The Utah Arts Festival combines a multitude of performing, visual, and literary arts, to present the best of artists in Utah and those Worldwide. Bringing together artists from all walks of life and all forms of canvas's use to portray their work, from those that used glass, oil, clay, iron, celluloid, and the side of a building as a stage.

From those that molded metal to conform into any of their desires, like a 4 tiered fountain and 6 foot high bistro sets, flowers and vases, and a 5 foot long wrench along with matching bolts and screws, or even as eccentric as a full skeleton weighing approximately 150 lbs.

Some went down a simpler path as to their art work, by choosing to engrave thoughts and famous sayings into clay. A much easier (and cheaper for my pocket book) way to produce their art. A few of the ones that I appreciated most were, "Every time I hear the dirty word Exercise I wash my mouth out with Chocolate", & "Before you criticize some one walk a mile in their shoes. That way when you criticize them. You'll be a mile away, and you'll have their shoes."

The "Fear No Film Festival" (FNFF), is a festival promoting various sorts of "short and sweet" films; featuring 57 short films and videos from local, national, and international artists. FNFF incorporates works of all genres including animation, narrative, experimental, documentary, music video, and dance films. FNFF's goals are first to enthuse, confuse, stir, and inspire its audiences through the exposure to underground and innovative short films that are rarely seen. FNFF aims to encourage the public to absorb new film experiences that dare to extend beyond the mainstream definition of cinematic entertainment. Second, FNFF wants to cultivate notable short film festival, with a flair for the inventive that functions as a resourceful filmmaker'’s forum and marketplace.

My Favorite film wouldefinitelyly have to be Non-Abductees Anonymous (Narrative) 4:15 (North Carolina, 2004, by: Philip Powell) The goings-on at a support group for people who have NEVER been abducted by aliens. Forlorn and rejected, they go to extremes trying to get the attention of those snobby extraterrestrials.

Project Bandaloop

Five of the Project Bandaloop dancers suspended from the glass wall of the downtown library in SLC, UT.While many groups chose to represent there art work by framing it or molding it out of iron rebar, Project Bandaloop makes a statement in a whole new spectrum. By suspending themselves from the sides of buildings and cliffs, and performing spectacular dance routines. This week the group chose to strap on there old jazz thongs (dance shoes) and harness themselves over the glass wall on the Salt Lake City Downtown Library, performing for nearly an hour these ladies strutted all their stuff along side the wall of the library. Combining climbing, rappelling, gymnastics, and dance into one exquisitely choreographed dance. Surrounded by on-lookers from both outside and in this group glided across the glass with ease with choreography that draws on aerial, vertical and horizontal movement to craft dances. This gravity defying group, defys all fears and works its way into the number one spot on my favorite things at the festival. They perform everynight at 6 pm, and on Saturday and Sunday at 10:30pm.

The festival runs until Sunday June 26th from 12pm to 12am, the cost of admission is $4 before 3pm and $7 after three. I would recommend going as early as possible not only as to knock down the price but to be able to see all of the booths, film, comedy clubs, and musical performances.

This Tuesday my brother (Tom a.k.a. Digenis) journeyed out on what was supposed to be a three hour drive to the beautiful Bryce canyon. After a 100 mile canyon detour due to construction, we finally arrived at the national park.

We started out the trip by taking a eight mile hike around the Fairyland Loop, a very strenuous trail that changes elevation about every 50 meters. The views throughout the loop were exquisite due to the constant elevatory variations totaling a whopping 704 meters (2309 feet). Being able to be at one minute above the hodoos then not even ten minutes later, walking a good 50 meters below the point that you were just at; staring up at the towering pillars. After taking numerous stops to climb some rock faces and a good 512mb memory stick full of pictures we finished our hike a good 4 hours later. We ate dinner in the car over looking Bryce Point and watched the sunset over the Canyon.

