I think that heading is more exciting than my life actually is, but some cool things have happened lately...
-Tracy and I had the chance to be ushers for the Draper Temple Dedication on Sunday, and President Monson (and several other General Authorities) walked right past me two different times...definitely not something that happens every day.
-Tracy had a phone interview today so keep sending prayers and good thoughts in our direction
-We had a great trip to Boise, and on top of that, Tracy's mom came by to see us today. Family is definitely a great thing!
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Friday, March 13, 2009
Interesting quote today
This is kind of a long story, but bear with me.
I'm usually not one for turning sports figures into heroes (in fact a person I work with and I were complaining about Salt Lake's John Stockton Blvd. just this week), but before I married a guy who didn't like football and before it was slightly painful I was a huge San Francisco 49ers fan, and as such, a fan of Steve Young. After one particularly brutal game with multiple nasty injuries, the commentators began to talk a little trash about Steve Young. At the time I was writing lots of poetry and the game got me thinking about the way in which our society sometimes looks at failure or adversity as a sign that someone isn't really worth looking up to. So I wrote this poem, and while the poem came to be about much more than some football players, it was originally inspired by that game:
The Hero
Heroes are human,
The dismal conclusion
They come to when he’s been knocked down.
He’s broken and bruised,
Tired, confused and
Picking himself off the ground.
But it isn't on victory, on pride, or on glory
That the title of hero should rest.
For it’s easy to shine when you win all the time
Triumph’s no true heroes test.
So when he climbs to his feet
When it seems he’s been beat.
Don’t say, “He should give up the fight.”
He’s got class under fire, courage, desire
And a vow to champion the right.
In spite of the pain he’ll commit once again,
Even though he has his doubts.
And he’ll give you his all
Come win, lose or fall,
Because that’s what a hero’s about.
I've been thinking about this poem a lot over the last few weeks, as Tracy and I deal with different challenges, reminding myself that hard times give you a chance to really see if your as faithful and hopeful as you claim to be.
Then today in an article about Steven Young speaking at some sort of business gathering here in Utah, they quoted him saying this, "Those of you that own businesses, those of you that have professions, in this tough time, find out if you're a pro and see how good you can be. Because I can tell you, over time, looking back on my whole career -- in business, in sports, in family -- the real, true test is I will find more about what I did in adversity than I ever did in success."
I'm usually not one for turning sports figures into heroes (in fact a person I work with and I were complaining about Salt Lake's John Stockton Blvd. just this week), but before I married a guy who didn't like football and before it was slightly painful I was a huge San Francisco 49ers fan, and as such, a fan of Steve Young. After one particularly brutal game with multiple nasty injuries, the commentators began to talk a little trash about Steve Young. At the time I was writing lots of poetry and the game got me thinking about the way in which our society sometimes looks at failure or adversity as a sign that someone isn't really worth looking up to. So I wrote this poem, and while the poem came to be about much more than some football players, it was originally inspired by that game:
The Hero
Heroes are human,
The dismal conclusion
They come to when he’s been knocked down.
He’s broken and bruised,
Tired, confused and
Picking himself off the ground.
But it isn't on victory, on pride, or on glory
That the title of hero should rest.
For it’s easy to shine when you win all the time
Triumph’s no true heroes test.
So when he climbs to his feet
When it seems he’s been beat.
Don’t say, “He should give up the fight.”
He’s got class under fire, courage, desire
And a vow to champion the right.
In spite of the pain he’ll commit once again,
Even though he has his doubts.
And he’ll give you his all
Come win, lose or fall,
Because that’s what a hero’s about.
I've been thinking about this poem a lot over the last few weeks, as Tracy and I deal with different challenges, reminding myself that hard times give you a chance to really see if your as faithful and hopeful as you claim to be.
Then today in an article about Steven Young speaking at some sort of business gathering here in Utah, they quoted him saying this, "Those of you that own businesses, those of you that have professions, in this tough time, find out if you're a pro and see how good you can be. Because I can tell you, over time, looking back on my whole career -- in business, in sports, in family -- the real, true test is I will find more about what I did in adversity than I ever did in success."
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
March Madness
Nothing earth shattering on the home front, Tracy and I are both job hunting and we still don't have word on when his job is officially going to be over. Both my exam studies and the Curriculum project I'm working on are in crunch time, so I'm generally either shackled to my desk, running around the U for meetings or library books, or numbly re-watching Gilmore Girls in the hope that my eyes and brain will recharge.
Tracy has been busy constructing and painting (for those of you who don't know our back windows had a problem which necessitated replacing the back interior wall in three rooms), and the room is starting to look really great. It was an ugly green before and now is a pale, but still cheerful blue. It makes me happy!
Tracy has been busy constructing and painting (for those of you who don't know our back windows had a problem which necessitated replacing the back interior wall in three rooms), and the room is starting to look really great. It was an ugly green before and now is a pale, but still cheerful blue. It makes me happy!
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Good News
So amidst being crazy busy and wondering where we will be in four months I did receive some good news today, my Teaching Assistantship at the U was renewed for next year. In this economy having your tuition paid with living expenses on top of it is definitely a blessing.
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Friday, February 6, 2009
Changing the Subject
So nothing's really changed on Trace's employment front but I'm determined not to mope about it, and be optimistic that everything is going to work out.
So speaking of optimism in the face of potential doom and gloom, I've been studying for my exams and awhile back I read a book about the War of 1812. It reminded me of the circumstances in which the "Star Spangled Banner" was written. Washington D.C. had just been burned by the British as part of a siege to basically destroy the Chesapeake region, the British navy was wreaking havoc on U.S. trade, and the mish-mash bunch of militia and tiny standing army was losing more than they were winning. I think it's an inspiring thing to remember that one of the most patriotic symbols of our country was created in one of its most uncertain moments. I just thought that was appropriate for today.
So speaking of optimism in the face of potential doom and gloom, I've been studying for my exams and awhile back I read a book about the War of 1812. It reminded me of the circumstances in which the "Star Spangled Banner" was written. Washington D.C. had just been burned by the British as part of a siege to basically destroy the Chesapeake region, the British navy was wreaking havoc on U.S. trade, and the mish-mash bunch of militia and tiny standing army was losing more than they were winning. I think it's an inspiring thing to remember that one of the most patriotic symbols of our country was created in one of its most uncertain moments. I just thought that was appropriate for today.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Our Personal Economic Downturn
Looking at the title of my last post I sort of want to cringe. I know it doesn't work this way but I do wonder if my brief moment of positive energy was some sort of curse.
I don't even really want to talk about this yet, but I suppose a blog posting beats a dozen individual e-mails or phone calls, so here's the deal -
Tracy went to a meeting this morning at work and found out that sometime in the next month all of the jobs in his department are going to be outsourced. There's some chance that they will be able to apply for the outsourced positions, but it isn't overly promising. If he is laid off, they'll give him a few months severance, so there's some time to plan...but it just REALLY sucks!
I don't even really want to talk about this yet, but I suppose a blog posting beats a dozen individual e-mails or phone calls, so here's the deal -
Tracy went to a meeting this morning at work and found out that sometime in the next month all of the jobs in his department are going to be outsourced. There's some chance that they will be able to apply for the outsourced positions, but it isn't overly promising. If he is laid off, they'll give him a few months severance, so there's some time to plan...but it just REALLY sucks!
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