BYU Radio

For news producing class, we are required to work with a media company to shadow what they do... to get a feel for how it is to be a producer. I have the opportunity to work with BYU Radio, which recently went from just a local radio station to Sirius Radio, which is satellite radio and broadcast to 22 million people! Whoa, Provo, whoa.

 I will go every Wednesday from 8am-1pm and I just started last week. I'm still pretty nervous, but they're very nice and accommodating there at the studio. I went to the story meeting, I contacted possible sources for future stories, and researched religious tolerance groups for the radio host (he was going to talk about it for the morning show and wanted me to do the footwork research).

Anyhow, the picture above is the view I had on the way to the internship, so it definitely has its perks!

This is the BYU Broadcasting building, where BYU Radio is located. The building is brand spanking new, and very modern and beautiful. I even have access with this VIP ID...

Gingrich gives me the Heebie Jeebies

In my Western Political Heritage class, we just got finished studying Machiavelli. One of Mach's theories is that to be a powerful ruler, aggression is crucial. With Machiavelli, he doesn't care whats right or good in the moral sense, but he considers any action right or good if it furthers a Prince's power and glory.

Anyway, our teacher, as an example of aggression that furthered a ruler's power, referenced Newt Gingrich's response to a question asked in the South Carolina Primary. The debate host asked Newt if he would like to comment on the fact that Newt's ex-wife interviewed with ABC that day, and said Newt asked her to have an open marriage while Gingrich himself was having relationships... ahem... on the side (at least that is what my professor said...).

Instead of answering like a man, Newt lashed out. He evaded a question about his personal values and convictions that is now firmly unsettling in my mind... and he evaded it in a angry and demeaning manner! Yikes.

The Wedding Dinner

Brent and I booked the Wight House for our wedding dinner today and it was beautiful. Oh, it is so nice to have actually booked a place. I'm so glad Brent likes it and I like it... maybe a minor miracle.

Dan Wight, the owner, was very genuine and had some good news for us as they're lowering the dinner price $.60-.90 a plate. Awesome (they said it was due to competition from another local reception center... I hope the competition keeps coming and prices keep lowering).

One of my favorite parts about the place were the ceilings (I told Brent like 6 times... so he is definitely aware). They were beautiful and coiffured and made me think of Europe.

The blinds on the windows were classy too... like an old country home.

Its in the historical downtown of Bountiful, UT which makes it homey and more "small town", which I did rather like.

The room we booked seats 200 people (though that would be a tight fit I think) and is on the 2nd floor there. I just loved the little staircase from the front door with that beautiful little chandelier.

For colors, Brent and I (well... maybe this was more just I... ha) were thinking a blush pink and a sage green, with grey and beige khaki. This lovely full bouquet was the inspiration.

 I must be honest, I'm still all jittery when I think about being engaged, like 24/7 butterflies. It's a crazy thing... 

We're Engaged!

I am so thrilled to say Brent asked me to marry him. And I said yes! 

Brent asked me last Monday night, Jan. 9th, if I wanted to go for a drive. My heart jumped up to my throat, and I knew what was goin down. So, naturally, I said I wanted to go! We literally went like five minutes down the road from my house to the place we first met two years ago.

It wasn't glamorous, but it was oh so special and I absolutely wouldn't have it any other way. It was the quad of the apartment complex I lived in two years ago when Brent and I first met, so it was a sweet spot.

What's crazy to me is when he kneeled down to ask, man, it was like slow-mo for a sec and my life kinda flashed before my eyes, and all the engagements and proposals from movies I'd seen popped up, like its something that happens to those other people, but not in real life to me! But, he got down on one knee asked, "Will you marry me?"

And I said, "Yea.... yea, I will."

And it was sweet, and I cried, and it was awesome.

Brent gave me the ring on the Saturday after he proposed. I had not seen the ring until then, so it was totally special. I had told my best friend Kelly what I had wanted and she let Brent know all the details so he could get the ring without me seeing what it looked like till I had it on my finger. We actually took a video of the first time I saw the ring so you can see how it went...

Cosmo at the Library

Cosmo is BYU's mascot. And I was just casually on my way to the library and I saw him walking in! Ha, he was just by himself going in to the library! When he went, he hit the handicapped button to have the doors open for him, and spread out his hands like he was Moses parting the red sea, as the doors automatically opened for him. Good one, Cosmo.

But I seriously have no idea what he was doing. Maybe he needed a little study sesh?! More likely on the way to a pep rally or something. :)

I also studied a bit on the fourth floor of one of the buildings on campus, and got a good view of the campus during a class change.

Classes are going well. But I am a bit nervous, I need to get an internship this summer so I can hopefully graduate in December. Fingers crossed. I'm also looking for a new job... I have applied just for one so far, a television programming assistant for BYU. Again, fingers crossed.

First Day of Class

BYU started back up again today, 1 class down, 1 to go. Even after all the first days of school I've had in my life, I was still kind of nervous this morning... I'm a little embarrassed! But I did want to show Mom what I wore... so excuse the awkward positioning, I took it myself in a study room in the library!

The first class was Media Producing. In this class we write for BYU ElevenNews instead of video for it. We basically write what the anchors say, and the anchors read it off the prompter. Less stressful, so I'm excited about it. And I do hope to get better at writing more conversationally, and with active voice. I do have issues with the passive voice a lot. 

The class at 4pm is International Government, which I am excited for and I hope I can do better in it that in my last Political Science class- which was a struggle for me!

I so miss the family though.