Be careful what...and HOW you say it

Funny story from my trip home from London - While waiting in the airport I sat across from a young guy and his grandmother (she looked like she was). They were each reading something when I sat down and I didn't take any notice of them while I pulled out my Sudoku and relaxed for the hour and a half till we could board. A little old lady came by and needed a seat so I gave her mine and I settled for the floor. A toddler crawled near my feet peeking into my bag so I played with him. Then the lady looked at me, sized me up and leaned to talk to the guy...in German. (Unbeknownst to them I'm a master Kraut). She started telling him how good looking I was and how proper and sophisticated I acted. She was pleased with what she saw and thought he should say something to get to know me when we got on the plane and maybe get my number when we landed. This made me snicker and I almost snorted (almost). She looked up at me funny, but I just kept my nose in my game. That's when I thought I'd play a little game with her. I pulled out the novel I had been reading and dropped it on the floor. She nudged the guy to pick it up for me and I thanked him and asked where they were heading to...IN GERMAN. You should've seen her face....priceless - she was mortified!! Needless to say she didn't say a thing after that and didn't talk to me on the plane even though they sat kitty-corner to me. I became invisible in her eyes.

Now for the moral of my story - be careful what you say and how you say it, you never know who might hear or understand you. Hopefully it's all good!

Take Me Home Country Roads

Pennsylvania has the best roads for a long drive - scenically that is (structurally they're a little off). For my long drive to the Singles Ward though, they were perfect. I did have to make a couple U'ies and got there 10 min late, but all I had was my iPod and the road. Who would've thought that tucked inside spurts of trees and farmers fields would be a 2 lane major highway rittled with potholes and roadkill. Not to mention the exits that lead to more major roads with one side leading the way you want and the other...that's another story (definitely the wrong way). To top it off, every mile or so there's some kind of historical landmark or battlefield. I couldn't ask for a more beautiful Sunday Drive...all by myself.

Salsa Remix!!

I concocted something truly fabulous today - Pineapple Salsa and Chicken Pesto Pizza. Using fresh ingredients and some mixing and matching what emerged was truly scrumptious. Jealous?!?! Come on over!...we might save you some.

What's Left is Always the Best

My mom lets me have free reign of the kitchen when I'm home for the summer and I wouldn't have it any other way. I love to try new tips and tricks of cooking that I've learned from my mom and from the Food Network. My roommates are brave (well, some of them) and I wouldn't mind trying new recipes on them because I know it'll get eaten, but at home is where I learn from the master - my mom (and I'll get honest feedback from my hollow-legged brother). My mom can turn one night's chicken and random vegetables into something completely amazing the next night. THAT'S what I want to be able to do someday so I'm practicing now.

The best thing to make for dinner in the summer when there's no desire to cook or be in a hot kitchen for long is...LEFTOVERS. Yep, that odd assortment of food that's been in the fridge for way too long. At BYU that's the day before we go shopping when we have to eat down the food so we can fill the fridge with new goodness. Tonight, I decided to do something different. Mom was asleep and dad was due home in a half an hour so I decided not to wake mom and be spontaneous. Upstairs I went and scoured in the cupboards to see what would magically appear as edible food and that's what I would make for dinner. As soon as I opened the pantry everything Mexican and spicy seemed to lunge at me. I would've liked to have my roommate's wonderful recipe but she was unavailable so I'd be concocting something recipe-free again. With a couple of jars of jalapeno peppers, diced tomatoes, and enchilada sauce I created something truly fantastic. What emerged was a fabulous dish of spicy enchiladas from scratch - the way they should be made. I've never been a person who's liked spice so this was going to be an adventure. (I'm happy to say that at BYU I've developed a liking for spicy - THANKS ASH AND KERI) Everyone was extremely satisfied even if it was spicy and I know that as soon as Tay gets back from his Scouting Adventure the rest will be gobbled up in one bite.

To top it off I wanted to make a nice summer refresher for family movie night I blended up some pineapple, mixed in a can of frozen concentrate, fresh lime juice, and watermelon. I chilled the glasses, put sugar along the rim (as I'd learned from Emeril) put a couple frozen blueberries from the garden in the bottom. Then, I l layered a secret ingredient in before pouring the drink on top and what we ended up with was an amazing treat to end a hot hot day!! Definitely on my list to make again someday. (Hint hint Em - you'll have another sweet treat to eat when I get back). I think my parents are wondering if they sent me to get a degree in English or Culinary arts. Needless to say they'll let me have my way in the kitchen again sometime....often.

