My Life as a Dog

Lions, Tigers, and Brian. Oh My!

2012-02-09T17:25:00.001-07:00

It's official! My plane ticket is purchased. I'm going to Africa this fall. I know it's a long ways away but that will give me lots of time to be excited, right? Nevermind the shots that I will have to get. I'll be going on a guided tour with two of my friends in South Africa for 8 days.

As I was getting my necessary information to book the trip I needed to look at my passport for how my name was listed. In the process I got a good look at my photo. Ugh! I get to keep that for several more years since I just got it in 2009.

Yoga Beginner

2012-02-03T13:21:00.001-07:00

Last night I had made plans to hang out with a friend. Sometime in the afternoon he texted and asked if I would go to yoga with him. I told him that I had gone spinning during lunch, that I had plans to play racquetball with my brother in the evening, and that I would be too spent by the time to do yoga. Never mind the fact that I was still trying to get over my cold. The short story is that he was very persistent and I caved in. I mean, I have wanted to try yoga. I just didn't feel like this would be a good time for my first impression. Being the awesome friend that I am I went. It wasn't easy -- far from it! But it really wasn't as bad as I had expected. I wasn't as uncoordinated and unbalanced as I thought I might be. There were a few times that I needed to rest or when I fell out of the poses. But all in all I felt like it was a success. I actually look forward to going again. That is assuming that I can still walk tomorrow. So here is to trying out new things! :)

American Fork Half Marathon

2012-02-02T10:22:00.002-07:00

Two days ago a friend and neighbor liked the American Fork Canyon Half Marathon & 5K page on Facebook. I decided to look the page and as a result the website. So far this year I hadn't really committed to any bigger runs. As I looked at the course description I thought if there was a half marathon that I should start with that this was the one. The majority of the course is downhill. Although I've never run this far in any one time I think I could do it. I may not be speedy but what's new? The half marathon isn't until June 23rd. So I have time to prepare. And I recruited two running buddies to do it as well.

Anyway, the point of this entry is to announce that I have registered for the American Fork Half Marathon! Let the training begin.

Then & Now

2012-01-21T14:45:00.000-07:00

Me around 235 lbs in May 2008 / Me around 200 lbs in Oct 2011

I've been thinking for sometime that it would be good to post a before and an after photo. The hard part is that I don't think I'm done so it's hard to do it now. But I have had several requests from friends and family asking me about what has worked for me to make the changes that I have. I posted it on Facebook and have been pretty surprised at the number of comments and likes that I have received. So I thought I'd combine the photo and what I've learned that has worked for me. Keep in mind that I am no expert and what works for me might not work for you. I've really just taken ideas from lots of sources.

Do What You Can Keep Doing / Don't Overdo it / Don't Punish Yourself
When I started out it was important for me to do things that I could keep doing. It's important to have some successes. If the first thing you experience in trying to make changes is failure, chances are that you will give up before you really even get started. So set smaller goals like drink more water, skip the french fries, or taking the stairs. Give yourself some specific goals and for a specific time frame. I would often set goals for a month. People would ask, "Well why not longer?" I don't think I ever answered it this way but really I think I wanted to do something that I knew I could do. Maybe if I thought that I was going to continue for a year, the ideas might be a little overwhelming. This way I was allowed to have successes.

Measure Your Progress
Initially I was tracking my calories. I had no idea how many calories I was eating and I had no idea as to how many calories I should be eating. I had heard of a great free iPhone application called Lose It! I downloaded it. It allowed me to enter some basic information about myself, set a goal weight, and then set how fast I wanted to lose weight. I didn't get all crazy. I told it initially that I wanted to get down to 210 lbs. I was 225 when I started and around 230-235 at my peak. I told the application that I wanted to loose 2 pounds per week. It then told me how many calories I should be eating to achieve this goal. Tracking all this helped me gain better perspective on what I should be eating.

This same application allowed me to track my exercise. I used it but I liked actually writing on a calendar in my bedroom. That way it was easy for me to see how regularly I was getting my trips to the gym in. And later when I started running I started keeping a spreadsheet with each of my runs listed. I would track the distance and the time. This allowed me to see progress and nothing is more rewarding than that.

Make Exercise a Priority
I really had to change the way I had been thinking about exercise. I mean I've had a gym membership for decades now and I would even use it. It wasn't until I started using Foursquare (another iPhone application) and I would see some of my friends checking into the gym early in the morning or multiple times a day that I realized that I wasn't really going to the gym that much. I decided to make sure that I was getting to the gym often. I didn't have a hard number of times a week but it averaged around four. But the more I've gone the more I want to go. I find myself trying to figure out when I can fit in the next run, etc... And now its not uncommon for me to go spin at lunch and then hit the gym in the evening for some weights or racquetball.

Challenge Yourself
In order to keep going its important to have successes and have new achievements. Whether it's trying to run a faster mile, lift more weights, or swim more laps, each new success will help you continue to motivate you to do better. Sometimes it's finding a new sport. More recently I picked up spinning a lot and revisited lifting weights rather than just focusing on running. It's nice to prove to yourself that you can do things that you thought were not possible. When I started running was really worried. I felt totally inadequate. I had never been a runner. I didn't want to look stupid on the treadmill at the gym. After watching The Biggest Loser and seeing their contestants run I realized that I really have no excuses. So I sucked it up and now I'm a "runner."

Develop an Identity
I think it's important to start to develop an identity that goes along with your new goals. Anytime I go to the gym I check in on Facebook. When I run outside I post it to Facebook. When I run a relay I post that information. As a result, my friends all know that I am a runner. Sure in my mind might not ever think I'm a "runner" because I might not run as fast or far as I would like but the reality is that I do run often so I'm trying to own that. Regardless, my friends and family all identify me as a runner now.

Make Public Commitments
I have used Facebook and blog for a place were I could make public commitments. I knew that if I started no longer checking in on Facebook to the gym that I knew people would start to ask or at least think to themselves that it seems like I'm slacking off. I wouldn't want that. Also it's great to sign up for races because it commits you to following through. I'm pretty sure had I not signed up for races so early that it would have been really easy to stop running altogether.

Make It Fun
Exercise shouldn't be a chore. Even though I struggle every time I run and feel like I can barely make it through my spin class, I have come to find it fun. I look forward to it. How does this happen? With spinning you can find fun instructors, the music makes it fun, and bringing new or old friends is always a good time. With running it's been fun to run with friends but when on my own listening to music and exploring a new path always makes it more enjoyable. While on vacation in Florida this summer one of my favorite experiences was getting up fairly early and going for a run around the lake and through Downtown Disney before the stores opened.

Learn to be Comfortable Where You Are Now
I had a lot of anxiety about running on the treadmill in the gym. I didn't want to look stupid. In all honesty I doubt anyone was even noticing me anyway. Just get on and do what you can do and take pride in the fact that you're doing something. I also had a lot of anxiety surrounding locker rooms and water activities where I would have to take my shirt off. I avoided them at all costs. As a result I missed out on a lot of things. For too long I had focused on only the guys at the gym that are super buff and that only made me feel fatter and less okay. The reality is that there are all shapes and sizes that go to the gym. There are even more shapes and sizes that don't. The point is that there is nothing wrong with you and going to the gym is a good thing. I found once I was able to be nicer to myself about my body then it was easier to lose weight.

In closing, I certainly am no expert on these things. I just wanted to share some of what I think has made a difference for me. Also I have not "made it." I still have lots of work to do but I realize that its a process and its going to be a part of my life for a long time and I'm okay with that. :)

Drama-Free January

2012-01-09T17:00:00.000-07:00

Over the last month or so it fills like my life has been filled with so much drama. In all honesty a large portion has been my own doing. I'm not proud of it. I do and say things too easily and later live to regret. It causes pain for me and those that I care about.

Yesterday I got caught up in my drama. Fortunately I have a great friend who is patient with me and willing to be authentic and call me out when I need it. I've apologized for being part drama before but have somehow continued in similar behaviors. This time I wanted things to be different (not that I didn't before.) I have realized that much of this drama is within my control and even when it is not within my control I still have the ability to choose how I react to it. I want to be more mindful of what I say and do and the effects that if has on others and even on myself. So I publicly declared on Facebook that the rest of January would be a drama-free zone for me. I have found that publicly committing to something is one of the best ways to keep me on track for accomplishing my goals. Interestingly enough my status update on Facebook got lots of comments and "likes." I guess everyone has drama and would like less of it. After having made this decision I feel lighter. I don't think it's going to be easy. I have too many negative thinking patterns or negative behaviors that are second nature.

It's been interesting today so far. I went to lunch with a good friend and immediately I realized that I was going to have to keep myself in check. It was a bit of struggle to stay out of areas where there was potential drama causing topics.

Here's to the remaining four weeks of January! And for those of you who think I should set out to be drama-free for longer, Baby Steps!

Rosca de Reyes / Wise Men Day

2012-01-08T23:01:00.001-07:00

Last Friday was my first Rosca de Reyes celebration. My friend, Mishael, has hosted these parties since I first met him but this is the first year I have actually attended.

Rosca de Reyes is a holdiay celebrated in Mexico also known as Wise Men Day. There is a large "oval" pastry. Within the pastry are hidden plastic babies. It represents Mary and Joseph hiding the baby Jesus from Herod. During the celebration, each person cuts a piece of the pastry in an effort to find the baby Jesus. This represents the wise men finding the baby Jesus. As part of the tradition those who get a baby Jesus are blessed and also they have to throw another party in which they make/provide tamales. I did not get a baby Jesus but my friend Mischael did. So I'm looking forward to going back and eating tamales!

We also sang karaoke. The Latinos were gracious enough to let the Gringos pick a few songs too. It was a fun evening. Thanks Mish!

???, Brian, Ty, Bryant, Ryan, & Mish

Mission Accomplished: 400 Miles

2011-12-31T17:19:00.001-07:00

Sometime before I ran the Ragnar Relay in Las Vegas, I had realized how many miles I had logged so far for running in 2011. I thought to myself I can totally make 400 miles this year. No sweat. Well, actually there would be lots of sweat. It's the only way I get any miles in. But the point was that 400 miles would totally be doable and easily doable. The problem: after running Ragnar I subconsciously or many consciously decided to take a little break from my running schedule. That led to me running a total of three times in November! That would be about a third of what I had been regularly running in the months prior to Ragnar. So when the Santa Run came around I rededicated myself to reaching my goal of 400 miles. It was still really doable. I set out a schedule running right up to the last week of 2011. Well today, December 31st, I thought I could go spinning this morning (I hate to miss Rona's class) and then I could go back to the gym later to get my 5K in which would barely put me past the 400 mile mark. Sure I procrastinated much of the day by doing other activities and even a little lounging around the house. I got over to the University Gold's Gym at 4:20pm and panicked when I realized that they had already closed for the day! I mean who closes at 4 or sooner just because it's New Year's Eve?! That's crazy! I had some false hopes that maybe the 800 North location would somehow be open but of course they were not. I resigned myself to the fact that I was going to have to run outside in 40 degree weather with the sun starting to set. I had talked about this goal so much on Facebook and to my friends that there was no freaking way that I was going to just forget it. I rushed home, changed into much warmer running clothes, and got off and running. It really wasn't as bad as I expected it to be. And my time was better than I thought considering how the Santa Run went for me. You can check it out by clicking right here.

So now I just need to know what I'm going to publicly commit myself to because I know how well it works for me.

Brooke & Zane

2011-12-29T14:49:00.003-07:00

Brooke & Zane - December 28, 2011

My sweet niece, Brooke, got married yesterday to a super nice guy, Zane. I wasn't sure Brooke would find someone that deserved her. But Zane seems to be just that guy. He's been right at home with our family right from the very beginning. One of the things I love about Zane: he's a hugger. In case you didn't know it, I'm a hugger. It might have taken me a long time to get to be a hugger but I am. I love that Zane doesn't hold back. He initiates hugs often. Brooke is a hugger too! It's just one of the many things I love about her.

