Far more than rubies.

My Mom called today and told me Joyce Thompson died. Joyce was the wife of Dr. Steve Thompson, the pastor of the church I grew up in from 1980 to 1996. 16 years is a long time for a preacher to stay at a church, and they were both so beneficial to my spiritual growth. Joyce was the very picture of a perfect wife and mother. Sensitive. Kind. Funny. Compassionate. Humble. Hopeful. Faithful. Loving. A model Christian. Until we meet again in heaven, we celebrate your wonderful life, Joyce.

BodyRock

Moby
Originally uploaded by currtdawg.

After working until 6 PM yesterday (that's 3 hours extra!), I decided to go ahead and make the trek down to Salt Lake City to catch Moby in concert. I kept putting off buying a ticket, but luckily there were still some available at the door. I saw Moby once in Vegas in April of 2000, and he put on a spectacular show, so I didn't want to miss it this time.
The opening act was a one-man-band called Buck 65, who was quite interesting (in a good way). He sang a song about what life would be like as a centaur, which made me laugh.
When Moby came out, he was accompanied by a drummer, a guitarist, a bassist, and a keyboardist. He played songs spanning all his albums, which was good because he put out some great stuff back in the early/mid 90s. Some of it was mellow, some uptempo, and some of it was downright rockin'. I was very impressed with the entire performance. My only complaint was the audience. When I see a show, especially one as dance oriented as Moby, I like to dance around a bit. I'm not saying everyone had to be all wavin' their hands up in the air and jumping and stuff, but at least feel the groove. Know what I'm sayin'? I didn't care, though. I just bobbed my head and bounced to the beat and made my own fun.
After the show, as I was walking out, there were several booths set up with tons of information about animal cruelty and being a vegan, so I picked up a few flyers. I also had a nice conversation with a very attractive girl named Autumn. I think I may attend some veggie cooking classes next month in the hopes of seeing her again.

Blurry

I had an appointment with the eye doctor last week, and asked if I was a good candidate for laser surgery. The doctor said it shouldn't be any problem, and handed me a couple forms to fill out. One had to be signed by my commander; however, my commander was deployed so our acting commander, Captain Lehn, signed it because she has what is called "g-series orders" authorizing her to do so. I asked the secretary if I needed a copy of the g-series orders attached, and she said it shouldn't be a problem. When I took the forms back to the eye doctor yesterday, they told me the Captain should have attached a copy of her g-series orders, proving her authorization to sign my form. So, I go back to the secretary asking for a copy of the orders, but she tells me my actual Commander, Lt Col Kramer, is back and the g-series orders have expired, and I'll have to fill out a new form and get the real Commander to sign it. Back to square one. Isn't red tape the best thing in the world?

Spectacle

Velvet Revolver
Originally uploaded by currtdawg.

Yesterday morning, I was in my shop when I got an e-mail from our First Sergeant regarding free tickets to the Velvet Revolver concert last night. I wouldn't consider myself a big VR fan, but I love live music and you can't really argue with free tickets. So, I went and picked up a couple, figuring I could surely find someone to go with me. And boy, did I! There's this girl named Lana, who is the roommate of Heidi, that I've been kind of infatuated with for a while. She's tall and thin and absolutely gorgeous, and even though we haven't really hung out too much, I decided going to this show together would be a great way to get acquainted. I asked. She accepted. Woo-hoo!
So, I drove up to Ogden and picked up Lana, and we drove down to SLC for the show. The ride down was fun and filled with good conversation. We got to the show and Hoobastank, the opening band, had just started. I really don't like Hoobastank too much, most because of that damn "The Reason" song, but they didn't sound too bad. The set change seemed to take forever, so the conversation between acts wasn't as great as the ride down. Then, Velvet Revolver came out. For those of you who don't know, VR is made up of Guns N' Roses minus Axl Rose plus Scott Weiland from Stone Temple Pilots. Their set was amazing. Scott Weiland is a brilliant showman. They also played a couple STP and GNR songs, which sounded great, and the light show was stunning. I was very impressed by their performance.
The show ended at 11:30, and by the time the parking lot cleared out, I had Lana back home at 12:30. We were both so tired that conversation was at a minimum. After that, I was driving home and saw Sam and we decided to go to Denny's for a very early breakfast. So, by the time I got home, it was 2 AM. I only got a couple hours of sleep last night, but it was totally worth it. I could barely keep my eyes open at work today, and now that I'm home, it probably won't be too long before I'm unconscious.

