My Inner Runner

So, a few weeks ago, I met this guy that wanted me to run a half-marathon with him. I somehow got this crazy idea that I would actually be capable of doing this haha. With 9 weeks to go, we needed to start training quickly, but were not able to. Then, one day, my friend Justin suggests we do this program called “Couch-to-5k.” It sounded awesome, but I still had my heart set on the half-marathon. A few days later, I had a falling out with the guy I was going to run it with (although we didn’t speak only for a few days, and we're friends again). During those few days, I decided that I still wanted to run, and that I was going to run a 5k, and that I was going to get a bunch of my friends in on it with me. So, I recruited my best friend here in Salt Lake (Andrew), Justin and a few others, and we are totally going to do it! The marathon I am going to run is in 10 weeks from yesterday, and we start the program on Monday (9 week program). The marathon I’m going to run is on Thanksgiving, and is called “The Cold Turkey Run,” and is actually a 6k. I’m pretty stoked!

So, I decided if things go well, and I enjoy running this 6k, that I am going to run a 10k in January on my birthday. This would give me 8-9 weeks to train for the 10k, which pretty much starts off where a 5k would leave me. Then, if that goes well, I want to run the Salt Lake Marathon in April, doing the half-marathon portion. I’m pretty excited!!! I’m trying to figure out what the chances are that I could accomplish this, but I’m going to try as hard as I can. I figure since I am not doing marching band anymore, I need something to keep me active, as this is my first fall in 10 years where I have not done marching band. I can imagine the pounds packing on now haha. I don’t know if I will lose weight or not, and that isn't my goal. My goal is to be active, to become healthier, to complete a marathon, and to not GAIN weight. Also, I’d like to get the definition back in my legs haha… they are looking less muscular now, and it makes me sad inside. Anyway, if anyone is interested in running the marathon with us, or at least training, just let me know! The program is set up so that really anybody can do it. If I can do it, then you can do it haha. If not for anything else, you can do it simply to say that you once ran a 5k marathon. That’s an achievement that not a ton of people can say they have, and it’s not really that hard. Plus, there is nothing wrong with being able to run for 30 minutes without stopping! So come on, let’s do this! Let’s find our inner runner!

Driving Day from Hell

So, yesterday I wake up at about 11:30. This was quite a bummer, because I had had plans to do a lot of stuff, and it all kind of fell through because I had homework to do, and no book. So, after trying to find ways to get this book without having to go to the bookstore (because it was $100+), I finally suck it up and go. My plan was to purchase the book, and also buy the book for $30 off e-bay, then return the book before next Wednesday for a full reimbursement.

SO, at about 3:00, I leave to go to the bookstore. Things are going fine, and I get on the freeway. I go about 3 miles, and then find traffic completely stopped. Yes, 4/5 lanes of traffic, not moving. Then I see a sign that says "freeway closed at 600S. All must exit." So 4-5 lanes of traffic all had to exit the freeway at one exit. So, a bunch of cars start taking this little dirt path that takes them to the frontage road just east of the freeway. When I get to the frontage road, I need to turn right, and some guy decides to drive next to me so I can't move over to the right lane (forcing me to go West when I needed to go East). So, after I turn West, I try to move into the right lane so I can at least try to get back on my course, and this guy won't let me over. Finally I manage to pass him, and go North, then eventually make my way up to the U. That's not without a ton of traffic, by the way.

When I got to the bookstore I went to buy my textbook, and all they had were eBooks, which are non-refundable, and cost $65. Great, considering my homework was due at midnight, and there was no way to do it without the book. So, I suck it up, and then head home. When I get to about 500s and Main Street, and Main Street is closed. I continue on 500s and turn south on West Temple. When I get to 600S, it's still closed. And, then I get to 700S, and guess what! The traffic lights are out. So I manage to get onto the freeway further south, only to get stuck in rush hour traffic. So, when I finally get home, it's about 4:30 or 5. So, since I have plans at 7:00 to go see the Orbit Group, I try to download the book, only to run into a bunch of errors for over an hour. After an hour of trying to figure that out, I FINALLY get the homework started... and then work on it until 9:00. Afterwards, I go up to see the Orbit group, only to encounter more traffic on the freeway, and more road closures at 600S and Main Street. Good thing though, I had a blast watching the Orbit Group and at the party afterwards!!! It was a total blast, even if someone sprayed beer in my hair! Good times, good times. I'm glad I got to see them one last time, and wish them luck in the future!