Over 100 Facebook Fans

2011-12-07T15:00:00.001-07:00

Borup Photography has reached over 100 Facebook fans! Last November I decided to try promoting my business a bit through Facebook so I created a page. Through out the year I have added photo albums as I've had new photo shoots. Now I regularly get inquiries for my services from people that I do not know. Oh the power of social media.

Provo Santa Run 2011

2011-12-05T10:57:00.001-07:00

Last year I began running and ran my first 5K ever the day after Thanksgiving (Santa Run 2010). I thought it would especially be fun to run it again this year to see my progress. Of course since I ran the Las Vegas Ragnar I haven't been very good about getting my running in. In fact I had only run 4 times since Ragnar which was over a month before. Sad! I was trying to reach a goal of running 400 miles this year and if I keep up my current pace I will not make it. I have another 27 miles to get in. That is at least 9 more times running.

On the bright side, I have at least doubled the number of times I spin each week. I have started back up playing racquetball. And I have begun to do some regular weight lifting, hitting upper body at least 3 times a week for a few weeks now. (I just don't want you thinking that I'm completely slacking off because I am not!)

Anyway I did get a better time in 2011 than I did in 2010 but only by about 30 seconds. My time was 30:16 minutes. I was really hoping and planning on on something more like 28 minutes. And even though my time this year was better, I placed lower in my age group, 5th place instead of 3rd. I placed 74th this year in all the men out of 155 -- solid middle of the pack. Here's the results from this and last year:

2011 Results - Men -- 2010 Results - Men

Thanks to Chris for taking photos for us!

Kyle, Me, Ty, Erik, & Bryant

Kyle & Me

I Love a Bargain!

2011-12-02T14:36:00.000-07:00

If you know me, you know that I love a bargain. I don't even need the item. I will just buy it if the deal is too good to resist. Therefore I like to frequently visit some of the "bargain" websites like:

It was on one of these sites that I found some of my latest purchases. First off on 11/11/11 I purchased two pairs of shoes for $11 each with no shipping! Its from a website called 6pm.com where I've bought shoes a few times. It was a one day deal only. Sorry if you missed it! ;)

And then today I just bought a Philips Sonicare toothbrush from Walgreens.com who is selling the toothbrush for $39.99 with free shipping. They had a coupon for $10 using a SONIC10 coupon code. Then there is also a $10 rebate from from Sonicare themselves. So in the end I will get this $75 toothbrush for $22.04! Merry Christmas to me!

Highway to Hale 5K

2011-10-29T12:16:00.001-06:00

Last week was the big Ragnar race for me. What better way to recover from that then to do another race, right? So when Ty asked me to join, I figured why not. I hadn't run all week. I surprised myself on my time. I finished in 27:58 minutes. The first place in my age division was 27:37. I really should have just pushed a little harder. Oh well. It was good to "get back on the horse" again.

By the way the race was to help support the Hale Center Theater in Orem. Since the course goes down to the highway and back up to the Hale Center Theater, it was called "Highway to Hale." I know. Clever!

Team Hot & Ready - Las Vegas Ragnar

2011-10-28T16:59:00.001-06:00

I did it! I ran my first Ragnar Relay race! 188 miles. 28.5 hours. 12 guys. I was runner 9 of 12. I ran 12.9 of the 188 miles in 3 different legs (3.1, 4.2, & 5.6 miles) We started at 7am Friday Oct 21st and ran until Oct 22nd after noon. I got a total of 3 hours sleep. Maybe I didn't push it as hard as I should have because I didn't even feel pain after this one like I did after Red Rock Moab. What's next? :)

Van 2: Steve, Erik, Curt, Andy,Nate, & Brian

Van 1: Saylor, Kyle, Ty, Briggs, Bryant, & Derek

Team Hot & Ready

Life Changing Lip Balm

2011-10-25T15:39:00.002-06:00

You know how when you go on a trip there is always something (or a few things) that you forget? Well this time I forgot my much beloved Carmex and Vegas is dry! So given my first chance I was about to purchase a new supply. That is when I was stopped by my friend Kyle who informed me that if I bought EOS lip balm, "It will change your life!" I bought the "summer fruit." I'm not sure that it's had the level of change that I was expecting from his rave reviews but I will say this, I like it and its much better than digging my finger in my Carmex to apply it. I'll keep you posted on any big life changes because it might be due to my new lip balm. In the meantime I think I'll try some of the other varieties.

Zombie Meetup

2011-10-25T10:32:00.002-06:00

As I have mentioned before, I belong to a meetup group called ProvoCreative Models/Photographers Group. This month the theme was zombies and two Saturdays ago we traveled out to the Salt Flats in western Utah to take photographs. These are some of the photos that I took. You can more of my work on www.borupphotography.com.

I had never been out there for photos. It was a long drive but well worth it. I brought my friend Tim along for some company and snapped some photos of him while we were there.

Hacking the Hackers

2011-10-04T14:15:00.004-06:00

About a year ago I had a conversation on Facebook with a friend of mine who I basically had not talked to since I had added him a year earlier. He informed me how he was in England and had been mugged. After chatting for a while I quickly realized that his account had been hacked. I said something to the hackers and immediately the hackers had blocked me.

So today when my cousin's niece started chatting with me and telling me a similar story I decided to have a little more fun with it. See our conversation.

Nu Shooz

2011-09-27T23:39:00.001-06:00

Mizuno - Wave Rider 13

I bit the bullet. I've been running long enough now that I decided that I needed some real running shoes. I had been running with a pair of cheap Nike shoes I bought last summer. Being the procrastinator that I am, I've been saying that I was going to get new shoes since I finished the Red Rock Relay in Moab. We today I happened to have a little interaction with my friend, Marci who just so happens to work at The Runner's Corner in Orem. I told her that I was going to pay her a visit soon and tonight I did. I really wanted some flashy ones but I opted for the ones that seemed to fit me best and feel the best when I ran in them. They also just happened to be on sale! :) Even if they are not super flashy they will match our Ragnar running clothes.

Things I learned from shopping for running shoes:

Buy shoes that are a full size larger than you usually wear.
Wear running gear (or at least something comfortable) to the store.
Bring your inhaler if you have asthma.
Your shoes should be laced quite loose other than at the top of the shoe because your feet expand as you run.
I'm a neutral runner.
Running shoes are only good for around 500 miles.
Walking in running shoes breaks them down faster than running in them.
If you wash your shoes remove the insoles first.

Steampunk Meetup

2011-09-23T16:35:00.001-06:00

I belong to a meetup group called ProvoCreative Models/Photographers Group. Every month (usually) they plan an event with a theme. Models, photographers, and make up artists get together and use their talents to give each other experience and develop their portfolios.

A few weeks ago I went to my third meetup. The theme was Steampunk. If you don't know what that is don't feel dumb. I didn't either until preparing for this photo shoot. The short answer is that steampunk is sci-fi/fantasy version of what the future would look like from the Victorians. These are some of the photos that I took but you can see more on my photography website: www.borupphotography.com.

Homecoming Photos

2011-09-23T16:13:00.000-06:00

Since I started my photography website I haven't mentioned much of my photos session. I'm going to try and change that since that is what I do in my free time. :)

So last Saturday I got the opportunity to take some photos for a homecoming dance. My niece Brittany was going to her first date dance and asked me to take photos. It was a first for me. I really didn't know what they were expecting but I feel like the photos turned out pretty good and I would be interested in doing jobs like this in the future.

You can see larger versions of my work over on my photography website: www.borupphotography.com.

Losers! (not us but BYU)

2011-09-23T15:27:00.001-06:00

Last Saturday me and my buddy, Kyle, dared to venture out to watch BYU and University of Utah face off at BYU. Kyle is a die-hard fan and I, well, I'm a good friend. We got tickets earlier that week and they were not cheap. To be a real fan I even went out and bought a BYU t-shirt which might have had its first and last wearing. Kyle provided me with a hat since he has a collection.

The game (like you don't already know) was a big old joke. Not that I'm a big football fan but I have never seen such a mess of a game! Shortly after half time the BYU fans started leaving the game by hoards. We stuck it out to the bitter end. If nothing else the company was loads of fun as always.

I shot a new Facebook profile photo for him since he was all dressed up in his fan uniform

We did have a Jimmer spotting.

We spotted this too. I'm thinking that smile didn't last long.

Miller Motorsports Park

2011-09-19T19:02:00.000-06:00

September 9th my company treated us to a half-day trip to Miller Motorsports Park out near Tooele, UT to do the Mustang Experience. We divided the company up. Three of us went in the morning bright and early! (Had to be there by 8am.) And the other four went in the afternoon.

We got to the track a little early. Google told me it would take 1.5 hours to get there but it was more like an hour. Anyway, we wondered around their museum for a bit before the class started. We had a short instruction period where they basically explained how it was going to work and talked about some of the physic of driving then it was time to burn some rubber.

The class had 10 people in it and there were two instructors. One instructor took half the class and the other the rest. The instructor drove the pace car and then the rest of his group followed him 3 to 4 car lengths behind the car in front of it. Each drive got the chance to be right behind the pace car for 2 laps. So we each drove a total of 10 laps around the track. If you look at the map below we were just on the east half of the track.

It was loads of fun. My only wish is that I wouldn't have been right behind my overly cautious boss who was all too familiar with the brake. (Sorry if you are reading this Jason.)

After we finished our 10 laps, then we got to ride with one of the instructors for two laps. This is where is got to be a really fun. I'm not sure how fast we got going but I know it was lots faster than we went on our own.

Thanks for the Mustang Experience bosses!

Progress: Year in Review

2011-09-08T15:43:00.001-06:00

Today I broke the 27 minute barrier in running my 5K at Gold's Gym. Most days I go running I get frustrated that I'm not progressing as quickly as I would like to. It's easy to get caught up in the day to day changes and forget the big picture. It wasn't too long ago that my neighbor and friend reminded me of how much things have changed in the last year. See the conversation we had on Facebook last year. The last two comments are from 2011. I blocked out her name just in case she minds.

It was in October 2010 that I started running. I had been afraid of the treadmill at the gym. I would only walk on it at a steep incline. I didn't want to look foolish trying to run. I remember having watching The Biggest Loser and thinking, "If these people can run on a treadmill, why can't I?" I had several friends that were runners. One in particular that had been a big inspiration in me losing weight. So I started running. I think I started somewhere around 5.5 miles an hour. I would run for as long as I thought I could go and then I would walk until I felt like I could run again. I would repeat this for 30 minutes each time I went. Each time I went I tried to run longer and walk less. As I got more comfortable I would increase the speed.

In November, I had of bunch of friends that were running the Santa 5K Run in Provo the day after Thanksgiving Day. They invited me to join them and they were very supportive. I bit the bullet and registered. It motivated me to keep running. After all I didn't want to look stupid. The race came and I did a good job especially for a first race.

My niece had seen my efforts in running and wanted me to run a 5K with her in March. I agreed to do it. I started telling all my friends that I was going to do the Rex Lee 5K Run. When it came time to go, my niece couldn't make it but I had committed myself publicly so I felt like there was no backing out. I ended up running with a few new friends and before long I was committed to running a relay race in May.

The Moab Red Rock Relay was my first relay. It was a good first time relay. Runners only ran two legs each. Granted there were plenty of hills and my second leg was almost 8 miles long. When I was done I didn't even want to think about running another race.

Before long I was signed up for running The Dirty Dash 5K in June. That one was really a lot of fun and not so much work. Of course it took us an hour to finish it!

Coming up in October I will be doing my biggest race yet: The Ragnar Relay - Las Vegas!

I've gone from running my 5K in over 31 minutes down to 27. It's good for me to keep track of where I have been so that I can realize the progress that I have made. I should apply this to other areas of my life too!