Be sure your seats and tray tables are in their full upright and locked position.

I found out in February that my brother is getting married on June 18th, so I started looking for plane tickets right away. I normally check prices at Orbitz, Travelocity, Expedia, and occassionally the airline sites, too. Back in February, I found flights from Salt Lake City to Evansville, Indiana (about 20 minutes from my parents' house) for $210. Why didn't I buy tickets then? Because I'm an idiot. That's why. Prices began a steady rise until they peaked at $452 about a month ago, and that's where they stayed. Until Thursday morning. Thursday morning, I was going about my normal pre-work routine of eating oatmeal and checking my e-mail when, on a whim, I decided to check plane ticket prices. I punched in my destination and desired dates into Orbitz and the price came up $250. That's two hundred fifty dollars. $202 less than the day before. The problem this time was that I was running a little late for work, so I figured I'd just wait until I got home and purchase them then. All day Thursday I was in a jovial mood because I knew I was going to be spending $202 less than I previously thought on my plane tickets home. However, when I got home and logged on to Orbitz, I was devestated to find the price once again went up to $452. Why, oh, why? I don't understand. Now, I will continue to obsessively check all the sites on a daily basis until a) the price goes below $300, or b) it's the day before the wedding and I'm forced to pay a small fortune. Damn airlines.

Any-hoo...

So much has been going on with exercises and snowboarding and whatnot, that I haven't really had a chance to sit down and write about other miscellaneous goings on in the life of Currt-Dawg. I apologise if this post seems spasmodic, but that's how I'm feeling today.
The deal with Mikey:
He's back in Michigan and he was home for a while, but I called earlier tonight and spoke to his mother who told me he's back in the hospital for a few minor surgeries. They just want to make sure everything is going well and nip a few things in the bud. In the future, he'll be going in periodically for skin grafts and stuff, so he's got a long recovery ahead of him. His mother says he's in pretty good spirits considering everything he's been through. She thanks everyone for their prayers.
Work:
My supervisor is TDY for six weeks, which makes me the boss. And not just the boss of all the plumbers in my shop, but all the electricians and carpenters, too. I've been learning a bunch of new administrative stuff this week. They do things really strange here at Hill, but I'm doing my best to just go with the flow. I'm just hoping my stress level doesn't get too out of hand.
Family:
My parents are the coolest. My brother's wedding is in June, and I'm so looking forward to spending time at home. It will be the first time I've been home in two years. When I talk to my Mom, she tells me all the stuff going on in preparation for the wedding, which will be in my parents' back yard. My brother is a no-frills kind of guy, so the wedding is going to have a very informal tropical theme and everyone is supposed to wear Hawaiian shirts and shorts. It's gonna be great.
Life in Utah:
The weather here is more erratic than I've ever seen anywhere, but I kinda like it. It never gets boring. I really like the city of Ogden. They have a wonderful downtown area with tons of neat shops and restaurants. My friend Heidi works at this little delicatessen called Zenger's with the best sandwiches I've ever had. I enjoy hanging out with Caleb and his brothers a lot, but sometimes I don't really feel like I'm totally in there. I guess it will just come with time. I've been having really great work outs lately. I've been running faster and longer than I have in a long time. It took me a while to get over the high altitude here, but now I'm feeling really good.
God:
It seems I'm finding new stuff out about God nearly every day. I think everyone goes through a phase where they think they know how things work, which is where I was for the past few months. It wasn't really pride. I think I was just getting to comfortable in my faith. Now I'm seeing how God likes to put surprises in our lives, not really to throw us off or to keep us on our toes, but just to show us how great life really is and to show Himself to us.
Conclusion:
Life is good. I love you all.