Now I want to go see dueling pianos. Someone come with me! Give me a call :)

/Edit: Here is a link to an article talking about the incident that happened, which caused all the road closures in Salt Lake.

Q & A

1. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE?
Annette Whaddups (I'm not even entirely sure that's how you spell it!)

2. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED?
Yesterday :/ It was a stressful day.

3. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING?
Nah, it's too boyish. At least it's legible though!

4. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT?
Ham... yummmmmmmmmmy

5. DO YOU HAVE KIDS?
Nope

6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU?
I think so... I have the kind of personality I get along with. Or maybe I wouldn't, because I'd be fighting myself for attention all the time. Or I'd fight myself for guys, or friends. Wow. Okay, I change my answer to no :)

7. DO YOU USE SARCASM A LOT?
Of course not.

8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS?
Yep

9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP
Heck yeah! Without a doubt!

10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL?
Cap'n Crunch and Corn Flakes

11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF?
Depends on how tight they are, and what shoes they are. For example, I don't untie my tennis shoes, but I do untie my converse.

12. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG?
Yeah, although I've had people give me a reality check on that haha. I am stronger than quite a bit of people though.

13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM?
Mint Chocolate Chip, Rocky Road, and Ben & Jerry's Cookie Dough.

14. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE?
Hair and smile.

15. RED OR PINK?
Red

16. WHAT IS THE WEATHER LIKE RIGHT NOW?
Sunny, warm and windy.

17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST
I'd rather not answer that...

18. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO SEND THIS BACK TO YOU?
If you want to.

19. WHAT COLOR SHOES ARE YOU WEARING?
Black

20. WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU ATE?
A Hot Pocket

21. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW?
People talking at the front desk at the Cliff Lodge... where I work :)

22. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE?
As much as I should say green since it is my favorite color, I must say Red. GO UTES!!!!!

23. FAVORITE SMELLS?
Hm... yummy food. I don't really have any specific favorite smell, except a couple things that I try to forget.

24. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE?
The last guest who called.

25. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU?
Of course! She's my sister!

26. FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH?
Football and Basketball!!!

27. HAIR COLOR?
Red (out of a bottle)

28. EYE COLOR?
Green

29.. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS?
Sometimes (I did yesterday)

30. FAVORITE FOOD?
Bacon, garlic bread, pizza, burgers

31. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS?
Happy Endings

32. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED?
Alice in Wonderland

33. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING?
White, with a burgundy sweater vest.

34. SUMMER OR WINTER?
Right now I say winter... in the winter I will say fall.

35. HUGS OR KISSES?
Depends who it is from... but for the most part, hugs.

36. CAR OR TRUCK?
I like cars, but I drive an Explorer

37. MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND?
Julian haha

38. LEAST LIKELY TO RESPOND?
Whoever doesn't read my blog :)

39.. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW?
Harry Potter V

40. WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD?
Just black

41. WHAT DID YOU WATCH ON TV LAST NIGHT?
Random stuff on TV

42. FAVORITE SOUND?
Oh no, you didn't just ask that... Well, here goes. I love the sound of an ensemble that is so in tune, and so in touch with the music that you can't help but delve completely into it. The sound of music that is so well played that you are completely enveloped in it. I love the sound of a symphony playing a piece that touches you so much that you can't help but tear up, whether it is the first time, or the 10th time that you have heard it. I love the sound of accomplished players performing their instruments that they have spent so much time learning and perfecting, to be able to perform for others. I love... just music in general.

43. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES?
Beatles.

44. WHERE DO YOU WANT TO GO TO NEXT?
New York... or Europe...

45. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT?
Uhm... I can play the saxophone... and conduct an ensemble... but I don't know if those are special talents?

46. WHERE WERE YOU BORN
Albuquerque, NM

47. WHOSE ANSWERS ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING BACK?
Everybody and anybody.

New Mexico, July 2010

So, it’s been over two weeks since I was in New Mexico, but I can backtrack and point out some highlights about the trip! 

I was originally supposed to go to Canada to see Rob, but given circumstances, it was decided that it would not be a good idea to go up there.  Since I already had a week off work, I decided to go down to New Mexico.  Here are some highlights!

