and then there was utah

I'm back and don't it feel good.

I landed a great job and am finishing up school (finally). But before I go into details about my new life I want to briefly recap my Nevada experience.... great weather, amazing friends and a new appreciation for desert landscape. I moved down to Nevada from Washington state without a job or a vehicle, not really knowing what I was doing at all or what I wanted to accomplish while I was there. It bridged the gap between early 20's to mid 20's which sounds ridiculous, I know. In my early 20's I found myself riding the waves instead of creating them. My time in Nevada gave me a reason to wonder what the crap I wanted in life and why I wasn't making it happen. What I found out is that I want to learn, formally and in my own studies. Which segues perfectly into why I moved back to Utah. School.

Back to school. To finish what I started what seems to be forever ago. I also happened to land an amazing job that will help facilitate the financial part of school. Full time work and school is going to be nightmarish, but I can handle the hectic life. I've been trying to go back to school for awhile now and it seems that I've hit brick wall after brick wall. Now things are falling into place better than I could have imagined so much so I don't seem to have room enough to receive it all. I am very blessed. I'm jumping back onto the Chemistry route, but this time as a Chemical Engineer student. At least that's the plan for now. I know that's what I want to study more than anything else, but reality can hit hard.

As for this job, it's stressful, but I really like it. I work for Liberty Mountain Sports, an outdoor distributing company. We deal with just about anything for the outdoors, especially climbing equipment. I deal with all the big accounts West of the Mississippi and it's a whole different world than the law firm that I was at and I love it. Many of the people that work there are avid climbers & backpackers so I have a large vat of knowledge and experience to dip into whenever I want. And I get to work with my sister Jennie. Yes, we work and live together. We're both the type to think it's more of an effort and pain to be annoyed by things than to not be, so we get a long just great. 

Odd duck

There have been many people recently that have pointed out how odd I am. I'm not exactly sure how to take it but here are the specifics:

Facial expressions (apparently this is a big one)

I can't seem to keep a straight face about what I'm thinking. I've been clean from poker

3 years 249 days and I've lost my game.

Whistling

It's the co-workers who point this one out.

Shower curtain

I can't use the restroom if the shower curtain is closed. Maybe I've seen Psycho too many times growing up.

Donuts

I hate them.

I Pledge Allegiance ...

to God and NOT a flag (this doesn't make me an America-hater)

Polka

I can play the accordion, not very good, but I can do it and we even polka dance at family reunions.

Adam Morrison

I have frequent nightmares about him, at least once a week

Sci-fi vs. Lifetime

I'd rather watch AVP than Love Comes Softly.

Planet Earth

When I do watch TV it's the Discovery Channel, Planet Earth or the Science Channel (but

apparently this doesn't make me smart, just weird)

Pickles

Stocked with a year supply.

Cartoons

I watch them as much as I can.

Books

I've been told I have an 'interesting taste' in literature.

love me some spin

SPIN CLASS, how do I love thee? ... aahh, the apple of my eye, two peas in a pod, the cats meow, the cockles of my heart, the wind beneath my wings, a labour of love, all is fair and love and war, love is a battlefield, love is blind, love stinks, love hurts, HOW DO I LOVE THEE?!!?, lover come back, I can't stop this feeling any longer, love IS a battlefield, crazy in love.

I've been spinning for two years now and it's hard to find a good instructor. I finally found one in Provo and loved her! She was 50, maybe 60 yrs old and resembled, from what I could gather, a playboy bunny. Maybe I should clarify, a 60 year old women wearing what a playboy bunny would wear, but oh, how I love my Rhonda! Since then I've had hard times finding what Rhonda could do. The screaming in your face to push harder, to call you all the names in the book to get you mad to go harder, longer and to make you cry, yes really cry.

I recently found Brian, I like to call him Strong Brian. He's awesome! But his class is at night and I go to the gym before the sun even thinks about rising. So maybe both?

