Well, this month has flown by. After summer term finals ended, I went to two wedding receptions and a bridal shower that following weekend. Then, I spent a week in Wisconsin, which was rainy but relaxing. My mom and I watched 3 Hallmark movies, if that gives you an idea of the pace of the week... but that's just what I needed. Now, I'm back here in Provo, helping out with freshman orientation, moving into a new apartment, and getting ready for classes! I'm in-between apartments... with most of my stuff in the new one, but I still have to go back to the old one to clean it, eek.
Freshman orientation is so much fun! It seems like yesterday I was moving into the dorms and starting college. It's fun to see the freshmen, wandering around, trying to look nonchalant (even though you can tell they're lost and a little nervous about everything) and getting excited to start classes. We've all been there. It's weird to be on the other end, but it's also nice to pass the college wisdom down to the next generation. I really had fun taking them on a campus tour, pointing out all the buildings and telling stories about my experiences and experiences of my friends. Going to the orientation leader training and listening to the BYU President address the freshman today was a nice way to start my last year of college, reminding me of what BYU is all about and what I want to accomplish before I leave this school. I remember all the anticipation of starting college, and I want this last year to really be memorable and to wrap up my college years full-circle.
With that said, there's lots to do before school starts next week. Yikes! I'll keep you posted and hopefully get some pictures up here soon!
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Saturday, August 18, 2007
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Total Eclipse of the Day
It's funny how a day can turn from bad to good in such a short time. Monday was one of those days. Being the last day of the summer term, I had a LOT to finish for my classes. In one day (on 2 hours of sleep and under intense pressure) I managed to finish a course project for my American English Usage Class, finish my research paper for British Lit, take a tennis test in the Testing Center, play several games of tennis (last day of class and I had to play a certain amount of games for the class), attend 4 hours of class... needless to say, I was exhausted when I came home from school at 8 P.M., over 12 hours since I left the house.
After a shower and some food, I went and accompanied Emily Reynolds at an acoustic guitar show (I played back-up on my violin) and given my rough day... it wasn't my best performance. I thought I would go home after that and sleep for the next week... but somehow, Emily and her brother Seth, who was in town visiting, convinced me to go see "Evan Almighty" at the dollar theater.
On the way there, as I was sitting in the backseat (between two car seats... because Seth borrowed his older sister's car) we listened to "Total Eclipse of the Heart" and sang our hearts out. In that moment, something changed in me as the stress just released. "Evan Almighty" was great too, I was surprised that I enjoyed it as much as I did.
Anyhow, I came home after the movie around midnight... exhausted still, but happy. I love days like that.
After a shower and some food, I went and accompanied Emily Reynolds at an acoustic guitar show (I played back-up on my violin) and given my rough day... it wasn't my best performance. I thought I would go home after that and sleep for the next week... but somehow, Emily and her brother Seth, who was in town visiting, convinced me to go see "Evan Almighty" at the dollar theater.
On the way there, as I was sitting in the backseat (between two car seats... because Seth borrowed his older sister's car) we listened to "Total Eclipse of the Heart" and sang our hearts out. In that moment, something changed in me as the stress just released. "Evan Almighty" was great too, I was surprised that I enjoyed it as much as I did.
Anyhow, I came home after the movie around midnight... exhausted still, but happy. I love days like that.
Monday, August 06, 2007
Climbing Mount Timpanogos
This weekend, 5 friends and I climbed Mount Timpanogos. Of all of us (Amanda, Bryce, Tiffani, Anthony, Emily, and I), only Tiffani had done the climb before. It was an intense, but awesome experience! We left on Friday night at 8 P.M. from Aspen Grove, up Provo Canyon. After 4 hours, we reached Emerald Lake, which is like the "base camp" for the hike. Emerald Lake is a lake made from the melted glacier above it. It was FREEZING up there that night! I had no idea how cold we would be! Emily and I shared a tent, and we had to cuddle to stay warm... it was in the thirties! We barely slept about 2 or 3 hours.
Then, at 6ish on Saturday morning, we woke up and did the final climb to the summit. Wow, it was intense. We kept thinking we were close, and then we'd see another peak that we had to climb! There were a lot of people climbing the peak too... it is a popular hike. We saw kids, teenagers, college students, tourists, even dogs! Anyhow, we then had to go back down... and by the end, we were extremely thirsty, sore, and tired. Needless to say, we slept REALLY well that night!
Saturday also happened to be my 25th birthday! It was an interesting way to spend my birthday, and it will definitely be a great memory! We went to Chili's later that night and then ate cake and watched "Clue" in Emily's backyard on a projector. It was a great birthday and a great way to start my next year!
Here are some pictures from the trip:
These flowers are called "Indian Paintbrushes." Aren't they gorgeous? There were so many different wildflowers... it was beautiful!
Here are Anthony and Tiffani, enjoying the cold water at the waterfall near the end of the hike... we were so tired by this point!
Emily, Amanda, me, and Tiffani at a waterfall near the beginning of the hike.
The sun coming up near Emerald Lake on Saturday morning.
The glacier above Emerald Lake. This is a popular way to descend from the summit, by sliding down the glacier! Unfortunately, the glacier wasn't very large this year, so it was extra dangerous to go down it. So, we decided to climb back down the way we came.
This is a view near the top of Mount Timpanogos. Doesn't it look incredibly high?! It looks like the view from an airplane!
