Living It Up, MOA Style!

Friday night I enjoyed a wonderful evening of music, Islamic art, Baklava, and friends (who were too busy running Baklava around and filling water cups), all in the comforts of my on-campus home. As I sat at the front desk, acting like I still work there and answering questions about the location of bathrooms and such, I basked in the happiness that being and belonging in the BYU Museum of Art brings me. Sitting at that desk and watching the crowds milling about brought me so much joy because it was evidence of a dream come true.

As a freshman entering the world of BYU campus, I had no idea what I wanted to study or what I wanted to be when I grow up. But I did know that while a student I wanted to work at the BYU Museum of Art. I quickly fell in love with the building and its galleries and longed to be a part of it in any way. Gift shop, security, education - I didn't care where or how, I just knew I belonged in this building. Last November, the opening of the Carl Bloch exhibit allowed my dream to come true and I started work as a shy, quiet, insecure education girl. I was so scared of answering phones that the first time it rang after Katie left me at the front desk, I ignored it. I remember the security guard sitting next to me made fun of me for ignoring my phone, so the next time it rang I gathered all my courage and answered. Soon answering phones became second nature. I answered the phone so many times each day that I stuttered the next time I answered the phone at home. I picked up the phone and bit my tongue to stop myself from saying "Museum of Art, this is Ruth." Then I couldn't remember how people usually answer phones. It took me a good 5 seconds to remember the word "Hello."

The blessings that have resulted from working at the MOA are innumerable. It hasn't always been fun. It's a job and often it feels like just that--a hard, sometimes boring, sometimes hectic, demanding, exhausting job. But all those difficult moments are well worth the lessons I've learned, the friends I've made, the adventures I've experienced, and the moments I've enjoyed.

Carl Bloch taught me how to deal with lots and lots and lots of people, some of them happy and appreciative, many of them impatient, annoyed, or even out-right angry. I learned that I like being in charge, knowing all the answers, and being able to fix the technology. I loved helping people and I got really good at reserving tickets online. I learned I don't like dealing with VIPs. I'm not confident or professional enough for that yet. But I did like seeing VIPs from a distance, especially General Authorities. I loved the excitement of working on busy days, especially over Christmas break. I loved that sense of authority that came from running the museum with the
other students when all the full-time staff had gone home. I think I'll always feel like I own the MOA, just a little bit. Once May 8th hit, I adored the silence and the stillness that penetrated the MOA and the absence of three thousand people scrambling to get into the exhibit. As much as I loved working during Bloch, I felt very ready for it to end. I'm grateful for my involvement in that exhibition. It brought Carl and I to a first name basis.

(Carl painted this -->)

Besides everything I've learned and all the ways I've grown, the people I've met and the friends I've made are the greatest part of having worked at the MOA. I love my MOA friends!!!! I love being part of the MOA family. Here are some memories that were made possible because I worked at the MOA:

Last Day of Carl Bloch

I counted so many of these tickets!!! Everyday. Thousands of tickets. I counted them in stacks of 50, so I got really good at counting to 50. This picture also shows the beloved K-room as it was used during Carl Bloch (notice Claire's coat on the coat rack) and the wonderful couch where I took a long nap in the middle of that exhausting day. Also included in this picture are two MOA education gems, Nicole and Katie. Nicole and I worked together every Friday night and Saturday morning. Fun stuff!!!



The lovely ladies of MOA Education who helped make Bloch possible. I loved being part of this sisterhood and I miss all those who have graduated/left. I love things like exhibit openings because it gives me a chance to see many of these people again.

POST-BLOCH PARTY!!!

I may have had too much fun at this party. I simply couldn't contain my joy caused by the exhibit ending and I had lots of energy after my long nap in the K-room. This party is definitely one of my favorite memories of all time, even if Keith did prove us all wrong by easily winning the "Most Popular Guard" contest.

Home Away from Home

This is me and my Emma at my desk. I loved having a home on campus with my own desk, my own computer, my own phone, and a spot to leave my stuff when I didn't want to carry it around with me. Basically, I had the best job on campus. I enjoyed when friends or family would visit me at work, like Emma here. It was fun to show them where I lived and to introduce them to the places that mean so much to me.

Also, Emma left me this adorable note on my whiteboard that stayed up for months. It was too heartfelt for me to erase (in the end, Katie was the one who erased it).

Yankee Spirit Exhibit Opening

The times I've dressed patriotic for MOA events is a big number--like 4 or 5. This was our first patriotic event and provided me with an excuse to buy red heels and a new blue shirt. Obviously, I needed those patriotic items!

MOA Besties

One cold, rainy spring night, I came home to an empty apartment and faced an empty, lonely evening. I texted Katie because I wanted to visit her, but she lived so far away, neither of us had a car, and it was cold and rainy outside. She surprised me by saying she'd come visit anyway. So she made the long walk through the cold and the rain just to cheer me up! That's true friendship. We made peach cobbler and hung out in my cozy kitchen. This potentially lonely night turned into one of my favorite spring memories. This girl has blessed my life in so many ways!

Chillin' at Katie's and telling wonderful stories. These girls made my spring term wonderful with nights like this one.

The best part about the end of the summer was that Katie came back. She stayed at my apartment a few nights before moving into her new apartment and she made a fantastic roommate. One afternoon as we were reading outside, it started to rain. So we built an umbrella fort! It worked beautifully. But we did too much laughing and talking to get any reading done and we only used it for a little while before the sun came out again. Thank you, Katie, for so many wonderful memories (like playing dress-ups while taking inventory and going on all sorts of magical adventures around the MOA and all those times you pretend to listen to me and lots of other things I don't have pictures of)!

Jana, another one of those MOA blessings. I love that she is graduated, because too many friends are too busy with homework to have time to play with me. This adventure took place the beginning of last fall. We made paper boats by meticulously following the instructions on some random website. Then we floated our boats down the stream. They held up well, both taking two voyages down the stream. I'm glad Jana and I finally became friends after several months of working together.

Connections at the MOA=Walks on the Roof

In honor of Jana's last day at work, she took us to the roof (my second time going up there--gotta love security guard friends). It's beautiful up there! Here are some pictures documenting our adventure.

Mission Time

 Look! They made guesses! And Kelly even got it right! I love my MOA family. The best part is that they decided to theme their guesses. Can you find the theme? It has to do with something I love and Catherine's doesn't actually fit in.

Friends

I'll always be grateful for life at the MOA, for the things I've learned and the friends I've made. I'm grateful I could be at the exhibit opening for Beauty and Belief and that I still feel so at home and welcomed when I visit the MOA. I haven't even mentioned how happy the new Islamic art made me feel! But this post is long enough. Expressing my love for art will have to wait for another day and another post.