Well I am back from Waltonia and had a great time as always. Today I just dont feel like going into detail about the week but it was an awesome trip. So whats up now? Well it is 3 weeks till school starts and I am half looking forward to that and half not. I have had an awesome summer and I dont want it to end. I love summer time and everything that comes with it. But I am excited to see everyone and meet new students and learn in my new classes so I will keep a positive outlook and remember that I put myself here and I need to make the best of it. So yea for Fall 2008!

A couple things that are on my mind. First, the Olympics start Friday! Hooray! I love the Olympics. I even went and bought an antenna for our non-cable TV so I could watch. Turns out we are getting channels from somewhere so lets hope that lasts. I am most excited about gymnastics. I hated doing gymnastics as a kid, being the giant that I am I never would have gone far anyways, but I love to watch the little girls bounce all over the place and the super muscular dudes do unthinkable things with their arms and legs. I also really enjoy swimming, diving and track and field. I pretty much love all of it.

Some of my favorite things are the underdog countries that do awesome or the few Middle Eastern countries that get to participate for the first time. I feel like the Olympics are a time when the world can unite instead of fight and cheer for their athletes. I just wish we could do it peacefully. I hope nothing bad happens in China. I know they do some awful things, but lets face it, so does our country so cant we just be nice and get along. They are beautiful people with a beautiful culture and they deserve our respect. So anyone reading this blog thinking about doing something stupid, please dont! (Ha, like any terrorist reads my blog).

I also wanted to mention something you made have heard in passing but it has stuck with me because of my current reading materials. The second highest mountain in the world is called K2 and just a couple of days ago 11 people died on the mountain during a summit attempt. The statistics say that it is the deadliest mountain in the world and 70 climbers have died climbing while only 280 have ever made it to the top and back down. The climbers who died were from many different countries. It seems they summited very late in the day and then an avalanche took out their fixed ropes and they were stuck and died. A few from the day's climb survived. This is so sad and I am so sorry for the friends and family of the deceased climbers.

Why is this on my mind? Well recently I read Into Thin Air (see previous post) and then just a couple of days ago I read No Shortcuts to the Top by Ed Viesturs who climbed the worlds 14 highest mountains. Adventure climbing is my new thing. Not that I am necessarily going to do it myself because that requires money, but I am super interested in it. Viesturs book was fascinating and I hope to keep following his adventures.

Besides that, I am moved into my new house and this weekend my parents are bringing the rest of the furniture which they will be thrilled to get out of their garage. Tonight is a going away party for a good friend and I am bummed to see her go. We will miss you Meriden! I am still working out at the YMCA but because of my recent read I am going to hopefully, slowly get back into running (knees allowing). I am excited!

Talk to yall later. Toodles! :)