Scaredy Cat

I'll get to the title in a moment, but right now I'm in my hotel room in Calgary watching The Freshman, which is a really funny movie. It's been a long time since I've seen it. I used to think Bruno Kirby was irritating, but he's actually a great character actor.

This weekend Lovely Wife and I went to Utah Olympic Park near Park City to do their Xtreme Zip Line. I was nervous because I don't like fast, downward ride type things. The ride goes down next to the Olympic Ski Jump hill, which is ridiculously large and steep in person. I'm even more incredulous about what those athletes do seeing the facility up close. We watched people come down the zipline from the bottom, and it didn't look like it went that fast. As we went up the chair lift, the line got steeper and steeper. LW asked me several times if I was still a "go". I said I'd be fine. It wouldn't kill me. Looking down from the top I was getting really nervous. I wanted to take a few minutes to psych myself up, but LW went right up to the harnesses, so I followed. Getting into the harness, there was a door right in front of me blocking my view, and I was about to chicken out. The girl working the zipline and LW talked me out of it, though, and I strapped in. I closed my eyes before the door opened, and kept them closed for the first few seconds. The horrible, gritting my teeth, "Oh My God, I'm Gonna Die!" feeling didn't last very long, so I opened my eyes and enjoyed the ride. I'd do it again, and keep my eyes open. I'd like to get over my crippling fear of such things.

After the zipline we decided to try the alpine slide. The Bear went on a field trip to Utah Olympic Park for a summer camp and did it, so we thought we'd try it, too. We waited in line for a long time, and finally got onto our sleds and waited in the queue. The slide is different than others I've seen. The slide part is made of metal, not concrete. When I started off, I wasn't going very fast. I stopped, in fact, so I had to grab the side of the slide and pull myself down. This is under the hot Utah sun, in 95+ degree weather in the mountains. It was freakin' hot. I got going soon, though, so it was good... until I reached the halfway point of the slide and stopped again. I pulled myself down almost all the rest of the way down, alternating hands to preserve my skin. Finally, two teenage girls behind me caught up and pushed me the rest of the way down. My hands were burned, blistered, and gray from the metal. The people working near the slide didn't care much, but at the main desk of the park they refunded our money and offered me the services of an EMT. It wasn't that bad, so I just put my hands in the ice in our cooler. I took some pictures of my blisters and a round quasi-brand I got from a rivet, but I don't have them to post right now.

So the moral of the story is: I may be scared of fast, high rides, but I'm tough enough to sear my hands and suck it up.

Sorry if this post is rambling, but I'm watching TV. NBC's Star Tomorrow is dumb. It seems more like a PR piece for David Foster's ego than a legitimate talent contest. I promise my next post will be more coherent.

Friday Kid Blogging

What happens when you give your baby boy a wooden spoon and a metal baking pan and let him loose? Watch and find out!



Sorry this is late. I got pretty busy at work today, and went to see a movie tonight.

Nooo! It can't be!!!

Lance Bass is GAY!!!!!

The lead headline, above the trouble negotiating a cease-fire in Lebanon. What a world!

iPod: "In Your Honor" by Foo Fighters.

Someone Said Your Name

I've become so lazy and uninspired I've turned to the "use a song title as post title" tactic. Unless I can think of something interesting to say, and a correspondingly interesting title, I'll do the song thing, probably what ever's on the ol' iPod. Right now it's a song by Thanks to Gravity.

Here in Utah we get two July day-off holidays: July 4th and July 24th, also known as Pioneer Day. It commemorates when the Mormon pioneers trudged over the Wasatch Front, put down their handcarts and declared the Salt Lake Valley their Zion in the wilderness. They do fireworks and a parade just like July 4th. The Family and I always go to a cool fireworks show in a town north of us called Bountiful, and we do the parade on Monday morning. The holiday doesn't mean much to me, having only been in the state for almost 4 years, but I like the day off part. It's also kind of interesting to think of the journey the Mormons had crossing the plains and mountains. That must have been pretty hard. So that's the kind of stuff I did on my long weekend.

Not much is exciting me lately. I'm a slave to summer TV, now that the networks have wised up and put entertaining things on. Despite the original casting fiasco, I'm still watching Last Comic Standing. The voting public is getting things right, it appears. We also watch Hell's Kitchen, Treasure Hunters, So You Think You Can Dance, and Master of Champions. We tried to give America Has Talent a chance, but it was ridiculously stupid. The format and judges on Master of Champions aren't much better, but the acts are pretty cool. And of course, I'm watching The World Series of Pop Culture. I've been meaning to email them to try and get on the next edition of the show, and maybe I'll actually do it today. As for my blogger-themed team, several have expressed interest. We'll have to come up with some kind of try-out to see who gets on the team. I've already got a kick-ass name, which I'm not going to reveal for fear of it being stolen.

