At the end of last year, I made a big list of accomplishments, and I intended to do the same this year, but I got halfway done and decided it was kinda pointless. I mean, if anybody really wants to know what I've been up to this year, he or she can just read through the archives.
It's been an interesting year. Making the transition to Utah wasn't really difficult. I mean, there's obviously going to be changes when moving to a different shop with different people on a different base in a different hemisphere. And my social life here is a far cry from what it was in Japan. But God carried me through it all, and I really couldn't be more delighted.
I'm looking forward to whatever 2006 holds. I'm flying up to Seattle tomorrow to visit Paul, Trish, and Roxy, and honestly, I really can't think of a better way to start the new year.
Saturday, December 31, 2005
Tuesday, December 27, 2005
Sunday, December 25, 2005
Random Christmas Thoughts
I don't really know what to write today. I wanted to write about peace, and had a few paragraphs, but everything sounded cheesy and cliche, so I decided to start over.
I just got off the phone with my parents. I think they're more upset about my absence than I am.
Why are they showing "Ghostbusters II" on Comedy Central? I guess TBS already has the rights to show "A Christmas Story" all day. But couldn't they at least show "Christmas Vacation"?
Sometimes it was with my family, sometimes with coworkers in a tent, and sometimes in a house in Japan with my best friends, but until this year, I've never woken up on Christmas alone. I'm not upset, though. It's just further proof that it's more about the love of family and friends than the time of year. Plus, I'm spending this afternoon with the Wendt clan, which promises to be full of love and fun and laughter and probably too much eggnog.
My favourite Christmas Carol has to be "O Come O Come Emmanuel." There's, like, eight verses, so it's a little long to write here, but you should look it up. Not only is it about the anticipation of the Baby Jesus, but, I think, as Christians, it also works as a prayer of expectation for the return of Jesus.
When I was little and my Mom got me my first piano music book of Christmas Carols, I was playing through them and misread the lyrics to "God Rest Ye, Merry Gentleman." I thought it said, "...to save us all from Santa's power..." For years, I wondered why we needed saving from Santa.
Anyway, as for peace, I just want to say one thing: Peace is for Everyone.
Merry Christmas
-cws
I just got off the phone with my parents. I think they're more upset about my absence than I am.
Why are they showing "Ghostbusters II" on Comedy Central? I guess TBS already has the rights to show "A Christmas Story" all day. But couldn't they at least show "Christmas Vacation"?
Sometimes it was with my family, sometimes with coworkers in a tent, and sometimes in a house in Japan with my best friends, but until this year, I've never woken up on Christmas alone. I'm not upset, though. It's just further proof that it's more about the love of family and friends than the time of year. Plus, I'm spending this afternoon with the Wendt clan, which promises to be full of love and fun and laughter and probably too much eggnog.
My favourite Christmas Carol has to be "O Come O Come Emmanuel." There's, like, eight verses, so it's a little long to write here, but you should look it up. Not only is it about the anticipation of the Baby Jesus, but, I think, as Christians, it also works as a prayer of expectation for the return of Jesus.
When I was little and my Mom got me my first piano music book of Christmas Carols, I was playing through them and misread the lyrics to "God Rest Ye, Merry Gentleman." I thought it said, "...to save us all from Santa's power..." For years, I wondered why we needed saving from Santa.
Anyway, as for peace, I just want to say one thing: Peace is for Everyone.
Merry Christmas
-cws
Upon A Midnight Clear
I spent most of the afternoon down in SLC, walking around downtown and having coffee with friends. At Christmastime, the Salt Lake LDS Temple gets totally decked out in Christmas lights. I've been meaning to get down there to take a gander, but didn't get to until tonight. It was totally crowded by a bunch of guys with goatees and women with really big, blond hair. Here's a few pictures. Of the lights. Not the hair.
I don't know how the idea of Christmas lights began, but I sure appreciate it. After I left the Temple grounds, I drove around the city for a bit just to look at some other lights while listening to a few Christmas tunes. I know I've mentioned things I really dislike about this time of year, but sometimes I just want it to last forever.
I don't know how the idea of Christmas lights began, but I sure appreciate it. After I left the Temple grounds, I drove around the city for a bit just to look at some other lights while listening to a few Christmas tunes. I know I've mentioned things I really dislike about this time of year, but sometimes I just want it to last forever.
Saturday, December 24, 2005
Yummus
The Hummus & Feta on Ciabatta at Einstein Bros. Bagels is quite possibly the most perfect sandwich. Ever.
Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairies
I'm currently licking the spoon I just used to make fudge. Fudge is great, and, for some reason, I only make it at Christmas. Maybe that's what makes it so good.
The last ingredient added when making fudge is vanilla extract, which is, like, 80% alcohol. The pot was still hot when I added the vanilla, and, upon contact, the alcohol evaporated, and at the same time, I happened to be inhaling. I'm not sure what happened next, but the little gingerbread men that visited sure did a great job finishing up my fudge. Thanks, guys!
The last ingredient added when making fudge is vanilla extract, which is, like, 80% alcohol. The pot was still hot when I added the vanilla, and, upon contact, the alcohol evaporated, and at the same time, I happened to be inhaling. I'm not sure what happened next, but the little gingerbread men that visited sure did a great job finishing up my fudge. Thanks, guys!
