The three tasks....and a VERY merry Christmas!!!!

I realize that Christmas has come and gone, but I wanted to share some of the fun I've had over the holidays with friends and family.  The holidays seem to fly right by, but I've definitely been able to make the most of my time between parties, traditions, and simply spending time at home with my family.  Christmas isn't Christmas without the decorations I've seen all my life - a gorgeous Christmas tree downstairs, the stockings over the fireplace in the peach room knit by my Aunt Karen,  and of course, the jazz players with their Santa hats.  Classic!  If I can figure out how to upload videos, I'm hoping to include some movies from our family party when we had a special visit from Mr. Claus.  It was so much fun watching my cousins' children as he had them sit on his knee.  The best part, however, was watching members of my family try to blow up balloon animals just like Santa did.  Oh man - this was HILARIOUS!!!!  And another video which I hope to include stars the amazing Ann Marshall singing some family favorites for Lindsay, me, and my dad.  She's amazing!  So much so that my dad suggested at the end of her performance that we should open a bar - 'cuz hey, a girl's gotta get through school and the tips would be fabulous... 

          Another part of the season that I love is putting together puzzles.  We've got a billion of them, and after this week I feel like I've put that many together!  The pics below show a few that we've completed thus far.  And the topic of puzzles brings me to the title of this post - the three tasks.  My dear sister Lindsay gave me a graduation present last week accompanying a book about personal finance.  She told me that the book was meant to keep the other gift from happening.  Let me explain.  The other gift was a kilogram brick of shredded money from the U.S. Federal Reserve.  Hahahaha!!!!  It totally cracked me up when I opened it.  I wasn't sure what to do with it actually, but then found out that it creates a great filler in gifts.  Anyway, my dad happened to be present while I was opening this gift and after 24 years of secrecy, he revealed one of the "three tasks!"  Unbelievable!  He guards those secret tasks well, and it cracked me up to think that the second task consists of a certain person putting the shredded bills back together - the ultimate puzzle if you will.  Tiny pieces of paper of the same color and basically the same texture.  Great.  Makes me wonder what the other two tasks will be.  I guess I'll just have to wait and find out.  

           I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas season this year filled with much joy and happiness.  My association with each of you is a wonderful part of my life and I'm grateful for your friendship.  Wishing you all the best for a happy New Year filled with many incredible experiences!!!!

Barely escaped the tragedy of not putting up the tree this year, but CinC Christmas won her case against Mr. Scrooge.  hehehe.....
A personal favorite - love the paints, love the markers, love the chalk - love it, love it, LOVE IT!!!
Cheese, cheese, and more cheese...reminds me of Paris.  All we need now is a baguette!
Pretty ornaments....very shiny and sparkly
Ummm.....I honestly wanted to eat those cookies, they looked so real!
Here comes Santa Claus, here comes Santa Claus, right down Santa Claus lane!!!!!
T'was a blast watching the kids interact with Mr. Claus as he made them balloon animals and gave them gifts to tide them over until Christmas Day
The holiday season isn't complete without a trip to Temple Square to see the lights.  Loved the company, but was seriously distraught to discover that my favorite tree was left undecorated this year!!!  It's the one on the southeast corner of the temple that is ALWAYS decked out in brilliant red lights.  A real tragedy...  However, as this picture attests, there were plenty of other trees to keep us entertained with a camera on a frigid December night.  =)

P.S. I tried really hard to upload the videos, but alas, my patience wore thin and it didn't work out.  Another time perhaps...

My Own "Tale of Two Cities"

Wow!  What a whirlwind of a month December has been!  Christmas is less than a week away and I feel like I've just barely been able to start enjoying the season.  It's hard to believe that after 6 years - yes, that's right - six years, I have finally completed my education at Brigham Young University.  My visiting teacher told me yesterday that she thinks Art History is an "elegant" major.  Haha!  I laughed out loud when she said that.  Elegant?  I've never heard it characterized in such a manner, but I'll vouch for that.  Anyway, I survived the week and couldn't be happier now that it's all over - that includes finals, the GRE, organizing grad school applications (another post entirely...don't worry, it'll come later), finishing up work at the Gap at University Mall, and moving home to good 'ole Bountiful.

I'm a little sad to be leaving Provo, but that's mostly because of the people.  There are some incredible people there that I will really miss seeing on a regular basis (regular being every week at church for some, and once every month for others).  Other than the people, it's the opportunities that I will miss now that I'm no longer a student.  I'm not sure how I managed to have so many amazing experiences jam-packed into those six years, including two years on the Spring Performing Arts Company, two study abroad programs to Vienna and Jerusalem, a mission to Texas, opening a flower business, discovering the joys of painting, etc. etc. etc. but somehow I did - and I've loved every minute of it.  I truly can look back and say that I have no regrets.  Amazing.

