch in my opinion is an oxymoron), we have 3, count them, THREE elders quorums, 6 Relief Societies, and I believe one quorum of high priests (yes, there are single high priests in this branch, and one of them is a couple of years younger than me, give or take; and that's nice having a contemporary who is advanced in the Melchizidek Priesthood; he's got my back!). This branch encompasses Taylorsville, Kearns, Murray, Utah and other 'burbs in SLC, going all the way down into Utah County too. The boundaries start at 5600 S and southward. Crazy, huh?
Yep, it was totally crazy. And because of that, the branch presidency had a major quandary on their hands. They didn't know how to solve the parking problem and had made a matter of prayer for weeks. At first President Norton thought he would have to dissolve the branch and tell everyone to go back to their family wards (which in my opinion would've led to me resigning myself to become a spinster, a fate worse than death I thought at the time). In fact, at the big meeting, he was in tears, saying that in his prayers, he kept saying, "This is not fair. These are my kids." But he got a major wake up call from Heavenly Father, saying that we weren't President Norton's kids; we were Heavenly Father's kids, and that he had a plan for the branch. It was decided that the branch would move to an old Church building by the U of U Institute building that wasn't being used. This facility had a large enough chapel and cultural hall to accommodate all of us (all 700+ of us), and it had a tiered parking garage. And here's the kicker: the meeting times would be moving to 9 am from the 1 pm that we were all used to. It was in that moment that I made my decision. I'd had my paperwork requesting my records to be transferred all filled out and signed by both me and my family ward bishop. It just had to be turned in. I decided to transfer then, so I could continue going to the branch. I turned it in to a member of the branch presidency, and a week (and one hospitalization) later, I was a member of the Midvale Union Fort 9th Branch.
In this, I've been blessed. My Relief Society president moved into my apartment complex soon after and she and I have been carpooling together to church. Recently, with my calling to serve in the temple on Saturdays, she's been giving me rides to my temple shift. It was her idea too. She wanted to attend the temple, and reasoned that the best way for her to motivate herself to do it was to drive me to my temple shift and then do some temple service while I was on shift.
All in all, I've been majorly blessed. I just hope I can continue to be so. I'm just taking it one day at a time and doing all I can.
Slan go foill...
First of all, up until October, 2012, I was attending the Brookshire Ward in Taylorsville. And then, I found the Midvale Union Fort 9th Branch. This is a midsingles branch that caters to members of the Church who are 31-45 years of age and are still single, or have been married and divorced w/o custody of minor children. I had been doing double duty, attending the Brookshire Ward, and the branch for two months. And I was planning to finish out the year that way, and start fresh with the branch in the new year.
And then something happened that changed my plans drastically...
The branch had been meeting at the Midvale UF Stake Center. However, parking there was a horrid nightmare for 600+ singles, even with carpooling. Just to describe how large this branch is (and branch in my opinion is an oxymoron), we have 3, count them, THREE elders quorums, 6 Relief Societies, and I believe one quorum of high priests (yes, there are single high priests in this branch, and one of them is a couple of years younger than me, give or take; and that's nice having a contemporary who is advanced in the Melchizidek Priesthood; he's got my back!). This branch encompasses Taylorsville, Kearns, Murray, Utah and other 'burbs in SLC, going all the way down into Utah County too. The boundaries start at 5600 S and southward. Crazy, huh?
Yep, it was totally crazy. And because of that, the branch presidency had a major quandary on their hands. They didn't know how to solve the parking problem and had made a matter of prayer for weeks. At first President Norton thought he would have to dissolve the branch and tell everyone to go back to their family wards (which in my opinion would've led to me resigning myself to become a spinster, a fate worse than death I thought at the time). In fact, at the big meeting, he was in tears, saying that in his prayers, he kept saying, "This is not fair. These are my kids." But he got a major wake up call from Heavenly Father, saying that we weren't President Norton's kids; we were Heavenly Father's kids, and that he had a plan for the branch. It was decided that the branch would move to an old Church building by the U of U Institute building that wasn't being used. This facility had a large enough chapel and cultural hall to accommodate all of us (all 700+ of us), and it had a tiered parking garage. And here's the kicker: the meeting times would be moving to 9 am from the 1 pm that we were all used to. It was in that moment that I made my decision. I'd had my paperwork requesting my records to be transferred all filled out and signed by both me and my family ward bishop. It just had to be turned in. I decided to transfer then, so I could continue going to the branch. I turned it in to a member of the branch presidency, and a week (and one hospitalization) later, I was a member of the Midvale Union Fort 9th Branch.
In this, I've been blessed. My Relief Society president moved into my apartment complex soon after and she and I have been carpooling together to church. Recently, with my calling to serve in the temple on Saturdays, she's been giving me rides to my temple shift. It was her idea too. She wanted to attend the temple, and reasoned that the best way for her to motivate herself to do it was to drive me to my temple shift and then do some temple service while I was on shift.
All in all, I've been majorly blessed. I just hope I can continue to be so. I'm just taking it one day at a time and doing all I can.
Slan go foill...
Sunday, June 10, 2012
The beauty of music
From the time I could walk and talk, I've always loved music. And when it came to music, I was very picky and choosy about what music I was going to listen to.
According to my mother, God assoil her, I had an eclectic taste in music. Meaning, I liked all kinds, or most kinds of music.
When I was growing up, I listened to whatever was on the radio, along with children's songs. But I still sang along with those songs that I liked. When I was ten, I discovered The Monkees and The Moody Blues, although I wouldn't really get to appreciate the latter until ten years later.
