earth day, everyday

i saw this movie last night. i had to keep reminding myself that the vibrant colors and flowing movement was real, not animated. every living creature on the earth has a spirit. these animal have personalities and a purpose. the movie made my heart break.

i didn't know much about the oil spill before this and now that i know a little more i wish the focus would shift. because ultimately, it doesn't matter whose fault the oil spill is. what matters is that it gets fixed so the oil stops flowing into the ocean and destroying lives.

there is one part in "oceans" that shows how much pollution is being spilled into the ocean everyday from us. you don't have to be an activist by any means, but i do encourage everyone to try a little harder. turn off the lights. throw your garbage in trash bins. ride your bike more. and pray that this thing gets fixed fast. this is our earth and it's our job to take care of it.
peace+love

1 mas semana

classes are OVER! (for a month anyway)
juries are OVER! i sang my sight singing perfectly in a minor key then realized, oops, it's in f major...

at the end of the day, these are the memories (good or bad) i'll take from my first semester as a t-bird:
-watching a snake pee on kira at the choir party
-climbing to the roofs of the buildings on main street--and carving our names
-my first sit-start (bouldering term)
-the 10 minute drive on a dirt road out to the highway after spraining my ankle
-walking to campus on crutches for 2 weeks
-my "unique" visiting teaching companion
-jen carrying me on her back to the 4th floor of our apartment complex...twice
-being reminded how hard adjusting is
-army crawling through guano in mammoth cave
-bawling in a voice lesson...i love my teacher, i really do
-nuns...dancing to "all the single ladies" (sorry, you can only see the video if we're friends on facebook)
-nearly wetting myself in the library when i saw the woman in black
-sleeps with weesha and kelsey
-our sad attempt at fishing in a waterhole...cow pies everywhere...really, bryce, there are fish in here?
-our billion attempts to fly a kite
-sneaking our glass bottles into the movie...we felt very criminal-like we were sneaking in alcohol.
-finally learning to do a headstand
-visits from mis padres
-falling in love at the orthopedic surgeon's office
-then having my heart broken...ya, he's married
-the compliments
-the insults
the hikes:
-the narrows
-angel's landing
-kanarraville falls
-timp at 2 a.m. we'll see how soon i feel up to that one again
-climbing twice a week until oct. 21

narrows pics i never posted

as you can clearly see,
cedar is a great place to be
just one thing could make it better...
a lot more snow and crappy weather!
peace+love

driving stats

between Nephi and Fillmore (the scariest part of the drive between NSL and Cedar):

91 remnants of blown-out tires/flat tires
3 dead deer
3 broken down cars

"i'm so glad it's not me"...the Blair Thumb
peace+love

doctor love

i finally went to an orthopedic surgeon for my ankle. the physician's assistant was the doctor that checked me out...(my ankle i mean)...he was very attractive, didn't have a ring, and had large biceps. he was being a little more flirty than most doctors are with me, but i thought, well maybe it's just my wishful thinking. then, this conversation...

dr. l-"cool shoes...where did you get those?"
me-"oh thanks, famous footwear. they're the only shoes i have that give me any support besides my running shoes."
dr. l-"besides your wedding shoes?!?!"
me-"no, my running shoes."
dr. l-"okay, i was going to say, i thought it said you were single on your info sheet."

but alas, he's probably too old for me...sigh...and i don't have a reason to go back because now i'm just doing physical therapy.
oh, but if i did...

a big hug to whoever get the movie reference in the post title...
peace+love

this is for you

thanks...
for carrying me to and from the car.
for being my spotters going up and down the stairs.
for buying me extra large socks.
for sitting in the hospital room with me and making me laugh.
for sitting in the waiting room and not acting too offended when i said i didn't want you with me.
for carrying my crutches down the stairs.
for carrying my backpack all the way to school and all the way home.
for pointing and laughing--it felt so refreshing amidst all the "what happened?"s.
for pulling a chair in front of my desk to put my foot up when you could tell i was in pain.
for carrying all my crap to the car.
for waiting on me hand and foot all weekend.
for being late to class so i wouldn't have to walk in by myself.
for getting my h dub for me when the lortab kept me asleep clear through class.
for walking me home from choir
for saying nice things about me.
for not hating me.
for opening doors for me.
for offering help.

