Optimism

Beloved Pres. Gordon B. Hinckley passed away two days ago. For me, he has been the prophet that taught me through my teen years and up into my mid adult life. He had an amazing ability to captivate everyone that was in a room. My first year in DC, I had a next door neighbor come to visit during conference. He walked into our home, did not want to bother us, and almost excused himself. However, President Hinckley was speaking and he too became engrossed with the prophet's genuineness, wit, and love. He sat there and hardly blinked through the talk. After the talk, he stated that he had never seen the President of the Church but that he now had great respect for him and that he was amazed by his presence.

As I have spent some time thinking about Pres. Hinckley's impression on me and my life. I was struck with how he taught me to be optimistic. I am generally a very optimistic person. I always have been, even when I have witnessed terrible acts of violence, poverty, drug use, child abuse, and despair. I have always felt hope that things can and will get better. For a while in my life, I wondered if I had a Pollyanna syndrome. However, I figured that if Pres. Hinckley, a man of great foresight and wisdom, could have optimism than I could too. Here is one of my favorite quotes by Pres. Hinckley on optimism:

"We have every reason to be optimistic in this world. Tragedy is around, yes. Problems everywhere, yes. But look at Nauvoo. Look at what they built here in seven years and then left. But what did they do? Did they lie down and die? No! They went to work!.... You can’t, you don’t, build out of pessimism or cynicism. You look with optimism, work with faith, and things happen.”

Savannah Part 4

Day 4

Today was Martin Luther King day. We listened to a speech of his called "We shall overcome." He was such a powerful man. We left Savannah and drove to Charleston, NC to visit a plantation. We thought it was a bit strange to be going to a plantation on MLK day, but it was the only day that we could go. The plantation was beautiful. We took a tour ride around the grounds of the rice plantation. We even saw a gator in the shallow water. As we were listening to the tour director, we were amazed by how he made slavery out to be such a great thing. He painted the picture like this, "oh, this is where the slaves would live. They would sing and dance all the time." Nothing was said about how they suffered. Trent coined it correctly when he said, "He is making them out to be Disney Slaves - happy without problems." We laughed at the ridiculousness of what was being said but it truly does bother me how it could so easily be disregarded.

Famous bridge at the plantation

The Ashley River House

Memories of the day:

• Orientation Theater. No longer ladies...but...Gators!!!



• Everything is related to the pineapple.
  
• Mary came to accept that she was dead.

• Yes, there are chiggers!!! Ha, I told you so.


• Being pregnant with a demon baby makes you crave gummy worms. Who would have thought it?


• Saving the souls of Colonial 1st ward -- contact me if you want to know who we decided you should date.



• Trent does have Dancing Queen on his ipod.
• We saw Ron Paul's blimp!!!
• Overall sayings that were over-used and over-enjoyed:

• The front fell off.
• The back fell off.
• Gators!!
• Heh!!!
• Thank you Joe Johnston.
• That's what she said.
• Just like my last boyfriend.
• Bella (shaking fist)
• Rule # 2

Public Service Announcement # 80: How to celebrate MLK day http://www.ehow.com/how_2128688_martin-luther-king-jr-day.html

Savannah Part 3

Day 3

This was my favorite day in Savannah. It was perfect. We attended church, ate in the park, had a beautiful experience with Mr. Owens, and spent the day relaxing.

• Sunday morning we drove to church where we attended a Sacrament meeting, where we were instructed that we should get married. Can you believe that we attend a family ward and it is still mentioned?


• Fake accent.


• Take the murderway.

