Misunderstood

For those who truly know me, I simply love folklore. In my four years at BYU, I would spend at least one day a month sitting in the Juvenile section (or down on the 1st floor) of the library reading from the shelves of fairytale and folklore. You'd think after all the books I've read and re-read, I should have some skills as a storyteller - but unfortunately that skill belongs to my younger sister. I am just a great reader.

Today, I decided to begin a new book. For a while now, I've looked back at my childhood and discovered a few past-time activities that I have not done in years. I use to love writing stories. I even have a novel in progress that hasn't been touched since high school. I had also spent time writing poems (mainly in sonnet form), and use to love drawing (even though I do not have much talent in that). It seems to apply on my mood at the time. I have not really been in the mood for writing or drawing although I wish I was. Surprisingly, that seemed to have slowly changed these past few days. I came across some old silly tales I use to write on IM whenever my friends had left the computer for a bit. I wanted to write one again for a friend, but found my thoughts going in a different direction. Nothing may come of this, but it makes me feel worthwhile when I am able to again jump back into my imagination to see what can come from it. It isn't worth sharing with others - for it is almost childhood silliness, but it is a kind of activity that brings joy to myself alone.

Anyways, while doing some research on characters for my new book, I came across some really amazing folklores. One especially stood out to me and gave me quite a shock. It is about the origin of the crow/raven.

In my upbringing, crows and ravens are not seen as the most cared for creature but actually almost as one of the lowest forms of birds. Their representations vary from messengers for witches to a scavenger and trickster and representation of death. Because of their velvety black feathers and screechy calls, very little good seems to be said about them. It is sad to find out that these creatures are found to be heroes to mankind. Their true worth has been forgotten and instead is seen as misunderstood and mistreated.

[Warning: I do tend to quote folklore as fact, although I do know it is just legends. Don't take away my fun for superstition and lore!]

The following are two tales, very similar (well mainly the exact same story). This first one is about how Raven helped to bring the Sun, Moon, Stars, Fresh Water, and Fire to the world. This story I copied from Wikipedia.

Long ago, near the beginning of the world, Gray Eagle was the guardian of the Sun, Moon and Stars, of fresh water, and of fire. Gray Eagle hated people so much that he kept these things hidden. People lived in darkness, without fire and without fresh water.

Gray Eagle had a beautiful daughter, and Raven fell in love with her. In the beginning, Raven was a snow-white bird, and as a such, he pleased Gray Eagle's daughter. She invited him to her father's longhouse.

When Raven saw the Sun, Moon and stars, and fresh water hanging on the sides of Eagle's lodge, he knew what he should do. He watched for his chance to seize them when no one was looking. He stole all of them, and a brand of fire also, and flew out of the longhouse through the smoke hole. As soon as Raven got outside he hung the Sun up in the sky. It made so much light that he was able to fly far out to an island in the middle of the ocean. When the Sun set, he fastened the Moon up in the sky and hung the stars around in different places. By this new light he kept on flying, carrying with him the fresh water and the brand of fire he had stolen.

He flew back over the land. When he had reached the right place, he dropped all the water he had stolen. It fell to the ground and there became the source of all the fresh-water streams and lakes in the world. Then Raven flew on, holding the brand of fire in his bill. The smoke from the fire blew back over his white feathers and made them black. When his bill began to burn, he had to drop the firebrand. It struck rocks and hid itself within them. That is why, if you strike two stones together, sparks of fire will drop out.

Raven's feathers never became white again after they were blackened by the smoke from the firebrand. That is why Raven is now a black bird.

This next story is much more developed and a greater representation of the actions of the crow. It is named "Rainbow Crow" from the Lenni Lenape Tribe. I copied this story from Americanfolklore.net

It was so cold. Snow fell constantly, and ice formed over all the waters. The animals had never seen snow before. At first, it was a novelty, something to play in. But the cold increased tenfold, and they began to worry. The little animals were being buried in the snow drifts and the larger animals could hardly walk because the snow was so deep. Soon, all would perish if something were not done.

