Lately

It's the end of June and I've already finished 6 credits worth of summer classes.  Summer school is totally the way to go.  Three weeks of class, no huge papers, no huge tests, low stress, and I'm completely done already!  Although my degree is in cello performance, music education is my related field. And since I am starting my last year of school, I thought I better get started with some related field classes.  :)

The first class I took was called Educating The Imagination.  For our textbook, we used Jonah Lehrer's new book called Imagine: How Creativity Works.  Let me tell you, this book is AWESOME!  I recommend it to anyone for an interesting read.  It takes a look at extremely creative people and companies, and then breaks creativity down case by case to see what each of them did to become so creatively successful: people like Yo Yo Ma, the creators of scotch tape and clear plastic wrap, Pixar, William Shakespeare, etc.  The class was hard for me to take seriously at first, cause we would do stuff like go for a walk for 30 minutes and pick up 3 things from nature.  Then we used our 3 things to create a collage.  Then we wrote hiku poems about our collages.  Then we wrote and acted out monologues based on our poems.  Then we danced and improvised music and played african drums.  It was lovely, but so much unlike any doctoral class I've ever taken.  We ended the week-long class with a creativity conference for Utah Educators.  And we submitted a weeks worth of lesson plans incorporating some aspect of creativity.  Easy Peasy.  But awesome.

The second class I took was a workshop in academic writing.  The goal of the class was to be able to successfully write academic articles and know how to submit them for publication.  We studied academic and more casual trade journals.  We discussed formal writing.  We talked a lot about grammar.  We spent hours editing each other's articles.  And then we submitted them to actual journals. So, if the stars align, I might be published someday soon!  Crazy?  Yes.  This class was so helpful.

And this past week I spent "coaching" young chamber music groups at the University of Utah's 3rd annual Chamber Music Festival.  Coaching chamber music really is the best.  If I could do that for the rest of my life and make a good living doing it, I totally would.  Anyone want to hire me?

Besides that, we have been to five wedding receptions in the past two weeks.  The Palmers, The Mathewses, The Dutsons, The Otts, and The Campbells.  I love weddings.  It has been so fun to see so many friends fall in love and get married recently.  And it significantly increases our number of married friends.  :)  We're so happy for you all!  Can't wait for the Archulettas in September and the Leonards in October!

Now that school and weddings and stuff are over, here comes the wonderfully unscheduled part of the summer.  I can't wait to organize the pantry, go running some more, play with my puppy, go camping, use our pass of all passes, and relax!

5K!

June 9, 2012

7:00 am

2nd Annual Cancer Thrasher 5k

Thanks sister Erin for running with me!  

(Also sis and bro-in-law Matt and Cassie)

We ran the entire race, even the gigantic hill

We beat our practice run time

And we remembered our Mom

On a chilly June morning, I finished a goal that I started.

I thought about thrashing cancer 

and about persevering when things get tough. 

I think I could become a runner

for health

for fun

and for the thrill of finishing!

** I think I ran a lot faster due to my new Nike Air shoes!