I have interviews with Disney this week and it is pretty much freaking me out!! I am so nervous!!
It should be fun and interesting.
Monday, October 12, 2009
Brian's Editorial
I just want to talk for a moment about text messaging. It must be a sign that I have hit at least one uncomfortable high school reunion when I long for the days of actually reaching out and touching someone. I don’t mean that literally because I am pretty sure that was not exactly legal in the good ole days either. But we have moved from a society that talks things out and condensed ourselves into one sentence conversations. In my case, exactly 160 character conversations. But texting is not alone in this, facebook and instant messaging also dictates that our communication be limited to what is becoming an ever contracting level of concentration. And while expanding the quantity of our “friend”ships it may be adversely impacting the quality of those same relationships. In the course of my days my received text messages are getting more and more complex. To the point where these are not exactly communications to be having over text message.
Case in point, my cousin gave my telephone number to a friend, that friend texted me her entire acne history and asked what she thought she should do. That would be a classic example of a bad text message. The only real answer I can give in 160 characters is, “Suck it up.” You would actually have to place the phone call to get a real answer to that question. Another bad example would be “Jessica, sorry your dog Daisy was eaten by a coyote.” Once again a bad text, true sentiments should be expressed verbally.
Essentially IMs and texting are for a few different reasons in my opinion. First, you only need a very little information and you can give it in fill-in-the-blank form. Second, you just wanted to let someone know that you are thinking of them and thought of something kind of silly just to get their attention and let them know they are cared about (could even be Plutonic caring). Third, flirting but not dating. Fourth, teasing your brother about how much better your score at Toy Story Mania is than his and doing it in real time. (That could be number 2 again.) Fifth, mass invitations to something or to quickly disseminate general information. Sixth, communication when a phone call would be inappropriate, such as during a meeting. And finally, setting up or confirming prearranged meetings.
Let’s talk about some texting faux pas. Setting up a first date by text is a total faux pas. I have yet to hear a girl tell me how special she felt because this cute guy she met at a party texted her to ask her out. That is a phone call conversation. The text says, I like you enough for 10 seconds but maybe not enough to dedicate a whole conversation. Hardly the way to start a budding relationship. However, if you have already had a conversation about getting together and you are still working on the details, then it is okay to text and ask if Wednesday works. This assumes you have already made the offer of the date and it has been accepted by some other personal means.
Asking complex questions are definite texting no-nos. Asking how an internal combustion engine works by text message is a bad idea. No one in their right mind would answer that question, unless they had nothing else to do in life, and that includes bathing themselves. “What is the air speed velocity of a coconut laden swallow?” is a great text message question. That requires a very simple answer, a simple answer which eludes me at this moment but I am sure it is a simple answer.
I once heard a story about a celebrity that was asked by a fan for an autograph. The celebrity who told the story told about how the fan had stopped him in the middle of something he was doing and had interrupted his schedule. However, being a nice guy he was willing to oblige. But then the fan asked if the celebrity had a pen. The celebrity expressed his frustration and said if you are going to ask someone for something at least bring a pen. The point being many people ask for our help which they realize may be an inconvenience and then don’t even bother putting in enough preparation to make it less of a nuisance. Texting is going that direction as well where people can ask for things they might not be as willing to ask face to face. “Can you come help me move on Friday and can you bring the donuts too. Thanks you’re the best!” Less than 160 characters but with less character than you would want. I am still of the belief that if you are going to ask a favor from someone, it should be a conversation not a text. Unless of course that favor is a small thing like “Can you DVR (fill in the blank with your favorite TV show that no one knows you watch and you are embarrassed enough about not to really admit except to your sibling or roommate) for me I have to work late. Thanks!” This point is negotiable based on the level of friendship you have with a person. But seriously, bring a pen.
Also there are appropriate and inappropriate places to be texting. As recent law and youtube videos have shown, texting while driving is not only dangerous but illegal……and we have all done it. Nothing scares me more than seeing the person driving next to me on the freeway, texting. At least the guy drinking the beer is more predictable. Church is also a totally inappropriate place to text. And trust me, you are being judged whether righteously or not when you pull out your phone for almost any reason during Sacrament meeting. Texting during church is bad form. It makes me laugh when I hear of Bishops who actually have to tell their congregations not to text during church. That one should have been obvious. And yes, we all have done it. Finally, texting while in the middle of a real conversation is possibly the most unintentionally rude act one can perform. Which of us have not been talking to someone when they get a text. Their eyes shift from focus on your face to their phone and all of a sudden their attention seems to drift away and all but disappear as they actually start to respond on their phone and only perk up to ask, “What did you say?” as they barely comprehend that you just said, “"Look mother, it's my life, o-kay? So if I want to live on a beach and walk around naked..." (Total extra points if you get that reference.) As if the person not present but the one texting is much more important than the one actually taking the time to engage you in conversation. Now there may be cases that you are waiting for someone to arrive and you need to see if they are lost. That is when you explain to the person you are talking to the situation and why you have to look at your phone, apologize, handle it as quick as you can, and then it is your responsibility to reengage the conversation. Now that is better texting etiquette.
