Graduation Day, Finally Here... WAAHOOO

Blogging has been mostly on the back burner for the past two years, while I navigated going back to college.

I heard this funny commercial the other day making fun of bloggers who apologize for forgetting to post, or not posting enough. The spoof was saying why are they apologizing because really no one cares if they skip a day or stop posting LOL.
I have to admit I've done that in the past, but I laughed more because it's so true, you go MIA for a while and let's be honest probably no one or so few care that there is no need to apologize or make excuses. I couldn't tell you what the commercial is promoting, but if you're a blogger and you see it, you're going to get a great laugh!

So to get to it, I did it, I am an official college graduate, FINALLY! It has been one of those things I regretted not finishing when I was younger and when I decided to do it as an adult everything just fell into place.
I was able to secure enough grant and scholarship money to completely 100% pay for all my college tuition for the past two years (YAY ME!)
I'll tell you this now, I was a skeptic, but if you're thinking of going back to school and you're worried about affording it. Just apply for everything you can, I did.
Yes, it took time to apply for all of them. But It paid off in the end, there is in fact money out there just waiting for some of us to apply for it and ask for it.

I now officially have majored in both Recreation and Sports Management as well as Digital Design.

What am I going to do with them? Well, that will soon be shared, but for now, I'm just loving the fact that I did it.
I pulled off 16-18 credits a semester so I could graduate in 2 years instead of 3. I did my thesis research and project last summer to make the best use of my time. Literally, everything went so perfectly, even the exact classes I needed were available right as I needed them. Honestly, things couldn't have been more perfect if the college had catered to my needs specifically.

I worked hard, so many late nights. Things at times I wondered how on earth I was going to be able to pull off. Learned new design programs in record time (for me) and was able to figure out every single thing I needed to in the time I needed to do it. Seriously, lucky right!

Additionally, I was able to get straight A's every semester and I made the Presidents List each semester as well. (Yes, I'm gloating but it's okay haha)
I was only a few points away from being a full Honors Graduate, but that is my own fault from many years ago when I did my Associates Degree and was basically in college to party and didn't really care too much about my grades. But to be honest, who cares, I graduated and since businesses now are starting to require copies of transcripts mine will look fabulous and that's all the matters.

Okay, I'll shut up now!
Time for me to move onto the next phase! Well and enjoy life a little haha

It's been far too long!!!

It's been far too long, I never meant to let my blog go a bit. But with finishing up both my majors, I became overwhelmed and it basically just became too much screen time.
What's changed? Not much, but I told myself a few weeks ago that I wanted to get back into blogging if even only on a part-time basis for now. On the plus side, I have a few classes that are super long, I usually finish earlier so I am thinking I might be able to do a little blogging during that time!

Well, I'll give ya a quick, very quick recap on a few worthy of mentions that have gone on since my last post in October (yikes, so long ago.)

26.2 Finally
I finished my 40th marathon last fall. Running my first full marathon in October since my 5 years of building back from that work injury that kept me from being able to get back into them again for so long, it felt amazing and went pretty well. I kinda regret not ever doing a re-cap on it, but oh well.

Half Marathon
I had an opportunity to run the Laughlin Half Marathon in December so I took it, and while it was not anywhere near one of my best half's, it was still fun and a beautiful course. I also had the opportunity to take the trip with a blogger friend over at Enjoying the Course.

Graduation Approaching
I finished fall semester, and I can hardly believe it but this current semester is my last, I will officially be graduating in May with my double major. It's gone by so quickly, but taking 16-18 credits a semester has been paying off, and it's allowed me to move through the programs faster! Not sure if I've ever fully shared what I am majoring in, but I think I will now. Double majoring in both Recreation and Sport Management and Digital Design.
Now, you can see why blogging just has been nearly impossible to keep up!

Yay me!
I have been working hard, I am still pulling off straight A's and getting those 4.0's and making the President's List each semester. Who knew when I started this, I'd actually want to work extra super hard to get great grades. Especially since I still use words like "extra super hard" ha ha ha...

