This weekend was Utah Pride, which is a big festival to celebrate diversity and focus on the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender community of Utah. It's been going on for a few days, but it all culminated downtown today. I have lots of friends who are gay and lesbian, and they invited me to go down to the festival and see what it was all about. This was the first time I'd ever been to a Pride Festival, and it was interesting, to say the least.
It all started at 10 AM this morning with a big parade featuring people marching and waving flags.
Followed by more people with flags.
And, of course, Dykes on Bikes, which is a real organisation. There were also plenty of floats featuring go-go dancers and drag queens, but I seem to have missed getting pictures of them.
The parade ended at the main festival site, next to the State Building downtown. I couldn't believe how many people were there. I would guess there were at least 15,000. The weather was sunny and warm, and everyone seemed to be having a great time.
It was a lot like going to a county fair, minus the rides. There were booths set up all over the place for things from AIDS awareness and political candidates to gay sports leagues and, um, leather goods.
The whole thing took up two entire city blocks. We had a good time just walking around and people-watching. It was definitely a diverse crowd. The theme this year was "Pride, Not Prejudice" and I can definitely see where they're coming from, especially in a place like Utah.
It was a fun day, and it was great to see so many people be not ashamed of who they are.
Monday, June 05, 2006
Sunday, June 04, 2006
Hole-y
I made a decision. My body is now metal-free. I just decided it's kinda over, and I don't really have any desire to keep it in any longer. I can now walk through airport metal detectors with no stress, whatsoever.
By the way, this does NOT mean I won't be getting any more tattoos.
By the way, this does NOT mean I won't be getting any more tattoos.
Players
Last night, John, Ryan, Jessica, Ryan, and I went to a Bees game down in SLC. It was a good game, but unfortunately, the Bees lost to Tacoma, 5-3. Afterward, we went over to Brian and Ryan's for a party. Now, there's pretty much a party there every weekend for the regulars. Occassionally, they have a big party and the place is packed and I meet tons of cool new people and see people I haven't seen in a while. As was the case last night. I took tons of pictures--way too many to post individually on here; therefore I put together a photostream on flickr that you can see here. Enjoy!
Friday, June 02, 2006
Like a Reply
At the Madonna show the other night, I sent out the following text message to several friends:
"I am in the presence of Madonna. I think I'm going to faint. Seriously."
These are the replies I received:
1) Get some!!!
2) Oh man- dont freak out!:) where r u?
3) That is beautiful
4) That was so freaky'i so was just about to text you. Was wondering whats up with you. You at her concert?
5) You lucky son of a bitch
6) I'm jealous
7) Flippin sweet man. Give her a kiss from me.
8) I'm a lot bit jealous!
9) Is she amazin?
10) Wait till she crucifies herself
11) I'm so damn happy for you! Or i'm hard core drunk!...not sure! Ha ha
12) That is great! Will she revive you if you do? It would be worth it for that.
13) Hey... Was being at the concert like being a virgin being touched for the very first time? Hardy har har har. I thought of that one in the shower. I'm sure someone else already texted you that
Thanks to Sarah for that last one. I laughed way hard. And then laughed again.
"I am in the presence of Madonna. I think I'm going to faint. Seriously."
These are the replies I received:
1) Get some!!!
2) Oh man- dont freak out!:) where r u?
3) That is beautiful
4) That was so freaky'i so was just about to text you. Was wondering whats up with you. You at her concert?
5) You lucky son of a bitch
6) I'm jealous
7) Flippin sweet man. Give her a kiss from me.
8) I'm a lot bit jealous!
9) Is she amazin?
10) Wait till she crucifies herself
11) I'm so damn happy for you! Or i'm hard core drunk!...not sure! Ha ha
12) That is great! Will she revive you if you do? It would be worth it for that.
13) Hey... Was being at the concert like being a virgin being touched for the very first time? Hardy har har har. I thought of that one in the shower. I'm sure someone else already texted you that
Thanks to Sarah for that last one. I laughed way hard. And then laughed again.
Another Long Weekend Begins
Last night, after Rooster's, Chad and I had martinis at The Red Door, a nice, mellow little bar in downtown Salt Lake City. It's the second time we've been there, and I liked it so much, I ended up purchasing a membership.
Both the conversation and the martinis were outstanding.