•  Great gas mileage on Gabby’s car (excluding when I drove in D3 and wasted half a tank of gas in 90 miles) – I only had to fill up three times, and it was awesome!  I also made Adrian and Jason help me clean it.  SLAVE LABOR!
• Dog Park – I’ve never been to one, but we went a couple times while I was there.  It’s really not what I expected at all, and I hope to start Ginny to one in Salt Lake soon!
• Glee – I watched all of “The Road to Sectionals” and it was excellent!
• Hair Cut – I got my hair cut, and it made me happy inside.
• 4 Dogs – While I was there, Daisy and Ramses were dog sitting Eric’s dog, Patton.  She’s a cutie, although sometimes she seems to be dumber than a brick.  Her head is about as hard as one too.   So, the four dogs that were there were Pepe, Darla, Winky and Patton.  I wish I could have taken Ginny with me, but it would have been too many haha.
•  Barbecue – We ended up barbecuing 2 or 3 of the nights I was there, and oh my goodness, it was great!
• Dad and Mary – I got to see Dad and Mary a little bit while I was there, and it was fun.  I got to drive Dad’s Explorer around, which was interesting because 1.  I’m not used to New Mexico drivers, and 2.  I’m not used to an Explorer.  It was super fun though, and now I have my own (at least for now, but the exhaust is smoking and so we’ll see what happens).  The only bummer is that Mary got her wisdom teeth removed and she wasn’t feeling too hot.
• Dion’s Pizza – Daisy and Ramses treated me to Dion’s before I left, and it was sooooo good!  I really really wish that Dion's would extend up to Utah, because it is possibly my favorite pizza on the entire planet.
• Shopping with Daisy – we got to go shopping, and it was nice not only to shop, but to spend time with Daisy too.  We shopped for Baby Shower decorations for Gabby’s baby shower, for food, and for random stuff in general.  It was nice to be able to go out and just spend time together.  I was afraid that a lot of the time, she would be working, and we wouldn’t get too much time with just the two of so we could just blabber on, but we did, and I enjoyed it a lot.
• Seeing Leanna – I haven’t seen Leanna (Daisy’s best friend) and Caleb since I was in High School!  It was great to see her, along with her family.  She has adorable kids, and I hadn’t met three of them before this trip.  We had good food, and a great time.  I hope she is feeling better now!

Well, that’s all I can think of off the top of my head!  If I think of more stuff, I will definitely add it!

THE CHARTER FOR COMPASSION

New Car? I think yes :)

So, a year or so ago, my mom got this dodge neon, which I have been driving around since.  We got it from a Ford Dealership, and the guy swore to my mom that it was a good car (after she insisted she didn't want a dodge, because they always give her issues).  Well, when it hit about 80,000 miles, the transmission started giving us major issues.  It would slip, and sometimes the car wouldn't even start.  It would make jerking movements and not go into gear when you were driving slower, and you'd have to turn it off and back on just to drive normally.  It eventually got to the point where it would slip at least once within a 30 minute drive (which was a pain going to work, and really scary when you're driving on the freeway).  So, we thought of ways to work out the situation, whether it being to let the repossess the car, or just getting the transmission fixed.  The amount my mom was paying for the car was somewhere between $10k and $12k, and I discovered a neon in good shape is around $5.  So, she sent the dealership a scathing e-mail, and they quickly responded.  While I was in New Mexico for vacation, they asked her to take the car in so they could look at it.  After running tests, they determined the worth of the car was around $2k.  That is SIGNIFICANTLY lower than what she was paying for the lemon.  So, they worked it out, and now she is buying a 2003 Ford Explorer from them instead :).  They rolled over the difference between what she paid and the worth of the car, and applied it to the Explorer, and we are paying $10,300 for it.  A 2003 Explorer in excellent condition on Kelly Blue Book (with the features ours has) is worth about $12.5k.  I am so excited!!!  Anyway, here is a picture!

It's a nice dark green, it has 56k miles, a 6-CD changer, 3 power outlets, a DVD player, running boards for us short ladies, and a sun roof that opens all the way up :).  It doesn't have third row seats, which is a bummer, but I think it does have the capabilites.  Oh, and mom's major factor for buying it rather than a more economic car?  It has 4x4 so I can drive up to Snowbird in the winter when it snows :).  Yay mom!

Leapt. Fell. Time to get back up.

So...  I took a leap.

I fell.

Now it's time to get back up.