Don’t get me wrong. I like texts a lot. They make me feel loved. Every time I get one and I am in a patient’s room I let the patient know that beeping noise means I am popular. I take their laughter to mean that they accept the premise. But I do think texting has its limitations and we should look for more reasons not fewer to contact in real life instead of trying to tangle ourselves in virtual webs. So lol, ttyl, ttfn. And all those other fun things I have to ask my younger sisters what they mean.
Brian
Case in point, my cousin gave my telephone number to a friend, that friend texted me her entire acne history and asked what she thought she should do. That would be a classic example of a bad text message. The only real answer I can give in 160 characters is, “Suck it up.” You would actually have to place the phone call to get a real answer to that question. Another bad example would be “Jessica, sorry your dog Daisy was eaten by a coyote.” Once again a bad text, true sentiments should be expressed verbally.
Essentially IMs and texting are for a few different reasons in my opinion. First, you only need a very little information and you can give it in fill-in-the-blank form. Second, you just wanted to let someone know that you are thinking of them and thought of something kind of silly just to get their attention and let them know they are cared about (could even be Plutonic caring). Third, flirting but not dating. Fourth, teasing your brother about how much better your score at Toy Story Mania is than his and doing it in real time. (That could be number 2 again.) Fifth, mass invitations to something or to quickly disseminate general information. Sixth, communication when a phone call would be inappropriate, such as during a meeting. And finally, setting up or confirming prearranged meetings.
Let’s talk about some texting faux pas. Setting up a first date by text is a total faux pas. I have yet to hear a girl tell me how special she felt because this cute guy she met at a party texted her to ask her out. That is a phone call conversation. The text says, I like you enough for 10 seconds but maybe not enough to dedicate a whole conversation. Hardly the way to start a budding relationship. However, if you have already had a conversation about getting together and you are still working on the details, then it is okay to text and ask if Wednesday works. This assumes you have already made the offer of the date and it has been accepted by some other personal means.
Asking complex questions are definite texting no-nos. Asking how an internal combustion engine works by text message is a bad idea. No one in their right mind would answer that question, unless they had nothing else to do in life, and that includes bathing themselves. “What is the air speed velocity of a coconut laden swallow?” is a great text message question. That requires a very simple answer, a simple answer which eludes me at this moment but I am sure it is a simple answer.
I once heard a story about a celebrity that was asked by a fan for an autograph. The celebrity who told the story told about how the fan had stopped him in the middle of something he was doing and had interrupted his schedule. However, being a nice guy he was willing to oblige. But then the fan asked if the celebrity had a pen. The celebrity expressed his frustration and said if you are going to ask someone for something at least bring a pen. The point being many people ask for our help which they realize may be an inconvenience and then don’t even bother putting in enough preparation to make it less of a nuisance. Texting is going that direction as well where people can ask for things they might not be as willing to ask face to face. “Can you come help me move on Friday and can you bring the donuts too. Thanks you’re the best!” Less than 160 characters but with less character than you would want. I am still of the belief that if you are going to ask a favor from someone, it should be a conversation not a text. Unless of course that favor is a small thing like “Can you DVR (fill in the blank with your favorite TV show that no one knows you watch and you are embarrassed enough about not to really admit except to your sibling or roommate) for me I have to work late. Thanks!” This point is negotiable based on the level of friendship you have with a person. But seriously, bring a pen.
Also there are appropriate and inappropriate places to be texting. As recent law and youtube videos have shown, texting while driving is not only dangerous but illegal……and we have all done it. Nothing scares me more than seeing the person driving next to me on the freeway, texting. At least the guy drinking the beer is more predictable. Church is also a totally inappropriate place to text. And trust me, you are being judged whether righteously or not when you pull out your phone for almost any reason during Sacrament meeting. Texting during church is bad form. It makes me laugh when I hear of Bishops who actually have to tell their congregations not to text during church. That one should have been obvious. And yes, we all have done it. Finally, texting while in the middle of a real conversation is possibly the most unintentionally rude act one can perform. Which of us have not been talking to someone when they get a text. Their eyes shift from focus on your face to their phone and all of a sudden their attention seems to drift away and all but disappear as they actually start to respond on their phone and only perk up to ask, “What did you say?” as they barely comprehend that you just said, “"Look mother, it's my life, o-kay? So if I want to live on a beach and walk around naked..." (Total extra points if you get that reference.) As if the person not present but the one texting is much more important than the one actually taking the time to engage you in conversation. Now there may be cases that you are waiting for someone to arrive and you need to see if they are lost. That is when you explain to the person you are talking to the situation and why you have to look at your phone, apologize, handle it as quick as you can, and then it is your responsibility to reengage the conversation. Now that is better texting etiquette.
