relaxed diligence

Hawaii

2010-05-15T16:33:00.000-07:00

Exactly three weeks ago, I went to Hawaii for 11 days. I went by myself and met up with people I know going to BYU-Hawaii. My time there consisted of beaches, hiking, beaches, great food, beaches, dances, beaches, hanging out with friends, and beaches. Needless to say I got a good tan! I found a fantastic deal via Hawaiian Air (my whole air travel cost a total of $316). The pictures are various adventures throughout my tenure there...

Jumping Off a Bridge

2010-03-01T14:01:00.000-08:00

So I ended up bungee jumping off Navajo Bridge in Marble Canyon (next to the Grand Canyon) this past Saturday. It was a liberating experience, that's for sure. After having been skydiving and bungee jumping, I would have to say that bungee jumping is more thrilling, at least the jump I did was. The bridge was 467 ft from the water and the drop with the bungee is 430 ft. Nuts? Yeah, I know I am.

This is the full view (not me jumping)

This is my jump

The Past 6 Months

2010-02-16T00:15:00.000-08:00

As you may well know, I haven't posted for the past six months. It's not for lack of anything going on, quite the opposite. It's lack of time and, honestly, motivation to write it all down! So we'll do a month by month recount starting with August...

August: Started my LAST semester at BYU!!!
September: Had three med school interviews in Arizona and Kansas City.
October: Got accepted to Midwestern University in Arizona and KCUMB in Kansas City.
November: Applied for the Health Professions Scholarship through the Air Force. Turned 24.
December: Graduated from BYU in Physiology and Developmental Biology with a minor in Chinese!!! Spent Christmas will all 27 members of my family. Found out I was selected by the Air Force for the Health Profession Scholarship. Busy month...
January: Get a bachelors and work at a grocery store... don't worry I set my sights high. (I really like my job and thoroughly enjoy some of the people I work with. I only needed a job for five months or so so it was crazy for me to try and find a new one. I'm not trying to justify anything but it makes me laugh to think about it nonetheless.)
February: Commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in the Air Force. They came to my parents' home so my terminally ill father could participate. It really meant a lot to him, my family, and me.
Soon to Come: I'm bungee jumping from the Navajo bridge into the Grand Canyon! Height of bridge- 400 ft. + Length of bungee rope - 200 ft = 1 freaky free fall

Overall, I've had a lot of fun and continue to do so. Here are some pictures to help visualize!

Happenings

2009-08-13T00:59:00.000-07:00

Breathe... I know it's startling, but I am actually posting something again. I figured I would give a quick update so people know I'm not dead. The summer is almost over again (double sigh) but I have been busy. I did school during the spring term and finally had a break (after two years!) I have taken the MCAT (Medical College Application Test) and did all right on it and am in the process of completing my secondary applications for med school (I'm done with the primaries and have applied to 20 schools total). I graduate in December and since there are no ceremonies then I am walking in a couple days! I have been working a ton at Macey's Grocery Store as a supervisor during the days and evenings and still have my Friday night graveyard. As for the fun, I went to Arizona for a week, went and did service at an orphanage in Mexico a few days later, went to a Kenny Chesney concert, went hiking with Tricia, and enjoyed time with friends and family. I have tried a series of new cookies from the Mrs. Fields cookbook but none of them were very good except the Jessica's Marshmallow Cloud recipe. Chocolate cookie with chocolate chips and marshmallow baked right in. So good. Click here for the recipe. I did 350* instead of 325*. I'll be sure to get a picture in a cap and gown and then I'll post some pictures!

Happy Pi Day!

2009-03-16T20:43:00.000-07:00

Every March, there is the math nerd's dream holiday: March 14 = 3.14 = circumference/diameter = π = pi = an excuse to celebrate. There was an apartment in my complex who was having a pi party and asked if I would be able to make a pie. I was excited to try since I had never made a pie before. I ended up making three different pies: sweet potato pie, chocolate tart with a ganache and fresh raspberries, and a Tarte Alsacienne, a caramelized apple pie with a custard. The latter two recipes I got from a friend I met in the MTC who's a gourmet pastry chef in California and has even been on TV before (Thanks Sara!). My favorite was the Chocolate Tart. Hope you fellow math nerds out there will be able to celebrate with me next year in approximately 362 days 1 hour and 43 minutes... (sometimes I wonder why I don't have glasses)

Chocolate Tart

Tarte Alsacienne

Spandex Man

2009-03-05T09:32:00.001-08:00

Last week I went to a birthday party and it was super hero themed. The super heroes did not necessarily have to be real so I came up with Spandex Man. I definitely turned a few heads...

