Jul 07 2008
The Sea is Wide
Next week I have a family reunion to go to. My mother’s family hasn’t had a reunion in years and years, so they’re taking this one very seriously. Certain families have chili days, desert days, breakfast days, babysitting days, bla bla bla bla. It’s all very organized. It’s also driving me mad because there’s weird things like ‘talent shows’ and ‘auctions.’ Ok, I understand a good chili cookoff and pot luck, maybe even a family hike, but a talent show? Like we’re some kind of church organization? What’s next, punch and cranium? Granted my family is very mormon, so they don’t know how to organize something without punch and talent shows. Go figure. Utahrds. Love them or hate them? I mean technically I was born in Utah, but I moved when I was 2 and haven’t lived there since. Nor do I go to church anymore. But what’s so embarrassing about having a mormon family that like to do things when they get together? I’m not quite sure.
Maybe I’m trying so hard to get away from the religion I was raised in that anything that reminds me of it makes me tense up and become agitated. I’m not sorry I was raised mormon, because mormons have a lot of good qualities, and I learned a lot that I wouldn’t have in another, more diet-coke/less hands on religion. Now I’m going in a more spiritual direction that has no boundaries and no organization what so ever. So it’s very likely that right now I can’t sanely have anything to do with Mormonism, till I disassociate from it further, and become less angry about some of my religious issues. I don’t think the people at the reunion will exactly understand that…. I suppose I’ll have to keep my mouth shut… AGAIN. Religious issue? Yes.
Prompt #14
For my talent show production, I will be singing Carrickfergus. It’s a tradition Irish folk song that is very pretty and melancholy as most Irish folk songs are. I chose it because my step dad wanted to do something musical with me and I can sing Irish Folk, and he can sort of play the tune. The problem is that he would like to sing melody with me, and his voice really isn’t very good, especially since he can’t hit the high notes. So, we had to bring the notes down for him, and I am much saddened that my singing quality for a song that I can sing very well on my own will be brought down because he likes to be a part of what everyone else is doing. (I’m no opera singer, but I’m decent anyway).
The prompt is to discuss in journal mode if it’s better to hold in the opinions that might hurt someone’s feelings, or if it’s better to tell the truth so that you don’t go mad at compromising yourself. On the one hand, you’re being humanitarian and learning to compromise. On the other hand, you get very stressed and frustrated when you bottle things up. What would you do in this situation?
Obviously what I would do is keep my mouth shut on the fact that he can’t sing for crap, give him pointers, compromise- but come and blog about it to relieve some of the pent up aggravation. :) Atleast in this circumstance.