Friday, December 23, 2005
I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus
My Mom's side of the family all live down in South Carolina. Since Dad's side is much closer (just across the river in Indiana), we usually spend Christmas with his side. My paternal Grandfather has always been big on tradition, which included opening presents on Christmas morning at their house. Sometimes, in order to keep that tradition, we'd spend Thanksgiving down in South Carolina, just so Mom's side wouldn't feel left out. It worked out well and kept everyone happy.
In South Carolina, it's not difficult to find mistletoe. It grows in several of the hardwood trees around there, and whenever we'd spend Thanksgiving down there, we'd go out to get some. We always called it "shooting mistletoe." I don't know why, since there was never any guns or projectiles of any kind. It basically involved me and my brother climbing to the top of a big tree, breaking off little sprigs of mistletoe, and dropping it to my Dad, who was waiting below with a big garbage bag. We'd bring it back to Morganfield where my brother and I would wrap it up into individual baggies and sell it door-to-door in our neighbourhood. We didn't do it to make a lot of money or anything, but almost everyone bought some since real mistletoe wasn't easy to come by in Kentucky.
I'm not going to make it home for Christmas this year, which really isn't too big of a deal to me. I mean, it would be great to spend Christmas at home, something I haven't done in six years, and if I really wanted to and would have planned in advance and made arrangements and stuff, I probably could have. But I've spent enough time away from home to realise that anytime I get to see my family, be it Christmas or Arbor Day or Yom Kippur or whatever, it's going to be special.
That being said, I don't really do too much Christmas decorating. The only thing I've done this year is hang some fake mistletoe, which is actually more to get me kisses than in the spirit of Christmas...and it has worked. Twice.
Anyway, I'm going to get back to the kitchen. One of the genes I inherited from my mother is, in the days leading up to Christmas, the desire to bake everything in sight. Breads, cakes, cookies, fudge, etc. I'm totally drooling on the keyboard right now.
In South Carolina, it's not difficult to find mistletoe. It grows in several of the hardwood trees around there, and whenever we'd spend Thanksgiving down there, we'd go out to get some. We always called it "shooting mistletoe." I don't know why, since there was never any guns or projectiles of any kind. It basically involved me and my brother climbing to the top of a big tree, breaking off little sprigs of mistletoe, and dropping it to my Dad, who was waiting below with a big garbage bag. We'd bring it back to Morganfield where my brother and I would wrap it up into individual baggies and sell it door-to-door in our neighbourhood. We didn't do it to make a lot of money or anything, but almost everyone bought some since real mistletoe wasn't easy to come by in Kentucky.
I'm not going to make it home for Christmas this year, which really isn't too big of a deal to me. I mean, it would be great to spend Christmas at home, something I haven't done in six years, and if I really wanted to and would have planned in advance and made arrangements and stuff, I probably could have. But I've spent enough time away from home to realise that anytime I get to see my family, be it Christmas or Arbor Day or Yom Kippur or whatever, it's going to be special.
That being said, I don't really do too much Christmas decorating. The only thing I've done this year is hang some fake mistletoe, which is actually more to get me kisses than in the spirit of Christmas...and it has worked. Twice.
Anyway, I'm going to get back to the kitchen. One of the genes I inherited from my mother is, in the days leading up to Christmas, the desire to bake everything in sight. Breads, cakes, cookies, fudge, etc. I'm totally drooling on the keyboard right now.
Thursday, December 22, 2005
Snow Break
I've been boarding twice this week. I was going to go today, but unfortunately, a warm front came through Utah last night. The base temperature at SnowBasin today is 45 degrees, and it's raining. If it were clear or colder, I might go ahead and go anyway, but the rain is going to keep me away. Plus, there's one other thing I've discovered. Snowboarding by yourself STINKS! I've been boarding five times since I've been to Utah, and the only time anyone went with me was when I took Z for his first time last Wednesday. I've tried to get other people to go, but everyone's always broke or has to work or some other ridiculous reason.
All resorts are open on Christmas. Maybe I'll go then.
All resorts are open on Christmas. Maybe I'll go then.
Wednesday, December 21, 2005
Featured Articles
I'm off work this week, and even though I've been doing lots of boarding and eating with friends, there's still a lot of spare time best spent randomly surfing the internet. One of my favourite sites has to be Wikipedia. It's an online encyclopedia that anyone can edit; therefore I wouldn't bet my life on anything I read there. However, it's still very thorough, and, for the most part, accurate, as far as I can tell. One of the coolest things about it is that it has articles on so many random things that you'd never be able to find anywhere else. Here are a few examples:
Four Square - We used to play this all the time on my back porch.
Doritos - Who knew there were so many varieties?
ThunderCats - An after school cartoon staple.
Beer Goggles - Yeah, I've been guilty of wearing these before.
Scientology - An interesting read, especially the part about the DC-8.
Yeah, such a great time waster.
Four Square - We used to play this all the time on my back porch.
Doritos - Who knew there were so many varieties?
ThunderCats - An after school cartoon staple.
Beer Goggles - Yeah, I've been guilty of wearing these before.
Scientology - An interesting read, especially the part about the DC-8.
Yeah, such a great time waster.
Gift Certificate Does Not Equal Christmas Gift
Last night, John, Kyle, Ryan, and I went out to dinner. We were talking about how Christmas is only six days away, which made me think, "Holy Shit! I need to start my Christmas shopping!"
