Out-of-Towners

Bees vs. Sounds
Originally uploaded by currtdawg.

Last night, John, Ryan, Nick, Nick, and I went to the Bees game. They played the Nashville Sounds, and, after 11 very exciting innings, the Bees won 9-8.

John, Ryan, & Brian
Originally uploaded by currtdawg.

After the game, we went to Brian and Ryan's house. Brian's sister, Leslie, and her husband, Jeff, were visitng from Dallas for the weekend, and they were super-cool. The weather was great, and we spent most of the night socialising on the porch.

Me, John, & Jeff
Originally uploaded by currtdawg.

Leslie & Nick
Originally uploaded by currtdawg.

Nick has the funniest stories, and an amazingly low alcohol tolerance. When the two are combined, the laughter doesn't stop for hours.

Leslie, Brian, & Ryan
Originally uploaded by currtdawg.

It was a nice, mellow evening, and I consumed the perfect amount of alcohol. Thanks to Nick for driving, and, as always, thanks to Brian and Ryan for their endless hospitality.

Pieces of the People We Love

Traits I inherited from my Mom:

Her ability to forgive
Her desire to make people happy
Her compassion
Her work ethic
Her sense of style
Her love of laughter
Her belief that everything will always turn out fine in the end
Her capacity to love

Happy Mother's Day

Fit to Fight

My PT test this morning went well. Not my best score ever, but still better than average, and nothing to be ashamed of. The best part is I don't have to test for another year. Now, to celebrate, I'm going to have a weekend of gluttony and sloth. Once I covet someone's donut, I'll only have four more deadly sins to commit.

Weakling

When I got to work this morning, three different people had brought three different types of donuts. And, of course, I had to sample all three. Twice. I have no will power when it comes to food. This wouldn't be that big of a deal except I have my PT test on Friday. I'll still be so stuffed, I won't be able to do a single crunch, and my 1.5-mile run will be little more than a quick walk. Somebody get me a cattle prod!

Nothin' But A Number

Just out of curiosity, I decided to put a counter on the wax. I probably won't keep it forever. And unfortunately, it counts every visit once; not every different person that visits, which I think would be a more accurate assessment. Regardless, I'm gonna see how this thing goes. It will either be a huge ego boost, or a big disappointment, for which I'm totally not prepared. If you see the posts starting to get a little depressing, then you should probably come here more often.

Hope Is Important

Things at work have been rather volatile lately. Not in terms of drama or backstabbing (though, those types of things go on occasionally), but it's just the fact that nobody really knows what's going to happen in the next year.
For some reason, the powers that be have decided to get rid of all military personnel in support positions at Hill Air Force Base, (i.e. Civil Engineering), and replace them with civilians. And fewer civilians at that. Apparently, they believe that, due to deployments and training, one civilian can do the work of three military. They've obviously never seen government civilians on the job.
As a result, the plan is to gradually get rid of all the military in my squadron by April of '08. People will get orders, but no one will be replaced. The system that controls assignments has my position expiring on 30 January 2008, but in reality, it could be anytime.
I'm praying for an assignment to Europe. I don't care where, but my main choices are in England, Germany, and Italy. Unfortunately, we've been told the plan is to man overseas bases at 90%, and beef up stateside bases, especially Red Horse (rapid deploying) units. My first assignment at Nellis was Red Horse, and I loved it, but I'm not so sure I want to go back there yet. Regardless, I've updated my assignment preference list (aka "dream sheet") to include all my overseas assignments plus a few choice stateside bases.
On top of all that, we've been tasked to provide seven bodies for a deployment to Qatar in September. Four months in Qatar would be like a vacation, and I've repeatedly volunteered to go. However, this deployment is not in my rotation, and the chances of me going are slim to none. But I'm keeping my fingers crossed. Not only to go on this deployment, but also for a good assignment afterward.
If anything happens, you guys will be the first to know. Well, after the people in my orderly room, and me, and the guys in my shop. But after them, you guys are at the top of the list.

An Honest Mistake

Last night, a rather chaotic chain of events led me to engage in a serious non-commital make-out session. I'm not bragging. In fact, I'm kind of ashamed. I don't randomly whore around, and when stuff like this happens, I beat myself up over it for at least a week. This is my confession in the hopes I'll forgive myself a little sooner.

Stuck

Do you ever get in those moods where you're amazingly lonely and you wish someone would knock on your door, but at the same time, you kinda want to be alone and you'd rather watch bad movies than pick up the phone? Yeah, I'm there.

Red vs. Blue

Last night was the much-anticipated (around here, at least) debate between conservative talk shot host Sean Hannity and Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson. Rocky is in an interesting position. He's the very liberal mayor of a very liberal city in the most conservative state in the union. He frequently organizes and participates in anti-Bush demonstrations, and has caught a lot of flak for his views. You can see why Hannity wanted an open-forum dabate so bad.
The event, held in Kingsbury Hall on the University of Utah campus, was broadcast live on local television. I only got to see about 30 minutes, and it was predictably full of shouting and high-school-level insults. They stuck mostly on-topic (the war in Iraq), but what surprised me most was how vocal (read: rude) the audience was.
You can read about the debate here and here. If you're interested, you can watch the two hour video here.

