Give Thanks--I Thought We Were Done With These...Nope

 Last week my wife and I sat on uncomfortable bleachers and watched teams of teenagers complete in a dance competition...

We thought we were done with all that.

We were wrong.

That's not necessarily a bad thing.

My daughter's been involved in ballroom dance for almost a decade. She's graduated from student to teacher and last week we watched, not her dancing talents, but her teaching skills. She and her boyfriend teach a group of students from Central Utah and it was the dance troupe's first competition.

The kids did great.

When I say "we support our kid's activities," parents know exactly what I'm talking about. If they do sports, the parents/grandparents have spent time on either hard bleachers or uncomfortable lawn chairs. If they play music, you've sat for hours and hours on folding chairs or church pews, theater parents...theater chairs. We've sat and watched as our children/grandchildren hopefully improve their talents.

My daughter stopped competing years ago. People turned to her and her boyfriend to teach their children. Saturday was a start. I'm thinking we'll be attending more competitions in the future (we really should invest in those amazing stadium chairs that make everything better...). 

We're grateful we're able to still support our children in their endeavors. Sure, it's a different type of support, but support just the same. We thought we were done. Silly us.

Random Things...In A Car...In A Picture

Sunday I posted a picture of some random things in a car. It wasn't the greatest picture, by any means, just a few items that sat shotgun as I drove home from Idaho Falls. In the picture, I have:

An unfinished 20 oz bottle of Vanilla Coke

A wrapper to an eaten Midnight Dark Milky Way candy bar

The CD jacket to Electric Light Orchestra's Greatest Hits: All Over The World

A disgarded tie purchased from the newly-opened Deseret Industries in Ammon, Idaho

These served as my traveling companions and that that's what I called them in the picture I posted. Like I said, not the greatest picture, but interesting in a weird kind of way.

Last weekend we started out from Idaho Falls just before 10am, Sunday morning. All the cars and vans were loaded up with kids and food. All the cars and vans, except for mine. All the kids picked the places they wanted to sit on their way home. And when everyone was in a car, mine was empty.

It took me a few minutes on the open road to realize not having anyone with me wasn't necessarily a bad thing because that's when I put in the ELO disk, cranked the volume, and sang at the top of my lungs.

If you don't know already, ELO is some fantastic traveling music. I know if my daughter was with me, she would have put up with it. If any of her friends were with us, I'm sure we would have listened to something else.

The drive from southeast Idaho to northern Utah is usually uneventful, but on this particular trip, there was much to see. We had sun between Pocatello and Malad, encroaching clouds in Tremonton, and by the time I hit Ogden, I drove through snow. At no time were the roads crowded which always helps make a road trip better.

I don't travel much, by car or otherwise. And I wouldn't want to travel alone often--I'd rather make the journey with family or friends. But on a spring Sunday afternoon last weekend, traveling by myself with Vanilla Coke, Midnight Dark Milky Way, and ELO as my companions was great.

Those Beautiful Idaho Skies...

I've visited the neighboring state to the north more times than any other save my home state. As a child, every summer (and many times fall, winter, and spring...) my family would travel to the Gem State. It was a logical destination--both my mother and father lived most of their lives in Idaho and we had family there.

There's no way I could appreciate the state as a child--I was too young. We'd travel first in the big Buick Electra 225s that were my dad's favorites. After he passed away, we traveled in many different cars that my mom picked up here and there. As I grew up, I drove back and forth in the cars I chose, and finally, in the cars and vans my wife and I bought. As a kid, the scenery was just that--stuff to see until you reached the place you were going.

Maybe it's because I drove from Idaho Falls alone today that I looked up and noticed just how amazing the skies above the road and plains were. Then again, it could have been the sunroof that allowed me to see above the traveling car.

I was unable to check out a lot of the skies this last weekend. I spent most of the time in the gymnasium of Skyview High School on Idaho Fall's east side. I attended my daughter's last ballroom dance competition as a high school student. If you've never attended, these are the types of events where you go inside the gym in the morning, and sometimes leave long past the sun has set. Friday night, I took a break and looked up.

I'm glad I did.

It was beautiful.

I snapped a few pictures, trying to capture what I was seeing. On the building's west side, I stepped outside and saw a group of dancers taking in some fresh crisp Idaho spring air. Their colorful costumes proved a stark difference to the colors of Mother Nature. I didn't get their permission to take their pictures. I tried to make them unrecognizable. You might, if you know these dancers, recognize them. There's more than a good chance the dancers in the pictures will never see this post.

I hope when the opportunity to return to the Gem State occurs, I'll take more time to notice, not just the agrarian landscape, the long-cooled lava rocks, the sagebrush, the majestic Snake River, and the towering Teton Range, but the incredible umbrella of blue and white above.

Leaving Home...A Flash Fiction Story

She killed the engine. The already packed car sat idling for several minutes before she turned the key. The aging Toyota sputtered, then died. She thought she should say a prayer—she’d definitely need any help she could get.

Looking west out the passenger-side window she peered down a long back alleyway and a wave of nostalgia washed over her. That alley—it’s where she played hide-and-seek as a child, where she rode bikes as a tween, and where she snuck in after curfew as a teenager. The alley way knew her secrets, her dreams, her joys, her fears…it knew her.

