Workin' 9 to 5...

...What a way to make a linvin' (love that movie!)

Hi All,

Well, I am a working girl again (have been for over a month now...I apologize for my delay :)

I took a position as the Program Coordinator with Utah Campus Compact!!!

Utah Campus Compact is a coalition of all 13 Utah college and university presidents and their campuses. UCC is one of 31 state compacts nationwide and kicked off its 10-year anniversary celebration on Nov. 21, 2006. This organization serves private and public higher education institutions, helping them develop a shared commitment to the public purpose of higher education and the value of integrating service with learning.
UCC's purpose is to:

1) assist college presidents in promoting service-learning and
student participation in civic and community service,
2) improve collaboration and build partnerships at the state level,
3) provide links with other state and national groups, and
4) offer resources, ideas and information to member campuses.

Good news is that I am working for an amazing organization, I am still in higher ed, I am still in service-learning and I am still impacting students (although a bit removed!)....AND I AM LOVING IT!!!

Another great thing about me going back to work, besides the paycheck :), is that on the day I started working, my mom started volunteering for the local boys and girls club down the street. She has been going over just about every afternoon and helping with their Power Hour which is when the kids do homework or reading. But not all the kids bring something to work on or read so she has been brining in poems for them to read aloud to her. They are loving it, infact many of them have started writing their own!!! It is great and it has filled her day with so much joy.

Till I write again, take care!

Never a dull moment...

There seems to never be a dull moment around the Mieremet/Williams household and today once again proved that. Bless my mom's heart, she decided (on a whim I think) that she wanted to make mustard pickles, the ones like her grandma and mom used to make. So, we went along for the ride...

4 different trips to the market for supplies

2 heads of cauliflower

5 lbs. of baby onions

5 lbs. of green peppers

7 large cucumbers

4 lbs. of green tomatoes

3 cups of brown sugar

1/2 gal. of vinegar

turmeric

mustard powder

black pepper

celery seed

and a few more things I must be forgetting :)

After a long evening of cutting all the veggies (mom was up till 2am, I only did a few I had had a few beers so I need much to go to sleep!!!) and a saltwater bath over night, we began the real process. Well, with all this food we must be canning and preserving all these mustard pickles we are attempting to make so, out came the mason jars and the pressure cooker!

Thinking that my mom was a pro at the canning process she says first let's read the directions! Come to find out that really meant she wanted to see how long to cook them for. Well we got the mustard sauce made and put all the veggies in the jars so on to the pressure cooking.

Now I am new to this pressure cooking thing so I was just standing back as Carrie and mom were getting ready to take the lid off. As we were moving slowly to not hurt anyone, all of the sudden there was this loud noise and there was water spraying through the top of the lid. We all jumped back and just watched "Old Faithful" spew. There was just too much pressure in the pot and we were not prepared. Well after it was all over and we all calmed down for a second, we realized that mom had some minor burns so we acted quickly and all is good now.

After that, our kitchen disasters continued...one cut finger and a broken glass. Needless to say, we closed up shop for the afternoon and moved on with our day!

While I know that these are only small things compared to other things going on in the world and even in our own country today, I must say that I am glad to say that they were only small things that happened today. And I am so grateful my mom is okay and it was not worse but I am happy that she was a part of this story today. Just a few days ago we celebrated an anniversary with my mom, the anniversary of her being cancer free. In 2001 she was diagnosed with breast cancer and a long road laid before us then. But now our road with her is full of stories about canning pickles and making multiple trips to the store. I love you mom and I am so happy you are here.

Bless those in Texas and those who are still being affected by hurrican IKE. My prayers go out to those being affected.

Till I write again, take care!

A brief stop...

It was the week before labor day weekend and my sister Carrie said to me that she really wanted to go to Red Rocks to see the Allman Bros. and Gov't Mule even though it was a trip and a weekend we had taken off the calendar about 3 months ago when it was announced. So, after some thought and looking at the calendar, we made a jump on the tickets and packed our bags.

