Too Fast!

It seems I spoke too fast. It seems I also drive too fast since I was pulled over again this morning on my way to work.

It just doesn't seem fair that because it is the 30th and they have to fill some quota...I drive to work on Beck St. via Victoria Rd. They have recently changed the speed limit on Victoria from 50mph to 40 because they have been doing some construction. The speed limit on Beck St. is and always has been 50 and I always make sure to be going pretty close to that since there are always police. Well this morning I was not paying as much attention and got up to 59 (still a reasonable and safe speed for Beck St.). I saw a motorcycle cop had pulled someone over and slowed my speed just as I saw officer #2.

He asked for my license only and explained that he had clocked me at 59 in a 45. This was clearly false information as I was pulled over directly under the 50mph sign...so I told the officer so. Apparently that is where the speed changes, it is 45 before Victory Rd. turns onto Beck...who knew! How can I be held accountable when the only sign I have ever seen on that road indicates 50 is the speed limit.

Okay, okay, I know, either way I was going over the speed limit. So when the officer came back with the citation for me to sign, he begged my pardon and asked what my weight was as he was certain it was not represented correctly on my drivers license. RUDE! I couldn't tell if he meant that I looked heavier or thinner than said weight, my picture is from before I lost any weight but the actual weight is only about 10 lbs more than what I weigh now. I don't know how any of this information is critical for a speeding ticket but apparently our protectors of the peace are all about accuracy? He expressed his confidence that I would be more aware of the signs and my speed in the future. Thank you sir for your confidence, I will be sure to look out more carefully for cops next time!

Bryce Canyon

WOW!

I have been so busy and so tired but when Candice texted me on Friday morning to ask if I wanted to go to Bryce Canyon I was all over it! We probably could have planned a little better but spontaneity trumps organization any day. We drove to St. George on Friday afternoon and stayed and the Crawford's house there. We considered getting up early to get there before it got too hot but it turns out that Bryce Canyon is much cooler than the rest of southern Utah so we got up around 8 and were finally on our way by 10am. It was kind of a long drive back up to Bryce and just past Cedar City I got pulled over. The speed limit is 75mph and I was probably going about 87...still kinda fast but really? Officer Clint something was really nice and accepted my sincere apology and promise to set my cruise control at 75 and let me off with a warning. He even gave me permission to go 80, what a great guy! Before we got to Bryce we stopped in the general store and shopped...I love general stores, they have so much fun stuff. We finally got to the park and had a great time wandering. It was really so beautiful and different than anything I have ever seen. It is pretty amazing!




We decided to take a little different route home and found highway 14. It was a gorgeous drive to which Candice commented something like, "wow, look at the expanseness...sometimes I just don't have words!" The views were incredible and we were so happy we took the scenic route.




It is so good to get out of town for a few days, I really need to do it as often as I can. Another little perk of this trip is that I got to see the Gatlins. Can I just tell you how little 4 year old Lexi recited several of the most difficult Articles of Faith all by herself. Wyatt is going to be in the Music Man in a few weeks and showed me his dance to Shipoopie and it was just so fun to see them even though it was just for a few minutes! I had a GREAT weekend...lucky me!

Unwinding

While a man is perfectly satisfied to sit around with a cold beverage in one hand and his balls in the other while he watches a sporting event on his big screen, the de-stressing of a female is a much more complex problem. I recommend a night out will 1 or more of "the girls" with activities ranging from a chick flick, good food, better dessert, lots and lots of talking and of course...a pedicure!

Expectations???

Is life really what we make of it? Do we just get what we expect...or deserve...or is it a crap shoot? We took our first group of boys to do the ropes course today, they also happen to be our most difficult group, and when I was asked how it went I didn't have a ready response. After giving it more thought I determined that it had gone better than I had expected but not as good as I had hoped. I am not going to lie, I was a little disappointed in the whole production but I couldn't put my finger on why. After the kind of discussion that only happens in a therapeutic environment, I felt better about my day, but why? Did I just adjust my expectations to match reality? Isn't that what we do, instead of being optimists or pessimists we become realists? What comes first, the reality or the expectation? Is it all just self fulfilling prophesy?