Another good thing about this meal - LEFTOVERS

Nice TRIP See Ya Next FALL

As a kid, you stub your toe, you stop, cry and get a hug or kiss to make it feel better. Nowadays, you stub your toe, you stop, take numerous short breaths (sometimes out loud), squint (or widen eyes), and keep walking with a hint of a waddle at first. Where'd the transition happen? My toe hurts just as much now as it did then!!!

Phantastic!

Tay is off on a week long Venture Crew Adventure so I get the house all to myself....or at least the picking of the movie for family night all to myself. Tonight when I was done working I went and laid along the bottom of my parents' bed and we watched TV (something I haven't done in a very very long time). My family has that recording satellite feature and they'd recorded a show especially for me - Phantom of the Opera: Behind the Mask. It was all the background information on my favorite musical - some of which my mom had ingrained in my brain as a kid. Everything from the idea, to the first designers, to how many people they fired in the production process, and finally to the first performance. I loved the clips, pics, and stories that broadened how much I love that musical. It also made seeing all the places I'd visited many times in London even more unbelievable. "I went there" or "I saw that" escaped my lips many many times. (My dad even threatened to change the channel if I didn't stop) :)

LONDON BUDDIES - the theater where Phantom of the Opera is playing now (accross the street from Godot) is where the play was performed for the very first time ever. Neato! Yay for "Her Majesty's Theater." Also, Simon Callow ("Pozzo" in Godot) was interviewed and I had to look at his autograph one more time just to be sure I hadn't dreamed the whole trip up. (He starred in the movie version of Phantom).

Nature

Oh how I've missed the peaceful outdoors!!! Today, I spent the entire day gardening and mowing (under my dad's watchful eye - his baby is the lawn and you don't mess with the baby). It was glorious! My hands and knees were so dirty and you couldn't tell my fingers from the dirt. I truly immersed myself in my first love - nature. My garden and flowers have definitely missed me. As dad said "you're the one with the green thumb, now make my dead roots bloom." I will do my best. The reward came at the end of the day when I got to sit on the deck and watch the fireflies and smell the fresh air. Not a busy street or loud city in sight - PERFECT!

No Kids Now Please!!!

I've decided that I'm never having kids...okay so not really, but I'm definitely glad I didn't go into childcare. This week, I'm helping with a family's "Cousins' Camp" (where their grandkids ages 8+ come and spend the week with grandma and grandpa doing all kinds of things). There are 5 kids between 8-10 years old - WOW!!

• Monday--I was in charge of craft day and we painted hats - BAD IDEA. They loved doing it and I loved helping and seeing them play, but boy OH BOY was it a mess. When I helped one create something cool, everyone else wanted me to do the same thing on theirs and then they were comparing my work and having competitions. 
• Tuesday--We had major meltdown so no fun for anyone which meant 8 hrs of quiet time and no games. 
• Wednesday-- This day has blissfully come to an end and I've pretty much decided to spread my kids out age wise. Having so many kids so close in age is taking a toll. The whining, teasing ending in tears, loading and unloading, and forgetting things is too much. 
• Thursday-- Trip to the National Zoo and by the end of the 10 hr day I wasn't the only one who felt a little cranky. I love the kids and they're great for the most part, but if one of them gets set off, it's all downhill from then on. We took the Metro up (brought back memories of the Tube) but the way home was a nightmare.
• Friday-- "Can you come home with me?" "Do I have to go home?" "Why did he get the front seat; it's my turn." "Anne, can I call you everyday?" "Anne, you're prettier than my mom; can I live with you?" 

Overall, I've definitely played plenty of "Eye Spy", "The Quiet Game", "Name That Tune", "Are we there yet?", and "Anne can I hold your hand/sit by you now - it's my turn." It's been an adventure to say the least. I love kids, but I'm definitely glad I don't have that many of the same age. "Oh what a night!!...."  Give me time before you expect children from me. --- Tay, take note of that!

Where's My Zone?!!? Give It Back!!