Amanda and Bryce... hiking on the way back down.
Anyhow, I've had a lot of fun enjoying all of the fun outdoor things in Utah this summer. I'm not sure that I'll be climbing Timp again in the near future, but I'm really glad I did it and I hope to do it again someday. Climbing Timp is sort of a BYU rite of passage... it seems that most of my friends have climbed it at least once. And, this weekend, a group of 6 twenty-four-year-olds (one turning twenty-five on the trip) joined the ranks of those who have climbed before :-)
Then, at 6ish on Saturday morning, we woke up and did the final climb to the summit. Wow, it was intense. We kept thinking we were close, and then we'd see another peak that we had to climb! There were a lot of people climbing the peak too... it is a popular hike. We saw kids, teenagers, college students, tourists, even dogs! Anyhow, we then had to go back down... and by the end, we were extremely thirsty, sore, and tired. Needless to say, we slept REALLY well that night!
Saturday also happened to be my 25th birthday! It was an interesting way to spend my birthday, and it will definitely be a great memory! We went to Chili's later that night and then ate cake and watched "Clue" in Emily's backyard on a projector. It was a great birthday and a great way to start my next year!
Here are some pictures from the trip:
These flowers are called "Indian Paintbrushes." Aren't they gorgeous? There were so many different wildflowers... it was beautiful!
Here are Anthony and Tiffani, enjoying the cold water at the waterfall near the end of the hike... we were so tired by this point!
Emily, Amanda, me, and Tiffani at a waterfall near the beginning of the hike.
The sun coming up near Emerald Lake on Saturday morning.
The glacier above Emerald Lake. This is a popular way to descend from the summit, by sliding down the glacier! Unfortunately, the glacier wasn't very large this year, so it was extra dangerous to go down it. So, we decided to climb back down the way we came.
This is a view near the top of Mount Timpanogos. Doesn't it look incredibly high?! It looks like the view from an airplane!
Amanda and Bryce... hiking on the way back down.Anyhow, I've had a lot of fun enjoying all of the fun outdoor things in Utah this summer. I'm not sure that I'll be climbing Timp again in the near future, but I'm really glad I did it and I hope to do it again someday. Climbing Timp is sort of a BYU rite of passage... it seems that most of my friends have climbed it at least once. And, this weekend, a group of 6 twenty-four-year-olds (one turning twenty-five on the trip) joined the ranks of those who have climbed before :-)
Thursday, July 26, 2007
Sam came to town!
Sam is on his much-needed, month-long summer vacation from culinary school. He came to Provo to visit me a little over a week ago... and it was, of course, a great time. I hadn't seen Sam since Christmas, and sadly, this might be the only time I see him until next Christmas (or at least in the fall sometime), since we live on opposite sides of the country and are both in school!
Anyhow, he was able to catch up with some of his friends who are still in Utah... old mission buddies, old roommates and ward friends, etc. Also, I had a chance to introduce him to some of my friends, too. We got to go to my friend Tiffani's house in Fruit Heights, UT and her family was full of questions for Sam about his experiences in culinary school and his future plans. With a little prodding, he even baked us an impromptu cake, which was awesome! Tiffani's mom tried to get us to come over again to let Sam wow us with more cooking, but alas, there just wasn't enough time!
Another highlight of the trip was floating the Provo River. Although originally we were going to try to invite some friends to join us in floating down the river, in Provo Canyon, on inner tubes, it ended up being Sam and I, which was a lot of fun since we had some good brother/sister bonding time. Although the water was a bit cold (the small rapids definitely surprised us a few times) and I got a couple of scratches from branches, it was well worth it! The view from the river, with the mountains on both sides of us, was amazing.
The final interesting highlight was that Sam got to stay with some friends of mine in, yes, his old house in Provo! Although he was staying on the top floor instead of the basement apartment (affectionately called "the pipes"), he got to relive his BYU 162nd Ward memories a bit. I live in some apartments that are a part of his old ward... and weirdly enough, he said he home-taught some girls who lived in my current apartment! Small world.
Unfortunately, I don't have any more pictures (what was I thinking?!) but we both agreed that the trip went too fast! Hopefully I can make it out to NY before he packs up and leaves the CIA in February!
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Llama Fest
So, one of the unique Provo summer experiences... Llamafest. At the Hare Krishna temple in Spanish Fork, they had the annual Lllamafest. Emily asked me to go, and although at first I was skeptical as to whether it would be worth it, we quickly discovered that this would be memorable.
The Hare Krishna temple is beautiful. Very unique amidst the Utah landscape... we went inside and listened to a member of the temple answer questions about the faith and the meaning of different things. Very interesting! I still don't know a ton about this religion, but I'd like to read more to be more informed.
And, the llamas! There was a fenced-in area full of wandering llamas... and you could buy food to feed them. Emily and I just walked around and pet them. This one llama seemed to like me! He seemed to always be looking my way and walking towards me. I took a picture with the little guy/girl.
)
Anyhow, there were also llama races, an obstacle course for the llamas, dancing, music, food... and good times. Definitely a fun experience!
The Hare Krishna temple is beautiful. Very unique amidst the Utah landscape... we went inside and listened to a member of the temple answer questions about the faith and the meaning of different things. Very interesting! I still don't know a ton about this religion, but I'd like to read more to be more informed.
