Blonde Moment

So I accidentally posted my First Day of School post on my family blog so if you want to read it, please go to the Toller Crew. Thanks!

And It Begins

I made this blog not only to give updates on how my life is going but also to give you a look into the life of a guardling (colorguard member). Therefore, I express my apologies for it being the third day of band camp and I am only now writing about it. You deserve a day to day analysis. It would give you a better look into the world of colorguard. Nonetheless, I will try to make it up to you.

As an overview, BYU band is WAY different than high school band. First of all, we have prayers at the beginning of every practice. Then, we have devotionals every night. Then, the way BYU does marching and basics is different. I am having a tough time making changes to my guard habits. The spirit days are more fun at BYU band camp. Today was Old People Day. It is a lot of hard work and the learning is fast paced, but I think I will have a great time.

So for the first day of band camp was not band camp; it was a special practice for colorguard. I met the other girls. They are really nice and cool. Then we split up into big sister/little sister. I really like this feature. I would use it in my guard (my future guard). The bigger sister watches over the little sister and helps her with flagwork. My sister is Rosa from Texas. She's helped a lot in cleaning my fight song and pre-game. After we met each other, we learned the fight song and a bit of choreography. It was SO hot outside! Sweat just poured down my face. It was disgusting. When we broke for lunch, I went with a bunch of girls to In-n-out. Many of them had never tried In-n-out before. Then we let out for dinner at 5 which was when my room was open for check-in. So I got my key and started moving into my apartment. Crazy, huh? I now live on my own. Whoa.

When dinner was over, Ashlee, the coach, told us that we were going to an exotic location for practice, but we didn't need our flags. So we all loaded into cars and drove off, not knowing where we were going. We ended up at the base of a mountain. We were going to hike up to the Y! The ultimate BYU tradition! I was very excited, but soon that went away as we started hiking. That hike was tough! Especially because I'm out of shape. It is all uphill. We took breaks at every turn in the switchbacks but it didn't help with the sweat fest I was having. Finally, we made it to the Y, where Ashlee gave a devotional. She introduced our theme "Becoming like Christ". This theme has an interesting twist. It is about goal management and taking steps to achieving our goals and becoming like Christ. The view from the Y is incredible, especially with the sunset. You can see the whole Utah Valley.

Well, I need to go to bed so I'll continue to write more about BYU band later.

8 things I learned at ADC

For the last two months, I have been working at Assessments.com, a start-up software company that markets state and county probation departments. It was a great experience, the things I learned in the past two months will help me throughout my life. Here is a list of the top 10 things I learned while working for Assessments.com.

8. How to use a fax machine

7. How to deposit checks and manage a bank account

6. Don't order Mexican food if the restaurant isn't Mexican

5. How to accomplish a task with an impossible deadline (by that deadline)

4.How to travel the world on a budget (Thank you Frugal Traveler)

3. Pandora is necessary for those without an ipod

2. Basic Accounting

1. Snuggies and space heaters are essential weapons when fighting a vicious air vent

Thank you to all who have made my time at ADC so great. And special thanks to Sean Hosman for giving me this opportunity.

Summerfest

Bountiful is a small town. Everyone knows each other, it takes five minutes to drive from one side of town to the other, and it doesn't have a Walmart. But Bountiful does have Summerfest- an international dance festival with ethnic food and local artists. For four days, dance troupes from France, Nepal, Czech Republic, Paraguay, Spain, South Korea, and China perform their traditional dance and music for the entertainment and pleasure of Bountifulites. It was spectacular. Definitely one of the highlights of my summer in Bountiful. And why wouldn't it? It had all the things I love- music, dance, culture, and food!

First, the Food. They had a variety of international food ranging from USA Barbecue to Chilean Empanadas. For dinner, I had a Navajo Taco, which is basically fry bread covered with beans, meat, cheese, salsa, and jalapenos. Then for dessert, I had multiple treats: baklava, fried bananas, and peach nectar. The baklava was just okay; I've had better back at home at Cafe Mix. The fried bananas were a surprise. I was expecting South American styled fried bananas with is a banana covered with sugar and cinnamon and fried so the banana is covered with a carmelized coating. Instead, my fried banana looked like an egg roll. But it was still delicious, but I was sorely missing the cinnamon. So overall, the food was just okay. I'd still rather be with my dad in Santa Clara eating baklava icecream at a Mediterranean restaurant.