Currently
This semester I am in 5 classes. In order to graduate on time, I was left to take a few classes I wouldn't have normally ever wanted to take. One being Video editing, I literally know nothing about this and it's been a little difficult learning a brand new program along with everything else I am doing, but somehow I'll survive. On a side note, I absolutely hate having to do selfie type videos... just saying ha ha ha.

100 Hike Challenge
Of course, I have been fitting in a lot of hiking, I try very hard to go hiking at least twice a week. It helps that I live literally 5 minutes away from dozens of incredibly scenic trails, and within 40 minutes of National Parks and a few other beautiful areas. I've also taken on the 100 Hike challenge and am going to try to see if I can hit 100 hikes before the end of the year. I'm currently on track as of last week I was at 12 for the year. (Most the images on this post are from this years hiking adventures so far.)

No Winter This Year
Unlike the rest of the country, Mother nature skipped winter here in Utah, it's sad really because we desperately need the water. So we are all hoping for a wet next few months. But with temps in the 50-70 degree range over the past few months, its made it really easy to enjoy the outdoors. I think there were only 2 days this whole winter that was too cold and rainy to want to go out in, and I haven't worn really any of my sweaters. I've even taken up Tennis again and started playing a new sport (new to me) pickleball. It's been fun trying new things!

Lot's more has been going on, but instead of dwelling too much more on the past, I'll look forward to sharing with you the future. I don't know if it will happen, but I'm going to try to blog at least once a week. I also am looking forward to jumping in and seeing what all my previous blogger friends are up to. Sadly, I even let catching up on others blogs slip as well as my own. But sometimes, some things in life are more important than the blog ha ha...

So if you happen to see my post and have a minute leave me a comment and let me know some of the amazing things you've been up to that I have missed and you'd like to share!

When Something Had to Give

Opening up my blog writing portal for the first time in two months, it's exciting and reminds me of what I have missed. I am looking forward to the days ahead of getting back into it.

It wasn't supposed to be like this, I told myself I would never stop blogging or going more than two weeks without a post. But something had to give, and blogging was that. (Another reason I should have never said never!)

Being a returned college student, I talked them into letting me into my senior thesis class at the same time I was a full-time student already taking 16 credits, this is not something they normally do especially letting me in as a Junior.

The first few weeks I held it together, but eventually, there was just too much. I was barely hanging on. The thesis class was taking every bit of my spare bits of time, in fact, I had to do over 227 pages of research writing at academic standards (or an attempt at it.) Drowning in homework from my other classes which at times was taking all the patience I had. Keeping the blog up was way too much, so it was also the logical choice to let drop a bit.

Although I missed seeing what many of my favorite blogging friends were up to, and on occasion, I was able to stop by and visit a few, I did try to keep up with many of you on IG and FB. So I feel like I've still been a part even if not in the blogger world aspect of it all.
I also kept up on social media IG mostly, so if you follow me you likely saw some of my beautiful adventures. In fa, t all these pictures I am showing you today have been taken over hiking trips the past couple months.

Well my Spring semester is officially over, and lucky me Summer Semester starts today, LOL

But I survived and passed all my classes and officially passed my thesis class. Official grades haven't been released but I am pretty sure I did quite well.

Since my prospectus thesis passed, I am now onto the project portion of it. Which will be even more work, but it is the only thing I am doing this summer. I am doing it this way so next Fall and Spring I can concentrate on my degree classes and have this part completely out of the way!

UPCOMING PROJECT
My thesis turned into something entirely different than planned. In fact, I'll share more about it another time because I may even enlist some of your help if your willing for my project this summer. As it is running and influencer related, and that's all I will say about it until I get the ball rolling. Which should be this week, so I'll share soon!