So, the tale of Provo has come to an end, and a new tale in Bountiful is beginning to take shape.  I'll let the pictures do the talking to explain why I'm so excited to be living in my hometown once again:

I get to read WHATEVER I want, WHENEVER I want!!!!  No more textbooks taking up all my time!  I'm way more excited about this than I probably should be, but I can't help it.  I can read for pleasure instead of reading for a grade, and it's definitely less expensive.  First book on my list...."Expecting Adam" by Martha Beck.  Though, I should probably finish "John Adams" before starting a different book.  I haven't managed to read a little bit at a time from many books like some people I know...

I get to volunteer to my little heart's content at the Utah Museum of Fine Arts.  Probably a good idea to figure out if museum work is really what I love and want to do full-time, eh?  I thought so too.

Alta is much closer to Bountiful than Provo.  Thank heavens for that.  I am SOOOOO excited to go skiing!!!  Sadly, my dad just busted his knee and is out for three months - the whole ski season practically - so, if you're up for a day of skiing, let me know.  =)

Ummm....this one is pretty self-explanatory.  Steve, occasionally referred to as my "weekend boyfriend" can now become my weekday AND weekend boyfriend.  Lucky me!!!  Though, I have to admit, I'll kinda miss the title, "girl from Provo."  =) 

And there you have it, my very own tale of two cities.  Provo has been great, and I'm sure Bountiful will be even greater.  Stay tuned for upcoming adventures....life is sure to get even more crazy and exciting as time goes on!

Last day of school!!!!

The title of this post pretty much sums up my day, but I'll elaborate.  I have to preface this whole thing by saying up front - I'm not done yet.  I don't officially graduate until December 19th.  Technically, I have some scheduled appointments with my professors next week where they will try to freak me out with incredibly long, and multi-faceted essay questions intended to make me recall every tiny fact that they, personally, found relevant over this last semester.  Wonderful.  Not that I expected to experience anything very different today just because it was my last day of class at BYU, but I wasn't really sure how I'd feel.  It turned out to be a really great roller coaster ride (I love those!!!).  It started when I left my apartment this morning.  For some reason I felt giddy.  So much so that I started to skip.  Yes, my friends, I skipped to class today in the freezing cold weather.  Apparently I was pretty excited to be done.  

My first class was Italian Renaissance history.  Loved it!  We discussed Machiavelli's "The Prince," which I had serious issues with for the first 40 pages until finally getting to the good stuff.  After my peers spouted lots of opinions, and tried to incorporate gospel principles into the discussion -  because that's what we like to do here at BYU (hahaha!!! that usually turns out to be thoroughly entertaining, and often incredibly ridiculous depending on the subject) - my professor had us take the test, "How Machiavellian are you?"  According to the findings, I'm way too idealistic and therefore, people will walk all over me.  Good to know.  I missed the next tier by two points.  I'm demanding a recount.  I didn't understand one of the questions, and therefore, could not have possibly answered it as I should have.  And with that, the bell rang and the Italian Renaissance came to an end.

       Between that class and my LDS temples class I was studying in the JFSB building near the spiral staircase.  Excellent timing!  The Russian club was singing at the bottom of the staircase and the music reverberated beautifully to the upper floors.  I quite enjoyed the carols as well as classical pieces by Rachmaninoff.  I'll miss stuff like this - random moments when the world stands still so I can enjoy the talents/skills/hobbies of others and completely forget that I had a final to take 20 minutes later.  

       My last class was Roman History, which let out early, so I took my time walking home.  As I was nearing the South edge of campus by the Widtsoe building (which I was well acquainted with when I worked in the cancer lab there...back in the day when I still preferred science over art....seems so distant now) I got really sad that I wasn't going to randomly run into friends I have made in Vienna, or Jerusalem, or during my time on the folk dance team anymore.  Sure, I know I'll see them again somewhere, but finishing school lessens the frequency of such encounters.  After about 10 seconds of feeling sad, who should I see walking to class but my dear Jeru roomie, Katie Rencher!!!  What a pleasant surprise and what perfect timing!  After a quick update on both sides, she headed off to class, and I headed for home.  I didn't skip this time, but I definitely had a big smile on my face.  =)

       Looks like I have nothing to worry about after all.  Life goes on and good things are in store.  After I take my finals, of course...  