Run For The Roses

Street Sense just won the 133rd Kentucky Derby. As a legal resident of Kentucky, I have a certain amount of pride in this event. It's easily one of the classiest contests in modern sports, made even more evident this year by Queen Elizabeth's attendance. However, even that is offset by something else happening this year. For the first time ever, the Kentucky Derby has a corporate sponsor, Yum! Brands, Inc., a Fortune 500 corporation. I expect to see advertisements in baseball stadiums, on racecars, and every 90 seconds on ESPN. But seeing a big Taco Bell billboard at Churchill Downs is just a little demeaning. Plus, I hear the Queen prefers Del Taco.

Smells Like Teen Spirit

What do you do when a coworker has a personal hygiene problem? He could be a really nice guy and a great worker, but he just needs to bathe and maybe wash his uniform from time to time. Perhaps you have to ride in a truck with him for a large portion of the day, and no matter how far you stick your head out the window (without being obvious), you still can't escape the stench, which resembles a combination of sour milk, cigarettes, and antifreeze. And everyone in the entire section might know of this problem, yet nobody will say anything, even though we all agree that if we were the culprit, we'd want to be told. Well, I, for one, would take the wussy path and just endure it until said person gets transferred to another job, say, next Monday.

Echoes

Roommate Ryan left this morning for a class in Texas combined with vacation time in Colorado. He won't be back for six weeks. I've already taken over the living room and vowed to avoid episodes of CSI at all costs. All furniture is free of stray clothing. There will be no nauseating smells of sausage or tuna in the kitchen. I will take extra-long showers with no regard of using all the hot water. I'm going to leave my laundry in the dryer until I'm damn good and ready to fold it.
Despite all this, I'm gonna give him a big hug as soon as he walks in the door.

Mad Props

More than a little inspired by McSweeney's Recommends, I've decided to make my own recurring feature here on the wax. It will be a series of plugs that, were I to receive any kind of financial compensation, would be considered shameless. However, since I'm not, these can just be considered things I really like. You can refer to them as "Mad Props."
For the inaugural run, I'm giving mad props to the new "Mint Mojito" flavour of Orbit Gum. I saw this at the supermarket the other day and, on a whim, picked up a pack. I had my first piece this morning, and, despite being a little heavy on the lime, really tastes like a mojito. Now, if they could only find a way to put some rum in there, too.

Whoo! Alright, Yeah... Uh Huh

The Rapture
Originally uploaded by currtdawg.

You know a band is gonna be awesome when they have a guy solely dedicated to playing the cow bell. Such is the case with The Rapture, the NYC-based post-dance-punk band that played SLC last night. They only played for an hour, but it was the most energetic hour of music I've heard in a long time. It was a non-stop dance, dance revolution for everyone in the entire venue.

Yummy, Head to Toe

I'll be the first to admit how excited I was when I heard Gwen Stefani was releasing a second solo album. Sure, it meant another No Doubt record would be an even longer wait, but if it was anywhere near as funky as her first, the wait would be worth it. But when "The Sweet Escape" finally dropped, it sounded kinda bland and inadequate. Repeated listenings have made it grow on me somewhat, but it's still nothing compared to "Love. Angel. Music. Baby." But did any of that mean I would miss Gwen's perfomance last night? Of course not!
In attendance were Chad, Chase, Chris, Doug, Kyle, Nick, Ryan, and me. We had lower bowl seats just to the right of the stage. The first opener was Lady Sovereign, a British, white, female rapper whose thick working-class London accent made her nearly unintelligible, but her beats were no less addictive. The second act was Akon, the R&B singer/rapper featured on the title track to Gwen's new album. I'm not familiar with Akon's work, but apparently everyone else was. He really knew how to work the crowd, and defintely had everyone excited for Gwen's arrival.

Gwen Stefani
Originally uploaded by currtdawg.

Finally, Gwen and her Harajuku Girl entourage came out singing "The Sweet Escape." That girl definitely has a commanding stage presence (and some of the nicest legs ever created by God). She drifted through the set, focusing on the second album, but throwing in songs from the first album to keep everyone interested. The middle section of the show seemed to lag a little bit due to the consecutive placement of several ballads, but just as people were starting to sit down, she'd break into "Wind It Up" or "Hollaback Girl" to get people dancing. But I don't think I stopped dancing the whole time. We even got Chase and Nick to dance, which was definitely an interesting sight. Overall, I didn't think the show itself was as impressive as last time I saw her, but the fact there were so many of us there made it more fun.
Most shows I attend are alt-rock bands in small clubs with not much going on other than the band, so whenever I see a high-production show with tons of lights and dancers and stage changes, it's nearly overwhelming. There's so much going on, it's difficult to focus on one thing, but last night, it wasn't hard to keep my eyes on Gwen. She can wind me up any day.

Stars & Stripes Forever

Grandma & Grandpa
Originally uploaded by currtdawg.