"We must send a messenger to Kijiamuh Ka'ong, the Creator Who Creates By Thinking What Will Be," said Wise Owl. "We must ask him to think the world warm again so that Spirit Snow will leave us in peace."

The animals were pleased with this plan. They began to debate among themselves, trying to decide who to send up to the Creator. Wise Owl could not see well during the daylight, so he could not go. Coyote was easily distracted and like playing tricks, so he could not be trusted. Turtle was steady and stable, but he crawled too slowly. Finally, Rainbow Crow, the most beautiful of all the birds with shimmering feathers of rainbow hues and an enchanting singing voice, was chosen to go to Kijiamuh Ka'ong.

It was an arduous journey, three days up and up into the heavens, passed the trees and clouds, beyond the sun and the moon, and even above all the stars. He was buffeted by winds and had no place to rest, but he carried bravely on until he reached Heaven. When Rainbow Crow reached the Holy Place, he called out to the Creator, but received no answer. The Creator was too busy thinking up what would be to notice even the most beautiful of birds. So Rainbow Crow began to sing his most beautiful song.

The Creator was drawn from his thoughts by the lovely sound, and came to see which bird was making it. He greeted Rainbow Crow kindly and asked what gift he could give the noble bird in exchange for his song. Rainbow Crow asked the Creator to un-think the snow, so that the animals of Earth would not be buried and freeze to death. But the Creator told Rainbow Crow that the snow and the ice had spirits of their own and could not be destroyed.

"What shall we do then?" asked the Rainbow Crow. "We will all freeze or smother under the snow."

"You will not freeze," the Creator reassured him, "For I will think of Fire, something that will warm all creatures during the cold times."

The Creator stuck a stick into the blazing hot sun. The end blazed with a bright, glowing fire which burned brightly and gave off heat. "This is Fire," he told Rainbow Crow, handing him the cool end of the stick. "You must hurry to Earth as fast as you can fly before the stick burns up."

Rainbow Crow nodded his thanks to the Creator and flew as fast as he could go. It was a three-day trip to Heaven, and he was worried that the Fire would burn out before he reached the Earth. The stick was large and heavy, but the fire kept Rainbow Crow warm as he descended from Heaven down to the bright path of the stars. Then the Fire grew hot as it came closer to Rainbow Crows feathers. As he flew passed the Sun, his tail caught on fire, turning the shimmering beautiful feathers black. By the time he flew passed the Moon, his whole body was black with soot from the hot Fire. When he plunged into the Sky and flew through the clouds, the smoke got into his throat, strangling his beautiful singing voice.

By the time Rainbow Crow landed among the freezing-cold animals of Earth, he was black as tar and could only Caw instead of sing. He delivered the fire to the animals, and they melted the snow and warmed themselves, rescuing the littlest animals from the snow drifts where they lay buried.

It was a time of rejoicing, for Tindeh - Fire - had come to Earth. But Rainbow Crow sat apart, saddened by his dull, ugly feathers and his rasping voice. Then he felt the touch of wind on his face. He looked up and saw the Creator Who Creates By Thinking What Will Be walking toward him.

"Do not be sad, Rainbow Crow," the Creator said. "All animals will honor you for the sacrifice you made for them. And when the people come, they will not hunt you, for I have made your flesh taste of smoke so that it is no good to eat and your black feathers and hoarse voice will prevent man from putting you into a cage to sing for him. You will be free."

Then the Creator pointed to Rainbow Crow's black feathers. Before his eyes, Rainbow Crow saw the dull feathers become shiny and inside each one, he could see all the colors of the rainbow. "This will remind everyone who sees you of the service you have been to your people," he said, "and the sacrifice you made that saved them all."

And so shall it ever be.

I'm an Aunt!

A cute little baby girl born 5pm on August 12, 2009: 6lbs 14oz, 20 1/2". After nearly twenty-four hours, she was named Elizabeth Mae Miller.

