Whew! I've been making up for my inability to do so during the semester by reading copiously over break. Over the weekend I read Brisingr for the second time (and if you happen to own Inheritance, I would so very love to borrow it!), and just today I read The Sky is Everywhere as well as The Giver. I think I might explode from all of the feelings and concepts and inspiration I've gotten from all of them. I'd forgotten how wonderful reading is. Does anyone else ever have days like this? Where you just feel so self-indulgently contemplative that you read all day and forget to eat and feel so inspired that you start writing a screenplay?

Fictionist

If you live in Provo and you have not gone to see Fictionist live...

a) ...you are the scum of the Earth.

b) ...you have not yet lived.

c) ...you are missing out on the best musical experience in Provo.

d) ...you will forever regret it once they're the next big thing.

e) ...there is still time to repent. Next time, BE THERE.

The Little Things

I haven't written much new music lately because of school, but I'm always writing down little tidbits of ideas in case I do find some time to put something together. I have a Post-It note app on my iGoogle page with tons of possible lyrics or song titles just sitting around waiting to be made into something coherent. Now I just need to find a decent amount of time where I'm coherent....

One idea I got for a song that would play right into a music video is a song about the little things in life and why it's important to be able to recognize them. The video would consist purely of close-ups of sweet, little things that are small but wonderful, like when a guy puts his hand on your lower back (I looooove that) or when a bird hops really close to you. We sometimes forget to appreciate those things. I'm a little hesitant to write on a theme like this since I'm always fighting the tendency to be didactic. It's just easier to say the "moral of the story" straight out, but that defeats the art and the fun of music...usually. I occasionally allow myself to err on the side of preachy, and I think it works in some cases. "To The Sky" is a good example of that. It's not really supposed to be a deep, mysterious song, and the music goes along with that. Simple chords and strumming patterns, not too many instruments, and sparse harmony. However, the simplicity of it sometimes drives me a little crazy, so I try to avoid writing like that too much. I really wish I had more time and a more organized mind....I have so many ideas and plans and vision for what I want my music to be, but right now what I really need to do is focus on school and my health and spirituality.

I did take a little time out of my schedule to promote the songwriting club at the Involvapalooza on campus the other week.

My biggest musical outlet for the time being is Jazz Voices, which is, of course, the auditioned jazz choir on campus. I am so, so glad to be in this group. The audition process was interesting. At first, there was only intended to be one group. two hundred-ish people auditioned, and then 20, including me, were invited to callbacks. You could tell that Allen, the director, was having a hard time deciding who to select for the 8-12 person ensemble. He had all the guys leave early and asked all of us girls for our opinions after telling us about each guy and his experience. I was impressed - many of them had sung in prestigious jazz choirs before, and one or two were in the renowned BYU band Synthesis as well. He didn't want to have to choose between them all, but the music department couldn't fund the hiring of two instructors for two groups, and this wasn't even his full-time job, so he couldn't exactly be here all day.

Well, lo and behold, we were sent an email the following day informing us that we all had made it into Jazz Voices! Besides two fellows who ended up dropping because of time constraints, we all met the following Thursday for our first rehearsal. Allen informed us that he was going to try something new; the whole group would sometimes perform pieces together, while other times we would be split into a smaller group and a larger group. As it turns out, I was selected for the smaller group - four guys and four girls. Allen told us later that this is the group who he had originally selected to be the Jazz Voices, before he decided to take everyone. So that's exciting! I've never made it into such a small auditioned group before here at BYU. There are just wayyy too many talented people around. I've been having a LOT of fun singing with such crazy-good musicians. Our small group sounds fantastic. In fact, if you're in the area, you can come see us at the Covey Center on September 27th or on BYU campus on September 28th when we perform with the jazz bands.

Alright, enough of that. I need to finish up soon because I'm getting dollar tacos with some good friends at El Azteca tonight. It's been a long day - 9 hours of class and work with only one half hour break to maintain my sanity and grab lunch. So I think I deserve a little break, don't you? Afterwards, I'll be up reading about children's folklore and schist formations until I conk out.

Here are a few more pictures of my life recently. Enjoy!

We had an activity in my ward where we went up the mountains and shot clay pigeons while eating steak. A lovely, lovely thing.

Jelly and Matt Otis had a BYU-Minnesota party (as we are wont to have), and we always have to play with their snakes!

I went over to Denver with a carful of friends for our friend Cameron's wedding. It was the fanciest reception I've been to!

For Labor Day weekend we went up near Squaw Peak and camped for a night. I made several new friends - I only knew two of the people in this picture (besides myself) before the trip!

Until next time,

Tasha

Yikes

Aw sheesh, I forgot to write all summer....I guess that brings new meaning to the term "failblog." I know all my adoring fans, a.k.a. Erin, are dying to hear about the past few months of my life. You're lucky I'm feeling indulgent.

After a lovely trip home....





....I returned to the chosen land to continue my summer of InDesign and in-the-pool. For my 19th birthday, we had a dance party in "The Gap"--no, not the clothing store, the space between buildings at my apartment complex. I can honestly say this is one of the best birthdays I've ever had, so if you contributed at all to that, I thank you sincerely.