Shout Out to Elizabeth

2009-02-04T16:58:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday Elizabeth!!! Hope you have a fabulous day!

A Little Home Making

2009-01-14T21:26:00.000-08:00

The Reason:

The Result:

The Aftermath:

So my mom bought a new Kitchen Aid Mixer on Black Friday and her old one went to me! I have been baking a lot at my apartment and the bowl and wooden spoon were not cutting it. I was ecstatic to inherit the old one but there was just one problem: the 70s puke yellow. SO, I decided I was going to sew a cover for it. I am not a sew-er (I almost put sewer!), other than the windsock I made in 7th grade, so it was a big thing for me. A couple of cut up Asian pillow covers and two hours later, we see the results. I was happy with how it turned out. The aftermath tasted good too!

Pre-Halloween Party

2008-10-31T00:33:00.000-07:00

So I get home from doing the open lab for anatomy at around 8:00 on Monday night and there was a ward Halloween party going down that started at 7:00. I didn't think there was enough time to change into a costume so I was going to just show up how I was and be the World's Biggest Nerd. But surprisingly enough everyone in my ward was festive and had a costume and me not wearing one was not going to fly. So this is the result of a spandex shirt, shorts, sock boots, a pumpkin, and 10 minutes:

Summer Days... Are Over... Sigh...

2008-10-13T22:47:00.000-07:00

It's been awhile again but life comes at you so fast that some of the not so important things take a back seat... (not that blogging isn't important, just not a priority). So I finished out the rest of my summer with school which I was more than happy to be over with and then I took a vacation. In the two weeks I had off from the end of the summer term to the beginning of the fall semester, I climbed Mount Timpanogos, partied it up in LA (including Disneyland, Kayaking, the Beach, cool places to eat, etc.), and made my usual visit to Arizona. Since then I have moved out, been in school a month and a half, and sleep even less than I did before. I'm enjoying life and can't believe how quickly it goes by. Here are some pictures of my adventures during the last part of summer:

Finally!

2008-07-23T22:07:00.000-07:00

I know. I know. It's been over two months. It's not that I haven't had anything to blog about but there are multiple reasons (excuses) for not posting. Mostly I don't have pictures to show my adventures and my writing about them can't be near as enjoyable as seeing them. Oh well. Hear it goes anyways:

A quick run through on my summer: School and work has been keeping me busy. School in the summer! I know. I'm crazy. I would very much enjoy a break but things had to get done so here I am being crazy. I have been able to do some pretty fun things, though, which include hiking in Zions National park, a trip to Idaho, a trip to Arizona, hiking with Tricia in Little Cotton Wood Canyon, a bouquet of weddings (No joke. There was one week I went to five wedding receptions. Three in one night. And the best part of it was I had a soccer game after that. I am proud to say I had completely changed from the nice clothes to my soccer clothes while going from the last reception to the soccer game before I hit the freeway. Good thing there was no high trucks driving by ;) ), and not to mention all my random adventures with my friends.

About weddings, I swear every reception I went to someone asked me when it was my turn. It doesn't bother me at all but I think to myself, "I'm only 22 years old. I'm way too young to get married." Then I see people younger than me getting married and already making babies. Crazy!! Totally not ready I guess. I don't balance my life very well because school and work pretty much sum it all up. But I have been on two dates this summer so watch out... =)

(One of the last least 10 receptions I went to.)

100 Things You Didn't Want to Know About Me

2008-05-19T20:24:00.000-07:00

So after not posting anything for over a month and really enjoying getting to know the cousins better, I decided to take the 100 things challenge. Hopefully it doesn't bore you and you can learn a little more about me:

