Updated

Sorry all, I have not written for a while.  It has been busy with school and work.  My life is full of education.  I feel that my life as taken on a routine that is more or less boring.  I go to work Monday-Friday, do homework and work in the evening and Saturday is spent doing laundry, writing papers and getting ready for Monday.  Though I still try to have fun sometimes!  Last night I went to see Sleigh Bells at The Depot!  It was amazing.  I went with  my friend Shawna.  We danced and danced!  I have to say that this is one of the best shows to come through Utah in a long time.  They were really good entertainers.  The music was so loud, I'm glad my brother recommended some great ear plugs.  Other than that, I saw Typhoon a few weeks ago.  Another great show!  Granted, the opening bands were not so great, but Typhoon made up for that.  I'm becoming a concert goer again, now that my semester is wrapping up! 

Book of the Month

I have almost reached my goal for books to read this year, so I decided to reevaluate my number.  I might up it by 2 or 3.  I recently decided to join the band wagon and read The Hunger Games.  So many of my students have read the books, it was reminding me of my first year teaching and the twilight phenomenon.  I would tell girls engrossed in all the Bella, Edward and Jacob drama to put their book away and save it for later.  Then, the next year, there were no books having to be put away, no engrossing series debuted for students to read.  But this last year I saw a shift.  A new series of books popped up.  I did not want to read them.  I sometimes hate jumping on the bad wagon.  It was that way with Harry Potter, Twilight, The Lord of the Rings, The Ender books, and now the Hunger Games.  I had nothing to read the other day, so I borrowed my roommates.  I decided to pace myself.  And guess what, I just could not take it any more.  I read half the book last Sunday.  I was disappointed to find my roommate did not have the second one.  So Monday I went to costco, picked it up and have already read 150 pages.  How do I get sucked into these books.  Overall, the Hunger Games was a good book.  Enough action, romance, social distopia and  subversion for anyone.  I felt like I was reading a jacked up version of survivor.  It was great fun!

School, Work and Life

So for those who read this blog, you probably already know that I am in school.  I started my masters degree at the University of Utah this fall and thus far have managed to pull off a consecutive string of solid B+ work.  It is interesting that all growing up, education was so stressed that I always pushed myself to succeed.  I wanted to get all A's.  I wanted that 4.0.  Then I got to college and became okay with a B or B+ or even a C+, if I knew that I worked hard for the grade.  Now I am a solid B+ student.  I don't mind at all.  I figure if I can keep up with all the philosophical feminists, question everything pessimists and smart people in my class, a B+ is great.  Here's to a great grad program!  Remember that C's still get degrees.  (Though I am aiming for higher!)

Some Pictures

I spent a wonderful week in Hawaii with my friend Lindsey this summer and just got done importing all the pictures off my camera and hers.  Here are some highlights.  Oh how I wish I was back there.  I am already trying to figure out how I can save the money to go back this coming summer.  I think Kauai has found another convert.

Book of the Month

So I made the goal this year to read 15 books.  I am happy to report that today I finished my 12th book for the year.  The Thin Man by Dashiell Hammett.  Such a great book.  I already loved The Maltese Falcon and thought I would give this a try.  Hammett did not disappoint.  Great characters, great plot and I did not figure it out until the end.  I love books that keep me guessing and this one did.  Maybe someone more attuned would have figured it out earlier, but I loved the suspense.  All in all, I give it a 10.

In other news, the school year started with a great big bang.  Time seems to slip by me without ever finishing all I need to do.  For instance, I need to have a book read by tomorrow for a project meeting with my partner.  I have finished approximately 50 of its 250 pages.  I have a full day of work and not much time otherwise.  So I guess that instead of grading papers, I will be reading.  At least the book is interesting!   So if you don't know already, I started grad school, hence the project.  I do not know what I was thinking, but I do know that I can get it done and its okay to not get all As.  I was very happy with the B+ on my first paper.  Gosh I have changed since high school.  That's a good thing!

Book of the Month

I finished two more books!  Now I am almost caught up.  If I finish all the three books I am working on right now, by the end of the month, I should be right on schedule if I count reading the New Testament, which I started last year and finished this year.  I have not decided yet.  So I finished Believing Christ, which Holly lent to me.  It was amazing.  Stephen E. Robinson, the author, writes with such eloquence, without sounding all knowing.  He discusses concepts in a way that I understand so well, by examples.  He reminded me how important Jesus Christ is to my life.  He reminded me to have and nurture my faith.  This is truly a book I would recommend.  I almost have Stephen Robinson as a professor at BYU, now I am sad I did not take his class.

The other book I finished was The Little Sister by Raymond Chandler.  Over the past couple of years, I have read three Raymond Chandler books.  Each time I come to like his style of writing and choice of hero better.  Philip Marlow, for all his efforts, is a very likable hero.  He speaks it like it is, knows when he is getting into trouble, and always figures it out in the end.  Chandler likes to take the reader for a ride, laying false trails throughout the books.  I appreciate this.  It is so annoying when you go to watch a procedural TV show, or read a mystery book and figure it out in the first five minutes, or when a character is introduced that just does not seem to fit.  All of Chandler's characters fit and play vital roles.  His books can sometimes confuse me, if I do not pay close enough attention, but the reward at the end when the story comes together is awesome.  Here's to another great read!

A Hello and an I Love you!

So I was over at one of my favorite places today, hanging out with some of my favorite people, when I remembered that I took a few pictures there a while back.  Now I have decided to post those pictures.  I hope someday the subjects forgive my awful picture taking skills.  But here they are, two guys I love, who make my week so much better, and a part of their mom too!  (She's in the green) Who, by the way, is one of the most awesome people I know.  Holly, thanks for feeding me, helping me, listening to me, allowing me to be a part of the family, and most importantly being the best friend anyone could hope for.  (Cheesy I know, but if you know me that's just how I am sometimes!)