Thumbs Up

2011-09-06T15:28:00.001-06:00

Over Labor Day weekend I went up to Idaho Falls to visit some friends that I don't get to see much of. It was a good time. As I was getting on the freeway there was a fairly young guy hitchhiking on on ramp. I don't know what over took me but I decided to give him a ride. I asked him where he was going. He said Salt Lake City. Ha! Too funny because I was going there too. I actually had made plans to stop in Pocatello and have lunch with a buddy. I told him that I could take him that far.

The guy, Tony, was kind of a granola type. He calls West Yellowstone home but is originally from Pennsylvania. He's 24 and works with some foundation trying to protect the buffalo who wonder off in Montana and end up getting shot by ranchers. He was definitely lives life differently than I prefer. He hadn't had a cell phone in several years and from the smell I was guessing that showering wasn't all the common either. I was pleased that I only had to put up with that for less than an hour.

It definitely was an education for me. I got to ask him about hitchhiking and what its like. And the best part is that he wasn't some psycho killer. I'm not sure that I'll rush right out to pick up another hitchhiker but I think I might give it a second thought before just dismissing the idea.

Rolling in the Deep with Adele

2011-08-29T23:30:00.000-06:00

I love, love, love Adele! I saw her in concert several years ago when she toured for her first album in 2009. She was amazing live! The show had sold out and the venue was super packed. So back in March when I heard that she was coming back to Utah in May, I quickly bought as many tickets (4) as they allowed because I knew that I would have plenty of takers. Indeed I quickly had friends that wanted tickets. Even more friends than tickets. Several ended up finding tickets on their own since it was general admission. It was after I bought them that I realized that it was on Sunday. Oops!

So way back in May we got all ready to see the show. We were just minutes from The Depot where she was slated to perform when we found out that the show had indeed been cancelled do to her illness. Boo!

Fortunately she rescheduled for August 21. The venue was changed too so that they could sell more tickets. I would have preferred The Depot as it is a more intimate setting but The Gallivan Center (the new venue) is nice too because it's outside.

Me and 5 friends got there about an hour early and it wasn't too early. There was a huge line just to get in. We were super smart though when we picked up our tickets from will call, we just worked our way into the line. Sorry everyone that was still in line. Once we got in I ran into several other friends including a few who had set up camp at the front of the lawn section. It was there that I enjoyed the entire show. Adele was amazing live. I think she is even better live than recorded which is not usually the case. The evening was great! Great friends, great music, great weather, and great people watching!

Speaking of people watching... this is one of the most bizarre things I have ever witnessed at a show and I have been to a lot of shows! There was this short gray haired old lady that was working her way up through the crowd and as she was moving along she would grab everyone's bum. I got in on the action as well as pretty much all of my friends. :)

Watch the videos below. It will be like you were really there.

Tangled

2011-08-28T10:02:00.001-06:00

So before you get all excited let me inform you that this post is not about a Disney movie. It's a tale about my pinkie finger and a wake boarding rope. It's not happy story but hopefully it has a happy ending.

Saturday I went with some of my Ragnar Relay team up to Echo Reservoir where we went on a 4 mile run and then planned on hopping in the water to cool off. The run was hot and dry but it was good. There is a nice little dirt trail that runs along the lake and I was able to use my handy Nike+GPS iPhone application to track how far we had gone, etc.

After the run we were more than ready to cool. We got the boat in the lake, changed into our swim suits, and hopped into the lake. It was a little chilly initially but felt so good! Since my last adventures in wake boarding I was a little nervous that I was going to have a hard time getting up or that I would not be able to get up this time. I procrastinated trying until everyone else had taken a turn. Then I decided to brave it and it get it done. My first attempt wasn't much of anything. I lost hold almost immediately. When the boat circled back around me I was pulling the rope so that I could get the handle. In the process of doing so I got my pinkie finger tangled up in the rope. Fortunately the boat was moving pretty slow but soon I found that I was being pulled by my pinkie finger through the water with the wake board attached to my feet. It didn't take long before a began to yell. The boat stopped and I got my finger untangled. I could tell it was going to hurt but it wasn't yet. So I opted to try getting up again. This time I got up pretty easy and I actually stayed up the longest that I think I have so far. When I did wipe out I felt like I had accomplished my goal by making my sophomore (I'm not counting the first time where I never got up) wake boarding experience a success. By then I could tell that I needed to start my finger in rehab. I iced it nice and good for the rest of the time on the boat.

Me Icing My Finger

How My Finger Looks This Morning

I can bend it. It's really swollen and pretty bruised. But in the end I think that it is going to be okay.

Movie Under the Stars

2011-08-02T09:42:00.000-06:00

Last Friday I joined some friends at the state capitol for a Movie Under the Stars. I had heard of these outdoor movies at the capitol but had never been. The movie I saw as Despicable Me, which I had never seen before. Now if you are seeing a movie for the first time and really want to soak it all in, this might not be the best venue. There was a group of early-college aged kids behind us that talked pretty loudly through the first half of the show. Then there were high school school kids in front of us who thought it was funny to yell out the names of a certain male anatomy every 10 minutes. Despite that, I had a great time. The weather was beautiful and the movie was fun. Oh and they had live music before the show. If you go, make sure you get there early to get a prime spot.

An image of the capitol building that I snapped as we were leaving

Suit Up!

2011-07-24T15:22:00.000-06:00

It's been around 2 decades since I last donned a suit. I haven't bought one since my mission and, well, I've been home for about 22 years! I've thought several times over the years that I really should have a suit but have just never loved myself in a suit when I'd try them on. So back in May I went shopping with some friends to University Mall. I mentioned that I wanted a suit and then my friends insisted that we go try some on. First we went to Macy's and spent some time trying on jackets. Nothing really was working. I joked about getting one at Nordstroms but thought they would be way to expensive for what I wanted to spend. When we got there I found that one of my old coworkers from ZCMI was the manager there. He was incredibly helpful. We found a few suits that fit well and he even told me when they would go on sale. Since I was in no rush (it had been 20 years) I decided to wait for the sale. I should have gone in immediately when the sale started because by the time I did go in, they had to have my suit shipped to me from Alaska! So a few weeks later after shipping and a few alterations, I have a suit! I wore it today for the first time. No special occasion really. Oh I guess I could say that I wore it to hear my mom talk in sacrament meeting. Below is a more full view of the suit -- BTW, that is not me below. ;)

Wake Boarding Success!

2011-07-20T14:50:00.000-06:00

Three Saturdays ago I went out on Utah Lake with some friends. The idea was to go wake boarding. I love being out on the water in a boat but when it comes to water sports I've had little to no success. As a kid we had a boat but when my family was doing the bulk of their water skiing, I was too small for the skis. By the time I was interested in trying it out my siblings had all moved on to other activities and the boat was getting old. I do remember once (I was probably junior high age) that I went water skiing with some of my family and after many attempts I was finally able to get up.

Well I few decades later and I decided to challenge the belief that I just couldn't do it. I went in with a real positive attitude that this time I was going to do it no matter how long it took. Plus this was wake boarding, not water skiing. After watching two of my friends succeed at wake boarding, I realized it was my turn. I hopped in the water and gave it a full effort, maybe too much of an effort. They boat dragged me over and over as I struggled to get out of the water. After about 8 tries I was exhausted and decided that it wasn't going to happen. So I got in the boat and had some lunch instead. ;)

Well last Saturday I had the opportunity to try for a second time. I knew that I would get in and give it a try again but this time I was less hopeful than the first. Again after watching friends just pop up and board, I hopped in the water and gave it a good ol' try. I tried 3 or 4 times and then my instructor, Steve, decided this case was serious enough to get in the water with me. He had told me the previous week that he could get anyone up and he had a great track record. So with Steve in the water with me showing me exactly how the board should be in the water I was finally able to get up. In fact I got up twice with his help in the water. But then I was able to get up twice on my own. Yay! Next time I'm going to work on what to do once I'm up. ;)

Oh and we did some tubing too!

Y Not

2011-07-13T11:50:00.002-06:00

After hiking Battle Creek Falls at few weeks ago with my friend, Lindsay, we both decided that we needed to hike to the "Y" since neither of us had ever done it. Friends kept on warning us that it was a steep hike that it would be hot and that we would be miserable, yada, yada, yada. I really was prepared for something awful at that point but really it was not that bad. The hike is just over one mile in length but also has a climb of about 675 vertical feet. I was definitely sweating but we just took it slow and tried to enjoy the scenery. At the top we sat for a while, chatted, and enjoyed the setting sun. The round trip took about two hour.

Following a calorie-burning hike, we decided to visit the ever delicious Station 22. Just in case you missed by first visit to Station 22, you can check it out by clicking here. This time I ordered the Freedom (French) Dip. It was pretty darn amazing. If you haven't checked Station 22 out yet, I highly recommend it.

Run, Don't Walk (to Station 22)

2011-07-09T19:12:00.002-06:00

After getting my almost weekly massage from UCMT I was feeling hungry. My nephew, Nick, and his girlfriend had raved about at place in Provo near the old Los Hermanos restaurant called Station 22. Since I had time I talked my friend, Chris, into trying it out. Let me just say that I am not one of those guys who loves a greasy spoon, hole-in-the-wall, kind of place. The location was kind of screaming that that is exactly what it would be but I'm open-minded and willing to check out a place at least once. I was pleasantly surprised. The atmosphere was super cool, very hip, and felt kind of big city. (Not that I really know what "big city" is.) Their menu wasn't large but the items all sounded unique and worth trying. I had heard that the Freedom (French) Dip was good as well as the fries. I don't think the Freedom Dip was available today so I asked the cashier what her favorites are. One that she suggested was the Memphis Fried Chicken Sandwich pictured above. It sounded tasty and added the fries and a soda to make it a meal. Here is what The Memphis is: a hand cut, battered, & fried chicken in the Memphis style, then glazed it with a spicy butter sauce, topped with fresh slaw, and served it on a ciabatta roll. Yum! They also had some cool free waters. One was very lime infused and the other was watermelon and some herb. They were both pretty refreshing and unusual. I highly recommend it. The prices are not bad but not super cheap either. I paid around $12 for what I ordered. See my photos below.

Me & My Monkey

2011-07-08T15:13:00.000-06:00

Last weekend I went to Lagoon with several friends. You know how they have the people who will guess your weight or your age and if they are off by a certain amount then you win a prize? Well I have never tried it. Ever! And since people are generally guessing that I'm younger than I am, I decided to give it a whirl. I was a little nervous. What if she guesses my age, close to it, or even worse, older?! It was risky to my ego but I decided to go with it. I was pleasantly surprised when she guessed 34. I asked her if they taught them anything about guessing ages or weights. She said the only thing they told her is to guess 2 years older than she really thinks. So that means that she really thought I was 32! :)

Oh and as my prize, I got the monkey.

Matt Wertz & Toad the Wet Sprocket

2011-07-08T12:06:00.000-06:00

Thursday night I went with my friend, Tam, to check out a concert at the Gallivan Center in SLC featuring Toad the Wet Sprocket with opening artist, Matt Wertz.I've seen Toad twice before and Glen Phillips (the lead singer of Toad) twice. We met up with my bud, Brad, his wife, Elizabeth, his oldest son, Cole, and Cole's girlfriend, Hillary. While I was excited to see Toad, I was more excited to see Matt, who I have only recently discovered. Both bands put on great shows and the weather was perfect despite of the rain drops. Tam and I scored Matt's new CD and got him to sign it. He even agreed to be photographed with us. Tam needed one of her own with just Matt! I think she has a bit of a crush. On the way home she talked about moving to Nashville, where Matt lives. Following the show we hit the downtown McDonalds "to eat yogurt and to watch the hookers." We got some ice cream but saw no hookers. It was a fun night. Check out the videos posted below.

Bag of Crap? Indeed!

2011-07-02T20:13:00.000-06:00

This week I was excited to see that my Bag of Crap from Woot had finally arrived. I picked the bag up and it was fairly lightweight. So I thought it was really crap or maybe one of the legendary letters informing me of a much larger prize soon to come. I suspected it would be the first rather than the latter.