To keep things short and sweet (and less painful for me), we'll just say that things with Rob didn't work out.  Our current living situations are not conducive to a relationship, and things are officially over.  He is completely out of my life, at least for the time being, and we both believe it is for the best.  If it's meant to work out between us, it will in the future, but not for now.  I would rather not think about a future between us, because it will come back to bite me in the butt, and cause more pain.  So... as I said, we'll leave it at us being officially over.

So... what do you do when you love someone more than anything, and then have to find a way to survive without them?

I guess you learn to love yourself more than you love them.

I've been thinking a lot about what I want to do with my life, in it's current state.  Not about my future, but about the here and now.  I know I've posted before about goals, but I'm a procrastinator and always give up.  But for realsies this time, I want to achieve my goals, and improve myself.  Someone tried to tell me that I don't need to change myself, but this isn't about changing myself... it's about improvement.  So, here are some ways I'd like to improve myself!

• I'd like to improve my relationship with my dog.  I mean, I walk her, and she sleeps in my bed, and we go together like PB & J, but I'd really like to spend more time with her, going out.  I'd like to be able to take her to the dog park, and socialize her with more dogs and people.  I'd like to be able to take her to parties and just let her run around and not worry about her running loose haha.  
• I'd like to start working out.  Although losing weight would be a benefit, it's more of a desire to be more healthy and athletic than to lose weight.  I'd like to be able to run and play sports without feeling like I'm going to die by the end of the game.  This also goes hand-in-hand with being closer to Ginny, because we can go running and play at the dog park more.
• I'd like to spend more time outdoors.  This includes hiking, biking, walking, camping, fishing...  you name it, I wanna do it!
• I'd like to pick up a hobby that could potentially be very successful in my future...  whether its improving my ability to knit or sew, or if it's some kind of service to people... I don't know.  I just want it to be cool, and unique.  
• I'd like to read more books.  I totally forgot how much I love to read, until I started working at my job, and gained a ton of free time.  Sometimes, it's just a wonderful feeling to be sucked into a book, and imagine yourself in a place that can be left up totally to your imagination.  
• I'd like to improve my friendships with the wonderful friends in my life, that I have been blessed to know.  I'm sorry I've been distant, it's hard without school, and with a job where I see none of you :(.  But seriously, lets be friends again :)

Well, I guess these are just a few things.  I'll add more as I think them up.

Please don't ask me questions about what happened between Rob and I, because I don't really like to think about it.  I'm pretty happy and content most the time, because my focus is on making myself happy, and I'd rather not dwell on the pain (meaning, if I think about him, it will not be about those negative things, but about the positive things we had, and asking me would just bring up those negative things).  

Let's hang out!  Let's pick up a hobby!  Let's write memories, and enjoy every moment of what we create :)

Love, peace, and chicken grease!  

Take the leap... to Canada!

So, I wrote this post a few weeks ago when I was on my way home from Canada, but I spaced on actually posting it… so here it is!

April 6, 2010

                It was a year ago that I was dating a guy that I thought I’d be with for a very long time… a guy that manipulated my mind with lies and unfeasible dreams.  He lived 3000 miles away, in Toronto, Canada.  To make things short, we never met, and he wasted 6+ months of my life by telling me he’d “meet me soon.”  Many people are wary of online dating for this kind of thing, which isn’t hard to understand.  After a painful break up and months of distraught, I finally got over the situation and moved on.  I dated some guys after, but not anything too serious.  It’s not that I was avoiding being serious, but more that the dating never really turned into anything.  Now, when I dated this Canadian, I had met him on an online game called Rappelz.  It’s an mmorpg, sort of like World of Warcraft.  I only intended to play the game, and not date anyone from it, but somehow he convinced me to be his girlfriend.  After we broke up, I told myself I’d never date “online” again. 

                Now, I never fully stopped playing this game that we met in.  I backed off, and even went weeks at a time without even logging on, which was easier to do than expected.  Now, here comes the good stuff.  After my breakup, I met this guy (Rob) in the game, and he was merely a friend.  He was entertaining, and very good at making witty comebacks to my remarks, which is pretty unusual sometimes.  After a while, we stopped chatting, because we kind of went our own ways in the game.  Well, recently our paths crossed in the game again, and we rekindled our friendship.  This was back in January.  We went from chatting in game, to friends on msn, to friends on facebook.  Now, just being friends, doesn’t mean I didn’t have a “thing” for him.  I still remember the day that I realized I liked him… it was the day that a girl hit on him, and I wanted to strangle her…  Yeah, brutal, I know.  Smooth move Annette, you got a crush on another guy online.  The real kicker?  He’s Canadian too!