The summer also included a performance on campus at Acoustic Explosion....



....a visit from family in July....



....and the creation of some awesome-delicious food. The following picture is making my stomach growl just looking at it--grilled cheese and salad smothered in fresh parmesan and homemade guacamole.



Speaking of food, we had a little dinner/gossip group going for a few months that was probably the best idea ever. It consisted of myself, Erin, Camille, Rachelle, and sort of Nicole.



So these people plus Rachelle. Basically the best idea ever. I'd come home from work, get fed, and enjoy a half hour of ward gossip. Yum.

Over the summer, I went to California, Minnesota, Idaho, and Colorado for various trips. It was good to get out of Provo and spend time with friends and family, but I don't think I'll be making anymore trips until I go home for Christmas--too much fun. And by fun I mean gas money.

I'd write more about my endlessly fascinating life, but I'm making an attempt to get to bed at a decent time every night this semester. So far, so good! The past four nights I've been in bed before 11. Basically. Ish.

It's Summer and Stuff!

And boy, do I love it. I've been working and taking zero classes while I stay in Provo, and it feels better than a giant Freezie in June. That's a comparison I can make - I just had a Freezie, and today was a record-breaking 103 degrees in little old Coon Rapids, Minnesota. I can't believe that I left Utah - which is supposed to be a desert but had been rainy and cold all summer - to visit home, where it gets colder than my roommate Erin's birthplace in Canada.



And so dang snowy! Anyway, the point of this is that I am way glad I stayed in Provo for the summer, although I love being with my family and friends here. I guess I'm just too much of a social butterfly to live at home. I'll fill you in on some of my adventures since school let out in late April.

Directly after finals were over (I mean a few hours after my last one) Erin and I left with her dad and sister for Ramona, California, her little hometown in San Diego County. It was fun getting to know her family that I've heard so much about. I even got to drive in the infamous yellow Jeep.



This wasn't exactly planned, but since Erin was going back a day earlier than I needed to, I decided to meet up with our friends Taylor and Mitch to enjoy the beaches of LA for a few days. Like any other tourist, I fell in love with the ocean.



I have to live there someday!! It doesn't hurt that LA is a musical hub, and I've finally started performing more - and even recording a bit! While I don't want to get too serious into this music thing for a few more years (I don't want to be tempted to drop out or anything....), it's fun having a little bit to show to people when I tell them I'm a musician. I also got some fancy schmancy pictures taken by my good friend Jon Hardy!








Had enough of that?

What else? I've had many lovely late-night swims in the pool at the apartment complex next door, a few too many late-night runs to various Provo restaurants, and even some nights where I got to sleep before midnight! My sleeping patterns are oh-so-varied....For example, it's currently 2 in the morning and I'm just really not tired. Ah, me.

Other than that, life is good! I'm visiting home right now because Taleah, a girl from my home ward, drove back here for two weeks to see her brother Peter return from his mission to South Africa! So exciting. She needed someone to help with the 22 hour drive, and I needed something cheaper than a plane ticket! It worked out quite nicely. I miss my friends out West, but I'm in no hurry to return to the rat race at BYU Independent Study....

Just Around the Riverbeeeeeend...

Dang, that looks like "bean-d" instead of a drawn-out "bend." Such limitations with this writing thing. Sometimes I wonder why I love it so much. Ah, me.

This weekend involved the much anticipated Utah tradition called the Festival of Colors. Basically, it involves a bunch of non-Hindi kids running around shouting about Krishna and throwing colored chalk and ending up looking like this:



So, all in all, a worthy way to spend your weekend. I even managed to get a bit of homework done, although I didn't start writing my 8-page Lit and Film paper until last night. It's due tomorrow. Grr.

And the days are only going to get crazier. Today my D&C creative project is due, I have a meeting for volunteering in a high school Arabic fair, and my self defense simulation, which involves me running around beating up a bunch of police officers in padding. I also need to finish this dang paper. This weekend is General Conference smattered with Ultimate Frisbee, and next week I'll be preparing to perform in Brownstock 2011. If you're in the area, check it out! It should be a lot of fun. Plus finals are just days away . . . yikes.

On top of THAT, I'm getting ready for my favorite non-Christian holiday of the year . . . April Fools' Day. If any of you remember my April Fools' post last year, living on my own has brought out the obsessive prankster in me. I've been plotting for months now. If you live in Provo . . . watch out. Or don't - it'll make things easier for me. I'd appreciate that.

Texting is Not a Crime

So I've realized why it ticks me off so much when people criticize texting and say it's a "terrible form of communication." I'm a writer, I love talking to people, and I'm a huge fan of multi-tasking. Texting takes these three traits and puts them into one act. When I write/text a conversation to someone, I'm able to think about what I'm saying and word it in a way that really conveys what I want it to convey. It's like writing a letter, except it's extremely convenient and WAY quicker. I can also read and reread what the other person said without saying, "Could you repeat that?"