Mary breaks into another car


• After church we drove to Forsyth park for a picnic. There is a beautiful fountain that we ate near. As we were eating we heard a man singing gospel music. The ambiance was perfect. The man came up to us. He, Mr. Caris Owens, said that he was homeless and that he was a singing angel. He then proceeded to give us advice. He looked at us and said his greatest advice was "It's cheaper to keep her." He had Wayne look at Mary and Trent look at me. Then he made them tell us "Honey, it's cheaper to keep ya." They did what they were told. Then he told me, "Hon, he might come home late one night because there was bad traffic. Now, you gonna 'cuse him. You gonna say "what took you so long." Now hon, don't 'cuse this man. Jus trust him." Then he looked at Wayne and asked, "How old are you? Do'n be lien' to me son. Do'n tell me ya 23." Wayne said that he was 26. Then he told Wayne that there was no one out there like Mary. We all agreed. Then he sang Amazing Grace for us. It was magical. Mr. Owens, you captured our hearts.
  
  
  


• After Mr. Owens left we stayed at the park and made up our new self-statements: Mandy is like perfect. Trent is like, What's Up. Mary is like so cool. Wayne is like a liar - just ask Mr. Owens.





• Mary has moved on in the grief cycle to being sad and angry about her death.
  
• At the park we wrote a Five Point Instruction Manual on how to date each of us. So here goes:
  
• Wayne: 1. You have to tell me explicitly what you want. 2. Don't be clingy. 3. You have to be tough! 4. Just love me - love what I am not what I could be. 5. Family 1st- our family.
  
• Trent: 1. Appreciate humor....my humor. 2. Be clingy. 3. Be upfront with me about what is going on with us. 4. Needs a partner, not a lackey. Don't expect perfection from me but support me in being the best. 5. Trust me. Don't 2nd guess me. Don't 'cuse me.


• Mandy: 1. Play to my ego...flatter me. 2. Physical affection is important. 3. Keeping an open, honest line of communication is essential. 4. Support my ideas...humor me. 5. Recognize me for who I am.
  
• Mary: 1. Don't be afraid to put me in my place. 2. Be bold. 3. Must be a tad dependent upon me. 4. Please facilitate my tender side. 5. The best way to show you love me is through gifts.


• We watched Saturday's Warrior Millennium Edition. It had Karaoke. It was so much fun. Below is Mary's reaction after seeing it for the first time. The rest of us thoroughly enjoyed it.



• Pork chop dinner. Said in an Australian accent "Drive down the dark alley, open door, fall victim and prey to the murderer."


• Sayings that we used all the time: "Rule #2"; "Look at the columns on that house"; Screamin' Meemie's"


• Trent stole a purse.



• Wayne and Trent agreed to grow mustaches.


• 10 feet behind Mandy.
  

Public Service Announcement #79 :To perfect your Australian accent please click here http://www.ehow.com/how_2073832_talk-australian-accent.html

Savannah Part 2

Day 2

Today was Mary's Birthday!!! We woke up, sang her a birthday song, and headed out to experience Savannah.

• We had breakfast at the famous Clary's Cafe. The food was amazing. I had grits and a bisquit. We all said "Kiss my grits."


• Our house did not have a shower, instead it had a seated shower. Very inconvienent.
  
• Visited the Green-Meldrim house. It was exquisite. They had some amazing pocket doors: summer doors and winter doors. They also had a clever ventelation system.


• Walked around a few of Savannah's historic squares, in the light rain. We took pictures of us doing a enactment of the monuments and looking for symbols at the monuments.


Shot through the heart * The whole world in her hands


• Watched the movie Saved.


• We again told Mary that she was really dead. She has moved from the denial stage to the bargaining stage.


• Fetus position.


• Mandy checked the pizza.


• Derek isn't even there but owns us on his comment about peperonni pizza.


• We saw a sign that said McNairy's: sounds like a bad hair gel.


• Awkward moment 2008.


• Mary breaks into every car in Savannah.



• Visited Bonaventure Cemetery. It was the creepiest cemetary that I have ever seen. So creepy it was beautiful. We took some not-so-reverent photos of us in the cemetary. Wayne was fed manna and we all picked out our gravestones. I kinda feel bad about that....but not as bad as I should.