                So, we kept chatting, and one day, he asks me if he can come to Salt Lake City and take me to dinner, and I didn’t hesitate to say yes.  It never struck me as odd?  Things remained the same from then for a while, except the occasional joking about his fund to come save me (which he really did have, and I didn’t believe him).  I’m not really sure how it happened, but somehow we started to talk more, and things got more serious.  We went from 10 to 60 in a week (I say 10 because we had been friends for a while).  I have been very cautious about the whole situation, and there has been this understanding that I would not be his girlfriend until we met.  It got harder and harder to be just friends!  Well, luckily for me, right before I start work at Snowbird Ski and Summer Resort, he had a weekend off from work because of Easter.  It started out as joking, but somehow I decided right there and then, on Thursday night, that I wanted to drive up to Canada to meet him.  Sounds crazy, huh?  Well, here are some pros!

                To drive to Canada, round trip, would cost roughly $200, and can be done in 15 to 20 hours.  The trip can also be taken on short notice.  If you add in the ferry costs to get to the island he lives on, it is $26 or $140, depending on whether you take your car across.  To fly on short notice is roughly $1200 to $1500.  To fly in 3+ weeks, it’s about $600.  Some people would say just to wait and fly, but I didn’t want to waste his money (he paid), and I couldn’t wait anymore… as crazy as that sounds.  Also, he still needs to receive his passport, and I never know how my schedule looks in 3 weeks advance.

                So, enough with details… on Friday night, I packed up my car headed to Canada.  It started out rough, with nasty blizzards through Idaho causing me to crash my car outside of Twin Falls, to insane wind through Washington.  One might think “was it worth it?”  Only one other time have I had such a bad experience driving, and out of that trip I got one of the greatest things in my life… my dog Ginny.  So was it worth the drive?  Yes, every second.  My fear of meeting Rob was that he would hate me, and that I would be stuck in an awkward situation.  Yes, the thought did occur to me that I might not like him, but it never struck me as really that big of a possibility.  I expected him to be great, but I didn’t expect him to be AMAZING.  Well, I did, but not as amazing as he is.  So, here on the ferry, headed to Tsawwassa or whatever, I sit here and reminisce about the crazy thing I’ve just done.  I just went to Canada on a whim, and met the most amazing guy I’ve ever met… and I have no regrets.  I hope people don’t think I’m crazy, but even if you do, that’s alright, because I’ve not only experienced meeting an angel, but I got a slice of Heaven too.  Rob likes to call his hometown a slice of Heaven haha.

                So how was Canada?  It was so much fun!  Now, don’t get me wrong, there were some weird things, such as getting used to driving km/h rather than mph, and looking at “monopoly money,” but the trip itself was amazing.  I got to not only meet, Rob in person, but I got to meet his awesome best friend, Ana, and her boyfriend, James.  They let us crash at their place and saved my sanity by helping to prevent another 5 hours added onto my horrendous drive.  After that, we took the ferry to Vancouver Island and I got to see just how beautiful the island is.  Oh, and on the trip from the Ferry to Campbell River, Rob made me hold a tiny crab, and I squealed the whole time.  When we got to Campbell River, I got to meet Rob’s brother T, and their roommate/landlord/good friend Colin, both of whom I know from the game too.  I thought that maybe T would hate me, but I think today we hit it off pretty well… either that, or he’s an excellent actor.  If that’s the case, then kudos to him!  I only met one other friend of Rob’s this trip, and that was Cody, and although I didn’t see him for long, I have to mention him cause he got me Tim Horton’s hot chocolate and it was SUPER yummy.  Delicious! 

                So, now you all know how the “Annette is in a relationship with Rob” surfaced on facebook.  I told him we had to meet, we met, we hit it off REALLY, REALLY well, and now we’re in a “long-distance” relationship, as opposed to an “online” relationship.  Next stop?  Rob comes to Utah!  WOOT!  All my friends, get ready for this action, it’s going to be great.

Logan Escapades

So, since I moved to Utah I haven’t been all too fond of Logan.  It always struck me as way too small, sheltered, and very “Aggie,” for lack of a better word (and by “Aggie” I mean farming, etc., not just the school).  Just wasn’t my thing.  This, by the way, was the mindset I gained after a couple trips up there.  Although I enjoyed my time up there, I didn’t particularly like Logan.

