Blackberry Blues...

So....

My cell phone decided to go to touch screen heaven...I'm a little peturbed, and going crazy. Its true, once you buy a Blackberry, it becomes a CRACKberry! I feel like half of me is missing, its just so convenient to have everything at my fingertips....

Let's not even talk about the fact that about 3/4 of my friends ONLY communicate via text message and guess what I need so that I can text them or even access the text message inbox...thats right....a FUNCTIONING touch screen...

I'm apparently without my phone until tomorrow, but I think that is being optimistic...Verizon says I'll have my new phone tomorrow, I think its more likely that I'll have it next week sometime...Uggggghhhhh...

In the meantime, for those of you who actually do have my number....I can receive calls still on my broken Bl(Cr)ackberry, and I can call out using voice command...so I guess I'm not completely unable to communicate, I just can't communicate the way most of you want me to.

Hugs and Loves until next time!

Britt

A Brief Happy Note

Soooo,

I've been really sad that my performance opportunities are going to be a lot more rare now that I am out of school...but, would you believe it? Aneta (my old office mate) and I have been commiserating and have decided to work on a collaborative recital. I am very excited about the prospects! We have decided to do a lecture recital on Les Six- a group of Six French composers that lived at the turn of the century and composed together. Most interestingly, their performances included displays of art by French artists like Monet. I think it will be awesome do to the research and find some art to put together with the pieces we do in an awesome power point presentation. Its awesome to have something to look forward to again, since the opera I was supposed to be in was cancelled. Its so exciting to know that I will get to be on the stage again.

Just a quick note, because I am bursting with excitement about it!

Hugs and loves until next time!
Brittany

I'm baaaaaack

Okay....its been a long while I know, but I have been in the midst of moving and with no internet. Since I am relying on the kindness of Safeway wi-fi and others to check my email...updates have been few and far between and I apologize...

There really isn't much to report though.

I am now working as a dental office manager/receptionist...its crazy, but I love it. Hopefully, since I'm sticking around Missoula, I will be able to add opera singer to my list of things that I do for a living since I've been told that they have plans for me. Unfortunately, the opera I had been cast in was cancelled due to lack of funding.

Right now I'm just chilling like a villain, and enjoying my new apartment and roommate. Life has been pretty boring...as usual. I have managed to make it to the temple every weekend for the last month, which has been nice. I love it there, and I recognize how blessed I am to make it there every week. It finally dawned on me the other day while I was picking a name to do an endowment session for how wonderful and important temple work is... we hear it all the time, but I definitely felt it and now have a newfound desire to make it there as much as possible to do the work for the saints who are waiting for the blessings of the temple!

No guy business to report...the dating pool in Missoula Montana is as dry as a bone....the YSA group has been doing some fun things, last week we went to a Missoula Osprey baseball game and cheered louder than anyone else in the stadium...I definitely decided that baseball is much more fun if you make up your own cheers and make sure you're hoarse by the end of the game...LOL! :)

My roomie Kimmie and I have been throwing tons of movie parties and have been busy bees decorating our adorable little two bedroom abode. I actually did the artwork for the bathroom. I did a colored pencil rendering of a picture that I took in Prague and I did some pastels of Prague and Berlin pictures from the same album. Kimmie actually gave me a watercolor lesson on Saturday (she is an artist, a watercolorist no less) and we decided I'm not actually half bad. I know, its disgusting right? I get to add artist to my never ending list of "really useful skills" LOL!

Well, I have to jet. Kimmie is texting and I need to head home for some reason...I'm sure it will be no big deal when I get there...but I have been at safeway for a while...

Hugs and loves until next time!
Britt

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!!!!

Pre Easter fun!

Well all...I know its been a little while. I've been on Spring Break...I think mother nature missed the memo because we got about 6 inches of snow this morning....the wet heavy kind that you make snowmen out of...so that could be the silver lining, but I'd rather have warm weather. Oh well!

I kicked off Spring Break with a bang, getting diagnosed with Stage 1 Pneumonia the week before. Entirely my fault, between The Savior of the World production and school I was really over working myself to get things done before I left Missoula for a break....

I drove home with my codeine infused cough syrup and antibiotics for a little TLC, but didn't have much time to rest. Amber and Kelly went to SLC for a Jazz game and I had already agreed to watch their kids. Thank heavens that her kids are good for me and will pretty much do whatever I ask them to do when I ask them to do it, or it could have been a problem...I also was fortunate enough to have an awesome mother who was willing to help.

Aaron and Holly were in town for the weekend too. We all got to kiss and cuddle baby Kairi while she was here and the cousins all got to play with eachother. Its so fun when the whole family is around!

On Sunday the storms started roaming over our sleepy little valleys...but mom and dad persevered and went to Blackfoot to get Grandma Peterson to enjoy a pre-Easter dinner with the family. We figured we might as well celebrate since everyone was in town! Below is a slide show of the fun. We did an Easter Egg and Basket hunt with the kids. In spite of the snow, everyone had a blast and everyone enjoyed my Chicken Cordon Bleu with cream sauce...which I haven't made in forever. Needless to say, my pneumonia ridden lungs were about shot by the end of the weekend, but it was worth getting a little more sick over.

