Zoo Be Zoo Be Zoo

Review: "Christmas" by Michael Bublé

2011-11-11T12:38:00.000-08:00

Okay, I'm back. Sorry about that.

It's nearly December, thought it's felt like December since I started back at BYU in September, mostly because I've been rehearsing White Christmas since the second week of school.

With December comes Christmas, comes Christmas Music. If you've been a regular reader of my blog, you've noticed that I really like Christmas Music. I decided this year, I would review new Christmas Albums and songs, because I think that you should all know what I think. Mine is an important opinion.

I'm starting early, though not as early as my first album was released. Michael Bublé released his newest album, Christmas on October 21, 2011. That is a full two months before the big day. It's sold successfully, currently holding the 8th slot on the Billboard 200, dropping from the 3rd slot it held last night. It's at the top of the Jazz Charts, 2nd on the Canadian charts and 2nd on the Holiday charts (the 1st slot is currently held by...Bieber...BIEBER!!!!!) It's had a successful release and it will most likely enjoy a pleasant boost in sales as we get closer to Christmas.

What do I think of it? Here is my track-by-track review:

1. It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas:

This is, I think the second strongest track on the album. It's exactly what I'm looking for when I turn on any Michael Bublé album. It's a very nostalgic track, that will remind you of some the classic Christmas records recorded by Bing Crosby or Nat King Cole. It's a great album opener. The strings are nice too.

2. Santa Claus Is Coming to Town

I like Big Band, and I like Big Band Christmas. This driving recording is a welcome addition to my regular Christmas listening. It's spunky,and the horns sound great. In my mind, it's a fun production number from some big gay Christmas musical.

3. Jingle Bells (Feat. The Puppini Sisters)

Another reminiscent track featuring the Andrews-Sisters-esque Puppini Sisters. I like the girls a lot. I just have a problem with the first twenty seconds of the song. Michael wishes the sisters a Merry Christmas: "Merry Christmas Ladies." They respond, "Merry Christmas Mister Bublé!" in a strange chorus-girl fashion. It doesn't sound right to me. Picky, I know. I like the rest of the track after that.

4. White Christmas (Duet with Shania Twain)

I have big problems with this track. I'm pretty sure it's sampling the actual Drifter's recording of White Christmas. It's lame. Michael and Shania sound great, but it's unoriginal, and it's nowhere as good as the original recording.

5. All I Want fo Christmas Is You

This track is a hard one for me too. There is only one version of this song in my opinion and that is Mariah Carey's. Whenever I hear another version of the song, I just think of hers. Also, I find Michael's voice be very produced on this track.

6. Holly Jolly Christmas

After that brief rough patch, we get a short and sweet recording of Holly Jolly Christmas. I don't have much to say about this track. It's pleasant.

7. Santa Baby

All I can think of when I listen to this recording is Michael Bublé in nothing but garters, stockings, a skimpy piece of lingerie, stripper heels, and a santa hat. He lies patiently with a slightly hungry smirk on one side of his face, the room carefully lit by the fire and the lights on the tree. This is not the image I want to see when I listen to Santa Baby.

8. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

A lovely recording of one of my top 5 favorite Christmas songs. It's not super memorable, but it's a beautiful recording and a great arrangement.

9. Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)

Another cover of a 1960's Christmas Hit. It's a fun track, but it doesn't stray to far away from the original recording. Also, it's not really a sound that I'm looking for when I turn on Michael Bublé. It's a song I would skip when I pops up on the shuffle.

10. Silent Night

Michael Buble + Children's Choir + Beloved Religious Christmas Hymn = Beautiful song that your Mom listens to in the Car. Also, the horn intro doesn't fit.

11. Blue Christmas

Of all the covers of well-known Christmas songs that Michael Bublé has on this album, this is the strongest one. It makes me thing that he has had a little to much to drink from a jug marked with a "XXX." Mostly because he is just sad. I really do like this recording, especially the instrumental break.

12. Cold December Night

Not my favorite song. His voice sounds produced again. I don't like that sound a lot. Also, he harmonizes with himself. The sound is peppy and I like the poppy arrangement, but not what I'm looking for. I admit however, it's catchy.

13. I'll Be Home for Christmas

Top three favorite christmas songs ever. How is Michael's recording? Great. The gentle guitar combined with the warmth of Michael's voice sucks you straight into this fairly simple Jazz Ballad. I'd be comfortable putting this on my Annual Christmas CD.

14. Ave Maria

Meh. I've heard better.

15. Mis Deseos / Feliz Navidad (Duet With Thalia)

I really only like the José Feliciano of Feliz Navidad, but I really like Thalia. I could listen to her sing Mis Deseos all day, though I'm not crazy about Michael's Spanish in Mis Deseos. Interesting that this is the final track of the Album.

The final word: It an album that get's confused in some places. It has many really wonderful tracks, though only a few are truly memorable. It makes you nostalgic, almost to the point where you stop listening to MIchael Bublé and you turn on Frank Sinatra's christmas album. It's a solid album that any Michael Bublé fan would like. I'm sure it will make regular appearances at many of this season's Christmas parties.

Grade: B-

Favorite Track: I'll Be Home for Christmas.

Planking

2011-10-05T12:23:00.000-07:00

This post may be out of date, but I just felt the need to express my opinion on the subject of planking and owling.

Just so everyone knows, planking is way better than owling.

Just compare these pictures:

VS.

I think planking is just inherently more funny and more clever. So there.

Christmas Music

2010-11-24T00:07:00.000-08:00

Hey there everyone!

I'm back after another long hiatus. It wasn't intentional, but it happened, I guess. So without further ado, let my blogging begin again!

This is a short little entry, mostly looking for feedback from you, the reader! You may see something similar on my facebook, but that is only to make sure I get as many responses as possible.

I love Christmas music, and the time has come again to listen to it non-stop. I have a pretty hefty collection of Christmas music, but I love to add to that collection. So, I'm sort of curious as to what your favorite Christmas music is.

If I had to pick a some of my favorite songs (off the top of my head), I might mention these ones pretty quick:

The Christmas Song - Nat King Cole
This is my favorite recording of this Christmas Classic. I get chills right off the bat with those perfect opening chords.

Why Can't It Be Christmastime All year - Rosie Thomas
This is song is fun. I discovered it last year (A free download! Amazing!) and I haven't forgotten it. I think you'll like it.

What Are You Doing New Years Eve? - Lena Horne
This song is in my top three favorite Christmas songs. This a fairly new recording for me, but it's a great one. I could listen to Lena Horne for days at a time, so couple her with one of my favorite songs and you've got a winner!

This is in no way, no way at all, a comprehensive list. Just three little songs I like. Well, I'm curious to know this:

What is your favorite Christmas Song?

My Keeeeyboardddd seems like it's brookennnn...

2010-08-14T00:04:00.000-07:00

Will somebody enlighten me? I don't understand something. When I am on Facebook, just perusing the days status updates, sometime I come across updates or comments that look a little like this:

"OMG!!! I really love to eatttttttttttt."

or

"foreverrrrrrr....."

or

"sweet lovinnnnnn"

Why? Is their keyboard broken, or do they really want me to say, "eat-t-t-t-t-t-t-t-t-t-t-t?" Can anyone please explain this to me? Am I alone here? Please tell me I'm not the only one who sees this. I would just like to get a reasoning behind it!

Air Conditioning

2010-08-10T10:37:00.000-07:00

Just a few words about the fabulous wonder known as Air Conditioning.

In our house (Tyler, Danniey, Calvin, and me), we have had a struggle with the air conditioner. We felt that it was not working properly. And by 'felt,' I mean we 'felt' the sweat drip down our backs while watching television, or one us would occasionally stoke off for a moment or two due to the heat. Some of us would argue that it just wasn't working up to it's fullest capacity; the A/C was cooling the air, but not well enough. Other believed that it was just plain broken, and that the air was not being cooled at all.

I was in the former party, and though it wounds my pride to admit it, I was wrong. In fact I was completely wrong. After having the A/C professionals visit the house, I was informed that the unit was built in 1978, and the compressor was broken, and refrigerant was very low, and that by running the A/C, we we're actually making the house hotter, than if we just ran the fan. I was wrong, and to the people belonging to the latter party, I stand corrected.

Well the Air Conditioner was replaced, and life is moving along swimmingly. It is amazing how much a good air conditioner can do for a person, or an entire household. Incredible inventions! I wonder how we even got through our summers before having a working air conditioner! Three Cheers! Hip hip hooray! Hip hip hooray! Hip hip hooray!

El Pistolero

2010-07-22T13:42:00.000-07:00

A little preface for this post:

At work, we have a Monthly Update Meeting to discuss metrics, performance, announcements, games, food, jokes, laughter, etc. They are really a lot of fun, and each one is specifically themed. This month, the theme was Super Heroes, and we had a Super Hero Essay Writing Contest.

We were supposed to think of a time that we we're a super hero for one of our customers. So, for some reason I wanted to write a story about a super-hero in Mexico.. I was inspired by movies like "The Three Amigos," "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly," and other westerns that I've enjoyed.

So I wrote about a common issue that customers will call in with. There are two different versions of the search page on the website, and some of our customer really love the Old Search. Occasionally, after their browser updates or something, the New Search page will load by default, and some of our customers get very frightened by it. So I decided I would write my story about those experiences. Also note, there are a lot of work specific inside jokes in this essay. Here it is (to be read with a classic Mexican accent):

Some might say that super-hero-ing should be a public service, and any viewpoint to the contrary is just selfish. To those people, I say simply, you’re wrong.