• Ate lunch at the Pirate House, arrgghh!! It is an actual house that pirates would use when they came to Savannah. Mary was hit on my an old man and I was called sweatheart by the waiter.








• We all agreed that one of the worst thing to say after you've kissed someone is : "It is wierd when we kiss."
  
• Mary calls my prank caller, Austin Fisher, and gets him to sing Happy Birthday to her.
  
• That night it was raining horribly. However, Mary wanted to go to the River walk for her birthday. We agreed, got out the umbrellas and started our walk. We were all drenched but it was fun to go to the stores on the River Walk. We bought some yummy pralines, t-shirts, and Mary and Wayne bought ponchos that they proudly wore. We were coming down some metal stairs that were slippery and Trent fell down the stairs on his backside. He was hurt but not too hurt. We waited at least five minutes before we laughed at him. He was a good sport. Wayne offered to give the ultimate sacrifice to Trent: the poncho. We walked back to our house. Mary had given up trying to stay dry so she decided to wade in a few fountains. She had so much fun but ended up snapping and shouting "take a picture of me and my prize (the fountain.)






• The question of the weekend, "What do you think this is?"

Public Service Announcement # 78: To plan your own trip to Savannah http://www.ehow.com/how_2030535_perfect-weekend-savannah.html

Savannah Part 1

Savannah...(audible sigh.) I just returned back from a great trip to Savannah. It was thoroughly entertaining, enjoyable, exciting, enchanting, and enlightening. As we drove home last night we thought of all our favorite experiences of the trip. We compiled our memories on four sheets of paper. I intend to tell you each memory, some in great detail and some with no detail. In order to not overwhelm, I am going to have four postings, one for each day we were in Savannah.


Day 1

• We left Arlington at 5:oo am to make the eight hour trek to Savannah.


• On our drive down I-95, we pulled over to get more gasoline. The gas station had its own cemetery. It seemed very strange to us....maybe it was foreshadowing of things to come.


Please notice the graves are right next to the ciggarette sale sign

• Thank you Joe Johnston.


• Stopped at another gas station next to a club called Club Big Tyme. Mary wanted to take a photo and send it to our friend Derek. As she got out of the car, we left her behind for five minutes. We came back for her and she was just sitting next to the gas station as if she did not have a care in the world.


• We passed an old man in a van that was covered with Disney stickers.......Trent in 50 years.

• Hanson, I'm sorry.


• Trent made Mary's dreams come true by reaching Savannah by 1:30 pm.


• We got to our home away from home in Savannah. It was beautiful. There were 12 ft. ceilings, french doors, two fire places, and lovely woodwork through the home.
  
• Sorry Miss Jackson...Bella Jackson. I loved all of the stories that we made up about the previous people that had lived/ died in the house. Our favorite stories were about Bella Jackson who had died in the house.


• Drove to Tybee Island where we found a dead shark, a family of treasure hunters, and a sign that said you could call for hook ups. AO.


AO * Mandy and Mary at the beach

• Wayne held my purse. It is disputed who actually gave him the purse, Mary or Trent.
  
• Ate at the Crab Shack where there are holes in the tables so you can just slide your food into the garbage. Trent spoke with a fake southern accent. The waiter believed him and called him "brother." We also ran into some teens that sang "Sorry Miss Jackson." They also seemed to know about the family of ghosts in our home.


The Crab Shack - were the elite eat in their bare feet

A reunion with an old friend * I'd like to shake your hand

Prom Date * We all need just a little love

• Shopped at a Piggly Wiggly.


• Savannah has been called the Most Haunted City in America. That night we took a ghost tour by Sixth Sense Tours. Our tour guide was a ghost finder named Chris. He had great stories about Savannah's deathly secrets. P.S. we could not find any information about all of those dead bodies that he claimed resurfaced due to great amounts of rain.


• On the ghost tour Mary, Wayne, and Trent became believers. Trent saw a spark, Wayne took a picture of a face in a window, and Mary was told that she was actually dead...has been for four months.


