Music

I love music. Music has power to edify, inspire, calm, excite, pacify, encourage; I can be as angry as I'll get out, but play a song I like and in 3 minutes and 36 seconds (give or take) I'm a renewed man. :) That's pretty amazing in my book.

Here's a bit about me and music. First, it's a select group of songs that can have the magical effect described--not just any music will do. Second, I've discovered that I usually need one of two things to like a song--a positive connection or time. Allow me to explain. While I would never probably have liked "Apologize" by One Republic on my own, my roommates in Sparks designated it as our apartment theme song, so because in my head I connect the song with those roommates I love, I also love the song. This explains why I love soundtracks--because they are connected to movies. The other thing I need to like a song is time. I've discovered that I need to hear songs several times--I rarely love a song from the first time I hear it. But as I hear it more, the song grows on me, and I often end up loving it.

Finally, music and me go through distinct phases. First is the acquaintance phase, where I get to know a song and see if we're going to mesh. If we do, then comes the honeymoon phase. I can't seem to get enough of the song, and I listen to it over and over, at home, in the car. Then after listening to it so much, I'm tired of the song and it it usually moves into the Christmas card phase--I still like it, but I'll listen to it only occasionally.

I've added a little music player to my blog. I'm gonna try it out. My current favorite music is by Owl City. I remember when I first heard his music I thought the lyrics were nonsensical and I didn't like any of it. His music has, however, grown on me, and I'm definitely in the honeymoon phase right now. I actually like how the lyrics are totally random--they're quite poetic if you think about it. I've laughed out loud several times hearing some of his song lyrics for the first time. Enjoy!

Christmas

This was a great Christmas, as they always are. Here's me by my incredible stash. Thank you, Santa! I got more than I deserved, for sure.

The gift I was most excited for, however, was one I was giving (isn't that often the case?). Our family has the tradition of watching family home videos to pass the time in the evening before going to bed on Christmas Eve. Our videos were on little old 8mm tapes we could only play through our old camcorder which hardly worked. We would always rummage around to find the right cords, and then spend most of the night trying to find the our favorite parts. Well, somewhere I got the idea to move all of that footage onto DVD, and I knew that there was a lab at BYU to help me do that. I even created neat DVD menus and scene selections. Turns out it was a larger project than I envisioned, but the final product was really great: A 5-DVD set of 8 1/2 hours of family fun. I was giddy all week to give it to my family, and for my sister in Alaska to open her copy and have a piece of family on Christmas Eve.

Christmas Spirit

You know, with projects, papers, and presentations, not to mention finals, I haven't really gotten into the Christmas spirit yet like I usually do. Today, though, was an incredible day--I'm now in the Christmas spirit. First, this morning I got in the spirit of giving by making a cream-cheese danish for my wonderful friends in Apartment 209. I put on my festive green sweater, and Dan wore my red one--everybody loved our sweaters!

Then at church I participated with the ward choir in the Christmas Program, and loved it. Things kept getting better. In preparing for my home teaching message, I came across a great little video about the Christmas spirit. It made me happy to talk about Christmas with my home teachees. Then, the greatest Christmas miracle of the day--I come home and my roommate says, Hey, there's something for you in the living room. It's a Christmas tree! My roommate and his girlfriend heard about my sadness in not having decorations this year (I forgot them all at home) and had gotten a tree and decorated it, complete with my name. I was so touched. My Christmas Spirit-o-meter was full. Merry Christmas!

Master Ethan's Poetry Night

The other evening my friend organized a poetry night. The only requirement was that you bring a poem, either that you wrote or otherwise, and share it with the group. His original plan was to have it outside around a campfire, but because we didn't want to freeze, we improvised--I came up with the idea to have a crackling fire on our laptops, which we then put in the middle of the circle. To complete the illusion, occasionally I would lean forward and warm my hands in front of the screen.