And, the llamas! There was a fenced-in area full of wandering llamas... and you could buy food to feed them. Emily and I just walked around and pet them. This one llama seemed to like me! He seemed to always be looking my way and walking towards me. I took a picture with the little guy/girl.Anyhow, there were also llama races, an obstacle course for the llamas, dancing, music, food... and good times. Definitely a fun experience!
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Maybe tennis class in the Utah summer wasn't the best idea...
So, I'm currently taking my last PE credit... beginning tennis. My tennis days were short-lived... I took tennis lessons for 1 or 2 years in elementary school, which is no surprise since I pretty much played every sport at some point in my childhood. However, my tennis career came to an abrupt end when I broke my arm at tennis camp one summer. We were doing some sort of drill, and I was running backwards on the court, and then I fell right on my wrist. Ow. The only good thing that came out of that was my cool pink cast that my Dad made for my arm.
Anyhow, I've once again decided to pick up the tennis racket. I knew that summers in Utah were hot, and man, I haven't been disappointed! Seriously, I'm not used to avoiding the outdoors in summer, but I really can't be outside in the middle of the day except for walking from one place to another. Anyhow, I figured that I should take my tennis class in the late afternoon, since 8 AM sounded pretty early and I figured that the temperature would cool down by then. Not really. The sun stays out longer and brighter here than in WI, and basically, it's still blazing hot at 5:15-7.
At Monday's class, I tried to move minimally when I didn't need to, but I think I must have been dehydrated, because I began to feel nauseated. That's happened a few times when I've been at soccer try-outs or somewhere where I've been working out really hard... but considering we're not really doing much running in this class, I think it must have been more of a heat-related thing. Anyhow, I felt pretty pathetic for feeling so sick... I almost had to sit down, and we were just doing some simple drills and games! I felt like one of those people crawling in the Saharan Desert. We all were pretty lifeless by the end of class. I better bust out the giant Nalgene water bottle next time.
Anyhow, I've once again decided to pick up the tennis racket. I knew that summers in Utah were hot, and man, I haven't been disappointed! Seriously, I'm not used to avoiding the outdoors in summer, but I really can't be outside in the middle of the day except for walking from one place to another. Anyhow, I figured that I should take my tennis class in the late afternoon, since 8 AM sounded pretty early and I figured that the temperature would cool down by then. Not really. The sun stays out longer and brighter here than in WI, and basically, it's still blazing hot at 5:15-7.
At Monday's class, I tried to move minimally when I didn't need to, but I think I must have been dehydrated, because I began to feel nauseated. That's happened a few times when I've been at soccer try-outs or somewhere where I've been working out really hard... but considering we're not really doing much running in this class, I think it must have been more of a heat-related thing. Anyhow, I felt pretty pathetic for feeling so sick... I almost had to sit down, and we were just doing some simple drills and games! I felt like one of those people crawling in the Saharan Desert. We all were pretty lifeless by the end of class. I better bust out the giant Nalgene water bottle next time.
Saturday, July 07, 2007
4th of July in Utah!
Emily and I got some pecan and apple pie at the Freedom Festival days in Provo. Nothing like apple pie on the 4th of July!
I loved this sign! Basically, it says that if you eat three giant sandwiches in less than 25 minutes, you get them for free! They were huge sandwiches...
Hanging out with some people before the fireworks.
After the big fireworks, we went to Emily's house and had a campfire and lit sparklers! I hadn't done that in a long time... to be honest I once got a little burned from one when I was little and ever since, I had always been a little wary of them. But, as you can see, Camilla, Susan and I were having plenty of fun sparkler times!
This is one of the first times that I haven't been in Milwaukee for the fourth. It was a different experience... they seem to be much more into the 4th here in Utah... and I think they are more openly patriotic... much more festival stuff going on. But, it's been fun to celebrate in a different part of the country... I love the U.S.!
Tuesday, July 03, 2007
Bloody Foot Syndrome Returns
So, way back when, I wrote on the blog about how I walked around Madrid in my new shoes and got really bloody feet. I had to go to a pharmacy and buy a bunch of band-aids and sit on a curb and wipe my feet down in front of crowds of people. Then, to avoid further damage, I had to wear white running socks under my dress shoes for the rest of the night.
I had a relapse last weekend.
I went to meet up with an old roommate, Sarah, and her boyfriend, friends from church in Milwaukee, up in Salt Lake City. We ate lunch in The Garden Room, this good restaurant on the top of the Joseph Smith Memorial Building. Afterwards, we walked around Temple Square a bit and then went to get a tour of the Beehive House, Brigham Young's House. As we walked in to start the tour, done by two friendly sister missionaries, I bumped my foot against a wooden pew. It looked like it would be ok, although it had sliced my toe a bit. Ten minutes later, my toe was bleeding profusely, creating a pool of blood on my flip-flop. I tried to ignore it, but I was afraid of getting blood on the historic carpet! I didn't want to have to explain that one to the prophet someday. Anyhow, I had to interrupt the tour and one of the sister missionaries took me to get some tissue paper to wipe my foot down. As I walked out, the fellow tour participants gave me sympathetic smiles and comments, "Wow, those benches must have been hard!" Um, slightly embarrassing. Anyhow, I hope I don't have any more incidents! :-)
I had a relapse last weekend.