I wasn’t born rich like that pretty-boy Bruce Wayne, and I didn’t come from outer space with crazy super powers like that over grown boy-scout Superman. I was born poor, raised poor, and I’ll probably die poor. But I was born with skills, like 30 or 50 or 51 or 52 skills, something like that. However, my greatest skill? My way with a pistol. Nobody wields a pair of six-shooters against the forces of evil like I do.

I make my living in the arid Sonoran desert of Mexico. The way I see it, I should be getting paid for my ‘public service.’ I mean they are lucky to even have me as option. Unfortunately, this is not case everywhere. Believe me. I tried to make it in Geneapolis, but anytime I finally made a sale, people would cancel on me and go with Captain FamilySearch! That guy? I mean, sure, he can do some of what I do, but there is a reason I charge the fee! You can’t get skills like mine anywhere else.

So, I moved back to my home, and I took a new name: The champion of liberty, the defender of truth, El Pistolero!

So there I was, in my not-so-secret lair (the Burrito and Sons taco truck on the corner) selling my tacos (crime fighting doesn’t pay all my bills), when I saw a little señorita and her hijo, approaching the truck. The little boy has a single tear in his eye when he said, “¡Ayùdanos! Help us Pistolero! Our village is under some sort of weird spell. We went to our beds one night, and in the morning when we arose, we found the town completely changed! We don’t know how to do anything!”

“¡Si! ¡Si!” cried the señorita, “For example, I used to be able to go to our villages library and I knew right were we kept our special town census records. And now I have to go into the library, go open another door, go through another door, then fill out some paperwork, and then I get my records. It is all so new; I cannot learn how to do it. We hate it! We hate this new village! We need your help!”

“Well Señorita, I have seen this before, and I have just the thing for you. Here are some step by step instructions I wrote down that you can take back to your village! Then you can fix the problem yourself!” I handed her my little paper. The little lady was not pleased.

“Por favor, I cannot fix this problem myself! I do not want to read these instructions, I need you to solve our problem!”

“Señorita, I will help you, but first you must know, I charge a fee.” I handed her my terms and conditions, and I continued on, “Please note that if you do not cancel my services before your renewal date, you will be charged another 155 pesos. Be sure to get a confirmation number.”

She accepted my terms and conditions, and she gave a bag of 155 pesos that she had collected from every member of the village. I climbed on my horse, Pepe, and I followed her and her son back to her village. Si, I had seen this before, and it was clearly the work of El Searcho Nuevo! He strikes entire villages without any warning, completely changing the way they used to live their lives! How frustrating, right!?

It would clearly be a show down today in the village… just me, and El Nuevo.

“Okay El Nuevo, come out now! It is time to meet your doom, you have slightly inconvenienced these people long enough!” I walked up the main street, calling out for El Nuevo, challenging him.

Soon, I heard the sound of spurs coming around the building. “Pistolero, at last we meet. You think you can defeat me?”

“Si, El Nuevo, however, I’m pretty sure, you’ll just come back again later, most likely after the villagers throw out their cookies.”

We stood about 50 feet apart from each other, each one squinting harder the last. I was poised to draw mis pistoles and unleash a heaping can of justice on this Searcho Nuevo. After what seemed like hours, I saw Nuevo make his move. I admit, he was fast, but I was much faster. “Pow! Bang! Pew pew pew!” I had emptied my pistols of patience and careful guided education, and El Searcho Nuevo was no more. The village reverted back to its original form.

“Viva El Pisolero! Ay ay ay ay!” The people cheered for they had their Old Village back. The little Señorita came running up to me, and she gave me un abrazo grande.

“Gracias! Muchas gracias, Pistolero! You have saved us, for there is no way that we could have ever adapted to that new and horrible village!”

That night, the village celebrated their victory, and of course I stuck around. There were fireworks, los mariachis were playing their music, and oh the tacos that were made! Such a fiesta! As I was drinking some of my homemade horchata, I heard a voice quieting the crowd:

“Silénco! Quiet! Where is El Pistolero?” I answered him, “I am here Muchacho!”

“Pistolero, my village is in danger, I have spotted a terrible gang riding to pillage the town I come from. They are coming to steal parts of our trees, it is Los Arbolitos Bandidos! THE TREE BANDITS!”

And so, once again, I was off to help another sad and defeated village regain their freedom. Where there is frustration, I’ll be there. Where there is slight inconvenience, I’ll be there. When there is an overdraft fee, I’ll be there too, but I really won’t be able to help. Read the terms and conditions. I am always there when you need me (excluding Saturdays and Sunday). I am, El Pistolero!

The Game Has Changed

2010-06-29T22:25:00.000-07:00

I love Tron. In fact, I'm known at work, in certain circles, as 'Tron.' I think it's a really great movie, and a fascinating universe. Naturally, I'm really excited about the upcoming TRON: Legacy film.

As I mentioned earlier, the people I work with are well acquainted with my love for Tron, and when I got home today, I found a lovely e-mail from a coworker. I thought the story was so cool that I would share it with you all. I would do most anything to have one of these puppies.

I can't thank my coworker enough for pointing this out to me. It's getting my lightcycles all revved up for the movie!

p.s. Also, this video game look awesome too.

I Have Returned

2010-06-24T18:00:00.001-07:00

My friends, I have been absent from your electronic lives for many months, and for this I apologize. However, I am pleased to announce my triumphant return to the world of Web Logging (or 'blogging' as many might say)! I have re-decorated the blog for this occasion, and will be posting many 'sweet nothings' in the near future. Please do your best to contain your excitement, and in the meantime, live long and prosper.

Christmas Musings

2009-12-11T17:45:00.000-08:00

It’s Christmastime again, oh dear, the snow has covered all.
Though I should write, my mind is blank, so at this point I’ll stall.
The sky is blue, the snow is white, and Santa’s suit is red.
I know my quips are less than fun, I ask your pardon instead.

If only I had been so blessed with power over words,
My letter would have been complete, then I might watch the birds.
I wish I knew a clever story or witty anecdote,
But alas, I know of no such thing, I’ve doomed this tragic note.

But of course! Why, it’s so obvious! I know just what to do!
I’ll share with you a tatty old tale (I’ll spare no details too).
Although my hand knows not of that exquisite art of expression,
I’ll tell this story anyway, to alleviate further digression:

Our story begins, if I may borrow, with five most fateful words,
“‘Twas the night before Christmas,” a creature was stirring, though he went on unheard!
Now, I know it’s been said that all was quiet, even mice had taken to rest,
But this I can tell you, not all were asleep, for this mouse like Christmas best.

His name was Andrew and he was all white, a fact that poor Andrew hated,
For this was a fact that all Andrew’s friends made fun of and mocked, bluntly stated.
This young little mouse had snuck from his house, and went on an evening ‘stroll.’
The evening it was, a stroll it was not, for with purpose did he leave his hole.

“I’m such a disaster! No one is my friend,” our sad white friend cried out,
“But now I have a perfect plan, then I’m ‘in’ forever, no doubt!
If I can just get Mousie Claus to come into our home,
I know they’ll cheer and scream, ‘Well done,” then I’ll never be alone!”

What’s that you say? You don’t believe? Now I need to defend!
Mousie Claus is just as real as me! He’s Santa’s little friend!
Let me just ask one simple thing, since my good friend you mock,
How do you think those little holes get into Santa’s socks?

He travels ‘round on Christmas Eve, with Santa, in his sleigh,
Giving gifts to all the good little mice, they too need toys to play.
I will no longer press the point, but one final word I give:
Mousie Claus is real, ask any young mouse, and they’ll tell you ‘he lives.’

So! Andrew crept, so quietly, along the hallway wall,
Until he reached the sitting room, where Mousie Claus would call.
He scurried behind the chair and then, with grace he took a leap,
Right at the glowing Christmas tree, he never made a peep.

He landed on a branch that hung not far above the floor,
Then up he went the Christmas trunk, very eager to explore.
As he went past each ornament, he always gave due heed,
To the ballet girl, he gave a bow; A salute to the Soldier on his steed.

Eventually he found a spot where he could sit and spy,
The fireplace was in plain sight, not a thing would pass his eye.
“Mousie Claus would have to come through here, if he should leave his gifts,
And then I can jump out at him, he’ll have to grant my wish!”

And so Andrew waited for quite some time, thinking how Mousie Claus might look,
He thought of a big brown mouse standing there, with the ‘good’ and ‘bad’ in his book.
He pictured him with a deep, booming voice, with a hat of white and red,
With his bag of presents looped ‘round his tail, and belly that was clearly well fed.

The little mouse was deep in thought, when something brought him back,
He heard a noise, and so he looked, but through the window- pitch black.
He heard it again up on the roof, though gentle, very clear,
“This must be it!” our Andrew cried, “It’s him and his reindeer!”

Andrew shook high in that tree, his thrill was hardly tamed.
He restlessly, and with no blinks, looked at the room, and aimed.
Then with a shudder and one soft moan, a man came tumbling in!
He slowly stood, then dusted off the soot all over his skin.

He wore all red, except his boots, which were quite thick and black,
His great big belly held fast in place, by a belt, yet there was no slack.
His beard was white, his nose was cherry, his presence made Andrew pause,
For he knew now without a doubt this must be Santa Claus.

He peered around and took great care, until he saw a plate.
Then swiftly he did cross the room, and then at once he ate.
He took one bite of one big cookie, then followed with a drink,
And after he swallowed he reached in his coat, pulled out a mouse and winked!

Now Andrew could not believe what he’d seen, in fact he had to look twice!
He saw a mouse with a fluffy red cap, it seemed it was made just for mice!
And out of the hat stuck two big pink ears, for holes had been cut so they’d fit.
Andrew then thought, “This has to be him, Mousie Claus has now come! This is it!”