When I was in Iraq, I bought two American flags and had them flown in F-16s on actual missions. The first flag I gave to my parents, who are building a flag box to put it on display. The second I gave to my paternal grandparents.
My grandparents live in a rural area about 15 miles northwest of Evansville, Indiana. Their house is out in the woods, and looks like something out of a magazine. There's a deck that extends half-way around the house overlooking the pond, and a quaint courtyard with a gazebo. This house is the setting for so many great childhood memories for me.
When they got the flag, my Grandpa, a Captain in the US Army Air Corps in WWII, retrieved his old flagpole, which for years had sat rusted in a storage shed beneath the garage, sanded it down and repainted it. (He's totally a do-it-yourself kinda guy.) He sank the flagpole at the end of the driveway, and even installed proper lighting so it would be illuminated at night. My Dad took this picture the other day and sent it to me. Seriously brought a tear to my eye.

"It's unfortunate what we find pleasing to the touch and pleasing to the eye is seldom the same."*

Over the past few months, I've noticed a trend. My tastes are changing. Unfortunately, for most of my life, I've let society shape my opinions and preferences. Movies and magazines have led be to believe the only attractive girls are between 21 and 25, 5'10", blond, and weigh 98 lbs. But I'm finally starting to realise real women aren't like that (possibly due to my own expanding gut and increasingly wrinkled face). Not only do those physical "imperfections" not bother me anymore, I'm starting to find them attractive. There's beauty in the blemish.
Nevertheless, I still feel the need to live up to some semblance of attractiveness. I don't put a lot of stock in what others wear, but I doubt my clothing budget will decrease any. The other day, I bought a pair of $300 Prada sunglasses, but do I look any more like the model wearing them in the magazine then I did without them? Hells, no!
The gym factor is a little different. I mean, I HAVE to work out to stay in good standing at work. Still, every time I look down at my flabby gut and my noodle arms, I hate myself a little more for not spending an extra hour at the gym. Even so, nothing stops me from buying a pint of Ben & Jerry's every time I go grocery shopping. It's like a tight-wire act trying to balance living my life with meeting the standards of people I don't even know.
The other day, my Mom told me how happy she was that she'd lost 14 lbs., and I started talking to her about how I hope she's doing it for herself because she doesn't have to impress anyone because she's a great person and if someone doesn't like her if she can't fit into a particular size of jeans then blah, blah, blah... Yes, I actually lectured my Mother.
Some might say I'm just lowering my standards and expressing fears of loneliness because I'm 32 and still single, without even a hint of a potential significant other anywhere on the horizon. Does that bother me? Sometimes. But really, I think I'm still maturing and growing and learning about the fairer sex (and my own sex). It's probably not going to end anytime soon, either. I'm glad I never settled for someone who didn't meet my emotional needs just because she was hot. (Not that the hot ones were knocking down my door or anything.) I don't want to look back on my life and regret all the time I spent trying to impress people. I think I'm going to return those sunglasses.

*Fabienne, from Pulp Fiction.

McVomit

Yesterday on the plane, I finished reading Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser. The book began as a two-part article for Rolling Stone back in the late 90s, and I remember reading it and thinking, "Man, this stuff is unbelievable!" And I'd be lying if I said it didn't have some part in my becoming a vegetarian.
The book covers a wide range of topics related to the fast food industry. It begins with a history of the modern American franchise, telling the stories of Carl Karcher, founder of Carl's Jr., and Ray Kroc, who expanded the McDonalds chain. He moves onto advertising, and how fast food chains market specifically to children. There are chapters on the workforce at an average restaurant, the struggles of franchisees, the difference between natural and artificial flavoring (there isn't much), the pull of the major corporations in federal government, the effect of large livestock yards on local ranchers, and the globalization of fast food chains in Germany and China. But the most disturbing part would have to be the safety and sanitary conditions inside the meatpacking plants. I put the book down more than once to keep myself from getting nauseated.
Did you know that a single fast food burger contains meat from dozens, maybe even hundreds, of different animals? Or that the USDA cannot demand a recall of meat that has been proven to contain E. coli bacteria? (But it can consult with a company and suggest that it withdraw its meat.) Or that McDonalds franchises where there are suspected union sympathisers have been shut down without notice, only to re-open with an entirely new staff? Or that every year, more than one-quarter of the meatpacking workers in this country--roughly forty thousand men and women--suffer an injury or work-related illness that requires medical attention beyond first aid, with thousands more going unrecorded due to pressure from supervisors to keep the disassembly line moving quickly?
The book has been compared to The Jungle by Upton Sinclair, and with good reason. It's definitely a wake-up call. Reading the entire book only cemented my position to no longer eat meat, and has made me reconsider the urge to grab an order of fries from McDonalds or a bean burrito from Taco Bell. I don't normally read non-fiction, but this is an important book that I recommend to anyone who pulls into a drive through on a regular basis.