One of my finals was to recreate in Illustrator something that looks like the original. Illustrator and I have had our ups and downs these past 4 months. It's been a love-hate relationship with more emphasis on the hate. But by the end, I was getting a little better. Above is my final project it took over 20 hours to complete. It's not perfect but its the best I can do.
ABOVE: It's probably obvious but the one on the left is mine, the one on the right is the original.

HIKING
Hiking has become one of my sanity savers this semester for sure. I attempted to fit in 2 hikes a week when I could. One was usually a shorter one that replaced my run, usually a hike of 6 or fewer miles that I could finish in under 2 hours.

The other was a hike where I could go out and get my body trained for my upcoming R2R2R (Grand Canyon). I already mentioned I am doing this, I am still an after the fact blogger so I won't say when exactly, but let's just say it will be here before I know it so I am really pushing my limits with hiking lately. I'll tell you more about what really went into training for it another time.

Living in a vacation town as most call it, it has been fun to spend time outdoors and meet others who enjoy the outdoors as much as me. I've met some great friends, even if I haven't had much time for hanging out. Most importantly, I've met some new hiking and backpacking friends and I am excited for many upcoming big backpacking trips to tell you about later this summer.

I've also had fun with friends and family who have come to visit, like one of my good friends who came up a few weeks ago and asked me to take her and her foreign exchange student friend up Angels Landing for the first time. I rarely like sweaty pictures of me, because I'm not one of those girls who sweat and glow, LOL. But this one (below) didn't turn out too bad.

WEIGHTLOSS
With all the hiking, adding a little running and walking into the mix, not to mention a very limited diet of calories to help aid in the weight loss. I've now dropped 26 pounds.
I still have a long way to go to my goal weight, but I am very happy with getting my body back even if weight loss, I swear is one of the hardest if not THE hardest thing I have ever done.

RUNNING
I do try to go a few times a week, but it's something I need to focus more on now. As I have officially signed up for a 13.1 this summer and a full marathon this fall.

So that's it, I see no point in boring you with any more details from the past few months of being blogger MIA. But I will say I am looking forward to getting back into blogging and catching up.

I'm Officially Drowning

So yes if you read the title I am drowning, drowning in homework and a class schedule that I may have taken on more than I can handle.

To give ya a brief, between 7am-Noon I am with classes. Starting last week I began taking an hour break at noon to go for a trail run. Then I am back onto the school stuff and doing homework literally for another 6-8 hours each day, even having to use my Saturday's to stay on top.

MY THESIS

Well, taking this a year early, I don't regret it. But it is so time consuming. My biggest set back a week ago I finished the first 25 pages of the source gathering and writeups on those sources. Met with my mentor and she asked me to re-write them all with a different thought process.
I wanted to cry,  I had already spent 40 or more hours on that and I still had several more to go...

Well, I did what she asked finished the rest of them and submitted them, and she said I crushed it and gave me a higher grade than possible. It made me feel better about all the work.

But now I have to do the second half of 40 sources, which right no my paper is around 50 pages and I still haven't edited it.... That section is due this Sunday so guess what I'll be doing all week.

ILLUSTRATOR

I'm getting there, we had a stupid comic strip project, the instructor said it would take 8 hours. But I am quickly learning it takes me double or triple as long as he says. While I am starting to get the functions down better, I am still a little behind and a little slower on this, but at least small progress is good!

PHOTOSHOP

I'm doing a little better in this class, the assignment I was given to insert myself into a photo from history and get all the shading correctly was supposed to take 4 hours and I pulled it off in 2 and it looks pretty good. I'll show it to you as soon as I save it in a smaller file. It's historical and of course I chose a running related photo to use!

However, originally I thought as soon as I learned how to use Illustrator and Photoshop well I'd make all these amazing images on my blog and photoshop all my photos and make them look FAB. Well, it takes freaking forever to do stuff like that, so sorry to say other than a rare occasion I don't plan on using those any time in the near future to make my pictures and images on my blog better!

