I Like to be in America

Happy Fourth of July! Some of my favorite summer memories stem from this holiday. From Firecracker tournaments when I was little, to Vail, SLC trips and dutch over cook outs...There are so many things that I love about this holiday.

Last night I went to a production of West Side Story at the SCERA theatre in Orem, Utah. During the song "America" I found myself feelings so grateful to live here.

In light of everything that has been going on in Iran, I am grateful to be in a country that is free of oppression, a country where as a woman I am free to pursue an education, a career, and pretty much anything I want. I don't mean to say that America is the only great place in the world, but I am very grateful for the freedoms we experience here. Being reminded that not everyone is able to live in a country where they are free from oppression humbles me and reminds me to be appreciative.

Also, if you're in the Provo/Orem area check out West Side Story. It runs until July 20th, and the girl who plays Maria was great!

Just When You Thought You Were Safe...

Ok guys, I was on my way to Walmart to pick up a gallon of milk when I saw a house down the street getting busted for prostitution. 

Well, there is a really good chance that it wasn't prostitution, but after reading about the "massage parlor" that was busted for prostitution in Lindon, Utah earlier this week I thought it was a pretty fair assumption. 

There were three cop cars and police offers standing in the yard, so I'm pretty sure they were just about to bust down the door right as I passed the house.

And I thought my neighborhood was safe. 

So there is a good chance that this was a product of my over active imagination, but still... Prostitution in Lindon. 

Here is a news article if you're interested. 

Just Around the Corner

Opening day is almost here. After what seems like an endless Spring Training it is almost officially baseball season!!!!!! (in case you can't tell by me six exclamation points, I'm really excited)

Now, I don't live close enough to a MLB team to actually experience opening day firsthand, but I will be watching it with joy in my heart!

There is something special about the fresh cut grass, the players in uniform in their home stadiums, 25-man rosters set, sun shining down on your skin while watching the greatest game.

I think I had an additional amount of excitement this season because I feel like I have been stuck inside and endless winter. The kind that hasn't risen above 60 or melted all the snow of the mountains. Well, forget the mountains, there is still snow in my backyard.

I just can't wait. I probably won't make it to an MLB game until the end of May when I get to head back to Denver for a jaunt at Coors Field, but I'll be at the BYU games, and hopefully I will find the time to see a few Bees games. Although, I might wait until I see who makes the opening day roster.

Opening day represents the beginning of summer, an end of all the March Madness and the warmpth of well... not winter.

Groundhog Day

It must be acknowledged in my blog that the Steelers have won the Super bowl. The biggest sporting even in America. That is all that I will say about if for now. 

I would like to turn my attention to the phenomena of Groundhog Day. 

First off, there is a kick-A movie about the strange holiday. It is one of my dad's favorite movies and it is always on TV. I used to despise watching it, but I find myself tuning into it whenever it is on now. It is funny how we tend to like things that remind us of our childhood, and that movie is just one of those things. 

Secondly, I think it is amazing of this ritual has survived over time. It isn't known exactly how the tradition began, but its current form originates from the early 1800's in Pennsylvania. I love how the tradition stands the test of time. 

I was just reading about about an American immigrant and I marveled at his home country's customs that carried over into his American life. From the food he ate, the company he kept and rights of passage that survived from his former life. As I read about this, I wondered what customs from my culture do I carry with me, there are many but Groundhog Day counts as one of them.

In 2008 14 different groundhogs predicted the fate of the cold winter.  Punxsutawney Phil is the  most famous groundhog and last year he predicted six more weeks on winter. While I realize that it is ludicrous to assume that a small animal can tell how longer winter is going to last, I distinctly remember media day with the Salt Lake Bees on April 1, when it had snowed so much the day before. In my mind a long winter was just the right assessment. 

So tomorrow morning a little groundhog will tell me whether or not I will not need to scrape the ice of my windshield every single morning from now until June. I am hoping that tomorrow is a cloudy day and Phil does not retreat to his burrow because I don't know how much more of the freezing cold winter I can take.