uhh...

Wow 2011.  You've just been slipping on by.

And here I am, with a few moments of spare time.  Thinking.  A lot has happened over the past several months, and when I think about what a task it would be to delve into all that has happened...well...it's that kind of thinking that gets me to procrastinate updating this blog in the first place.

So this entry will be basic.  No photos, just a quick rundown of what has been happening since my last entry (May 1st...time has flown).

• Friends and family have stopped by to visit.  Hannah and her brother Elijah trekked all over the city with me in May.  My cousin Alli stayed with us over the weekend of July 4th.  Kristen, Tommy & Alyse came by to say hello and were there to witness a metro preacher in action - the first time I'd ever actually seen/heard one.  The reverse has happened too - I dropped by Joe and Whitney's to say hi to their daughter Ellie and to eat their food.  I've been thinking lately about the college days and the great roommates and times that I had, and I miss it.
• Work.  The adventures that have taken place!  I took a group from Algeria around DC - they were great, but since this group (for the most part) didn't speak any English and had to communicate via an interpreter, connecting with them personally was difficult.  Nevertheless, I did get to go to Vermont and take a tractor trailer ride.  On a 300+ acre orchard.  On an island.  I rather enjoyed that part.
• MORE work.  Egyptian students came (and these guys spoke English).  The logistics were a nightmare, but the students themselves were brilliant, respectful, fun...whoever's reading this, I wish you could have met them so that you could be blown out of the water with how impressive they were.
• Trips that DON'T have to do with work.  The Outer Banks of North Carolina over Memorial Day with hundreds of other LDS friends: parasailing, wild horse hunting, singing 80s songs in the hot tub with new and old friends.  Oh yeah, and the beach.  Take me back.  Also, Maine: completely rural, great lobster, pine trees EVERYWHERE, rocks just begging to be climbed, the Milky Way at night...it was cool.  I doubt I'll do that drive again, but thankfully our car had XM radio = all the 80s music I want.
• Speaking of 80s: Since May 1st, I've seen the Legwarmers twice.  This equates to five times in two years.  The moral of the story is that if you can play good 80s music, as long as I and others in my generation are alive, you'll probably never go hungry.
• Back to work...I've sporadically been shadowing PAs and I recently took on another job (no biggie, I pick the hours and the place is right by my house) as a home health attendant.  If I'm going to delve into PA school, it's going to involve a huge investment of time and money, and I'm keen on making sure it's what I want to do before I dive in, which is why I'm taking the "dip-your-toes" approach.
• School.  Well, kinda.  It's just a ten week course called Understanding Congress (HA), but really, it's been alright so far.  Sometimes it feels like my brain gets over saturated a bit more quickly than it used to, but I can keep plugging along.

Life is busy.  Sometimes I feel the need to scream about how I never asked for adulthood to come to me as I pull down the pants of the nearest passer-by and run to the nearest Chuck E. Cheese, but don't worry; I don't do any of that (although Chuck E. Cheese is apparently only 6 miles away.  Good to know).  But in spite of the frustration, I feel like I'm progressing and trying to get myself involved in productive things.

There you have it.  The past 6 months.  I hope life is going well for you, good reader.