[Title of Post]

It's sometimes difficult for me to see the purpose of keep a blog.

I mean, I'm on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram. You would think that between all the different social media outlets, blogs would become obsolete.

And I have apparently "obsoleted" my blog.

And I apologize because I love writing! I really do!

Perhaps one reason why I don't feel the need to write on my blog is because I'm always writing at my job at the University Journal, SUU's newspaper.

Perhaps it's because I didn't finish everything on my #23b423 list and am so ashamed to show my (cyber)face.

Whatever the reason, I apologize to my huge following. When I say 'huge following' I'm obviously referring to the amount of support I feel from you.

Obviously.

Enough rambling.

Ahem. I think a good place to start is to say this:

This summer was amazing! I was able to be an Orientation Leader for the school I love! I was also one of the Adventure Orientation Leaders and had the opportunity to take a group of seven students up Cedar Canyon and explore Dixie National Forest and Cedar Breaks National Monument. And I got my Junior Ranger Badge.
I was able to visit Washington D.C.  for 10 days and see so many wonderful friends and make new friends.
I spent two weeks in the midwest visiting Katie and her cute family in Madison.
I went on a bunch of hikes that are in my backyard here in southern Utah.
I presented at a high school leadership conference on conflict resolution and passive aggression. In my presentation, I used examples from Harry Potter and Mean Girls. I was shocked by how few of those high school students had not read HP or seen MG. And it made me feel old when I found out that some in attendance were born in 1998.

Now that summer is over, I'm enjoying school.
I think I have finally learned how to say 'no' and am no longer in charge of the #tbirdnation blog. I was just too busy and something had to go.
I've been making loads of new friends and rekindling old friendships.
I love supporting my T-Birds in their athletic ventures as I cheer with my fellow students. There is nothing I love more than singing the fight song after each touchdown. And I actually get to see the game because I'm not working for the athletic department!

As this semester progresses and as super exciting things happen, I will keep you updated, dear reader.

Until then, I'll say adieu.

Walking on Sunshine

The following post has been sitting in my drafts since July. Enjoy.

This week has been heavenly!
I finished my stay in Washington DC. While there I saw new sights, met new friends, played tourist and tour guide, learned some Hungarian folk dancing, and fell in love with the Federal District all over again.
On Wednesday, I had the blessed opportunity to sing in the Cedar Area Interfaith Alliance Choir concert. The program was entitled The Seven Miracles that Saved America and was based on the book by Chris and Ted Stewart and illustrations by SUU artist in residence, Ben Sowards. It was a lovely program held in the spacious area of Christ the King Catholic Church. The program had narrations of fictional letters based on historical facts and the miracles were the discovery of America by Christopher Columbus, Jamestown, a summer fog during the Revolutionary War, the Constitution, Abraham Lincoln and Gettysburg, the battle at Midway, and Regan's life being spared by a fraction of an inch.
Perhaps my recent stay in the nation's capital made my heart so tender as I spent Independence Day with my family in Kanarraville, Utah, population 320.
That town knows how to party and they surely appreciate, as do I, the greatness of this country and its divine origin. I got tons of candy at the parade, enjoyed the community talent show, supported the volunteer fire department, and enjoyed watching a waterfight, BBQ, four wheeling, and fireworks! Holy cabooses, were there fireworks!

Fireworks!

Hats

I like hats.

Looking at my hat collection, one would not think that I like hats because I only have a few in my collection: one snappy hounds-tooth fedora, an old olive green brimmed hat, Mickey Mouse ears, an SUU Events baseball cap from my term of employment with Athletics, and multiple winter hats.

I love films that take place in an era when wearing hats was something that everyone did. I was just in Cedar Valley Community Theatre's production of Hello, Dolly! and everyone wore a hat and it was fantastic.

My favorite hat to wear was a straw hat that I took on trek to Martin's Cove when I was 15-years-old. That hat remained with me for years until it met an unfortunate end when my dad took it river rafting with twelve-year-old Boy Scouts.

I seriously loved that hat! I took it hiking, wore it gardening and cutting the grass. It was the perfect hat to wear sunbathing. Here's a picture of me wearing that hat.

But I digress. The purpose of this post is not to talk about literal hats. No. It's to talk about all the hats I wear.

I have been very blessed to "wear" many hats.

Some of my hats have been:

Friend
Boy Scout
SUU Orientation Leader
Journalist/reporter
Newspaper editor
Photographer
Student
T-Bird
Elder
Creative director
Dancer
Actor
Singer
Music teacher
Wordsmith
Son
Grandson
Uncle
Blogger
Runner
Gardener
Therapist
Tour guide
Liaison
Cab driver
Bed and Breakfast manager
Southern Mother
Meal coordinator
Hiker
Golf cart driver

Just to name a few.

No, many of these things have not been paid positions, but I have learned and grown so much from being well-rounded and interested in a myriad of different things.

I like hats.

I like that I do a lot.

I'll wear more hats.

And it'll be okay.

-----

Update on #23b423: I've done a lot more things, but I have been a negligent blogger and haven't posted any updates. I'm sure I will soon.