I woke up early enough this morning to allow myself a couple hours to do all my shopping online before I went boarding. I accomplished my mission; however, I ended up paying almost as much in expedited shipping charges as I did for the actual gifts. I guess I've learned my lesson about procrastinating on my Christmas shopping - a lesson I'll probably forget before next year.
I woke up early enough this morning to allow myself a couple hours to do all my shopping online before I went boarding. I accomplished my mission; however, I ended up paying almost as much in expedited shipping charges as I did for the actual gifts. I guess I've learned my lesson about procrastinating on my Christmas shopping - a lesson I'll probably forget before next year.
Monday, December 19, 2005
Rock Out
Back in '98, while on a road trip back to Vegas from Colorado after the now-defunct USAF Singles Conference, some friends and I stopped through the Arches National Park (as well as Bryce Canyon and Zion National Park). I'd forgotten how amazing it is.
I spent this weekend in Moab with Caleb, Tanya, Josh, Sarah, and Ryan. Moab is about a four hour drive south of here and four miles from Arches National Park. We spent all weekend hiking and laughing and eating and drinking and having a great time. This is but one of over a hundred pictures I took. I narrowed it down to 76, which can be seen in a Flickr photostream here. I could write a big huge post to chronicle every step we took, but I'll let the pictures speak for themselves. If this doesn't convince everyone they need to come visit me in Utah, then nothing will.
We got back yesterday evening, and it was such a great trip. I originally had intentions of snowboarding today (especially since SnowBasin just got 18 inches!), but I'm still a little sore, so that's going to have to wait until tomorrow.
I spent this weekend in Moab with Caleb, Tanya, Josh, Sarah, and Ryan. Moab is about a four hour drive south of here and four miles from Arches National Park. We spent all weekend hiking and laughing and eating and drinking and having a great time. This is but one of over a hundred pictures I took. I narrowed it down to 76, which can be seen in a Flickr photostream here. I could write a big huge post to chronicle every step we took, but I'll let the pictures speak for themselves. If this doesn't convince everyone they need to come visit me in Utah, then nothing will.
We got back yesterday evening, and it was such a great trip. I originally had intentions of snowboarding today (especially since SnowBasin just got 18 inches!), but I'm still a little sore, so that's going to have to wait until tomorrow.
Friday, December 16, 2005
Thursday, December 15, 2005
Text Conversation with Jean-Marie
JM: The missing item from your amazon wish list- dora the explorer vamanos van talking family suv with dora and mami figures
CD: Why would that be on my wish list when i already own three of them?
JM: But do you have the all important accessories? Birthday dora, quinceanera cousin daisy, abduela, boots, tico, and diego?
CD: Not diego. some bitch cut in front of me at toys r us and took the last one!
JM: Damn her!
CD: Why would that be on my wish list when i already own three of them?
JM: But do you have the all important accessories? Birthday dora, quinceanera cousin daisy, abduela, boots, tico, and diego?
CD: Not diego. some bitch cut in front of me at toys r us and took the last one!
JM: Damn her!
Green Circle Boy
Today, Z lost his snowboarding virginity. I have to hand it to him. He really took a beating, but kept at it and eventually made it down the hill without falling. Once he got the idea of keeping his weight on his forward foot, there was no stopping him. He was pretty ambitious, and even though he didn't get off the easy slopes, actually believes the X-Games are going to start recruiting him tomorrow.
Tuesday, December 13, 2005
Ice Ice Baby
Last night, Reese, Karin, Andy, Kyle, and I went to a Utah Grizzlies game. The game itself wasn't too exciting, but we had a good time talking and laughing and making fun of all the mullets we saw. After that, we went down to Bogey's, which, I've decided, is the worst bar in existence. It was karaoke night, which should be fun, but not when the same six people sing song after sappy, crappy country song after ridiculous Disney movie song. Whenever Reese or I would put in a song, we had to sit through 30 minutes of crap before it was our turn. Maybe it would have been different if I hadn't been the designated driver and got really drunk.
Today, we had our shop Christmas party. I took the cookies I baked, made sure the boss saw me, and left. I can only hold a fake smile for so long.
Anyway, this will hopefully be a good week. I'm off today, tomorrow, and Thursday. All the ORI players got three-day passes, and I'm using mine this week. I'm taking Z snowboarding tomorrow. He's never been before, so it should be an interesting time. Thursday will probably be a recovery day.
By the way, today's post on Dooce is about the street system in Utah. When I first got here, I thought it would be so confusing, but now I am a believer. I can find my way just about anywhere without even having to use MapQuest.
Today, we had our shop Christmas party. I took the cookies I baked, made sure the boss saw me, and left. I can only hold a fake smile for so long.
Anyway, this will hopefully be a good week. I'm off today, tomorrow, and Thursday. All the ORI players got three-day passes, and I'm using mine this week. I'm taking Z snowboarding tomorrow. He's never been before, so it should be an interesting time. Thursday will probably be a recovery day.
By the way, today's post on Dooce is about the street system in Utah. When I first got here, I thought it would be so confusing, but now I am a believer. I can find my way just about anywhere without even having to use MapQuest.
Monday, December 12, 2005
Words Per Minute
One of the modern conveniences so many of us mobile phone users enjoy is text messaging. For those of you stuck in the 20th century, it's basically like e-mailing directly from phone to phone. It can be convenient at times (i.e. at work, in the theatre, etc.), but, overall, I'd usually just rather talk to someone. Regardless, texting is pretty common and slightly addictive.