While we only got tickets to the 2nd night of shows and missed the Allman Bros and Ratdog, we made it to Mule and everything else for the brief weekend was awesome. I got a much needed Denver fix and a much needed friend and music fix! We tried to get in to the Blue Bonnet but the line was not worth the wait so we went to our next favorite, Old Chicago.

On our drive out there we saw about 3 new wind farms which were spectacular and beautiful.

While I was in Denver, I was not able to see everyone but please know that next time I will plan ahead and plan for a much longer stay then our quick weekend (most of which was spent at the Rocks!). Here are some pics of the weekend.

Till I write again, take care!

No Problem Mon...

Hi All,

I hope all is well with everyone. Things are going great back here in Utah and I have some photos to share of our time in Jamaica and the wedding!!! But here are some highlights of the trip...

• About 2 hours into the trip we experienced our first major thunder & rain storm. Little did we know it was going to rain like that everyday we were there (except our last two days!). At one point the thunder and lightening was so hard it set off all the car alarms around the hotel. The rains were so hard too that sandbags were pulled in to keep the water from completely flooding the lunch area! (Oh yeah, we still were not in our rooms at this time!)


• With these rains came my fall/accident of the trip. We had finally gotten into our rooms and they were bringing the luggage over and my sisters and I thought we would help so off we go and I get to the first set of stairs and down I go...The rains had completely saturated everything and I guess I was moving to fast on slick tile and down five stairs I go. I reopened a cut on my hand and jammed up my ankle and my neck. Typical!!! But it didn't impact the rest of my trip (at least I didn't let it).


• We had to transfer hotel properties on the second day because the one we were at was undergoing renovations and the other half of our wedding party was at the newer property so we didn't unpack the first night and moved the next day. Made for a long day but it was awesome no matter where we were!
Members of the wedding party...Back row left to right: Gary, Mom, Carrie, Kellie, Natalie (Melanie's family) . Front row left to right: Joel, Alan & Valentina, Beni, Richard, Melanie (Ronnie's family from Switzerland)


• It was so beautiful there we really didn't want it to end. However, the humidity was out-of-control. At least for us desert folks from Utah!!! It was so hot and humid that our towels, swimsuits, and clothes never dried and as soon as you walked outside you were sweating again. There was not point in trying to do your hair or for some put on makeup because in a matter of minutes it was ruined. As a matter of fact within one hour of being in Jamaica my hair had already started growing in size and curls!

• There was always time for dancing to live reggae. My mom and I were usually the first to get started but usually others began to join in!!!


• The beach was beautiful and the water was so nice. We would get out there relatively early each morning get our spot on the beach, lather up the sunscreen and then go swimming. At about 11am we headed to the bar for our first drink of the day! Got to love the all-inclusive resorts. Then by 12:30-1:00pm we headed in for lunch as the rains would come in about that time each day. At least it provided us a routine!

• On 08-08-08 my sister, Melanie, and Ronnie had their special day...the wedding. It was at 9am but let me tell you by the time we got to the location and finished the ceremony, we were all sweating. I can only imagine what it would be like if we had kept it at noon! It was beautiful ceremony though. And taking pictures was so much fun, running around and doing sweat patrol for the bride! Here are just a few photo highlights. Now I am not one to toot my own horn, but I have to say that the jewelry I made fit perfectly with everyone's outfits and it looked so beautiful on my sister with her dress.

• On our sunset cruise I got to snorkel, swim threw a cave, and hold a starfish! Let me just say that snorkeling is not so easy when you are near-sighted and your glasses don't fit inside the snorkel mask!
  
  

• Water sports...we got to do more than just swim and snorkel in the water! We tried sea kayaking which I totally loved, we did the paddle boats and some sailing!

Well, I could talk about this trip for hours and there are so many more stories and fun things I could write but I will cut myself off here. I will add some more later and put up more photos as there were so many taken. In fact, I had just purchased a new memory stick for my camera and it held up to 1,500 pictures. Well, I did not take that many but I got close...630!!! (okay not all were of quality but I figured just keep snapping and I should be able to get at least one good one!)