I do love spin, but since I don't feel really challenged since I've been doing it for so long (don't get me wrong sometimes I want to punch Brian in the throat during his isolations or hills) I've decided my next big goal is a triathlon. I thought I wanted to run a marathon, but my knees can't take it, so I tried running after my spin class and boy does that kick my butt! Since I'm making it public that a triathlon is my goal I feel even more obligated to prove to those non-believers.

jeffner

Happy late birthday!!!

To one of the coolest sisters I know! Totally amazing, beautiful, funny, dates ALL the time, she reminds me of someone ..... oh yes, me

She's probably the hardest working person I know. She knows how to get her way and makes people melt in her hands. We're both really homesick since we are the ones away from the home and both still single (props to Sarah). She's wicked smart and I can't wait to see where she goes in life. She has ridiculously long arms, fingers and toes, she falls down a lot, sometimes she plays dumb, and she thinks she has scoliosis. She deserves the best yet the best isn't good enough.

Love you jeffner!

Here's to the bro who turns sixteen
The raddest darn dude you ever have seen.
To the one who is funny, handsome & smart
And makes rad brotherin' an art.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY HUNTER!

Words of Wisdom:



ON DRIVING--don't follow our sister's footsteps i.e. drive like me



ON DATING--date a lot like Jennie, get married like Sarah and from me ... well that's another story, I'll take words from Hitch and say 'No game ... no girl' and you got game kid!

ON LIFE-- pray & trust in the Lord & don't let people push you around.

Hunter is truly one of the coolest guys I know, everybody knows it. He's admired by everybody, in the classroom, at home, on the field and at church! Funny as heck ... yet quite can't make the quote board, just kidding I think he made it up there once.
I can't wait to see where he goes in sports and with school and the mish. True stud material fo' sho'! Love ya bro!

Rugby

I play rugby. Who the heck would have thought? I think my brother Hunter put it best when he said "and that's why you aren't married". Rugby isn't all that harsh and brute-like when playing 7's or even 10's, 15's get annoying due to all the players in the way.

Lo Stender is in my ward and she plays for the U.S. Women's team and travels the world, she was the one who got me to play rugby for the Slots. We went to Flagstaff about a month ago and played a couple of 15's and my body ached for days after, come to find out your body doesn't get used to it and the soreness isn't the greatest familiarity.

It's fun to be part of an actual team again and to have to go to practice. We practice with the Las Vegas Blackjacks, the men's rugby team, and I'm learning a lot. I find it hard not to compare it to football and want to react as such, but it opens many doors and instant friends.

So far I've played openside-flanker & lock positions, I've been practicing as a center and hopefully will get to run the ball a little more for more tries. Yesterday I had the chance to play touch rugby at the Fijian Independence celebration with many people representing many different nations all both young and old. True to their motto "a hooligans' game played by gentlemen".

vienna waits for you…

This last weekend was spent in Utah, I forgot how much I like Utah. I loved the weather, missed the mountains, family & friends and enjoyed the familiarity. A big part of me wished a reason would arise for me to stay forever, but I soon found myself back in Henderson. I do like Nevada, but it’s not home. I’m reminded of the song Vienna, maybe even my theme song, and how it always seems to fit my every situation.

As long as I can remember I've wanted to go on a mission. I've wanted to bring to others what I have been given. I haven't had to search, wonder or doubt. I've known truth and truth continually opens her door. I want so badly to be righteous, to be worthy of being the Lord's hands here on the earth. I feel like I fall short too many times. The Lord needs a strong people and I am barely strong enough to get through the trials that I face. I've learned that at this point of thinking is when I need to let the Atonement in and give the rest up to the Lord. To let the Lord answer my door.
I am a stubborn girl. But when I find truth I will easily give up my ways and thinking and can be easily molded. I have recently come to harsh realizations thanks to a dear person in my life. It was in the moment that I knew I was wrong when I matured out of being the 'always responsible, oldest, level-headed, always right' one into the vulnerable and moldable one that the Lord wants me to be. I want to be righteous and I want the blessings that the Lord promised me in my patriarchal blessing. I want others to know the happiness I know, I want to help them and to love them. I was intended to help those out in need, to have an understanding of what people have gone through and what is ahead of them, maybe due to the experiences I have had.
I've had many plans in my life, good plans, plans that align with what I've been taught and what the Lord would be happy with. Those plans fall through time and time again and I am realizing that there are different plans for me than what I have expected. That the Lord has used me in ways I am unaware of. I am excited to know those ways someday and I'm excited to see what the Lord has in store for me and what things I can do in return.

