Here comes the commotion....

The US Supreme Court is hearing both sides of Prop 8 now. There is a lot of heated conversations on facebook and twitter. I have heard both sides of the argument especially from those very strong politically right Mormons here in Utah. 

So I'm just going to say my opinion. It's my blog so I can say whatever I want. I support gay marriage. If someone loves a person and wants to be have their relationship legal as in marriage, it's their choice. It's not my choice who they want to spend their life with. I will deal with my own love life (if I had one ha) and they can deal with theirs. I don't want to take away a person's right just because of their sexual orientation. Oh and they should be respected in the same manner as you want to be respected. In the end it's their life and their decisions, not mine. I will just butt out.   

I know not many people will agree with me but it's a time where issues are difficult to understand and side with. I am still seeing where I land on some issues.  

As for me I am not just seeking marriage in my future but a celestial marriage. I see there are two marriages in our world today (from an LDS perspective), civil and celestial marriages. I know in some countries members of the church have to be married civilly before they have a temple marriage/sealing/celestial marriage. A celestial marriage is ordained by God and is done in the House of the Lord through Priesthood power. A civil marriage is done by a person who is licensed to do so. Hey you can go downtown and just get married if you want or go to Vegas.  

For me I know what I need to do to attain a celestial marriage and that is my own personal life. As for someone else's life that is for them to deal with. 

Marriage to some people means a union or legal contract between a man and women who are then husband and wife. Other people see marriage as a legal contract between two people who are committed to each other. I for one see it as civil marriage and celestial marriage. One is ordained by God. The other is done by man. 

But hey that is my opinion and beliefs. You might believe something different and this is totally fine. We are entitled to our own opinion. 

My Encounter with the Humanities

I remember vividly the day when I did not see music the same way but I saw music as way to tell a story and I was the story teller. My band director handed out a new piece of music we will play at our last band concert of the year, all I saw were notes on a piece of paper that did not seem hard to play but I was wrong. The piece was entitled An American Elegy by Frank Ticheli and it would forever change my life.

Before I came across the piece during my sophomore year of high school I saw music as just notes on manuscript and me as just a musician who played what they saw on the page. Sadly I had been playing music this way for over eight years and looked over music’s true meaning. When it came to rehearse An American Elegy our band director discussed with us the piece’s meaning and purpose, it was to honor those who lost their lives and survived Columbine. More remarkable that I saw was we were playing on the 10th anniversary of the tragic shooting. The country was remembering a time when lives were lost and saved.

As I began to really look at the music I did not see notes anymore I saw hope, courage and strength. I remember I wasn’t looking forward to the piece because I was playing their clarinet and was not expecting to have any important parts and because it was a small band I was the only one playing the part. As we continued to rehearse the piece every day I noticed I did have an important part where I was playing and it was up to me to keep the emotion of the piece to keep flowing. I began to connect with the music and I felt what the composer was trying to say.


Ticheli wrote the piece in memory who lost their lives in a tradgey and honor those who survived for their strength. I realized what the music said. It told a story and I was the storyteller. As a musician it was my responsibility to describe what the composer wrote to the audience.

The day came for the concert. I felt ready to tell the room full of people what Ticheli wanted to say about of the tragic incident. As my band director lifted up his hand I knew it was time to connect one last time to the piece. The low instruments started the band off, the emotion began to build, one by one each section came in and then we were off to an ever changing moment. The clarinets were in unison, one with another revealing the strength those high school students had ten years prior. The brass expressed the courage the students and teachers had. The band together told the audience the faith that was present at Columbine that April day. Each instrument and musician sounded as one expressing Ticheli’s feelings. The flute, clarinet, horn and euphonium express the unity within the community of Columbine high school. Then the Columbine’s Alma Mater began to play and the tension grew and my emotions where going in different directions. Then in a distance a trumpet is heard playing, a heroic trumpet. At that moment I felt hope and I couldn’t contain myself. It was probably the first time I cried at the band concert. Never before had I saw or heard music in such a matter. There was never a time before where I piece of music made me feel as An American Elegy did. At the end of the piece I felt as though I gave all I had to this piece of music. There weren’t that many notes or hard phrases in the piece but it was the most difficult piece I had ever played because I took the time to look at as a story with emotion and not just notes on a piece of paper.

After that day I didn’t see myself in the same way anymore and I didn’t see music in the same way either. Music is not simply notes on a piece of paper with musical notions that the composer randomly put it. Music is a way for the composer to reveal a thought, emotions or a story. As a musician it was my responsibility to express what he author intended. After performing An American Elegy I never said a piece of music the same way. When new music was handed out to me I took the time to listen to recordings and really understand what the composer intended. Every piece of music as an intention. Four years later I still feel moved when I hear An American Elegy and I still get chills when I hear it. To this day I see every piece of music as a story. When I sing a hymn at church I try to connect with author and their message. When I get handed a new piece of music in band I listen and feel to understand what I need to express. Music is not just different notes and pitches mixed together but an expression of inner feelings and emotions that need to be told.

**This was a paper I wrote for one of my classes and thought I would share it. I hope you have had something change your lives like this song did for me. Maybe it wasn't a song. Maybe it was a poem, an art piece, a film or literature. I hope you reflect upon how the humanities have influenced your life. I am deeply grateful to have had the opportunity to perform this piece.

Going on 20, young, and free

So recently I have been thinking a lot about what I want to do in the coming years. First I was like museum work but now I am leaning more to education. I know I am not expected to know exactly what I want to do now. I am barley going to turn 20 and I still have no clue where I will be in 5 years. But after much thinking and pondering I have come to the conclusion to become an educator. I have always wanted to be a teacher but always put it to the side. Now I am going to pursue it. I'm not going to change my major which is currently American Studies but I am going to try to explore more classes that deal with child development and education. I want to then go off to graduate school and receive a masters in teaching. These ideas have come to mind all at once. I don't know exactly where I would be going to graduate school yet but I think I have an idea of what I want to do after graduation. I'm going to do this. I know I can. I just have to have faith that it would work out in the end. President Gordon B. Hinckley once said, "“It isn't as bad as you sometimes think it is. It all works out. Don't worry. I say that to myself every morning. It all works out in the end. Put your trust in God, and move forward with faith and confidence in the future. The Lord will not forsake us. He will not forsake us. If we will put our trust in Him, if we will pray to Him, if we will live worthy of His blessings, He will hear our prayers.” 

New Month!

It's officially March and in 18 days it will be Spring. I don't that Utah will catch up through. The weather here can be pretty crazy at times. I just want it to be warm enough to wear shorts and flip flops. On the bright side I am half way through the semester. I want it to be my break!!! 

I know I haven't blogged in a while but I have been busy. I'm working on a special post that will be up hopefully in the next couple of weeks. Although I do want to post something that I have recently written a paper on. Maybe tomorrow I will post it Anyways. I am off to get ready for bed. Buenas noches my friend.