Creepy house

• That night we went back to the house and watched the film The Hearse. It was awful but we ended up with some funny questions to ask: "Did you give yourself completely?" and "WHAT DO YOU WANT?"

Trent yelling "What do you want?"

Public Service Announcement # 77: If you want to become a believer http://www.ehow.com/how_2039211_believe-ghosts.html

Let it Ride

I want to give a shout out to Mary. Consider this a virtual handshake for a job well done. Mary provides a group of us with a theme each month. This has lead to some heated debates and an interesting email mishap when Mary accidentally sent the theme to a member of the bishopric. We had to do some explaining.

Some have been good, some have been great, but this month's is the best. This month's theme is Let it Ride. This is a popular gambling game (I do not endorse gambling) where you put all your chips in and let them ride. However, there is a broader definition of let it ride. To let it ride means that if you want something you just put everything into it. It is risky because you have to put everything out there in which could lead you to feeling vulnerable . But here is my favorite part: in this philosophy you do not worry about it. If it goes bad, that is okay at least you tried. If it goes well, then good for you. This is good for someone like me that usually put in all the chips but then worries about the chips.

This theme can be used in work, communication, all types of relationships, blogging, etc. Even as I am writing this post I am debating if I should let it ride. So in the name of Let it Ride here goes: I am prone to pointing out all of my negative qualities to people when I feel vulnerable. Today I was thinking that I should really stop this practice. Then I thought of the theme Let it Ride. I then felt more at ease and less vulnerable, which in turn will help me to not blurt out all of my faults. And if I do blurt them out...well...then I will just let it ride. At least I am honest.

Public Service Announcement# 76:For a tip on letting it ride click here and look for the third green light http://www.ehow.com/how_2091390_break-vegas-let-ride.html

Kim's 1978 birthday party!!!

Millie, Kim, Jordana, me

Happy Birthday, Kim!!!

In order to celebrate Kim's 30th birthday we threw a 1978 themed party. Jordana decorated the house with streamers and balloons perfectly placed. The food consisted of a poppy seed cake, a chocolate cake, Parmesan cheese fondue (so 70's), and other snacks. I made a CD filled with hits of 1978 that included: Disco Inferno, Boogie shoes, some Abba song, and Wonderful Tonight (that truly described Kim.)

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I am was impressed with how many people dressed up and the quality of their costumes. Kim found a fetching dress at the Salvation Army, the Davies made a smash as a 70's couple, Maggie was a go-go dancer, and Trent, Ben, and Wayne looked sharp in their 70's suits. Peter and Dan showed up at the party wearing normal clothing. However, they soon shed their shirts to reveal their highly anticipated t-shirts with the men from Star Wars as the Players Club. I had two different costumes to choose from so I did the sensible thing: made a costume change in the middle of the party. I first started out with the yellow, polyester suit that mother sewed back in 1973. Then I changed into the green paisley print pants...yes...they are pants. Each pant leg can be stretched out two feet!!! REALLY Mom, you wore these?!? Thank you for keeping them.

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As the party winded down, a group of us decided to go to Ihop. We made quiet the scene with our costumes. Here were some of the reactions we received: 1. Complete shock with their mouth hanging open 2. Complete disgust with a look that said "What the? 3. This was heard regarding my yellow pant suit "Bright as the sun. Wanna have some fun?" 4. Our waiter did not even notice that we were dressed funny. What a great night!! What a great celebration for the wonderful Kim Summers!!!

YMCA * Ashley, me, Maggie

Chris and Melissa voted cutest couple * Millie with the Players Club

Ben was voted "tightest male pants" * Trent was voted "2nd tightest male pants" * Mary and I

Wayne, Emily, Mary, Janine, me, and Trent all strike a pose before heading to the Ihop

Public Service Announcement # 75: Hey, the 70's called and want their clothes back http://www.ehow.com/how_2071922_dress-1970s-party.html