Illusionism

I changed my dissertation topic...

at what could be considered the last minute.

Smart?

Debatable.

But no turning back now.

New topic: Illusionism

Centered on Rubens's Triumph of the Church over Ignorance and Blindness tapestry

part of the larger series of twenty tapestries, Triumph of the Eucharist (1626-28)

A few tapestries from the series for your viewing pleasure:

[Triumph of the Church over Ignorance and Blindness]

this is the one I am researching

[Sacrifice of the Old Covenant]

[The Meeting of Abraham and Melchizedek]

[Detail of Abraham and Melchizedek tapestry]

Pretty talented, that Peter Paul Rubens...

The clock is ticking.

Week Two: Political Thought

The tutorials on political thought weren't exactly centered on voting rights, but isn't it enough that Hobbes was named after the guy rather than requiring that he also elaborate on all his complex political theories and methods? =) I've dabbled in the methods/theories of Bacon, Descartes, Hobbes, and Locke this week. Interesting stuff. My dad always encouraged me to take a deductive logic class in college. Did I listen? No. Should I have? Yes. I got down to my final two semesters at BYU and realized I wouldn't be able to work out my schedule to make that particular philosophy class fit. Big mistake. While reading portions of Leviathan by Thomas Hobbes, I can clearly see, or deduce rather, how his logic carried him from point A to point B...and then somehow straight to point Q. Right. Like I said, it was an interesting week. I really wish I had a bit more experience in this kind of stuff - logic, philosophy, etc. However, there's no time like the present to learn new things, and that is just what I intend to do this semester. I'll share some insights from these men, which I found interesting in reading and later in class discussion. I do have to admit, I'm really glad I'm not living in Hobbes' world as a member of the body politic - permanent paranoia and chaos. Locke's has its complexities and incongruities as well, but his is much more manageable, you know, with things such as natural parameters or boundaries, and even a few laws....

Locke: The Second Treatise of Government

'Tis easy to be imagined that he who was so unjust as to do his brother an injury, will scarce be so just as to condemn himself for it.'

'For truth and keeping of faith belong to men as men, and not as members of society.'

'A state...of equality, wherein all the power and jurisdiction is reciprocal, no one having more than another; there being nothing more evident than that creatures of the same species and rank, promiscuously born to all the same advantages of nature, and the use of the same faculties, should also be equal one amongst another without subordination or subjection, unless the Lord and Master of them all should by any manifest declaration of his will set one above another and confer on him, by an evident and clear appointment, an undoubted right to dominion and sovereignty.'

'...though this be a state of liberty, yet it is not a state of licence...'

Hobbes: Leviathan

'...In the nature of man, we find three principal causes of quarrel. First, competition; secondly, diffidence; thirdly, glory.'

'For war, consisteth not in battle only, or the act of fighting; but in a tract of time, wherein the will to contend by battle is sufficiently known: and therefore the notion of time, is to be considered in the nature of war; as it is in the nature of weather. For as the nature of foul weather, lieth not in a shower or two of rain; but in an inclination thereto of many days together: so the nature of war, consisteth not in actual fighting; but in the known disposition thereto, during all the time there is no assurance to the contrary. All other time is peace.'

'The final cause, end, or design of men, (who naturally love liberty, and dominion over others,) in the introduction of that restraint upon themselves, (in which we see them live in commonwealths,) is the foresight of their own preservation, and of a more contented life thereby; that is to say, of getting themselves out from that miserable condition of war, which is necessarily consequent to the natural passions of men...'

Bacon: New Organon

'...it will not be amiss to discuss the three kinds and as it were grades of ambition in mankind. The first is of those who desire to extend their own power in their native country; which kind is vulgar and degenerate. The second is of those who labour to extend the power of their country and its dominion among men. This certainly has more dignity, though not less covetousness. But if a man endeavor to establish and extend the power and dominion of the human race itself over the universe, his ambition (if ambition it can be called) is without doubt both a more wholesome thing and a more noble than the other two.'

Sidenote: I've never read Thomas More's Utopia, but was quite intrigued while reading Bacon's New Atlantis of a similar theme. I highly recommend it - short, yet stimulating.

Descartes: Discourse on the Method

'For it is not enough to have a good mind. The main thing is to apply it well.'

'For talking with those from other ages is the same as traveling. It is good to know something about the customs of various people, so that we can judge our own more sensibly and do not think everything different from our own ways ridiculous and irrational, as those who have seen nothing are accustomed to do. But when one spends too much time traveling, one finally becomes a stranger in one's own country, and when one is too curious about things which went on in past ages, one usually lives in considerable ignorance about what goes on in this one.'

'In order to understand real opinions, it would be better for me to pay attention to what they practiced rather than to what they said...there are few people who are willing to say what they believe, but also because several are themselves ignorant of what they believe.'

'I think, therefore I am.'

Six-year-old Tutor

I don't know exactly where I want to take my blog at this point, but one week into a new semester and my head is already reeling. I've found that by writing things down, they usually end up making sense (it's really nice when it happens instantaneously, but that's not always the case). So, I'm dusting off my old blog to record some thoughts that I find complex, interesting, preposterous, stimulating, etc. My program has left the Renaissance behind and has transitioned into the Enlightenment. Translation: I'm completely out of my element. We've ditched Michelangelo, Titian and Raphael for the likes of John Locke, Thomas Hobbes and Immanuel Kant. And speaking of Hobbes, you'll notice that this blog is centered around Calvin & Hobbes - one of the greatest comic strips ever created. As always, this duo will provide some thought-provoking company as I try and work my way through this semester.