Work is boring, I haven't been studying for a test I'm planning on taking this Fall, no sports events are worth following until August. All I'm really excited about is the trip to Europe Lovely Wife and I are taking in September. It will be our honeymoon, which we haven't been able to take yet (we'll have our second anniversary this October). We're going to Paris and London. I've been to Paris several times, and London once. LW hasn't ever been to either. We're both excited doing the planning. Right now I'm trying to work out a day trip to see some Loire Valley castles. We'll rent a car and drive out to them. That idea kind of freaks out LW, but it really excites me. Most of the drive will be on the French Autoroutes, so it won't be that tough or scary.

So that's my catch-up spew for now. Hopefully there'll be something else to talk about in subsequent days. In the mean time, I recommend you all go to MTV2.com and go to the page for their Subterranean show. Scroll through the videos they have on that show's page and watch "Sugarcube" by Yo La Tengo. I'd link it, put I'm too lazy right now. Don't worry, it will be worth the effort of finding it.

Have a great day, everyone!

iPod: "Softer" by Jimmy Eat World, "Frame and Canvas (live) by Braid, "Now I'm Exhausted" by Braid, "For Holly" by The City on Film, "Twenty-Points' by Buffalo Tom, "Love/Hate" by Liz Phair, "Hart Crane" by The Anniversary.

Friday Kid Blogging - More Florida

You're all in for a special treat this week, because not only do you get to see the kids, but you also get fleeting glimpses of me and Lovely Wife! The video quality took a sharp dive after I uploaded these vids, so don't get too excited.

1. Awesome boogie board run



2. Laughter



iPod: "Scents and Subtle Sounds" by Phish.

Still trying to get into the blog groove

Here are a couple shots from my trip to Cincinnati this weekend for the funeral:

1. At the Irish Wake we had, there was a buffet dinner. Look what one of the side dishes was!


2. While in Cincinnati I HAD to eat at the famous Skyline Chili before I left, and I got a small 3-Way and Cheese Coney Cheddar Mett, which is the Cheese Coney, but with a cheese-filled hot dog. They also give you Oyster crackers and a bottle of hot sauce at the table. You can crack a small hole in the top of a cracker and put some hot sauce in it to make a Torpedo. I put too much hot sauce in my first one and was crying. Their hot sauce is pretty potent.


And after Skyline, a stop at the delicious and famous Graeter's Ice Cream. Cinci is a goooood eating city! But not a good weight management city.

Back from Cinci

The gathering of my family to remember and celebrate my grandfather was a very solemn, touching, and wonderful occasion. There were lots of us there: 25 out of 27 grandchildren and 7 out of 17 great-grandchildren. Add in spouses and we were quite the mob. I felt guilty because it had been 14 years since I had seen my grandfather or grandmother, and I was very glad I went back for this. Some of you have asked in the comments about my grandfather's legacy. So at the risk of giving too much information, here's a synopsis:

He was a star athlete in college who went on to med school. After his internship he enlisted in the Navy during WWII. He was a diver and medical officer for an underwater demolition team, which was the precursor to the Navy SEALS. He received the Silver Star for his service, as well as a Purple Heart. About eight years ago he and his team were awarded Green Berets and the SEALS insignia for their role in units that became the U.S. Special Forces. He also served in the Office of Strategic Services, or OSS, which later became the CIA. His service in the nascent OSS was classified and he even kept it secret to his family. After the war he returned to medicine and raised nine children with his wife. They put all their kids through college without borrowing any money. His frugality was legendary, but he was also incredibly generous toward charities, and he even traveled to several countries to donate his services as a doctor. He and my grandmother were married for 64 years.

I wish I had known him better, but my family moved away from Ohio when I was 2. I can count on one hand the times I remember seeing him. Over the last 14 years I didn't have money or time to travel to the family reunions, but now I wish that I hadn't relied on those excuses and gone to one or two. I'm looking forward to the next one so that I can bring Lovely Wife and the boys and introduce them to everyone.

Thanks for your wishes and comments about my grandfather. I'll return to regular blogging activities tomorrow, probably.

Friday Grandpa Blogging

I didn't have anything prepared for Friday Kid Blogging today, plus I've been a bit busy in the office.

I found out yesterday that my grandfather, my mom's dad, died at 93. He was father to 9 children, and to more grandchildren and great-grandchildren than I can count. He was a doctor and a WWII veteran from the Navy. He served in the South Pacific as an underwater demolitionist, and apparently was also briefly part of a unit that became the OSS (which became the CIA). I'm hoping to learn a lot more about his military service this weekend when I travel to the funeral. He was, by all accounts, a great man who lived a long and full life. I met him several times, but never really got to know him. My family was always more distant from them (both literally and figuratively) than the rest of my mom's siblings.

The large throng of his progeny that congregates this weekend will celebrate his life and legacy proudly.

Yawn.

I'm so uninspired. Try this site for some amusement: Dictionaraoke (found on some blog after following a link in some comments, sorry it's not a real attribution). Another example of what happens when you combine boredom, genius, and a high-speed internet connection. Why aren't these people curing cancer or resolving conflicts in the Middle East? Oh well, I guess laughter is important, too.

iPod: "Pantomime (live)" by Guster and "It's Been a Blast" by Hey Mercedes.

