Goals, goals, goals

This last week, I sat down to begin my goals for Summer 2011. The catalyst for this goal-setting spree was the realization, over the past several months, that I don't really have any hobbies that I just do for me. That seems kind of awful to say, because I do have things I enjoy, but I really need to expand my list. I don't want to become boring!

My first goal was to make some goals. Having accomplished that much, I am moving to Goal 2, which was to share my goals with some people. That's you - my two loyal followers ;) Without further ado, I give you Goals #3 - 9:

3. Read books for fun - I at least need to finish the ones that I have already started or that I have borrowed from other people - Mockingjay, To Kill a Mockingbird, the Brain/Body one from mom, The Raphael Affair….

4. Organize my digital photos and make a book of my pictures from England - Thanks to Groupon, I can start my picture book online and I'm kind of excited.

5. Take some beginning drawing and painting lessons

6. Hike Mt. Nebo - Last summer it was Timp, this summer, Nebo. And maybe more...

7. Visit Goblin Valley & Dead Horse State Park - I spent a brief hour at Dead Horse State Park a couple years ago, and it blew me away. I've wanted to go back ever since. Also, Goblin Valley has always intrigued me. It just sounds kind of magical.

8. Run a 1/2 marathon - This is all contingent on whether or not I injure myself in the process ;)

9. Write more

Right now, I'm stopping at nine. Though tempted to set #10 as "Get a pay raise" or "Fall madly in love," I don't want to push things… Plus, those are not goals, they are wishes :) So, there's my lucky nine. Now I just need to conjure up the magical moments of freedom in which to do this stuff. Maybe that should be Goal #10.

Wish me luck!!

The Best Day of August...EVER :)

A couple Saturdays ago, I decided that I was going to hike Mount Timpanogos. I'd never hiked it before! I started the hike just before 6, as the sun was beginning to peek out from behind the peaks and got to the top about 9:30 a.m. It was such a beautiful day :)

A Few of my Favorite Things

Things that consistently bring me joy...in no particular order:

Cold cereal

Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons”, Rachmaninoff’s “Piano Concerto no. 2”

Good conversations

Finishing a run

Anything pickled (well almost)

England, its countryside, all things English (except their teeth)

Driving in my car

The Beatles

Mountains

Fish

My red sleeping bag

The feeling of airports

Watching a little kid make something

Thermostats at 73 degrees

History

European chocolate

Quotes by Oscar Wilde

Art museums

Thai food

Large chunks of deliciousness in vanilla ice cream

Talking to old people

Being around my nieces and nephews

Calvin and Hobbes

Talks by Elder Holland and Elder Maxwell

People that genuinely care

Wheat bread

Davis County

My family

Head 'fer the Hills!

This is a combination tribute to two things: new running shoes and the mountains.

Whenever I get a new pair of running shoes, I get excited. Opening the box is like looking into a whole future of new adventures, early morning runs, sunset runs, cold and hot... You just never know where those shoes will take you! I went last Saturday and bought what is likely the MOST perfect pair of running shoes I can remember getting: the Brooks Launch. I think they are magical! It's like running on a cloud. I feel like I can do anything with my new blue shoes :) For example, this morning, I stumbled out the door to run. I had slept in a bit and so wasn't super keen on going out but I was inspired by the shoes, so out I went. Just down the street, I ran into my cute neighbor, who was just finishing a run. She had just run along the Bonneville Shoreline trail from Slate Canyon over to the temple and loved it. And then she made the comment, "You know. I love running in the mountains. The mountains don't judge you. You can just run." Suddenly, I wanted to run up that mountain! I'd never run the trail before, but why not? After all, I got new shoes.


So, I started running...and just kept running.





The morning was beautiful and the views even better. After awhile the trail turned to a road and then I realized that I was at Rock Canyon park, just above the Provo Temple! From there I headed down to University Avenue and then back home. I'm not sure how far I ran. Maybe 10 miles? I'm not sure, but it didn’t really matter. It just felt so good. Plus, I love the mountains. They are inspiring whether you’re below, across or on them. There is no better venue for clarity and contemplation then when you can stand above the bustle of daily life. The buildings look like models, cars look like Matchbox toys driving on the charcoal gray ribbon of road. It just puts life into perspective. It's true: you can just BE. The mountains don't judge. WHAT a way to start the day!

