It Could Be Reality TV!

Some of you might be aware that for nearly a year (Nov 08 to about Sept 09) I didn't share any details about my dating life with nearly anyone. Now, for one month, I'm going public! I decided to do a little friendly competition with some friends to see who can go on the most dates in January. We're tracking our dates on a joint blog and have a little reward for the winner. Not only that, but we decided that after the month is over, our blog readers will decide who we go out with a second time, and we're going on a group date with the fan favorites. Oh--and if any of you have been thinking of setting me up with someone (for a first date), now's a great time!

The Dating Race

A B C D Oops!

I'm quite used to hearing the sound of sirens from my office. We have a police department and fire department not too far from where I work. I guess that's a good thing, because most of the time they stop to sort out a traffic accident right outside my office. I'd say the intersection gets an accident about once a week (seriously). I work on the 5th floor, so that's usually about the only thing I can hear. Imagine my surprise when today I heard a screech and a slam. The whole office got up and immediately went to the window to determine how the accident happened, and whether or not everyone involved survived.

You'll be happy to hear that all 4 drivers in today's accident were protected enough to be able to get out and inspect their cars. But it was a lot harder than usual to figure out exactly how it happened. I'm still not sure how it happened. Maybe you can help. I've used my incredible artistic abilities to recreate the scene for your own benefit. To protect the identities of those involved (thereby avoiding much embarassment), I've drawn their vehicles in a generic color, so as to prevent them from being recognized.


The red arrows indicate which direction the car was facing at the end of the accident. It's a 4-way intersection, but should be treated as a 3-way intersection, as cars entering and exiting the west side are extremely rare. I don't believe I've seen an accident in that intersection involving a car from the west. To the east is a huge shopping area, and lots of traffic is generated there. There is a light almost immediately south of the intersection (as well as another large shopping area), causing southbound traffic to back up through this intersection quite often. The intersection directly north of this intersection runs through a cycle that takes about 2 minutes instead of 1 to run through. This tends to cause impatient drivers to put the pedal to the metal.

There was some question at first as to whether or not vehicle A was even involved in the accident. However, after the cops showed up, it became apparent that vehicle A ran into vehicle B. The glass on the road most likely came from the driver's side of vehicle D, unless driver D just had those windows rolled down. I didn't see any other broken glass on any of the vehicles. In fact, the only other damage visible from my office was on the front end of car D (hood was sticking up). I'll give you 4 possible scenarios, and you can let me know how you think it happened by voting in my poll:

Scenario A: Car C was making a left turn to head east as the light changed. Car D, heading north, sped through the intersection in hopes of catching the light. Realizing he would run into C, D slammed on the breaks, causing the skid marks. Since the light had turned green, A and B had started moving forward. C had been pushed over by D, and B ran into C, after which D wasn't able to stop soon enough.

Scenario B: It was car D that was making the left turn to head east. C came flying through the intersection northbound and when they hit each other, they spun into their final positions.

Scenario C: C was heading from the west side of the intersection to the east while B was pulling forward for a left turn. D didn't realize there was a stop light until too late. Came skidding in, hit the south side of C, which had tried moving out of the way, but instead ran head on into B.

Scenario D: D was suicidal, drunk, or just not paying attention and ran into a pole at the southeast corner of the intersection. C, watching the whole thing, slammed on his breaks and just happened to run into B. A went into a fit of rage and hit the gas pedal to blow off some steam, running into B.

Well, which is it?

Lousy Thanksgiving Ingrates Did It Again

That's it! I've had enough! Don't expect me to be holly OR jolly this Christmas. Too many people have started Christmas
WAY too early this year, and they've driven me mad!

Imagine a bunch of kids taking a class picture. When the snapshot is taken, Christmas is the disrespectful kid who is pushing over the kids to his right and left and hogging all of the attention. Thanksgiving is so timid by nature that you barely even see her behind Christmas's arm. New Years has his back to Christmas, but has still been knocked over a little bit. He'd be knocked over if he didn't have his resolutions crutch to lean on. This year Christmas smashed Halloween's jack-o-lantern--before October was over! And for me, Christmas even cast his shadow over September (no joke).

I know some of you are thinking "why do you go to rehearsals for 2 months for a Christmas show?" The funny thing is, those rehearsals don't bother me at all. My mind can distinguish the difference between a needed rehearsal and a blatant attempt to make Christmas last half a year long. I'm talking about people who set up their Christmas lights in October--and insist on turning them on every night. I'm talking about people who constantly talk about the upcoming Christmas, and plan their Christmas gifts months in advance. I'm talking about stores that gear up for Christmas WAY too early. And most especially, I'm talking about those people who sing or play Christmas songs unabashedly out of season.