I've realized why I haven't been myself lately - I'm out of my comfort zone. I'm not familiar with my environment (even though I grew up here) and I don't have something to do every minute of the day and it's got me scared. Not the "I'm afraid of heights" scared, but another kind of scared that's hard to explain. I love being home, don't get me wrong, but I feel out of place and foreign. I don't know how things work or where things are. I couldn't even get in the front door because my family had gotten a keypad lock so my key wouldn't work and I was locked out. I miss having young people around me all hours of the day and always having something to do whether it's homework or sightseeing. I miss the noise - having only 1 other sibling who gets home late and sleeps in even later is a foreign environment from my early-rising roommates who make lots of noise. I miss having a wide variety of personalities to interact with and learn from. I've learned a lot of new things recently and it's changed my personality a lot but coming back here I think I may shrink back into my shell again. Most of all, I miss independence. I like being able to explore and learn without having to report my doings every minute and make sure that I have my cellphone with me at all times. The freedom I had from not having my cell in London was glorious (other than emergencies when it would've been nice to have one). I could go anywhere and do anything without worrying that my phone would go off or I'd miss something because I was texting. This summer I'll be working and rejuvenating sot that'll be a start, but everything in between is odd. I'm living at home and that's my base. No longer do I come home to an apartment with 5 roommates who had completely different days than me and activities that are always different than planned. I especially miss having someone willing to listen when I'm out of sorts. Being the only girl, I've learned to keep my emotions to myself and sort my mind out alone. Having amazing roommates has taught me to express my mind and hurts to others which makes me feel better. Without that close-knit circle I feel odd. I was having a particularly rough day yesterday and all I wanted was space and someone to listen, genuinely care, and help me figure out why I was down - all I got was a pesky brother who made the day even worse. I couldn't wait till it was time to sleep the bad day away and start again. These may just be ramblings, but I miss my zone and I want it back!!!!!

Home Sweet Home

I'm finally home from my many adventures and boy, is it fantastic. Last night I sat on the porch watching the fireflies and listening to the sounds of....nothing. It was glorious! I'm even liking the humidity....just a little bit. That will most likely change in the next day or two but for now, it brings back many memories and I don't mind it. My first day back and I've already had to relearn my dad's sarcasm and teasing and have even caught myself saying "pound" instead of "dollar" numerous times. I still haven't adjusted to the time difference having woken up at 3am thinking it was 8am. Tomorrow's adventure will be remembering where I am and what dialect I need to understand. Now I'm ready for a summer of reality. Bring it on!

London Adventures

Stupid Tube

So, my last day in London was supposed to be amazing. No class, homework, or finals, go to the park followed by a $5 show and then pack and go to bed. Well, that's not what London itself wanted me to do. The Tube (subway) drivers decided to go on strike. Here that means that the whole city shuts down and goes crazy. I changed plans and went to the Victoria and Albert Museum around the block and every busstop had about 25 people waiting to get on. NUTS! And when it came time for me to start heading to the show (I gave myself and hour and a half before I was supposed to meet my friend an hour before the show started) I waited for the bus for 20 min then started walking. Every stop that I came to I'd stop and wait for a minute and 3 completely full and overflowing buses would pass and not allow anyone to get on. When I finally got on a bus I felt like a sardine. I got to the theater at show time - 2 1/2 HOURS LATER. The show is so popular (Phedre starring Helen Mirren) that even the standing tickets were sold out (those were the ones I was going for) and they wouldn't let anyone in. So, I headed home reaching my destination 20 min later. THAT's what made me mad. It took 2 1/2 hours to get there and 20 min to get home. STUPID TUBE!!!!

10 Things Times 2

There are 10 things I'm going to miss about London, England...

1. Being able to get anywhere I want to be by bus or convenient "Tube" subway
2. Spending 24 hrs a day with 35 really crazy and fun people
3. Not having to have my cell phone glued to me every minute of every day
4. Having such amazing scenery and history all around me anywhere I go
5. Having so much to choose from when wanting something to do
6. Being able to go read in the beautiful parks with lovely rose gardens and ponds
7. Museums and Galleries at my fingertips
8. Fresh markets
9. Church callings that change every week...especially when I end up in the nursery
10. The people - extremely friendly natives, crazy study abroad people, devout church members with so many cares but you'd never know, etc etc etc
    

...And of course there are 10 things I'm NOT going to miss...

