Yep, it's true...

I have braces. again.
(They are the tooth colored kind, so they really aren't very distracting and aren't that bad at all)

Let me guess, you are thinking "WHAT? Jessica, you're teeth were so good. You have a beautiful smile. (blah, blah, blah)"

Yes, once upon a time, they were really straight. So straight and perfect (well, not quite, but straighter than they were more recently) that I was vain about it. I was so thankful that I had straight teeth after my first experience with orthodontics, I wore my retainers every day, all day, for 2 years. Then I wore my retainers every night until about a year ago. I stopped wearing them because the bottom one was broken to almost nothing and the top one didn't fit, due to the arrival of my wisdom teeth. Plus, I thought, "I probably don't need to wear these anymore." Now I see instead of stopping, I probably should have just got new retainers. Hindsight - 20/20.

Anyways, fast forward a few months, and I start to notice that my teeth are doing things I don't like. The top ones are sticking out more, the bottoms are getting a little crooked. Argh.

I won't share every little detail about why I decided to do braces instead of Invisalign instead of just not doing anything at all, but why did I get braces you still wonder? Because, I want straight teeth and braces was the option that would allow us to address the main issue of why my teeth had moved - my tongue. So in addition to braces I also have a somewhat large metal device in my mouth that as of right now helps me have a really awesome lisp - which should hopefully become less of a lisp soon - and also prevents me from pushing my tongue up against my teeth. It shouldn't be a long process, maybe a year - cross your fingers - or less - double cross your fingers.

I'm gonna have a killer awesome smile.

In the mean time, I've thought of some other "reasons" I've considered sharing with people, if they were to ask :-)

- I was just getting to be so awesome, I needed to be humbled a little bit.
- I was getting asked out by so many guys, I figured me having braces might encourage them to ask out some other girls.
- It's an experiment in unnecessary pain.
- I want to relate to my elementary students more.
- My life was going so well, I figured it was time to mix things up a little bit.
- I'm really afraid of kissing someone, and I thought braces might help prevent that from happening.
- I had nothing better to do with my money.

Any other good reasons, please share. Hope you are well!

Summertime...

...and the livin' is easy.

For reals, I love that I get to do whatever I want. I've been working on craft projects (ribbon flowers for headbands, crocheted blanket, painting, cardmaking) spending time with friends and family, writing ukulele songs, and whatever else. I'm looking forward to going on some trips (bluegrass festival, visiting my mom's family in Utah) and who knows, maybe even the moon. Actually, that might be a little expensive.

Anyways, this summer is going well so far. If anyone asks me what I did last summer, I really don't know. Minus my Utah trip, it wasn't really anything too exciting. So, to combat the "what did I even DO for two months" feeling, I've been keeping a diary of sorts of what I do every day, so that at the end I'm sure not to feel like a life waster.

Because I am determined not to be a life waster.

One thing about summer - I'm so used to being busy and having stories to tell from school/work, that when people ask about my day, and I reply "[insert reply]", sometimes I feel just a little silly. Because they go to work and do "important" things, and I mostly stay home. and do... things.

One thing that is relatively new - I have a new little sister. That is, I'm mentoring a young 10 year old girl through Big Brothers Big Sisters. She's a little shy, but she is warming up to me (I think) and we have a good time. Plus, she really likes doing crafts, so I'm hoping she will help me use all of the superfluous beads/paper/materials I have in my house.

So far, so good. Hope you are enjoying your summer also!

Acoustic Night

To celebrate all things ukulele and acoustic music in general, I invited a bunch of people over to my house Saturday evening for an acoustic night. What I thought it would be and what it ended up being were two different things, but it turned out 10 times more fun and awesome than I could have anticipated. Instead of going around in a circle and people playing one song at a time, we hooked up the laptop to the TV and surfed the internet for chords for songs, then played along as we all sang. Lisa Loeb, Dixie Chicks, Weezer, The Darkness, whatever came to mind. It was kinda like play-it-yourself karaoke. Then we proceeded to create our own songs about Nachos, Nacho (a different kind), Ikea, and various ladies in the room. One of the best parts = We recorded the silly songs we made up. Wanna listen? (Be sure to listen to the Nachos and Ikea Song - those are two of my favorites)

http://soundcloud.com/jabrook

(They were all 1st run, on the spot recordings. Nothing was planned - except for the chord progressions)

Instruments: Ukuleles, guitars, a mandolin, keyboard, small keyboard (with beats), glockenspiel, bongos, saw, egg shaker, small handbells, and ... I think that is all.

