Pomp and Circumstance

Barb has done it. She has gone hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt to achieve her dream. That’s right, she has graduated from med school.

Yeah Dr. Barb!!

In honor of your accomplishment and your match to the University of Utah, I have done my research to help you learn about your new home!

Barb’s Utah Fact’s Post

• State Capital - Salt Lake City (Barb’s new home!)
• Statehood Day - January 4, 1896 (45 out of 50)
• The name "Utah" comes from the Native American "Ute" tribe and means people of the mountains. (Barb, I will now be calling you Mountain girl!)
• Highest Point: Kings Peak 13,528 ft Lowest Point: Beaver Dam Wash 2,350 ft. Utah is 84,900 square miles and ranked 11th largest state in the U.S. (Big beaver to make that large of a dam)
• Utah has the highest literacy rate in the nation. Ninety-four percent of residents age 20 and over can read, and write and 89.3 percent have graduated from high school. (So, in theory, you have less dumb-asses to treat.)
• Utah was founded by Brigham Young, who moved the Mormans from the east to flee from oppression. When he found Salt Lake Valley, he decide “this is the place”.
• Utah has one of the only stretches of the Pony Express that has survived to present day. A Pony Express rider had to weigh under 120 lbs, and was only allowed 25 lbs of gear which included 4 mail pouches, a pistol, a rifle and the bible. The pony’s were retired after telegraphy lines transversed the country. (Sorry, it's the History teacher in me!)
• Salt Lake City hosted the 2002 Winter Olympics.
• Outlaw Butch Cassidy was a morman from Utah. (Again with the history!)

Professional Sports Teams (not that I’m promoting an allegiance switch, I just mean to keep you informed.)

Salt Lake Buzz (Baseball)
Utah Grizzlies (Hockey)
Utah Jazz (Basketball)
Real Salt Lake (Men's Soccer)
Utah Freezz (Men's Soccer) (Why 2 men’s teams and what’s with the names?)
Utah Spiders (Women's Soccer)

State Symbols

Animal - Rocky Mountain Elk (too bad it's not a moose--I <3,)

Emblem - Beehive
Fish - Bonneville Cutthroat Trout (cutthroat--sounds mean)
Flower - Sego Lily
Folk Dance - Square Dance (Get your partner, do-si-do!)
Fossil - Allosaurus
Fruit - Cherry
Gem - Topaz (see? Barb, your necklace was destiny!)
Grass - Indian Ricegrass
Hymn - "Utah, We Love Thee " by Evan Stephen
Insect - Honey Bee (Buzz, Buzz, Buzz!)
Mineral - Copper
Motto - "Industry"
Rock - Coal (you know...with enough pressure, coal turns to diamonds...)
Song - "Utah, This is the Place" by Sam and Gary Francis
Star and Astronomical symbol - Dubhe and Beehive Cluster (Start star gazing)
Tartan - Utah centennial tartan
Tree - Blue Spruce
Vegetable - Spanish Sweet Onion
Historic Vegetable - Sugar Beet (What’s the difference between the historic veggie and the official veggie? Do you have to cook them together?)

Congrats Dr. Barb—I’m so proud of you!