Hey Nonny Nonny!

I've been incredibly busy lately,

and have had a lot on my mind. 

but the other day I ran across this song, 

and I had a moment to stop,

breathe, 

and just relax.

and because I'm me, 

I was drawn into thoughts of Much Ado About Nothing...

now don't think I'm just having a distinctly me moment. 

The song was actually intended to be this way, 

but the title, Sigh No More, (and a couple of the other lines)

comes from Much Ado About Nothing.

and goes as such.

Sigh no more, ladies, sigh no more;
Men were deceivers ever;
One foot in sea, and one on shore,
To one thing constant never.
Then sigh not so, but let them go,
And be you blithe and bonny,
Converting all your sounds of woe
Into hey nonny, nonny.

Sing no more ditties, sing no moe
Of dumps so dull and heavy;
The fraud of men were ever so,
Since summer first was leavy.
Then sigh not so, but let them go,
And be you blithe and bonny,
Converting all your sounds of woe
Into hey, nonny, nonny.

(ok ok. I just have to say this before I go on. Beatrice is probably one of my favorite characters of all time, and in the movie Emma Thompson is saying this, and its absolutely perfect for her. Mind you, she is so vivacious, and actively facetious, so I don't want you to think this is a commentary on men, or my feelings about men, or anything. She's being facetious. I can relate)

and of course I keep think of "sigh not so, but let them go, And be you blithe and bonny, Converting all your sounds of woe Into hey, nonny, nonny.

that, and in my head I always here it like this:

and it never has been done better,

because lets just be honest.

Emma Thompson is amazing.

and I know I haven't really blogged lately, 

and I probably won't be blogging again for a good long while, 

but I figured I could leave you with something I love.

because justice is justice, and because Fwance is Fwance

(if you know the quote, i love you)
(and i say i love you because chances are, you're a member of my family...)
(and if you're not, i might love you anyway, you never know)

and though the title is funny, this post is not intended to be funny.

in fact, it is about what has been on my mind as of late.

This last weekend was General Conference, and i absolutely loved it.
one of my favoritefavoritefavorite talks was Elder Holland's.
I love that man.

i have spent a lot of time pondering on this talk.
it is full of lessons.

i found myself in the scriptures reading the parable of the Labourers in the Vineyard that he relates at the beginning of his talk.
(it can be found here if you don't have your bible handy)
so i turned on the talk, listening, thinking i would pick out my favorite lines to share.
i ended up picking out most of the second half of the talk.

I kept thinking about mercy, about the grace of God.

and ended up choosing these words.
and they carry inherent in them and in their truths the Spirit of God.
but to hear it in Elder Holland's voice is a special treat.
if you have the time,
listen to it.

 here is a link to that talk

(the following is the text i chose, with ellipses to represent where i cut out something, and emphasis added where i like, including bolded and italicized text, punctuation, and spacing):

[...]

we are not diminsihed when someone else is added upon
we are not in a race against eachother to see who's the wealthiest, or the most talented or the most beautiful, or even the most blessed.
the race we are really in is the race against sin
and surely envy is one of the most universal of those

furthermore,

envy is a mistake that just keeps on giving
obviously we suffer a little when some misfortune befalls us,
but envy requires us to suffer all good fortune that befalls everyone we know!

what a bright prospect that is!
downing another quart of pickle juice any time anyone around you has a happy moment.

to say nothing of the chagrin in the end when we find that God really is both just and merciful

giving to all who stand with Him all that He hath, as the scripture says.

so, lesson number 1 from the Lord's vineyard:

Coveting, pouting, or tearing others down does not elevate your standing

nor does demeaning someone else improve your self-image.

so be kind. and be grateful that God is kind
it is a happy way to live.

[...]

we consume such precious emotional and spiritual capital clinging tenaciously to the memory of a discordant note we struck in a childhood piano recital, or something a spouse said or did 20 years ago that we are determined to hold over his or her head for another 20. or an incident in chuch history that proves no more of less than that mortals will always struggle to measure up to the immortal hopes placed before them.

even if one of those grievences did not begin with you

it.
can.
end.
with.
you!

and what a reward there will be for that contribution when the Lord of the vineyard looks you in the eye and accounts are settled at the end of our earthly day.

