Here's to the good times...

Here's to the nights of summer at the OTC. I've made many new friendships that I hope I retain for a lifetime. I came into this summer with no expectations. I can remember sitting on my bed the first evening after I got back from dropping my dad off at the airport. I hadn't met anyone yet, and my roommate was not there. I sat on my bed wondering what in the world I was doing. I was scared and admittedly a little nervous. If only I had known then what I know now, my fears would have been completely shattered. I have met some of the most interesting, entertaining and special people that I have ever had the pleasure to come into contact with. We have shared 14,110 ft hikes, white water tubing and rafting, crazy karaoke, weekend roadtrips, hump day basketball, and many more memories that I will forever carry with me.

This past year in graduate school I felt that I had lost a little piece of me. I didn't feel like I could be myself anymore, and I was scared that from then on life was going to be a whole lot more serious. This summer has reenergized me and taught me that I can still be myself and still have all the passions that I have always had, and that although life does have its serious moments there is still a lot of fun to be had.

I definitely am not completely sure if it is really my time to go and for my summer to end, but unfortunately school has other ideas for me.

Thanks to my roomie, for trecking along on all our adventures this summer. For making me get out of bed every morning at 5:45 am, and answering all my questions regarding the body and physical fitness (I love her technical lingo!). But most of all, thanks for helping make this summer one of the greatest of my life. Without you Mary, I'm not sure if the experience would have been nearly as great. And thanks for letting me tag along to Breckenridge with the fam! haha.

Thanks to the hump day bballers. I hadn't played basketball on a consistent basis since my senior year in college. I looked forward to those games, even though they were not always pretty, and I enjoyed the times we shared on the court.

Thanks to all the OTC 2005 Summer Interns. You all have given me a summer that I will never forget, a summer about discovery, friendship and fun. I wish you well in all that you do. I'm sure among us we have future Head Athletic Directors, future CEOs of NGBs or professional sports teams, and future leading researchers in their field.

On a happier note, last night a got stuck with a hotel room that i didn't need but would be charged for anyway even if a didn't use it. long story. So i invited some of the interns over to hang out and drink some cold ones. We ended up playing Kings all night, during which Austin broke a record for number of last Kings drawn, 3-4. The pics are of the guys. The ace rule was they had to kiss a guy on the cheek before drinking. I tried my darndest to get a pic of one of the smooches, but alas I was unsuccessful.

Quote: "Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another, 'What! You too? I thought I was the only one"

This is my last entry from Colorado Springs...I will try to resume posts as soon as I get internet up and running in my new house.