sorry...
i can't do fun stuff for a while.
i was so darn grumpy.
i'm kind of high maintenance at the moment.
i'm so stubborn.
i can't dance right now.
i move slow.
i won't date you.
i moved.

i love you

peace+love

free falling

i bought these beauties on saturday...i was thrilled to try them out, so i insisted we go out to the wash today and climb...

i ignored the feeling in my gut--no lie, it said to my brain, "if you go climbing today, you'll go to school on crutches tomorrow"...new shoes, near-perfect weather- there was no way i was letting my unused shoes sit in the box one more day...

on my second attempt at my second problem i had made it as far as the third or fourth move...my right foot was in a great hole, and my left was pressured against the wall with my trusty "stealth" rubber. i was searching for a solid hold for my hands so i could shimmy to the right then complete the climb. i thought i had a good hold, but when i went to move my feet, i fell...i didn't think the fall would be that far. in reality it was only about 4 or 5 feet...but, the crash pad was a few inches away from the rock. the front of my left foot landed on the pad while the back half rolled onto the ground... [these are definitely not my legs, but the ankle bruising/swelling part is pretty darn similar]

one ruthless dirt road, the longest 25 minute drive of my life, and 3 x-rays later, alas, i will be going to school tomorrow on crutches

i've learned my lesson
is there a time you didn't listen to your gut and paid a price?
or did listen and avoided disaster?

an attempt at improvement

there are some things in life that are really easy...like brushing your teeth, tying your shoes, making your bed, or daydreaming.

there are some things in life that are really hard...like math, understanding shakespeare, getting out of bed early in the morning, or paying attention.

some of the hard things we bring upon ourselves.

like diets

diets are hard

they're especially made difficult when you have roommates that like to bake, are good at it, and like to share their creations

peace+love

wasatch your back

it has been an interesting last two weeks to say the least. tuesday while training i injured my foot. i discovered later that it was either a stress fracture or sprained metatarsol filangy joint (i'm sure i slaughtered that spelling) anyway, i was out of training for a bit--a week and a half before the wasatch back...dr. edwards (sarah's dad) put me on ibuprofen, but i never take pills so it made me really sick to my stomach. i had to quit the painkillers and just stay off my foot. i stayed off for a week then thursday (the day before the wasatch back) i decided i should run two miles to make sure my foot would hold out. well, before i went running i decided i would eat a granola bar that contained nuts and sunflower oil. stupid mistake. i did my two miles with no problem. on the way home i was coughing pretty bad and when i got in the shower i started to break out into hives. i sat there for at least 20 minutes just praying the itching and swelling would go away cause i really didn't feel like having an allergic reaction right then. it kept getting worse till i could feel my face swelling up, which has never happened before, so i thought it would be a good idea to get out and go to a doctor. i told my dad he needed to take me to the hospital...i found it hilariously ironic (after the fact) that he was mad at me the whole way to the hospital because i was having an allergic reaction...as if i could help it...(i just told him, you're the one that assisted in creating me so it's your fault i'm allergic-i didn't actually say that but had i been in a level state of mind i would have)...anyway, it turned out to be the worst case of anaphilactic shock i've ever had and the most traumatic of instacare visits of my life...3 SHOTS! painful ones too...i just laid there wishing i could die as the evil nurses stabbed me all too willingly with long, big, sharp, thick needles...then the nurse started flipping out cause my heart rate wouldn't get above 60 despite the adrenaline she stabbed into me. i had to explain to her that 60 is an increased heart rate for me or else she would have TRIED to stick an i.v. in me--but then things would have really gotten ugly (think hulk "you wouldn't like me when i'm angry" type of ugly). my eyes were still a little marlon brando-ish the rest of the night and my body was extremely worn, but i felt okay. however, instead of going right to bed when i got home from the hospital i went out and ended up getting about 4 hours of sleep that night.