I've never loved and found it hard to trust, but I have a lot of love to give and have complete trust waiting. I will steal President Henry B Eyring's words and say "I no longer need preeminence, positions, promotions, plaudits, or popularity. I don't have to be right, first, recognized, praised, regarded or rewarded. I now live by faith, lean on His presence, walk with patience . . . . My road is narrow, my way is rough, my companions are few, my guide is reliable, my mission is clear." I cannot claim them as complete but guiding words nonetheless.

I have too many faults to list or even think about and I know I should be working much harder than I am. Someday I will find myself strong and worthy. Until then there is a lot of work to do.

Thrice + Circa Survive

A couple of weekends ago I went to see Thrice and Circa Survive at the House of Blues at Mandalay Bay. It was awesome! I went with this guy in my ward with a bunch of his buddies, they were there for Thrice and I was looking forward to Circa Survive.

Circa Survive was amazing. Anthony Green was entertaining and reminded me more of a ritual dancer, but has some awesome pipes. Pretty sure they are a new favorite! I love it!

This guy I went with was the one who introduced me to Thrice, I liked them as soon as I heard them and tried to cram as much of their music into my brain before the show. It's interesting to hear their earlier stuff compared to the music they just released a couple of weeks ago. It's always nice to hear good music and real musicians. Their music is complex and the lyrics are thought provoking. Totally rad stuff.

All in all it was a fun night, but who would have doubted? The guys I were with were funny, they were the ones in the crowd starting all the mosh pits and creating all the chaos. I was totally proud.

On to the next ...

first injury of the season

OUCH!!

I ran and slid to catch a foul fly ball and soon realized that the dirt in Nevada is hard and rocky, I'm just glad I caught the ball! It was kinda cool to see so much blood gushing from my leg and it was great to see the reactions from everybody who saw it.

I'm not sure the picture gives it justice, in the mirror it looks a lot bigger, but it is a lot redder in real life. And it hurts like a mother!! I'm keeping it wrapped so the scar won't be as big.

Last night I called a girl in the ward who plays on the US National Rugby team and who is an athletic trainer (she's seen much worse) and she fixed me up pretty well, but said that I'll have a nasty scar and hairy legs. It's just another battle wound.

USERS AND KILLERS

I work for a methadone clinic helping heroin addicts fight their addiction. So far it's really rewarding watching the users really fight something that has fought them so long. I've come to learn even more that the body is a powerful thing and the mind even greater.

I work from 5 am to 1 pm and love the idea of getting off work and relaxing by the pool everyday and have time for school.

I'm also working with a handful of killers. I will admit that once the confession was made that they had killed people I thought we need to do something about out justice system. And then my thoughts ran along the lines of:

I'm sorry, what? Could you repeat yourself? I heard something in there about a killing.

The Killers (the band, not actual killers)

Ok, think Nichole, where are the exits? If you had to what could you use to defend yourself? Would the pointy end of a paper clip do enough damage to get away? And I should update my Will.

All in all I really like my job.

KA

I went to one of many shows that Vegas has to offer, KA. It was brilliant! It's something that can't really be talked about, it's something that needs to be experienced. You can find out more information HERE.

Half dressed Lamanite-esque warriors hunting playful shadow puppet making Asians. That's about the best description. My favorite part was the under water scenes.

Mac Pro

You can install up to four graphics cards, each with two dual-link DVI ports and run up to eight 30-inch Apple Cinema HD Displays at the same time with one Mac Pro.

(I cry every time I see it, what a beauty!)

