The Adventures of Tod & Adrianna

Monday, February 6, 2012

Tod's high school reunion in Colorado

A couple weeks after traveling to Arizona we packed up the Mazda again to head out to Colorado Springs for Tod's 10 year high school reunion.

The reunion was interesting, they had a photographer to take a "class photo" and the dj was terrible, played hip hop and rap the whole time (per one girl's play list). Everyone could get free drinks up till a certain time so Tod, myself, and one of his LDS buddies and his wife were the only sober ones at the party. Tod and I tried to Lindy hop to a few songs that had a little more dance-ability to them but mostly we just snacked on appetizers and socialized with folks. I'm gonna let Tod do more of the talking here, since it was HIS reunion and all. More of his thoughts a little later . . .

I have no idea what the guy behind Tod is doing!

Not Tod's whole Class, but those who made it.

    Welcome, to Tod-sterpiece Theater. Ah the high school reunion. I was really looking forward to this ever since I had received the notice of it the previous year. While it was only 10 years, it really did seem like longer since I have graduated from high school. I was looking forward to seeing friends and finding out what they were up to. The timing worked out as well as we were wanting to head to Santa Fe to check out Southwestern College for Adrianna. So off we went...
    Overall reactions: Not nearly as many people as I thought would be there. Granted, there weren't many that had officially RSVP'ed, but I figured that there would be a good number of people that would still show up. Most of the group were Student Council and FBLA (Future Business Leaders of America), i.e. the kids that were central to our high school experience and the group that I primarily hung out with. (Note: I was never in StuCo or FBLA.) This was also a good thing, as those I had hoped to not see again were not there.
   What did strike me as odd was the lack of LDS students, as we had a fairly good representation in the student body. Of the top 5 of the class, 4 were LDS. We permeated leadership all over, from the football field to the National Honors Society to Student Council. Only two of us were there: myself and James Tippets, a buddy that I spent senior year with playing ultimate and playing Jedi Knights after we had finished our AP Computer Science assignments. As Adrianna mentioned, this did mean the majority of the free bar was left to everyone else and I dare say, drunk people are funny. Not an entirely new experience, conversing with them. But having someone trying to maintain a straight demeanor while slurring their words... It was enjoyable.
   The best part of the experience was the compliments paid to me by my high school friends. The girls kept telling Adrianna what a great, nice guy I was and how lucky she was. Now, I don't want this to sound pompous or blowing my horn. But this was coming from girls that I had only had passing relationships with them at best. We hung out at school; that was about it. To hear them express these words to my wife meant so much to me about how I was viewed in their eyes and what our friendship meant.

a few months ago

So a few months ago (back in June of 2011, to be exact) I began a post to describe what I call the "tour de four corners" road trip adventures that Tod and I went on in May. It included stops in such places as Prescott, AZ, Colorado Springs, CO, Santa Fe, NM, and the all famous Four Corners Monument.

I intended to describe what we did and how I felt about it (cause I'm the one writing this post) and then I never got back to it. I started the post, entered the title, intended to get all the photographs edited & in order with witty captions and descriptions of our adventures. Well, sorry folks that didn't happen. What I will do, in lack of the original post that never was, is offer a post that is 8 months late.

In the interest of space (and saving you from looking at a insanely long post) here are the *highlights* of the Prescott Photos: (the rest you can find on flickr!)

Tod is driving our Mazda

we were driving behind a corvette into town. it was one of MANY corvettes we saw in Prescott.

a shop on the side of the road.

cool rocks.

headed to Gurley St.

Our hotel room in the historic Hassayampa Inn.

Now, where to go in the Historic Downtown area?

Let's go!

A bit of silliness

Prescott College's Crossroad's center and Library.

Pretty waterfall. The driver was not the photographer! This is zoomed in from the passenger side.

Good bye Prescott Forest. (taken through the rear window)

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Graduation and the Royal Wedding.

