Thursday, November 27, 2008

Thoughts on a Thanksgiving Morning

It is hard not to think about everything that I am grateful for. I feel as though my cup runeth over. I have been blessed abundantly in so many ways.

I have such an amazing family! I am grateful that through all the craze, divorces and issues we have pulled through it all by relying on each other. Today it is just my mother and I, we are going over to a friends house after we finish baking all the pies. Justin and Brooke are in Logandale with Brooke's family and Jeff and Jenna are in Kalamazoo with Jenna's family. This is the first time that the three of us have been apart on Thanksgiving.

Not to give all the love to my two older brothers, but I am remarkably blessed to be so close to both sets of my parents, my aunts and uncles and all my cousins. I love spending time with all of them and miss them all like crazy when I'm in Utah.

I have to recognize my framily, you know my friends that have become my family. I really have the best friends in the world. I can't express how lucky I am to have so many wonderful friends who care about me. From Grey's to boats to breakups and marriages we have all been there for each other, through our highs and our lows.

I am grateful for the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave. Last night I got the opportunity to go to the Colorado Avalanche. During the National Anthem I found myself thinking about how grateful I am to the founding fathers who recognized the ideals and truths that have become the foundation of this Country. We might be going through some rocky times, but we will prevail.

I am grateful to be a woman. Not that there is anything wrong with men (well...). Women are powerful beyond anyone's expectations. I hope to retain my womanhood through all my endeavors in. I aspire to be like the strong women who have paved the way for me through the workplace, the political arena, in the home and in communities. I am grateful to those who had to sacrifice so much to design the path.

I am also really grateful to be able to watch my little brother Reggie grow up. I marvel at the world that he will experience, though only 14 years younger than me, his perspective will be remarkably different than mine. He is growing up in a post-9/11 society, he sees the bad with the good that at his age I never knew existed.

I am grateful to be educated. I really feel that knowledge is power. By gaining an education you better understand the world you live in and your place in it. I am especially grateful to be educated in an environment like BYU. I have been able to explore so many different subjects at the feet of brilliant minds, while getting a religious influence in my life as well.

I am grateful for my faith. It has shaped me and changed my heart in so many ways. I never imagined I would be the person that I am today.

There really is so much more that I am grateful for. Things that have shaped my life and things that are small and insignificant. I'm going to list a few without going into detail to spare you before you stop reading.

Sports (duh, did you really think I wouldn't mention that one), My car, Nordstrom, Diet Pepsi/Coke, Pie, Thanksgiving dinner, the recently lowered gas prices, Art, running shoes, airplanes, my work, the experience I had with the Salt Lake Bees and therefore the Angels, Boys who have hurt my heart or who's hearts I've hurt, communication tools, mentors, ugh...the Jazz (just because without them the Bees wouldn't exist J/K Hannah, Go Jazz!), Memories, movies and love!

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Brick Walls


Brick walls hurt.

I’ve never run into one, but I’m guessing it wouldn’t feel good.

Running into life’s brick walls hurt. I’ve done that.

“The brick walls are there for a reason. They’re not there to keep us out. The brick walls are there to give us a chance to show how badly we want something.”

I’ll climb over, sneak around or bust through.

How bad do you want it?

Sunday, November 23, 2008

To All You BYU Fans...

Well, that wasn't so pretty.

I sat in my office trying to get some homework done and watching the Holy War (because the next three weeks are going to kill me), but instead I couldn't focus on anything other than the game.

I was hopeful through the first three quarters, we were still in it.

Then the fourth quarter hit.

I am going to refrain from talking in detail my feelings about the end of the game, the team's performance and my overall feeling about our fans.

I want to represent my university and my department so I'm not going to publicly declare how much I don't like BYU fans. I'm not going to say that they are wretched, fair-weather fans who only wish to be affiliated with the team when they are doing something miraculous. I'm not going to talk about how the sold-out stadium is a mix of colors (when it should be all blue), and I'm not even going to mention the lack of signs, unruly behavior and true-blue fans.

I bleed blue. But like I said, I'm not going to mention my feelings.

I am going to lament the loss, but football is one small part of a bigger picture. I am going to support my Cougars, cheer them on in the Bowl game (even if the BCS system is crap). I'll be happy for the MWC, because in the end it will help BYU.

I'll Rise and Shout (even though as a member of press row I'm technically not allowed to cheer).

Anyone who knows me, knows I don't like the Red Sox. I don't like them because of all bandwago fans that jumped on in 2004 when they won the World Series.

I don't like Red Sox fans, but I respect their real fans, the ones who suffered through years and years of their team falling apart in the postseason. They made it through and two World Series titles later, saw their team develop into one of baseball's powerhouses.

I can't believe I am going to say this, but why can't BYU fans take a look at a die-hard fans and develop fanhood like that.

Your cheer for your team when they are up, and you mourn with them when they lose. You don't disown them.

Oh dang, Oakland is about to score. Gotta Go.

Monday, November 17, 2008

Friday Night Lights


Now I'm not a huge proponent of people who can't get out of the glory days of high school, but this post stands in tribute to my alma mater Douglas County High School and the school's quarterback and my cousin Eddie Williams.

During my days in High school our football team sucked. They never finished above .500 any of the years I was there.

But shortly after my high school departure in 2004, head coach Jeff Ketron managed to turn everything around. Ketron carried the team on his back during the rough years, but talent caught up with his schemes and DCHS managed to win a Colorado State Championship in 2005.

The winning continued, in 2006 they fell in the semi-finals to Mullen and in 2007 they went to the Championship game before falling to Grandview.

Last weekend I made the seven-hour drive to Fort Collins to see my cousin Eddie make his final high school championship run. The Huskies fell to Poudre (like poo-der) in the quarterfinals and Eddie had an emotional farewell to a game he has loved since he was a boy.

I loved watching Eddie play and I am sad to see his football career end, but happy that his four years in high school were filled with the football glory that makes high school so unique and fun.

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

I Could Tell From the Minute I Woke Up...

Hello World,

Please forgive me for not updating my blog for over an entire month. I've been trying to decide what direction to take this thing, and as I was deciding I got really distracted by this evil little thing called school.

Here is a brief update:

I have one semester of school left.

I'm applying to a number of internship programs for my first post-graduation year, I won't really know if I am leaving this little Provo town until I just before I leave.

If I don't get accepted, I'll stay with BYU Athletic Communications for another year, yeah more time in Provo but hey -- it's a job. Maybe I'll be back with the Bees too.

Anyway, I don't have much time so I will just leave you with a quick reminder of my excitement over David Price, the man's a stud. He can't help that he is just that talented. The Phillies may have won the world series, but everyone will remember the Rays of 2008.

Matt Holliday is to become a member of the Oakland A's. Smart move for the Rockies? I think so. They can get some pitching out of the deal and they move the all-star while they acquire something from him. I'll always be a Holliday fan. Do you think it was right?

I'm waiting for the Angels to sign Mark Teixeira. I think it would be the best free agent sign of their off-season. They exercised options on Valddy and Lackey, but they are still fitting the pieces together. It looks like they won't sign Garland, opening the fifth starter role to one of my boys out of Triple-A, I'm hoping they keep Loux in the bullpen and the starter spot goes to one of the Nick's (Adenhart or Green). It would be cool for Ortega, but I'm rooting for Salt'n peppa.

BYU is no longer a BCS buster, but what I think all the fans are forgetting is that Bronco is trying to establish a foundation for the program to return to greatness. This is only his fourth year as head coach and BYU is 9-1 right now. Stop complaining, because next year when the team is amazing y'all be back on the bandwagon.