Looking Back

I originally started this blog to achieve three goals for the year of 2012. It was for just three New Year's resolutions, and I was going to post very regularly.. at first I was going to post each day, but I realized that was a little unrealistic.. I didn't achieve the New Year's resolutions I set for the year of 2012, even though I had set just three..

The three goals I had set, if I am remembering correctly, were:

1- Read the entire Book of Mormon on my own
2- Complete P90X once completely
3- Compete in a piano competition

I got to the Alma chapters on my own, and didn't stick with it! We are taught in the LDS religion that it is a simple thing required of us, but it is still a challenge to remember each day. I am going to keep this goal for this new year of 2013.

I started P90X a couple times last summer, and I also did it for a couple weeks at SUU while I was in school. I would do well for one or two weeks, and then miss a day, and not keep on track! I don't think I will keep this goal for this new year, but if I do, it will be for this summer that I may dust off this ambition... :)

This third goal was a goal that I kind of got cheated out of.. I prepared for a concerto competition with Saint-Saens concerto in g minor, a piece I competed with for the concerto competition at Snow College the year previously. The competition I was registered for didn't have any other contestants in the concerto category when the time came around for competition.. Yes, I should have tried to find other competitions, but I was exhausted of my concerto, and I wanted to learn other difficult music, so I learned Franz Liszt Hungarian Rhapsody no. 6 to finish out the semester, and was happy with that. It's a fun piece, although I lose the fluidity of the right hand last section of the piece very quickly when neglecting to keep up this song for my repertiore.. It takes work to keep up a repertiore!!

I did not reach these goals, but I do believe that it was not in vain, for I did work toward each one, and accomplished a step toward my goals at times..

Now the year is 2013, and I am still working toward good things for my life. I want good things for myself, and for others.. I am setting new goals for this year, and I will remember my New Year's resolutions throughout this year, and strive toward reaching these goals.. If you feel you have encouraging words for me or advice to reaching these goals, please, you are welcome to leave comments on my blog. I can do it!! I can reach a goal I set for myself.

2013, here we go!!

Can I call you Car.. as in short for Carl?

So, I got a job working for Carl's Jr! I started my video training two days ago, and then I worked last night for the very first time as a cook. I was started on drive thru, which Ceci said was probably the hardest cook position. It was a little stressful! I don't have all the different burgers/burritos/tacos memorized yet, so I had to have a lot of quick-speed input: "Pickles? two tomatoes? red onions or white onions?".... yeah. I figure two more shifts, and I will be getting the hang of things.








Anyway, when I first got there yesterday, I couldn't help but think of a hilarious movie called "Yes Man." and then I thought of this scene. Jim Carrey plays a man named Carl.

 

Funny, right? :)

 

I am now a student at Utah State, studying Interior Design! Today I am working on a project that is going to take a while... I will tell more later when it's finished! pictures included :)

 

I deleted my facebook almost two months ago, and it has been great not to be accountable to it! I feel much more like I am doing my own thing, instead of going with the flow, or following the crowd, however you want to say it... bla bla bla. Anyway, I am liking the changes I am seeing in my life since I moved to Logan, and I am glad I decided to come up to here for school. It's where my parents met, and it's also where my dad's parents met! I love that. :)

 





Here Comes the Bride...

Sorry, long time, no posts... originally at the beginning of this year, it was going to be my goal to write an entry every day, reporting on my new year's resolutions.. then to once a week... now, every few months..! Well, I just wanted to share this video I found of the Piano Guys, who are awesome! It is their version of Canon in D, called Rockelbel. I start laughing when I am enjoying music as enjoyable and upbeat as this. I came upon this while looking for music to play the piano next week for one of my old friend's sister to walk down the aisle. Well, I wish I could play something like this, but that probably wouldn't fly... :)

"I've never been so happy in my whole life!!"

So, I was just bumming around today, and I found myself watching funny youtube videos... and this was so funny, it made me laugh for a good while! If you are ever in a bad mood, the best category of youtube videos to watch are Ellen's videos! They are hilarious :)
...and I have to add, my new haircut does not even compare with the awesome locks these people had! ...and the the second girl is definitely the highlight. The ultimate climax is when she says, "I've never been so happy in my whole life!" Aren't happy people fun? :)

The Finish Line...?!

So, this week I was getting close to the finish line for one of my goals: to compete a piano concerto in a real competition. And then it happened. I got an email this week informing me that my category, "adult concerto" was being canceled, because I was the only adult registered in my category! There were no other contestants for me to go up against, no one to anticipate me competing with, or just seeing what else others had prepared for competition.

