Under the Skin

I make no secret of my contempt for the bureaucracy of the FDA and the medical research industry in general--even though I want to be a part of it.   I admit freely that it is a necessary entity.   I know that the system of some countries where not-safe things roam the markets freely is a very bad idea.   And I admit freely that this problem is manifest in the supplements market—a market where purity is not guaranteed and they don’t have to back up any of their claims, or even prove its safety. However, I am concerned about the “Well it’s not ideal…but whatever” attitude of medical treatments.   “Crisis averted” doesn’t mean “problem solved.” Whenever they say, "It's not ideal,"  I just want to pull out a Will Turner: Exhibit A “The Mother of All Pandemics” 1918 saw the worst flu epidemic in recorded history.   People that freaked out in 2008/2009 had absolutely no concept of flu epidemic.   We don’t even know how many people died...

As much as I like the ukulele, it is not the most versatile instrument.  Especially when you compare it to pianos.  But, some songs work surprisingly well.  This is one of those songs.  Ever since President Packer's talk a few conferences ago, I have loved the song "Brightly Beams Our Father's Mercy." I didn't really know it before that.  But, in its purity it should be song by a cappella men's quartets.  I have felt that way since the week after conference when some guys in my ward sang it that way in sacrament meeting.  So, I can't do it justice.  However, I found that, much to my surprise, it works well with ukulele accompaniment.  Maybe it's the slow and plaintive feeling.  Maybe it's the ocean references.  But I like it. Remember however, that there are many things that Hannah does well.  Singing isn't one of them.  There are many things that Hannah does mediocre-ly.  Singing isn't one of those either.

When I first got to college, I was a nursing major.  It didn't take me long to realize that I was in the wrong place.  Nurses have a very important role, but I knew very quickly that it wasn't the role that was right for me.  I didn't have the same personality as all the other nursing majors, and I, quite frankly, didn't enjoy being around people as much as they did. I knew that I wanted to help people--that much I knew.  But I also knew that I didn't want to be around people.  And I loved science--that much I knew.  Besides, my ultimate goal was to go towards research, and nursing is a very unconventional path to that anyways.  I searched the university for something that was right for me.  When I saw the major of Clinical Laboratory Science, I didn't really know what that was.  But I was drawn to it.  As I progressed in the major, I realized it was perfect.  It was healthcare without people.  And it was science.  And I h...

I decided to make another hymn arrangement for one,  unaccompanied violin.  As I previously explained, this style only works for the very folksy-sounding hymns, so I used Come Thou Fount.  Here it is right after I had arranged it, and before my hands had really warmed up for vibrato purposes.