Lookie there...being held by Auntie Kris. awwwwww....

Sneak Peek!

I'm saving most of the pics of the wedding for the Open House slideshow, but here are some favorite pics of Jeff and Sherry. Awww...aren't they so cute!

Sisters, Sisters!

Bubbles! Bubbles!! Bubbles!!!

It seems my family enjoys bubbles!

Stadium of Fire

So I haven't written in a while. Oh well. To sum up the week, I spent the week with my awesome co-worker Sarai. I worked during the day and socialized during the evening. My first day at work, I took my lunch break to get some missionary medical completed ... whuch unfortunately lasted for two hours making me an hour late for work. I was put on some antibiotics and on my second day of work, I quickly learned that the meds made my skin sensitive and I had an awful reaction to the sun. The funny thing is that I was wearing gloves and I had a glove line. I made sure to not wear gloves with excess exposure to the sun to try and tan my hands with the burn on my arms. Haha ... I looked quite burned. It was hilarious! Thankfully I started to tan out through the week. Well, I got to run into some of my film friends who were assisting with the set design, meet old friends from past crews, and even make some new ones. I do enjoy all the people I get to meet and interact with. I was able to help out the guitar tech for the Jonas Brothers. That was a lot of fun. The first time I helped change strings on a guitar (accidentally snapping one). I just find it funny that the first guitar string I snap is on a Jonas Brothers guitar. No worried ... we were changing the strings so no harm. Probably helped change strings on at least six or eight guitars. I really enjoyed learning another aspect of stage and helping however I could. Another Stadium of Fire is done. My fourth year ... and it may possibly be my last. We will see what the future holds.

The 15 golden rules of theatre etiquette

1 Don’t just switch off your mobile in response to what’s very likely a cute invitation from some fake-friendly voice. Make sure it’s off before you enter the theatre, thus making sure that you’re not publicly humiliated by Richard Griffiths or A.N. Other.

2 Never whisper, let alone talk, during the performance. If you’re hard of hearing, hire a loop rather than bother your companion for info about the plot. And don’t hum along with songs, even if they’re by Rodgers and Hammerstein.

3 Don’t bring picnics. In fact, don’t eat anything, not even your fingernails, even if the play is, well, nail-biting. If you must buy an ice cream in the interval, make sure you finish it and dispose of the carton before the restart. The scraping at remnants sounds like scratching on a wall.

4 If you fear that you’ll cough, bring a handkerchief to smother your mouth and pastilles to put in it. Considerate theatregoers would rather asphyxiate than interrupt a good actor.

5 Always apologise if someone is forced to stand as you make your way to your seat, but if you are late (and you should never be) reduce your apology to a quick, sorrowful nod.

6 Don’t clap actors’s entrances, even if they’re famous, or their exits, even if they make them in the swaggering style that half-invites applause. All this is dated and naff and makes you look like a celeb-hungry prat.

7 Have nothing to do with standing ovations unless a performance is close to a once-in-a-lifetime experience. In America such ovations have become meaningless and, if they don’t occur, they indicate disapproval. We don’t want them to become regular here.

8 If a friend is on stage in a comedy or farce, or has written one, don’t pile on the laughter. The artificiality is usually transparent enough to make failure more and not less likely.

9 If you must go to that often obnoxious, spuriously glitzy occasion, the first night, don’t ponce about pretending to be an important guest, even if you are one. Think of your fellow audience members and the actors, both of whom want to get on with the show. And that show isn’t about you.

10 No need to dress up, let alone wear dinner jackets and evening gowns, as was once the case. But try to be a little better dressed than the critics, who often look as they’ve been grabbed from a washing machine that hasn’t yet been turned on.

11 If you see a sleeping critic don’t necessarily wake him or her up, as guilt is likely to ensure that his or her review is more favourable than it might otherwise be. But don’t let him sleep too deeply or he may (and this has happened) crash into or across an aisle, causing injury to the innocent. And snoring is unacceptable, whoever does it and however awful the show.

