Late work?

I have somehow tricked USU into thinking that I am capable of teaching two 1010 English courses. Jokes on them. Anyway, I had to make a syllabus today for them and seriously sat for 80 mins trying to decide a late policy. Do I want to be the cool grad student who gets how annoying homework is and let the students turn in late work or do I go for the hard-nosed no late work ever policy. Well, I wrote down that if they turn in work late they can receive up to 50% credit. Any thoughts on what I should do? Your guess is as good as mine.

44 new students on Monday.

I think I may have the best job ever.

ruminating.

Yesterday the rain fell, and it was as if the world was being washed of its pains and sufferings. The scars left by the roads temporarily relieved by the waters furious flow. I sat at my desk watching the lighting change, feeling the temperature drop, and I was temporarily removed from work in deep, contemplative thought. But as I watched the rain, I witnessed social networks change their focus to talk about the rain, their love for the rain, and their excitement in the weather. The Provo blogging world took hold to give their own cadence to the conversation of rain and to again experience the rain through writing.

But is it the rain that causes the excitement? Could it be the change in pressure system and hydraulics that really makes people want to talk about it? Is there romance in the rain or is the beauty in the change. The beauty is not in the precipitation, but in the newness of the experience. Just as after a hard winter we rejoice in warmth, or we flirt with fall as the colors on the leaves change, or we can’t help but talk about the rain in the dry desert, we love the drama in the change. Weather being a never ending play with new sets, directions, failings, and characters.

And as the play of the weather unfolds so does each day, each season, and each new school year. The change in the weather that causes the excitement is like the change in each of our lives. And just as the feeling of knowing rain is coming without feeling the drops, instinct claims controls and whispers that change is forthcoming.

I feel that change is coming. I hope it’s as pleasant as the rain.

Nature vs girl

There are a select few, never ending, conflicts in this world that always have, and always will, dictate conversation, make history, and give the dreamer hope in the future. Examples of such are good vs evil, Israel vs Palestine, maple donut vs the chocolate donut from 7-11, diet dr. pepper vs dr. pepper, English vs math, glasses vs contacts, and the list continues. My own polar conflict is nature vs me.

Nature. Just the name makes me think of the fights we have been in throughout my life. It started out as an innocent fight—I didn’t want to go to girl’s camp because I had a hard time sleeping on the ground. Nature’s intuition felt my dislike for it and promptly I fell into a lake. At this moment I knew nature was a bully. Nature, a very unforgiving foe, then sabotaged my love for my cabin by having bats in the rafters and in my room. This was when the true divorce happened. I hated nature, and it was too big for me to do anything against it but to loath it. My hatred only increased with the sun rash nature so lovingly gave me in Lake Powell. Two years later, thinking that both nature and I had grown up and that the feud was over, I went rock climbing down in Moab. Nature, along with Johnson & Johnson sunscreen, gave my eye a crazy reaction and sent me back to the hotel.

This decade long feud, one which I thought would always be a thorn in my side, was mediated this weekend. I hiked a mountain. I didn’t just go on a hike-I hiked Timpanogos and went camping in the woods with a hammock (first time real camping-woot woot). I went with two boys who are legit hikers and though I know I slowed them down, they were saints to help me experience nature in a positive way. We started at 7 and got to emerald lake at 10. There we made camp and then woke up at 4 and hiked to the summit to see the sunrise. We then came home at around 11. I am happy to say that nature and I got along splendidly. I picked up some trash littering her mountain side, while she only gave me a giant blister, sore body, and sunburned lips instead of the very likely broken neck.

Will I ever hike Timp again? No. Will I tell everyone that I have done it? Yes. Will I start getting in shape now because the hike helped me realize that my heart needs a little more cheerios and a little less chocolate cake? Hopefully, but probably not.

Anyway, it was a great adventure and I highly recommend any girl to convince Devin and Chris to take them on an adventure. Fun guaranteed.

let them eat cake

If I could start my life over I would be a professional cake decorator. Attempting this cake in t minus two hours...

I'm going to America...

As summer is nearing a close, I thought I might document some of the trips I went on this summer. Many college students spend their summers traveling abroad—but, having done that (and not being able to afford it again quite yet) I experienced the US of A. and have thus far been to 11 states. Here is the best and worst of each state.

Mandi and I flew out to Michigan to pick up our dear friend Erica who had just graduated college and needed to get back to Zion, which meant driving her car home. We flew into Detroit, Michigan and started our trek.

Michigan:

Loved: Ann Arbor is such a gorgeous college town. The school itself breathes history and richness that is beyond wealth. It’s a mix of education and status ranking…and money. The buildings were architecture gems with the music school being the shape of a piano, and the library having leather upholstered doors and great rooms similar to Oxford and Cambridge. Big plus, it had squirrels everywhere. It was so fun to see where Erica has lived for the last four years. The food was great, her friends were better, and this trip cemented an 8 year friendship.

Loved less: Detroit was a very sad city. We went to an art exhibit in a very abandoned part of town which had put creepy stuffed animals and junk in abandoned houses. If you want to experience recession, walk over to Detroit.

