Architecture + Spirituality = Places I Want to Visit

We all get the travel bug once in a while.

Sometime I'd like to visit all the sites from CNN's article on 8 religious wonders to see in the US.

Palace of Gold, West Virginia

I've been outside St Patrick's Cathedral in NYC, but not inside.

Happy to see the Salt Lake LDS Temple at #6, which I've been to and in a bunch of times.

Salt Lake Temple, Utah

So I guess I have 6.5 to visit, eh? Who's coming with me?

A Night of Artomatic Fun

My friends have a wide variety of talents. Last night, I saw one of my friends perform a few bellydancing routines at the Artomatic 2012 show in Crystal City, VA.

She did a great job, and I was impressed at the body control, as I know I could never get my hips and upper body to move the way she and her fellow dancers did. Way to go, Alice!

After rocking her group routine

The gang there to support

Going solo

After the performance, we all looked around at the various art exhibits, which ranged from sculptures to murals to small paintings and photography. There were even Lego creations and the famous Washington Post Peep-o-ramas to check out.

Nyan cat made from Legos

That is one large Peep!

We spent about 2 hours walking around and only saw 3 of the 10 floors. I'm thinking I'll have to go back another time or two to check out a couple more floors. Very interesting stuff!

Makes me want to get artsy and create something...

I'm Not That Aaron Smyth

If you're reading my blog, you probably know me.
If not, I'm flattered that you're here, and you're certainly welcome to stick with us.

Sometimes I get emails that aren't meant for me, though.
How could that be, you ask? How could someone mistakenly send me an email?

There's another Aaron Smyth.
[Cue your shocked and surprised look, plus an audible gasp. I'll wait til you're done to continue.]

And he's (arguably, though a pretty cut-and-dried debate thus far in life) more famous than me.

I first found out about Aaron Smyth #2 when I got a Facebook friend request a few years ago.
The young lady from the Eastern Bloc was wondering why I lived near Washington, DC, and if maybe I was dancing with a new company something. I had no idea what she was talking about.

So I Googled my name, adding 'dance' on the end.

And I found out that Aaron Smyth #2 is a renowned Australian ballet dancer.

Aussie Aaron was even a top 4 finalist on Australia's Got Talent in 2008.

According to his website, he's currently touring with the American Ballet Theatre in New York.

Now that I'm aware of him, I'm not as confused when I get emails like these:

 
You can't imagine how tempted I was to have them actually fly me to Boston and then film their reaction when they realized the pas de deux is miles beyond my basic BYU Social Dance 180 abilities.

But instead I just email back and say they're probably looking for Aussie Aaron.
Sorry to disappoint you, Boston Ballet and University of Iowa.

And best of luck to you in your career, Aussie Aaron Smyth!

I Love Tattoos, Just Not on Me

Have you ever thought of getting a tattoo? Do you already have one?
While I don't have one, I've thought about getting one on multiple occasions.
No, I wouldn't get a tribal armband, or a Fred Flintstone, or anything like that (though I don't begrudge those who do get such symbols/characters, as long as it has some personal meaning).

Great detail and I imagine it has a deep, personal background story

I actually think this is really cool idea (after you're married, of course)

Many of my feelings for tattoos are similar to this person's, actually.
Pain is a deterrent, but I have a pretty good tolerance. Plus, it'd be temporary.
As cool as a tattoo would be, I don't know that I'm passionate enough about something to get one.
And maybe I'm already too old to start getting tattoos.

For years, there have been two tattoos that I've actually considered beyond the "that looks rad" stage.
I'd only get one, and the selected tattoo would have been located either on the upper arm or on my calf. Not sure how I'd decide the spot, but, in my mind and for me, those would be the only acceptable places.

1. Superman symbol: He stands for so many good things and is definitely my favorite superhero. Sadly, I don't think it'd be personal enough. Plus, I already have a Superman ring that my mom sent me for Easter during my mission. So if I want to rock his style, I can wear that.
2. Ironman logo: This would have more meaning for me. When I was 19, I set a goal to complete a full Ironman event before I was 30. It was tough, but I trained for and completed the St George Ironman in May 2010. So why didn't I get the tattoo? I don't know; I guess I just felt like so many people had this one, and I don't want triathlon and/or the Ironman to define me my whole life.

Potential tattoo #1

Potential tattoo #2

Pretty much, you don't need to worry, Mom. I don't plan on ever getting a tattoo.

And I know that line just allowed you to stop holding your breath and let out a big sigh of relief.

For those of you who are considering getting one (or another, as the case may be), or those who may just be curious in learning more about tattoos in general, here is a helpful graphic.

But I still think they look pretty awesome sometimes.

