Monday Madness: Sunday Madness

This is too funny to not share.

There is a family ward that meets right before my singles ward. Just yesterday one of my friends was trying to get some ward business done before church. Because of her new calling she thought it might be wise to make sure she knew the names of those in our ward. She stood in front of the board scanning the faces of her fellow singles, distracted by her thoughts, when she was interrupted.  An older man from the family ward, assuming she must be scanning the board longingly for a mate (as my dad would say. For real, my dad says the word 'mate.' Isn't it simultaneously horrifying and charming?) said as  he passed, "hang in there"

I love the support.

Monday Madness: Look in the Mirror and Tell Me What You See

Spoiler alert the couple featured in this Monday Madness did, in fact, end up happily married.

Agatha and Fitz had never met. A friend of theirs was trying to set them up but since Agatha and Fitz lived a few hours apart their first few interactions were over the phone. At the end of their second sucessful call Fitz decides it's time to take things to the next level. He very innocently asks:

Fitz: So, um, Agatha, what exactly do you look like
Agatha (feeling a little self conscious and timid) says: uh, I don't know.
Fitz (a little bit frustrated. Thinking 'why must women complicate everything) replies :Look in the mirror and tell me what you see.
Agatha: um, I  have brown hair, blue eyes...
Fitz is getting increasingly frustrated at their inability to communicate what he is really interested in knowing so finally he blurts out: "how much do you weigh?"

Silence....

Applicable songs:
Mika- Big Girl You Are Beautiful

Monday Madness: Sing For Me Kristine

Let me set the scene:
Agatha is sitting in the car finishing up a first (blind) date with Fitzy. Fitzy seems nice enough but Agatha is not feeling the romantic vibes on this date. She is thinking what now, how long do we have to keep going here? We gave it a shot it is just not there. Fitzy is thinking... who knows what he is thinking probably not much. All of the sudden Fitzy speaks up in one last Hail Mary.

Fitzy: (scrolling through his iPod) "Do you like musicals?"

Agatha: Uh, sure

Fitzy: (consumed with nervous energy, sets down the Ipod)...

One would expect at this point that he would have chosen a song from the options on his iPod, right? You are assuming he is going to play a song from a musical. That is what Agatha thought also. However, instead Fitzy takes a deep breath and launches into his most spectacular performance ever. Made even more tense and emotional by the fact that he is simultaneously driving. Agatha cannot recall what song Fitzy performed that evening but I like to imagine it as "Point of No Return" from Phantom of the Opera. I imagine it as having that same intense, slightly odd, surge of unwanted emotion. Ok in Phantom Christine kind of wants it, but I grantee that Agatha didn't. Agatha and Fitzy hit an entirely different point of no return in that moment.

When Life Gives You Blues and Meantimes

A few hours into my work day, I am feeling a bit blue; no real reason just feeling blue. I stayed up too late last that probably has something to do with it. Then, because of the late night I slept in and didn’t read my scriptures and was late to work… I am sure that is the source of my feelings but I still can’t shake it. I walked back to my desk and lying on a corner was a dying fly. Things to note about this are: 1. I have no idea where this fly came from (how often do you see a fly dead or dying when you were not a participant in the destruction or the fly was not stuck next to a window?) 2. The fly was not dead, but dying.  Watching this tiny little body fight for its last bit of life really affected me. I sat confused and surprised at my desk and then I felt tears start to fill my eyes. I pulled myself together to go asked two men I work with what I should do. Both men felt my solution was obvious… put the fly in the trash. I took a deep breath and quickly, with tears coming yet again, moved my uninvited guest into the garbage can.

Isn’t it funny how much more desperate a situation seems when other things in life are not inline? When you are tired, not prioritizing life correctly, or when you are too focused on yourself those blues can seep quickly in. Whenever I start to feel hopeless, teary, and desperate I can always count on any combination of the following to resolve my feelings:  a nap (or even better getting to bed early), prayers, reading scriptures, reading a good book, turning off the TV, the computer, and the phone and enjoying some peace, being alone, being still, the temple, a bath, journal, time with my family, a favorite movie, a favorite joke with a friend…


When I have tried all of the options above and I still feel sad, then I know to add one last ingredient, time.  


Sometimes things are hard because we can’t be perfectly happy at all times.
Sometimes things are hard because we haven’t done those important things that revive, rejuvenate and refill us.
And sometimes things are just plain hard and the only solution is time. When this happens and you need to patiently allow time to work its magic, it is always wise to fill your meantimes. For me the same list that can knock me out of a mood will also sustain me through the most endless meantimes.


Lastly, one of the best cures for the blues is service. President Hinckley used to always remind of us of the time his dad wrote to a discouraged Elder Gordon Hinckley on his mission and gave him this simple, and always helpful, solution to the blues “forget yourself and go to work”. I really feel this is one of the most difficult things as a single. When single your life is, by definition, only really about you. Therefore, it can be incredibly hard to turn your thoughts outward. However, when I can fill my time with meeting others needs instead of thinking about my needs I find that I have less time to spend living in the blues.  When the blues hit I can start to feel heavy and see no solution in sight. But, just like my fly, to others the solution is often obvious. Fill your time with things that will recharge you, give yourself and your life time, and always be willing to forget yourself and get to work. With these simple ingredients repeated and reused in any combination that suit your needs a small fly dying on your desk will not be quite so tragic. 

- Not Desperate in SLC

Applicable Songs:
Ben Folds- Time
Imogen Heap- Wait It Out

Monday Madness

This happened to me last night. I was at home discussing dating on the phone with my parents. I like to talk about dating I think it is an interesting and applicable subject matter. I also really enjoy talking to my parents. So I am going on and on about this and that; expressing all my theories and opinions. After about an hour of my parents patiently listening, supporting, and validating me my dad said "Stop talking to your parents and go socialize"

I do need to work on that. A little less conversation and little more action please.