Tender Mercies...

"We should not underestimate or overlook the power of the Lord’s tender mercies. The simpleness, the sweetness, and the constancy of the tender mercies of the Lord will do much to fortify and protect us in the troubled times in which we do now and will yet live. When words cannot provide the solace we need or express the joy we feel, when it is simply futile to attempt to explain that which is unexplainable, when logic and reason cannot yield adequate understanding about the injustices and inequities of life, when mortal experience and evaluation are insufficient to produce a desired outcome, and when it seems that perhaps we are so totally alone, truly we are blessed by the tender mercies of the Lord and made mighty even unto the power of deliverance."

-- David A. Bednar,"The Tender Mercies of the Lord"

Cedar City

I love Cedar City! I had a great opportunity to return to Cedar last weekend (February 20-22). It was dance placement and scholarship auditions at SUU, so I took one of my students, Camille Anthian, to audition. We headed for Cedar City after ballet class on Friday evening, after stopping to grab some dinner at Subway. We drove straight thru only stopping at Walmart in Cedar to get breakfast food before heading to Kay's, where we were staying. I haven't seen Kay for years, but it was as though we had never been apart. It was very strange pulling into Cedar, I felt as though I had returned home. It was the best, most peaseful feeling.

We got to kay's house about 10:00 PM and ther he was to great us with the sad news that Larry H Miller had passed away. Kay had a performance of Coppelia that night and was still in his make-up... But it was just like old times...
Camille was exhausted, so she crashed and Kay and I sat up and chatted, caught up on the last several years, reminsced about the crazy days. Saturday was auditions for Camille, so I dropped her off at SUU about 9:30, and I ran in to say HI to all of my former professors. It was great to see Shauna and chat with her about life and some of my desires. During auditions I headed over the Christensens, my second favorite store to shop at. My first favorite is H&M. The auditions went amazingly well! I am so happy for Camille! After auditions I walked Camille around the campus, gave her a bit of a tour. What a gorgeous campus. While walking around I ran into a couple of individuals that I worked with while I was working with the Utah Shakespearean Festival. It was gerat to chat with Jill and Scott. After the campus tour, it was time to eat... and where better to go than La Fiesta, my favorite restaurant in Cedar City. I had to introduce Camille to it, especially if she is going to school in Cedar!

Saturday evening Camille and I headed to the Heritage Theater to see Coppelia performed by the Cedar City Junior Ballet, and Kay of course. I was very impressed with the ballet. The Heritage Theater is new the Cedar City and it was a gorgeous theater and huge. There were several in the ballet that I went to school with, so it was great to see them and watch them dance again. There were also several in the audience that graduated with me as well. So it was a great time to have a bit of a reunion. Fun to see where everyone is and has ended up. I also ran into Fred Adams, the founder of the Shakespearean Festival. He is always a joy to talk with.

Sunday, it was time head back to Salt Lake City. I was sad to be leaving Cedar, but Camille had school on Monday and I had work :( Kay had early church and we had to hit the road to get back. Yes, Camille and I are still in our jammies and Kay is ready for church. So off Kay went and we packed the car and hit the road.

I really wanted to just stay there. Life in Cedar feels so much more peaceful and calm.. Oh well. Back to SLC for now. I am heading back to Cedar the weekend of March 7th for a Dance Department Reunion. So Look out Cedar, I am coming back!

Something to think about...

``If you think you can, you can. If you think you can`t, you`re right.`` Mary Kay Ash

``The tragedy of life does not lie in not reaching your goal. The tragedy lies in having no goal to reach.`` Benjamin Mays

``Ideals are like stars: you will not succeed in touching them with your hands. But like the seafaring man on the desert of waters, you choose them as your guides, and following them you will reach your destiny. `` Cal Schurz

Live and Learn...

Where is this year, 2009, going? I am amazed that February began today. Life has been just grand. I fell like I worked the month of January away, but I am grateful for that, because it means that I have a job, that I have to abiity to work. I work with amazing people. Auditions were held on Saturday, January 24th for Sleeping Beauty, the ballet. I was very happy with the turn out. It was difficult deciding which dancer would be best for each part. But the casing list went up on Monday and rehearsals began on Friday. I must admit it was nice to have something to do Friday night. We learned almost the entire first act on Friday. It will again be a beautiful ballet performed in March.