ART in the Era of VIETNAM

Well, I mentioned this one a while back that it was way more artsy than I thought. I still have zero idea what's going on.
But Google, well she knows all. So I quite often google what something means (especially paintings and poems) in class when no one is paying attention to me to find something profound to say and sound as smart as the rest of them, even though I have no idea what I'm really saying.
Happy to report this method has been working great!

Of course, I couldn't take this with me to do tests. But I scored 100% on my first big test on that class and I'll tell you what I did. I B.S. my entire way through it. I memorized titles, artists and dates and what was going on during that year in history and basically B.S my way through it by pure guess on what the hidden meanings where, and well it worked LOL I was the only one in the class to score 100%.
I LOVE GOOGLE!!!!!!!!


COMMERCIAL RECREATION and TRAVEL

I absolutely LOVE this class, it's so informative and we are going into the details on the business start up behind it. We have amazing speakers come in.
Last week was a guy who is the owner of a company who hosts all the Half Marathon's in the different National Parks around the country.
Thanks to him, I got my idea for my senior thesis project that I believe I am going to do next semester, I have to get it approved but it was really an idea that came off something he said entirely.
I'll have to share more on these adventure sport, and running speakers sometime, I've taken notes that I think would make great blog posts, if I ever get the time!

Boring I know, but that has been my life lately!
The only reason I have time to do this is because I showed up for my first class and their computers crashed, so class was cancelled,. I figured I'd write a quick post and jump around and visit a few blogs today with the little extra time!

It's spring here, and the temps have been FABULOUS! My favorite hour of the day now is the one where I break from everything and go for a run, I seriously think it's the only thing keeping me sane right now!

Hope everyone's been doing great! I hate missing out on what's going on with my blog friends, so tell me something I missed over the two weeks that you've done!

Day in the Life of a Returned College Student

I am a couple of days into Spring Semester, to be honest I really am just going to take it all one day at a time. I started thinking about how much I have to pull off over the next few months and it was starting to become overwhelming.

What classes am I taking? 

Two of my design classes; I have a more advanced Photoshop class as well as a more advanced Illustrator class.

I've still been coming back from a bad cold and I almost cried the other day in class. My brain just isn't functioning well and in my Photoshop class the instructor spent 30 minutes going step by step to help us with our first assignment. My brain wouldn't work and he was going so fast I got lost on step 1....

Yes, I know pathetic to admit it.
Let's just say it meant a couple of hours with googling tutorials to get it figured out on my own.

The Digital Design portion of my degree I thought originally would be the easiest and it's clearly turning out to be the most difficult for me! But I'll get it, eventually!

I am also taking Commercial and Travel Recreation Planning. (I'm also a Recreation management degree student.) After hearing about the outline of the class I am very excited. I will get to speak with the guy who runs a lot of the national park half marathons around the country and I am excited for that day!

I'm also taking a Humanities class about the Era of Vietnam, so far I am so lost in it I can't figure out where the instructor is going with it. We spent all of today talking about and listening to black history music between 1910-1950. I couldn't figure out how this could possibly fit with Vietnam, but I called my dad and he had a much better guess that makes sense, LOL Like I said my brain is just not working best with this cold, and I'm going to wait until it is before I go embarres myself with the instructor about questions regarding the class!

Check out this fabulous reading material for the course, LOL this is much heavier book reading than I enjoy doing!

Last, I convinced them to let me into my Senior Thesis project for my Interdisciplinary Program even though I am not yet quite a senior. I did this to help me graduate on time!
What is a senior thesis, well pretty much it's half a masters degree, at least that is my interpretation of it based on everything they've told me.

This semester I will be doing all my thesis research and I found out yesterday writing half of my 40-60 research paper... Uggghhhh...
Next semester I will start the project portion. I have a week to decide all I want to do, and while I have an idea I'm having trouble writing it all up for them to present it to get approval on...