1. I am one of the most blunt people you will ever meet. Those awkward things that everyone is thinking but no one says, I say. This is an attribute learned and perfected from my sister Elizabeth.
2. I am an extremely social person, probably the most in my family. I enjoy time alone but more often than not I would rather be doing something with friends.
3. I need less sleep than the average person.
4. I have stayed up 36+ hours straight multiple times in my life.
5. I would rather read a book than watch TV any day.
6. I have a Taiwanese mother who bought me a house and put me in her will.
7. I want to go to medical school and be a doctor, specifically a heart surgeon.
8. I have not been on a date since July of 2007.
9. I have ten hymns memorized. I can't play them any other way.
10. I am OCD about light switches. If they are off the switch needs to be down, if they are on the switches need to be up. This is usually only a problem with lights that have more than one switch.
11. I am also OCD about the toilet paper roll. When in the dispenser, it needs to be overhand, not underhand.
12. I am majoring in Physiology and Developmental Biology and should graduate in December of 2009.
13. I am minoring in Chinese and in Chemistry.
14. In fourth grade I was told that I was talented but not gifted.
15. I never had training wheels on my bike.
16. I do not have a lot of patience with little kids but I am learning more from my nieces and nephews.
17. I can do the splits.
18. I get my haircut every two weeks (thanks Mom!)
19. I am a slow test taker.
20. I have been skydiving before. Biggest out of body experience ever!
21. I am an avid movie watcher.
22. I am the youngest grandchild on both sides of the family.
23. I feel much better after I run.
24. I always wear sandals when I am in the house.
25. My favorite cereal is Raisin Bran. It has to be name brand, though, because the generic tastes like dog food.
26. I once had a turtle named Lurch.
27. In junior high, if I didn't get a 100% or above on a test, I had failed it.
28. I have good self-esteem but a very negative view on my personal performance. Hence some unhealthy perfectionist tendencies. (See #27)
29. The idea of getting married now frightens me.
30. I enjoy baking, especially cookies and brownies.
31. I work graveyard shifts three nights a week on the freight crew at Macey's Grocery store.
32. Because of the previous fact, I can't sit still for too long without falling asleep.
33. I almost never remember my dreams.
34. When I was ten, I wanted to be a paleontologist.
35. When I was a senior in high school, I did an internship in the Pathology Lab and Operating Room of a local hospital.
36. When getting a shot, I have to watch the needle go in.
37. I went on a three day hike in Sichuan, China, 7 months before the 7.9 earthquake hit.
38. I used to be the pickiest eater in my family but not any more. That title goes to Becky then probably Tricia.
39. As little as I care for watching TV, I do love The Office.
40. I am more critical than I like to and ought to be.
41. I am an impulsive buyer.
42. I love it when it is dark and rainy with lots of thunder and lightning.
43. I am attracted to girls with straight, white teeth.
44. I am currently reading the Chronicles of Narnia series.
45. I took French for four years and now can hardly speak a lick.
46. I have played soccer since I was 5.
47. We once had a dog named Max who was almost like the 9th child in my family.
48. Even though there is quite a range in age with my older siblings, I know them all very well and have a close relationship with them.
49. I have had the same email for the past 11 years.
50. 50 down, 50 to go.
51. I have 5 nephews and 3 nieces and one on the way.
52. I want to have 5 children of my own.
53. One of my goals is to run a marathon without training for it.
54. My friends that are girls and my sisters have always been very open with me. Nothing you can say will take me by surprise.
55. I am in a racquetball class right now but I'm not very good.
56. I don't really hold grudges.
57. I usually laugh at my own jokes.
58. I have always wanted to travel to Europe and Africa.
59. In 7th grade, I memorized 150 digits after the 3 in pi (3.14...).
60. In 9th grade, I ran a 4:56 mile.
61. I love it when people play with hair.
62. I am a huge fan of professional style massages. Well, all massages in fact.
63. My favorite movies include The Count of Monte Cristo, The Lord of the Rings, Pirates of the Caribbean, and The Bourne Series.
64. My favorite books include Dragonlance: Chronicles, Harry Potter, and The Count of Monte Cristo.
65. My least favorite food is onions. They are the fruit of the devil.
66. I do not like most sauces so I usually eat my fast food hamburgers dry.
67. I am a pro at driving with my knees.
68. I haven't thrown up in over 6 years.
69. I am not a good artist. I appreciate those that are.
70. I graduated at the top of my class in high school.
71. I prefer dry climates to wet climates.
72. I have never had a birthday party.
73. I have always wanted to take a yoga class.
74. I think that Audrey Hepburn is one of the prettiest actresses ever.
75. I have zip lined off the Great Wall of China.
76. I used to own an electric bike. It was awesome.
77. My favorite holidays are Thanksgiving and Christmas. It's when more family is together than usual AND no school.
78. I have a hard time getting into politics.
79. I saw Wicked at the Gershwin Theatre in New York. Best Broadway Show ever.
80. My favorite music includes Josh Groban, Evanescence, All-American Rejects, Celine Dion, and a plethora of other artists/songs.
81. When touching my toes, the only thing keeping me from going farther is that my stomach and chest are already touching my legs.
82. My favorite foods are steak and ice cream. Not together. And I guess any other sweets.
83. My mission was the most difficult thing I have ever done.
84. I remember the most random facts about people. They probably think I am stalking them.
85. I usually talk quietly even when I think I am yelling at people.
86. I stopped growing in 9th grade.
87. I keep my parents young. =)
88. I can't stand fake people. Real is the only way to go.
89. I have eaten pigs feet soup and stinky tofu. It's as bad as it sounds.
90. I thoroughly enjoy hiking and other similar outdoor activities.
91. I received my Associates Degree in Science at UVSC in December of 2003.
92. Hot baths are divine.
93. I still look like I'm 16. I could totally pass as a high school student.
94. I love getting mail that is not a credit card offer or bank statement.
95. I truly believe half the people on the road should have their driver's license revoked.
96. If it takes me more than a couple minutes to fall asleep when I go to bed, it's an unusual night (or day if I worked the night before).
97. Milky Way and Twix bars are my favorite candy bars.
98. Chocolate is one of God's tender mercies.
99. My favorite soda is Dr. Pepper/Mr. Pibb. It tastes so good!
100. I completed this in only two days. It may mean I'm self-centered. =)