          [...]

this is a story about God's goodness,
His patience and forgiveness
and the atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ.
it is a story about generosity and compassion
it is a story about grace.

it underscores the thought i heard many years ago

that surely the thing God enjoys most about being God is the thrill of being merciful. espeically to those who don't expect it and especially feel they don't deserve it.

 [...]

however late you think you are
however many chances you think you've missed
however many mistakes you think you've made
or talents you think you don't have
or distance from home, and family and God you feel you have travelled

I testify that you have not travelled beyond the reach of divine love
it is not possible for you to sink lower than the infinite light of Christ's atonement shines

          [...]

there is no problem which you cannot overcome
there is no dream that in the unfolding of time and eternity cannot yet be realized.

even if you feel you are the lost and last laborer of the 11th hour the lord of the vineyard still stands beckoning:

Come boldly to the throne of Grace
and fall at the feet of the holy one of Israel
come and feast without money and without price
at the table of the Lord

          [...]

so if you've made covenants, keep them.
if you haven't made them, make them.
if you've made them and broken them, repent and repair them.

it is never too late
so long as the Master of the vineyard says there is time.

please listen to the prompting of the Holy Spirit telling you right now,

this very moment,

that you should accept the atoning gift of the Lord Jesus Christ
and enjoy the fellowship of His labor.

don't delay.
it is getting late.

i feel that i can honestly add nothing to that, save the thought process it spurred in me.

I turned to that parable,
reading carfully, and as i read,
i remembered the line

surely the thing God enjoys most about being God is the thrill of being merciful

 and i was touched.

because while remembering how little i am in the grand scheme of things
i realized that not only does He want me to do what is right,
to love Him,
to follow Him,
to love others,
and
to help my neighbors,

he also wants for me to come to Him,

and in humility and contrition,

ask for His mercy.
and pray for His aid.

I might be little, but I matter to Him.

I then turned to that part in James where is the discussion of faith vs. works.

13 For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.

14 What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?
15 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,
16 And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?
17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.

ok. so point, right? neither faith nor mercy can independently save man,

can independently save me.

it is the intermingling and combination of the two,
the one so effectually proving the other,
that gives us strength to come to the judgement,
to ask for that mercy
because we understand that we need it,
if not believing that we can even possibly deserve it,
and having spent our lives giving it,
we want it.

and i realized that mercy is what allows us, as people, to function, interact, and create relationships.

justice is how governments run,
and we often feel that we want justice.

but we need mercy.
to forgive eachother,
to forgive ourselves,
and to keep on keeping on.

we need the atonement of Christ which facilitates, enables, and allows for change,
and though He may forget,
we are blessed to remember those things
that we may recognize the
beauty
power
and love
evident in that atonement.

and that thought brought me to Shakespeare
(as many things do)
and i remembered The Merchant of Venice

and how after the trial has started,
disguised as a man,
and pleading Christian beliefs with a Jew,
Portia fights for the man she loves,
in spite of his own guilt in the matter
with these words:

The quality of mercy is not strain'd,
It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven
Upon the place beneath: it is twice blest;
It blesseth him that gives and him that takes:
'Tis mightiest in the mightiest: it becomes
The throned monarch better than his crown;
His sceptre shows the force of temporal power,
The attribute to awe and majesty,
Wherein doth sit the dread and fear of kings;
But mercy is above this sceptred sway;
It is enthroned in the hearts of kings,
It is an attribute to God himself;
And earthly power doth then show likest God's
When mercy seasons justice. Therefore, Jew,
Though justice be thy plea, consider this,
That, in the course of justice, none of us
Should see salvation: we do pray for mercy;
And that same prayer doth teach us all to render
The deeds of mercy.

if your first reaction is that Shakespeare is above you, beyond you, or outside of your sphere of knowledge,
 
think again.
 
the beauty of Shakespeare is that in so many places, and in so many ways
he recounts to us stories that teach us the same truths that we learn in scripture.
 
so read it again.
 
because we do pray for mercy; and that same prayer doth teach us all to render the deeds of mercy.
 