I took today off work. There are a bunch of pointless meetings going on, and basically, I just didn't feel like putting up with it. Plus, there's a flurry of activity going on in SLC this weekend, and I just figured I'd start out a little early. Sometimes I think it would be great to just take leave for the rest of my military career.
Both the conversation and the martinis were outstanding.
I took today off work. There are a bunch of pointless meetings going on, and basically, I just didn't feel like putting up with it. Plus, there's a flurry of activity going on in SLC this weekend, and I just figured I'd start out a little early. Sometimes I think it would be great to just take leave for the rest of my military career.
Thursday, June 01, 2006
Wellington
"Prime numbers are what is left when you have taken all the patterns away. I think prime numbers are like life. They are very logical but you could never work out the rules, even if you spent all your time thinking about them."
--from "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time" by Mark Haddon
Have I mentioned how much I love this book?
--from "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time" by Mark Haddon
Have I mentioned how much I love this book?
Tuesday, May 30, 2006
Future Disco. Consummated.
I still remember the very first time I ever heard Madonna. I was eight years old, and my friends and I were playing in a big field near my house. Julie Spencer brought over her boom box, popped in a cassette tape, and hit 'play.' Suddenly, the most fun, joyous melody I'd ever heard sprung forth, prompting us all to dance around. It was "Holiday," and I'll never forget how it made me feel.
At the time, however, I didn't know who it was, and when subsequent songs like "Borderline," "Material Girl," and "Papa Don't Preach" were putting Madonna on the charts (and in the headlines), I was too young to know what all the fuss was about. It wasn't until I randomly purchased "The Immaculate Collection" during my junior year of high school that I realised all these songs (to include "Like a Prayer," "Express Yourself," and "Vogue") were sung by the same woman. During the summer of 1991, that was the only tape in my car, and I totally rocked out to it.
My admiration (or borderline obsession) for Madonna grew rapidly over the next few years. I was always at the record store early in the morning whenever a new Madonna album was released. I covered my college dorm room in posters. I purchased two copies of the notorious Sex book. At the end of basic training, on my town pass, I made my parents take me to see Evita.
But, over the years, my tastes changed and even though I still considered myself a fan, it seemed to be mostly out of habit. I would pay attention whenever a new album was released, but didn't really scan the headlines or buy all the maxi-singles anymore.
When Madonna toured in 2001 for the first time in eight years, I was a kinda bummed I was going to miss it, especially since she was playing two nights in Vegas, and I had just moved from there to Japan. She toured again in 2004, and again, I missed out. A few months ago, when she announced plans to tour behind "Confessions on a Dance Floor," my heart began to flutter with excitement that this might finally be the time when I would be in the presence of Madonna. And it was.
This great event occurred on May 27th, 2006 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. It was the fourth night of her 58-show Confessions Tour. The show was scheduled to begin at 8 PM. I arrived at 7. All day long I had been nervous with anticipation, and I couldn't believe it was finally happening. As I walked into the arena, I saw the stage, which included a main catwalk toward the center, and two smaller ones toward the sides. My seat was on the side, directly to the right of the end of the main catwalk. It was a great seat, and I immediately sat down and began fidgeting and wondering how slowly the next hour would pass by. (Thanks to Paul for letting me talk to him to calm myself down a bit.)
I kept looking at my watch, and eventually, it was 8 PM. But still, no Madonna. 8:10...8:24...8:37. Finally, at 8:45 PM (because apparently, Madonna likes to see me squirm), the lights went down. The whole place started screaming.
Spot lights began swirling and strobe lights started flashing. The huge video screens began showing footage of Madonna walking around her stables with her horses. A giant disco ball slowly descended from the middle of the arena, and landed at the end of the main catwalk.
The disco ball opened up to reveal Madonna wearing a black equestrian outfit. She launched into "Future Lovers" while her dancers, all wearing saddles, gyrated around her.
Now, this whole time, I'm not really sure what kind of expression was on my face, but my mind was working overtime to take it all in. Everyone around me was dancing, and eventually, I began dancing, too. But this moment, seeing Madonna for the very first time, will forever be burned into my memory.
It was probably the most extravagant, theatrical production I've ever seen. There were several video screens that moved all over, trap doors in all parts of the stage, a talented dance troupe, elaborate costumes, and a brilliant light show. But at the center of it all was Madonna herself, dancing and singing and loving every minute of it. I would expect it to be difficult for one person to be able to entertain a sold-out crowd of over 17,000, and make every single person feel they got their money's worth, but she had no trouble at all.
