Peanuts and Crackerjacks

Saturday night I went to my very first Bees baseball game. For those not in the know (which sorta includes me, since I had to ask my friend) the Bees are the minor league Triple-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Angels. Even though I am more of a sports fan than the average girl, I do not follow baseball at all. I think it's boring, it takes too long, and there are long stretches of nothing followed by spurts of exctiment (which my friend Jeff remarked is how life is).

But anything is automatically cooler when experienced live, as I was reminded of as I sat in Spring Mobile Ballpark, cheering on the players, clapping for Bumble, hoping to catch a flyball (which was nearly impossilbe as we were sitting behind homeplate and there's that net to protect fans), and participating in the best part of the game--the seventh inning stretch. I sang, "Take me Out to the Ballgame," at full capacity and loved the feeling of the entire ballpark singing together.

The game came down to the very end when, in the bottom of the ninth with two outs, a homerun was hit with a runner on first. Along with a very exciting fifth inning, those spurts of excitment were worth it. Oh, and there were fireworks after the game. I love fireworks. So all in all it was a lot of fun (except for the fact that my friend Jeff was feeling sick and had to leave before the seventh inning and missed a lot of the fun), and I find myself wanting to go to more games next season!

Man in the Moon

Tonight I saw the Man in the Moon. I presently cannot sleep and blame it on him. He showed himself to me and now my mind is filled with thoughts previously not there and preventing my sleep. The Man in the Moon can be tricky like that. He's in the sky for such a short time that he makes the most of it when he's there, causing weird dreams, lunacy, the tides to turn, dogs to howl, and girls to lose sleep.

Defying Gravity

It was two years ago today, September 1st, that I arrived in the bustling city of New York and made it my home. I can remember everything from that day. I remember driving on the New Jersey Turnpike and seeing the buildings of New York just across the river. I remember all the traffic and standstill that accompanied our ascent onto the George Washington Bridge. I remember driving through my new neighborhood and being a bit shocked--I wasn't in Utah or Idaho anymore.

I remember meeting Maria for the first time in the halls of our new place, as she had told me our apartment was 2D when it was actually 6D. I remember talking with Rosemary on the phone and hoping we would be able to coordinate the people helping us move in. I remember Maria saying that all three of us had red hair, which was fun even if only Rosemary's is authentic. I remember riding the elevator and unloading my Penske truck. I remember meeting Martha, Roseline, Elisabeth, and Marcus as they helped this stranger move her stuff in.

I remember seeing my new apartment for the first time, its looong hallway and wooden floors, its strange kitchen and even stranger shower set-up. I remember moving all my earthly belongings into my bedroom and the feeling of excitement that overcame me.

I remember walking the streets of the city for the first time on my way to my first New York City subway ride. I remember talking with Maria on the train and her telling me that she had no worries that I'd adapt just fine to the city. I remember coming out of the subway at 34th street and having all my senses on complete overload!

I remember eating at the Tick-Tock Diner with my mom and sister and having my first lovely taste of sweet potato fries. I remember making our way back to my apartment without the aid of Maria and figuring it all out just fine.

I remember going to church the next day and feeling like my mom, sister, and I stuck out like sore thumbs on Dyckman Street. I remember seeing my mom off on the bus headed to the airport as my sister and I headed downtown on the subway to explore the city. I remember being completely turned around and lost wherever we went. I remember running into a Brazilian festival in midtown and then going to the Hard Rock Cafe in Times Square.

But what I remember most was this feeling of, "Wow! I really did it. I live in New York City!" I felt on top of the world and capable of doing and being anything. I remember riding the subway after my mom and sister had left, and having, "Defying Gravity,"play on my ipod; all of a sudden it became my anthem--I was defying gravity and everything else by being on that subway train in the middle of Manhattan. I'm listening to the song as I write this, and must admit that I got a bit emotional listening to the words and the inspiration they were to me two years ago:

Something has changed within me
Something is not the same
I'm through with playing by the rules
Of someone else's game
Too late for second-guessing
Too late to go back to sleep
It's time to trust my instincts
Close my eyes and leap

It's time to try
Defying gravity
I think I'll try
Defying gravity
And you can't pull me down..