12 If critics irk you by scratching notes on a pad, be forgiving. They’re only doing their jobs. And virtually all critics accept that lighted pens, once common, are now verboten. If you see a critic turn one on, whisper something tactfully germane, like “you blind sod, switch it off”.

13 If the child you’re bringing is chatty, gag it. If it’s fidgety, handcuff and shackle it. And if you’re altruistic enough to bring a school party to a Shakespeare matinée, threaten potential wrongdoers with tickets to the next revival of Timon of Athens, to be followed by a ten-page essay on the ethics of Apemantus.

14 Try your hardest not to be tall, which means shunning headgear and primped-up hair. And if you can’t help your height, ask for a seat on the aisle or somewhere where you won’t interfere with people’s sightlines.

15 If you are maddened by a fellow member of the audience, postpone a serious or violent encounter until a suitable pause in the action, preferably the interval. But usually a schoolmarmy stare and an English sniff, followed by a reproachful smile, will suffice.

Source: From Times Online, written by Benedict Nightingale on June 19, 2009. http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/stage/theatre/article6535773.ece

Missionary for a Day

Okay...actually I was a missionary for a day and a half. The Sister Missionaries in my home stake always look for members to join them at lessons. I went out twice, onece to a canceled lesson, and another going to the visitor center to see the Joseph Smith movie. Well, three days ago, one of the sisters became sick and because I have nothing happening in my life, I was able to go out on "splits" for two day. First day was from about 3pm to 10pm and the second day from 8am to 10pm. I'm glad to have had the opportunity to catch a glimpse into the life of a missionary. Most of the appointments were canceled and few wanted to talk with us, but that's okay with me. I was raised knowing a mission is not a picnic. I'm not going for the title or glory that some may still think comes in being called a missionary. I don't care about the number of baptisms or huge success stories. I have toured around the world with the BYU Dance Department: I have met so many different people, felt the spirit in many different circumstances, and after the many blessings that the Lord has given me, it is my time to give my time and talents fully to him for eighteen months. I will be grateful for any place I am called to serve. Talking with several different return missionaries, I know it is not easy. It is exhausting physically and mentally, but I am ready for it for I know it will give me the strength and growth that the Lord has planned for me if I just continue to follow His guidance. I am ready to serve.

Auguste Rodin

Okay, so back when I was visiting all of those museums while on the dance tour, I ran into a statue by Auguste Rodin as seen here. (I'm thinking this was at the Art Institute of Chicago Museum.) Anyways, when I had exited from the hallway of paintings and entered into a white breezeway, I came upon this sculpture. It really grabbed my attention. My first thought was that this must be a sculpture of Achilles since the grief in his face as he is pointing down to his heel. What a shock it was to read on the plaque that it was entitled "Adam". What?! "Adam" can't be right. How does this statue express the father of mankind? After the Fall, I see the expression of grief, but why does he point downward? What is that expressing? I read that this was originally going to be part of an entrance portal entitled "Gates of Hell", however the museum it was planned for was never built. I really like the fact that it was depicting Dante's Inferno...so now I feel like I should reread it to find when Adam and Eve are mentioned and figure out what Rodin is wanting to present. I finally found the small figurine entitled "Eve" which took a lot of searching. Amazingly, "Adam" was the only art piece in the room, at least six feet high while "Eve" was in a glass case in the corner among other figurines less then a foot high in a room full of paintings. Odd, isn't it? It is also sad to see his representation of Eve. She is expressing full shame, hiding her face and unwilling to show her face, blocking herself with her hands. I hope to one day see a representation of Eve after the fall that shows an LDS perspective. She knew the consequences of her choice and chose procreation over innocence in the Garden. What emotion do we believe she was expressing? What would Adam and Eve's reaction and emotion have been as they left the Garden?