To those who are guilty of any of these things, you claim it's because Christmas is the Season of Giving, which always brings out the best in people. If it truly was about giving, you would understand that it doesn't need to be Christmas in order to give and serve others. Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't the point of Thanksgiving based on the pilgrims and indians breaking race barriers, coming together, and sharing with each other? No, you're not excited about the Season of Giving. You're excited about the season of Santa: the Season of Getting. I'll be fair and show you the same appreciation toward Christmas that you've shown toward my favorite season. Looks like you've made a scrooge out of me this year. Maybe next December I'll have avoided all of you so that I can enjoy Christmas (I doubt it). But until then, Bah Humbug!!!

High Hopes Let Down

At this moment, I can't think of anything more disappointing than biting into a donut only to find out that the center of the donut doesn't have any of the jelly advertised by the deceptively luring exterior. I think I'm gonna cry.

Will You Take Me Out?

So, I'm just gonna throw this out there...

When is it okay to ask someone out on a date, set the date, time, activity, etc., and then ask them to pay? This just happened to me, and I feel like I got suckered into taking someone out.

Too Tired to Get Dressed Properly

Do you ever get through most of your day before you look down and realize that your sock is inside out?

Wanna Play? Or Are You Afraid of the Commitment?

I spend several lunch breaks walking through the gully where I used to grow up. It feels like I spent half my life in the gully. Every time I go there, I'm reminded of some new memory that took place down there. Today as I looked up at the homes of some of my earliest friends, I was surprised at how many memories popped into my head at once.

Then I started thinking about how back then we never planned any activities. We just called each other up and asked "Wanna play?" It wasn't until we got together that we talked about what we were actually going to do. And even on days when we couldn't think of something to do, we still had more fun than we would have had we stayed at our own homes.

Why is it different now? It seems like most friends want to know exactly what we're doing before we get together. And even when you have a plan, it can be hard to get people to commit to anything. I think the problems may have started when it became politically incorrect to say "play." I realize that "playing" sounds childish, but doesn't "hanging out" sound like you're gonna sit in a room and be boring? Go ahead and get rid of the term "playing," but replace it with something that at least sounds enticing. Next, why do you always need to know exactly what we're gonna do before committing? Are you holding out for a better offer? And if you do get a better offer, I'm I uninvited? Because to me, that sounds more childish than offering to "play." Why not help me come up with something fun to do? We might actually come up with something that you'd enjoy if you contribute some ideas.

I always seem to have more fun when I'm around people I like than on my own--even if the activity isn't anything I care about doing. I think that's why there are so many childhood memories I love. I don't understand the need to prescreen all "hang outs" for optimum entertainment.

Morning Blues

I'm not sure which I don't like more--the fact that I have to wake up in the morning, or the fact that I have to work in the office when--now that I'm awake--I could be enjoying the beautiful morning outside. To make matters worse, my desk faces away from all the windows.

No time to lose

Okay, I have to be careful about the way that I word this so that I don't get in trouble. Please do the same.

I'm rehearsing for a new Christmas production. This one is a very high-profile production, which is why I could get in trouble if I post the name of it anywhere. But I want you all to come, and you have to register for your tickets NOW in order to get them. If you don't register by Monday night, you won't get any tickets to the show. Go to this website to register for tickets (and to find out what this is about if you haven't already figured it out).

Come See My Musical!

Many hours of hard work are about to be put to rest as my Stake Music Revue opens this weekend. For those of you who don't know, I took on the role of director for this production. But that's not all. I also choreographed a couple of the numbers (mainly the tap dances). And there were a couple of issues with minus tracks, so I made my own arrangement of a few songs and recorded them for the accompaniment. As you can imagine, I've been incredibly busy with this show (last night I didn't get home from rehearsal until after midnight). So please show your support and come to the show. It's this Friday (the 16th) and next Monday (the 19th) at 7:00 at my church (160 E 4600 S). Here's the best part: It's FREE!!!!

One Reason I No Longer Like Peanut Butter

Peanut butter leaves me feeling unsatiated.

Be Polite, Pinky

This morning as I was logging into my computer, I realized that for years my subconscious has been telling me that there's a rude way of typing. When you learn to type, you're taught to shift with the opposite hand than the one typing the capital letter. For some reason a part of me has always thought it was bad manners to shift with the same hand that is typing the letter.

Where did I come up with an idea like that?

My Life as a Movie

If Your Life Was a Movie, What Would the Soundtrack be?

How to do it:
1. Open your music library (iTunes, Winamp, Media Player, iPod, etc).
2. Put it on Shuffle.
3. Press Play.
4. For every question, type the song that's playing.
5. When you go to a new question, press the next button.
6. Be honest.