And she was leaving the alleyway and the only life she’d ever known behind.

What if they hate me at college? she wondered. What if I don’t fit in? She was so excited when the letter came from Stanford. She screamed with excitement as shaking hands held the letter of acceptance, but now, the shy Idaho-born-and-bred girl of migrant farmers wondered if she could make the grade—literally.

I should call Mom—no, it’s time for the lunchtime rush. And, she thought, they’d said their goodbyes that morning before her mother left for work. Besides, sh remembered, she’ll be home for Thanksgiving—only three months away. Oh how she wished she could say goodbye to her father, but a drunk driver make that an impossibility.

Her dad…in all the excitement, she hadn’t even thought of him. All the preparations, the packing, getting the car ready for the trip—she had forgotten about her dad.

The girl glanced down the alleyway one more time, took a deep breath, and fired up the trusty engine. She’ll swing by the cemetery on the way out of town. After all, it’s only a few minutes out of her way.

Spending The Day With Dozens Of Teenagers...

Yes, I agreed to help chaperone several dozen teenagers as they participated in a ballroom dance competition in Idaho.

Yes, I was of sound mind when I agreed to do this.

Yes, I understood what would be involved in making such a decision. 

Actually, this isn't the first time I've attended this particular event. Last year I drove up with my daughter. Having never been, last year was draining. There's just so...many...kids. And when you get hundreds and hundreds of teenager ballroom dancers in one place it gets...so...loud.

The difference between this year and last, last year I wasn't a chaperone. I was just a dad. So far, it's been about the same, except we had a pair of siblings riding up with us. They were well-behaved and pleasant company.

Come to think of it, every teenager I encountered today was well-behaved. That's the amazing thing--so many kids in one place, and they're respectful, kind to each other, and friendly. It's easy to condemn a generation. By looking at examples of poor choices, everyone can be labeled as such. And even though they were loud, that's about the worst of it.

Of course, we're only a few hours into our adventure. We've all got a few days to be together. Thankfully, I'm in a hotel room, away from the masses when I need sleep. I'm sure bunking with everyone would make things tougher. I don't anticipate the kids getting a lot of sleep the next few days.

Tonight my daughter dances. It's an honor watching her compete. She's brave like that--something I most likely wouldn't have dared to at her age. Then again, maybe I would. I know one thing, when I was a teenager, there were times I was very loud.

Yes, I agreed to help chaperone several dozen teenagers as they participated in a ballroom dance competition in Idaho.

Yes, I was of sound mind when I agreed to do this.

Yes, I'm glad I did.

Spending A Saturday...With A Bunch Of Ballroom Dancers

For the second time in as many years, I found myself spending an entire Saturday with thousands of ballroom dancers and their friends and family.

If you've never had the opportunity, it's a good time!

In Utah, ballroom dancing appears to be a very healthy endeavor. Last year I attended my first-ever ballroom dancing competition. It was held about thirty miles north of this year's facility. Different place, same result--lots of people, lots of fans, lots of costumes, tons of dancing.

Since I don't travel very much, and I'm not as involved in other people's children as I am my own, I have no idea if other areas have as robust a ballroom dancing community as we do in Utah. I would imagine not, though anything is possible. It is amazing to look across a high school auditorium and see so many young kids all dancing. Of course, some are more talented, more dedicated than others, but the important thing is, they're doing it. They're getting on that floor and moving to the beat of the music. It's really uplifting to see kids getting over their fears, asserting themselves, doing something they don't have to do.

My daughter can be found in the masses of costumes an dance shoes. She's done well in the short time she's been involved in the program, and we're proud of what she's been able to accomplish. This is her last year she can compete at this level. She's made some good friends at Silhouette Ballroom Studios and she's surrounded by good people. As a parent, that's a win-win.

So, was it worth it spending my entire Saturday at this competition?

You bet it is!

The Way We Watch Life As If Passes Before Us...

Last weekend I and a couple of thousand other people gathered in a high school gymnasium in Idaho Falls, Idaho, and watched our children and friends perform.

But how did we watch?

This is how--from a small screen.

Now, I can comment on this because I'm one of the biggest offenders of this new way to watch life. I do it all the time. When my daughter's team danced, I was right down there with them, with camera in hand trying to be as steady as possible, hoping to get a video worthy of preservation. I could justify my actions by saying that I was filming the dances because my wife and the rest of the family couldn't make the trip. I needed something to show them so they could see what I saw.

But that's not completely true. I had friends at the event who videoed the same dances. I could easily have had them send me copies. I wonder if I'm beyond that. I wonder if I had put down my camera as my daughter took the floor, would I have enjoyed the experience, or would I have been thinking about how I was not getting it on video?

I included another picture, this one of a friend who teaches and who had several teams at the same event--he's in the pink shirt. I love the look on his face--it communicates so much, the determination of watching his kids perform, that intense focus. It shows the dedication of a good teacher, a good mentor. He can use the video he's taking to better improve his kids. He can see what's worked and what's not working. It helps him in ways that teachers could not have imagined generations ago.

