13 October 2008
Super Size our Relationship
Our Senior year of High School was drawing to an end. At this point we were still dancing together everyday and going out occassionally. We did however, begin spending our lunch break together. At one particular lunch outing we were sitting at the local McDonalds restaraunt enjoying our food when the topic of conversation suddenly turned to....Taylor is going to St. George and Dixie State College in the Fall, and Alisa is going to UVSC in Orem. It was in that somewhat awkward exchange that we both realized that we were more than just friends. I strongly remember Alisa saying, "Listen, we didn't know how close we would be when you decided to go to Dixie, it will work out." I left McDonalds that day realizing that in all of our dancing and getting to know each other, that perhaps we were both in love. Although we probably didn't recognize it as such, we did however want to be near the other, and that was enough for me.
08 October 2008
Learning Dance Steps
I'm definitely not Fred Astaire, but I do have some rhythm. My Senior year Social Dance 1 class allowed me to not only have an entire hour to talk with Alisa, but also the chance to hold her hand. I made it a point to sit near her when she entered the classroom and was quick to ask her to dance when it was time to learn some new steps. Together we learned the steps to the Cha-Cha and the Mambo. We learned to Tango and to Waltz. It didn't take too long for the other students in the class to learn that I would be asking Alisa to dance with me everyday, and soon they just quit asking either of us. The teacher began to hint that we had each found a permanent dance partner. I looked forward everyday to dancing with Alisa. She was after all a great dancer.
And yet, as much as I enjoyed spending that time everyday with her I wasn't able to ask her on a date. At the time I had plenty of excuses, but they all seem so trivial now.
Luckily for me the last dance didn't occur in Social Dance 1. By the end of the term we had developed a friendship and had our class schedules changed so we could continue to dance together in Social Dance 2. Social dance 2 was no different than 1, it simply just contained more people who thought they were a gift to choreogrophers. We learned some new dance steps and cultivated our friendship even more.
I don't know what took me so long, but eventually I decided I had to ask Alisa on a date, and what better date than the Senior Prom? (I know, way to work into it buddy.) Fortunately for me, she accepted my invitation. I think Prom may have been a bit of a letdown for Alisa, not because we didn't have a good time, but I wasn't a part of her "group" of friends and therefore she was forced to spend the evening with my "group" of friends. I never felt awkward when I was around her, but instead felt so relaxed and comfortable. After dropping her off at home, I knew for sure that she was someone I needed to have in my life.
And yet, as much as I enjoyed spending that time everyday with her I wasn't able to ask her on a date. At the time I had plenty of excuses, but they all seem so trivial now.
Luckily for me the last dance didn't occur in Social Dance 1. By the end of the term we had developed a friendship and had our class schedules changed so we could continue to dance together in Social Dance 2. Social dance 2 was no different than 1, it simply just contained more people who thought they were a gift to choreogrophers. We learned some new dance steps and cultivated our friendship even more.
I don't know what took me so long, but eventually I decided I had to ask Alisa on a date, and what better date than the Senior Prom? (I know, way to work into it buddy.) Fortunately for me, she accepted my invitation. I think Prom may have been a bit of a letdown for Alisa, not because we didn't have a good time, but I wasn't a part of her "group" of friends and therefore she was forced to spend the evening with my "group" of friends. I never felt awkward when I was around her, but instead felt so relaxed and comfortable. After dropping her off at home, I knew for sure that she was someone I needed to have in my life.
Accounting Step
Confucius said, "The Journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." I would never have imagined that a step would occur in my Accounting class. I remember two things about my Junior year accounting class: 1) Debits and Credits, and 2) Alisa Weaver sat in the front row.
It's no surprise that numbers and my brain do not get along very well. In fact, most of the time they don't even speak to each other. Perhaps one day they will settle their differences, but until then, I try not to get involved. What I did try to do was finally approach Alisa Weaver and introduce myself. Still unable to just walk up and say, "Hello, my name is Taylor Ensign and I think you are really cute." I instead began to create a name for myself in the classroom.
I have always had an ability, no...a gift to be able to use words to manipulate, no...persuade teachers into letting me do, and not do what I wanted. My accounting teacher, Mrs. Moncur was not immune. It was obvious that she had her hands tied with things she too felt were more important than accounting. I simply took the time to remind her each day that she ought to be spending time doing those things, and that we could handle accounting on our own. I instituted the "FREE DAY" in accounting that year. It really boiled down to her working on things in her office while the rest of us played games on the computers and socialized. It didn't take long until I became known in the class as one who could get them out of work for the day by declaring to the teacher it was time for another "FREE DAY."
It was on one of these free days that I finally took the opportunity to approach Alisa. I invited her to come chat in the back of the classroom and assist me with the difficult Wheel of Fortune game I was playing on my computer. The conversation eventually led to the discussion of the Social Dance class she would be taking during the next trimester of classes. I of course left class that day, skipped lunch, and went to see my counselor. I quickly had my class schedule changed for the upcoming months so that I too would be in the same class. I guess I really do like Accounting. It wasn't until our relationship had progressed much further that I learned her father and my future father-in-law was a very successful Accountant.