I went to meet up with an old roommate, Sarah, and her boyfriend, friends from church in Milwaukee, up in Salt Lake City. We ate lunch in The Garden Room, this good restaurant on the top of the Joseph Smith Memorial Building. Afterwards, we walked around Temple Square a bit and then went to get a tour of the Beehive House, Brigham Young's House. As we walked in to start the tour, done by two friendly sister missionaries, I bumped my foot against a wooden pew. It looked like it would be ok, although it had sliced my toe a bit. Ten minutes later, my toe was bleeding profusely, creating a pool of blood on my flip-flop. I tried to ignore it, but I was afraid of getting blood on the historic carpet! I didn't want to have to explain that one to the prophet someday. Anyhow, I had to interrupt the tour and one of the sister missionaries took me to get some tissue paper to wipe my foot down. As I walked out, the fellow tour participants gave me sympathetic smiles and comments, "Wow, those benches must have been hard!" Um, slightly embarrassing. Anyhow, I hope I don't have any more incidents! :-)
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
The Road Trip to Baja
Hi everyone! Well, Emily and I finally decided to do the road trip we've been talking about for a long time... going to Baja, Mexico and camping on the beach! So, this last weekend, we loaded up 10 of us (4 girls, 6 boys) into 3 cars and road-tripped it down to Mexico. We knew it would be an adventure, and we were not disappointed!
After careful planning (getting Mexican driving insurance, finding a campsite, etc.) we left on Thursday afternoon after finals for spring term and got home about 6 A.M. on Monday morning.
Thursday night we slept at Shady Lane RV/Campground in Barstow, CA... about an hour and a half south of Las Vegas. Not exactly paradise, but at 11:30 PM, we just wanted a place to crash. The next day, we crossed the border near San Diego and stopped in Tijuana for a bit, and then headed down to Playa Saldamando, our campsite near Ensenada (a little over an hour south of Tijuana). On Sunday, we went to church in Ensenada and then trekked it back to Provo...
Here are some pictures from the trip!
Here I am on the last day of the trip... after 3 days of no showering. Nice. I had gone swimming though. I bought these flowers from a guy in Ensenada.
My new friend Robert and I horseback riding on the beach in Ensenada!
Checking out the beach on the first day in Mexico... we're finally here!
Our campsite - Playa Saldamando
A shop in Tijuana.
Here are a few of the most interesting things about the trip:
-camping on semi-hard ground for three nights (my hips started to complain by the last day)
-eating amazing tacos (seriously, there's no comparison...sorry Taco Bell)
-good times with good people (and many of us didn't know everyone... so yeah for new friends!)
-speaking Spanish again (so fun!)
-getting lost in random parts of Tijuana and Ensenada (the signs are seriously lacking)
-horseback riding on the beach with my horse Juana (she started galloping at the end of my ride, yikes!)
-campfires and sleeping in front of a beautiful ocean view (hearing the waves as you sleep is very soothing), and we had dolphins that swam by every day!
-the serious challenge of renting a surfboard, but then the excitement of actually getting one and then watching everyone try it out... lots of wiping out!
-the interesting walk around Tijuana (hmm...)
-driving straight through the border into Mexico and then waiting 3 hours in line to come back to the US on the way home
-the stresses of figuring out money and how to split stuff between 10 people
-going to church in Ensenada (loved it! We went to the "Azteca Ward")
-driving up 1-5 in California between San Diego and LA as the sun was setting...so pretty.
Anyhow, this is a taste of our trip. There were stressful moments, which I guess comes with traveling with a large group and with going into a foreign country, but overall, it was great. I came back with some sun on my face, some hand-crafted leather sandals (only $7!) and a beautiful green stone necklace (only $4!) and in serious need of sleep and a shower. After two days, I finally feel unpacked, clean, and rested. Mexico, I hope to see you again soon!
After careful planning (getting Mexican driving insurance, finding a campsite, etc.) we left on Thursday afternoon after finals for spring term and got home about 6 A.M. on Monday morning.
Thursday night we slept at Shady Lane RV/Campground in Barstow, CA... about an hour and a half south of Las Vegas. Not exactly paradise, but at 11:30 PM, we just wanted a place to crash. The next day, we crossed the border near San Diego and stopped in Tijuana for a bit, and then headed down to Playa Saldamando, our campsite near Ensenada (a little over an hour south of Tijuana). On Sunday, we went to church in Ensenada and then trekked it back to Provo...
Here are some pictures from the trip!
Here I am on the last day of the trip... after 3 days of no showering. Nice. I had gone swimming though. I bought these flowers from a guy in Ensenada.
My new friend Robert and I horseback riding on the beach in Ensenada!
Checking out the beach on the first day in Mexico... we're finally here!
Our campsite - Playa Saldamando
A shop in Tijuana.Here are a few of the most interesting things about the trip:
-camping on semi-hard ground for three nights (my hips started to complain by the last day)
-eating amazing tacos (seriously, there's no comparison...sorry Taco Bell)
-good times with good people (and many of us didn't know everyone... so yeah for new friends!)
-speaking Spanish again (so fun!)
-getting lost in random parts of Tijuana and Ensenada (the signs are seriously lacking)
-horseback riding on the beach with my horse Juana (she started galloping at the end of my ride, yikes!)
-campfires and sleeping in front of a beautiful ocean view (hearing the waves as you sleep is very soothing), and we had dolphins that swam by every day!
