Orange and Black Attack!

Last night was the annual "hang out with Susie Goebel and Pat Barnum night" at the Sutherland residence. Susie lives in Cedar City and Pat lives in Lehi, so these things don't happen too often, but they always turn out being an extravaganza.

The highlights of the evening:

Pat bringing his tape of The Price is Right; Pat and 15 of his high school hooligan friends went to TPIR in February. The seats are first-come-first-serve, so of course they slept out on the street in front of the studio the night before. They had front-row seats so every time a contestant came up to the front you would see Mike, Pat, Jeff and Bryant high-fiving them or making their crazy faces. They all wore Tubucky State U. t-shirts. They made up a fake college that was in Knarraville, UT in case any of them were chosen. It was a very funny thing to watch. Jadee's girlfriend, who is Amanda Milne from my USU days, got called up and won a trip to Chicago.

Traci telling Pat about Lydia Mayne going inactive and marrying an Arab. Pat almost died laughing. He thought it was the most unbelievable thing he had ever heard, and could not wait to tell his friends that Murray's Molly-est Mormon had gone nuts.

Susie telling us that Hoover Hoffmann is a member of a comedy improve team. Hoover! Could there be anyone less likely to be funny? Or Susie mimicking the Rock Lobster dance that Pat did when she, Pat, Hoover and Cari Daliff went to the B-52s concert together in '98. That led me to think about Pat going to They Might be Giants with Mike Neider and Mike hating it because he was squished behind a fat computer geek guy with glasses and a mullet who took off his shirt and had a pimply back.

I don't really know how to describe the visit, other than "an experience." It's the feeling of having so much that you want to discuss or reminisce or laugh about and not knowing how to effectively fit it in to three hours time. We go through the updates on all of the Murray folk and common acquaintances. We get in all the gossip and the news and the baby count and the engagement promises. Susie and Pat are both so original, unique and funny that it makes for an eclectic atmosphere.

We discussed music--Pat's continuing love for Radiohead, Traci's interest in Justin Timberlake, my secret Britney Spears thing and Susie "not having enough ears" to take in all of the John Mayer that she needs in her life.

I hope that Pat and Susie will someday decide that they should just marry each other. I think that is the best choice for both of them.

I am going to do my best to make this annual event at least semi-annual.

College Graduation

I have unoffiicially graduated from college. Last Friday was the big day--commencement. I decide that I was going to walk a long time ago. Traci walked. It was boring to watch but I figured it wouldn't be so bad to participate in.

As it got closer to graduation I had less and less desire to actually go to commencement. I was thinking that it would be more of a reward to celebrate my bachelor's degree by having a day off of work than sitting through commencement. I went to work until 11, and then went home to grab my cap and gown. I had to be there early so I mercilessly left Traci to get a ride with Don and Martha. I met up with Brett Bawden at the U so we could sit together.

When I got to campus my mood changed. It was cool to see the buzz of excitement around the Huntsman Center. Students and families milling about taking pictures, hugging. The air was filled the weight that had been lifted off of shoulders. There was also a lot of knowledge flying around in the atmosphere. All of the information that must be stored in a student's brain is immediately released when a diploma is received.

Brett and I sat on the front row. The whole deal lasted about an hour and a half. My moment in the spotlight lasted long enough for me to hand the card with my name to the reader, hear "Spencer D. Sutherland," get my empty diploma case, shake hands and smile with some lady, walk a little further and get my picture taken again and then sit down. The whole process lasted approx. 45 seconds.

It was worth it. It was fun to graduate. I took some pictures after with Traci and with my parents. Hooray. Now comes the pressure of trying to be a grown-up, find a job, and go to work every day for the next 41 years. Wow, so much to look forward to.

Black Angus Ahoy! 

The parents said they would take me anywhere I wanted for my graduation dinner. We had to do it the night before commencement because my mom had to go to her little friend Holly Mangum's wedding reception on Friday night.

I chose the Black Angus. Funny, huh? I decided that since Traci and I don't really go to steak houses (Traci doesn't eat steak) that maybe this would be a good chance. We rolled big pimpin' style in my mom's new black Mercedes. (Mid-life crisis mobile)

Dinner was good. Somewhere in the conversation we started talking about how I have only been to Snowbird once in my life. My mom said, "We'll just drive up there tonight, then." I think I thought she was kidding. But after we finished dinner we followed my dad up to my grandpa's rest home to drop of Grandpa's Explorer. We then headed right up to Snowbird. It was kind of nice to get out of the valley and take a little scenic trip through the mountains. We got up to Snowbird, parked for about 2 minutes (didn't leave the car) and turned around and went home. Interesting.

Post-Graduation Party

Because I am a wonderful husband, I celebrated my graduation by doing something nice for Traci. We headed from the U. up to Park City to do a little shopping at the outlet stores. Traci was very excited about the idea.

Things were quiet in Summit County. The highlight of the trip was that I bought an Amsterdam T-shirt at Zumiez. How often do find a shirt in America that's written in Dutch?

It was a Dutch evening all around. I went to the Whale's wedding reception later that night. I saw T. Nels and a few other missionary hits, including the Sieverts. Crazy old man Sieverts has bought a shoe store (schoen makkerij). He's going to be making cowboy boots and wooden klompen. Unbelievable! The man with the twisty mustache making cowboy boots. Sounds like the making of a great picture.