Don’t get me wrong. I like texts a lot. They make me feel loved. Every time I get one and I am in a patient’s room I let the patient know that beeping noise means I am popular. I take their laughter to mean that they accept the premise. But I do think texting has its limitations and we should look for more reasons not fewer to contact in real life instead of trying to tangle ourselves in virtual webs. So lol, ttyl, ttfn. And all those other fun things I have to ask my younger sisters what they mean.
Brian
Friday, September 4, 2009
Disney!!
Disney is calling my name again. I am going to Disney in January to fulfill the last requirement for my major!! Hallelujah!!
Monday, August 24, 2009
So...
A) So it has been a while since I have written on here.
B) We had a family reunion and all 25 of us were in town. That was a whole lot of people. We had two baby blessings and a baptism.
C) I am getting interestingly excited about this weekend. We are having Capitol Discovery Day on Saturday up at the Utah State Capitol. That is where I have been working this whole summer and this is our last big event of the summer.
D) I will be starting school again on August 31st. This semester will go really fast I have decided.
Monday, August 3, 2009
Comics
I love the comics. They always make me laugh and they are great. I get them in my email everyday and I got this one from Family Circus. I always think it is entertaining when the artist does this for it. Enjoy!
Thursday, July 16, 2009
The Past Few Days
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince was amazing!! I loved it! The best one by far. After Denny's, we just talked until the movie started. We are on the very front row of the theater, but it was still really good. It got you right into the action.
I went home and got to bed at 4:15 and woke up at 8. On Wednesday, I went to Lagoon with some the same friends from the night before and a sister of one of them. It was really a lot of fun. We would all keep getting sleepy and then get a second wind to keep on going. We went on Rattlesnake Rapids four times and came off soaking wet. It was so much fun though!!
After getting 5, 4, 6 hours of sleep in the past few nights, I am very sleepy as I am at work today. Good grief. Who thought this was a good idea...
Off to see Harry Potter again tonight if I can figure out the time with my friend.
Needless to say, I am a very sleepy panda today.
I went home and got to bed at 4:15 and woke up at 8. On Wednesday, I went to Lagoon with some the same friends from the night before and a sister of one of them. It was really a lot of fun. We would all keep getting sleepy and then get a second wind to keep on going. We went on Rattlesnake Rapids four times and came off soaking wet. It was so much fun though!!
After getting 5, 4, 6 hours of sleep in the past few nights, I am very sleepy as I am at work today. Good grief. Who thought this was a good idea...
Off to see Harry Potter again tonight if I can figure out the time with my friend.
Needless to say, I am a very sleepy panda today.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
7 Hours, 5 Minutes, 9 seconds
The title is how much time is left until HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE begins!!! I am so excited!!! I have been going to the midnight showings since number 3 came out in 2004.
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban - went with my friend for her birthday party. The next day, we graduated from high school and went to the late night party until 3 a.m. and then on Saturday was Clayton's Spring Concert. Let's say I slept soundly for my Sunday nap. :)
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire - I got the theatre at 3 and waited in line until 11. The nice people behind me watched my stuff when I went to get dinner. I watched the other 3 movies while I was waiting and totally fell asleep on the floor of the movie theatre lobby at the Provo Town Center. At the end, a friend called his friend that had just seen it and sound loudly, "I want to touch his bald head!" Entertainment at its best at 3 in the morning.
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - We met and went to dinner at Mimi's Cafe and then had reserved seats at Jordan Commons. Two different people bought assigned seats and they were right in front of each other. It was amazing!
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince - We shall see.
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban - went with my friend for her birthday party. The next day, we graduated from high school and went to the late night party until 3 a.m. and then on Saturday was Clayton's Spring Concert. Let's say I slept soundly for my Sunday nap. :)
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire - I got the theatre at 3 and waited in line until 11. The nice people behind me watched my stuff when I went to get dinner. I watched the other 3 movies while I was waiting and totally fell asleep on the floor of the movie theatre lobby at the Provo Town Center. At the end, a friend called his friend that had just seen it and sound loudly, "I want to touch his bald head!" Entertainment at its best at 3 in the morning.
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - We met and went to dinner at Mimi's Cafe and then had reserved seats at Jordan Commons. Two different people bought assigned seats and they were right in front of each other. It was amazing!
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince - We shall see.
Monday, July 13, 2009
Random Trivia for July 13
How good of a piano player was Sam?
Dooley Wilson appeared as Sam in the movie "Casablanca." Dooley was a drummer — not a pianist in real life. The man who really played the piano in Casablanca was a Warner Brothers' staff musician who was at a piano off-camera during the filming.
How did an Incan couple wed?
In the marriage ceremony of the ancient Incas, the couple was considered officially wed when they took off their sandals and handed them to each other.
What's unique about a cat's tail?
The domestic cat is the only species able to hold its tail vertically while walking. Wild cats hold their tail horizontally, or tucked between their legs while walking.
How well did Les Miserables sell?