After returning to our campsite, and crashing into the sleeping bags almost immediately; we slept for a good 11 hours before returning to our next hike. We were still a bit worn out from the previous days hike, our dear muscles ached from lack of strenuous work previous to this point, so we decide that just doing one hike would be a good idea. We agreed on the Peek-A-Boo Loop; a 5.5 mile hike, also with the extreme elevation changes like the day before. Unfortunate for us, we were to late to notice that the loop was also used as a horseback trail, so we got to walk the 3 1/2 hour hike with the scent of horse feces filling our nostrils.

Bryce Canyon has a good 20 more trails that we did not have time to do unfortunately, due to Tom's flight back home was for Friday morning. Bryce Canyon National Park is one of my favorite National Parks, with Zion gliding ahead by a slim majority. I recommend Bryce to any National Park enthusiast and/or photographer, and tell you bring a very large memory stick.

National Park (Need to) Visit List:
Glacier National Park
Escalante National Park
dinosaur Nation Monument
Capitol Reef National Park

The Monday after graduation the whole thirteen of us, Kiehn's, Denney's, and Breen's, packed up and headed out for yellowstone national park. Securely belted in a van, a minivan, and a little Chevy prizm we headed out on our jolly good way, a ride that would take us six hours to complete.

Once we arrived in the Park, we decided the first place to visit would have to be the most popular site, Old faithful. Which, still after all of the years blows punctually, every 45 minutes. We traveled through most of the popular sites like the Minerva Terrace, The Dragon's cauldrons, Tower Falls, Mammoth Hot Springs, and many more.

The trip was sprinkled with exciting adventures; like falling of a log into a 50* lake, weather ranging from high 70's too low 30's and 40's with snow, and bison the decide that the road is their territory. Even with the freezing temperatures the trip was amazing and it was great to see the sites that I hadn't seen since I was 6.

There are pictures of the trip posted here.

Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.

- Matthew Brodrick as Ferris Buhler in Ferris Buhlers Day Off

I'm kinda psychic. I have a fifth sense. It's like I have ESPN or something.

- Amanda Seyfried as Karen in Mean Girls

Insanity runs in my family. It practically gallops.

- Cary Grant as Mortimer Brewster in Arsenic and Old Lace

This year has come to a bittersweet end, I sit gleefully looking back on the last 12 years of my life spent sitting in a conventional style of schooling, always here everyday from 8 am to 3 pm Monday through Friday. But now it all ends, I look back on the journey that I have made. How I have grown and the friends that I have made over the years, and this the part that brings me to tears to think about; leaving them. Leaving all these ties, spread out across the country this coming year. How do I say good bye to those that are more than just my friends, many have become like family to me. . . How do I say good bye to them? The Joy of completing the momentous journey that all people make through there adolescence comes to this wreched ending, a fork suck in the road. . . I must go one way they - the other, and it breaks my heart to say those to little words that separate people for a lifetime - good bye.

With half of the class staying in Utah (Annie, Celia, Luke, Taylor, & Sawyer), and the other half traveling over the the Midwestern states (Bigelow, Daniel, Michael,Peter, & myself). To my fellow graduates, my final words, remembrance of the years past.

Annie - You have such a heart towards servant, and you are an amazing girl with an incredible witness, I desire your heart and how you always are there when anyone needs your help. Good luck with your nursing degree at Westminster, I hope that you will continue to stay strong in your faith and beliefs while staying in such a cult centered state.

Bigelow - I hope that your luck does not run out while you are in Chicago, hopefully you will spend some time actually in class and not infront of a poker table. Us Midwestern people will have to keep in touch, and get together during a break.

Celia - You are such a strong willed & courageous person, I hope that you have amazing success in all of your educational efforts, I hope that staying in state will help you grow stronger in your faith as it is tested everyday. I hope as well that you stay strongly connected with your fellow believers and never let your faith die out for the popular belief.

Daniel - Oh my, I never could have thought that this day would come, when after 4 years of friendship and having someone there who would put down any and everything if I needed someone to talk to, that I would have to say good-bye to. You have such a beautiful heart, one that is focused so on God that you try so hard to not let the popular way take that image of purity away from you. Daniel, I hope that all of your aspirations of becoming the youth pastor that you always have dreamed of becoming will soon come true. Have an awesome time in Illinois, and remember that I am only a six hour drive away!