Swat Team

There were bugs. Lots and lots of bugs. My arms look like I have a case of the measels or something.
But I should start from the beginning. As I mentioned, I was in Florida for the past week participating in an Air Force exercise known as "Silver Flag." It's for airmen in more support-oriented skills (i.e. civil engineering, services, communications, etc.) to help prepare for war-time taskings. I've been dreading this trip ever since I found out I was going, but it really wasn't too bad.
We stayed in cabins that looked like something out of an 80s teen horror flick. We spent the first four days in class, getting refresher training on our contingency assets. Thursday was an all-day exercise that went surprisingly well. We only spent an hour in our gas masks, and each exercise input went off without a hitch. The instructors had high marks all around for our class, which made us all very happy.
Class each day only lasted from 7 AM to 4 PM. We weren't allowed to leave the site, so there was lots of card-playing and reading. Plus, I got at least nine hours of sleep each night. I ate nothing but MREs all week, meaning I probably won't poop for at least a month. The weather was gorgeous the whole time, except for a quick thunderstorm Thursday night, which ended up being a blessing because it forced an early end to the exercise.
But here's where my story gets a little hard-to-swallow. I didn't take a single picture the whole time. I had my camera in my bag, but failed to take it out even once. I know, I know... This isn't like me at all, but for some reason, the whole thing just slipped my mind. I know I promised pictures, and I apoligise; but honestly, there wasn't much to see. There were lots of tall pine trees, and me in uniform. And, of course, the bugs. That's about it.
Anyway, I'm home now, and I'm so glad to be taking a shower by myself and sleeping in my own bed tonight. Both of which I'm going to do right now.

Even As I Left...

I leave for Florida tomorrow at 7 AM, and tonight, besides packing, I'll be going to Ryan's birthday party at Brian's house. It's probably going to be an all-nighter. Even if the party isn't, the packing will be. I won't be able to post while I'm there, but I'll have my camera, so there will be lots of pictures by next Sunday.
To keep everyone entertained until then, there's this:
UPDATE: Sorry, but every time I went to my blog, that damn video would start. If you'd like to see it, you can go here. Thanks for your understanding.
I like Will Ferrell okay, but I like him a lot when he's more subdued (a la Stranger Than Fiction). He's great here with that white-man's-afro thing going on. And that little girl is priceless!
See ya in a week...

The Whites of Their Eyes

Jazz vs. Rockets
Originally uploaded by currtdawg.

Have you ever sat so close at an NBA game that you had to look up to see the rim? Thanks to Ryan, I got to last night. It was amazing.
The Jazz played the Houston Rockets in what was the last game of the regular season. (Both teams will play each other again on Friday in Houston for the first round of the play-offs.) Utah had a rough go in the first quarter, down by as much as 14. But, as usual, they came back and took the lead just before half-time, and kept it for the rest of the game. The final score was 101-91.

Yao Ming
Originally uploaded by currtdawg.

One of the cool things about this game was getting to see Yao Ming in person. It's one thing for an NBA player to be taller than a normal person, but when he towers over the other players, that's saying something. He's hard to make out in this picture because he's standing toward the back, but trust me--he's REALLY tall. Unfortunately, he didn't play at all last night, most likely to rest up for Friday's game.

Jeremy & Me
Originally uploaded by currtdawg.

Ryan had to leave at half-time to pick John up from the airport, but luckily, I ran into some people from my squadron who passed the extra ticket off to each other during the second half.

Tasha, Ryan, Jeremy, Jason, & Nicole
Originally uploaded by currtdawg.

After the game, they somehow persuaded me to join them for a few drinks and a game of pool at Port O' Call. We were all at different levels of sobriety, with Nicole and I being the most sober since we were both driving. But I should note that those Readiness folks know how to party. It was a nice social time, despite my lack of pool skills, and I'm glad I joined them.

The Sunshine State

I leave Saturday for Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida for a week. It sounds like it would be a nice break from the freakish weather we've had lately (68 yesterday, snow today!), but it's going to be more of an inconvenience than anything. I'm going to be participating in a military exercise called "Silver Flag," which is basically training people in my squadron how to perform contingency (wartime) operations. It's not like I didn't just get back from four months in Iraq or anything. Regardless, this is required of CE troops every two years, but I've somehow managed to avoid it for my entire ten-year career. Maybe that's why I'm dreading it so much. But people I talk to that have been before say it's not too bad, and might even be kinda fun. I sure hope so.

The Devil's Playground

I've been kinda bored the past couple nights. In order to save money, my trips to SLC and other social events have been ebbing, which is good; but the consequence is nights at home with not much to do. I don't watch much television, so I spend hours on the internet, chatting with friends and watching funny videos. Renting movies and reading are nice, but I still feel so unindustrious, even after I've been to the gym. I wish I had a passion for hiking like I do for boarding. In the winter, I can hardly wait to get out of bed and hit the slopes. And even now, it would be so easy to drive a couple miles to a trail head and hike around for a few hours before dark. I just need a little motivation. Anyone looking for an evening hiking buddy?

Dumbfounded

I'm sure you've all heard about today's tragedy at Virginia Tech. It's occurance right on the heels of the Trolley Square shooting is even more shocking. I doubt anyone will ever know what was going through the minds of these gunmen when they commited these acts. Were they teased as children? Were they not loved as adults? Did they have some kind of personal vendetta? Was there simply a chemical imbalance in their brains?
All I know is this just calls us to love others, and ourselves, unconditionally. For the victims, their families, and future potential criminals. It's all we can do.