My idea: While I am still working on the logistics and correct wording. I am actually looking at researching the effects of influencer based advertising and the current digital design trends that are working best for the recreational industry and where and what may be the best ways to market to recreational based clientele going forward....
Ya, a mouthful, LOL

Other than that, I bought half my books. Why half? Well I am not sure if the other instructors will actually end up using them. So I figured I'd wait and see what happens and buy them later if they are actually needed.

I've got my color coded calendar started. This may sound funny but colleges use Canvas now and in it you can colorize each class on the online dashboard, I match it up to the colors on my dry erase calendar and keep track of all assignments and cross them off after I've turned them in. Last semester I found this was the easiest way to not miss anything and to work ahead at times when I could, so that's why I do it! I also have this baby hanging up on the wall right on the back of my computer desk so it's in full view anytime I am at my desk.

I have also decided not to take on a job right now. This semester is going to be crazy I am pretty sure a part-time job would just make me get behind at times and I can't have that right now especially beginning my thesis this semester!  So, yes social media/blogging is how I am going to afford to eat again this semester, LOL

So that's pretty much it, so far so good, I just wish I could shake off this cold in its entirety and get all my brain cells working full time again, LOL

What things do you do to keep organized in life?

A Reflection

This year has been an incredible year full of firsts, mending, and great adventures.
I thought I'd write a post to share a bit of a reflection on some of the highlights of this year.

GOING BACK TO SCHOOL
This was a huge thing for me to quit my jobs and put the company I own on hold to go back and finish my goal and finally get my degree.

I am only one semester done, but I worked hard and stuck with it. So much so that I pulled off straight A's and have a 4.0. I know, crazy! I'm still shocked I was able to pull that off! I am really enjoying the experience and I am actually learning quite a bit too, go figure, LOL
I am so much so enjoying my 3-week break right now, but I am also looking forward to a couple of weeks when my next semester begins!

BLOGGING NOT SO MUCH
So years ago (2011), yes I have had this blog for longer than some stick with blogging. I set a goal to always post at least once a week, and try to mostly maintain a 2-3 post a week schedule.
I have for the most part kept to that since 2012, well that was until this year.
Blogging had to take a back burner, and even though it was hard at times (like an addiction) I had to force myself to work on other priorities than the blog itself.

However, I thankfully have not let it go. I still actually live (well eat) off the income my blog and social media accounts provide me with. Yup, that is how I am paying for my meals these days, LOL
I've seen many great blogging friends come and go through the years. Sadly more go than keep it up. It always saddens me when bloggers have to leave entirely especially when I have enjoyed their blogs so much. But I get it, life should always come first.
I am not ready to let this blog go, while you may see less of me, I am going to continue to figure out ways to keep it up!

FINALLY HEALED
Anyone who's read my blog over the (almost) past four years may know a little of what I have been going through. With the tendon injuries I acquired from a work injury back in January 2013. It's been years of mending and recovery, physical therapy, setbacks, flare-ups and other injuries because of the injured tendons. I won't go into more details on that, but I am happy to announce it appears I have nearly 100% recovered from this work injury!
What did it?
Changing my lifestyle entirely, my routines pretty much everything when I quit my jobs, moved away and went back to school that is what healed me.
It may sound funny, but it's true that is actually what did it, what helped me finish healing and the reason I am able to get back to being so active and running and enjoying an adventurous lifestyle again!
For that I will always be thankful for the idea to go back to school and change my lifestyle entirely, it fixed what no amount of doctors or PT could!

READING
I set a Goodreads goal to read 52 novels this year. Earlier this year I was way ahead of schedule and I love to read so I was sure I'd hit it and then some.
Yeah, not so much. I will probably finish a couple books shy of my goal. I'm halfway through book 49 right now.
But I've read over 18,000 pages this year, and that is in part to many of the books being heck of long, LOL So I won't hit the 52 book goal, but pagewise I well outdid even last years pages.