Indiana:

Loved: Truth is I had completely forgotten that we drove through Indiana so I loved how short the drive was.

Loved less: How sad the forgotten people of Indiana must be when they realize their state is neglected.

Illinois:

Loved: Chicago! It was such a fun city, and so fun to experience it with two of my best friends. We walked down millennium mile, had deep dish pizza, went shopping, and took the most amazing boat tour. It’s a boat tour that goes on the Chicago River, and describes all of the architecture. The buildings there are amazing, and it’s rumored that Oprah was hanging out there when we were there too.

Loved less: That we didn’t get to spend much time there and that I was driving into the city with a stick car in stop-and-go traffic for 90 min.

Iowa:

Loved: The rolling hills and the sunshine.

Loved less: That I didn’t get to see the corn fully ripe in these fields. I am sure they look beautiful.

Nebraska:

Loved: Getting out of that city.

Loved less: The b&b we stayed at. True story, we rolled up far into the night on a deserted road to find a very secluded house, with possible murderers lurking in the bushes, and realized that was where we were sleeping for the night. It got far worse when Mandi and I looked into our room and saw the 30+ clowns who were looking at us with menacing glares. Once the music box with murder themed songs started to play we considered ourselves dead. It’s amazing we got out.

Wyoming:

Loved: Experiencing the true west. Dirt, dirt, and more dirt.

Loved less: That we were still driving at this point, a drive which took us 24 hours in the car. Good thing we had podcasts, music, and as always a political/controversial conversation happening.

All throughout the trip we realized we were missing the other member of our posse-miss Kellee Marie Cook. She was in NYC doing an internship. She was there with two other candy shoppers (Reb and Ky) and I knew that I had to get out and party with them. So after I got home I was off to NYC!

New York:

Loved: Seeing my friends who I had missed more than anything. Loved the beach, the Broadway show Jersey Boys, food (Max Brenner, La Esquina, Stardust, Grimaldi’s , Brooklyn ice cream….the list could easily go on).

Loved Less: Cooney island freak show, the price of taxis, the heat of the subway, and not being able to buy everything I saw in the stores.

After New York, Ky, Kel and I hurried off to meet my parents in D.C. The only way to travel is the megabus. Yup, that classy bus was a $15.00 trip, and 5 hours of road-tripping fun.

Maryland:

Loved: One of my best friends was from this state and I always heard stories from him about it. I loved driving through and seeing how green it was.

Loved Less: How short the trip was and how much I wanted to see there.

D.C. (technically not a state…)

Loved: Everything. I felt like home. I loved the vibe of the city—politics, shopping, politics, and people who wear really classy clothes. For those who didn’t know, I was obsessed with the show The West Wing, and am even more so now. I loved having ky and kel there and randomly Erica was in town so we went to dinner. (Big shout out to Mike and Dottie for housing us and letting me hang out with them there!) Loved hanging out with my parents, seeing museums, using the great underground system, and shopping in Georgetown. We went on a great tour of the capitol and just hung out!

Loved Less: That I knew I had to go home. New goal: move there.

Virginia

Loved: Driving through a little bit of the state that will, eventually, become my home.

Loved less: That we just drove through it.

Pennsylvania

The triplets (a term ky, kel and I gave ourselves) went with my parents to Gettysburg.

Loved: Having a dad who literally knew everything about everything there. Loved experiencing the sacrifice of the soldiers during the civil war, and loved the prose of President Lincoln. Loved laughing with Ky and Kel, all of us college graduates and still sticking around with my rents.

Loved Less: That the tour took a really long time (like 6 hours) and though I love learning, it was a bit much.

America is BIG. Trust me, I drove across it. These trips were great because of the fun cities and things to do, but mostly because of the amazing people in my lives who I got to experience them with. As my friends start to get married, and with me moving in August, it was so fun to be able to do such cool things with them this summer. Making memories that will last a lifetime, and being able to truly appreciate the incredible influence they've had on my life makes me wonder if USU has anyone who is half as incredible to spend my time with. So, on to planning future trips that will be just as exciting.

HBLL

This is it--the library. Notice the frazzel look of me and MJ. We are tired of being here. This is officially the last time i'll be here studying (or as would be true to form not studying) as a BYU student. I am about to go and take my last final. Go COUGARS! I heart it here.

**Note the abandoned pair of scriptures on the desk in the picture. Classic cougar act. Also, I was very tempted to take a picture of a little girl who was running around here with her faced painted like a cat. Love it. Love her.

Villanelle

He Is The Way, The Truth, The Light

The one with whom we must unite,

Brother and savior to us all.

He is the way, the truth, the light.

As mortals we discern our lives, finite

And dared to bring about His fall

The one with whom we must unite.

And to the blind, he gave them sight

And saved the sinners, one named Saul

He is the way, the truth, the light.

He served, and saved, and faced his plight

Never one to falter, or to fall.

The one with whom we must unite.

The man who sacrificed his right,

Christ hung and gave his life for all.

He is the way, the truth, the light.

He offers us, each one respite

If we but listen to his call,

The one with whom we must unite

He is the way, the truth, the light.