1 June 2007, Friday

Free! School is over and I'm free. I work with good people and I feel very grateful to be able to work with them. But it is so nice to have a job that gives me a 2.5 month break every year. Mentally for me it puts a stopping point I can look forward to. I don't know how I'd handle a job that the only big stop like that would be retirement. I really like my job. And I really like that I don't have to go back till August. That's such a relaxing thought. I was going to celebrate by sleeping in today, but the phone rang at 7:30 and got me up. I didn't recognize the number so I didn't answer so I don't know what they wanted. I think I'll spend some time outside at the pool today and maybe get some ice cream though. That should be a good start to summer.

7 June 2007, Thursday

You will notice a new link at the top of this page. My brother has embarked on a new journey, and to the delight of many is sending back his wonderful emails. All of his emails from his previous world tour through the Zeff Fellowship are in Part 1. He is now in China doing something or other for his doctorate degree, and those emails (just one so far) are in Part 2. Enjoy!

And it is 7-06-07, a fun palindrome.

8 June 2007, Friday

I did a count today. I finished one of the three classes I'm taking this summer today, the classroom community one, so I counted how many more class sessions I have, which is how many more times I have to drive up to the U still, so I know how many more tanks of gas I need for my degree, and I counted how many more papers I have to write. I have five more class sessions, which if I ride Trax would mean just over another half a tank of gas. But I also have ten more papers to write. I have two for the class I finished today, due July 6th. I have two for my nature of science class, one due June 12th and the other June 29th. I have three for my intro to research class that are due July 13th. And, most importantly, the three for my comprehensive exams that I will receive ono June 15th and need to have turned in by June 25th.

To try and get that number down a bit I'm hoping to write my two for the classroom community, the first one for my nature of science, and two for my research class by Tuesday. The end is coming.

9 June 2007, Saturday

At the end of this month, in 20 days to be precise, I will be participating in the Murray, Utah, Relay for Life. This is something I have wanted to do for many years now. Cancer runs too much in my family and I want it to stop running before it gets to anybody else. I've run races to help support cancer research before. This will be the first time I have ever walked all night to do it. If you would like to make a donation, you can do so at my RFL web page at THIS LINK. I'm excited. It will be a great way to celebrate finishing up my comprehensive exams earlier that week as well.

14 June 2007, Thursday

Happy Flag Day!

15 June 2007, Friday

I've officially registered for the Deseret News 10K next month. Ten years ago I ran the marathon. Three years ago I did the 10K. I think it's time to run it again. And since I'm exercising quite regularly right now, I'm probably going to end up actually training for it this time around. I didn't actually do much training for it the last two times.

Apparently I don't sleep well when I'm anxious and anticipating something big. After tossing and turning all night, I woke up this morning and checked my email. I downloaded four different documents that tell me the procedures, a few hints, a signature sheet, and then the questions for my comprehensive exams. I have to pick one of two provided questions and two of five other questions. Each paper is expected to be 8-12 pages long. And I have till 5pm on the 25th to email my papers back. I'm nervous. The questions I'm thinking about picking are ones I should be able to write about without too much difficulty. But I'm still nervous. And that's probably good. It will mean I'll work on these harder than I probably would if I felt completely confident.

Here I go.

17 June 2007, Sunday

I have the greatest dad ever. He's taught me so much and helped me with so many things. I have some pretty cool grandpas too. Here's a picture of me with my dad at my graduation for my Masters degree (he told me I couldn't get a Masters just for the funny hood thing, but I still think it's cool that I have a funny hood thing). And a picture from that night of me with my dad and my dad's dad. I'm sure my mom's dad is proud of me too.

21 June 2007, Thursday

Happy Summer. It can officially be hot. It has been hot, but now it can officially be hot. Of course my apartment is still very cool and I haven't gotten out my fan yet. I haven't used the swamp cooler in four years either. I really live in a good apartment. Except for the earwig that was hanging out in an upper corner of my bedroom today till I vacuumed him up. And of course it would be nice if the carpet wasn't the same color as the occasional spider I find when suddenly the carpet moves. But it's still a good apartment. Especially when I can work on my comprehensive exams at the pool.

26 June 2007, Tuesday

What a weekend. Two great days with a whole lot of family. And two mind taxing days finishing up my comprehensive exams. And now two surprising days of running without wrapping my knee.

Friday and Saturday was the Giles Family Reunion 2007. Our last reunion was in 2004 and since then we've added three spouses and five kids. That makes 67 total descendents of my Grandpa Giles. And 65 of them were there. My brother is in China and a cousin is serving a mission in Argentina. It was a great two days being with everyone. Here's a picture of all the grandkids that were there on Saturday.

Sunday and Monday I spent finishing my comprehensive exams for my Masters degree. They needed to be emailed in by 5:00pm. At 3:00 I stopped writing and printed them out so I could read them aloud to myself and find anything that needed to be changed. I marked something on almost every page. At 4:45 I emailed them in. Now I just wait. Six weeks of waiting. It better go by fast.

The running thing really isn't that big, kind of. Eleven and a half years ago I dislocated my knee. Since then I've had to wrap it when I run or hike or do anything like that. Except I can't find a good brace any more. The one I have now has a tendency to rub the back of my knee till I have sores. So yesterday I thought I'd see what would happen if I didn't wrap it and just went running. I was very conscious of where I was stepping. I didn't want to turn it or twist it. I felt every step of the first mile in my knee. But after that it loosened up a bit and what I thought was just going to be an easy two miles turned into a pretty good three. And since it didn't feel sore today, I gave it another go. I would love it if I didn't have to wrap my knee any more. We'll see how long this lasts.

I finished reading Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone last night and started on Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. Two more weeks till the fifth movie comes out. Less than a month till the last book. I'm getting excited.