GUM!

Tonight was the "adult" session of BYU-Idaho's 3rd Stake's Conference. I decided to go this semester and I am so happy I went. This is the first time I have actually attended the Saturday night session of Stake Conference and it was wonderful.

Anyways, I am sitting listening to the speaker and decide a piece of gum sounds REAL nice.
So I whip one out.

Orbitz.

Light Green.

Sweet Mint.

Delicious.

Then I turn and offer a piece to my roommate Jess. I am just about to put said piece of sweet mint goodness in my mouth and a thought occurred to me:

Why does gum have that weird zig-zag pattern?!
You know, the one that looks kinda like the tread on a tire??

I turned and asked Jess my mind-blowing question and she said it was so it was easier to cut the gum on the expensive gum-making equipment with the tread, so the gum would not get stuck to the cutter thing....if that makes sense. (Jess has been here for over four years now. She is basically a genius). I hope that makes sense!! If not you can call me and I will explain it to you. (Or at least hand the phone to Jess for HER to explain.)
This is her and I. In matching shirts we bought at DI last semester for our white glove. Yeah, we are awesome.

Anyways, I am Google-ing this question as we speak and Google has no answers. All I have learned so far is that the gum company Wrigleys made coffee flavored gum at one point and that long before I was born, people used to chew on tree pieces to make their breath smell good. Gross.

Google is being worthless. I will just believe Jess and let you know if I learn anything different about why gum is patterned.
Don't be too disappointed, everything will be okay :)

High School Flashback

Yesterday I was asked to go with some friends and play the Baritone sax at a high school football game. My first thought was YES PEP BAND! My second thought was....crap...I have never played the Bari before! I decided it was to be an adventure!
After my master class last night I borrowed my friend Tyler's Bari, got a mouthpiece and a reed, and hopped in this freshman trombone player's car with my friends Heather and Travis (my favorite Tenor and Flute players!)

Adventure One: The Drive To Blackfoot
Upon getting on the highway, we quickly learned that TB (Trombone Boy), is a madman driver. I spent most of the hour drive holding Heather's hand or pretending I was on a roller coaster. It was great.

Adventure Two: The Gig
We drove to Snake River High School's football game in Blackfoot, Idaho. Their mascot? The PANTHERS!

I was almost terrified by the idea of the ferocious Snake River Panther, but then noticed their mascot looked like a fuzzy purple dog, was named Pandora, and danced with the cheerleaders-- clearly a girl panther. We arrived in the middle of the second quarter and the Panthers were looking pretty good. The band?

Not lookin' so good.

Snake River HS has around 600 students and obviously 585 of those students don't appreciate band as much as I do. Their band basically consisted of one trombone, three flutes, one alto sax player (appalling, I know), some drummers (about three), and two trumpets. There was also an older man playing the tuba. I did not catch his name, but from his numerous stories I concluded he is related to about half of Blackfoot Idaho.
Great.
Heather and I situated ourselves at the back of the band and whipped our instruments out. The Bari sax weighs about 20 pounds. My alto probably weighs about five. Awesome.

I felt powerful.

So, I strapped myself into my harness and hooked up! It was SO difference hearing such a deep tone come out of the Bari. I couldn't help myself, I exploded into laughter. That didn't really help my playing much because it takes SO MUCH air to play the Bari! I was dying! Heather and I also had the same part a lot of the time, which sent us into more convulsions of laughter. Who knows why it was hilarious, but I promise that somehow, it was. It was great.
In fact, it seems we were constantly laughing last night, despite the cold. There was deep Bari laughter, same part playing laughter, and then there was the BEST LAUGHTER OF ALL!! TB was getting his flirt on with a high school blond!!!! Needless to say this supplied us with endless reasons to laugh. We laughed at TB, we laughed at the college-0bsessed high school child, and we laughed at the commentary we were creating of their conversation. Here's a peek: (B=blond, just for clarification. Also, as a disclaimer, I am sure that is not how the conversation went, it was probably much more normal, but it was more fun to think of it like this)

B: Oh my gosh, you are in COLLEGE?! *while playing with hair*
TB: Yeah, I'm pretty much hot stuff..
B: I always wanted to play an instrument, but I couldn't figure out all the buttons....
TB: Yeah, only a real man can play trombone...
B: I also always wanted to put my mouth on the metal mouthpiece...I guess kissing you would be like playing the trombone right?
TB: Yup, that sounds about right.