It was surprisingly enjoyable. One of my favorites was when my roommate read a composition by M. Cyrus, which turned out to be the words to "Party in the U.S.A." He was so serious reading it, we all pealed over in laughter. Probably my favorite author of the night though was my friend Ellis. I asked her for some of her poems afterwards, which I've received permission to include below.

Spork
They tell me
I'm a bastard child.
What's it to them
If one night,
The washing done, my mother,
Nested with her sisters, defied
The constraints of compartmentalization
And slid to lie beside my father with a scandalous clink?
Let them scoff at my stubby tines
And incomplete curvature.
I'm proud to be a mutt.
Let those stuffy segregationists
Toss me in with the tea strainer,
The asparagus tongs,
The cracker scoop: other freaks
Who won't stack. They'll change their tune
When the chicken noodle
Soup is served.

Autumn Smolder

When the first flames
Break out in the scrub oak
I live head turned, neck craned,
Eyes devouring the mountain's
Smoldering shoulder, seized
By pyromania.
Soon I hear dulcet
Tones from the canyons, calling
To a deeper, brighter burning.

In the canyons, autumn
Spends itself in one wild conflagration,
Ignites pyres of crimson maple and blazes
Of golden aspen
That lick at the hillsides.

I breathe this fire in,
A Joan D'Arc clinging
To the stake, knowing too soon
Autumn will burn itself out,
Leaving only charred black
Branches stretched up to receive
The first white flakes
Like falling ash.

Christmas Tango & Cha Cha

Twice a semester the Social Dance program puts on a dance lab, where all of the social dance students come to cha-cha, waltz, fox-trot, swing, and more. All the upper-level classes put on a performance at one of the labs--my class performed a tango and cha-cha. It was so much fun!

I spent Thanksgiving at my aunt's house in Spanish Fork. Besides the most delicious turkey, potatoes, stuffing, yams, cranberries, creamy orange salad, and pie, the highlight of the day was the bingo ball tournament. It's also called senior golf--where you throw two golf balls on a string at some rebar posts and try and get them to stay for points. Everyone played, and when you weren't playing we sat happily on the deck cheering on the players. I actually make it to the semifinals, but that was the extent of my dingo ballness. My uncle, the one throwing below, won the whole thing. You know, it doesn't really matter so much what you do when you're with family--just being with them is the best part.

Come to Zion, Come to Zion

For me, there are few things more enjoyable than camping and hiking--exploring the great outdoors. Camping and hiking with friends, then, is just off the chart fun! The Wednesday before Thanksgiving, 8 of us zipped on down to Zion's National Park to hike Angel's Landing. It was such a blast, I absolutely loved it.

Cold cereal in cups for breakfast

I think we sang every Disney song and every song from a musical that exists. We were quite the traveling singers--other hikers even started making requests!

Winding up Walters Wiggles

The Final Ascent

All of us at the top of Angel's Landing

NODAC 2009

You know you have a cool job when they pay you to go to a conference at the Disneyland Resort. The first week in November the staff in Office of First-Year Experience and I traveled to Anaheim to attend the National Orientation Directors Association Conference. It was pretty neat. We got to attend various different sessions hearing from other orientation directors about new student orientation on their campuses. We had been invited to share about our peer mentor training in a poster session (basically a grown-up's science fair). My supervisor and I worked hard to make the poster engaging and professional.

I've been to one other conference for work before, and one of the most fun things is getting to eat out. We have a fixed per diem and so we go out to eat every night--this is pretty out of the ordinary for someone who's only eaten out at at 6 restaurants in his life, 4 of which are Wendy's. We ate at ESPN Zone, Rainforest Cafe, and IHOP. Eggnog pancakes are to die for!

But of course, the best part was Disneyland! This was my second time ever going (the first time being when I was 18). As I recounted my previous experience to Bryce, it soon became apparent that I did not fully experience Disneyland on my first time. When my family went, Thunder Mountain Railroad, Space Mountain, and the Matterhorn were all closed. So I experienced those rides for the first time. Heather, the Assistant Dean in our office, had never been to Disneyland, so it was great showing her around for the first time. She got soaked at Splash Mountain! We were laughing so hard.

