Change of plans

I'm suppose to leave Salt Lake for Virginia Beach, through Baltimore, on Sunday. I made plans to spend the week with my brother Brian and to take part of his re-enlistment in the Navy. Unfortunately for Brian and I, the Navy has made other plans. Due to some unforeseen maintenance on his ship, the dates my brother was scheduled to be out to sea has change to the week I'll be out there. Instead of us seeing each other Mon to Thurs, we'll be lucky if we see each other Wed night, until I leave for Baltimore on Thursday morning.

What is really crummy about the whole situation is the fact that I am going alone. Jill and Lucy are staying home while I spent time with Brian. Now I'll be 3,000 miles away from my family and he'll be out to sea. I feel like a bad husband and father leaving them behind, but the chance to take part of Brian's re-enlistment was worth it. Hopefully we'll be able to do his re-enlistment Wed night, but it still feels crappy leaving behind Jill and Lucy for an evening with Brian.

I'm in no way shape or form upset with Brian either. This is out of his hands. I'm not upset with the Navy either, I understand the circumstances. It's just going to be hard being away from my baby girl so long and not having my brother around either. I'll just have to make the best out of the situation. DC is just a short drive from Baltimore and so many cities like Pittsburgh, Manhattan, Philadelphia, and Atlantic City are all about 1 to 4 hours away. Maybe I'll drive around and see some baseball? Either way, this is not the vacation I had in mind...

Golf

I've never been a golfing kind of guy. I remember going to the driving range a few times with my Dad when I was younger, but I never got into it. I was obsessed with basketball and focused all my time on that game. If you don't count mini-golf, before this year I probably haven't hit a golf ball in 20 years. But this year I was forced to go play in a charity tournament for my work. I went with my boss and I ended up having a great time. Never mind that my first three balls went into a water hazard and by the 2nd hole I had somehow stepped into a swampy area and destroyed my shoes and socks... No matter the shoe damage I ended up enjoying golfing.

However, golf on TV is booorrriiinnnnggg..... If I want a good nap during the springtime or summer, I just flip on some golf. It puts me right to sleep. The things they do are very impressive, but so the ability to turn soy beans into tofurkey. It's impressive, but not interesting.

But since I had a great time at the tourney, I decided to go out to the driving range to practice a little. My buddy Geoff has some clubs so we went to play. Never mind his clubs are the Target junior special, we used them and did pretty great. It was so much fun. Just like on the golf course with my work, people could tell that I used to play baseball due to my ugly hack of a swing. Not pretty. No matter though, we went to have fun.

Since we've gone multiple times now this season I decided to buy my own clubs. I bought a cheap-o set of clubs (Ram Lasers) so I can stop worrying about destroying Geoff's. I'm not used to these clubs however and my already present slice is much, much worse. We played on the top deck of the driving range and I almost hit some people below us on more than one occasion. It was a fun night though as my buddy Brian Armstrong, my brother Keven, and his family (Tiff, Tayvia, and Eslee) joined me out on the range.

I'm definitely not good at this game, but that's not going to stop me from going out and playing this summer. I need a new hobby that doesn't require my Xbox. Plus I hope to get a little better so I can go out and play with my father-in-law and brother-in-law. They are both golfers and I need to up my game quite a bit before I embarrass myself in front of those guys. But if I continue to stink it up I may resort to said Xbox and a copy of Tiger Woods golf. It's gotta be easier to fix the slice on there, right?

Top 5 Reason why I want Jimmer Fredette to be an NBA Star

There is nobody more polarizing in basketball right now then Jimmer Fredette. You have people all over the world debating his worth in the NBA. In college Jimmer was the National Player of the Year. Many feel he'll be exposed at the next level. You have people like Kevin Durant and Barack Obama singing his praise, but you have many others comparing him to other great white hypes that fizzled (Morrison and Redick). The debate is huge in Utah based first on the Utah/BYU rivalry and secondly because the Jazz have two top picks and may use one on Jimmer. In any event here are my top 5 reasons why I want to see Jimmer kick some butt in the NBA.

5 - If you know anything about Mormon folklore you know that Mormon church ball is a rugged game. It basically allows well rounded young men the chance to act barbaric and become unleashed in God's house. They even made a movie about it starring my good friend Stan Ellsworth and Gary Coleman. But you know what's harder than church ball? Refining your skills playing basketball against prisoners in New York. That's just one place Jimmer learned to ball. Jimmer and his brother used to play pick up games at Mount McGregor Correctional in Saratoga, NY. He attributes this to helping him play through "rough situations".

4 - The last Mormon who did anything worth noting in the NBA was Shawn Bradley. Shawn stands 7'6'' and weighs as much as a toy poodle. If you bought an NBA poster from say 1993-2005, that big white guy getting dunked on was most likely Shawn. I'd like to see a white Mormon due something in the NBA other then getting smashed on.

3 - I am a Utah homer. I love the Jazz, the Salt Lake Bees, the Utes, and then to a smaller extent the Grizzles hockey team, and the BYU Cougars. I never cheer for BYU to beat Utah, but when they are playing anyone else, I want them to do well. It looks good for our small, over looked state. But when I was a child, my Poppa - who by the way is my hero - was a BYU guy. He took me to all the football games starring Ty Detmer at QB. So deep down, somewhere I still have a small amount of affection for the Cougars.