Woot did not disappoint. They did indeed deliver a bag of crap. Inside the box were the following items pictured above:

Official Woot athletic red, white, and blue headband and wrist bands. One wrist band is missing from the photo because Chris is now emotionally attached to it :)
An "As Seen on TV" UV Light Toothbrush Sanitizer. The best part is that it "kills H1N1 swine flu virus." That is one of my top concerns when brushing my teeth.
A game called Fact or Crap Dare. It says its a "funsize" game. If its anything like a fun size Snickers, it's less fun than a full sized game.
And last but not least is the Recycled Tote Bag. It's "Perfect for: Lunches, gift bags, carry alls, Fun!" We'll see how fun it really is.

17 Miracles and a Few Tears

2011-06-21T10:35:00.000-06:00

For our single's group FHE (Family Home Evening) this week we went to see 17 Miracles at the Scera theater.

17 Miracles is the story of the Mormon Willie Handcart Company coming west to late in the year. It's centered around Levi Savage, who feared that leaving late in the season would lead to despair and death. He was right but the movie accounts for the miracles as well. It was pretty moving and so sad to think about what they had to go through.

Of course I was a bit teary. I try to be a quiet crier if I am going to cry. At one point I sniffled a bit and I could feel a pair of eyes looking at me. I glanced sideways to see my friend Melissa and sure enough she was looking at me. She asked incredulously, "Are you crying?" My reply was, "Shut up."

I Got a Bag of Crap!

2011-06-16T17:44:00.000-06:00

Yay! I finally did it. And no it was not on fire on my doorstep. I'm talking about the Bag of Crap that I have been working for years to obtain. Up until now I've only known a few lucky Wooters that have obtains such a reward. I figured that I better hurry and blog about it because once it gets here I might not be nearly as excited once I realize that it really is just crap.

For all you uninitiated, a Bag of Crap is an item that comes up for sell on Woot. Typcially they come up for sell when Woot is having a Woot-Off. You see, normally Woot sells one item each day until it sells out or until the day is over. But when they are having a Woot-Off they sell items until they are sold out. The items change through out the day. If you are lucky you can happen to espy a Bag of Crap and if their servers are not overloaded you might even be able to purchase one. A Bag of Crap is three items that each cost $1 and then you have to pay $5 shipping. Just because it only cost $1 doesn't mean that is it's real value. In fact, there are rumors as to how one of the items might be a flat panel TV. Okay I've never known anyone to actually get one of those but a boy can dream, right? I've hear that sometimes you get a letter instead of an item. This is a good sign because it's supposed to mean that the item was too large to fit in your bag.

Then again these could all just be urban legends. If I win big I will blog about it and it not I will pretend that I never purchased such useless crap.

My fingers are crossed!

Here's some crap other people have received:
http://www.davesdeal.com/2009/07/woot-loot-bag-of-crap/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dwain77/2635226588/
http://robbystewart.com/random/my-bag-of-crap-from-woot/
http://shallowthinker.com/2008/01/you-get-what-you-pay-for/
http://margaretflanigan.com/03/10/i-got-my-woot-bag-of-crap/
http://www.thecrazysteve.com/2010/11/04/woot-bag-of-crap-woot-off-102110-part-2/

You Gots to Get Dirty

2011-06-05T15:26:00.000-06:00

I did it! I ran The Dirty Dash last Saturday. I had no idea that it was going to be so much fun. Who knew that I could enjoy myself so thoroughly while also being filthy as can be. Our team name as Ladiez and Gorilla Gangstaz. It turned out that our Ladiez became Lady when Mish's friend backed out. Good thing Jeanpierre was more than excited to replace her. This is how we looked when we started the race. We look pretty respectable except for Chris in his camo undies! :)

Chris, Brian, Jesica, Jeanpierre, Mishael, & Matt

Right before our wave started (some of us had already lost our camo shorts)

After finishing there was a lot more clothing missing

The race was 5K (3.11 miles) through all sorts of obstacles like hay bales to climb over, slippery muddy hills to climb, walls to get over, tires to navigate through, tubes to crawl through, and mud pits to wade through. All runners were initiated to the mud at the starting line with a large sprinkler wetting the runners as well as a big old muddy hill. We stayed pretty close to each other so the pace was pretty mild. In fact I remember being pretty shocked when it said we had just finished a mile.I was glad that we had some friends to take photos when we were done because I only got photos before the race started.

After finishing they provided showers. I knew they were cold. But seriously these were much more than cold. They were icy. I'm pretty sure I could get hypothermia if I stayed in it long enough. There was a charter school there providing a hot shower for only $3. We all opted for that after getting a lot of the mud off in the freezing waters.

All in all, it was a great time and I look forward to doing it again next year!

The Course

'A' is for Apple

2011-05-29T16:05:00.000-06:00

I've only had to deal with the Apple store a few times. First when I went in to have them replace the battery in my first iPhone and they gave me a new phone and a pair of headphones. I was only expecting a battery repair when I went in. Well yesterday I went into the Apple store again. This time I was hoping they would replace my iPhone headphones because, well, they just don't work at all anymore. I didn't have an appointment with the Apple Bar and just asked a sales associate what I needed to do. He tried them out on my phone and then tried out his pair. Then he just said that he'd get me some new ones! He didn't ask my name or look up any information on my phone. There was no paper work. Nothing! How crazy is that?! I'm just saying that Apple is pretty darn great to their customers.

U2 - Unexpected

2011-05-26T15:39:00.000-06:00

A Nice Panorama of the Stadium From My Seat

So Friday at work I got a pleasant text message from a friend that said "U interested in going to u2 tonight? I may have an extra ticket. Free btw!" You can imagine my response. It was something like "Um, yeah!" I hadn't planned on seeing U2. The ticket prices are crazy and concerts with huge venues are not my favorite to attend. I knew this might be the only time I would see U2 in concert and I knew it would be fun if for no other reason than the company.

My friend works for a local television channel that was giving away tickets to the concert and if they were not picked up by a certain deadline then the tickets would just go to waste. He wasn't about to let that happen. I mean he could have just sold that ticket for a handsome fee. This was fortunate for me! :)

By the time I got there The Fray had already finished playing. It would have been nice to hear them too but it just wasn't in the cards.

The stage looked like some alien spider-like spaceship. It was huge too. U2 put on a pretty amazing show but the stage and effects definitely added to the entertainment value. Check out some of the videos below to get an idea as to how awesome it was.

Here are a few videos I took from my iPhone:

Although the following video was taken at the Rose Bowl, it gives you a good idea of some of the cool stuff their massive stage would do:

Me & the Guys

Red Rock Relay Recap

2011-05-16T17:00:00.065-06:00

Team Spider Pigs: Saylor, Brian, Bryant, Paul, Ty, and Andy

The Spider Pigs T-Shirts

The Red Rock Relay was last weekend and although I realize now that I was not fully prepared, it was a lot of fun. I feel great at was I was able to accomplish. Now I will be better educated for my next relay experience. We got down to Moab Friday night around 10 and got settled into our hotel. We all tried to sleep. Some with more success than others. I'm not sure I got too much that first night. We got up at 5am so that we could make it to the starting line early enough to check in at the starting line for our 6:30 am start time. It was great fun to drive along and cheer on our runners as well as other teams and take photos. It wasn't until it got close to my turn that I started to get nervous. I took an Imodium on the advice of one of my runner friends and I'm glad I did because when I get nervous so does my stomach.

After watching all our other runner go, it was finally my turn. I was nervous. I hurried and peed but I forgot to puff on my Albuterol and put on my knee strap. Before I knew it Saylor was closing in so I ran to meet him and then just took off running. It didn't take me to long to remember that I didn't use my Albuterol. Fortunately as the truck was driving by I signaled to Ty that I forgot my inhaler. And even more fortunately he uses that same thing. He handed me the inhaler while I took two puff and hit the road again. I held out for quite a while but then felt like I needed to walk a bit. At one point I realized that the sky was all overcast and I thought "Well at least that is one thing to be thankful for!" During the my leg I got passed and I passed another runner. But when I was closing in on the baton exchange this petite lady in pink passed me up. I thought "Hell no!" and kicked it up a notch passing her. She hung out back there just waiting for her moment. I sensed it when I could see the hand-off location. She darted ahead and I fought to not let her pass me. She did pass me but in passing the baton I worked it out better and Paul was out of the shoot before their runner. :) Check out the action in the photos:

My second leg was the last of the relay. The weather had warmed up a lot. I looked at how far away we were from the park on my iPhone and it didn't look too far. It gave me hope even though I knew it was 7.62 miles. What I didn't realize is that we would not be taking a direct approach to the park. I followed the main road for about 2 miles I think and then it took a sharp right and went on the other side of the city up a hill. I had gotten close to passing another team in front of me but the hill took the wind out of my sails. The other team would pull ahead as I took a little time to catch my breath and walk a bit. Several times I got close and then need a break. At one point I decided to power past her. Fortunately I didn't see her again but I meanwhile did get passed by two guys. At one point I realized that my nipples were getting worn raw. I signaled my support team that I needed my body glide. It worked out nicely. They swung by me, I quickly applied it, and I was off again. Once I got further into town the trail went under the road and I thought off to the right on the sidewalk and over a bridge. Once I was halfway across the bridge, I could hear someone yelling at me that I was going the wrong way. I turned around and sure enough I was supposed to be on a sandy path going through a park. I made the U turn and rushed off to follow the two teams that had just passed my while I was going the wrong way! Running in the sand was a little unexpected. That lasted for about a mile or two. After I got back on the street to run who comes up passing me? You guessed it the girl in pink! She was very encouraging, telling me that we were almost there and to keep going. I got to say that was the best part of the relay. Everyone was always cheering on each other. My team was excellent especially during the last leg. It put a huge smile on my face as I would hear them drive by, honk, yell, and cheer my on. They were awesome!

The Home Stretch Joined By My Teammates

Apparently I was supposed to be wearing my medal. I did get one!

We earned our stripes! After each leg a runner earns a stripe and then one when the team finishes.

After getting cleaned up we headed over to Pasta Jay's. Ty and Bryant said that it's the best food. I was a little skeptical at first. We were told that it would only be 20 minutes for a table for 8. It ended up being an hour. The place was packed. The longer we waited the more we all got grumpy I ordered the Stuffed Chicken Genovese as shown below. It's a chicken breast stuffed with Italian sausage, roasted red peppers, provolone cheese and mushrooms, baked in a fresh tomato and sweet basil sauce, with a side of pasta. Once the food came everyone was much more cheerful. It was delicious! I dare say it was the best Italian food that I have ever had! I might have to visit Moab more often just for the Italian food. It was just THAT good! I even celebrated by ordering a Diet Coke with my meal. I did limit it to just one refill though. Go me! :)

Now that I've had a few days to recover I think that I'm ready to maybe think about another one. :)

Facebook Wishes

2011-05-16T16:59:00.000-06:00

I've several times heard people complain or down play getting "Happy Birthday" wishes on Facebook. Maybe they think it's insincere or maybe it's just not enough of a gesture to have any value. Having just had a birthday today, I just cannot even comprehend what these people are thinking or why sometimes they even find the wishes offensive. It warms my heart just to know that people, who I may not ever see or even talk to much, are willing to take a moment and wish me a happy birthday or leave a nice note. Maybe I'm a little too easy to please. Whatever it is, I'm glad that it affects me like it does. So if you are one of those people that remembered my birthday on Facebook, through a text, or with a call, I just want to say that you helped make my birthday a special day. Nothing means more to me than family and friends. They are the best presents ever! Love you all!

30 Day Challenge

2011-05-11T16:42:00.000-06:00

Matt Cutts, Google developer, spoke at the Google I/O 2011: Ignite conference. I liked his idea in fact I think I've done this a few times now. You might remember French Fry Free February or more recently No Soda April. He closed with the following quote: "The next 30 are going to pass no matter what, I guarantee it, so why not pick something you have always wanted to try and give it a shot for the next 30 days?"