Victor Hugo's great classic Les Miserables was called "one of the best sellers of the ages." Within 24 hours of publication in 1862, the first Paris edition of 7,000 copies were completely sold out. The book was published simultaneously in Brussels, Budapest, Leipzig, London, Madrid, Rio de Janeiro, Rotterdam, and Warsaw. Later, it was translated into languages in almost every region of the world. In the 20th century, Les Miserables became a film and a record-breaking hit Broadway musical.
How strong is a leaf-cutting ant?
The leaf-cutting ant can lift more than 50 times its own weight.
Dooley Wilson appeared as Sam in the movie "Casablanca." Dooley was a drummer — not a pianist in real life. The man who really played the piano in Casablanca was a Warner Brothers' staff musician who was at a piano off-camera during the filming.
How did an Incan couple wed?
In the marriage ceremony of the ancient Incas, the couple was considered officially wed when they took off their sandals and handed them to each other.
What's unique about a cat's tail?
The domestic cat is the only species able to hold its tail vertically while walking. Wild cats hold their tail horizontally, or tucked between their legs while walking.
How well did Les Miserables sell?
Victor Hugo's great classic Les Miserables was called "one of the best sellers of the ages." Within 24 hours of publication in 1862, the first Paris edition of 7,000 copies were completely sold out. The book was published simultaneously in Brussels, Budapest, Leipzig, London, Madrid, Rio de Janeiro, Rotterdam, and Warsaw. Later, it was translated into languages in almost every region of the world. In the 20th century, Les Miserables became a film and a record-breaking hit Broadway musical.
How strong is a leaf-cutting ant?
The leaf-cutting ant can lift more than 50 times its own weight.
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Amazing Video!!
Jon Schmidt is incredible at what he does. I absolutely love this song!! He has a concert in September and he is playing this song, if he can get all the rights to it. Amazing!!!!
Once again...see title...
Trivia from my email account.
Random bits of trivia that I thought were interesting:
Why did Crayola rename its colors?
Crayola has renamed only three crayon colors in its corporate history. In 1958, Prussian Blue was renamed Midnight Blue because, according to teachers, children could no longer relate to Prussian history. In 1962, Flesh was renamed Peach to recognize that not everyone's skin is the same shade. In 1999, Indian Red was renamed Chestnut after a public contest, which drew more than 100,000 entries; rejected contest entry names included ginger spice, crab claw red, old penny, and baseball mitt.
Is cocoa good for your teeth?
Strangely enough, more than one research group has found that cocoa powder contains a substance that may actually inhibit tooth decay.
Does a turkey need to be taught how to eat?
A newborn turkey chick has to be taught to eat, or it will starve. Breeders spread feed underfoot, hoping the little ones will peck at it and get the idea. Turkeys tend to look up with their mouths open during rainstorms. As a result, many drown.
How many generations built the world's first iron bridge?
The world's first iron bridge, built at Coalbrookdale, Shropshire, England in 1782, was the product of three generations of Darbys. Abraham Darby I developed the use of coke; his son manufactured cast iron; and his grandson built the bridge.
How long have people played flutes?
Scientists have discovered the oldest playable musical instrument in the world. It’s a flute carved from a bird’s wing bone more than 9,000 years ago. The flute was discovered with other flutes at an ancient burial site in China.
How popular is 'Yesterday?'
More than 2,500 cover versions of The Beatles' "Yesterday" exist, making it the most recorded song in history.
Random bits of trivia that I thought were interesting:
Why did Crayola rename its colors?
Crayola has renamed only three crayon colors in its corporate history. In 1958, Prussian Blue was renamed Midnight Blue because, according to teachers, children could no longer relate to Prussian history. In 1962, Flesh was renamed Peach to recognize that not everyone's skin is the same shade. In 1999, Indian Red was renamed Chestnut after a public contest, which drew more than 100,000 entries; rejected contest entry names included ginger spice, crab claw red, old penny, and baseball mitt.
Is cocoa good for your teeth?
Strangely enough, more than one research group has found that cocoa powder contains a substance that may actually inhibit tooth decay.
Does a turkey need to be taught how to eat?
A newborn turkey chick has to be taught to eat, or it will starve. Breeders spread feed underfoot, hoping the little ones will peck at it and get the idea. Turkeys tend to look up with their mouths open during rainstorms. As a result, many drown.
How many generations built the world's first iron bridge?
The world's first iron bridge, built at Coalbrookdale, Shropshire, England in 1782, was the product of three generations of Darbys. Abraham Darby I developed the use of coke; his son manufactured cast iron; and his grandson built the bridge.
How long have people played flutes?
Scientists have discovered the oldest playable musical instrument in the world. It’s a flute carved from a bird’s wing bone more than 9,000 years ago. The flute was discovered with other flutes at an ancient burial site in China.
How popular is 'Yesterday?'
More than 2,500 cover versions of The Beatles' "Yesterday" exist, making it the most recorded song in history.
