School, School, School

That is what the past few weeks have been: school. I think that is the reason I am so excited to graduate. Then I won't have to do anymore homework or papers! Don't get me wrong, I love school and I love to learn, but this whole stress of having a million assignments to do gets old after a while. I guess that's what life is all about though. There is no "done" in this life. There are always things that need doing, fixing, cleaning, etc. Okay, Amy, time to learn that fact and move on! I must say, though, that I have thoroughly enjoyed the many things I have done and learned this semester. I've been reviewing the works of great philosophers (Descartes, Kant, Aristotle, Plato, etc.); listening to and studying the musical theory behind the works of Romantic composers (Schubert, Schumann, Chopin, Liszt, Beethoven, Berlioz, etc.); understanding the representation of nature in various art forms and the connection this has with today's environmental problems; learning about World War I, especially in Great Britain, through the poetry and art of that time and how that produced the modernist movement; exploring America's history, art, and literature from the late 19th century into the 20th century; and discovering the history of the LDS Church beginning with the westward moving pioneers. I have written papers on the dehumanizing effects of Anglo-Saxonism in America, the American fetishism of the dynamo as addressed in Henry Adams' essay, and the futility of war seen through the eyes of the poet Wilfred Owen and his poem "The Parable of the Old Men and the Youth." Right now I am supposed to be writing a paper on the musical contributions and innovations of Charles Ives and how they are the embodiment of the American spirit, encompassing our European roots with the independent nature of personal taste. I also just took my music history test yesterday, at least the written part. I had my listening exam on Monday. I did really well on the listening exam, but not as well as I'd hoped on the multiple choice part. I think the essay went well though. Guess we'll see! I have all the rest of my midterms next week and I'm leaving with my Mom and Dad for California tomorrow for a family reunion. All I know is that I will be doing a whole heck of a lot of studying while we're driving. I also have 2 big research projects to be working on, as well as a document transcription project for my LDS History class. Oh and I also have a nature journal project to do. Fun stuff! Well, enough jabbering about school things. This past weekend Nate and I went to an organ recital at the Salt Lake Tabernacle, which was really great. Then Saturday I spent half the day doing a service project for my class and the other half researching at the library. I also watched the BYU game that night of course. So nothing too exciting. I was really excited for my niece that got baptized this weekend! I wish I could have been there. I will post more pictures when I get back from California. Yay for good weather!

Birthday, Homecoming, Spiders and Field Trips

First, I have to say that things the past few weeks have been great thanks to so many people! I also have to say that this entry might be a little long because there is so much to catch up on. My 21st birthday was better than I could have asked for. I didn't have school or work that day (it was a Friday) so I was able to take myself to the mall and go, yep, you guessed it, SHOPPING! I found some really cute things and had so much fun. The best part was that I got a really cute outfit to wear that night out to eat with my friends and family. Nate sent me fun and cute messages during the day while he was at work and then when we met up to drive up to the Mayan, he gave me an adorable homemade card that just honestly made me happier than any meaningless gift (I had no idea at that point of the amazing gift I was to get later). We then drove up to Sandy to the Mayan and met my friends, Mom and Dad, Grandma Hoggan, the Ahlstrom family, and John and Damia. I was so happy to have all of these people that I love so dearly around me for the special day. The restaurant was fun and exciting too. I even had to stand up and pound on a drum while the waiters chanted me a happy birthday. Unfortunately, Nate had to leave for the weekend for his sister's wedding so that was kind of a bummer, but when he came back he completely made up for it. On Monday he gave me the best birthday present ever! He bought me a limited edition pink CHI! When I saw it I immediately gasped and squealed and did whatever other expressions of excitement I could think of because I was completely dumbfounded that he would buy me something that expensive. The best part was that he knew how much I needed a good straightener and so he got me one. He was so excited to give it to me too because he kept mentioning how much I was going to love it. Then he surprised me by telling me we were going to the Homecoming Spectacular that Friday and to the Homecoming football game against Airforce. I was so excited I couldn't stand it. So the next weekend came and his parents came into town and we had a great time! Friday we got some pizza and headed to the Spectacular, which was just that. The Tab Choir and Orchestra performed for most of it and it was absolutely amazing. I also got to see Marvin Goldstein, who was sitting two rows in front of us, and got his autograph and a cell phone picture with him. If you don't know who he is, he's a well-known LDS pianist who does arrangements of well-known popular songs and hymns. Afterwards Nate and I and his parents went to the creamery for ice cream. Then Saturday we all watched the band march into the football stadium and then watched the game (which was awesome because we won!). We got a little rained on but it wasn't too bad. Then that night we all went to dinner at this great Thai restaurant that Nate likes. It was really good food! All in all the weekend was a blast! Okay as for the spider part of the title, I had a little terrifying experience last week. Nate and I went on a walk at night, after going to a piano recital, up through the neighborhoods to the trailhead for the Y. On the way up Nate was just teasing me and trying to freak me out by saying "Hey is that a tarantula?!" I flipped out a little bit but then realized he was joking and we just laughed about it. Then, lo and behold, just at the top of the hill on the sidewalk was a spider as big as the palm of my hand. I was terrified. I was thinking what in the heck was a spider like that doing on the sidewalk in the middle of the neighborhood??!! Nate, having served his mission in the Philippines and having dealt with spiders twice that size, wasn't even phased by it. It made me itchy all over just looking at it and I felt like things were crawling all over me. On the way down Nate took a picture of it with his camera phone and then turned around and looked at me. I had my back to him but had my head turned towards him and he reached his arm out towards me and said my name. The first thing that popped into my mind was that I had a spider on my back and that he was reaching out to get it off of me. I let out this blood-curdling scream and literally jumped out of my jacket. Nate just started laughing so hard because he was merely reaching his arm out to put it around me...LOL! Then I was laughing and crying so hard all at the same time. The adrenalin was pumping through my veins so quickly that I couldn't decide if I was more scared or more embarrassed. We laughed practically all the way back. It was great! Then this last weekend we went on a class field trip for my Environmental Humanities class. We went up to the Bird Refuge in Box Elder County and then to the Spiral Jetty in the Salt Lake. The Spiral Jetty was amazing! It was like a whole different world out there, especially since it was snowing and cloudy. That mixed with the wide expanse of the white, salt crust and the mineral pink tinge was breathtaking. I would recommend anyone to go see it! The spiral was made by a guy wanting to create some sort of ephemeral art. It was freezing but so cool...lol...no pun intended. So that was my great last few weeks. Now I better focus on the homework that I have been avoiding. :)

And it begins...