What will be your next 30 Day Challenge?

Oh My Legs!

2011-05-09T19:15:00.000-06:00

Today I finally found out what legs I will be running for the Red Rock Relay on this Saturday.

LEG 5 "Round Mtn Runner" 2.37 Miles HARD

Description: Round Mountain will be your back drop as you put those running shoes to good use. Trust us, after this run, your treadmill and local home streets may become unbearable. Just savor each moment so you can remember this 2.37 miles for he REST OF YOUR LIFE.

Safety: Remote road with low traffic. Watch for vehicles. Elevation gains may become a concern. User caution if feeling light headed.

LEG 12 "Sunset Finisher" 7.62 Miles MEDIUM

Description: The last running leg will bring you from the outskirts of town into the heart of Moab and your triumphant return to Swanny Park. The run is on mixed road and trails and a steady descent, you may even set a PR as you bring it home for your team.

Safety: Be aware of local traffic as you near the city. Most of the roads have low traffic and wide shoulders but be cautious of things bigger and faster than you.

The New Car Smell -- Well Kind of...

2011-05-08T12:46:00.000-06:00

If you know me well at all over the last few years, you know that I have been looking to get a new car for quite some time. So for you all I say brace yourselves because I have actually done it this time. I wasn't really even planning on it. I knew that Cougar Auto had an 2008 Honda Accord EXL that I wanted to go look at but I had known this for about a month. Today though I decided to go test drive it. It took a several miles but I was bitten. There are some signs of wear on the car but over all I feel like it was a reasonable deal. And the best part is that I didn't have to worry about my old Honda anymore since my brother bought it from me. He's handy with cars and I'm sure he will have it working perfectly in no time.

Doing the Dirty Dash

2011-04-26T15:30:00.000-06:00

Last year my mentor, Brad, was telling me about this race that he and a team of guys were going to run in mud and that there were obstacles along the way. It was called The Dirty Dash. It kind of sounded fun, but at the time it was so far out of what I thought my abilities were at the time. This June there is a shorter version of that same race. This one is a 5K instead of 10K. After having done a few 5Ks, I'm thinking that this is my time to dash. I've been wanting to do it for a few months now but having planned too well ahead of time. I have been focused on thinking about the Red Rock Relay which I have yet to complete. But when my friend, Mishael, wanted me to register for The Dirty Dash, I knew it was that time.

Today was the first time I watched the video below. It looks like a lot of messy fun! Check it out.

Spider Pigs: Ready to Run

2011-04-19T17:07:00.000-06:00

Yay! We finally have our team in place and everyone registered. We started with four runners and thought we could easily add the other two. The fifth runner was pretty easy to add but 6th has been another story. We had two runners committed as the 6th runner as well as several almost commitments. As of yesterday all six runners are registered. Meet the Spider Pigs: Andy, Brian, Bryant, Paul, Ty, and Saylor.

On a side note in my preparations for the race I have been trying to get a few longer runs. Last Saturday I went running for an hour and got ran 6.2 miles. I was feeling pretty good about that.

Arcade Fire Burns It Up

2011-04-13T14:43:00.000-06:00

Monday night I got a chance to check out Grammy Award winning group, Arcade Fire, at the UCCU Event Center on UVU campus. They put on a great show. I previously had not really gotten too into their music but I really enjoyed the show. I now have an increased appreciation for them and their music. The opening act was Local Natives. I was surprised and actually was liking them too. In fact, I'm listening to their Gorilla Manor album as I type. I went with my friends: Chris, Mishael, and Briggs. While there I ran into my friend, Brit, and his friend, Jessica, who happened to be standing right next to us.

Part of the entertainment for the evening were the group behind us. They were drunk and reeking. I helped them get a photo of all four of them. They explained that they were siblings. I haven't seen brothers get that friendly! Whatever, at least the made for good people watching.

None of my photos were very good and I didn't take any videos. So I have scoured the Internet to provide you some from the same show I attended.

Dreaming of Bubbles

2011-04-06T13:31:00.000-06:00

If you haven't been paying attention, I have given up soda at least for the month of April. I'm on my sixth day of being soda free and apparently its been weighing heavy on my mind. Last night in my dream, I was having a Diet Coke thinking nothing of it. Just enjoying it's bubbly fizziness when my brother gave me a look and pointed to the soda. I panicked! I had screwed up. How on earth was I drinking a soda when I had committed to go without for the whole month?! I was really upset about it. You can imagine my relief when I woke up in the morning and realized that I'm still on track. Actually it was so real that it took a while to realize that it was only a dream.

Soda Free Update: Almost 6 days now. I ate a burger today and it was so weird to not have a soda to go with it. The headaches seem to be gone. I'm still a bit more tired than I was before the soda fast but it seems to be getting better. Thanks for the encouragement.

Holi Fest - 2011

2011-04-03T21:31:00.000-06:00

"Holi means fun. Holi means colours. Holi is one of the oldest Hindu festivals that goes back thousands of years. Like any Indian festival, it is full of meaning. But Holi is not just about colours…"

- www.utahkrishnas.org

That's what they say but for me its all about the colors. Also, where else do you get to go up to strangers and smear scented, colored, corn starch on their bodies?! ;)

And of course it wouldn't be complete unless you got document the event with a few photos. :) Here's Chris, me, and Mishael.

iGotAPad

2011-04-01T16:00:00.000-06:00

If I haven't said it here before, I'm saying it now: I work for some great guys! This year they announced that we would be doing a little March Madness competition in the office and whoever won their bracket would be the proud owner of a brand new iPad. Of course since I know next to nothing about college basketball I wasn't too hopeful about my chances. So guess what! I won! I'm lying. I was actually the biggest loser of the bunch. But my bosses are so amazing (I think might read this) that they also gave the loser an iPad! Then they proceeded to hand out iPads to everyone else. Woo hoo! I was just about to go out and buy my own.

They gave us each a 16GB wifi iPad. I decided to upgrade mine to the 64GB wifi (no 3G). I took it back to Simply Mac and paid the difference. Then the waiting began. There were 15 people on the list before me who wanted and paid for the same model but they said that they had 30 on order. I tried not to think that I had already paid for a new toy but that I didn't have it to play with. Fortunately today I overheard my coworker getting the good news that his had come in. So I called and, sure enough, they had mine too!

Since its April Fool's Day today and everyone (I thought) knows that I dropped my iPhone in the toilet, I announced to my Facebook friends that I had already dropped my iPad in the toilet too! April Fools, people!!! :)

No Soda April

2011-03-31T09:57:00.000-06:00

Before March started I had thought that I wanted to go a month with no soda. Before I knew it, it was March 2nd and then it felt too late to start. I know that sounds ridiculous but there is something mental about it being a full complete month. You may remember that last year I did a French Fry Free February. This year's "No Soda April" seem much more daunting since soda is a daily routine with me. I start most work days with a nice big 44oz Diet Dr Pepper with a fresh lime from my local Holiday. Then there is usually a soda associated with lunch and maybe one after work.

So why would I do this? Well for one just to show myself that I have the power to do whatever I set my mind to accomplish. But secondly, I'm hoping that being soda free will assist my running and maybe breathing abilities. Thirdly, if it allows me to drop some more weight, that would definitely be a bonus!

So why say it here? Well I've found that when I make public commitments, I am much more likely to keep them. I've casually mentioned it to a few people but that can easily be dismissed. So here it is: I declare April a soda free month!

NOTE: I write this while sipping on my icy cold soda! :)

You're Invited!

2011-03-27T10:07:00.000-06:00

Friday night I got my first text from a person who entered the wrong number. I decided that it would be more fun to play along. It could have made for a fun evening. Tim, if you are reading this, sorry I didn't make it. Hope that it went well and that you weren't missing my dessert.

One of the Hazards of Running

2011-03-25T11:48:00.000-06:00

So in case you didn't know, I'm a runner now. I've been running a lot lately. Last night I went running for an hour. During my time on the treadmill I could tell that I was having some nipple chafing but I was surprised at what I found when I was finished. After I went into the locker room to change I realized that I was actually bleeding! I have had the chafing before on shorter runs but I thought it had to do with one particular synthetic shirt that I had been wearing. I have stopped wearing that shirt and went back to just wearing cotton t-shirts for my runs.

After doing some online research I found out that this is relatively common for men when running long distances. The common suggestions are to use Band-Aids or a lubricant like Body Glide. These sites also recommend to not wearing cotton and to wear tight fitting shirts. I can just see me getting ready for a run in the locker room applying Band-Aids or lubing up and then squeezing into a tight shirt. :)

Oh, and if you see me squeezing my chest, its that I'm feeling myself up but it helps take away some of the pain.

NOTE: I'm not going to apologize for saying "nipples" or for talking about this. Seriously people!

OMD: 80's Revisted

2011-03-24T13:14:00.000-06:00

Last night I joined my long time friends, Brad and Dan, for an evening of OMD (Orchestral Maneuvers in the Dark) at The Depot in Salt Lake City.

I rode with Dan up and we met Brad at Red Rock Brewery for some dinner. I love Red Rock! After a quick stop at the Apple store in The Gateway we headed over to The Depot. It's probably one of my favorite venues in SLC to see a show. It small enough to still feel pretty intimate but holds a lot a people too. They also keep it pretty clean which is rare for a venue!

The warm up band was Joy & Eric. I think they did all covers. Joy could definitely sing.

OMD came on stage shortly after 10pm. I had seen "OMD" once before in the 90's but actually it was just Paul Humphreys. This time the band actually had both original members: Andy McCluskey and Paul Humphreys. This is great because Andy is the main vocalist on the majority of their songs. It was especially fun to have Andy there because he was full of energy. He had all his 80's dance moves still intact. At first I thought it was goofy because he is 51! But over time I started to really appreciate that he was giving it his all and that he had the stamina to last the entire show.

Dan and I had a good time mocking some "mean girls." They kept on trying to take these sneaky photos of on of the girls with this rather large guy without him knowing it. And when I say the kept on doing it, I mean they must have taken over 10 photos. Then they would preview them and laugh at the guy. So I told Dan that I wanted one of him doing the same thing to the "mean girls." It was great! I think they figured out what we were doing. :) There was a row of people sitting that were applauding our mocking. We thought it was hilarious! Here's our best shot!

Also after the show Dan got his car rear ended by a girl that was just a bit high! Fortunately there was little damage. The girl had no idea that it even happened. There was a cop right beside us and she ended up getting a DUI. Just a little more excitement for the night!

Below are the two videos that I took at the show.

Rex Lee Run 2011

2011-03-12T17:06:00.000-07:00

This morning I completed my second 5K. I didn't do as well as I had hoped but I am glad that I had a better time than my first time (Santa Run). This time I finished in 30:40 minutes. That is 19.7 seconds faster! ;) In my defense the first 5K was all level ground. This route circled BYU starting at the track and going up hill. Initially I was feeling a lot of adrenaline and it got me up the hill pretty quick but then I started to struggle. I did eventually do some walking by the time I got south end of the campus. I probably needed to start out slower and then just keep going at that pace. I ran "with" some of the friends that will also be running on the Red Rock Relay race. In fact one of the guys (Bryant) took 2nd in his division and medaled. I took 10th out of 19 in my division (40-44 males) and 489th out of 1,356 overall.

Next up: Red Rock Relay!

