Harry Potter Fans, Be Jealous

Okay, so I love Harry Potter. So, naturally, when the latest movie, an adaptation of Book Six - Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince - was released nationwide in theatres, I was sure to be at the premiere.


Only, my Harry Potter experience was better than yours. One really nice thing about working for a dentist is that you automatically get hookups - one of my boss' friends up the street rented out an entire hallway of theatres, which showed Harry Potter at 6:40 PM on Tuesday, over 5 hours before the premiere.

So, while the rest of you waited in line all day long (and I would have too, if I were you), I walked right on into a private screening, compliments of Dr. Poulsen, and sat exactly where I wanted to. The thrill of teenage romance, the excitement of the struggle between good and evil, intrigue, double agents, murder, all mine just for the trouble of showing up, and I didn't even have to stay up late. Ha. Life is sweet.

Hold the phone! Or lose it, rather...

Want to take all those years you spent finding, nurturing, and developing friendships and throw them down the toilet?

Lose your phone.

Want to make sure you don't have a date this weekend?

Lose your phone.

Want to spend your nights uninterrupted as you read Harry Potter in preparation for the upcoming movie release?

Lose your phone.

Need to catch up on your blogs because you haven't posted in a while?

...You get the point.

I just want to say - I hate not having my phone. It's one of those things - not unlike getting hit by a bus or catching swine flu - that only happens to other people... until it happens to you.

Beware, folks, losing your phone is real, and it sucks more than you think.

Lake Powell!

I love Lake Powell!! Every year our family goes together and it's always an amazing trip. This year was even better than most - my entire family went with us, and I brought my buddy Spencer Clawson, a.k.a. Coleslaw, to accompany me on the adventure.I bought a wifebeater specifically for the occasion. Why not?

Andy's first time trying to ski. He talked about nothing but Star Wars the entire trip, so Em convinced him to try skiing by saying it was "just like podracing."

Note the wild look in his eyes.

Bryce sporting his sweet new hairstyle.

Coleslaw and I hanging out at the campfire - after the rest of the family left, Rich and I did a coal walk on the embers. For some reason he got burned and I didn't, haha.

My little nephew Charlie -Chacha for short- loved pretending to be his uncle Rich. He was super happy the entire trip... must be those Craven genes.

Whenever Em is out on the water, she's smiling ridiculously huge, and hucking sick tricks.

That right, Rich is surfing. His poor wife was sick the entire vacation.

Shredding the gnar.

Family bonding time.

The little boys swimming with their uncles. Charlie (on right) loved the water. Andy... not so much.

Rich taught me some sick-awesome wakeboarding flips. I actually landed this one... just kidding

The whole crew, my family is so awesome!
(Notice Andy's pose - he is Plokoon from Star Wars Episode 1.)
Props to Clawson for taking the pic.

Awesome things about this vacation:
- my entire family came
- we slept outside every night, even when it rained
- walked barefoot on burning embers
- learned how to do a back roll (haven't really landed it yet though)
- learned to surf
- became Mace Windu, compliments of Andrew Wilson
- almost died in a crazy afternoon storm
- survived despite a leaky boat, busted leaf spring on the trailer, and blistering heat
- had smooth water all day, every day
and best of all - I didn't even get sunburned!

Why I Love Being a Musician

My sister Em showed me this video on YouTube. It stirred something within me, so I'm sharing it with you.



Isn't it wonderful? I love John Schmidt, and Steven Sharp Nelson (the cellist) played at my sister's wedding. He's very good.

Moving Home

Well, it's that time of year again - the time in between Spring and Fall in which I move home to live with my parents for a month or so.

My mom tickled me yesterday. I felt like I was five. And yet, when I live with my parents, that's not such a bad thing. Every summer I spend back with mom and pops could be my last one to live at home, and I treasure the opportunity. As the youngest child, I know only too well how quickly care-free toddlers become teens and how teens become grownups. I for one am not growed up yet.

Another bonus to school being done - family vacation. We leave for Lake Powell at 5:30 AM next Tuesday and we'll be there for the remainder of the week. I'm actually losing sleep over this I'm so excited! Of course, I'll tell you all about it when I get back.

Just looking at this picture makes me giddy. I can't wait!

Living the Dream.

Why I am smiling today:

- I have worked hard all semester long, and the day before finals, I am not stressed out. Rather, I'm happy to have learned what I have learned, and actually excited to take my tests tomorrow.

- I just listened to John Mayer's Room for Squares, my anthem album, all the way through last night as I drove back to Provo from the SLC airport. I took the long way home, and I sang every single word.

- Lake Powell is a week away. This is the family vacation that I look forward to every year. Skiing, exploring, jumping off cliffs, rock climbing, fishing, reading a good book, getting really really dirty, building sand castles, playing with my nephews, swimming, etc. And doing it all with my brother and sisters and parents who I love so so much.

- I got a job at a dentist's office again for the summer, and I get to shadow an endodontist and possibly an orthodontist as well. This is big for me: I want to be a dentist too.

- I'm moving back to Salt Lake tomorrow. Check out a previous post or to see exactly how I feel about that.

Andrew Smith Comes Clean.

This is why I love my roommates:

"You think I'm in the shower for thirty minutes every morning?
I flex in front of the mirror for twenty-seven."
- Andrew Smith