Creative Wanderings

Diversity Day

That sounds like the title to an episode of  The Office…. Today in class we read a Persian folk tale. Three brothers are rug weavers and the prince of Persia has to marry the princess of Bagdad (their spelling, not mine) and he runs a competition for rugs… long story short, the brothers argue over who makes the best contribution (dyeing, designing, or weaving) and should get the prize. They finally realize they must all work together, not be selfish. Alone they are breakable like sticks, but united they can do much more!! (Go Processing Center!) Okay, obscure personal references aside, today was eye-opening. One of my students excitedly raised her hand and proclaimed that she is Persian! What?? Never would have guessed, although having seen her mom I knew she had some foreign ancestry. Persian. Now, my class of 26 is pretty diverse, so I asked how many of Read more…

By Erica, ago

October in Recap

My first full month working again Got paid for the first time at my new job! Bought my first mattress set Moved to south Salt Lake City Began rehearsals for two different dance performances Met new friends and went on many dates (1+ per week) Fell in like and unlike with a lawyer Fell in like and unlike with a business student (who gave me a bald spot one night) Realized that my warning sensors are actually very finely tuned regarding relationships… I just need to tune into them and accept what they’re telling me Saw “Dracula” the ballet, and bought tickets to see Savion Glover (whopee!) Still living out of suitcases (since I moved in mid-August) Attended the temple at least once (didn’t realize what a blessing unemployment was to allow me time to go every week!) Took zero pictures Discovered the glories of Hire’s burgers Babysat cute niece Read more…

By Erica, ago

Sabbath Morning

There was a time when I was much more vigilant about reading conference talks on a consistent basis. My new ward doesn’t meet until 1pm, and since I can’t sleep in much later than 8:30 these days, that left me a lot of time to think this morning. And read. I should have spent more time reading, I imagine, but….. oh well. I did manage to make my way over to LDS.org for some inspiration. The new conference issue is available! A quick scan of talk titles quickly revealed which one I needed to read: You Matter to Him, by President Uchtdorf. The weeks and months since early August have been a long string of uncertainty, change, and newness. I like change. I thrive in that environment, even. But the big life changes often carry significant stress and anxiety. I’ve woken up many a time at 4 or 5 am, Read more…

By Erica, ago

Beautiful Heartbreak

So I’ve been thinking about heartbreak today. Different moments of my own life where I have been left a little shattered inside by events. It leaves you a little scarred and a little scared, no matter how well you weather it. Hilary Weeks’ song looks at the postivity in heartbreak, but I feel like that kind of view can only come after some time has passed… Time has passed for me. I’m past the last major thing that rocked my world off kilter. And yet I find that traces of that time keep lingering. I truly wish I could eradicate those traces and just be me… except those experiences deeply affected me. I’m different now… less naive, more observant. Not jaded, but definitely a little more wary and maybe even fearful of getting back in that situation. How can you not be nervous? Anxious? So so so many times this Read more…

By Erica, ago

Lessons Learning

So my dad would write my missionary brothers each week on their missions. Having never served, I sometimes envied them for the contact and attention they got. I love my dad and we have good talks, but I generally talk to my mom when I call home. So a few years ago we struck a plan to improve our communication across the distance and busy lives we lead. Every so often (and generally when they’re most needed personally) my dad sends me a thought of the day. Truly, many of them have come at inspired moments. The other ones are great reminders of his love, and help me consider my day and activities. For example, this week my dad sent me a quote by Galileo.  I have never met a man so ignorant that I couldn’t learn something from him.   -Galileo Galilei, physicist and astronomer (1564-1642) This week part of our math Read more…

By Erica, ago

Not blogging

I’m fairly certain that it’s a good thing I haven’t finished the last blog post I was working on. It makes me feel like I can’t write more until I complete it. Obviously not stopping me right now but…  It’s going to be a really awesome treatment of modern Halloween and its connection to the beginnings of opera in Venice around the 1500’s. And Carnival. I promise that it makes total sense… or it will once I get my thoughts finished. I started it on Friday after finishing teaching and I guess all those 6 yr olds just drained my mental faculties enough that I couldn’t finish. But it really is a great concept, and I know you’re all dying to read it. If I were to waste time tonight and blog when I should finish my other, more educated and enlightening post, I might comment on how I am legitimately Read more…

By Erica, ago

Mi confessio

I need to be interesting in my titles. My current inspirations are 6 year olds and their lesson plans. Not all that creative. So I apologize up front for the rather obvious nature of my title. And whatever other lack of creativity you may be about to encounter.  All hail to Lisbon, the famed port of Portugal which taught and launched many a seafaring adventurer, including Cristobal Colon (Christopher Columbus). While Spain funded him, he got all his mariner training from the Portuguese. I think he may even be depicted on this massive monument in Lisbon. And controversial though he may be, he did do what others had not thought of before. It was easy once he showed them the way, but he blazed the trail. That’s not really why I started writing tonight. I’m writing for emotion. Much as I am very happy to be in a new city, Read more…

By Erica, ago

Gifts for teacher

One young boy in my class gave me my first gift of teaching. He said “Ms. Burgin?  You make me feel good inside.” It’s a job with few worldly accolades, but of the things that matter most, teaching ranks pretty high. Moments like this one remind me of that. 

By Erica, ago

Edelwiess

I auditioned tonight for a special pointe dance number in the Mormon Tabernacle Choir Christmas Concert. Despite not having had formal pointe training for something like 10 years (give or take a year here and there) I figured I might do all right. For what it’s worth, I did stay through the whole audition. For the bow, the pianist played “Edelweiss” and it seemed to me that I saw my unfulfilled dream of performing on pointe finally wing its way into the land of rest. Some things don’t come back around, I guess. At age 25, I’m far beyond the peak of my ballet dancing days, and I’m even on the wrong side of the age spectrum for many professional ballet dancers who are actually trained and amazing in their craft. I tried, though. I’ve got the blister to prove it. And now I can humbly move forward with the Read more…

By Erica, ago

And the band played on…

It was a great weekend: amazing football game with the win against Utah State, General Conference, lots of family time, and an awesome singles outing to a cabin. I loved it. School today even went quite well, and I think I’m on my way to getting into a good groove. But, as we all know, the good comes with the not so good. And I guess that’s what’s on my mind at the moment.You know you’ve had one too many bad relationships when you get anxious after meeting just one guy who could meet your standards. Lest that sound like I just met a guy, let me be clear that I have met other guys lately and gone on dates lately. It’s not just falling for the first guy, it’s meeting someone that you actually click with. That’s rare. I mean, there were moments when we both made the same comment Read more…

By Erica, ago