2 - Because Jimmer has a terrible rap song written about him. There is a song out there that is performed by some white rappers and the hook repeats "teach me how to Jimmer" over and over. It's obnoxious and just plain bad. When I was 16 I used to make terrible raps songs with my buddy (who really is a rapper and a damn good one) and I used to make silly basketball puns too. Their song and mine are pretty similar in flow. However I was 16 and didn't aspire to be a rapper and these fellas are, well not 16. The video is priceless however. Enjoy

1 - And my top reason for wanting Jimmer to excel at the next level? Because he gives all slow white guys with excellent range and zero defensive ability a chance to shine. We love him as one of our own. Obviously I am nowhere as good as Jimmer, but our game is similar. When I go to the rec center I have three options on offense. 1 - I can pass and set up my teammate. 2 - I can cross you over with an ugly cross over that shouldn't work. Or 3 - The most likely option. I'll just shoot a 30 foot 3-pointer and drop it! Then on defense you'll make me look terrible. Jimmer gets exposed because, well, defense just isn't his game. My excuse is because I'm old and fat. Either way, I gotta root for the kid!

I hope to see Jimmer Fredette make noise in the NBA. He's worked hard and he deserves it. But most of all, I want him to make it just so I can hear people continue to argue over his ability and I hope for a new rap video from Provo, Utah!

A Pirates life for me Part 2

So we did go see the latest Pirates movie, and like I knew I would, I loved it. I thought it was the 2nd best flick of the four, following behind the first of course.

I absolutely love the music in the films, so here is one of my favorite tunes from the movies.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dMsdON76Z_Y&feature=related

Gamefly

I've just started Gamefly and it's pretty cool. Much cheaper than buying new games and not getting much out of them. Now I can try out different games that I'd never play otherwise. If you play video games at all, I'd recommend that you check them out. Also, if you click this link below you can get a month free!

Buy One Month, Get One FREE!

A Pirates life for me.

I am a Pirates of the Caribbean junky. I absolutely love this franchise. The rides, the movies, the music, and even the games. I know that outside of the first movie, "The Curse of the Black Pearl", that most movie goers have soured on the films. I, however, didn't. I still got wrapped up in the story and lost in the world of Captain Jack Sparrow.

But my love for the Caribbean didn't start in a megaplex, it started like it did for most children. It started at Disneyland. Those of you who know me, know that I am a Disney person. I love EVERYTHING about the brand. I vacation at Disneyland and Disney World often and one day hope to see one of the Disney Parks outside of the country. I'd spend every vacation in either California or Florida if Jill let me.

Of all the attractions at Disneyland, the one that sticks out the most to me is Pirates of the Caribbean. When my mother took me to the park my very first time (it had to be around 1990) I remember riding it with her. As we waited in the queue she leaned over and whispered to me that this was her favorite ride. I was so eager and a bit nervous to board the boat.

I'll never forget sitting next to my mom and looking in awe at the Blue Bayou lights, the skull and crossbones telling me to keep my arms inside, and the first exhilarating drop into the cold tunnel into the world of Pirates. She pointed out things to me like the skeleton drinking booze, the piano playing itself, and even some "Hidden Mickey's". It is one of my favorite memories of my mother.

That alone is why I am in love with Pirates. To this day I think of my mom every time we ride this ride. Sometimes I am even moved to tears as we ride. Overwhelmed with the thoughts of my mother and how happy we were that day. To me it will always be her and my "little thing", our moment. The same goes for the movies. My mother passed before they ever came out, but I know she'd love them too. It still feels like it's her and my thing.

I've bought books about the movie. I've purchased books about the construction of the attractions at the parks. I've bought CD's with all of the music from the rides, and all of the soundtracks to the films. My very first Disney souvenir was a black Pirates captain hat with my name embroidered on it. I've bought t-shirts, pins, and other trinkets. I can't help it, I'm slightly obsessed.

I'm hoping the new Pirates of the Caribbean movie is excellent. I can't wait to see it. But even if it is so-so, I'll still be loving it. I'll be smiling from ear to ear, laughing at the jokes, and I'll whisper as if my mother was sitting next to me and I'll say, "these are my favorite movies".

Cotton hoarding

When I was a kid I used to tease my father because he had the same sneakers for what seemed like forever. I used to tell him that it would be ok if he bought new stuff for himself once in awhile. I thought he was cheap and that he didn't spend money on sneakers or jeans because he wanted to save money. Then I grew up and started acting the same.

It's not a money thing. He makes good money and I make ok money. Maybe it's a comfort thing? Whatever the reason may be, I too hold on to clothing for much longer then I should. Right now I am wearing gym shorts I have had (and wear weekly) since I was in high school. I had a brown belt that I wore for 8 or 9 years that my brother Brian made me throw out. Last night Jill made me throw out all my undershirts, socks, and underwear because the whites are now gray and they freak her out. Some of those shirts I've had before we got married. So we went to Target and dropped some cash on some new whites.

I buy new t-shirts often. Problem is I don't really throw out any that I've outgrown, that have shrunk, or are just plain beat up. I almost have a clothing hoarding issue. I still wear the same silvertab jeans I bought when I was in high school, only difference is that the size 38 used to be really baggy (hey that was the style in 95-98) and now they fit snug. I have work shirts that I haven't used in years. And yes, I have sneakers that I can't remember when I wore last.

But like all my undergarments, I am getting rid of my clothes. We packed up 4 heaping bags full of gear and I am going to go drop it off at a charity (minus my undies). It feels nice to get rid of that stuff, but at the same time it's kind of sad. Quite a bit of that stuff I still wore. My Utah Jazz shorts were a staple of my lounging out ever since I lived with Mary, David, and Guy. That was 1998!

I'm afraid that if I didn't get rid of my old threads, Jill was going to call "What Not to Wear" on me. I can't help it, if it's comfortable, I'll wear it. I hate the feel of new clothes, especially jeans. My new clothes are ok for now, but knowing me, I'll probably be really attached to them by 2020., you know just in time for Jill to make me throw them out again :)