It was so much fun. I can't wait till next time. Oh, and I think we could use a new name - Maybe something like Acoustic Karaoke Creations? Thoughts?

Remembrances

One of my private violin students asked me to fill out a set of questions – kind of like an interview – about college, application information, why I picked ASU, etc. I was glad to do it, but as I typed my answers to her questions, a kind of sadness came over me.  Not because because I want to go back or long for the days of homework, but because it hurt to think about it. Without dumping my problems where they don’t belong or delving into all of the details and personal frustrations that made those years what they were, I will just say that I’m so glad I pushed through. I’m so glad that every time I got frustrated and wanted to just stop or do something else, I knew that I couldn’t and wouldn’t, because for whatever reason, that was what I needed to do. I knew it. I knew that Heavenly Father would help me understand how it would all work out in the end. Those years were times of great learning, frustrations, growth, and just experiencing life and trying to figure out how to it all worked. The worst part was that I felt like the people who I wanted the most help from had very little idea of what I was experiencing.

After I graduated, when I started working, it all kind of started again. I had no idea where I wanted to work, and somehow I ended up where I am now. And again, I experienced great sadness and frustration at the beginning – all by myself, in a new place. And again, the people that I wanted the most help from had never been where I was, in terms of my situation and circumstances. Countless phone calls home, crying about this and that and everything in between. But every time I tried to think of a different scenario I could put myself in – living somewhere else, doing something else – nothing worked. I knew that no matter how much I disliked it and how  unhappy I was, for whatever reason I was unhappy,  that this is where I was supposed to be. As I look back on my experiences, I can see know how I have grown, how my experiences have created who I am, how they have made me a better Jessica. And, very importantly, I can see how my faith has grown, and how now, when I experience something, whatever it may be – an experience or a feeling – I know that I can and will make it through just fine. Because I have a Heavenly Father who loves me, and has helped me in the past, and he will continue to do so.

I still have MANY things that I need to be better at, learn, and experience, and I know that this is only the beginning of my path of progression in my life and over the course of my eternal existence. But I know that no matter what, I can do it, I can make it through. And just like now, I will be able to look back at those harder times, and see how it all worked out.

How has it worked out? Well,  I really enjoy my job now, I like where I live, I feel like things are going pretty good. The bottom line: I feel like I’ve finally made it to being a fairly well adjusted, got-it-somewhat-together, I-can-take-care-of-myself adult.  And I like it. Not that I wasn’t these things before, or that I was ever not focused, or that I’ve spent my life in misery – cause that is not true at all. Just that where I am is a probably the most positive mental  place I’ve been within the last ___ years. Socially, it’s better than ever, but it needs to get a lot better. Spiritually, I’m seriously starting to consider and prepare to go to the Temple –  but I do need to dedicate myself more to my personal study. Physically, on my way to being my best.

That’s all. for now. Hope you are well. Keep on keepin’ on.

Wired

I'm not sure how I stumbled on this article (see below), but as I was reading it, I came to this statement:

“Facebook is amazing because it feels like you’re doing something and you’re not doing anything. It’s the absence of doing something, but you feel gratified anyway.”

