it's all about the journey

The Joy of Service

2012-01-12T02:21:00.000Z

Is service just the hardwork we do that we don’t get paid for? Or is there something more to it?

My search has led me to the following enlightenment:

In actuality, there is a lotmore to service than it being work we don’t get paid for. And there’s a lotmore to it than service projects and cleaning windows and shoveling snow. Theseare all wonderful things, and they are all great services where you will findjoy, but in my quest to find the root of the “Joy in Service,” I’m going toattempt to open our minds a little to the meaning of service. So, my post is alittle bit of a service smorgasbord. Keep an open mind. And hopefully you’ll beable to find something to take home with you.

Right now, I'm thinking about Volleyball. As an extremely wise volleyball coach once told me when speaking of the game, “This is a game ofservice.” That phrase stuck with me. This is a game of service.

It seems to me that this phrase applies to a little more than volleying. "This is a game of service." Well, that’s life, isn’t it? If Life is a game, then the game we needto play, the game that will put us on the winning team, the game that will giveus the most joy – is the game of service.

Elder Russell C. Taylor said: “Ihave been impressed with the urgency of doing. Knowing is not enough; we mustapply. Being willing is not enough; we must do. Progress is not created bycontented people. It is up to us, you and me, to be uncomfortable incomplacency, to refrain from being spectators, and to be players in the game oflife. The Lord has chosen His people to perform a mighty work. Our hometeaching, our visiting teaching, should be more than going; it should be doingwith Christian love. It can be done; you can each do your portion of the workbecause you desire it.”

There are so many greatnuggets of truth in this quote, but the part that I want to emphasize is thatin the game of life, we are to be active participants. We are the players, notthe spectators. So, if you’re interested in living a more abundant life, or ifyou’d like to take control of your life, to take control of your happiness,then listen up. The way to do that is through service.

This is a game of service.

Here are the service points I need to work on in order to win this game.

Forget yourself: It is notabout you.

“Aswe look heavenward, we inevitably learn of our responsibility to reach outward.To find real happiness, we must seek for it outside ourselves. No one haslearned the meaning of living until he has surrendered his ego to the serviceof his fellow man. Service to others is akin to duty, the fulfillment of whichbrings true joy. We do not live alone – in our city, out nation, or our world.There is no dividing line between out prosperity and out neighbor’swretchedness. “Love thy neighbor: is more than a divine truth. It is a patternfor perfection. This truth inspires the familiar charge, “Go forth and serve.”Try as some of us may, we cannot escape the influence our lives have upon thelives of others. Ours is the opportunity to build, to lift, to inspire, andindeed to lead. The New Testament teachers that it is impossible to take aright attitude toward Christ without taking an unselfish attitude toward men.”

Use our talents to helpothers – We all have a job to do

D&C46: 11-12: “For all have not every gift given unto them; for there are manygifts, and to every man is given a gift by the Spirit of God. To some is givenone, and to some is given another, that all may be profited thereby.”

Lengthen and Strengthen yourService

“Serviceis not something we endure on this earth so we can earn the right to live inthe Celestial Kingdom. Service is the very fiber of which an exalted life inthe Celestial Kingdom is made.”

Itis important to remember that the pathway to the celestial kingdom isindividual. It’s personal. It’s about our divine nature. It’s about ourpotential. It’s about growth. It is not a checklist. The celestial kingdom is away of life. It’s something we are striving to become. And we are here topractice making that our way of life. It’s important to remember that this is aprocess. “This life is the time to prepareto meet God.” (Alma 12:24) Love thy neighbor as thyself. Work your way towardtrue charity. We can do it. It’s in all of us. It’s in our nature.

Dieter F. Uchtdorfsaid: “Realize the purpose for which you were created! Lift your face towardthe far horizon!” We can emulate the Good Samaritan. We can make the most ofservice opportunities we find along our life path – which really just meansthat we strive our best to love everyone we meet along this path. Love themfully and go the extra mile to serve them.

Small things can be good,too

D&C64:33 “Wherefore, be not weary in well-doing, for ye are laying the foundationof a great work. And out of small things proceedeth that which is great.”

God gives us Joy throughLOVE!

Thereis one little word in there that I haven’t really talked about yet. Joy. “Menare that they might have joy” (2 Nephi 2:25). Our Heavenly Father loves us. Heintends our journey, though difficult, to be a joyful one.

If youare loving God and serving your neighbor – you don’t have to wait to taste justa bit of the celestial kingdom. You can make your journey – not just your destination-- celestial. Remember “Men arethat they might have joy”

Let us strive to emulate thesavior in our journey back to Him and our Father in Heaven by serving him andthose around us. There is an eternal joy (a fullness of joy) awaiting us, butthere is also a taste of joy we can have now.

(From an old talk I gave in 2010)

Mormons are, well, peculiar.

2011-07-06T16:26:00.001+01:00

We are a peculiar people. I've heard this phrase before. As a Mormon, it's been spouted off to me in many a sacrament meeting, young women's camp, and seminary class. It’s sort of become a part of the Mormon vernacular—one of those things we say so much that we start to forget what it really means. Sort of the same way we recited the pledge of allegiance in grade school. Side note: Up until about 2nd grade, I thought we pledged allegiance to the republic for Rich it stands. Who's Rich?

So, in an attempt to avoid a similar disaster, I thought it would be best to really define this word—this phrase. We are a peculiar people. Okay, so what does it mean to be peculiar?

Usually when I think about the word peculiar, I think of difference. But is that really all there is to it? What's so special about being different anyway? Hoping to glean some knowledge on the significance of this phrase, and specifically this word peculiar, I asked one of my close friends what she thought was peculiar about me. Here’s what she came up with:

I love peanut butter. If I could live off of peanut butter and peanut butter products, I would.
I’m a big apologizer. I apologize for everything. Even when things are not my fault. As my good friend says, I am apologetic for the human race.
I’m a vegetarian, but I hate Tofu.
I’m a shy, quiet theatre major who absolutely loves getting up on stage. I took one of those personality tests in high school (meant to help you decide what careers you should consider), and it called me an introverted extrovert… explain that one to me.
I’m from Salt Lake (an area where the Mormon way of life is considered the norm), and I chose to come to a school where, for awhile, I made up the entirety of the Mormon population.

Aha!

There it is again. That word peculiar being used in connection with my religion. My faith. I don’t think it will come as a shock to anybody that Latter-day Saints are… well, we’re different. I don’t think I have to tell any of you that sometimes we don’t quite fit in.

For a couple semesters earlier on in my college career, I went to church at what was called the Stadium Ward. I absolutely loved this little church house. It was clearly built before the standard cookie cutter floor plan went to town. It’s this little red brick, two story church building—sitting right in the middle, or so it seems, of a hospital parking lot. Clearly the hospital was built around it, but I always thought that this was an interesting juxtaposition. A hospital and a church. I’ll let you ponder that. At any rate, the church stuck out. I think, I’ve often felt like that little church—in the middle of unfamiliar territory in a place where I don’t really fit. Feeling a little bit different. A little bit peculiar.

Let’s go to the bible. In 1 Peter 2:9 we read, “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people.” This seems to be the definition of peculiar that I’m used to thinking about. Peculiar meaning different. Set apart from the world around us. This definition has been reaffirmed by modern day prophets. We are to stand out. We are to be peculiar and a little bit unlike the world we live in.

Gordon B. Hinckley agreed, “Of course you are peculiar” he says, “If the world continues its present trend, and if you walk in obedience to the doctrines and principles of this church, you may become even more peculiar in the eyes of others.”

So what is it that makes us different or peculiar? Gordon B. Hinckley just said it. It’s our obedience to the doctrines and principles of this church. I’m not going to go into great detail concerning specific doctrines and principles. I’m not really going to go into the fact that we don't drink coffee or alcohol. I don't really care to preach about how and why we dress the way we do. I'm not going to state what we, as a people who are different from the world, should or should not do.

In the Book of Mormon, Lehi, when speaking to his son Jacob in 2 Nephi 2:5, says, “Men are instructed sufficiently that they know good from evil.” We know what is right and what is wrong. We know what we should and should not be doing. But at times it is difficult to do what we know to be right. Sometimes we get tired of being different. Or we get lonely. Or we get so busy that we forget. We know we must stand firm in our faith, but sometimes we are afraid. At least I am.

Let’s think of an example. One that comes to mind is Peter the Apostle. I think we can learn a lot from Peter if we liken his story to our lives. I’m thinking of Peter’s denial of Christ. No doubt Peter was a righteous and zealous believer. He had faith enough to step out of his boat and walk on water, and faith enough to turn to Jesus for help when he began to sink.

Last winter my dad gave a talk touching on this subject. This is what he said, “Jesus had been betrayed. At first, Peter defended the Lord with the sword. But then, at the Savior’s pleading, he took another track and decided to tag along (apparently with John) as the Master was arrested and put on trial.

In Luke 22:54 we read: “Then took they him [Jesus], and led him, and brought him into the high priest’s house. And Peter followed afar off.”

Peter loved Christ. He knew him to be the Savior. But there is that instance. The part of his story where he denies Christ—not just once, but three times—just as Jesus predicted.

I think a key to understanding Peter’s denial here can be found in this verse in Luke. “And Peter followed afar off.”