Till I write again, take care!

I just love this one too...

The time has come...

Hi all,

So tomorrow my family and I are off to Jamaica for my sister's wedding. The bride and groom left California today and will be there when we get there. Their wedding is on 8-8-08. After lots of shopping for new clothes, a new hair cut, and plenty of other miscellaneous errands we are ready to go. I think there is two bags per person and even some carry-on's to add to that. Lots of stuff!!! I will be back on the blog when we return!

A big thank you goes out to my cousin who will be staying at the house with Sugar (see previous post)!

Till I write again, take care!

She senses something...

Sugar is my mom and Gary's dog so in a way I feel like she has become my dog! As she has aged, she has become much more mellow and oh so sweet. I know for some it may be crazy to think that I live with a dog and I care so much about it but it is true.

So, yesterday my mom and I were upstairs getting our luggage out and cleaning up our rooms. Sugar was in the hallway on the floor and she looked a bit sad. Then, my mom tells me she hates the site of suitcases and she knows what they mean :(

No joke, the rest of the day she was very sad and just followed us around every step we took just waiting for us to leave. I feel bad that we in a way have tricked her because we started packing so early. But after a while she realized that we were not leaving yesterday and she perked up and totally struted around during our walk last night :)

Till I write again, take care!

Changes they are a happinin'

After many years of trying to grow my hair long enough so I could donate it to Locks of Love I made it. Yes, ladies and gentlemen I have cut my hair, this is not a wig (although my hair is being donated to make one).

I don't know what it was but we were all going to get our hair trimmed before the big trip to Jamaica and the wedding and something inside me just said do it. Then something inside me said NO DON'T DO IT YOU LOVE YOUR LONG HAIR. So, after putting my mom and my sister in the chairs before me so I could contemplate it and sitting down and having her measure off about 10 inches, I said do it now or I may never do it. Then the lady asked me if I was going to cry, then she said, please don't cry we haven't even had lunch yet we can't have someone cry before lunch. That made me laugh.

So, here it is Kellie with her new hair cut. I am still getting used to it but I think I actually like it. It is different for me even though I have had short hair before but people always say change is good.

More on Locks of Love: Locks of Love is a public non-profit organization that provides hairpieces to financially disadvantaged children in the United States and Canada under age 18 suffering from long-term medical hair loss from any diagnosis. We meet a unique need for children by using donated hair to create the highest quality hair prosthetics. Most of the children helped by Locks of Love have lost their hair due to a medical condition called alopecia areata, which has no known cause or cure. The prostheses we provide help to restore their self-esteem and their confidence, enabling them to face the world and their peers. http://www.locksoflove.org/

Till I write again, take care.

The Tao of Kellie...

Hi All,

So in 2006 my sister Carrie gave me the book The Tao of Willie Nelson for my birthday and it is a book that I think everyone should pick up and give it a read. I read each of Willie's Tao's and enjoyed them. It really made me start to think about life in a different perspective. So much that I even created one of my own. It was after a series of typical Kellie maneuvers, being clumsy, and getting more than one scrap, cut, or other serious injury that week that I created this Tao.

"Life is not worth living unless you have the scars to remember it by." 6-4-06

I love this and have thought of it often when I encounter yet another scar on my body. Well, last week I went to a concert, Johnny Lang, and everything went great...the show, the dinner we hand, the weather, it was just an awesome evening. And No injuries!!!

That all changed as I was walking in my front door that night. We have this glass door (like a screen door) and I was walking in and the front door was open and as I was walking through the glass door, I must have not had my hand on it and it came swinging in so fast and furious that it clipped me on my left heel. It sent so much pain through me I wanted to scream but I didn't, just banged my head against the door (That stops the pain right). Carrie asked if I was okay and I thought I was so I kept on my way to put some stuff in the kitchen. Once I got into the light I saw that I did break some skin and I was starting to bleed. Well, at that point I started gushing because I was walking so I could take care of it and then everyone was involved. So, we cleaned it out and made sure I didn't need stitches. At this point I think I almost wish I would have gone and had something done to it. It is what, two weeks later and still super deep and not healing at a rate that I wish it would. Oh well..."life is not worth living unless you have the scars to remember it by!"

