A Tribute to My Parents

William and Valerie Green

Outbursts in a Crowded Theatre:

I have enjoyed a love for the performing arts my whole life.  It was a gift from my mother and father.  I remember cleaning on Saturdays. Depending on the music playing we knew what we were cleaning. if it was Mom’s opera; we would be cleaning the closets and bathrooms (deep cleaning ).  If the music was Dad’s Don Ho or Old western music, not what they call western now, we would be deep cleaning the front room and oiling the stereo console.  Tiny Bubbles and Texas Rose still bring a smile to my face.  I listen to HMS Pinafore and I love it. This was the first show I remember seeing at the Capital Theater mom got us all tickets and we sat in the nose bleed section but I remember the music (because we had cleaned to it).  I knew it well. I sang with it and the people who sat by us could not believe that such a small child knew every word to every song (I am sure that I was very annoying).  I love the theater I love being involved with the process as well as just enjoying a show.    Every time I am at that theater I think of Mom and Dad and thank them for giving me the beauty of theater.

Many years later Mom and Dad gave me season theater tickets for my birthday I went to shows with mom and a few with mom and dad.  The one I liked best (not because of the performance was good… it was terrible) was West Side Story at the Capital Theater we had all understudies it was closing night and the strongest actor was the supporting actress.  We sat through the show.  When it was quiet and Tony had just been killed;  Dad said rather loudly, “It’s about damn time”.  Mom shrank in her seat.  A laugh from all the men sitting around us, as well as, Kevin and I was heard.  It was hard not to laugh because it really was what we all were feeling.  That is one of my favorite shows to date because dad made it real.  

I love the fact that my parents have given me so much as well as sharing this with my children so they also have a passion for the arts not just theater but for many aspects of art including music, painting, dancing and theatrical arts.

How I learned to love the arts:

I am thankful for the memories that my parents made with me and my brothers and sister while we were growing up.  I love that they took us camping that they took us to museums, movies, the theatre, concerts, and too many other things to name.   As I look back on my life I feel that I was very spoiled in many ways.  I was taught to work hard for what I wanted and to take care of what I had.

I am grateful for the love of the arts, cooking, and learning something new.  My parents gave of their time to teach us these things.  One of my earliest memories was cleaning as a family, then going to get an ice cream together, another is Painting the front room window with Christmas Elves as a family.   

Cooking with my mom and dad growing up learning how they did things and why it was important to do it just that way.   I also remember cookie making with my brothers and sisters.  Aimee was so small. She would try and help but she would get distracted and run off. The brothers would go and Julie and I would stay and finish cooking them. 

One of my favorite memories is watching the landing on the moon with dad outside in the back yard with the telescope and the black and white television.  We would watch the walking on the moon and then dad would let us look at the moon through the telescope it really left an impression on me.

I am grateful for the camping trips with them as they showed love and sacrifice for Grandpa Tom.  Dad really didn’t like fishing (something I did not find out till much later in my life) but he took grandpa out in the row boat with a smile.  I enjoyed riding the motorcycles with Scott and Steve during the day and then   Mom would have crafts for us kids to do.  Then listening to mystery radio at night around the campfire was such a great time together. 

I remember going to BYU with mom and for a quarter seeing the old films like Arsenic and Old Lace, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers or Mr.  Smith goes to Washington.  We saw many more films; but, those are the ones I remember most.  We had such a great time.  I also loved going to see the Dress rehearsal for Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride at the Harris Fine Arts Center.  Mom found ways to get us into stuff like that.

I am grateful for the memories of childhood and the memories that mom and dad have created with my children as well.  Thank you for giving of your time and making each and every one of us feel that we are special.

Creatures lurking (a little better look)

I have creatures lurking in the dark recesses of my mind.  They debilitate me with the fear that I can not do anything well.  This has been a thorn in my side my whole life.  The fear that I am not creative or smart.  I struggle with this on a daily basis.  I have learned over the years not to let the creatures take complete control but every now and then they do get out of hand and I have to work on getting them back were they belong.  I have struggled the last few months with them and have learned that I am not as dumb as I think I am.

I am intimidated  by my very intelligent husband and my smart children ( I don't just mean their mouths). My siblings and my parents are very smart and very creative as well.  So why do I feel I do not measure up in those categories? I struggled to read and print anything as a kid I told my mom that my head hurt or my eyes were tired.  I was not lying just stretching the truth a bit so she would help me with my home work.  I would memorize what she read to me and regurgitate it back to the teacher. This went on for many many years.  It was not until I was in 10th grade that they did testing on me.  While I was "reading", I skipped a page and the teacher found me out.  The testing showed that I was dyslexic.  I was sent to resource. I was too advanced for my class mates and ended up being board.  The teacher gave me different tasks to do instead and I ate it up. I was learning and enjoying it.  Summer came and I still could not read very well and I could print but I could not write in cursive.  I worked very hard that summer. My mother would give me books to read and she would help me get through them.  The Little House Series were among the first.  My mother helped me through them all.  I got a kindergarten writing tablet and a cursive work book and I did 3 lessens a day.  I would write the names of my family members. I would write the words to songs or anything I could copy.     My mother would say many years later that I had the prettiest penmanship. My dad would help me with the math.  He would ask me at random times what something x something was.  It would take me a  bit but I would get the answer.  Math was very difficult for me but I really did like it the best as numbers are true and the rules for simple math do not change or have exceptions.  I have to say that is why English is not at all what I like.  Spelling and punctuation very hard with too many exceptions to the rules and not all words are spelled how they sound. I have to  read really fast because I have to read a page three times to make sure I comprehend what it is saying.  So I  read a page three times to a normal persons once.   I do creative processing to get from point A to point B.  My husband will ask why didn't you just do it this way? Well for one, it never accord to me that I could do it that way.  I say well who cares how it is done as long as the result are the same.  So in retrospect I have to say:  'I do measure up and  I do fit in as a smart and creative person.'   I just have to remind myself of that sometimes.  So Creatures go back to the dark place and give me some peace for awhile.  Until next blog...


P S Had very intelligent husband fix the format so it is not one long incomplete sentence. Thanks very much my sweet tarnished knight for rescuing me again.

Hello and welcome to the Mess

My Husband and two of my children are bloggers.  They are very opinionated and I am happy they have the ability to express themselves.  I usually do not get involved in what they are discussing however it is not because I have a problem with what they are saying as I do not it is because I struggle with writing anything as spelling and punctuation scare me.  I can not spell what I can think and say.  that being said this blog  really will be Random stuff that runs through my noggin.  (scary I know).  It will give you a look at who and what I am.  I am a daughter,sister,wife,mother and a friend but most importantly I am me.