Sundance & Brighton

My weekend started on Thursday. A few of my friends have been volunteering up at the Sundance Film Festival and had a bunch of extra passes. So Thursday night we went to the midnight showing of Buried. It was literally 90 minutes of Ryan Reynolds...buried in a box! Sound boring? It wasn't! The cinematography was really well done but do not see it if you are at all claustrophobic.

The script and screen writers stayed for a Q&A session after the viewing. They were quite comical.

*****

On Friday a few friends and I headed up to Brighton because they had 2 for 1 passes. I decided to try snowboarding again. I hadn't strapped on a board for almost 6 years because the last time I did it resulted in a broken wrist. Hm. Lesson learned? Not quite. I figured instead of putting my hands out every time I ate it I would use the natural cushioning we are blessed with...well...somewhere in there my logic became faulty. Second run of the night I took a good fall, and as I remained, sprawled out in the snow, I realized that "cushioning" failed me. I knew I was done for, but I wasn't about to give up! I kept boarding but I became "that person," you know, the one who everybody on the run tries to avoid because a.) she is going soooo slow b.) she may or may not just stop unexpectedly c.) you cannot predict her next move. Anyways, regardless of my pain I had a blast being with friends and being out on the mountain, but I think I'll stick to skiing.

*****

Saturday morning (ok afternoon) rolled around and I slowly got out of bed. I convinced Monica to go up to Sundance with me cause once again my friends had some extra tickets. This time, The Company Men. It's so funny to just watch the crowds that go to the Film Festival- a.k.a. the rich people walking around in their furs and bling...wow.

lots to think about...

If all goes according to plan, I'll be done with my Bachelor's Degree in December. That is such a weird thought.

So what's next?

Within the next year I'll probably end up in either:

Salt Lake City

Seattle

Washington D.C.

I have no idea which one. Any thoughts?

Just another post.

This weekend was so fun. It included:

El Salvadorian food

Miniature golf

Denny's in Draper at 2 a.m. (story to come shortly)

Snow shoeing up to Stewart Falls (about 6 miles total)

Tim Tam Slams (just know that Australian cookies and hot chocolate are involved)

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So...let me explain.

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Denny's: A friend of mine needed to waste some gasoline (not something you experience often), but he needed work done on his car and the tank could be no more than half full. Naturally, some friends and I decided to help him out. So we took off late one night- no destination in mind- and half a tank of gas to waste. Problem- what is open in Utah past 9:00 p.m.? Nothing. Seeing as it was about midnight we chose the only option available...Denny's. Fine dining indeed. Anyone who has been to Denny's (especially at night) knows you always come away feeling...amazed. I know I did. This is why: We noticed a couple sitting several booths away from us. They were your typical Denny's frequenters enjoying a night out. They had a kid- a 3 year old girl. Something did not seem right with this situation. Perhaps it was the fact that a 3 year old was chillin at Denny's at 1:00 a.m.? No... maybe it was the fact that her parents were oblivious to her the whole time? Not quite. It was what she was doing (which her parents were oblivious to) that struck us as odd. She, a 3 year old child mind you, was DOWNING the sugar packets provided at each table. One after another, just opening her mouth and taking it all down! I'm almost positive she had a few salt packets in there too. The sugar was clearly taking affect and the girl was slightly crazed, now downing sugar even faster. When we walked by on our way out I saw the remnants of what appeared to be between 12-15 sugar packets littering the table and floor. How do you react to this?

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Anyways, on a different note, snow shoeing was a blast. I really have become addicted to it. Living in a cold place, such as Utah, during the winter months can make you go crazy UNLESS you take advantage of the snow! This is one of my new favorite ways.

A new found hobby...

Last weekend Amber asked if I wanted to go snow shoeing with a group of friends. I've never been before so naturally... I was all for it. We drove up to Big Cotton Wood Canyon, found a part of the mountain to climb on, and started hiking up. It was a decent incline but I was determined to get up high enough for a good view. There were only a couple of us that got up to the top of this cliff but it was worth it. Being night time we could see the star which was so peaceful to me. Coming down was the best though- I basically just fell/slid down the mountain. I will be doing this again very soon.

(Thank you Amby for the pictures!)

Home for the Holidays

I've really got to get on this blogging thing again...

Christmas 2009. Seattle.

The whole gang was home +1 new 8 month old addition. I must say it was a fantastic break full of relaxation, food and family. I caught up on plenty of tv shows and you tubes that will help me achieve nothing, aside from some good laughs.

I was the first to get in town and was able to see 'A Christmas Carol,' on stage with my parents for a work function. It was in the round, something I've never experienced before! I loved it despite the fact that Scrooge spit when he talked...a lot...

I met up with a couple friends and ate at a vegan bakery and rummaged around a vintage shop or two (can't find too many of those around Provo).

For the past, oh, 14 years my family has had the tradition of eating at the Space Needle for Christmas Eve dinner. We eat early so we can watch the sun set and all of the city lights come on. It's something that always look forward too! This year we had perfect weather. I had salmon. Being in the North West, I order seafood at any chance I get!

Here's the gang...

I'm pretty sure we started this tradition...maybe not...but it's been there as long as I can remember! Let me explain. The restaurant floor of the Space Needle rotates. Some kid had the bright idea to put a little note on the ledge of the window. Obviously, as the floor rotates, the notes get passed on for all of the other diners to enjoy. We always become close with others in the restaurant through a crayon and sticky note. Some typical messages that I've seen pass by:

"Anyone having the stuffed chicken?"

"I'd avoid the chicken, go for the steak..."

"All I want for Christmas is a boyfriend."

"I'm from Fiji! Where are you from?" A likely story...

Business cards...

You get the idea. There have been a couple years where the waiters try to keep a handle on the notes...usually with little success.

We get the same dessert every year. As a kid it was just the coolest thing...now it's just tradition. It's called the lunar orbiter. All it is, is a dish of ice cream, BUT it sits in a bigger dish which is full of dry ice and hot water.

The views are just hard to beat.

For the past couple of years I've started making crepes for breakfast on Christmas morning. yum.

We went on a ton of walks...trying not to let the Holidays (and the sugar that comes with them) get the best of us! Maria slept through most of them...

We rode a ferry through the Puget Sound to go visit some family. Ferries are always an exciting event...you just never know who (or what) you're going to encounter. Sometimes it's people with cotton balls safety-pinned to 90% of their clothing, others in cow costumes, having it stall like 20 yards from the landing dock, and occasionally you run into the bum sleeping on one of the benches.


Regardless you get to see some of the beautiful tree-covered islands that make up the Puget Sound.

New Year's was exciting. My brother and I drove around down town simply to people watch. We weren't dissapointed in the slightest.

On to 2010. Bring it on.