As my dad once wrote, “Too often I find myself following the Savior the same way – “afar off.” Yes, I’m ashamed to say that sometimes I fear “outing” myself as a Mormon when I’m around other non-members, especially when they attack the church or its leaders. Maybe some of us follow “afar off” by attending church only some of the time, enough to count ourselves as members, but not enough to make our memberships count. We want some distance, otherwise the bishop, the Elders quorum president or the Relief Society president may ask us to do something – you know to serve. We let the dust settle onto our Scriptures instead of letting the Word of God settle into our hearts.”

We need not fear. Wasn’t it Christ who assured in Doctrine and Covenants 6 “Fear not to do good… Fear not, little flock; do good; let earth and hell combine against you, for if ye are built upon my rock, they cannot prevail.” (v 33, 34)

In today’s world, we cannot afford to follow the Savior from afar. As W. Craig Zwick says, “Live by your standards. Stand up for what you believe in. Sometimes it is not easy, and you may be standing alone for awhile.” We need to follow the examples of prophets in the scriptures.

Abinadi who, even with his life at stake said, “I will not recall the words which I have spoken concerning this people, for they are true” (Mosiah 17:9).

Then there’s Joseph Smith, who even at the receiving end of persecution, and at a young age, testified saying “Why persecute me for telling the truth? I have actually seen a vision; and who am I to withstand God, or why does the world think to make me deny what I had actually seen? For I had seen a vision; I knew it, and I knew that God knew it, and I could not deny it” (JS History 1:25).

And there’s the ultimate example: Jesus Christ—who suffered most. In 1 Peter 2:20, we learn that we are to follow his example in suffering. The middle of verse reads “but if when you do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God." Verse 21 continues: "For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps.”

This is where another definition of peculiar comes to play. The part of the definition that really defines the word peculiar in a scriptural sense.

Let’s go back to 1 Peter 2:9 “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people;” let’s continue this time, “that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light” In the bible, as can be discovered in the footnotes and of this verse and in the Bible Dictionary, the word peculiar does not mean odd or eccentric. It does not mean that if we could live off peanut butter alone, we would. It does not mean strange. And though there is merit to its definition meaning different, there is clearly more to being peculiar than being the only one around you who is living the standards of the gospel. The word peculiar in the bible can be translated as purchased, preserved, special, or God’s own treasure.

We have been purchased? We are God’s treasure? What did He purchase us with? The answer comes in the second part of 1 Peter 2:9—the part we rarely focus on: “that we should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into marvelous light.” This implies a change, a transformation. The act of moving from one place to another. From darkness to light. And this kind of change can come from only one source, and that is Jesus Christ. As Boyd K. Packer stated, “The deceiver preys upon some passion or tendency to weakness. He convinces [us] that the condition cannot be changed and recruits [us] for activities for which [we] never would volunteer. But sooner or later that spark of divinity in each of [us] will ignite. [We] can assert [our] agency as sons and daughters created in the image of God and renounce the destroyer. That which [we} had been led to believe could not be changed, will be changed, and [we] will feel the power of the redemption of Christ. [Our] burden will be lifted and the pain healed up. That is what the Atonement of Christ is all about.”

We have been purchased through Christ’s blood and are now treasured because of Christ’s Atonement. It is important to recognize that without Him we are nothing. We are not peculiar or treasured or even special just because we are Mormon—because we don’t drink coffee and we dress modestly. Though extremely important, it’s not just the outward and visible acts of obedience that give us this divine gift, it’s what we do when the door is closed. It’s what we feel in our hearts and how we accept Christ and his Atonement when we do, inevitably, fall short; When we follow Christ afar off. It’s how we have changed our natural state into something divine.

Rodney Turner stated, “In referring to themselves as a peculiar people, the Latter-Day Saints tend to do so with certain theological concepts and religious customs in mind. Such things as the belief in an anthropomorphic deity, the preexistence, work for the dead, temple marriage, and the Word of Wisdom are cited as proof that we are a peculiar people.

“While it cannot be denied that many of these precious principles are unique, still, they are but means to an end. Israel’s past history—both in Palestine and in

America

—is good evidence that, of themselves, doctrines, ordinances, and religious practices in general cannot produce a peculiar people.

… “A peculiar people is one whose relationship with God is out of the ordinary, who partake of his divine nature in a very special way. Jehovah said not only that Israel would be distinct from all other nations, but also that distinction would lie in their moral and spiritual superiority. In other words, they would be a peculiar people because they were a holy people.

“Clearly modern Israel becomes the Lord’s peculiar people only as it produces the fruits by which that people are to be known. But the whole is the sum of its parts. A city of Zion is the sum of the pure in heart. The practical question each Latter-day Saint must answer is not “Are we a peculiar people?” but “Am I a peculiar person?” The inspired revision of Matthew 5:13-14 reads: “I give unto you to be the salt of the earth” and “I give unto you to be the light of the world.” Jesus did not say that his disciples were salt and light; he charged them to become so.”

May we strive to become peculiar in our own right. May we accept Christ’s atonement and allow his light to bring us from the darkness. May we change our hearts, and indeed, our very natures. May we show our gratitude for Him and reflect this change not only in the public eye, but within our hearts and minds, our thoughts and quiet actions. May we live our lives as we ought to be living them.

Or, at least, may I.

it's all about the journey, right?

2011-06-09T07:38:00.000+01:00

At least that's what my blog title says. So, I better believe it.

I haven't been writing much lately. I was working. A lame excuse, I know. Writing is definitely one of my favorite things to do, and I know I shouldn't ever sacrifice who I am for a job... and yet...

For a lot of reasons, I had to leave the aforementioned job. It was not an easy decision to make, and I won't go into ANY detail here. (That wouldn't be very professional.) What I will say is this (and it's completely personal): I didn't like who I was becoming. And when I realized that, I knew I needed a life make-over. I think one of the greatest things about this life journey is that we have such control over who we will become. We can progress. We can change. We can heal. We get better.

So, in an attempt to do all of the above, I'm picking up the ole pen and paper again... so to speak. And I'm going to write my way through making sense of this journey. Writing has always been one of my favorite ways to begin a change, to make a discovery, to notice, observe, and appreciate. I'm looking forward to getting back to it.

Let's see what I can make of this journey.

I worked with kids for a little over four months. And, truly, I fell in love with these kids. I had no idea I could feel like that for somebody else's children. They were such a part of every day, and I will (and do) miss them. Severely. They were young, and I tried to teach them all I could, but I have no way of knowing how things will work out for them. I will never know if they make it through high school. Or if they go to college. I'll never know if they decide to get involved in sports or art or auto shop. I don't know if they'll grow up to be doctors, paleontologists, hair dressers, or a "zoo girl."* There's a lot that I wish I could have said to them. Maybe it would help them through their respective journeys. I've been thinking about this a lot lately, and this is what I'd say:

I love you. Remember that. Sometimes it might feel like everybody is out to get you. It might feel like everybody hates you. YOU might be the one who feels like you hate everybody. You might feel alone. But you're not. I love you and always will. And I can guarantee that there is somebody else who loves you too. Let them be a part of your life. Don't let yourself be lonely.

Read. Read. For heaven's sake, READ. If there is anything that will make your life more enjoyable, more fulfilling, more dynamic, it's reading. Read often. Read habitually. If you don't like a book after a significant effort, try a new one. Unlike people, not all books are created equal. But do give 'em a try. You might be surprised by what you find. Oh, and when you're old enough, READ the Harry Potter books. The movies are not equivalent to the books.

It can be fun to get lost in a book every once in a while, but don't let it become an escape from living. In fact, don't let anything become an escape from living. Go out and have your own adventures every once in a while. Meet new people.

Speaking of people, make friends. Be the person who includes everybody.. you'll have a lot more friends that way. And a lot higher quality friends, too. Never exclude. Don't shun differences. Celebrate them. They're what make life so interesting. Imagine the impact of twenty six good friends. That could be all of you!

Sidebar: Never resort to violence to solve problems. Never. Use your words. Use your voice. 'cause you have one.

Please, please, please don't do drugs. Don't throw your life away. Devote your time to something way more interesting.

Don't believe people who put you down. They don't have a clue what they're talking about. Remember who you are. Be yourself. Be the best you that you can be. And it's okay to keep a little of that spunk you've already developed. You're all going to be the LIFE of the party.

No, there wasn't really a cow on the roof who would give you bad dreams if you didn't drink all your milk. He didn't come in through the windows at nap time to ask me who drank their milk or not. And no, I'm not a hundred million years old, and I was never a dinosaur. But it was fun to believe that for a while, wasn't it? Never ever let go of your imagination and your ability to believe. Believing will make your life rich. Imagination will give your life color. And guess what, some things we believe aren't even imagined. They're real. Like when we made the sun come out by singing our sunshine song. We're magical. It's a fact.

Eat your vegetables. Eat healthy food. Not fast food. I guarantee you'll feel better about life.

Life is going to be really challenging for some of you. It tears me up to think about it, but I know it's true. Please remember: You are special. You're special. I know that the older you get, the cheesier that's going to sound, but it'll still be true. Do the best you can with what you've been given. Do better than those who came before you. Make this world a better place by making your life beautiful.

Get involved in something constructive. Sports. Art. Theatre. Dance. Girl Scouts. Whatever. Just make sure it's bigger than you. Then devote some serious time to it.

Pursue your passions. Go to college. YES! Go. to. college. I can't emphasize that enough. College is your ticket to a more beautiful, first class-esque journey. Not only will you be able to get a more comfortable seat (or a better job), but you'll get a better view. That's really the most important thing anyway, right?