That's probably more than you ever needed to know (or wanted to know, for that matter). Hope it wasn't too boring. It is a fun thing to do but not easy. I would challenge those who haven't done it to do it but especially my siblings Becky, Elizabeth, and Tricia.

Human Anatomy

2008-04-17T16:40:00.000-07:00

Two posts in a day... I'm on a roll:
This semester I have taken Human Anatomy and I absolutely love this class. There is a lecture portion where you learn about body systems and there is a lab portion where you actually study cadavers and learn the specific structures. It was kind of weird at first to study dead bodies but after a few times, it was just cool. I loved it so much that I wanted to be an Anatomy Lab TA so I filled out an application and had a mock-teaching interview yesterday and decided to teach briefly about the male reproductive system. I started out with the testes and asked why they needed to be away from the body. A girl answered, "For temperature control." I said, "Right. If the sperm are too hot, they die. If they are too cold, they die. They are kind of testy...." I came up with that right off the top of my head. If I had planned that out, it would have been stupid and cheesy but it was hilarious. I got one of the TA positions; I am super excited!!!

Tag! You're it!

2008-04-17T15:00:00.001-07:00

I felt so honored that Angie tagged me that I couldn't resist =)

1. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? Daniel, as in the Lion's Den, and William, for my mother's father

2. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED? I'll just go ahead and leave this one blank... the answer would be embarrassing
3. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? When I take time to write it out, I actually do, but if not, no
4. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT? Ham
5. DO YOU HAVE KIDS? Not that I know of
6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? Truth be told...maybe
7. DO YOU USE SARCASM A LOT? Probably
8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? Yes
9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? Oh yeah! I went skydiving with Elizabeth before and that was AWESOME!! But unfortunately I have never been bungee jumping
10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL? I like a myriad of cereals but my absolute favorite is probably Raisin Bran (it has to be Post or Kellogg's, the generic brands taste like dog food)
11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? Yes
12. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG? It all depends on the frame of reference: in comparison to a baby, yes, in comparison to my brother Ben, no
13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM? Chocolate Midnight Madness: Butter caramel chocolate ice cream swirled with butter fudge and sprinkled with cake pieces (no I did not look that up, and ...I know, I'm pathetic)
14. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE? Tricia hit it on the head... smile and teeth.
15. RED OR PINK? neither
16. WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF? The way I occasionally prejudge people.
17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST? My family in Arizona I don't see very often.
19. WHAT COLOR PANTS AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING? Blue Adidas workout pants and white Adidas foam sandals
20. WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU ATE? Honey nut Cheerios
21. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? The soft hum of the computer
22. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? Forest green... for reasons I don't know
23. FAVORITE SMELLS? Worcestershire sauce, Mint
24. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE? My friend James
25. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON WHO TAGGED YOU? Yep
26. FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH? Sports are boring to watch; they are much more fun to play.
27. HAIR COLOR? Dirty blond, light brown
28. EYE COLOR? A mixture of blue, gray, and green. It depends what I'm wearing.
29. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? nope, but there was one time I spent an hour trying to get a colored one in my eye
30. FAVORITE FOOD? Steak and ice cream and a lot of desserts
31. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS? Happy endings... I don't get scary movies.
32. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED? Nacho Libre
33. WHAT COLOUR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING? Gray
34. SUMMER OR WINTER? Both. I love the winter and the snow but I definitely like the changing seasons
35. HUGS OR KISSES? Wouldn't you like to know?
36. FAVORITE DESSERT? Cookies, brownies, Mud Pie, Better than Sex Cake, etc... the list goes on
39. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW? I just finished the book I was reading and I am moving on to the Chronicles of Narnia, which I have never read before
40. WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD? Laptop
41. WHAT DID YOU WATCH ON T.V. LAST NIGHT? I don't do TV
42. FAVORITE MUSIC? The All-American Rejects, Plain White T's, Lifehouse, Josh Groban, Celine Dion, Evanescence, Wicked, Hairspray, pretty much anything that isn't hard rap or heavy metal
43. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES? Beatles
44. WHAT IS THE FURTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME? Western China, close to Tibet
45. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT? I can do the splits

