4.16.2013

Story of my Life

While I was reading this interesting article about how you never truly leave high school (which presents myriad topics of discussion, should you read it all), I found this gem:

"It’s also abundantly, poignantly clear that during puberty, kids have absolutely no clue how to assess character or read the behavior of others. In 2005, the sociologist Koji Ueno looked at one of the largest samples of adolescents in the United States, and found that only 37 percent of their friendships were reciprocal—meaning that when respondents were asked to name their closest friends, the results were mutual only 37 percent of the time. One could argue that this heartbreaking statistic is just further proof that high school is a time of unrequited longings. But these statistics also suggest that teenagers cannot tell when they are being rejected (Hey, guys, wait for me!) or even accepted (I thought you hated me). So much of what they think they know about others’ opinions of them is plain wrong."


Story. of. my. life.

I say that because, as I've blogged before, I either had no 'best' friends in high school or the ones I considered my best friends apparently didn't return the favor.  Or, they quickly moved on in the following years.  It's all good.  I just still live here in my hometown, and so I still hear/see/run into said friends, and I still wonder which scenario it is.

If you do read the article, come back and talk to me about it, bitte!  I'd love hear some opinions.

4.04.2013

up and down

I s'pose I should sit and write for a bit.

Life's been a roller coaster around here lately, with homecomings and funerals and family stuff and a temple trip (sans recommend - oops) and lots of driving (backseat barfing included, this time by MG) and internet discoursing and, of course, Eastering.  Don't worry, I only cried three times.

Sunday we visited Brigham City for the first time that I can remember.  It was pretty fun to see Slice's old "stomping grounds" (he mocks me EVERY TIME I say that about So. Jordan) and to talk to people who haven't seen him in over a decade.


The drive home wasn't so fun, what with MG screaming and Liam whining and the road stretching for almost four hours.  I sat in back with the kids for the last 1.5 of them.


Praise the heavens for modern technology on long car trips.
Monday was recovery day, and Tuesday I played piano at the funeral of a beautiful 18-year-old girl in our ward who was found at the bottom of a cliff last week....
It's been a rough time in this town, I'll tell you that.

I just hug my own beautiful girl tighter every day, and hope she knows how loved she is.

Incidentally, I never imagined in my younger days that I was learning music mainly to provide it at funerals.  I've been asked/volunteered to sing, lead or play at so many funerals in the last five years I can't even count them all.  Just one more reason why music is better than sports ..... ha.
I'm happy to serve, I really am.  It's good for my life perspective.