Last week i was riding Clark's Trail on my mtb. As i started up through the little s-turns before the bridge my ipod shuffled Gotan Project's "Queremos Paz" into place and i made my way through the switch backs with the chill accordian and argentine back beats. I noticed, however, that the song was amplified by another whole beat. "Wow!" i thought, "i've never noticed that," but then it occurred to me it was the cicadas in the scrub oak keeping perfect time to the Gotan Project. It was a perfect, beautiful combination.
Today i rode the Alpine Loop for the first time this season. Yesterday i went with a few other guys to pre-ride the Mt. Ogden course and my legs felt really flat on the North Ogden divide climb. Today, however, i felt much better. Best of all, however, is the scenery. Everytime i ride the Alpine loop i am amazed at the views. Beautiful! and it's nice that it's usually 10 degrees cooler than the valleys, and a lot of the climb is in the shade of the aspen trees. I get to ride this kind of stuff from my doorstep!! Can't beat that.
Pics my bro took last week on the same ride.
Sunday, July 6, 2008
Catching up!
Wow, it's been so long since i've written anything i forgot my username and password to log in. Good thing they have the "forgot your password" little link so i could look it all up.
So much has happened. First, i defended my dissertation and passed with minor revisions!
My committee all had to split right after i finished, so i didn't get a picture of everyone, but i did get a picture of myself sitting in my rental car outside of the 501 N. Park building.
lunch with my committee chair Sandy Dolby and my friend Danille,
the party house across the street from the Folklore Institute,
the raspberry chocolate tart thing i bought myself to celebrate,
and my lucky cufflinks i wore to the defense.
I was told by many friends and colleagues that the defense is rather anti-climatic. You spend all those years of work, and then you finish your defense, sign some papers, and that's it, you're done. They were right. The defense was good, my committee had good questions (and some odd questions), then they sent me out of the room. I left for about ten minutes, then they called me back and they congratulated me, we started signing papers, they told me what changes they'd like to see made, and that was it. I was done. One of my committee members had a plane to catch, another had another defense the next day, and so everyone left pretty quick and i walked out to my rental car, sat in the driver's seat watching the Indiana drizzle and thought "my plane isn't for another five hours, what now?"
Luckily i had made lunch plans with my friend Danille and Dr. Dolby joined us, but it was a bit anticlimatic. I still have to finish up my revisions, so i'm not official, but i am glad to be done!
So much has happened. First, i defended my dissertation and passed with minor revisions!
My committee all had to split right after i finished, so i didn't get a picture of everyone, but i did get a picture of myself sitting in my rental car outside of the 501 N. Park building.
lunch with my committee chair Sandy Dolby and my friend Danille,
the party house across the street from the Folklore Institute,
the raspberry chocolate tart thing i bought myself to celebrate,
and my lucky cufflinks i wore to the defense.
I was told by many friends and colleagues that the defense is rather anti-climatic. You spend all those years of work, and then you finish your defense, sign some papers, and that's it, you're done. They were right. The defense was good, my committee had good questions (and some odd questions), then they sent me out of the room. I left for about ten minutes, then they called me back and they congratulated me, we started signing papers, they told me what changes they'd like to see made, and that was it. I was done. One of my committee members had a plane to catch, another had another defense the next day, and so everyone left pretty quick and i walked out to my rental car, sat in the driver's seat watching the Indiana drizzle and thought "my plane isn't for another five hours, what now?"
Luckily i had made lunch plans with my friend Danille and Dr. Dolby joined us, but it was a bit anticlimatic. I still have to finish up my revisions, so i'm not official, but i am glad to be done!
Sunday, January 6, 2008
Tuesday, January 1, 2008
FINISHED!
My "drastic measures" worked. I finished! Here it is in all 245 pages of glory. I like to just look at the stack of papers.
Still have to defend and make revisions after i meet with my committee, but, mmmh, it feels good to be done.
I also finally got the hot tub fixed. the control board burnt out at the end of the summer, and it was stinking expensive to fix, so i didn't fix it right away. but now it's been wonderful hot tub weather with all the big storms. It's been especially nice after a 10 hr. day of writing.
Still have to defend and make revisions after i meet with my committee, but, mmmh, it feels good to be done.
I also finally got the hot tub fixed. the control board burnt out at the end of the summer, and it was stinking expensive to fix, so i didn't fix it right away. but now it's been wonderful hot tub weather with all the big storms. It's been especially nice after a 10 hr. day of writing.
Friday, December 21, 2007
clean, now some drastic measures
Seth was making fun of me today because i don't have my dissertation done. How can a guy who can barely write a full sentence say anything about how long it's taking me to finish. I mean, seth can't even spell, which raises a question i have been meaning to ask him: just what is a "disunctional brother"? Do you even know what unction means? I admire your attempt to use big words, but using them incorrecty makes you sound, well to put it simply, ignorant. What can you expect from a guy who makes his living drawing pictures.
Speaking of the dissertation, my house is finally clean. I even found a solution for the pile of bikes in my front room that was always a pain in the ass.
It took a good four days, but i have cleansed top to bottom, thrown out all the odd papers that have been accumulating, put away all the clutter that had been gathering dust (i realized i had some stuff in my front room that had been there since my parents moved last january--that's almost a year), organized files, swept, mopped, dusted, scrubbed, and vacummed and now i'm ready to start writing. Really!
