Culture makes life rich

It will likely surprise no one that I am a frequent reader and follower of things like the Smithsonian magazine online, with an occassional NY Times article thrown in for good measure. I have it on good authority (thanks, Patriarch), that knowledge makes me a more interesting person. Having heard similar things from many other sources, in addition to studying Humanities, I'm become something of a sponge or magnet for depictions of culture and history... and daily news. Don't worry, this one is about culture, which is almost always the most interesting topic of the three. 

I ran across this article about the Krampus, the counterpart to Saint Nicholas in several European countries. It is absolutely fascinating to me that this ancient tradition has hung on into modern days! I also think there's something to be said for the idea of dualism it promotes... things come in pairs to maintain balance and order. Here's a little snippet from the article to introduce you to the other side of Christmas creatures!

Krampus creatures roam the streets in search of naughty children to punish during Krampusnacht, November 30, 2013, in Neustift im Stubaital, Austria. Sixteen Krampus groups including over 200 Krampuses participated in the first annual Neustift event. Krampus has been a part of Central European, alpine folklore going back at least a millennium, and since the 17th-century Krampus traditionally accompanies St. Nicholas and angels on the evening of December 5 to visit households to reward children that have been good while reprimanding those who have not. However, in the last few decades Tyrol in particular has seen the founding of numerous village Krampus associations with up to 100 members each, who parade without St. Nicholas at Krampus events throughout November and early December.(Sean Gallup/Getty Images)

Home for the Holidays

Last Christmas I performed with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir in their annual Christmas concert - as a dancer, of course! It was my second year doing the production, and I am so thrilled I was able to participate in it. The 2012 show featured Alfie Boe and Tom Brokaw, with a surprise special guest,  Gail "Hal" Halvorsen - also known as the Candy Bomber in WWII. They're very strict about sharing photos of guests, costumes, set, etc, so all the performers had to sign an agreement to keep photos off the mainstream until the DVD was released. 

Well, the DVD is out and another Christmas concert has filled the walls of the Conference  Center, so it's time to share what I was up to a year ago. Auditioning last year was an act of bravery as much as it was an act of desire - performing in that concert led me to meet someone who profoundly influenced my life, though not in the happiest of ways. Auditioning and performing again was my way of staring down fear and telling the world that I would not live in the shadows of what might be. No, I would perform no matter who might be there on the tech crew. And perform I did. 

Alfie Boe is an amazing talent, and so humble and generous! It was an honor to meet him and chat with him during the concert run. I also got to meet Richard Elliott, the wizard on the organ who charms audiences with his amazing skills and musical interpretation. He took up the organ as an adult and I really enjoyed hearing some of his story about learning and excelling at this instrument. The choir members, orchestra, fellow dancers, and bell ringers all made the show a success on stage and rewarding backstage. 

** Side note: I hear I am in the video again this year. I haven't seen it yet, but I plan to watch it and verify this. 
*Other side note: I really should touch up my hair more frequently. The whole dark roots with light hair looks less classy and more obvious than I realize. 

Erica does hip hop - MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Reminders

Several years ago, this talk came out in the Ensign: Continue in Patience . I'm pretty sure it was written just for me, especially at the time it came out. I think one of the biggest struggles I've encountered as an "older" single woman in the LDS culture is figuring out what to do with myself in these circumstances. I fully believe there is a segment of LDS women my age (+ 5 years/-3 years) who sort of slipped through the cracks. When we were in the Young Women's program, the culture was still marriage at a young age. I don't think anyone anticipated that times were changing and that fewer of us would achieve that "ideal." I often look back and it's so easy to see how unprepared I was for facing an alternate future. 

Figuring out what it means to be single in a culture that still promotes young marriage ages has been a rewarding challenge. I've had so many remarkable experiences that I likely would never have had if I'd gotten married younger. I don't regret the path my life has take, not one bit. 

That said, patience has never been my strongest suit. And learning what it means to be actively patient - aka, not just lolling around waiting for life to happen - was a huge lesson I had to learn. I remember when I read this talk, it finally started to make sense. I began to understand what I needed to do. 

I needed this talk today. Even now, patience is hard for me. This talk is priceless. Don't give up on yourself. Don't forget that the Lord is patient with you. 

To paraphrase the Psalmist of old, if we wait patiently for the Lord, He will incline unto us. He will hear our cries. He will bring us out of a horrible pit and set our feet upon a solid rock. He will put a new song in our mouths, and we will praise our God. Many around us will see it, and they will trust in the Lord. ¹⁴

I know this promise is true. The Lord has taken me out of horrible pits in the past and lifted me to solid places. It continues to take faith and patience as wonderful new experiences appear on the horizon. Even great blessings and opportunities push us out of our comfort zones. So thankful I found this talk today :) 

In Memorium... the victims of Sandy Hook Elementary

December 14, 2012 ...

Like most tragic and shocking events, the news of this elementary school shooting came by word of mouth. I was at work, thinking more of my performance that evening than anything else. I suppose we never really feel the full impact of these events unless we are personally tied to them. So many people experienced a tragedy that day that I can't even begin to comprehend. Despite being far from the events and the deep emotions of that day, I was profoundly touched that evening by what I consider to be the greatest tribute I've heard.  

That Friday evening, the official opening of the Mormon Tabernacle Christmas Concert 2012, Lloyd Newell began the evening with remarks on the tragic events of the day. We dancers were in our places in the aisles as the entire Conference Center bowed head and paused in a moment of silence for the victims and families. It was a somber beginning to the evening performance, though it didn't darken the mood. 

The day's events jumped poignantly to the forefront of the show, however, when Alfie Boe sang "Bring Him Home." I had heard the song several times before, between dress rehearsals and other shows. This time was different. In the musical Les Miserables, the song is often titled "The Prayer." When Alfie sang on Friday, December 14, 2012, it truly felt like a prayer for the beautiful children and teachers who had lost their lives. 

May our God always bring us home to Him. 

Happy and Healhty

It's been a lovely week so far! Busy beyond all belief, but lovely. I've had so many things come up that I want to blog about, but I thought I'd start with this short gem. (I think the days of me writing longer blog posts are waning.... short's the way to go it seems, if I want to fit it into my life anymore.)

I have a bad habit of checking Facebook in the morning at some point, whether it's before work or shortly after arriving. I feel somewhat justified in this currently because we have some online campaigns going that have a strong social media backing, so I like to keep tabs on how that's going. Speaking of, you should visit Children's Miracle Network and add a child to your holiday list this season. Help us count down to zero!

Anyways, the west and now the midwest have enjoyed a lovely arctic winter storm this week. So naturally, images and comments on Facebook relating to hot chocolate are more prevalent. We're not going to break above freezing for a week here -- who wouldn't want hot chocolate? Anyways, I'm scrolling down and read the following, one juxtaposed to the other. 

So how many of you have cracked open the hot cocoa?

We made Lettuce Wraps on Home & Family on Hallmark

Channel USA! #Yummo #HealthyEating -Nina

Somewhere between this pictures I think we get the explanation of how real life is different from media life. 

Bring on the chocolate!!

(P.F. Chang's, anyone?)