Well, congratulations to the Loganites from changing my mindset.  In the last 3 weeks I’ve been up to Logan twice, and had an awesome time both times.  Check out these rad highlights (in no particular order)!


˜USU basketball games – although I'm a hard core Ute, I decided that for state days I’d be open minded and try to enjoy the USU game.  It was a blast!  Totally my type of crowd.  With epic cheers and much excitement, I was reminded of why I love attending basketball games.  With that in mind, I decided I wanted to bring some

friends up for USU’s last game to try to boost moral of our own pep band.  Eric, Chandra, and Amberley came, and it was a blast!  I love basketball, so it’s good to know there is a place in Utah where people love it as much as I do.  Oh… and I  refused to wear anything with an Aggie logo on it.  Go Utes!

˜State Days meeting – although I wasn’t feeling too hot, I enjoyed attending a meeting with my sisters and brothers and hearing about all the stuff they have been able to accomplish this year thus far.

˜Aggie Ice Cream – holy crap, that's good stuff.  If you’re ever in Logan, go get some!


˜Cleaning the sink – Yum.  Woot Angie’s!


˜SNOWBOARDING!  - I first went snowboarding 3 years ago, and decided I love it.  I hadn’t gone since, although I really wanted to.  So, I got to go with my friend Cody, his best friend Kinger, and Kinger’s dad.  I remember why I loved it so much!  It was a blast! And I made it my third run down without falling once!  Cody basically just strapped my boots in and made me go for it, and I that’s what worked for me!  

˜Avalanche – When I rented my snowboard, I rented it from USU.  The guy that rented the board out to me told me that it had to be back by 6, and that if we couldn’t get it back by 6, to call them and let them know… otherwise I’d be charged for the weekend, since I wouldn’t be able to return it until Monday.  Well, we left Beaver Mountain around 4:15-4:30 I think, and on the way down, we came to a stop, only to discover there’d been an avalanche up ahead.  Now, this wouldn’t have been too bad, if I had cell phone service.  So, come 6:30 or so, they finally cleared the avalanche and we were able to get down… but I hadn’t been able to contact the rec center about my board.  What are the chances?  Lucky for me, Cody was able to return it with no issues and no extra charges. Thank goodness!

˜Mohawk Hat – so, I was chatting with Cody and decided I was going to make a mohawk hat for him for the USU basketball game.  I worked on it and worked on it, and the night before I headed up to Logan, I kind of felt like it looked like crap, and was totally worried.  Well, when Cody put it on, it looked so freakin rad!!!  It was awesome when he’d board down the slope cause you just saw this guy coming down the hill with a super awesome hat that totally matched his jacket.  It was awesome.

˜Finding out what a “real man” is – So, when I got to Logan, I had planned to stay at another friends house, and that kind of fell through.  So, with no other option, I crashed at Cody’s house, although he had to go to work.  Well… if you’ve never stayed in an apartment of a bunch of guys, let me just tell you, it is very… enlightening?  Of his three roommates, only two were there, and I saw both of them shirtless, I saw the guy from across the hall pantless, and I was in the room as one of his roommates walked out of the room butt naked (no, I was no looking in his direction when it happened).  I have been informed that this is what “real men” do haha.  I am very glad I’m a woman.  Oh, and his roommates like to play percussion with knives haha.

˜Service Projects – at state days, we split up into two groups to do service projects.  It was an enjoyable experience to go with sisters and brothers from TBS and KKPsi to go and fix stands, and fix/repair percussion instruments, and re-arrange the percussion room.  I also heard it was awesome to work at the solo & ensemble, and my chapter enjoyed it a lot. It's nice to remember what our goals as an organization are, and to achieve them together.


˜Gringo’s door flying open – So, Gringo is the name of

Joshlyn’s car.  When we got to Logan, someone accidentally locked her back left door, and so somehow (I’m not really sure how), the door broke and would not close.  So, when we got to the middle school, we left it, and then later we had to move it to our brother/friend Sean’s house. Eva was driving Joshlyn’s car, and I was leading her to Sean’s house so I could pick her up, and we could head back to the school.  Well, I was on the phone with Joshlyn, looked in my rear view mirror and saw one of the funniest things I’ve ever seen.  As Eva turned the car, all I could see was the door fly open and flop open, and I totally busted up laughing.  Then I see Eva freak out, stop the car, and close the door.  She had to drive the whole way to Sean’s house holding the door closed with one hand and driving with the other haha.  Good times, good times.