I discovered very quickly in Mrs. Riley's Senior English class at WXHS that poetry is not my forte. I'm not a huge fan of writing it or analyzing it, but especially the latter. Sad day then when I had to do just that for my first tutorial assignment this semester. My professor had us read and analyze two poems by Abraham Cowley from the 1660s - The Royal Society and To Mr. Hobbes. Luckily, after working through them in class I came to enjoy them immensely. I'll go into some more detail in another post about the content, but for now, I'm just getting things started. I have much more to learn about this period and its greatest thinkers, but I've already discovered one of the beautiful aspects of the Enlightenment, or living in an age of Enlightenment. It's the fact that questioning life and everything about it is a very good thing. I started questioning myself today in a way I haven't really done before. This is not to say that I started doubting myself, not at all actually, but I started questioning...

Update!

New husband, new home, new accent = new blog!  Check it out: steveandkristenadams.blogspot.com. Enjoy!!!

Cold Feet

     The time has come, the walrus said, to speak of many things.....of shoes and ships and sealing wax, of cabbages and kings......and WEDDINGS!!!  Five days people, five days.  Pretty sure next week is gonna be a little crazy, so I'm taking advantage of this time to write down some recent happenings.  Where to begin....

Let's start with a party.  The 26th of August marked one of my best friend's birthday.  Penelope Celeste turned 25.  I'm proud she's embracing this year as an odd number (she prefers the even years) because I feel like it's going to be a great one for her.  We celebrated at the Olive Garden in Provo, and then I got to see her sweet place afterward.  I love the Wings.  They are the coolest people.  Myrna wins the prize for the best quote of the week:  

Myrna: "So, do you have cold feet yet?"

Me: "No - not yet.  But there's still time."

Myrna:  Well, just remember, when you get cold feet, you can wear socks."

Golden.  That comment made my night.  Another friendly fete took place up in Logan last weekend.  Steve and I went up there to spend time with his siblings and watch the O.M. temple dedication together.  As it turns out, Lindsey and Tyler live next door to Michael Murray, a great friend from high school.  So, I called Michael on the phone and asked if he wanted to come over for pizza and games (I guess I could have walked 20 feet and knocked on his door, but that might have freaked him out), and he accepted.  Spontaneous adventures are the best.  And, we all got to meet his cute little lady, which made it even more fun!  T'was lovely.

My time at the JSMB has officially come to an end.  Funny how I worked my first and last functions in the Empire room.  Instead of saying that I hate that room, I now prefer to say that there are simply others I prefer better - namely, the Wasatch, Sharon, Manchester, Palmyra, Harmony, Kirtland, Ambassador, Jade, Gold, and President's rooms.  =)  It was a great job.  I love the building.  I love the people.  And I loved the view.

I haven't managed to tie off all loose ends yet.  I basically finished my internship at the U of U art museum (the UMFA) this week, except for one last page that I need to make for the African backpack.  Two new exhibitions are opening in October - an Egyptian and an African exhibit - and I'm excited about the project that I worked on for them. 

Somewhere in all the craziness I managed to get stung by a hornet.  Ouch.  My wrist is still sore.

One other party that needs mentioning.  Last night was my second cousin's wedding reception.  Her name is Kristy Irvine (yes, extremely close to Kristen Irvine, right?) and the best part is, I've never met her.  Her family lives in D.C. and tonight was the first time I've met her in person.  Random connections all around.  I know her husband from the MTC.  We were in the same zone, and came and left at the same time.  I was roommates in Jerusalem with one of her best friends from Maryland - the one and only Ashley Cooper.  And, I saw Sister Sonntag at the reception last night (a mission companion of mine, and nearly next door neighbor....she lives two streets away from me and we're in the same home stake) because she was Kristy's next door neighbor in Provo.  Small world, eh?

Met some of the most wonderful people in the world tonight.  Only a few people who read this post will know anything about Debbie and Jim Lloyd, and what they both mean to our family, but, we already consider them our own family.  They have lived great lives, and they raised an incredible son.  I'm so glad I got to meet them this weekend.

I think that about sums up the latest events.  Hope to see you at my next event, and if not, well, I guess I'll be sending you greetings from Scotland!!!

Oh happy day!

No pictures this time, just some really great news -- I GOT MY VISA!!!  Well, I don't have it in hand yet, but I received the email today from the British consulate general in L.A. that said it was approved and is being shipped to me.  So, from the time I mailed off the application, to the time when I have it in my little hands, it looks like it will have taken four weeks.  Bittersweet.  Steve can't apply for his until we have our marriage certificate, so if it takes as long for his as it did for mine, I may be living it up in Scotland on my own for three weeks.  Not the most ideal situation, but we'll make the best of it.  Still, I'm really glad that my visa was approved.  Such a relief!

Sneak Peak II

So, it's time for another illegal post!  Ladies and gentlemen, four weeks from today I will officially become Mrs. Steven Grant Adams!  I'm slightly excited.  Okay, no, I'm incredibly excited.  The following pics capture a tiny piece of the fun and happiness that occurs when I'm with Steve.  And thanks to our awesome photographer, Brody, we have some really sweet shots.  You'd think that Steve and I would be totally nervous since we were decked out in full wedding attire, but no, it was an absolute blast - totally comfortable and fun.  Hope you enjoy.  We don't want to spoil all the fun, so we picked some pictures we like, but we're keeping our very favorites in reserve for September 3rd....

Can we say, "prom?" Ha! Brody made us pose like this, I swear.

The best part is that he broke off all the tree branches to create a nice twig/branch

frame effect. Awesome.