Mother-Daughter Duet

Thanksgiving break has been fabulous this year for so many reasons!  Seeing dear friends from afar (both were surprises - and who doesn't love those?!?!), watching the most violent/intense movie juxtaposed with the cheesiest movie ever in one weekend, throwing Steve headfirst into the milieu of the Hatch family Thanksgiving (hahaha!!!  this was awesome), tossing my homework to the wind, decorating for Christmas, making homemade caramels, etc etc etc.  Everything was so fun this weekend, but one moment in particular was the icing on the cake - playing duets on the piano with my mom Saturday afternoon.  I was working on a piece that I wanted her to help me with and she sat down at the piano and started playing with me.  Before we knew it, we'd been playing and singing - yes, you read that correctly, we were both singing (there might have even been some harmonizing going on) Christmas carols for an hour and a half.  That never happens!  My mom is the busiest woman on the face of the planet and to have her sit down with me at the piano for so long was priceless.  The phrase "jack of all trades, but master of none" cracks me up because my mom absolutely defies this saying.  She is the "jane" of all trades, and "mastress" of them all.  =)  She can do anything she sets her mind to, and she does everything incredibly well.  She really is my superhero - love you Mom!!! 

Giving thanks

       I was listening to Josh Groban's Christmas album recently and even though it's a bit early for Christmas, the song that meant the most was actually "Thankful."  There really is so much to be thankful for.  It has been a great blessing to get in contact with many of you recently, in one way or another, to express thanks for everything that you mean to me.  There are so many people that have affected my life in profound ways, and since I can't reach everyone readily, I wanted to share a poem that I love.  My own words often seem inadequate to properly express what I'd like them to, but this poem sums them up:

A Friend's Greeting

I'd like to be the sort of friend that you have been to me;

I'd like to be the help that you've been always glad to be;

I'd like to mean as much to you each minute of the day

As you have meant, old friend of mine, to me along the way.

I'd like to do the big things and the splendid things for you,

To brush the gray from out your skies and leave them only blue;

I'd like to say the kindly things that I so oft have heard,

And feel that I could rouse your soul the way that mine you've stirred.

I'd like to give you back the joy that you have given me,

Yet that were wishing you a need I hope will never be;

I'd like to make you feel as rich as I, who travel on

Undaunted in the darkest hours with you to lean upon.

I'm wishing at this [Thanksgiving] time that I could but repay

A portion of the gladness that you've strewn along my way;

And could I have one wish this year, this only would it be:

I'd like to be the sort of friend that you have been to me.

-Edgar A. Guest

Thanksgiving definitely comes with a lot of food and a lot of fun, but the 

majority of things I am most grateful for are the people in my life. Thank you for 

making it so rich and so wonderful!!!  Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Matters of the Heart

This post will be somewhat personal, but I hope it stimulates thought or appreciation for what a marvel the human body, and specifically, the human heart is.  I was finally able to go and see the Body Worlds 3 exhibit at The Leonardo on Saturday and I am so, so, SO glad that I went.  Experiences like the one I had inside the exhibit remind me of why I wanted to be a doctor for so many years.  I am fascinated by human anatomy and physiology.  Seeing the plastinates of human bodies in different positions and cross sections was incredible.  I see ballerinas differently now, as well as ice-skaters, skiers, archers, someone kneeling in prayer, and many others - I see how they function underneath the skin.  The synergists and the antagonists working together to make movement and posture possible.  This exhibition is specifically focused on the heart and all that goes along with it - the respiratory and circulatory systems that fuel our bodies.  Here are some general quotes scattered throughout the exhibit regarding the heart which I thought were pretty cool:

"It is only with the heart that one can see rightly, what is essential is invisible to the eye."  -Antoine de Saint-Exupery

"The heart has its reasons of which reason knows nothing."  -Blaise Pascal

"We were not sent into this world to do anything into which we cannot put our hearts."  

-John Ruskin

"The brain with its cool logic, and the heart with its volatility, act alone as well as in concert - juxtaposed to make up our essential selves.  But the heart alone is viewed as the vessel of love and malice, compassion and cruelty, good and evil."

There was a section of the exhibition that was dedicated to heart transplants and the technology involved in creating artificial hearts.  This section had a profound influence on me, and I can't imagine what my dad was thinking and feeling as he passed through this portion of the exhibit.  I was sitting on the floor leaning against the wall post writing some thoughts down, while at the same time, listening to the background "lub-dub" sounds that resonate throughout the entire exhibit.  Thoughts of my dad's heart attack episode of 2007 flooded my mind and heart.  I really think the heart is as much a receptacle of memory as the brain.  The latter pulls up images and facts, but the heart recounts the feelings.  They were as real yesterday as they were in January-June of 2007, but time has worked its magic.  It has allowed that terrible habit I have of taking things for granted to creep into my everyday life.  I realized once again how blessed I am to still have one of my best friends with me, which I must not take for granted.  I wanted to share this letter that was included on the wall display in the exhibit because I thought it was very touching, and part of the Irvine reality these days:

"Cordially yours,

Here I am.  My thoughts are occupied with you, because your heart beats in me.  I don't know you.  I don't know what your loved ones were thinking when they had to let you go.  I don't know what kind of person you were but I carry you with me, nonetheless.  Your heart beats for me now, for my family, for my friends.  I don't know what happened to you.  But I know how my loved ones suffered with me, how I was on the edge of losing all courage, sometimes.  I know that everything is all right now.  And therefore, I know that it is not important what happened to you but what happened because of you.