The Most Amazing Shoes You've Ever Seen [Gun Hoofs]

Not since the Air Jordan 1's have I seen amazing shoes like the ones I saw today. Full credit goes to my friend Sarah B for bringing these to my attention [her tumblr is fantastic].

Do you ever need to climb a mountainside and then shoot a wild animal?
Then these are the shoes for you (and for Bear Grylls, too)!

They are called Gun Hoofs, and they're made by Iris Schieferstein. Amazing, aren't they?

Not satisfied with a goat hoof and golden pistols? Try on some snake heels with black pistols.

I really hope Sarah B gets a pair, because I'd love to see them in real life.

Star Wars Pumpkins

Two things I love, combined into one: Star Wars and pumpkin-carving.

Sadly, I can't claim any of these as my own... yet.

"It was as if a million pumpkin seeds cried out and were suddenly silenced..."
HT: Jared Gillins

Boba Fett

The Emperor

R2-D2

Talent + way too much time = show-off over-achiever

If those weren't enough to blow your mind, check out these 7 Star Wars pumpkins!
Do you have a favorite genre or maybe a specific jack o'lantern pattern?

Accomplished Friends

"The happiest moments my heart knows are those in which it is pouring forth its affections to a few esteemed characters." - Thomas Jefferson

TJ had it right. It's always good to applaud your friends for their achievements. So that's what I want to do. While I have many, many accomplished friends working as doctors, lawyers, engineers, Hill staffers, teachers, and military, plus friends who are amazing parents to their kids (arguably the most important work), this post will focus on a few of my more-visibly-accomplished friends.

YouTube Personality

Deena Marie Manzanares - With humor, versatility and original characters, she's proven herself on YouTube and the stage. Also, Deena is an accomplished model and TV-commercial actress.

Reality TV
Michelle Money - Love her or hate her, she made a name for herself as "the manipulative seductress from Brad's season" [source]. Though I don't watch every week, I'm happy to hear she's doing well on Bachelor Pad and in her relationship with Graham Bunn. Also, she is championing fundraising for colon cancer research through the sale of For Six t-shirts.

Published Authors

Adrian Dayton - Wrote the book "Social Media for Lawyers" in the Fall 2009, is a regular columnist to the National Law Journal and BigLaw Newsletter, and has another book scheduled to be published soon.

Quin Woodward Pu - Has made a name for herself as a prominent fashion and political DC blogger [LittleBlackBlog], recently had her memoir "Type A+" published.

Dancer

Carly Berrett - Brings pieces to life through her graceful and powerful dancing, and has also taught on various levels. I've been lucky to see a couple performances live. If you get the chance, don't miss it.

Political Researcher

Emily McClintock Ekins - As a UCLA grad student, she surveyed a Tea Party rally for sign messages and was her work was cited by various publications. In addition, multiple political TV programs interviewed her, including Stossel, Freedom Watch, the O'Reilly Factor, and Reason. You can check out her research [here].

MMA Fighter

Josh Burkman - Even in high school, he played football like an MMA fighter. So it isn't so surprising that he found his calling in the octagon. He won his UFC's Ultimate Fighter 2 Finale match in 21 seconds and has compiled a 21-9-0 record.

Entrepreneurs
Damian Dayton - If you want a creative video, look no further than his Kineto Pictures studio. Check out their portfolio and prepare to be impressed. If I needed a commercial, you can bet Damian and Kineto would get my business.

David Marble & Seth Wheeler - These guys know how to start projects and make them successful. David contributed to TheMormonBachelorette.com and has been instrumental at ConSource.org. Together, David and Seth are developing a social-networking tool currently in beta format (so I won't share the name yet).

Thanks for being such amazing individuals, friends! Keep up the good work!
Note: Some may view this post as boasting/bragging/name-dropping. That's their cynical prerogative. I prefer to look at it as rejoicing in the efforts and successes of my friends.

Destino: Dali + Disney

What do you get when you mix Dali's melting clocks with Disney's animation?

Destino.

Conceived almost 60 years ago, but production stalled due to Disney budget constraints. The project was revived in 1999 and premiered at the New York Film Festival in 2003. [source]

Need more proof that unlikely collaborations can result in the creation of pretty cool stuff?

Here's a sweet performance by Yo-Yo Ma and dancer Lil Buck.

I'm also a big fan of musicians who reach across the boundaries of their genre.

You all know I love Metallica, so S&M with the San Francisco Orchestra is a fave.

Eminem working with Elton John on "Stan" comes to mind, as does the classic "Walk This Way" by Run DMC and Aerosmith.

Oh, and word on the street is that Q-Tip (from A Tribe Called Quest, remember them?) has an album with Norah Jones coming out in October. Intriguing. [source]

So what collaborations, music or otherwise, would you like to see?