Brian, Ty, Paul, and Bryant

Brian & Matt

My Results

Groupon

2011-03-08T14:29:00.000-07:00

So if you have not heard about Groupon, let me tell you about it. Groupon features a daily deal on the best stuff to do, see, eat, and buy in more than 500 markets and 44 countries. Some days they don't have much that I'm interested in but on other days they have great deals. Here are some of the Groupons that I have bought in the past six months:

$50 Gap Gift Certificates for $25
$20 Barnes & Noble Gift Certificates for $10
3 Redbox Movie Rentals for $1
$50 Nordstrom Rack Gift Certificates for $25

You are typically only allowed one purchase per person. That is why I have two separate accounts with two different emails. Some of these deals as so good that I need them twice! If you were to join Groupon and make a purchase I would get a referral fee if you use this link:

Groupon

A Prime Opportunity for Photos

2011-03-03T17:28:00.000-07:00

Having taken lots of portraits lately, I've been considering getting a 50mm prime lens. Well this last weekend it happened. I knew that I was going to be taking engagement photos on Monday. So last Saturday I went out and purchased the lens. Then my friend and photography enthusiast, Chris, went out for a little impromptu photo shoot. We got some great photos even in the cold, snowy weather.

So why did I "need" another lens? After all my camera came with two lenses: one wide angle and one telephoto. For me the main reason was to get a faster lens. The lens I bought will work better with existing light sources and it produces more professional results. I could go into the details but basically the lens just takes better photos to begin with.

Here's my favorite shot of Chris taken with the new lens.

Where the Buffalo Roam

2011-03-01T15:05:00.000-07:00

Over President's Day weekend my friends, Matt & Chris, headed down to Three Lakes near Kanab to visit my friend, Steven, who is working near Zions at Zions Mountain Ranch as their horse wrangler. We'd had the trip planned for weeks and were all excited about the activities (horseback ridding, hiking, etc...) that we could do while there.

The weather for the trip down was nice but our first night there it started to rain. I was pleased when I awoke the next morning because I couldn't hear the rain. That was short-lived as I looked out the window to see a few inches of snow. So many of our fun activities will have to happen on my next visit. Nevertheless we had a great time hanging out with Steven, visiting the color caves, making sand bottles, almost crashing on slick roads in Zions, meeting Faith, making a trip to St George, playing Bang!, feeding the buffalo, riding motorcycles, taking photos, hanging upside down, drowning mice, getting McDonald's happy meal toys, eating snicker-doodles, listening to Steven play the violin and the guitar, and watching Matt almost skinny dip on a freezing day.

What is Wrong with Me?!

2011-02-15T11:01:00.000-07:00

I think I've gone crazy! Last night I was talked into running a relay race coming up in May. Sure I've run one 5K and I have another one scheduled in March but this relay is a 70 mile race. Granted, I will not be running all 70 miles. We will have a team of six runners with two legs each. So that means I will actually be running about a total 12 miles in two separate legs. This is what scares me: each leg is still about twice what I have been running. Then combine that with the possibility of 90 degree heat. So far we have 4 committed in our team of 6. Hope we can get two more!

This excites me and scares me all at once! :)

Rex Lee Run

2011-02-11T09:42:00.000-07:00

I'm doing it again. After my Santa Run one of my nieces got inspired made me commit to running another 5K with her. We decided that March would be a good time to do it. So I looked into what was available and found the Rex Lee Run - Run for a Cure is in March. I have been telling everyone that I was going to do it because that is just how I am: I like to over-share. Well March is almost here and my niece has decided it will still be too cold for her asthma issues and running. But now I have publicly committed to it too. So last week I officially registered on my own. :( Since then I have been recruiting others to run too. I'm pleased to report that I won't be running it alone. I have several friends planning on it now. Well, at least I won't be starting it alone. Who knows once we start actually running.

Quotes I Like

2011-02-03T12:19:00.000-07:00

I often post quotes on Facebook that I really like. I'm going to continue to do that. The only problem is that they are then hard to find again. They are just lost out there among my endless status updates. These are things I would like to remember and reference. So I've gone back over the last two months on my Facebook wall to find any quotes I posted. Here they are. Enjoy them. Save them. Internalize them.

‎"Love anything and your heart will be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact you must give it to no one, not even an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements. Lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket, safe, dark, motionless, airless, it will change. It will not be broken, it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. To love is to be vulnerable."
- C.S. Lewis

‎"If others are responsible for my misery, I am stuck. If I am responsible, I am free."
- The Choice

‎"No amount of falls will really undo us if we keep picking ourselves up each time. We shall of course be very muddy and tattered children by the time we reach home. But the bathrooms are all ready, the towels put out, and the clean clothes in the airing cupboard. The only fatal thing is to lose one's temper and give it up."
- C.S. Lewis

‎"When a battered, weary swimmer tries valiantly to get back to shore having fought strong winds and rough waves that he should have never challenged in the first place, those of us who might have had better judgment (or perhaps just better luck) ought not to row out to his side, beat him with our oars, and shove his head back underwater. That's not what boats were made for."
- Elder Jeffery R. Holland

‎"It has been said and said truly, that the greatest fault is to be conscious of no fault. Self-righteousness shuts a man off both from God and men."

‎"When we work from a place I believe that says, 'I'm enough,' then we stop screaming and start listening, we're kinder and gentler to the people around us, and we're kinder and gentler to ourselves."
-Brené Brown

‎"When all is said and done, a large part of our success at love will depend on our ability to accept human nature as it is. The judgemental temperament never generates much affection. To put it another way, we need to strive for as much understanding of others as we grant ourselves."
- Alan Loy McGinnis

‎"Those persons who will let their hearts go and who will freely declare their admiration and affection are very hard to turn down."
- Alan Loy McGinnis

‎"The recovery of emotional freedom: When I am able to simply be myself rather than focus on myself -- to stand self-forgetfully."
- The Arbinger Institute

"If we build more windows and fewer walls, we will have more friends."
- Alan Loy McGinnis

Self Body Image

2011-01-25T17:17:00.001-07:00

I admit it. I'm a guy and I have had body issues most of my life. Body dismorphia is not just for women anymore especially with the media today. Men are equally objectified and airbrushed. A friend and former neighbor writes a blog about women and having a healthy body image. I happened to read a quote on her blog that I really liked and it's so true. I wanted to share it.

“If you talked to your friends the way you talk to your body, you’d have no friends left at all.”

--Marcia Hutchinson, Author, Transforming Body Image

You can check out her blog at http://betterwoman.blogspot.com

National Hugging Day

2011-01-21T14:35:00.000-07:00

I was pleased earlier this week when one of the girls from my singles Family Home Evening group informed me that today is National Hugging Day. Apparently I have a reputation to uphold. I'm a firm believer in touch and that touch is something that we all need whether we are willing to admit that or not. For a long time I was part of the population that wasn't too comfortable touching. Since I would like to spread the good word about touch I decided that I would create a Facebook event to celebrate National Hugging Day. Then I sent invitations to all my friends. Some were quick to mark it as "Not Attending." I couldn't help but wonder if I would have chosen once upon a time. In spite of all the party-poopers there are about 340 people who are attending. Yay for hugs!

The irony of it all is that I am getting over being sick today. So I'm not sure how many hugs I will be giving or receiving. :(

Related topic: Touching Make You Healthier

MobileMe - It Works!

2011-01-17T09:57:00.000-07:00

Friday night I had a moment of panic. I had been out to a restaurant with some friends and when I got home I could not find my iPhone any place. I searched and searched retracing my steps upon getting home. I called the restaurant to see if I had left it there. I was going a little crazy. One of my friends said, "Well you have Find My iPhone set up right?" Oh yeah!

According to Apple's website:

"Find My iPhone lets you easily locate a misplaced iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch on a map. You can also have your device play a sound and display a message to help someone return it to you, or you can remotely lock its screen or wipe all of its data to protect your privacy. To locate a missing device, just use the free Find My iPhone app on any other iOS device, or use Find My iPhone at me.com from any computer web browser."

So I logged in and located my phone in my friends car in the parking lot. I made my phone play a sound and display a message because I had already looked in the car once. This time I found it! Thanks Apple!

Carl Bloch Exhibit

2011-01-11T17:00:00.001-07:00

Monday night for Family Home Evening a bunch of us singles went to check out the Carl Bloch exhibit at Brigham Young University's Museum of Art. Admission is free. You just have to go online and reserve tickets. The exhibit is running until sometime in May. It's definitely worth checking out. My favorite piece is Christ and Child shown above. I love how Christ is cupping the child's cheek and how He is gesturing to the child suggesting that we become as children.

Three Words

2011-01-07T14:25:00.000-07:00

So here is your opportunity to anonymously tell me what you think about me. I had a friend on Facebook post a similar link and I thought it might be interesting to see what the results are. Click the following link and feel free to be honest. :)

Three Words

And maybe I will post the results here too. :)

You SPIN Me Round (Like a Record)

2011-01-05T14:26:00.000-07:00

So its a new year and you know what that means, right? Yes, it means that the gyms are over crowded for a few weeks and then occupancy returns to normal. I don't plan on being one of those casualties. I decided that I wanted to kick up my exercise a bit now that the holidays are over and I want to get back to my weight loss/fitness regimen. As you might have read in previous posts, I took up running a few months ago and now when my brother, Ben, suggested I come to Gold's Gym's spinning class I figured it was a good opportunity to stretch and try something new. The classes are Tuesday and Thursdays at noon so I could fit it into my work schedule pretty good.

Yesterday I went for my first class. The class had a few familiar faces including my brother, Alysha (my niece's best friend and my fellow cruise friend), and several of my brother's coworkers that I knew. The teacher of the class is Ronna and let me just say that she is CRAZY. When it comes to spinning class I guess that is a good thing. I picked a cycle and tried to get it all adjusted for body. When the class actually started the lights went down and I found that I was sitting right in brightest spot in the room. I felt like I had a big spotlight pointed at my head. :) Within the first five minutes Ronna had me working up a big sweat. So glad I stopped by my house to pick up my forgotten towel. I'm not sure that all spinning classes are like this but this one was a good upper body workout too. I had just worked out my upper body the night before at the gym and I had run my standard 5K. So I was maybe a little too tired before we even started. I hung in there. I cheated as I needed to which felt like a lot. Before I knew it the hour was up and it was time to shower and get back to work. I was exhausted.

A day latter and I still feel pretty beat. I think instead of heading back to spinning class tomorrow I will wait until next week. Maybe once a week will be plenty for a few weeks. In any case it was fun to try out something new and I hope it gives my body the jolt that it needs.

When What to My Wondering Eyes Should Appear

2010-12-15T09:55:00.000-07:00

Santa's elves have been busy at my house. I came home from work on Tuesday to find my house all festive on the outside. There are lights hung around my garage, lights lining my walkway, and lights in the bushes! What a cool surprise. I had just decorated the inside the night before with the help of my friend Tamara. So I immediately thought that she had done this. She was quite insistent that I not skip decorating this year. But as I opened my garage and went to park I noticed the boxes that the lights must have come in sitting on the table in the garage. So the elves know my garage code. This really narrows down the list of possible suspects. I called my parents and they have no knowledge (or so they say) about what is going on. I can pretty much rule out any friends because those that know the code were visiting from out of state which is where they are now. That leaves me with just a few options. I remember giving the code to my sister Tammy once to allow her to drop something off in my garage since I was not home. Thus I'm going to guess that my sisters (Launa and Tammy) are in cahoots on this. Whoever it was put a lot of work into it. It was a very heart-warming surprise to come home to. Thanks!

It's a Christmas Miracle

2010-12-12T16:23:00.000-07:00

I've heard the stories. Some of them even firsthand. But never did I expect to be among the notorious iPhone owners who manage to find their precious iPhones in a toilet. I mean how does that happen? Oh I know what you are thinking. I used to be you. That is until yesterday.