But what was amazing, in Andrew’s small mind, was how Mousie Claus seemed so bright,
For his fur wasn’t brown, and no shades of black, but instead it was snow-colored; white!
When Andrew saw this, he immediately gasped, for he’d never seen one look like that,
And then with a whisper he quietly said, “Mousie Claus looks like me…in a hat!”

Mousie Claus then sneezed, followed by a small shudder, then he grabbed a cookie and bit.
His little mouse teeth took tiny small bites, but it was gone lickety-split!
Then Santa Claus poured a small bit of milk, so Mousie Claus could sip,
Then Mousie Claus let out one soft burp, and Santa bit his lip.
Santa Claus stood, now laughing, and said, “We ought to do our job!”
Then Mousie Claus looked, with a twinkle in his eye, and up and down his head bobbed.
Santa moved away and picked up his sack, and gifts he started to spread,
While Mousie hopped off the table where he stood, landing softly on his head.

While Santa kept working, taking breaks for bites, Mousie dragged his Christmas sack,
All down the hall toward the small mouse house, where Andrew’s Family was at.
Now Andrew had so quietly snuck back down the Christmas tree,
So down the hall in hot pursuit of Mousie Claus was he.

But to his horror, with mouth open wide, he saw an unwelcome face.
It was the cat, her name Lily Belle, and she had come for the chase.
Now Mousie Claus hadn’t seen Lily Belle, for on the sill she sat,
And he may not have been here today if Andrew hadn’t screamed out, “CAT!”

Then Lily Belle pounced, heading straight for mouse, but Mousie Claus started to sprint,
Back down the hall, toward the fire, with Lily Belle’s eyes in a squint.
She quickly gave chase, sliding ‘round the corner and in the sitting room,
She spotted Mousie Claus climbing up the tree; her intent was to consume.

She stalked all ‘round the Christmas tree, her claws were poised to lash,
When Andrew had a sudden idea, to Santa he would dash!
But where had he gone? He was just here, how could he get away!
But Andrew noticed the tall milk glass, was missing from the fray.

Andrew sped with all his might, in through the kitchen doors,
To find the big round jolly elf engaged in household chores!
He sped across the floor, and scurried up his leg,
And through his beard, up to his face, and he began to beg.

Now Santa was confused at first, not sure what he was seeing,
For this was not his friend Mousie Claus, but some other similar being.
But that old man could see the fear inside that small mouse’s eyes.
He seemed to know the meaning of his little desperate cries.

With long, great strides, the big man stepped into the sitting room,
And in mid-air he caught that cat, before Mousie Claus’ doom.
The cat was placed into the kitchen; the door was then shut tight,
And Andrew was placed on the floor, to meet his friend in white.

Mousie Claus came down from that tall tree, with thankful, twinkling eyes
And he came close to Andrew, and then he said, “I’m alive!”
Andrew flashed a toothy smile, then Mousie asked him this,
“What is your name, my dear sweet boy? I’m sure you’re on my list!”

Then with a nervous whisper, Andrew answered very slowly,
“My name is Andrew, and I’m white, and I am very lonely.
My friends and family think I’m odd, and they won’t treat me nice.
Oh won’t you bring me a new coat, I think brown would suffice!”
Then with a chuckle, Mousie shook his head, then he responded thus,
“You’re white, and you will always be, there’s nothing to discuss.
Embrace who you are, that what I did, and look at me today,
Have faith in yourself, and who you are, then all your friends will play.”

“Andrew you have saved me, but that’s not all you have done,
You’ve saved Christmas for all mousie-kind, and you are only one!
Surely this act alone is enough, to make your friends turn green,
So what is there to worry about, you shouldn’t make a scene!”

But Andrew looked down at the ground and he made one more plea,
“No one saw what happened here, they won’t even believe.”
But with that twinkle in his eye, Mousie Claus removed his hat,
And then he said, “This hat will tell, you saved me from the cat.”

With that he gave a final wink, Santa set down his cup,
And with a finger on his nose, Andrew watched them both go up.
Then Andrew ran to see the sleigh go flying through the night,
And then he heard a soft little voice, then laughter jolly and bright.

The little small voice had certainly come from Mousie once maybe twice,
His message was short, was simple and clear:
“Merry Christmas to all and to all the good mice!

Gandolfo's

2009-11-06T19:42:00.000-08:00

Gandolfo's is a sandwich joint in Provo. There are many franchises around the United States, but there are more locations in Utah than in any other state. I am lucky enough to live across the street from one of these delectable delicatessens. I must say, I am a frequent visitor.

I started going to Gandolfo's when I moved back up to Utah this past summer. After Danniey, Tyler, and I finished our combined garage sale, I convinced Tyler to come with me to Gandolfo's. Honestly, the menu is a bit daunting. There are about 70 different sandwiches organized into different categories. Despite the general organization, I had no idea what to do. Tyler, who shares the same feelings about the menu, helped out by ordering the only sandwich he has ever ordered there: The Urban Cowboy.

The sandwich is very good, and the next five times I've been there, I got the Urban Cowboy. Eventually I grew tired of the ordering the same thing over and over, and I made a decision that I would begin to branch out, and conquer my fear of the massive menu. I've tried, to name a few, the Throg's Neck Bridge, the Bridge Hampton, and my recent favorite, a hot Knickerbocker (if you know what I mean, and what I mean is a sandwich). I've been pleased every time. Now moving on the point of this entry. 

I was at hard at work, working up a mean appetite. My lunch hour came and I decided to go in search of something to eat. Not too far up the street is a Gandolfo's so I decided I would rustle me up a sandwich for lunch, completely unaware of the impending challenge awaiting me. I pushed open the door, and stepped into this Gandolfo's and there it was staring me in the face, begging me to take it:

The Dagwood.

If memory serves me right, the beast looked a little like this. It was as long as my boot and it was just as thick with "Roast beef, turkey, ham, pastrami, swiss, cheddar, lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, mayo, spicy mustard, [and] s&p." I knew this sandwich was made to live in my belly. Without hesitation, I stepped up to the register and in the manner of the Man with No Name, I said, "Give me a Dagwood...Full."

The timid sandwich clerk slowly swallowed and as I watched his adam's apple lethargically return to it's normal position, the sandwich man timidly squeaked, "Are- are you hungry?" I struck a match off my fingernail to light my cigar, and replied from the corner of my mouth, carefully blowing the smoke in his face, "What do you think?"

Another worker came out from the kitchen and quickly stammered, "Ju-ju know, that t-ting gives you the cancer!" Before I could talk back, the third sandwich man appeared. Obviously more confident than the other two, he challenged me, saying, "You eat that whole Dagwood, and I'll give you a cookie." I squinted my eyes and gave him a slight nod, letting him know I was ready.

Within a few minutes, he carried the heavy sandwich out to the counter. Without a word, he dropped it into my hands. It was heavier than I thought, causing me to give a little as the sandwich made contact. I sat down, unwrapped my foe, and began to eat.

The first bite went down easy, filling up my empty and aching stomach. I could taste each of the meats as the slid across my tongue before dropping down into my belly. The mustard added some unexpected spice, but also provided much needed moisture. I ended the first half of the sandwich in about eight bites.

As I was swallowing the last of the first half, I twisted back and forth to pack down the contents of my stomach, and under the watchful eyes of the restaurant, I let out a soft belch. I started in on the second half. The first bite was alright, not much different than any that came before it, but as I went in for the second bite, I could feel the game was starting to change. I was slowing down.

After six or seven bites, I only had one quarter left of that sandwich. My only problem was, I was running out of space. I looked into the faces of those sandwich makers, narrowed my gaze, and exhaled a long, breathy burp, freeing up some much needed space. I looked at the remaining sandwich, cursed it in my mind, and went in on it again. I was taking smaller bites, chewing longer, and twisting a whole lot. The sandwich started to lose it's flavor and it no longer tasted good. For all I knew, I could have been eating mud scraped off of my boot. I stood up from my stool and began to pace slowly, concentrating on putting that sandwich in my stomach. Bite after bite after bite eventually led to the final moment. I had one last piece of that sandwich in my hand. I closed my eyes and tossed it back. On bated breath, I took my time chewing. After an entire minute of masticating every last piece, I lifted my head back, and swallowed.

As it traveled down my esophagus, I looked at the third employee dead in the eye, jerked my head to the side to create an audible 'crack'. Shaking, he grabbed a cookie from below the counter and tossed it onto the floor in front of me, as if he was too afraid to come near because I might decide to eat him too.

As the bystanders shook their head in disbelief, a small boy picked up my cookie and handed it to me. I ruffled his hair, unwrapped the cookie from the plastic, and with a bite, opened the door and walked off into the sunset.

Timing

2009-11-06T00:21:00.000-08:00

I have the worst timing. I don't get it. I've had so many things ruined because of bad timing. What am I supposed to do? I have no control over these things! I try to work around the fickle mistress known as timing, and I do what I can with what I'm given, but somehow I am always just too late, or too early. The timing seems to never be right. Arg. I'm really bothered by it. I guess that is why CAKE writes music, so I can listen to it when I get smashed by my good buddy, Timing. That little jerk.

Experiment: Isolated Moment

2009-10-16T09:05:00.001-07:00

I have this desire to improve my creative writing skills. Honestly, I'm not sure how to go about doing that, but, I want to, and that is what I know. I going to try something a little different today, to force myself to write more descriptively.

