Space shuttle Endeavor's final flight

Thursday, 11:15 am space shuttle endeavor did a fly by over Tucson while on its way to be decommissioned in San Diego. It would be the last time the space shuttle would ever fly. It was Amazing! talk about goosebumps. It flew down at only 15,000 feet so we could get a good look. It really only came to Tucson for Gifford's and Kelly because Kelly wanted to see it one last time in the air, lucky for us all of Tucson got to enjoy it as well :)

The Silver Eagle: A Novel of the Forgotten Legion by Ben Kane
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

i great sequel to the first, i believe Ben's writing has improved...

By the time you get to the second book you finally have an okay connection with the characters and are able to relate in a way. Most of this book is about the long journey south, further and further away from Rome. it seems hopeless until the last few pages that Romulus will ever see Rome again. Good battle scenes in this book but i wish they were more in depth, I realize there were several battle scenes and if they were all in depth the book would be way too long, but still...

Other things I didn't like about this book:
-The lack of suspense and hooks
-The descriptions of everything
-The painfully long recap
-And the time jumps

I found it way to easy to just set aside for a week or two because nothing was grabbing my interest and compelling me to read on. The story and plot is not bad, its just not fast paced i suppose.

I also did not like how Ben just described events I really wanted to watch unfold (like battle scenes!). It was like reading a text book at times as he just 'told' you what happened form a birds eye view, you didn't 'live' through it with the character.

Time jumps really annoy me too, I understand that its almost impossible to live through a whole mans life in three books without time jumps (although Iggulden did it well!) but turning the page and seeing 'nine months later' or 'three years later' so many times consecutively annoys me.

Its definitely good enough to continue the series, as I have stated too already, now that a character connection has _finally_ been made, I am enjoying the series. definitely worth a read if Ancient Rome is your thing.

Desk Job & Rugby

     Not only did I graduate high school, but I graduated form all of my extra curricular activities. And that really sucks. I have been activity-less a year now and I didn’t know what to do with myself, so finally I committed myself to a new sport. Rugby. That’s right, rugby. I love it so much! Not only does it feel amazing to be physically active again, but also I think I found a sport I am actually pretty good at. Basketball was great, but I wasn’t very good at it honestly, rugby on the other hand I think I am getting a good hang on. I was extremely hesitant about joining because the team I found was a club team, not part of a school or anything, so I had no idea what to expect, if the girls were nice and well mannered, if the coach was good… that was probably my biggest concern, because ever since being under the hand of my varsity basketball coach I convinced my self there was no better coach out there. And I still kind of stand by that, but the coaches here aren’t that bad, I don’t think they stand up to my coach Al, but there definitely not bad. So I am very happy about this, I am glad I went out on a limb to try something new. Learned a life lesson about confidence and new beginning, who would of guessed?

    My mom is not crazy about me playing rugby, she didn’t believe me when I told her my plans and when I said I had to go to practice for the first time she was pretty surprised. My dad on the other hand is all for it, he is super excited (for once). He made the decision for me really, as soon as I see that sparkle of “wow, my daughter is actually doing something I can brag to people about” in his eye I know there is no changing my mind later. That ‘sparkle’ is what coaxed me to go to practice for the first time. And I am very, very, glad that I did.

    Turning the page, remember how I said that I despise desk jobs? Well guess what, I got myself a desk job. It’s really not that bad, it’s boring at times, and I hate staring at the computer all day, but I have my own office and the starting pay is awesome. I am a graphic designer now, designing what ever is asked of me such as: logos, UI’s, flyers, brochures, coupons, and more. I also do stuff like update the server and retrieve hex codes and make images transparent and easy quick stuff like that. Thank goodness for rugby, this way I can get out at least.

     There’s no way I am going to make a career out of this, I will go insane if I must be confined to that office of mine forever… but at the same time I feel really bad complaining about it because the pay is so good. And I am thankful I have the talent to even do this kind of thing, and at my age too.

     In all I am very happy with every thing going on in my life right now, I have things to worry about, sure. (like choosing something to major in…) but as it stands, life is good.

I finished my book!

War Horse by Michael Morpurgo
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

the back cover of this book doesn't lie. it is a powerful, gripping book about friendship and loyalty. told through the eyes of a horse it brought me back to my favorite childhood book Black Beauty. there was satisfying amount of action and i really appreciated the historical context.

i found this book to be a bit slow at times, it had been on my too read list for a few months before i actually pick it up in order to read it before seeing the movie (the movie in my opinion did this book little justice) my interest was originally sparked after seeing previews of the west end/broadway show where they used life sized puppets for the characters. i'll be brutally honest, i fell asleep reading this book (and i lost my page and place, how annoying) its an easy read, but its also one i had to force my self through. yet, the inspiration was always evident and the plot did move through out _most_ of the book. its one i am happy to keep on my shelves.

if you are looking for a fast paced, action packed, page turning book than this may not be for you. although if you are looking for a rememberable, heart wrenching, inspirational, sweet, happy ending story, (and you like horses) you may really enjoy this book.

