Return to Reality

Yes, it's been awhile since my last post. Maybe if anything exciting ever happened I would write more. Life was just as I left it when I returned home from DC. Same bedroom, same clothes, same job, same school, same family, same car, and pretty much everything else. I had to wonder if the monotony would be disrupted.

Then change happened. On my second Sunday back the stake presidency announced the division and reorganization of the 32nd and 13th wards. This came as a pleasant surprise, because I was actually seriously considering changing wards anyway. It turned out that a small section of the 32nd ward was combined with the majority of the 13th ward to create the new and improved 32nd ward. Same bishopric - mostly different congregation. Of course it is sad to be apart from my ward friends. But DC taught me that meeting new people isn't such a bad thing. I met some phenomenal people back east and thought I should do the same here.

After missing more than half of the Jazz's season, I was so excited when my dad handed me some playoff tickets. Jazz vs. Lakers. (I love how everyone treats it as a rivalry, though it completely isn't.) I went with the younger version of myself. Ben is my 12 year old brother who is absolutely hilarious. We were super excited for the game and even wore the fuzzy Jazz-hair hats. Well, that excitement balloon burst before half time and we ended up leaving with 2 minutes left because the slaughter was too much for us to take.

ROAD TRIP:

A large group from my ward had plans to go to St. George to stay in some condos and enjoy the perfect weather. At the last minute I joined them for a mind-blowing weekend. We arrived Thursday night. Friday was chill-around-the-pool day. Saturday was go-on-a-terrifying-hike day. We decided to hike to Angel's Landing, one of the most popular (and most deadly) hikes in Zion National Park. It was a great hike. My already-bad knees were destroyed by the end, but it was worth it. As the hike ensued I kept thinking that we were the first group of people to ever hike to the top. I can't believe the park lets anyone do this! They have a chain - A CHAIN - for people to hold onto. No chain = 10+ seconds of thoughtful freefall until a splattering death. Children younger than my chest hair were going on this hike. It was insanity at its best. We ended the day with some Cafe Rio and an impromptu trip to Snow Canyon to see the stars. Southern Utah is one of the most beautiful places in the world. We also played some wicked Ninja Destruction.

Other than that, I'm back at the U this summer taking a full schedule. I have about 4 days of being 23 left. 24 doesn't sound half as great. I'm entering "weird guy" zone.

Great Falls, Great Fun.

Just minutes away from DC is a great place called Great Falls National Park. It's located in Virginia. I find it interesting how the East is so compact with small states, whereas the West has monsterly-huge states. If I remember correctly, we passed crossed a few state borders just in few minutes it took to get to this park. Shannon was nice enough to drive and accompany me out there for a great picnic and hike.

Here are a few pictures from our adventure:

This is a certain Shannon Crowley standing in what is called a "pothole." Apparently it took 500 years for this hole in the rock to form. Notice the skirt and flip-flops Shannon sported for our excruciating hike.


This is a certain Brady Barrett posing on a rock overlooking the Potomac River. There isn't much more to say about this picture than that.

This is the most impressive view of the Great Falls. Right next to my left elbow was a little spot where kayakers liked to spend their time. They would paddle in there and ride the "never ending wave."

Needless to say, it was an excellent afternoon. It was highly enjoyable, and I know the mosquitos had a great time as well. Shannon and I have the bites to prove it!