7.30.2008

Magic Shows and the Jamestown Bell Choir

I have mixed feelings about getting old. The altruistic side of me thinks that there is something beautiful about making it through life and being gracious and proud enough to show the battle scars. I love seeing people like this woman who I met harvesting rice in Thailand (please disregard the goofy look on my face, I'm not sure what that's all about). Her wrinkles are deep and tells stories of long, hot days harvesting rice, raising children and smiling through hard times (as Thai's are always doing). She's made it and even though she probably just wants to sit and not be bothered, she's keeping on. No Botox for her. It would be a disservice to her experience to inject what would look like a life of ease just for a flawless forehead and fewer crows feet. I want to be like the old lady who shows life experience in the way she carries herself- graceful, strong, weathered maybe, but weathered with wisdom. I realize, however, that this vision of old age is a little off.

Grandpa's traditional wave goodbye at Jamestown
The other night I went with the parents to the Jamestown Assisted Living variety show. Grandpa Hart has been living there for the last 4 years or so and he plays in the Bell Choir. The variety show had other acts but this was definitely the headliner. They played America the Beautiful, and a whole bunch of songs I've never heard of like Hi-lili Hi-lo (well I actually know that one, but just because I've come to hang out with grandpa during bell choir rehearsals. For a creepy puppet rendition of the song click here). The show was nice enough (my grandpa is too cute) but it was a stark reminder of just how unglamorous old age really is. None of the bell choir members even cracked a smile, many of them probably couldn't. Most of the people that live at Jamestown were fairly accomplished in their lives. My grandpa was a rocket scientist. Well, an aerospace engineer. He worked on Top Secret planes for Boeing back in the iron curtain, 'we're afraid of the USSR' days. He served in SE Asia in WWII and saw the Emporer of Japan sign the treaty papers ending the war. He was an excellent singer (performed with the family, in choirs and alone). Now he and his generation are debased to bell-ing 9 of the 35 notes in the assisted living variety show. Half are in wheel chairs, they all smell, their wrinkles are sallow and covered in age spots. With all improvements in medicine and life expectancy, is this what they are living for? Worse even, my grandpa now remembers only snippets of the non-marginalized life he led. I know his mind is moving right now but whatever he's thinking about doesn't last very long. From my frequent visits, I can count about 20 odd stories and thoughts that grandpa cycles through. A handful from the military, post-military, his wife and his children. But he certainly has his priorities straight. Most quoted, "I've come to realize that the single most important result of the restoration of the gospel is the ability to seal families." I think he really misses his wife.

I see how hard it is for grandpa to come to grips with his diminishing capacities. I do not look forward to it. It's not pretty, but I do still believe it can be approached with grace. I complement grandpa and the bell choir for keeping active and staying as high-function as they possibly can. Here he is doing the same magic tricks he did for his grandkids, now for his great-grandkids. They're a little less magical as his shaky hands stumble over the magic set stunts. The old two-dollar bill roll out is now a one dollar bill wallet, but the kids' names are still on it!


But I just love my grandpa.

















7.28.2008

Tag?

So I've been e-tagged. Blog tagged, b-tagged. Twice! Thankfully both Allison and Heather got me for the same question, because I'm new to this and had a hard time thinking of

10 things people might not know about me

Here goes it!

1. I was born with two teeth. And surprisingly enough it didn't make me look like a freak show/vampire baby. I'm really cute! (Scanned baby Kami to come)




2. I'm addicted to crossword puzzles. Useless information, puzzles and unlimited time make for a fun activity. Usually when I'm really stressed with school or life, I like to curl up in bed with a crossword puzzle book and take it out on the paper. (what, you hit the streets and run?) The only thing that makes me nervous is my grandpa Hart, who is quickly losing his memory and ability to care for himself compulsively buys, works and hoards crossword puzzle books. Do I have a future?





3. I've been to church on every continent but Australia. Mombasa, Kenya (Africa), London, England and Pisa, Italy (Europe), Cuzco, Peru (S. America), Bangkok, Thailand (Asia) and a smattering throughout the US and Mexico (N. America). Believe it or not, the church is really truly the same in all these places! Sometimes hotter, wetter, smaller or more colorful, but not only is the doctrine the same throughout them all, but ward dynamics. Everywhere I've been long enough to get to know ward members there's the power leaders, the struggling souls and the crazies who keep things interesting.



4. I'm afraid of heights. Some things are particularly nauseating, like leaning against high balconies, standing near ledges and walking down steep stairs. Ask my mom how hard I cried ALL THE WAY DOWN Chichen Itza pyramids. Sure that was in the 5th grade. I've gained a lot more control over my panic since them but still I get nauseous or dizzy and sometimes projected visions of my tumbling to my death. This hasn't stopped me from skydiving and hang gliding. One of my biggest regrets is not taking the train down to Zambia to bungee jump off Victoria Falls, the highest bungee in the world. (scanned picture of skydiving Kami to come)





5. I LOVE DRESSES. Skirts aren't bad. I wear jeans most days. But I'm gonna get all tingly about any kind of clothes or fashion (excluding shoes), it's got to be a dress. Jumpers, wraps, fancy, casual, occasion dresses (aka wedding gowns). I rarely buy them but they get me excited.


6. My hair is stick straight. Without a heavy layer of AquaNet and/or some serious teasing damage it will not hold a curl for longer than about 30 minutes. So I'm excluded from ringlets and pretty curls so I have to get creative with the way I girly up. Right now I'm living the blonde life. It's fun.



(This is the post-AquaNet/teasing hairdo from Katie's wedding)






7. I won best paper and spoke at DARE graduation. That's not all that interesting. But I just remembered. DARE... to keep kids off drugs. I think I talked about Sheryl Carkeek (Crapo Shaw) and how she made me want to stay away from drugs because drugs screw you up.



8. I've never broken a bone. The worst I've ever had is an arm twisted from the shoulder. I don't remember it hurting and I got a Popsicle out of it. The only surgery I've had is to remove my birthmark (medical name: Giant Hair Nevus. No wonder I got it removed). Before, it looked like brown lip marks ('a kiss from a black angel'). Now it looks like Chile, or a skinny Florida, or as Max Butikofer pointed out, a giraffe (?) with a line down the middle. Most people think I cut myself. Or have a strange henna tattoo.




Phew! This is getting tough!

9. I have always wanted to be a masseuse. Maybe some day I'll go to massage school. That'd be sweet.


10. My goal is to be conversational in at least 5 languages before I die. English, check! Spanish, check! Thai, check! Swahili, pretty much a check! What other languages should I pick? I'm thinking another romance language like French or Portugese (for Portugal not Brazil) and maybe a biblical language like Greek or Hebrew.


So there's me in a nutshell. A blog shaped nutshell. So now I tag.... Kelsie!