Here I am.  I am writing these lines to a person whom I don't know but who has become so important to me.  I can once again breathe freely, I feel, experience life differently.  I have strength in me again.  I can work, enjoy life, laugh, look ahead into the future, and build a family.  For all those doors that were reopened for me, I thank you and your loved ones who made the difficult decision to save lives through you.  Everyone wants to look back at their lives and realize that they have left a trace.  I am your trace.  Thank you!" - heart transplant recipient, June 6th, 2007

It really is overwhelming for me to consider the details of my dad's heart transplant.  Unlike this recipient who didn't know the identity of his donor, we do.  His picture hangs on our wall downstairs next to one of my dad.  He is a part of our family now.  How grateful I am for modern technology, for miracle doctors like Dr. Reid and Dr. Kfoury, and especially for the resiliency of the human spirit and the amazing healing process that our bodies can undergo.  It is awesome in the literal sense.

I don't pretend to understand all matters of the heart - physically, spiritually, metaphorically, emotionally, every other "ally" that can be connected with this amazing organ, but I know it is central to our being.  The first organ formed in the womb and the last to function before death, the heart is so much more than a muscle.  Everyday I hope to recognize the great blessings that come from the amazing gift of a healthy human body and a beating heart!!!  

15-40, Set Point

Tennis - as much a psychological game as it is a physical game

Clark Graebner

 Arthur Ashe

I love to read - I really do.  I'm fascinated by all kinds of subjects - art, politics, geography, medicine, dance, religion, etc. etc. etc. and books take me to all kinds of places where I wouldn't ordinarily find myself.  I may not have experienced something in person, but I can do so vicariously through the writing of author historians.  Words are powerful.  So much so that they easily distract me from writing research papers, studying for the GRE, and analyzing art.  My sophomore year of college I promised myself that I wouldn't read for pleasure during the semester because I got way too engrossed in literature (I think I read the complete works of Dan Brown in a week - riveted at first, but I realized he writes the same story over and over again using different names and locations - utterly disappointing in the end) that had nothing to do with my GPA.  I broke my own promise this week, but I have to admit, I'm so glad I did.  I finally finished a book that I started this summer, which had been set aside to gather dust once I entered back into Academia in September.  Brilliantly written, I highly recommend Levels of the Game for anyone who is remotely interested in the details of tennis.  John McPhee provides an insightful analysis of the 1968 tennis match at Forest Hills between Arthur Ashe and Clark Graebner, weaving in the personal histories of these two men explained through the style of their tennis game.  Again - brilliant.  With recent events, I wanted to share one part from this book that I found particularly poignant.  If you think this is good, you should read the whole thing:

"...I am cautiously optimistic.  I define the cause as the most good for the most people in the least amount of time, and that has absolutely nothing to do, specifically, with color.  Anything I can do to help the cause is good.  Nobody listens to a loser.  If I put myself in a position where I can't compete, I am merely a martyr.  We don't need any more martyrs right now.  One must separate the emotional from the practical.  Don't bite off more than you can chew.  A little bit is better than nothing, no matter how you may feel.  Progress and improvement do not come in big hunks, they come in little pieces, and the sooner people accept this the better off they'll be.  I wouldn't tell my son to content himself that things will come gradually.  You've got to push.  You've got to act as though you expect it to come tomorrow.  But when you know it's not going to come, don't give up..."        -Arthur Ashe

Love it, love it, love it!!!  I could go on and on, but I'll merely end up spoiling a great piece of literature by giving away too much.  It was fun reading this book because the descriptions of the match are so real.  You almost feel like you're the one hitting aces down the center of the court or smacking a backhand so hard it's untouchable, only to see it land inches out of the chalk line.  If you can keep up with the tennis lingo throughout the book, you'll definitely finish with a sense of accomplishment after a game well played!!!

Introducing Firefox and the equestrian crew!

Horsey, horsey don't you stop

Just let your feet go clippety clop,

The tail goes swish

And the wheels go round,

Giddy up, we're homeward bound....

Halloween found me in Logan last night (not for the HOWL, though we all got a taste for it at the Aggie basketball game last night with much of the student body in Halloween attire for the party after the game) in preparation for a day of fun with great company and beautiful horses.  Michael and Camille showed me and Steve the ropes of horseback riding from start to finish, and I have to say, it was an absolute blast - every bit of it.  The sights, sounds, smells, and feel of horses on a beautiful day in Cache Valley is pretty unbeatable.  I definitely felt spoiled to be riding Firefox - the most gentleman-like horse of the bunch - and thoroughly enjoyed learning more about horses than I'd ever imagined knowing.  I think Tina would be proud.  Since I managed our equestrian adventure today in Logan, I think I'm ready to tackle the open fields and horses of Wyoming with Tina and her husband.  It was such a pleasure observing Michael and Camille with the horses - they really love these animals, and that was obvious by the way they interacted with them.  It's awesome seeing people in their element - whatever that may be - and today it centered around four of seven amazing horses.  Meet the crew... 