So, is our new way of experiencing life a bad thing? I suppose it depends on the situation. But I wonder, what if an EMP hits and fries every electronic device we own and we have to start over, will our lives be as full as they are now, or will they be fuller? That's an interesting question.

Driving An Open Road On A Beautiful Spring Day...

I think it was Gale Snoats who said, "I love to drive." As I get older, I don't know if I like driving more than I once did--I'm not finding myself behind the wheel very much these days. I take public transportation to work and we don't really go anywhere anymore. But as I drove home today from a weekend dance competition in the great Gem State to the north, I realized, there's something therapeutic about being on an open road.

If you want open roads, Idaho and Northern Utah present many suitable options for you. Not a lot of tight turns, so if you buy a really expensive foreign automobile that goes really fast, you'll go really fast pretty much in a straight line. Of course, going really fast, you may not see the deer and (more importantly...) elk that might cross your path. Luckily, we saw neither, but the state of Idaho made sure to remind us every few miles that deer and elk live in the area, too.

As an kid driving to Idaho Falls, then Rexburg, then Driggs was an annual event. I keep telling my kids (probably too much...) about how it was when I was a kid and how the interstate system had not yet been completed. That's an odd thought, even for me. But it's true. As I grew, sections of I-15 were finished until finally a car can go from Salt Lake City to Idaho Falls in under three hours and you don't even have to break any speed limits to do it.

As I drove I snapped a few pictures. At no time we were in danger, though some may disagree with that. I was much less distracted than texters with whom I share the road. Although, one of the most amazing things I ever saw while driving occurred on that very stretch of Interstate 15 many years ago. On one of our trips north we passed a smaller import. As we passed I noticed the driver doing something not normally associated wth driving. What was the driver doing? She was reading a paperback novel.

Today's trip was short and thanks to some expensive upgrades to the family chariot, the drive was very smooth. I wouldn't want to make that drive everyday, but on this warming beautiful spring day, it was great.

Gem State Classic Show Dance Championships...

My daughter and I are currently in Idaho Falls, Idaho, attending the Gem State Show Dance Championships.

If you'll indulge me for a moment, I'm going to do a little bragging.

Okay, maybe not bragging, but at least, delivering good news. My daughter and her dance partner Paxton tied for 2nd place in their category. It was pretty cool. I videoed the dance and dared not even cheer or scream for fear of letting go of the camera. And, I was pretty nervous, too. They really did a great job and I'm proud of them both. 

I'm new to the whole "going to ballroom dance competitions" thing. The first one I ever attended was last month. I'm kind of a fan now. Watching as a parent brought back memories of when I competed in sporting events. I played little league baseball and football (yes, really, football...). I also played AYSO soccer. When I got to high school I ran track and cross country. I remember my mom going to my little league and soccer games, but not so much track and cross country. And that's okay--I was middle-of-the-road at best. Besides, she had to work being both father and mother to us three kids.

Of all our kids, we've followed our daughter's sporting exploits the most. The boys (except the youngest who currently does Karate...) and the daughter played soccer and we went to every game--we had to or they wouldn't have a ride to and from. The boys never played any other organized sports, but our daughter did gymnastics for several years. She made the decision on her own when it was time to stop. And thanks for some great friends and other fortunate circumstances, she's now doing ballroom dancing.

Now, instead of competing, I watch from the bleachers. I sit and video with all the other parents and grandparents. My stomach does summersaults as my child gets read for her routine, then I can barely breathe as they dance. I wonder what my mom thought as she watched me, this little skinny kid wear a helmet and shoulder pads and pretend to know what I was doing, or when I was stuck in left field hoping no one hit to me. Did she feel nervous? Did she worry?

Probably not. I think parents didn't take the sports as serious back then. At least, that's what I'd like to think anyway. 

I'm proud of our girl--they really did great. And one day, God willing, she'll be sitting in the stands watching her children as they do their stuff. And, God willing, my wife and I will be right there with her.

Spent The Day With A Bunch Of Ballroom Dancers...It Was Great

Last Saturday I found myself in Cache County for an all-day Ballroom Dance Competition. I've never been to a ballroom dance competition, let alone one that lasted an entire day. I've been to competitions, gymnastics, soccer games, even a debate tournament, but this one was special. 

The competition was between several dance studios along the Wasatch Front. My daughter's studio is Silhouette Studio in Bountiful. They did a great job. They had group dances in the morning and early afternoon, and then my daughter didn't dance again until almost 10pm. That left a lot of time in between dances to enjoy the moments.

Back when my daughter did gymnastics, we went to plenty of meets. They never lasted as long as this one did. And there were never this many participants. There were ballroom dancers and dance parents as far as the eye could see.

We did have that huge break between dances. At times, we wished we could have gone home and come back, but that wouldn't have been reasonable. But, at the end of the day, we were glad we stayed. The dancers from the our studio were very successful.

After the competition, we drove through Sardine Canyon on our way home. It can be a tricky road at times. We had a little fog, avoided the speed trap at Mantua, and made it safely home. There will be other competitions, hopefully. But this one, like I said, it was special.