word blunder

cannon versus canon

In context: "I believe that the origin of many biases is based on the idea of a cannon, which was only possible through the existence of an artifact."

Which type of cannon do you prefer?





*Side note: any prayers for the Shannon family at this time are a good thing!

i'm amazing!

Okay, so don't laugh.




Well, you can laugh. Yet to me, a milestone has been achieved....




Wait for it...




Stay on target....




Almost there.




I PARALLEL PARKED, all by myself, between cars! And yes, this is the first time I've done that whilst not attending driver's ed.

I even took a picture, to commemorate this, an historic day.




I hope you can notice how nice and tight to the curb I am.


And the line of cars waiting to pass on the street, while I maneuvered the thing, really wasn't too terribly long.

[insert byu joke here]

heh heh heh.

I dunno if that's really a navy blue. Perhaps they're going vintage.

If you want to read more about it, the main page has a fantabulous video.

cool

So, I 've always thought that this was a word I made up. Who knew I was sooo literate... Okay, so I just got lucky.



I hope you all have a fantabulous day!

and as a thank you to my wise friends

Enjoy!

a plea for help from my wise friends

My next paper topic is for my class, music and technology. I don't want to have to ground myself this coming semester because of my paper, so I'm beginning early. The hardest part for me is defining the topic/refining the thesis statement.

My teacher is willing to work with me, and let me stretch the topic a wee bit - defining music as a technology, because I am wanting to discuss how music can be used as a method for healing.

[My ideas are still a wee bit fuzzy, so sorry.]

Okay, music IS a method of cultural healing.

Yes, this technology (music) is being misused, and can actually cause social division. These thoughts mostly refer to the Western Classical tradition. Thankfully, folk music, etc. will always live on.

These ideas I can talk about, and how the elitist-ness* of the Western Classical tradition is either sadly perpetuated, or thrown away and discarded. (There must be a happy medium, no? I do find it amazingly ironic that many people who poo-poo the Western tradition would not be in academia if it wasn't for said tradition...but that's a completely different topic.)

Understandably, my teacher would appreciate me working a more explicit idea of the impact of technology of music.

Would you agree that the Western elitist ideas began with the idea of musical notation? And now, especially with the amazing availability of top-notch virtuosos on recordings - does this too perpetuate the idea that only 'special people' can achieve the title of Musician? If we still learned things (for example) completely by ear, would things be different? Would more people gather together as a community and enjoy music without these things?

Thankfully, there are always people who defy expectations and will do what they love, no matter what.

Among other things, something that has brought these questions to the fore:

Why is it, that primary kids will sing every week, and enjoy singing, and never have any thought that they can't sing.

And then, post-primary, deciding that they can't sing. Is it because they aren't in Choir? Because they can't read music, and real Musicians read music?

I am being given the opportunity to provide piano lessons to members of the Spanish Branch (they were told to be self-sufficient. [It's a darn good thing I wasn't there. I don't disagree by any means, but I don't think they are the only unit who needs the talk.... *biting tongue*] Maybe this is why Paul said women should be silent.... :) )

They will be at a discounted rate.

Part of me thinks, why do they even need to join in the traditional piano to accompany - why not the guitar or something? Why not just the online CD-ness? Why should they be 'forced' to join the musical constraints of a church, though world-wide, definitely strongly based in the Western musical traditions. And, with P. Monson asking us to pray for the opening of doors for missionary work in other countries - China, the Middle East, other parts of Africa, etc. If we who have experienced the singing of hymns in the Hispanic World, I can only imagine when these other cultures and musical traditions are joined.

Yet, to hear the melody of "I am a child of God" in another language is fabulous, because, you KNOW what is being sung. And, there are so many lovely, beautiful things taught through hymns. I am a huge fan.


Okay, that's all for now. Thoughts from you, my intrepid reader, are much appreciated.



* I would define elitism as believing that only a select few can understand something. I believe this is completely and utterly FALSE!

bigger, better, faster

I love movies by mail. I see a movie I like, and get ideas for more movies that I'd like from the previews.

Bella, Penelope, Miss Pettigrew lives for a day.... All have been fabulous.

The latest is Sweetland.

It was a very nice Valentine's Day movie to watch.



Enjoy! And Happy Valentine's Day.

(And beware those German nationals.)

happy valentines day!

From your local movie theater.

happy birthday, grandpa papa

It was actually a few days ago. But that's okay.

Grandpa papa and I are almost exactly 50 years apart. 49 years, and 10 days, to be exact.

I haven't called yet, but I did finally manage to send him his house key I accidently thieved, and a small doll...ahem...handcraft.

i'll pay for this later

...and man it'll hurt.

But hopefully later later it will pay better. Sometimes ya gotta go down to get started going up.

Anyhoo, remember this story?

Here are the shoes I was wearing.



They're actually fairly comfortable, but my favorite thing about them is you can feel the different grounds beneath your feet. It's fabulous. Besides looking like frog feet, they're supposed to promote proper feet alignment [insert more technical jargon here].