Recovery

Paul
Originally uploaded by currtdawg.

Despite last night's indulgence, I didn't feel too bad this morning. After coming home and cleaning up, I headed to SLC to have brunch with Paul. Afterward, we walked to Liberty Park to feed the ducks.

Paul
Originally uploaded by currtdawg.

Liberty Park
Originally uploaded by currtdawg.

April weather in Utah is so unpredictable, and this week has been extremely so. But today turned out to be sunny and warm with a nice cool breeze. It was a great day for the park and there were lots of people out. Everything is turning bright green, and you can smell spring in the air. It almost makes me forget I won't be snowboarding anymore this season. Almost.

Drink. Drank. Drunk

Sarah & Me
Originally uploaded by currtdawg.

If you're looking for a visual representation of how drunk I got last night, then this is it. Yes, I'm wearing a bikini top over my shirt. Even sadder is that it went downhill from there.
Chase threw himself a birthday party at his house last night, and I went with the intention of having a drink or two. But somewhere along in the evening, I lost control of the mechanism that tells me I've had enough.

Bottles
Originally uploaded by currtdawg.

The evening is a blur, but I'm sure there was drunken texting and drink-n-dialing. It all culminated in me doing my Linda Blair impression in Chase's shrubbery. I should have known better early on when Chase and I did a Jager shot and it didn't sit too well. But I just kept on going. I haven't had an evening like this since Cinco de Mayo (also mentioned here). And I hope not to have any more ever again.

Less Is More

Last night, Chad and I went shopping in Sugarhouse. There are lots of independent and locally-owned shops in the area, and we spent the bulk of the evening in a store called Spark. They have some really cool stuff, and Chad was eager to try on nearly everything in the store. I found a pair of jeans that were normally $120, but on sale for $60. I tried them on, and they fit great. But there was a big design on the back pockets, and they seemed like just a bit much. Yes, you heard it here. I passed up a great pair of jeans that were 50% off. Shocking!
I think I'm going through some kind of minimalist phase or something. I went through my closet and removed tons of stuff I haven't worn in forever, most of it being pretty fashion-forward or trendy at the time of purchase. When I lived in Japan, I liked taking risks in what I wore (Anyone remember the flowery pants or the Captain Kirk shirt?), mostly because I had the money and the attitude to pull it off, and if something looked really bad, my friends would let me know. But lately, I find myself (d)evolving into more of a jeans-and-t-shirt kinda guy. As I've heard in the Air Force, remember KISS. Keep It Simple, Stupid.

One Up

Conversation on Easter at Caleb's house:

Sarah: Have you been outside a lot lately?
Me: Yeah, I helped a buddy sod his lawn yesterday.
Sarah: Well, you look really tan.
Me: Thanks. That's the best compliment I've gotten all day.
Caleb: Gee, Curtis, you're looking very bulgey down there.
Me: Ooh, sorry, Sarah. We have a new winner.
Sarah: Dang!

Number 2 on side, no touch-y top!

James & Me
Originally uploaded by currtdawg.

I've known James Murphy for about six years. He lived in Japan while I was over there, as his parents were high school teachers on base. We did lots of onsening, had the annual "Celebration of Life" (hands), and I was even present for his first taste of alcohol at Paddy's ("Hot damn!"). Unfortunately, I haven't seen him in over three years. Luckily, he's on a road trip from San Antonio, Texas to Bend, Oregon, and stopped here in Utah last night.
James has accumulated some very interesting stories over the past few years, and we had a great time catching up. We had dinner and did a short sight-seeing tour of Salt Lake City before heading home to get some much-needed sleep. It was a great night, and I pray for his safe journey. Take care, man.

Snowballs

Franklin Covey Field
Originally uploaded by currtdawg.

Scott's company gets season tickets each year for the Salt Lake Bees for employees to use. He got a hold of some seats for last night's game and asked me to go. Also in attendance were his friends Jodie and Charles, who were super cool.
Little did we know the temperature would drop drastically yesterday. By game time, it was in the low-40s and very windy. Regardless, we huddled together and watched as the Bees defeated the Tucson Sidewinders, 7-2, which was surprising since Tucson beat Salt Lake 10-2 the night before. I don't think I've been to a game yet where the Bees haven't won. Maybe they should be paying me to come.

Linguistics

I don't know if this has to do with anything at all, but I used the word yarmulke twice today in two separate, unrelated conversations. Weird.

Apostles of Peace

I'm not Catholic, but from time to time, I like to listen to what the Pope has to say. Pope Benedict XVI hasn't impressed me as much as his predecesor, Pope John Paul II, mostly because he's more conservative and lacks a world view for his ministry. But I just read his "Urbi et Orbi" (To the City and to the World) Easter address, and appreciated how he focused on such crucial issues. He spoke of all the pain, suffering, and death of innocent people, endless violence, social injustices, and how the world is so wounded right now. He even went as far as mentioning Darfur, Afghanistan, Zimbabwe, Lebanon, and Iraq. But thankfully, he didn't stop there. He ended his speech with an attitude of hope and faith in Christ. It's so easy to be overwhelmed with the messes we've made and give up. But as long as there's hope, there's a solution. And there's ALWAYS hope.