She seamlessly moved from one song to the next. Most of the evening concentrated on tracks from the newest album, but she threw in some old classics like "Like a Virgin" and "La Isla Bonita" just to keep us on our toes. And as she did, the entire stage was perfectly orchestrated to move around her. Even the interludes and costume changes were designed to be fluid so it never got boring. After the "equestrian" portion of the show, Madonna emerged on a giant disco ball/cross singing "Live To Tell" while images of African children with AIDS shown in the background. Later, she wore a big glam-rock outfit and rocked out on her guitar to "I Love New York," which was one of my least favourite tracks on the new album, but seeing it live made me love it.
For the evening's final disco theme, Madonna arrived sporting a white suit (a la John Travolta in "Saturday Night Fever") and singing "Disco Inferno" which segued nicely into "Music." The evening ended with high-energy versions of "Lucky Star" and "Hung Up." I don't think I stopped dancing the whole time, nor did anyone else.
A few days before the show, I started to get nervous. Not just because I was seeing Madonna, but because I was wondering if I was making too big a deal out of it. What if I went to the show and it didn't fulfill my expectations? A lot of people have asked if it was worth paying $400 for two hours of entertainment, and now I can answer with a resounding "YES!" Who knows when she'll tour again, or if I'll even be able to go? Madonna is a living legend, and this performance proved why. It was a wonderful, once-in-a-lifetime experience that I'll never forget. Ever.
At the time, however, I didn't know who it was, and when subsequent songs like "Borderline," "Material Girl," and "Papa Don't Preach" were putting Madonna on the charts (and in the headlines), I was too young to know what all the fuss was about. It wasn't until I randomly purchased "The Immaculate Collection" during my junior year of high school that I realised all these songs (to include "Like a Prayer," "Express Yourself," and "Vogue") were sung by the same woman. During the summer of 1991, that was the only tape in my car, and I totally rocked out to it.
My admiration (or borderline obsession) for Madonna grew rapidly over the next few years. I was always at the record store early in the morning whenever a new Madonna album was released. I covered my college dorm room in posters. I purchased two copies of the notorious Sex book. At the end of basic training, on my town pass, I made my parents take me to see Evita.
But, over the years, my tastes changed and even though I still considered myself a fan, it seemed to be mostly out of habit. I would pay attention whenever a new album was released, but didn't really scan the headlines or buy all the maxi-singles anymore.
When Madonna toured in 2001 for the first time in eight years, I was a kinda bummed I was going to miss it, especially since she was playing two nights in Vegas, and I had just moved from there to Japan. She toured again in 2004, and again, I missed out. A few months ago, when she announced plans to tour behind "Confessions on a Dance Floor," my heart began to flutter with excitement that this might finally be the time when I would be in the presence of Madonna. And it was.
This great event occurred on May 27th, 2006 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. It was the fourth night of her 58-show Confessions Tour. The show was scheduled to begin at 8 PM. I arrived at 7. All day long I had been nervous with anticipation, and I couldn't believe it was finally happening. As I walked into the arena, I saw the stage, which included a main catwalk toward the center, and two smaller ones toward the sides. My seat was on the side, directly to the right of the end of the main catwalk. It was a great seat, and I immediately sat down and began fidgeting and wondering how slowly the next hour would pass by. (Thanks to Paul for letting me talk to him to calm myself down a bit.)
I kept looking at my watch, and eventually, it was 8 PM. But still, no Madonna. 8:10...8:24...8:37. Finally, at 8:45 PM (because apparently, Madonna likes to see me squirm), the lights went down. The whole place started screaming.
Spot lights began swirling and strobe lights started flashing. The huge video screens began showing footage of Madonna walking around her stables with her horses. A giant disco ball slowly descended from the middle of the arena, and landed at the end of the main catwalk.
The disco ball opened up to reveal Madonna wearing a black equestrian outfit. She launched into "Future Lovers" while her dancers, all wearing saddles, gyrated around her.
Now, this whole time, I'm not really sure what kind of expression was on my face, but my mind was working overtime to take it all in. Everyone around me was dancing, and eventually, I began dancing, too. But this moment, seeing Madonna for the very first time, will forever be burned into my memory.