Awww yeeeahhhh!!!

I am in love with VH1's World Series of Pop Culture (co-sponsored by Entertainment Weekly, my glossy-paged drug). So who wants to join me on a team the next time they do this? There are several of you on my links who I know could kick ass on this show. Unfortunately, it seems teams have to audition, so not only do you have to have knowledge, but exhibit some flair, as well (at least 7 pieces, I'm sure). We could totally play the blog angle for the team name, though, and come up with a look that will help us get on and win the cash. You'd need some time off from work and money to travel though, too. But think of the everlasting glory of winning this sum'bitch.

Who's with me?

Eine Kleine Weekend Recap

World Cup-

What the hell was Zinedine Zidane smoking when he head-butted the Italian player?!?! Materazzi must have whipped out a monster racial/yo momma/"smelt of elderberries" insult for Zizou to lose his cool that late in such a big game. I don't think that lost the game for France (subbing Trezeguet in for Henry did that) but what an awful way for one of the world's greats to close out his otherwise illustrious international career. The Italians totally didn't deserve to win, but I can't say that the French were robbed. They didn't score enough, simple as that. I have soccer fever really bad now. I want to play but can't find any outlet for it.

UPDATE: Thank god for the Internet, where people have nothing better to do than make funny shit for our amusement. What a medium! Here are some links to altered pics of Zizou's disgraceful act (Via Thighs Wide Shut, one of the funniest and weirdest blogs you'll ever find. I'm going to add it to my links, I think.)

Link 1
Link 2

Indigo Girls concert-

It was good. The Red Butte Garden is a great place to see a show in the summer. It's smaller then the usual outdoor concert venue, and they let you bring in all the food and alcohol you want. All the hip (and hippy) Salt Lake Lefties come out of the woodwork for these shows and it reminds me of other, less conservative places I've lived. It's very comfortable. There were also a lot more Lipstick Lesbians there than I expected. The show was good. They opened with "Closer to Fine" and closed the encore with "Galileo" and played a mix of old and new in between. They even played "Chickenman", which I was happy about. I took some pictures at the show with my camera phone for you all.

1. As if you needed any more evidence of how awesome Lovely Wife is, she pointed out this prominent whale tail right in front of us. She also helped me time the shot to get it in all its glory:


2. This was one of the mulletiest mullets I've seen in a long time.

Oh yeah, it's on a woman.

3. Another perk of the venue, seeing the full moon peek over the mountains behind the stage. I know it looks like the sun, but throw me a frickin' bone, okay?


iPod: "Hold Me Down" by Motion City Soundtrack, "Milwaukee Sky Rocket (live)" by Braid, "Playing Your Song" by Hey Mercedes, "Again I Go Unnoticed" by Dashboard Confessional, "What Would I Say to You Now?" by Jimmy Eat World, "Authority Song" by Jimmy Eat World, and "Knowing When to Stop" by Hey Mercedes.

Friday Kid Blogging and Other Pictures

Here are some of CBK Jr. enjoying the beach for the first time:



Here's The Bear after a successful boogie board run:


And here he is getting water thrown on him by Lovely Wife. This is a re-creation of a picture they did almost 4 years ago:


Here are some closeup shots of my second sunburn:



The light covered splotch you see on the right is where the cheap-ass spray-on sunscreen ran down my back instead of covering more of my shoulder.

And here's a big, freaky spider we found in our house. It's too bad I didn't have something in the picture for perspective, like a softball. Fucker was huge!


Lovely Wife and I will be conducting a census of all the lesbians in Salt Lake City this Sunday: we're going to see the Indigo Girls perform. Should be a good show, although I haven't heard any of their albums since Shaming of the Sun.

Also, Go France! "Allons enfants de la paté fois gras!" Beat those Italian pussies! Although how Italy ended the game against Germany was pretty impressive.

iPod: "Don't Ever Tell Locke What He Can't Do" by .Moneen., "Feeling the Time Pass By" by This Is Me Smiling, "No Better Way to Show You Care than a Set of Broken Legs" by .Moneen., "Matter to Matter" by This Is Me Smiling (what the hell is going on?), "Bleed American" by Jimmy Eat World, and "Nothingwrong" by Jimmy Eat World (weird pairs day, I guess).

Back from America's Taint!

I'm back. We had kind of a rough travel day yesterday, and didn't get home until about 1:30 am. But the trip was great. I got sunburned on the first and last days on the beach (I'm REALLY itchy today), did some boogie-boarding, and ate a lot. Somehow, I only gained one pound over the week (not counting the 3-4 I had gained before I left). I managed two 4-mile runs while there, too. Let me tell you, running at any time of the day in Florida, in 130% humidity, just farging sucks!

I'll get back into the blogging swing soon, but I've got some work to catch up on (on which I've got to catch up?) I hope that you all didn't write your funniest, most insightful, or most heart-warming posts over the last couple days because I probably won't read them. Sorry. I've got too much to read on The Lost Experience.

Thanks for your good vacation wishes, too.

iPod: "Astray, Astray" by The City on Film.