Interview with Ammon

When my youngest brother, Ammon, came to my house a couple months ago, I jokingly looked him up on ancestry.com to see what we could find. (This is the kind of thing I do for fun.) For most young living people it's not much, but we did find him in the "Index to Public Records" with some addresses. Ammon then showed me his google results and pulled up an interview he did as a college freshman at Utah State University in 2014. I had already graduated and moved to Idaho by 2014, so I didn't know he made it into "The Utah Statesman" as a feature article.

Ammon told me he's a little embarrassed about some of his answers now. Understandably, because which human replies in perfectly clever ways throughout an impromptu interview. I think he was a pretty intelligent, handsome young man, who on occasion would sneak into parts of campus buildings most students never got to see. Thanks for sharing the article with me, Ammon! Note that my other brother, Aaron, was taking his usual nap on the couch next to Ammon near the International and Sunburst Lounges of the Taggart Student Center.

The Utah Statesman interviewed Ammon Hooper, a freshman in biological engineering from Hyde Park, Utah.

Utah Statesman: What’s your favorite outdoor activity in Logan?

Ammon Hooper: I like snowboarding but I don’t get to go as often as I’d like, playing soccer and ultimate Frisbee.

US: You can only read one book for the rest of your life. What book is it?

AH: It would have to be a really long book. I don’t know, I like “The Giver.” … It’s been a long time since I’ve read it, but it’s kind of like a good, dystopia movie in book form.

US: What’s your favorite song connected to a good memory?

AH: I’ve listened to “Radioactive” by Imagine Dragons with my friends. We’ll get in whoever’s car has the most bass at the time and turn it up as loud as we can, so that’s a song I associate with hanging out with friends.

US: If you could live in any movie, in which one would you live?

AH: Probably something in the future where there’s amazing technology for me to use (and) you live forever.

US: If you could ask President Obama one question, what would you ask him?

AH: Would he answer honestly? I don’t really know, “What do you want America to become and what does everyone have to do for that to happen?”

US: What do you wish you could do to change the world?

AH: I’ve been kind of interested in education, how it could be improved so that everyone can be competitive, a global market. Even better than that, making it so that everyone can succeed if possible.

US: What’s the best advice you ever got from your parents?

AH: Have fun … responsibly.

US: Why Utah State?

AH: I got the dean’s scholarship here and I didn’t want to bother applying to anywhere else because it was so convenient and a lot cheaper.

US: We caught you reading The Statesman. What’s your favorite part to read?

AH: Usually whatever is on the front page, because it’s the most currently applicable. The politics ones are sometimes not fun to read, and then the comics are always fun.

US: What’s was your worst job?

AH: I worked fast food for a while. That was actually quite bad. It’s so hot and I was getting paid minimum wage, and it felt like I was working so hard.

US: Any grease burns?

AH: Yes, daily. Eventually, you just tough them out.

US: What’s your biggest fear?

AH: Probably just not succeeding at life and not being able to accomplish anything.

US: Most embarrassing moment?

AH: I was at an awards ceremony once and they were calling out names. I heard my name, so I started walking up and then I realized they had actually said “Ann” or something similar to that, so it was me and a girl and as soon as I got to the stage, I saw her and I realized, and so I just walked back.

US: Where in the world would you like to live?

AH: Somewhere in Europe where it’s warm, because I love the ocean. Every time I go on a vacation or a road trip, it’s my favorite part. 

 Eight years later, and Ammon just got back from a three-week adventure throughout Europe with his friends. He texted me, "Greetings from Tuscany," with these photos. He graduated with his bachelor's degree, and has been working as a phlebotomist and technician at a hospital while he prepares for other schooling challenges ahead. He's a sweet, intelligent, quiet yet daring young man, who I think is already succeeding at life and accomplishing great things. I'm proud of you and love you, Ammon!

St. Patrick Visit

Grandma Hooper and cousin P drove a long way to visit us. They were able to stay a couple of nights. Cousin P walked the kiddos to their bus stop on Friday morning. Fortunately, Fridays are short school days. We made some food from scratch, and Grandma stayed up late helping me with the dishes. We found all sorts of treasures at the D.I. thrift store. Mr C loved matching his water bottle with Grandma's. They kiddos took good care of their stuffed animals, and danced to Encanto's "Colombia, Mi Encanto" in their dance party.