ADVENTURE
Last spring my sister and I set out on a fun adventure to hike so many of the trails that we haven't done that were only 20-30 minutes from our front doors. While we didn't do as many as we would have liked, (she got pregnant, LOL) We did do many and had a lot of fun seeing the different trails along the Wasatch Mountains.
I also summited Butterfield Peak this year, that was something I have wanted to do for a while, heck of a climb and I did it sick too, LOL
I continued with those adventures when I moved south, I have thoroughly enjoyed hiking and getting out and enjoying the desert again.

RUNNING
Well, I only ran 1 race this year and it 5k that I decided to do last minute, so I don't really count it as getting back into racing since distance running is more my thing. But it was fun to be in a race again even if I did only run it for fun not to race.

I had to pull out of the fall marathon I entered because I wasn't trained well enough for it, I volunteered instead. I learned volunteers are awesome and there is a big difference between a participant and a volunteer and rarely they are mixed much. Most volunteers have zero desire to run and think runners are inspiring but insane.  I'm not much of a volunteer, I'm a participant and there is nothing wrong with that!

However, I did build up a great base as I've been getting back into it. I've really enjoyed running new trails and places in the new area I live.

What this year has taught me is this. I don't have to run a race to enjoy running. I don't have to get a medal to feel accomplishment and success. Those things can be great, but when you run purely because you just love it and your goals are subject to whatever mood your in that day when you put on the shoes and head out the door. There is almost even more gratification than any pronounced finish line can give me.
I will eventually get back to marathons, don't get me wrong I absolutely love the thrill of them. But until then I am thankful for this opportunity to learn and get to know myself better, to train just to train for fun, to run any distance I want because I want to, not because I have to. It's been interesting and I'm glad I had to experience this!

Well, I've had a fantastic year, and I've only shared 6 of the subjects with you. I can tell you this, I cannot wait for 2017, it's going to be epic in so many ways both little and big!


What is your favorite memory or reflection of 2016?

Me Monday, My Updates and Share Some of Yours

I am pretty sure all of my college professors were all on the same page last week. Because I was seriously overloaded with homework and projects to get done. I literally sat on a computer writing papers for 6 hours two days in a row.

Crazy busy, but I stayed on top of it and got it done and surprisingly enjoyed it!
On the plus side, I didn't walk into any walls this week, LOL

The final week of the blog hop, which is an online event I enjoy putting together each year. Well, that was sort of the icing on the cake of busyness.

My only regret, although I did follow all of my own rules for the hop (kinda have to as the host, LOL) but normally I like to try to visit more than the required, but this year I didn't quite get a chance to quite as much extra as I usually do.

Was the hop successful? I think overall it was for those who fully participated. Participation was at about 80% on one hop and 75% on another. A larger than in the past fully non-participation rate. Which is kinda a bummer because the time commitments were half of what they normally are and I made it quite reasonable to maintain dropping all the past stuff that seemed to eat up too much time.

Oh well, overall I am happy with the things I heard from it, and if it works great for the majority then that is all that matters! I've found a few new great bloggers out of it, that I am looking forward to following so it worked for me too!

RUNNING

We've had some great weather, it's been literally perfect running conditions. We are starting into the fall here so mid 80's.
I'm starting to build a much stronger base, and I'm getting better the longer I run. (My body has always liked distance.) I almost wish it was in the budget to run a half marathon this fall/winter I think I'd enjoy it! But I will resist, as to keep myself on a budget for this college thing:)
On the plus side, I dropped 6 pounds in October. I have a lot more to go but it's again what I'd like to call a great start.

On the plus side, it's not been bothering me at all to run so I haven't had to slack off on the running. (It's only bothering me going up or down stairs or when I twist wrong.)
I came across another new trail, I found this part along a river and glanced through the tree's and saw a trail so I took it. Best, part is it's very close to my home and in a safe area so definitely plan on adding it to one of my weekly runs!