I really am not that bummed, although it is not exactly thrilling news :) But, I am going to hold true to that goal for this year, and I am going to scope out other competitions that will be more reliable and mainstream for piano competing. I just wanna compete it! :)

Moving my attention to other finish lines: I have six weeks left of this semester!! That went fast! I had the goal of a 4.0 for this semester, and I think that for that 2012 goal, I will have to try again in the Fall Semester... I have tried accounting for my major, and I don't think that is what I want to pursue for my career. I am less than passionate for accounting, I have discovered.

Last week was spring break, and during the break I decided it was time for me to cut my hair! ...myself..!! :)  I wasn't going to tell anyone that I was the one that cut it, but whatever, it doesn't seem as important now to hide that fact. I think I did a pretty good job, considering the fact that I couldn't see the back of my head :) ...what a joke, right? Well, to say the least, the haircut has gotten me a bit of attention around campus, mostly from those who are more familiar with me. I think it's because they didn't expect it from me... at all.  But what would life be without those little surprises? :)

A Decade of Joy

Is it just me, or does life turn a corner when you reach two decades? I have been having such different experiences since I reached a full 20 years of life, and it in turn is making me feel sort of re-born? Too much? :)

My parents gave me the sweetest birthday card, and in it they said they are so glad that they have had a decade of joy with me in their lives :) ...what about the other ten years? haha, just teasing, I'm sure they meant to say two decades. ...but maybe I should clarify with them?... :) 

My goal was to attempt again this week to work on P90X, but I have missed the past two days.. The biggest reason I am not consistent with this certain goal is because when my alarm goes off in the morning, I would rather sleep another hour, instead of getting up to exercise! ...but I set the goal for this year, so I want to be able to complete it. Even if I keep missing days, I am definitely seeing improvement in my consistency.

I am three weeks away from my concerto competition in Park City, and I am performing my concerto in the SUU Student Recital a week from tomorrow! My goal for that performance is to perform without the music. This is going to be my only legit performance of the concerto before the competition, so I need to be sure that I am as prepared as I feel I need to be, and work out the little knots for the actual competition!

I have finished the 1st book of Nephi. I am in  the 2nd chapter of 2nd Nephi, and I love reading the Book of Mormon. I also love learning about the parables of Jesus in my Institute class with Kim Peterson. He is able to help us learn and apply teachings that are things we can ALL improve on. Today we were taught about the parable in Matthew 20:1-16, "Masters of the Vineyard." We learned about the importance of being faithful, and not murmuring. The phrase Brother Peterson used was the idea of 'managing your murmuring'. He testified that he has seen changes in individuals' personalities even, simply because they worked to manage their murmuring, and the ability to choose not to murmur or complain. What a valuable lesson! I love his insights of the teachings that Jesus has for us, waiting to be discovered and bring us joy. I love learning. :)

Freakonomics

I heard an ad the other day on the Utah Public Radio station, talking about a special broadcast entitled "Freakonomics," a presentation which discussed the strange occurances with economics. I heard one of these specials for a minute, and it was actually pretty interesting, learning how some things in our economy really affect certain outcomes. Some outcomes which we think are going to be positive are actually negative. Anyway, I have a strong desire to start calling every type of economics, freakonomics, because I just warmed up for a quiz for about an hour in the library, only to get 10 out of 19 on my quiz!  awesome... not! Yeah, I'm not happy at all about that..

On another note, although my academic accomplishments are not quite at their acme, I am getting much more prepared for my competition in March! I played my concerto for studio class yesterday, and everyone had a lot of great compliments for me, with a handful of suggestions. After listening to the recording of Rubinstein playing the same concerto, I feel that it could be much more developed and mature, but it really is coming along, and my teacher is helping me to think of the piece in a more sophisticated manner, imagining the melodies in the piece with different instruments, working on voicing, and especially my dynamics are taking a turn for the better. They are becoming quite articulate, with the help of Dr. Bohnenstengel. The only thing that is going to make my progress better is by my own development of my theme for my piece, what I imagine this piece is portraying.

Last Friday I was able to hear the famous Andre Watts perform with the Utah Symphony, performing one of Rachmaninoff's full concertoes. What an incredible experience! It is one thing to hear a recording of a piece, but an entirely different experience to hear and see the piece in person. I enjoyed it very much. I also got to see two of my sisters and their families that weekend, which is always a treasure.

In Institute, we talked about what we treasure, and recognizing we decide what we are going to treasure, and we judge others according to what is most valuable in our eyes. I have been trying to work on having different treasures since class, a challenge he gave to us. That class is so wonderful. I am able to apply every classtime I go to.

I am turning 20 on Saturday!! I will no longer be a "teenager!" Isn't that scary! ..maybe not, maybe just exciting, but I am looking forward to it. I am going to go to Richfield, my hometown, and celebrate there!