Conquering my fears

I have lamented in past blogs how completely terrified of heights I am... but this past weekend I took one step towards conquering that fear.  In fact... I have done 2 amazing things in the last year that would have made my knees wobble not too long ago.

Last year I walked over a rope bridge in the rainforest in Ghana.  This bridge was above the canopy... the tallest trees in the forest.  I was scared all day and didn't think I was going to be able to make it across.  I did and it was so beautiful!  I'm so glad I was able to walk over that hurdle, even if  my legs were shaking in the beginning. 

I spent this past weekend in Chicago with my friend Emma (and saw my dad every now and then since we stayed with him while he was at his medical conference).  Among many fun sight seeing activities (strolling near Obama's old crib, Millenium Park, Shedd Aquarium, Navy Pier...) I was actually the one who suggested a trip to the top of Sears Tower (now known as Willis Tower).  Yes my friends, I suggested a trip to a building that held the record of tallest building in the world until 1996.  AND when we were 103 floors up, I actually stepped out onto the skydeck and looked straight down... some major courage on my part.

One wedding down... Three to go!

Yes, my friends, it is wedding season.  Being a college grad, along with all my friends, it is time to get married! (No worries- it is still a far away happening for myself!)  However, many of my nearest and dearest are getting ready to tie the knot!

This past weekend I was a bridesmaid for the wedding of Sarah and Howard Cordingly (formerly Sarah Fields).  Sarah and I were roommates our first semester of college.  We became fast friends! I remember meeting Howard for the first time (only a week or so after she met him) and thinking they were going to get married someday!  They met while Howard was on leave from the army, at the time stationed in Germany.  They talked on the phone everyday for almost a year, and she went to visit him for a European Christmas.  They have been living together ever since his return - very romantic.  

Their wedding was absolutely beautiful.  It took place at Hamilton's Restaurant up in Logan - it was set up beautifully and had delicious food after.  The ceremony was short- just the way I like it- but amazingly sweet.  There were amazing guitar players for both the ceremony and reception - I love guitar -  touching musicians and a blast to dance to.  We continued celebrating the rest of the day at Sarah's parents house with more awesome music and great food.  Sarah and Howard have some amazing friends that are great people and easy to get along with.  After this weekend, I am lucky enough to call them my friends as well!  Sarah was the PERFECT bride!  She was breathtakingly beautiful and amazingly calm and laid back.  The biggest congrats to them both with so much love!!!

The bride and her entourage!

Still to go... Camille and Cameron - a friend from the dance department, Diana and Tyler - my best friend, and Rachel and Nate - one of the few girls I can talk on the phone with for hours and spill just about everything to.  I'm so glad my loves have found love!!!

The wedding party!

REALLY good oatmeal cookies

My aunt Ellen makes THE BEST oatmeal cookies... and my cousin Jimmy makes them really well too!  Enjoy!

1 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup butter

1.5 teaspoons of vanilla

2 eggs

1.5 cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

A trick from Jimmy - dig in and mix it all up with your fingers!

Then bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.

YUM!!!

A night with the Utah JAZZ!

Megan, Me, Gina, Lisa after dance class with the Utah Jazz Dancers!

I spent my night taking the audition prep class for the Nu Skin Jazz Dancers- oh what a blast.  I can already feel my muscles getting sore!  Those that knew me before I became a modern dance major (discussing time, space, energy, dynamic change, symbolism, etc. ) know that I was quite the jazzerina.  Yes, most Friday nights I was at school with my poms pulling some cheesy dance moves.  But in the end... those were some of my favorite memories from high school (and gave me great opportunities - hello, New York - hello, London).  I had so so so much fun... just like I did tonight.

No, I am not auditioning to be a Utah Jazz dancer... come this Saturday I will be sporting a bridesmaids dress instead of a skimpy dance outfit (best friend's wedding trumps dance audition ANY day).  Tonight was all I needed.  As I was "free-styling" (dancing wildly with the music however you feel - no choreography), I really remembered how much I freaking LOVE dancing- and having Lisa, Megan, and Gina there helped with the loving, too!  This was one of the first dance classes, in four whole years, that I have taken without having to worry about a grade!  It felt so good.  BUT - as we were sitting down to the question and answer session after a high energy class I lost my enthusiasm.  Once they mentioned the 7 hours of rehearsals a week in addition to all the performances and appearances, I knew it wasn't time yet.  I love dancing - I really do - but I know if I go back to dancing and rehearsing even half as much as I was, I won't love dancing much longer.  (Not to mention a lot of being a Jazz Dancer is based on your look and body type rather then your actual dance skills, and while I can understand why that is, it still really bugs me...)  

