Thoughts on Vacation (and Death)

Recently there has been some debate as to whether or not our family will be taking a vacation this year. Or, at least, part of our family--the part that does not bring in a steady income and tends to have wacky, impulsive ideas involving risky ventures and imprudent behavior. In relation to this, I have been mulling over the following thoughts:

Vacation Pros:

Remember what it feels like to drive 70 mph on a straight road.

See the world before we die. Or at least see America.

Create lasting memories of the best years of our lives, when we are young and stupid and rely on our parents to pay for all of our expenses.

Vacation Cons:

Money could be used in more practical ways (i.e. clothes for fall, new books that I want to read, movie tickets).

Requires too much exertion to research places we want and can afford to go to.

We could die.

Should we end up doing a vacation after all, it's likely to be one of these options: the Grand Canyon, the Great Salt Lake, Zion National Park, Lake Powell. I've been to the GSL once, but it was too cold to get in, so I'd like to return and do that at least once (before I die). As for the others, I know nothing about them yet, but I assume a lot of driving and hiking would be involved, and possibly some camping and bear-baiting, and maybe, possibly, conceivably, death of some kind. It could be a person. Or a car - our red minivan Jack died on the last day of our last vacation. Or it could be the bear, which I wouldn't mind so much.

So far I'm ranking them in this order, with the following Pros & Cons:

1. Great Salt Lake

Pros: Close to here. Involves water. Not very crowded. No bears.
Cons: Kind of boring. Possible death from salt poisoning?

2. Zion National Park

Pros: Pretty close to here. Supposed to be pretty. Hiking is fun. What are the chances of getting killed in a place called "Zion?"
Cons: If you've seen one park, you've seen them all. Might as well stay here and hike Timpanogos.

3. The Grand Canyon

Pros: It's famous. It's grand. It would be cool to say that we've been there.
Cons: Our neighbor's mom died there - she took a step back to pose for a picture. So...deadly and possibly haunted?

4. Lake Powell

Pros: It's a lake. Swimming!
Cons: Kind of a long way to go just to swim (since we don't boat, fish, jet or waterski).

Who knows? Perhaps it will be just the library and the movie theaters for me this summer. What with all my acquired expertise in crime after spending 6 hours at the National Museum of Crime and Punishment in Washington DC, I'm kind of looking forward to this new movie coming out about the famous bank robber John Dillinger (Public Enemies, I believe, is the name of the film?) this Friday. However, if I do go, I'll be lucky to make it out of the theater alive.

Done!

So, I officially finished spring semester today! The grammar exam only took one hour and 45-ish minutes to complete, and I was actually the third-to-last person to finish, so apparently I'm a slow test-taker... or just didn't study very well.... But I betcha I got most of the questions right. Luckily, the test was pretty straightforward. I say "luckily" since I neglected to even look at the actual study guide for the test until about 15 minutes before (she had given it to us a few weeks ago, and I had stuck it in my folder, where I promptly forgot about it) the hour. I had studied all morning and last night from my own notes and the homework, but it would have been helpful to have the study guide as a reference. Oh well... I still think I did quite well. And I KNOW I got one question right, because I asked her afterwards if I could see the diagram, and she had done it the exact same way as me! I'm sad I don't get to keep my tests from the class for my school portfolio, but I guess I can always go back and diagram the sentences again (she gave us a take-home sheet, which I still have, he he). In fact, I'd probably better do that soon, before I forget EVERYTHING I learned about diagramming (wait, what's a "slanty" line for? My mind is going...I can feel it....).

To assist my mind on its path toward implosion and the emotional purging which typically takes place after the end of a semester, I watched "Cars" for the first time when I got home. My reaction? Meh. (That seems to be reaction to a lot of films these days) It wasn't anything special. Although I did enjoy hearing Paul Newman's voice coming out of a car. The truck was also kinda cute. But the whole romance/redemption/fictitious creation of a world inhabited only by cars thing? Meh. "Ratatouille" and "The Incredibles" are much better in the way of Pixar films.

As for my other pursuits, I am doggedly struggling to finish reading "Extras," by Scott Westerfeld, just so I can say once and for all that I read the entire Uglies series in less than two months. They're really starting to wear on me, showing up in my dreams and my thoughts far too often, so let me know if I start saying dorky, futuristic things like "Check out that scary-making ride - it's totally kick!" and "I'm not feeling very bubbly today, Mama-chan."

Speaking of rides, I noticed that the Orem Summerfest carnival is all set up... in PROVO. The parking lot of the Albertsons at the bottom of the hill, to be exact. My first reaction was, "Wow, what a nifty way to create tension between people who want parking spaces to shop at Albertsons and people who just want to go to the carnival. AND people who just want to drive down the hill from Orem to Provo" (i.e. ME). My second reaction was a tie between "Wow, that Ferris Wheel is reaaaaally close to the road. Seriously, someone could fall out and land right on a car's windshield!" and "I bet wonder how great the view of the top of Albertsons is." My third reaction was, "Where's the freakin' star machine? The only ride worth the price, and I don't even see it!? So totally bogus."

You only THOUGHT I died in a plane crash...

And, ladies and gentlemen (all...er, seven of you? Hello?), after taking a much-enjoyed two-month break (from blogging - I've been plenty busy doing spring semester stuff), I'm BACK! I enjoyed the break, but I definitely don't want to go so long again without writing in what is pretty much now my journal.

So, I got back from Washington DC....um...a long time ago. More details on that later, as well as on the many things that I didn't get the chance to talk about before leaving. Like the Museum of National Crime and Punishment, and the...zoo. National Zoo, that is.

For right now, let me bring you back up to date on me. After getting back from DC, my immediate priorities were 1) finish my research paper for Pol Sci 399R, and 2) get ready for spring semester. I finished the first on May 16, after an unfortunate string of almost all-nighters, and am pleased to report my happiness with the results. As for the second, I just finished taking my CHum 230 (Print Publishing) final, and only have the ELang 325 (Grammar) final tomorrow before I am done withe spring semester! Hooray!

Other priorities I've got going now include the following:

1. Ward organist/RS pianist/choir pianist/Relief Society teacher (first lesson THIS SUNDAY!)
2. Writing more in my blog/journal. Yeah! Aren't you happy?!?
3. Working on the Americana journal for next year. Our chief editor graduated, and we're kind of in the lurch. Good thing I just took a print....publishing...class. Oh, shoooooot.
4. Cleaning up. I have to make a school portfolio for last winter and this spring, and organize all the stuff I brought back from Washington.
5. Work on Christmas presents! Never too early, right!? Speaking of holidays, I'm also going to be turning 21 this summer.
6. Read a ton of great books and watch a ton of great movies. That's what summer's all about, right?
7. Prepare for imminent doom, also known as GRAD school. Eek.

Wish me luck in all of the above, please, but feel free to pick favorites. #6 is mine!