I feel like life is made up of the time between moments. We go through life doing what we need to. I, for instance, wake up, shower, eat, go to work, go to school, do homework, and then go back to sleep. That is the basic outline of my life right now. Now, every once in a while, we have a 'moment.' These moments often pass us by, leaving us with a lot of unrecognized feelings and impulses. They often don't last longer than a few seconds, maybe a minute, but if you dissect these little occurrences, you can find they are chalk-full with 'experience,' sometimes even more full than an entire day in the life.

So I have decided to take one of these complex chunks of experience, and write about it, hopefully turning a thirty second event in to an interesting and descriptive passage, broken down into specific thought and feelings. We shall see. Okay, here it goes... Feel free to give any feed back...

My heart stopped. Then it shortly thereafter started to pound. Whoa. Hold up. Is this what I think it is? It can't be...can it? Well, it definitely touched my foot. I think. It at least it got near my foot. I mean, that had to be on purpose. It doesn't matter that our feet are covered by the blanket, I can still tell exactly where my feet are, so she couldn't have 'accidentally' bumped into them, right? Right...?

...

Oh who am I kidding, people bump feet all the time, and there is no reason why that shouldn't have just been a complete accident. I mean can I really be so- but wait a minute. If it was just an honest mistake, why didn't those two little blanket snakes move away? There was no acknowledgment that said 'tricky trotters' touched me, and no apology whatsoever. That can only mean one thing:

Wait a second, what are we watching? Oh that's right. Note to self: I'll be playing this back on TiVo tonight.

What it mean is that those sweet little tootsies did happen to meander into my personal space. They didn't just get lost on their way to the shoe store. Those suckers were meant to be there. They were placed...Oh crap. Oh dang. Oh crap dang. Now what?

Easy now, easy...

Aw come on! Smooth move, buddy. You just had to pick this critical moment to have a leg spasm. Complete opposite of gently making my presence known to the encroaching hush-puppies. Instead of saying, "Oh! I didn't see you there, but it sure is nice to run into you here! Do you mind if I stay a while," I now said, "Hi. Hi. Hi. Oh hi. I am SO excited. Also, I've never spoken with any other foot before. Ever. You're pretty..." That's going to be it.

Well, I guess I was right. Nothing. I blew it. Nothing left to do. Pulse returning to normal rate, attention returning to the televisi-- Wait!

It moved again.

Emotional Trail Mix

2009-08-23T21:51:00.000-07:00

Have you ever had something that you know you needed to do, but you just didn't want to do it? It sucks. It's something that deep down, you know you have to do, but you keep convincing yourself that you can't, or you'll do it later, or why should I? I'm happy now! It really stinks.

The problem with me is that I really like where I am at. I don't want to do what I know I have to, because frankly, I like being stuck in the problem. I'm in a satisfying state of arrested development. I get to think, "Woe is me! Oh my contemptible life!" and I get to watch sad movies, listen to great music, even try to write a song or two (yeah right). Everything has so much meaning and personal application. It's really quite fun. Everything is about you, it seems. Sure, you feel kind of sad and lonely about everything in the moment, but there is a part of me that secretly likes that. That is a part of me that should probably be subdued. It doesn't really seem that healthy.

I need to do what I have secretly known I've needed to do- get real with myself. Realize it's not worth sitting around pining, wasting time over something that probably won't happen. You are only hurting yourself here. Kind of sad. I depress myself, and I don't want to anymore, so here I go. Up the great mountain of no more regrets, wearing my brand new hiking boot of what took me so long. Wish me luck.

How I Changed My Summer

2009-07-21T20:19:00.000-07:00

I'm sorry I've been neglecting my blogging, blah blah blah, you get the point.

I went to Smith's last Saturday to do my routine shopping. A couple of notes on Smith's. First of all, this Smith's plays the best music. It's not always music that I know, however it is always music that I cannot help dancing to. On one occasion, I recall rocking out to Dream Weaver in the 'Pop-Corn' Aisle. It's really high quality. Now I should clarify on how it makes me dance. The music in Old Navy makes me dance as well, but that usually wears off in about ten minutes. After that, I am in a terrible hell that I would not wish upon my worst enemy. Smith's, however, is a place where I could dance for an hour or more, never getting tired.

Another thing I love about Smith's is the produce section. When you are picking out your fresh greens and vegetables at the right time, you might just be able to catch a rainstorm right there in the store. There are thunder sound effects and the lights begin to flash, and then the misters unleash a heavy mist to keep your veggies fresh and crunchy. I love that. It's so theatrical and always puts a smile on my face. Now, I have heard it said, that when you are shopping in the meat section of the store, you can hear cows mooing in the distance, and can even catch the faint sound of their grazing in the fields. I have not witnessed this personally, however, if it is true, that is just one more item to add to my list of "Magnificent Things about My Smith's."

Well now to the point of my entry. I had received an tip from a friend that there were delicious (and large) popsicles on sale for 10 bags for $10.00. As I was passing the freezers during my shopping trip, I noticed the advertisement for this deal. I then proceeded to pile 10 bags of these Cherry-Mango popsicles into my cart. In each bag, there are 9 separate pops, so in total, I purchased 90 pops, for about 11 cents each. I steal, if you ask me. I mean these pops would sell for AT LEAST 50 cents at your neighborhood Ice Cream Truck. They are large, not those little dinky ones.

So my freezer is completely full of these popsicles, and let me tell you this. They are changing my summer. My goodness. I have four or five popsicles a day. It is such a refreshing treat after being the hot sun, or driving home in the hot car, or even cooking in the hot kitchen. Honestly, this is the best thing that has ever happened to me. I love these popsicles.

Hey Howdy Hey!

2009-04-17T21:00:00.000-07:00

Good news everyone: I am now twenty years old. I am no longer a 'teenager,' and have moved on to an entirely new phase of life known as 'my twenties.' Exciting, I know.

My birthday was really a great day. The celebration was perfect for such an occasion. Stefani, my girlfriend, started the weekend off by surprising me with her presence. She had told me for weeks that she would not be in attendance during my birthday celebration, but she secretly got plane tickets and showed up for my birthday. She is really something, that Stefani Wood.

Anyway, we went to Disneyland on my Birthday and I finally got to enjoy the new Celebration: A Street Party, without having to clean up the confetti afterward. It was really quite the street party, and Stefani and I were brought out several times to join in the dancing. After the Street Party, we strolled trough Frontierland to set the mood for the most anticipated part of my birthday: dinner at the Celebration Roundup and Barbecue. I shot some rifles, tried on a cowboy hat, and thrust my thumbs in the strap of my fanny-pack (I don't care what you say, the fanny-pack was very useful).

We got to the barbecue and Sheriff Woody met us right at the entrance. Jessie, the yodelin' cow girl, came by and Chip and Dale were there too. We got a table right at the front and in the center, so we could enjoy all the cowboy songs, and playful cowboy banter. We were served an endless amount of Barbecue Ribs, Barbecue Chicken, Baked Beans, Corn Wheels, Corn Bread, Cole Slaw, and all the Coke you could swallow. During our entire meal, Miss Chris, the 'owner' of the ranch, would check up on her guests. She would also sing songs accompianied by Tex Tumbleweed and Sasparilla Sam. I knew most of the songs, thanks to my secret love of cowboy music and also my 5 years in the Tucson Arizona Boys Chorus, but there were some new ones I really enjoyed. I sang along through a mouthful of meat and beans, stopping only to steal quick sips of delicious Disneyland coke. The whole experience was topped of with a 'Cowboy Cone Cake- A Party on you Plate.' Basically, a yummy cupcake baked into a waffle cone. They were good.

I loved it. Every minute of it. I loved talking like a cowboy, singing the songs, eating the food, and being with friends. I ate so much I literally had to loosen my belt. Then we had the fantastic idea of getting on the Matterhorn and squashing all four of us into one sled. Without getting too graphic, lets just say I was very lucky my pants were still clean when I got off. Later that night we watched the fireworks, then Stefani and I danced to the music of a live Big Band Orchestra. It was the perfect ending to a wonderful day.

Here are some photo highlights of my birthday and the rest of my weekend:

Stefani at the 'Street Party'

My friend, and my roommates' Girlfriend, Anna and Me

Me shooting a rifle at the Shooting Range. I shot many things

The Big Thunder Ranch Celebration Roundup and Barbecue

Brent, my roommate, Anna, Me, and Stefani (with ears on)

Me and Jessie the Yodelin' Cowgirl

Chip and Dale with Stefani and Me

Stefani and Me in Laguna Beach

Sunset at Laguna Beach

I Love Online Petitions and Facebook Groups Dedicated to Causes

2009-03-11T23:11:00.000-07:00

Nothing floats my boat more than being able to voice my virtual opinion using an online petition or a Facebook group. Seriously. Give me any cause, I'll sign up for it, as long as I can do it online. "End Genocide!" Does it have a website? Cause if so, sign me up! "Stop Babies!" Check out their Facebook group! I'm in! "A Petition to end all online Petitions!" Hey, I found it in my Inbox, so it's right up my alley. I'll sign it twice!

I know many of you are asking right now why I would sign an Online Petition banning my favorite thing, Online Petitions. I'll tell you-- They are all pointless. It is perhaps the most ineffective way of voicing an opinion. It isn't just ineffective, but it's lazy. Why would joining a Facebook group called "Make Genocide History in 2007" help in any way to stop the act? I'm sure the people committing genocide will one day look at the group, notice taht it has 2604 Members, and they will think to themselves, "OH! These people don't like this! Well let's stop then."

Why would typing your name to a Forwarded e-mail (something that cannot be authenticated, and could be done and repeated by anyone) raise 20 cents for a starving child in Africa? The logic doesn't even make sense. The reason we sign up for this stuff is due to Slacktivism: the search for the ultimate feel-good that derives from having come to society's rescue without actually getting one's hands dirty, volunteering any of one's time, or opening one's wallet (Snopes.com). It is so easy to just type your name, click "Join Group", or to forward to you entire contact list.