It was probably the most extravagant, theatrical production I've ever seen. There were several video screens that moved all over, trap doors in all parts of the stage, a talented dance troupe, elaborate costumes, and a brilliant light show. But at the center of it all was Madonna herself, dancing and singing and loving every minute of it. I would expect it to be difficult for one person to be able to entertain a sold-out crowd of over 17,000, and make every single person feel they got their money's worth, but she had no trouble at all.
She seamlessly moved from one song to the next. Most of the evening concentrated on tracks from the newest album, but she threw in some old classics like "Like a Virgin" and "La Isla Bonita" just to keep us on our toes. And as she did, the entire stage was perfectly orchestrated to move around her. Even the interludes and costume changes were designed to be fluid so it never got boring. After the "equestrian" portion of the show, Madonna emerged on a giant disco ball/cross singing "Live To Tell" while images of African children with AIDS shown in the background. Later, she wore a big glam-rock outfit and rocked out on her guitar to "I Love New York," which was one of my least favourite tracks on the new album, but seeing it live made me love it.
For the evening's final disco theme, Madonna arrived sporting a white suit (a la John Travolta in "Saturday Night Fever") and singing "Disco Inferno" which segued nicely into "Music." The evening ended with high-energy versions of "Lucky Star" and "Hung Up." I don't think I stopped dancing the whole time, nor did anyone else.
A few days before the show, I started to get nervous. Not just because I was seeing Madonna, but because I was wondering if I was making too big a deal out of it. What if I went to the show and it didn't fulfill my expectations? A lot of people have asked if it was worth paying $400 for two hours of entertainment, and now I can answer with a resounding "YES!" Who knows when she'll tour again, or if I'll even be able to go? Madonna is a living legend, and this performance proved why. It was a wonderful, once-in-a-lifetime experience that I'll never forget. Ever.
Monday, May 29, 2006
Traveling, Tents, & Treats
I'd been looking forward to this weekend for quite some time, for obvious reasons. There was so much planned, and I wasn't sure I'd be able to fit it all in, but I did, and it was great.
Early Friday afternoon, John, Kyle, Kyle, Ryan, and I caravanned down to Moab to meet Brian, Ryan, Mike, Rob, and Matt at their campsite.
And of course, we had to stop at the State Liquor Store in Price to pick up some supplies. Price is a very interesting town, but if you stay too long, you're likely to develop kankles.
When we got into Moab, we were way hungry, so we stopped at a local brew-pup, where I had a scrumptious hummus wrap and a couple pints.
Isn't Moab gorgeous? It's easy to see why this is such a popular destination.
We finally got to the camp site just in time to set up our tent before it got dark. Then the drinking commenced.
I was drinking Crown from my flask, but for some reason, I just wasn't feeling it. Maybe I had too much food in my stomach.
John, however, was drunk in no time. I'm lucky I got a picture of him before all his clothes came off.
The next morning, we went into town for a bit, then went back to the camp site to socialise for a while.
It was a super fun time, and I would like to have stayed all weekend, but there were important events in Vegas that required my attendance.
So I got in my truck and drove...
...and drove...
...and drove...
...and drove some more. It was a seven-hour drive from Moab to Vegas, which was a little longer than I anticipated. But nothing was going to stop me. I checked into my hotel room, took a REALLY long shower, and headed downtown.
But that's another story to which I will get on an entirely different post (hopefully tomorrow), as it merits so much information that I'm still processing it.
After the show, my friend Jason and I went to toss back a few pints at the Crown & Anchor, which, as I may have mentioned, is probably my favourite bar in the world. It was great to see Jason again, and we had a great time catching up.
Sunday morning, I met Melissa and Andy for brunch. I was having dinner with Jim and Nicole, but there was a stretch of time in-between that had to be filled. And if you know me, you know I can't go to Vegas without doing at least a little shopping. So I made a quick trip down to the Forum Shops at Caesar's Palace. I limited myself to one item, which happened to be a pair of kick-ass jeans from Armani Exchange. Considering all the cool stuff I saw, I was pretty disciplined.
I had dinner with Jim and Nicole at the Mediterranean Cafe, which is probably one of my favourite restaurants in the world. I also finally got to meet their newborn son, Owen. Babies are great.
I considered staying another night in Vegas, but decided to go ahead and head back home last night. I'd rather have a full day to recover, plus traffic is going to be horrible today. I spent 18 hours driving over three days, which is a lot, but I enjoy driving by myself. It was a super trip, and it came in way under budget, even with the jeans.
