Playing Catch Up!

Wow...its been a while. Sorry about that. Life has been crazier than ever. It seems like I got back from Spring Break and life began a race to the finish line. The finish line being graduated....

Drum Roll Please (ratatatatatatatatatatata)

Ladies and gentleman....

I am officially...

A MASTER OF MUSIC

You can all commence with the cheering, hooting, hollering and general exclamations of glee...go ahead...you have my permission.

Saturday was a crazy long day...a day I hadn't intended to participate in...huh...go figure.

Originally, I had planned to go to my stake temple weekend and forego the commencement ceremony altogether. Honestly, after the marathon graduation I experienced with my undergrad degree, I felt like I had more than paid my dues. But, my voice teacher, Dr.Cody approached me in the office and asked if I would be willing to sing for graduation...I hung my head and weakly answered.."I was planning on going out of town" Dr.Cody got a little misty eyed and said "I was looking forward to taking pictures with you in the cap and gown and stuff...alright." He began to dejectedly walk away...and I of course felt guilty...I decided to walk and sing...if only to make Dr.Cody happy.



My family graciously decided to try to alter their plans, but by the time I had decided to walk, there were no hotels left (practically) Mom and Parker managed to snag a room and they came to witness the spectacle.

The Adams Center ceremony started at 2 in the afternoon. Mom, Parker and I were in the process of moving stuff. I had to haul some keester to get ready so I could be in the Oval to line up by 1, but I made it (with the help of mom and Parker who drove me to the University so they could find a parking spot.) Mom's hips were really hurting her, she seems to be having more bad days of late, I spent the morning praying she'd make it through the day. She stayed in the car and Parker walked around campus with me and took some fun pictures (sans hood, I didn't think we were supposed to wear it yet)

I walked to the Oval and lined up with my fellow Masters grads. They were all wearing their hoods, apparently for the Adams Center we were supposed to. A group of Education Masters whom I'd never met graciously helped me put it on and fix the back (thanks again guys!) I was the only music major standing in the group, I was lonely and confused (which tends to happen when I'm not with my own kind...) Then, Micah Dalbey came to save the day, followed shortly after by Amy Heard-Wokas and Tracy Davis. Ahhhh, the Graduation Bunch...(not all of us, but those that were walking in the Adams Center ceremony anyway) I call us the graduation bunch because it was comical to watch me try to assist everyone with hoods. We deserved our own sitcom for about 15 minutes, I swear. The Masters hoods were flying and contorted and everyone had an opinion (albeit wrong opinions...I was after all an expert, I'd learned how to put them on like 20 minutes earlier...geesh...)

We began the long march to the Adams Center, every time somebody shouted out at us "tassles on the left" I wanted to scream and slug them...we'd only heard that about 15 zillion times in the last 20 minutes, thanks so much for clarifying...

As expected, the Adams Center ceremony was dull dull dull...I was sitting in the front in the song leader chair, and although I'd come prepared with awesome wicked fun cell phone games, I felt self conscious pulling it out to play them as some lady droned on and on and on and then some guy droned on and on and on (seriously, why can't we get someone funny and cool to talk to us Like Jeff Dunham and his buddies Walter, Peanut, etc. Or Seth MacFarland, he spoke at Harvard's graduation a few years ago...HILARIOUS...check it out on Youtube)...the one part I was awake for was towards the beginning after I sang the National Anthem. The chief of the Shoshone Indian tribe gave the opening prayer in Shoshone and then he and some friends performed a few drum songs, one to celebrate society and one was their tribal flag song to celebrate the Native American students that were graduating that day. It was very cool.

Finally, it was time for me to sing the Alma Mater...funny story...they gave me the wrong song to learn for this particular point in graduation, and I had to sight read during my dress rehearsal. The Cornet I player was kind enough to give me his music and the coordinators dug up a program so I'd have the words...Hooray for solfegge...I was so terrified I'd mess up on the day, but I made it through...GO ME! Go band...hooray!

Two hours later (it was only supposed to be an hour and ten minutes...) I hauled some keester for a quick potty break and then ran to the PAR TV building to line up for the ceremony that was just for the School of Fine Arts. Hoods off, apparently we were to be hooded in this ceremony...and I have to say, I was completely excited to be involved in this ceremony. Dr. Cody teased my office mate Aneta who gratefully handed the power over to me when it came to leading the Music Masters Grads...we laughed. Then the head of the dance department, who had been honored as teacher of the year spoke to us. WE laughed the entire time. Then came the big moment. We all waited our turn to march across the stage and receive our "degrees" (which is in quotations because, as usual, you get the degree cover with a piece of paper inside that tells you how long it will be until they send the degree to you...haha) Hugs and kisses all around. And then came the fun part...how many people can say that a dance troupe was hired and choreographed a special routine for their college graduation....NOT MANY...but I can. It was an interpretive dance, while I didn't get all of it, I did get a few things, and it was still really cool to watch. Thanks to Let's GO for putting together an awesome show.

And then, it was over. There was a reception with cookies and punch in the foyer...but since I hadn't eaten anything all day, I didn't want the headache that I would feel for eating all sugar...thanks to the wonder of modern medicine and a pill called Metformin, that is what happens to me now...



Mom, Parker and I went to dinner...that was about it...I think I covered the day! I hope you all weren't too bored.

now...Ahem...BOW DOWN TO THE MASTER!!!!