Ironman and family

2.4 mile swim.

The Leonard Ironman groupies! Team B-L-A-S-T (Barnes, Leonard Astine Support Team)!

112 mile bike.

26 mile marathon run.

I am so proud of my little brother - he did awesome! Trey...you are an Ironman!!

Cathie and I going out on the town - nothing like bar-hopping Sherman to bring some HS memories back. Along with half of your high school classmates.

Went to Hannah Banana's dance performance -which was sweet! Seven dances later (and those were just the ones SHE was in...I felt ready to bust a move as well.)

Look at those legs in their Chorus Line number??! Amazing..not a whole bunch of people who can look good in high cut gold spandex, I tell you what.

We have a piper down...

This weekend Mike and I rocked the Scottish Highland Games at Thanksgiving Point. It involved fish and chips, swords, large turkey legs, large men throwing cabers (aka trees) in kilts, and of course in an authentic Scottish tradition --- rain.


Yeah, this guy was in a full chain mail. Awesome. Think of this event as live action role play, Braveheart, and Hot Topic rolled into one event.


A month before I was having fun with my sisters at home - this was taken after Junior Miss. Serious smiles are overrated - sorry Moms.


And this was before that, call it the Dark Ages of my Spring -- the end of first-year finals. While this isn't my desk, I do think this installation sculpture summarizes my feelings about finals, and about the extensive time I spent in the library in a windowless dungeon study room.




Our study table - the pita chips and snap peas are mine but don't think I didn't pop those M&M's like there was no tomorrow. Because I did. Don't you dare judge me.

The only capital movements I see...

While the credit market is still fairly frozen, you could entertain yourself with a frustrating look at a capital punishment case here in Utah that I become involved with as an intern. (and you can see me...well..if you are looking really hard for the loitering group of really savvy looking attorneys/interns hanging out in the hallway talking about the new Terminator movie...we're pretty legit.)

The news story is here. Its a sad case, but watching this guy in court is pretty crazy and the victim's son is a nice guy with an impressive sense of humor about the whole thing. Can't really say more than that...

Throw 'em the fake and then finagle...they'll never know you're just...a bagel...

Props to whoever can catch the reference...I'll give you a hint if you didn't grow up in a Broadway-house...its from a musical set in the 20s...

But anyway, I started my internship today (law schools call them externships...but for the life of me I can't decipher why they are any different other than the obvious grad school thing...I mean...small office...check...no pay...check...but you get credit..check...yep--- sounds like an internship to me!

I am working at the Utah Crime Victims Legal Clinic, which is a great non-profit in Salt Lake that provides free legal services to people who have been the victims of crimes. Think of it as legal aid (you know - what Sandra Bullock did at the end of Two Weeks Notice) with a uber-specialty - helping out just the victims of crimes, and usually only violent or physical crimes of some sort, protect their rights, e.g. getting reparations from the perpetrators, preparing and reading some sort of victim impact statement at sentencing or the hearing, getting a restraining order, etc.

So its cool -- and I think I will get to go to court a lot, which is pretty fun, because you see some fun stuff there, its like the bus stop but with some random people in suits thrown in the mix. And I am excited to be working with such dedicated attorneys - folks who could be making a killing (well in any normal market anyway) anywhere else but do this kind of thing because they really want to help people, especially in a very pioneering area of the law = victims' rights.

I am excited.

World Peace (Junior Miss 2010)

You know, some things just don't disappoint. I flew home for the weekend to Coeur d'Alene to see my little sister, Madison, compete in Junior Miss and wouldn't you know it...the girl won the whole thing. Here are some video clips --- and it really is a scholarship competition!

Sorry they are a little grainy but apparently blogger couldn't hack the full quality version.

So what's the record without capitalism?

Here is an interesting video of Milton Friedman discussing greed and self-interest. Very apropos considering the recent trends in nationalizing businesses (something the US used to harp on other countries doing because it artificially manipulated the market), and the changing sentiments like this poll, which show that only a slight majority of American adults believe capitalism is better than socialism.

Asked whether capitalism or socialism is a better system, 53% of American adults cited capitalism, 20% said socialism and 27% said they weren't sure.

Scary.

So if capitalism is so inherently evil, what kind of system will encourage people to innovate, create, invest, excel, specialize in a way that creates an efficient exchange of goods and ideas? Any takers? Who are these people who could divvy up resources without the human ills of greed and pride?

Craftiness...

I have been making a list (during study breaks) of fun things I want to craft/sew/make/do this summer.

You just can't sit in a tiny windowless, airless, artificially lit law library study room going over homicide flash cards without some breaks. Trust me.

I thought I would collect some of the crafty things I have done in the last year or so...but preface it with the disclaimer that I am still a beginner in many ways (e.g. the white thread you can see coming through these booties) especially when compared to crafistas extraordinaires like my mother. Mostly, I am interested in making the kinds of things that I would want and that I would want to give to my friends as meaningful gifts/mementos for special occasions in their lives.

Jets booties I made for baby Kate.

Vintage pillowcase dress for Gracie Jo.

Tissue pom-poms.

Striped recieving blanket with crocheted edge for baby Mylee (I know the baby is a lot cuter...but try to work with me here.)


Halter apron for public interest law auction (custom order).

Diaper wreath.