'cause it's all about the journey. Or so I hear.

Oh, and take your naps now. You're gonna miss 'em when you're older.

________________________
*This is an actual quote from one of my kiddies when asked what she wanted to be when she grew up. Adorable.

you know you love your preschool kids when...

2011-02-20T04:00:00.000Z

... you're willing to purchase songs by Justin Bieber, Taylor Swift and Miley Cyrus so they'll have something to play freeze dance with.

... you don't freak out when they spill crystal light all over your lap at the beginning of the day.

... you catch all eleven of their colds at once.

... you can't stop thinking about them -- even though it's a Saturday night.

By the way, did I mention I got a new job? And I love it.

childhood...

2011-01-01T01:06:00.001Z

Please enjoy this epic holiday morality tale. Words, pictures and grammar brought to you by eight-year-old Megan. This is sure to become a classic. Move aside, Polar Express and How the Grinch Stole Christmas.

The Case of the Missing Presents.

What can I say, it's even got great art.

About the Author:
My name is Megan. I like riding my bike, putting together puzzles, taking pictures, and playing with my friends. I was eight years old when I wrote this book.

I never remembered it was picture day. Luckily I happened to be wearing one of my best outfits that day. French-braid piggy tails, some sort of pink and green tie-dye shirt, worn under a white vest all tucked into stretchy green pants. Note: the photographer made me place my hands over my knees to hide the holes. Also Note: this is spring-time picture day. You can tell because it's a fun background instead of some sort of blue-ish, cloud-ish backdrop.

dedicated to Mrs. Pulley and Melissa DeMaranville and my Mom and Dad

So, it begins...

"AAAHHHH" I yelled as I saw we didn't get any presents! We used to get large numbers of presents we used to get several presents but now we only get ten percent of what we used to get, also we used to get onehundred dollars for our b-days but now we only get ten. See how I started in the middle of action. BOOM. Attention gotten.

I bet you are wondering what my name is. My name is, "WHINEY COLEABEABY", strange name huh. My name was going to be Carrie but that saw I wined to much they decided to call me Whiney. I bet you're wondering why I am saying we. My little brother is why. We didn't even know we were going to have another kid, my mom though she was just getting fatter when she was really pregnant. Clearly I didn't really know how this stuff worked yet...

The Mom on the right is saying, "I'm getting fatter."
The man on the left (who I can only assume is the Father says, "It's Ok." Aw. And they're holding hands.

My Mom and Dad came down cause they heard me scream. "What?" they said, "we didn't get any presents", I said. They looked at each other. "Maybe Santa was tiered" said my little brother. "Yeah!" "Right," I said, Stop yelling your brother go to your room this instant,""Fine" I said, even though it wasn't. If you can follow this, kudos.

I decided that I would sneak out to see if my friends had at least got one present. So I snuck out my window, I went to my friend Jessie's house. While I was walking there, I was humming a song. It went like this...

"Do da de de de de dum de de do."
I think this is the song...

When I got there I knocked on the door. Jesse answered it and yelled out, "Did you get and presents?"
"No," I said. "Did you?"
"No," she said, "Except for the one my grandma gave to me. But that does not count, does it?"
I said, "Wanna come see if anybody else got any presents?"
"Ok," she said, "let me go ask. Mom," she said, "can I go on a walk?"
"Ok," said her mom.

So we set off. First we went to the store. That's where we saw Terrie. She was eating donuts.
"What do you want?" she said.
"Did you get any gifts?"
No," she said "did you?"
"No," we said. "Do you want to come with us?"
"Sure," she said. So we set off again.

We decided to go to Mazet Toes house. She's my worst enemy.
I said, "Do we have to go there?"
"Yes" everyone said.

You may think that adventure is just around the corner. So far, this story is almost exactly like the first part of Fellowship of the Ring -- you know, before they get to the Elven city place. Don't worry, though. This is not a story of adventure, it's a story of forgiveness.

When we got there, Mazey answered the door.
"What do you want?" she said.
"Do you want to come with us to see if anyone else got any presents? Oh, did you get any presents?"
"No," she said.

It's easy to see why Whiney Coleabbeany hates Maxey so much. Look at that house! I bet Mazey is a snob.

First we went to the mall. It had a closed sign, but the door was opened. We went in.

Guess what we saw! We saw Santa lying there with presents all over him!

Oh, Santa. What have you done? ... We'll never know.

"I guess my brother was right," I said. "I better go apologize."
I did.
My brother said, "It's OK."

A Christmas Message. Isn't it about time?

We are nice to each other now.

And we are also the same person now, it seems.

The End.

That's right. A-plus. Hard to imagine anything else, right?

Here's a bonus for getting this far: Enjoy this excerpt from my childhood scrapbook.

"Dear Mommy I love
You! you are nice I
am glad You are my Mommy and glad you
make me go to church cause I like
going to there
Love Megan"

I should mention that all the letter 'O's were also smiley faces. Ah, childhood.

a little preview to what I may write about later...

2010-12-30T04:19:00.002Z

a good thing...

2010-12-20T17:23:00.006Z

I have a lot of friends who are heading off on adventures soon. Many are going on missions, some are getting married, others are going to awesome prestigious schools, and some are moving to far off and exotic places. I'm honestly excited for them.

But sometimes I look at my life and I say: Why am I not doing things like that? In comparison, my life seems... plain.

Lately I've been second guessing my decision to apply to BYU's graduate theatre program. I think my sense of adventure is calling to me. I want to go do something exciting, or super intellectual, or crazy -- in a word: new.

But this talk by Elder Holland keeps coming to mind. He's talking about marriage here, but I've broadened the advice to fit my situation:

"Yes, there are cautions and considerations to make, but once there has been genuine illumination, beware the temptation to retreat from a good thing. If it was right when you prayed about it and trusted it and lived for it, it is right now. Don't give up when the pressure mounts... Face your doubts. Master your fears. 'Cast not away therefore your confidence.' Stay the course and see the beauty of life unfold for you."

Applying to BYU is a good thing for me. And I need to stop comparing my life decisions to others' life decisions. We're on different tracks. Neither one is better than the other... as long as it is right for the person set to walk on that path.

So friends, Stay YOUR course and see the beauty of YOUR life unfold for you. Walk your path and soak up all the good things that are undoubtedly waiting for you.

And for me: who's to say that BYU won't be exciting, intellectual, crazy and new?

Plus, when I logged in to byu.edu to work on my application today, I saw this video. It's a collaborative project between animation and dance instructors. The real kicker: the song is by The Weepies (one of my all-time favorite bands).

This is definitely a good sign.

eight (ate): its a problem that their are alot of commonly mispelled words

2010-12-08T07:41:00.001Z

Spoiler Alert (as if any of this was fascinating enough to have real-life spoilers): This blog is probably the most boring and nerdy blog I've ever written.

In fifth grade I won the school spelling bee. It was a big moment in my life. I won an encyclopedia (why not a dictionary?) and the opportunity to compete in the district spelling bee -- which is a story for another blog. Since then, unfortunately, my ability to spell correctly has deteriorated. The following are a list of words I (always) have trouble spelling:

Do you need someone to write a letter supporting your ability to perform well in a specific job/school/program? Make sure you ask your superior for a letter of recommendation, not a letter of reccomendation. They must re-commend you, not rec-comend you. After all, this isn't fun and games, this is a job. A serious job. One that needs a letter of recommendation. It's legitimate.

In order to live successfully, think about adding more of the good stuff in your life. More of the letters C, S, and L will do just fine. Watch out for that second C. It's a sneaky little bugger.

I don't even know in what way I usually misspell this word. I think, more often than not, I just keep typing different versions of the word until my good (but often flighty) friend, Spell Check recognizes that I am, indeed, attempting to spell an actual word. I guess it might require just a bit more discipline.

It's embarassing, ahem, embarrassing to admit I struggle with this. Both as orthography and the embodiment of an emotion.

Are you sensing a theme here? Me too...
Moving swiftly forward!

Okay, okay, I know I have no sense of rhythm, but it would be nice to get the spelling right on the first try. There are two of the letter H in this word. Rhythm is defined as "A regular repetition or recurrence, as a musical beat, a heartbeat, or the rhythm of the tides." So, in accordance with its very definition, the H repeats... regularly. Got it. At least until next time.

It's always necessary to leave out that sneaky C in this word. Put it back in 'success' where it belongs. And if something is unnecessary, it's necessary to have an extra N.

I accidentally leave out AL in this word. All the time (L the time?). Poor AL.

I'm always looking for ways to improve myself, and sixteen-year-old Megan was no different. In a letter to my 11th grade English teacher, I mentioned that I wanted to work on improving my grammer. Upon receipt of my graded letter, she had crossed out the word ~~grammer~~ (for it isn't actually a word) and replaced it with its legitimate cousin: grammar. Step one to my successful (notice: CC) grammatical improvement: Complete.

By the way, I'll never forget when I learned that alot and anyways were not words. And the spellings of civilization and entrepreneur will forever be etched in my mind.

Editor's note: You wouldn't believe how many times I had to use Spell Check on this one. Now I'm all conscious (not conscience... that's a different thing) of it. Also, I honestly don't have a deep passion for spelling or grammar... as evidenced by my writing.

Just for reference (and because it took forever for me to get these (feel free to laugh at me)):

They're is combining They and Are. "They're mocking her blog and easily finding its faults."
Their is talking about people who own things. "If the blog was theirs, then it would be well-written."
There is like saying something is over there. "See! Over there, on that other computer, is a better blog."