I also have a plan to take care of my two biggest distractions. I am taking the following items and leaving them at my dad's house tomorrow:
Yes, my router. Without this, no internet, which means no easy distractions. It's amazing how "just checking my email" turns into 2 hrs. of watching youtube. I also often get distracted when i need to "look something up for my dissertation." Then i end up doing more research and reading and chasing articles that i think might be relevant for days, but i've solved that problem as well. I'll keep a little pad and pen right next to my laptop and whenever there's something i need to find or look up i'll write it down, and then once every day or two i can look up everything at once.
This is the key to my u-lock. I've still got a little more than a week until i start riding again, but i'm turning this key over to my dad until my dissertation is done.
i think this might motivate me. I'm sure i'll still find plenty of ways to procrastinate--i've got a stack of books i'd like to read, i'd like to go snowboarding or skiing with all the new snow, and i can always find other house projects--but starting tomorrow i'm in writing lockdown.
Speaking of the dissertation, my house is finally clean. I even found a solution for the pile of bikes in my front room that was always a pain in the ass.
It took a good four days, but i have cleansed top to bottom, thrown out all the odd papers that have been accumulating, put away all the clutter that had been gathering dust (i realized i had some stuff in my front room that had been there since my parents moved last january--that's almost a year), organized files, swept, mopped, dusted, scrubbed, and vacummed and now i'm ready to start writing. Really!
I also have a plan to take care of my two biggest distractions. I am taking the following items and leaving them at my dad's house tomorrow:
Yes, my router. Without this, no internet, which means no easy distractions. It's amazing how "just checking my email" turns into 2 hrs. of watching youtube. I also often get distracted when i need to "look something up for my dissertation." Then i end up doing more research and reading and chasing articles that i think might be relevant for days, but i've solved that problem as well. I'll keep a little pad and pen right next to my laptop and whenever there's something i need to find or look up i'll write it down, and then once every day or two i can look up everything at once.
This is the key to my u-lock. I've still got a little more than a week until i start riding again, but i'm turning this key over to my dad until my dissertation is done.
i think this might motivate me. I'm sure i'll still find plenty of ways to procrastinate--i've got a stack of books i'd like to read, i'd like to go snowboarding or skiing with all the new snow, and i can always find other house projects--but starting tomorrow i'm in writing lockdown.
Thursday, December 20, 2007
2 love poems (kind of)
drowning in the thoughts of could have been
could not be, but so much wanted
in the always better thoughts of what was
and what is now
love sinks my heart to the restless long
for what
i'm not really sure?
someone to sex
or maybe just lie next to
or maybe lie next to everynight
meaning someone to tell my secrets to
when the lights are out
and all else is done
___________
betweeen the covers of a new morning
slipped from yesterday
into tomorrow where lovers
pull tighter afraid of what might
come or has already started to
ebb and flow in the
ebb and flow of like lust love
and boredom
little really changes
could not be, but so much wanted
in the always better thoughts of what was
and what is now
love sinks my heart to the restless long
for what
i'm not really sure?
someone to sex
or maybe just lie next to
or maybe lie next to everynight
meaning someone to tell my secrets to
when the lights are out
and all else is done
___________
betweeen the covers of a new morning
slipped from yesterday
into tomorrow where lovers
pull tighter afraid of what might
come or has already started to
ebb and flow in the
ebb and flow of like lust love
and boredom
little really changes
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
2 poems
a vika
i sent a message
through water and darkness
i asked her to not be jealous,
to find you, to sit on your shoulder
and whisper my words in your ear.
i left your name for the waves to carry away
i thought it might make a difference,
but it didn't and all i can think of is
curry-stained tinfoil, torn bags, and empty plastic bottles
ugly and ubiquitous.
___________
@ Liahona
the Lamanites shot up the dance party.
No one knows where they got the piece,
but two people got hit and one had
to go to the hospital to have a bullet
removed from his knee.
In Zion
on the King's birthday someone
celebrated by shooting up a party.
Tevita wasn't as lucky as the people
@ Liahona. Just out of high school
and his family is preparing a putu.
In Cisco
democracy took a hit on HWY 101.
Purple and black are draped
around the homeland and
bodies are prepared for the return.
A policeman dies, suspicions rise,
and nothing seems adequate.
i sent a message
through water and darkness
i asked her to not be jealous,
to find you, to sit on your shoulder
and whisper my words in your ear.
i left your name for the waves to carry away
i thought it might make a difference,
but it didn't and all i can think of is
curry-stained tinfoil, torn bags, and empty plastic bottles
ugly and ubiquitous.
___________
@ Liahona
the Lamanites shot up the dance party.
No one knows where they got the piece,
but two people got hit and one had
to go to the hospital to have a bullet
removed from his knee.
In Zion
on the King's birthday someone
celebrated by shooting up a party.
Tevita wasn't as lucky as the people
@ Liahona. Just out of high school
and his family is preparing a putu.
In Cisco
democracy took a hit on HWY 101.
Purple and black are draped
around the homeland and
bodies are prepared for the return.
A policeman dies, suspicions rise,
and nothing seems adequate.
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