Olympic Splendor

I love the Olympics. Every two years, we get the chance to see men and women give everything they have to achieve a dream. There is drama, heartbreak, triumph, and about a dozen other things wrapped into four minutes on the ice or thirty seconds in the pool. The Olympics takes everything I love about sports and catapults those things onto a world stage where somehow we come together if only for two weeks. Spectators across the world join together, and for a short while we are interested in the same thing. We cheer for people who come from countries whose political ideologies we may not agree with. We mourn with people as they struggle – whether it is the sad death of the young luger from Georgia or the loss of a Canadian skater’s mother just two days before competition.

I hope you have had a chance to see a few of the highlights or read some of the incredible stories. Some of my favorite moments so far have included—

*learning about the Chinese pair skaters Shen and Zhao and watching their love translate into some of the most graceful and seemless skating I have ever seen.

*reading Rick Reilly's editorial about John Napier. I can’t say that I care much about bobsledding, but his story inspires me to be that much more appreciative of the men and women who are competing on completely different stage so that we remain safe here in the United States.

*laughing in disbelief at the snowboarding aerials and ski jumps that are landed - insane and incredible. Those people are so brave and so completely crazy.

*seeing Evan Lyscacek’s tears of joy and relief after his nearly perfect short program. Anyone who knows him has talked about his relentless dedication to his craft – that he practices more than he needs to because he cares that much. Learning that and then seeing his long program and bliss at winning gold were fantastic. Can’t say that I didn’t love the news today that he and Nastia Liukin are, in fact, a couple – not that we hadn’t already surmised that from her presence there with him. So much discipline and talent in one couple—

This is just the beginning of the wonders taking place in beautiful British Columbia. So glad we are only halfway through the games!

ps. Definitely would not have had a chance to watch the games without the magic of Jewels and her DVR. Way too many commercials to sift through if you're watching live and who really wants to watch ice dancing? So much better to just skip through and find Bode Miller tearing up the slopes or Evgeni Plushenko getting angry. So thanks Jewels and Brett for sharing.

Spills & Armadillo Heels

I have never been "light on my feet" - if there is a bump in the sidewalk or a cord on the floor, my feet will find it. If you've known me long enough, I've probably face planted next to you. That said, my falls have never looked quite as incredible as these lovely ladies. Courtesy of my teammate Corey, here is CNN's "breaking news" about models, heels, and fantastic spills. Enjoy!

Perfect Playlist

In my quest to be a frequent gym attendee, I’ve been working on a perfect gym playlist – the right blend of good beats and songs that won’t get old even when I’m hearing them five plus days a week. My list so far may look a bit like a high schooler’s, but it was it is - I love this type of music. So far my working list is –

“Tik Tok” Ke$ha
“Zero Gravity” David Archuleta
“Low” (feat. T-Pain) Flo Rida
“Let It Rock” Kevin Rudolf & Lil Wayne
“The Way I Are Are (feat. Keri Hilson & D.O.E.) Timbaland
“Show Off That Body You Got” Petey Pablo
“4 Minutes” (feat. Justin Timberlake & Timbaland) Madonna
“Drop” Ying Yang Twins
“S.O.S.” Rihanna
“Lose Control” Missy Elliott
“Walking On Sunshine” (Metro Remix) Jennifer Lopez
“When I Grow Up” The Pussycat Dolls
“Come Baby Come” Elvis Crespo And Gizelle D'Cole
“R.O.W.D.I.E.” The Jock Jams Cheerleaders
“Sexyback” Justin Timberlake
“My Life Would Suck Without You” Kelly Clarkson
“Let's Get Loud” Jennifer Lopez
“Boom Boom Pow” Black Eyed Peas
“I Gotta Feeling” Black Eyed Peas
“Forever” Chris Brown
“Lost Hawks” Andre Nickatina

Like I said, it’s a work in progress, and I’m always looking for new contenders. Any suggestions? They definitely do not have to be limited to the hip-hop world. My classic biking mix is mostly Kelly Clarkson and show tunes. I’d love new songs to add to the mix. Happy dancing/exercising/cleaning/whatever you do with pump up music!

Ps. For all my fellow “Biggest Loser” watchers, my playlist is called Jillian. Whatever it takes to not slack off when you’re working out, right?!

Nerd Alert

I don’t read the dictionary – at least not often, but I love learning new words. I use the dictionary feature at least once a day along with my reading. I’ve been keeping a running list of some of the words I’ve looked up and actually want to learn….

macabre - adj - disturbing and horrifying because of involvement with or depiction of death and injury : a macabre series of murders.
degust - verb - taste (something) carefully, so as to appreciate it fully
patrician - noun - an aristocrat or nobleman
codices (pl, of codex) - noun - an ancient manuscript text in book form (an official list of medicines, chemicals, etc)
noetic - adj - of or relating to mental activity or the intellect
esoteric - adj - intended for or likely to be understood by only a small number of people with a specialized knowledge or interest : esoteric philosophical debates
carte blanche - noun- complete freedom to act as one wishes or thinks best : we were given carte blanche
eidetic - adj - relating to or denoting mental images having unusual vividness and detail, as if actually visible
sanguine - adj - cheerfully optimistic : they are not sanguine about the prospect
hubris - noun - excessive pride or self-confidence
zeitgeist - noun - the defining spirit or mood of a particular period of history as shown by the ideas and beliefs of the time : the story captured the zeitgeist of the late 1960s
ubiquitous - adj - present, appearing, or found everywhere : his ubiquitous influence was felt by all the family

My favorite word off this list definitely has to be zeitgeist. How fun is that to say? The word I most need to keep in my head is esoteric. People use that word constantly. I’ve looked it up at least a dozen times, and finally I think I’ve got it. I told you – I am a nerd and proud of it.

