Geek Alert

Yuppers...that's me...big time geek coming through. You can catch me in the front row of the classroom desks. When I am not there, I am doing my usual Utah summer craziness. A little catch up on my life from May-June.
May

• Started my ethics class. I had three different weekends: Fridays from 5-9 and Saturdays from 8-5. While you may be experiencing an "Oh my gosh" moment, I am sad these are over! Really! We discussed things from different definitions of lying, the ethics of journalism when exposing high profile individuals, ethics of bureaucracy and when it is right to defect in order to protect the common good, public integrity, torture tactics, etc. My favorite discussions revolved around this series called "Ethics in America" put on PBS a while ago. check out the young Peter Jennings!
• Denver baby: Love the sis! Jamie and Jordan moved to Denver...and I get to visit them all the time! YAY! My first drive that way, I couldn't help but want to pull over at Little America. Seriously, on my drive there, I saw at least 50 signs asking me too. From ads that talked about their amazing ice cream cones, playground and pool for the kiddies, to the ads about having in-house mechanics. I decided that I would only stop over if the man on the mechanic billboard would fix my car....va va voom! Well, Jamie sure knows how to treat a girl. I was certainly the 2nd princess of the home. Of course, we can't forget Allie-bear. She is #1. Jamie took me to the zoo....a fave past time, and we got to play downtown'ish' with my dear middle-high school friend! What a riot...I loved it. Wanna come again and going to. Thanks Jordan for sharing your wifey!
  
• My birthday! For my birthday, my parents bought me a flight to visit them...I figured nothing is really gonna get better than being with the rents and bro on my birthday. They always show me a good time. Mom had all these activities including sushi like 3 times in a week (amazing), homecooked roast by daddy...if any of you have had it, you know it is the best in the world, a great attempt at pudding delight (which I requested for my b-day cake), walking and hiking with the bro, hanging with my fancy Aunt Kay, a night at Coronado with mama (girls night) and riding 20 miles with our bikes the next day...sheesh. In addition, my good friend Heidi (now living in Salt Lake) celebrated her birthday in San Diego with another dear friend, Scott Downey, who showed us all the proper way to make steak and chocolate chip cookies (of which I had maybe 10).
  
• Spray paint art: my hot little bro is quite the artist. He showed me a thing or two about using spray paint and turning it into art. The little dude is not only hot, but an incredible artist. Go for the gold Bry....

• Birds are not stupid. I have often told friends that birds have just seemed to get dumber as time has gone by. For example, I drive down the road and see birds harvesting on a new carcass splat on the road. My hope is that as I slow from 55 to 50, that these birds will look up and take flight. Lately it seems that their reflexes have been a little on the poor side. I could contribute this handicap to air quality, loss of habitat, quality of carcass...alas, I used to claim that they were stupid. How much they proved me wrong. While visiting Coronado Beach as part of my birthday visit, a family left their belongings (including food) unattended while the seagulls took charge. I will just let these pics speak for themselves. Moral of the story: birds are not as dumb as I thought.

• Snorkling date: went on seriously one of the best dates with my long-term distance, no expectations BF to La Jolla. I haven't been on too many dates in San Diego close to the beach....I could get used to it! Didn't really get to see too many fish due to the red tide...but the fish I did see, including my ever-so-water intense date, was quite remarkable! Followed up by one of the best sandwiches with hummus, sun-dried tomato-cucumbers and balsamic vinegar...does it get any better?
• Beginning of two more classes. HOLLER. What is with me and summer school? I can't help it, I am in love! I just had to take 4 classes this summer. In addition to the ethics class, I am taking Foundations of Education Leadership and Policy, and Administrative Law. My American Government class started in August...right before school starts for fall. Why the rush, you ask? BECAUSE people....I found out that I am graduating in December!! Can I get a whoop whoop. In other words, swoot-woo. And then what? Off to DC baby! That is the goal. That is the dream. East coast, here I come....
  

June

• What the heck did I do....? I don't remember. Oh, school. That's right! Mid-terms, papers, hearing about everyone's amazing vacays, but really feeling like I wasn't missing out cause I love school like that....yup. I also started training to do a 5k swim in August, until I found out that the weekend of the race was my weekend of school. ALAS, I am still training as if I were in it!
• Went on a date to the incredible Gina Bachauer International Piano Competition, played in conjunction with the Utah Symphony. Amazing! We heard this one pianist from Ukraine, Pavlo Gintov, who wowed me not only in his size, but also in his composition. His poise at the piano was natural, his memorization and movement, astounding. I believe he got 3rd overall. Incredible!
• Wedding Reception: My dear friend Meta Mitchel got hitched in Phoenix. On my travels to see this incredible experience, I was able to reunite with the SV clan. I can't tell you how much all my peeps mean to me, and how much I thank them all for their amazing service to me! A huge part of my life...aah, the memories. There are just so many feelings. My cup o'erfloweth :) Seeing Meta arm in arm with her EC was a pretty remarkable experience...one I most likely will never forget, and we all know about my memory loss issues....
  

July

• There is no July without a little St. George fireworks. Chillin with the family down in the George is one of my fave past times. This year, it was full of girly stuff like, being lazy at the pool with kiddies, going to plays like Pride and Prejudice, putting puzzles together, making up a new nickname for Mama Blau (Grandma Yo Yo), hitting up Tarzan at the Tuacahn....see it people, taking Bryan on a date to see the Last Airbender (good job M. Night, very much like the cartoon), hanging with Jamie's in-laws, getting excited about playing with extended family, hearing the sewing machine of the ladies (aaah, the memory takes me back to living at home).
• Jazz festival: An annual tradition for me, I got down and funky with the best date ever...Mama Blau! We got groovy to the sounds of Ellis Hall, who was mentored by Ray Charles. Also blind, I couldn't help but love his little screams mid song. It added to the Mo-town funk! Ellis Hall is my boyfriend!
  
• Demolition Derby: I'm sorry, how many seats are you saving? Um, 35...gotta problem with that!? What, I gots the fam and the peeps. The marrieds, the singles, the extended....what? There is nothing better!