Hiking the Y

Alright, so we did a little experiment on that last post... I actually didn't write it. You may recognize the writer from my first post - all the credit goes to Louis. That's right, the one who got his cookies stolen. In fact, where the italics begin, so does he. It's fitting anyway, as I don't know anyone who appreciates Spring more than Louis.
Speaking of Spring, and Louis, I'm going to write about Hiking the Y. "Hiking the Y" is a familiar phrase around Provo, but I realize out of context it has little sense. One of my favorite things about Utah is that the mountains here are gorgeous (although I've heard from certain sources that once you've been to Switzerland, their majesty diminishes in comparison). Thus far my international travel being extremely limited - well, nonexistent - the Utah mountains are still sufficient to leave me awestruck. Anyway, in honor of the great Brigham Young University, there is a big "Y" on one of the eastern mountains. Until this week, that "Y" had been merely a speck on the mountainside, but now I've had the opportunity to see it up close and it was quite exciting.
It started in the park. Louis and I were swinging. I was getting a little dizzy from leaning my head backwards while moving forward when he mentioned that we should hike the Y.
"I've never been."
"WHAT?"
Silence. We continue swinging.
"Part of me just wants to leave right now and take you up to the Y."
"Well?"
"Would you do it?"
"Yes!"
"Let's do it then!"
Yes, I'm proud of our spontaneity. So, we rushed home, threw together some bread and lunch meat to eat sandwiches, and we hiked the Y. We started the trail with another couple right behind us, and they were our pacesetters the whole time. I'm happy to report that we did beat them to the top.
It really was magical though. Looking at the lights from the top of the mountain, seeing the world go on forever as if it will never end... and noting the "curve of the earth," as my scientist boyfriend so often likes to point out. He thinks I just laugh at him when he says that, but really, I'm thinking about it.
I'm not one who can really go on and on writing about nature (sorry Emerson), but I'll work on that. Needless to say, I won't soon forget our hike to the Y. It was just a combination of so many good things at once - impulse, nature, Spring (that's right), competition, exercise, delicious cool air, good conversation, turkey sandwiches, etc.
I recommend hiking the Y. Or something equally as fun that incorporates all those great elements into one. Sometimes you just have to leave life behind for a second.

Where's my dedication?

Okay, so I haven't kept up my blog like I should have, and I was about to make an excuse but I decided against it. Life is crazy no matter what you're doing... and I have a feeling it will only get crazier.
I'm trying to think of the things that have been on my mind lately, and I would have to write a novel in order to address all of those. So I will choose one. I believe I will choose my current infatuation with Spring.
It seems that every time a new season starts, it becomes my favorite. Thus I have a hard time choosing a favorite season, as it is completely contextual. I do, however, find myself tired of mostly all of the seasons at one point or another, except for Spring. It's just that you're cold for so long... and you don't see the sun... and all of the sudden one day you're digging for all your shorts and nice t-shirts in that box of clothes with dust on it. How can anyone get tired of those shorts and t-shirts when they feel so right?!
I feel like now is the appropriate time to address the things that I love about spring:

1. Flowers, green grass, trees with leaves on them - I can't get enough of it. It is just a lot easier to appreciate life and living when you see everything around you living.
   
2. Joggers (male) - short shorts.
   
3. Jogging - It is so much easier to go out and exercise when the sun is up and you want to be outside anyway. Plus exercise naturally produces endorphins, or endogenous opioid polypeptides, which everybody loves.
   
4. Couples - We have all seen it and now I am going to address it. Maybe it's just where I live but it seems like couples are popping up everywhere...like daisies. It is nice to see guys and girls getting together and being happy. Don't hate, appreciate.
   
5. Windows (the kind that you can open) - What a relief to walk into my house and smell fresh air instead of ____________, because the windows are open.
6. Barbecues - There is nothing like walking outside and smelling the haunting aroma of a delicious barbecue somewhere in the distance. The only thing better than smelling the aforementioned aroma is being invited to that barbecue. I don't want to sound desperate here, but...if you supply the grill then our friendship will be eternally solidified. I might even throw in some of my delicious salsa.
   