I've found a new favorite artist. Now, for those who know me, when I say favorite, it's usually one of a huge list of people. I can't choose just one, for there are so many styles and genres. This new artist I found accidentally and simply love! ... oh wait ... *clears throat* here are two new favorite artists that I came upon while searching online.

I first ran into an art piece by Iman Maleki while I was collecting favorite paintings by William Adolphe Bouguereau. Okay...let's rewind a bit. On my laptop I have a folder of favorite paintings. There are several folders of artists including: Edmund Blair Leighton, Frederic Leighton, John William Waterhouse, William Adolphe Bouguereau, and Roger Loveless. There are my five top arists. If anyone notices, the first four are painters from the late 1800s and early 1900s. The last is a christian artist. So, back to the topic, as I was searching for more paintings of Bouguereau for my folder, I came upon an image while searching google images that was not one of Bouguereau's but really caught my eye. On that day, I could find no other works by Iman Maleki. Today, I tried again and found twenty-three more pieces by him, each just as captivating. Iman Maleki resides in Iran and trained under the greatest realist painter of Iran. I would love to own some of his works one day.
http://imanmaleki.com

The other author I came upon happened while I was trying to search for a pioneer painting (which I still need to find....hmmm). Megan Rieker resides in Maryland and has had her artwork displayed at the Washington D.C. Temple Visitors Center, the Museum of Church History and Art in Salt Lake City, Utah and at the Handcart Museum in Wyoming. My absolute favorite of her work is called "Eve's First Harvest." Her paintings are a bit different then I usually like, but this painting just keeps drawing my attention. I really like the meaning that the title draws from the painting.
http://meganrieker.com

Since I'm on this, might as well continue with my favorite paintings. So, Roger Loveless has been a favorite christian artist since I saw two of his paintings in one of the seminary buildings I attended (although I can't seem to remember which one). I love his painting called, "Living Water" especially because one day my seminary teacher described the painting to me and pointed out several differences between the land and what is seen in the water. While everything appears dead on land, it is living in the reflection of the water. Roger Loveless graduated from Utah State University.

John William Waterhouse became my first favorite artist because of his collection of mythology paintings. His representations of Psyche are a favorite: "Psyche Entering Cupid's Garden" and "Psyche Opening the Golden Box." They are mainly a favorite because the myth of Eros and Psyche is my absolute favorite of all mythology. In all honesty, my favorite mythological painting at this moment (featured here) is a painted by Edward Matthew Hale entitled "Psyche at the Throne of Venus." This is the moment of the tale when Psyche is begging at the feet of Venus for forgiveness and to see Eros. She agrees to complete several impossible tasks set by Venus so she could see her love again. Oddly enough, I can find few paintings by Hale and this is the best. I don't know what he was thinking since this is so different from his others, but amazing!

Edmund Blair Leighton became a favorite of mine because of his paintings of courtly love. I did a class presentation on the subject my senior year of high school and fell in love with one of his paintings entitled "Tristan and Isolde." A majority of his work is relating to courtship of some sort. Here I wanted to show another favorite that I had found just last year. He has some amazing pieces. The one shown is entitled "Stitching the Standard." I think one reasone why I like it so much is because that's something I'd see myself doing if I lived during that time period. I'd sit out on the battlement sewing or reading as I look out on the beautiful landscape. Sometimes, I wish we still were able to wear those types of clothing, too. I honest think they look beautiful!! Just a small fancy of mine...

William-Adolphe Bouguereau actually started as a favorite of mine because of his painting "The Ghosts of Paolo and Francesca Appear to Dante and Virgil." I'd show it here, but he has other amazing pieces a bit more appropriate for all audiences. One difficulty I come upon with artwork is my love of mythology and such. Nudity was not a huge controversy in that age, especially if it dealt with Greek gods and goddesses. Another favorite of Bouguereau is "The Remorse of Orestes" which I also shouldn't show, but is another favorite myth of mine: representing a scene from The Oresteia. Therefore, I've decided to show "Laurel Branch." It use to be one of my favorites, but it was hard to choose for all the paintings that are similar to this one is amazing.