Yes, I skipped getting up at 4am to watch the Royal Wedding of Catherine and Prince William in lieu of my own graduation. Considering that I am a citizen of a country which is a member of the Commonwealth, does that make me a bad Canadian? Or does that mean that I am becoming more American? ;) Hold on is there actually a 4 am? No! There's is only a 4 pm! You're pulling my leg. Personally I prefer my sleep over waking up at any time of the day that should only exist in the afternoon.

Not to mention I had my own great things to do and titles to earn! Here are a few pictures highlighting the momentous event.

Guess what they had leading the Processional of Graduates--Bag pipers!!! I *LOVE* Bagpipes!!! The sound of those instruments made me even happier.

Here's a cool game: Where in the crowd is Adrianna Anderson?

Hint: I'm sitting in front of the kid from Afghanistan.

Tod said he could always find me because he recognized my beautiful hair.

There she is!

The speakers at Commencement were quite good. Featured with their photograph are a few memorable quotes.
(all photos courtesy of my hubby, Tod.)

Our Student Body Pres. called this a "Royal Day". Not usually into pop culture he chose to use the Royal wedding as a metaphor for the degrees we will recieve. We have earned these titles jsut as Catherine, a commoner, has worked for and earned her title as Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cambridge. This is not a simple task which was completed and earned. He poses the question to the audience: What will you do with your title?

The big statement in Pres. Holland's talk: Make tomorow's "Today" possible, meaning that we should go out into the world and use our skills, abilities and experience with higher education to the betterment of those around us and not only express our knowledge but take action pave the way for those who will follow after us.
He quoted C.S. Lewis, (I will summarize the quote): Don't put off crucial aims. Do it with proper planning and careful decision.
Another summarized quote from W.H. Murrary: Providence moves with commitment.

The Keynote speaker, Robert C. Gay: Each of you can make a difference. Do something that has significant impact upon others lives. Great responsibility comes with great opportunity.
This accomplishment is not about some job. Forget about yourself and work to serve and build others. Be a builder of souls, not a passerby in the mainstream of mediocrity.
It's whee you go forward that matters, not that you go forward.
Just getting by will not answer "How will I make a difference out there?"
"What manner of Men ought ye be? Even as I am." (quoting: 3 Nephi 27:27) Robert then asserts "Each of you have the power to do that."
He shared a story about an experence he had as a Temple president in Africa. The inspiration came "Stop and help that boy" as he was on his way to a meeting. He had seen a boy, about 9 or 10, who was very sorrowful and crying beside the traffic circle he was passing through. Robert asked one of his associates to go fetch the boy while Robert conducted his meeting. Afterwards Robert came out to see the boy, and found that the boy was hiding in the bushes because he "didn't know what the big white man wanted". Robert inquired about why the boy was so sad, and learned that the boy was an orphan. The boy was given a bed by "surrogate parents" but he had to earn his keep by selling materials that his "surrogate parents" made in the markets. He had sold the merchandise for the day and was on his way home when he discovered that he had a hole in his pocket and lost all the money which he had earned. If he returned home without the money he would be accused of stealing, no matter how honest he was about the situation, he would be thrown out on the street to fend for himself again. Robert comforted the boy, gave him the 5 or 6 dollars that he had earned and lost that day, and sent him on his way. This seemingly simple experience, for Robert, took a few minutes and a few dollars to make a difference. For the boy it impacted his life for the better. Robert did not hear from the boy again.
Robert advised us to "Move to the sounds of your heart" and to "Put in your heart unselfish love". I feel that with these words he was also advising us to listen to the light of Christ within us, and to follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
To close his remarks Robert spoke about his keynote speaker at his doctoral graduation from Harvard. Mother Teresa was his keynote speaker and she said many powerful things encouraging the graduates to be strong, uphold one another and to make moral choices. He shared with us this message she gave to them, "I may not have gold, I may not have silver, but I can be a brother or a sister or a father or a mother to another soul."