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Brian's Editorial
This an old editorial from Brian. The one this week was about a single adult activity in Las Vegas that he is helping to set up. So, enjoy this one from August 2008. :)
My typical Sunday consists of church, after church chilling (it is a day of rest), and then usually over to my parents place for Sunday dinner. My cooking skills are somewhat equivalent to my dating skills. Things either turn out half baked or way over done. Even after watching Super Size Me I have found the joy in letting Wendy's do the cooking. But I do follow the rule that I never super size and the only fries I get are the stray one or two that occasionally end up in my bag. Apparently fries are like rabbits and the multiply and are very hard to get rid of. And that is before you eat them.
So on Sundays I never turn down a home cooked meal with non mass produced food. Typically after dinner we play games for a while. Since in modern society imperialism has supposedly taken a back seat, we have to find a different way to let out our strategic tendencies. Sunday I was the Michael Phelps at the games. I could not be stopped. The real estate game: instant bajillionaire. The Middle Eastern building game: master sheik. So of course I was feeling on top of the world until the last game. The game had cards and one of the cards slipped out of my hands. This of itself seems rather innocuous. Except for the fact that I do play with scalpels for a living and that kind of dexterity should not be advertised. (Professional juggler. Scalpels are easier to transport than chainsaws.) We were playing on the back deck because the inside of the house was probably a balmy 90 degrees. Anyway, this card fell from my hand and it fell perpendicular to the deck floor. But my luck was so on that night that the card hit at the exact angle that it slide right through the microscopic opening between the two boards on the deck. I was a little stunned at my obviously advanced skill that without even thinking, I could get a card to thread the needle. I know you are all concerned about the game but rest assured that my victory was secured even with my minor handicap. However, then came the part where my family looked at me to retrieve the card.
Some decks are built above patios. Then there are other decks that are built above small, cramp, dark, rat infested, black widow spider populated, dirty areas that have not been cleaned out since the deck was built. One guess which one my parents is. Armed with a flashlight and one of those grasping hooks that they given people who just had hip replacement, I climbed down to see if I could see the card. My first thought was that it would just be easier to buy a new game on ebay. But then I caught a glimpse of either a leaf from years ago or the edge of a card about 5 feet in. That is when a whole new strategy game started. How to get the card out without actually having to climb underneath and risk bubonic plaque from some rat bite. There seems that there might be some sort of law against getting a child to do it. So I grabbed the longest object I could find, a broom. Using the broom I eased the card forward until I successfully started to bury it underneath whatever the debris was that was under the deck. Luckily by that time, my trust hip replacement hook was able to grab the card and I was unscathed and the spiders relatively undisturbed and we have returned to our symbiotic relationship.
Or in other words. Nothing exciting to report this week. Hope your week was more eventful.
Brian
My typical Sunday consists of church, after church chilling (it is a day of rest), and then usually over to my parents place for Sunday dinner. My cooking skills are somewhat equivalent to my dating skills. Things either turn out half baked or way over done. Even after watching Super Size Me I have found the joy in letting Wendy's do the cooking. But I do follow the rule that I never super size and the only fries I get are the stray one or two that occasionally end up in my bag. Apparently fries are like rabbits and the multiply and are very hard to get rid of. And that is before you eat them.
So on Sundays I never turn down a home cooked meal with non mass produced food. Typically after dinner we play games for a while. Since in modern society imperialism has supposedly taken a back seat, we have to find a different way to let out our strategic tendencies. Sunday I was the Michael Phelps at the games. I could not be stopped. The real estate game: instant bajillionaire. The Middle Eastern building game: master sheik. So of course I was feeling on top of the world until the last game. The game had cards and one of the cards slipped out of my hands. This of itself seems rather innocuous. Except for the fact that I do play with scalpels for a living and that kind of dexterity should not be advertised. (Professional juggler. Scalpels are easier to transport than chainsaws.) We were playing on the back deck because the inside of the house was probably a balmy 90 degrees. Anyway, this card fell from my hand and it fell perpendicular to the deck floor. But my luck was so on that night that the card hit at the exact angle that it slide right through the microscopic opening between the two boards on the deck. I was a little stunned at my obviously advanced skill that without even thinking, I could get a card to thread the needle. I know you are all concerned about the game but rest assured that my victory was secured even with my minor handicap. However, then came the part where my family looked at me to retrieve the card.
Some decks are built above patios. Then there are other decks that are built above small, cramp, dark, rat infested, black widow spider populated, dirty areas that have not been cleaned out since the deck was built. One guess which one my parents is. Armed with a flashlight and one of those grasping hooks that they given people who just had hip replacement, I climbed down to see if I could see the card. My first thought was that it would just be easier to buy a new game on ebay. But then I caught a glimpse of either a leaf from years ago or the edge of a card about 5 feet in. That is when a whole new strategy game started. How to get the card out without actually having to climb underneath and risk bubonic plaque from some rat bite. There seems that there might be some sort of law against getting a child to do it. So I grabbed the longest object I could find, a broom. Using the broom I eased the card forward until I successfully started to bury it underneath whatever the debris was that was under the deck. Luckily by that time, my trust hip replacement hook was able to grab the card and I was unscathed and the spiders relatively undisturbed and we have returned to our symbiotic relationship.