Camille getting to know the horses

Willpower vs. Horsepower

Bonding with a beautiful Arabian

It was so much fun seeing Michael in what I like to call his "Cache Valley" element!

All kinds of new equine vocab was being introduced today during our lessons graciously given by Camille...unfortunately, I can't remember what all of it meant - but I do remember some cool stuff about aging horses by their teeth.  Interesting.

I never quite managed the role of disciplinarian that I was supposed to maintain...Firefox made a couple stops for a snack despite my commands (which apparently he took as "love taps")

Right before Calamity Jane (Camille's horse) starting doing a dance at the sight of some bikers...that was pretty exciting

A multi-tasking feat: staying on my horse while taking this picture =)

Ladies and Gentlemen....meet Sparks-a-flyin' and the jockey named Steve

It ain't over 'till it's over...returning Firefox after our ride

The equestrian gurus: Michael and Camille

Firefox and Kristen Kathleen...all's well that ends well!!!

Horsey, horsey on our way,

We'll be traveling many a day,

The tail goes swish

And the wheels go round,

Giddy up, we're homeward bound!

Time to invest in a typewriter

I'm really not sure why it is that I have serious issues with technology, but I've learned to just stop fighting it. I purchased a Macbook last September (2007) and have quite enjoyed it. Until February, that is, when my hard-drive crashed at a very inopportune time. After losing lots of pictures and papers, I learned a very important lesson about technology...it's faulty, unreliable, and finicky (literally, a fair-weather friend - ha!). Well, it has happened again. My hard-drive crashed for the second time at the absolute worst time (doesn't it always happen that way though?) in the semester. I was working on my Senior Thesis Thursday night and all of the sudden my computer started acting very strange - being rather stubborn. The keyboard wasn't really keeping up with my pace and I got a little worried. Nothing was saving when I tried that, so what was my back-up plan? My digital camera. Haha! I took a picture of what I could see on the screen due to paranoia that my paper would be irretrievable - the least I could do was save the page and a half on the screen at the time of my computer's revolt. As it turns out, my instincts were right. My computer completely crashed and took my paper with it. No tears were shed (shockingly enough), but instead, I probably burned a couple hundred calories from laughing. Ann deserves a shout out for letting me vent over the phone right after it happened -thanks my dear! It was one of those over-the-top moments when you just don't care anymore. I decided then and there that I need to invest in a typewriter. Reliable. Dependable. Sturdy. Maybe something along the lines of the typewriter that Frank loves in "You've Got Mail." If anyone is up to date in the typewriter market, get back to me. I'm always up for suggestions. =)
I did manage to recall most of my paper from memory, though not all of it. I guess the reason why I really wasn't distraught about the whole thing after dealing with the paper crisis is that I had invested in an external hard drive - my very own $80 testimony as I've heard it called - after the February crash, so all is not lost. Thank heavens for that. The moral of the story??? BUY AN EXTERNAL HARD DRIVE!!!!! Or invest in a typewriter....

P.S. The blog is under construction at the moment. I was bored with the old background, not satisfied with the current one, but I don't have enough time to work it all out yet - hopefully soon though. LLI, I'll let you know when it's fixed. =)

I really am my father's daughter

     Time for the next installment of the Dave Irvine kind of life.  I once again found myself enjoying dinner with my dad last night and I've gained some new insight.  First and foremost, I really am my father's daughter.  A product of years of microscopic attention to detail on behalf of my dad, he has significantly shaped who I am today.  This post is pretty much dedicated to the greatest man alive - David Robert Irvine, BG, JD, whatever other kind of credentials there are, he really is just my dad - and the best dad at that.  It would be extremely selfish of me to keep all his words of wisdom and sound advice to myself, so I thought I'd share a couple gems with anyone who's interested.

      Lesson One - life is best lived "down the middle, off the top."  This comes as a direct result from his own upbringing with Lucy Irvine and the "Aunts" - Effie, Alice, and Evelyn.  My own life is proof that he took their counsel to heart - "how can you repay us?  Do for your kids what we've done for you."  I like to think that in some small way, I've gleaned that trait from my dad.  I sure hope so, because it is uber important to me.  Not that I have kids yet, but the principle applies to the people in my life.  Pass on to others what has been passed on to you - a pay it forward kind of thing.