Sometimes, I get text messages that totally crack me up, and I hang onto them for a while. Unfortunately, my phone only holds about 25, and it's about full; therefore, I'm going to share with you...
My Top 25 Text Messages - Volume I
(These are verbatim and in the order in which they were received.)
1) Porn star in my head
2) Shoot man my car just broke down. . .what do u no about jeeps
3) I like older women
4) What does a gay pig eat?
5) My job is killing me right now
6) Quit texting & go 2 bed! Ur keeping us up!
7) I wanna find a mormon hottie
7-1/2) Hey we should find a brother sister combo then we'll b related!
8) Y do we text? Wouldn't it b easier 2 just call each other
9) Ok car wash guy totally making googlie eyes at me! Gross!
10) What do gay goats eat?
11) I cup
12) Have any toilets exploded on you today?
13) Would u rather sing everything u say or always speak n rhyme
13-1/2) Would u rather sleep n a tree n a human sized nest or n a burrow underground
14) Squeeze a hiney for me
15) Bubble baths are the COOLEST!
16) The police are looking for a suspect described as funny, sexy and great in bed. Your ugly ass is safe but where should I hide?
17) Were listening to Madonna. Thought you should know,:)
18) I'm driving with my parents listening to book of mormon on tape while my mom reads along. Help
19) MY engrish of the day: happy dragon just feel our children
20) Kyle's productive highlight of the day: I just emptied the paper shredder!
21) I want to change my name to Anastasia Beaverhausen.
22) Your job is to seriously talk me out of ever getting another tattoo on my chest!
23) Ur coming 2 c me in a month and some days! yeah!
24) I decided that i hate the air force. i need to go work for the travel channel so i can be a professional vacationer
25) Do you think my mom will approve of me hanging out with you?
The text card on my phone is now empty. When it fills up again, I'll deliver Volume II.
Sometimes, I get text messages that totally crack me up, and I hang onto them for a while. Unfortunately, my phone only holds about 25, and it's about full; therefore, I'm going to share with you...
My Top 25 Text Messages - Volume I
(These are verbatim and in the order in which they were received.)
1) Porn star in my head
2) Shoot man my car just broke down. . .what do u no about jeeps
3) I like older women
4) What does a gay pig eat?
5) My job is killing me right now
6) Quit texting & go 2 bed! Ur keeping us up!
7) I wanna find a mormon hottie
7-1/2) Hey we should find a brother sister combo then we'll b related!
8) Y do we text? Wouldn't it b easier 2 just call each other
9) Ok car wash guy totally making googlie eyes at me! Gross!
10) What do gay goats eat?
11) I cup
12) Have any toilets exploded on you today?
13) Would u rather sing everything u say or always speak n rhyme
13-1/2) Would u rather sleep n a tree n a human sized nest or n a burrow underground
14) Squeeze a hiney for me
15) Bubble baths are the COOLEST!
16) The police are looking for a suspect described as funny, sexy and great in bed. Your ugly ass is safe but where should I hide?
17) Were listening to Madonna. Thought you should know,:)
18) I'm driving with my parents listening to book of mormon on tape while my mom reads along. Help
19) MY engrish of the day: happy dragon just feel our children
20) Kyle's productive highlight of the day: I just emptied the paper shredder!
21) I want to change my name to Anastasia Beaverhausen.
22) Your job is to seriously talk me out of ever getting another tattoo on my chest!
23) Ur coming 2 c me in a month and some days! yeah!
24) I decided that i hate the air force. i need to go work for the travel channel so i can be a professional vacationer
25) Do you think my mom will approve of me hanging out with you?
The text card on my phone is now empty. When it fills up again, I'll deliver Volume II.
Sunday, December 11, 2005
Bohemian Like You
I first became aware of The Dandy Warhols in 1997 when their David LaChapelle-directed video for "Not If You Were The Last Junkie On Earth" got some minor rotation on MTV. I bought "Come Down," their major label debut, and have enjoyed their drug-addled tunes ever since.
The Portland-based Dandys played a tiny club in SLC last night, which might seem odd to them since, even though their success State-side has been moderate, at best, they've scored numerous top-ten hits across Europe and Australia. I was just happy to finally get to see them.
The opening band was "The Out Crowd" who sounded like they came in a time machine from 1968. They sounded pretty good, and if they came back through, I'd probably go see them again.
But back to the Dandys. Their first two albums were filled with 60s-tinged garage rock covering everything from drugs to God to vegan cooking to hedonism. When garage rock became en vogue, their third album infused a little new wave. When new wave became the trend, their fourth, and newest album was a throw back to "Exile on Main Streeet." The thing about any Dandys album is that there are bound to be some tracks that, well, stink. But the ones that don't totally make up for it, and the big picture is one I totally appreciate.
Luckily, last night, they stuck to their more upbeat, rock tracks. Courtney Taylor-Taylor had his unmistakable, cocky sneer as he crooned out "We Used To Be Friends" and "You Were The Last High." Zia McCabe was her usual bouyant self, providing keyboards, bass, and back-up vocals on "Boys Better" and "Smoke It." And during their show, they don't use big spotlights and effects. The only lighting, aside from a strobe here and there, consisted of projections of old movies and instructional videos from the mid-20th century. It made for a very interesting effect, and probably was a total trip for all the stoners in the crowd. And since we're coming up on Christmas, they closed with a tripped-out version of "The Little Drummer Boy." How adorably appropriate!