Intercession

I found out last night my friend Mikey was in Cairo, Egypt a couple weeks ago when a bomb went off, injuring him and two of his friends, and killing another friend. After staying in various hospitals in Egypt and Germany, Mikey made it safely home to Michigan Sunday night. I'm so thankful he's still alive, and I ask everyone to keep him, his two friends, and especially the family of the young man who died in your prayers.

Vertigo

When I was boarding yesterday, I was going pretty fast over one particular ridge. I couldn't see the other side, so I knew it was going to be steep, but I had no idea just how steep. The ground went out from beneath me, and I was basically in a free fall for a few seconds. I got that funny, tickly feeling in my stomach. I stopped breathing. And for a moment, it was almost as if I wasn't moving at all.
This morning, during worship, we were singing a song called "The Wonderful Cross" which includes a line that goes, "The wonderful Cross bids me come and die and find that I may truly live." As we were singing, I closed my eyes and just concentrated on the Cross and its place in my life. Have I died? Am I truly living? I literally felt the Spirit of God come down and embrace me. And for a moment, it was almost as if I wasn't moving at all.

I'll be carving down the mountain when I carve.

Snowbasin 1
Originally uploaded by currtdawg.

After weeks and weeks of snowboarding intentions, I finally went today, and it was spectacular. I went to a place called Snowbasin, which is where part of the Olympics were held in 2002. It was so warm, I had to make a trip back to my truck to shed a couple layers of clothing, and a bluer sky I have never seen. Yeah, it was a little slushy in places and icy in others, but that's to be expected in the middle of April. I wasn't sure how long it would take me to get there, so I left at 8 AM this morning, an hour before the lifts opened. I arrived at the lodge at 8:35. (Gone are the days of driving two hours and paying $60 in tolls to go boarding!) Also, I was a little worried about going by myself. Being unfamiliar with the terrain, I could have ended up miles from civilization; but everything was clearly marked, so I didn't have to worry about that. The lifts here seemed to run much quicker than in Japan, and everyone I met while riding the gondola was very nice. I wish I could have stayed longer, but since I haven't been in a couple months, I was out of practice and completely exhausted by 2:30. Most of the resorts around here are already closed, and the remainder close tomorrow. There is, however, one place south of here that stays open until May. I might have to trek down there next weekend. So anyway, here are a few photographs of the breathtaking scenery I saw today. I took several more, but I used up all my space on flickr. If you'd like to see more, let me know, and I'll e-mail them to you. Regardless, these should give you a general impression of the beauty of Utah.

Snowbasin 2
Originally uploaded by currtdawg.

Snowbasin 3
Originally uploaded by currtdawg.

Snowbasin 4
Originally uploaded by currtdawg.

Snowbasin 5
Originally uploaded by currtdawg.

Snowbasin 6
Originally uploaded by currtdawg.

Stick Figure

Maybe exercises aren't so bad after all. I lost six pounds since Monday. I guess I'm on my way to that Calvin Klein modeling career I've always dreamed of.