Even after experiencing all of the other rides, I think Indiana Jones is still my favorite. Yeah, Disneyland!

Teach for America 2010 Corps

I made it! I'm in! I'm accepted into Teach for America! I've been accepted to teach elementary school in Las Vegas Valley! How 'bout that?!?!

Las Vegas was my second choice, and I'm ecstatic about it. It's closer to home, and also close to the southern Utah that I love. There's a strong LDS single population, and it's definitely not too cold! Elementary school was my least preferred choice, so that surprised me, but the more I think about it, the more I think I could love it--I mean, I'd get to teach all the subjects instead of just one!

This was great news, and I feel privileged to be accepted into this prestigious organization, and excited about what it could mean for me.

Here were some of my communications from yesterday. Yippee!

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Dear Drake,

I am pleased to extend you an offer to join the Teach For America 2010 corps! This offer to join Teach For America reflects your outstanding accomplishments, leadership potential, and commitment to expanding educational opportunities for children in low-income communities.

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Congratulations! We are pleased to invite you to join the 2010 Teach For America corps and are excited to assign you to teach elementary school (K through 5) in the Las Vegas Valley .

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I just wanted to reach out today and say CONGRATULATIONS on being accepted into Teach For America!!!! In our most competitive year to date, you are among a very select group of people we're extending offers to this year to become a part of our 2010 corps. I am so excited for you!

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Frisbee in 38° Farenheit

Tonight was our first tournament game for BYU intramurals. You might not believe it, but I'm actually wearing five layers of clothing in this picture! Once I was running around, it actually didn't feel that bad. And get this--I scored 4 points for our team! That's 1 out of every 3 points! This is cool because I'm not really that great of a player--in fact, I probably rank in the bottom one or two in skill level. Still, tonight I was on fire or something! Afterwards when my roommate asked about it, I said, "Yeah, it was cool! People were giving me chest bumps and yelling my name from the sideline...no wonder some people like sports!"

Photoshoot 2

See previous post Photoshoot

Dinner Group

So this semester I decided to try again being part of a dinner group--I've had bad experiences in the past, so I was wary. It's actually been pretty nice. We take turns cooking on Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, and with ten of us this means you only have to cook once every two or three weeks. Often I've got things going in the evening, but they are really good about putting a portion aside for me to come get later. Even better than the food, though, is the comraderie. I just love this group of friends, and eating with them is a pleasure. A couple of weeks ago, everyone planned together to wear pink on Sunday. The idea really caught, and now we've got a weekly color tradition.

Pink Day

Green Day

The TFA Saga Continues...

On Tuesday I had my final interview with Teach For America. I spent the morning with 7 other applicants and 2 interviewers in a variety of activities. First, we had our sample teaching lesson--I think the theory is get the most stressful thing done first. We each had five minutes to teach some objective. I taught about fixed mindset v. growth mindset. Someone with a growth mindset believes they can cultivate their qualities and efforts through effort. Then we had a group discussion, a personal reflection, and a test of sorts. In each of these they put us in hypothetical situations a corps member might face, like long-term educational planning, or deciding how to improve attendance at a school. Then in the afternoon, we each had a personal interview--the more traditional one-on-one answer questions kind. I felt pretty good about the whole day, especially about the morning activities. I'll find out on November 10 whether or not I'm accepted. If I am, I'll find out my regional assignment and likely grade assignment as well. I really, really hope I get in--as one of the interviewers told his story as a corps member, I remember feeling a confirmation inside that this is an amazing thing to do and I could really make a difference. Now's it just waiting anxiously for two weeks 'til I find out!

The Perfect Conference Day

Saturday was the perfect conference day. I went with my cousins Juliann and Jake to my aunt and uncle's in Alpine. All of us gathered comfortably around the television, notebooks and pencils ready. When President Monson started talking about temple work, suddenly I got all anxious inside, and I knew he was going to announce the temple I've been working for and waiting for for 4 years: Fortaleza, Brazil! I was overjoyed, and I cheered inside, and almost cried outside. Everything in the Brazil Fortaleza Mission was turned towards preparing the area for a temple, so that the members could enjoy those blessings. This news is a grand realization of our efforts and a reason for much rejoicing. I'm completely elated!