Early Friday afternoon, John, Kyle, Kyle, Ryan, and I caravanned down to Moab to meet Brian, Ryan, Mike, Rob, and Matt at their campsite.
And of course, we had to stop at the State Liquor Store in Price to pick up some supplies. Price is a very interesting town, but if you stay too long, you're likely to develop kankles.
When we got into Moab, we were way hungry, so we stopped at a local brew-pup, where I had a scrumptious hummus wrap and a couple pints.
Isn't Moab gorgeous? It's easy to see why this is such a popular destination.
We finally got to the camp site just in time to set up our tent before it got dark. Then the drinking commenced.
I was drinking Crown from my flask, but for some reason, I just wasn't feeling it. Maybe I had too much food in my stomach.
John, however, was drunk in no time. I'm lucky I got a picture of him before all his clothes came off.
The next morning, we went into town for a bit, then went back to the camp site to socialise for a while.
It was a super fun time, and I would like to have stayed all weekend, but there were important events in Vegas that required my attendance.
So I got in my truck and drove...
...and drove...
...and drove...
...and drove some more. It was a seven-hour drive from Moab to Vegas, which was a little longer than I anticipated. But nothing was going to stop me. I checked into my hotel room, took a REALLY long shower, and headed downtown.
But that's another story to which I will get on an entirely different post (hopefully tomorrow), as it merits so much information that I'm still processing it.
After the show, my friend Jason and I went to toss back a few pints at the Crown & Anchor, which, as I may have mentioned, is probably my favourite bar in the world. It was great to see Jason again, and we had a great time catching up.
Sunday morning, I met Melissa and Andy for brunch. I was having dinner with Jim and Nicole, but there was a stretch of time in-between that had to be filled. And if you know me, you know I can't go to Vegas without doing at least a little shopping. So I made a quick trip down to the Forum Shops at Caesar's Palace. I limited myself to one item, which happened to be a pair of kick-ass jeans from Armani Exchange. Considering all the cool stuff I saw, I was pretty disciplined.
I had dinner with Jim and Nicole at the Mediterranean Cafe, which is probably one of my favourite restaurants in the world. I also finally got to meet their newborn son, Owen. Babies are great.
I considered staying another night in Vegas, but decided to go ahead and head back home last night. I'd rather have a full day to recover, plus traffic is going to be horrible today. I spent 18 hours driving over three days, which is a lot, but I enjoy driving by myself. It was a super trip, and it came in way under budget, even with the jeans.
Sunday, May 28, 2006
Until...
I'm currently in Vegas. I spent last night camping with the crew in Moab. Tonight is the night. I'm actually kinda queasy because I'm so nervous. Is that weird?
I'm not sure if I'll head back to Utah tomorrow or spend another day in Vegas. Either way, when I get back home, I'll put together a nice photo stream of my weekend.
As for now, I'm on my way to the MGM Grand Garden Arena for a date that's been years in the making.
I'm not sure if I'll head back to Utah tomorrow or spend another day in Vegas. Either way, when I get back home, I'll put together a nice photo stream of my weekend.
As for now, I'm on my way to the MGM Grand Garden Arena for a date that's been years in the making.
Friday, May 26, 2006
I'm a Thetan! You're a Thetan!
I went to lunch with my friend Mark in SLC today, and afterward, I didn't really have any plans. As I was driving back home, I happened to pass the Church of Scientology (as mentioned here). I figured, "What the hell!" and decided to go inside, just for kicks.
I was greeted by a lady in her late 30s named Cyndy. She asked me normal questions, such as why was I there and what interested me about Scientology. I just said I wanted to find out what was true about their beliefs and what was false. She was very polite, and we had a nice discussion.
She gave me a brief overview, answered my initial questions, and then asked if I would like to "see one of my thoughts." She took me into a small office and brought in a machine that kinda looked like a radio. It had two wires coming out of it and on the end of the wires were little metal handles. I held the handles while she asked me questions. Supposedly, the questions triggered thoughts and stress, which registered on the machine. The little needle was moving all over the place, but I didn't really feel stressed about any of the questions.
Then, after a 200-question personality test, I was shown to a room where I watched a 50-minute (!) video of L. Ron Hubbard. He was basically just using a bunch of easy language and feel-good hype, and I wasn't really interested at all.
After the video, Cyndy asked if I would like to set up an appointment to review the results of my personality test. I declined, but left with a large pile of pamphlets and papers.
