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Update

It's been quite some time since my last blog entry. A lot has happened in my life.

#1: I finished my coursework at Utah Valley University in May and I just have my math credit to complete, which I am doing through Ology, a Brigham Young University independent study course. Financial aid fell through for this past spring semester, so I am making payments on tuition; when that is paid off and I can afford to finish Ology, I will finally be able to graduate (*crossing my fingers*) in May of next year from Utah Valley University with a Bachelors of Science in Theatrical Arts.

#2: I have been taking a break from the boards for a while, but hopefully I'll be back in December when I try out this coming September for "Christmas Carol"at Hale Theater in Orem. Hopefully I can get cast. It's been six long years since I have had the honor of playing on that stage; it's been way too long.

#3: My dear mother has been suffering with Alzheimer's for the past five years now, and finally she got to the stage of becoming a flight risk. She was wandering out of the house frequently when I was at work so my brother Jack and I took her to her doctor and he recommended admitting her into an Assisted Living Facility that has Memory Care. We find a really nice one and she is adjusting and making new friends with her fellow patients there. The staff love her. This was very painful for me. For the past twenty-four years I have spent being the sole caregiver for both my parents. This is now a new chapter in my life and has taken quite an adjustment for me. But I am happy to report that I am OK, I have found a nice place to live, I have a great full-time day job with Vivint, an awesome company, working as a customer care professional, and part time at Megaplex Theaters working as a member of the floor staff. I can now focus on me after all these years, and am truly happy with my life where it is at now. I can pursue my theater dreams, but still have financial stability with my jobs. After paying off a few debts, I can actually be able to quit my job at the movie theater, and rely completely on my full time job and theater jobs. I have been truly blessed and am so grateful for those blessings each and every single day!

It has been quite the roller coaster ride the past several months, but I am glad I got through them. My mother is safe and protected and cared for. I can move on to this scary but exciting new chapter in my life.

Extremism - The Scourge of the 21st Century

I must qualify my sharing of this well written article by saying that even though I left the church many years ago, I hold no ill will against it or anyone else. I have moved on in my life and am very happy. But we must all understand that there is a very dangerous element that is existing right now in this nation and that is "extremism." There are those right now that want to change the U.S. constitution drastically which unless it is for the good of ALL of society, is a very dangerous and slippery slope. No matter how well intentioned the LDS church's statements were the past few days, and I totally give them the benefit of the doubt and applaud their intentions, they are very naive to the ways of politics and public policy and how really dangerous this move to add "extra protections" to protect religious freedom which is already engrained into our constitution. History has a very bad way of repeating itself and this has already happened before with the original anti-discrimination movement back in the 50's and 60's. The same movement to protect religious freedom against those original anti-discrimination laws caused the civil rights unrest of those two decades and thousands lost their lives over it. Do we really want to return to that time? I don't think so. These "extra protections" open up a huge Pandora's box for abuse and despite Elder Oaks' protestations that they are not supporting extremism, he is very naive to think that extremism will not happen. IT WILL! Freedom of Religion was intended to protect the citizenry from governmental intrusion on their personal belief systems as well as protecting the citizenry from religious oppression from religious institutions themselves like what occurred in England and all over Europe, and even similar to what happened in the colonies with the example of the "Salem Witch Trials." It was basically put in place to prevent governmental intrusion on personal belief and practice as well as to prevent Sharia Law. It was never intended to allow anyone to say that they will not serve, provide help, employment, etc. to anyone that they don't agree with their belief system and/or lifestyle.

This idea that baking a wedding cake for an LGBT couple violates one's personal religious freedoms is absurd! On top of being very immature! No doctor can be forced to perform abortions because no doctor has to work in an abortion clinic. By following this train of thought, than every single soldier who has defended this country and killed in defense of this country is guilty of murder and will stand damned before God. What utter nonsense!

This has gotten so out of hand on both sides of this issue and it needs to STOP!!!!!!

Click Here For The Article