I was at my parent's home about to wash my hands. I went to set my phone down on the counter and somehow it slipped. I over reacted and went to protect the phone. I probably made it much worse as I bumped it into the the toilet. Sad day! This is one of those times that I'm so grateful that my mother is a major cleanliness freak. (Mom, I don't really think you are a freak other than sometimes when it comes to cleaning.) My reflexes were lightening fast. I did not hesitate to reach right in and rescue my dear iPhone. I gave it a good wipe down trying to eliminate all moisture. Unfortunately water got into the speakers and the jack. I was sure that I was going to be out a lot of cash. I tried shutting my phone down but it would turn itself back on. This didn't sound good! I noticed that I could still get and send text messages. That was good news. But I also noticed that anything that produced sound on the phone was not working. I kept getting an error message about how the accessory was not made to work with this iPhone. Apparently toilet water is not a compatible accessory for my iPhone. Good to know! :)

I am pleased to report that my phone seems to be in perfect working order today. I'm grateful for that! And before you mock me, just remember that I used to be you.

Getting Off Automatic

2010-12-10T11:22:00.000-07:00

I'm always thinking that I would like to take a class and learn something new. When I started getting into photography I immediately thought about taking a class. Well after a year and a half after purchasing and using my camera I've decided to do it. I'm taking a 2 day workshop from Provo Creative called Getting Off Automatic. Provo Creative is behind the meetup group (ProvoCreative Models/Photographers Group) that I belong to where I took the "Trash the Dress" photos. My friend and fellow photog, Chris, is taking the course too. And after posting it on Facebook, it looks like there will be a few other friends attending. Too bad it's not until January. I'm getting excited about it.

This Santa Made the News!

2010-12-02T23:40:00.000-07:00

My friend and fellow Santa Run companion, Liz, informed me that I made the Deseret News photos. (I'm in the 7 of 8 photo.) The photo above is from the Deseret News taken by Brian Nicholson. I was totally mugging for my friend Josh who was taking photos. Meanwhile I look like some crazy for the Deseret News! :)

My First 5K - Provo Santa Run

2010-12-01T11:27:00.000-07:00

John, Landon, Brian, & Jason

So with my work to lose some weight and get healthier I had started running at the gym on the treadmill. I had been inspired by a few friends, particularly Brad & Josh, who are runners. Also I've had a fear of running on the treadmill and looking foolish. It had been over 10 years since I've tried running on one. I had been running for about 3 weeks. I say running but really it really feels more like jogging.

In any case a week before the Provo Santa Run my friend Landon who was visiting from Idaho invited me to join him and some friends for the 5K. I decided to bite the bullet and sign up. I then had one week to prepare for the run knowing that I was going to do it.

During the run I walked several times to try and catch my breath with all the cold air. So I was surprised when I finished the run and realized that I had beat any of my treadmill times. I came in right under 31 minutes. I'm looking forward to running one when it's not so cold outside. But I am so glad that I did this one.

Will, Liz, & Brian

Brian & a Bunch of Santas

The Starting Line

Brad, Ryan, Brian, & John

Hanging in there

Brian & Erik (he came all the way from SLC just to see me cross the finish line)

Josh (the photographer) & Brian

Here are the results.

Cranberry Sauce with Pears and Fresh Ginger

2010-11-24T21:08:00.001-07:00

This year Mom gave me the assignment to bring cranberries to Thanksgiving dinner. Being me I had to find some interesting recipes to use. I solicited my Facebook friends for their favorites. I should have know that my gourmet cook and friend, Lisa, would have lots of ideas. While this is not one that she had actually made before she and I thought it sounded very interesting. I haven't sampled it too much yet. It in the fridge cooling a bit. The verdict will be in tomorrow as to how tasty it is or not. But in case it is tasty, here is the recipe.

Cranberry Sauce with Pears and Fresh Ginger

Makes about 2 1/4 cups

The cooking time in this recipe is intended for fresh berries. If you've got frozen cranberries, do not defrost them before use; just pick through them and add about 2 minutes to the simmering time.

Ingredients:

3/4 cup water
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon table salt
1 (12-ounce) bag cranberries , picked through
2 medium firm, ripe pears , peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2-inch chunks

Instructions:

Bring water, sugar, ginger, cinnamon, and salt to boil in medium nonreactive saucepan over high heat, stirring occasionally to dissolve sugar. Stir in cranberries and pears; return to boil. Reduce heat to medium; simmer until saucy, slightly thickened, and about two-thirds of berries have popped open, about 5 minutes. Transfer to nonreactive bowl, cool to room temperature, and serve. (Can be covered and refrigerated up to 7 days; let stand at room temperature 30 minutes before serving.)

In the Zone

2010-11-23T10:31:00.000-07:00

I've registered to run the Provo Santa Run which is a 5K. This is the first time I've ever attempted such a thing. So now that I'm committed to this run I've started to get more nervous about it all. On Monday night I decided that I needed to get another run in at the gym. I like to get a treadmill where I can see myself in the mirror straight ahead. I try to zone out just staring at my reflection in the distance. On this occasion there were some abs machines in front of me. Halfway into my run two young women started using one of the machines and while I was not watching them I'm sure that it looked like it. In my peripheral vision I would notice them looking into the mirror at me and then after a while they would turn around and look at me. I found it a little amusing. I did my best to just ignore them but they were definitely distracting. I kind of wanted to let them know that they weren't that attractive but I thought better of it.

Brandon Flowers

2010-11-19T15:49:00.001-07:00

On November 17th, I went with my friend Chris to check out Brandon Flowers at The Depot in Salt Lake City. I had seen The Killers in concert back when their "Hot Fuss" CD was the only one they had out. It was a great show. This time it was no different. Only I had a much better view this time. I took a few photos with my phone but none of them were really great. I did however capture several videos where you can actually listen to and enjoy the music. If you are only going to check out one of the following videos, the last one was my favorite and the closing song of the show. (If you are using a reader you will probably not see the videos listed below. To see them click here)

Slapping a Spook

2010-11-15T17:46:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago I went with my singles family home evening group to Hee Haw Farms. We paid to go through the corn maze and thought it would be fun to go on the haunted hayride. We did the hay ride first. I'm not really a fan of haunted houses but this really didn't feel like something I was going to be freaked out in. Our group got on this trailer full of hay that was being pulled behind a vehicle. Initially we were all facing forward but before the ride started, we realized that it would probably be best if everyone faced outward so as to not get surprised by something or someone. The ride started and it was going pretty good. I was just enjoying seeing the girls freak out by all the spooks (people in scary costumes running around trying to scare people). In fact I was most afraid of Rosa as she jumped all over the trailer in an effort to avoid the spooks. But mostly I spent the ride just laughing. But at one point during the ride I had turned around to watch what was happening behind me on the other side of the trailer. When I turned around there was this guy right there in my face less than a foot away. Needless to say, it caught me off guard. My response? I slapped him! I wasn't sure which was more surprising that I got physical with him or that I slapped him. :) A punch would have been more manly but I'm not sure I was really looking to hurt him. I just wanted his face somewhere other than in mine. As the ride continued he came up to me again trying to be scary saying, "Don't hit me again." (I'm glad he didn't realize it was a slap.) I just replied, "Dude, I'm sorry. It was just a reflex." When the ride was done as I retold my story, everyone seemed impressed with my manly slapping.

Too Many Fingers?

2010-11-10T17:08:00.000-07:00

Okay I've known my dad to say a few funny things in my life time. Last night I was over at my parent's house visiting with them and my sister. Dad was showing off one of his new iPad to my sister. After having some problems with navigating the iPad he exclaimed, "I just have too many fingers!" My sister and I got a good long hard laugh out of that one. :)

** Last I checked, he has ten just like the rest of us.

Catherine Tate

2010-11-08T17:45:00.000-07:00

So if you've been around me lately, you might have heard me mention Catherine Tate once or twice but probably many more times than that. She is my new favorite thing on YouTube. She's a British comedian with her own sketch show in England called The Catherine Tate Show. She has lots of great characters including: Lauren, Ally, The Annoying Coworker, and the subject of this post, The Frightened Woman. Watch the following clip then continuing reading.

So a few weekends ago I had some friends that were down from Idaho. One of them needed to take the GRE and the other two just came along for a weekend away. Well one night I was sharing my new found love of Catherine Tate with them. We watched several of the videos on YouTube and the one shown above was the last one we watched. Of course I had the sound nice and loud so that no one would miss anything. I left my browser up and everyone went to bed. Two of my friends were sleeping on air mattresses pretty close to the computer. I had gone upstairs for bed. Sometime in the very early morning hours I was awakened to some screaming. I heard it and then there was silence. Then again another scream followed by silence. It repeated a third time. And then there was continual screaming. I was trying to figure out what was going one. I thought it was happening outside. It wasn't until the next morning when I was talking to my friends and they told me that the last clip we watched replayed itself in the night. My friend, Josh, is pretty much blind without his glasses. He was over at the computer in the middle of the night trying to figure out how to turn the video off without much luck. Now when I watch this clip it is extra special! :)

** As best as I can figure out my web browser (Chrome) is a beta version and is constantly updating itself. I'm guessing it did an update that night which shut the browser down and then reopened all the pages that it had open thus playing the frightened woman sketch all over again.

Are You Interested?

2010-11-05T16:46:00.000-06:00

Hi. My name is Brian and I have an LDS Planet profile. Okay. There, I said it. Now that I've released that shame let me get rid of more. :)

The other day I had logged into ldsplanet.com. They have this fun little feature called "I'm interested." It allows you to browse through photos and quickly say whether you are interested or not just based on the photo. I decided to give it a try again. I hadn't used it in a long time but thought I had time to browse a few photos. So I started looking at the photos and found myself not to interested in most. I kept clicking what I thought to be the "No Thanks & Next" button. After about 40 photos I got to one that I thought was interested in so you can imagine my horror when I went to click the "I'm Interested" button only to find that I had been clicking it for the first 40 photos! Then I read the small print that let me know that each of the ladies I had viewed had received a "flirt" letting them know that I was interested! Oops! Ladies, I hope that made your day!

110 in the Shade

2010-07-17T13:59:00.000-06:00

Last weekend my friend Spencer got me a ticket to see 110 in the Shade at the Hale Center Theater in Orem. I had heard that there were some famous people that were going to be in the show: Will Swenson and Audra McDonald. I knew who Will was because I saw The Singles Ward in which he was the main character. I had heard that he had gone on to Broadway and was in the production of Hair there. I also had heard that he won a Tony for his performance in Hair. But really I knew nothing about Audra McDonald.

I went into the show without a lot of expectations even though I had friends raving about it on Facebook. I just want to say that I was blown away but in particular I was blown away with Audra. I'm going to say there were even parts where I got kind of emotional. Not sure that I've ever been emotional in a local stage production. In any case, I am now a fan!

Spencer's friend Kevin was also a main character in the show and he was nice enough to navigate me to get some photos and autographs. Thanks Kevin!

Josh, Audra, and Brian

Will and Brian

Curried Avocado Dip

2010-06-06T10:45:00.000-06:00

So normally I don't post a recipe before I know that people want a copy of it. But I had to taste this after making it this morning for the luncheon following my grand-nephew's blessing. I'm had a hard time stopping my tasting. :) I wish I was going to be bringing some back home but I'm pretty sure that will not be the case.

Curried Avocado Dip
1/2 cup cilantro leaves and stems, packed
1/4 cup plain yogurt
3 T. shredded sweetened coconut
2 T. fresh lime juice
1 T. fresh ginger, chopped
1/2 t. curry powder
1 Serrano or Jalapeño, seeded and chopped
1 shallot, peeled and chopped
Salt to taste
2 ripe avocados, peeled, pitted, and chopped

Blend all ingredients except the avocado in a food processor. I blended everything except the yogurt and avocado initially then added the yogurt.

Add chopped avocado and blend until very smooth. Taste for seasoning, then transfer to serving dish.

Serve with Hit of Lime Tostitos.

And to give credit where it belongs, my friend Jenny suggested it and shared the recipe. Thanks Jenny! She adds this tip:

You don't want to combine everything in the recipe more than 2-3 hours before hand. However, when I've taken this to events before I've blended everything but the avocado, placed the mixture in a Rubbermaid container w/ lid, and put it in the refrigerator until it was time to eat. When it was time I cut up the avocado and blended it with the other ingredients. Of course, this required a blender or food processor, so whatever works.