Instead of ranting for another several paragraphs, just read this. It's a great article about Slacktivism from Snopes.com, a website that confirms or denies Urban Legends.

Bro, Come on, Bro

2009-01-20T01:42:00.000-08:00

Here is a little whimsical conversation I just heard in my room.

"Bro, I'm not even lying. I'm going to be honest with you. The girls downstairs aren't that hot, but Bro, they have hot friends. Bro, you get with them, and they hook you up with total hotties. Come on Bro! I thought you were cool Bro! I thought you were going to drink with us tonight Bro. Bro, we're in California! CALIFORNIA. Think about the total hotness babes that are out there waiting for you. Bro. Bro Bro Bro."

I'm not judging anyone else (at all), but I just want to say that I am so glad I have no interest in being like that.

My Secret Project...

2009-01-08T23:05:00.000-08:00

'Zoo Be Zoo Be Zoo' has suffered the past couple months because some of my time and energy was being spent on my secret project. I know that some of you have noticed that I had a private blog that no one could read, and I will tell you now, that is my Secret Project.

The project is called 'The Happiest Trash On Earth: My Disney College Program Experience and the Adventures of Me, Carson Wright, a Custodial Cast Member.' If you remember back in October or so, I wrote about my acceptance into the Disney College Program at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California. Well I am here now, and this blog is dedicated to my experience with the Disney College Program, and my adventures at Disneyland.

I will continue to post on 'Zoo Be Zoo Be Zoo' about my adventures that I can't write about on 'Happy Trash' (what I am calling my blog for short). So keep reading both blogs.

I hope that the time and effort I have put into my Secret Project has payed off. Please enjoy it and share it with all.

http://happytrash.blogspot.com

Las Vegas Was Cold

2009-01-07T16:53:00.000-08:00

Christmas was wonderful. It's been a while, but now I'm back and getting into the swing of things again. Happy New Year, by the way.

I finished up at Mesa Community College and came back to Tucson for my Holiday Break. There was plenty to do. There was a lot of family to be with, a lot of packing and organizing to do, and a whole bunch of paperwork to do for the Disney College Program.

Christmas day was as cheerful as ever. I must have been good this year because I got a lot of wonderful gifts, including some great Disney gear. I got a really nice Mickey Mouse Watch, a TomTom GPS navigation system, some nice clothes, and (my absolute favorite) A Musical History of Disneyland. It is six discs worth of Disneyland music. It has the rides, atmosphere music, and music that can no longer be heard at Disneyland. It also comes with a 72 page book about the musical/audio history of Disneyland. It was exactly what I wanted.

The days following Christmas were somewhat uneventful. Just more family, friends, and packing for Disneyland. I spent New Years Eve packing with the help of my friend, Alando. I finished right as the we welcomed in the New Year. When I finished, I went straight to bed so I could get up and drive to Las Vegas.

I was going to Las Vegas because I was going to run in the 5k event at the 'Running from an Angel Marathon.' Steven and I were meeting Aaron, Tyler, and Aaron's friend Scott in Las Vegas for the race. Also, my Mom, Dad, Danniey, Becki, Joey, Miranda, and Becki's Mom came too.

It was my first time ever to Las Vegas, and it was cold. It was windy and cold. Bad mixture. Las Vegas itself gave me some funny feelings. It was very surface level, even more so than I expected. It is all about appearances. I did enjoy going into the big Casino's. They were beautiful. My favorites were the Venetian and the Wynn/Encore, but all of the Casino's are quite marvelous. What I really didn't like was the blatant smut on the street. It is bizarro town out there.

On Saturday the 3rd, all the runners rose early to get out to Lake Mead on-time for the race. It was really windy when we got there. My nipples instantly put holes in my shirt. I started to pity to fool who wasn't using nip-guards. Aaron and Scott took off on their Marathon, and shortly after Steven, Tyler, and I started our 5k. Steven beat both me and Tyler, and I beat Tyler by less than a minute. It was a very cold, and windy 5k. I've never had this problem before, but during this race, my shins cramped up really bad. I don't give that as an excuse for my loss to Steven. I lost by several minutes, and I couldn't help that. I was lucky not to lose to Tyler though. He has been running a lot lately, and is much more conditioned than I am.

After Aaron and Scott finished their marathon, we ate the Paris Buffet, which was delicious. It was my favorite part about Vegas. Sunday morning we got the breakfast buffet at the old Main Street Station Casino. I really liked it there. Old and classy. The buffet was not bad either.

After breakfast, I parted ways with the rest of my family. They headed for Tucson, and I headed for California. As soon as I crossed the Nevada/California border an indicator light came on telling me to pull over immediately and contact my Toyota Dealer. I was in the middle of nowhere, and my car seemed to be driving just fine, so I kept driving. I made it to my destination without any trouble and took the car into the dealer the next day. I got it all fixed up with some help from the Twitchell's and I checked into the Disney College Program.

This has been a very brief, nutshell overview of the past few weeks. I am pretty busy getting settled in at the Disney College Program. I promise in the future my entries will be more thoughtful and planned out.

To Be Continued...

Happy Life Day

2008-12-09T08:44:00.000-08:00

Tis the season, as we all know, and time for all that comes with it-- family gatherings, chestnuts roasting, crappy TV Specials... In one of my routine Star Wars research sessions, I came across a delightful little number: The Star Wars Holiday Special.

This year marked the 30th anniversary of the infamous TV Special, and I decided to expose myself to all it's glory in honor of it's 30th birthday. Officially, it has never been released to DVD, VHS, or any other kind of medium (probably because the creators wish no one would remember it), so I watched it on YouTube in twelve parts. The Special itself is only two hours, but it took me two days to take it in.

Basically, it is a variety show contained within a loose story set in the Star Wars Universe. The story goes like this: Han Solo needs to get Chewbacca home for Life Day but run into some trouble from the forces of the Empire. While Chewbacca is being delayed, Chewie's family (Malla, his wife, Lumpy, his son, and Itchy, his father) tries to pass the time by talking to Luke or Leia, or by watching The Jefferson Starship. Imperial forces come to their house in search of the rebel Chewbacca, but Chewie and Han arrive just in time to save them and to celebrate Life day.

The opening credits advertise that the program stars Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Harrison Ford, James Earl Jones, and Peter Mayhew, but each of them show up for about 3 minutes each. The 'Guest Stars' are the real stars of the program; Harvey Korman, Art Carney, Diahann Carrol, Beatrice Arthur, and The Jefferson Starship all made extensive appearances.

The Program opens with stock footage of the Millenium Falcon being pursued by TIE Fighters, but quickly cuts to Chewbacca's family on the Wookiee Planet. After about 15 minutes of watching wookiees growl back and forth, Lumpy watches the Hologram Acrobats, while Luke and R2-D2 show up via video comlink.

Malla tunes into Gormaanda, a cooking show bit done by Harvey Korman. Then, Art Carney drops by the house and drops off some Life Day presents. He gives Itchy a virtual reality experience that quite frankly was really weird. I felt like I should not have been watching it. Leia and C-3PO call via video comlink to assure that Han would get Chewie home safe when a knock at the door ends their conversation. Lumpy answer the door and two Storm Troopers and an Imperial Officer are waiting, weapons at the ready.

They are looking for any rebel activity and suspect that the missing Chewbacca is a sympathizer of the Rebellion. Art Carney distracts the Imperials by putting another Holo-Presentation: The Jefferson Starship. The Imperial soldiers tell Malla to keep Lumpy quiet, so Malla calms Lumpy by letting him watch his video viewscreen (this cartoon is the first official introduction of Boba Fett).

The Imperial search of the house is halted when the viewscreen activates with a required message for all Imperial Forces. This required message is apparently an awkward cantina scene in which Bea Arthur sings a song called "Good Night, But Not Goodbye." The song itself is nice. But still weird setting.

After the required viewing, the Imperials are called back to the base, however they leave one trooper behind. The trooper harasses Lumpy out onto the balcony, just when Chewbacca and Han arrive. Han disarms the trooper and causes him to break through the railing and fall to his death.

After a quick reuniting of Han, Chewie, and Chewie's family, everyone somehow meets up magically in space at the Tree of Life. All the wookiees are dressed in red and after Leia gives a speech about Life Day and the Tree of life, she sings a song set to the Star Wars Theme.

Honestly, I enjoyed it. It was kind of like watching a house burning down; it isn't a good thing The variety show aspect of just fine, I thought. I enjoyed the numbers, but it all felt so out of place. It would have been perfect if the program was intended to be parodic, however it was not, and most people regretted it, including George Lucas himself.

At an Australian fan convention, George Lucas was reported saying, "If I had the time and a sledgehammer, I would track down every copy of that show and smash it." He admits it is not the brightest moment in Star Wars history and that he will just have to live with it. I'm with you George. We all make mistakes.

I think if you like Star Wars, you should see this. It is a goofy mix-up, but I have to admit that I have an awkward fondness for it. You don't have to watch it all in one sitting. In fact, you could watch one part on each of the 12 days of Christmas and make a little Christmas tradition out of it. If you watch it with an open mind, I guarantee that you will have a good time.

Happy Life Day everyone!

"That's L.A. you know..."

2008-12-05T16:48:00.000-08:00

Last Friday I went to a Q&A session for the Disney College Program. Only about four other participants showed up. It was conducted by the Mesa Community College Campus Rep. Team. They are all alumni of the program. It was very informative and it got me very excited to go. The only problem I had with the whole experience is there are no reps from the College Program at Disneyland. All of them attended the College Program at Disney World. This is due to the fact that the College Program at Disneyland is much newer than the program at Disney World, so there are less alumni.