But to add to it, I have not been able to put on a pair of sneakers since so the working out things has been dramatically less and consists mainly of walking in my flip flops :(

Well, I would not be Kellie if I didn't have at least one more scar to remember!!! So, I was at Carrie's the other night and we are sort of haphazardly building a small rock garden in her front flower bed. After realizing that some flowers are just not going to make it and that maybe we should move one of the rocks there, I see that there is another rock in the pile that looks like it would work. Me being the only one with shoes on, she says "go get that one and put it here". So like the good sister I am, I get the big rock and bring it over. As I am putting it down in the dirt, I over estimate the front cement stair and my foot slides down the side of the stair. And there it is, a new scar to remember right smack dab on the bone of my ankle. Oh yeah, did I mention it was on the same foot as my other accident and about only two inches apart. This one is bad too. Good thing I am going to Jamaica to sit at the pool and the beach in all banged up.

Get this too, I gave myself a huge bruise on my thigh last week. Then four days later I got a smaller one on the other thigh. I asked my mom if we could baby-proof the house and she said "why who is coming over" and I said, "nobody mom, it is for me"!!!!! Then she told me I would look tough with all my scars and bruises. Well, I just don't want to look tough in my swimsuit and cute new clothes I have. So, I just asked Carrie to place me in a bubble till we go!

Till I write again, take care!

It's Official Now...

My car no longer has Colorado plates on them, they now sport the new Utah Arches plate. It looks much like the old Arches plate except now it reads on the bottom "Life Elevated". It was either that or the new Ski Utah one and consider the fact that I don't ski, it only made sense to get the other outdoor one! The whole process of getting that didn't take all that long just a few hundred dollars later.

The next process in calling myself an official Utah resident was to get my driver's license. That process started last week. So, I was going to get there early last Friday and well that didn't happen; so, I went down at 9am thinking okay we will get this a shot. But when I pulled in the parking lot and saw the line outside about 30 people deep, I decided to try early again. Along came Monday morning and the early thing didn't goes as well as I thought it should have. I got there at about 10 minutes to 7am (which is when they open) and the line was about 70 people deep outside. Again, I drove right through the parking lot.

Really, it was either go super early or don't go at all. So, I got up and was down there at 5:30am and I was the third person in line. I am thinking this is great, I am doing good. By the time the doors opened at 7am the line was curving through the parking lot and was upwards of a 100 people.

Little did I know that being the third person in line didn't actually mean that I was going to be the third person in line. You walk in and have to fill out a piece of paper (of which I did not see online when I looked) then go and take it to the desk to get a number. I got so flustered and people were swarming around me it was crazy. So about 40 minutes later my number (which was probably all in all about number seven or so) got called and I was out with in about 10 minutes. Now I get to wait about three weeks for the damn thing to arrive. I think I got a good picture though!!!

I did learn that lesson in Colorado, show up early. Last time I got my driver's license there I went about and hour and a half early and was the fourth person in line.

Here is my teachable moment for the day...when getting a driver's license go an hour and a half (or more) early bring some coffee and something to eat and a book and stop in the day prior to get that piece of paper to fill out be ready to rock!!!

Till I write again, take care!

In One Month...