Over the next year - or few years -  I know I will have to take a dance class every now and then to maintain my sanity, but I still think a break is very much needed.  I'm so excited for all the other possibilities that are opening up for me!!!  Yay life!

Me, in my high school cheesy jazz dancing days!

Ode to Merce Cunningham

Merce Cunningham passed away yesterday evening.  This is a pretty big deal in the dance world... Merce Cunningham was a big deal...   When I heard I took out my dance history books to read some tributes to Merce.  When looking up his name in the index, there are endless pages devoted to him, his work, his company, his technique, and his dancers- and rightfully so -he changed the world of modern dance.

A quick sum up:  Merce danced in the Martha Graham company (another dance great).  At that time dances were created with a narrative, a theme, a story, and a climax.  Merce had great technique and was an amazingly captivating performer.  He was the first to believe that a dance should and could just be about the dance - a story didn't have to accompany it.  He collaborated greatly with the musician John Cage.  Cage and Cunningham believed that music and dance did not have to be created for one another... in a sense a piece of music could be composed while a dance was being composed completely separately and they could still in the end work well together.  Cunningham also used chance to create works known as "chance dances."  In a sense movement was performed in the order it was drawn from a hat... sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn't, an amazing process no matter the result.  Ultimately, Cunningham's theories about dance lead to a greater exploration and appreciation of all the body is capable of.

I don't have a great gift for words or poetry- so I am not doing this "ode" justice... honestly I'm tired and ready for bed - but Cunningham is definitely on my mind...

Read more about Cunningham's life and contributions in this New York Times Article, Merce Cunningham, Dance Visionary, dies

New Belgium and other FoCo awesomeness

Today is my last day in my hometown of Fort Collins, Colorado!  I got to see some old friends from high school and I'm definitely remembering that Fort Collins isn't just a great city for the stuff that's in it, but also for the people there (and the people who consider it home even if they don't live there anymore).

Those that know me, know that I am not a big beer drinker (or really much of a drinker at all).  BUT when home I definitely take some time to enjoy some New Belgium - yes friends, Fat Tire is brewed just down the street from my house for your enjoyment! AND to make it even cooler (cause really being in FoCo makes it cool enough) the entire brewery is run on wind energy!

I got this picture off the Post Secret Blog...  Notice the Fort Collins, CO beer and wind energy!

This might help contribute to Fort Collins' most recent national ranking of 3rd smartest medium sized city in sustainability.  Check out The Fort Collins Blog  !

  

Just 3 years ago Money Magazine ranked us the best small city to live in.  (And we've moved from a "small" city to a "medium" city in just 3 years...)  Check out this clip from CNN on Fort Collins' first place ranking!

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I love Salt Lake City, but I always miss Fort Collins just a little... stop by for a visit!!!

A Trip Up Trail Ridge Road

We made it up Trail Ridge Road today in Rocky Mountain National Park.  It is the highest continuous, paved motor way in the United States.  It's closed most of the year (October through June) due to crazy amounts of snow.  It crosses the Continental Divide at an elevation of 10,758 feet and reaches its highest point at elevation 12,183 feet.  I don't mean to bash on the state of Utah because I love it there... but Utah's highest mountain peak, Kings Peak, is only 13, 520 feet - not quite equal to the fourteeners of the Colorado Rocky Mountains!

Me! at 12,000 feet! Trail Ridge Road - Rocky Mountain National Park

I mentioned after my last trip to Rocky Mountain National Park that I was too afraid to make the drive over Trail Ridge Road on my own (I'm sooooo afraid of heights), but the view is totally worth the fear and the shiver up your back that you get when you look over the edge.  LUCKILY, my aunt Ellen - also moving to FoCo - offered to drive for us ...  I had to switch which side of the car I was sitting on to move farthest away from the ledge.  I seriously need to do something to get over this fear.  There are some views I think I must be missing out on!

This does not accurately portray the scariness of the drive, but you get the idea.

Trail Ridge Road is covered in snow most of the year.  It takes you up past the treeline into the tundra where growth is limited due to extreme weather conditions.  In fact, there is still snow up there as of July 24th...

SNOW! July 24th Trail Ridge Road - Rocky Mountain National Park

I love Trail Ridge Road... and in spite of my complaints it is much safer (and less scary) then the Old Fall River Road which used to be the only way to travel through the park.  Old Fall River Road is still around... maybe, just maybe, when I'm feeling really brave, we'll catch those views.  If they are anything like what you see on Trail Ridge, it is definitely worth that drive!  Come to Colorado! See Rocky Mountain National Park!  It is so awesomely beautiful!!!