-the serious challenge of renting a surfboard, but then the excitement of actually getting one and then watching everyone try it out... lots of wiping out!
-the interesting walk around Tijuana (hmm...)
-driving straight through the border into Mexico and then waiting 3 hours in line to come back to the US on the way home
-the stresses of figuring out money and how to split stuff between 10 people
-going to church in Ensenada (loved it! We went to the "Azteca Ward")
-driving up 1-5 in California between San Diego and LA as the sun was setting...so pretty.
Anyhow, this is a taste of our trip. There were stressful moments, which I guess comes with traveling with a large group and with going into a foreign country, but overall, it was great. I came back with some sun on my face, some hand-crafted leather sandals (only $7!) and a beautiful green stone necklace (only $4!) and in serious need of sleep and a shower. After two days, I finally feel unpacked, clean, and rested. Mexico, I hope to see you again soon!
Thursday, June 14, 2007
Adventures in Golf
So, when my parents were in town over Memorial Day Weekend... Dad and I had a chance to go golfing twice! The first time was in Cedar City, which was fun since that's where Dad used to golf back when he started. He said the course was pretty much the same from when he started playing there. And... there was a new addition. Prairie dogs! I guess there's a new rule in Utah that you can't kill them (they're endangered?) but they were EVERYWHERE on the course. Each hole had about 20 prairie dog holes on it with the little guys sticking their heads out and running around. I thought I was going to hit them!
Go Dad! This was at Cascade in Orem, Ut.
Here I am at Cascade too. Ooh, I need to work on my swing.
Two of my golf class friends came with us to golf at Cascade... Chelsa and Sofia. Chelsa is a fellow Wisconsinite, and it was her first time golfing, which was fun. Sofia is from Mexico, and she was on the BYU tennis team, and given her athletic background, she picked up golf FAST. She's really good! (She's the one who taught me all the cool Spanish golf phrases...)
Dad and I after 9 holes. I didn't play amazingly, but it was fun and hopefully I'll get better over the summer!
Go Dad! This was at Cascade in Orem, Ut.
Here I am at Cascade too. Ooh, I need to work on my swing.
Two of my golf class friends came with us to golf at Cascade... Chelsa and Sofia. Chelsa is a fellow Wisconsinite, and it was her first time golfing, which was fun. Sofia is from Mexico, and she was on the BYU tennis team, and given her athletic background, she picked up golf FAST. She's really good! (She's the one who taught me all the cool Spanish golf phrases...)
Dad and I after 9 holes. I didn't play amazingly, but it was fun and hopefully I'll get better over the summer!
Thursday, June 07, 2007
Hello, everyone. My internet has been down at my apartment on and off for the last month, so I haven't been able to have much computer time... which is a nice change, in a way. However, I do have lots of pictures and stories to share, so I'll try to get some of that up here soon.
Life has been busy, as it always is during school. My classes this term are going well, and I especially like my publishing class. I've learned how to use InDesign, Photoshop... and let me say, Photoshop is pretty awesome. It's incredible what you can do to pictures! Kind of scary too... check out www.campaignforrealbeauty.com. There's this film you can watch (the "evolution" film) that shows you the Photoshop process used to create a model's picture. Kind of creepy! But... I can't deny, it's cool to know you can wipe out blemishes, red eyes, and lots of other things that can be distracting in pictures. Not to anything near that extreme though... no wonder we all have warped views of beauty.
Anyhow, it snowed here in Utah yesterday, rained down by me, but the mountains have a new coat of snow! Crazy, it's June!
Later!
Life has been busy, as it always is during school. My classes this term are going well, and I especially like my publishing class. I've learned how to use InDesign, Photoshop... and let me say, Photoshop is pretty awesome. It's incredible what you can do to pictures! Kind of scary too... check out www.campaignforrealbeauty.com. There's this film you can watch (the "evolution" film) that shows you the Photoshop process used to create a model's picture. Kind of creepy! But... I can't deny, it's cool to know you can wipe out blemishes, red eyes, and lots of other things that can be distracting in pictures. Not to anything near that extreme though... no wonder we all have warped views of beauty.
Anyhow, it snowed here in Utah yesterday, rained down by me, but the mountains have a new coat of snow! Crazy, it's June!
Later!
Thursday, May 24, 2007
Springtime Pictures
Well, here are some pictures of some of the fun things I've been up to lately.
My roommate Stacy, who was in my dorm freshman year at BYU and then was my sophomore roommate at Park Place, got married in early May! In the picture are four of the six of those original Park Place roommates... it was a great reception and Stacy looked great!
A friend invited us to spend a night at Spring Haven, this lodge owned by BYU that is in the mountains. Beautiful! Here is a view from the pond.
Making some s'mores...
It was like summer camp at Spring Haven... gotta love the bunk beds!
Kevin and I playing in the slide at Spring Haven... fun!
My roommate Stacy, who was in my dorm freshman year at BYU and then was my sophomore roommate at Park Place, got married in early May! In the picture are four of the six of those original Park Place roommates... it was a great reception and Stacy looked great!
A friend invited us to spend a night at Spring Haven, this lodge owned by BYU that is in the mountains. Beautiful! Here is a view from the pond.
Making some s'mores...
It was like summer camp at Spring Haven... gotta love the bunk beds!