I tag Amy Hall, Audrey, and Allie... and anyone else who is bored.

Hare Krishna! Holi!

2008-03-30T22:34:00.000-07:00

So there is this Hare Krishna temple in Spanish Fork and every year they have the Festival of Colors in order to celebrate the coming of Spring (some Spring! We had 3 to 4 inches of snow today!). There is a bunch of singing and dancing and at one point, in this outside courtyard where there are more than 1000 people, everyone starts throwing colored powder at each other and it's just a huge mess. I haven't had this much fun in a long time! These are the toned down pictures after I had shaken off a lot of it.

Runners: On Your Mark....Set....BANG!

2008-03-23T21:27:00.000-07:00

Four years ago, before I went on my mission, I coached the distance runners for the Junior High track team. A few weeks ago I went on a run and thought to myself, "I really miss coaching track." So I said to myself, "Self, you should go see if they need help this season." Having congratulated myself with the excellent two-way communication between me and myself, we went to the head track coach and asked if they needed any help with the distance runners this year. They did, so I get to go to track practice everyday and help out. It's nice to be doing something worthwhile...not that school isn't, just something else.

A Lot-o-Hot Air

2008-02-25T17:36:00.000-08:00

I was looking at scholarship applications and I came across this one with the following prompt:
In 500 words or less describe one major event that you feel has disrupted the natural flow of nature. The following is my submitted essay to said topic:

The one major event that has been key in the disruption of the natural flow of nature can be summed up in two words: bovine flatulence. The methane produced by the aforementioned bovine flatulence has had detrimental effects on the atmosphere throughout the world. The increased methane levels have depleted the ozone, which have not only subjected the world’s population to harmful UV radiation, but have also exponentially increased the damaging effects of global warming. Global warming is the main reason why the natural flow of nature has been shunted; the earth’s biological body is running a fever and will continue in such a path until it dies or until we make a difference. There are numerous ways we can decrease the levels of bovine flatulence in our atmosphere. The most manageable solution is to try and curb humans’, especially Americans’, insatiable desire for beef. By so doing, it will drastically reduce the number of cows; hence less bovine flatulence. Making everyone become a vegetarian or a vegan, my preferred choice, is both too idealistic and inconceivable. We can make a difference, one steak at a time.

Stress...

2008-02-15T20:56:00.000-08:00

Well, it has been quite the week. From Wednesday of last week till Wednesday of this week I had 5 midterms and 1 essay. I did really well on 4 of them but bombed the last one, I think I had already had enough. So when got home today, I took a nap for about 6 hours to unwind... I think it worked!

Before and After

2008-01-19T13:54:00.000-08:00

So while I was in China I didn't cut my hair; which, in fact, was a big deal for me since I usually get my hair cut every two or three weeks (thanks Mom!). So I was going on five months without cutting the top of my hair and after looking at Carol's post about Brandon's haircut, I decided it was about time to cut it again. Here is the before and after:

Before:

After:

(don't pay attention to the ugliness of the person, just the change in the hair)

Back Home!!!!

