Sometimes I have the best day ever.

Once upon a November, I had the best day of my life. For 3 reasons.

1. Savion Glover (THE best tap dancer alive) in real life in front of my face. This number has two parts.
Part A: A workshop. Savion agreed to come and teach us a workshop. My friend Justin Kelly said it well in his Facebook status after the event when he said "Still in a stupor after one of the coolest dance lessons I have ever had the privilege to attend. How awesome is it that Savion can achieve that distinction without even teaching a single step?" 


That's right, all he did was talk. He did eventually put his tap shoes on about 45 minutes after everything started, but he barely did anything in them. He just talked. 


About time, and groove, and the pocket, melodicizing, tapping your life, reminding me that tap isn't just a dance, it isn't even just an artform, it is a way of life and a philosophy. But really. Anyway, I'm going to write more about this in its own post later on, because I have a lot to say in this post. 

Part B: Savion's concert that night. Him, two other tappers, no music, three miked platforms. Genius.



2. I was helping a professor move out of his office (which by the way, is my job, I get paid to help theater and media arts professors) and he was getting rid of some of his books. 


He turned to me at one point and said "Do you want a nice new copy of the Complete Encyclopedia of Joseph Smith's Teachings?"

Um. Why yes Eric, I would.

10 minutes later.
"What about these leather bound books the university gives me for Christmas"
Now people, I put these white boxes in the professor's mailboxes for Christmas every year and I always covet the beautiful leather bound Church books hidden inside and want to steal them from people that never pick them up. But I don't. So the good karma is coming back to me.
Yes! I want those too!

My loot ended up being, the Encyclopedia of Joseph Smith's Teachings, and leather bound copies of an LDS hymnal, The Bible, and Jesus the Christ. Especially cool because Jesus the Christ was totally on my Christmas list. Now I have it. In fancy form.

3. Whilst I was helping Eric in his office I had a missed call on my phone from my sister, which was interesting. I checked the voicemail when I was done with work and it was from my niece Ella. She looks like this  Ella and I get along pretty well. She's a lot like me, only she happens to be younger and a lot cuter than I was. Believe me.

Anydangway, she left me a long voicemail about an essay she wanted me to help her write. I figure it must be a history essay or something, until she said they were supposed to write about their hero, so she chose me.
!
I almost cried a little bit. I definitely had that "awwwwww" face on

This is an example of the "precious" face with Michelle even though it kind of looks like a disgusted face. It is very similar to the "aww" face I had except mine registered more surprise, so think this with an open mouth. Not necessarily attractive, but effective.


So there you have it. Savion Glover, free wonderful books, and my niece calling me her hero. This is a perfect Thanksgiving post. Yes?

Little white girl from an intellectual family.

I have been encouraged to find three things that describe me culturally and reflect on them. Okay so it's a school assignment, that's encouragement right?

First we have one of my heavily highlighted textbooks. Anyone who knows me well knows that studying and learning is probably my favorite thing ever. I love nothing more than spending a Saturday morning studying. This has deep roots from my family and my upbringing. My grandfather, father, and all of my siblings are very interested in learning and learning was always a value very appreciated and endorsed in my home. This aspect of my life reflects very clearly in my priorities and not always in a good way. Even though I am usually praised in my scholastic achievements and hard work, I often put homework and studying in front of giving time to people and friends and that can be a  problem. 

Second, even though this is also a book, it is a representation of wit. I know, this sounds a little egotistical of me but I think a story will help you understand. Being the youngest of 8 children and a very headstrong person, I picked up quite a large vocabulary, and, according to my sister Patti, I used it correctly! In addition to my loquacity, I picked up a love for quick wit and intellectual banter from my siblings. I perfected this for many years, hoping my brothers and sisters would notice, but that affirmation didn't come until I was at least a teenager. I remember distinctly at a family gathering one day when one of my siblings said to me "Lynette! You're funny!" Since that time I have seen that as an attribute that I have and many people who know me know that I have a peculiar way of speaking and expressing myself, which stems from that wit and intellectual banter ingrained in me. The way I speak, write, and express myself has a lot to do with that. 

Finally, we have a picture (of a picture) of me dancing in a recent choreography project of a friend. Dance is an extremely important part of my life, and has had a large impact on my life in quite a few ways. Art is very important in my family, especially singing and playing the piano. All of my siblings sing and play the piano and I join them in doing that. However, even though I love music very much, it has always come fairly easy to me and didn't present enough challenge for my personality. I had to work hard to be a good dancer however, it is not a natural thing for my body. However, I have worked hard enough that it has started to become more natural, and that has given me an even greater appreciation for it. I have been able to participate in many kinds of dance from ballet to hip-hop to contemporary to folk dance, and my love for dance just increases with each genre I take on. Dancing is something that is nearly always on my mind, as soon as a song comes on, you'll see my eyes glaze over and you'll know that I'm choreographing.