Kevin and I playing in the slide at Spring Haven... fun!
Saturday, May 19, 2007
Fore!
So... I'm once again attempting to learn to golf, for the first time (for real) since about age 7. Back in the day, I had a cute set of golf clubs and a pink golf bag and I was a member of the "Zero holers" golf group at the local golf club in Mequon. I was a little Tigerette Woods in training.... ha. However, at my young age, golf didn't seem as interesting as soccer, baseball, swimming, and all of the other summer activities I was into. Thus, I somehow got off the golf train. Anyhow, it didn't bother me much to not be a golfer until the end of high school, when I realized that golf was actually a pretty cool sport, and I had no skills.
So, I signed up this spring term for golf. Four times a week, (and I only get 0.5 credits for this class), I go to the small putting green and practice area near the tennis courts at BYU and practice with my fellow novice golfers. It's been a lot of fun! My teacher, Garrett, is really cool, and I've definitely made some friends in the class. It's funny, I'm hearing a similar background story... "I wanted to be able to play with my dad/husband/friends...." and here we all are, excited, maybe for the first time, and despite our earlier lack of interest in the sport, about golf!
I'm finally taking up one of those "adult" sports... you know, the ones in the class with tennis, jogging, lawn bowling, fishing... the sports that you can do without developing large bruises and without needing a team of 10 to play with. I used to find those sports boring, but now I'm realizing that it's not easy to gather 10 people to play soccer with, and sometimes, I'm not in the mood to come home bruised and exhausted (even though I love soccer/basketball/etc.). And... I think that whole aspect of enjoying the walking and being outside part of golf is more appealing, since you can talk with people while you play and enjoy the outside without running around all the time.
Anyway, we went for the first time to play the executive course with members of the class at The Reserve at East Bay. It's one of those courses where you play 9 holes and all of them are par 3 or 4. I got a 56 on 9 holes, haha, not exactly impressive. But, the girls I golfed with and I had fun! One of them was a girl who was actually an RA when I was a freshman in Taylor Hall, and we haven't run into each other in at least 3 or 4 years, but we both happen to still be at BYU and are in the same class. The other girl is from Mexico and she's on the tennis team at BYU. She definitely kicked our trash, since her tennis skills totally help her in golf. She also had the cutest ways of expressing her golf "anger"... instead of American sounding moans or "Shoot!" or whatever someone would say, she said "Aye!" and "No manches!" (which means "no way") and "A huevo!" (meaning literally, "To the egg!" but it translates to a cheer or expression like "yeah!"). We definitely enjoyed picking up on new ways to show our frustration or excitement with some new slang.
So, that's a little on my golf adventures. Next weekend, Dad and Mom are coming into town, and Dad and I will be going golfing, where I'll really get to test my new skills with a more experienced golfer. A huevo!
So, I signed up this spring term for golf. Four times a week, (and I only get 0.5 credits for this class), I go to the small putting green and practice area near the tennis courts at BYU and practice with my fellow novice golfers. It's been a lot of fun! My teacher, Garrett, is really cool, and I've definitely made some friends in the class. It's funny, I'm hearing a similar background story... "I wanted to be able to play with my dad/husband/friends...." and here we all are, excited, maybe for the first time, and despite our earlier lack of interest in the sport, about golf!
I'm finally taking up one of those "adult" sports... you know, the ones in the class with tennis, jogging, lawn bowling, fishing... the sports that you can do without developing large bruises and without needing a team of 10 to play with. I used to find those sports boring, but now I'm realizing that it's not easy to gather 10 people to play soccer with, and sometimes, I'm not in the mood to come home bruised and exhausted (even though I love soccer/basketball/etc.). And... I think that whole aspect of enjoying the walking and being outside part of golf is more appealing, since you can talk with people while you play and enjoy the outside without running around all the time.
Anyway, we went for the first time to play the executive course with members of the class at The Reserve at East Bay. It's one of those courses where you play 9 holes and all of them are par 3 or 4. I got a 56 on 9 holes, haha, not exactly impressive. But, the girls I golfed with and I had fun! One of them was a girl who was actually an RA when I was a freshman in Taylor Hall, and we haven't run into each other in at least 3 or 4 years, but we both happen to still be at BYU and are in the same class. The other girl is from Mexico and she's on the tennis team at BYU. She definitely kicked our trash, since her tennis skills totally help her in golf. She also had the cutest ways of expressing her golf "anger"... instead of American sounding moans or "Shoot!" or whatever someone would say, she said "Aye!" and "No manches!" (which means "no way") and "A huevo!" (meaning literally, "To the egg!" but it translates to a cheer or expression like "yeah!"). We definitely enjoyed picking up on new ways to show our frustration or excitement with some new slang.
So, that's a little on my golf adventures. Next weekend, Dad and Mom are coming into town, and Dad and I will be going golfing, where I'll really get to test my new skills with a more experienced golfer. A huevo!
Wednesday, May 09, 2007
Spring Term = Great
A quick facebook update... turns out the boy I thought was engaged ISN'T engaged. A novice facebook user, he accidently clicked "Engaged" and didn't realize it. Phew, I don't know why I'm relieved, but for some reason, I am. Another glory of facebook, misinformation. Some people put a false relationship status as a joke and others do that on accident. Once again, better to find out from the actual person! Haha.