OPENING CREDITS
When Tomorrow Comes, Pillar

WAKING UP
Life in Tenement Square, Flogging Molly

FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL
In The End, Linkin Park

FALLING IN LOVE
Babylon, Unwritten Law

FIGHT SONG
I Hate Myself for Losing You, Kelly Clarkson

BREAKING UP
Sayonara Senorita, Reel Big Fish

PROM
Wanna Be, Ninedays

LIFE IS GOOD
Somebody Hates Me, Reel Big Fish

DRIVING
Several Ways to Die Trying, Dashboard Confessional

MENTAL BREAKDOWN
Lobotomy for Dummies, Zebrahead

FLASHBACK
Now or Never, Zebrahead

GETTING BACK TOGETHER
We're So Far Away, Mae

WEDDING
Mambo Swing, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy

FINAL BATTLE
It's Warmer in the Basement, Cobra Starship

DEATH SCENE
Build God, Then We'll Talk, Panic at the Disco

FUNERAL SONG
Too Far Gone, The All-American Rejects

END CREDITS
Last Summer, Lost Prophets

Help me decide which actor will play me:

MyHeritage: Family tree - Genealogy - Celebrity - Collage - Morph

Seussical the Musical

Hey everybody, get the word out! I've been working hard on a musical lately and would like all of you to come. Seussical the Musical at the Sandy amphitheater!

We open tomorrow night (the 14th) and run through the 22nd. Tickets--buy them here--range anywhere from $8-$16 depending on where you sit (yes, it's reserved seating). The theater is on the corner of 94th S. and 13th E.

Bring your kids! They will love it! Especially if they're familiar with Dr. Seuss books. Read the books to them before you come so that they can recognize all their favorite characters on stage. It's really a fun show with lots of color and can entertain kids of ALL ages.

For those of you who don't know the musical, it follows the story lines of:
Horton Hears a Who
Horton Hatches an Egg, and
The One Feather Tail of Miss Gertrude McFuzz

But it also has songs, characters, and other surprises inspired by the following Dr. Seuss books (in order of prominence in the show):
The Cat in the Hat
Amazing Gertrude
Oh the Thinks You Can Think
Green Eggs and Ham
I Had Trouble in Getting to Solla Sollew
It's Possible
Hunches in Bunches
If I Ran the Circus
Did I Ever Tell You How Lucky You Are?
McElligot's Pool
The Butter Battle Book
How the Grinch Stole Christmas
Yertle the Turtle and Other Stories
The Lorax
The Sneetches and Other Stories
One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish
Oh the Places You'll Go

So come see me! It's a fun show for all!

P.S. I have pictures from Hawaii--I'll post them when I have time...eventually...

Wish You Were Here

Having a blast! I'll be home soon.

Nunsense!

Hey everybody. Many of you probably don't know this, but I choreographed a dance number for Nunsense this summer. It's playing at the Murray amphitheater (in Murray Park) on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday of this week and next week. That's right, the show opens tonight! So if you get a chance, head over to Murray Park and check it out. I choreographed the Act I finale (Tackle that Temptation with a Timestep). But you should also go to see my friends Larissa and Leah perform.

Alaska Highlights

Here's a few highlights from my Alaska trip:


I love Seattle every time I visit. It was great spending time with my dad there.




If you look closely, you can see the mother eagle on the branch, and the baby eagle in the nest. These wildlife pictures were taken in Ketchikan.




This was a picture of a sunset taken somewhere between 10:30 and 11:00. I was never up to see the sunrise, but I was told it was rising between 3:30 and 4:00.




Up by Hubbard Glacier, the ship drove through a field of icebergs. Sometimes there would be animals (like seals and otters) sitting on them.



When the boat stopped by the glacier, so did the wind. Pretty soon I decided it was too warm to wear my jacket. We couldn't have asked for better weather.




I'm really glad I paid the extra money to take the helicopter to Mendenhall Glacier (outside Juneau) and hike around for a few hours. The ice climbing was way fun!



I'm kinda frustrated with how the picture above turned out. The sunlight was reflecting off the ice, so it looks a lot lighter than it was. It was pretty much the color of the blue water in the picture below. I thought my mind was playing tricks with me, because from my perspective it looked like I was walking on water. I was partly concerned that I'd fall through a thin layer of ice into a pool of extremely cold water!




This vacation was definitely worth it!

Alaqxaq

I'm back from Alaska, or as I've been corrected: Alaqxaq (the earliest name for Alaska). I don't have time to post lots of pictures tonight, but here's a sample of what my trip was like (yes, that's me):

And to show you just how steep that ice wall was, here's a picture of the same wall from the side:

Bon Voyage

Well, so much for getting the last of my Philippines pictures up before going to Alaska. I'll be too busy between now and then. I have to be honest--I'm PUMPED about this! I've always wanted to go on an Alaskan cruise.