Believe it or not, we're in a cemetery. True story. Look close

and you can see the headstones amidst the trees.

Now do you believe me?  We loved the look of a stone archway, 

so we picked the Mount Olivet cemetery as one of our locales. LOVE IT.

Still outside in this one, though you can't really tell. Now we're in the

Harvard/Yale area of Salt Lake - another favorite location of mine.

Brody kept trying to make me take these serious, seductive shots

and this was the result - laughter.  Not exactly what the doctor ordered,

but still funny after the fact.

Sure do love this boy.  That's really all there is to it.

The end.

90,000 miles and counting

That's right!  Today was the day when my car hit 90,000 miles.  It was an event worth celebrating, so I treated my car to a 24-hour spa treatment, if you will.  I decided to pamper it with new spark plugs, an air filter, a timing chain tensioner, gear oil (my car was sooooo happy about this one, so much so, it's driving like a brand-new machine!), anti-corrosion pads, basically, the works.  I figured that on top of the 90,000 mile tune-up, I would treat my car to something extra special for all the work it has put in as my go-to girl, or guy.  That brings up an interesting point.  I've had this car - my cute little 2001 toyota corolla - since 2004 and have yet to name it.  My car has no identity (except for the license plate which still manages to keep people guessing at stoplights.  It says BLUIDQT, in case you haven't seen it).  But, name or no name, I've had some great adventures, thanks to my little engine that could.  I was thinking about the places I've been in my car, as I was driving home from work tonight, and I'll mention just a few for your reading pleasure.

First road trip in my car - a trip to Lake Powell - summer of 2004.  Though all subsequent road trips have been a blast, I think this first one was most memorable, due in part to the passenger sitting next to me in the passenger seat - Geoffrey, aka Jeff King - but mostly because of what happened during the drive.  We listened to Ugly Kid Joe's, "Everything about you" over and over again.....until.......BUSTED!  I got pulled over.  True story.  I think that was the first time I'd ever been pulled over.  I freaked out for about 5.47 seconds, but then turned on the charm, and played totally innocent to the officer.  I think I claimed that I wasn't sure how fast I was driving.  The speed limit was 65mph, and I was cited at 87mph.  Ouch.  He found out we were BYU students headed to Powell, and basically let us off with a slap on the wrist for speeding.  He knew I couldn't afford the fine, so made me promise to drive the speed limit the rest of the way (WHICH I DID, I'll have you know.  I'm not totally corrupt, I just suffer from a lead foot.  It's genetic, I swear).  Not my proudest moment, but I'm impressed to this day that I weaseled my way out of a $200 ticket.  I really think my car enjoyed the trek - it stretched its little wings, got sand in its gears, and delivered four passengers to Lake Powell in one piece.  A job very well done!  

Most other road trips landed me in Sun Valley, Idaho.  2008 was with Marie over President's Day weekend, and the most recent was with Steve for the annual Utah State Bar Convention earlier this month.  After passing Snowville, it's a tediously bland drive until you hit the turn off at Twin Falls, and head due North.  Not the most exciting drive, but well worth it to spend time in fabulous Sun Valley.  There are snow sculptures to play on (including a sweet ice slide), laundromats to visit, ice-shows to watch, and great food to eat.  Desperado's will always have the best tortilla soup ever made.  Delish!

So, my car has been good to me.  I hope the time with the mechanic today keeps my silver beauty happy.  I'll be leaving it soon, trying my hand at public transportation in Scotland.  Maybe my car will enjoy some time away from the hustle and bustle of I-15, and I-215, or the gruesome workouts climbing Chelsea Dr. at least 5 times a day.  Only time will tell, I guess.  Hope my car has had as much fun as I have over these 90,000 miles...  

Sneak Peak!

This post is probably illegal since we don't own the copyright to our photos quite yet, but I wanted to give you a sneak peak at our engagement pictures.  Twas a fun-filled hour snapping pics all over SLC.  Be sure to notice 1) the vivid auburn hair mentioned in my last post..hehehe!  And 2) the very handsome lad that I get to marry in less than 60 days.  I realized that it's incredibly easy to be natural and happy when you're just that - truly happy!  Enjoy.

ViViD Auburn

       Have you noticed how certain people attract certain things - catastrophes, embarrassing moments, injuries, etc?  I'm not sure if I fall into one of those categories, but some funny stuff has been happening to me lately.  I thought I'd share the most recent events. 

       I don't consider myself a vain person, meaning, once I'm out the door for the day, I don't constantly check mirrors to make sure my makeup is still impeccable, or to see that my hair is perfectly in place.  I think it was Sister Beck that made a comment like, "make sure you look good, but once you head out the door, forget about yourself and focus on helping others."  I like that.  So, back to the story.  With engagement pictures, groomals (for those of you who aren't familiar with the term "groomals" it's similar to bridals, except that the groom is there in his tuxedo along with the bride), and wedding pictures, I figure I should care a little bit more about keeping up appearances.  Well, one afternoon I was shopping for some fabric with my mom, and I started to feel light-headed.  I had enough foresight to have my mom drive us around after we left the fabric store, and good thing I did.  Five minutes later, as I was buying a drink at a gas station to try and help myself feel better, I fainted.  My cheek came in direct contact with a trash can, and the pebbles did some damage to my right cheekbone.  Lovely.  That was about two weeks ago.  Luckily, there are no scars at this point, though my cheekbone is still sore when I touch it.  

