Summer of Shenanigans v2 - NYC: CSI

These pics are from my Lead America stint in NYC. I was actually working a CSI conference instead of LeadU. Eric, Mr. B, J-Will, Jon, D.C., Sarah, Mary, Jessica, Ben, and Jacinda; you guys are not missed, HOLLA!

Summer of Shenanigans v2 - Stanford

Here are a bunch of pics from my Lead America experience this past summer at Stanford University. It was so rad. LEAD WHAT, LEAD U!

Summer of Shenanigans

I spent this past summer teaching and leading high school kids from across the country as a Team Leader for the Lead America organization. It was one of the greatest experiences of my life and the people I met will always be remembered. I was reminded of just how close I became with my co-workers this morning when I woke up to find a text from my buddy Mike Hilty which mentioned that because of hearing a certain song he wished he was with his fellow LeadUr's. It is amazing to me the type of bonds we can form with others over such a short period of time. What is it about our nature that allows us to become so personal with a complete stranger in a matter of minutes.

I find this all the time

when working up at Sundance. Part of my job in the deli is to meet and greet customers. I love it. I love being able to just talk to people and find out where they are from, why they are visiting Utah, and what they do. It completely fascinates me. But what is most interesting is that we, myself included, are willing to share certain information about ourselves with others whom we have not previously met.
Alright back on track, didn't mean to hit a tangent there, I guess I will save that for another blog. Anyway, back to the summer of shenanigans. So I read this text this morning and I just thought how grateful I am to have been a part of LeadU this past summer. I am often asked "What did you do?" or "Where were you this past summer, I haven't seen you in a while?" When I tell people that I was teaching high school kids across the country they are always intrigued and I want to believe they are thinking 'Why would someone so young be teaching high schoolers and what could he possibly be teaching them?' The question that quickly follows after I answer their first question is generally "What did you teach them?" And my reply is always an emphatic "TO BE AWESOME!" That always gets a few laughs, but then I explain to them that I really was teaching and helping these students to be awesome. It all really depends on your definition of what awesome is. I had the opportunity to help these students further develop the leadership skills they already possessed and discover some skills they might not have known existed in them. So in essence (and in my opinion) I was teaching and helping them to be awesome.

I guess I just can't really explain in words my feelings about the whole experience. It's one of those things where you really have to experience it for yourself to grasp the amazing motivational and inspirational power of what transpired. I love and respect my LeadU co-workers and students more than they will ever know. I can't tell them thank you enough and I know I don't keep in great contact with them but their images are forever burned in my heart. I will always remember you all.

Don't Stop, Can't Stop

So I got my hands on the new Saves the Day album, Under the Boards, this week (it doesn't drop until Tues the 30th, yeah I got my connections) and all I can say is AMAZING! Seriously I cannot stop listening to it. I think it has been the only thing playing on my iPod, in my car, and on my comp for the last 72 hours. I highly recommend everyone going and picking up this album or snagging it online somewhere when it comes out next Tuesday.

Moonlight Lifties

So Natalie and I made a trip up to Sundance the other week to hit up the moonlight lift ride, it was SSIIIICCCKKKK!!!!! It was hella cold but Natalie was gracious enough to cook us up some Wassail which was oh so delicious. I don't know if anyone has been up to Sundance but the view is extremely beautiful with Mt. Timpanogos in the background. The full moon provided enough light to see the beauty surrounding The Sundance Resort. The lift ride took about 45 minutes and afterward I kept cracking jokes about me and Natalie hooking up while we were on the lift. It was so funny. I kept saying aloud "Oh man that was such a good sesh. I highly recommend everyone seshing on the lift ride like we did." Although Natalie was laughing quite a bit, she kept saying "Shut up!" but laughing the whole time. After all was said and done it was close to midnight so we packed up and cruised back down to the valley. All in all it was a great night and I couldn't have asked to spend it with anyone better than one of my best friends.