Living Statues, and a Campus Halloween!

I am grateful for living statues because I so much enjoy watching them and being one! That's what I was for Halloween this year, though I didn't paint myself one color. I dressed in a black suit and stood still in various poses for a while outside. It was so much fun, and I got a lot of laughs from people today. I am grateful for professional and amateur living statues. I find it a fascinating concept of performance art.

I also want to add how grateful I am for Halloween on campus. Every year this day is filled with fantastic costumes and wonderful interactions between people who would not have met otherwise. Many pictures were taken and conversations were had with strangers with the same costume or with a complimentary costume (there were a lot of Frozen characters on campus this year, Harry Potter and Nintendo and Doctor Who were also popular concepts).

This is why I love Halloween! Hope you all had a good holiday.

Beginning, Improving, and Progressing Every Day

Today I spent some time thinking about where I'm at with my education. Not just with my grades, but my attitude towards my classes, especially my challenging classes. I pondered, I prayed, I made a plan, and prayed some more. I found ways to improve and I set goals and made plans to do so. When I did that, I thought how grateful I was to be able to change my direction for the better and move forward anew when the next day comes.

I was further impressed when I attended a religion class this evening, and the teacher talked several times about the significance of the Savior's sacrifice for mankind, and how we are each free to choose the right or the wrong. The point the teacher made was the fact that at any point in our lives, we can turn to God to help us change and become better as we choose what is right again and again. I am grateful that new beginnings are possible #BecauseofHim. Jesus Christ not only makes it possible for us to repent of our wrong and unwise choices, He makes it possible to receive the strength and capacity to become better and to reach our full and glorious potential as a child of God. I am grateful for the possibility of beginnings, improvement, and progression every day.

Free Tacos at Close of a Long Day

You know, all the work you did on campus throughout the entire day is all worth it when you see the people from student leadership handing out free tacos. They have free food every Tuesday night, and often it's more of a dessert or a snack. This time, the food they gave out was almost a full meal! I'm grateful for a handful of free tacos at the end of the day. :)

Giving a Special Library Tour = The Best Part of the Job

A young couple came to the library tonight to look at the special display rooms and cases we had in the area. Showing people the fantastic collections and fancy rooms of the library is one of my favorite things about my job! I am grateful I was able to give a fun guided tour of (in my opinion) the most fascinating rooms in the campus library. On a more general note, I am very grateful for my job. :)

To Each, A Calling

I love the way every member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is given something to do in the church. Every effort is made by local church leaders to ask the Lord for guidance in giving responsibilities to members. We call it a "calling," meaning we believe God has a hand in what we're asked to do. Some are called to be teachers, some to be members of an activities committee, some to be the pianist or music director for the congregation, and so on. Service and activity are important because it gives everyone a chance to help someone else. I am grateful for the effort that is made by my local church leaders to find a responsibility for every member of the congregation.

Glow Sticks

I've enjoyed putting glow sticks on my person at least once during this Halloween season and the previous two as well. They look great at a Halloween-themed dance or party, plus they are really fun to snap. The chemical reactions that take place to produce temporary colored light is a small marvel to me, and I enjoy it as much as I can. I am grateful for glow sticks.

Zombies, to Some Extent

I really don't like zombies. For years they freaked me out so much. I dislike them more than just about any other Halloween monster or creature because I've been afraid of nightmares about zombie attacks and infections and so on and so forth. I don't like having a good imagination when it comes to things like this.

As you may have guessed, there is a "however" that I'm going to share here: I am beginning to appreciate the use of zombies as symbolism in literature and theater. I saw a zombified rendition of Shakespeare's "Much Ado About Nothing," and I appreciated the enlightening use of zombies to serve as a symbol of jealousy and other effects of gossip and slander. They used the traditional script, but interpreted it to use zombies. just as the story began with an infection, it ended with an antidote. In this case, I enjoyed the effect. I still don't like zombies, but today I am grateful for the effective use of them in art and pop culture.

The Great Things About Halloween!

I know it's a bit early to say this, but I'm excited for Halloween! What I love about this holiday is the chance to dress up into anything or anyone we want. We get to play a great game of make-believe with our costumes. There are often several opportunities for this Halloween fun because of parties and events that go on during the last couple of weeks in October.

The way I see it, creativity is the point of Halloween. I don't really like being scared. Instead, I love the costumes and the decorations and the colors and the candy. Experiencing all of these things with friends and family is the reason I'm grateful for Halloween.

Revealed in Translation.

As my knowledge of the French language has been growing over the past year, I've become increasingly interested in the LDS hymns in French. I have looked at and sung French hymns several times, and I already knew the melodies and the English words really well. What I am grateful for is the additional insight afforded by singing a beloved song in another language. New insights into the principles in the hymn are revealed in translation.

