The End (and Start) of a Decade

Man, it seems like only yesterday that 2019 first got here. For that matter, I well remember ushering in the year 2000 (and people freaking out over the "new millennium"), and while time doesn't really travel that fast, you find yourself marveling at how much time passed when you look back.

This has been a year and decade full of ups and downs. To call it a roller coaster ride is putting it mildly.

Throughout this decade, I started classes at the Ogden campus of Weber State University (I first enrolled at the Davis County campus in 2008), graduated from WSU with a Bachelor's degree in Creative Writing, lost my dad, started my first job, went through a total of five jobs, lost some good friends (not all of them to death), lost my grandparents and a few other family members, gained a niece and three nephews, received my temple endowments...and started this blog, of course.

There's a great deal to show for these ten years, for better or for worse, but I think it's safe to say that the "better" vastly outranks the "worse." I'm not the same person I was in the 2000s or even the 1990s, and that's an excellent, excellent thing.

My writing and art have improved tremendously, as have my self-esteem and self-reliance. I've learned to do things for myself and not have somebody else do all the work for me or hold my hand the entire time. Besides a degree, college helped me grow up, make that official transition from a girl into a woman. In hindsight, my one true regret about college is how much money I borrowed from the government for my tuition, although I also pride myself for not getting into further debt and for paying off such a huge chunk already.

I'm well aware that the New Year doesn't mean everything will be perfect. There will be many ups and downs for 2020 and the decade that follows...but here's hoping the ups will outnumber the downs, and the start of a brand-new chapter is exciting just the same. Ready or not, here it comes.

Let the fun times roll, mates, and tally-ho!

Happy Birthday, Lizzie!

A very, very happy birthday to my lovely niece, Lizzie.

Hard to believe this is the girl's last single-digit birthday. It's true what they say: kids really do grow up so fast. I still remember playing "Pass the Baby" at the hospital.

Merry Christmas!

If you celebrate the holiday, a very happy holiday to you! If you celebrate some other holiday, happy holidays just the same!

My Christmas was low-key, but I like low-key.

I got to stay home from work (and these last couple of weeks have been pe-e-er-e-e-e-e-etty hectic), I got to catch a nice little nap, and I got some great goodies from old Saint Nick.

This year's loot consisted of new clothes, Bath & Body Works (I always ask for something from B & BW), a stuffed giraffe, a DVD (Volume 1 of Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers, a show I barely remember anymore but absolutely adored as a kid), some books (including a gorgeously illustrated collection of Grimm's Fairy Tales) and notebooks, a back roller, a unicorn pen, unicorn bedsheets, and one of my old high school buddies brought me a horse calendar for 2020 and a framed autograph from Chris Kirkpatrick, my most favorite member from *NSYNC. My buddy was lucky enough to meet him at some convention in Salt Lake City a few months back, and she was kind enough to remember me. She even had him write my name on it. 

Besides the autograph, I'd say my best gift was a mini laptop. Nothing wrong with the laptop I've got now but I thought it would be kind of cool to have another laptop I could carry around a bit more, and I could do some writing after work or in a library or even a bookstore. I also placed a purchase for a carrying bag that can (hopefully) hold both computers when I'm not using them.

I did run into a little snag by purchasing a writing program that's not compatible with my mini laptop, so I had to contact "support" for a refund. Luckily it worked out, and I feel bad for giving the guy a little extra work on Christmas but he was so nice. He even helped me find a program that was compatible, and even cheaper, and so part of the money will cover that cost and the rest will be sent back to my bank account.

It wouldn't have been a total loss without the refund, but I'm not the kind of person to just throw money away.

After dinner, my mom wanted to watch White Christmas. I declined because it's a long movie and, with a couple of exceptions, I don't have much patience for lengthy movies.

And I supplied the Christmas dessert, courtesy of my workplace: peppermint brownies!

Overall, like I said, low-key but still nice. Not bad considering it's my first Christmas since losing my grandparents, and Mom was hit kind of hard since they're her parents. Maybe it was because we had such a tough year that Santa decided to be a bit more generous than usual.

Well, all that's left for me to say here is: here's to the New Year, and the new decade!

Twelve Days of Christmas - Day 12

On the twelfth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:

Twelve drummers drumming

Eleven pipers piping

Ten lords a-leaping

Nine ladies dancing

Eight maids a-milking
Seven swans a-swimming

Six geese a-laying

Five gold(en) rings

Four calling birds

Three French hens

Two turtle doves

And a partridge in a pear tree!

Special Facts: Aside from the allusion to the Twelve Apostles, the drummers also allude to the "12 Points of Belief in the Apostles' Creed." According to Wikipedia, it reads like this:

"I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
Creator of Heaven and Earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord.
He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit
and born of the virgin Mary.
He suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended to the dead.
On the third day He rose again.
He ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the Holy Catholic Church,
the Communion of the Saints,
the Forgiveness of Sins,
the Resurrection of the Body,
and the Life Everlasting. Amen."