Nikon D3

12.1-mega pixel, FX-format (23.9 x 36mm) CMOS sensor. 9 frames per second, 51-point auto focus with 3D focus tracking, Scene Recognition System (super smart), picture control settings (variety of colors, meaning: various pictures from D3 can look like they've been taken from a variety of cameras depending on what you want the picture to look like i.e. from different decades)

... and so much more.

Yamaha Digital Piano CVP 309

88 keys

Heavy keys

Key-off is amazing

just to name a few, check the rest out here

Playstation 3

I miss GUITAR HERO!

Intellectual Devotionals

What most people should know and probably don't










THE ASTON MARTIN VANQUISH V12

The most beautiful car ever built,

Amen.

2008 SAAB 93








A little bit more reasonable

KENYA

There are many places I would like to visit, but Kenya es mi numero uno

stuck in customs

I've never been really interested in photography until this last year when I was employed as a photographer after fooling around with a camera. If a camera is in my hands or not I seem to continually see the world through a lens.

I found Stuck in Customs about a year ago and have been in love ever since. The interesting part is Trey Ratcliff, the photographer/CEO of John Galt Games, is just about blind in one eye which he had many surgeries when he was young and now basically only sees 2-D.

There are hundreds of awesome pictures, some plain and other enhanced texturally. It's all pretty great stuff. But he leads the life I wish I could. To travel the world and share explorations through pictures. Check it out and see for yourself!

what the world needs now ...


So what's the big deal about being called a pushover? Granted there are times when people are just foolish and then there are so-called 'pushovers'. I was recently called a pushover and have been called it many times in the past and didn't know exactly how to take it. But if being put in that category (must all Americans put labels on everything?) means that I help friends or even strangers when they ask, then I don't mind. I'm definitely confident (maybe to a fault) and can assure there are no ulterior motives to wanting to help. In my recent dealings I've come across some unpleasant people and have wondered where the kindness has gone and where the selfishness came from. I've seen a friend watch another friends pain and thought where is the loyalty. I'm not the best friend out there and I'm known for not keeping in contact very well, but I do care very deeply for the very few friends that I have, maybe even more than they will ever know.

I've been reading Kite Runner lately and I have seen the difference between two of the characters Amir and Hassan. I see their loyalty and how it's shown and felt, both in very different ways, but both very real. I envy that, the only thing that I've known in my life is change. I have moved 13 different times growing up, and went to 8 different schools. I've never had best friends, I've never been in a place long enough for people to remember. I'm not writing all of this so the people reading, if any, feel sorry for me. I just want to care for people, I feel like that's the one and maybe only thing that I'm really good at, I just hope that those friends who I do care about know it. I love the life that I have and I love the people in it and it's even sweeter when the love is shown. For those that do know me, they know that I'm not a mushy, cheesy person who always shows emotion. I just grew up a decade too late, but am still a huge supporter for free love. The one thing the world could never have too much of . . . . . . . . . . love, sweet love.

HOME

Just because there are palm trees doesn't make it tropical, it's a desert and I may become a desert rat for a couple of years if it means more softball. It has been interesting being here without a vehicle, getting to know the city by foot. There's something satisfying about it. I know that will change soon when I start getting impatient and feel like I'm wasting time with walking when there are so many things to get done. I moved with very little, clothes and books, that's it, literally. There's something very comforting about the idea of being so easily mobile. Now the search for a high paying dream job begins.

Blog Title

It took me longer than it should have to pick a name for this new addition in my life. I chose CHASING NIKKI D as it seemed to fit my life situation. It seems that there are many people out there trying to figure out what I'm doing with my life, where I am with that life plan, when it's going to change and where are my exact coordinates at the time. Since these are the same questions (or should I say fears?) that I have for myself I have come to know that I don't fall into any particular category. I am a dabbler. One who undertakes something superficially or without serious intent. Oxymoronically I dabble seriously, making sure I don't leave any 'interest rock' unturned. I am small amounts of many great things and will never be a large amount of any great thing which is the only thing I know for certain. The one thing I will always love about myself. I am currently, and maybe forever, chasing the idea of NIKKI D.