Next up - vivid auburn.  I get my hair highlighted every summer, and I usually stick to what I know and like (though, I wanted to put in dark purple highlights last year, but it didn't work out that way).  Like I said, I do it every summer, so it wasn't really a big deal to me, even though I knew I was having our engagement pictures taken on Tuesday.  Well......as my good friend Ann can attest, I had a slight freak-out after I left the salon.  My hair absorbs color REALLY well, and the warm auburn I was planning on somehow turned into fire engine red!  HA!  I immediately called Ann and told her that they turned me into Ariel.  There is a BIG difference between being a redhead and having auburn highlights.  I was worried they had leaped, not just stepped, over the line that I have never wanted to cross.  Ariel is pretty, but red just isn't my thing.  Ann helped calm me down a bit, I washed my hair that night, and the next morning...voila!  My hair looked just fine.  I curled it, stuck in a few bobby pins, and took care of the engagement pictures with vivid-auburn-not-to-be-mistaken-with-red hair.  And the best part is, despite the initial freak out, I really like it now.

Lastly, let's discuss makeup.  I like to think that I wear it, rather than it wears me.  You all know people, I'm sure, that wear tons of makeup on a daily basis.  Not sure why they do it, they probably don't even need it, but I guess it's a comfort blanket for some people.  I decided to get my makeup done at Nordstrom's for the engagement pictures.  I don't own foundation or powder, or any of that stuff, so I figured I'd let the lovely Mac makeup artists do their thing.  Bad idea!  The lady that did my makeup was beautiful - always a good sign when they're the one doing your makeup, right?  Nope!  I'll spare you the details, but basically, she turned me into an oompa-loompa!  HAHAHA!!!  It took everything in me to keep from distorting my face when I looked into the mirror and saw what she did.  A memorable comment from the makeup lady after I told her she needed to make a little adjustment, "yeah, I tend to be heavy-handed with the blush."  That was the understatement of the year people!  Bright.  Pink.  Cheeks.  Once again, I called Ann - bless her heart - and freaked out a bit as I was driving back home.  As usual, she helped calm me down, mostly through laughter, which usually does the trick.  Luckily, I had quite a bit of time before we took the pics so that I could get home, wash off the makeup, and do my own thing.  I was pleased with the final product, but you can be the judge when you see our engagement pictures.  Do you understand why I'm really happy we're done with them?!? 

So I, and my auburn hair, have survived some random happenings, but life is still really good.  I'll be sure to post any other crazy stories that may come up in the next little while, but hopefully nothing too big will need to be told.  Moral of the story - avoid fainting (if possible), avoid crazy hair colors, and avoid crazy makeup artists.  That's all.

A whole new world...sort of

I love this quote by Martha Graham, "Practice means to perform, over and over again in the face of all obstacles, some act of vision, of faith, of desire.  Practice is a means of inviting the perfection desired."  I especially like the last sentence.  I can't remember exactly, but I believe my first competition was when I was six or seven years old.  It was an ice-skating competition.  Since that time, I competed pretty regularly in ice-skating and dance competitions until I was probably 15 years old.  After that, I stepped out of the competitive arena and enjoyed performing without receiving a judge's marks.  Until yesterday, that is.  Yes, I stepped back into the world of competitive dance last night to compete in my first Irish Feisanna, or Feis (pronounced "fesh").  Despite my nerves, after a 10 year vacation from this kind of stuff, it was really fun.  I was horrified when I learned what I would have to wear though.  I didn't want to spend lots of money on this competition since I decided to do it at the last minute (the VERY last minute! I learned my final dance on Wednesday night that I had to compete in on Friday.  Smart.), so I wore a plain white button-up shirt, a black skirt, and black tights along with my ghillies.  So what's the problem?  I felt like a cheerleader!  The skirt was much shorter than the mission-length standard for skirts that I've become accustomed to over the last three years.  Ha!  It's funny how much this affected me, and even though it wasn't THAT short, I still felt scandalous.  This is why no personal photos are being posted.  Haha!  I am, however, including some pics below of some irish solo dresses to give you a frame of reference for the costume length requirements.  Apparently, the judges feel like they need to be able to see your entire knee and then some, to make sure that they are always crossed and turned out.  Right.  On this note, I much prefer wearing a Scottish kilt.  Yeah, it flips up a bit while I dance, but still, I fancy the pretty plaid material that extends all the way to my knee.  Another reason I didn't go for the fancy schmancy irish costume is that they cost a fortune.  It is a serious investment to buy a solo competition dress.  The average figure for a dress like the ones seen below is $1,300 - $1,500.  And lastly, I just have to say, they are the funniest looking costumes I've ever seen.

Overall, it was a really good experience.  I proved to myself that I can still pull off dance competitions and do pretty well.  It was a good feeling to know that after starting classes in April, I pulled off a competition in June.  With every style of dance, I always manage to pick a favorite.  I competed in the reel, light jig, slip jig, and single jig categories.  My favorite was definitely the light jig.  I don't have any videos or pics to post of the actual competition from Friday night, but the following pictures will hopefully introduce you to the wonderful world of Irish dance competitions...

Do you see what I mean when I say the skirts are a wee bit short?!?!?  Luckily, all the adult competitors get to wear black tights instead of the funny socks.

Irish hard shoes....SO MUCH FUN!!!  You feel really funny wearing them though, because your heel is raised, as well as your toes.  You basically walk on the balls of your feet.

These are random models - I got this picture from an Irish website, but it gives you a taste of what Irish dancers look like at these feis competitions - lots of crazy color combinations, sequins, tiaras, and ridiculously tights curls (they're wigs, in case you couldn't tell).

As funny as most of the costumes look, some of the celtic designs are cool...

A girl from the Crawford School competed in this dress, which is why I included it in this post.  It's one official representation of what Friday night looked like.

