Oh, the summertime

It has been a while since I have written a post. The last two months of the semester were incredibly busy: RA selection, student government elections and budgets, Orientation leader training, hiring a new colleague, classwork... but as I often say 'better busy than bored!'

Everything went swimmingly. We have a great Residence Life staff for next year, hired an incredible individual for our Assistant Director position, the newbies in Student Government have fantastic ideas and I finished my first year of graduate school without a hitch! Life is good.

As much as I love being busy: my job, my classes... I also love summertime. Happiness is in the little things like a whole watermelon bought at the farmer's market, morning walks and reading books for pleasure on the patio.

Already, in the few weeks that I have been free from overwork and homework, I have been on a few adventures and have many more planned before the end of the summer! All the while working, here and there, preparing for the new school year.

We had a 'cinco de mustache' party, complete with a pinata, to celebrate the end of the school year. I must say that I look pretty good in a 'Magnum PI' full, brown mustache.

A group of my friends from undergrad journeyed down to wine country in Colorado where we stayed in a Chateau on a vineyard and wandered downtown through the Art & Jazz Festival.

A trip to the local Renaissance fair proved fascinating. The thespian in me was awestruck by the costumes and actual jousting. Quote of the day from a little girl standing in front of us... "He's a real knight riding a real horse really jousting! I feel like a real princess!"

Sundays have become hikedays for my friend Jess and me. Our first hike: the Living Room overlook in the foothills of Salt Lake. The view was breath-taking and the man-made rock chairs were pretty neat, too.

There are still many things to come.... River rafting the Colorado, road tripping to Yosemite, Redwood and Crater Lake, a NACA conference in Philly. In between all the trips I plan on enjoying the multitude of awesome things Salt Lake City has to offer in the summer... The Twilight Concert Series, Arts Festival, movies on the Capital lawn. Plus, I am interning with the University of Utah Union Programming Council! I am so excited to see activities as done by a large, public institution!

Until next time...

R.