tuesday travel log

what would you do if a tanker tipped over, blocking your only way home, leaving you stranded {ok, not stranded, but would you willingly subject yourself to standstill traffic?} Really. If you had hours to burn, could you entertain yourself with whatever you had in your bag or car? Without spending money?
Tuesday was probably the best day of my summer thus far.
5:45 am - Woke up, got dressed in my favorite power pencil skirt, went to classes
11:00 am - went to interview with design firm {hence the killer skirt} The interview lasted almost two hours {yes, you read that right, TWO hours}
1 pm - facial that lasted almost as long giving me an hour and a half to jet home and eat, change clothes {to pick apricots after class with Jax} and get back to class.
But as you may have guessed from my pretty obvious question above, traffic was at a stand still at 3:30 pm due to a tipped over tanker.. Never a good sign. I veered off the interstate and went back to school and hung out until class. From my five story vantage point I watched the parking lot, aka I15, and by 7 pm when class was over it was still a mess. Now what? My brain was cooked from class so not a chance on hanging around doing more homework.
It didn't take long to decide Liberty park was my best option to while away some inexpensive time. I really could have done damage doing the killing time 'just browsing' kind of shopping that seems so harmless, but I know my limits!
Lucky for me I keep my rollerblades in my trunk. I spent 3 hours at the park goofing off, every now and again checking in with the radio to see how my chances were looking for getting home.
10:30 pm - finally made my way home avoiding the interstate.

Best part of the day really came the next day when I got the call letting me know that I am the newest assistant to Aubrey Conner, Interior Designer!

Sweeeeet! I'm still in shock. Probably the most excited I've ever been about a job. Ever. This beats everything I've EVER thought was the 'right thing for me'.

I could rave all about how much I'm looking forward to this position, and believe me, I will soon. The opportunity to work for Mr. Conner is extraordinary!! He has been business for twenty years, featured in magazines for his restoration work in the avenues, etc. etc... He is talented, super detail oriented, knows the ins and outs of the business, expects a lot of me, and we already get along really well. I'm going to learn so much from him!

leaves me wanting more

Heather sent me an email letting me know Ben had posted!! Go here at your earliest convenience to get your own dose of adorable.
Is that my Dillon wearing Under Armour and looking like a little man? Auh! Cari is beautiful, Devin is such a stud! Oh my goodness. Today I am grateful for blogs more than ever!!
Oh and you think I'm forgetting Seaira? Heck no! I'm building suspense! Go check her out. Stop reading my blog. Go!

last year's today

I have a sick fascination with comparing the present day with the one from last year {please tell me I'm not the only one who does this} Ask anyone who knows me well, I remember random things about a year ago today all the time. It's a favorite past time of mine. And it gets worse, I usually know exactly what I was wearing, and sometimes what you were wearing too.}

Ben knows all about this weird habit of mine. If I start out by saying 'Remember when..' he'll say 'No, but what were you wearing? What was I wearing?'

Today last year I packed up my {'sometimes working' - name that movie} car to the ceiling with 'just the essentials' and moved my existence northward. If you remember the post from that day {I do, AND I remember what I was wearing!} I was pretty torn up about moving.

I knew I could go back if I hated it here and I could visit as much as I wanted when I got 'desert sick'. Funny though that I haven't gotten back to my heaven on earth as much as I would have thought I would.

Introspective is just the tip of the iceberg for describing the overall mood I've been in for what seems like forever. I hesitate to ever bare my soul on my blog because it has a funny way of coming back to me. Sometimes I wish I had my anonymity as a blogger so I could say whatever I felt like saying and I knew my dear readers wouldn't think 'Oh we know why she's saying that, she's homesick or emotional or she did break up with her kinda boyfriend and yada yada...' but whatever, I'll expound and let you think whateva you want to think.

In my drafting class today we were going over a quiz and as a bonus question we were asked what we most liked/disliked about the course so far.

One girl was brave enough to honestly answer that she hates drafting with a passion. But as she has hated it and struggled over the details of it she ended up crying as she told us about the pride she has felt in accomplishing something even with how much she has hated every minute of it. I think we all felt for her because we've all felt like crying sometime in the hours spent each week painstakingly putting in all the details that are required for a good drawing.

Control is what it all comes down to for me. And not just with drafting. Sticking through the hard stuff so that once I'm done I can see the overall design. Each week I see improvement, and the more that is required of me I think about how impossible this would have felt had I not put in the hours the week prior so that I could build on that knowledge to understand what I'm being asked to do this week...

