DJ Disobedience

I am getting really tired of bad DJs. The last three dances I have gone to have had BAD DJs. For those of you who are not sure what makes a bad DJ, let me explain. A bad DJ plays lots of music that has too slow of a beat to really get your grove on or they play techno music, which for me is totally not dancer friendly. I guess it works for robots but NOT ME! They also don’t take any requests so you have no chance of even getting one good song to dance to. They play music that is overplayed all over the radio. They also sit behind their tables and wait for their playlist to run through on the computer. They are not dancers themselves, they are just there to get paid. When I made my request to the last DJ he responded with, “I’ll see if I can work it into the mix”. I would have preferred if he just said no, so I could leave and not waste my time with him.

A good DJ on the other hand will play non-offensive music that has a fast enough beat to actually dance to. They are found behind their tables dancing themselves, or at LEAST nodding their heads and tapping their feet to the beat because the music moves them. The best DJs are the ones who can’t stay behind their tables because they want to be out with the crowd getting their grove on. They play music with words so people can air-mic it and pretend to be rock stars. They also have paper out for you to write down your request but reserve the right to not play your songs because they know from experience that they are not crowd pleasers.

This is my plan going forward. The next time I go to a dance, if I don’t see the signs of a good DJ, I am going to bust out my iPod and do my own thing. Most DJs at least have good lighting and effects even if they don’t know how to select good music. That will be my way of telling them they could work on their skills without getting in their faces. I also think it is a better alternative to sitting Indian style in the middle of the dance floor in protest, which I have been known to do in the past. I might look like a freak show who fails to move with the crowd but I am just beyond the point of caring about such things anymore.

Between a Rock and a Hard Place

I finished reading Aron Ralston’s book “Between a Rock and a Hard Place”. This is the story of how he had a rock fall on his arm while hiking in Blue John Canyon in Canyonlands National Park in Moab Utah. It was a very inspiring story about overcoming insurmountable odds but it was also a story of a spiritual awakening.

There were two quotes from the book that I thought were particularly moving and I wanted to share. After being trapped under the rock a few days and feeling there is nothing more he can do for himself he finally reaches a point of total helplessness and he says, “I’ve recognized a great truth: Some other marvelous force is in control, and has been all along. Give it whatever name I want, all I know for sure is that I don’t have to sweat it out anymore, because I am not in charge.” Perhaps we all have to reach this point in our lives when we finally surrender and begin to admit that we are not in control of what happens to us in our lives and we look to God and recognize his power.

Finally in the end summing up his experiences he says, “For all that has happened and the opportunities still developing in my life, I feel blessed. I was part of t a miracle that has touched a great number of people in the world and I wouldn’t trade that for anything, not even to have my hand back. My accident in and rescue from Blue John Canyon were the most beautifully spiritual experiences of my life, and knowing that were I to travel back in time I would still say “see you later” to Megan and Kristi and take off into that lower slot by myself. While I’ve learned much, I have no regrets about that choice. Indeed, it has affirmed my belief that our purpose as spiritual beings is to follow our bliss, seek our passions, and live our lives as inspirations to each other. Everything else flows from that. When we find inspiration, we need to take action for ourselves and for our communities. Even if it means making a hard choice, or cutting out something and leaving it in your past.

Saying farewell is also a bold and powerful beginning.”

Feelin the Music

Sometimes when you are feeling the music you just can't stop yourself. Well there is that and the fact that I like to ham it up for cameras sometimes. Well this is my friend Dave's explanation...
I think the real story is:
a.) Alicia running from the police for breaking the 35mph speed limit
b.) Alicia is about to get busted by the police special division UDM
(Unauthorized Dance Moves.)
Notice the inconspicuous squad car he added in the background. ;)

The Glass Castle

I have a new favorite book. It is called, "The Glass Castle". I realize this book isn't going to be for everyone but I really enjoyed it. It was partially because I felt like I could relate to some things in this memoir but at the same time the life of this family was so much crazier than mine that it made me appreciate my family more. When I say this book isn't for everyone I should say that there is a bit of language, that some people may not appreciate. As I read I never really wanted to put the book down. I can't say that there was a dull moment in the whole thing. It speaks of trials and triumphs and overcoming all that life can throw at you. It talks about the love between siblings, of parents to their children, and children for their parents. It talks about the destructive forces that work to destroy families and the love that continues to bring them back together. It is very well written and I can't say I have a single criticism. I thought the author did an amazing job compiling her life's history.