2008-01-12T15:27:00.000-08:00

After four months of doing a semester abroad in Mainland China, I am finally back in the US of A!! Let me just tell you how much I absolutely loved my experience in China. As you have seen in previous posts, I went all over and saw a bunch of crazy different things. I enjoyed all of it: the trips, the schooling, the everyday life, the friends, the teachers, the culture, the prices (it's so cheap!!!!), the modes of traveling (now that I am home I can confess that I bought an electric bike while I was there; it was the awesome (I couldn't tell you earlier because my mom would have freaked out)), the purchases... It was perfect; the timing, the experience, everything, just perfect. Tricia and Elizabeth's sister-in-law, Amy, came and picked me up at the end and we traveled through mainland, Hong Kong, and Taiwan (all very different places) for a little under three weeks. For being together for 24 hours a day for three weeks, we got along exceptionally well and I would travel with them again in a heart beat. While going about, we heard a lot about Tricia and Jon (she's so in love and it's fun to see her so happy). We got home on New Year's Eve and have been enjoying the comforts it entails ever since (dryers, mattresses, central heating, cars, homemade cooking, etc). I'm not going to paste many pictures of our trip. If you want to see them go look on Amy Hall's blog on my blog list.

One of my favorite parts of our trip was going back to the Great Wall. We went to a different part of it. We hiked it for 5 miles and zip lined off it at the end of the hike. I also loved Hong Kong. It was so different the mainland. It is modern, mostly clean, and full of parks.

We spent Christmas at Disneyland Hong Kong; it was great. They had Christmas carols throughout the streets all day long. It actually felt like Christmas. I also enjoyed going back to my mission in Taiwan. It was great to see people and just be back.

Winding Down

2007-12-05T03:33:00.000-08:00

My class went on our last field trip a couple of weeks ago. It was nice to get out and walk around in the trees. My friends decided to use a straight iron to straighten my hair and I liked it so much that I went to a salon and put permanent straightener in my hair. What do you think?

Just us walking around the place.

This stone pagoda and the sculpture on it are over 1,400 years old. It's crazy how detailed it still is.

Here is some more scenery and me with my straight hair.

Weekend in Shanghai

2007-11-11T06:44:00.000-08:00

I know it seems like all I do is go on vacation, and well, it is. :) To take a break from vacationing, I go to class. This weekend's adventure with my class was to Suzhou and Shanghai. On Friday, we went to gardens and a silk factory in Suzhou for part of the day and continued on till Shanghai for the rest of the weekend. It wasn't really a strictly planned vacation so we were free to do what we wanted the whole time. The best part was when we all took a little cruise boat tour in the harbor and you can see all the new and jazzy buildings in Shanghai. This is the last trip we had a class so we'll have to see what else my friends and I can plan before we go back to the US.

This is Suzhou gardens with a Pagoda and me with my Chinese "MOM", Professor Zhou.

This is still Suzhou and the silk worm cocoons which actually what silk comes from. 7,000 cocoons make 1 silk blanket.

This is Shanghai with all the lights. My friends Ray, Bethany, and Hannah (middle).

This is one of the coolest buildings in Shanghai.

Ten Days Trip

2007-11-04T05:44:00.001-08:00

Part of the Study Abroad to China includes a ten-day trip touring China in the middle of the two blocks. We left on October 21 and we got back on October 31. It was sooooo much fun. We saw tons but it was not overwhelming. There was a excellent balance of culture and recreation; you can only see so many different Buddhist temples before they start to look the same. We first went to a city called Luo Yang and saw a famous temple where they study martial arts. We saw people throw nails through glass and amazing acrobatics. We also went to Xi'an and saw the Terra-cotta warriors. They are 2,200 years old. Our country's history has nothing to compare. We also went to Beijing where we saw Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, Summer Palace, Temple of Heaven, Ming Tombs, the Great Wall, and some amazing shopping. Here are the pictures of our adventure: (The first couple are before the trip. Our turtle, Enrique, and a visit to a culture village.)

The left picture was when I went into a big bubble and rolled around on top of a lake. It was super fun but really tiring.

The right is an embarrassing picture of me when I dressed up for Salsa dancing. Trip: The other two pictures are of the Long Men Caves. They are Buddhist caves that are over 1500 years old.

More ancient Buudhas, my first attempt at a French braid, and my tandem bicycle experience on the top of the Xi'an city wall (100's of years old).

