2008

It started out hopeful with the theme "find a mate in 2008". Swing and a miss.

But a lot of great things did happen. Let's look at them by location, shall we?

Sierra Vista: maybe not the most exciting place to ring in the new year, but there's nothing better than being with T&T and their beautiful kids. This is when I first met my nephew Blake.

Provo: living in the basement of an old house with the Wood brothers. Just one thought and I can smell the rice brewing, feel the post-laundry water emptying from the washing machine onto my feet in the shower, and hear Mike's blues riffs on the guitar.

LDS Motion Picture Studio: being in BYU's experimental musical/movie "Berlin" soaked up half of my life winter semester, but it was worth it. I played the French foreign minister, with an accent ranging between Pepe Le Pue and the Pink Panther. I also played Rich Karnicak, an arrogant '50s movie star, in Whitney Donald's senior project film, "Best Wishes! Love, Adele".

Phoenix: visiting the nieces and nephew again. It was about time. Isn't it about time again?

Spring Term in Provo, not Moab: sitting in physical science 101 lectures and studying for the LSAT, and writing grant proposals for Romania. Luckily, I managed to make it to the rope swing a few times, go for some hikes, and even down to St. George on a short road trip with Miss Latimer.

Colorado: welcoming home Sister Wilkin, despite almost not making it due to running out of gas for the first time in my life, was a blast.

Nauvoo: six weeks of an intense experience that changed my life. Unfortunately, I lost my journal. Does that mean I have to go back and do it all over again?

New York City: for a whole twelve hours I wandered around The City and made mental plans of somehow making it back. 'Cause if I can make it there, well, I can make it just about anywhere.

Romania: though entirely too short of a trip, it was wonderful. Through all the roadblocks and technical problems, I still managed to get some incredible interviews.

BYU/Parkway Crossings/Conference Center: it's hard to tell where I spent most of my time these past few months. Living with Whitney's Dane, still teaching and studying at BYU, and driving to SLC almost every night for Savior of the World has all kind of blurred together. There are definitely some significant experiences that stand out against the hazy backdrop, but this past semester was quite a ride...

Some of 2008's tasks are spilling over into 2009 as a result (I still have a lot to work on to finish my documentary and my law school applications), but I am keeping my sanity by savoring every minute and persevering towards dreams that have long kept me awake at night (and by blowing money on a camera that I've always wanted...and a new snowboard) . One thing I have learned this past year is that life is a gift. An amazing, beautiful, sometimes twisted but always adventurous journey that is to be enjoyed.