       Lesson Two - you have to be able to laugh at yourself and the curves thrown at you.  It's the "seaweed vs. coral" principle.  The greatest memories I have are those when I'm laughing with my family (occasionally at them, I'll be honest...hehe).  Usually it's because of some ridiculous bet or challenge that I've lost (Scott is very good at manipulating me for his own entertainment purposes), or because of silly comments I made when I was still young and impressionable.  I once claimed that I was a little boy instead of a little girl - I was three years old - at Bear Lake and I didn't see this family video until company was present twenty years later.  Great. However - lesson number three from my dad applies here - if it doesn't kill you, it builds character.  I should probably have a lot more of that than I do, but hey, I'm a work in progress folks! =)

        Lesson Four - this goes right along with lesson two - "a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down."  In my case, physically speaking, this is kind of problematic.  A spoonful of sugar?!?!?  C'mon dad, when was any amount of sugar ever a good thing for a kid with diabetes?  Hmmm.  Metaphorically-speaking, however, that is the most sage piece of advice I've ever received.  Thanks Mary!  My dad and I are "bionic buddies" - medical pals with a faulty heart and pancreas, and through all the shots, finger pricks, late night insulin reactions, blood draws, visits to the doc, open-heart surgery and in his case, even a heart transplant - we've both come out smiling.  Diabetes has never kept me from doing what I've really wanted to do, and it's the same with my dad.  His heart episodes haven't stopped him at all - he can ski and scuba dive with the best of 'em!  Find the fun, and snap! the job's a game - diabetes, work, school, whatever it is, there is always some fun to find.

         Lesson five - "it's nothing personal, your name just happened to come up."  This is probably my most treasured Christmas present from my dad - a framed "Peanuts" cartoon.  This cartoon by Schulz depicts Charlie Brown laying in bed (in a sickly state) with the caption, "sometimes I lie awake at night and wonder, 'why me?'  Then a voice in my head whispers, 'It's nothing personal, your name just happened to come up.'"  This can be applied to so many things in life.  No one is out to get me - I just have to get going when the going gets tough.  Period.

          Lesson six - "to thine own self be true!"  This final lesson (of this post, at least) is probably the most important to me at the moment.  It's a skill that must be acquired.  In my own experience it has taken loads of practice, quite a few mistakes, and plenty of introspection to fine tune.  My dad is a master at it - truly.  I'm still working on it.  When I do manage to pull it off - everything always works out.

          So, there's a glimpse into the Dave Irvine kind of life as seen through the lens of his #4 kid - some rules to live by if you will.  Stay tuned for the next episode...there's definitely more to come!!!

My Ode to I-15

        I found myself in Bountiful this weekend (which, for me, includes Monday seeing as I don't have class that day) and dinner on Monday night with my parents proved very insightful.  Our dinner conversations usually go something like this, "So, Dad, what pro bono case did you decide to tackle this week?" or "Mom, do you really have to stay at the hospital so late when you're technically off at 4:30?"  She's quite the over-achiever.  And then there's the inevitable quest which my dad always tries to pull on me - the incorrect pronunciation of words.  He does it on purpose.  He purposely tells me how to pronounce a word incorrectly just to see me trip all over it in a later conversation.  If you think there's a trace of cynicism in my personality, chalk it up to 24 years at 2860 S. Oakwood Dr.  I think it started in 8th grade when I was reading Moby Dick and mis-pronounced the word "frigate."  I did it once, and I'm now living with the consequences for the rest of this mortal sojourn.  There are others on the list, but I'll spare myself more humiliation.  On to the rest of the story....

As I was driving home with my dad we were reflecting on my upcoming graduation.  He's impressed that I haven't succumbed to crowdthink.  I'm impressed that I haven't gotten pulled over on one of the many treks from B-town to P-town.  I realized last night that I have spent more weekends in Bountiful in the six years that I've been at BYU than I have in Provo.  Wow.  That is kind of insane.  My dad has no complaints on that note, and honestly, neither do I.  I did have to drive back to Provo this morning to make it to my Italian Renaissance class at 9:30, and something amazing happened on the oh-so-familiar drive.  I discovered just how great I-15 really is - tons of mile markers that really bring a smile to my face when I think of the memories that go along with them.  I have great memories that can be pin-pointed to just about every exit along the freeway from Bountiful to Provo.  Away we go:

400 S. - Welcome to the Gap.  This is how I always got to work during Summer 2005

900/1300/2100 S. - the corner of ninth and ninth is home of the Coffee Garden.  Though 

an explanation could be useful on this one, I'm just going to leave it to the 

imagination - unless, of course, you already know the history.  Mmmm....Irish 

Steamers....

3300 S. - this one could be a stretch - no real attachment really, let's just keep driving

4500 S. - this was my exit for my oil painting class last Winter.  Come rain, snow, or shine - I always made the drive back to Provo looking like either a smurf, or an oompa-loompa

5300 S. - I visited my dad here when he had a collapsed lung.  Not that the event was 

something to celebrate, but every minute with my dad is precious

I-215 Interchange - ANN'S HOUSE!!!!  No explanation needed....