Friends and family were invited and even encouraged to come. Of the five people there, only one person brought their parents, ofr maybe their parents forced their child to invite them to come. This person is going to the Disneyland College Program in Anaheim and will work in costuming. She is very excited. Her parents are not as excited. Now keep in mind that this girl is twenty years old.

They came late and asked a lot of questions. So many in fact that the meeting would have only lasted about ten minutes. Instead is lasted forty-five minutes. They asked questions like, "Will there be other people working with her after the late night parades at one or two in the morning?" and, "Are there stores and things to buy your food?" I wanted to answer them for her:

"No there aren't any stores there. Anaheim is kind of a recent development, so you should come prepared for the entire eight months. Also, your daughter will be working all by herself at Disneyland at two in the morning. Absolutely no one else will be working there."

They asked a bunch of questions, most of which can be answered in the pages of information that came with the acceptance letter or that can be found online.

They were upset that none of the reps had done their Program at Disneyland, so they couldn't answer every question with 100% certainty, to which they asked their daughter why she hadn't applied at Walt Disney World? Sure it's 2200 miles away, but at least some of these people could answer our questions.

Really, it didn't bother me all that much. They are just very concerned parents who care about their twenty year old daughter.

I did find one thing pretty funny. They asked about the transportation and if their daughter would be safe traveling home if she had to work late. The campus reps told her that she would be there with many other people and most likely she would makes friends who have cars, but worst comes to worst, she would have to use the Public Transportation. After the reps finished their explanation, the parents offered this entertaining piece of dialogue:

Mother: I've been to Orlando and Downtown Disney at midnight or one o' clock and it is very safe. I've also been to Downtown Disney in Anaheim and well... (trails off)

Father: That's L.A. you know... (said with a 'no-nonsense' disposition and an informative tone)

Unfortunately, I thought that he was being sarcastic, or maybe he was poking fun at his wife, so I laughed. I received a prompt stare from the Father. At once, I morphed my laughter in a fit of coughs.

Honestly, though. Those are some seriously protective parents. This girl is twenty years old, and they will be going to Anaheim a week early to make sure that she knows where to go for food, how to get to Disneyland, and who to talk to when she has problems with her roommates. The poor girl was quite embarrassed.

Before the parents showed up, the girl said she could not wait to move out. She told us that her parents would not let her see rated R movies and she was twenty years old. I thought, "Wow...controlling, but how bad can it be?" Then the parents showed up and then I understood.

I just thought it was funny.

Thanksgiving Report

2008-12-02T09:24:00.000-08:00

I know that traditionally Thanksgiving is a time to be with the family, however this Thanksgiving I was invited to spend the holiday with my friends Carson, Ashley, and her family. I did feel bad about ditching my family, and I missed them quite a bit, but I still had a very enjoyable time in Utah.

I flew up on on Tuesday night, and my flight arrived 15 minutes early. Carson, Ashley, and Alando came to pick me up. I received quite the welcome. Ashley just about broke my jaw when we hugged. It has been about seven months since we have seen each other, but we made up for it in that massive hug. We ate some Wendy's and played some Egyptian Rat Killer, and then retired for the night at Auntie Terri's (Carson's Aunt).

We woke up to Breakfast at Terri's, followed by a visit to a fine little Christmas/furniture/decoration shop with a garden in the back (I am unsure of the actual name of the store). After a quick photo shoot in the back garden, we departed for Midway. We arrived in the early afternoon, and I could not have felt more welcome. Ashley's parents were waiting with open arms.

On Thursday, we went down to Provo and met up with some other friends at a dinner more the homeless and the impoverished. We all took turns singing Christmas songs for them while they enjoyed a free Thanksgiving dinner. It was a great Thanksgiving day activity. It really gives you a lot to be thankful for.

We spent the rest weekend playing Rock Band, watching movies, making gingerbread houses, singing, swimming, and making a lot of noise. It was a fantastic weekend. When it was time to leave on Sunday night, I was actually pretty sad. Ashley's parents made me feel so at home. I was away from my family, but I didn't feel out of place at all. It was a fantastic weekend.

Here are some photo highlights of the weekend:

Ashley in the Garden being Mulan

Ashley in the Garden on the bench

Me and Ashley

Carson being the Statue of Liberty

A cottage that inspired my gingerbread house

Thanksgiving dinner

Me and my gingerbread house

The Parking

2008-11-25T08:18:00.000-08:00

The parking situation here at MCC is a little aggravating. Well, there aren't really any design flaws or actual mistakes in the planning, it is just the people who park in the parking lots that get me all riled up.

It is set up like a standard grocery store parking lot. Each row of spots is a one way lane and they alternate direction every other lane. So already, space is cramped. They are one lane rows, and I think that they even squeezed them closer than normal to fit as many parking spots as they could (a lot of people need parking). Now what makes it worse is those gigantic F250's, Rams, Tundras, Titans, or whatever other big vehicle those 'Truck Nuts' are driving these days.

They don't pull all the way up into the spot, usually, and even when they do, the trucks stick out of the parking spots. That really isn't too bad if there is a Smart Car or even a Camry parked on the other side, but there usually isn't. Instead there is another equally huge truck! Now the ten feet that you had before is reduced to seven or eight feet. Now that is even alright for me, because I'm driving a Prius. I can squeeze through (I'm not sure about the next truck that comes through though. I would imagine that if it's 'balls' were big enough, they would just drive right through). It is when the pedestrians get involved that things start getting annoying.

Once the pedestrians park their cars, they get out and walk in the middle of the row. Smack dab in the middle my friends. They stay right in the middle until someone comes down the lane, at which point, they shift over about a foot to let you pass. My question is how am I supposed to pass when I've lost 3 feet of clearance because of these big trucks, and now you are taking up two more feet of clearance? It drives me absolutely bumper nuts! Now I have to slow down to about one mile per hour and squeeze through while I get looks from the pedestrian about how slow I'm going! Come on!

I'm not sure why they walk like that. I would think that because they drive down the same lanes I do, they would feel the same way and be courteous to a fellow motorist. Then I realized that those people are probably the people who parked the trucks. I hate trucks and I hate truck nuts. I'm going to put some Hybrid Ovaries on my Prius.

MORE INFORMATION ON TRUCK NUTS:

Here

I Voted Today?

2008-11-04T15:44:00.000-08:00

Today was the first Election that I was eligible to vote in, and may I just say that this has been a very interesting election cycle. I'm kind of glad that this one was my first one. All of the excitement created by the candidates made me want to really inform myself about the candidates and the issues that were present on the ballot. It was an interesting and exciting past couple months.

So, before I tell my story, I need to say that I lost my wallet last Saturday, and I haven't found it. I had to go to the voting place without all my identification that I carry in my wallet. With that said, I will now tell you my story.

I was really bummed when I lost my wallet. Not just because I lost all my credit cards, ID cards, insurance cards, AND my Cafe Rio card that only needed one more stamp for a free meal, but I was also upset that I would have no ID to present when I go to vote. I wasn't going to be defeated however. I had my passport, a bank statement and several weeks worth of mail, and that would have to do. However, I was told something different when I got there.

For those who went to the polls, you know that you needed to present either a Photo ID with the address where you are registered (Drivers License, Military ID, etc.), OR two other items with your name and address on it (bank statement, utility/cable bill, voter registration card, official election mail, etc.). I have nothing that satisfied the first form of identification, and only one form of the second kind of ID. My passport, which required 17 different forms of identification to get, was no good (the passport should be the trump card of ID's). My passport combined with my bank statement was no good. Bummer.

I was sent to another table where I was given a 'Provisional Ballot.' Basically, I fill out a ballot, seal it in a manila envelope, and then submit it. By submit it, I mean put it in a plastic tub that came from Costco for further sorting. I was told that I would have to go down to the Recorders Office and supply the identification that I couldn't provide at the precinct. After I provide the ID, then my vote will be counted. A week after the election.

After the whole experience, I left with a 'I Voted Today' sticker. I kind of thought it should say 'I Voted...Today?' My vote wasn't counted in the Presidential election, and it wasn't counted in any of the other local stuff. It was kind of a practice run, a practice vote. Whatever.

All in all, it was a good experience. It was a little disappointing, not really voting and all, but it was good nonetheless. I probably won't go down to the Recorders Office, because all the propositions turned out without my vote. Had there been proposition or candidate had tied, I would go submit my vote, however I still believe I did my civic duty.

Urinetown the Musical

2008-11-01T11:31:00.000-07:00

You may have read in a previous entry about my involvement in Mesa Community Colleges Fall Musical. The show is Urinetown the Musical and I played Bobby Strong, the young hero that leads the people to revolution against the oppressive corporation that forces the people to pay a fee to take care of their personal business.

We opened last Wednesday to a very excited audience and then performed again on Thursday night, Friday night, Saturday night, and also a Saturday Matinee. I'm not going to lie, I was little worried about the show for a little while there. I mean, just a week ago, it seemed like we weren't going to make it. However, it really came together, and we turned out an pretty great show! We received a lot of praise and we had a good amount of people show up, considering that Urinetown is a show that not many people have heard of. It isn't Kiss Me Kate, or Oklahoma, or some other show that everyone knows, but it really did turn out to be a great show.

This has been my favorite show that I have done thus far. This show has always been one of my favorites, and when someone would ask me what my dream roles are, Bobby Strong would definitely be one of them. Now I've done it, and it really was a blast.