Hi All,

It has been a while since I have posted on my blog but for good reasons, WAY TOO MUCH TO DO IN UTAH!!! But in a good way. I have not found a job yet but I have filled my days (and I mean filled) with so many things I have not been able to do for so long. Things like:

• Yard work and some small landscaping
• Crafting, making jewelry and making plenty of visits to the craft stores!
• Visiting with my great Dutch Aunt who is 88 and is recovering from a fractured pelvis
• Spending time with my two sisters
• Taking a trip to Jackson Hole with my three sisters and my mom
• Attending and helping to execute a wedding shower and a baby shower
• Some lite cooking for my mom and her husband
• Enjoying an evening with my friends and my Tuaca for my birthday
• Turning 29!!!
• House and dog sitting for my oldest and dearest friends for a week
• Attending a Peace Rally with my mom
• Enjoying the beauty and the "desert heat " of Utah
• Applying for a few jobs here and there (guess I should get on that some more :)
• And oh so much more!!!
  

Here are a few photos to catch everyone up:

Me and my sisters in Jackson Hole

My Mom at the Peace Rally with her Proud Democrat hat I bought her earlier this year! Then me at the rally!

Me and my good friend Wendy and her little Lily at my birthday party! Thanks for the party everyone!!!

And those are just a few to get us caught up. I will be sharing more as they come. Tomorrow I am off with my sister Carrie for a concert at our new favorite venue, The Depot, for an evening with Gov't Mule and Ratdog!!!! We are so excited we can't wait!!!

I miss everyone in Denver and I hope all is going well. I hope that I have slowed down a bit so that I can catch up with you all. Drop me a line or give me a buzz I would love to hear from you.

Till I write again, take care!

Really...29?

On this May 29th of 2008 I turn 29 years (young not old!). It was great, I was up with my mom last night at midnight; for whatever reason I don't know, but we were talking about what time I was born so we pulled out my baby book and there it was...4:40 a.m. on May 29, 1979!!! No wonder I am always early for things, being born that early in the morning just stuck with me :)

Till I write again, take care!

Get off my ass...

So, let me just start by saying this one is a total ranting session. From the moment that Carrie and I arrived in Utah (Provo to be exact), I have come to realize that speed limits really do not have any meaning here. It was a Sunday evening and I was going a tiny bit over the speed limit but just to keep from having people hit me. They were truly flying past me at well over the speed limit. It was insane. So, I thought okay this must just be a weird moment. But ever since then I have literally been having people on my ass driving everywhere. Now, I am not a slow driver but I am also not a driver that is going to chance getting a speeding ticket so I go just slightly over the limit. But seriously, this has been a phenomenon that I do not remember nor do I care to keep up with. Oh, what to do...I know...driver faster!!! I will be sure to keep you posted on if this is just something that continues or if I will simply get sucked into it all!

Till I write again, take care!

I didn't move to North Carolina, I moved to UTAH!!!

Hi all,

I know it has been a while but what a crazy few weeks I have been through, and I mean crazy. I finally arrived in Salt Lake City, Utah on Sunday May 18th after a long weekend of moving, emotions, drinking, and eating!!! Oh yeah, did I mention a lack of true sleep. My sister Carrie arrived late on Friday the 16th and we went back to my apartment and after she uttered the words, "Wow, we still have a ton of work to do," my heart sank a bit. But really it was just random little things and cleaning to take care of (or so I thought). We got up early on Saturday and I went to graduation to say some last goodbyes and to see my students walk. I am so proud of all of them! Carrie, bless her heart, stayed back and busted butt in cleaning and final packing. After graduation, Kim and I went and then we all busted butt in finishing up getting ready for the movers.


Okay, the movers...my anxiety was well deserved for this move. The showed up on time, that was nice, they had a sense of humor, that was nice, but the charging me for extra tape and the fact that I had one flight of stairs, please. Oh yeah, and I was over my cubic feet that I had put down so I had to pay extra and I had to end up making the call on whether or not I was going to take something or donate it, or just simply put it by the dumpsters for someone else to find. And find people did; with in 10 minutes of putting a vacuum and a standing fan out there, they were gone. That was just crazy to me. But all was said and done and my little studio apartment of five years, the place I called home, was all wrapped up and keys turned in by 2pm.