I'm Not Dead

Okay, okay. I know I've been a bad blogger lately. I'm not dead, and I haven't given up on my blog either. I've been wanting to post my Philippines Part 3 entry for a while, but haven't uploaded the pictures yet--and that requires spending a few minutes at home (something I haven't done in weeks, it seems).

I just finished spending a week as an EFY counselor. It was amazing! It's incredibly rewarding to see someone's testimony grow in the week that you are their mentor. It was fortunate that I did EFY last week, too. It kept me out of the house while Richard was home with the swine flu. At least, if it was the swine flu, I'm glad I wasn't around.

More to come, I promise (even if I have to upload my pictures after my Alaskan cruise).

The Little Mermaid

So I've been way too busy the last week to post anything. But I wanted to let you know about a performance I have tomorrow (Friday). I was asked by a friend to be Prince Eric in her dance studio's year-end concert. She teaches dance classes to kids from 3 years old all the way up to high school students. So if you're interested in coming, be aware that it's going to be in the style of a recital (only along with the story of the Little Mermaid). I dance two Pas De Deux's (I'm not sure how to make that plural), which is the first time I've ever done any ballet. I also have a tap solo, and some other appearances (such as Kiss the Girl).

The show is at the Covey Center on Center Street in Provo. We are performing at 4:00 and 7:00. The best part--it's free!

I also found out that my tap company was invited to perform a few dances in between the two performances (about 6:00). If you're at all interested in seeing what I've been doing, this is your last chance to see my tap company for the rest of the summer. We'll be taking a break until September.

Then hopefully I'll be able to sleep in on the occasional Saturday.

Old Memory

An old memory recently emerged from the recesses of my brain:

I must have been somewhere between the ages of 4 and 6. I had been over to my friend's house, and we'd had a fight. I remember that we were both biting down on each others' thumbs as hard as we could. I went home crying because it hurt so much. I don't know how long I'd been sulking--probably only a few minutes--when the phone rang. I picked it up, assuming it was my friend, and rudely said "What do YOU want?" The reply was was something like "How did you know it was me?" I recognized my grandmother's voice immediately, and was embarrassed.

I miss my grandma. She died 6 years ago today. In addition to helping to teach me phone manners, she spent a ton of time teaching me to play the piano. I love my grandma!

Philippines Part 2: Isdaan and the Wedding

On the way back from lunch, we stopped at the internet cafe to find some sheet music for me to play at the wedding. The internet cafe was nice (it was actually air conditioned). Plus, there was a wonderful view of a field in the backyard. Joyce told me that the plants in the field are the same as the leaves that I ate at lunch earlier (crispified into a nice chip).

Matt and Jonah left us at the hotel to rest for a bit while they picked up Jonah's mother. Then we went to dinner at the Isdaan Floating Restaurant. This was definitely one of the highlights of the trip for me. Imagine a bamboo hut with a grass roof, floating on a bamboo raft. Now put a table inside of the hut, and that's where we ate--right on the water, in a little hut. Nothing was served on plates or platters. The restaurant uses banana leaves. We were also taught to eat our food in the traditional Filipino way--with our bare hands (after sanitizing them with Calimansi--a citrus fruit comparable to a small lime--first). The restaurant had tons of statues, and other artistic stuff all around, including a bicycle made of water faucets. There was also a wall to help release any anger you might have. You decide what the target of your anger is, then you yell "Tacsiyapo!" and throw a ceramic plate at it. I didn't have any built up anger, so I just did it for fun. I think I threw the plate at the media. I would have to say the Isdaan Floating Restaurant was definitely a slice of paradise.

The next day was the wedding. Matt and Jonah had asked me to play Pachelbel's Canon for the wedding march. It was nice to be involved, and I was grateful for the opportunity. The wedding had a couple of speakers, who spake in "Taglish"--a cross between English and Taglish. I later asked why, wondering if it might have anything to do with being sensitive to those who only understood one language. I was told that it's easier to speak in Taglish than just speaking in Tagalog or English, and they usually speak in Taglish at church and other places. With what seemed like every other word being spoken in English, I had a pretty good idea of what was spoken the whole time, and even laughed at some of the humorous comments.

I was in for more surprises when we got to the reception. I felt quite honored to lead the toast as the best man. I was only nervous about what dark liquid was in the glass that I was handed, but was relieved to taste that it was just coke. Instead of tossing the garter and boquet, the people in charge of the reception have a tradition where you pass it around like a game of hot potato. It was about the time that I won it that I suspected the game might have been staged to land on me and the maid of honor, Joyce. So, we had to play a game where we mimic the bride and groom as they demonstrate the 3 levels of a kiss. My mom took a video with her camera about halfway through. You'll have to watch the video to see if the emcee really made us go through with the last kiss (this version is a little longer than the one on Matt and Jonah's blog).