so I've been incredibly grateful as of late not only for what I have,
what I am,
who I am,
what I know,
 
but also for what I've had,
what I've been,
who I've been,
what I've known,
what I can have,
what I can be,
who I can be,
what I can know,
 
and the infinte, indescribable, eternal blessing of
 
what I can change
 
mercy I can give,
and mercy I can recieve.
 
because

it is never too late

so long as the Master of the vineyard says there is time.

and there is time.

sickinbed

 

sometimes you don't feel so good, and so you're laying (lying? lieing? i hate this word) sick in  bed, and for all the pounding in your head, you can't just lay (lie? lye? again. hate) there anymore. so you make a playlist.

and just start listening. 

and it makes feeling awful about 110% more bearable.

i love being me.

ain't nothing going on...

so i am working this temp job.

and one of the guys who works there responded to the question "what's going on?"

with

"nothing but the rent"

i had absolutely no concept of what this phrase would mean...

in case you were wondering, this song explains it all:





a fly girl like me, needs security...

what excellent lyrics




ain't nothing going on but the rent.

this is not a trick question.

am i too old to go see The Lorax by myself?



its the middle of the week,
and i don't think i can wait for the weekend to see it with someone else.

you may not know this about me,
but i absolutely adore Dr. Seuss

(not quite as much as i absolutely adore Eloise,
but pretty close)

and i don't think i can wait 3 more days...

clearly i have issues.

on another note.

this song came on today while i was at work, and it almost killed me
it took all of my self control not to start singing along.
i'm pretty sure at my house we watched this a million times.



among other things frequently watched in the elmer household are:



and



"then came the really scary part: parenthood"

i love lion king 1 1/2...



anyway.

i hope you have a wonderful day full of all the things you find funny...

fact of the matter is

i would fly across the country to see this...

its playing in new york, and if i could be there before its run is over, 

i would die of joy...

i surely hope that someone sees it for me... 

i'm dying to know how it is.

happiness is...

a warm gun?

ok. maybe its not.

but i just feel as though i should share.

to say i'm a positive person would be nothing short of a lie.
now i'm not saying i'm super negative
(thought the term negative nancy has been put out there on more than one occasion)
but as a general rule

let me give you a sample.
this is me looking on the brightside

admitting that happiness is out there,
saying it'll probably get worse before it gets better,
i didn't ask your opinion, but yes, i know my life is directionless,
even if i'm not happy, other people are happy,
actually, i regularly try to scrub out the stain that is my dating life in general (its not worth all that much) so no, i don't want to talk about it,
two of my best friends just got married and moved away. i'm  not sad that they're married and i'm not. i'm just annoyed they got married and moved.
every great artist had a dark side,
yes, i didn't sleep last night because i wanted to look like this today,
and sleep is for pussies anyway.
the law of opposites says i have to be sad to appreciate happiness
etc. etc.

you catch my drift?

anyway.

that's pretty average me

tuesday was way not average me.

1. i slept in (ok. that was average me)
2. i woke up... happy (i tend to hate mornings. you know that part of the grinch where he's got the phonebook and he's yelling "hate, hate, hate. double hate. loathe entirely. i'll give you two guesses which one best describes my feeling toward all hours before 9, sometimes 10 am)
3. i woke up easily (see the above)
4. this is all being taken under advisement, as it was valentines day and i am not only single, but perpetually so.
5. i didn't have to work that day, and i found i wasn't all that lonely (turns out i'm excellent company if you think i'm funny. which i do)
6. i didn't even read a single page of pride & prejudice (and as of late, not many days have passed on which i could say as much)
7. chipper. i was chipper. driving in my car smiling... (i am still considering the possibility of possession by some valentine's spirit wishing to do harm to my personality)
8. i got bored and drove to provo. (still singing, still smiling, appreciating on the drive back that it was dark and people couldn't see how stupid i looked with as much ease)
9. instead of moping about how no one cares about me, i did something for someone i care about (i'm not going to be super self-less and say it felt better than someone expressing their appreciation for me would have, but it was nice)
10. i kept thinking about happy things, smiling (this might seem over stated, but i'm not a big smiler-for-no-reason-er), singing songs that on normal days make me depressed, didn't think about men/boys/reasons why people i liked never liked me (this is the point, on a normal day, at which everything breaks down into a state of personal loathing and self-deprecation). i was just smiling, singing, laughing for no reason.