Anyhow, it's SPRING term at BYU. I LOVE spring term. It lasts from the beginning of May to late June. Here are a few reasons why it's so great:
-the weather is perfect (not too hot as it gets in summer, but definitely be outside weather... which means studying outside instead of in the library!)
-the campus is less crowded (even though that means some of my friends aren't around... it also means that there are smaller lines, more parking spaces, which isn't too shabby!)
-you take fewer classes (although it's usually about the same amount of credits per time... since the term is half as long as a semester... it's nice to have only 2 or 3 classes to worry about instead of 4 or 5... and 7 weeks doesn't allow you to procrastinate or get behind... you just have to keep up!)
-there's a more social atmosphere (with a summer-y feel in the air, it's just more relaxing, and a lot of people are just working around here in the summer, which means more spontaneous and fun summer stuff going on... camping, swimming, bonfires, movies, etc.)
The fun goes on. Ahhh.... I love it.
Anyhow, it's SPRING term at BYU. I LOVE spring term. It lasts from the beginning of May to late June. Here are a few reasons why it's so great:
-the weather is perfect (not too hot as it gets in summer, but definitely be outside weather... which means studying outside instead of in the library!)
-the campus is less crowded (even though that means some of my friends aren't around... it also means that there are smaller lines, more parking spaces, which isn't too shabby!)
-you take fewer classes (although it's usually about the same amount of credits per time... since the term is half as long as a semester... it's nice to have only 2 or 3 classes to worry about instead of 4 or 5... and 7 weeks doesn't allow you to procrastinate or get behind... you just have to keep up!)
-there's a more social atmosphere (with a summer-y feel in the air, it's just more relaxing, and a lot of people are just working around here in the summer, which means more spontaneous and fun summer stuff going on... camping, swimming, bonfires, movies, etc.)
The fun goes on. Ahhh.... I love it.
Tuesday, May 01, 2007
Facebook as the Source of Knowledge
So, for those of you who aren't facebook users, I'll give a brief explanation. www.facebook.com is pretty much the most popular social networking website for college-age people. It's pretty awesome in many ways. You create a "profile" and then you add "friends" from finding other people you know on the site. Then, you can post information about your life, pictures, videos, write comments to each other... it's so convenient, cause it's like having all of your friends in one place. And, you can set up your profile so that no one but your own approved friends can see your profile, which takes away that whole creepy internet stalker thing.
So, anyway, most college students, who have facebook, check it pretty frequently to see if their friends have updated their profiles, if they've gotten any emails, etc. Why would we care to look at other peoples' profiles? Because when you don't have time to individually call all of your spread-out friends across the world, facebook becomes your fountain of information about your friends' lives.
Let me demonstrate: Today, I found out that a good friend (who I dated a little while I was in Spain) is ENGAGED! Whoa! Definitely a surprise. I've found out about many a friend's relationship through facebook. Steve and Tanya from high school are getting married. Awesome! Thanks facebook! Even my own friends found out I was dating someone out here through facebook, and when I posted it on my profile, I got a flurry of messages on my "wall" ("Congrats!" "In a relationship? Oooh!" etc.) Now, for those who don't like this sort of attention, they keep their facebook profiles sparse. You don't have to post anything you don't want other people to see, including your picture. But, it's pretty fun to read other people's profiles and to look at their pictures. It was especially fun when I was in Spain and could see photos from all of our trips. It was an easy way to stay connected with people that I met and don't see on a regular basis.
I still love facebook, and I wish all of my friends had it (hint hint). It's just so convenient and a nice way to let people know what you're up to in your life (your job, pictures of good times, etc.), especially those you don't see often (like high school friends who live across the country). And it's really not creepy, unlike some websites. But, after finding out from facebook that a boy I dated (not too long ago) is ENGAGED, and I have no idea with whom, it made me realize how crazy it is sometimes that our source of finding these things out is the internet! Wow. The modes of communication are changing, folks.
That is all. :-)
So, anyway, most college students, who have facebook, check it pretty frequently to see if their friends have updated their profiles, if they've gotten any emails, etc. Why would we care to look at other peoples' profiles? Because when you don't have time to individually call all of your spread-out friends across the world, facebook becomes your fountain of information about your friends' lives.
Let me demonstrate: Today, I found out that a good friend (who I dated a little while I was in Spain) is ENGAGED! Whoa! Definitely a surprise. I've found out about many a friend's relationship through facebook. Steve and Tanya from high school are getting married. Awesome! Thanks facebook! Even my own friends found out I was dating someone out here through facebook, and when I posted it on my profile, I got a flurry of messages on my "wall" ("Congrats!" "In a relationship? Oooh!" etc.) Now, for those who don't like this sort of attention, they keep their facebook profiles sparse. You don't have to post anything you don't want other people to see, including your picture. But, it's pretty fun to read other people's profiles and to look at their pictures. It was especially fun when I was in Spain and could see photos from all of our trips. It was an easy way to stay connected with people that I met and don't see on a regular basis.
I still love facebook, and I wish all of my friends had it (hint hint). It's just so convenient and a nice way to let people know what you're up to in your life (your job, pictures of good times, etc.), especially those you don't see often (like high school friends who live across the country). And it's really not creepy, unlike some websites. But, after finding out from facebook that a boy I dated (not too long ago) is ENGAGED, and I have no idea with whom, it made me realize how crazy it is sometimes that our source of finding these things out is the internet! Wow. The modes of communication are changing, folks.