I've worn them a few times during the day to get my body used to absolutely no support, but nothing more than errands.

Today I jogged/walked (okay, mostly walked) two whole miles in them. It was under an hour, but I could already feel my achilles stretched because my heel actually was being used.

This may not be a big deal to many of you active types, but as for myself, it was nice to get out, even if a grandma could have beaten me in a foot race.

I'm hoping this is the beginning of a beautiful relationship between my frog feet and I.

defiance

I wore this today, anyway.






YAY Arizona for breaking your previous streak of losing.

memory....

Remember when that, and Castle on the Cloud was sung at every elementary school talent night? Maybe that's why I always liked Eponine better than Cosette.

So now I'm officially old - closer to 30 than 20, and that, my friends, is O - L - D. Paulywogs told me that I'm now older than Monkey-butts. Bless his little heart.

In celebration of this, an historic day, (sorry - I like the feel of saying 'an historic'), well, and it may be an historic day if the Cardinals, sorry, words of faith, When the Cardinals win the Super Bowl.

Okay, new paragraph.

I decided for my birthday that I wanted to share 26 (No, not 25) 26 memories that I had, because many involve you, my intrepid readers, and also, for my future records. Remember, I'm older than monkey-butts, and they can't remember very well.

1. One of my very very earliest memories is grandma rocking me in her pink rocking chair, and singing to me, singing I am a Child of God.

2. Next memory is standing in out living room, with my dad using his fancy industrial design markers on a yellow apron, to make it look like a Hummel doll. Combined with that was mascara being put on - this may be when I was in the hotel room.
Matthew and I were in a Hummel contest somewhere in California. He won first place, and I won second. I had always thought that I had lost to Matthew, which, isn't so bad. But not too long ago I was told the truth - I lost to a girl who cheated. I didn't realize there were two divisions.
I guess it was good I didn't realize the truth, because I wouldn't have been able to handle it.

3. I remember driving to Strawberry in the years before I could make it 2 hours in the car without going potty...grandma fashioned a portable chamber pot so we didn't have to stop.

4. This is a story that I was reminded of: We were in a van. No, Matthew, and Dad were in the front seats of a van, and I was in the very back, in the car seat. (The middle bench was out, probably due to the paper route.)
As the story goes, I, as the brilliant mastermind that I am, managed to unbuckle my carseat, so at the next light, I ended up wedged between the two front seats.
I guess I didn't like being left out.

5. There was this ancient horse, Favory Responda. I got her to lope, up a hill.

6. I remember in 5th grade, having started my book report on Madeline L'Engle, when I found out another boy from the class was doing the same author, I changed my mind, and reported on Susan Cooper.
I still remember drawing my book cover, and using Prismacolor pencils, because there were the metallic colors. Ms. Cooper, my teacher, liked it. I really hope I didn't change to Susan Cooper to brown nose to Ms. Cooper.
I don't think I was that devious.

7. Ms. Schirtzinger. She was my elementary school music teacher. We sang such songs as What's Up and Triangle Man, and the Mmm...Mmm...Mmmm.... song.
And recorders soaked in antiseptic. Tasty.

8. Mr. Baedke. He always wore a glove when he played his trumpet. And some flute player next to me hit my reed with her folder. And didn't even notice.

9. That reminds me of my ninth grade sewing class, when I sewed my finger. The needle made a hole in my fingernail. Someone saw me tearing up in the bathroom, but I lied and said I had allergies, or something.

10. Mom telling me we were moving to Utah. I wasn't very happy. Then she said we weren't taking the puppies. She was wrong. I think I threatened to put up Dog Hater signs, like Matthew put up Dog Killer signs when Willy was put down. Poor mom.

11. One day I was walking home from school, to find a circle of kids looking down at something in our orchard. I come over to join them, and see my cat Felix, with his tummy strewn open.

12. I remember Snowball coming into my room through the heating ducts. As ornery as she was to everyone else, she always remembered who I was, and would come to have me pet her. Even after we moved to Utah, and left her with grandpa.

13. I remember Cousins John, Paul, and brother Matthew and possibly Cousin Liesl teaching me a funny word. I thought I'd be helpful and teach it to the wee-er cousin. Too bad the wee cousin's mum didn't appreciate my kindness.

14. Paria Canyon. Cousin John put a rock in my pack. Through women's intuition, I knew it was there. Why else would he have stayed back with me? I wasn't as slow as the parents, but I definitely was not a quick hiker. Still am not.

15. I wrote a haiku about Bedbugs. Oh my. I wonder what my teacher thought of me!

16. In second grade, a contemporary asked me if I liked Vanilla Ice. Of course I liked Vanilla Ice Cream!!
It's like when a friend's current squeeze mentioned he liked Player Piano. I was surprised - I like player pianos, too.

Well, I think that's enough for now.