Farther has to do with a measurable distance. "She went farther up the mountain than I did."
Further is sort of like you're going to expound on something. "I could explain further, but it might embarrass (TWO Rs!) her. You wouldn't say she went fur up the mountain but far up the mountain -- though fur up the mountain sounds like an interesting story.

It's... "It's a good day. Yes, it is."
Its... "The piano was clearly out of tune; its sound was flat."
*By the way, this rule totally doesn't make complete sense to me. I understand using an apostrophe for conjunction, but don't we also use the apostrophe for possessive? Like, Megan's piano was clearly out of tune. Megan possesses the piano. Why can't the piano possess its sound?

Good day, orthographers, english scholars, all you people who are undoubtedly smarter than me.
I. Said. Good. Day.

eight: other people are much better than me

2010-12-06T07:05:00.000Z

As you can see, I've taken a prolonged break from blogging.

Explanation: I'm a world-class worrier and a well-seasoned self deprecator. And for awhile I was flying a little too high, I think. I was putting myself on a pedestal just a bit. I thought: this must stop. I worried that I was becoming a little too vain -- writing all about me all the time. Me me me. It was serious case of the Bella Swans (from Twilight... that was the most vain character I could think of). Of course, this pedestal-ism is much the point of having a blog, or facebook, or twitter, or a mirror. But still I worry. I wouldn't want me to develop the ego that is - sure as the sun rises in the east - waiting to burst out of me at the drop of a hat. Or, in my case, the second I'm allowed to speak or write.

I mean, seriously, look at my sidebar. *face palm*

So I took a break from blogging. But I didn't stop facebook-ing or looking at myself in the mirror -- so I didn't really solve the root of the problem anyway.

I thought of a better solution. I'm going to use this blog post to write about eight attributes/talents/etc. that I admire in other people. Because, let's face it, most people are better than me.

Let me be clear about something, really quick, I'm not fishing for compliments here. This isn't a "poor Megan" post. At least, I'm not meaning it to be. And I'm not trying to knock self-confidence -- just trying to spend a little less time thinking about myself and a little more time thinking about others.

Some people have this amazing gift for music. They've got the musical ear. This is something I have a deep appreciation for. My little brother plays the clarinet (and piano, and tenor sax) beautifully. Seriously, it's like an extension of him. Not only does he get the technique of it all, but I think there's something truly special (maybe even spiritual) that he gets from music. It's like his connection to The Something Greater Out There. And when he plays, I get just a small glimpse of what that connection might be. I also have a few friends who use their voice to this same effect. Thanks to all those friends who are willing to share this intimate connection with the world.

Question: Where was Moses when the lights went out?
Answer: In the dARK.
Cue: Laugh Track.
Ah haha... ha
*cough cough*

Okay, so I'm not a comedian. Big deal. Truth be told, I didn't even think of that joke. I stole it from a play. This is where I get to my point. I love that so many people I know are FUNNY, because I love to laugh. And I love that there are so many different kinds of funny. Thanks are due to all my friends who can deliver a punch line. 'Cause, goodness knows, I can't. (I laugh at my own jokes... like all the way through them... so it kind of takes away the funny when you can't hear what I'm saying 'cause I'm too busy spewing my beverage 'midst snorts of laughter).

I have this... 'special' ability to make even the smallest of occurrences a HUGE deal. So, for number three, I'm going to highlight those people with a normal amount of perspective. Thanks for your easy going personalities. Thanks for calming me down. Thanks for letting things wash right over you. Didn't get an A on that paper? No biggie, there's always next time. Couldn't find the feta cheese in the grocery store? Don't worry about it. We'll use mozzarella. Accidentally slept in? Just get ready as fast as you can and make sure your alarm clock is set to A.M. next time. You people keep this world moving forward and stop the rest of us from going bald at age 22.

Did you know that...
I'm not even going to finish the sentence. Because, most likely, even if I looked up a seriously interesting and informative factoid, I wouldn't remember it tomorrow. Some of you -- and you know who you are -- have fantastic minds that retain everything you ever learn. How do you do that? Way to be.

Do you know when my birthday is? I can think of a handful of people who do. And they'll never ever forget it. Because that's just the kind of person they are. In fact, they don't just remember my birthday, they remember ALL their friends' birthdays. And guess what, they'll probably call them or send a card or give them a gift. They might even have it picked out already. I guess this is one of the side effects of spending more time thinking about other people. Thanks to those who are an excellent example of generosity -- and not just for birthdays, but for everydays.

Life isn't easy, and we all know it. But some people don't show it. They handle every challenge and trial they are given with grace and elegance. They're creative problem solvers for their own lives and remain calm and collected with an eye toward the future and another eye looking for what they can learn from the challenge. That's a real gift.

What did you want to be when you grew up? I wanted to be an architect. It's not an especially romantic dream, but I was not ashamed to admit it. That's the great thing about being a kid. We unapologetically move toward our dreams and shout our passions and ambitions from the mountaintops.... or from the top of the big slide on the playground. Actual elevation of our proclamations aside, we weren't afraid to elevate our hopes. Some people don't grow out of that. And I think that's great! Don't let the world tell you that you can't achieve something. Sure, your dreams may change, but we should never feel like we have to apologize for wanting something big/different/more out of life. Life is too short, and the connections we make with others are too important, for us to censor ourselves because we're afraid of being ridiculed. Thanks to all those dreamers out there. Thanks for keeping the child in you alive.

Sort of along that same vain, there are people who aren't ashamed of who they are or what they believe. They'll speak up -- not out of malice or contempt or anger, but out of passion. And then they listen -- to people who agree with them, to people who don't. And they'll think about it. Too many times in my life I've kept quiet. I didn't share my thoughts from fear that I might offend... or (slightly more embarrassing) from fear that I might be different. Granted, this world doesn't need more people who think like I do, it needs more people who will speak up, share, listen, and then collaborate. It needs more people who are willing to meet in the middle. Thanks to all those compromisers. I know it's not about giving up on your ideals or your beliefs, it's just about not letting your stubbornness get in the way of solutions.

Ideally, I hope to be some small measure of these things some day. Maybe this is a little more self-serving than I intended it to be. So, along with these eight qualities, I'll work on that.

eight: who knew?

2010-11-11T07:52:00.000Z

(Megan's Note: To fully understand why I'm posting this randomness, see previous blog... All I know is that my Mom read it. She loves me!)

This is the stuff I never thought I would like until I grew up and/or gave them a chance:

Asparagus. Apparently, this stuff is good. And I freaking love it. Who knew? I read somewhere that as you grow older, your taste buds start to die. Maybe it's a good thing I never tried this green vegetable of wonder when I was younger. Some of me had to die first, I guess.

As is the case with this:

Feta Cheese. I tried this stuff for the first time when I (at a meager 17 years of age) visited Greece. I ordered a Greek Salad -- which consists of cucumbers, olives, feta, and tomato (no lettuce). Supposedly, said the older ladies sitting next to me, this was really good feta. I hated it. Jump ahead a couple months. Place: The Cellar. Food: Feta Pizza. Thoughts: Delicious! What happened to my taste buds in just those few months? Do taste buds just give up once you reach your 18th birthday?

My next culprit supports this theory.

Any food made with pumpkin. Okay, okay, I still don't really like pumpkin pie, but I can now say that I have a healthy appreciation for pumpkin muffins, pancakes, ravioli and seeds. Maybe this thanksgiving I'll actually try the pie again. Who knows?

Not all my new-found loves are food. Let's continue:

Rock Climbing. I went for a church activity, fully expecting to both embarrass and aggravate myself. But, surprise surprise, I loved it! I made it to the top three whole times. And besides the fact that it took me the entire night to fully understand how to tie the knot, I had a lot of fun. And I don't think I was too bad at it, either. I swear, it's a good thing I could never be a boy scout... knots are tough. Perhaps I'm not meant for survival in the wild...

For that matter, my singles ward. I've had a difficult time enjoying these in the past. I had a really hard time with my ward in college. Then, all of the sudden, it became comfortable for me. I'm pretty sure it had absolutely nothing to do with the ward itself and had everything to do with a change that happened within me. An attitude adjustment, maybe? Perhaps a little bit of maturing, even. And now, I'm LOVING the ward I'm in. I'm absolutely in the right place.

Naps. Remember when we were little and the worst thing ever was having to go to bed? Sleep was so boring.... Well, we were dumb. We had no idea what we were missing out on. Note: my freshman roomie (one of the funniest, smartest and most genuine of people) took this picture of me while I was sleeping. It proves I sleep like a maniac. Though, at the time, I had no idea this wasn't considered normal...

Next: the idea of attending BYU. That's right. Brigham Young University. Okay, okay, put down your pitchforks. Don't break out those ole Utah/BYU cliches and jokes. I've heard it. I've delivered them myself. And don't even bother to remind me that I'd have to live in Provo for two years. Believe me. I know. I grew up a Ute. You should see our family pictures. It's like we just got out of a football game. But then, I grew up. And I attended a completely different university. And I only went to two sporting events whilst attending said university. My views have changed. My mind has opened. Plus, BYU offers me the degree I need for far less than most universities, the experience I need in researching and teaching, plus an opportunity to be an outsider! I'm convinced that I have this weird need somewhere deep inside me to be different. (Psychoanalyze that!) In college it was my religion, now it will be my politics.