Thanks for driving so long both ways to see us, Grandma and Miss P!

Grandma's Lookalike

Zak's brother, Christian, recently digitized all of Mom Teri Porter's photos. While the photos were on the table, I loved looking at Teri's kid pictures. It was easy for me to see the resemblance between Grandma and Miss V. I found this photo from V's second birthday, when Uncle Aaron made her some play dough. We certainly ended up with a girl who looks like Zak and a boy who looks like me.

Thanks for the adorable genetics, Grandma!

Wagon Ride with Santa

Our small town celebrated Christmas with free donuts, hot chocolate, letters to Santa, and a wagon ride. They decided it would be safer for everyone health-wise to take a jingling, two-horse, open-wagon ride than climb on Santa's lap this year. They had a letter-writing station, where each kid could tell Santa about this year's good or bad behavior and Christmas wishes, and then the letter became the ride's ticket. Miss V and Mr C obviously loved it! Santa told jokes and sang songs with us. My favorite part was waving to neighbors in their yards, and shouting out, "Merry Christmas!" because one can say such a phrase when one is riding with Santa. Mrs Claus then passed out goody bags with popcorn and candy to everyone in the wagon. Afterward the kids played on the playground, so we some some of the last to leave. The mayor sent a few extra donuts and goody bags home with us, which we enjoyed and shared with some new neighbors. You can tell I enjoyed it, because I had donut frosting on my face the rest of the day. Even though it didn't feel much like December with the sun shining and comfort in a t-shirt, we appreciated the pleasant weather for our little celebration. (The snow came few days later.) Merry Christmas!

Christmas Delights

Grandma and Grandpa Hooper took the grandkids back to their house after our Johnson Thanksgiving feast. That meant Zak and I could take care of some Christmas shopping in Salt Lake and help Cohen and Niki with Grandma Porter’s Wayne-inspired Diet Coke bottle Christmas lights. 

My contribution consisted of stepping on the ladder feet while Cohen and Zak did the climbing and lifting. Niki and I also separated the homemade light hooks for which Cohen had built tools to fashion out of hangers list year. Sometimes my job was sitting and visiting with Mom while we watched to others working. *wink* I loved seeing them hoist the foldable, metal-frame snowflake Cohen fabricated last year. Now the lights are stunning at night, and fascinating in the daylight.

Mom and Niki have made Dad’s bench a beautiful spot, changing out the flowers and decorations each season. We also visited Uncle Randy, Grandpa Manwill, Grandma Rena Porter, Aunt Jamie, Cousin Jordan, and Great-Grandma and Grandpa Hansen. I love the closeness of several generations on both sides of the family at Richfield Cemetery.

After the reminder of how much work and effort such impressive decor involves, I went home, used some shower clips and two sets of mesh colored lights, and hung my simple strands.

Good Grief, It’s Halloween

 

My friend, Elise, gave us one of her Peanuts dvds a while ago. The kids watched it a few times, and especially loved seeing Snoopy’s reunion with his brother and sister beagles. We found some Peanuts comics at out little local library, and watched the 2015 Peanuts movie. Their favorite character is, of course, Snoopy. 

Anytime Halloween approaches and the kids show interest in characters I could dress Zak as without too much fuss on his part, I am there. Many of the Porters decided to join us to make our own Peanuts gang. Mr C went as lovable Snoopy, Miss V as the confident, pragmatic Lucy van Pelt, Zak as a perfect Charlie Brown, and I as a sweats-wearing Peppermint Patty. Mom, Niki, and Cohen fit right in with their Marcie, Sally, and Pig-Pen.

Miss V as Lucy Van Pelt and Mr C as Snoopy

Uncle Cohen as Pig Pen (properly dirtied at the diesel mechanic shop)

and Grandma Porter as Marci

Aunt Niki as Sally Brown

Uncle Christian and Aunt Carrie as Pokémon Trainers Ash Ketchum and Mallow, 

with their kid-favorite Pokemon-mobile.

My Peppermint Patty look

Zak as Good Ol' Charlie Brown

At the town trunk-or-treat we were delighted 

with the impressively authentic Mandalorian 

and Nacho Libre costumes.

Honorable Mention has to include Grandma and Grandpa Hooper, with the help of Aunt Trena, literally embodying "Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus." Dad, you're looking impressive in your compression *coughs spandex* pants.