1. Living out of a suitcase
2. Liam, the unwelcome mouse
   
3. The threat of rain EVERY SINGLE DAY
   
4. Everything being so expensive
5. Foreign fees
   
6. Fighting for or finding my adapter in order to any of our electronics...and of course, the fear of burning it up
7. Yucky Shakespeare papers where the prompt is so vague and you never get the grade back
8. Being kept awake by noisy fun noisy crazy noisy amazing roommates
9. A bunk bed that shakes like an earthquake whenever my roommate climbs to the top bunk
10. Feeling under dressed wherever I go whenever I go...people here are a lot more fashionable than anywhere else in the world (even babies and children)
    

"Finally Facing My Waterloo"

I've recognized my weakness....music. I could see it, listen to it, sing it, and play it all day every day. Any kind and every kind. My senior year of High School I realized that I really don't have a particular style that I listen to. I just love it all!!! Sure there are some that I favor, but I don't limit myself to anything. Bring it on! Dayton and I just came back from seeing "Mamma Mia". It's become tradition for us to see the cheesy musicals with no real plot together. We don't care how ridiculous we may seem we just have a great time before, during, and after the show. No joke! Although I have seen the play twice before, and own the movie, I still love it. Shley hates the story because it (and I quote) "doesn't believe in the institution of marriage." To that I must say, so what, neither does any other movie in the world that was made by Hollywood. You have to take it with a grain of salt and just enjoy the music and atmosphere. That's what makes it a classic! And as Burgess would say "you can hear the glitter!"

But anyway, back to me...I love music. Growing up it was always present and my earliest memories are of long distance car trips to Grandma's with a whole slew of music to guide us along the way. Then came piano and it's stayed with me ever since I could see...as in forever. My first ever favorite song was "Somewhere Out There" from An American Tale. My mom would sit at the piano and play it for me, sometimes for hours and I was entranced. Then came organ in church, band, choir, and teaching piano lessons. The rest is all downhill from there.

Nothing has really changed. I still listen to music ALL the time. I wake up to it, read to it, study with it, fall asleep with it, and dream to it. All of my favourite music has memories and feelings attached...even smells. Peppy and cheesy songs make me feel better; Classical help me relax, Broadway and musicals makes happy time, and Oldies are anytime. I'm also a sucker for sappy songs...just ask my roommates. "BARF!" has been said to me on many occasions, but I don't care...I'm still me and I'm not going anywhere!

Yummy Treat

Lemon curd is so good. It's a thick paste kind of like Jam that tastes exactly like Lemon Bars (my favorite dessert). We discovered it in the Kenilworth Castle gift shop where they had some there to try. At 4 pounds a jar, I wasn't going to buy it there. From then on I found it in every gift shop and boutique so I knew that I'd be able to find it for cheaper. Then, I did! Tesco, oh how I love thee, let me count the ways....and for only 1 pound. It's good on anything - toast, crackers, crepes, waffles, fruit etc. I will DEFINITELY be bringing some home and MAYBE I'll share some.


And, as my former roommate Fain in Spain would say its "SO GOOOOD" (hand motions neccessary).

I Love Rain!!!

The sound of rain and thunderstorms are by far my favorite sounds in the world. Today I woke up extremely early to the sound of a perfect thunderstorm. What can make the stupid state when you're up an hour and a half before the alarm more enjoyable than the sound of rain and wet pavement. We've been extremely lucky the entire trip not to have bad weather, but now it's decided to let loose. AND I LOVE IT!!! We had multi-stake conference with President Uchtdorf this morning and, as always, the rain began to die out on the way there and then completely stopped while we were in the conference. The sun came streaming through the windows and it made for a cozy warm meeting. Once we were all home, the skies let loose again. I was able to peep the window open and enjoy the, though frigid, rain-filled air. When my other rain-comrades complained of the cold I closed it but was content. In conclusion, I LOVE RAIN!!

Theater Overdose...Almost!

We've seen so many plays here and there are still more to come. Most of which are required and paid for by the program. Outside of the required plays I've only seen five and of course they were Musicals...aren't you surprised?!?! There are some people here who have seen a show EVERY DAY!!! That's insane. I love theater but not that much...I need a break now and then. Anything that doesn't say "not required" is something we had to see for class and the tickets were paid for by the program. "Bonus" productions are ones where the program had extra money left over so they bought us tickets to them. They're great because we don't have to worry about a paper or test on them so we can just sit back and relax.