Or in other words. Nothing exciting to report this week. Hope your week was more eventful.
Brian
Monday, July 6, 2009
4th of July Weekend
For the 4th of July, our family usually goes down to Ephraim. We are there every other year or so for a family reunion, and this year we just went down for the fun of it. Most of the family got there on Thursday, but I got there on Friday, after work. (At least this year I didn't have to drive home and work and then go back down.) On Friday night, after Roy's Pizza, we went to Manti, which is about 7 miles south of Ephraim, and went to the parade at 7 at night. It was fun small town parade. After the kids were all asleep, we went over the Malt Shop which is across the street from Nana's house and got ice cream. On Saturday, we went to Moroni at 9:30 to watch their parade at 10:00. However, before the parade started, they had a pingpong ball drop. A plane flew over and dropped pingpong balls from the sky. We didn't really understand why, but they did and it was really fun. The parade then started at 10 and went down Main Street of Moroni. This parade was longer than the other parade and was also really fun. We then returned to Manti to their celebration for the 4th. This included Money in the Haystack, Rocket blasting, grease pole climbing and plenty of food. (If you are ever in Ephraim, either go to Roy's Pizza or The Blue Restaurant.) We drove back home and went to Sweet Tomatoes for dinner. After we did our fireworks on the street with the kids, Wendy, Brian and I went to see Holladay's firework show at 10:30 p.m. We were sitting at Zion's Bank and the fireworks were shot off right across the street from us, right by the Fire House. They were literally right over our heads. It was great and very loud!
Over the course of two days, I had 5 servings of ice cream....not like I am complaining or anything. On my way down on Friday, I stopped at the Big Red Barn in Santaquin and had Lemon Custard and Cashew Carmel for $1.86 and then Wendy and I got ice cream from Maverick with was Vanilla and Root Beer Float twist, and then that night we got shakes from the Malt Shop and I had a banana cream pie one. Mmm. On Saturday, we stopped at the Big Red Barn on the way home too. I got Lemon Custard (again) and Oreo Fudge. That night at Sweet Tomatoes, desert is ice cream. A very good vanilla and chocolate twist. I LOVE ICE CREAM!!!
Happy Fourth of July and what a great day and time to celebrate!!
Over the course of two days, I had 5 servings of ice cream....not like I am complaining or anything. On my way down on Friday, I stopped at the Big Red Barn in Santaquin and had Lemon Custard and Cashew Carmel for $1.86 and then Wendy and I got ice cream from Maverick with was Vanilla and Root Beer Float twist, and then that night we got shakes from the Malt Shop and I had a banana cream pie one. Mmm. On Saturday, we stopped at the Big Red Barn on the way home too. I got Lemon Custard (again) and Oreo Fudge. That night at Sweet Tomatoes, desert is ice cream. A very good vanilla and chocolate twist. I LOVE ICE CREAM!!!
Happy Fourth of July and what a great day and time to celebrate!!
Friday, July 3, 2009
See title of blog...
So, here is a random post from my mind... And when I say random, I mean really random...
This week I made a dumb mistake that cost about $6-7 dollars. I ordered "Stardust" off of Amazon.com and I accidently ordered the HD DVD version instead of a normal DVD version. Luckily, my brother was there and explained why it wasn't working. Apparently it is like Beta tapes compared to videotapes. Blu-ray came out right before HD DVD and took away the thunder behind it. So, if anyone has an HD DVD player and want "Stardust", let me know. :)
Also, this week, I signed up to sing and dance during the month of October at Wheeler Farm here in Salt Lake. I grew in a singing and dancing group called Clayton Productions and the director, Kim, is putting on a show called "Freaky Fridays" and I am doing it and I am so excited!!
So, I have a Dell Inspiron and man alive have I had issues with it. It didn't help that about six months after I bought it, I spilled water on it and destroyed the motherboard, or that piece in the center that makes it go and work. Since then, my computer has had serious issues. And now, it has issues because the mouse gets too hot and just stops working. It is the hardest thing to make it keep moving and I have to keep switching how I am sitting to make it work. It is buggy!! So, I mentioned on Facebook that I might be buying a new computer and asked for input on what type or operating system. I was shocked with how fast I received input from people. Most people said MAC, even those that work with Windows all the time. I am thinking very seriously of buying a MacBook Pro right now. Especially since I can get a free iPod touch, after mail-in rebate because I am a college student still. We shall see what happens. I will let you know. :)
This weekend, I am out of here to go to Ephraim for all the small town 4th of July celebrations down in Sanpete County. We are usually down there at this time because of my mom's side family reunions that usually happen around this time. I am so excited!!! I love going down to Ephraim and being in that small town feel.