The mystery of art history

I am grateful that some people were created to enjoy science. I am equally thankful that there are people who enjoy accounting, the law, medicine or starting their own businesses. These past couple weeks, I have realized just how grateful I am that I was made (chose) to be an art historian. History fascinates me. I adore art (but can't produce it). I love combining the two ;)It can be stuffy yet suave, completely enigmatic, wonderfully yet annoyingly subjective, implicitly elitist... but very fascinating, beautiful, educational, inspiring, compelling and downright satisfying.

It's funny because growing up I envisioned myself working in a few different careers. When I was 7 and 8 years old, I really wanted to either be the person that built the big Lego monuments and animals at Legoland (like this lucky guy) or a bus driver. (This was the stage where I would ride my bike around the neighborhood stopping at different places playing school bus.) Then I went through a short era, that I'm convinced every kid has at some point, of wanting to be a veterinarian, until I realized that I don't like animals. After that, I really honed in on being a teacher. My mom taught early morning seminary and we had a classroom in our basement with desks and a huge marker board. I loved it! I would go down after school and teach school to my classroom of invisible students. But when I was about 12, I discovered what I thought was the career of my dreams: journalism. I wrote a lot and enjoyed it. Every career day from then on, I would always go to the journalist and listen to them tell their stories.

I fell in love with art history during my junior year of high school, when I took AP Art History. I was fascinated by it. When I studied about Michelangelo's sculptures, I got chills. I felt like the marble could start breathing, they were so full of life. When I looked at Van Gogh's "Crows in a Wheatfield," his last painting before he shot himself in that very field, I cried. But, I never really consider being an "art historian," I mean, what do they do anyways? However, after taking various intro classes in English, History, Accounting, Writing, I just couldn't see myself doing any of those things. Then I took an art history course just for fun. And the rest is history.

dating.com

So, a couple months ago some ladies that I worked with convinced me to sign up for an online dating site. I actually know a lot of people, a lot of friends, who have profiles on various dating sites and are wonderful, accomplished people and so I consented to try it out for three months and see what it's like. Well, thus far the social results have not really been worth my $19.95 (or whatever it cost), however, I have found it to be a source of great entertainment and a fascinating look at human nature and personalities. It's a gold mine. I have extracted a choice sample of comments that have been sent to my profile, which does have a photo of me and a brief description.
Anyhow. You can be the judges. Here we go:

Candidate descriptions:

"[He] loves loving and being loved." Duly noted. Great. Love is a divine attribute...

"[He] can name all jelly bean flavors blindfolded." Awesome. Sign me up.

"[He] loves giving massages." Delete!!

"[He] loves sports, big screens, BBQ meat..." and the list continues.

Now, I mean no criticism towards these people. I just read some of these recently and they made me LAUGH! There is a lid for every pot and I know they will find theirs and be wildly happy.

Then a couple gems from messages sent to me:

"You look so tiny in your picture." ????

And the message that contained only these two words: "You gorgeous" - LOL! True, brevity is the soul of wit but there are other issues here: A. silver-tongued? B. Grammar rules to the wind...

But, this one is the champion. This message truly appeared in my little message box:

"hey I'm not not really here for dating, I'm actually recruiting for a SpecOps team to overthrow a series of small Asian governments. It's a lucrative temp-to hire position, great benefits and amazing scenery. If you like storming beaches for good surf and roasting marshmallows by the light of flamed-out tanks, drop me a line..." If only it wasn't Asian governments that he was overthrowing. We might have made it work!

Ah, that's why I love people :)

General Mills

As part of my ward's quest for Zion, they have instituted family home evening group competitions. Yea, verily, verily. So, each family has chosen a family name. Our family is "General Mills," in honor of our group mother, Tracy Mills. We're her rat pack :) This month each family group was supposed to make ice cream sculptures using three cartons of ice cream. We debated a bit and ultimately decided to capitalize on the natural shape of the ice cream block, by making a little ice cream train. I volunteered to sculpt the coal car because it had the simplest design :) However, in my defense, the Earnestly Chocolate was a very difficult medium to sculpt with! That carton had an intense amount of caramel that offered no stability! Anyways. Here's our family's ice cream creation, as documented on our new family blog:

http://generallyfamiliar.blogspot.com/2010/01/you-scream-i-scream.html