All that being said, I haven't even been accepted yet. So, if they don't accept me, you can pick up that pitchfork and dust off those old jokes.

(Megan's Note: If any admissions people happen to be reading this, please don't take the last comment personally. Also, I promise I can write better and more meaningful material than this).

And last, but certainly not least: Curious George. I did NOT want to see this movie. My sibs dragged me to it. But as soon as I saw that face... I fell in love. I smiled throughout the rest of the remaining two hours. Ah! What a cutie! I'm convinced that if I were a monkey, Curious George and I would be best buds.

Here's to growing up. It's not so bad after all.

eight: places

2010-11-05T06:43:00.001Z

My favorite number is eight. I wouldn't say it has any cosmic power, or anything. Just that it makes me think of my birthday... so, I like it. I'm going to do something I've never done on a blog before. I'm going to do a series.

"Ooooo. Aaaaah," says the peanut gallery.

"C'est fantastique, non?" says me. (I don't know why I would speak French allofasudden. But there you go.

Here are the rules: I'm gonna base my series on the number eight. I'll do eight posts (I'm not going to promise that they will be every day) of eight things each. Each post will be a new topic. Really, it's just a glorified way of writing lists.

You may think: Gee, that's self-indulgent. But, hey, I like to write and think. And I like to share what I write and think. So, think what you will of me. To be honest, I don't care... To be even more honest, I do. I hope you like it. And I hope you get something out of it... whatever that something may be. (If you do, go ahead and leave a comment. I'd love to here what you have to contribute. There's a link at the bottom of the post).

Today's post: Eight places I want to see... I'm not going to say "before I die." It sounds too morbid. They won't be in any particular order.

And were off:

Machu Picchu, Peru. Okay, I'd have to get really in shape for this one. But, I'm guessing that this is probably one of the most amazing sites in all the world. It would be totally worth all the boring gym time on those silly stair-steppers (the most annoying of all cardio machines). That's a place of serious aha moments.

Paris, France. The city d'amour. I actually have been to Paris. But I feel like I didn't get much of a feel for it. We were only there for a couple days. I'd like to spend some REAL time there. And do some stuff that isn't touristy. I'll skip the Mona Lisa this time and go to a french cafe and people watch instead. I'll get a crepe from a stand and eat it on the side of the road. Maybe I'll watch some pigeons. Okay, so those might actually all be tourist activities. But they don't have as long of lines. There is one touristy thing I'll be sure to do though: Le Tour Eifel (not sure if it's masculine or feminine). If only to get a really romantic Paris kiss at the top... assuming I go with somebody that would make that okay. Not just some stranger. Gross. You see, I think I've got a romantic in me. It's just buried beneath layers of awkward.

Non-specific Place, Ireland. I've wanted to do this for a long time. I want to hike across Ireland. Apparently, they have all these walking paths that you can take from village to village. How awesome is that? I love that I would get to see the countryside... and all that GREEN! And since alcohol isn't a temptation for me, I wouldn't even be too hungover to enjoy the long hikes.

The Natural Bridge Dark Sky Park, Utah. It's so close. And just look at that picture. I love being reminded that I'm just a small part of this huge place. This scripture comes to mind: "... all things denote there is a God; yea, even the earth, and all things that are upon the face of it; yea, and its motion, yea, and also all the planets which move in their regular form do witness that there is a Supreme Creator" (Alma 30:44). That thought makes the following truth even more amazing: "For behold, this is my work and my glory -- to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man" (Moses 1:39). God created a lot of really awesome stuff. And his biggest concern, his number one priority, is us.

Loire Valley, France. Another France one. I studied French for three years in Junior High and then another year in college. I'm not even close to knowing the language. But I'm so curiously captivated by the culture and history of the country. (That sentence was unintentionally alliterative.) This chateau was designed by a woman. Yes, it's on top of the river, which helps cool down the kitchen. It's also the only chateau to have a main hallway. I guess this was a renowned concept at the time. That way, you didn't have any embarrassing encounters while you were headed to your room. You didn't have to see Auntie Mable change out of her corset and Cousin Jaques pick his nose just to go get into your room to change into your favorite PJs (only to be interrupted by your younger sister Sarah barging through to get to her room). Psshhh. Sarah. That's so like her. What a mess! At any rate, it'd be cool to see these castles.

Edinburgh, Scotland. It's where J.K Rowling lives. 'nuff said.

Anywhere, China. I think it'd be so cool to go to a place that has such a completely different language and culture. I would feel so out of place and awkward. Doesn't that sound great? I've never ever seen mountain like that. And I think I'd like to. Plus, have you ever seen The Painted Veil? It's a beautiful movie. every time I watch it, it makes me want to do two things. Write scripts. And visit China.

Sydney, Australia. Or really, Anywhere, Australia. (Or, really, Anywhere, Southern Hemisphere). I'd like to lump Australia and New Zealand together. But I know at least a handful of people who would take great offense to that. So, I won't. Let's just say Australia for now. I'd like to see where Finding Nemo was filmed ;)

Places. There is far more good in this world than bad, far more excitement than boredom, and far more places I want to go than eight.

Seriously, while I was googling pictures, I found at least 10 more places I want to see. I wish I was Rick Steves. He's gotta retire at some point, right?

What places do you want to see?

football: from a girl who doesn't know much about it

2010-10-25T01:41:00.001+01:00

I went to a football game yesterday. Shocked? You should be. Though I come from sport-driven roots, I wouldn't exactly call myself an expert... or a follower. Football is a hard sport for me to understand. Don't get me wrong. I don't think it's stupid or wrong to like it, and I can understand why people might enjoy it. Sadly, I just never became one of those people.

Something you might not know about me: I used to be athletic(ish). Weird, right? I played baseball, because that's what my family does. Learning to play baseball was almost as important as learning how to drive. It was a right of passage. Anyhow, I played 3 years of Parks & Rec baseball (aka Machine Pitch) before moving on to Gymnastics (a disaster for reasons which I will narrow down to the fact that I couldn't touch my toes), Indoor Soccer, Basketball.

I had a brief stint (one game) of Flag Football. From what I remember, the coach was kind of mean... and I had a hard time understanding the rules of football. Let's just say the two didn't exactly mix. Hey, at least I got to keep the t-shirt. (This is irrelevant but I just remember that he had long blond hair and our team color was orange. Isn't it weird what we remember sometimes?)

Then things changed. I think it was Junior High. This is where theatre started it's slow (but effective) infiltration. Plus, awkwardness and athletics didn't really get along in my body. So besides church basketball and volleyball, sports kinda disappeared from my landscape.

That's how I became the lovely being you see before you today. You know, the one who likes to do Yoga and Stage Combat for exercise.

Which brings us to now. Or yesterday, when I went to the game.

There I was wearing all the red I could muster up from the depths my wardrobe which was more difficult than it sounds; My favorite color is blue; and it's a cardinal sin (heh heh) to wear blue to a Ute game. Anyway, there I was, wearing all the red I own, sitting in the pouring rain, watching football. Wearing one of these:

(Imagine it 's white or red, though.) You can't help but feel really awesome when you're wearing a poncho. In fact, I think all clothing should be poncho style. Suffice it to say, it was a surreal experience. I was sitting in the freezing, pouring rain, looking around and thinking about how we all look like a bunch of red turtles who will poke our heads out only to scream at the ref or watch Shaky Smithson make a run for the end zone. It was seriously like the whole stadium made a collective red blanket.

I did manage to make some observations (whether or not they are interesting or insightful, I will leave up to you).

I like that football can bring Lady Gaga and a bunch of old, conservative dudes into the same arena. Not that my dad is old or conservative, but I believe this is the only place that I would see him listening to Lady Gaga. As long as the marching band plays it, we'll listen.

You can yell "Kill Him!" without being looked at like your either insane or dangerous.

We spend so much time trying to make ourselves stand out -- to make ourselves different. But sports have a cool way of bringing out the similarities in us. Example: An entire stadium makes the same audible "Ooooo" when there's a vicious tackle. It might be a good idea to spend more time looking for these similarities. Note to self: find out what I have in common with others.

We've all been trained to let screens tell us everything we need to know (example: watching the jumbotron rather than watching the actual game in front of you). Note to self: spend less mindless time on the computer.

BUT even amidst all the bright lights, big sounds, and product placement, we can still get distracted by a rainbow. In the middle of the game, the rain let up and a perfect rainbow appeared just east of the stadium. Everyone looked up. I love it. I love that we are in awe of beauty still. Man has made a lot of really cool things, but God still trumps us with the rainbow.

I have to admit: I got caught up in the moment. I actually (wait for it) ENJOYED the game. What?!?! I know. Even though I didn't understand all the rules, I got the gist of it. The Utes won by a ridiculous amount (59-6). I got to spend some time with my Dad. And I got sopping wet even though I was wearing protective gear (aka poncho).

That kind of endurance made it more fun... for me... a non-expert (I'll let you make the metaphorical connection to life on that one).

Most of all though, I'm glad I gave Football another chance.

Note to self: Don't be afraid to try new things.

because I want to feel good about myself...

2010-10-19T00:06:00.017+01:00

So. Unemployment sucks. It really does. And sometimes it gets me uber down on myself and twists my perspective all sorts of crazy directions. I applied (and was interviewed) for a job that I really thought would be awesome. I prepared like mad for the interview. I even made a chicken, duck, and pig mask to show as a craft example. I was excited. I could SO picture myself there.

