Pageantry.

Where to begin.

Somehow, miraculously, I finished my online geology work before 10:30 PM on Friday. In fact, I finished it before 3. Which was great, because my friends and I had plans for the evening and I would've guilt-tripped myself if my homework hadn't been turned in, thereby earning me zeros. I actually scored quite high on the little assignments. I even had enough time to finish the extra credit. My geology is now staring balefully at me now, though, since I have a test on Monday and have yet to study. Today was spent in better pursuits. Namely, Conference, laundry, and napping. Wow, guess I don't have to tell you about my Saturday now. Not that I was. Wow, sidetracked much?

Back to Friday!

Roomie's sister arrived around 3:30. We showed her what Rick-Rolling and Communist-Rolling were (YouTube them), and then they spent the next hour watching an episode of Psych. I spent the next hour writing down cool quotes I found in my linguistics book on notecards in colorful Sharpie and taping them to my walls. Inspiration, entertainment, an instant smile. It's all there on my wall in bright marker between faint blue lines.

Around five we headed down to meet the rest of our party for dinner at our glorious dining hall. And by glorious I mean it's a buffet that serves variations of the same five dishes daily. Dinner was a jolly affair. To make my story easier I shall introduce the company now:

1. Roomie. My roommate and partner in crime.

2. Roomie's Sister, hereafter referred to as Cake. Expert in the art of coolness.

3. 19-Year-Old Male #1, hereafter referred to as The Cynic. Master of the Mac and owner of a Dwight Shrute bobblehead.

4. 19-Year-Old Male #2, hereafter referred to as Driver. He who paid the ridiculous price to park on campus and therefore was the automatic chauffeur.

5. 19-Year-Old Male #3, hereafter referred to simply as #3, as I can think of no suitable psuedonym. He shall make only a brief appearance. Know only that he speaks too much of ballroom dance and that which he seems to know but little about.

6. Rebekah, hereafter referred to by all first-person pronouns unless otherwise indicated.

Cake left us a little before six to hang out with a friend who lives nearby. Shortly thereafter we gathered up blankets and trekked out to Driver's truck. I got my first real, useful opportunity to use Google Maps on my phone. Mesa recently started an event called Bikes on Main, which is pretty much what it sounds like and takes place the first Friday of every month. The central part of Main St. is closed off for motorcyclists during this time, so I knew we couldn't just drive down Main to get to the temple. Oh, I don't think I mentioned yet where we were going. Silly me. The entire to-do was about going to the Easter pageant at the temple. Some of my companions' friends were going to come down from their hometown to see it, but they cancelled last minute.

We took a highway route, but it turned out that even our forethought was foiled as Bikes on Main was yet still farther west than where we exited. I guess it's all fair, though, since my dad rode to it and he told me that Main was closed in the opposite direction for pageant traffic. We all just started off on the wrong sides of the Valley, didn't we? Anyway, after much turning in circles we found a parking spot and hiked over to the temple grounds.

They had a huge stage set up for the pageant, and behind the audience they had the poshest port-a-potties I've ever seen. At first I thought they were some sort of manager's trailer or some such.

We ended up sitting way in the back, so during the pageant we kept having to lean back and forth to see around a palm tree.

We got there around 7, but the pageant didn't start until 8. We were saving seats for Cake and her friend, so the way were split up I spent the hour just chatting with Roomie and The Cynic. I didn't mind a bit. Of all of the company present, they are the two I most enjoy conversing with. I have no idea what Driver and #3 did during the interrim.

The pageant wasn't really what I expected. I though it would be just the Easter story, covering the last week or so of Christ's life. Instead it started with the Creation and Adam and Eve, touched on the prophecies of Isaiah, then jumped to Christ's birth and went through some of the highlights of his life. All in an hour. It was pretty awesome, though. I even teared up a bit now and then. The cast was huge! The dialogue was prerecorded, but I totally understand the logic so I didn't mind. It took me a little while, though, to figure out why the narrator sounded exactly like the narrator in most Church films. My favorite part was probably the angels. They had a big balcony above the stage and set back and huge numbers of angels would appear up there blowing trumpets or rejoicing. They would shine the lights on them and the white of their robes would almost glow. I loved it!

Cake & Co. arrived fashionable late, but not too late.

After the pageant was over, we power walked out, trying to get out before traffic got bad. However, it was not to be. We had parked in a dirt lot by a wall, and someone who came in later had backed straight up to the wall, blocking us in along with three or four other cars. Of course, we were in the worst position for trying to wiggle out. Meaning, there was no way. It was like a blue minivan convention. The car blocking us in was one and there was one in front of us. Then we were flanked on one side by a silver minivan and on the other by the wall. We hopped into the bed of the truck and hung out some more until enough of the cars around us had left that we could find a way out. Oddly, they all left around the same. We ended up pulling forward and out. When we left, that minivan that came later and mostly blocked everyone in was one of the last cars left in the lot.

It seems like the pageant and Bikes on Main ended around the same time. As we were getting on the highway a pack of 10 or 12 bikers was pulling on beside us. I love the sound of motorcycles! It was rather awesome to see all of them roaring by.

We got back to the dorm around 10. Cake & Co. met us there, as Driver, Cake, and Roomie were all heading up to their hometown for General Conference. They left as soon as they could get their stuff together, expecting to arrive home around 2 AM.

Man, that was such a fun night. I don't know what it was, but I was hyper and euphoric. It'll make a sweet memory. I'm already smiling at the thought.

Listening to: "Heaven Is a Place on Earth"
Reading: Ceremony by Leslie Marmon Silko