Battle Rattle

Whew! Am I glad that's over! I just spent the past three nights (plus a few hours tonight) at the Base Operations Readiness Training Area, or BORTA, for a base exercise. I guess it was pretty typical as far as exercises go, which is basically saying it's RETARDO! The whole point is to get us ready for real world deployments, but I've never been through an exercise that even comes close to mimicking what goes on in the desert. In the magical exercise world, we get these wonderful warnings before we get mortared. If only we could be so lucky in the desert.
I was working 12 hour nights, which, after signing in and signing out, somehow became a 15 hour shift. We went in tonight for a couple hours before the exercise ENDEXed, then stuck around for a couple more hours to start tearing down the camp. Unfortunately, we have to go in to work tomorrow, as well. A lot of people were really upset about it, but it doesn't bother me too bad. I figure it will just help me get back on a normal sleeping schedule. Regardless, I know I'm going to be up most of the night. I'm getting ready to go to the gym and try to run off some energy. Then I might have myself a beer or something, in the hopes it will mellow me out. If I'm lucky, I'll be asleep by 3 or 4. I'm just going to try to keep myself occupied all day tomorrow, so I'll be way tired tomorrow night. I'm also going to make another attempt to go boarding on Saturday, which will definitely keep me awake all day and put me to sleep that night.
Anyway, I'm gonna go run now. Take care. No worries. God Bless.

Intentional Insomnia

For the second phase of the exercise, which takes place this week, I will be working from 6 PM to 6 AM. I don't like working nights, and I'm not very good at switching sleep schedules. I've spent all weekend trying to stay up all night, and sleep during the day. I made it until 4 AM Saturday morning, and until 6:30 AM this morning. Last night, I drank a Red Bull to keep myself awake. I'd never had one before, and it tasted nasty, but it definitely did the job. Right now, it's a little after 9 PM, and I'm totally struggling to keep my eyes open. Maybe I'll go see a late movie or something. I guess the key is staying busy.

I'm not bitter, but the beer is.

Utah's Worst
Originally uploaded by currtdawg.

I went over to the Wendt home tonight, and I usually take a six pack as kind of a hospitality gift. I've always believed variety is the spice of life, so I try to take something different each time. This time, as I was browsing at the shoppette, I came across something called "Polygamy Porter" which is actually brewed right here in Utah. It made me laugh pretty hard, you know, with the whole stereotypical Mormon trait being worked into something that is very anti-Mormon. So I bought a sixer. I'm going to pass on some advice to everyone: if you ever come across this beer, avoid it. Sure, it was humorous and worth trying, but definitely not worth a second shot. I wonder what else is out there. Inherited Planet Pale Ale? Temple Tequila? Cult Cognac? Or maybe Sacred Underwear Sambuca?

A Little Deeper, P.S. -or- We don't need no hateration.

You know, I was going to leave well enough alone, but apparently that wasn't good enough for a few people. In particular, people who like to write hate mail. And I mean, A LOT OF HATE MAIL. Here are a few things I heard:
"You're a shallow, weak coward."
"I can't believe you really think you love Jesus."
"You can't be liberal AND Christian."
"Why do you feel the need to express these ridiculous views?"
"Your opinions are in danger of leading true Christians astray."
Golly gee! I sure never meant any harm to all the true Christians out there in Internet-Land. However, I'm sure I've made it clear that everything expressed here at "the wax" is all my opinion. There are thousands of ways to interpret the Word of God. Never once did I say my interpretation was the right one or the best one or the only one.
But to answer the questions of all my little fans, I'll tell you why I felt the need to express my views. The main verse I'll reference is 2 Timothy 1:7. "For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love, and of self discipline." I don't feel the need to validate or explain my faith, but I don't hesitate to share it. I think God appreciates it when we have the balls to express all the facets of who we are, especially when it's an aspect of our faith. I think God wants us to delve into why we believe what we do. I think God wants us to question authority and not just blindly accept what's laid before us.
By the way, I would like to thank all the supporting comments and e-mails I got. Actually, there were a lot more positive ones than negative ones, but like all things, the negative ones always seem hit the hardest. I also want to thank those that opted to "agree to disagree." There are as many opinions in this world as there are people. A couple great passages to look up are Romans 14 and 1 Corinthians 1:10-13. There's enough bitching in the world already, and I'm not trying to cause any dissent. But as Christians, we need to be more concerned with spreading Christ's love and less concerned with arguing about stupid crap like who can marry whom. If you're just going to read "the wax" with the intention of getting all excited and trying to upset me, then I ask that you please refrain. I author this weblog to let my friends and family read about what's going on in my life and how I'm growing as a person and as a Christian. I can say one thing for sure: it's been one helluva ride. Much love to all.