When I was twelve, I found that I liked The Smothers Brothers (I even went to see them with Mom when I was fifteen). A year later, I joined the legions of fans of New Kids on the Block and Tommy Page.
As I got older, my tastes in music changed, evolved, and matured, and my favorite repertoire included artists like Barry Manilow, Suzy Bogguss, and Colin Raye, among others. When I was in my early twenties, I found the beauty of Irish music, thanks to Riverdance. And thus began my journey of finding Ireland's national choir, Anuna and discovering the beauty of Michael McGlynn's compositions.
These days, I listen to a lot of favorite artists from my past and present. The past ones for nostalgia mostly. But currently, my favorite artists include Barry Manilow, Lynn Hilary, Mindy Gledhill, Anuna, Dallyn Vail Bayles, Jenny Phillips, Gaelic Storm, Stephen's Green, Lunasa, Solas, The Chieftains, The Bear River Band, Cranachan the list goes on and on.
There's something about music that has always soothed me. I hope that when my time comes to leave this world and pass through the veil, there's a nice soothing piece playing in the background to help me on my way.
Slan go foill...
According to my mother, God assoil her, I had an eclectic taste in music. Meaning, I liked all kinds, or most kinds of music.
When I was growing up, I listened to whatever was on the radio, along with children's songs. But I still sang along with those songs that I liked. When I was ten, I discovered The Monkees and The Moody Blues, although I wouldn't really get to appreciate the latter until ten years later.
When I was twelve, I found that I liked The Smothers Brothers (I even went to see them with Mom when I was fifteen). A year later, I joined the legions of fans of New Kids on the Block and Tommy Page.
As I got older, my tastes in music changed, evolved, and matured, and my favorite repertoire included artists like Barry Manilow, Suzy Bogguss, and Colin Raye, among others. When I was in my early twenties, I found the beauty of Irish music, thanks to Riverdance. And thus began my journey of finding Ireland's national choir, Anuna and discovering the beauty of Michael McGlynn's compositions.
These days, I listen to a lot of favorite artists from my past and present. The past ones for nostalgia mostly. But currently, my favorite artists include Barry Manilow, Lynn Hilary, Mindy Gledhill, Anuna, Dallyn Vail Bayles, Jenny Phillips, Gaelic Storm, Stephen's Green, Lunasa, Solas, The Chieftains, The Bear River Band, Cranachan the list goes on and on.
There's something about music that has always soothed me. I hope that when my time comes to leave this world and pass through the veil, there's a nice soothing piece playing in the background to help me on my way.
Slan go foill...
Saturday, March 10, 2012
Our loved ones are still here...
I felt a prompting to post this to my blog upon reading an interview that Monkee Mike Nesmith gave in the wake of the death of Davy Jones. He said that he wasn't going to give up his former bandmate to mortality just yet, that Davy was still around. I wish there was a way I could send this to him. This poem by Henry Scott Holland was read at my mother's memorial service a little over two years ago by my niece, Isabella.
Death is nothing at all
I have only slipped away into the next room.
I am I, and you are you.
Whatever we were to each other, that we still are.
Call me by my old familiar name, speak to me in the easy way which you always used.
Put no difference in your tone,
wear no forced air of solemnity or sorrow.
Laugh as we always laughed at the little jokes we enjoyed together.
Pray, smile, think of me, pray for me.
Let my name be ever the household word that it always was,
let it be spoken without effect,
without the trace of a shadow on it.
Life means all that it ever meant. It is the same as ever was; there is unbroken continuity.
Why should I be out of mind because I am out of sight?
I am waiting for you, for an interval, somewhere very near, just around the corner.
All is well.
~Henry Scott Holland
Slan go foill...
Death is nothing at all
I have only slipped away into the next room.
I am I, and you are you.
Whatever we were to each other, that we still are.
Call me by my old familiar name, speak to me in the easy way which you always used.
Put no difference in your tone,
wear no forced air of solemnity or sorrow.
Laugh as we always laughed at the little jokes we enjoyed together.
Pray, smile, think of me, pray for me.
Let my name be ever the household word that it always was,
let it be spoken without effect,
without the trace of a shadow on it.
Life means all that it ever meant. It is the same as ever was; there is unbroken continuity.
Why should I be out of mind because I am out of sight?
I am waiting for you, for an interval, somewhere very near, just around the corner.
All is well.
~Henry Scott Holland
Slan go foill...
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
A week ago today, I lost part of my childhood...
I came home from work last Wednesday, all ready to start my vacation. When I logged onto the Internet, I got the shock of my life...
Davy Jones, Monkees' singer, had passed away from a heart attack that morning.
When I was ten years old, I was a fan of the Monkees thanks to MTV playing their TV show reruns. I developed a huge crush on Davy when I first heard him sing "Daydream Believer".
I'm still having a hard time processing that he's gone. It's been a week since he passed through the veil. I feel like I lost part of my childhood. At least I have the memories and the songs. I'll have to cling to them.
Davy, thanks for the music and the memories. I'll cherish them for the rest of my life. Slainte!
Slan go foill...
Davy Jones, Monkees' singer, had passed away from a heart attack that morning.
When I was ten years old, I was a fan of the Monkees thanks to MTV playing their TV show reruns. I developed a huge crush on Davy when I first heard him sing "Daydream Believer".
I'm still having a hard time processing that he's gone. It's been a week since he passed through the veil. I feel like I lost part of my childhood. At least I have the memories and the songs. I'll have to cling to them.
Davy, thanks for the music and the memories. I'll cherish them for the rest of my life. Slainte!
Slan go foill...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)