*This post is dedicated to Jenessa and her list of 1000 words she is learning for the ACT.

Parking Gods

Call it what you want – parking gods, parking roulette, whatever – I am playing the game or being played every day. There are far more graduate students than there are grad spaces. So when you come after 8:30 in the morning, there’s nowhere to park. This may or may not mean that a certain gray CR-V with California plates has been in faculty A-lot spaces a couple times this past week. Don’t judge me. Guess who won these particular parking war battles? That’s right—ME. No tickets, nothing. Hallelujah. Amen. PTL. Call it what you want. Either way – I have to admit since I have to play it, I kinda love this parking game.

{Where I spend my days and where my car is parked at least four days a week - the slightly odd, slightly fantastic Tanner Building - picture obviously taken during a different season - way too much sun for February}

Liz's Brilliant Musings

During my "last" year in Provo I lived with three fabulous friends - Maria (who I had met by chance and ultimately would become one of my dearest friends), Mags (who I am sure is a long lost sister), and Liz (who is very possibly the coolest person I ever lived with. In everything she did/does, Liz is completely her own person. When I grow up, I want to be her.). I have repressed a lot of what happened that year-- the two car accidents, the lost feeling that accompanied my sixth year in Provo, the fear of Ryan being really sick, etc. That said, I have not repressed how great it was to live with these girls. Living with Liz was a completely new experience. I loved getting to know her, and like I said I wanted to be her. Her writing possessed everything I wanted to have - authentic voice, beautifully crafted language, compelling stories - that even when completely fanciful were poignant and and compelling....

Now two plus years later, Liz still writes. Her blog is one of my favorites because it's so real, and it's so honest. Today she posted about cultural ambiguity. I love what she said. My views on culture are so wrapped up in the fact that I feel like I don't have a culture to cling to. I've tried embracing my German heritage - that's the one I talk about most often. I've tried being a bit more Italian - but the blonde hair throws people off, and really - I'm probably more English or Scottish than I am Italian.

There's no way to adequately wrap up what I think about this subject, but if you have a minute, read what Liz said. For lack of a better phrase, it's great food for thought. Enjoy! {Liz and her Sam during a great photo shoot on frozen Utah LAKE~}

Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet

Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I am wary of books that people hand me to read. There’s pressure to love what they love. And despite the risk of sounding picky, there are only a few people whose judgment I trust without question. Megan is one of those people, but still when she handed me “Hotel on the Corner of Bitter of Sweet,” I was nervous. What if I didn’t love it as much as she did? At first glance, it looked like a book that I would like. It had a beautiful cover, a haunting premise (anything World War II captivates me), and well-respected reviewers. That night after my visit with the fantastic Martin clan (still Megan if you’re not following), I started the book. A few days later, despite midterms and papers, I finished the book. What a brilliant and impeccable recommendation.

Jamie Ford’s foray into the controversial world of 1940s Japanese internment is hauntingly beautiful. Ford does not use the book to lay blame on the people who interred thousands of innocent men, women, and children (though he could have). Ford simply used the book to tell a story about a boy and girl who meet, fall in love, and are separated. Ford also calls into question the power of tradition – both culturally and familial. Ford does it all against the backdrop of Seattle’s international district, jazz clubs, a neighborhood private school, and a crumbling hotel that speaks volumes about the people that once frequented its halls.

I finished the week ago and a few things have continued to play on my mind -
*One is how rarely we understand why people are they are – be they our parents, our significant others, or our best friends. There are so many details wrapped in our individual beings and it’s impossible to have someone see and understand all those details. Sometimes you just have to have “been there” – but we can ask and we can learn.
*Another thing that has stuck with me is this love story between Henry and Keiko – I love their shy appreciation of each other and then the lengths they go to make the other happy. I love their love, even if it is only a fictional love, especially because I can hear it in the sounds of children laughing and bluesy jazz and see it charcoal pencils and blank paper. We need more pure love stories like theirs.
*Lastly, I am still sick over the images of Japanese internment. I have learned about it before in school, and met friends’ grandparents who were interned since the Bay Area is one of the main areas that Japanese people were rounded up. The timing though on reading this book was uncanny because I had just been debating our current treatment of Muslims in the United States, and our predispositions to racial profiling despite our best efforts. And then there was this book – I am sad that our country was so afraid and so hateful that we destroyed the lives of so many good people. And yet these people persevered – they continued to fall in love, to work, to believe in the American dream. What I fear still though after finishing is that we are capable of repeating this mistake. I know we are, and I don’t know how to make the situation any better.

Read this book. You won’t be disappointed. It’s one of the most redemptive stories I have read in a long time. We all need more redemption and more hope in our lives.