• Romeo and Juliet (Shakespeare)
  
• Alphabetical Order (comedy)
• Twelfth Night (Shakespeare)
• Time and the Conways (early 1900s)
  
• Lion King (musical) -- not required
• Wuthering Heights (Bollywood)-- not required
  
• Carousel (musical)-- required...I promise
  
• All's Well That Ends Well (Shakespeare)
• Jersey Boys (musical) -- not required
• Cherry Orchard (drama)
  
• Sunset Boulevard (musical) -- not required
• Waiting for Godot (tragicomedy)
  
• Much Ado About Nothing (Shakespeare) -- Bonus
• Comedy of Errors (Shakespeare)
• Winter's Tale (Shakespeare)
  
• As You Like It (Shakespeare)
• Peter Pan -- Bonus
  
• Mamma Mia (musical) --not required

Card Security

Something I love about Europe is that whenever you use your credit or debit cards they verify your signature. (In the US they don't even care.) A signature is a lot better than your ID. Technically, (according to credit card companies) they're legally not supposed to ask for your ID. And what about those lucky kids who get a credit card when they're 12 or 13, before they have an ID?!!? How are they supposed to verify the purchase? Anyways, I just feel more secure when they double check my signature before completing the transaction. Just one more thing that I love about Europe.

Windsor Coolness!

Kadish, Edmunds and I took a trip out to Windsor Castle early this morning despite the threat of rain (honestly, when isn't there a THREAT of rain). We took a beautiful train ride through the country side up to the gates of the castle. This is the largest castle in England that is still being used by the Royal family. The Queen comes here on the weekends to relax away from State functions and business. (If I had such an amazing "weekend home" I wouldn't spend only my weekends there). Since it was the weekend we found out that she was home - the flag containing her crest was flying high above the tower. As we walked up to the entrance we were privileged to see the changing of the guard leave the courtyard in all their official glory. Before touring the State Apartments we visited "Queen Mary's Doll House" which is a doll's house made to scale. Okay, so that's not all that's amazing about this scaled down version of Buckingham Palace in the 50s...it has electricity, working plumbing, actual diamonds in the crown jewels, silver platters and gold silverware on the dining table, actual paintings made by the artists of the large version, miniature books with all of the pages/illustrations, and even the tiniest combs and ribbons on the dressing tables...all smaller than your thumbnail. The next hallway contained two dolls belonging to two princesses (I can't remember which two) and the little accessories. There were actual fur shawls, shoes, diamond bracelets, silk dresses, and even a motorized car all made for these two and a half feet tall dolls. It's mind-blowing! It was built, not for children, but for her love of miniature things. Painters, writers, artists, politicians, etc would give her pieces and furniture to keep her collection growing. (Sad to say they didn't allow photography so I don't have any proof to show). Then we saw the State Apartments which to this day are still being used to welcome Royal and Political guests as well as for royal functions. In St. George's Hall, the walls and ceiling were covered in coats of arms for all of the knights going back to the 14th century. These knights are not the more common kind - Sir Paul McCartney, Sir Elton John - but the more special kind made famous by the tale of King Arthur and the Round Table. These men are specially hand picked by the monarch as the kind who would immediately jump to protect the royalty like knights in shining armor were supposed to. Today there are only 26 at any one time and are called "Knights of the Garter." We spoke with a security guard/guide on duty and asked him for more information and we learned SOO much and it's really fascinating. Before leaving the castle we paused in St. George's chapel and were in awe of its glory and majesty. (Once again no photos). Inside are buried King Henry VIII and Jane Seymour, Queen Victoria's youngest son and grandson, Princess Margaret and her parents as well as many saints and other unnamed patrons of the church. I loved this part of the day because I've always been fascinated with Henry VIII's story and the Tudor time period so seeing their graves brought the story to life for me and made me realize that these people were more than stories. I was captivated from beginning to end. The organ that took up most of the building was magnificent and I couldn't help but wish I could touch even one key. The pipes were elaborately decorated with vines and flowers and the music, though they were only tuning it, was beyond description. We left feeling exhausted and happy having seen the most beautiful castle there is...at least in my opinion.