I still haven't had a bad time at a show since I've been in Utah, and this was no exception. Even though this idiot climbed over me right before the Dandys played and acted a fool the whole time and kept taking off his shirt and elbowing me in the face (that's his fist in front of the trumpet player in this picture - ugh!), I still managed to enjoy the show and even bought a t-shirt.
Oh, and one thing I forgot to mention: there's a documentary out there called DiG! (Winner of the Documentary Grand Jury Prize at the 2004 Sundance Film Festival) which chronicles the rise to fame of The Dandy Warhols and the fizzle of their contemporaries/rivals The Brian Jonestown Massacre, led by Anton Newcombe. The two bands start off as friends, but as the Dandys begin to taste some success and the BJM taste nothing, there begins to develop some animosity. A lot of people really hate the Dandys because, among other things, Anton and the BJM are, in many ways, a superior band, and the Dandys are thought of as kind of a sell-out. The documentary isn't really flattering for either band due to flashy egos and some serious drug use. Regardless, it's an interesting film and you might want to pick it up next time you see it at your local video rental store or on Currt-Dawg's shelf.
The Portland-based Dandys played a tiny club in SLC last night, which might seem odd to them since, even though their success State-side has been moderate, at best, they've scored numerous top-ten hits across Europe and Australia. I was just happy to finally get to see them.
The opening band was "The Out Crowd" who sounded like they came in a time machine from 1968. They sounded pretty good, and if they came back through, I'd probably go see them again.
But back to the Dandys. Their first two albums were filled with 60s-tinged garage rock covering everything from drugs to God to vegan cooking to hedonism. When garage rock became en vogue, their third album infused a little new wave. When new wave became the trend, their fourth, and newest album was a throw back to "Exile on Main Streeet." The thing about any Dandys album is that there are bound to be some tracks that, well, stink. But the ones that don't totally make up for it, and the big picture is one I totally appreciate.
Luckily, last night, they stuck to their more upbeat, rock tracks. Courtney Taylor-Taylor had his unmistakable, cocky sneer as he crooned out "We Used To Be Friends" and "You Were The Last High." Zia McCabe was her usual bouyant self, providing keyboards, bass, and back-up vocals on "Boys Better" and "Smoke It." And during their show, they don't use big spotlights and effects. The only lighting, aside from a strobe here and there, consisted of projections of old movies and instructional videos from the mid-20th century. It made for a very interesting effect, and probably was a total trip for all the stoners in the crowd. And since we're coming up on Christmas, they closed with a tripped-out version of "The Little Drummer Boy." How adorably appropriate!
I still haven't had a bad time at a show since I've been in Utah, and this was no exception. Even though this idiot climbed over me right before the Dandys played and acted a fool the whole time and kept taking off his shirt and elbowing me in the face (that's his fist in front of the trumpet player in this picture - ugh!), I still managed to enjoy the show and even bought a t-shirt.
Oh, and one thing I forgot to mention: there's a documentary out there called DiG! (Winner of the Documentary Grand Jury Prize at the 2004 Sundance Film Festival) which chronicles the rise to fame of The Dandy Warhols and the fizzle of their contemporaries/rivals The Brian Jonestown Massacre, led by Anton Newcombe. The two bands start off as friends, but as the Dandys begin to taste some success and the BJM taste nothing, there begins to develop some animosity. A lot of people really hate the Dandys because, among other things, Anton and the BJM are, in many ways, a superior band, and the Dandys are thought of as kind of a sell-out. The documentary isn't really flattering for either band due to flashy egos and some serious drug use. Regardless, it's an interesting film and you might want to pick it up next time you see it at your local video rental store or on Currt-Dawg's shelf.
Christmas, Don't Be Late
John, Kyle, and I went down to SLC to do a little Christmas shopping today. My goal for the entire day was to not buy anything for myself, and I totally succeeded. Unfortunately, I didn't get anything for anyone else, either. The highlight of my day was when we saw a homeless lady and she asked for fifty cents to use the phone. When I gave it to her, she said, "Merry Christmas." Totally made everything better.
I love the Christmas season and the build-up and the decorations and all, but the whole capitalism thing really turns me into a Grinch. Everything is so crowded and people are pushy and traffic is horrible. It certainly makes shopping online very tempting. I love this time of year, but part of me will be really glad when it's all over. I guess one of the things that makes Christmas so endearing is that it only comes once a year.
I love the Christmas season and the build-up and the decorations and all, but the whole capitalism thing really turns me into a Grinch. Everything is so crowded and people are pushy and traffic is horrible. It certainly makes shopping online very tempting. I love this time of year, but part of me will be really glad when it's all over. I guess one of the things that makes Christmas so endearing is that it only comes once a year.
Saturday, December 10, 2005
Spicy
Our shop Christmas party is Tuesday, and I signed up to make cookies. I figured I'd make a variety to include sugar cookies, snicker-doodles, and ginger snaps. I went to the grocery store this morning to pick up ingredients. Did you know that ground cloves, one of the key ingredients in ginger snaps, is, like, $9 for a tiny, little bottle and ginger is $5? And that's for the cheap-o stuff. Sorry, co-workers. I like you, but not that much. I picked up those Pillsbury pre-made cookies. Don't worry; I'll still decorate them, but I figure that will be sufficient.