Later that night, we went to some friends for a BBQ. A big thank you to Peter and Linda for hosting and thank you to Kim, Scott, Kayce, Morgan, Jenn and Birch for coming out to raise your glass with me one more time as a Colorado resident (not the last time, I am sure of that).

The drive home to Utah seemed really long this time and I don't think it was just because we took the scenic route. But I had one of my best friends and some really good music with me. Come to find out that I am a horrible passenger on road trips; not because I slept or anything but because I got BORED. I mean I got really bored for that two hour period when I wasn't driving. Therefore, when we stopped again, I had to get back behind the wheel to keep me doing something. Guess that could be a good thing for others when they take road trips with me.

Well, I have plenty more to add to catch up but I will try to break those up.

Till I write again, take care.

Skip Utah, I am moving to North Carolina...

The day before the big adventure of hiring a moving company, I may never do that again. So, I am checking in because I have not got my final time for the movers to come on Saturday and in talking to this guy from dispatch, he says that I need to come down and pay the rest of my bill of $4,000. Well that was my first clue. After I try to tell him that is not my price and I have payed my price, he tries to tell me that in moving to North Carolina it is going to cost me that much. Well the anxiety set in and so did the anger. I was calm though, I always am!!! In the end, I think I should still be moving to Utah. I guess we will wait and see when I am waiting for the moving truck to arrive at my mom's house in Utah. Seriously...that was the last thing I needed on a day like this (a day full of emotions and anxiety).

On another note, today was my last day at work. It was a tough day for me. I just want to thank everyone for all the wonderful things they have said and done for me. I thought it was going to be hard to tell everyone that I would be leaving in two months. Well, I think it was harder to go through this last week and my last day. Good thing...I get to see everyone for one last brief moment tomorrow during graduation. Yeah!!!!!! I will truly miss my campus family but I will come back to visit.

On top of the emotions I have had with leaving my coworkers, I have also had to say goodbye to my students. That in it self has been hard. I am so proud of each and everyone of them and I am so lucky to be able to call them my students! Thank you to all of you for making a difference in my life and I can't wait to hear about all the amazing things you are going to be doing. I am so excited to see some of them walk tomorrow.

Okay, I am off to pick up my sister, Carrie, who was delayed for two hours. But she will be here and I can't wait, I really need the help...cleaning and packing :)

Till I write again, take care!

Got to love the Elm! Going to miss the Elm!!!

One awesome addition to my life here in Denver has been the Elm, my local bar and hang out. There has been plenty of my time in Denver spent at this one location; summer early release afternoons, after opening weekend, during graduation, and just for fun. So, I found it fitting to have one more happy hour at the Elm tonight. There were many that couldn't make it and we definitely missed you. But for those that were able to come, thank you and I am so glad we could be there together. With my mild OCD behaviors, I started taking pictures with everyone before they left, here are some of the memories of my last happy hour as a local at the Elm...

Till I write again, take care!

What do you mean there is no water?

So, I find out last night that there was a water line break at my complex and Denver Water has shut off the water. Okay I say to myself, it will be back up in the morning. Little did I know! So, I wake up early just to make sure and I see that there is no water STILL!!! Then I step outside to see if I see any of the work being done and low and behold the sprinklers are on! Are you kidding me. The sprinklers are on in front of the building that has no water running!!! Really, I mean come on have a little common courtesy for those of us experiencing the problem! Oh, and it is 6:30 p.m. and I STILL HAVE NO WATER!!! :( But life is what you make of it and attitude is everything; so, I made the best of my situation and of course I got a good laugh out of it. I mean my last 4 days in this apartment and I loose water, who else would that happen to.

But on a lighter note...today, they had a farewell party for me in my office and tons of co-workers and students stopped by to say "till I see you again". It was great. I just can't thank everyone enough for everything they have done for me and all the appreciation they have shown me. I am truly going to miss this place and all the wonderful people. Life is also about making a difference in the lives of others and I can say that many people here at JWU and in Denver have MADE A DIFFERENCE IN MY LIFE!!!