˜Meeting so many people!  - it was so awesome to meet so many people from USU.  I had a blast, and am so glad to have met so many rad people.  I hope I can stay in touch with all of them!  I also hope a lot of them will attend convention, because convention is one of the best experiences any member of TBS and KKPsi will ever have.  Yay

Ok this is all I can think of for now… I’m sure I’ll update it and put more on here.  Anyway, it was a ton of fun, and I plan to hang out there more often.

If you think of any highlights, let me know and I'll add them!

Know Yourself (from facebook)

How is this so accurate?

Dear Annette Bowman, below are your Personality Tests result:

Who is your true self: You are full of energy and confidence. You are unpredictable, with moods changing as quickly as an ocean. You might occasionally be calm and still, but never for long.

Your view on yourself:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ :You are down-to-earth

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ :People like you because you are so straightforward

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ :You are an efficient problem solver because you will listen to both si

The type of girlfriend/boyfriend you are looking:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ :You are a true romantic

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ :When you are in love

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ :You will do anything

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ :Everything to keep your love true

Your readiness to commit to a relationship:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ :You are ready to commit as soon as you meet the right person

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ :And you believe you will pretty much know as soon as you might that pe

The seriousness of your love:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ :You are very serious about relationships

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ :Aren't interested in wasting time with people you don't really like

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ :If you meet the right person

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ :You will fall deeply

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ :Beautifully in love

Your views on education:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ :Education is less important than the real world out there

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ :Away from the classroom

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ :Deep inside you want to start working

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ :Earning money

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ :Living on your own

The right job for you:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ :You're a practical person

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ :Will choose a secure job with a steady income

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ :Knowing what you like to do is important

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ :Find a regular job doing just that

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ :You'll be set for life

How do you view success:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ :You are afraid of failure

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ :Scared to have a go at the career you would like to have in case you d

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ :Don't give up when you haven't yet even started! Be courageous

What are you most afraid of:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ :You are concerned about your image

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ :The way others see you

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ :This means that you try very hard to be accepted by other people

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ :It's time for you to believe in who you are

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ :Not what you wear

Here is the link: http://apps.facebook.com/yourself_btr/index.php?ref=nf

Finding a Means to an End

Now that I’m almost done with school, I find myself thinking a lot about my future. I thought that through my college career I’d figure out what I want from life. Here I sit, years later, only having a little more knowledge of what I want.Yes, I’ve grown up a lot, learned many things and have matured… I am a completely different person than I was in May of 2005. Too bad being a different person doesn’t mean you knows what you want.

I’ve started to think a lot about what I want out of a career, out of a relationship, out of a lifestyle.I’ve started to contemplate what life goals I was to set for myself, and how I am going to achieve these goals. I wish it was as much fun doing what it takes to get something as it is to get it.

In a way, I feel that in the romantic relationship aspect of my life, I have taken a large step backwards. I thought I knew what I wanted. Quite frequently I am faced with the question “is that really what I want?” I’ve gone from being very picky and having a “list” of qualities “my man” should possess, to only knowing a few key points. I know I want someone who will be loyal, trustworthy, will make me feel like I’m the only person for him, has standards, and is smart. Beyond that, I’m not entirely too sure. I'm back to square one. A musician would be wonderful though!

When it comes to my career, I find myself mostly thinking about all the things I would like to do. I don’t regret what my degree is in, but the degree doesn’t stop me from wanting to do other things. I constantly have a desire to learn new things. I am pretty sure I’d like to go back to school and get another degree… the most prominent in my mind being in psychology… but I’m still not sure. Since I’m not actively attending school, I sometimes wonder if music education is really what I want to do…. But then I step into a classroom, or listen to a concert, and find myself missing the podium. I have the toughest time when listening to the U of U wind ensemble… I find myself conducting in my seat at concerts. Is that a bad thing? One thing I am seriously thinking about though, is starting my own music school. If I want to do that, I need to continue to hash out details, and figure out what I’d want the school to be, to represent, and to accomplish.

Another question I contemplate… where do I want to spend my life? Where do I want to raise a family? I love Utah, but is it the right place for me? Through my college career I’ve been to so many great places! But are those places somewhere I’d like to live, or somewhere that is simply nice to visit?