All in all, the wedding day was a really great day. Jonah was glowing every time I looked at her, and she looked very beautiful. Matt looked as happy as I've ever seen him. I was very glad to be a part of the whole thing.

Waiting For Pictures...

My brother still hasn't made the rest of my pictures available to me, so we have to wait for part 2 of the Philippines stories. In the mean time, here's a little something else that's going on in my life:

If any of you are interested in seeing my performance as Mr. Collins in Pride and Prejudice, we open the show this Friday at the Sorensen Unity Center on 900 W 1300 S in Salt Lake. The show has two casts, so make sure you come to one of the shows I'll actually be performing in. I perform the 22nd, 26th, 28th, 30th, and the matinee on the 23rd. Tickets are cheaper online here than they are if you buy them in person at the box office. Hope to see you there!

Philippines Part 1

I'm back! Before I go into anything else, I have to say, the trip was AWESOME!!! I had lots of trepidation about it before going, but I'm definitely glad I went. I had the time of my life.

The adventures started before we even got to Manila--we were in for a surprise at the Tokyo airport. I'm not sure if it's been on the news or not, but getting off an airplane in Japan can take 15 to 30 minutes longer due to the Swine Flu scare. Before we landed, each passenger was asked to fill out a Health Questionnaire (which was poorly translated, with slightly humorous results). Then when the plane landed we were told to stay in our seats while a group of "quarantine officials" boarded the plane and reviewed our paperwork--one at a time. I didn't take a picture, but I found this picture online that was taken at the same airport. The plane fell into an eerie silence when the first official stepped onto the aircraft pointing his heat sensor at everyone. My throat suddenly went dry and I felt like a cough was coming. I drank the last of my water--but it didn't help! It seemed like an eternity before they gave us the all-clear.

We landed in Manila and had to find my brother, who was going to pick us up from the airport. Once we got our luggage and went through customs, we were not only greeted by the humidity, but a crowd of people waiting for their travelers in a designated waiting area. My brother found us and we were on our way--or so I thought. We couldn't go to Tarlac until we found a mechanic (at about midnight) to fix the van my brother had rented for the week. After about an hour, we were on our way to Tarlac.

We stayed at La Maja Rica Hotel, which my brother said is the nicest hotel in the province. There were no box springs in the beds, but other than that I didn't have a problem with it.

In the morning, we went to run a few errands. The van was at another mechanic for a more permanent fix-up, so we rode tricycles instead! It's like a taxi, only more fun. I rode on the inside of one with Jonah and her sister Jingle. Joyce was on the back, behind the driver, and the others were in another tricycle. P.S. no seatbelts, so hold on!

Matt pointed out this store as the place where they got Jonah's wedding dress.

We drove to an all-you-can-eat buffet in Angeles for lunch. This was definitely an adventure (those are snails in the top right corner, not mushrooms). Nobody really explained what any of the food was until after I ate it. As soon as I brought
this plate back from the table, everyone gasped and asked if I was really going to eat the black stuff. It was probably the stuff I liked the most that meal(turned out to be a dish made out of pig's blood). Dessert was a Halo Halo (Tagalog for "mix mix"). Basically, you put a ton of stuff into a glass, add shaved ice and milk, and mix it up. I decided not to put any beans in mine, or most of the gelatin options. This one has sweet potato-like vegetable chunks, bananas, crispy rice, tapioca, and some sort of coconut gelatin stuff.

It was about this point that I realized that my camera came with a really small memory card. Matt had a memory card that I borrowed, but I can't post any of those pictures until I get them from him. So this is the end of post #1. More to come!

I'm Gone!

Chances are, if you read this post sometime on Monday or even Tuesday morning, I'll be traveling to the Philippines. For any who don't know, I'm going to see my brother's wedding. I'm not sure if I'll have a chance to log in at his internet cafe, so I may have no new posts until I get back.

Good thing I got my passport a few days ago!

My First Picture

After 25 years of surviving without a digital camera (okay, they haven't been around that long, but still...), I finally bought one. This is the first picture I took with it:



I then found the flash and took this as my second picture:



I think this will work nicely for my upcoming trip.

The Party Never Ends

Have you noticed that people like to have a reason to celebrate? I think I'm reminded of it every time Mother's Day comes around. It was a holiday created by retail stores to sell more merchandise. I don't disagree with the holiday; I think all caring mothers (as if any aren't caring) deserve special recognition. I think it's funny that we are willing to make up a holiday just because we want to celebrate.

