The Price is Right

We did the Price is Right yesterday with my parents, aunt and her friend. It was a very long, but fun day. It was our anniversary so it was great times! We've been married for 4 years now. Here is what went down yesterday:

• We had to get up early to get in a line to get our “order of arrival” tickets. This would help us later when we were in line. We were in Hollywood at 6am. At this point we just got our tickets and were told to come back at 12:30 for the “interviewing” process and what not.
• We went to Denny’s in Burbank to get breakfast.
  My hair was looking ridiculous from the humidity in Hollywood so we drove back to my place where we chatted and then my aunt’s friend fixed my hair since she’s a hairdresser.
• Finally we headed back down to Hollywood. We managed to have some extra time so we drove down Rodeo drive and then to Wilshire.
• We had to park at the Grove, so we got there around 11:15. We kind of just meandered through The Grove shops, checked out the Farmer’s Market area. Finally, we walked to CBS and arrived around 12:15 and just sat down.
• Within 30 minutes we were called in order of our numbers to sit on a new bench. We probably waited there for an hour. At least they had bathrooms and snacks nearby.
• While we waited there we were given new numbers, name tags and info cards to fill out. We put our number below our name tags and returned the info card with some interesting info about ourselves.
• Oh yeah, Eric and I were wearing shirts that said, “It’s my anniversary”.
• After everything had been filled out and what not they took our pictures.
• Finally we got “interviewed” in groups, but it was so fast and kind of boring. We thought we were finally getting close though.
• Next stop was security. They checked purses, bags, etc. You had to pass through a medical detector. No cell phones were allowed so they took those if you had them and put a number on them. It was kind of like a “coat check” but for cell phones. They also took Eric’s key chain pocket knife.
• It was after 2pm when we were seated on more benches. The taping started at 4pm. We thought maybe they’d seat us in the theatre while they went through the other people (we had low numbers so we got to do everything first and then waited for everyone else), but nope. We waited a good hour or two sitting on the most uncomfortable benches. Turns out though the girl sitting across from me got called up and won a car. The girl next to me got called up, but never made it on stage.
• After nearly two hours of waiting on these benches they finally started letting us into the audience of the set. I was shocked by how small the set was. It looks really large on TV, but it’s not. There are only 3 sections of sliding doors, but they only used 2 yesterday. Everything looks like it’s from the 70s. Everything is just so close. Even the audience seating doesn’t look that large either. It’s a small auditorium compared to how big it looks on TV. Rich Fields came out and pumped us up. It was fun and loud. They got the show started very quickly.
• Most everyone lost, but a couple of cars were won.
• This episode will air on November 23rd.

Let me know if I left anything out or you have questions. All and all it was fun and I'd be willing to do it again, but I'd need to take the next day off too.

The Book of Mormon Changed my Life

If you’ve kept up with my blog you know that this past year has been very challenging for Eric and me. He has continuously looked for work to no avail. This economy is just completely beating us up and it’s been very painful and frustrating at times. As 2009 progressed I sunk deeper and deeper into despair and borderline depression at times. I had no hope that anything would work out. We continually prayed and did what we were supposed to do; whatever that means. Anyway, I felt like Heavenly Father wasn’t even hearing our prayers anymore. I started to question if anyone was even there to hear our prayers or if I was just saying them to make me feel better. My life was collapsing around me and my faith was going along with it. I tried to put on a happy face and really listen to the messages at church, but rarely did anything get through. There were a few happy moments, but nothing really significant during that time. I eventually decided sometime in July that I couldn’t just give up on the church without putting in a full effort to see if things were true or not. Throughout the year I had tried reading the Book of Mormon, but I was only at 1 Nephi, chapter 6. Clearly, I hadn’t put much of an effort in to read it. I decided I would read it every day.

At first I was tired at nights when I was supposed to read so that made it particularly hard to do it everyday. Suddenly, one day while at work I got a brilliant idea. I realized the scriptures were all online and I could read them during the slow parts of the day at work. That first day I started at 1 Nephi, Chapter 7 and probably read about 15 chapters. I literally couldn’t stop myself from reading. I was addicted. The old stories that I knew so well were comforting and exciting. The next day I probably read another 15 chapters. Eventually I slowed down how much I was reading everyday and now I’m down to one chapter a day usually. But it is now my goal to read at least one chapter a day. Reading this book has changed me completely. I don’t have so many doubts and I generally live in a place of hope and not despair. I have faith and hope for our future again. I believe things are going to work out for us even if I don’t know how or when. We’re surviving and things are going better for us than should really be possible. Simply reading this book has made my life easier to live and enjoy. Nothing is as hard as it used to be. My prayers are more meaningful and answers are coming to us on a regular basis.

