Life in the Fast Lane

So it's been like 6 months since I last posted....let's be honest - I'm not really an avid blogger...although I love reading the blogs of others.

The title of this blog is Quest For College, which I came up with when it was the only thing I could think of. So that's the topic.

School is insane....INSANE! I didn't think it was possible to get any busier, but I've managed. For example: One of my friends posted on facebook that his day was crazy because he was going from 6am - 11pm. And in my head I was like...."Chhhh. Dude that's nothing. I'm going from 6am -2am today." And then I remembered that that is nothing to be proud of, and I'm just a moron.

So what am I doing you ask that keeps me so sleep deprived?

- Dance (secondary) Education Major.
Honestly it feels like a double major because I have to do secondary education and certify in dance education as well.

- President of Songs of the Heart Choir (replacement of HOPE)

- Member of the Institute Council

- I work as an RA

-This year I have anywhere between 10-20 hours of Dance rehearsal outside of class.

- Going to New York twice this semester for dance:
- Performing Alwin Nikolais' Imago with fellow dancers in NYC
- NCUR : My piece from the student dance concert was accepted into the National College of Undergraduate Research to be presented as a dissertation...this one is taking a lot of time.

Here are pictures of my piece - I'll post the actual video of the performance/video I made at a later date.








Next is just pictures of the dance concert from the fall and last years faculty.












And the last order of business from a ridiculously long post that probably no one read all the way through:

-I just got accepted to go dance in Taiwan for a study abroad!!!!!

No amount of exclaimation marks will account for my excitement. I get to go with one of my favorite dance friends Karyn, who I danced with (unknowingly) and shared a mutual best friend (also unknowingly) when we were like 11. Wierd right? Totally rad? Oh yes.



So that's it friends - perhaps I should title this blog Quest For Simplicity....I'll get there someday right? Life is crazy and faster than I could have ever imagined, but I am really, truly happy. I'll try to blog again in smaller increments! Loves!

For Lindsay Part 2 -Fall Semester

Since Lindsay told me I needed to post again here it is - This might be the only post that happens this semester. We'll see how it goes, and how much time I have.



What am I up to?



- Continuing my Dance Degree at SUU

- Working as an RA (which means I live on campus)

- Working as a student mentor

- President of the Songs of the Heart (The insitutes advanced vocal choral)

- Institute council/representative

- A member of the Orchesis Modern Dance Company (of SUU)

- Rehearsals for the student and faculty dance concert (about 17 hours a week)

-Trying to put together a video dance production in 2 weeks. (aaaaahhhh!)



It's been a lot better than I thought it would be. It's incredibly exhausting and I often sleep for obscenely long amounts on the weekends, but I am really enjoying myself. I have come to the conclusion that I have a really bad habit at overscheduling myself. Not just a little but a lot. There's just so much to do I can't help it. It's worse at a University because there are so many opportunities to get involved. I always tell myself that next semester I won't do that again - But it's very much like saying you're going to start the diet...next week.





In other news -

The Weddings:

Rachel and Jayne both got married, and I was lucky to be able to go to both. Absolutely amazing experiences. Here are a few pics from both (I was having issues with my camera at Rae's wedding so those pics are rather blurry.)

For Lindsay

(Hiking Kannarraville Falls)

At the request of Lindsay, I'm blogging. I either have too much or nothing interesting to divulge whenever I blog. Hopefully I can find a happy medium. So this is life so far:

-I am currently working as an R.A. (aka Resident Assistant), and an Assistant Summer Conference Planner.

-I've accepted the request to be the HOPE choir president.

-I've accepted the R.A. position for the 2010-2011 schoolyear

-I've gotten a job for the 2010-2011 schoolyear as a mentor

So starting this fall I am going to be really busy. It will be fun, just really really busy. I know it doesn't sound like a lot, but I will have 2 jobs, HOPE, dance rehearsals, and also classes and homework. Say goodbye to clean laundry.


In other news, my latest adventures include:

-Hiking Kannaraville Falls

-Teaching myself how to do acrylic nails. (That's going to take a while)

-My roommate schooling me in the ways of Cricut.

Spring Semester Thus Far

Blogging.....it shouldn't be such a struggle but it truly is. I can never find the time to blog. Or when I do find the time to blog....I can't think about anything to blog about. So here's just a little jumbled randomness.

Spring Semester = I feel old,and disoriented.

Why you ask? Because of time. The older I get, the more time flies by. I seriously felt like it was the second week of the semester, and just yesterday I realized I had to have all these midterm papers and tests next week. Aaaah! I honestly feel as if every semester gets faster and faster. If I'm not careful I'll blink and be 78.

Time flying means some good things. Like the end of the semester...which means I get to move out of my house. YAY!!!!! I seriously live in Satan's House. In that sense I can't wait for the semester to be over.

Dance is going really well. I have learned so much, and improved so much, and yet I know I still have so much to learn. I've really enjoyed my dance this semester. That is probably in part due to the fact that I am not taking 19 credits. (Dumb idea. Don't ever do it.) Plus I have amazing instructors and so much opportunity to get my work out there and particpate.