I love my family, I miss them when I'm away. It was nice to be together!

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Apples and Caramel

So....here I sit at the Institute, we have just finished FHE...I helped make caramel for dipping caramel apples. The recipe actually turned out really well...I was pleased with my efforts. Its always nice to help out my friends who are in charge of the activities like this. We're watching The Emperor's New Groove...I haven't seen this movie in forever, it seems so odd to me that I haven't seen it in 3 years and I can still quote it...This has to be one of the most clever Disney movies ever made...the jokes are genius...the only thing that would have made it better would have been if it was a musical....but then again, that is my one complaint with most movies.

So....yeah...here I sit...alone...a little disappointed that certain people didn't show up...and probably won't....happy to see the people that did show up...I am a twisting hurricane of emotions, especially with my lovely sinus infection...

Ahhhhh Kronk...he almost makes me forget that I feel like I am breathing through a tube...

Sorry, I know its a bit random, but as I watch this movie I have random thoughts and I feel like sharing them with someone, and since I'm sitting all alone....you understand...

everyone should go pull out a copy of the Emperor's New Groove, its the best movie ever...ahhhhh....

okay...now I'm rambling. Just ignore me. Maybe its the movie, maybe its the heaps and mounds of cold medicine I'm taking to clear my sinuses, at any rate. I won't make you sit through any more babble..

Peace out homies!

Can you Feel the Power???

Okay...so I thought I should take this opportunity to blog a little bit and share my testimony with some of you. I have been struggling the last few days with a rapidly disappearing voice...this is usually no big deal, I usually forge ahead and hope that things come back to normal if I am careful...but this time there has been so much more at stake....

I am currently involved in performances of The Savior of the World...last night was opening night and I had absolutely no voice. I went to go pick up my friend Angela last night...we were halfway to the church and she said "Gee, you're quiet." A Baritone frog responded "Gee, I wonder why..." Angela's face got that funny oh boy, here we go look. She stared at me and asked "What are you going to do?" I shook my head and fought back tears, the baritone frog once again replied "I guess I'll have to ask for a blessing."

The rest of the car ride would have been silent, but I was fighting back tears and I needed something...so I turned on some John Barrowman (he's my future husband, he just doesn't know it yet...all I have to do is go to London and turn him straight...it shouldn't be too hard, right?) Angela laughed as I lipsynched to her and did a little interpretive dance behind the wheel as I drove...( I seriously wonder what people think of me as they drive past...I don't do crazy things like that when I'm alone, but when I'm with Angela we tend to get a little nutty...I wonder if it makes people smile to see two girls dancing in the front seat of a 1990 Chrysler Dynasty, not caring if people can see it or not... hmmmm....)

We get to the church, I park and get out of my car. As we walk towards the cast entrance, Jenny Johnson's husband (Jenny is the stake activities chair, she put the entire show together) calls out to us from the window of his truck "How's the voice?" He knew I was losing it the night before during rehearsal...once again I fought back tears and gave him a thumbs down. This is really one of those situations when Heavenly Father makes sure that we have what we need. Through my steadily approaching tears, I grumbled, once again as a baritone frog "I think I need a blessing, and in a bad way." He smiled and said "Sweet, lets get that taken care of right away!"

I went into the church, changed into my costume and Brother Johnson and Brother Tarver came to find me. We stealthily snuck into the High Council room (if the director had seen us wandering the halls before the performance we would have been toast!) and those two amazing priesthood holding men laid their hands upon my head and exercised the power of God. I was crying the minute they laid their hands on my head. I knew that everything was going to be okay...and then, gradually...the baritone frog began to disappear, and right before I went onstage I felt almost normal...

I want to bear my testimony about the power of the priesthood...its REAL! I know that God has foreordained worthy men to hold this power and use it on the earth. I know that last night, without this power, I would have been embarrassed, humiliated, and sad that I wasn't able to do my best for the stake and for the people who had come to feel the spirit last night by watching depictions of the Savior's birth and resurrection. God is good, and he always makes sure that if we have the faith, we will be blessed with what we need to make it through. The priesthood helps. I know that through my faith and the worthiness and faith of those wonderful men last night, I was healed and I was able to go out and give a performance that the Savior himself would have been pleased to watch. I also know, that through continued faith in that healing blessing, I will be able to make it through the next 3 performances and that I will continue to get better.

When you're single, you forget how nice it is to have the priesthood readily available. I sometimes feel like a burden when I have to call and ask for a blessing, its not like it is at home at all. However, I know that worthy priesthood holders have been given a huge responsibility and part of that responsibility is answering the call of those in need. I am so grateful that Heavenly Father makes sure to place in my path people who are willing to answer the call when I need them. I am so lucky and fortunate to have the comfort of knowing that God will not leave me alone in my problems and that he will always make sure there is someone there to watch out for me.

I have one request...make sure to thank all the worthy priesthood holders in your lives. They give so much and carry a huge responsibility on their shoulders. We are so lucky to be blessed to have them in our lives. Give them a big hug and thank them for their continued worthiness and willingness to use that sacred power to effect our lives for good!

Hugs and Loves until Next time...Red Diva OUT