That is all. :-)
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
One day more...
Another day, another destiny... as they say in Les Miserables, so it is in my life :-) One day left of finals week, and I am currently trying to defy the laws of time by accomplishing a pretty insane amount of work in that time. But it will all get in. Even if I don't go to bed tonight. There's a certain satisfaction that comes from finishing all that is required for a course or for several courses and handing it in and saying, "I'm done, now." I look forward to that feeling in roughly 24 hours. Till then, adieu my friends!
Monday, April 16, 2007
Thought Salad
It's odd how my thoughts can be in such a whirl.
I turned on the TV today and was shocked and saddened by the Virginia Tech shootings. Once again, humanity has left me speechless. I am deeply sad for those killed. I also truly pity the person who felt so desperate that he felt he needed to kill as many people as possible to numb his own pain. It's hard to understand.
I am in the library writing a 12-15 page research paper on Henry Green's novel, Concluding. Finals are upon me, but it's the papers that are really stressful this semester. However, in a week and a half, life will once again calm down, and I will once again wonder how I managed to finish it all. And after a long weekend, a new round of classes will begin. I really do enjoy the life cycle of college (even with the not-so-fun finals week).
I have my graduation plan to figure out, and many large decisions ahead as I face the last 6 months of college. I'm trying to look ahead at jobs and figure out what classes will most help me before I graduate.
Also, there's the day to day fun of life that is always there, woven into the daily stresses and decisions. Watching the new Rocky movie, learning new songs on the guitar, planning a Wisconsin party for all the BYU-ers, meeting and getting to know new people...there's a lot of cool stuff going on.
So my head is a swirling of all of the above (and many others) as I head through my finals week. Hopefully, they will strike a good place in my mind and I'll be able to wade through it all to the end. So much going on, I'm just trying to keep swimming through it all :-)
I turned on the TV today and was shocked and saddened by the Virginia Tech shootings. Once again, humanity has left me speechless. I am deeply sad for those killed. I also truly pity the person who felt so desperate that he felt he needed to kill as many people as possible to numb his own pain. It's hard to understand.
I am in the library writing a 12-15 page research paper on Henry Green's novel, Concluding. Finals are upon me, but it's the papers that are really stressful this semester. However, in a week and a half, life will once again calm down, and I will once again wonder how I managed to finish it all. And after a long weekend, a new round of classes will begin. I really do enjoy the life cycle of college (even with the not-so-fun finals week).
I have my graduation plan to figure out, and many large decisions ahead as I face the last 6 months of college. I'm trying to look ahead at jobs and figure out what classes will most help me before I graduate.
Also, there's the day to day fun of life that is always there, woven into the daily stresses and decisions. Watching the new Rocky movie, learning new songs on the guitar, planning a Wisconsin party for all the BYU-ers, meeting and getting to know new people...there's a lot of cool stuff going on.
So my head is a swirling of all of the above (and many others) as I head through my finals week. Hopefully, they will strike a good place in my mind and I'll be able to wade through it all to the end. So much going on, I'm just trying to keep swimming through it all :-)
Sunday, April 08, 2007
Amazing Weekend
Ok, so I should be asleep, but I had to share what a great weekend I had. Seriously, Easter weekend couldn't have been better.
Some of the highlights:
-going to the wedding reception of my friends TJ and Megan, who met last spring in... WI! (They introduced me to their parents as "the Wisconsinite," which I thought was pretty funny)
-attending the BYU Easter Conference, sponsored by the Religion Department... basically, it was like adult EFY (a church camp for teenagers) and all the classes were taught mainly by religion professors and all related to Easter... a unique and awesome way to set the mood for the holiday
-playing kickball with some kids from my ward (flashback to middle school!)... although for some reason I could never catch the ball, ha
-going to my best friend's little sister's bridal shower (we're growing up fast!)
-cooking hotdogs and smores over a fire in Emily's backyard and then watching a movie on a projector outside... basically, it was a drive-in theater in her backyard! Sadly... it started sprinkling on us at the end, so we had to cut it short... but lying outside in nice weather and watching a movie... so great.
-going to church today and listening to the incredible Easter musical numbers
-dying Easter eggs with some friends for the first time in at least 5 years
-making Easter dinner with Rissie, all homemade, all ourselves! (we were proud of our Martha Stewart skills)
-feeding the horses down the road our leftover carrots after dinner tonight (they loved 'em!)
Basically, it was awesome weather, good, relaxing fun, and a very nice Easter. More pictures to come, but here's one of Rissie feeding the horses :-)
Now... it's CRUNCH time! Back to reality, sigh. I'm going to bed so I can get up early to STUDY!!
Thursday, April 05, 2007
"It's the most...stressful...time of the year"
This is it... the time of the semester in which school becomes my constant companion. The papers, the projects, finals, etc. etc. become my life, and all else, including sleep, becomes a mere dream. There are three weeks left, and I guarantee, this semester is in the running for craziest yet. Although my classes are ones applicable to my major and minor, and therefore, I enjoy them all, they all still require a TON of work before it's all done. Hang on kids, it'll be a fun ride. Till then, if you don't hear from me much, don't worry. I'm alive, somewhere in the Harold B. Lee Library, piled under my books :-)
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