Of course, I belong to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but the Catholic Church, along with all the other religions out there, has something beautiful to offer as well. I like to think of everybody as musical instruments in one great big orchestra; every sound is unique, but nothing short of lovely altogether.

And that's it for the Twelve Days! Merry (early) Christmas, everybody!

Twelve Days of Christmas - Day 11

On the eleventh day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:

Eleven pipers piping

Ten lords a-leaping

Nine ladies dancing

Eight maids a-milking
Seven swans a-swimming

Six geese a-laying

Five gold(en) rings

Four calling birds

Three French hens

Two turtle doves

And a partridge in a pear tree!

Special Facts: The eleven pipers allude to the eleven Apostles who remained faithful.

One of the saddest stories in the Bible (in all of history) is the betrayal of Judas Iscariot; he's living proof that you can still turn away from God even when God's right there beside you. He was not only Jesus's disciple, but His friend as well, and so it was the ultimate stabbing in the back. Upon selling Jesus out for thirty pieces of silver (which, in those days, was no pocket change), Elder Jeffrey R. Holland has said, "Never in the history of this world has so little money purchased so much infamy."

At the very least, Judas's regret for what he had done appeared genuine, and only God can judge him at this point.

The remaining eleven Apostles not only remained faithful, but went on to become far greater men than they were before. They're all living proof that ordinary men (and women) can become truly extraordinary in God's hands.

Twelve Days of Christmas - Day 10

On the tenth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:

Ten lords a-leaping

Nine ladies dancing

Eight maids a-milking
Seven swans a-swimming

Six geese a-laying

Five gold(en) rings

Four calling birds

Three French hens

Two turtle doves

And a partridge in a pear tree!

Special Facts: A most definite allusion to Jehovah's Ten Commandments. Jehovah was the name Jesus Christ went by in the Old Testament, before His earthy birth; you could say that's his "true name."

Everyone knows the Ten Commandments, and regardless of what religion you follow, you really can't go wrong with commandments like these:

1. Thou shalt have no other gods before me. (No pretentious worship.)

2. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven images. (No fickle or irreverent worship.)

3. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain. (Respect for the Lord and other sacred things.)

4. Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. (Balance between work and rest.)

5. Honor thy father and thy mother. (Respect for your parents.)

6. Thou shalt not kill. (Respect for all life.)

7. Thou shalt not commit adultery. (Loyalty to your significant other.)

8. Thou shalt not steal. (Be honest, make an honest living for yourself.)

9. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor. (Always tell the truth, avoid gossip.)

10. Thou shalt not covet. (Be grateful for what you already have.)

Twelve Days of Christmas - Day 9

On the ninth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:

Nine ladies dancing

Eight maids a-milking
Seven swans a-swimming

Six geese a-laying

Five gold(en) rings

Four calling birds

Three French hens

Two turtle doves

And a partridge in a pear tree!

 

Special Facts: Each of the nine ladies represents the "Nine Fruits of the Holy Spirit." Or, to put it a little more simply, the nine Christian traits, the most ideal traits for men as well as women:

1. Charity

2. Joy

3. Peace

4. Patience

5. Goodness

6. Mildness

7. Fidelity

8. Modesty

9. Chastity

Twelve Days of Christmas - Days 7 and 8

On the seventh day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:

Seven swans a-swimming

Six geese a-laying

Five gold(en) rings

Four calling birds

Three French hens

Two turtle doves

And a partridge in a pear tree!

Special Facts: The swan is a symbol of beauty, purity, elegance, harmony, and divinity. All definite traits of our Beloved Lord and Savior as well as His dedicated followers. The swan also represents balance; the Lord Himself said there must be a balance in all things. Love and discipline. Justice and mercy. Joy and sorrow. Work and rest. Day and night.

___________________

On the eighth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:

Eight maids a-milking
Seven swans a-swimming

Six geese a-laying

Five gold(en) rings

Four calling birds

Three French hens

Two turtle doves

And a partridge in a pear tree!

Special Facts: In the old days, before refrigeration, milk was a huge luxury because it spoiled quickly. Of course, milk was (and still is) tremendously useful in many other things, such as cheese, bread, and cream. Even one cow was a sign of great wealth, or at least you were able to feed your family.

Speaking of feeding, milk is the universal sign of nourishment. As we all know, both human and animal mothers provide their babies with milk on a daily basis, and the milk sustains the children until their bodies grow, strengthen, and are able to process more solid foods.

Furthermore, the "maid" alludes to the woman's unmarried status. So, the milkmaids can also represent young women in search of marriage, young girls who are just about to set foot through the door into full womanhood.

