Invincible Summer

Guys, it's over. Summer's over. Having just come to the realization that today is my last chance to nap on the ASB lawn and call it "work", I have naturally been feeling nostalgic. But instead of going out like an ungrateful sluggard, I've decided to release my Vulcan death grip on this particular season and instead outline all the cool things I got to do. You know, for the memories.

Teacher, here's what I did with my summer vacation:

-I put red streaks in my hair.
-I spent two restorative weeks in Sac with the 'rents.
-I spent time with my cute sister's family in Phoenix.
-I read five books (which is about five less than I intended to read, but we're focusing on achievements right now, not regrets)
-I went to a couple town fairs.
-included in one of those town fairs, pie-eating contest.
-I spent time with my elderly friend Grant, and he softened my heart.
-I checked off two more classes.
-I got to take an unexpected and welcome trip to Alabama.
-I started wearing bracelets again.
-I tried out many new food venues in the greater Provo/Orem area.
-I became acquainted with Jillian Michaels for a while, but we're estranged now.
-Ditto with P90.
-I found and utilized the best campus napping spot to date (4th floor Clyde Bldg. women's restroom, that's the ticket!)
-There was a brief streak in which I went to Yogurtland at least twice a week.
-I took full advantage of the FREE.ninety-free Thursday concert series in SLC and saw many way rad bands, including Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes, Bright Eyes, Ghostland Observatory, and Lupe Fiasco. I dressed up for every one, according to each respective style of music. Pictures later.
-I think I got vicariously high off of some of those concerts, but there's no way of knowing, really.
-I discovered pinterest, and life has been considerably more colorful and fabulous ever since.
-I went to the Salt Flats for the first time and they were GORGEOUS.
-I interviewed Bee Money for a documentary that I have every intention of making someday.
-I floated the Provo River with Carol and we almost drowned a few times, but we're good now.
-I went late-night dumpster diving for the first (but definitely not the last!) time.
-I said some goodbyes.
-I lost a lot of money, and got it all back again.


So you see, I really had a very wonderful summer. It wasn't all roses, but despite the bad parts, I'm grateful for this time in my life. I know that these are the days I will one day look back on with crinkly eyes and wisdom, and think, "Ah, youth." Summer is the season of the young and carefree, and I'm just grateful I've managed to live it up while I can.

Camera as of late

Not that my camera is terribly representative of what life is really like - nevertheless, here's some recent pictures I thought some might enjoy.

The Rex Lee Run got run, oh yes it did. In your face, cancer!

JoJo had a birthday! We made her this cheery owl cake, which means that I made the cake and Carol made it cute.

Oh JoJo, I love that kid.

Hey, it's JJ! And me! Oh, and we're snorkeling, which happens to be my favorite thing to do ever.

This was my first time to FL, or even to the south at all for that matter. I loved it. It's America's best kept secret (besides Appalachia's drunken little people, but we won't get into that just now).

I have to admit that the snorkeling this time around was less than impressive - we saw nary a fish, mostly just urchins and clams - but one lucky diver did manage to find this guy:

Yeah, he's pretty adorable.

Well sorry everyone, that was probably the most boring post that's ever happened to you. I'm so bored I think I'm going to go to bed even. Hey, and whatever happened to that weird indie LTLYM series I was going to do? Huh. Ok, bed.

Everything is cool

Here's a brief update in "things-that-were-awesome" format:

Painting and beautifying our room was awesome.

The circus was super weird, and awesome.

This fruit basket cake I made for Carol's birthday, which happened to be vegan, which happened to be the most delicious chocolate cake anyone had ever had, was awesome.

Seeing this disturbed little man perform in concert was AWESOME.

Free tickets to Motocross was awesome.

This book was awesome.

Phoenix was much too short, but still awesome.

And those are the things that are awesome.

Nothing to Say.

The title of my post should be sufficient to answer any questions you might have. It has come to my attention, however, that a certain eager follower has taken to checking my blog daily, only to find it empty day after day, a la "The Mailbox" (that horrifically sad church-produced video about the old lady who checks her mailbox every day and never gets any mail and then dies - you know the one). Well, I never could stomach The Mailbox or its message, so I hereby vow to give this blog thing a little more effort. Disclaimer: it is requisite that some quality be sacrificed in the name of quantity. We've all been to Sizzler, we all know this. In other words, I can't promise that my forthcoming entries are going to be as rhetorically awesome as they've been in the past, but sometimes even junk mail is better than no mail, right?

I thought I'd get us started with some good old picture-narrations of recent-happenings, kind of like my last post part 2. Yay!
Yes, we made it. Sometime in mid-February it became clear to myself and my roommate Stephanie that school-time was over and that it was, indeed, Disneyland-time. So, in true no-children-or-other-serious-obligations-spontaneous-college-student fashion, we took our boys and we went. And can I just say, that place seriously is so happy. I swear they downgraded the castle since last time I went, and I really didn't remember there being so many Mexicans, but no matter - it was, truly, magical.
Autopia!




Matterhorn! Slightly lamer than we all remembered, but still charming in its own way. That abominable snowman gets me every time.


You can probably tell, from this next series of pictures, why the teacups were yet again my favorite ride.







I was so brave this trip! Not only did I go on Space Mountain and Screamin' (the monster roller coaster at California Adventure) for the first time, but, arguably the longest time in coming, I went on the Snow White ride.

As you can see, the old hag is still as scary as ever, but I'm working on it. I even allowed myself to be compelled to take a picture with her in her non-hag form.


And finally, real-life nuns having fun! You better believe I chased them down with my roommate's camera for a photo of them entering the line for Star Tours. This was the closest picture I could get without being too obvious and/or offensive. They walked with a very determined pace, too, as if they somehow knew that people would inevitably stare in wonder and ask for pictures if they didn't move to their destination briskly.




In other recent happenings, my best friend forever Carol came to visit me for her spring break! I just love her. Her visit serendipitously coincided with the annual Holi Krishna Festival of Colors that the Hindus hold every year at their temple in Spanish Fork. This was my second year of attending and let me tell you, the Hindus throw a mean party. Basically, every year the local Hindus have all these packages of colored chalk imported from India, and, at the appointed time, we all gather on the temple grounds and throw aforementioned chalk at each other, to celebrate the coming of spring and some other stuff that I don't remember. A massive Hindu dance party immediately follows. Henna tattoos are administered, chanting ensues, people climb onto roofs and dance like crazies. It is the perfect flamboyant outlet for us conservative BYU students.




We took this one just as an errant puff of chalk exploded over our heads. Good times, good times.