7200 S. - I never have to worry about where to find the right sapphire or diamond - Shane's my guy.  Open M-F till 8, Saturday till 5, closed Sunday.  Word up.

9000 S. - Occasional trips to Jordan Commons with Ann - I think we squealed like 3 year-

olds during "Spiderwick Chronicles" on the IMAX.  BAD idea.

10600 S. - Home of my dear friend Sister Back/Beck

12300 S. - the amazingly cool warehouse known as....IKEA - I have an affinity for their lamps

POINT OF THE MOUNTAIN - 22 miles and 20 minutes until Provo...

Thanksgiving Point - two words: Russian Kadrille (where is Derek Dean when I need 

him?!?!)

Mt. Timpanogos Temple - many nights during Freshman year found me here till  the wee hours of the morning 

Lindon - well, it's merely a time marker - 10 minutes till home

University Parkway Exit - you know how crazy that intersection is when you get off the 

freeway? - yeah - that's where my car died....right before my Chemistry final Freshman

year.  Rather nightmarish

Center Street - Here's my exit!  3 miles down the road but the ETA is much shorter

So, the point of this blog is to help you all realize that no matter how tedious those "auto-pilot" drives are that we have in our lives, they're actually full of wonderful memories that make the journey fly right by.  I know I've clocked this particular stretch many, many times (which is why I made reference to not being pulled over...), but soon enough, I know I'm gonna miss it - so instead of dreading the trip, I'm now finding all sorts of memories along the way that keep me smiling.  And there you have it my dear friends - my ode to I-15.

  

Reunions to rave about

Conference Weekend was oh so great this year!  Reunions with good friends and great Conference sessions made the last few days incredibly special.  I definitely think such gatherings should happen more often...

First up, I'd like you all to meet the amazing Else L. Endicott!  I had the privilege and blessing of making her acquaintance during my study abroad to Vienna Austria during Fall semester 2005.  We became fast friends - kindred spirits if you will - and here we are three years later on BYU campus during her brief visit to Utah with her husband.  I made Else and Hans tell their story from the very beginning, and trust me, it's a great one.  Intrigue, drama, suspense, you name it, they had it.  They're expecting their first baby in March and they will make the greatest parents ever.  Wow - I adore this girl!  This was the start of the amazing reunion fest that took place this weekend.  No matter the time or distance between our reunions, it's a blast when we're together.  Though I'm sad we won't be able to enjoy Magic Mountain any time soon... =)
Next up - my mission reunion!!!  Welcome to the TSAM 2008 reunion!  It made my heart sooooo happy to spend time and catch up with dear Elders and Sisters from my mission - and especially President and Sister Larkin.  They are truly some of the greatest people I have ever known!  They shared a message with us all encouraging us to be TSAMers for life.  I guess you would've had to serve there to know anything about that, but I took it to heart....it will be done.  Now that Penn "lives" in St. George I have the perfect excuse to stop in and visit the Larkins who live there as well.  Que bueno!!!  I have to admit, I was quite impressed that I could still recite the TSAM theme in English and Spanish which we said together at the end of President's remarks.  Wow!  That'll make you realize how long you've been home.....it's been awhile. 
The best part of this reunion was seeing the Elders and Sisters that weren't home yet at the last one.  Here we have Traeden Nord, Daniel Bates, and Amy Sonntag.  I told Traeden he was my favorite Elder in the mission field, but then I saw Daniel and I realized the title of "favorite" was actually a tie between the two.  That's fair right?  Both are awesome and it was so fun catching up.  I served with Amy near the end of my mission and the crazy thing is that she lives three streets away from me in Bountiful.  That is the epitome of small world!                                                                                 

 The last reunion of the weekend was with my fellow Scottish sibling - the one and only Michael John Murray.  Regrettably, I didn't take any pictures of this one, but it gives me an excuse to make up for that another time.  During the delightful conversation over a breakfast of Denver and Athenian omelets, Michael managed to coerce me into performing with him at First Night with the Wasatch Pipe Band.  This great Scottish dance legacy began years and years ago - Senior year at WXHS (2002) to be specific - when I taught Michael the Highland Fling which he performed for a multicultural assembly.  Ever since then I have thought it would be really fun to perform with him but the timing never seemed quite right.  This year, I have no excuses (vacations, mission, broken ankle, etc.) - nada.  Not gonna lie, I'm feeling a bit of pressure.  Michael's good - especially at the Sword dance, which is what I may have to perform.  Might the student surpass the master???  You'll have to come to the Joseph Smith Memorial Building on New Year's Eve and find out for yourself.  Aw Billy!!! 