Crazy part about small towns is that I want to live in one when I grow up and I am a Travel and Tourism major. See how those kind of conflict with each other... Oh well. :)
This week I made a dumb mistake that cost about $6-7 dollars. I ordered "Stardust" off of Amazon.com and I accidently ordered the HD DVD version instead of a normal DVD version. Luckily, my brother was there and explained why it wasn't working. Apparently it is like Beta tapes compared to videotapes. Blu-ray came out right before HD DVD and took away the thunder behind it. So, if anyone has an HD DVD player and want "Stardust", let me know. :)
Also, this week, I signed up to sing and dance during the month of October at Wheeler Farm here in Salt Lake. I grew in a singing and dancing group called Clayton Productions and the director, Kim, is putting on a show called "Freaky Fridays" and I am doing it and I am so excited!!
So, I have a Dell Inspiron and man alive have I had issues with it. It didn't help that about six months after I bought it, I spilled water on it and destroyed the motherboard, or that piece in the center that makes it go and work. Since then, my computer has had serious issues. And now, it has issues because the mouse gets too hot and just stops working. It is the hardest thing to make it keep moving and I have to keep switching how I am sitting to make it work. It is buggy!! So, I mentioned on Facebook that I might be buying a new computer and asked for input on what type or operating system. I was shocked with how fast I received input from people. Most people said MAC, even those that work with Windows all the time. I am thinking very seriously of buying a MacBook Pro right now. Especially since I can get a free iPod touch, after mail-in rebate because I am a college student still. We shall see what happens. I will let you know. :)
This weekend, I am out of here to go to Ephraim for all the small town 4th of July celebrations down in Sanpete County. We are usually down there at this time because of my mom's side family reunions that usually happen around this time. I am so excited!!! I love going down to Ephraim and being in that small town feel.
Crazy part about small towns is that I want to live in one when I grow up and I am a Travel and Tourism major. See how those kind of conflict with each other... Oh well. :)
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Random Trivia
As I said, I love the random trivia that I get in my email everyday. Here are just a few of todays gems.
How much can a thirsty camel drink?
When thirsty, a camel can swig down 25 gallons of water in less than three minutes.
Is ketchup as good as the tomato?
Four (4) tablespoons of ketchup, about the amount you would eat with a order of fries, contains the nutritional equivalent of an entire ripe medium tomato.
How long can a Monopoly game go on?
The longest recorded Monopoly game was 1,680 hours. That's over 70 days.
How much can a thirsty camel drink?
When thirsty, a camel can swig down 25 gallons of water in less than three minutes.
Is ketchup as good as the tomato?
Four (4) tablespoons of ketchup, about the amount you would eat with a order of fries, contains the nutritional equivalent of an entire ripe medium tomato.
How long can a Monopoly game go on?
The longest recorded Monopoly game was 1,680 hours. That's over 70 days.
Brian's Editorial
Every week my brother, who is a dermatologist, writes an editorial on Thursday. He sends it out to about 900 single people in the Salt Lake area. With it, he includes activities that are happening for the next week. Don't be suprised if they show up here too, even older ones that were very entertaining. :)
July 2nd:
It has been a busy week. I spent last weekend in Chicago consulting on acne. There are few cities in America more beautiful than Chicago and few things more boring to talk about for 7 hours than acne. At least I got a few minutes to walk up to the Sears Tower and the river and I even skipped the opening reception to hit the Friday night showing of Mary Poppins. But now I am looking forward to getting work off tomorrow to celebrate the 4th of July. I didn’t have time to get you a new quiz for Independence Day but this one is a couple years old so it may seem new. Have a good weekend!
Brian
Question 1
Which of the following did not sign the Declaration of Independence?
A) George Washington
B) John Adams
C) Josiah Bartlett
D) Benjamin Franklin
E) Thomas Jefferson
If you said Josiah Bartlett because you just thought he was a fictional character played by Martin Sheen on TV…..you are wrong. Josiah Bartlett was actually the first signer from; you guessed it, New Hampshire, to sign the Declaration. Now you see where TV gets its material. Actually, George Washington was the one who did not. He was tied up fighting the British in New York. He read the Declaration to his troops in New York on July 9th. After which the troops promptly tore down the statue of King George III.
Question 2
When did the Delegates actually decide to declare America "free and independent" from Great Britain?
A) July 4, 1776
B) July 1, 1776
C) July 2, 1776
D) August 2, 1776
On July 1st Congress began the final debate on the issue of independence. A
vote was taken and two colonies abstained and two voted against independence. Then on July 2nd, after much politicking the night before, the resolution passed with a vote of 12 and one colony abstaining (see the next question). John Adams wrote "the second of July….will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival." However, Jefferson's Declaration of Independence needed some editing. After deleting some passages reproofing the English people and an indictment of George III for imposing slavery on America, July 4th was the day the delegates approved the final version of the Declaration of Independence. John Hancock, as president, was the only one to sign on that day. It is commonly thought that the rest of the signers did not add their signatures until the resolution had been "engrossed on parchment." Which was around August 2nd and even some of the signers signed as late as September. So the answer is C.