Busy Bee

Josh & Drew
Originally uploaded by currtdawg.

I love projects. I love helping people out with moving, yard work, home improvements, and the like. Today was a double whammy. This morning, I helped Drew sod his lawn. I'd never laid sod before, but it went pretty quickly, and looked great after we were done in the mid-afternoon.

Paul
Originally uploaded by currtdawg.

After leaving Drew's house, I immediately went to help Paul move into his new place. He's moving into the same house in which John and Kyle live. Tall Nick is going to take the other apartment, which means I'll have four good friends living in the same house. How cool is that?
After moving Paul in, we all went to dinner, then to John's place for a few drinks. But I was so exhausted from my work day, I came home. I didn't go out or do any major drinking this weekend, but I feel it's the most productive I've been outside of work in a long time.

Season Opener

Salt Lake Bees
Originally uploaded by currtdawg.

Last night was opening night for the Salt Lake Bees, and we knew we wouldn't miss it. Kyle and I drove down from Layton and met John, Ryan, Scott, Paul, and Jeremiah at the ball park. It was the biggest crowd I've ever seen at a Bees game.

Scott & Me
Originally uploaded by currtdawg.

I think one reason the crowd was so big was because, in addition to it being opening night, it was also Thirsty Thursday, when beer is supposedly 50% off. What they don't tell you is that they use smaller cups.

Kyle & Me
Originally uploaded by currtdawg.

But since I was driving, it didn't bother me too bad. Kyle, however, got nicely toasted, and was quite humorous on the drive home.
As for the game, the Bees played the Las Vegas 51s. The score was tied at 3 for most of the game, but then, at the bottom of the ninth, Nick Gorneault doubled home Kendry Morales to win the game. It was a very exciting finish, and made for a great night. And you can bet we'll be hitting up many more games this summer.

The Censorship Is Sinking

I know I post clips from The Daily Show from time to time, but it really is a good program, and if I ever got the chance to watch television, I'm sure it would be at the top of my list. Thankfully, it's not difficult to find clips online. This is another brilliant one, which again proves why The Daily Show is still relevant.

Hand In Hand

My system of spiritual beliefs has been evolving for a very long time, and whenever I read something that reaffirms my beliefs while also expanding my thought process, I get excited. There's this guy named Francis Collins, a geneticist who helps lead the Human Genome Project, AND he's a Christian. Check out his profile here and a great essay written by him here. Interesting and thought-provoking stuff.

Ironic, Indeed!

The pinnacle of musical satire:

This mockery of the most annoyingly catchy song of the past five years is great. I never knew Alanis had it in her.

Blackbeard's CD Collection

From time to time, people ask me if they can copy music from my iPod or if I can burn an album for them. When I deny their request, they look at me as if I've just run over their blind grandmother. And then shot her. In the back. With a shotgun.
You see, there are some laws I'm willing to break (i.e. driving 58 mph in a 55 zone), and some laws I'm reluctant to ignore (i.e. snorting heroin off a prostitute's stomach in any State except Nevada, where such behavior is practiced by even the clergy). The issue of music piracy would fall into the latter category.
Most people argue that the bulk of money spent on albums goes to record executives, advertising, packaging, manufacturing, etc., with very little of it going to the actual artist. And that's probably true. But I'm sure the people working in those other fields work hard at what they do, and who am I to take money from their pockets?
If I were a professional musician, I'd most likely put all my music on my website for anyone to download for free. Sure, I'd release actual albums, as well, but if I, as an artist, were desperate to get my music out to everyone, I wouldn't want anyone to have to pay for it. Instead, I'd spend my time touring, which is where most artists make their money anyway.
So next time you want me to burn the new Modest Mouse album for you and I refuse, don't be all, "What? You won't break the law for me?" But if you ask nicely, I might just loan you the $15 to go to your local independent music retailer and buy it.

An Added Bonus

Powder Mountain
Originally uploaded by currtdawg.

Just when I think the snowboarding season is going to be over, we get a storm and a cold front, which makes me very happy. The clouds parted Thursday morning to reveal mountains capped with a fresh coat of snow.

Ken
Originally uploaded by currtdawg.

Ken and I headed up to Powder Mountain yesterday morning. They got 13 inches of snow last week. It got a little warm on Friday and Saturday, which made the snow a little crusty, but never icy.

Powder Mountain Ghosts
Originally uploaded by currtdawg.

All day long, there were dark clouds swirling around the mountain like big, gray vultures. It snowed on us a few times, but it just made the conditions even better.

Twisty Tree
Originally uploaded by currtdawg.

Eating Snow
Originally uploaded by currtdawg.

One of the great things about fresh snow is how good it is to eat. I think I spent as much time with my face in the powder as I did riding it.
Extra special thanks to Amy for giving me some passes she wasn't using. I owe you big time, Moyes!

Birthday Toast

Me & Doug
Originally uploaded by currtdawg.

Today is Doug's 28th birthday, so last night, I joined him and a few friends at the club on base for a drink. It was a fun, mellow evening, full of good conversation and laughs.

Danielle & Britney
Originally uploaded by currtdawg.