Till I write again, take care.

Soon there will be no more countdown & Thank You's!

So, day 5 of my countdown came and went. I remember when I still had two months. But today was a good day, only a few tears.

It started this morning when I got to have coffee with a mentor of mine, Jackie, and that was a great kick off to my day. Thank you Jackie for everything you have done for me and I am so proud to be able to call you my friend.

Then my old boss, Matt stopped by. That was great. True to Matt form, he calls and makes me think that I won't get to see him before I go and less than two minutes after getting off the phone, there he is walking into my office. Thank you Matt for all you have and continue to do for me. You are my friend and I will miss you.

After that I got to have some time with my current boss Tony. While we have had a short time together, you have done a lot for me and my professional development. Thank you for everything and you and the new CLI team are going to do amazing things.

Tomorrow I will only have 3 days left at JWU and only 4 in Colorado. While I have all of these emotions and feelings, I am so excited to be going home to be with my family. I guess if I look at it there will be no more countdown for my time here in Colorado but there will be a countdown for something else. The countdown till I start a job, till we go to Jamaica for Melanie's wedding, till we see Gov't Mule, till...I get to come back to Denver to see all my friends.

Thank you everyone for everything. I am truly humbled by the relationships I have formed here. If you are ever in Utah, I expect you to call.

Till I write again, take care!

Flight of the Yellow Butterfly

Yesterday I started this blog and did not know what to title my page so I simply called it Kellie's Page. However, in thinking about why I started this blog, to document my new adventures, and after talking with Jenn and Kim at lunch I decided to name it something new. Then a sign came, I saw a butterfly fluttering away. Recently I have been letting things present themselves to me and I know that the title of my blog is very small, but I let it present itself to me.

On a side note, it is clear that I love butterflies and for many reasons. Reasons which I will save for later. But recently, a group of us were coming up with code names and I dubed myself the "Yellow Butterfly". Again, things have been presenting themselves to me lately and I open and welcome to these signs.

A big thank you goes out to my friend "the girl with big...dogs".

Till I write again, take care.

It all started last night when...

Saturday, May 10th was my last night out on the town with my friends and favorite local band, Schmocter! A night to remember! I was talking with my friend Tom about my move and all the new things that I will get to experience and do when I am back home in Utah with my family and friends. And, he really got me to thinking about tracking this new adventure.

Well, after a few really compelling comments from Tom in support of me starting this blog (and a small ceremony) here I am starting it the next day. I guess that's what making a promise is all about!

In honor of taking time to document the happenings of my life here I go...

There has been a great deal of events going on in my last two months here in Colorado, but I will try to go back and cover those as I go along.

So let me start with this weekend! On Friday, the 9th I went to Phil Lesh and Friends with Scott for his birthday and for my last show at the Fillmore as a resident of Colorado!!! The music was on and the joint was jumping but the venue...come on Fillmore, don't tell me you don't have some kind of ventilation system in that place! The funny thing about this evening was that I forgot my regular eye glasses so I had to spend the entire night wearing my sunglasses. In the end, it wasn't that bad and I now know that I can wear my sunglasses in the evening if I am in a pinch!!!

Saturday was a great day...I finally got my couch out of my apartment. Thank you Kim and Scott. Now that it is gone, it feels like I have a a lot less to put on the moving truck.

Then the night really kicks off when we get to The Walnut room to see Schmocter!!! I will truly miss going to Schmocter shows in downtown Denver. But the music was groovin' that night. Schmocter keep up the good work, you guys are creating something magical. And they even have merchandise...Schmocter t-shirts!!! You can see me sporting one with the guys from the band.

Thanks for an awesome evening guys and thank you to everyone that made it down that night for one last time with me, and thank you to those that got their feet a dancin' in the back. You count on me for a little (okay a lot of) groovin' when the music is right!

I will not bore you with the details of my adventures after the show but if you would like a good laugh ask Kim or Scott about Denny's!!!

Till I write again, take care!