If you need comfort, counsel, peace, direction or whatever I suggest you pick up the book again and start reading from page one. If it could change my life so quickly than I truly believe it can change yours if you let it.

LA Fitness Killer

I don't know if you heard about this guy or not. Today I read some of his blog. Because of some things his preacher taught he believes that he is going to heaven. This I don't necessarily agree with, but I'm not going to judge since I have no say. That's judgement is in God's territory. However, I'm grateful to believe that it's not just about our faith, but our works too that make a difference where we end up in the after life. I believe that what we choose to do in this life good or bad really does matter and we're being watched and recorded closely.

Jesus Christ did pay for our sins, but there is still justice in the world. To be forgiven of our sins and have the atonement actually work we must ask for it's application through repentance and prayer. The atonement is a free gift, but it's not a coverall for our choices. We can be forgiven of our sins if we're truly repentant. Comitting sin knowingly against God's laws is wrong and makes remorse and true repentance difficult.

We must always watch where our faith and testimony in God the Father and His son, Jesus Christ is. But also we have to make sure that our actions (works) are in line with His teachings. We have to do our part in this life. It's not right to leave it up to one guy, even if He was perfect.

Prayer

I just wanted to do a quick post about the power of prayer. I've been struggling with something lately, not a huge thing, but it's been bugging me. The other night when Eric and I were saying our prayers together he prayed that the problem would go away or at least be improved for me. Then, yesterday at work his prayer was answered. It doesn't always work out that way, but then it did and that made me very happy. I know that prayers are answered and sometimes we just have to pay attention to how it's answered. I'll just keep praying and see how things go from here.

Advice Column

I am now in the process of preparing the launch of my new advice column. I would like to have some questions (with my response) put on there when I start. However, I don't have any questions to answer. Can you guys give me some questions to answer regarding relationships (of any type)? I want to talk about marital, sibling, parent-child, teacher-student and all other kinds of relationships. If you're not sure just ask anyway. This can be all anonymous so you're not stuck to questions just for yourself. Even make up a question if you want. Give me what you've got and I'd love to try to answer it.

I will let you all know how to access my website when it's finally finished and up. Thanks so much!

Heat!

I just wanted to let everyone know (for no real good reason) that I hate the heat. I would much rather be cold than hot. I'd probably rather freeze to death than burn to death. Here are a couple of things I think about hot weather and the heat.

• I think it's ridiculous that in this day and age that not every building (including our apartment) has central heating and air. I need better AC than an ancient machine.
• When it's cold you can always bundle up and get under blankets, but in the summer you can only take so much off.
• I get annoyed when people complain that the AC is too cold when it's nearly 100 degrees outside. Bring a sweater if you must because the rest of us would not like to melt.
• I get annoyed when weather people think that the weather/temperature is better when it gets closer to 100 degrees.
• I feel claustrophobic in the heat. I just can't escape out of the situation.

I think I should just move to London one day where it is much cooler and it rains a lot. Now that, I can handle. Good luck to all of you who are trying to stay cool out there!

Healthcare "Reform"

I am so not happy with the new ideas for health care in our country. I'll go point by point so that I don't get muddled in what I'm trying to say.

• They are talking about an "individual mandate" which is absolutely offensive to me. Part of the beauty of America is that we are free to choose, but if they require this of us then it is no longer a choice for all of us. I understand that when someone becomes seriously ill or injured, but has no insurance it hurts the system as a whole, but then find a way to make them pay for it without punishing me.
• They are setting an income limit for being able to afford your own health care. This like most other government programs is a poverty program. If they set the maximum at $16,250 then people will strive to make $16K when they could make $17K or $18K. In the long run they'll save money by letting the government and other taxpayers carry the burden.
• What about all the illegal aliens that use our health care system without insurance. They won't be legal citizens so by law they don't have to have insurance. Also, they'll probably make less than the maximum so we'll pay for it anyway.
• Those of us who have decent jobs and wages will end up paying more in taxes for many people who are capable, but unwilling to work harder to pay for their own medical care.

I am not opposed to health care because I know I've needed it in my life. However, I worry about where the money will come from and what this could do to our outrageously high national debt. I want people to be taken care of and perhaps we could find other ways to make it work. We're a young country with many new ideas, so let's get to work and use them.