I hadn't seen Britney in a while, either, and we had some very interesting conversations about various topics related to Doug and his birthday wishes. I met lots of new people like Danielle and Donna, who was interesting in her own right.
I don't see Doug outside of work much, and it was nice to relax and enjoy the occasion with him. Happy birthday, man!

Dancin' Machines

Becky & Me
Originally uploaded by currtdawg.

Last night, Kristen had a party at her house because Dan, her fiance, was in from Montana. After my extra-long work day, I finally made it there around 8-ish. None of us had ever met Dan before, and he was a pretty cool guy. After playing a few games, the night ended up becoming a big dance party, despite the fact only five of us were present. We danced...

Kristen, Becky, & Me
Originally uploaded by currtdawg.

...and danced...

Kristen, Drew, Becky, & Me
Originally uploaded by currtdawg.

...and danced...

Becky, Me, & Kristen
Originally uploaded by currtdawg.

...and danced some more!

Kristen & Me
Originally uploaded by currtdawg.

It looks like we're singing "Your the One That I Want," but I think it was actually Lauryn Hill. Kristen is a riot.

Kristen & Becky
Originally uploaded by currtdawg.

I don't even know what was going on here, but none of the guys were complaining.

Me, Dan, & Drew
Originally uploaded by currtdawg.

It was good to finally meet Dan, after all we'd heard about him. He didn't dance, and was a bit camera shy, so this is about the only picture I got of him. Kristen is on spring break next week, so they're going to head back to Montana to hang out. Have a safe trip, you guys.

This Devil's Workday

At about 3:30 PM this afternoon, I had gotten back to the shop. I'd finished all the work I had for the day, and was counting down the minutes until I could leave. Everyone else had already left, and I was just waiting for the swing shift guys to show up. I was checking my e-mail when the phone rang. My instincts told me not to answer it, but, for some reason, I did anyway. This nice man on the other end of the line told me the wing commander's basement had flooded, and it was my job to fix it. Luckily, Gabe, one of the swing shift guys, walked in, and we headed out there. Apparently, it was a pretty high-profile job because all these important people showed up, including my commander. Anyway, to make a long story short, we worked for two hours, covering ourselves in pee-water, but finally got the basement drained. I felt good afterward, but now I'm going to be late getting out to Tooele for a party at Kristen's house. I hope she understands. And if not, I have a very smelly uniform that will change her mind.

The LT Road

Ken, Mike, & Me
Originally uploaded by currtdawg.

Mike Bulyk, my former troop, is in town this week. He used to be active duty, but is now in school to pursue a career as a commissioned officer in the Air Force. He's majoring in Russian at the University of Illinois at Chicago, but this week, he's on spring break, and decided to make the 18-hour drive to Utah to hang out with his old friends. Last night, Ken and Monica had us all over for a barbecue, and it was super fun.

Emma & Me
Originally uploaded by currtdawg.

Ken and Monica's children, Emma and Spencer, are a riot and amazingly adorable. They're so much fun to play with.

Brian & Emma
Originally uploaded by currtdawg.

They also have a Wii, which I've never played, and, due to moderate alcohol consumption, still didn't play last night. But it sure looked fun. Almost as fun as all the drink-n-dialing I did. But that's another story.

Me & Ken
Originally uploaded by currtdawg.

Ken and his evil peer-pressuring ways managed to get me to smoke a clove with him. It might have had something to do with the Makers Mark that flowed so freely. But I have to admit I enjoyed it quite a bit.

Spencer, Me, & Emma
Originally uploaded by currtdawg.

It was great to see Mike again, and also great to hang out at Ken and Monica's. I should seriously go over there more often. I didn't leave until nearly 2 AM.
Mike is leaving tomorrow morning to head back to Chicago. Have a safe trip, man. I look forward to one day saluting you.

We've Got Everything

Friday afternoon, I called Kyle, who needed some serious cheering-up. I know when I'm down, the best remedy is to go shopping. I suggested we go to the outlet mall in Park City. Kyle was up for it, and glad to be getting out of his house. The only place I really wanted to go was the Polo outlet to pick up a sweatshirt, but I ended up leaving with much, much more. To make room for the new stuff, I cleaned out my closet and now have several bags of clothing to take to the base thrift shop.
Sometimes I disgust myself with the amount of money I spend on ridiculous shit. And not just clothing. There are songs on my iPod I've never heard. Books on my shelf I'll never read. DVDs I'll never watch. Bottled water in my refrigerator. Nine different bottles of cologne on my dresser. Going out to eat when I have food at home. Stereo equipment sitting in a box on my floor that hasn't been used in over a year. And I won't even get into the amount of money I've spent on alcohol.
I rationalise everything by saying, "It's only money. I'll make more. And you only live once." It's shameful how selfish I am. I afford myself too many luxuries. I go through phases where I tell myself that it must stop. Sadly, the pendulum will swing in the opposite direction very soon.

Frigid Air

When I left for work this morning, it was about 60 degrees outside. But by the afternoon, some very dark clouds had rolled in and the temperature dropped drastically. We're supposed to receive between three and seven inches of snow tonight and tomorrow, with even more in the mountains. I'd be lying if I said this didn't excite me somewhat.