Kamikaze
As I mentioned Monday, I've been volunteering at the Hill AeroSpace Museum this week, and it was fun and cool on so many levels. First of all, I was exempt from normal work, so it was nice to get out of the shop for a bit. Next, I got to meet lots of cool new people and move big planes around. And finally, I didn't have to report to the museum until 1 PM, and we were always done by 5 PM, usually earlier. I put in a total of about 17 hours this week.
Today, we were talking with the main curator guy, and he asked if we wanted to see something cool. Of course, we said, "YES!" He took us to a room in the back where all the flight simulators were. We got to fly the F-16 and the B-25. We were all screaming lines from Top Gun and stuff. Even if we would have worked 12-hour days, it would have been worth it for the 30 minutes we spent playing with those big toys.
Today, we were talking with the main curator guy, and he asked if we wanted to see something cool. Of course, we said, "YES!" He took us to a room in the back where all the flight simulators were. We got to fly the F-16 and the B-25. We were all screaming lines from Top Gun and stuff. Even if we would have worked 12-hour days, it would have been worth it for the 30 minutes we spent playing with those big toys.
Friday, December 09, 2005
Cheers
John and I went out to dinner tonight at a local microbrewery called Roosters. They have some of the best beer around. It was one of the funnest times I've had just talking and laughing and drinking and hitting on the waitresses. We've decided to try and make it a Thursday night tradition. Ah, good times.
Thursday, December 08, 2005
He Hit Me (It Felt Like A Kiss)
Back in the late 90s, some students at BYU created a site called NCMO.org. NCMO (nik'-mo) stood for Non-Commital Make-Out, and its purpose was obvious. BYU found out about the site, and, being the extrememly conservative institution it is, immediately shut it down. My friend John is a BYU graduate and has tons of horror stories about BYU's fascist scare tactics. But, they are a private school and they can basically do whatever they want.
Anyway, my point, and I do have one, is this: I've been engaging in a few NCMOs as of late, and I'm not sure what to think about it. I kinda took a hiatus from the whole dating scene while in Japan, and now that I'm back in the States, I feel as though I'm being thrown to the wolves. It's not a horrible thing, and I'm having an interesting time reacquainting myself. There are probably some moral and ethical dilemas here, but I'm not sure what they are. There have been no promises or expectations, and everyone involved is aware of the situation. I don't feel bad about anything. Perhaps I should slow down, or possibly remove myself from the whole scene for a bit to find my bearings. Or maybe nothing needs to be done at all, and it will all work itself out. I won't deny that it's nice to have someone to hold when the nights are getting longer and colder. But something tells me I wouldn't be questioning it if there wasn't something slightly amiss. I guess I should find out if there's even a problem before I work on solving it.
Anyway, my point, and I do have one, is this: I've been engaging in a few NCMOs as of late, and I'm not sure what to think about it. I kinda took a hiatus from the whole dating scene while in Japan, and now that I'm back in the States, I feel as though I'm being thrown to the wolves. It's not a horrible thing, and I'm having an interesting time reacquainting myself. There are probably some moral and ethical dilemas here, but I'm not sure what they are. There have been no promises or expectations, and everyone involved is aware of the situation. I don't feel bad about anything. Perhaps I should slow down, or possibly remove myself from the whole scene for a bit to find my bearings. Or maybe nothing needs to be done at all, and it will all work itself out. I won't deny that it's nice to have someone to hold when the nights are getting longer and colder. But something tells me I wouldn't be questioning it if there wasn't something slightly amiss. I guess I should find out if there's even a problem before I work on solving it.
Tuesday, December 06, 2005
Lucky
My boss came in last week and asked for volunteers for a project out at the Hill Aerospace Museum, so I spoke up. Basically, all week long, we're moving planes around. The cool part is that we're only working from 1 PM to 7 PM. Plus, it's a new crowd in a new environment. The crappy part is that it's cold and windy. I had to stay in the shower for 20 minutes just to thaw out my poor fingers and toes. Plus, I'm still a little sore from boarding yesterday. Regardless, this is going to be a good week.
In a totally unrelated matter, if you guys haven't seen the 30-second bunnies, you need to go here. It's on online cartoon featuring various movies summarised in 30 seconds and re-enacted by bunnies. Personal favourites are The Shining, Jaws, Pulp Fiction, and the just-released A Christmas Story. Very funny stuff.
In a totally unrelated matter, if you guys haven't seen the 30-second bunnies, you need to go here. It's on online cartoon featuring various movies summarised in 30 seconds and re-enacted by bunnies. Personal favourites are The Shining, Jaws, Pulp Fiction, and the just-released A Christmas Story. Very funny stuff.
Sunday, December 04, 2005
Into the Great White Open
Today, I went boarding for the first time this season. I tried to find people to go with me, but I ended up going by myself. Since it's still early in the season and not all the lifts are open yet, plus I have a military discount pass, the lift ticket was pretty cheap.
I got there at 9 AM, right when the lifts opened. In Japan, it was less crowded on Saturdays because all the Japanese were at work. Here, it's better to go on Sundays because all the Mormons are at Church. I hardly waited at all.
The first couple hours were great, but then it got really windy and started snowing. It didn't really bother me, except that a lot of times, I couldn't really see what was coming. It was just a big sea of white.
Regardless, I had a super time. Since it was my first time this season, I got tired pretty quickly and only stayed for about five hours. It's nice having such a great resort only 20 miles away. That way, I don't feel as if I've wasted a whole day if I get tired too soon.
