27 April 2008

Passing Strange

I successfully defended my thesis. A few revisions and I'll be an official master. As I said in my acknowledgements completing this degree has been part of a demanding, but rewarding journey. As I sat in the conference room ready to begin my defense I let go into heavy sobs. Just reflecting on the past three years is quite emotionally overwhelming. I am in awe at the capacity for us to endure and actually succeed despite the contrary... which includes the following:
  • One gigantic post-traumatic stress breakdown brought on by 25 years of holding it in. (It's always a good idea to begin graduate school when your world is falling apart)
  • One life-threatening anaphylactic shock resulting in a rushed entry into the emergency room.
  • One psychotic reaction to prednisone. (My friend Heidi was witness to these first three)
  • One threatening incident that changed the way I think about faith.
  • One new car
  • 15 parking tickets
  • Two trips to skatecamp to be a skatemom
  • Two years as hockey team treasurer
  • One supeona to testify in court
  • One scuba-diving certification
  • 30 poems written
  • 5 journals filled
  • 400 hours of therapy.
  • 20 years of marriage and going strong.
  • Two teenagers.
  • 10 university level courses taught
  • 1 paper accepted to an international conference
  • One graduate scholarship to IDEC
  • 10 computer programs learned
  • One 3.98 grade point average
  • 8 cities traveled to for school -- London, Paris, Amsterdam, Montreal, Los Angeles, Austin, Chicago, New York
  • Countless students who were the impetus to continue, whose stories were sustaining.
  • 6 colleagues who supported me.
  • Countless friends, who listened and laughed with me (or at me) when I was certain I couldn't continue.
  • One complex, interesting, adventurous, crazy family that I love.
  • One happy, healthy DeAnn at the end.

22 April 2008

What a Day!

It's Earth Day!
Turtle Guy has an OpEd piece in several newspapers! He also has a link to this, which my cousin Dallen had when we were young and I so secretly wanted one!  
My friend Leslie defends her thesis tomorrow and gets to speak with Terry Tempest Williams today! What a reward for all that hard work!
I defend on Thursday - so today will be a long day of editing and organizing and writing!

19 April 2008

Meeting David Wilson & the Pope


Ever had one of those moments where your whole paradigm shifted? It happened today on a Saturday afternoon in April in a too large house in a predominately white and Mormon village in Utah. Darren and I were about to tackle some much needed yardwork as the morning was bright and full of potential. A strong wind settled in, seemingly out of nowhere, and stirred the dusty topsoil from the freshly plowed field next door on a path directly intersecting our yard. We had to flee the sunshine for indoors, fixed a snack, and turned on the TV. A re-broadcast of a film made by a young black man named David Wilson was just beginning. He had set out on a personal journey to explore his history, his family, his inner struggle for identity.... for purpose and meaning. He began by contacting a man whose ancestors 'owned' his ancestors who were brought to America enslaved. This man's name was also David Wilson. They met - they had real conversation - the families joined in friendship. This movie had incredible depth, nuance, and confronted you with uncomfortable questions, but regardless of the agitation, young David Wilson kept asking the questions and pushing to uncover his own truth. A truth that by knowing could educate and help so many others. I know in the moment I took it all in 'I got it' (well, a minuscule portion of it, in my own way). The movie was followed by a discussion about race -- thought provoking. Sometimes we are afraid to express or believe our own truth. Some experiences are too tough to talk about -- it might make others feel uneasy. We ask the wrong questions and get shallow answers because we are not willing to go beyond the surface. A bit like ABC's Democratic Debate last Wednesday. I also watched the Pope meeting and blessing disabled children at a seminary in New Jersey. He tenderly touched their foreheads, or cupped their faces in his hands. The children would reach up and hold his hand for a moment, their mothers crying silently behind them as someone who means a great deal to them "got it" when it came to "seeing" their children. Sometimes TV helps you believe it is a small world after all.

15 April 2008

Visiting Designer

The Performance Hall @ Utah State

Jennifer Post style living room
Who doesn't love a lime-green ceiling?
Wednesday Jennifer Post from NY will be the guest designer for the USU interior design department. She has an impressive client list from J. Lo, to Matt Lauer, to Simon Cowell. I'm looking forward to seeing her fresh, clean, modern style. Some awesome inspiration. If any of you would like to attend her presentation it is April 16th at 2:30pm in the Performance Hall at Utah State University.
DUE TO A PERSONAL EMERGENCY JENNIFER POST HAS CANCELED HER VISIT TO UTAH STATE!

08 April 2008

The Ball is Tipped...

The photo is taken off of the TV - I like how the ball seems to be balancing on a head.

We are not radically into huge celebrations in our family, a birthday gets some balloons in the hallway and a banner, Christmas is marked by a great feast on the Eve, but other than that we are pretty low-key, except for.... ONE SHINING MOMENT. We gather at the end of the NCAA basketball tournament and watch the clips of all the teams and players and I am usually singing at the top of my lungs and the boys feign dire embarrassment, but deep inside I know they love it because they hardly watch college basketball, but they always show up for this. What can I say except my children are the shooting stars. Oh, amazing comeback Kansas!  

The ball is tipped
and there you are
you're running for your life
you're a shooting star
And all the years
no one knows
just how hard you worked
but now it shows...
(in) ONE SHINING MOMENT, IT'S ALL ON THE LINE
ONE SHINING MOMENT, THERE FROZEN IN TIME

But time is short
and the road is long
in the blinking of an eye
ah that moment's gone
And when it's done
win or lose
you always did your best
cuz inside you knew...
(that) ONE SHINING MOMENT, YOU REACHED DEEP INSIDE
ONE SHINING MOMENT, YOU KNEW YOU WERE ALIVE

Feel the beat of your heart
feel the wind in your face
it's more than a contest
it's more than a race...

And when it's done
win or lose
you always did your best
cuz inside you knew...
(that) ONE SHINING MOMENT, YOU REACHED FOR THE SKY
ONE SHINING MOMENT, YOU KNEW
ONE SHINING MOMENT, YOU WERE WILLING TO TRY
ONE SHINING MOMENT....

06 April 2008

Fun Boarding


I just heard that Land placed first in his age group in the opening Concrete Rodeo competition for 2008. His friend Logan placed 4th in the Playstation AmJam yesterday. The SKATE season has begun. I Love It! Land, Logan, and Cody are in Las Vegas this weekend to ride.

01 April 2008

the Human Thing

This is what it feels like waking in the morning....