A Thunderbird weekend

I had an Amazing weekend with the thunderbird pilots and there families and i am so grateful to them that i was included!

the Thunderbirds put on one hell of a show, and they are really nice, extraordinarily talented people who love what they do. envious? i am. Poor Blane though was having a rough week, he forgot to perform a maneuver during the show because he lost the location of the other planes, but that was a safety thing so thats fine. what he got in trouble for happened the day before when he accidentally dove down too fast causing a sonic boom at too low an altitude, breaking 11 businesses's windown, and 7 windows in a nearby nursing home. oops. he said he didn't even relies it, he just happened to look down at his speed and it said mock 1.2, he pulled up a few seconds later and wasn't aware of any damage until later that evening when he was at a make a wish event and and people were calling in to the air base complainig. Blane's commander was denying all claims than Blane was all "well...actually..." luckily he didn't get in any trouble, the are force base agreed to pay for all the windows. so whats the silver lining? well, there was a retired air force vetrain who had passed away and the family was having the funeral that same day, apparently as soon as the 'amen' was said Blane boomed them. they thought that was the best thing ever and they called to thank him for that!

i had the pleasure of babysitting thunderbird #6 Blane Jone's and his wife's two adorable twin daughters Jet and Tally (go figure!) later that night my family and myself were invited to a BBQ with a few friends, neighbors, and of course thunderbird pilots #6 and #1. wonderful, wonderful evening.

 opposing solo pilot Cpt. Jones of the Thunderbirds

Lt. Col. Moseley, #1 pilot and Commander of the Thunderbirds

Thunderbirds are GO!

Man, I have been neglecting this… I'm not one to make excuses, but this whole college research project fro WRT 102 is a killer.

Anyway….

The air show is coming again this year! This weekend! The thunderbirds will be here!  I'm going J

I am also fortunate enough to know thunderbird #6’s mother. With this connection thunderbird pilot #6 (his name is Blaine) has asked me to babysit his twin daughters Jet and Tally. I. Cant. Wait!

As payment he has invited my family and I to be his VIP guests at the airshow. And his mother invited us to a BBQ on Sunday with all the pilots! I'm going to make up a major for myself because I'm sure they will ask, and I don’t want to sound so indecisive. The mom always asks when I go over there… the answer is always “still undecided….”

Maybe ill say CIS, I am taking a CIS class now and I'm really enjoying it, and its pretty easy to me. Could this be a reality someday? No, I don’t think so. I hate desk jobs remember? And ‘desk job’ is the definition of CIS major.

Speaking of still being undecided my applications for the academy’s came back.. It’s a no go. I'm not…devastated. That much. Really. I wrote a blog post all about it when I received them, but decided not to post it because it was too depressing. Maybe when the whiplash is gone.

Oh well. I have this weekend to look forward to, and I will do that :) 

Celebrating our churches 20th anniversary!

I have a huge weekend coming up, and I'm super excited! Preparation for these few days along with school have really taken up all my free time. I mean, I couldn’t even find time to read for pleasure, I'm reading in-between classes :P

Anyway, my church (New Apostolic Church Tucson congregation) is going to be celebrating its 20^th anniversary! And guess what, the Bishop is coming down to hold service on that day! The Bishop! I’m so excited to have him in our little church in the desert. Oh yea, did I mention he will be spending the weekend in our guest house :D

The congregation and youth group did a lot to prepare for today, we painted the entire church in fresh coats of paint, we cleaned all the carpet, we re-landscaped the front yard and back, planted new trees and flowers, and we (the youth) put flyers on every door in the surrounding neighborhoods in hopes that lots of gusts will come.

Were going to make a weekend out of this celebration, starting on Saturday the youth and the bishop are going on an hour long horse back riding session, after were going to have a BBQ at the ranch. Later, because the Bishop is staying at out house were going to go out and eat with him and his son and a few people who will come down from Phoenix. All in preparation for the climax on Sunday, the choir has prepared a special program for the 29^th anniversary and they will start the morning off. After service will be a fellowship than a youth fire side/swimming chat with the Bishop at my house.

Its going to be a busy weekend, but a fun one!