Getting Ready For Conference

It's 10:30pm on Wednesday night and I am at work making copies on the color printer. This is very time consuming. But as the machine is doing most of the work, I have a moment to catch up on the blogging world.

Mother of the Year and Why That Prize Will Elude Me Again This Year

1. I am at work at 10:30pm on a Wednesday.

2. My baby spends 6 hours a day (more on audition days) with someone other than me.

3. My baby ate pizza tonight.

4. My 6 year old tells bold face lies and rejoices when Daddy doesn't get home in time for scriptures.

5. My 6 year old hasn't practiced piano in days.

6. My baby goes unmonitored for minutes at a time.

However, I do take my baby with me to work for half the day. She does squeal when I pick her up with nearly the excitement she shows when she sees a kitty-kitty. And my boy does read at a third grade level in first grade. He's also loving and articulate. And, hey, if pizza is good enough for the rest of the family...

I got my TR renewed last Sunday. Pres. Sosa interviewed me. It's the first time I've been interviewed by this stake presidency. (Tangent: And may I say I'm pleased as punch to be living in such a diverse white bread community? Pres. Sosa is hispanic and the other counsellor is Maori. Take that Manhattan! You don't have a corner on the culturally diverse market! Recently I helped cast some vignettes for the General Young Women Broadcast. We found people from Japan, Korea, Denmark, Tonga, and Brazil. I've also been able to find French speaking Africans along the Wasatch front. Our recent Old Testament auditions have brought out several Middle Easterners. Further, at least 30% of my neighborhood originated from south of the border. I'm just saying there might be a perception that because I live in Happy Valley, my family is not exposed to multiculturalism and I just don't think that's the case.)
So, Pres. Sosa asked me what my calling was and how it was going. I expressed that I sometimes feel overwhelmed (who doesn't?) and he said that we (meaning the women in the Church) do more than we realize. He said some other things that confirmed to me that he was speaking with inspiration and I'm glad he was living so that I could benefit from that. But that comment on doing more than I realize made me think back to Sis. Parkin's talk in General RS Meeting last September, which we reviewed two weeks ago for Enrichment "RS Birthday" Night, and I think it bears repeating because it made me feel good. And I need to be reminded often of stuff that's true and eternal because sometimes I forget to feel good.

Bonnie D. Parkin said, "Yet as women we are pretty hard on ourselves! Believe me when I say each of us is much better than we think. We need to recognize and celebrate what we're doing right. Much of what we do seems small and insignificant—just a part of daily living. When we are called "to give an account to Jehovah,"4 as the Prophet Joseph counseled, I know that we will have much to share." (emphasis added)

Pres. Sosa also said (I'm paraphrasing) that if I make time to go to the temple, the Lord will make time for everything else. So, I went today and received some personal insights.

I guess the point of this posting is that I'm grateful for personal revelation and inspiration given to those with stewardships. So I'm looking forward to Saturday and Sunday to get my healthy dose of both.

Or, maybe I'm just rambling incoherently because it's now 11:30pm and I'm at work making copies.

It's A Wonderful Night For An Oscar!

About half way through the Oscars last night, I thought of the idea to do a play by play for the blog. But then I was too lazy to get my computer out for the second half. You'll just have to be happy with a recap.

Fun opening sequence. I appreciated Jon Stewart's dry sense of humor. Overall, I think he did a fine job, but I hafta say I'm partial to Billy Crystal. There's something about the Oscars when he does it.

I'll never see Westerns the same again after the first of the odd, unmotivated montages.

One word for George Clooney: suave. I think he's the new Cary Grant--he practically channeled him in Intollerable Cruelty. And about being out of touch. Yeah, yeah. Pushing the envelope on certain issues is good. But maybe not others. And who's to decide which ones? Me, of course.

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OK I'm actually picking this up two days after the Oscars and after reading the Jolly Porter's take on it all. I know I can't measure up to his wit, but I'm gonna have my say nonetheless!

Here's to motherhood makin' women out of waifs!
Rachel Weisz (maybe not really so waifish, but gorgeous, glowing, and all around puh-fect! What an Oscar winner should be!)
Michelle Williams--bright canary, but ultimately, thumbs up.
Jennifer Garner--Did anyone see 13 Going on 30? Didn't think so. But she has this line where a girl tells her she's wearing a great dress and she says, "Cuz I've got these great boobs to fill it out!" Well, last night was the only time that statement was true. But maybe I'm bitter because now that I've all but weaned Moira, my sweet sistah's have shrivelled to their prepregnancy prepubescent state.

Dolly: What a little fire cracker! But I think I coulda bounced a quarter off her face.

Meryl and Lilly: amazing. That's why they get paid the big bucks. When I grow up, I want to be them.

The campaigns: Loads of fun. I loved "Keira: Acting while beautiful." and the old couple plugging Reese.

It's Hard Out Here Foe A Pimp: I'll say this for them: It's the only song I can still remember. And, yeah, let's get excited about winning an award. I know I would---Just gimme a chance!!!

Best Actor: Phillip was really mesmerizing and subtle (yes, subtle. I'll explain to anyone who wants to hear.) But couldn't we have done something about the caterpillars over his eyes?

Best Actress: I first saw Reese in a movie called "A Far Off Place." She was about 14 and I said to myself, "That girl has got it." She was charming in Walk The Line. Her hair was pretty, elegant, and feminine.

Best and Worst Dressed: Salma Hayak's dress was my favorite. Wow. Can I look like that, please??!! Naomi Watts was the worst. I think she'd been running through the jungle with Kong before coming on stage. A close second was the dead crow perched on Charlize's shoulder.

Oh, director and picture?? Thought I forgot, didn't you? Thought I was going to avoid the touchy subject of the Elephant in the room?

Did anyone notice that the Asian directed the gay American movie and the gay American directed the Asian movie? (OK, so I don't know Rob Marshall's orientation, but, c'mon! He directs musicals!)

Some have said that Crash is as pretentious and overrated as Titanic. I don't think anything could be as overrated as Titanic. Just didn't get that one. And while I liked Brokeback Mountain, it did not blow me away. I find that I could quit it quite easily. And Crash did affect me. It caused me to examine myself because it did hit me over the head.

And on to the Governor's Ball. What is up with E!'s reporters??!! I don't know which was more embarrassing. Julianne (is that her name?) revealing her girl crush on JLo. "You should see her when there's only a bush separating you." Did she really say that? OR That horrid E! Bailey's Bar Lounge thingy with a bunch of nobodies. Who wants to see nobodies on Oscar night?
One other fun moment was at the Vanity Fair party when Venus and Serena and their ARMS were interviewed. I don't know which is which, but one said her favorite winner was Phillip Semen Hoffmore.

That's a wrap. Good night, and Good Luck!