A better example is the fact that I've been celebrating variations of Cinco de Mayo for almost a week. It all started on Sunday when my mom served enchiladas and said we could call it our Tress de Mayo celebration. Family Home Evening on Monday was a Cuatro de Mayo celebration in which we ate nachos and learned to salsa dance. Then of course there was an official Cinco de Mayo day on the 5th (when it should be). Wednesday night I went to a party that was also Mexican themed--hence, Seis de Mayo. Finally, yesterday at work our office had a Siete de Mayo taco potluck for lunch. I find it ironic that I celebrated the holiday for 5 days, when it's not even a big deal in Mexico.

Some people have actually decided every day should be a holiday. You can find all sorts of calendars on the web, such as this one, letting you know what fun holiday it is today. So if you're ever looking for a theme for your next party, don't forget that someone has made up a holiday for whatever day you're throwing your party.

Happy Anniversary...I Guess?

I have officially been in the ward for a year now. And while I may not be proud of the fact that I'm still single, I love where I am right now. I've made tons of really great friendships, and met some really amazing people with incredible stories. I admit that I was a ward hopper a year ago, but as soon as I came to church at this ward, I knew I was exactly where I was supposed to be. Here's a shout out to the 30th ward! You guys all rock!

We Got Signed! (So to Speak)

Great news everybody! And...Go! Improv is going to be seen regularly at the Showtime Utah Theater at 20 S Main Street in Pleasant Grove! I just confirmed it with the Theater Director last night. We'll definitely be performing every month that has 5 weekends, but the theater director said that if this other act falls through, we'll have a spot once a month at the theater.

The best part? We're performing tomorrow night. So if you're looking for a funny night, our show starts at 9:30. See you there!

Work

You ever have one of those days at work when you feel like you've accomplished a month's worth of work, and it's only 10:00 am? Boy does it feel good!

Happy Earth Day

So I failed to mention this morning that it's Earth Day! It's been a great Earth Day, too. Boondocks was awesome--I think we should do that every week. I got home early and enjoyed the beautiful weather in the backyard. And tonight I had a very successful improv show. It was a new breakthrough for me on the comedy thing. I was especially funny in areas I haven't been funny at in the past, so I hope it means I'm getting better (and that it wasn't just luck).

So as part of Earth Day celebration, my office is collecting "E-waste" to be recycled or disposed of properly. This includes any old computer parts, phones, or other electronic devices that are broken, obsolete, or otherwise unused. We'll be collecting items for donation over the next 2 weeks so that we can get them disposed of properly. If any of you happen to have anything you want to donate, great! Just let me know. Happy Earth Day!

Great Job!

I know I probably brag about my job too much, but that's because it's an awesome place to work. Everyone is leaving the office at 11:30 today to go to Boondocks! Last year our boss promised an off-site event if we could raise $5000 for the American Heart Association. We met our goal in September, and now that it's warm again, we're reaping the reward. So instead of working this afternoon, I can add 4 1/2 hours to my timesheet for playing laser tag, mini golf, and other fun things!

Just another reason why I love my job.

Where's the Leading Man?

For those of you who don't know, I'm currently rehearsing for a stage production of Pride and Prejudice. I was cast in March, and we perform in May. However, I'm really bothered by the fact that nobody has been cast as Darcy yet.

I'm pretty sure it has everything to do with the fact that the director is a 19 year-old girl who grew up reading Pride and Prejudice and watching the movies over and over again. She's got very strong opinions of what makes Darcy a perfect character, and she was probably hoping that Colin Firth would show up and audition for the play. But he didn't. I didn't initially audition for it myself--her sister asked me to show up to the callbacks because they needed men. I was one of 3 guys at the callback. She had me read lines for Collins and wasn't interested in having me read lines for anyone else--I knew then that I would be cast as Collins. Over the next few weeks, I was amazed at the number of men that were added to the cast. I didn't think men could be recruited in such large numbers for a play. All of the roles are now double cast, except for the fact that we still don't have a Darcy. This is what bugs me so much.

With only a month left of rehearsals (mind you, rehearsals are only 3 nights a week), you'd think our director would be desperate for a Darcy. And yet in that desperation, she still doesn't ask any of the men who are double cast to learn the part of Darcy. It's as if she's saying we're all incapable of playing the lead. That's a slap in the face to all of us. It's community theater for crying out loud!!!

Don't get me wrong, I enjoy being the only funny character in the whole show. I like being comic relief. But Collins is funny because he doesn't realize he's a bumbling idiot, socially awkward, pompous, and disliked. Part of me wonders if that's why the director says I'm "perfect" for this role. After all, I did try dating her sister, and don't know what caused her to lose interest. My director may have an opinion of me based on that.