I'll give one example. One of my favorite hymns is 'A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief," which was a hymn that Joseph Smith Jr. himself loved. It tells the story of a man who loses himself in service. In the seventh and final verse, our Savior Jesus Christ appears to the man and says,

"Of me, thou hast not been ashamed. These deeds shall thy memorial be; Fear not, thou didst them unto me."

This is what the French translation says:
"Mon fils, au pauvre tu fus bon! Et tes actions parlent pour toi;  Un jour tu seras avec moi!"

Now the French translated directly back into English:
"My son, to the poor you did good! And your actions speak for you; One day you will be with me!"

All of these statements communicate the same principles, but emphasizing slightly different things. Fascinating, isn't it? 

Leaves on the Ground

Autumn is a fantastic time of year. The mountains near campus have become red, orange, yellow, and purple mountain majesties. I also noticed a lot of leaves on the ground around me. There were three or four instances this morning in which I was walking between places on campus and found small leaf piles about an inch thick on the grass or sidewalk. I am not one to pass an opportunity to appreciate the satisfying crunch of dry leaves. So, I ran through small leaf piles about three or four times this morning before the grounds crew could do their work of mowing the lawns and decreasing the dry leaf population. Those three or four moments made my morning a little nicer. I am grateful for the satisfying sounds that come from fallen leaves giving way to my rushing strides.

Also, I got a few funny looks from people who saw or heard me sprint through the leaves. That only made the moment even more enjoyable for me. :)

Honey Butter

I don't have it often, but it is always worth the wait. Even if it's just a simple mixture of honey and butter with nothing else, it is fantastic on corn bread and tortillas. I was reminded of how grateful I am for honey butter when it was part of tonight's dinner.

Cookie Dough

It's impressive what some people can do once they make cookie dough. Traditionally, you might expect cookies, or even making ice cream to taste like cookie dough. Tonight a friend cooked them in muffin pans, and made a delicious dessert out of it. So today I express gratitude for a simple, sweet pleasure: cookie dough.

"Meet the Mormons"

Last week, a full-length documentary was released called "Meet the Mormons." It introduces you to six members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as a way to increase understanding of the beliefs and practices of Mormons. I've been wanting to watch it since it came out and tonight I did. I was very impressed with the stories and the quality of the film in general. I really enjoyed meeting "The Bishop," "The Coach," "The Fighter," "The Candy Bomber," "The Humanitarian," and "The Mom." The film showed six wonderful and accurate examples of the members of the church that I am a part of, and I highly recommend the film to everyone. I am grateful for those Mormons, those members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, who were featured in "Meet the Mormons."

Sparklers

I was at a dance this evening, and they handed out sparklers at the end, and it wasn't even the Fourth of July!. Sparklers have such a magical effect. I imagined myself holding magic wands casting the Lumos spell from Harry Potter, or something similar. I am grateful for sparklers, the fireworks you can hold in your hand and pretend you are a wizard in a fantasy novel. :)

Took Another Test Today

I took another exam today. I was concerned that I wouldn't have the time to prepare for it, let alone take it in the testing center. But, when time was available between classes, I found that I was able to adequately review my notes and then take the exam with more than enough time to spare. The exam turned out to be much simpler than I thought it would be, which was a much appreciated blessing. Basically, I'm grateful I was able to prepare for and take an exam rather confidently today.

A Great Band Instructor, Busy Too.

I have never really been in a concert band or a marching band before, but I am very fortunate to have the campus marching band teacher as my percussion instructor this semester. I had a wonderful lesson with him today, and I really appreciate that he took the time to teach me this week even in the middle of Homecoming Week. In fact, just before I left at the end of the lesson, I wished him good luck and told him I knew that this is a busy week for him. He thanked me and told me he really needed to hear that today. That gives me a small glimpse at how much work he has been doing and will do in the near future. I am grateful for my percussion instructor, who is one of the campus band instructors also.

The Campus President and His Wife

This week is Homecoming Week on campus, and the campus president with his wife participated in opening ceremonies. I am grateful to know that the campus president is a brilliant man who cares about what's truly important (especially the welfare and progress of the students), and it seems to me that he has a great companion in his wife. I am grateful for a wonderful campus president and campus first lady.

Truffles

So, I have a confection to make...I think truffles are really good. We got some in my last class of the day. I am grateful for truffles today because they made for a delightful ending to my day on campus. As a bonus, they got me thinking about all the sweet puns I could make with truffles and other candies. Pretty soon, I was on a sweet roll as I came up with tasty one pun after another (Such as this parody of a Taylor Swift lyric: "I knew you had truffles when I walked in."). All of this happened in my head as I enjoyed the savory, chocolaty taste of a truffle.

Puns

You know, I love puns. I know I'm practically a groan up, but sometimes it's hard to resist an opportunity to play with words enough to make people grown...er groan. I may just be a simple rank-and-file pun-phile, but I often feel I have owl the necessary koala-fications to be an expert punster. But, that is irr-elephant bee-cause I bear-ly have time to devote to my English language studies as it is. I can't waist precious thyme on crafting clever word plays (I doubt any of my plays would be good enough to put on a stage anyway).