*cough* *sneeze* *sniff*

Well, for the past two weeks, I've been experiencing allergies ... okay, it's been for the past two months off and on. Unfortunately, this week has turned it into a summer cold-ish thing. Gotta hate being sick. Especially since I am constantly on the phone with doctors and dentists. My voice sounds awful and I cough every now and again. Yesterday was funny when I had to call an old office about finding out whether my records state I had a Hep A immunization. "Hello, *sniff* I'm looking through my immunization records *cough* and I wonder if you have on file *sniff* if I've had my Hep A immunization complete *cough*" Not the most enjoyable call. Okay, so those aren't the symptoms for Hep A, but that's besides the point. I've called doctors both in Provo and Mesa, plus my dentist's office a few times. I dislike doing that when I'm sick. Grrr... too much trouble. Still don't care much for it.

Doilies

Okay, this may sound sad to some of my friends, but I would LOVE to learn how to crochet doilies and table cloths. My mom just taught me a couple of patterns for lining baby blankets and burp cloths (practicing for my new niece), and soon I'll start doing bandages for Humanitarian services, but it'd be awesome to do doilies like my grandma and great-grandma. Someday, I'll finally sit down and learn how to do afghans, but I like the small intricate work of doing the small crocheting. Yep...I'm a bit old-fashioned, but LOVE IT!! Another random dream of mine is to learn how to use an old-fashioned spinning wheel, spindle, combing brush, and weaver's loom. Gotta love my fairy tales...

P.S. I almost bought this plate that was on sale for $15 at an antique store in Show Low. I'm a fairy tale collector...but didn't have the place for things like this yet.

Week in Review

Last week, I volunteered as an EFY counselor up in the Show Low Arizona area session. What a great experience! I hadn't done that in three years. It did make me miss EFY. So now, I've been a participant for four years and a volunteer counselor for two. Coolio. Anyways, the theme is year is "Be Thou An Example" from 1 Timothy 4:12. Our session director, Bro. Kent Hugh, was AMAZING!!!! Classes were great!! Coordinators, building counselors, and counselors were awesome! An overall great week!!

Anyways, this all came up because two weeks ago I went with Nori to the Kimball Stake Singles Ward and before Sunday School they made an announcement about a huge need for volunteers up in Show Low. They were short of at least twenty counselors. I loved EFY as a teen, I wanted to be able to help and make sure they would be able to accept all the participants up there. Also, I had done the exact same thing the summer of '06 and really enjoyed it. Therefore, it was a last minute thing for me, and I rushed to get the application in, information and training, and a ride up to Show Low. Quite worth it. I met a lot of amazing people, formed unforgettable friendships, and finally decided that I was truly going to serve a mission for the Lord.

Day Twenty-One: Home again

Our our has finally come to an end. After a full day of travel, we arrived in Provo, Utah. The most excited were the married dancers who have been apart from then spouses for three weeks. So cute!! One of my favorite parts of ending tour is seeing those reunions. They run into each other's arms, the husbands give them flowers, etc. Awwww.

Anyways, back in Provo I am until Wednesday when I return to Arizona. I have to do some things at work, turn in my keys, close my bank account, etc to finish closing the chapter of my life here in Provo. How sad. I've spent four years here, and it will no longer be the same. I plan on returning for a few months to room with Andrea when she returns, but besides that, I may be done with Utah. Wow does time fly and a door closes.

Day Twenty: Driving...

We are now beginning our trek home. On the way, we stopped at Adam-Ondi-Ahman, Liberty Jail, and Independence. It was really great being able to attend those Church History sites again. We were a bit rushed to get to Salina, but was able to spend some time in each place. Loved it! Especially Liberty Jail. Still one of my favorite!