Do you see where I'm going with this? I know this is just such common knowledge. Pretty much exactly what we're all here doing right? Line upon line... I just need to be reminded sometimes because I really do forget that I'd be miserable if I were in control of the outcome of my life because I'd always be skipping to the part where I get what I think I want. I get so wrapped up in the details, sucked in to trying to make everything work, that I forget that if I ease up a little everything has a tendency of falling into place. Like rummycube....

Yeah, life lessons learned from my favorite board game and another girls break down after an all nighter drawing section views of cabinets. But last year today I wasn't thinking about this at all, I was wondering what kind of new adventures I would find, I was worried about my giant mirror packed under all my stuff in the backseat {and for good reason, it died that very night} I was looking forward to silly things that no longer matter...

I am so grateful for progress even if my favorite game of looking back at last year's today can sometimes give me a mean bittersweet blow to the kneecap {or funnybone? Hurts so good?} Next year looking back at today I'll wonder how I ever could have thought that this was as good as it gets cuz it just keeps getting better.

Still reading? Goodness. Go to bed.

da da da

The Police came to SLC on tour last night and you can bet I had tickets months ago when they went on sell. If my big brother Ben taught me one thing {he taught me way more than one thing} it was an appreciation for good music. I love The Police! We got there as the doors were opening with high hopes for some kind of food being served because we were starving! It was super hot as we searched for the perfect food. For two girls who can't decide on such an important decision, this was a hard thing for us. Burritos? Hot Dogs? Pizza? Popcorn? Everything sounded really good. So we got a little bit of everything then somehow made it back to our blanket on the lawn without dumping it all over ourselves.
The drinks were our salvation since the guys at the gates made us throw away our waters. I've never been so excited for a soda in my life.
Elvis Costello started the night out strong so by the time The Police came on we were ready to rock out and dance!
Is it strange that I've had a tiny crush on this guy since I saw him in concert 9 years ago? Oh yeah baby! For an old rock star, I'd say he's something else in those tight little shirts he seems to enjoy wearing so much.
If you can't tell by this photo, we were wired. We laughed and danced and enjoyed the most beautiful perfect summer weather for an outdoor concert. If you want even more photos, and believe me she got the crazy ones, go check out Jackie's blog. {too lazy to link, she's the Sanders blog to your right}

desired position: employed

Oh, is it the weekend? I hadn't noticed! My weekend started earlier this week than normal with a bit of a surprise.

I'm calling it 'laid off' on the applications I've been filling out since yesterday afternoon. And really, that description fits perfectly because, well, that's what it was.

I also feel like it was a blessing. I've been holding onto sanity by wee threads and maybe a change in jobs might be an obvious solution?

It took me awhile to decide I even liked the job to begin with, and it took them awhile to decide to even keep me, but once all the decisions were made, I felt like this job was an answer to unanswered prayers. {Do you remember how badly I wanted that designer position?? BAD!} But this job offer came right after that one fell through and I don't think that was a coincidence at all. {do coincidences even exist?}

It was by far the hardest position I've had, and the guys would laugh if they heard that, since I barely carried a slice of the load that they did. But I overcame personal obstacles and I think the most positive thing I'll take away from this experience with P.I.S. {seriously, is there a worse acronym for a business??} is that I can solve any problem if I want to. I'm my biggest weakness and if I focus and think things through there is always a solution.

When I got to work yesterday after class I was going over emails and looking forward to hearing an update on a recent 'gem' {a.k.a. the funny things the bossman does.} This particular gem ended up with some radical changes in the company set up, including getting rid of my part time position in replacement of a full time person who can better help take pressure off everyone. After I got over the shock when Chris told me {dude, so did not see that coming} I could completely agree with him that it was best for everyone. I came home, all the while sorting out my reaction, and landed on relieved. I feel like I've been filling up my time with school and work and homework and everything else I can to stay occupied and there had to be a change somewhere.

I'm looking for something with a little less stress, less hours, less driving. I don't know what it'll be but I'm excited to see what comes of this.

Change, I've learned, is the driving force that keeps my life interesting.

26!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY COREE!!

I love ya cousin!

going somewhere

Ever just want to run for it? Pack up and drive without knowing where you were headed? I'm so there. One of these days....

the following film has been modified from its original version

11 movies in 4 days. I might have broken a personal record this weekend with all the movies I watched. Actually I only listened to them as I crammed in as much sketches, drafting and perspective drawing as I could possibly handle without sticking a pencil in my eye!