I got my rejection letter in the mail on Saturday.

Rejection sucks, too. It really does.

But it's important to remember that this life is about more than employment. My happiness and success does not (or, at least, it shouldn't) depend on what happens to me... but rather what I make happen with what I've got.

And I've got a lot. I really do.

I have to keep reminding myself. Daily.

I have a loving a supportive family. I sometimes can't even believe how awesome my parents are. They've always encouraged me todo what I love. And they're willing to support me while I try to find a way to do that. Of course, it's not like I want to live here with them forever. But I'm grateful for their support and encouragement. And even though I've proven that I can't do EVERYTHING... I can still do SOMETHING. I just need to find what that something is. Because I know it's out there.

I have a freakin' Bachelors degree. What?!?! It's so crazy to me that I've made it this far. My whole life has been working toward getting that college degree. And I did it. In four years, nonetheless. Which I'm now beginning to realize is actually pretty amazing. Even though I thought that getting a degree was supposed to help me avoid months of unemployment, I'm grateful for the piece of paper (and the years of experiences/memories/thoughts/ideas/challenges) that came with it. Oh yeah. And the perspective -- the realization that I can do what makes me happy. I can devote my life to it.

Oh yeah! And there's some pretty awesome friends. When I talk to you guys, it makes my heart burn for you. I miss you so much it hurts. Almost literally. I'm so grateful for these friendships. You've had an immense impact on my life. So much so that, now, even though we're so far away from each other, I think about you often. Your jokes still pop into my head. Your encouragement. Your ideas. Hopefully we won't have to be so far away forever.

And there's always been this other thing. My faith. My faith that things get better. My faith that I can help make good things happen in both my life and the lives of others. My faith that I'm never really alone -- no matter how lonely I might feel sometimes. My faith that God has a plan for me -- probably an even better plan than I have for me.

So, thank you to that immense support system that's been built for me. All y'all are more stupendous than any cheesy blog post could ever condense you into.

Now, it's time for me to pat myself on the back, because (if you know me at all) you know that I rarely do such a thing. Humility has never been a real issue for me (she says quite humbly). It's confidence that's the real struggle here.

So, if life is about what I make happen with what I've got... I've made a lot happen (with more help than I could really ever identify). I really have.

So, I directed an entire show.

I graduated with a 4.0 in my major and excellence in theatre arts. I know what it's like to get an A+ on a college paper. And how satisfying it is to know you wrote something really good because you thought about it a lot.

I got an internship which I started 10 DAYS after I graduated.

I've lived in Utah, Washington, London, and Kentucky.

I've discovered my love of working with young people. (And my love of children's books). I work for 2.5 hours a week (a small but welcome amount of time. Better than watching 2.5 more hours of television.) as a teaching assistant at Youth Theatre at the U. I put together their study guide for their fall production of A Year With Frog and Toad.

I got a real staged reading of my play eine lange Reise. And they had only positive things to say about it. It was cool to see it done by people who had never even met me before... and see them get so much of it right!

I've put myself out there -- you know, networking and the like -- and will be "working" (unpaid) on two productions this winter. I'm okay with getting paid in comp tickets for now.

So, yeah. I might not have a job that really pays me. And I might have to learn how to structure my own time. But I'll get it. I know I can accomplish a lot. I'm smart. I'm capable. And I can be happy wherever I am.

I really can.

megan is...

2010-10-17T00:58:00.002+01:00

virtually unemployable.

hello, old friends

2010-08-27T21:02:00.011+01:00

My parents' book collection astounds me. This is my Dad's most interesting bookcase. Yes, half of the books are stacked on top, leaning against the wall. This is a mark of honor for him. And I love that.

"TV. If kids are entertained by two letters, imagine the fun they'll have with twenty-six. Open your child's imagination. Open a book." -Author Unknown

Unemployment has me watching more TV than I've watched in the past 4 years. And the more I watch it, the more I realize how much I don't really like TV...

So, no more. Hello, old friends. How have you been?

It's been far too long. My collection can't rival my Dad's. But, I'm pleased with it.Here's to living a more productive and interesting life.

Spring Breaking

2010-03-21T05:45:00.002Z

Well, Spring Break is wrapping up. My 'To Do' list still needs some significant shrinking. But I thought I would take a moment to update my reader(s?) on the happenings of the past month or so.

Let's start with the play. I'm directing a show called The Secret in the Wings for my senior thesis. It will be performed April 23 and 24. I'm not allowed to go into much detail about the show and the rehearsal process. (It's a Theatre Department guideline). But I'll just say that I'm excited and expect to be spending most of my all-too-many waking hours for the next month thinking about and rehearsing for this show. It's a big project, but luckily I have some awesome people to work with.

Next, spring break! Woohoo. I had the wonderful opportunity to go to Ashland, Oregon with some friends. What's in Ashland, Oregon? Answer: The Oregon Shakespeare Festival. It was great fun. Ashland is a pretty small town about 7 hours south of Tacoma. So on Wednesday morning, armed with an 8-hour road-trip playlist, Alyson, Matthew, Katie and I all piled into Alyson's car and started our pilgrimage down to Ashland.

It's a cute town. It has basically one main street. The main draw (and maybe only draw) is the festival. It's basically the center of the town's life. And for good reason. It's an awesome festival. I have a hard time keeping myself from comparing it to the Utah Shakespearean Festival (where I pretty much fell in love with theatre and Shakespeare). It felt remarkably similar. Great shows. Good environment. Awesome atmosphere. But it didn't have the same feeling as USF. I didn't feel an automatic connection the way I do when I go to Cedar City. I guess that speaks to where my roots may be. Still, I wouldn't mind going back to Ashland -- or even working there someday.

Highlights:

Hamlet... always a good show. Long, but good. This one had hip hop. I'll be writing about this in my playwriting blog if you're interested in learning more about what I thought about the show.
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. See above explanation.
La Quinta beds. They weren't lying when they advertised comfy beds. Seriously, so plush. So awesome. Such good sleep.
La Quinta continental breakfast. Hooray waffles!
Backstage tour with the guys who played Claudius in Hamlet.
Some really awesome food!
The Dagoba chocolate adventure. Google maps failed us. And I failed at navigating, but we finally found the warehouse/factory that had a small room where we could taste-test the chocolate. Good times were had by all involved.
Some awesome friends. It was so good to spend some real time with them. I feel like I hardly ever see them when we're in school (because we're always at rehearsal and are always so busy). I'll be graduating in a couple months, and I'm glad I got to spend a little quality time with them before we all split and go our crazy different directions. I'm really going to miss them.

Speaking of going off in crazy directions: I accepted a Summer Internship at Lexington Children's Theatre. That's Kentucky! I would have never imagined that I would be in Kentucky ever. But I'm really looking forward to it. It's a little weird that I won't be going home this summer. I didn't do that last summer either, but this time I'm going someplace completely new and pretty far away. It'll be good though. I'll learn a lot about professional theatre and theatre education. I'll be working as an education intern. That means I'll assist teaching artists in classes before I take over a class and teach on my own. I'm really looking forward to it.

Here's a little video about the theatre, if you're interested.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_8mtdytook

eine lange Reise

2010-03-13T23:10:00.002Z

I wrote a play called eine lange Reise. I submitted it to the student-written, student-produced, student-directed, student-acted full-length-play festival. These guys brought it to life. Seriously, this is the coolest experience I've ever had in theatre. Many thanks to these guys and the producers. It was amazing.

And the years fly by...

2010-02-11T07:45:00.014Z

I've been spending a lot of time thinking about my future lately. Well, all the free time I have (which isn't much). This basically means that I'm thinking about it in the late hours of the night and early hours of the morning -- you know, that time when you're supposed to be asleep. And I realized, it's been awhile since I've updated my blog. Indeed, it's been six whole months -- half a year.

I can't believe how fast time moves. I must be getting old, or something.

A lot has happened in the past six months.

Allow me to update you visually:

I had the opportunity to Assistant Direct all of these beautiful people in a production of The Skin of Our Teeth. I learned so much and feel grateful for the experience.

Here's a picture of the stage. Designed by Kurt Walls... genius. I love the Shakespearean-esque thrust. I'm jealous that all the actors got to work on such a nifty stage.

Then I got to direct a one-act entitled Night Visits. These are my actors. They were such a pleasure to work with.

Over fall break, I visited Z and S in Philadelphia. Here are some highlight from that adventure:

Z and S outside the Rosenblatt Rare Book Museum/Library. They had an exhibit of Maurice Sendak's books and art to celebrate Where the Wild Things Are coming to theaters.

Some really yummy hot chocolate. I forget what the place is called. Z or S: What was it again?

I loved Philly. I'd been there before, but I think I appreciated it a lot more this time.

This hasn't been an especially exciting blog. I apologize. This is what happens when facebook stops letting me post pictures.

Top five reasons why today is awesome...

2009-08-22T02:35:00.004+01:00

#5 - The freshmen started moving in today. In 24 hours the campus went from being a place where one would not be surprised to see a tumbleweed bouncing by to a place swarming with nervous parents and eager eighteen year-olds.

#4 - Since this was the first day of move-in, the bookstore (job #2) was PACKED with people. I escaped this mess and got to leave work an hour early to do...