These are the Terra-cotta warriors. They are over 2200 years old. They were originally painted and each held a different weapon. Their purpose was to guard the emperor's reign after his death. They have found over 6,000 warriors to date.

This is a room of stone tablets that have Confucius' writings on them some 600 years old. The dinner-dance show had some crazy looking dumplings and some interesting dances.

Tiananmen Square and the scenes from the Forbidden City.

Our retreat at Hard Rock Cafe Beijing, our friends with similar hats at the summer palace and my adventure on a dragon boat.

This is the inside of the Temple of Heaven where the Emperor would go twice a year and communicate with God. The others are pictures of the Great Wall with the autumn colors.

More pictures of the Great Wall.

You can kind of see how steep it is and this is my friend Bethany.

Excursion to Sichuan

2007-10-07T07:02:00.000-07:00

This past week was the Chinese National Holiday, so pretty much everyone in China had the week off. We decided before that a group of 9 of us were going to take a train to the Sichuan province, the province next to Tibet, so across China. It was a 36 hour train ride but, basically, it was awesome. On the train ride there we had a dance party with the 50+ year old older women in the aisle of the train. We had them jumping around and waving their hands in the air to Michael Jackson, Britney Spears, Enrique Iglesias, and Queen. It got kind of awkward when the ringleader of the old women started spooning me while we were dancing with them (it was a tight space). Once we actually got to Sichuan we went to a place called E Mei Shan. We went hiking there for three days, which hiking in China means stairs. We climbed an altitude of 8,800 ft while hiking the stairs and then went back down. The two nights on the mountain we stayed in Buddhist Monasteries. When we woke up at the first one there was a clan of monkeys taking over the place. Two monkeys climbed on one of the girls in our group and pantsed her. It was pretty cool. After the hiking and many sores muscles, we went back to the city, got stinking cheap massages (not quality but price ($1.50 for 50 minutes)), and had some famous spicy food (Sichuan is famous for having some of the spiciest food in the world). It numbed your mouth as soon it was in there; a weird sensation to say the least. The last day we went to the Panda Reserve; Pandas are only native to the Sichuan Province in China. That night we got on the train and came home. Sorry this was a long post but a lot happened. These are the pictures of my excursion:

There was a shortage of beds on the train so Ray and I had to share...It was tight! This is the calm part of the trail and me with my pancho.

Most of the hike we were in the clouds so we saw the "cloud seas" the entire time. These are those monkeys.

These are our humble accommodations in the Buddhist Monasteries. The sun finally broke through the clouds and the trees near the top.

The giant golden Buddha at the top of the mountain. The view from the top.

The waterfall, stream area we found on the way down. The splash I made after jumping off the rock into the pool and a random picture.

The pandas going to town on the bamboo and me advertising for AH Plumbing. Ray and I sporting our new panda hats.

Yellow Mountain

2007-09-22T07:51:00.000-07:00

I just got back from a two day trip to Yellow Mountain. Yesterday we saw two old villages, parts of which are 600 to 700 years old and the movie Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon was filmed at one of them. Today we went up to Yellow Mountain. It was breath-taking. They say that once you've seen Yellow Mountain there is no need to see another mountain again; I think I might believe it. Hopefully this isn't too many pictures:

I Can Post in China!!!!

2007-09-17T21:00:00.000-07:00

I just found out that I can post blogs here in China; I just cannot view my blog (a huge relief to Elizabeth) but I still can't see comments. So now I'm going to put more pictures on so you can see more: (by the way, I'll be posting more often now that I know I can!!)

Each stone sculpture is 600 to 700 years old and carved from one rock.

One part of downtown Shanghai

Halfway Around the World

2007-09-17T14:15:00.000-07:00

Sorry that it has taken me so long to post on my blog. I don't have access to my blog here in China so Elizabeth is kind enough to post these for me. Well, I have been here in CHINA for almost three weeks. The plane ride was a little on the long side (12 1/2 hours) but we got here safely and stayed in Shanghai for the first night. We (my roommates Ray, Josef, and I) made it here to Nanjing safely and went to a realtor and found an apartment 10 minutes from campus. Classes are going well and I'm having a blast. This past week we went to the Founding Father of China's, Sun Zhong Shan or Sun Yat-Sen, Mausoleum. The scenery was gorgeous. This weekend we are going to Yellow Mountain for some major hiking. Next week we have another vacation planned for a 33 hour train ride across China. And, yes, we are studying hard. Our teachers are native professors teaching us Chinese. The whole experience is phenomenal. If you have any questions, just email me (socdile@gmail.com) or post them and I'll answer them for you. The pictures are the adventures I've had thus far:

My Twin????

