Almost Done! (sort of)

I got my graduation papers signed today! As of December I will officially have an accounting degree! Now if I can just make sure and pass all my classes decently this term...... I'm hoping to pull my GPA up a little bit if I can, but I realized that most of my classes are pretty steep classes so I guess I'll just see how it goes.

Good-bye Summer

Wow I can't believe that summer is over. Part of me thinks that it has dragged on like a neverending bad movie, then part of me feels that it seems only yesterday that school was getting out and I was wondering what to do with myself for the next three months.
Anyway, wow what a summer it has been! The first part was terrible, I got some sort of nasty virus or something for a few weeks. Then the middle part wasn't so great, because by the time I got to feeling better the high school was out and there were no job openings (not that there were that many to start with). Plus most all of my friends had moved away--or are married and moving on with their lives and new families.
Then the last few weeks since my birthday have been pretty good. I've had some good friends around who have made all the difference. I got to go play and explore like never before and it has been great. Now if I could only find a job to get me through the school year.

2009

Lately I feel as though I've been born in the wrong century. I find myself growing tired of electronic communications and texting and facebook and IM etc. I am tired of this fast paced world in which we all live where people rarely take time to just sit down and talk to one another. This doesn't often create long lasting relationships and bonds that carry over for years and years (anyone seen the divorce rates recently). I wish that we still would visit with one another like people did 50 years ago on a regular basis.

Angels Landing at Zions park

Angels Landing in the distance.

The path up the mountain. This is a pretty steep hike.



The switchbacks- aka Walters wiggles.
Just taking a little break after the terrifying ridge......... it was scary, really scary.



And at last! The view from the rop of Angels landing!

Fun in the Summertime!

This is a place called Hidden Canyon, one of the seriously underappreciated places in Zions national park.


SUU library in the summer.

My Technology Rant

Lately I am becoming more and more anti-technology. Cell phones, texting, IM, facebook, myspace all that stuff.

To begin with, texting. I find more and more that it frustrates me when someone tries to carry on a conversation with me purely through texting. I mean, texts are incredibly convenient when you have a quick question such as how is the weather or what time should we meet at or something, but to try and work out details for an activity or some such nonsense is just plain ridiculous. I thought that these things were supposed to make my life easier- so why is it so much more complicated? Bottom line here, if you are trying to iron out details or have a serious conversation with me through texts, I will pick up my phone and call you so that we can solve in a 10-15 minute conversation what would take over a dozen texts and still not be resolved..

IM, better but still not the same as a face to face conversation. Not a lot to say on that one, I use facebook chat frequently.

Cell phones, no one can need to talk to me so badly that it can't wait the 20 minutes until class or church are through. Cell phones are great, yes I have one and yes I use it frequently (to text as well!) but there is a time and place. I think cell phones are almost necessary if you travel a lot or long distances, don't be caught with a dead battery! But really, do I need to carry it everywhere I go? This is not meant to offend anyone, simply observations about myself and others that I've noticed.

Face to face conversations are the best--not every single time you need to tell someone something, sometimes a text or phone call is more appropriate. However, if you want to have a serious relationship (of any kind, not just romantic) you have be able to communicate through something more than just electronic devices. It is easier to communicate because you can read the other person's facial expressions and body language. Non verbal communication can change the whole mood or swing of a conversation. This is something that is lacking in IM, texts and even phone calls.

To try and wrap up this long post (if you're even still reading it, ha ha) I'm not entirely anti technology, just anti how dependent we as a society are becoming on electronic communications becoming the only way we relate to each other. Sometimes just sitting around on the porch or roof on a nice day shooting away at the breeze is one of the best ways to establish long lasting relationships and understanding with one another.

Snow Canyon!

I think that Snow canyon state park is one of my favorite places to go play. I've only been once, but it was great! For starters, there were awesome lava rocks.....

Great climbing potential. The petrified dunes make perfect little steps for climbing steep hills.