Forever PLAID

 The Irvine Tartan

    I grew up in one amazingly cool family.  The Irvine/Stevens/Mitchell clan is quite the sight when we get together at my aunt's house.  This past Sunday we had a family party (nothing unusual to have weekly parties, but the themes are continually changing) and the theme this week: PLAID.  Oh yes, everyone got decked out in as much plaid as possible.  No one cared if the plaids clashed - and many did - so long as you were the person wearing the most plaid.  I really wondered what Karen's neighbors thought as they watched a bunch of people spill out of cars in lots of crazy colors.  Unfortunately, I didn't win the competition for wearing the most plaid.  I was pretty disappointed since I have a good amount of plaid stashed here and there in my closet - including a brand new (as of January) kilt from Scotland!  Even though every piece of plaid that I wore to this party came directly from Scotland, I disgraced my family by ordering a kilt in the ancient Buchanan tartan, rather than the ancient Irvine tartan.  I'm still hearing about it months later, and probably will continue hearing about it for the rest of my life.  Don't get me wrong, I love the Irvine tartan, but I really like bright colors (especially when I'm dancing) because they stand out more.  Anyway, I think my dad won the competition for wearing the most plaid.  He really hates getting dressed up for these events, but he made us all proud by going all-out this time.  The outfit: plaid 3-piece suit, plaid tie (in the Irvine tartan, of course), plaid scarf, plaid "cummerbund," which he claimed doubled as a jewish prayer sash since he wrapped it around his waist (it's really just another plaid scarf), a plaid shirt, and a plaid hat.  Basically, it was plaid over-kill.  I, on the other hand, pulled off a splash of plaid with grace and style.  I wore my kilt and scarf, as well as a swanky pair of plaid tights.  This party was the first time I've worn them, and I must admit, I really like them!  Maybe after one year of living in Scotland I can acquire just enough plaid apparel to beat my dad the next time we have a plaid competition.  

Regardless of all the plaid, the party was a blast.  It's always fun spending time with my extended family.  It just recently expanded with the addition of a wee little one about two weeks ago.  My cousin Alison had her fourth child - James Paul Mitchell - and I'm sure that in no time at all he'll be running around with the rest of the grandkids, keeping all the adults entertained.  The following pictures offer a good sampling of the festivities.  If the weather had been more agreeable, there would have been a caber toss in the backyard in the true spirit of highland games, but the indoor stuff suited everyone just fine.  Guid cheerio the nou!!!

Jeff and Joani Stevens with their kids, Drew and Ella.

Stevie Mitchell with three of his four kids: Michael, Beth, and Megan.  James is the new arrival in the Mitchell clan, and he spent most of the afternoon sleeping.

Paul and Karen Stevens....never a dull moment with these two!

Clan Irvine!!!  Always proud of some Scottish heritage....Irvine OR Buchanan.

My tights are TOTALLY cooler than my dad's plaid pants.  C'mon people, how often do you see tights like that?!?!

I absolutely love this picture!  Steve has acquired a new little buddy, which is hardly surprising.  Kids just love him.  Michael had a blast discussing how many fish were inside the grapes sitting in the strainer in the sink.  Interesting.  These two kept themselves entertained in the kitchen, while the rest of us enjoyed some delicious Scottish shortbread.

Let the games begin!  Every couple tried their hand at the bean bag toss.  As usual, in our competition, Steve won.

Another favorite picture.  Go Linda Jean!  She was a little excited when her bean bag landed closer to the target than my dad's.

THE END.

Happy Anniversary!

Today, 09 June 2009, my parents celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary.  40 years!!!  Amazing.  I've been around for just over half of that adventure, and I've watched them through easy times and hard times.  I'm grateful for their examples through both.  They invited me and Steve to dinner tonight, and when asked for advice regarding marriage, this is what they said.  Linda: "Be seaweed."  Dave: "That's good advice."  Short and to the point, eh?  In essence, it's all about compromise.  Something else that I'm sure my dad would have said if he had a couple more minutes to think about it, would be this, "marry someone who will be there when the wheels come off - someone who will stick around to put them back on."  My parents have seen some grim stuff with two heart attacks, and one heart transplant among many other things that come with marriage and mortality.  They've relied on each other, supported each other, and made sure that when the wheels came off - whatever the situation - they both stuck around to make sure they got back on.  I'm so grateful for the lessons I've learned growing up in their home.  Thanks Mom and Dad - happy anniversary!!!

P.S. The picture may seem very random, but it's the only one I have of the four of us: one couple celebrating 40 years, and the other getting ready to begin their own exciting adventure. 2009 is turning out to be quite the year...

25 years in the making

They say that a picture is worth a thousand words.  Well, this is a pic that Steve captured of me on my 25th birthday - 23 May 2009.  What exactly is this picture saying?!?!?  Whatever the confusion might be, I really was thrilled to turn 25.  I'm pretty sure it's gonna be a great year.  I decided to make a dent in those thousand words with the following post.  I hope you come away excited for your next birthday celebration and all the random thoughts that cross your mind when you hear "one year older and wiser too" playing over and over again in your head all day long...

So, like I said, I celebrated my 25th birthday yesterday.  Do I feel different?  Nope.  Do I look different?  Probably not.  So what's different?  LOTS!!!  Life is continually changing, which is why it is so interesting and fun to catch a snapshot of life at a particular moment.  To capture the moment of turning 25, I want to list some things about life - twenty five things, to be specific - that are meaningful to me at this point.  Some have led me to where I am today, others are characteristics that I can't seem to shake.  Some items are obvious, others may seem incredibly random, but they're all meaningful to me.  So here it goes (in no particular order):

1) My parents named me Kristen Kathleen.  It's a good, solid name.  They never thought it would fly to name me Bambi if I ever wanted to land a steady career.  I appreciate their consideration - truly.