I love the first day of school. The excitement and nervousness is almost tangible. There are students who come so prepared they could probably teach the classes they are taking before even taking them. Then there are the students who are scrambling at the last minute registering for classes, buying their books, and hoping the professors won't notice their late entries into class. I would not put myself in either category, but I think I feel more prepared for this semester than any other, at least physically and perhaps somewhat mentally. Emotionally, however, I don't think I am at all prepared for the inevitable consequence of finishing this semester: GRADUATION. The word carries with it a sense of excitement and accomplishment of completing something honorable. But it also carries with it a word that is handled with both apprehension and dread: CHANGE. For the majority of my life I have not dealt with the implications of this word very well. I like things constant, unwaivering, and with a set plan. Unfortunately, life is not this way nor will it ever be. I say unfortunately only because dealing with change is not yet a strength for me. It is actually a wonderful gift that we have been given. Change, if managed rightfully, is usually for the better. Graduation, for instance, is definitely a change for the better. Though I will most likely deal with withdrawals and longings for this university that has become my home, I will finally be free to use the light I have received from this home and bring that light into a home of my own, wherever that may be. I am actually quite excited about making it through this stepping stone in life. I think I feel this way not only because I will be done with homework and finished with research papers, but also because of a new-found friend. Recently I have been reading a series of novels that I have come to absolutely love. Stephanie Meyer's "Twilight" series has been for me a friend embodied in pages, words, and binding. Though it was not a person speaking advice with a voice that could literally be heard, it had a voice of its own that was just as real. The act of reading the book itself has been for a me a nice distraction from the tough experiences I have had in the past couple of weeks. Then there was the story. As I was reading it, it was almost as if the author was writing my story. No, I have not fallen in love with any vampires lately and I've never met a werewolf in my life, but the emotions Bella was experiencing were the exact same ones penetrating my heart. As she experienced love, so did I. As she felt like she would fall apart due to the gaping hole in her aching heart, so did I. As she dealt with the implications of an impending change, so did I. It's amazing the timing of certain things in our lives. I needed those books during my experiences more than I realized before I decided to read them. I believe that is the purpose of the arts. These creations of humanity are there as beacons of light for the whole of humanity. The artists communicate for others to interpret, to gain light and comfort from the experiences or ideas shared. Each time we read something, or look at a piece of art, or listen to a piece of music, we are interpreting them as it pertains to us and gain from that a bit of help or knowledge that we may not have had without it. And as we grow and go through different events or changes we can look back at that piece of art of music and find solace again from a different perspective. I think that is why we have been asked to read the scriptures so much and so often throughout our lives. They too are there as a beacon of hope and light, literature from the mouth of God to liken to ourselves as is needed in our ever-changing lives. I love the first day of school. I have already learned so much!

One More Semester Over!

Well folks, that's it. I have officially finished my second to last semester at BYU. I took my last final on Wednesday and now I am free of classes and homework for two weeks! This is the biggest break I have had since last summer and man it feels good. I don't know exactly what I'll do for fun during the times I'm not working, but all I have to say is that I want to relish the last lazy days of summer I have left. Yesterday I began doing that by spending a lazy day with my mom at the South Towne Mall and going to see the chick flick "Becoming Jane." It was so much fun! It's been way too long since I've done something like that, especially with my mom. Mom and I had a great time just talking, catching up and doing what girls do best, shopping!The movie was also very enjoyable and anyone who loves Jane Austen or "Pride and Prejudice" would love it. I think the best part of the day, or maybe just the funniest, was when a little girl came bounding out of the women's restroom at the movie theater with a long piece of toilet paper stuck to her little shoe. Oblivious to any knowledge of her new attachment, she went skipping off to the theater door to go see her movie with several stares and snickers following her. It was hilarious! I felt bad for her, but it was just too funny!
Even though it has been while since I've done something like that and I have been in school all summer, I have done many other things this summer that have been really fun. I tried to post one picture of each fun thing I did. First, I started off the summer celebrating Nate's graduation. Then I took an all expense paid trip to Seattle with Nate and just enjoyed being at his home and jumping on the tramp. I also went on a few fun hikes with Nate, went tubing down the Provo river with him and others, went to the zoo with my mom and sister and her kids, spent time at Sugar House Park with family, watched the Provo City parade and the Stadium of Fire fireworks on the 4th of July, saw Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, read Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, went to a birthday party for my parents and spent time with family there, and went to a family reunion at Downata Hot Springs in Idaho. Wow that's a lot of things. I guess this summer wasn't a complete dud after all! It was actually a pretty fun summer. And technically it's not over. This weekend is my roommate's bridal shower and Tuesday is her wedding and reception (which is at Thanksgiving Point). Also next week is Education Week here at BYU and Mom will be staying with me at my apartment and I might be going to some evening classes with her. Well, since I have to head off to work pretty soon, I guess I better go get ready. Hopefully I'll be able to keep up on this blog and keep people posted (lol) on the goings on in my life.