Funny thing 1) Cyndy briefly showed me a graph of the results of my personality test, but wouldn't discuss anything in detail unless I agreed to set up an appointment. She was also very adamant about getting me to purchase "Dianetics."
Funny thing 2) One of the pamphlets was about finding freedom from financial burdens. On the back, there was a place to write your credit card number for more information.
If I go back again, I'm going to take someone with me.
I was greeted by a lady in her late 30s named Cyndy. She asked me normal questions, such as why was I there and what interested me about Scientology. I just said I wanted to find out what was true about their beliefs and what was false. She was very polite, and we had a nice discussion.
She gave me a brief overview, answered my initial questions, and then asked if I would like to "see one of my thoughts." She took me into a small office and brought in a machine that kinda looked like a radio. It had two wires coming out of it and on the end of the wires were little metal handles. I held the handles while she asked me questions. Supposedly, the questions triggered thoughts and stress, which registered on the machine. The little needle was moving all over the place, but I didn't really feel stressed about any of the questions.
Then, after a 200-question personality test, I was shown to a room where I watched a 50-minute (!) video of L. Ron Hubbard. He was basically just using a bunch of easy language and feel-good hype, and I wasn't really interested at all.
After the video, Cyndy asked if I would like to set up an appointment to review the results of my personality test. I declined, but left with a large pile of pamphlets and papers.
Funny thing 1) Cyndy briefly showed me a graph of the results of my personality test, but wouldn't discuss anything in detail unless I agreed to set up an appointment. She was also very adamant about getting me to purchase "Dianetics."
Funny thing 2) One of the pamphlets was about finding freedom from financial burdens. On the back, there was a place to write your credit card number for more information.
If I go back again, I'm going to take someone with me.
Thursday, May 25, 2006
Trendy-tini
Last night, I met Chad and Mike for coffee in SLC. Afterward, Chad and I went to a really cool place called the Mynt Lounge. On the outside, it's all black glass, but on the inside, everything is white. If the iPod were a lounge, it would look like this. Very hip. They specialise in martinis and mojitos, and based on the two drinks I had, they were very tasty.
Wednesday, May 24, 2006
Waiting Room
I just got back home after spending three hours at the local Ford dealership. It seems some kind of safety feature was overlooked in the manufacture of my truck, so I received a recall notification in the mail on Monday. Not a big deal, really.
Waiting areas are interesting places. Usually people have been sitting there a while and are growing impatient. During my three-hour tenure, I saw watched several different people, most of them elderly, fidget and complain and stare at the ceiling. I got lots of reading done. Also, on the television, there was a really bad reality show about a group of women who, I'm guessing, spent some time at a camp together. It was full of phrases like, "...learned to love myself," and "...became one with my sisters." It was so absurd I wanted to make sick right there in front of everyone.
Last night, my friend Ryan and I went to see Mission Impossible: 3. It was a typical action movie with situation after perilous situation. I was on the edge of my seat during the movie, but now, I probably couldn't even tell you what really happened. The best story of the night was the six or eight people camped outside the movie theatre (in actual tents) in anticipation of X-Men 3, which doesn't open until Friday. I have nothing against these people, but I could never do it, mostly because I wouldn't want to be ridiculed by passers-by calling me a pathetic loser. More power to 'em, I guess.
My goal today is to do some very thorough and much-needed cleaning around our pad. When Ryan gets home from work this afternoon, his nose will burn from the smell of clean.
Waiting areas are interesting places. Usually people have been sitting there a while and are growing impatient. During my three-hour tenure, I saw watched several different people, most of them elderly, fidget and complain and stare at the ceiling. I got lots of reading done. Also, on the television, there was a really bad reality show about a group of women who, I'm guessing, spent some time at a camp together. It was full of phrases like, "...learned to love myself," and "...became one with my sisters." It was so absurd I wanted to make sick right there in front of everyone.
Last night, my friend Ryan and I went to see Mission Impossible: 3. It was a typical action movie with situation after perilous situation. I was on the edge of my seat during the movie, but now, I probably couldn't even tell you what really happened. The best story of the night was the six or eight people camped outside the movie theatre (in actual tents) in anticipation of X-Men 3, which doesn't open until Friday. I have nothing against these people, but I could never do it, mostly because I wouldn't want to be ridiculed by passers-by calling me a pathetic loser. More power to 'em, I guess.
