Thank You, SFCD

"You must recognize the importance of practicing your potential.

If you don't think it's important to work to your fullest extent, you're already in trouble."

I come home tomorrow. I feel like I just tried to drink out of a fire hydrant for four weeks and now I have to go into the drought hoping my gulps of information/motivation will carry me through and keep boosting me toward my goals.

"There is no place for reservation. It's not logical. Return to the fearless child."

Like last time, I'm coming back a new dancer. I have new purpose in what I do. It's rather exciting, really.

"Your choices are: get lucky, work hard, or don't. Those are your choices."

I'm excited to start another year with Theatre Ballet in two weeks! It will be a time of much growth and hard work. I can't wait.

"Practice and Doing What's Comfortable are two separate things.

Don't let yourself get away with doing less."

(quotes from Summer Lee Rhatigan, director at San Francisco Conservatory of Dance... just a few tiny drops from the fire hydrant I drank from)

this is the ad for the show we had this weekend. it was awesome.

Brain Spew

There is so much to say... I literally have not known where to start, so I haven't yet.

I could talk about the beauty of the city coming closer when we drive across the Bay Bridge in the morning or the stunning skyline silhouetted across the bay at sunset.

I could talk about the man who entered the BART train with a real giant snake slung over his shoulders and sat right next to Paige...

I could talk about the overwhelming hospitality of Mitch, Janet, and Sunny dog, and all of Janet's awesome freebies. Along with the charm of Alameda, of course.

I could talk about the Conservatory, the incredible teachers, funny classmates, and odd class exercises we do. Or the giant epiphany I had the other day and how I've come to a new threshold. Or how much a sweat in a 9 hour dance day. mmm.

I could talk about how much I miss my man, what an amazing support he is, and how I couldn't even come close to pursuing my goals without him.

Maybe I could talk about all of these things. Maybe I will. Maybe I should sleep first...

Round Two

Have you ever had a really positive experience or relationship or vacation that once you leave it, you yearn to go back? But when you actually go back to that thing or person or place, you realize it's not a amazing or magical as you once thought it was? Not that ___(whatever it is)___ is less awesome or influential. Just that you perceive it differently.

Maybe it's because whatever it is has changed. Or you have changed. Or you already knew what to expect so the magic is gone.

Funny how that happens.

In other news, I started my first day here at the San Francisco Conservatory of Dance! I'm here for round two of the summer intensive program. Day One was sweaty and sore. I have a feeling there will be many more days like that in the next four weeks...

Vegas Venture

Here are the highlights of our quick trip to Vegas!

We stayed at the Excalibur, just like the good ole baton competition days.

Friday, we started off with a mind-blowing JABBAWOCKEEZ show! If you would like to partake of the awesomeness, check this out

Saturday, after a morning at the pool, we set out on a journey to find the mecca of H&M stores. Good news! We found it in Caesar's Palace. It was 3 stories.... live DJ and everything....a dream come true! mmm Incredible, no?

That night we went to the beloved Beatles LOVE Cirque du Soleil show!

(my third time! let's try to branch out a little, eh hilary?)

On the way out of town Sunday, we stopped by the Las Vegas Temple

I think we hit all the best parts of Vegas in one weekend ;)

Little Family, Big Changes

Well, folks, we are in the midst of some big changes for the Fullmer family. My lovely parentals are going to be empty-nesters by the end of this summer.

Four big life-happenings worth noting:

1. My sister Jasmine graduated high school last week!

They grow up so fast.....

...well....kind of.....

Congrats Jazzy! I love your schniggley face.

2. My dad was a State Golden Apple Award Recipient. This award given by the state PTA basically means he has been voted by parents and students as one of the best teachers, K-12, all subjects, in Utah. Not bragging, just celebrating. He has worked so hard and sacrificed much to pursue his passion of music and teaching. I know for a fact he has impacted thousands of students throughout his career, teaching them how to be better than their best. It was satisfying to see his efforts acknowledged. We're at the awards dinner, recorded to be broadcast on KUED:

I'm proud of you, daddy.

3. A trip to Vegas! By some cosmic miracle, the planets aligned and the four of us all had the weekend pretty much free. So dad decided, quite last minute, that we were going to go on a "last hoorah" trip before the wedding. Stay tuned for details on that trip. It was mighty fine.

4. Oh, hey, by the way, Peter and I get married in 10 days. 10 DAYS. For a sneak preview of the bridal photos, look at Lizzy's website here.

That's the scoop on our little family that is going through some big changes. Hope you all had a glorious Memorial Day weekend!

Facing Freaky Fears

The other day, I helped out my amazing dancer/photographer friend Jocelyn with one of her final projects for school. She is quite talented and has some really interesting concepts.

For this photo shoot, she wanted to find a abandoned building. So we headed on down to Thistle, UT, the town that was destroyed by flash-floods and mudslides....

I have grown up driving through that tiny stretch of road while going to my friend's cabin, and EVERY TIME we drove by those half-submerged houses or those graffiti-ed remains I got the creeeeeeeeeps.

So it was a big deal for me to face my fears and do that photo shoot (bare-footed or pointe-shoed). We took two rolls of film, but I've only actually seen two photos, both of which you see here.

This is a completely flattened house, still sitting on the hillside. Yes, I am positioned right in the middle. On the house. Barefoot. --->

<--- The other one is a run-down brick building, covered in graffiti and trash. Also, there was a smooshed car like right next to me. (uncomfortable squirm...)

Other dangerous activities that I probably shouldn't mention because my mother reads this blog include: climbing a wall and standing/balancing/arabesque-ing on top of it, traipsing around the building in flip-flops because Genius here didn't think through things all the way, delicately tip-toeing my way through glass, nails, and other mysterious objects to get to the desired photo spot, walking on a collapsed house (wood with slivers or nails sticking out, spiders crawling, not sure if it would hold my weight or not...). You get the idea.

Because of the adventures, Jocelyn got some really cool shots. Thanks for letting me help you out Joce! Even if it seems silly, I certainly feel braver and more adventurous because I faced my childhood creepers.