I got there at 9 AM, right when the lifts opened. In Japan, it was less crowded on Saturdays because all the Japanese were at work. Here, it's better to go on Sundays because all the Mormons are at Church. I hardly waited at all.
The first couple hours were great, but then it got really windy and started snowing. It didn't really bother me, except that a lot of times, I couldn't really see what was coming. It was just a big sea of white.
Regardless, I had a super time. Since it was my first time this season, I got tired pretty quickly and only stayed for about five hours. It's nice having such a great resort only 20 miles away. That way, I don't feel as if I've wasted a whole day if I get tired too soon.
Chips & Dips
Last night, Andrew Zimmermann, a guy in my shop, had a Texas Hold 'Em Party at his house. There were about 12 players divided between two tables. Unfortunately, I was the second person out at my table. It didn't bother me, though. I still had a good time playing poker.
However, after the poker game, things got a little out of control. Everyone decided they wanted to go to this bar called Bogey's, and since I was the sober(est) one, I ended up being the designated driver. Bogey's was a total meat market and everyone looked the same. We didn't even get there until 12:30, and in Utah, they can only serve alcohol until 1 AM, so, luckily, we didn't stay too long.
We all went back to Angie's apartment, where there was much drunken bafoonery. I can't say I didn't enjoy it to some extent, but it got old real quick. This picture was taken at 5:30 AM. I was so desperate for some sleep, but nobody would hear of it.
Z was easily the drunkest of anyone. When we finally left, we had to stop every five minutes because he thought he was going to vomit. He never did, but it certainly made the ride home much, much longer.
Anyway, I finally made it home around 6 AM this morning. I went to bed, but was up by 10. Damn my internal clock! Needless to say, I'm taking it easy tonight, especially since I'm planning on hitting the slopes tomorrow! Woo-hoo!
However, after the poker game, things got a little out of control. Everyone decided they wanted to go to this bar called Bogey's, and since I was the sober(est) one, I ended up being the designated driver. Bogey's was a total meat market and everyone looked the same. We didn't even get there until 12:30, and in Utah, they can only serve alcohol until 1 AM, so, luckily, we didn't stay too long.
We all went back to Angie's apartment, where there was much drunken bafoonery. I can't say I didn't enjoy it to some extent, but it got old real quick. This picture was taken at 5:30 AM. I was so desperate for some sleep, but nobody would hear of it.
Z was easily the drunkest of anyone. When we finally left, we had to stop every five minutes because he thought he was going to vomit. He never did, but it certainly made the ride home much, much longer.
Anyway, I finally made it home around 6 AM this morning. I went to bed, but was up by 10. Damn my internal clock! Needless to say, I'm taking it easy tonight, especially since I'm planning on hitting the slopes tomorrow! Woo-hoo!
Thursday, December 01, 2005
The Christmas Song -or- Flaming Nuts
I'm with most people in believing the Christmas Season officially begins the day after Thanksgiving. I love everything about Christmas and want as much opportunity as possible to celebrate. One of the best things about this time of year is the music. I pulled out all my Christmas music on Friday, and I've been listening to it non-stop. Here's a rundown of my Yuletide favourites:
One of the classic Currt-Dawg Christmas albums is "A Christmas Together" by John Denver & The Muppets. This is basically the soundtrack for their holiday special back in 1979. I don't remember the special, but my Mom had the vinyl, and I used to sit in front of the record player and listen to it all the time. I kinda forgot about it during my adolescence, and then one day in 1997, I was at getting gas at a 7-Eleven in Vegas. They had some random tapes at the counter, and among them was my beloved JD&TM Christmas Album...for 99 cents! Unfortunately, my car was stolen a few months later and my tapes were never recovered. Luckily, a few years later, my good friend Jean-Marie, who also appreciated it, felt my pain and purchased this album for me in compact disc form. Now I bring it out every year and laugh hysterically when Miss Piggy adds her "Da-dum-dum-dum" part on "The Twelve Days of Christmas" and get a little choked up when John Denver and Rowlf sing "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas."
Another great is Vince Guaraldi. You may not know him by name, but if you've ever watched a Charlie Brown cartoon, then I'm sure you know his distinctive jazz tunes. Definitely one of the best Christmas specials of all time has to be A Charlie Brown Christmas. I always made it a point to watch this every year when I was a kid. I always thought it peculiar that they showed commercials for Dolly Madison brand pastries only during Charlie Brown specials. That's probably why, to this day, I still associate Zingers with Christmas. Anyway, this album is the soundtrack to said special, and is the perfect album to which to listen while it's snowing. So mellow and beautiful, it brings back such sweet memories.
A series of albums I highly recommend are the "Happy Christmas" albums available from BEC Recordings. It's a bunch of Christmas songs recorded by Christian rock bands. If you're thinking that sounds dull, then you haven't heard these albums. Highlighs include "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" by Viva Voce, "Peace Child" by The Normals, and a super version of "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch" by Sixpence None the Richer. Some songs are amazingly fun, while others are so touching.
