Everyday I'm Shufflin'

Well, everyday I'm shufflin' my iPod. It seems like I am always listening to music. When I'm not listening to it, there is at least one song pounding around in my skull. In fact, I have just put my iTunes on shuffle, and as I write this post I will write down the names of all of the songs that have been played, and list them at the end. Also, I recommend any song or artist mentioned in this post.

My music taste has changed dramatically throughout my life. As a child, I was (sadly) part of the boy-band movement. N*SYNC, Backstreet Boys, and 98 Degrees... I was crazy about every single one of them. If I was told to choose, 98 degrees was without a doubt my favorite. Probably because of the song they sang during the credits of Mulan. That movie is the best! Anyway, my parents raised me on late 70s and 80s music, so growing up, ABBA, Queen, Journey, REM, Cindy Lauper, Duran Duran, and U2 were household staples. I must say that my love for 80s music has stuck with me all of my life. There is nothing like singing along to Dancing Queen by ABBA or Killer Queen by Queen--that's a lot of royalty.

The radio is where I heard most of the songs that I liked as an early teenager. Songs like Big Yellow Taxi by Counting Crows and Come on Over by Shania Twain were among my favorites. But as time progressed, my friends began to have a larger influence on what I listened to. For example, a friend got me Paramore and Relient K CDs for my 16th birthday. That was a pivotal moment in the role music held in my life. Getting those CDs brought me an incredible infatuation with music. I craved it. I needed it. It infected me like a virus; there was no getting rid of it. That day was the beginning of my loyal and long-term relationship with YouTube. Day and night, I spent hours on the video sharing website, frantically searching for a new favorite song, and hoping to discover new artists.

Since then, music has come to define a very large part of me. Not only is it a safe-haven from the world, but it has magical powers. Music, without fail, has the ability to sway my emotions. A 3 minute song has the incredible ability to bring me out of a depressed state into a state of complete contentment.  Music reminds me of the beauty of life. Every once and a while, or more often if I look for it, I come across a song that is the exact physical representation of how I am feeling, or what I am thinking about. It's as if the artist had lived as me, in my moment, and epitomized me as a song. They have written words to describe me, and have created music to express what words cannot. In these moments, I escape into the music. I let go of my mind, allow it to run free without any limitations. My heart swells with the crescendos and beats in time with the pulse of the music. My head often bobs and my toes always tap to the beat. Sometimes I can't resist singing along, and harmonizing with the melody. And other times, I have to dance. In these moments, I feel peace. In these moments, I feel like myself! 

Music helps me to feel close to my Heavenly Father. Christ once said, "The song of the righteous is a prayer unto me" (D&C 25: 12). I have witnessed the truth of that statement. Music has been present at the majority of the times I have been moved to tears because of feeling close to my Savior. Music has an incredible power when used to invite the spirit of God into our lives. It can change hearts and perform miracles.

I absolutely LOVE creating music. I wish I had enough talent to write my own music and perform it in front of thousands, but I don't. However, I take as much time as I can to re-create, or at least interpret, others' music. For example, I have tried to develop great skills on the clarinet. Doing so, working for hours on end to figure out one small passage, even a single measure of notes, and accomplishing that feat creates a warm and powerful feeling within me. It makes me feel worthwhile and able. I am continually trying to do so with the piano and my singing voice as well. I dedicate hours of the day to improving my musical skills, and if I have gained anything from it, the most important is inner peace and a clear mind. Music is cleansing, and I am grateful for it. 

As for my musical tastes now, it often varies from early 20th century artists like Ella Fitzgerald and Frank Sinatra to Hip-Hop to Country to Soul/Gospel to Electric to Folk to Oldies to Pop to British Invasion to Jazz to Modern Alternative to 80s to Experimental to Acoustic to Punk Rock, and to Baroque, Classical, and Romantic period music. I even like to get my ears on a Gregorian Chant once and a while. And we mustn't forget everything in-between. Many people try to ask me who my favorite artist or band is, or what my favorite song is. Those are questions I could NEVER answer. There are so many different songs that are dear to my heart, and so many memories that are connected with specific artists, that I couldn't possibly remember all of the times I have said "This is my favorite song/band!" Of course there are artists that I follow closely and count down the days until their new album is released, and there are songs that I return to time and time again. However, I am always having new moments, new experiences, and discovering new music. That's the beauty of it; there will always be another song, another day, and another opportunity to use music to create a memory.

I encourage you to go on your own musical journey. Let music become a part of your life. Let it change your heart.