HIKING

After the busy week, I decided Friday night to unplug and stay off of the blog and internet (mostly) for a couple of days. Went over to my new hiking playground in Zion National Park Saturday and hit up a hike that I haven't done since years back in my high school days with my family.
I've always loved hiking through portions of the Narrows.

I literally got to a point in the hike, and I stopped and just stared up and looked around and decided I am so blessed to be surrounded by such beauty and even more blessed to be the adventurous outdoors type that enjoys hiking in it. I know that sounds stupid, but hey a girl can be a dork with her thoughts sometimes!

I've got a lot more great pictures, I'll have to so an Travel Tuesday Post on it, eventually:)

I know it's Halloween, so I hope you are all having an awesome holiday. I love dressing up, but this year I skipped it. I know lame!
Want to know even more lame, I didn't buy any Halloween candy to hand out. I've seen very few kids living around here and I doubt kids trick-or-treat apartments anyhow. Plus with all the trunk or treats, I passed on on my run the other day. I figure, I probably wouldn't get any anyhow. Plus, if I did buy a bag, I would be the one who would end up eating it all.

Just in case, I think I will just avoid being home in the rare chance someone does stop by! Yes, it's okay to dislike on me for that, I'm not proud of it!

So that was a few bits of my past week, tell me about yours?

Do you enjoy fall hiking?
Do you totally dislike me for the Halloween candy thing? it's okay to tell me!

I am linking up with HoHo Runs and MissSippiPiddlin today for their Weekly Wrap!

 

  

Day in the Life of a Returned College Student

Alright, let me jump right in.

I am still getting A's in all of my classes. Although I did get a 85% on a test in one class the other day that might drop my grade a little.

It's my own fault for having a bit of a migraine when taking the test. No excuses though, I'll admit I missed the easiest 2 point question on the test. Which was, "what is the name of your Instructor?"

Seriously, I couldn't think of his name for the life of me and I just emailed him the night before about something. So yeah, I deserved that 85%, LOL

The class that I picked the political topic that I wished I hadn't (mentioned it last week). We had to do open class critiques on them.
Now I have to do a total revision and take all the constructive criticism and redo the paper. My group didn't have much criticism to offer on mine I thought that was a plus until I realized I was going to have to come up with how to redo it all on my own, oh well.. I got it done and if I do say so I deserve a pat on the back it's not half bad!

My design class, finally an easy assignment. Well not really, but the first part is.
Interviewing a small business owner and doing a re-design on their company logo.
Sweet, I interviewed myself!
I'm going to re-create the logo for my wedding business!

Now, if I could just get up to speed and figure out how to use adobe Illustrator well I'd be doing even better!


FUNNY STORY


Sometimes when I get done with class I go home and throw on a trashy tank top and short shorts that don't really cover much. Especially with the extra weight I have gained. But it's just me and it helps me keep cooler so I can keep the air conditioner down, so I've never thought twice about it.
I never have unannounced guests, and I always keep the window blinds shut.

Until...

I finished with my homework and decided to pull my bike out in the living room and work on a few things I wanted to add and fix to it.  So for a tad more light I opened the blinds a little.
Right in the middle a knock on the door.

Which I was 100% fully planning to just ignore.

Until I see this girl peek to look in and she see's me and waves, LOL
Dang it!

So I get up open the door adjusting "my girls" haha to make sure at least nothing was hanging out first.

They were sweet, I forgave them when one of the girls called me a twenty-something. Anyone who thinks I look younger than I am, well they always get bonus points!

Long story short, I told the girls I only dress trashy like this when I am home alone to keep cool, or when I am opening the door to missionaries, LOL

I took it as a lesson. Open other blinds, not the ones next to the front door when I look like a Rollie pollie redneck!

Also learned, not making time for breakfast when going to a class well that is quite a bad idea. I am pretty sure I provided entertainment for at least 6-12 people around me as my stomach literally wouldn't stop reminding me I didn't eat and in a very loud way!