Also, I got on iTunes and (legally) downloaded a few new songs, including a wonderful version of "Frosty the Snowman" by Fiona Apple that just about brings a tear to my eye. (Was there ever a sadder line than "...and he waved good-bye saying, "Don't you cry. I'll be back again, someday"?) Other cool tunes I found were "Yule Shoot Your Eye Out" by Fall Out Boy and "The Little Drum Machine Boy" by Beck. I also downloaded the new Diana Krall "Christmas Songs" album. If you haven't ever heard of Diana Krall, she's probably one of the most amazing jazz singers out there. This album is gorgeous, and contains some classics, including "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas," probably my all-time favourite secular Christmas song, thanks to John Denver and Rowlf.
Anyway, that's just some of the stuff to which I'm listening this month. There's such a build-up for Christmas, and listening to the tunes is just one of the things that puts me in the Christmas Spirit. If anyone has any suggestions for other holiday tunes, let me know. And, in case you're wondering, my favourite Christmas Carol of all time would have to be "O Come, O Come Emmanuel." A beautiful tune with such meaningful words.
Ah, Christmas. Only 24 more days.
One of the classic Currt-Dawg Christmas albums is "A Christmas Together" by John Denver & The Muppets. This is basically the soundtrack for their holiday special back in 1979. I don't remember the special, but my Mom had the vinyl, and I used to sit in front of the record player and listen to it all the time. I kinda forgot about it during my adolescence, and then one day in 1997, I was at getting gas at a 7-Eleven in Vegas. They had some random tapes at the counter, and among them was my beloved JD&TM Christmas Album...for 99 cents! Unfortunately, my car was stolen a few months later and my tapes were never recovered. Luckily, a few years later, my good friend Jean-Marie, who also appreciated it, felt my pain and purchased this album for me in compact disc form. Now I bring it out every year and laugh hysterically when Miss Piggy adds her "Da-dum-dum-dum" part on "The Twelve Days of Christmas" and get a little choked up when John Denver and Rowlf sing "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas."
Another great is Vince Guaraldi. You may not know him by name, but if you've ever watched a Charlie Brown cartoon, then I'm sure you know his distinctive jazz tunes. Definitely one of the best Christmas specials of all time has to be A Charlie Brown Christmas. I always made it a point to watch this every year when I was a kid. I always thought it peculiar that they showed commercials for Dolly Madison brand pastries only during Charlie Brown specials. That's probably why, to this day, I still associate Zingers with Christmas. Anyway, this album is the soundtrack to said special, and is the perfect album to which to listen while it's snowing. So mellow and beautiful, it brings back such sweet memories.
A series of albums I highly recommend are the "Happy Christmas" albums available from BEC Recordings. It's a bunch of Christmas songs recorded by Christian rock bands. If you're thinking that sounds dull, then you haven't heard these albums. Highlighs include "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" by Viva Voce, "Peace Child" by The Normals, and a super version of "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch" by Sixpence None the Richer. Some songs are amazingly fun, while others are so touching.
Also, I got on iTunes and (legally) downloaded a few new songs, including a wonderful version of "Frosty the Snowman" by Fiona Apple that just about brings a tear to my eye. (Was there ever a sadder line than "...and he waved good-bye saying, "Don't you cry. I'll be back again, someday"?) Other cool tunes I found were "Yule Shoot Your Eye Out" by Fall Out Boy and "The Little Drum Machine Boy" by Beck. I also downloaded the new Diana Krall "Christmas Songs" album. If you haven't ever heard of Diana Krall, she's probably one of the most amazing jazz singers out there. This album is gorgeous, and contains some classics, including "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas," probably my all-time favourite secular Christmas song, thanks to John Denver and Rowlf.
Anyway, that's just some of the stuff to which I'm listening this month. There's such a build-up for Christmas, and listening to the tunes is just one of the things that puts me in the Christmas Spirit. If anyone has any suggestions for other holiday tunes, let me know. And, in case you're wondering, my favourite Christmas Carol of all time would have to be "O Come, O Come Emmanuel." A beautiful tune with such meaningful words.
Ah, Christmas. Only 24 more days.
Out of a Molehill
The weather man says there is between a 50 and 70 percent chance of snow every day for the next week, and that makes me a happy boy. It was partly sunny here in the valley today, but the clouds were all over the mountains. For all you "Lord of the Rings" fans, they kinda look like Mt. Doom, but without the fire.
Sometimes I try to decide which I like more: living in a warmer climate near the ocean, or living near the mountains. And I still don't know. I wish I would have taken advantage of the ocean more when I was in Japan, but when you can count the number of warm, sunny days each year on one hand, it's not easy. The mountains here are so grand and beautiful. You couldn't ignore them if you wanted to. Sometimes when I'm out, I start staring at them in all their majesty and just about get lost. I don't know if it took a day or millions of years, but God sure did a great job designing them. I know I post tons of pictures of the mountains on here. I probably should have posted one with this entry, but I didn't have my camera with me today. Don't worry, though. I'm sure there will be many more in the future.
Sometimes I try to decide which I like more: living in a warmer climate near the ocean, or living near the mountains. And I still don't know. I wish I would have taken advantage of the ocean more when I was in Japan, but when you can count the number of warm, sunny days each year on one hand, it's not easy. The mountains here are so grand and beautiful. You couldn't ignore them if you wanted to. Sometimes when I'm out, I start staring at them in all their majesty and just about get lost. I don't know if it took a day or millions of years, but God sure did a great job designing them. I know I post tons of pictures of the mountains on here. I probably should have posted one with this entry, but I didn't have my camera with me today. Don't worry, though. I'm sure there will be many more in the future.
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