Sounding off on American Idol...and something else of much more importance

I know, you thought I forgot about American Idol, didn't you......no such luck.

But before I get into my deep and poignant thoughts on THAT topic, I want to tell you all about something else that actually IS important to me.

As some of you may know, in college I was heavily involved at the student level with a charity called Operation Smile. And many of you probably know what Op Smile does, but for those of you who don't, let me tell you.

Operation Smile coordinates medical missions into third world countries to fix facial deformities, mostly in cleft lips and palates and mostly in children, for those who would never have a chance at such surgery. The funds and supplies are all donated, the entire medical team, doctors, nurses, speech therapists, medical records specialists, etc., are volunteers who give up their vacation time and pay a team fee to go.

Operation Smile says it better than I can about the quality of life for these kids and what surgery means for their lives, so to read more, go here.

In 2006, I had the opportunity to go with Operation Smile to Kisumu, Kenya as a digital imaging specialist. That means I took the photographs during screening, before surgery, during surgery, after surgery and post-op a week later. Stories that would break your heart I saw unfolding right in front of me. Parents and grandparents came from miles and miles away, all dressed in their very best, making enormous sacrifices just to bring their children to be screen, just to have a chance at a surgery that would change their lives. For example, I met a boy named John.

He was an orphan who was lucky enough to be in a school. His very dedicated teacher made the trek all the way down to Kisumu from very far away so that John could have this chance. John was so much fun, so caring and thoughtful. And he got his surgery. He got another chance at life. (Sorry for the grotesque surgery photo, because of his circumstances, he couldn't stick around Kisumu for a week until post-op check ups, which is unfortunate since then the blood and swelling would be gone, there wouldn't be a tube down his throat, nor a stitch through the tip of his tongue to keep it out of the way...)

The point of all of this is that my sister is now heavily involved (even more so than I was!) in Operation Smile, and the students of Utah (high school and college) are doing a huge fundraiser, culminating in a big event which is being planned and coordinated by my amazing sister.

If you can spare a donation, however small it may be, go to this blog, and you can donate online. Just click the link at the top right of her page.

Okay, so now let's talk American Idol.

Whether Motown songs are amazing and historical or not, I've never really enjoyed Motown week. Sorry. That being said, I thought Lil was good, Megan was...well, I didn't think she was as bad as everyone said, but still not good, Michael wasn't so hot either, Allison was very good, Anoop was good, Danny was okay, Scott I didn't love, Matt and Kris were great, and Adam was amazing (which might explain why I dreamed last night that I was in college again and dating Adam and he was totally hot - he has the potential, guys, he's just not fulfilling it - but then he turned into Edward Cullen and I was trapped in a huge warehouse that was collapsing with the entire Forks High School population in it, except that it was MY high school and all the people I went to high school with, and THEN......Dallin started crying, right when all of them were escaping and I was shouting to Edward that I wouldn't leave without him.....).

So there you go. Adam now has my heart for no very good reason. And so does Edward Cullen, despite the fact I never liked him before.....and I DID figure out why my dream went from Idol to Twilight...there is a commercial for Twilight on every break during Idol! (Speaking of which, Landon is actually quite intrigued by now, so we will be renting Twilight soon.)

ANYWAY. There you go.