#3 - where my bosses from the Library took me out to lunch. We went to Shenanigans... which doesn't really have many vegetarian options (I ordered a Panini without the pork (word to the wise, order something that you don't have to eat with your hands if your superiors ever take you to lunch)). But it was amazing! It was right on the waterfront. And the food was divine!

#2 - I had leftovers!

#1 - They paid for dessert, too. A scrumptious layering of peanut butter and chocolate moose, topped with a layer of hardened dark chocolate. Talk about divine.

I must be an awesome employee, or something... or a good excuse to get an amazing meal using the company card :)

So, it's been awhile...

2009-08-03T03:24:00.009+01:00

Dear blogging community,

As stated in the title, it's been awhile (quite an understatement... obviously) since my last post. I've probably lost anyone who might have been following along, so I figure my return to blogging will be mostly for my sake. And acting for my sake, I'd like to be the first to welcome myself back to the world of the blog; "Welcome back, Megan. It's been awhile." "Why thank you... er... me..."

This isn't off to a good start.

I've always been impressed by people who can keep a journal or a scrapbook or some other organized way of remembering your life. I've never been all that good at it. There have been times when I've gone a few months journaling regularly. I even kept a fairly decent scrapbook... until I hit high school. But of late, nothing. Today is a Sunday. And as I'm trying to do a better job of filling my Sundays with good things, I decided this might be a better idea than having a Gilmore Girls marathon... again. (Though there's nothing wrong with that :).

But it is summer. Consequently, my brain has been pushed into summer mode-- which means I frequently forget how to spell and write and use proper punctuation (let's face it, I've never been very good at that last one... clearly). Soooo, in light of my recent brain activity... I'm going to get you caught up on my life for the last eight months through pictures!

Here it goes:

I finished up in London. Last we talked, I was worried about finals. They went well. I ended up getting a 3.83 for the semester. So that's pretty good, I think. I returned home safely with a slightly new inflection and a propensity to say things like, "I quite enjoyed that film. It was fantastic." and "Where's the toilet?" and "I need some new trousers." I went to the mall a couple days after getting home and remember being caught off guard because everybody sounded like me. In London, if I ever heard an American accent, it just sounded strange. I would naturally turn to see who was speaking. I gave quite a few people some intense stares that day at the mall. I also tried to pay one dollar by using only two quarters. In the U.K., the biggest coin is the 50p. So I legitimately thought I was paying one dollar. Poor Payless employee who had to deal with that rant.

I spent Christmas with my family and friends. I had never missed my family as much as I did when I was in London. And because of this, this Christmas was probably the best Christmas I ever had. (Let's see how many times I can say "Christmas" in two sentences). Then everybody went back to their lives, and I still had three weeks before school started. This was probably the first time that I hadn't been kicking down the door ready to go back to school. I enjoyed being home. Then I got my wisdom teeth out-- which was less enjoyable.

Then I returned to The University of Puget Sound. It was strange at first. Even though I had only been away from the campus for a little over half a year, it seemed like I had missed so much. UPS is so small that it was difficult to return to the bubble after having experienced something so much bigger. I'm grateful for the perspective that Study Abroad gave me. But after awhile, it stats getting to be familiar again, and I'm also grateful for this small school where I have leaned so much.

Before I explain this picture, I will state that it does not belong to me. Kate Stone took this picture, and (as it is hers) I give her full credit for it. Now on to the 'splaining. I was in Peter Pan for Senior Theatre Festival. I was Michael Darling. Since I was a little boy in the play, I cut of all my hair. This play was one of the most interesting and difficult theatrical experiences I have ever encountered. But I have never been in a play that touched children the way this play did. It was fun to see kids in the audiences, being fully ready to accept that we could fly even though we only had a trampoline, and that we could change scenes without ever moving a piece of scenery. They just got it. Kids know how to play and how to imagine. And I was reminded how truly powerful theatre can be.

Another highlight of the semester: My house and housemates. These are some of the best people I know, and I'm so grateful to have called them my housemates and my friends. I don't think I've ever been more comfortable with a group of people. These guys made my semester worth it. You know you've found a great group of people when you never have to apologize for being yourself.

Then we move in to the summer. I actually decided to stay in Tacoma for the summer. I'm subletting a room with a group of friends-- really good people. It's been a nice arrangement. I love living in an actual house, in an actual neighborhood, with people who aren't all my age. I've had a little bit of a chance to see Tacoma as it really is... not just the place where my school happens to be. Overall, it's beautiful here in the summer. (That heat wave was not much fun though. Nobody has Air Conditioning over here. I was surprised to see that there is such a place as a "County Cooling Center." I did have a chance to go home this summer, though. I got to see by little brother graduate from High School. He's such a good kid. I really respect him. I know he's going to do some astounding things with his life.

I bought a car while I was home! It looks a little something like the car above. My mom and I drove it back to Tacoma. I dropped her off at the airport on my way back to T-town. I love having a car up here. It's given me so much more independence. It's so nice to be able to go to the store when I need to, and to not have to worry about how I'm going to get to church on Sunday. Honestly, one of the best big decisions I've ever made.

The rest of the time this summer I've been working. I work three jobs each day. First I work as a cataloging assistant at the Library. Then I work at the bookstore. Then I go back to the library and work as an Office Assistant (the job I usually have during the school year). I'm grateful to have these jobs when it's difficult for anybody to even have one job. I know that being in Tacoma for the summer was the right choice for me. That being said, I'm excited to go home again for a weekend in a couple weeks, and I'm excited for school to start back up. I'm ready.

Thank you for your time, dear reader. I hope this was everything that you hoped for and more. It was definitely the more part.

Until next time.

Megan

P.S. That was rather enjoyable. I think I'll do that more often :)

no diversions

2008-12-05T22:22:00.007Z

This is a picture of a road sign we saw while visiting Liverpool. The first time I looked at it, I laughed. Then I saw it on facebook, and I thought it was rather depressing. How is that tiny man supposed to get through that mountain with only a little shovel? He can't even go around: No diversions. It's all a bit foreboding.

This last week was completely busy. I started out the week writing a paper for my Contemporary Britain class. As I sat on my bed, surrounded by books and working at my laptop, head in hand, I thought of my visit to Cambridge. We went to a library designed by Christopher Wren (you know, the guy who designed St. Paul's and basically every other building on the planet). The building itself was gorgeous, but the artifacts it held made it all the more impressive. There was a copy of Paul's epistle's from around 800 AD (this means that it was hand written! Gah!), a first folio edition of the Complete Works of Shakespeare, Isaac Newton's walking stick (along with a lock of his hair and his notebook with a drawing of a rock falling to the earth), and (of course, the all important) first edition of Winnie the Pooh. Within the stacks of books there were people sitting at tables stacked high with books and papers. They were at their laptops, head in hands. It just shows that no matter where you are, researching looks essentially the same.

I spent much of my waking hours (and there were far too many of these) researching at the Guildhall library. I had to write a paper for my London History class about Education in the Victorian Era. This requires lots of research (much to my displeasure). Although, I am of two minds when it comes to research. I don't mind it, if it's for fun. This sounds ridiculous, but I'd enjoy spending an afternoon at the library purely for the fun of it. But there was far too much stress surrounding this project for me to go in for academic recreation. This is the type of library where you request a book and they bring it to your study table. It was all very exciting at first, but after awhile I started getting frustrated with these books. They were often unhelpful. But then, the book came. It was rare and old and had golden pages. And it smelled. In a good way. You know, that really rustic, full-of-knowledge smell. As far as I'm concerned, this made it all worth while.

It's weeks like this when I have a hard time seeing over the mountain. I can't see if I'll ever get to the other side. And how am I supposed to do it with this dinky little shovel? Can't I get around all this?

All in all, I had a few late nights. And early mornings. Oh, and it's been freezing cold this week (but no snow... so what's the point of cold?). I've been late to class. I've been jam packed into the smallest openings on the tube. Been completely soaking wet after hiking Hampstead Heath on a muddy day. Had a few tummy aches. Thought about home maybe a little too much. But, all things considered, I'm happy. I got to see Rainman (the play, with Josh Hartnett and Adam Godley). I watched the Mayor of Oslo, Norway light a HUGE Christmas tree in Trafalgar Square. I ate a delicious Thanksgiving Dinner with my host family.

I got to see this after I hiked up a muddy hill:

And this after wandering around London (for homework) in the freezing cold:

It's hard to believe places this picturesque actually exist:

No diversions. Because if you go around, you don't get any of this.

So, here's the plan. I have finals all next week. I'm nervous, and I know it's going to be a lot of work. I may not do my best work. I know I'll be a far cry from perfect. It may even seem like I will never make it through. But I will take it one muddy step at a time, trudging through the cold. And I'll take my dinky shovel and move this mountain.

No diversions.

our one night stand with hot doctor and thanksgiving

2008-11-27T20:56:00.003Z

My dad, being the amazing writer and speaker he is, gave a talk in church a couple of years back for Thanksgiving. He talked about how being grateful for something is more of an act rather just saying "thanks." Being grateful is 'Thanks living' not just thanksgiving. That's still stuck with me. Of course we're meant to be grateful in all things. Sometimes that can be really difficult for me to remember. So I thought I would try a little exercise. Just as my dad did for his talk years ago, I'm going to go through my day today (which by no means was perfect) and say what I'm grateful for. So here it goes:

00:00 (Midnight, for those of you who are not familiar with military time): At this point Alyson and I had been in the A and E (Accident and Emergency... equivalent to the ER) for two hours or so. Alyson's Patella moved itself... so she had a lock knee. And she was in a lot of pain. I went with, because who would want to go the hospital in a foreign country all alone. I certainly wouldn't. I was happy to be there for her. I was grateful to our host mom (Anne) driving us there. She's just fantastic. I was also grateful for the extremely hot, British doctor who took care of Alyson. It was nice to have something pretty to look at. I'm grateful Christmas Carols which we sung to pass the time in the smaller waiting room. I'm also grateful for this country's view of healthcare. You don't have to pay if it's emergency care and you aren't admitted! What a novel idea! We called a taxi back to our house. I'm grateful for the comfy bed that awaited me at the end of a long, hard day.