I am grateful for clever puns that make me laugh and smile and at the English language.

The Wedding Cellist (and Violinist)

Once again I had the blessing of utilizing my cello abilities to help make a good event great. A friend and I played violin and cello duets for a wedding, and we all had a wonderful time. It wasn't playing the music that I enjoyed most, but rather watching the children and adults dancing to the music and smiling and laughing. Of course, the real party started when the mariachi band came in, but I'm glad my friend and I were able to serve as the opening act. :)

A Brighter Day for Others

I had so many opportunities to make someone's day brighter today. I had the opportunity to play my cello outside on campus a couple of times, I was able to give a card to a classmate who had a birthday today, and I was able to distribute lots of cake, ice cream, and cookies to many dear friends this evening. I prayed for such opportunities, especially for today, and I'm grateful they came.

Halloween/Birthday Package

I got a package today from a fantastic family member. It had Halloween candy and a nice birthday card. I am so grateful for that package. It put a smile on my face and it provided me with the opportunity to share candy with people in my apartment complex tonight. :)

Found A Dozen Eggs When I Needed Them

I needed a carton of eggs to be able to have everything I needed to bake a couple of cakes tonight. I wasn't sure where I would be able to get eggs without getting a ride from someone. I decided to try a small store on my way back from campus today. I wasn't sure if they would have eggs, but I thought it was worth a shot. Lo and behold, they had cartons of eggs! I got one, and my day was a little better because of it. I am grateful I was able to find a carton of eggs when I needed it.

Rubik's Cube

I am grateful for the Rubik's Cube. I learned how to solve it a few years ago, but it's the simple "seven-step" method that can be learned online with time and practice. They are fun to handle with your fingers, and it's a lot of fun to solve a mixed-up cube in front of friends and watch them be impressed. I don't consider myself a master "cuber" because I don't attempt to solve a Rubik's Cube in under a minute or something like that. For me, this is a little random diversion that takes a few minutes of my time every so often. I am glad Rubik's cubes exist.

Movies That Led Me to Books

I really enjoy the film adaptation of "The Count of Monte Christo." I first watched it when I was in high school. When I realized the film was based on a book, I decided to check the book out. There are several other cases in my life when one medium of art and expression led me to a similar work bot of a different medium. Often books lead people to movies (Harry Potter, Twilight, The Hobbit, to name some recently famous ones), but today I am grateful for the movies that lead me to books (Ella Enchanted and several other fairy tales are some more good examples of this phenomenon in my life).

Decent Internet Connection for Conference

Today I watched the final two sessions of General Conference on the internet. I am grateful that the internet connection was good enough so that I was able to watch without any real problems. Everything worked, and I'm grateful for that.

General Conference

When I listed the reasons why October is such a great month a few days ago, I forgot one very important thing: the semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I watched the first session on the internet and the second on cable TV. I listened to the sessions with a few questions in mind, and I received some answers which I wrote down on a small notebook. For this evening's session, I was able to go to salt Lake city with my roommate and actually be there. It was an inspiring experience. I am grateful for the heaven-inspired messages given by the prophet and the apostles who live on the earth today, and I look forward to two more sessions tomorrow!

The Cello Song

Today I am grateful for J.S. Bach’s Unaccompanied Cello Suite No. 1: Prelude, also known as "the cello song." I've heard this piece many times and it's easy to see why so many people love it. I currently have Yo Yo Ma's version, as well as Steven Sharp Nelson's (from The Piano Guys). Today I heard that piece played by a flute, and it was a true delight. I think the flautist did the piece justice. :)

An Epic Discussion about Harry Potter

I ran into a friend during lunch today, and we had a fantastic discussion about Harry Potter! My friend is quite knowledgeable about all things Harry Potter, even some fan fiction! Our talk was mostly me listening to theories and ideas, but I gave a few of my ideas too and asked for clarification. I was essentially the questioner of the discussion while my friend elaborated and clarified. Topics ranged from the origin of magic, Latin vs. Greek languages, and several characters and themes from the Harry Potter universe. The conversation was a true highlight of my day. I am grateful that we took the time to talk and enjoy an epic discussion.

It's October!

I am grateful for October. I love the season of autumn in general, but I especially love October. Here's why:

1. Generally the weather really starts to cool down.
2. Because of #1, I can start to wear classy sweaters and jackets!
3. My birthday is in October.
4. A plethora of pumpkin stuff starts showing up, and I love pumpkin!
5. Halloween! I already have my costume picked out! ;)
6. Leaves start to change color this month, and it is a gorgeous sight.
7. Jumping in or stepping on or walking through crispy leaves after admiring them.
8. The word "October" is a nice, unique name for a month, don't you think? (especially with that weird thing that happened in history when October, meaning "eight" was the eighth month until a couple more months were added in)