2) I got lucky with diabetes.  Yeah, shots and finger pricks aren't always great, but it could have been something so much worse.  I can walk, run, think, reason, laugh, love, etc, etc, etc.  In some ways, I had to grow up fast.  Immaturity and diabetes do not mix well.  I'm grateful to realize that I am human, and sometimes, the limits I have from diabetes keep me in check, which would otherwise be completely non-existent with the crazy expectations I sometimes ask of myself.

3) Friendships mean everything to me.  Acquaintances come and go, but true friends stick around for the long haul.  Their sorrows are my sorrows, their joys my joys.  I haven't always been the greatest friend (I hit a few rough spots in high school, but I think all is well now), but I do try.  For those "kindreds" out there, you have no idea how much influence you've had in my life. 25 is even sweeter because you're still part of the ride. 

4) I'm extremely ticklish.  This is one of those characteristics that is impossible to change,  no matter how hard I try.  The rubbish my dad tries to feed me about it being an issue of "mind over matter" is just that - RUBBISH!!!  It doesn't work.  I've tried.  The reason I kind of like this about myself, however, is that my reactions are totally entertaining.  I guess it keeps me young at heart.  Will I retire from "ticklish" when I turn 65?  Don't bet on it.

5) I don't sing in public.  I did it once and that was enough for a lifetime - my friends should have stopped me, but they didn't!  I appreciate this because I realize that we can't all be good at everything - life would be bland and boring if everyone did everything at exactly the same level.  Luckily, I have incredible friends with incredible voices to listen to, so I'm totally content.

6) Despite my singing inhibitions, I'm proud to admit that I've been blessed with "musical earlobes."  This is a Dave Irvine original.  Do me a favor.  Go look at yourself in the mirror.  Pay particular attention to your ears, and zoom in on your earlobes.  Do they connect immediately to your head, or do they have a bit of a dangle?  Please don't think I'm psycho, but the best comparison I can give to help you understand the difference is comparing the ears of Curious George to those of Buddha.  See the difference?  If you've got some dangle - congratulations - you've been blessed with musical earlobes.  This is something I share with my dad, which is the real reason why I decided to play clarinet in jr. high band (he plays clarinet and saxophone in a sweet little dance band).

7) I'm sort of short.  This allows me to prove to myself that big challenges can be overcome, even if you're short.  Growing up, my docs never thought I'd make it past 5'0" - happy to report that I proved them wrong...even if it did take a long time.  A friend of mine gave me a copy of "Short People" by the King Singers for my birthday in junior high.  That has been one of my favorite b-day presents to this day because I think it is so hilarious.

8) I love to paint.  It reminds me to view life in color rather than black and white.

9) Serving a mission in the TSAM.  This forever changed my view of Texans, my view of service, my view of the love of the Lord, my view of myself, etc.  Everything changed for the better, and my mission provided an incredible springboard for the rest of my life.

10) I chew ice.  I am an ice-chewing ADDICT!  Even though I know it's not the best hobby for my enamel, I'm thankful for odd quirks that I can't really seem to figure out.

11) I color-coordinate my closet.  I think Ann is my only friend that has seen it in all its grandeur and glory, and I think she laughed at me when she saw it.  Laugh if you will, but I like to see an organized closet starting with white on the left, then going through tans, pinks, oranges, reds, purples, greens, blues, browns, grays, and blacks finishing it out on the right.  I appreciate colorful organization.

12) I like to express myself through letters.  Sometimes I'm not sure what to say in person, or how to say it best, but I always love sharing thoughts and feelings through words.  Memories and experiences are more tangible when they're written about, rather than just remembered.

13) I'm grateful for situations that have made me rise to the challenge.  I'm definitely okay being an indian rather than a chief, but it's nice knowing that I can be a chief if the need arises.  I love opportunities that make me step out of my comfort zone.

14) I graduated from BYU.  Those were some great years filled with fun and laughter, some sorrow and tears, and a sense of accomplishment when all was finally said and done.  I finished one leg in the journey of education, which I value so much.  I'm thankful for all the experiences there that made me stretch and progress.

15) I graduated from BYU - without being married.  I hated all the assumptions people had when I told them I was going to BYU because they figured I went there just to find a husband.  News flash - I went there to get a good education.  And I also held off on the marriage thing to avoid being shipped to a convent in Albania by a father who was uber-concerned that the pod people were going to overtake me during my 6-year stint in Provo.  =)  

16) Steven Grant Adams.  Fiancee and dearest friend.  Apparently I barely squeaked out of BYU unmarried since I knew around November that I wanted to marry him, and graduated one month later in December.  He proposed four months after that.  Phew!  That was close.  Any closer and my dad may have lost it entirely.  Steve is absolutely wonderful.  I really do feel like the luckiest girl because I am marrying the greatest guy.  He challenges me everyday (without even realizing it) to become not only better, but my very best self.  I'm so grateful...

17) I have an awesome heritage.  Since the Irvine time-spans between generations tend to be longer than most, I don't know many of my "great" relatives.  However, family get-togethers and hobbies that I enjoy serve as a link to the people of my past.  I'm grateful for their unseen influence that has shaped my life.

18) Star-gazing.  Love it, love it, LOVE IT!!!  My best memories are family trips to Lake Powell when I'd get to sleep on top of the houseboat and drift into unconsciousness covered by an enormous blanket of brilliant stars.  It reminds me of how tiny we all are in the eternal scheme of things, yet also how grand we all are in that same scheme.  Amazing.