Luke - I hope that have an awesome time studying out at SLCC and that you don't break too many bones over the next few years (maybe you should consider stop jumping of cliffs and of rocks into one foot of sand covering solid rock). I hope that you become the best big brother, and role model possible to that little one.

Michael - You are such an amazing witness, I hope that all of your aspirations and all of the paths that you travel down that you will continue to shine brighter than you do today. Have an awesome time at Calvin, and that your studies in engineering.

Peter - I hope that you have an awesome time studying in Chicago and figure out that you actually do want to grow up and not just major in general studies.

Taylor - Have an fun time "studying" at the University of Utah, hopefully you figure out what you want to major in that you don't spend all of your time down in the parking lot with your car.

Sawyer - Wow, after just one year, you have made such a lasting impression on my life, you are such an amazing guy and an incredible witness. You have been such a good friend to me, you are one of the ones that I will miss most, I pray that you will continue to have the desire to always help others as you have done so many times for me. Have an awesome time at the University of Utah, I hope that you will keep in touch with all of the ICS people that will also be attending there, and staying in state. I hope that you go far in your aspirations to become a super IT dork (oh wait, your already one...) have a great time in college and keep in touch, your one asset that I don't want to lose touch with over the upcoming years.

*Look on the Photo page for pictures from graduation.

Today i received the best graduation present that anyone could ever give to me. . . ever. I was sitting in my formal dining room, putting the final touches on my scrapbook so it will be ready for my party on Saturday when from behind me came the distinct voice that I did not think that I would have heard for 6 months. I turned around to see the face of my brother, dear digenis, had mysteriously ended up in my house. . . direct from Russia. I never could have imagined it, I had to pinch myself to be sure I wasn't dreaming, and well I wasn't. This is one of the best days of my life, unable to hold back tears of excitement I jumped into his arms. This is most defiantly the best present EVER.

As of 9:32 this morning I finished my final exit exam from high school, after long hours of praying and attempting at doing homework, my grades where well enough that I was exempt from taking my Bible, and Math exams. YAY! Not that its that big of a deal I would have done fine on them if I had taken them, its just, I simply don't want to take them if I don't have to. But now I must simply wait around for graduation to commence and change this lowly senior into being a full blown class of 2005 graduate. Thankfully with not having to take the remaining exit exams I don't even have to show up to school on Thursday until 1:00pm for graduation practice. But unfortunately I still need to attend class on Friday even though I have already completed the exam, boring eh? Oh well I just take a nap or read a book.

Now I just sit, going through class after class of boredom having pretty much nothing to do. . .

This year is coming to a bittersweet end, I sit gleeful looking back on the last 12 years of my life spent sitting in a conventional style of schooling, always here everyday from 8am to 3pm Monday through Friday. But now it all ends I look back on the journey I have made, how I have grown and the friends that I have made over the years, and this the part that brings me to tears to think about; leaving them. Leaving all these ties, spread out across the country this coming year. How do I say good bye to those that are more than just my friends, many have become like family to me. . . How do I say good bye to them? The Joy of completing the momentous journey that all people make through there adolescence comes to this wreched ending, a fork suck in the road. . . I must go one way they - the other, and it breaks my heart to say those to little words that separate people for a lifetime - good bye.
Another turning point, a fork stuck in the road. Time grabs you by the wrist, directs you where to go. So make the best of this test, and don't ask why. It's not a question, but a lesson learned in time.

It's something unpredictable, but in the end it's right. I hope you had the time of your life.

So take the photographs, and still frames in your mind. Hang it on a shelf in good health and good time. Tattoos of memories and dead skin on trial. For what it's worth, it was worth all the while.

It's something unpredictable, but in the end it's right. I hope you had the time of your life.
- Green Day (Good riddance)

56 hours and counting. . .