This is where type-casting gets offensive. The fact that our director can't find a Darcy out of the 20 men willing to do the show says that she is a very critical judge when it comes to type-casting. Therefore, it's another slap in the face for her to say that I make the "perfect" Collins.

Happy Easter!

I hope you had a wonderful Easter. I sure did. I actually got to sleep in, I took a nap, I ate a Cadbury creme egg, and I relaxed most of the day. I love days like that. Too bad they are pretty non-existant lately.

I got some organ music for Easter, and it was fun to sightread yesterday as I was playing prelude music. Some people even commented on how nice it sounded. I'm a fan.

Moving Up in the World

Friday night my improv group (And...Go!) performed at the theater in Pleasant Grove. It turned out to be such a big success, that the manager offered to have us return on a monthly basis. We'll get a cut of the profits and they'll do our marketing for us. She said of all the comedy groups she's seen perform there, we're the funniest, have the highest energy, and are well organized. I haven't heard if the group has accepted the offer, but I'm pretty sure we will. I never expected the group to make it this far, so it's awesome that we're here!

I know several of you haven't seen us perform yet. I don't know if it's because you have low expectations of the show or if you just haven't been able to coordinate your schedules to see us perform. But apparently we're getting funnier and funnier with each performance. So for those of you who haven't seen my group perform yet, it's only a matter of time before you'll lose your chances to see us perform for free. I'm not sure when our next show is going to be, but keep checking the side of my blog for upcoming performances. Or you can also check out the And...Go! blog at andgoimprov.blogspot.com.

General Conference

Guess what everybody! I'm singing at General Conference this weekend! I haven't told many people about it because of the constant threat of being kicked out of the choir due to attendance, but if you've been paying attention to the upcoming performances listed on my blog, you probably figured it out by now. There has always been a constant threat of being kicked out of the choir by missing just one rehearsal. Now that there's only one more rehearsal left, I think it's safe to announce that I'll be singing this weekend.

So make sure to watch for me during the Saturday afternoon session. I feel really lucky to be singing at this session, as it's my favorite session all year (the one where they read the church statistics and sustain a whole bunch of new officers--including, most likely, the new apostle this Saturday).

I've got even better news! The church is giving everyone in the choir one single, solitary ticket to the session for a friend/family member. If one of you independent individuals would like to attend the session and silently cheer me on, let me know. :-) If you let me know before Wednesday night, I might even be able to get you a parking pass for the parking lot underneath the conference center--no guarantee, though. Hope to hear from you soon!

New Desk

So I moved to a new desk today at work. I didn't really want to, but I didn't feel like I had much choice in the matter. The island I previously sat at was where all the "talkers" worked--meaning, we're all quite social. Since the rest of the office is quiet people, anyone in the office could hear when we were talking. While he's never said anything to me, I think my boss was under the impression that my talking has led to lower productivity. I don't ever want my boss thinking that of me. So when he asked me to move, I felt like I needed to in order to prove that I don't have productivity issues.

The two big selling points of the new desk are that it's in a more private area and that my neighbors actually have the same type of accounts to work on (so they can answer any questions I have). However, there are some things I don't like about it. The new desk is right by my boss, so he can see whenever I stand up and talk to my new neighbors. Speaking of neighbors, my new neighbors are not likely to joke around with me like the old ones. I no longer face the windows, so I feel quite closed in. It's in the "quiet zone," and everyone around me can hear any conversation I have on the phone (I've tried talking quieter, but the person on the other end of the phone invariably asks if something is wrong because I'm talking so quietly).

I'm sure not all will be bad about this position. I'll get to make new friends in the office. It will please the boss, which is always a good thing. Besides, sooner or later another desk will open up and I'll be able to move again (there is really only one desk I wouldn't prefer to my new desk, and I'll never be asked to move there).

Spanglish

I know very little Spanish. I took German in school, and don't expect to study any Latin-based languages any time soon. But, seeing as I've had 3 roommates at different points in my life that were native Mexicans who didn't really speak English, I've had to use Spanglish to communicate with them.

The first bit of Spanglish I made up was the useful phrase that I'm sure most of you have heard me say before: No nintendo. Those two words say everything I need to say. First, it sounds like "no intiendo," which means something to the effect of "I don't understand you." But by saying "no nintendo," I'm also telling the Spanish speaker, "I'm a gringo. I do very American things like play nintendo, and am hopeless at learning your language." And hopefully the Spanish speaker will also see that I have a sense of humor.

Last night, I performed at my stake "Taliente" show--at least, I'd been calling it the taliente show before last night (for those of you who can't figure out what I'm talking about, it's a cross between talent and caliente). Turns out that for the most part, the show was boring. There were a few acts with "taliente," but that was about it.