It was basically hilarious.
Maybe you had to be there? :)

Looking around I realized how different I am since I graduated. I remember getting all dressed up in my school colors (Purple and Gold) to rep my Sentinel Spartans for all the football games!
On nights we played halftime gigs for band I always rushed one out of my marching band uniform and into purple spandex, face paint, and colorful beads!
Example: This is Cody and I my senior year in our Drum Major get-ups.

I also remember participating in the cheerleader chants and ridiculous taunts to the other team.
I saw the same cocky boys that will always exist as long as high school exists. I also saw some of THOSE girls. You know, THOSE girls. Yeah. Don't miss that!

I loved high school sports. Now, I'm content to watch the game and people-watch the students and people around the stadium.

Ahhhh, growing up. IT'S HAPPENING!

After the gig we packed up our stuff, walked back to TB's car, and headed back to the Burg! If I thought the ride back was going to be a smoother drive, I was disappointed.
Not only was TB still a madman, he turned on Irish rock/funk music, blasted it, and sang. It was enjoyable for a while, then I thought my ears were going to bleed. Heather and Travis both took mini naps (Heaven knows how they fell asleep during that racket) and we arrived safely at the Snow.
What an adventure.
We had planned on watching How To Train Your Dragon (MY ALL TIME FAVORITE MOVIE) after we got back at my apartment, but that didn't happen due to a miscommunication, I guess. It has been rain-checked (yes it is a verb) and will be continued at a later date.
To end: Please go watch How To Train Your Dragon. It is the best.

Brain Talk.

It's funny how our brains work.

My brain can do the following: recall a funny memory, solve logical problems, create passages of music, remember inside jokes from way back, come up with the craziest dreams, directions around familiar places, or bring up a scene from the awesome home video collection created by the Holyoak children.

My brain struggles with these things: coming up with witty comebacks, remembering what I had for breakfast, understanding science, spelling of words (like genuine and conscience-- those are the worst), remembering to floss, even to remember saying my prayers sometimes (thank goodness I have the help of the constant reminder given to me at age eight), and remembering people's birthdays.

Isn't it funny that the part of our brains that controls memory is called the hippocampus? The hippocampus takes things we have gathered with our senses (things we've seen, smelled, tasted, touched, heard) and places it into our short or long term memory.

The problem I have with my brain today is that it keeps bringing back memories of things that would be better stashed that floating in my head right now. I read that our brains, as they store knowledge, attach memories to other similar memories. My deal tonight is, I keep hearing songs that I associate with old memories. I heard a song that reminded me of my ex (heavens knows that is never a good thing), I heard a song that reminded me of my childhood, and a song that reminded me of good times with my high school friends.
Isn't it funny how something so small can take you so far back in the past?

I am very grateful for memories though. Without them I would not remember my wonderful childhood, falling in puppy love, the feeling of accomplishment after writing my first song on guitar or piano, the anticipation I get on Christmas morning every year, the first time I touched piano keys, the day of my baptism, my first time going through the temple, the first time I met my best friends from high school, or my first year at Girl's Camp!

So to my memory I say, thank you.

Add. Manage.

Add.

Manage.

These are two options offered when looking at the dashboard of your blog.

Funny thing is, I feel like those are the two items I am struggling with the most this semester.

I started off the semester with sixteen credits. Then I added two ensembles making it eighteen, but by using the amazing power I have as a music major to make my ensembles count as one credit instead of two....I still am enrolled for 16 credits (with an 18 credit workload.)

Don't get me wrong. This semester is going really great! I love having Aubrey and Kenny nearby in Idaho Falls. I also am loving my apartment and roommates.
My only complaint is.....Add. Manage.

Those are my two verbs of the semester. Constantly more is added to my schedule which constantly pushes me to stay on top of managing my time.
I will add that time management is something I waaaaaaayyyyyyy struggle with!
That makes me laugh though because that is the main adventure of being a music major. Juggling time.

Oh, the irony.

