Of Temples and Fiddles

We interrupt our regularly scheduled program to bring you this important update of Kimmy's life:

This semester has been decidedly more chill than the last. I think it's appropriate considering this is my last semester here at BYU.

I'm only enrolled in one class--Anthro 499, Senior Thesis. I deliberately planned my schedule to be this way so I could focus all my attention on completing a respectable thesis. Only problem is, no one can show me how to do it.

My teacher, who shall remain nameless, has repeatedly confessed to having no experience in helping students write a senior thesis. In fact, the only teacher equipped to teach us to write anything is doing who knows what in Mexico. Frustrating? Unjust? I think so.

And let me tell you, it's no picnic thinking about the future with a Bachelor's in archaeology, regardless if I have a decent thesis to show for it.

Anywho, when I'm not brooding over the shortcomings of the anthropology department I'm either grading my student's papers or practicing my violin. That's right, I'm a fiddler now!

And no, it's not because I'm in to Sherlock Holmes.

I've wanted to learn the violin for about a year now. And since I had some spare time and money, I decided now was as good a time as any.

Let me introduce you to Benedict Hugo:

First off, lemme explain his name. I wanted it to allude to Holmes in some way, so I considered the names of the actors who have portrayed the infamous sleuth. I decided on 'Benedict' because naming a violin 'Robert' or 'Jeremy' just didn't seem very fitting.

And, as you may have noticed, my violin is painted a shimmery black. It reminds me of a starry night sky which in turn reminds me of Inspector Javert's soul-bearing song in Les Miserables, "Stars". Try as I might, I just couldn't compare something as graceful and delicate as a violin with someone so harsh and terminatoresque. So instead I turned to the man who so gracefully created this beast of a character, Victor Hugo.

Ergo, Benedict Hugo.

He's a cheap violin, but that's okay. I wanted something inexpensive to start with. It's ridiculous how expensive a violin can be, often ranging in the same price range as a small car. But maybe if I really pick it up I'll invest in something a little more respectable than Benedict in a year or so.

So far I'm only able to scratch out "I am a Child of God" and "Nearer My God to Thee" but it's positively riveting. The latter song will definitely come in handy should I ever find myself aboard a sinking cruise liner. Not to comfort people, mind you. Just to distract them into thinking, "Who the hell is killing a cat?"

Another way I've been spending my time is by volunteering at the Provo tabernacle excavation! As most of you know, the Provo tabernacle, which burned down last year, is being rebuilt as a temple.

In clearing the area for this undertaking, construction workers hit the foundation of a demolished tabernacle that used to neighbor the one still standing.

Ground-penetrating radar has revealed the foundation's size and location, and now we're uncovering it. It's exciting to see and touch the same stones that early Provo Latter-Day Saints did in order to build their tabernacle. It's even more exciting when you find an old rusty nail or piece of glass and cry, "LOOK!"

It's decidedly more relaxed than my field school experience. It's nice being able to chat with friends and dig without someone correcting your every move or making you take notes (ahem, Lynn).

All of the above is basically my life in a nutshell right now.

Kimmy out.