I'd like to thank Wedding Date, Waterhorse, Cloverfield, The Terminal, Guess Who, Sabrina, Timeline {loved the book, the movie was blah}, How to Loose a Guy in 10 Days, Meet the Fockers {extended version} Fantastic Four the Silver Surfer {really? I can't believe this is a kids movie!} The Bucket List {loved this one} and maybe a couple of forgotten movies, for keeping me entertained.

I came up for air a few times, mostly to eat, and wander the house to stretch. I did stop long enough to get a facial from heaven and go for a beautiful hike up Mill Creek Canyon. I can't think of anything much more refreshing than smelling evergreens and feeling chilly mountain air in July.

I love that most of my homework allows me to watch endless amounts of movies. If I had spent that much time cooped up doing something that took my whole attention I think I would have gone crazy long ago. Especially knowing I still have hours to go to meet deadlines this week.

Have I mentioned in the last day how much I love being a design student?

missing whittaker

I just got home from an experience I'm sure I'll remember forever.

The SLC Temple is closed for cleaning right now and I got an email earlier in the week asking for volunteers to help clean. As I drove home from work I was weighing my options and even passed the exit but as the next exit came I veered off last second.

I got dressed and met up with a few other people from the ward and then we were divided up into groups to help the workers. A couple were asked to help rip up carpet, a few stayed in the Celestial room to clean vents, and I was asked to help 'whittaker' the carpet in the Garden Room. OK, sure.

Only we couldn't find the whittaker, whatever it was. So we went in search of it. And guess where we looked? EVERYWHERE! Which meant I got a very special tour of the temple. I got to go places very few get to go. I went up one spiral stair case and down another {enjoying all the hand carved beauty and oh my! The details...} We went through Wilford Woodfuff's personal quarters, {did you know he lived in the temple at one point? I didn't!} We walked down the hallways that run behind the beautiful temple doors and walked through the old waiting room that was used when temple patrons used to arrive through the East doors. All the while, Anna, my 'guide' was telling me some fascinating history and about her experiences working in the temple. Forty five glorious minutes we looked for the missing whittaker. {finally found in the laundry room} but not before Anna declared that I had now seen every possible place I was allowed to see. So, so cool.

I wouldn't expect to have had such a great experience cleaning but I guess it is true that no matter what kind of work you do there you really do find refuge and peace. I couldn't have asked for a better experience tonight.

photoblog

I don't have much to say these days. So instead, just some photos to share.
My sunday walks are still a highlight of my week. And yes, I'm still addicted to taking pictures of flowers.
Miss Molly. 9 years old {so what is that - 400 in people years?} She was a total trooper when I took her for a six mile hike Saturday morning.
Adam's Canyon
My first for real drafting project. We took field measures from the library and then converted them to 1/4" scale. It hasn't gotten too intense yet, just construction views for now. Soon we'll be adding elevations, details, etc. Can't wait. For not being very miticulous in the past when it comes to artwork, drafting has been a pleasant surprise.

Happy 4th

Lucy - declining a photo op
Centerville Parade
I have favorite trees. This is one of them.
Only in Utah. {I especially love the bugs in the salad}

down to the wire

{Loving} this week:

Feist + Coldplay + Mozart
Not all at once of course. Mozart can be thanked for helping me finish my first of three perspective drawings just in the nick of time to get it to Kinko's last night 3 minutes before they closed.

Nice Utah Highway Patrol guy - who laughed with me, {instead of at me} when he pulled me over for expired plates. May?! Really?!



Delegating - as much as I love the drive to East Layton and the feeling of living on a farm for a few minutes in the morning, I love Parker and Jamie {and you too, Michele} even more for taking a load off my back and helping me with the animal sitting situation I got myself in to.

This website. Oh.my.heck. So fun! {drag your cursor across the screen when you get there. Click your mouse to change colors.}

This quote from the elevator:
There is a power and a beauty inherent in truth itself that gives us complete commitment in our lives. It gives us clarity to our decisions and it gives us certainty that our path in life is according to God's will for us.

Having a project to work on. Pictures of the progress.

6 YEARS OLD!!

{one year older + wiser too}

Can you believe it? Dillon Lee is SIX! My stash of photos are sad and pathetic of Dil so all I have to offer are old blog pictures. Dillon is three in this picture and I can't believe how time has flown!

I would love to be on a beach somewhere playing with Dillon. That is my birthday wish for him. {Self serving isn't it?}

What a cool dude. The latest I've heard about Dil is he loves his little sister, especially when he comes home from summer school and she smiles at him. So sweet. Dillon is always a favorite with the ladies.