A female fetish

I was having one of those thought provoking conversations with my friend Adam the other day and the topic of conversation was shoes.  And specifically, the crazy things women do when they go into a shoe store.  Adam works at Nine West in San Marcos, Texas and in the time that he has worked there, he has seem some pretty crazy things.  The part of the conversation that had me in stitches was when Adam was telling me about why the shoe stores always display size "6" shoes on the floor.  Well, for those of you who are wondering this like I was, here's the answer.  
I need you to think back a moment to your childhood when you watched with your mother the classic Disney movie "Cinderella." Are you following where this is going?  Do you remember the hideously ugly stepsisters Anastasia and Drizella?  Yeah, the taller one with dark hair in the green dress who can't sing a note, and the shorter one in pink with red hair that struggles with the flute.  Now, think back to what happens next when Prince Charming comes back in search of his princess requiring that every female try on the glass slipper left behind at the palace the night of the ball.

Oh boy.  I hate this scene in the movie.  I get nauseous whenever I see the stepsister with the huge foot try and cram it into the dainty glass slipper....

WHY?!?!?!  Why oh why do women do this?  This is Adam's point.  Women come into the shoe store and see the cute little size 6 shoe on display knowing full well that they wear a size 9 or 10.  Does that stop them from trying to squeeze their foot into the size 6? No way.  We are strange creatures, us women.
Adam didn't believe his manager when she told him to never place a size 5 shoe out on the display because of this very "size differential" phenomenon.  Imagine the damage done to a size 5 shoe after countless "try-ons" by patrons with an obviously larger-than-size-five foot!  I'm going to avoid even getting into the details of trying on shoes - that thought also makes me a little queasy - let's just say I have issues, shall we?  haha!  Adam realized quickly that his manager was right - save the small shoes for the customers with small feet.  So really, shoe stores are looking out for the ladies with small feet that are lucky to find a shoe small enough for their size 5 foot without having those few pairs completely stretched out by others.  Interesting.  I really got a kick out of this conversation with Adam - as always.

If I sat down with some paper and a pencil and some free time that seems so hard to come by these days, I could write a very interesting paper on shoes.  They describe us - even define us perhaps.  I think about the people close to me and in my mind I can think of a pair of shoes from their wardrobe that defines who they are to me.  Shoes describe personality.  Check it out for yourself.  Next time you're out and about - pay attention to the shoes people are wearing.  Are they flashy and flambouyant? comfortable and clean? worn and falling apart, yet full of character from experience? all business?  Shoes say a lot about us.  Who we are, where we've been, where we're going, etc.  Oh the insights that come from being friends with a boy who works in a shoe-store.  =)  Whether we literally leave behind big (or small) shoes for others to fill, may the road always be one of challenges and triumphs...leaving marks for others to follow.  

Some Things Worth Falling For...

Autumn is definitely the best season of the year - hands down, no exceptions.  Today marked the day of my yearly excursion driving up Echo Canyon, through the quaint town of Morgan, and down East and Emigration Canyons to see the leaves change.  It was stunning folks!  Not only was I in the best company for the better part of the morning and afternoon, but the colors covering the mountainside were exquisite.  I've decided to make a verb out of this tradition.  You've heard the word "falling" before used in a number of different contexts, but now it signifies the action of taking part in what Autumn has to offer.  When you go "falling," you drive or hike through any number of canyons along the Wasatch Front soaking up the beauty of nature.  So, I went falling today.  And the best part is that I got to do it with the person I'm falling for...

Steve, or "003" as my dad likes to call him, has never taken the opportunity to experience Autumn in Utah like the Irvines do, so I took it upon myself to show him the ways.  Usually this adventure would occur in the Jeep which is currently sitting in our driveway.  Seeing as it isn't registered at the moment, we opted for a smoother drive in the CRV.  Part of the jeeping experience which we both missed out on today is the smell of exhaust that permeates your skin and clothes for days and days.  We did, however, find ourselves visiting Jeanie's Smoke Shop in downtown SLC on the way back home to say hello to Steve's uncle.  It was the perfect remedy for jeeplessness.  We came out of the shop smelling like pipe tobacco!  I think that marks a first for me, which made the experience that much better.

If any of you are wondering what to do with your time these next few weekends, I'd highly recommend taking a drive up the canyon to snap a few photos and make some great memories.  Here are some of my favorites from the day...

Miss Kristen and Mr. Adams soaking up the colors on a beautiful Autumn afternoon 
Lovely, simply lovely

I quite enjoy this picture of Steve - he claims to be a city boy, but this shot has country written all over it!
This reminds me of the burning bush.  Ha!  Is it a crime for saying that?  That is some crazy cool photography right there!
A personal fave - I dig the artsy angle and effect
Some lovely digital-photography-coolness brought to you by the wonder known as....Steve's camera
The pictures turned out great, but they really don't do it justice - you have to see it and experience it in person
I love this picture!  Every time I look at these trees I think they're looking back at me because of the eye-shaped marks on the trunks
Gorgeous, eh?!?!

A view of the colorful mountainside from across East Canyon Dam