Stiff Upper Lip

I found out this morning that my TDY to Texas has been cancelled. So disappointed. No road trip. No vacation from my squadron. No seeing my friend Jay and celebrating his birthday by skydiving.
The good news is that I got over it pretty quickly. I think it's because the weather was so nice today. There are few things that 68 degrees with sun and a nice warm breeze can't cure.

40 Winks

I was working with Randy, the civilian plumber, today, and one of our jobs was to change out a faucet. While we were working, I was laying beneath the sink hooking up the supply lines, and Randy was up top, working on the handles. Randy asked if I could hold on to the assembly underneath while he screwed on the escutcheons. Well, this kinda took a while, and it was right after lunch, and I was a little fatigued, and...um...yeah, I kinda fell asleep...for TWENTY MINUTES! I didn't realise anything had happened until I woke up and came out from beneath the sink and Randy was gone. I went outside to find the truck was gone, too. A few minutes later, Randy came back and acted like nothing was wrong, so I just played along. My guess is that Randy told me he was running back to the shop to get another tool and just assumed I heard him and was still working on the supply lines. All I know is I'm not going to say anything unless he says something first.

Shibboleth

"Bat-shit crazy."

Yeah, that's my new favourite phrase. Cracks me up every time.

Open House

Zach, Heidi, Sam, Summer, & Caleb
Originally uploaded by currtdawg.

Last night, I had my official house warming party. Nothing spectacular, but we all had a pretty good time just socialising and drinking a few beers and playing the Bop-It. Man, I'd forgotten how addictive that little thing is.

Sarah, Josh, & Kevin
Originally uploaded by currtdawg.

Phil & the Bop-It
Originally uploaded by currtdawg.

Simple Pleasures

A list of a few little things I enjoy:

* Listening to an album I used to be addicted to, but haven't heard in a long time.
* Using a new toothbrush for the first time.
* Oatmeal Raisin Crisp cereal with vanilla soy milk.
* "What I Like About You" by the Romantics. This is the best song to play really loud and sing along with and dance around to while driving down the road with the windows down. I don't care who stares at me.
* The perfume worn by the girl who works in CE customer service. I don't know what it is, but it totally reminds me of my senior year of college, for some reason.
* The Oxygen Network. Please, don't laugh. They show this hysterical British comedy called "Absolutely Fabulous," and it is.
* Mozart's Clarinet Concerto.
* Sharing daily PT routines with Abby via e-mail.
* The feature on my iPod that allows me to shuffle all the songs in any given genre.
* This way soft, extremely warm green hoodie I borrowed from Caleb. I already gave it back, but I just might have to "borrow" it again.
* The crackly sound the vacuum cleaner makes when you run over a pebble.
* Making mix CDs for my pals.
* The term "feel" as a euphemism for "understand" (i.e. "I feel ya!").
* When it's been bitter cold and rainy for two weeks, and you go outside one morning and it's sunny and warm and you can smell Spring in the air.

I give you my permission to use this as part of your April Fool's Day shtick.

Did you hear about that poor kid who was born without eyelids? Apparently, what they did was when they circumsised him, they used his foreskin to make new eyelids. The doctors said he'll be fine, but he may be a little cockeyed.

Thank you, thank you. I'll be here all week.

Almost Newlyweds

Mel & Andy
Originally uploaded by currtdawg.

My friend Melissa and her fiance' Andy drove through today on their way from Vegas to Montana. The reason they're headed to Montana is to get married, and Mel is from Missoula. They wanted to get there tonight, so we only got to have lunch, but it was a super time. I'd never met Andy before, so it was great to finally meet him. They're coming back through town on Tuesday, but I'll be in the middle of an exercise next week, so the chances of me getting to see them are slim. Anyway, I just want to wish them all the best. Congratulations you two!