I believe happiness comes from having realistic expectations and being thankful when things exceed our expectations. When our expectations are not met we need to a) concede that we have aimed too high b) believe it will be better next time or c) amend our expectations so we are satisfied with what we have.

I wont always fine-tune my expectations to fit the situation, I simply refuse. I think that if expectations are set too low there is no effort made to be anything better than average. I look at my life and I wonder, are my expectations too high? Am I asking for more than my fair share or better than I deserve? Will having high expectations always leave me feeling disenchanted? There are some, I believe, who truly do have preposterous and unreasonable expectations, they are unhappy. There are others who set their expectations just out of reach and are confused and bitter that they never grasp their unattainable ideals.

Is it wrong to ask to live in an idealistic reality? Is it possible to find the happy medium, having high hopes and practical expectations? I shall try!

Jessie found my list

I went to a birthday lunch a couple of years ago for a friend and that morning she had been on a hot air balloon trip. She said it was on her list of 30 things to do before she turned 30. What a great idea, having a list of things and giving yourself a deadline. Really, I am probably going to want a list of cool things I've done to make turning thirty a little easier. Last March, as Jessie and I drove to Las Vegas to fly to Hawaii, we made our lists. Mine was sitting on my bed when I returned home today, she must have found it in the move and since she is currently staying at my place she returned it to me, yay! I enjoyed reading ove it and have even done some of the things already!

30 things to do before I'm 30:

1. See the Grand Canyon
2. Go visit my mission (check)
3. Go river rafting (check, check)
4. Watch the sun rise from Mt. Timpanogos
5. Start writing a book
6. Learn to quilt
7. Start investing in retirement
8. Buy a pair of designer jeans
9. Choose a career (in progress)
10. See a new country each year (check: Greece, Turkey, Hong Kong)
11. Sing karaoke by myself
12. Go to spiral jetty
13. Travel somewhere on a train (check, Bucuresti to Istanbul)
14. Read "Mere Christianity"
15. Go sailing
16. Attend a Sundance movie
17. Go to General Conference at the conference center
18. Learn to play tennis (in progress, haha)
19. Run a 5k (training in progress)
20. Watch "Casablanca"
21. Read Doctrine & Covenants
22. Wear a size 6 (in progress)
23. Live alone (check)
24. Send out Christmas cards
25. Sew something I can wear
26. Go snowshoeing
27. Go to a session at the Logan Temple
28. Go to a session at the Manti Temple
29. Document trips in a photo album
30. Learn to snowboard (check)

Most of them are simple, not expensive and certainly within my grasp. I have 10 months left, feel free to help in any way you see fit!

Its hard work (Part 2)

COLORADO RIVER TRIP

29 May 2008

I really do have a super fun job. It was a long day, we left for Moab, UT at 6am and were on the Colorado by 11am. We went for a little hike at lunch time and then it was back on the river for 3 more rapids.



We got back to the hospital at about 9:30, everyone was exhausted from all the fun! The boys were in awe of how beautiful everything was and they were so humbled by the experience. It is something most of them would never imagine doing or ever have an opportunity to do. I am so lucky to be a part of all of this.

Quotes from the court..and other things

Candace and I decided to play tennis tonight instead of doing the normal gym routine. I use the term "play tennis" loosely because really we made a good effort but it was more comedic than anything. Shagging balls is a great workout and so is laughing! Here are some of the things you certainly wont hear on those clay courts in France...

"Do you get mulligans in tennis?"
"I need to move faster...or just not stand in the middle of the court!"
"How many balls can you fit in your pants?"
"Lets wear skirts next time."
"No, that was good, at least you hit it!"
"Ooooh look, a kitty!"

We had lots o' fun and plan to continue trying until we can actually "play!"

Other things:

I started a blog about my trip to Denver, which was a blast, and the blog was so bad I deleted it. I'll post pics later.

Have you ever heard the song "I want love" by Elton John? The music video is awesome if you love Robert Downey Jr. I highly recommend you look it up on YouTube!

I went river rafting on the Colorado last Thursday with 7 of my boys and get to go again on Monday. I can't wait and will post pics of that later too.