But lucky for me, the dancing and music far outshined the food. My favorite dance troupe would have to be the one from Mongolia. They are internationally acclaimed and it's easy to see why. First, the costumes were spectacular. The ladies wore cerulean (blue) deels that had gold and silver lining and sheer veils that flowed down their backs. The men had fur armor and fur hats on and looked as if they were warriors right off the steppes. Second, the music was astounding. For the first part of the performance, they had Mongolian opera singers sing some laments. It was so beautiful and yet so haunting. I loved it so much that I think I am going to buy some Chinese opera music on Itunes next week. Also, a man played an instrument that looked like it was a cello you placed on your hip. It was also beautiful. Third, the dancing was both graceful and modern. When the ladies entered the stage they didn't walk, but rather floated across the floor, similar to pointe ballerinas. Their movements were in sync and the women just glowed under the lights, almost ethereal. The men's dance, on the other hand, was very similar to hip hop. I was surprised, but delighted. I think I will put some of their moves in a guard routine someday. I was so grateful that these steppe children from Mongolia would grace us with their beautiful art.

Although the Mongolians were my favorite, there were several other noteworthy groups. One such group was a bunch of troubadours from Spain. They were very charismatic, and also very handsome (not to mention they were very talented). They performed songs from Italy, Mexico, Portugal, and, of course, Spain. They were such nice people, they were one of the few performers that would actually talk to you after the show. Another awesome group was from South Korea. This group consisted of 8-12 years old who played a percussion piece. It was intense. It was amazing to see these young kids be so precise and enthusiastic as they beat their drums. They were a crowd pleaser.

Overall, this was an amazing experience. So in conclusion, if you are in Salt Lake City around the beginning of August, take the five minute ride to Bountiful and enjoy the culture and beauty of Summerfest.

Music and the Spoken Word

If you are ever in Salt Lake City in the summer, you definitely should go see the Music and the Spoken Word by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. It is a treat. Every Sunday morning at 9:30, MoTab performs a 30 minute concert for TV and radio called Music and the Spoken Word and they invite the public to watch. I've been going to the Spoken Word since about 5 years ago. It is the Dan Toller tradition to go when we are in Utah. Although it was sometimes hard to get myself out of bed, the Spoken Word has never been disappointing.



This summer, I have been lucky to have been able to go to the Spoken Word twice. The first time was for the Toller family reunion. All the Toller cousins except for Scott's were there along with second cousins and grandparents distant relatives. That performance was extra special because it was the Fourth of July, so all the music was patriotic. I remember feeling that that performance was the most patriotic thing I could have done to celebrate the founding of my country. The Spirit of our nation was so strong inside that conference center.


Yesterday, I made another trip to the Spoken Word, this time to meet my guard buddy, Maddie Clarkson. Unfortunately, her phone had died so I couldn't contact so we could find each other. So I had another lesson in being alone. Luckily, I found an aisle seat right in the middle of the conference center, giving me a great view of the choir. But what I really enjoyed was the Spoken Word. Here it is:

"In 1952 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer released what is now considered one of the best musicals ever made, Singing in the Rain. This great love story is also a story of adapting to change- it depicts the transition in the 1920s from silent movies to "talkies". Imagine what a change that must have been!

Indeed the adage is true: nothing is more constant than change. Just in the past 100 years or so, we've gone from horse and buggy to trains, automobiles, and airplanes; from paper and ink to typewriters, computers, and who know what the future will bring? Countries, cultures, and economies, and people are continually changing. We've all had to make changes...

Like an unexpected rainstorm, change can be unsettling at first. But it can also be refreshing and invigorating and enriching if we are willing to trust that good can come from change. Life in the coming decades will inevitable change for all of us. Rather than trying to avoid change, we can continue to learn, be open to new opportunities, and do our best to be prepared so we can be a positive part of change.

The future is coming, filled with wonderful opportunities and inevitable challenges. When difficulties come and dark clouds gather, they may no be easy to face, but we can make adjustments, accept changes, and maybe even find a reason to sing in the rain."

What a wonderful message, especially to all my fellow classmates out there who are making the transition to college. I know that it struck me and I hope that I'll will be able to keep a positive outlook as my life continues to change. I hope I can learn to sing in the rain.

P.S: I found Maddie and we had a marvelous day together. Here is a picture of us outside the temple.