This semester for example I got to participate in Alwin Nicholais' IMAGO. It was a choreographer from the 60s...which has a large influence on the piece. You will see exactly what I mean. The dance is based on an imaginary world, much like OZ or Willy Wonka's Oompa Loompa's. Often times they would perform for children to spark their imagination. Our University got a grant to do the piece, for the Faculty Dance Concert this year, a concert with the Ririe Woodbury Company, and then taking it to New York next Spring to perform it there. We are even wearing the original costumes which are like 60 years old. SO COOL! Which includes little white cones on our head, with clown make-up. At this point I have not even the slightest idea if I'm going to New York since there are two casts, but it's a really big honor for the school, and such an amazing experience for me. It really has taught me so much, both good and bad about myself, the professional world, and the art with which I practice everyday. Here are some pictures and videos of people and companies who have done it in the past.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=awszvKgl9fA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fm1FA_-RTyU&feature=related


The next opportunity I've gotten which I am absolutely ecstatic about is Dance in the Environment. An alumni of the SUU dance program came to my Modern Dance Class, and auditioned us while we had class. She lives in St. George and has been setting choreography on groups of dances in the environment with costumes, and make-up. She goes to a lot of different places to do this, so there's quite a bit of diversity. Then we take photo shoots, and video, and later combines all the dances on stage. For example we are doing a dance to music box music in the snow up in the canyon. Then we will have a big performance later. If Tim Burton did a dance it would be reminiscient of this. I absolutely love it! I'll post pictures as soon as I am able.

There's a lot more to blog about, but I'll leave it for next time, since I've already blogged a novel.

Let it Snow

This is a really random short post. Today was the last day of finals for me, and even though it's over, it was a dismal week, and definately today was the worst of them all. However tonight, I happened to have one of the best nights of probably the whole semester. I had a HOPE performance down in St. George, and we sang Christmas carols and drank hot chocolate on the way down. It was a good performance, and then we went out for 5 Guys Burgers. Oh my heck! I don't think I have ever had a burger that good! Amazing! But that really isn't what made it an amazing night. A few of us drove to the Temple (St. George) and looked at the lights, and it started snowing,the most beautiful fat fluffy flakes, all lit up by the temple. It was like being in a snow globe. I don't like to be cold, but it was so gorgeous and magical that I didn't notice the cold at all. We ran around for probably 20 minutes catching snowflakes in our mouths, and walked around after that just watching the snow fall and chatting. It was absolutely enchanting, and turned my miserable day into one of the best nights in a long time.

(This isn't a picture I took. Unfortunately I didn't have my camera, so this is the closest to what it looked like.)

Where Does One Even Begin?

I know...I must be the most dismal blogger in the world. But if you think that's bad, you guys should check the date of my last journal entry...I'm pretty sure the last entry was in July. So here's the general update:

1. Still dancing, still in HOPE, still working the costume shop, still wondering how I got myself into the fix I'm in.

2. I think someone taped a sign on my back that reads:
"If you're not my type, please pursue anyways!"

3. I adopted a cat...who disappeared, and then showed up in Krysta's office, on the 4th floor of the GE building on campus. And then it disappeared again. Still perplexed with that one. (I originally found it in the housing office when I was visiting my old boss)

4. Writing my book still. (The project that never ends.) It's going well, I just wish I had more time to write.

5. I am an AUNT. I was actually up North when Morgan was born, and so I got to see her the next morning. She is so beauteous!!! It's rather surreal. I've wanted to be an aunt since I was five, and I still can't believe that I am sometimes.

Panting on the Sidelines

My summer wasn't very long, and even though last year was pretty easy, I wasn't ready for this one to start. This year was the exception. I started out with 14 respectable credits...and by the end of the week I was taking 17 credits, plus 6-7 hours of dance rehearsal, snagged back into HOPE choir, and I'm working in the costume shop. It's been pretty crazy, and everday it's like...'why am I such an idiot?'

So on some days I have ballet and modern dance back to back. It's like a 4 hour cardio workout. It's been good, but super tiring. I truly have incredible professors, even if sometimes I try to find reasons to not show up to class. All I can say is if I don't lose a pant size, then there's no hope.

Overall, this year is crazy busy, and I'll be at the bar in ballet and thinking, 'This would be a lot easier if I would actually sleep.' And then I remember I don't have time for such a luxury. Although I gotta say, I have traded in the sleep for something pretty cool. I started working in the costume shop, and even though I am not designing right now, I sew, warp and manipulate fabric, and make accessories whenever they need me. It's been such a cool experience so far, and is something that I love. I will be looking into buying myself a sewing machine whenever I get the chance.

So I went to one of my best friends wedding, as her bridesmaid and it was amazing in so many ways, but I will post that later, when I get more pictures of everyone there and the actual wedding pictures and what not...but here is the lovely bride Tori: (I feel so lucky to be able to associate with someone this lovely. Inside and out.)