Current

Remember that old Notorious B.I.G. song with the lyrics, "I'm going back, back to Utah, Utah."  Wait, that doesn't sound right, does it?  That was "Cali," the glorified neighbor to the West.  No, moving back to Utah fits more along the lines of Waylon Jennings' song "Omaha," where he sings about thinking Nebraska wasn't good enough, but finds himself heading back later in life.  I left Salt Lake City around seven years ago, and while the SLC is no metropolis or cultural hub, the ease of living here and the immediate access to the mountains is hard to beat.  So, like Waylon, I found myself heading back to a town I thought I had left behind. 

Since I moved here in August of 2012 it has been hard to be away from New Orleans, which is home to many of my closest friends and favorite foods.  Not to mention the best fire department in the country, the NOFD.  But life is good here.  I am entering my second year in the American History PhD program at the University of Utah, and it is fun to be in school.  Also, I have been able to ski, camp, and climb more in the past year than I have in the previous seven years combined.  

After studying hard during the school year, I took off on a whirlwind summer adventure that included almost two months in Asia and a month in various mountains.  The trip took me to China and Japan, both firsts for me, so that was great.  And when I returned, I immediately set out to hike 110 miles of the John Muir trail with my good buddy, Marshall.  Two weeks working in wilderness therapy and a nice stay at my family's cabin on Mt. Hood rounded out the summer. 

Now I have new apartment with a big backyard and a wood fireplace.  Plus, I am even closer to the canyons, which may or not be a good thing because I need to focus hard on my academics this year.  Not only is this the last year of classes for me, but this Fall I also teach my first college class, American History 2200 at Westminster University.  Wish me luck!