After the first session, we dined like royalty--homemade cinnamon rolls and fresh peaches from my favorite orchard in Washington. I ate to my heart's content. Then we went on a fall hike in between sessions and enjoyed nature and colors. I couldn't have planned a more perfect conference day.

Stewart Falls

It's kind of become a tradition for me to hike Stewart Falls each fall semester. I just love seeing the beautiful colors and getting outside. Part of the tradition includes collecting colorful leaves on the way back to decorate my apartment. I just absolutely adoring hiking.

As we hiked back, we passed a small family with their two little children working their way up the trail. I commented about how beautiful a day it was for hiking, and the mother responded, "Better than cartoons, eh?" How true! Yeah, it's a little bit more work to get up and go hiking then sit in your pajamas in front of the TV, but how much more rewarding! Kudos to that mom, I want to be a parent like her!

Past the First Round!

I made it to the final interview! I'm so excited! Now I've got to decide where I want to go and what grade level and subject I should teach. Any ideas?

Dear Drake,

Congratulations! It is with pleasure that I invite you to Teach For America's interview day. We enjoyed learning about you in your application and would appreciate the opportunity to meet you in person. You have advanced directly to the final interview stage and will not be participating in a phone interview. For more information about our process, please click here.

Teach For America's day-long interview is a unique opportunity to demonstrate your skills in a variety of contexts and to engage in issues related to educational inequality with a talented group of applicants. To help you prepare for your interview day, we have posted information and materials on the Applicant Center that explain what to expect, how to prepare, and what to bring with you.

Teach For America

Okay, so if you don't know about this, you need to know about this, because it's going to be my life for the next two years (hopefully!). Basically, Teach For America is an organization that recruits top college graduates who want to tackle the educational gap in America by placing them in low-income areas throughout the country to teach for two years in a K-12 classroom.

Teach for America is amazing, and you should totally check out their website to learn more: http://www.teachforamerica.org/family_friends/index.htm

Friday was the first deadline, and I submitted my application. Fingers crossed! I find out next Thursday my status. We had to submit a resume and letter of intent, among other things. I thought ya'll might like to read my letter of intent.

Teach For America Letter of Intent

by Drake Allsop

Two straight hours of calculus—for most of my classmates it was the bane of their high school experience. As for me, I looked forward to it. During the first hour, as Mr. Harris explained integrals and derivatives, I would ask lots of questions to make sure I understood. Then, during the second hour, I would quickly finish my homework so that I could spend the rest of the class helping my classmates. Fellow students would call me from across the room to come explain a difficult problem, and I was eager to help them arrive at the correct answer. In the first grade, when others dreamed of being firefighters and astronauts, I couldn’t think of anything I’d rather be than a teacher. My high school calculus class reminded me what I knew even back then—I’m a teacher at heart.

Sharing what I know with others is one of my greatest joys. When the light of understanding turns on for someone I’m teaching, my own life gets a little brighter. I want to become a Teach For America corps member because I love teaching and I understand how to help others learn. In addition, I want to make a difference in the world. I have been incredibly blessed, and I feel deeply that it is my duty and privilege to give back. I am constantly praying and searching for ways in which I can serve others. Teach For America will be a powerful way for me to make a difference and give back, while doing something I love.

As a corps member my goals would be threefold: I would want to improve myself as an educator and as a person, help those I teach to progress and reach their goals, and contribute to the growth and development of the other educators I work with, especially other corps members. I plan to continue learning and improving as a teacher during my entire corps experience. I would expect to set lofty goals with my students and work diligently alongside them to achieve our aims.