FIRST DAY AT A SINGLES WARD

So I attend a singles church for the first time.
I am fine to be the one to introduce myself, I have no trouble putting myself out there to make new friends. Points for me there, LOL

So this girl I sit next to on the back row, I introduce myself telling her I just moved here.
First she tells me, yeah we are an odd bunch (meaning those in that church) but occasionally one of us gets lucky and gets out, LOL
I assumed she meant gets married, so I just laughed.

She randomly asks, so are you  going to be looking for a job here?
I said, yes eventually.
She gets all defensive, and says "well I hope you don't take one I am after, because I am sick of working retail and I need out and I can't work in a cubicle either because it might kill me. This is a vacation town, so retail jobs are nearly all there is, so I hope you don't mind retail."

I just thought, OOOOKAY.

I told her, no worries I am probably going to get a job at....... I am just waiting for the position I want to open.
She gets even more defensive and says "But that is where I have been trying to get into, you won't get in it's very hard I have been trying for years." LOL

I tried to be kind but the part of me that doesn't care decided to speak so I said: "Actually I was working for the same organization up north up until a few weeks ago, so I am pretty much a sure thing as soon as one opens."

Yup, I didn't win a friend over there, but I'm not sure that's a bad thing, LOL.

Sometimes you meet someone and you wonder "how can they still be single" then other times you meet someone and say "I know exactly why they are single."
I have decided not to let it get to me, next time I go I think I will just sit next to a guy and hope for less drama, LOL LOL

Note to self, if I ever tell anyone there I am a blogger come back and delete this so I don't offend anyone there! LOL

 I did break in my mountain bike a little.

Another funny story:

So I drive to a trail head, starts out dirt but then is nicely paved along some beautiful red cliffs.

Originally I was going to to 20 miles that day. However after a few miles I was huffing and puffing so much. I seriously was wondering why I am so much more out of shape than I thought I was.
I mean I knew the hills kicked my butt, some were so steep I had a hard time pushing the bike up the hill. LOL

But the area's I (thought) were somewhat flat I still couldn't figure out why I was having so much trouble catching my breath.
So 5 miles in I had it, I was totally completely spent. Slightly disappointed, but tired enough it didn't bother me to turn around long before I got to where I had wanted to go.

As I did, I realized and was somewhat vindicated in feeling so out of shape on my way up.
I literally didn't have to peddle more than 5-6 (peddles) times the entire way back. It was virtually all downhill and some area's were so steep downhill it gave me more than enough momentum to make it up even the steep hills. I made it back down in what felt like minutes.

Apparently the somewhat flat I thought on my way up was just a messed up illusion, it was pretty much all uphill, thank goodness! I am not as terribly out of shape as I was thinking on the way up, LOL

On a side note, I need some practise, some of the downhill was such a decline I was seriously going so fast I knew if I crashed I would be near death and my helmet wouldn't protect me much ha ha. I think the more I do it, the more comfortable I will get with high speeds... and my fears will fade... theoretically, LOL

KNEE UPDATE

The cartilage seems to be beginning to heal. I have been off all drugs for it for a week now. It hurt when I went biking on the uphill, but didn't damage it so much that some ice and a nights rest eased the pain and swelling.

Took a rest day, then went on a 5 mile walk with 1/4 mile run and the pain was nearly not noticeable. If I remember the last time I tore it, it was 6 weeks of pushing to a little pain, letting it heal to help the muscles build while I got used to the new stretching of the tear.

If I'm still having trouble in 3 weeks, I'll get a cortisone shot to help with any inner swelling, between that and the healing it will hopefully fix things for good. Or so is the plan:) Because I've got a serious amount of hiking and climbing I want to do in a few weeks and I'm going to be totally bummed if I have to cancel it!

On a side note, even in the desert I can see dolphins on may walk/run, LOL (above picture.) You may have to look close to see them:)