Shakespeare on Wheels

We took a mandatory 3 day trip down to Stratford to see some of the Shakespeare sights and to watch some of his plays. Along the way down we stopped at a couple of other Historic sights including Coventry Cathedral, Kenilworth Castle ruins, and Warwick Castle. Coventry Cathedral is an ancient Cathedral that was bombed during World World War 2. The original building was then left alone without any efforts to restore its former glory. As we walked around the ruins we even saw bits of the original stained glass shards still in their window frames. At the top of the Cathedral two of the beams from the celing fell and formed the Cross and so they too were left just as they fell. Alongside these ruins lies a new, modern Cathedral of the same name. Inside are magnificent stained glass windows and modern religious sculptures that simply take your breath away. The two Cathedrals side by side really give the impression of stately strength and historic value. Inside the ruins is a plaque which sums up the Cathedral's existence perfectly. It reads "The latter glory of this house shall be greater than the former." Our second stop was at the Kenilworth Castle ruins. This castle was owned by Robert Dudley and he used it to woo Queen Elizabeth I - which didn't work by building an entire wing just for her to live in when she visited. He went bankrupt after she left and the castle slowly deteriorated. Attached to the ruins is a restored garden that contains many of the patterns that signify courtly love. Before reaching Stratford we made one more stop. This time at Warwick ("Warrick") Castle. This 4 HOUR stop was ridiculous and everybody hated it. What it is is a sort of Renaissance fair, theme park built onto a caslte without all the rides, booths, and attractions. Really pointless. We watched a bird of prey flying as well as a Trebuchet exhibit - the only exciting parts of this adventure - and we couldn't wait to get back on the bus. When we finally made it to Stratford we checked into our B&B
guesthouses and then prepared for the Royal Shakespeare Company's performance of "Winter's Tale." The performance was....interesting. It had a modernistic approach that I didn't understand or appreciate. There were, however, really cool technical effects that blew my mind. Sad to say, I did fall asleep during this performance because it just didn't attract my attention. Our second day in Stratford was more for exploring. We took a tour of the historic Shakespeare sights in the morning visiting the Birthplace, Nash's House, and Hall's Croft as well as the school that Shakespeare attended and his actual grave sight. Many of the sights didn't allow photography and a brave member of our group asked why (now you'll know why many places don't allow photography). There was an instance where someone broke into the house and stole only certain items. The thieves seemed to have a "shopping list" knowing what was most valuable to steal. Anyway, after that we had free time until the optional tour of the Royal Shakespeare Theater. The little group I went with (containing only Kadish, Lang, and myself) had so much fun. We first wandered the historic streets taking in the sights and boutiques then found a little cafe for lunch. Afterwards we wandered some more and then rented a true Shakespeare rowboat (named "Beatrice" for Shakespeare's "Much Ado..") All of the boats were named after Shakespeare's female characters. We had the boat for a half an hour before the tour. We rowed all along the Avon taking turns at the actual rowing and singing true "Rowboat songs" such as "Row Row Row Your Boat" and then advancing to the more elaborate as we floated under a weeping willow singing "Kiss the Girl." Classic! The tour of the theater took us upstage, backstage, and inside all the technical areas of the theater. Really fascinating and intense. That night we saw the performance of "As You Like It" in the RSC theater. It was a lot more entertaining and less sleep-full than the previous night's. Our third and final day in Stratford started off with visits to the Anne Hathaway Cottage and Mary Arden's farm. We also stopped in Oxford where I visited Christ Church Cathedral/College where they filmed much of the Harry Potter movies. There wasn't too much to see in the city of Oxford but, yet again, we had 5 hours to kill. (Definitely a cop out for our instructors so they don't have to plan anything). Ridiculous but I made the best of it by wandering through the streets and visiting the famous "Eagle and the Child" pub where C.S. Lewis and Tolkien frequented with the other "Inklings." Let's just say, I couldn't wait to be back on the bus for 2 hours. The week had its highs and lows but overall I'm glad I'm here!

London North Ward - Till We Meet Again

We went to our last ward meetings this week because next week is Stake Conference with Pres Uchtdorf. I'm sad that I won't get to serve and interact with such amazing members. I've learned a lot about myself as well as the church strength in general that I'm so glad to have had this opportunity. One little old lady taught me the most valuable lesson. Peggy is blind yet so strong. She spoke in church last week and her whole talk was stories of how the church started out and what growth she has witnessed. The most important thing I learned was not in a story, it wasn't a gospel topic, it was her pure light and love. She said that she's always hated being the center of attention especially in public. Now that she's blind her fears are more prominent because she cannot see when people are sleeping or when they're not paying attention or talking. What do I have to compare my fear to hers - nothing. I've started to become more comfortable with being in front of people and my self confidence itself has gotten a little boost. Broadway here I come - okay so I'm just joking, but I'll be more willing to do things without the fear of judgment that has always been a widespread aspect of my life.