I got to go to the police station today

I am told that I have a tight IT band

which is a common injury for runners. I was told that my IT band is as tight as a guitar string. Well it is a good thing for one lucky son of a gun because I chose to go running at the park instead of my normal running route. As I was running by the park pavilion I noticed that I had stepped over someone's wallet. I almost just kept running but then I thought someone probably wanted that. After I got a drink at the fountain I asked the people at the pavilion if they lost a wallet. A few of them jokingly shouted out, "If there is money in it." I lied and said there wasn't, even though there was a whole $22 in cash and a check. They said that they didn't then. I was running around with the wallet in my hand and I got to thinking that I should check the guy’s license to see if I could find where he lived. I recognized the address so I ran to his apartment but he apparently didn't live there anymore. SO then I thought I would just take it to the police station that was nearby thinking someone would be there. The doors were locked at 8:00am on a Saturday, but I picked up the phone in the call box and they said that they would send a squad car to the station to get it from me. He took down my info and then I ran home. I am now waiting for the big reward headed my way. :)

Zion's Trip

Last weekend I went to Zion's Nat’l Park. Aside from being brutally hot it was a wonderful trip. I went with my friend Heather for her family’s reunion. We enjoyed the hikes and met some friends on the trails. There seemed to be an abundance of Europeans. We met a couple from Denmark and I was happy to learn that the guy Ivan was actually from Serbia. I should have gotten a picture with them. Ivan was in LOVE with the Angel’s landing hike. He said he loved the trail and wanted to rename it Ivan’s trail. His girlfriend Katarina was not prepared for the hike and they didn’t know how much water they needed. Heather’s dad is a doctor and her uncle is a firefighter. They saw she wasn’t doing so well as she was very red in the face. They asked how much water they had and they showed their liter water bottle they brought to share with about a cup of water left in it. Heather’s uncle Lan had suffered heat stroke on this trail before so he wasn’t taking any chances and he offered them the rest of his water from his camel back since we were now headed down and they still had some climbing to do. He started to drain it into their bottle and Ivan was surprised how cold it was. Lan had filled it with ice water. When Katarina saw she was getting some fresh cold water she said, “You are our saviors.” We hiked the Narrows, Angel’s Landing and Emerald Pools. It was good to do so much in such a short time. Anyway here are some photos…

Today's Devotional

Today I was in training for Seminary & Institute employees to learn about finances. We started with a devotional this morning. Bro. Bowman gave the devotional. He was an institute teacher when the shootings happened at Virginia Tech a few years ago. The gunman shot 32 students and then shot himself. Out of the horror he shared a few things that showed the Lord’s hand in the catastrophe. He said that the shootings happened on a Monday and the next weekend Elder Bednar was scheduled to go out and speak to the area. Before the shootings happened Elder Bednar questioned why the Lord was sending him out there since there wasn’t going to be a new stake presidency called. He knew that there must have been some reason for him to go so he waited to see what the Lord’s purpose was. After the shootings Elder Bednar had a meeting with the students and institute staff it was held in a fairly small space. He asked all those who were not students or staff of the institute to leave the meeting. Brother Bowman said that Elder Bednar shook the hand of everyone who attended that meeting.

He shared another story from the stake president who was a teacher in the same building where the shootings happened. The stake president heard the shootings as he was in his office two floors above them. He heard students screaming and decided that the best things to do was barricade himself in his office and get down under his desk. As the shootings happened, he received a call from the area authority who would also be visiting that weekend. He reached above his desk and answered the phone. He spoke with the area authority and seemed to forget what was happening at the school because he didn’t even mention it. After the shootings the area authority put together the fact that he called at the moment the shootings had happened.

The stake president later shared a scripture from D&C 9:9 that he saw with new eyes, “But if it be not right you shall have no such feelings, but you shall have a stupor of thought that shall cause you to forget the thing which is wrong; therefore, you cannot write that which is sacred save it be given you from me.”

In that moment of chaos, the stake president said that he forgot about the shootings because preparing for the Lord’s work was the most important thing for him to be focused on at that moment.

Brother Bowman said that he had many other stories to share but the time didn’t allow. He said that he would be happy to answer any questions we had and now I am kicking myself for not asking him more questions since this was the last day of training.