Lastly… I’ve started to think about all the amazing things and experiences I’d like to do in my life. I never really thought about the things I’d like to do until an occasion with a tarantula. While hanging out with my wonderful friend, Eric, we went to a children’s museum where he works. He introduced me to his darling little friend… the tarantula. I can’t recall her name, but I was TERRIFIED. He kept telling me to hold her and I declined, until I realized “if I don’t hold this tarantula, I will wish for the rest of my life that I had done it.” So I held that darn tarantula!Since then, I think about the things I’d like to do, whether I’m comfortable with it or not… and I have done many things outside my comfort zone. If you have any ideas of awesome stuff I should do, let me know!

So… I guess right now in my life, I am trying to find a means to an end… I am trying to find what I want to do with my life to make it the most fulfilling and wonderful I can possibly make it be.It’s great to have so many options with what I want to do in my life. I love being in a position where I can settle down, or do something crazy!

Yay for striving to achieve a wonderful life.

Turning 23!

Wow, it’s been 5 months since I’ve posted on here… And to be honest, I’m posting now because I don’t want to be at the bottom of the blog list on the Valle’s blog J. Yep, such good reasoning eh?

I can’t believe I’m turning 23. I’m kind of bummed out, wishing I could stay 22 forever. In my opinion, 22 isn’t old, but it’s not “barely fully legal” either. It’s the quintessential age. Oh well, not worth wishing for something that can’t happen. It’s pretty crazy looking back at the past year. So many things happened, and completely changed who I am.

In the spring, I student taught, and it was perhaps one of the hardest, but most enjoyable experience of my life. I absolutely loved being in the classroom. Sometimes I think “do I really want to be a teacher? There are so many other great things out there to experience also.” These thoughts are always washed away when I see a music teacher in action, or go to a concert and watch a conductor conduct. I miss the podium so much, and I am so excited to get my degree in the next few months and hopefully gain a job as a music teacher soon.

This year I went through one of the most painful break-ups of my life. People always say it’s stupid to date online because it’s totally fake, and I used to believe that, but now I don’t. I think it’s something that is ok for some people, and just not right for others. I am one of those “others.” I became very emotionally involved with someone that I thought I’d be with, only to endure months of pain and heartache after we broke up, realizing I’d been manipulated and deceived. Makes me scared to get into another committed relationship, but I’m a firm believer in “what doesn’t kill you only makes you stronger.” I went through a lot of pain, and although it still hurts sometimes, in the future I’ll look back at it and see it as a learning experience. I think the biggest thing I have to do now is learn to forgive the guy. We’ll see.

Another hard thing I had to do this year was end my relationship with the University of Utah marching band. So many people don’t understand the bond between band nerds and marching band, but it hurts to realize I’m never going to march there again. The U of U marching band was such a wonderful gift in my life, and I am so grateful for what I have been blessed with by being in the marching band. I’ve met so many wonderful people, had so many fun experiences, been to so many places (places I would otherwise probably never go to), and have had so many intellectual conversations. These “band nerds” have been my friends, family, support and guides through my college career. I hope all those people who debate on joining marching band will choose to do it, and I hope they have the same experience I had.

So many of my siblings got married this year! It’s nuts! It started with Eric. Eric’s family is so amazing! He has gained 4 adorable children, and a wonderful wife named Stephanie. At the wedding, you could just see the immense happiness in Eric’s face. I’m glad he found Stephanie J. She’s wonderful. Next is Jeff! Now, no offense to Jeff, but he has not been the best at picking women in his past, so upon hearing about his new girlfriend, I was kind of reluctant to meet her. It was a pleasant surprise when I met Gabby. I think she is a great person, and a wonderful addition to Jeff and the boy’s life. Gabby is a great gal J. And last is daisy! Oh man, what do I say about Ramses? I could tell he fit in from the first moment I met him. Oh wait, no, maybe it was when he threatened to “bit” someone up. I’m pretty sure in Ramses talk, that means “beat” someone up. Ramses is hilarious, and he is the perfect match for daisy. I never had any doubt that daisy would someday find the man she was supposed to marry, but I could never picture what he’d be like. In my mind, I couldn’t picture a guy like Ramses. Guess he’d have to be that unpredictable to be the one for daisy haha. He’s awesome though J. Yay for the family expanding this year! And with wonderful people too!

Well, those are a few of the big things that happened in my life this past year… Now it’s time to look towards the future, finish my degree, get a job, and start my life J. Maybe I’ll knock out some of my life goals!

Here’s to looking forward!