summer hobby

There's a sport I've become quite accustomed to this summer:

Its called golf.  I've always liked it, but I've never cared about it enough (or practiced enough) to get good at it.  This summer I decided it was time. 

This is what I like most about this sport:

1. The landscape.  So peaceful.  So relaxing. So perfect after a long day of work. 

2. Spending time with Dad.. and occasionally Tay.  And learning from both of their skills.

3. Getting a farmer tan, and a sock tan.   And wearing baseball caps for the first time in my life.

4. Not having to keep score.  I refuse to keep score until my score is work keeping. 

5. One day I will be so terrible, and the next day I will drive straight onto the greens (from par 3's of course)

6.  The fact (or hope) that some day, I will get to design a golf course of my very own--being a Landscape Architecture major has its benefits.

Here is a short video of my swing.  I'm still working on it.  Also, I think that all the self confidence I have acquired throughout my life has come from Dad's (kind, but not necessarily truthful) compliments.  Listen to what he says at the end of this clip. 

he he.  That's all!

show and tell

Since I've seen a bit of quality live music lately, I just thought I'd be generous and share a little.

This is Jenny Lewis playing at the twilight concert series last week:

Here is Andrew Bird. Notice he is whistling (like a songbird sent from above), playing violin, guitar, and singing all in one song. This man's got some real talent:

And here is the always wonderful Death Cab playing at Red Butte Gardens. This was the third time I've seen them, and I don't think I'll ever get sick of them. They have really perfected their sound and stage presence. And they played a lot of their old stuff, which made me happy. Ben Gibbard is much more confident (and skinny) than he used to be:

Skinny Ben still sounds good, but I think I might have preferred chubby Ben.


*sorry about the poor quality of these recordings, they really don't do the artists any justice at all*

counting down

20 days from now, I will be in Alaska

visiting these guys:

and 30 days from now I will be in Connecticut

with my best friend:

... I have so much to look forward to!

good show

Jenny Lewis
+
Bon Iver
=
Good Show!!

(and I do like that they are both kind of red heads)

The twilight concert series is free and great.

Upcoming artists that I'm excited to see : M. Ward, Iron & Wine, Okkervil River :)

i do like

One thing I admire about my dad is how certain he is about what he does and does not like. He is the most decisive person I know. The other day as I was trying to convince my dad to miss a day of work and come boating with the family, he promptly responded,

"No, I do not want to come boating. I do not like boating, I never really have. If I liked boating, I'd have a boat."

Although I respect his opinion, and agree with my dad on most subjects, I have to disagree here.

I really do like boating. I'm lucky I've had so many friends, and now a sister, who invite me to come boating with them every summer.

My niece Violet really likes boating too. I had a great family fourth full of camping, boating, golfing, food, and fireworks. I'm sad its over.

some people

Some people fall in love...

This is the very first of my best friends to get married (less than three weeks until the big day!)

Some people stay in love...

John and Melva Cosper (my wonderful grandparents) celebrated their 62nd anniversary this month. They are completely inseparable, and completely in love after all these years.

and Some people...

...have yet to find it! (Hopefully I will before these two little munchkins)

But I really don't mind the wait.

today

My wise, wonderful piano teacher of eight years once told me,

"Sure, we can always plan for tomorrow, but today is the only day we can really work with!"

This thought has really stuck with me throughout the years. Each time I start to make myself a to-do list (I am and always have been a fan of the "to-do list") her perky voice pops into my head, reminding me that making a list really doesn't do much good unless I'm going to start on it today. And not just today, but right now.

I decided that rather than making to-do lists all the time, I should start making I'm-doing lists. That way I'll know i'm not just pointlessly planning.. I'm actually making progress! (And I can feel good about what I am doing rather than always feeling overwhelmed by future tasks.)