My Short-lived Acting Career

2010-05-24T16:56:00.001-06:00

Today I stumbled across a blast from the past: a roadshow that I was a part of from the 1980's. I had forgotten most of it. It was funny to watch again years later. Thought it might be fun to share too. Enjoy!

Borup Photography

2010-05-20T13:48:00.002-06:00

I have a new blog/website specifically for my photographs. It's Borup Photography (http://www.borupphotography.com/). You can get large versions of the images by clicking on this icon when hovering over one of the images. Check it out and come back often to see my new works.

Capital Reef Weekend

2010-05-08T19:56:00.001-06:00

Three weekends ago some friends and I decided to take an impromptu trip to do some hiking and to take some photos. We spent Saturday and Sunday in the Capital Reef area hiking a few slot canyons: Bell Canyon, Little Wild Horse Canyon, and Sheets Gulch. Here are some of my photos from the trip.

More photos can be seen in Facebook.

Camera's Have a Life Expectancy, Go Figure!

2010-04-27T17:47:00.001-06:00

Apparently cars are not the only items with a life expectancy. I had not really thought about this until I was reading about it on Digital Photography School. For cameras it's called actuations (or shutter count). Now it's making me wonder if I should turn off my setting for continuous shooting so that my camera has a longer life. Maybe I will want a new camera by the time I reach 100,000 frames.

On the Borders

2010-04-19T23:08:00.001-06:00

Tonight for FHE (Family Home Evening) our singles group decided to go out to eat. We stuffed ourselves at Tucanos, eating lots of meat as well as other items. When finished someone suggested that we go for a walk. There were some cool lights in the Riverwoods that I thought I'd get some photos of. But really the fun part came when we went to Borders and decided to take some goofy photos. Here they are. Everyone was a good sport about it. Somehow I failed to get any of Rosa! :(

Let There Be Light

2010-04-04T12:00:00.001-06:00

Ever since I moved into my town home I have not been really excited about the light fixture that I had in there. It was a fluorescent cloud-like fixture. I rarely used it but when I did it was because I was cooking or baking. And even then I didn't like that the light was so ambient that I didn't have light for specific tasks.

I had toyed with replacing it for years but kept on thinking that the one I had was sufficient and that I was too lazy to change it anyway. Then a few weeks ago I was at a Habitat Restore store with my friend Ryan. He has a real fixer-upper home and was finding some needed supplies there. I happened to see one of the staff bringing out the fixture shown above. I had looked at the exact same one at IKEA. The price on this fixture was $10. I love a bargain and knew that it sells at IKEA for $50 so I bought it thinking that even if I never used it that it still only cost $10! That was a few weeks ago and this weekend I finally got around to removing my old fluorescent light, installing a ceiling box, and installing the new fixture. I think it looks great and I love the targeted light that it gives off.

Photography

2010-04-04T11:38:00.002-06:00

For weeks now as I have driven to work I have noticed this white horse with the sunrise light back lighting it. I have thought I really need to stop and take photos but as per normal I am usually running late for work. This last Thursday I was about half an hour early on my way to work so I decided to stop and take advantage of the photo op. Here are some of my favorites.

Vampire Weekend & The Blow

2010-03-19T11:26:00.007-06:00

Last night I got to hang out with my long-time friend, Brad. It was at the sold out Vampire Weekend concert at the club, In the Venue, in Salt Lake City. While there we met up with friends: Jeniffer, Cass, and Kimber. The opening act was The Blow. While I didn't love her music/singing, she was incredibly entertaining with her dancing and narratives. I had to capture her dancing on video to share.

Vampire Weekend was full of high energy and great melodies. The evening passed by way too fast. Here are a few samples of their songs:

Photography

2010-03-16T23:23:00.006-06:00

So I haven't been blogging a whole lot lately. I've kind of found another hobby to occupy my time. Since getting my SLR camera and learning a bit of Adobe's Light Room, I have been having a great time being creative in photography. In fact you could say that I am a bit obsessed. Anyway here is a sample of what I have been doing lately:

Change: Of Course It's Possible!

2010-03-11T13:43:00.006-07:00

I've had several conversations with people that end with them making the statement: "Well that's just the way I am!" I think really it would be appropriate to say "That's just the way that is easiest for me." It's true that real change is not easy and can take a long time but I do believe that change is possible. I love the following quote from The Road Less Traveled by Scott Peck because it makes it so obvious that change is not only possible but that every does it.

"The tendency to avoid challenge is so omnipresent in human beings that it can properly be considered a characteristic of human nature. But calling it natural does not mean it is essential or beneficial or unchangeable behavior. It is also natural to defecate in our pants and never brush our teeth. Yet we teach ourselves to do the unnatural until the unnatural becomes itself second nature. In deed, all self-discipline might be defined as teaching ourselves to do the unnatural. Another characteristic of human nature - perhaps the one that makes us most human - is our capacity to do the unnatural, to transcend and hence transform our own nature."

This blog has moved

2010-03-11T11:18:00.002-07:00

This blog is now located at http://doggie.borups.org/.

For feed subscribers, please update your feed subscriptions to
http://doggie.borups.org/feeds/posts/default.

Blogger Changes, So Do I

2010-02-04T09:47:00.006-07:00

Heads up! I just want you to be aware that my blog will be changing addresses soon. Blogger is soon to discontinue supporting FTP blogs, which is how mine is set up. So you will no longer be accessing my blog at http://brian.borups.org/blog. I have yet to figure out what I'm going to do but here are some of the options as to where my blog will land:
http://bborup.blogspot.com/
http://doggieb.blogspot.com/
http://blog.borups.org/

None of these are actually functional yet. :(

French Fry Free February

2010-02-01T09:35:00.005-07:00

I didn't really set any new resolutions for this year. It kind of sneaked up on me. But hey today starts a new month. So why not start something now. And what better way to commit yourself to something than to publicly declare your intentions. So here goes: I declare this month "French Fry Free February." If it continues into March and further that is even better. Lately my french fry intake is out of control. So I'm back on the band wagon! Check up on me to see how I'm doing, okay?

New Pepsi Logo Explained

2010-01-06T14:57:00.007-07:00

Maybe you've noticed that Pepsi has changed their logo a bit. A friend of mine had shared the blog that this image came from. I thought it was pretty funny. Later that day we went to lunch and I could not help but notice the Pepsi logo versus the Diet Pepsi logo at the restaurant. It only confirmed what I had seen on this blog. Notice how much better Diet Pepsi's shirt fits? ;)

Me & Dad

2010-01-04T14:06:00.006-07:00

Rather than attacking the whole trip to Europe in my blog, I thought I would write about specifics that were funny or cool or educational, etc... (This way I'm more apt to write about it instead of putting it off indefinitely.)

It was Thanksgiving Day, November 26th 2009, when my sister-in-law drove my brother and I to the SLC airport to begin our two week trip to Europe. It was definitely a new adventure for myself having never been too far from the USA. Yes, I had been to Canada a few times and Mexico a few more times than that. But never so far away from home. With the international travel and booking our tickets online there was some concern about my seating assignments on our flight from London to Rome. So while we were checking in our baggage, my brother was asking about my seating assignment on that flight. The lady at the baggage check tried to assist us but found out that we would just have to deal with that when we arrived in London. As we were leaving, she told me, "Have a good trip with your dad." Ha ha! I have been rubbing that in ever since to Ben. He does not look old enough to be my dad. There are only six years difference in our ages! I actually think she thought he was my dad because he was being very concerned about my seat assignment and I appreciated that even if I do tease him.

Jumper's Knee

2009-12-28T17:16:00.008-07:00

After just one day of heavy walking on Rome's cobbled streets, I knew that something was wrong with my right knee. It had hurt for some time and was probably injured from playing racquetball. (You do remember how hazardous I am playing racquetball, right?)

Anyway when I got home I made an appointment with my primary physician and explained the problems I had been experiencing: pain just below my knee cap when walking down stairs and my right knee was supporting my weight, the feeling that might right knee might just give way and I would collapse, and then at night it would ache quite a bit. After getting the data, he decided that I needed to have an MRI on my knee. I did that the next day and on the following Monday I got a call telling me that I had a torn patellar tendon and that I needed to see an orthopedic surgeon.

I began searching on the Internet and saw knees sliced open and read accounts of the healing process taking about a year. Needless to say, I immediately panicked. After a few more days I started to realize that maybe they would only immobilize it for several weeks to let it heal. That option while not as invasive still wasn't sitting well with me. How can I function without being able to drive?!

So today I actually visited the surgeon and had all my fears wiped away. I told him I had a torn patellar tendon. He looked at me and said "no I think its a torn meniscus." He said that torn tendons normally happen for "elite athletes." I said he might be right. I certainly am no elite athlete. After looking up my MRI, he did in fact find that it was my tendon. So much for it being an injury for only elite athletes.

To get my knee back in good health he just wants me to stay away from high impact sports (eg, running, racquetball, basketball, gymnastics, etc...) I'm alright with all of those except I would love to be back playing racquetball. I was pleased to find I can still use the elliptical and bike machines. After 3 months of rest I can get back into it slowly. If the tendon is still painful then we will consider a PRP (Platelet Rich Plasma) injection into the tendon area to help it heal.

He said that a Cortisone shot in this case would be a bad thing and make it hard for the tendon to heal. Also he said the surgery was a last resort.

Platelet Rich Plasma
Click here to watch a video on CNN talking about the platelet rich plasma procedure.

Don't Get Sassy With Me!

2009-12-22T16:01:00.006-07:00

A few days after I got back from Europe I had stopped in to Target for a little shopping. I was in the check out line ready to get rung up when I turned and saw an "old" friend. After exchanging some pleasantries, she said, "So, when was the last time you were in London?" Her tone was a little snotty and I was a little taken back as to just where that question was coming from. She must have noticed my sweatshirt that read "LONDON ENGLAND" across the front of it. And thought I had purchased it at Target or somewhere local. Instead of getting the response she was hoping for, I simply replied "Monday." :)

Nacho Libre

2009-11-08T16:38:00.005-07:00

While on the cruise in Mexico, my nephew showed me that they were selling the Mexican wrestling mask like was seen in the movie Nacho Libre. I was pleased to see that they even had the specific style that Nacho wore in the movie. I knew immediately that I needed it for a costume party that I had been invited to. After getting getting back to the USA and internet access, I decided to google Nacho Libre to see what the rest of the costume looked like. I immediately realized that I was going to have to be a little creative. I finished up the costume with a red and white athletic shirt and of course "stretchy pants!" Unfortunately I only got one photo of me and I look sleepy! Nevertheless it was a good time!

Canon Rebel XSi

2009-10-24T15:19:00.005-06:00

Prior to my cruise (which I haven't documented yet) I decided to buy myself an SLR camera. I've been seeing a lot of great photos on the Internet and I having been inspired to get some equipment and do a little learning. So before the cruise I picked up a Canon Rebel XSi from Costco with the two lens kit. So keep an eye out for amazing photos and probably a lot of mediocre ones. :)

Natural vs. Unnatural

2009-10-04T10:03:00.007-06:00

I've been doing some more reading these days. I was just enlightened by this paragraph from Scott Peck's book, The Road Less Traveled. I loved it and wanted to share it. It's a good argument for change when people say or believe that change is not possible.

"The tendency to avoid challenge is so omnipresent in human beings that it can properly be considered a characteristic of human nature. But calling it natural does not mean it is essential or beneficial or unchangeable behavior. It is also natural to defecate in our pants and never brush our teeth. Yet we teach ourselves to do the unnatural until the unnatural becomes itself second nature. In deed, all self-discipline might be defined as teaching ourselves to do the unnatural. Another characteristic of human nature - perhaps the one that makes us most human - is our capacity to do the unnatural, to transcend and hence transform our own nature."
- Scott Peck (The Road Less Traveled)