I'm alive!

Hello fellow MPHers! Sorry I haven't written in a while - my mom was admitted to the hospital this week. Her appendix burst and she had some post-op issues, but she's ok now. I've been on the phone with my family for the past 3 days figuring things out and preventing my sister from keeling over with stress.

I drove out to Denver on the 6th of June, a Saturday. The drive was fun! There are tunnels that carve through the mountains, and the rest of the drive was so scenic that it went by quickly. I also decided that Jimmy Eat World cds are the best ones to listen to if you don't want to fall asleep at the wheel. My roomates are really nice - they are older than me (about 30), but we get along pretty well.

I'm working at the Region 8 EPA office. The office is really nice! The whole building is designed for energy efficiency and water conservation. I think I could get used to this office thing.

The weather has been crazy. I was sitting in church the day after I arrived, and I kept hearing this siren. I thought it was an ambulance, but then the bishop walked in and said that there was a funnel cloud forming outside the building. I think his exact words were, "I need everyone to please move reverently to the Cultural Hall. That sound is the tornado siren." And then, after the tornado was over, there was a hailstorm!

I also met my first criminal. I was playing chess in downtown Denver, and this younger guy and I start playing a game. We begin chatting after the game is over, and he asks me what I was doing later that day. I told him that I didn't have plans yet, but I was going to meet up with some friends later. He then asks for my number - he was pretty attractive, so I gave it to him. I had no intention of meeting up with him, but I thought it would make for a good story. After talking to him for a while, I found out that he was a music producer. I also found out he was under house arrest, and that he couldn't be out of the house after 5 pm. Interesting... and yes, I went online to do a criminal background check on him. Call me Sherlock.

He texts me later and invites me over to his house for champagne, saying that "we could get to know each other better." I'm pretty sure he meant "know" in the Biblical sense. I'm not stupid, so instead of giving into his hints, I invited him to church. And then he asked me what faith I belonged to, so I told him I was Mormon. Then he asked me what our basic doctrines were, so I explained the Plan of Salvation and the Atonement to him. And then I taught him about eternal marriage and the law of chastity (he brought the intimacy topic up, not me). Needless to say, I haven't heard from him since. I think my response to his flirtation was a complete 180 from what he is used to. But I'm glad that I took the time to explain the doctrines of the Gospel.

At least the next time he hits on a Mormon girl, he'll know what to expect. :)

Ciao!