and i'm not saying i'm not a happy person.
i'm just saying that valentine's was weird.



the end.

in honor of st. valentine

(disclaimer. this is in no way to be considered a complete, exhaustive, or finished list.
it is quite likely that it will be added to)

if you know me,
even a little bit,
at some point in our acquaintance,
i have probably waxed eloquent about music.

now,
as there are so many wonderful songs celebrating
the same thing which this day celebrates,
i thought i would go ahead and share with you
some of my favorites.

go ahead and click play on the side bar if you only want to listen,
but if you care to engage,
below are some of the songs listed on the side
(and some which are not)
and my reasons for loving them
(or their videos)

(and if you're not sure what i'm talking about in my commentary...
go to the sidebar and listen to that song.
they're all worth a listen.)

the beatles, something
i have to start out with what is relatively widely considered one of the most romantic songs of all time...
and all i have to say is.
oh george.



eric clapton, wonderful tonight
now, having started with something
i feel like i have to include this.
for those who are wondering,
this song and something were both written about the same woman
who was married first to george harrison then eric clapton.
and even though both of the songs are divine,
apparently their relationships were not...
so from here on out,
take each song with a grain of salt.
nonetheless, i love this song.



the beatles, here, there, and everywhere
one time i saw a man
on the side of a road
singing this song.
i loved it before,
that made me fall in love with it.





beyonce, at last
this one i have to dedicate to my sister.
my brother in law,
and my two other brothers who have not skipped the chance to sing it to them
since they chose it as their first dance at their wedding reception...
big mistake.
you'll never live it down.


extreme, more than words
i have no words...
for the awesomeness that is the hair of the man playing the guitar.
i would feel like it was an excellent day if i could have my hair looking that good.



norah jones, love me tender
now don't get me wrong,
i love elvis,
but there's something divine about this version of love me tender...
its that much more...
tender.

regina spektor, folding chair
come and open up your folding chair next to me.
my feet are buried in the sand, and there's a breeze

stacey kent, it never entered my mind
this one is far more bittersweet than romantic,
but i love stacey's voice

james taylor and carol king, you've got a friend
to me this is just as romantic as anything...
you've got a friend.

p.s., check out james' awesome hair



leighton meester and garrett hedlund, give into me
most people don't love country,
but give this song a chance.
i love it

the weepies, somebody loved
rain turns the sand into mud

ingrid michaelson, you & i
its just so catchy, cute,
and
its got a ukulele
what more can you ask for?



ingrid michaelson, the chain
bittersweet,
but underneath is the concept of trying,
working,
making love work.
"if you come around again, then i will take the chain from off the door"

adele, make you feel my love
this song is amazing to me.
anyone who discredits bob dylan,
no matter his ability to sing,
cannot deny his ability to write wonderful music.
point a:


(with a huge thanks to the beautiful voice of ADELE)

point b:
bob dylan, girl from the north country
i blame caitlin for getting me to love bob dylan.
i also thank caitlin for getting me to love bob dylan.
he was an amazing song writer.
"she once was a true love of mine"



leona lewis, the first time ever i saw your face
i
freaking
love
this
song.
the.
end.
i also couldn't find this version (which is my favorite) on grooveshark
but i did find a glee version which has been quite satisfactory



mandy moore, zachary levi, i see the light
come on.
everyone loved tangled.

chris brown, keri hilson, superhuman
this song is way too fun...
next time you're driving alone
(or with someone for all i care)
turn it up way loud
and bust it out
its like modern,
r&b
a whole new world.
so fun.

adele, one and only
i just love her voice,
and i love her lyrics
and i love this song.
i have immense respect for people who can write good songs.
and she can.