7. Camping - There is nothing like staying up late talking around the fire or laying out watching the stars. You might smell like hickory for the next week, but it's worth it. I should also mention that on adventures such as these, friends who won't judge/ be scared by your early morning face are a priceless commodity.
8. Vitamin D - That's right, the vitamin that is naturally produced by your body when you absorb sunlight. There is nothing quite like basking in the sunlight with the knowledge that your body is receiving the vitamin D it needs. Sunlight, in modest proportions, it does your body good.

I hope you will all make your own little lists to celebrate spring. By the way, you can also substitute the phrase "don't hate, date" at the end of number 4. Just a thought.

The Beginning/Cookies

First of all, what do I mean by "the beginning?" Well, it's not actually the beginning, but I will explain anyway. I've always been a writer. I remember writing little things down in my journal - plays, short stories, etc. I even found a short story about my best friend moving to the "country," relating to a period in my life that I found absolutely devastating. (I mean, Emily would have to go to a different school, we wouldn't be able to walk home together, we'd have different teachers, etc.) Anyway, somewhere along the line I decided to be a doctor (because that's what smart people do, right?) and gave up on any type of writing and reading - unless it was my good old chemistry book. OH how I missed it! I would read here and there, but I was never able to immerse myself completely. Well, I've finally accepted my fate and turned back to the world of humanities. Thus, this is the "beginning" of a beginning that really started a long time ago. I've heard that to write, you have to... write. My attempt will be then to write every day, and hopefully come up with some kind of salvageable material to put into a literary form eventually.

And, you might be asking also, where are the cookies? On Monday, I made cookies for a friend of mine that was taking an extremely painful organic chemistry test (not that it was necessarily painful for him... that's just my memory of the whole experience). The testing process is a painful one in and of itself, as there is an entire center dedicated solely to testing. Yes, the only reason you go to this center is to be tortur... er... tested. Well, the cherry on top is that when you walk out, there's this screen of death where you immediately know your score on the test. The best days are when you walk out and get a comment next to your score such as "Great Job!" or "Awesome!" Most days, at least in the pre-medical days, I didn't have the privilege of seeing those blessed words. I had colleagues that would even zoom past the screen of death without looking, to avoid the pain.

The point is, however, that you have to go down a stairway and through a door to get to the screen of death. At the end of the stairway, there is a little window well where people will often leave little notes of encouragement for those about to face the screen of death. I believe it's everyone's dream to walk out and see their name on a little note, a last bit of hope before the fire. Thus I came up with the idea to leave cookies, and a note, for Louis. "He'll be so excited!" I thought. And once I get it in my head to do something, I have to do it - so it was done. The next day the cookies were placed strategically with a note and everything. The setup could not have been more perfect.

The day goes by, poor Louis spends 4 1/2 hours in the testing center, and I get a text from him finally saying, "I made it! Thanks for the note!" The note... okay... maybe the cookies weren't as tasty as I thought... or, better yet, did he not get them? "Wait..." I text him back, "you got the cookies, right?"

"No, but I'll go get them now."

What could have happened? The cookies were clearly marked for him, and clearly delicious - wherein then would the problem lie? I suppose you're thinking, "Of course someone stole the cookies." Sure. But here at BYU we have this thing called the "Honor Code," and I tend to think that people follow it (aka being honest, not stealing stuff, and such). So, he goes back and finds the plate of cookies. There are three cookies left (out of a grand total of 12). I couldn't help but laugh, and told him I hoped that whoever took them felt better about their test by eating a cookie - to which he replied frankly, "Yeah, and that they repent quickly." Well, take this story as you will - did one person eat nine cookies? Did nine people eat one cookie? To what extent does the integrity of BYU students extend (clearly not past a plate of scrumptious cookies)? To be sure, I am not bitter. However, my roommate is designing an experiment in which we leave another plate of cookies... laced with ex-lax. To be continued...