2007-08-01T19:00:00.002-07:00

My cousin Marsha's son, Luke, is on a mission in Costa Rica. We have been told for many years we look alike; I think I met him once over 12 years ago so I never knew what he looked like. Marsha sent this picture to my mom yesterday and I put these two pictures in a side by side window and was amazed by the similarities. Which one's me?

TAGGED!!!

2007-07-27T12:44:00.001-07:00

This tag is 7 things you

don't know about me:

#1: One of my pet peeves is squeaky door hinges. There was one time I couldn't find any WD-40 so I used Pam Cooking Spray because I could not handle the squeaking.

#2: Another one of my pet peeves is when the toilet paper is turned the wrong way in the dispenser. It's OVERHAND not underhand!!!! I'll even change it in other people's homes. (#1 and #2 can probably be classified OCD as well)

#3: I don't care for TV. Sports, News, Sitcoms, Educational, Reality, etc ... I would rather read a book than watch TV any day. When/If I get married/move out on my own, I would rather not have a TV in my house but just a projector to watch movies, which I love.

#4: I like to bake/cook. Before my mission I just liked to bake all kinds of desserts but since I've been home, I have started cooking, even having a few Chinese food feasts.

#5: I'm a closet Celine Dion fan (well, maybe not so closet now). I have always loved her voice.

#6: I am totally attracted to straight, white teeth. It's the first thing I notice in the opposite sex. This other one's kind of weird but... I also like very defined neck lines/collar bones.

#7: I absolutely DESPISE onions. They are the fruit of the devil. The bane of my or anyone's existence. It doesn't matter what kind or how much; if they are in anything, that's all I taste . Euhh!!!

I now tag: whoever reads this!!!!!!!!

A Great Ride and a Sad Farewell

2007-07-22T16:16:00.000-07:00

So Elizabeth and I went to Wal-Mart on Friday night at midnight and bought the last Harry Potter. You can't imagine, except maybe Elizabeth who was with me, how excited I was to read it. I stayed up the entire night and read it until I finished it at 6:00 Saturday evening. I read it in about 14 hours. I had stayed up for 39 hours straight but it was well worth it. I love the other books but this is my absolute favorite. It is so deep and full of action. The entire adventure has been a great ride and with trepidation in my heart, I bid farewell to the series that has provided me with literally days of entertainment.

The Count of Monte Cristo

2007-07-14T14:56:00.000-07:00

I did it; I finally did it! I finished The Count of Monte Cristo. I have pretty much been reading non-stop since my mission (I've probably read around 18 or so books since December) but this was a pretty big endeavor. Ever since I saw the movie, which I love and recommend to anyone, I have wanted to read the book. It was a great read, all 1462 pages. Its full of suspense, intrigue, revenge, love, forgiveness, surprise and much more. I have heard people say, just watch the movie, but it's worth the time to read it.

Purity Test

2007-07-12T10:48:00.000-07:00

I seriously have no life. I spent two hours last night doing these stupid blog tests. Here are the results of my 100 Question Purity Test:

You Are 82% Pure

You're so pure ... you make a nun look like a whore!
There's a lot of life's dark side left for you to experience... if you want to.

The 100 Question Purity Test

I can't say that I am too anxious to see the darker side...

FREEDOM!!!!

2007-07-06T18:49:00.000-07:00

So today was my last day of work at Isagenix International. I worked as a Chinese/English Customer Service Rep just as a summer job. I loved the people but hated the job, so when I left, I felt like Mel Gibson with a blue face, yelling, "FREEDOM!!!"

(I hope this freedom will not cost me my life and my genitalia.
If you don't know how William Wallace died, it's just horrible)

It was also brought to my attention (thanks Audrey) that I can kind of relate with the recently exploited, Paris Hilton. Not that Isagenix was like jail, but it makes the relief that much better when you pretend it is.

(I hope I am at least better looking than she is)

To Blog or Not to Blog???

2007-07-05T21:20:00.000-07:00

Now Audrey, do you really think I would go through all this trouble if I didn't like you... Come on.