As passionate as I am about teaching, I might be even more passionate about learning. I enjoy reading books, watching documentaries, visiting museums, and asking questions to better understand the world around me. I would consider myself successful if I could ignite a spark of this same passion for learning in the students I teach. Success would be when a student gets so excited about learning that they go beyond the bounds of the class material to learn something on their own. Success would be when a student I’ve taught reaches out to help a classmate struggling with a difficult concept. Success would be when my students are not only prepared for the next step in their education, but excited for it. I will see success when habits of learning and achieving become an integral part of those students I’ve had the privilege to teach.

Sunrise on Mount Timpanogos

One of the things I love about college life is sometimes you just do crazy things--like hike up a dark mountainside all night so you can see the sunrise from the summit. Who does that?!

Well, 6 of my friends and I did, along with at least 100 other people last Saturday morning. The trail was hopping, I tell you! Here's a picture of us catching the first morning rays of sunshine.

So we left at 12:00am, reached the summit at 6:30am, and were back home at Park Plaza by 11:30am. You should have seen us stumble out of my car--dirty, sore, tired, and conquerors!

This picture is definitely going in my portfolio. I love the lighting and the color.

To Arches

Labor Day is the only day off we get this semester besides Thanksgiving, so some friends and I decided to make good use of it. Five of us snuggled into my car, and popped down to Moab early that morning. Turns out my roommate, who is from Utah, hadn't ever been to Arches! Crazy! I think this was my fifth time hiking Delicate Arch.

We also hiked Double O Arch in the afternoon. The first O you can see behind us, the second O is underneath it, just left of my head. We really had a great time, and on the way home everyone mentioned how it seemed like we'd been together for more than just 12 hours. We packed a lot of fun into our one day off!

Wipeout

I've been boating a couple times since I got back and I think my rule of thumb is don't stop until you biff. Here's some of the fun I've had.

Photoshoot

So two weeks ago when my cuz Juliann flew out to DC to drive home with me, my excellent photographer cousin Ceri gave us the photoshoot of our lives! It was suprisingly enjoyable! We kept coming up with crazy ideas about representing things and themes that were important to us. I've included some of the highlights so far. Thanks, Ceri!

Hot Air Balloon Ride

I want to ride in a hot air balloon some day.

The Alliance

I must pay tribute to this my favorite book of all time. Last week I finally decided that I should own my favorite book, so when a barnesandnoble.com coupon came my way, I seized the day. Of course, when it got here this week I felt like it needed an inauguration, and who better for its maiden reading than me! Now the thing about this book is it's such a page turner from Chapter 1 that I've never succeeded in reading it in less than two days. Even now I just couldn't put it down! It's such a incredible, compelling story. As I read I felt supreme sorrow and disgust, confusion and mystery, and even relief and joy. The story addresses the most fundamental of human rights, the freedom to choose, to be good, and forces you to reconsider what is right, and what one can/should do to defend what is right. And it's so full of action and plot twists and plain cleverness, that it just keeps you reeling! If you haven't read this book yet, I highly recommend it to you. And here's the good news--now I've got a copy, so just ask me and you can borrow it!

Good Morning, Baltimore!

This week was my long awaited excursion to Baltimore. The National Aquarium has been high on

my list of things to see ever since I arrived here. I planned out everything, and pretty much had the floor plan memorized before I arrived. We got to see the dolphin show, watch Shallow Seas in the 4-D Theater, and see Dora and Nemo! I think though, my favorite animals were the poisonous frogs. It was like an I Spy Book trying to find the different frogs in their simulated habitats. As we stood there trying to find the frogs, I started saying stuff like, "One drop of poison from this frog is enough to kill an entire frog!" just to see the facial reactions of the people behind us. Hilarious!

Anyway, we hit up Fort McHenry on the way home. That's where we held off the British navy's bombardment during the war of 1812 and where Francis Scott Key was poetically inspired to write the words that would become our national anthem. I liked it! I really love our country.

That was Baltimore. As we walked down the streets towards the Aquarium on such a beautiful day, I couldn't help myself from singing, "Good morning, Baltimore!"