"you'll never know if you never try to forgive your past and simply be mine"



p.s. did you know her last name is adkins?
just fyi


copeland, brightest
this one is a credit to kyle taylor.
i love this song,
but it is thanks to him that i know it...

adele, lovesong
the song which will make me defend the cure till my dying day.
their singing might not be that great,
but their music is excellent



the dixie chicks, easy silence
its a nice sentiment.
"i come to find a refuge in the easy silence that you make for me"

the street where you live from My Fair Lady
i think i might have been in love with freddie when i was a little girl
because this song gives me chills...
and makes me forget how creepy it is that he's practically stalking her

the format, inches and falling
um.
go ahead and try not to sing along.
double dog dare you

glen hansard and marketa irglova falling slowly
i wrote a post about this song.
because i love it.
because its that good.
and because its a bit like The Chain
its kind of offering a second chance.
"we've still got time"

hall & oates, kiss on my list
this is another one that is near impossible not to sing along to.
and i had to narrow down hall & oates to one song,
and i picked this one,
though you make my dreams come true was a close second

david cassidy, i think i love you
the beginning of this song makes me feel really anxious.
like something's about to go wrong.
but he just thinks he loves her.
whew



joni mitchell, a case of you
i love this song because i don't think i've ever decided whether i think the line
"i could drink a case of you and i would still be on my feet"
is positive or negative.
i guess you can decide for yourself

julie roberts, rain on a tin roof
i sort of hate this song,
but for some reason it seems to evoke that feeling of rain
and i love rain.
and its a "love" song so, its here.
because i love rain and valentine's is about loving.


jump little children, by the way they dance
this is one of those songs that make you want to dance with someone
and it makes you pay attention to how people dance with each other.
can you tell?

paul mccartney, maybe i'm amazed
i've not nothing for this,
but
oh paul.

amy adams and lee pace, if i didn't care
this is a remake done for a movie,
but they slowed it down and i just sort of love it
i love how lee pace comes in a covers for her
even though he's not that great of a singer.
and its sort of the backwards way of saying
"i care"

pat benatar, we belong
i just love pat benatar,
and i think this video is to die for.
gotta love the 80's



diana ross, the supremes, the temptations, i'm gonna make you love me
its just good.

the temptations, i wish it would rain
please.
this video makes this song way better.
and it was already pretty awesome.



the temptations, ain't to proud to beg
ditto to the previous.



train, marry me
(watch video to understand)
who thinks he looks way to old for that waitress?
hands?
anyone?
well i do.
but i like the song.



toploader, dancin' in the moonlight
in the event that you're ever wanting my mom to dance,
this song
or kung fu fighting
will usually do the trick.
but kung fu fighting isn't really all that romantic...

billie holiday, i'll be seeing you
i.
love.
her.
voice.


the righteous brothers, unchained melody
once i learned to play this song on the piano.
now i just listen to it.

whitney houston, i will always love you
not because she's dead.
because its a love song if ever i heard one

marlon brando, jean simmons, a woman in love
like on the street where you live,
this song just gets me.
maybe its his voice...
not great,
but with a lot of character



patrick swayze, she's like the wind
if you can take this song seriously,
i applaud you.
some romantic songs make for
excellent
laughs

dido, white flag
i loved this era of pop.
it was simultaneously wonderful and awful

98 degrees, i do (cherish you)
same the above except plus nick lachey's earrings...
what a plus



n'sync, god must have spent a little more time on you
um...
to be honest.
i don't really get the video,
but i like when JT drops... feathers?... in front of the camera...
now that's true love.



so do you have any favorite love songs?
slash
romantic songs?
slash
songs that are so cheesy you can't decide if you need to barf or laugh?

if so, please share.

and...

if you have someone to celebrate Valentine's with,
i really hope you didn't waste too much of your day actually listening to or reading all of this.

good gravy.

i at least have an excuse for wasting so much of my time.

i hope you have a marvelous day.
love somebody.

and remember,

you've got a friend.




(not included, though still a favorite: Hot Chocolate, You Sexy Thing)



mid day additions

warrant, heaven
for byrce, mal, ruby, and baby on the way.
and because the thing under the lead singer's eye made Gaga look like a copy cat.
and i love that



je fais de toi mon essentiel from le roi soleil
for rachel
and for being 17 and at college
and for french



beyonce, love on top
the real, honest truth is:
HOW COULD I HAVE FORGOTTEN THIS ONE?!?!




forgetting the beyonce was shameful... this is about as bad as it gets
frank sinatra, the way you look tonight



the civil wars, poison & wine
i love the civil wars,
and this is more like one of those songs that is more
desperately hopeful than actually  hopeful
"i don't have a choice, but i still choose you. i don't love you, but i always will"




in later news,
i tried really hard to never use this song,
because i have some serious gripe with the movie Titanic,
(excluding the actual sinking of the boat, its garbage)

but come on.
this song is...