I'm a little sad now, however. There are no more rehearsals, so the time during the week I would spend rehearsing is now free time. I'm not sure what to do with it. Also, it's going to be a lot harder to see all my new friends that I've made over the last few months. There is nothing left. It's a bit of a bummer. It happened so fast, and now it is over. But what can you do?

Also, the Choreographer put some clips of the show up. The recording quality is not that great, but you can watch them if you would like.

Run, Freedom, Run
Snuff That Girl

Regarding Disney Cast Members

2008-10-19T22:21:00.000-07:00

Ever since I was accepted to the Disney College Program, I have had to explain to pretty much everyone that although I am working at Disneyland, I will not be walking around in a duck suit, I will not be singing, and I will not be dancing.

First of all, everyone at Disneyland is called a Cast Member. There are no employees. You are given your role by Disney Casting, you put on a costume instead of a uniform, and you perform you role in the great show that is Disneyland. I had known all this before, but it was re-explained to me at my College Program presentation.

This is a hard concept for people to grasp. Someone will ask me, "Your going to work at Disneyland? Won't those suits be hot?" I explain that I will be a Custodial Cast Member and I will keep the park clean, and that I chose not to audition for a Character role. I then explain that everyone at Disneyland are called a Cast Members and they all contribute to the giant performance of Disneyland and without fail I get this response: "So you will sing and dance while you are sweeping?"

Is there something wrong with just having a normal job? Can't someone work at Disneyland without having to wear a character suit or dance in a parade? Does any body stop to think what Disneyland would be like if there were only characters, singers, and dancers? There would be trash everywhere, none of the attractions would work, the characters would get mauled, and the sound of screams would fill the night sky, which would be silenced shortly thereafter due to the giant bats that circle the perimeter of the park.

I guess because my interests lie in Performing Arts, people expect me to have a performance based role that involves a lot of singing and dancing. I guess people think that I just couldn't stand to do a normal job like custodial work. Maybe it's more exciting to say, "I know the guy who plays Goofy at Disneyland" instead of "I know the guy who cleans up the urine from the horse that was pulling the carriage that Goofy was riding in."

Well the point is, I will be a Custodial Cast Member at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, CA. My duties include sweeping, mopping, taking out the trash, cleaning the bathrooms, etc. Although I will contribute to the atmosphere of Disneyland by being cheerful, efficient, and by occasionally humming a happy working tune (with an accompanied bell-kick), I will not be singing or dancing in any formal capacity. But I am stoked nonetheless.

Can I Tell You Something?

2008-10-15T12:18:00.000-07:00

Sometimes it bothers me when a person says something that makes me feel warm, or makes me laugh, or makes me take a good look at myself or a good look at the world, and then makes no effort to cite where the quote came from, leaving me to believe that the person who said it thought it up.

Just the other day, I was watching a movie I had never seen and I heard a phrase that I had definitely heard before (several times). I had previously believed that the quote I heard originally came from my friend, but instead it came from this great movie.

I'm not talking about just any quote or common phrase, but I'm talking about sayings or phrases that are used by someone to make another person feel something, to inspire someone, or to make someone think. When someone has caused me to do these or any other things as a result of something they said, and then does nothing to give credit where it is due, I get angry.

I don't become an outraged maniac or anything, but I do get upset. I feel like I have been lied to. Someone said something very insightful to me, and I respected them for that insight, but then I find out it isn't even their own! It's lying by omission. By leaving out the source of the material, you are in fact lying. I respect a person who will acknowledge the original source, or at least make an attempt to, more than a person who tries to pass off someone else's thoughts as their own.

It's easy. Even if you don't know the original source it is easy. Examples:

"I read somewhere, maybe Entertainment Weekly or maybe it was People, that..."

"I heard a great quote from [INSERT MOVIE TITLE], and it really made me think. It said..."

"Have you ever read [INSERT BOOK TITLE]? There is a great quote that really applies. It said..."

"I'm not sure where I heard this, but I heard somewhere a saying that really captures this situation..."

It is important that you know that I don't stay angry for that long, and when I say angry, I really mean I'm bothered a bit. I just think that we shouldn't take credit for something that isn't ours.

Also in the category of things that bother me: Disseminating information as if it were fact, when in reality, you have minimal or untruthworthy information about the subject.

NOTE: This is by no means definitive. I think there is kind of a code of ethics that applies to the subject. Does the information really require a citation? If so, how thorough? Is it common knowledge or common language? And so on...

Garfield Minus Garfield

2008-10-12T19:40:00.000-07:00

I have a new thing to do while I am on the internet. It is called garfieldminusgarfield.net.

I think I first read about this in Entertainment Weekly, maybe, but I may have read it somewhere else. Basically It takes the Garfield comic strip by Jim Davis, removes Garfield from the strip leaving only Jon Arbuckle. Although the result is amusing, you really do kind of feel bad for him.

Here is the description of the project taken from the website:

Garfield Minus Garfield is a site dedicated to removing Garfield from the Garfield comic strips in order to reveal the existential angst of a certain young Mr. Jon Arbuckle. It is a journey deep into the mind of an isolated young everyman as he fights a losing battle against loneliness and depression in a quiet American suburb.

I used to read Garfield a lot when I was younger. I thought it was hilarious. It is fun for me when I recognize some of the comic strips that I read before Garfield was removed. It's a clever project that I am happy to add to my daily internet routine.

Steven Loves Horses

2008-10-07T22:30:00.001-07:00

Steven and a Clydesdale at Busch Gardens, Tampa.

The Happiest Trash on Earth

2008-10-06T11:33:00.000-07:00

Well, last week was pretty good. Why, you ask? Well I'll tell you.

Last May I applied to the Disney College Program (Disney College Program is a paid internship accompanied by some general business classes and Full-Time Student status). After seven weeks of waiting for a reply, I finally received a letter of rejection.

So, here I am at Mesa Community College, and I saw a poster for the Disney College Program. Their presentation was going to be later that day. I wrestled with the choice I had to make. My inner monologue went something like this:

"Should I go and re-apply?"
"No. You'll probably get rejected again."
"But wouldn't that be awesome if you could do it?"
"Yeah, it would, but what if something better comes along next semester?"
"Wait a second, what could be better than a semester at Disneyland?"
"Brinner (breakfast for dinner), but why couldn't I have my Brinner and eat it too...at Disneyland?"
"Just go apply, and if you get it, awesome. If you don't, whatever."

So I went to meeting. I scrambled all the required information together (application, role checklist, etc.) and I applied. I had a phone interview a few days later, and they told me I would know in two to three weeks. Now, due to the seven week fiasco that was my last experience with the Disney College Program, I figured I would have to wait a while. I estimated about 3 and half weeks.

But I was wrong.

Not even two weeks later I received a packet in the mail. I knew right away who it was from. Mickey Mouse was pictured in the return address. Already this was a good sign. My rejection letter was a small envelope with a sad Mickey Mouse in the return address (not really). I opened it up and found a vibrant purple folder that read "Disney College Program" on it. I opened the folder and read the letter inside:

"Dear Timothy,

Congratulations! You have been selected to join us as a Disney College Program participant for the Spring 2009 season as a Custodial Cast Member..."

Woooo hoooo! I get to clean up the happiest trash on earth! No don't get me wrong. I am so excited. This is a dream come true (one of the millions during the Year of a Million Dreams). Danniey made a really good analogy. She said it was like getting your mission call to Boise, Idaho. You are still stoked and you will have an incredible experience. It's going to be a wonderful experience. Just listen to some of the job description of the Custodial Host position:

"Sweeping (using repetitive wrist motion), picking up debris (animal & human waste, trash, etc.)..." (italics added)

I'm very excited. I will start on January 6th and finish on August 15th. It going to be incredible. If you are planning on coming to Disneyland, let me know!

The "Coolest" Marathon in Arizona

2008-09-30T12:01:00.000-07:00

Last weekend I took a trip to Flagstaff to participate in the "Coolest" Marathon in Arizona (this is how it was advertised). The Flagstaff Marathon is a fund-raiser for North County HealthCare and offers several events. There was the marathon, of course, a half-marathon, a 10k, and a 'Kids-K.' I'm not exactly sure what the 'Kids-K' was, but I'm guessing it was a 1k race for kids.

I really haven't been running all that much (I was regular about running until July) and I was looking for a way to get back into the habit. My friend at BYU called me and told me that she was going to do the 10k in the Flagstaff Marathon. This would do very nicely. I could drive just a few hours north to visit with some friends, and force myself into running again. So I signed up.

I got an e-mail from the Race-Coordinator (Tim Allen- not the actor, I checked) shortly after I registered:

"The Flagstaff Marathon is 100% off road and includes difficult terrain. Elevation gains are approximately 2200 feet for the full marathon, 1100 feet for the half-marathon, and 450 feet for the 10Km loop. The course ranges from 8000 feet to 8600 feet above sea level. Please be prepared for weather ranging from sunny to snowing."

The last race I had done was between 0-100 feet about sea level. The race before that was in Tucson which is about 2400 feet in elevation. That is a pretty big jump.

I woke up early on the Race Day, about 6:15 . I left for the race at about 6:30, armed with two chewy bars, a nature valley bar, a Red Bull, a bottle of water, and directions from Google Maps. The directions turned out to be wrong and led me away from Flagstaff on I-17. Using a forest service map from the Marathon Website, and the wings which I had sprouted from drinking the Red Bull, I flew to the race site, which turned out to be out in the middle of the forest.

I arrived at 7:15 and I was shivering. It was pretty cold, something like 40 degrees. After eating some orange slices, banana-halfs, and a bagel, I started to warm up a bit. Once I stretched I was no longer cold. My friend showed up at about 7:40, and we proceeded to the start line, where the race started right on-time.