Anybody have any good words to share?

Mr. Personality

So I spent the last couple days sitting through a seminar at work. We talked about where we fit on the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator and how that can affect our relationships. Then we spent the rest of the time talking about effective communication skills--especially in situations where there is conflict.

Turns out my personality is ESTP. You can find out what each letter means by doing a google search on Myers Briggs Types (and might even be able to take the test to see what you are). According to the info in my seminar and wikipedia, it means that I'm spontaneous, easy going, outgoing, charming, witty, fun, generous, observant, socially sophisticated, resourceful, a troubleshooter, unpredictable, action oriented, clever, "most adept among the types at manipulating other people," and one who "sees life as it is." Other ESTPs include Winston Churchill, Eddie Murphy, John Wayne, James Bond, and Heathcliff.

While I'm pretty sure this doesn't apply 100% to me exactly, I think it's fun to look at. Plus, it justifies why I have such a messy desk--the piles represent my "to do list." Do any of you know your Myers-Briggs type?

Luck of the Irish

Happy St. Patty's Day! Wear green, listen to Flogging Molly (or other Irish music), and dance a jig. I hope you all find a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow, or at least a lucky clover. And watch out for drunk drivers (you better not be one)!

A Laugh and a Half

Hey all,

If you get this before tonight, don't forget to come to my improv comedy show. I've been told that we've gotten funnier and funnier with each performance, and tonight's games are especially among my favorites.

Temple Controversy Gets Limelight

I received an email today asking me to write to HBO and Time-Warner in protest to a controversial episode of Big Love to be aired this weekend. It will basically recreate the temple ceremony as accurately as possible. I was mollified a little when I read this statement by the church on the issue; now I don't plan on writing a letter. However, it still bothers me.

The controversial debates caused by this have raised several questions about what we do in the temple and why it's a big deal to broadcast it on TV. There isn't anything that would embarrass or compromise us. There's no skeleton in the closet we don't want out. I'm pretty sure anyone hoping to find something like that in the ceremony would be quite bored with it. Simply put, I feel like you've stripped me naked and are broadcasting my private parts on TV against my will. It's something church members feel is just as private--or more--as their bodies.

So if you are unfamiliar with our temple ceremonies, please don't watch Big Love.

Frog and Toad the musical

My best friend and I got to relive some of our childhood this weekend when we saw a stage production of Frog and Toad at the SCERA Theater in Orem. I loved reading the books when I was a kid. They had little conflict and represented true friendship very well. I was excited to see that there is a musical based on the stories, and so was my friend, so we went. It turned out to be surprisingly fun. The music was fun and the main characters were extremely talented. I think the show closes this weekend, so get your tickets fast.

I think it was appropriate that I went with my best friend since childhood. It was as if we saw ourselves on the stage telling scary stories, baking cookies, swimming, and sledding. There's something special about having a friendship where everything you do seems like an adventure. Here's to you, Chism!

What do we have for him, Johnny?

IT'S A NEW CAR! This 1999 Honda Civic coupe comes complete with side airbags, 130horse power, and only 97000 miles. Its manual transmission and sunroom make this a fun ride. And this car can be yours if the price is right!

I bought a new car yesterday. During my lunch break I started noticing some electrical problems in the White Dragon (lovingly named for the burning oil smoking out of the hood). Last time I had these electrical symptoms, my alternator died within about 10-20 miles. Add electrical problems to my burning oil, major oil leak, bald tires, dead break light bulb (in the back window), timing belt that needs replacing, check engine light, and who knows what other problems the White Dragon had. I decided I shouldn't waste any more time in that car, so I took the rest of the day off to go car shopping.

So a few car lots and test drives later, I found myself negotiating a price on this Honda Civic. I can't explain how I did it, but I was able to negotiate the price down $4000 from their original asking price! So I feel good knowing that I'm not the sucker they originally took me for.

Yes, the car is a 2-door, which is one of the reasons I don't plan on driving it for years to come. But the bright side is that I don't have to worry as much that my car won't live through my next commute. Plus, people will be less inclined to pressure me into driving when it's time to carpool. :)

Cookie Season

It's that time of year again! All over the country you can find girls running from door to door and setting up shop in public places to sell girl scout cookies. And while budget cuts have made the cookies smaller, these are still a novelty that nearly everyone loves. True, the Trefoils don't taste nearly as good as they did before they changed the recipe. And I've found better chocolate mint cookies than the universally appraised Thin Mints. But I still love buying girl scout cookies. And nothing beats a good Samoa. I think there's something really rewarding when you buy a box of cookies from a girl, knowing I'm contributing to her girl scout experience.