Happy Birthday, Christine and Christopher!

A very happy birthday to my big sis and little bro, who were born on the exact same day within four years of each other.

Today, Christine hits 32 and Christopher's third decade has just started.

Twelve Days of Christmas - Day 6

On the sixth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:

Six geese a-laying

Five gold(en) rings

Four calling birds

Three French hens

Two turtle doves

And a partridge in a pear tree!

Special Facts: The six geese allude to the six "days" in which God made the world. Of course, there's no proof that those were 24-hour days, since they say one day for God is the equivalent of a thousand years for us. Then again, with God, there's pretty much no such thing as "time."

Anyway, it's a deeply significant symbol just the same, especially with the part about the eggs. As we all know, an egg holds a goose's baby, and we are all God's children who have all received the blessed gift of life.

Twelve Days of Christmas - Day 5

On the fifth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:

Five gold(en) rings

Four calling birds

Three French hens

Two turtle doves

And a partridge in a pear tree!

Special Facts: The five gold rings represent the Pentateuch, or the Five Books of the Old Testament (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy), which depict man's fall from grace as well as God's infinite love toward man.

Sadly, people get this idea of God being cruel and tyrannical in the Old Testament. They fail to realize His infinite mercy in what He's done, even when what He did appears terrible to our eyes.

Adam and Eve fell, but their fall was a fall forward rather than back; they had the opportunity to have children and "replenish the earth," as was their first command. The Great Flood in Noah's day came about because the wickedness of the world became so awful that it wasn't fair for the unborn children in the Spirit World to be born into it; God gave the people well over a century to change their ways, and nothing changed, so He cleansed the Earth to both give it a new start and save the people from becoming worse than they already were (believe it or not). And what I like about The Prince of Egypt is that it shows God's true love and compassion, and that the ten plagues came about due to Pharaoh's personal stubbornness and pride. 

Nothing in the world can convince me that God was unfair in any of those situations. It was the hubris of His children that was the problem.

Twelve Days of Christmas - Day 4

On the fourth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:

Four calling birds

Three French hens

Two turtle doves

And a partridge in a pear tree!

Special Facts: In the song, the four birds represent the Four Evangelists, which would be Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. They travel all over the world (or "the four corners of the earth") to spread the good word of God.

Another interesting fact is that the original lyric was "colly birds," or "coally birds." This alludes to the color coal, or black; the blackbird symbolizes knowledge and freedom. Blackbirds can walk the earth and swim the sea as humans do, but unlike humans, they can just as easily take to the skies.

Twelve Days of Christmas - Day 3

On the third day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:

Three French hens

Two turtle doves

And a partridge in a pear tree!

Special Facts: The three French hens represent faith, hope, and love. Being a trio, they could also symbolize the Holy Trinity (Father, Son, Holy Ghost), the First Presidency (the Prophet with his First and Second Counselor), and even a husband, wife, and God. As we all know, a stool needs no less than three legs to stand upright; any stool on two legs will simply topple.

Twelve Days of Christmas - Day 2

On the second day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:

Two turtle doves

And a partridge in a pear tree!

Special Facts: The turtle doves symbolize friendship and love. The two doves in the song represent a pair of truly devoted friends (or a couple) entering into a sacred covenant with God.

Remembering Sandy Hook

Seven years ago, to this very day. And the story is no less devastating now than it was then.

The murderer gets plenty of mention already, so I'm focusing solely on the victims. I'm told that children who die before the age of eight are immediately qualified for the celestial kingdom, which is a comforting thought. Nevertheless, the way they went breaks our hearts to pieces. I remember Dad was truly heartsick at the news.

Charlotte Bacon, age 6

Daniel Barden, age 7

Rachel Davino, age 29

Olivia Engel, age 6

Josephine Gay, age 7

Ana M. Marquez-Greene, age 6

Dylan Hockley, age 6

Dawn Hocksprung, age 47

Madeline F. Hsu, age 6

Catherine V. Hubbard, age 6

Chase Kowalski, age 7

Jesse Lewis, age 6

James Mattioli, age 6

Grace McDonnell, age 7

Anne Marie Murphy, age 52

Emile Parker, age 6

Jack Pinto, age 6

Noah Pozner, age 6

Caroline Previdi, age 6

Jessica Rekos, age 6

Avielle Richman, age 6

Lauren Russeau, age 30

Mary Sherlach, age 56 

Victoria Soto, age 27

Benjamin Wheeler, age 6

Allison N. Wyatt, age 6 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Where have all the children gone?

Long time passing

Where have all the children gone?

Long time ago

 

"Where have all the children gone?

Gone to heaven, every one

Oh, when will we ever learn?

Oh, when will we ever learn?"