It's no surprise that numbers and my brain do not get along very well. In fact, most of the time they don't even speak to each other. Perhaps one day they will settle their differences, but until then, I try not to get involved. What I did try to do was finally approach Alisa Weaver and introduce myself. Still unable to just walk up and say, "Hello, my name is Taylor Ensign and I think you are really cute." I instead began to create a name for myself in the classroom.
I have always had an ability, no...a gift to be able to use words to manipulate, no...persuade teachers into letting me do, and not do what I wanted. My accounting teacher, Mrs. Moncur was not immune. It was obvious that she had her hands tied with things she too felt were more important than accounting. I simply took the time to remind her each day that she ought to be spending time doing those things, and that we could handle accounting on our own. I instituted the "FREE DAY" in accounting that year. It really boiled down to her working on things in her office while the rest of us played games on the computers and socialized. It didn't take long until I became known in the class as one who could get them out of work for the day by declaring to the teacher it was time for another "FREE DAY."
It was on one of these free days that I finally took the opportunity to approach Alisa. I invited her to come chat in the back of the classroom and assist me with the difficult Wheel of Fortune game I was playing on my computer. The conversation eventually led to the discussion of the Social Dance class she would be taking during the next trimester of classes. I of course left class that day, skipped lunch, and went to see my counselor. I quickly had my class schedule changed for the upcoming months so that I too would be in the same class. I guess I really do like Accounting. It wasn't until our relationship had progressed much further that I learned her father and my future father-in-law was a very successful Accountant.
22 September 2008
At First Sight
Confucius said, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” I guess the journey of a relationship begins the same way, although I am not really sure when my first step with Alisa occurred. In truth, there were several first steps; each leading to a walk in the rain.
One such step occurred the first time I saw her. It was at the conclusion of our sophomore year when the student body had been gathered for an assembly where girls would demonstrate their talents in hopes of landing a spot on the Varsity Cheer squad for the following year. I was mostly relieved to be somewhere other than Algebra class, and as such sat near the back so as not to disturb others while chatting with my friends.
I didn’t get too far into any conversations however, because Alisa Weaver was the first to audition. She was such a petite person, yet had a commanding presence on stage. Her enormous smile coupled with intense personal excitement over the opportunity to show the school what she could do, made it impossible for me to look away. Not only did she convey a uniquely positive energy, but she was beautiful. I am sure at the time I used the word cute. Once her routine was completed I turned to a friend sitting next to me and proclaimed, “I am going to get to know that girl.” The remainder of the assembly never entered my memory, but the thought of Alisa never left.
Several months later my freshman year of high school began. I’ve always made it a point to be punctual, which in high school usually meant I would be the first to arrive in a classroom. This punctuality meant I could-one, chose to sit wherever I wanted, and two, meant I could survey all of my classmates as they entered the room. Another wonderful “step” occurred when Alisa walked into my math class and sat on the opposite side of the room. Had I been more courageous at the time I would have changed my seat location to sit somewhere nearer to her. Instead however, I spent months gazing across the classroom at her, and learning nothing about math. Although one could argue that I would have learned little about math in the first place.
I never approached her in our shared math class, but often watched her as she would converse with those around her. She always seemed so happy, which seemed to draw other students around her. I wasn’t even near her, and yet her mannerisms had captivated my attention as well.
One such step occurred the first time I saw her. It was at the conclusion of our sophomore year when the student body had been gathered for an assembly where girls would demonstrate their talents in hopes of landing a spot on the Varsity Cheer squad for the following year. I was mostly relieved to be somewhere other than Algebra class, and as such sat near the back so as not to disturb others while chatting with my friends.
I didn’t get too far into any conversations however, because Alisa Weaver was the first to audition. She was such a petite person, yet had a commanding presence on stage. Her enormous smile coupled with intense personal excitement over the opportunity to show the school what she could do, made it impossible for me to look away. Not only did she convey a uniquely positive energy, but she was beautiful. I am sure at the time I used the word cute. Once her routine was completed I turned to a friend sitting next to me and proclaimed, “I am going to get to know that girl.” The remainder of the assembly never entered my memory, but the thought of Alisa never left.
Several months later my freshman year of high school began. I’ve always made it a point to be punctual, which in high school usually meant I would be the first to arrive in a classroom. This punctuality meant I could-one, chose to sit wherever I wanted, and two, meant I could survey all of my classmates as they entered the room. Another wonderful “step” occurred when Alisa walked into my math class and sat on the opposite side of the room. Had I been more courageous at the time I would have changed my seat location to sit somewhere nearer to her. Instead however, I spent months gazing across the classroom at her, and learning nothing about math. Although one could argue that I would have learned little about math in the first place.
I never approached her in our shared math class, but often watched her as she would converse with those around her. She always seemed so happy, which seemed to draw other students around her. I wasn’t even near her, and yet her mannerisms had captivated my attention as well.
28 August 2008
One Step at a Time
Confucius said, "The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." I have had wonderful "single-steps" in my life, each taking me a little further. I took "steps" as a child, a teenager, and then as an adult. I took an LDS mission "step," and a marriage to a wonderful woman "step." Together we have taken the "step" of having children, and now continue to "step" together in our journey. I hope to use this blog as a way of sharing stories of past "steps," current "steps," and maybe even "steps" yet to occur in the journey.
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