07:30: We wake up to get ready for the day. We have to take the underground into town every day, which takes about an hour. Even though I'll be happy to go back to rolling out of bed and going to class, I am extremely grateful for this transportation system. For the convenience of having a travel card. For shrinking this massive city and unlocking it for me.

10:00: This morning we were supposed to head to parliament. We made it there and discovered that Parliament had decided to close their session a week early. So there were no debates for us to watch. But even just looking around that building is amazing. It's just awe-inspiring to be in a building that's nearly 1000 years old-- that's 3 zeroes!! I'm so lucky to have this opportunity to see the world. To live in a foreign country. Many people will never see foreign soil. I'm learning so much.

13:00: We have a Thanksgiving Dinner. It may not have been the same as one with the fam, but it was a lot of fun. I've had the opportunity to meet some outstanding people. People who are a lot of fun to be around. And after I had stuffed myself with food, I just sat back and laughed the afternoon away with my friends.

18:00: I got home extremely tired. I took a nap. I had one of those moments when you're half awake and half asleep and you sort of forget where you are. For just that moment I could have sworn I was in my bed at home. And as soon as that moment cut back to reality, I felt a great pang of homesickness. I'd never been away from home for Thanksgiving, and I definitely missed it. But I think I'm really glad to have that homesickness. I'm grateful to have such a great family and loving home. I'm blessed with good memories and traditions. I miss home because I love it so much.

22:00: I got to talk with my family. Modern technology is astounding. It's kept me connected to my family in a way that wouldn't have been possible even 5 years ago.

00:00: I went to bed realizing that my day wasn't perfect. They rarely ever are. It's easy to be grateful when things are working out. The real test is to see if you can be grateful in ALL things. Even the bad stuff. I'm pretty sure this is one of the keys to happiness. Happiness isn't about perfection. It isn't even about smiling and laughing all the time. True happiness is more about being content. I can say that though cried to myself this night thinking about how much I missed home, I was content. I'm grateul for this life.

I know I'm being cliche. But hey, I can't really help it.

what I learned about life by having lice...

2008-11-17T17:28:00.005Z

Yup. You read the title correctly. I had lice-- an embarrassing fact with which I'm only now fully coming to grips. I went my entire childhood without personally encountering lice, so it seemed odd that I would get them twenty years in. It's just as well. Having them as a child would have been much more traumatic. (A kid with lice was something akin to leprosy on my playground). And at least now I have a cool story about them. I went to Prague for my midterm break. I had a great time-- came back with a lot of memories, some leftover Czech coinage, and just a few lice.
The lice could have come from anywhere. They could be from the airplane, the hostel, the guy standing next to me in line. Anywhere. The point is: They attacked, and their attack was both sneaky and athletic.

Here's how it pretty much went down:

1. Come in contact with lice (I'm guessing from the bed in the
hostel... maybe this is a good time to point out that I had head lice... don't
get any weird ideas).

2. Head feels slightly itchy, but at this point it could be dandruff.

3. Continue going about life whilst the lice continue biting your head
and laying eggs behind your ears.

4. Head feels itchier.

5. Begin to think something could be wrong but hope that if ignored, the
problem may disappear.

6. Problem does not vanish. Itching persists.

7. Spend and extra long time showering and washing your head thinking
this may help.

8. Comb hair thoroughly and find a ginormous bug (louse!) attached to
a hair that has fallen into the sink!

9. Know that you do indeed have lice. Freak out.

10. Get started on the cleansing process.

I've often heard that life is more about how you react to problems rather than the actual problems you're faced with-- life is 90% attitude and only 10% of what happens to you. Looking back now, I'm sorry to say that I did not react well to this discovery. I had already been pretty stressed out. I had just gotten over a dreadful cold, had crazy amounts of homework, had a lot of other things going wrong with my perfect London adventure, and was starting to miss home quite a lot. The last thing I needed was to deal with a stupid thing like lice.

But stupid problems like this have a funny way of giving me a little bit of a new understanding. I'm a pretty big believer that things happen for a reason-- even if that reason is just to knock some sense into you or to get you to learn something.

When life gets hectic, there are some things that tend to fall a little bit to the background. They aren't forgotten, but I just don't spend enough time developing those little important forgotten things. This usually leaves me feeling defeated, unhappy, and wishing for some future date to come and make everything easier for me. But there is no happiness in the future, if I don't find joy today.

I've noticed how much I let a bunch of little insignificant things build up and block my eternal perspective. Things like classes and homework and lice.

"On the road of life let no barrier great or small stand in your way."

But if the lice have taught me anything, it's that some things need to be dealt with now-- before they get any worse. Some things that start out small, can get a lot bigger and a lot tougher to fix. I can't let those important things slip out of my perspective-- even for a day. Because if it's what I'm here to do, I ought to be doing it.

I'm grateful I have had these experiences. It may seem weird to get so much from such a small problem, but by small and simple means, great things come to pass (see scriptures... or LOTR). Things can still be tough. I still have a hard time fixing everything in my life that I want to fix. I still focus on unimportant things. I lose my eternal perspective and good attitude far too fast. But I know it's important to have realized that it needs fixing. I also know that things will work out. I can be better. I can be who I want to be-- the person I'm meant to be.

It takes work everyday. Just like the lice.

But, like a shining beacon of hope :) I'm proud to say that I'm now completely lice-free!

the next president of the United States...

2008-11-16T12:02:00.000Z

You know, living in a foreign country is sort of a funny thing.

Sometimes I forget that I’m a foreigner. After all, in the UK, they speak English. They eat chicken. They watch television. Heck, they even have TV trays. Sometimes it’s easy to forget that I’m not at home. I am not British, or English, or even technically a Londoner (though I look more like one every day as my AWS (average walking speed) increases and my hesitance to push my way through a crowd decreases).

I am not from here; I am an American.

For the first half of my journey abroad, that’s been sort of a painful confession. Although I haven’t done this consciously, I notice that when I’m on the Underground, I tend not to speak—or at the very least not to speak loudly. My American accent is a dead give away to my (sometimes) shameful roots. I’m pretty sure nobody in London really cares one way or the other if I’m American, or not. There are heaps of Americans who are, in fact, legitimate Londoners. But it was more an embarrassment coming from within. It was like if I owned up to my American-ness, I had to apologize for the way my country has been behaving. You know, sort of like the way dog owners apologize for their raging beasts. I found myself admitting that I was American in the same way that somebody might admit they were a recovering alcoholic.

But today was different.

My name is Megan Noyce, and I’m an American. And today, as I watched Barack Obama become our President Elect., I’ve never been so proud to admit it.

I was in a state of exhilaration all day long. I know that “this is our moment.” This is the turning point. This is the moment that America grows up. We can finally move past the racial segregation that has plagued our country for so long. We can move past our differences and work to get things done.

A lot of Londoners are excited about this, too. I mean, it’s basically all they talked about in the Mayors Question’s today. It’s big news. But they see it a little bit differently. Sure they see how significant this election is. They recognize the role it plays in our history—as well as the world’s history. But they are very skeptical about the actual change that will take place. They don’t think the policies will change that much. They’re pessimistic about change. They predict things will not change. They worry about a leader’s expectations being broken by reality. Because, you see, they’ve been through it. The United Kingdom has already grown up. Several people have asked me, “Do you really think that this can change things that much?”

As unpopular as it may be on this side of the pond, I will keep my American optimism alive. Because I don’t think they’re right about this one. With this presidency, America will grow up. But with that, America will not give up. Barack Obama has inspired people. He has shown them that things can change—and they change from the bottom up. He has given people a reason to hope. People will work. People will give. People will change this country.

And today, in my simple American accent, I respond proudly, yes. Because yes we have, yes we did, and yes we will.

a new blog

2008-11-10T21:57:00.000Z

I've been a memeber of this blogging world for a couple months now. I've realized that I'm really not very good at it. I was doing it on a different site. But I decided that I hate blogging on that site. And maybe I'll be better at it if I like the site where I'll be doing said blogging. This is why, even though I'm more than halfway through my trip abroad, I'm switching over.

This way, I can continue forcing my ramblings on the world's shoulders even after I come home. Which is a good thing for me. Maybe. And almost certainly means trouble for all the rest of you. Too bad. Live with it.

For those of you who are unaware of my current whereabouts. I will update you on the last few months through pictures !

This is me and my parents at the airport in SLC. I'm on my way to London to study abroad for the semester.

This is the house that I'm living in with a wonderful homestay family and roomie in Greater London.

This is me at the Hampton Court Palace.

This is Tintern Abbey in South Wales.

This is the city of Bath.

This is really just a taste of what I've been experiencing these past few months. I've been doing a lot of thinking about my experiences here. I think I'll try posting something about it in a couple of days. I haven't exactly gotten my thoughts sorted. But there you go.