Beneath the Wraps

        Jenna changed her tune a bit from Monday.   I woke up yesterday to find her dressed in green – well, partial green anyway.   She didn’t go overboard as she did the week prior when she dressed in yellow for spirit week.   She said she will be wearing the same thing for her birthday – her “sweet sixteen” and like everybody else’s plans will be very different from what she had planned.           We started the series "100 Humans" and were amused by many of #23's responses, namely his 600 plus word explanation on how to play Tic Tac Toe - laughter.  It was/is greatly needed.           We had played games the last couple of days.   Sequence on Monday and Spades last night.   We have both danced to music – even commercial jingles.   How much better our day has been when we can smile and laugh.   She had wanted to go to the park to hand out gold coins,...

          People pick careers for different reasons.   Some people seem to focus more on their paychecks than the occupation.   Others pick their jobs in hopes to create a better world.   Take education, for example.   I don’t know any one teacher that picked his/her career in hopes of seeking financial wealth.   I don’t think teachers get paid near enough.   Many of them make huge sacrifices.   They sacrifice time as well as money out of their own pockets.   I don’t think the majority of students appreciate that – or may even be aware.           I know of two music instructors in the school district   that I work for.   One of the instructors spends three months at three different schools working with elementary children.   In addition she teaches before or after school band at Canyonville.        ...

     I remember one Mother's Day when the primary children were on the stage singing various songs.   One was LoveIs Spoken Here , a song that is done in two parts.   After the primary children finished up with the first verse, the members of the priesthood stood up and sang the second part.   It touched my heart and my eyes started leaking.   It was so awesome hearing them sing together.   I wondered if I would ever be awed like that again.               Today, toward the end of the program, the audience was asked to sing the second part of A Child's Prayer .   I thought the request was a bit odd as it doesn't even seem that the majority of the congregation would even know it.   And as our chorister was having such a hard time with teaching the song, how did the leaders think it was possibly going to connect?          ...

My initial post is costing more time than I am able to give for the moment anyway.  Guess this one will have to tie my readers over:             The meeting ended early today and so the bishop decided to call a few members from the congregation to come and bear their testimonies.   I smiled as I thought about how often meetings were based on impromptu due to short meetings or just lack of speakers.   In this post I mentioned the majority of youth had their favorite impromptu meeting which was sharing one's favorite hymn and a little bit about why it was/is our favorite (or one of our favorites) and then we would sing that hymn as a congregation.   I think that is something we could do in this ward with our regular pianist, but I know there several in the ward who would not be comfortable playing some hymns out of the blue that they hadn't practiced for a while.       ...

I graduated from high school in 1980- the same year that Rupert Holmes released his recording of “Him”.  I think think it must have been at college or perhaps it was at an institute dance when a live band played that Rupert Holmes song.  Many of us listened intently wondering how they would incorporate the lyrics “Over by the window is a pack of cigarettes” and laughed when they sang “a pack of Wrigley’s gum”                 I thought it an odd song to play as the theme implies that his wife is having an affair, but I still liked the song.  Many times we listen without understanding the meaning but may find it has a great rhythm or melody or what have you.  The ‘80’s seemed to spin out a wide variety of popular music that continues to be played at Chruch dances.                 I remember when Jenna was born, I...

            Roland and I recently watched a “Master Class” on Smokey Robinson.   I have always enjoyed his music and him and after watching his biography, have even more admiration for him.             I had albums featuring Smokey Robinson, Marvin Gaye, the Carpenters, "Earth,Wind and Fire" and Mannheim Steamroller. I listened to them often when I was single.   After I was married, I rarely listened to the large collection of LPs that I had.             LP stands for “long playing”.   That is what my dad had told me. My dad LOVED music.   He had hoped that one day he would own his own record store.   I am sad that he wasn’t able to fulfill his musical dream.             When I was growing up, dad would play Kingst...

     My brother, Corey, has always been a big fan of Steven Sondheim.   I don’t think it was until after he was in high school still or college when I was introduced to his “Into the Woods” soundtrack – which I listened to and read along as the characters sang.   Immediately I decided it was a production that I wanted to see.         I have seen four or five different versions – though I don’t actually remember the details of each one.   I think the first opportunity was when the production was on tour.   I vaguely remember seeing it with my mom, I think.   I don’t know who else was with us.   I’m wondering if we were given tickets that Corey, himself, was unable to use.         My least favorite production was one that he was in.   He played Repunzel’s prince.   Our friend, Jinx, played the baker.   It was a marvelous cast, and each one...

         I read this piece of trivia: “On November 23rd, 1889, the jukebox was invented by entrepreneurs Louis Glass and William S. Arnold. They called it the nickel-in-the-slot phonograph which is possibly the least effort we've seen put into the name of a product ever.” and was reminded of having seen jukeboxes on occasion.         Jukeboxes weren’t as popular when I was growing up, as I believe they were when my mom and dad were teenagers. But I do remember some restaurants featuring a single jukebox and one restaurant that allowed you to make selections from the table.   I also remember spending quarters (not nickels) for making a selection of up to six songs.   I don’t recall ever dancing to my jukebox selections – just having the music in the background.             There was a jukebox at Snelgroves for a short t...

Both of my brothers listened to Dr. Demento .   I remember Patrick and his friends singing the words to “dead puppies” and “shaving cream”.   I don’t believe they were fanatics.   Corey, on the other hand, was a true Dr. Demento fan. He would record the programs and save songs that he liked.   He would play them over and over and laugh at the demented humor.   In 1985, Michael Jackson and Lionel Ritchie got together with 46 other stars to record HelpingHands USA for Africa .   The song was called “We are the World” and proceeds went for Relief of famine and disease in Ethiopia. I don’t know if it was Morton Downey Jr. who created the “We are the Worms” parody or if his name is associated with the song as he introduced it on radio program in Cleveland, Ohio, 1986.   Corey loved that song.   It would make him laugh.   I’ll admit that I smiled about it, too.   It was rumored that those associated with USA fo...

Our theme for this month is on the plan of salvation.   I had wanted to get the class members’ input if there was a certain topic each would like to focus on.   Subject suggestions were on faith, agency and music to name a few.   I absolutely LOVE music and the concept behind the hymns and how to use the hymn book and so forth.   But as the month started, I just didn’t feel inspired to do the lesson on music.   I actually had one beam at the subject of music.   That was the same week of ward conference.   The musical number was beautiful – a medley of “Come Follow Me” and “Lord, I would Follow Thee” Very uplifting.   Scott got up after the musical and made comment that he hates going after the musical number.   I can’t say as I blame him.   The Spirit is often felt quite strongly through music.   When I returned home from the meeting I felt impressed to create a “Name That  Tune Hymn ...