Thank goodness for the scriptures being there to remind me "I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them." (1 Nephi 3:7)

The church is true.

Now let the chaos begin!!! (or....CONTINUE!!!)

Now: Bedtime

Happiness

I MADE SYMPHONY BAND!!!
This is the best news I have received regarding my career in music began!!
There are four saxophones in BYU-I's Symphony Band.
Kim- A senior that dominates on the saxophone both in jazz and classical [1st chair]
Then there's me on second chair.
My very good friend Heather is the only tenor in Symphony Band and is gonna rock it
and my other good friend Kaiti is playing Bari!
I also got into the jazz lab band which I am very excited about. So I am now in two ensembles!!! HAPPY DAY!!
This means I am going to be in the practice room even more than usual, but I think it will be so incredibly worth it!!!
Oh, happiness.

Once upon a time

I was a Sophomore in college at Brigham Young University Idaho. I am loving living with my beautiful roommate/best friend Leisa Marino. I lived with four other ladies as well: Dianna, an adorable freshman with the cutest personality, Jessica, my super-senior roommate from Spring semester, another new freshman named Whitney, who, because she has family in town, I have not really gotten to know very well yet, and Lauren, one of my best friends from Fall semester last year (2009).
I absolutely am LOVING being back in Rexburg. It feels like I never left. I have been to the temple once and am committed to going more often this semester than last semester. Also, I decided to be better about attending devotional this semester as well! I am committed to growing spiritually this semester!
I got caught up with an old friend (Alex Mitchell) today and am very excited about spending the semester reconnecting with him!!! Also, I have been bonding with Jessica, Leisa, and Dianna all day today and am lovinggggg it! There is something about new roommates that I just love. It's like you know you are going to be practically family so that beginning awkward phase of the friendship is basically nonexistent. [I will try to get a roommate picture up really soon!!]
I audition tomorrow for the Symphony Band here at the University and am REALLY hoping I can get in! Wish me luck!
As much as I love college, I really wish classes weren't starting in two days...I would love to have a few more days of roommate bonding/relaxing/loving life. Ohhh well, I guess I will get over it.
Another thing I am liking about being a Sophomore is that I am comfortable with my group of friends. Last year as a freshman I felt like making friends was a top priority, so this semester while I am always open to making new friends, I am willing to just let things happen how they happen :)
Anyways, I am being rude to my friend Kristin who came to visit Leis and I by ignoring her, so I am gonna end now! More updates to come! Love you all!

Plain Jane

My life is uncommonly normal. I have never broken a bone. I have had the same favorite color for most of my life. I have brown hair and brown eyes. Sweatpants are one of my favorite items of clothing. I look the same in my baby pictures as I do now, over eighteen years later--bangs and all. In fact, just last night, my friend told me straight out that I have looked the same since I moved here almost eight years ago! [pictures first: big sister Aubrey Holyoak Johnson and I. Second: Me with my best friend Leisa Marino] Regardless, I am a very average girl. One thing I am so grateful for is the ordinariness of my life. My family is rock-solid. I am always cracking jokes to my friends that I constantly wait for some tragedy to hit my family because things always seem so good. Basiclly, I have a sitcom family. Most of the conversations held in our house consist of loads of laughter. I have great friends. I love my religion with all my heart. I look at the trials and struggles some others have to go through in their lives and I am so grateful that my life is boring in comparison. I have had my own personal trials, of course. My mom always told me that being a teenager is hard, and it is hard, but as I get older and closer to leaving the life of a teenager, I can see that any struggles I have had have really been miniscule. I don't know why my life has been basically easy so far. Maybe it's because of the righteousness of my parents or maybe it's because my life trials are further ahead in my future. I don't think it is because of my works especially. I am definitely an imperfect being. I know I have offended many people; I have made choices I am not proud of; I struggle with things that are easy for most people to overcome. I mean, I want to say I try my best, but I know I can be better.

Thank goodness I have the gospel to rely on whenever I do have my mini-trials or times I feel depressed or let down. I know that Christ and Heavenly Father love me. I know that my family will always be there for me regardless of what happens. I am so grateful for the challeges presented in my daily life that allow me to progress and learn. If not for those I would be at a spiritual stand-still.