As I read the article (and that sentence specifically), I felt a sense of concern. A big one. 27,000 texts a month. Really? Who does that. 6 hours of video games? What a waste. Not a big deal? Um, I don't think so,


It also made me think of Elder Bednar's talk "Things as They Really Are". Sometimes I wish I didn't ever have to use a computer. Never have to check email. Never have to rely on FB to tell me what time the activity I'm going to is at. Never have the temptation of the internet to distract me from really doing something. Never have to do anything with it. Don't get me wrong-Technology is awesome. And a great blessing. AND you really can do so much and be very productive with it's help. But I just wish my life were so simple I didn't have to ever use it. Especially the internet. I've wasted more time/procrasted more on the internet doing absolutely nothing than I could probably even imagine. I'm not proud of it. How much more sleep I could have got, more books I could have read, etc. Even this blog is a somewhat sore spot in my life.


But, it's almost like you can't function in this society without all this stuff. Thoughts?


Article:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/21/technology/21brain.html?_r=1&nl=todaysheadlines&emc=a2&pagewanted=all

Elder Bednar:
http://lds.org/library/display/0,4945,538-1-4830-1,00.html

The Last 3 Months

So, I looked at my blog and realized that the last time I said anything (or rather typed anything) was in August. That was a long time ago.

So, what have I been doing?

1) Teaching.
It's going well - better than last semester. But, at the same time, it always takes me a while to adjust to what I'm doing (it seems like in EVERYTHING...) - even in college I always felt better about life in general in my spring semester. So, I'm anticipating next semester to be even better.  The beginning of the year is always stressful and keeps me busy, but it's settling down and now I'm starting to be able to be social and not feel bad choosing that over staying home and working.

I like most of my schools. I really like my students - the majority of them are such fun, nice kids. The rest I just have to be a little more patient with.

Oh yeah, and then Saturdays are spent teaching lessons at gma and pas. So, my life almost revolves around teaching. sigh.... I try not to think about it too much. It gets me a little bummed about the non-excitement my life may seem to contain.


2) Personal Trainer
Yes, you read that right. And I love it. Two times a week, since the middle of September, at the gym in front of my complex. It feels so good to exercise and be strong(er) and use my muscles. Hooray.


3) Performed in a Musical at the Mesa Arts Center - October
And got paid for it. "The Last Five Years" - the music is challenging, but I really liked it - especially that I had a reason to practice and something to practice.


4) Institute / FHE / Attempting to be social
I'm getting better at it. I like being social, and especially since I'm either by myself or surrounded by 11-year-olds, it's nice to be around people closer to my age.


5) Mae Concert
One of my favorite bands (VERY near the top of my list) is currently on a "goodbye tour". So, of course I went to their concert in Mesa on Tuesday. It was excellent. I only wish my sister (who came with me) knew more of the words. I was singing along the whole time (minus 1 or 2 songs), and I think it would have been a little more fun (for her and me) to have someone else to sing along with.


6) I'm excited for the upcoming breaks from School/Work.
Which prompts me - I sometimes struggle with knowing whether to refer to my employment, when talking with others, as "School" or "Work". Because the fact that I work at a school (well, 4 of them) gives a lot of context to my place of work. Thoughts?


So, I think that is pretty much it. Now if / when you see / talk to me next, you know what you can ask me about. Or, I guess you could choose to be silent and not talk to me because you read my blog and now know what's been going on in my world. Hopefully you choose the first option :-)

Caio!

Results and Whatnots

Just so you know, the bread turned out VERY yummy. AND, I cut it just fine at my apartment without a bread knife. I gave one loaf to my family and the other to gma and pa (who were kind enough to share). I cut some slices, took them with me over to my friends' home with who (whom?) I was riding to Utah, and we made sandwiches for our lunches. Very good idea.

School starts soon. Do I have everything ready? No. Am I a little like "JESSICA!!!!!! what were you doing this ENTIRE summer???" Yes, a little bit. But, at the same time, it was a good summer. I am so glad that I got to relax and do what I did. And knowing me, I'll still get everything done. Somehow it always works out.

Tip of the day: Don't be like me and end your sentences with prepositions.

Do be like me and go make something good to smell. My just-out-of-the-oven zucchini bread smells de - lic - ous. *

*Note- you can do whatever you like. I don't mean to be commanding - just encouraging - and maybe jealousy-inducing. And yes, I do other things with my life than cook/bake. I promise.