Then off we went to Salina, KS for the night. What a drive. I listened to music and watched a movie - National Treasure. At to hotel, although people wanted to hang out, everyone just crashed instead. I found that the free wireless internet does not work in our room, but it did right outside to door. I'm sitting on the floor in a hallway to get this internet. The joys of motels!

Day Nineteen: Raining in Nauvoo

Today began with a huge thunderstorm at five in the morning. I slept through it all. No sun was seen all day. I don't think it stopped raining either. We were able to get an idea of what it may be like to live in a marshland. Wow does rain come down in buckets in the midwest! So, we started at Carthage Jail, then over to Old Nauvoo for four hours. Our last event of the day was being able to go to the Nauvoo temple. Amazing! Too bad for the rain. So much rain! While waiting for the rest of the group to finish at the temple, we found a tiny diner - one of the only buildings we could find open to shelter us from the rain - and snacked on hot chocolate and fries for an hour cuz it was a cash only place and between six of us, we only had under twenty dollars together. When the group gathered together, we returned to the condos for dinner and early night full of packing and prep for travel.

Stadium of Fire

As of now, I plan on helping with Stadium of Fire again. Several months ago, it was announced that the Jonas Brothers were performing. Good for them. It surprised me that no other act was announced. Finally, today, I get the email that SHeDAISY will also be performing. YAY!!! I enjoy the few songs I have of them. They are a country group out of Utah. Pretty cool. I'm just glad it won't be just the Jonas Brothers. No offense...

Day Eighteen: Driving

Today, we drove. That's it. Well, our bus driver, Fred, drove as we slept, chatted, watched movies - A Goofy Movie, Newsies, Enchanted - and whatever else to keep entertained. We did have a lunch, ice cream, and dinner stop on the way. Our destination was Nauvoo. I settled in our condos at 8pm. The rest of the night was our own time in the condos. Our trip to the city of Nauvoo will begin tomorrow.

Day Seventeen: Last Performance

Today went great!! Our first stop on our way to Detroit was to visit the Henry Ford Museum - "America's Greatest History Attraction"! We had tickets for both the museum and the Greenfield Village. An all day excursion was done in an hour and a half. I looked at the vehicle selection of the museum for half an hour seeing some presidential vehicles - including the limo that Kennedy was assassinated in - saw a lot of vehicles through the ages, real sized trains, etc. Unforunately, I didn't spent enough time to discover other neat exhibits for I headed over to the village to try to join a group again. I keep finding that our group is really good at disappearing into a crowd. We are suppose to be in groups of three, but in a museum we split up for personal observation and trying to get back together is impossible!! I wandered the village alone for a bit - worried I'd get in trouble being alone - then sat on a bench at the entrance until a group of dancers finally showed up. Then we spent over thirty minutes in the glass shop watching them make different things.

The Glass Shop produces more than 10,000 pieces of early-American glass each year. Artisans in the newly enlarged facility demonstrate the glass blowing process from start to finish daily in the authentic traditions of the 19th and early 20th centuries. Visitors will have the opportunity to immerse themselves in this historic craft ...

Awesome!!

We then reported to the theatre and was able to get everything read before dinner. It was so nice to actually be able to go to dinner and that food was great!! The bishop's wife made grilled veggies - asparagus, white asparagus, carrots - grilled chicken w/ rosemary, pasta salad, homemade rolls, and grilled pineapple - for dessert w/ sherbet and mint leaves. When we returned to the theatre, Pat did spacing with his dancers until house opened. I'd say we had the best performance of tour from a technician's aspect. Stage may have been too small for dancers, but lighting looked great and we were set with time to spare before house opened. Good way to end the tour.

Day Sixteen: Performance

Well, today a small group of people were able to visit the Meyer May House in Grand Rapids, a home designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. With too many groups unexpectedly showing up, only ten people were allowed to tour it. I decided to stay on the bus. Therefore, all I did today was work on a performance. We were able to get in an hour early but we were still rushing to get everything done. Not our best performance in the technical aspect, but no audience ever notices that. Thank goodness.