Schmidt

this talk by Sheri Dew was given at the beginning of the California Young Single Adult conference in August 2012 and it changed my life. It's twenty minutes long, but if you have the time it would be a good thing to spend it on.:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XoSyjFrpjxQ


also, this is jon Schmidt. and i remember my sister Katrina playing this song on the piano when i was VERY young. i asked her what song it was, and she told me, "Waterfall, but it's really hard." i loved to watch her play it and hear her play it and wanted to play it. but like she said, it was hard. and i was seven. But when Katrina was gone at school or out with friends, i'd practice. I taught myself to play the piano exclusively so i could play this song. i learned the scales and 'hot cross buns' and then i got to work. and every time i sat down at the piano i was playing this song. struggling one single note at a time. i'm sure it was painful to listen to. And when i'd mastered the right hand, i started to teach myself the left, but it was really hard, so i signed up for lessons from a lady in our ward. i went for two months and once i was comfortable playing with my left hand, i quit lessons. i played this song over and over and over until i got it. and ten years later i still never get tired of playing this song. neither do any of the other like, kajillion mormon kids who know this song.
whatever, i knew him first.
anyway, the point of this rant is that I have dreamed of seeing Jon Schmidt perform this piece for as long as i can remember.

And on Thursday i get to.
and i'm really, really, really, really excited.
best birthday present ever.