The run was actually a little harder than I thought it was going to be. The first 15 minutes or so I walked/jogged with my friend. She had rolled her ankle earlier in the week and was having a little trouble breathing in the altitude. She told me to run on ahead, so being the gentleman I am, I did what I was told and I left her.

The first half of the course was more or less uphill. Going uphill combined with the elevation and my lack of training made things a little difficult. The whole race was off-road, which was good for my knees, but the unevenness seemed dangerous for my ankles. I also drank too much water before the race, and I had to stop and pee about 30 feet off the trail.

The surrounding atmosphere was beautiful. The sun was peeping through the serene and peaceful pine forest. There was nothing man-made out there, to the point where you felt like you were a trespasser on mother-nature's property. It was just you and nature...and a few aid stations with water and Gatorade.

I finished at 1:17:14, about 20 minutes slower than my last 10k. Not an impressive time I know, but the important part is that I did it. They didn't have any age categories so I finished 20th out of 24. If I were to separate the results into age categories, I would have finished 2nd in my age group. Unfortunately, that is 2nd out of 2.

It was a pleasant experience overall. I learned a little about high altitude racing, and I had a very fun weekend in Flagstaff. So yeah.

Easy...Eaaaaaasy...

2008-09-24T10:12:00.000-07:00

So I went for a run this morning (which started at 80 degrees, and then finished at 90) and it was good. About 10 minutes into the run, I saw in the distance a dog running at me. I mean he was coming straight at me on the side walk. I was trying to judge what his motive was. His tongue was hanging out, so he looked like he was just going to come play with me, but on the other hand he was kind of a big dog and he was moving pretty fast. I started to think about my best course of action when it got to me. Should I play with it? Should I give it a swift kick in the face? Well, the dog approached and I slowed to a walk and turned down the volume on my iPod. Interestingly enough, so did the dog. He slowed down as well and even turned down the volume on his iPod, and he moved onto the street about ten feet to the side. We made eye contact, he nodded, and we slowly passed. We took one last look behind us, and he started running away. I assume he was on his morning run as well.

I'm not sure why he slowed down as he passed, but I have a few guesses. Maybe he was just as scared as I was. I sure as he was passing me he was thinking, "Oh boy...what do I do if he comes at me? Just remember he is just as scared of me as I am of him... Easy...Eaaaaaaaasy..."

Maybe he was just a courteous dog. Perhaps he knows that I would be scared if he came running straight at me, and passed me at a full run. He was just being a considerate dog. He knew he was scary and was just looking out for me. I don't know.

It was weird.

Video killed the 'Active Viewer' Star

2008-09-23T09:10:00.000-07:00

So here I am in Mesa. I'm living with Mary Ann. It's great. Really. I'm really enjoying it. I only have one problem. I've become a passive viewer of television. I come home and sit down and just turn the TV on. I spend a few moments going through the guide, and if there is something that I really enjoy, (The X-Files, Seinfeld, Scrubs, Re-Runs of The Daily Show, The Colbert Report) I will watch those. If there isn't any of those things on, I settle for something less. I think the worst that I have stooped is Wings. Actually, probably Criss Angel Mind Freak. Yeah. I can sit and watch for an hour, and I'll even watch the commercials. Sometimes I get caught up in waiting for the next half-hour block, because something I like is on then, and then it turns into another half-hour.Even when I am watching good Television that I like, I'm still watching as a lazy viewer. I sit there, dozing off, watching commercials, calling out to the TV, all the things that I tried to leave behind with Netflix and TiVo. Unfortunately, I have failed, and I have been sucked into the Television. It may or may not be eating my mind. We will see. Wish me luck.

MySpace = Trash

2008-09-18T09:54:00.000-07:00

I am in the library at Mesa Community College and I was working on my English paper, but I could not resist to take this time to just talk about what I see.

MySpace. 360 degrees of MySpace. I mean just MySpace. No other networking site. There are probably 200 plus computers that I can see, and probably over half of them are being used for MySpace. I guess it doesn't really bother me, because I got a computer to work on (a rare occurance), but I can see 10 people walking around trying to find a computer to work at. Or maybe they just want to see if the have any new friends of a friend of a friend that they kind of only know because they went to the same High School, or maybe they want to see if old so-and-so changed their sparkly backround or their obnoxious music.

I can't say much about Networking Sites in general because I do have a facebook and I do use it regularly, but I can say that MySpace is traaaashy. Every single page I have seen today has a background that blinks,moves, dances, plays loud popular music, has 8 to 24 hot celebs on it,has some sparkly seizure-enducing curser chaser,and has a profile picture that conveys 'promiscuity.' Of all the Networking Modules that exist, MySpace is the absolute worst.

Also, I'm having trouble starting my paper.

...let my Carson go

2008-09-14T18:19:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was Saturday. I woke up and I was feeling great. Excited for the new day, I got up and proceeded through my morning ablutions. All seemed to be normal. I went to a meeting with Ms. Shane-Boyd, I taught the student leaders some new choreography, I sang very loud on the way home-- Nothing out of the ordinary. I came back home and settled down for an afternoon nap. I started to cough a little, but I just attributed that to the food that I hadn't swallowed correctly, but this cough lingered. A few hours later, it was still there and even more pronounced than before. At about this time I realized what was happening... I was getting sick.

I did what I could (drank orange juice, took vitamins, went to bed, etc.) but sure enough, I woke up this morning with a horrible cough and probably what is about 4 pounds of mucus and other various fluids squishing around in my lungs. As if that wasn't enough, this afternoon I started to develop a fever. Come on. Really? I made some lasagna and ate it, and that made me feel a little better, but I'm still just as crappy as ever.

What baffles me most is how I got it? I have been getting at least 7 hours of sleep every night, usually 8, I've been drinking orange juice, eating healthily, running, and still I end up sick. It came on so fast. I was great Friday, great Saturday morning, and a few hours later I feel like crap. I can only guess is that my body is just adjusting, or stressed. I've finished 3 weeks of school and had to adapt to being in school again, and maybe my body is tired out. The only thing wrong with that hypothesis is that I haven't really been stressed. I've been enjoying school, and I'm loving Urinetown... I don't get it.

Also BYU beat UCLA 59-0...come on UCLA...that's it?

Mesa: Home, Sweet Home

2008-09-07T21:15:00.000-07:00

I am living in Mesa, Arizona; Like Tucson, only different. Mesa lacks the natural beauty of Tucson. It is, for the most part, flat. The mountains are far away, and combined with the smog and dust of a busy city, they are hard to see. There seems to be endless development in the Mesa area. You can't go anywhere in the city without seeing a new neighborhood popping up, or a new shopping center being built. Where there were trees, cactus, and coyotes, there are now concrete walls, hydrants, and freeways. It is probably, on average, 4 degrees hotter here than in Tucson, and the dirty water on tap doesn't help cope with the heat. My home, the Sun Valley.

Mesa is great! I am actually enjoying life here. My little vignette above painted a pretty sad picture of my home, but really I like it. It really isn't as beautiful as Tucson, but I'm going to be okay.

Life is good. I'm in classes at Mesa Community College. I'm taking English, Psychology, Philosophy, and Anthropology, and so far I am enjoying them all. It requires a lot of reading, but that is forcing me to learn how to manage my time better. I am starting to eliminate items from my normal routine's, because they just aren't that important anymore. Spending a half hour writing on my blog wasn't one of those thing, apparently.

I'm taking Pearl of Great Price at the Institute and I get BYU credit for it. I like my teacher and the course, so I couldn't ask for anything more.

The college is putting on "Urinetown, the Musical" and it is one of my favorites. I auditioned and I was cast as Bobby Strong. I'm pretty excited, and I think it will go well. I'm a little bummed, but it's been taking me a little while to get my voice back 100 %. It's been a little while since I've been singing this much, so I trying to get back in the habit.

I like it here. I may even look for a part-time job, which would be helpful in attaining my goal of paying for tuition when I get back to BYU. But for right now, everything is good.

P.S. I Love You

2008-01-08T00:41:00.000-08:00

C+. A lot of people told me, "You have to see this movie with a box of tissues, because you will cry your eyes out." I was unfulfilled. It sure had it's share of depressing moments, but generally I didn't feel like there was a lot of chemistry to begin with between Hilary Swank and Gerard Butler, so it was difficult to feel like there was something that was really lost, although the letters that Gerry (Butler) leaves for Holly (Swank), were touching and probably the saddest parts of the movie. Most of the emotion came for me with the arrival of the new suitors. I disliked them. Very much. I understand that Harry Connick Jr.'s character isn't really supposed to be liked, but William (played by Jeffery Dean Morgan), who you are supposed to like, was not to my liking either. His 'charming' Irish accent only made me dislike him more! Most of the movies shortcomings were made right through Hilary Swank's friends in the movie, played by Lisa Kudrow and Gina Gershon. They provided the much need comic relief and they did it beautifully. Overall, the movie was very draining, but wasn't all that bad. A nice premise, but some bad writing and casting, perhaps.

Highlight: Acting as a Post Office worker.

Lowlight: Not being able to add classes online.

Gem of the day...

Honest to Blog

2008-01-06T22:44:00.000-08:00

I'm excited about this blog. Several times throughout my life I have attempted to keep a journal, but I'm afraid I don't get very far with my entries. For example, my last journal only got two entries, before it withered and died. So, I've just (as I was writing the last sentence) made a New Years Resolution to write in this blog at least once a week (though I hope to write whenever I feel the need), and to write in a personal journal once a week. I carried out last years resolution (No Soda) so, this should be easy. Right?

Highlight: Although I never got out of the car, I saw the Las Vegas strip for the first time!

Lowlight: I have bad knees.

Treasure of the Day...