Brain Drain

Well, I tested this morning. I don't really know what to think. Sometimes when I think I did good, my score is pathetic; and then, when I think I did horrible, my scores aren't that bad. So, who knows? I guess we'll find out in June.

I Fought In A War

I just watched Why We Fight, a 2005 documentary directed by Eugene Jarecki about the rise of the military-industrial complex and how it's gotten so out of hand over the past 50 years. It discusses the role of congress and think-tanks, and how money and manipulation are so integrated into our foreign policy. It left me feeling a little overwhelmed and hopeless, but I think it's an important film every taxpayer should see. And if you're feeling really ambitious, check out The Fog of War, which consists of interviews with former Secretary of Defence Robert S. McNamara. Both films will definitely make you think.

Hoops

Jazz vs. Grizzlies
Originally uploaded by currtdawg.

Doug's cousin has season tickets to the Jazz, but wasn't using her tickets to Saturday night's game, so she gave them to Doug, who, in turn, gave them to Chris and me. They were mid-court, and for upper bowl seats, you really couldn't get any better.

Chris & Me
Originally uploaded by currtdawg.

They played the Memphis Grizzlies. The first half was pretty exciting, but during the second half, the Jazz pulled away and eventually won, 118-108. Watching sports live is so much better than on television. Thanks, again, for the tickets, Doug.

Unexpected Delights

Club
Originally uploaded by currtdawg.

Why is it that when I'm planning on going out and having a big night of dancing and socialising, it's sometimes a let-down; but when I'm planning on having a chill night at home and get a random call from friends to go out, I end up having a blast? Such was the case last night when I got a call from Doug around 7 asking me to meet everyone at Fiddler's Elbow for dinner. After dinner and a short break at Doug's house, we went to the club and had a great time. There was even a swell after-party at Mikey and Floyd's where the dancing continued until 4 AM. Yeah, I definitely slept in this morning.

Do it, Mini-Jon!

This is one of the reasons the Daily Show is still relevant, and why they should hire Demetri Martin as a full-time correspondent:

Watch it while you still can!

Graduation Day

Adam, Brian, Ken, Me, & Sam
Originally uploaded by currtdawg.

Last night, I went to Ken's Airman Leadership School graduation ceremony. We had a good representation from our shop there. Normally, these things are so full of protocol and military crap that it sucks the fun right out of it. But last night, we ended up having a pretty good time.

Michelle & Monique
Originally uploaded by currtdawg.

Monique was also in Ken's class. She and Michelle are supply troops who were in the desert with us. They're both a total riot, and they might possibly be giving the sign for the shocker.

Ken & Monica
Originally uploaded by currtdawg.

And, as always, it was a delight to see Monica again. She and Ken totally crack me up. They make me want to be married.
Congratulations, Ken. You're gonna make a great Staff Sergeant!

Late in the Game

Powder Mountain
Originally uploaded by currtdawg.

Spring has arrived a little early in Utah, and since I missed the first two months of winter, I almost feel as though I was cheated out of a proper snowboarding season. On top of that, I had a few day passes to Powder Mountain I wasn't sure I'd be able to use. Luckily, Jonathan and I headed up there yesterday to get in some last minute boarding.

Jonathan
Originally uploaded by currtdawg.

Luckily, the snow was surpringly good. It was slushy in parts, but never icy. The only disappointment was that the lower half of the mountain was closed. But that still left plenty of room for us to have some fun.

Powder Mountain
Originally uploaded by currtdawg.

Most people are enjoying the warmer temperatures, but as a boarder, I could seriously handle another snow storm or five. This hasn't been a great year for snow in Utah, but I can't complain. It's more boarding than I ever got to do growing up in Kentucky. The forecast for the next week looks to be more blue skies, and it will be nice to ride around with my windows down. I overheard one of the lift workers yesterday saying they'll probably be closing around the first of April. But all hope is not lost. A couple years ago, we had a blizzard in May. I have faith that it could totally happen again.

My Heart's Aflame

TV on the Radio
Originally uploaded by currtdawg.

Some bands play music made up of so many different genres, it's hard to define their sound. TV on the Radio is one of these bands. They played SLC last night to support their second LP, "Return to Cookie Mountain" (which appeared at the top of several best-of-2006 lists). It's a challenging and almost overwhelming album of so many textures and layers, you can't help but listen to it time and time again.
The opening band was Subtle, but we missed their entire set because we were waiting in line at the bar. We got back near the stage just before TVOTR came out, blaring their avant-garde tunes. The band was very animated and kept the crowd jazzed for the entire show. Unfortunately, the entire show only lasted about 90 minutes. Regardless, these guys will one day be legends, and it was great to get to see them live.

Cram Session

I test for Tech (again) on Monday, and my shop has given me the rest of the week off to study. But studying for promotion isn't something you can do in a week. It takes months and months to prepare for those tests, something I haven't done. And, again, when I don't make it, I'll kick myself for not studying. But right now, I have other priorities. The weather is getting warm, the snow is melting, and I still have some passes to Powder Mountain that need to be used.