19) I'm grateful for anything that causes uninhibited laughter - the kind that results in tears.  That is one of the best feelings in all the world - when your stomach muscles are burning and your eyes are gushing.  There's nothing quite like it.  Laughter, at times, is the very best medicine.

20) Dave and Linda Irvine, as well as Derrill and Lana Larkin - pillars of strength, greatest examples and sounding boards, life-time friends and confidantes.  Words can never do these people justice...

21) Learning to drive the jeep, or play the piano, or figuring out how to master an upper-case "Q" in cursive - basically, anything that requires patience and diligence.  All of these things, and many more, have taught, or continue to teach me about essential attributes.

22) A dislike of mushrooms, beets, and lamb meat.  Random?  Yes.  My point here, is that it's okay to have dislikes.  I'm not going to like everything I encounter in life - nor will everything I encounter in life like me - but that's okay!  It took me awhile to figure this one out. 

23) The play "Noises Off."  I saw this play at the Utah Shakespearean Festival years and years ago, but I've never forgotten it.  I think it's hilarious, but it also taught me an important lesson.  No matter what you see going on in life, there is always more to the real story taking place backstage.  People are more complex than they seem, and you lose out on so much if you pass judgment on first impressions and just leave it at that.  Sometimes the hidden stories are funnier than expected, sometimes they are sadder than expected, but finding out what's really going on is essential to any kind of understanding.  

24) Flowers.  There is so much variety in flowers.  They're pretty as single stems, and they're beautiful in bouquets.  Some smell great, others have no scent at all.  Some are tall, some short, others are strong, and many are incredibly delicate and fragile.  Regardless of time or season, flowers always bring a smile to my face.

25) Last but not least, I'm simply grateful to be me.  I only have 25 years of experience in life, but hey, that's 25 years of life experience that I can share with others that may need it.  I'm grateful to be me because somehow, somewhere at sometime, I met you.  Even if I haven't seen you or spoken with you for a long time, I'm grateful for who you are.  Thanks for making a contribution in some way - large or small - that has meant so much to one Kristen Kathleen Irvine upon turning twenty-five.

Retraction

        Well, the title of this post would suggest that I have to withdraw a previous statement made on my blog.  Bluntly stated, I'm not getting married on September 17th, and I'm not moving to England to attend the University of Essex in the fall.  Talk about a curveball!  Shortly after getting engaged, I headed back to England to find a place to live and get to know the great little town of Colchester better.  It was an interesting trip to be sure, but the most interesting thing happened the night before flying home from London.  I checked my email at Penn's place around 10:30pm and about froze in my chair when I opened an email informing me that I was accepted at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland!!!!  AHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!  SCOTLAND!!!!!!  I've seen a couple really cool places throughout my life, and Scotland definitely nears the top of my most beautiful places list.  So...I decided to accept Edinburgh over Essex.  Yes friends, I will be living in Scotland!

       As for getting married on September 17th - not possible.  After re-reading the email from Edinburgh, I realized that I have to be in Scotland for classes starting September 14th.  Which means...Steve and I will be getting married on September 3rd instead.  So there you have it - no more Essex and no more wedding on 9/17.  Instead - it's the University of Edinburgh for the two of us after getting married on September 3rd.  That's all.  =)

Dear Benny and Sariah,

Dear Benny and Sariah,

I wanted to share some great news with the two of you - Steve and I are engaged!!!  Little did we know when we were your counselors at EFY that the participants would be more inspired than the counselors at SLC-04.  Apparently you guys saw this coming from the very beginning, but it took us a little longer to figure it out for ourselves.  It seems that your ceaseless efforts to discover and perfect as many pick-up lines as possible paid off - at least for us.  Benny, when you made Steve use them on me to see how they worked, I just laughed.  Since it wasn't "legal" - according to the "For the Strength of Youth" pamphlet - to use pick-up lines on Sariah (tell me again, when do you turn sixteen?), I acquiesced and played along.  I figured that someday in the future you'd realize that pick-up lines are, in fact, completely unnecessary.  Eventually, you'll figure that out - be sure to let us know when you do.

Anyway, things picked up between the two of us when I headed back to BYU in September, and he did the same, but at WSU, to finish up school.  It was a somewhat-long distance relationship, and Steve affectionately became known as my "weekend boyfriend" since that's when I mostly saw him.  It was nice though.  Enough contact to keep me wishing for more, but not so much that I couldn't focus on school in order to graduate in December.  September flew right by, with fun dates like the demolition derby in Logan, and gelato with dear friends in Bountiful.  October slipped away too quickly, but we did manage a chair-lift ride under the stars at Sundance, and domino-Sundays with both our families.  November was Thanksgiving, December was Christmas, and all of the sudden, we found ourselves in 2009.  January was freezing - mostly because Steve left me behind in Bountiful while he went on a vacation to Ohio and Canada with friends from his Taiwan days.  But then I turned around and took off on a trip to the UK to visit a dear friend in London, so I guess that made things equally chilly for both of us.  February was great though - Valentine's Day alone made up for not getting to spend February 30th and 31st with Steve.  Maybe it is because Valentine's Day is so awesome that those other days were seen as expendable back when everyone was figuring out how to downsize the calendar.  March was lucky.  I found out towards the end of the month that I'll be going to graduate school in England this fall, and since Steve was really excited about it too, I figured I'd eventually invite him to come with me as a "permanent fixture in my household," which, as it turns out, he was already planning on for quite some time.  Sweet!  April has by far been the best - no joke.  The reason for sending this letter revolves entirely around the events of April 27th, 2009 - the day when Steve asked me to marry him.  At some point over the last nine months, though I can't tell you the exact time or place, I fell in love with him, which explains why I happily said "yes!"  We both have our own versions of how the wonderful event happened, so I'll let you enjoy it from the two of us.  I only said yes in one of them, so you'll have to watch them both to find out what went down.  I, personally, am a huge fan of Steve's version - it's priceless!  Thanks so much for all your efforts - we are truly grateful.  See you September 17th!!!

