Almost Done

This week is my last week of school. It's been crazy busy. Between quizzes, tests, projects, homework, not to mention the stress at work as well with a co-worker out on vacation and a major project that fell into my lap last week when there was a problem in the lab, it's been quite stressful. Also adding to the stress--looking for a new roommate.

It's all culminated into a stressful week where I felt like I didn't have any time to accomplish anything or to really even breath. But two classes are done, a third could be depending on if I want to do more work and get a better grade, one has a test on Monday, and the last will finish on Tuesday with a big project and powerpoint presentation. Yeah, I'm super stressing about that.

So my blog might be in hibernation until Tuesday night, when I will emerge from my school-induced craziness and enjoy the warm days of summer. Until then, wish me luck.

My Brother is Awesome

He drives me around to look for cars. He comes over during NCAA basketball games when I call saying that I've ruined my gears and I don't know what to do. He lets me crash on his couch for a week when I've just had my heart crushed. He thinks about people he can set me up with. And solidifying his awesomeness tonight, he fixed a hose in my car that had a hole in it and was causing mass amounts of steam to emanate from it. He did that after coming over yesterday to check the antifreeze and all my other liquids. So yeah, my brother is awesome. Thought I'd share that with everybody.

I Premiered!

Yesterday was not only the celebration of my birth twenty-seven years ago (yep, I'm officially a menace to society now), but it also marked my premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival. Remember that film I worked on last year, the one that was shot in the snow and cold of Park City, that marked the beginning of the end of my life in New York City, that gave me a chance to be on the big screen as a nurse. Yep, it's finally out for the masses to see and is getting it's big premiere at Tribeca Film Festival.

I got an e-mail earlier in the week from the movie's producer about it premiering on the 24th, and there was a small part of me (let's be honest, it was a big part of me) that wanted to get plane tickets for the weekend and head on out to the city. How cool would it have been to see the movie I worked on of which I'm an extra in a small scene at the festival I used to work for on my birthday?! Yeah, pretty neat.

My birthday was pretty cool without it, though.

A Concert with Cousins (And a Sister)

Thursday night I rocked out to Daughtry with Emily and my cousins Phaedra and Marilyn. I got to the concert late and missed the opening opening act of Cavo. I have class Thursday nights, and I must admit that when I left class to make my way to the concert a few minutes away, I wasn't in the mood for rocking out or talking with people. I was frustrated with my class and my inability to figure out my final project and felt like even though I aced my tests, I was having serious problems converting that knowledge to actual map making.

But I arrived, mere moments before Lifehouse went on stage. These guys' biggest hit, for me anyway, was Hanging By a Moment, which came out at least ten years ago because I was in high school. I had the song (illegally) downloaded from Napster and it was ubiquitous on the radio. And I remember the video that played on VH1 and MTV because the lead singer had some awful hair that veered dangerously close to being called the "butt-crack" hair cut. At any rate, they fell off my radar years ago. But they put on a good show, rocked out, sang their most famous hit, and did what an opening band is supposed to: get us ready for the show.

Then it was Daughtry, the real reason everyone came to the concert. This guy somehow didn't win American Idol when he had the fortune of being on it, but that really doesn't seem to matter as he has an amazing career, credibility, a good voice, and two number one records. Also, his music appeals to a large base of people.

Even though I don't own any of their cds and wouldn't call them my favorite music, I do love most of their radio hits. Daughtry sings with a lot of emotion about important things-- mainly love, getting your heart mashed, and love. He's very fond of equating his love for someone with dying, which is sort of how you feel sometimes. My favorite song was performed, Over You, and it really was powerful. When he sings, "I got over you," it's with such emotion and, honestly, a little bit of anger, that I really feel it.

By the end of the night I was really feeling the music and the energy of the crowd (although some of them decided to leave before the encore. There's always an encore people). It was an awesome night, and made me remember that there's something about musicians that is totally hot and infatuating.

Your Highest Priority

Stake Conference today. A nice change from the normal routine. One thing that never changes from the routine: the iteration that we need to get married. As if all us singles sitting in the chapel and gym need to be reminded of it. But apparently we do. We also need to be told that it should be our highest priority, since the average age of our stake is a shocking 26! Yeah, next week I'll be above-average.

Even though I don't like the idea of making marriage the endpoint and goal of your life like you're playing a game (because you'll still have to live and struggle and wake up and go to school and all that even after you're married) I'll do my part and ask my friends and family if they know of anyone. If he could look like this, that would be great. But I'm not picky. There. Nothing more high priority than putting it on your blog.

P.S. Race-day pictures coming. Even though I found my camera my SDcard isn't correctly working, and once I get that figured out there will be a post with pics of me and kiddies.

A Day At the Races

My race day started earlier than the 7:30 start time. Because I live on the east side of the valley in Sugarhouse, I am in the direct area of the marathon. All streets I needed to use to get to the TRAX line to get me to the race were blocked off. This was something I should've thought about the night before and planned for. I am not a planner and am a perennial procrastinator. This always has dire consequences that make my non-procrastinator self very mad at my procrastinator self.

After realizing that there was no way I would be able to cross State Street at any place, I made the decision to park somewhere near the University TRAX line and make my way from there. But, sadly, it seemed like if I couldn't cross State Street neither could the train. After being told, after walking to the Library Station from the Trolley Square Station, that I could catch a train at Gallivan Plaza to the start of the race at The Gateway, I booked it to Gallivan Plaza. Once there, I was told the next train would arrive at 7:30. The race started at 7:30. It was 7:23. I decided that if I wanted to run the race, I'd have to make it The Gateway by foot. And so I ran. When I got to the corner I could hear the announcer saying, "Are you guys ready?! Here we go.." As I entered the race had just begun.

Once again, I booked it to the end of the line, and a very nice volunteer said she would hold my bag for me as I ran. Seriously, a lifesaver and an angel. I had enough time, in the huge bottleneck of people getting to the start line, to catch my breath and get my ipod started. And then I crossed the start line and I was off. Yeah, I had already ran 2.5 miles just getting there (I googlemapped it). Needless to say, I didn't run the entire time.

But I did it and finished and felt really good afterward, and was glad that I made myself get to the race when I could've just given up.

Lesson learned: Be prepared, don't expect things to be perfect, work hard, plan ahead, and give it your all.

I've misplaced my camera, so tomorrow I will post about the race with pictures...if the camera is found...

Random

Hello everyone! Every once in awhile I go through blog droughts. This week seemed so busy, and on Wednesday and Thursday I coulda swore it was Friday. And now it is Friday and I have to go to bed because tomorrow I'm running a 5k. But I wanted to end the drought before it went on for too long. Even though there are tons of things I've wanted to blog about all week--most notably the Jazz game Wednesday night with my sister, cousins, and Ivy--I'm sadly one of those people who if they don't blog about it when it happens it sort of gets forgotten about.

So I'll leave you with this: work is good, car is getting better, school is almost done (at least this semester), I'm not ready for my 5k tomorrow, and I always want chocolate.