Texting also allows the recipient to decide when to read and respond to the other person, so you don't have to worry about disturbing someone while they're in the middle of something. I never just sit around and text someone, so I'm having a conversation while getting other things done (which are occasionally productive).

Yeah, I understand that a lot of people abuse texting - using dumb acronyms and texting during class (I admit, I'm not innocent of these things). But don't condemn the entire institution. That's just being close-minded.

Day of Hunger

My latest distraction from homework has been the Day of Hunger campaign, something about which I am very excited. Here's one of the posters:



Check out the Facebook event at http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=153084481411712 and the blog at http://dayofhunger.blogspot.com. Pleasepleaseplease share the news with everyone you know! The more people who participate, the better.

Hello, My Name Is....

"Alright, class, I want everyone to get to know each other a little better, so now we're going to go around the room and say our name, where we're from, our major, and something interesting about ourself."

Ever heard that before? I'd bet. The beginning of a new semester brings on that lovely week of syllabi and the same old "Hi, I'm Tasha. I'm an English major from Minnesota, and I'm secretly Osama bin Laden" or whatever it is I end up saying. Yeesh. I'm tired of it. I mean, the principle behind it is nice, but what does all that stuff matter, and who's going to remember it anyway?

Sometimes, I like to imagine what I would say if I really wanted to tell people who I was. It's not realistic, sure, but wouldn't we all learn so much more about each other if we had the opportunity to really tell about ourselves?

So, in honor of the new semester, here's what I would say:

Hi, guys. My name's Natasha Watts. Everyone called me Tasha up until college, when I started introducing myself as Natasha. It took me all last year to figure out that I hated doing that, because then it sounds like we're not even friends. The moral of the story is, call me Tasha. Another interesting tidbit about my name is that Natasha backwards is Ah, Satan. Eh? Ehhh? Crazy, I know.

I'm an English major, but I wish there was a way I could only major in the writing aspects of the language, because that's really what I'm interested in. I've wanted to write as a career since I could hold a pencil. Ironically enough, I'm not talented enough with words to describe the extent of my love for writing. Just know that it is a ridiculously large amount.

I plan on minoring in Arabic, mostly because after my study abroad in Egypt I'll only be one class short of the minor anyway. I'm in my second year of studying the language, and it is probably the hardest thing I have ever done to not quit. It should be a gazillion more than eight credits with the amount of time we have to put into that class. And yet, for some reason, I love it. I love the Arabic culture; I love the throaty sound of the language and the way it looks on paper; I love the weird Americanized Arabic pop music. However, when I signed up for my first Arabic class, I had no idea if I loved or not. I don't even really know why I did it.

Funny story about that - apparently when you sign up for Arabic, they send you an email warning you that the class is ridiculously hard and you should drop it if you're not willing to sell your soul to the BYU Arabic program. However, I added the class late and did not receive this email. Knowing me, I more than likely would have dropped the class on the spot. As it turns out, I didn't.

In the end, I'm studying Arabic because I grew up in Minnesota and Utah. I have virtually no experience with diversity in culture. Yet being a writer, I need to learn and grow and experience things that are different from what I'm used to. I need to meet people who think in different ways. If I learn this language, I'm hoping that I can experience the Middle Eastern culture in an inspiring and positive way. I believe that this area of the world will only continue to rise in importance to the rest of the world. I can't afford to ignore it.

You probably can't tell by all this dry writing, but I also love comedy. I harbor a secret dream of being a stand-up comedian because one of my favorite feelings in the world is making people laugh. I eat up that sort of attention like nobody's business.

I also (pseudo-secretly) dream of being a famous musician. I got a guitar for my 18th birthday and have been writing songs ever since. I absolutely adore singing and playing that thing. I could do it for hours.

What else about me? Hm...

I am extremely afraid of needles and numbness. Novocaine is my own personal hell.

I am addicted to bagels.

I have crazy mood swings, but as a whole I'm pretty positive.

For some reason, I can't like a guy unless he is a witty texter. It's kind of a sad bias, but oh, well.

I also play saxophone, but I haven't picked one up for half a year. I'm kind of sad about it, but at the same time I really have no desire to play it right now. I hope I can eventually get my chops back into shape, though, and play like the glory days. Someday.

I have really high self esteem, but I'm surprisingly insecure. My explanation of this is that I like myself and what I'm like; I'm not going to make any big changes in my personality for someone. And yet, I need to be a people-pleaser. I always wonder if people like me or if they're just being nice and don't actually enjoy being around me. It drives me nuts sometimes.

My biggest pet peeve is listening to people eat. Quiet, early-morning breakfasts before seminary with my brothers almost sent me to the crazy house.

I could go on talking about myself until the cows came home (I learned that phrase from my roommate, Erin), but I should probably be a little realistic. If you want to get to know me better, come up to me sometime and introduce yourself. You'll find out another interesting facet about me: I really like people, and yet I love very few. I can count on two hands the people that I really love. But don't worry your little head over that; I'll still enjoy being friends with you, and who knows? Maybe someday, I'll realize how important our friendship really is to me.

I'm Tasha, and I can't wait to meet you.