All the best you two,

Kristen

Steve's version: Kristen's version:

Tale of two cities

      Well, my time is up to decide where to go to graduate school.  After lots of applications, letters of recommendation, and transcripts being sent all over the place, it really came down to two schools - the University of Essex and Stony Brook University.  Neither school was anywhere on my radar screen when I first considered going to graduate school, but through a friend as well as some random research, both became top contenders.  Choosing between a year in London or two years in NYC is pretty tough, but I have finally made my decision.  The winner is....UNIVERSITY OF ESSEX!!!!  Ow-Owww!!!!  I can't wait!  Living in Europe has been a dream of mine, and it looks like it's going to come true.  Who knows what the future holds after this adventure, but I'm so grateful for the opportunity.  I'm reading "John Adams" right now and the oft-quoted sentiment of that great man definitely rings true in my own life:  

"I must study politics and war that my sons may have liberty to study mathematics and philosophy.  My sons ought to study mathematics and philosophy, geography, natural history, naval architecture, navigation, commerce, and agriculture in order to give their children a right to study paintings, poetry, music, architecture, statuary, tapestry, and porcelain."

I don't know about the porcelain, but I'm grateful to have the opportunity to study paintings, architecture, and sculpture.  My program at Essex emphasizes works produced during the Renaissance through the nineteenth century.  Again - a dream come true.  Michelangelo, Bernini, Delacroix, David, Raphael, Vermeer, Rembrandt, Dürer, Turner, Ingres, and many more such artists will be my area of expertise.  The end goal?  Bringing art to life for others through museum work, as well as cultivating appreciation of the arts through teaching.  

Classes start in October, so I'll be leaving shortly before that, but the official date of departure has yet to be determined.  Consider this announcement a cordial invitation  - visitors will always be welcome!!!  CHEERS!!!

Two gardens

     It's been a great day - Easter Sunday usually is though.  Easter egg hunts and near-sightings of the Easter bunny will ensue shortly, but I'm truly thankful for the real reason we celebrate Easter.  It has almost been one year since I left to study at the BYU Jerusalem Center, but I remember like it was yesterday what I saw and felt there - especially inside the area surrounding the garden tomb just outside the Old City.  Seeing the garden of Gethsemane on the Mount of Olives was profound, but it paled in comparison to the experience of walking around the garden tomb.  The feeling in the former (though poignant) seemed very far away, so very distant, whereas in the latter, the feelings were very near the surface, and ever present.  I'm grateful for what I know and believe, and I hope you'll check out the following two videos at the following addresses (just copy and paste):

http://mabrystudios.typepad.com/reflections_of_christ/2008/03/reflections-sli.html

and

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=1158671326103&ref=nf

 Happy Easter!!!

the new job

        Life sure is funny.  I laughed when I was offered a job at the Joseph Smith Memorial Building serving at banquets and receptions.  The reason for the laughter is because I swore to myself long ago that I would never have my own wedding reception at the JSMB -- and now I'm working there, mostly serving at wedding receptions and banquets.  Ha!  And, what's even better - the room that I really don't like - the Empire room - is the first room that I served in.  Now, for those of you reading this who had your reception at the JSMB, please don't be offended by this post.  The JSMB is stunning, but for some strange reason, I still have issues.  Go figure.  It's kind of like my prejudice towards Texans, which I maintained fiercely up until the time when I opened my mission call and read that I'd been called to serve in the Texas San Antonio Mission.  That was a true kodak moment if ever one existed.  But, surprisingly enough, just like how I immediately fell in love with all things Texas after opening my call, tonight I came to realize that receptions at the JSMB aren't all that bad.  The room was gorgeous at the beginning of the banquet, and even though I was pretty tired by the end of the evening (I have a much greater appreciation for all the time and effort that goes into the receptions from start to finish), it was amazing to look outside the window as I was working to see a stunning view of the Salt Lake temple at night.  So, after one night of working at the JSMB, years of prejudices are beginning to break down.  I survived the Empire room tonight.  Will I have my own reception there?  Probably not (baby steps people, baby steps!!!). We'll see how it goes tomorrow in the Palmyra room for a wedding luncheon.  I'm sure there will be many funny stories to come if I drop a tray of dishes or trip through the door, etc.  Hopefully that won't happen, but you just never know....so stay tuned!

Surprise!!!

     I love, love, LOVE, surprises!!!  And I got the best one tonight about twenty minutes ago.  I haven't gone skiing with my dad since 2005.  2006 and 2007 found me in the blessed land of Texas, 2008 was my dad's heart attack recovery period, and the 2009 season looked questionable after my dad fractured his tibia in December.  However, the docs said that if my dad followed all the rules of his recovery from day one, he may be able to manage some spring skiing.  Well, that was the surprise tonight - the announcement that his docs gave him the go-ahead at his check up today for skiing.  So, we get to go at my nearest possible convenience.  WOO-HOO!  I guess I'm so excited because it's been such a long time since I've gotten to ski with my very best pal - Papa Irvine.  =)=)=)