My goal today is to do some very thorough and much-needed cleaning around our pad. When Ryan gets home from work this afternoon, his nose will burn from the smell of clean.
Flying By
I'm off until Tuesday. Friday is a "family day" and Monday is Memorial Day. I haven't had a good chunk of time off in a while, so I decided to take leave tomorrow and Thursday to make it a six-day weekend. I don't really have any particular agenda until the weekend, but I plan on being as lazy and drunk as possible. I know Tuesday morning will be here too soon, so I need to enjoy it as much as possible.
Tuesday, May 23, 2006
A Grand Day Out
Yesterday afternoon, I went down to Sugarhouse Park. The intent was to play football with Floyd, Mikey, and a few other people, but I arrived late and then my parents called and I ended up missing the whole football thing altogether. However, I still wanted to enjoy the weather, so I went to another area of the park and layed on a blanket for a few hours.
I also brought a book called "The Curious Indcident of the Dog in the Night-Time" by Mark Haddon. It's written from the perspective of a fifteen-year-old autistic boy who is trying to find out who killed his neighbour's dog. Probably one of the most charming books I've read in a long time.
I really like Sugarhouse Park. It's nice and quiet and the trees are so green and the grass is so soft.
As I was reading, I heard some ducks quacking in the distance. I looked up to see they were waddling my way.
For a minute, I thought they were going to come lay down with me.
But they passed by.
And went to rest in the shade. I went back to my book. About thirty minutes passed, and I happened to glance up to see...
...the ducks right next to me. Freaked me out! They approached very silently, like ninja-ducks, or something. After I took their picture, they waddled away. I think they wanted some food, but all I had was gum, and I didn't think that would be very healthy for them.
This is what it looked like directly above me. I took my shirt off for most of the afternoon, and didn't wear any sunscreen because I wanted to get a little colour. This was a pretty big risk for me, as pale as I am. I ended up getting slightly pink. Not enough to sting, but enough to tingle a wee bit, which is just what I wanted.
This is what the park would have looked like if I were a worm or a snake or a bug or other really small creature.
Later in the afternoon, my friend Chad called, so we went to dinner at StoneGround, which is one of the best places to eat in SLC. On Sundays, they have all-you-can-eat salad and pizza. We gorged ourselves.
After dinner, Chad and I couldn't decide if we wanted to go to a movie or to a bar, so we went to Brewvies, which is the best of both worlds. It's a movie theatre, and in the rows of seats, there is a table and you can get beer and food and stuff. We watched Lucky Number Slevin. It was good, but not great. I'm sure the beer made it better.
All in all, it was a spectacular day. It's good to have a lazy Sunday afternoon.
I also brought a book called "The Curious Indcident of the Dog in the Night-Time" by Mark Haddon. It's written from the perspective of a fifteen-year-old autistic boy who is trying to find out who killed his neighbour's dog. Probably one of the most charming books I've read in a long time.
I really like Sugarhouse Park. It's nice and quiet and the trees are so green and the grass is so soft.
As I was reading, I heard some ducks quacking in the distance. I looked up to see they were waddling my way.
For a minute, I thought they were going to come lay down with me.
But they passed by.
And went to rest in the shade. I went back to my book. About thirty minutes passed, and I happened to glance up to see...
...the ducks right next to me. Freaked me out! They approached very silently, like ninja-ducks, or something. After I took their picture, they waddled away. I think they wanted some food, but all I had was gum, and I didn't think that would be very healthy for them.
This is what it looked like directly above me. I took my shirt off for most of the afternoon, and didn't wear any sunscreen because I wanted to get a little colour. This was a pretty big risk for me, as pale as I am. I ended up getting slightly pink. Not enough to sting, but enough to tingle a wee bit, which is just what I wanted.
This is what the park would have looked like if I were a worm or a snake or a bug or other really small creature.
Later in the afternoon, my friend Chad called, so we went to dinner at StoneGround, which is one of the best places to eat in SLC. On Sundays, they have all-you-can-eat salad and pizza. We gorged ourselves.
After dinner, Chad and I couldn't decide if we wanted to go to a movie or to a bar, so we went to Brewvies, which is the best of both worlds. It's a movie theatre, and in the rows of seats, there is a table and you can get beer and food and stuff. We watched Lucky Number Slevin. It was good, but not great. I'm sure the beer made it better.
All in all, it was a spectacular day. It's good to have a lazy Sunday afternoon.
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