Question 3 – the final question.
Which colony abstained from the final vote, making the voting
unanimous, 12 to 0?
A) Pennsylvania
B) South Carolina
C) Delaware
D) New York
At the initial vote Delaware's delegation was divided one to one. On the evening of July1st Caesar Rodney rode 80 miles to break the deadlock and cause them to change their vote to yes. South Carolina voted no originally but a night of negotiating caused them to change their vote to yes. Pennsylvania had voted no but the two representatives most opposed were convinced that shortly Pennsylvania would be sending a new delegation to vote yes, so they stayed home on July 2 and Pennsylvania's vote swung
to yes. New York wanted to vote for independence but abstained because they did not have instructions from their colony. New York later did get instructions to vote yes but on July 2, they were the only ones to abstain.
BW
July 2nd:
It has been a busy week. I spent last weekend in Chicago consulting on acne. There are few cities in America more beautiful than Chicago and few things more boring to talk about for 7 hours than acne. At least I got a few minutes to walk up to the Sears Tower and the river and I even skipped the opening reception to hit the Friday night showing of Mary Poppins. But now I am looking forward to getting work off tomorrow to celebrate the 4th of July. I didn’t have time to get you a new quiz for Independence Day but this one is a couple years old so it may seem new. Have a good weekend!
Brian
Question 1
Which of the following did not sign the Declaration of Independence?
A) George Washington
B) John Adams
C) Josiah Bartlett
D) Benjamin Franklin
E) Thomas Jefferson
If you said Josiah Bartlett because you just thought he was a fictional character played by Martin Sheen on TV…..you are wrong. Josiah Bartlett was actually the first signer from; you guessed it, New Hampshire, to sign the Declaration. Now you see where TV gets its material. Actually, George Washington was the one who did not. He was tied up fighting the British in New York. He read the Declaration to his troops in New York on July 9th. After which the troops promptly tore down the statue of King George III.
Question 2
When did the Delegates actually decide to declare America "free and independent" from Great Britain?
A) July 4, 1776
B) July 1, 1776
C) July 2, 1776
D) August 2, 1776
On July 1st Congress began the final debate on the issue of independence. A
vote was taken and two colonies abstained and two voted against independence. Then on July 2nd, after much politicking the night before, the resolution passed with a vote of 12 and one colony abstaining (see the next question). John Adams wrote "the second of July….will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival." However, Jefferson's Declaration of Independence needed some editing. After deleting some passages reproofing the English people and an indictment of George III for imposing slavery on America, July 4th was the day the delegates approved the final version of the Declaration of Independence. John Hancock, as president, was the only one to sign on that day. It is commonly thought that the rest of the signers did not add their signatures until the resolution had been "engrossed on parchment." Which was around August 2nd and even some of the signers signed as late as September. So the answer is C.
Question 3 – the final question.
Which colony abstained from the final vote, making the voting
unanimous, 12 to 0?
A) Pennsylvania
B) South Carolina
C) Delaware
D) New York
At the initial vote Delaware's delegation was divided one to one. On the evening of July1st Caesar Rodney rode 80 miles to break the deadlock and cause them to change their vote to yes. South Carolina voted no originally but a night of negotiating caused them to change their vote to yes. Pennsylvania had voted no but the two representatives most opposed were convinced that shortly Pennsylvania would be sending a new delegation to vote yes, so they stayed home on July 2 and Pennsylvania's vote swung
to yes. New York wanted to vote for independence but abstained because they did not have instructions from their colony. New York later did get instructions to vote yes but on July 2, they were the only ones to abstain.
BW
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Woohoo!!
Wendy passed!!! Her defense went very well and she just now has to finish the touch-ups with the final 60 page paper and turn it in. Woohoo!! Congrats Wendy!!
Monday, June 29, 2009
Random Trivia for the Day
I get random bits of trivia in my email everyday. Sometimes they are blah, but sometimes, like today, they are really interesting. Here is one of today's:
Since the Lego Group began manufacturing blocks in 1949, more than 189 billion pieces in 2,000 different shapes have been produced. This is enough for about 30 Lego pieces for every living person on Earth.
Since the Lego Group began manufacturing blocks in 1949, more than 189 billion pieces in 2,000 different shapes have been produced. This is enough for about 30 Lego pieces for every living person on Earth.
Sunday, June 28, 2009
My Sister's Defence
My sister Wendy is defending her thesis tomorrow for her Master's Degree from BYU. Good luck Wend!!! You will do amazing!!
Friday, June 26, 2009
First Post
This is my first post. We will see how much I keep up with this...
The main reason is to keep track of different things that happen throughout the week/ life. I don't keep a journal, so this could very well act as one.
Don't be suprised if past times show up in here as well. Just one way to remember these times. :)
Welcome!!
The main reason is to keep track of different things that happen throughout the week/ life. I don't keep a journal, so this could very well act as one.
Don't be suprised if past times show up in here as well. Just one way to remember these times. :)
Welcome!!
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