I'm through accepting limits
'Cuz someone says they're so
Some things I cannot change
But 'till I try, I'll never know
Too long I've been afraid of
Losing love - I guess I have lost
Well, if that's love
It comes at much too high a cost

I'd sooner buy
Defying gravity
Kiss me goodbye
I'm defying gravity
And you can't pull me down...

So if you care to find me
Look to the western sky
As someone told me lately -
Ev'ryone deserves the chance to fly
And if I'm flying solo
At least I'm flying free
To those who'd ground me
Take a message back from me -

Tell them how I
Am defying gravity!
I'm flying high
Defying gravity!
And soon I'll match them in renown
And nobody in all of Oz
No wizard that there is or was
Is ever gonna bring me down!

Life sure is different two years later. I certainly didn't think I'd be sitting in the Marriott Library on the University of Utah campus. Sometimes it feels like a step backwards, and other times like I'm doing what I'm supposed to. But I know that when I'm sitting in my Intro to Transportation Planning class, despite missing New York, I feel like I can again defy gravity.

Anyone who still wants to know about the New York experience, read my friend's lovely blog, New York Minutes. She has a great way of capturing the idiosyncrasies and wonderfulness of living in the city.

An Idaho Girl

I have a bag that I've been using for my school books and such this year. It's this little tote bag that I got oh, probably ten years ago, that says "Idaho Girls State," with a picture of the Gem State. I found it in a box at my mom's house and knew that I wanted to use it. I like to find ways to advertise that I'm from Idaho, and this bag seemed like the perfect way. And now, on two separate occasions in one week, it's been a way for me to talk to strangers. A girl today saw my bag while we were giving blood, and it turned out that we both lived in Pocatello and went to the same high school (albeit different years)! We talked for about ten minutes about teachers we had that were the same and people we might both know. Last week a guy in my institute class saw it and said he went to Idaho Boys State! I always love finding people who are from Idaho, and hope that this little bag of mine will continue to facilitate that.

A Mini-Dose of Joy

Last night, after almost watching, at the recommendation of a trusted source, a British Comedy on PBS/KUED, I settled in to a long overdue viewing of Conan. He was hilarious, as always, and never more so as when he gave the audience a "Mini-Dose of Joy"--in the form of Puppies dressed as Cats:



My life has been crazy and full of a drama the past couple weeks, so thank you, Conan, for giving me that little dose of joy.

Up with the End of Summer

With the start of classes on Monday, summer officially came to an end. And with that end, I'd like to give my review of the summer in terms of movies (hey, I was a film studies major!). I'd like to say I saw all the big blockbusters released, but the film snob inside of me just wouldn't allow me to see Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen (I finally watched the first one a few weeks ago and thought it was awful) or G.I. Joe: Rise of Cobra. And you know what, I don't feel any sadness about not seeing them.

Lest you think me a complete film snob, though, let me tell you that I saw Star Trek, X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Terminator: Salvation, Angels and Demons, The Proposal, The Time Traveler's Wife, The Brothers Bloom (for indie cred), and Julie and Julia. I enjoyed (most) of them, but the one that takes the cake is Up.

This movie is the reason why I enjoy going to a movie theater, plopping down my hard-earned dough, sitting in sometimes uncomfortable seats and dealing with people that won't stop talking for two hours. I watched this movie, that I cried three separate times in, and felt like I was experiencing everything. I wasn't in a darkened movie theater, I was in a house floating by balloons. I wasn't lost in my own problems, but feeling those of Carl and Russell. I wasn't living in Utah, but instead in Paradise Falls, Venezuela. I'm hard pressed to find a film that is better at portraying marriage than this one, or the joy of spending your life with those you love than this one, or the importance of recognizing the positive influence you can be in other peoples lives than this one.

So if you haven't seen it yet, I urge you to get some balloons and make your way to the movie theater for an experience you will love.

Freeeeee-doooom!!!!

I felt exactly the way Mel Gibson did in that scene yesterday when I got my very own UTA-ED Bus Pass! I had it in my hands and felt like I should yell out "Freedom!!!", but not wanting to cause a scene, or look foolish, I simply put it in my wallet and walked off--but with a jump in my step and a smile on my face. I really felt like, with that card in my hand, my possibilities were endless; I am now able to ride TRAX and all the buses wherever I want, free of charge (well, I am paying tuition in order to get the card...). And so this morning I used my freedom to full extent, catching buses and trains to make it here to the Library on campus and eventually to class.