Songs, in order of "shuffle": (Amarillo by We Shot the Moon, Helena Beat by Foster the People, Get Your Back Off the Wall by Family Force 5, Swan Lake, Op. 20 by Tchaikovsky, That Thing You Do by The Wonders, Burn Me Down by House of Heroes, Vincent by Josh Groban, I'm Taking You With Me by Relient K, Saltwater Room by Owl City, I Dreamed A Dream from Les Miserables, Intermission by Senator and the New Republic, Book of Mormon Stories/The Golden Plates by Inside Out, In the Pine Forest from the Nutcracker by Tchaikovsky, I Melt by Rascall Flatts, 1, 2, 3, 4 by Plain White T's, This is Our Town by We The Kings, O Light of Life by Mack Wilberg and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, Sunshine by Matt Costa, Ready, Set, Go by Tokio Hotel, Lights by Journey, OMG(osh) by Usher, Breathe in Me by Dallyn Vail Bayles, Raise It Up from the August Rush Soundtrack, Running by David Archuleta, Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing by Dallyn Vail Bayles, Nothin' On You by B.O.B and Bruno Mars, That's What You Get by Paramore, Around Us by Jonsi) 

Rain, Wind and Bright Flashing Lights

Last night there was a rather turbulent thunderstorm that passed, or should I say lingered, over my house. I, of course, was nearly oblivious to the entire storm (even though I was sitting right beside the window) because I was furiously typing away to complete my first blog post. Eventually, my mind began to slow and my fingers came to a stop, and for a moment I was encompassed with the thunderous applause coming from the sky. Readying myself for a bow, I gingerly pressed the "publish" button and shared my thoughts with the world. The feeling of accomplishment was truly exhilarating, and I felt my mind racing to find the subject of my next post. Not long after I closed my laptop (after a ridiculously long night of internet chatting and web surfing) I fell asleep. This morning, I woke up much later than I should have, and lo and behold, I couldn't remember a single thing I had thought of last night.

I suppose life is just like that sometimes. Winds of the day constantly toss up memories, ideas, and inspiration, filling your mind with a whirlwind of wild conceptions. Captivating and dazzling, these thoughts can strike like a flash of lightning, and resonate with a boom of thunder. But how instantly they fade away, only to be washed from you with rain. Whether the rain is sleep or distraction, our minds move quickly. Transporting our focus to and from topics, bits of information, and emotions like an underground subway. Always in motion, but hardly detectable from the outside. This inner storm can be violent, and when it is, it drives our actions. However, this storm can also be as calm as a sea breeze, soothing us into a state of repose.

When these storms beat upon us, let us not be overcome, but take command of their power and utilize it for our benefit. Be inspired. Become motivated. Be courageous. Take action.

When these storms are still, bask in the sunshine. Feel peace. Let worry be a fictional emotion. Relax.

Now all I can do is hope that the sunshine comes back for more than 5 minutes at a time. 

Darn that Ohio weather... Haha.

Trifles

Hello fellow bloggers, friends, and all the others finding their way here! This is my first blog post in my very first blog... and my excitement is tangible!

Sadly, I will not be talking about the delicious dessert known as the trifle. Layers of soft, spongy angel food cake upon layers of bright and succulent fruit and creamy yogurt... Now that we're all craving this season-appropriate dessert, I'll continue.

No, the trifles I will be writing about today are the silly things in life; seemingly unimportant things done, seen, or experienced every day that are commonly ignored or deemed useless. Grass, clouds, showers, celery, fingernail polish, popcicles, swings, ice cream trucks, laughter, etc. All of these are simple and easily classified as mere trifles when compared to more important things such as our schooling, careers, and relationships. Yet, when noticed in a moment of despair, or even the slightest moment of sadness, these trifles can be classified as small miracles.

It is a sunny day and you are lying within the shade of a tree. It is hot and humid, and there is no air conditioning to be felt. Your clothes are sticking to your skin with sweat when all of the sudden, you hear a faint sound cutting it's way through the muggy air toward you. Wiping your forehead, you dismiss the sound for fear of being disappointed and close your eyes to continue on existing in this pitiful state. However, not a moment later, you hear it again. Can it be? You are instantly brought back to the days of your youth. Running through the sprinklers with the other children on your street, there are no cares in the world. Everything is perfect and your innocence is blissful. These are the memories coursing through your veins as you open your eyes. Yes! The ice cream truck, shouting it's playful tune, is coasting easily down your street. Your hand reaches down to your pocket and success! You jump to your feet and run to the edge of your yard, beckoning the driver to pull over. The colors are dazzling, and advertise the most delicious and appealing treats you could imagine! Your eyes fly from one blissful thing to the next, and come to rest on the red, white, and blue Popsicle. You desire nothing else but to hold that marvelous blend of sugar and ice in your hand. You pay the saint of an ice cream truck driver and thank him with a brilliant youthful smile. As you come to sit under the tree once more, you look at the miracle in your hands, already tasting it. Delicately, but with a terrifying amount of urgency, you tear the wrapper and bring the Popsicle to your lips. The cold is an instant cure for your previous misery. You no longer feel the heat, as all you notice is the remarkable sensation proceeding to unfold within your mouth. It is stupendous! You have hardly experienced this level of relief before, and you couldn't be more grateful. You continue on in this elated state, forgetting the heat and all other troubles. For, what could be better than a red, white and blue Popsicle on a hot day?

As dramatic as that retelling is, I have found that in the moment, a simple Popsicle can truly be a miracle. Don't take the small things in your life for granted. Because some day, when you really need it, there might not be an ice cream truck, and the heat could overwhelm you. Allow yourself to live in the moment. Let there be trifles galore!