well remembered.
so if you're super excited about going to watch the boat sink
IN THEATERS
IN 3D

enjoy

p.s. the music video is strange


lady antebellum, just a kiss
i also wanted to share this because i think its super classy
just a kiss goodnight...



and the last song before the day is officially over...
louis armstrong, la vie en rose

now i adore the edith piaf version.
but romantically, i just feel like the words express something very different,
and a little less romantic,
a little more desperate.
so i'm going with louis



but for good measure...



good night,
and happy valentine's day

Back in the Saddle Again

in some ways I am entirely ashamed to admit what I am about to say, but in others, I will hold out with a strong defence.

I found out this afternoon about a temp job, accepted, and will be working this week.

Unfortunately, this evening, at a respectable 9:45 pm, when I got into bed, I found that I was completely unable to sleep.

The shame in this admission is not that I was restless or simply unable to sleep. 

I was reading a book.

Or, rather, I have been reading a book, and after reading a respectable 15 minutes, I laid it down on my nightstand and stared at it for a considerably short period of time before picking it up and continuing to read... for another 3 hours.

Now laugh if you will, but it gets worse.

I was reading, eyes wide, heart racing, SO excited, 100 pages from the end...

OF A BOOK I'VE ALREADY READ!

(more shame added... its a book that I couldn't possibly tell you how many times I've read it... maybe 3 times in the last year? ok. give me some credit. the last 13 months. I know I read it over the summer and Christmas 2010... that means 13 months)

and if ever there was a man who were to read this, by no means be dissuaded.

I am not obsessive about books.

(as a whole... yes, I love books. All books. But as far as novels go, this one is my favorite)

and I don't fall in love with fictional characters. 

but there is one book which will put a smile on my face, and make me laugh with almost every page (except for a period of time in the middle during which I get extremely anxious for the future of the characters, no matter how many times I've read it).

Now no judgement (unless you're judging the obcenity of the hour during which I am writing a post about a book. if that is the case, by all means, go ahead and judge me.)

It was Pride and Prejudice.

Disclaimer:

I promise,

No matter how wonderful he may seem,

I will not wax eloquent on the wonderful qualities of Mr. Darcy,

because, on the whole, I believe almost every woman who reads Pride and Prejudice is entirely mistaken in her affection for the character. He's awkward, uncomfortable in his own skin, unable to express himself, and the sort of man whom it is difficult to get to know, as he doesn't have the self-possesion to let any woman close enough to try.

there. I ranted about his negative qualities.

But still... to the point

I once wrote a blog post about a number of things, among them being that I wish I was Elizabeth Bennet, to which my mother responded "YOU ARE ELIZABETH BENNET" 

Needing further reassurance, I reread the book, but not being in the best of spirits at the time, I was mostly just wanting to be like her, and not actually being like her.

In the middle of the night I couldn't stop reading because I just kept thinking, "It's me! It's me!"

Now don't mistake this for vanity... though, like Elizabeth, I have a fair amount of vanity which I try desperately to keep in check.

I know she's one of the most beloved characters of all time. 

I just feel like she's misrepresented. 

Now I can't say that I possess the same constant liveliness of character, or such a quick, wonderful wit, but we do have so many things in common that I find the book to be completely irresistible. 

I love other books. 

and if I were asked to pick a favorite writer of all time, I would probably be completely torn between Jane Austen and Shakespeare.

But, were I asked to pick my favorite novelist, hands-down, everytime, no questions, no one else even comes close. 

Jane Austen. 

and as much as I love that her stories have happy endings, what I love more is that she makes me laugh. 

and "I dearly love a laugh"

Now as I told my mother this afternoon that I have not been blogging because I have nothing to say, I will attempt to amend my statement by saying that I have nothing to say which has not been said before (by myself or someone else), but I, nonetheless, will try to be a better blogger.

Cross my heart, Hope to die. But I won't stick a needle in my eye. That's not my style

kids are great

this is the greatest thing ever...

the kids at the end are the best