i was runner 3 for the "homestar runners", so i ran 5.6, 4.9, and 5.1. the relay goes from logan to park city and covers almost 180 miles overall. the running part itself of course was fun, but half the fun is in the trip itself. let me just tell you i've always dreamed of being crammed in a van with 6 other people i barely know for over 24 hours with 2 1/2 hours of sleep, eating only granola bars and crackers, and smelling like we all just ran at least 15 miles...i won't say i loved every minute of it, but in all honesty i truly appreciate it now and would do it again in a heart beat. i know the 6 other van members a lot better now and they probably know me better than they ever wanted to.
leg 1 (3), 5.6 miles, 56 minutes- surprisingly, this was my slowest leg. i started around 1 p.m. so it was blistering hot outside and i hate drinking water while i run so i should have died of heat stroke. i ran through a rural area somewhere south of logan and past a lake i wished so badly i could jump in. i eventually started passing more houses with their sprinklers on and a little boy with a hose who happily sprayed me as i ran by. even though i went to the bathroom before i started i had to go again with one mile left. there was no way i could have held it for that long so i didn't even try. don't worry, i had a change of clothes waiting for me at the exchange.


leg 2 (15), 4.9 miles, 47 minutes- i started this leg a little before 10 p.m. after eating subway (which josh lost before running and i think everyone else wished they could have). for those who don't know me well, i am terrified of the dark so i was not really looking forward to being alone in a rural area with no street lights or signs of civilization except rapists and axe murderers...there were other runners on the road, but i passed two at the first and the rest were too far ahead of me to help any. i was too scared to watch the road so i pretty much ran the whole thing with my head up looking at the stars wishing i could just die...or fly to the end, that would be cool. anyway, when i crossed the exchange i ran straight to the porta-potty, sat down and started bawling. i think the mixture of fatigue physically and emotionally really got to me and i could have sat there for a good 30 minutes letting it all out but then i remembered my parents were out there so i should go talk to them..so 30 seconds later i put on a face and went to my team. they asked how it felt and i wasn't about to lie so i said "shit". that pretty much sums up that leg.


leg 3 (27), 5.1 miles, 45 minutes (PARENTAL DISCRETION ADVISED)- after our van finished our night time legs we drove to a jr. high where showers were available and wrestling mats for sleeping. it was probably one of the most refreshing showers i've ever taken in my life. when we walked into the gym with all of the wrestling mats where people were sleeping i felt like i had just walked into a refugee camp. there were tons of people snooring which i found kind of soothing and i was out like a light for 2 1/2 hours. then we had to get up and run our last legs. we started a little before 7 a.m. so luckily it wasn't too hot. before the race my stomache was doing its own thing probably cause i was nervous to see if i'd even be able to finish this leg in a decent amount of time. or at all. once i started though it didn't take too long to get into my groove and i was so excited to be finishing. this was definitly the funnest of all the legs. i felt like i paced myself well and i had a downhill which was so refreshing! i was in such a good mood throughout this leg so i was cheering everyone else on as i passed them or they passed me. i had a feeling i was going to have to pee during this leg, but i put in an honest effort to hold it in. i had about half a mile left and i kept thinking, i don't think i have any clean underwear left. then i thought, it won't be that bad to go commando (i know, way more info than you wanted), not to mention i don't think i'll be able to finish if i stop. when i crossed the exchange point i said, "well, there goes my last pair of underwear".


our team finished in about 28 hours and 45 minutes. i was surprised at how well i personally did considering the circumstances. i didn't even feel pain in my foot until the last leg which was truly a huge blessing. it took a few days before i could eat something solid without feeling sick and my hamstrings to loosen up (i just wish they looked how they felt), but i'm fully recovered now and ready to start training again for my next adventure.
peace+love