I am ready for spring and even summer. I am a much larger fan of the warm weather and spring rain storms than the snow.

Not much has happened this year, which is actually kind of nice. Last year was a very tough and emotional year. I don't think I could handle another year like last year. This year has been a bit rough as well, especially lately. But I have to keep plugging along. Life is what you make of it after all. Everyone will face challenges and it how each decides to over come those challenges that is important. I am trying to take each challenge, heart break and struggle with stride. I will admit that it is not easy, but apparently there are lessons to learn and thru these experiences I will learn the lessons I need to. I hope and pray that I learn the lessons needed so that I don't have similar experiences again. I was reminded this week that everyone makes mistakes. One important thing to remember is to learn from each mistake and not repeat that mistake again. LIVING AND LEARNING!

Failure...

"Don’t be discouraged by failure. It can be a positive experience. Failure is, in a sense, a highway to success, inasmuch as every discovery of what is false leads us to seek earnestly after what is true, and every fresh experience points out some form of error which we shall afterwards carefully avoid." John Keats

The Experiment: What Are We Missing Out On?

A man sat at a metro station in Washington DC and started to play the violin; it was a cold January morning. He played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time, since it was rush hour, it was calculated that thousands of people went through the station, most of them on their way to work.

Three minutes went by and a middle aged man noticed there was musician playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds and then hurried up to meet his schedule.

A minute later, the violinist received his first dollar tip: a woman threw the money in the till and without stopping continued to walk.

A few minutes later, someone leaned against the wall to listen to him, but the man looked at his watch and started to walk again. Clearly he was late for work.

The one who paid the most attention was a 3 year old boy. His mother tagged him along, hurried but the kid stopped to look at the violinist. Finally the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk turning his head all the time. This action was repeated by several other children. All the parents, without exception, forced them to move on.

In the 45 minutes the musician played, only 6 people stopped and stayed for a while. About 20 gave him money but continued to walk their normal pace. He collected $32. When he finished playing and silence took over, no one noticed it. No one applauded, nor was there any recognition.

No one knew this but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the best musicians in the world. He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written with a violin worth 3.5 million dollars.

Two days before his playing in the subway, Joshua Bell sold out at a theater in Boston and the seats averaged $100.

Joshua Bell playing incognito in the metro station was organized by the Washington Post as part of a social experiment about perception, taste and priorities of people. The outlines were: in a commonplace environment at an inappropriate hour: Do we perceive beauty? Do we stop to appreciate it? Do we recognize the talent in an unexpected context?

One of the possible conclusions from this experience could be:

If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world playing the best music ever written, how many other things are we missing?


Kevin Dolce

Recipe for a Good New Year!

1. Take a 10-30 minute walk every day. And while you walk, smile. It is the ultimate anti-depressant.

2. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day. Talk to God about what is going on in your life. Buy a lock if you have to.

3. When you wake up in the morning complete the following statement, 'My purpose is to__________ today. I am thankful for______________'

4. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants.

5. Drink green tea and plenty of water. Eat blueberries, wild Alaskan salmon, broccoli , almonds & walnuts.

6. Make at least three people smile each day.

7. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip, energy vampires, issues of the past, negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.

8. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a college kid with a maxed out charge card.

9. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.

10. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.

11. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

12. You are not so important that you have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

13. Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present.

14. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

15. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.

16. Frame every so-called disaster with these words: 'In five years, will this matter?'

17. Forgive everyone for everything.

18. What other people think of you is none of your business.

19. GOD heals everything - but you have to ask Him.

20. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

21. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch!!!

22. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

23. Each night before you go to bed complete the following statements: I am thankful for__________. Today I accomplished_________.

24. Remember that you are too blessed to be stressed.

25. When you are feeling down, start listing your many blessings. You'll be smiling before you know it.