The Civil Wars

I had thought about purchasing tickets to The Civil Wars concert and then forgot until after they won a Grammy and the concert was sold out. My friends and I searched the KSL classifieds for tickets and I was not feeling super hopeful as people were selling the tickets for double the face value.

Fast forward to the day before the concert and I decided to check the classifieds and was shocked to see two sets of tickets being sold at face value so a text was quickly sent to inquire about tickets. Meags and I received a response from a girl who happened to live in the area and soon we were on our way to pick up the tickets. At the same time, Kiera and Miguel were trying to contact us because they contacted the same two sellers and were also able to procure tickets to the concert.

We arrived at the concert and decided we needed food and Jimmy John's simply made sense. Besides, they are known for their freaky fast delivery and I should add that people in line cheered for us when our food arrived. If only everyone could be as smart as us. 

 Milo Greene opened for The Civil Wars and I have decided I must be in their band. We met them after the show so I'm on my way to carving a place into the group. 

Kiera, Miguel, Meags, and me.

The Civil Ward collection o' guitars

This is my second time seeing The Civil Wars and I vow to see them each time they come to a city near me. 

I'm on a Bike

May is National Bike Month which makes it the perfect time to finally purchase my own bike. You see, I have been looking at bikes and talking about bikes for the past four or five years but when it came time to actually pay for one, I would freak out and leave the shop. I guess(I know) big purchases are difficult for me so I did what I usually do in these kind of situations: I set a goal. On Monday I vowed to buy a bike by the end of the week and I accomplished my goal yesterday.

I walked into a local bike shop and 5, yes 5, guys stopped and stared at me but didn't say a word. I smiled and said hi and again, nothing. I wish I was exaggerating because it was an awkward moment. I browsed at a couple of bikes and hoped that someone would ask if I needed assistance and when that didn't happen, I quickly left with my head hung low. I then went to Fishers Cyclery and was greeted by Gabriel and I knew immediately that I could trust his opinion and buy a bike. We made an Idaho connection, discussed bike options, and then I simply asked him to make a decision for me and he laughed. I left thinking I would eventually return to make the purchase and then ended up returning an hour later with a friend who provided moral support as I checked my pulse and made a final decision on a bike. Once I had decided on a bike, it was easier to spend money on a helmet, lights, fenders, etc. We laughed with the employees, discussed plans for bike riding adventures, and I even scored a free water bottle-win! When I got home, I had a little co-chair instructional moment in learning how to take off the front tire and it was a little stressful at the time, but sure came in handy when I went on a ride this morning and had to do it alone. I think I'm going to love owning a bike.

Life

A good reminder...

"You won't do it at the right time. You'll be late. You'll be early. You'll get re-routed. You'll get delayed. You'll change your mind. You'll change your heart. It's not going to turn out the way you thought it would. It will be better. ~Kate Moller

Summer is Coming

Ah, summer. The days of flip flops, pool parties, snow cones, and outdoor concerts. 

Bully

Bully, directed by Lee Hirsch, is a documentary which shows the impact bullying has on several students and their families. The movie is powerful and should be viewed by all students, educators, and parents or basically, everyone. I felt so many emotions while watching the film and it is consuming my thoughts and conversation.

 After the film, Doug Fabrizio hosted a Q&A with the director where we learned more about the students and their families. I appreciated the director talking about the film initially receiving an R rating for language while another movie about children who battle until there is only one left was given a PG-13 rating. One person in the audience asked why people bully and I loved Lee's response as he explained that he is a filmmaker and not a social worker and his purpose is to show that one person can make a difference and we need to be talking about this issue and figuring what we do to change things so that children are safe on the bus and in school. I think that often the school counselors and administrators can be overwhelmed with all of their duties, and yet I feel there is so much that should and must be done. Any excuse such as "boys will be boys and that's how kids are," is not okay and it's time we each took a more vested interest in what's going on. I think it's also important to note that it's not always fellow students who bully. I know a couple of kids who are being bullied by teachers and my heart breaks to hear the kids say they hate school and are counting down the days until they no longer have to see the person making school difficult.

Go see this film and then instead of only talking about what can be done to make things better, let's take action and be part of the change. One person can make a difference.