The Conundrum

Full-time Vacationer

2012-01-25T00:18:00.000-08:00

It's been a while since I posted last. This is due in large part to the fact that I was on vacation for exactly one month and the day after I got home I had to begin another full semester of lawyering.

With that said, this Christmas break was amazing.

And now, a recap in pictures.

Utah

A little bit of snow on them mountains

Yoga Cats for Everyone!

My old stomping grounds...

My favorite food in the entire world...

California

The beach in December is beautiful

Perfect day in San Fran

NYC

Sunset I witnessed as I walked around. Statue of Liberty off in the distance.

My NYC girls, besties, roommates, guides, friends, chefs, entertainment, etc.

New Years Eve party on a rooftop in NYC...honestly the best new years of my life!

Brooklyn Bridge. One of my favorite parts of NYC.

The city from Central Park always looks beautiful.

The view of Manhattan via Brooklyn.

Can't explain just how much I loved Brooklyn aka Hipsterville and its graffiti/vibe.

Wonderfully delicious food.

Then I got to return to beautiful California...I am too blessed.

NYE in NYC

2011-12-22T10:12:00.000-08:00

I know that Christmas is almost here, but that's not what I'm most excited about right now.

I don't want to make anyone jealous, but in exactly one week I will be in NYC. So if you know how to do your math, you'll realize that means I will be there fore new years and I will be partying as hard a Mormon can (e.g. soda, unhealthy food, dancing, laughter, etc.).

I've never been before so as you can imagine, my level of excitement is out the roof and with the anticipation mounting, I kind of feel like a combination between this:

and this:

With that said, I don't want to mess this trip up and miss out on something important. So to all of you that have been to NYC, what do I absolutely need to see/do/eat/buy/experience?

Ummm...true love?

2011-12-21T00:10:00.001-08:00

This song is the best of both worlds, a beautiful voice/woman, and a timeless classic...I think I am in love.

Sunday Girl - Where Is My Mind? (Pixies Cover)

Me Gusta

2011-12-20T19:52:00.000-08:00

I love movies.

Here are two in 2012 that give me the chills of excitement.

The Dark Knight Rising (Summer 2012)

The Hobbit (Christmas 2012)

Ring that Bell

2011-12-12T10:23:00.000-08:00

As you all know, I am a real saint.

This was validated last week when I volunteered to ring the bell and coerce money out of people for the Salvation Army. I was stationed in front of Starbucks on a beautiful street with tons of foot traffic in Los Altos.

When I started at 3 it was a beautiful day, the sun was shining, it was about 70 degrees and I was warm in a short sleeved shirt. I was worried that I would be bored, but I had a real entertaining time for the 4 hours I was there. This is mostly because I love to watch people and this was a particularly interesting type of people watching since everyone knew I was there and knew I was trying to make eye contact. In fact I caught myself laughing a few times as people did all they could to look natural as they took every means necessary to avoid me.

I was often surprised by the people who would actually smile back to me, acknowledge my presence, and donate money. But what I really enjoyed was watching how people acted when they got within about 50 feet. All of a sudden they would begin to lower their heads, search in their pockets, stare intently at their phone or anything they could get a hold of, and do anything to look like they didn't see me standing on the corner with a red apron on ringing a bell.

One of my favorite things to watch was people take really weird routes through the intersection to keep at least 10 feet away from me at all times. They would squeeze between parked cars, make a diagonal route across the intersection, or just walk in the gutter to avoid walking in front of me. I understand tho, my smiling face and bell ringing is pretty intimidating.

I also loved it when people walked by and gave me some excuse why they weren't donating "I've already donated a LOT to the cause. Believe me." Oh, I do buddy. Or they would say "I donated earlier today so..." to which I would respond by shaking my head with an "understanding" look on my face. I just think it's funny people feel the need to justify their actions to me.

In the end, I had a great time watching people and doing my best to spread the spirit of giving. And I realized for about the millionth time that you can't just judge a book by its cover.

On a side note, I am now officially half way done with law school. Yay for me.

Never get old

2011-12-09T16:15:00.000-08:00

Finals have been consuming my life this past week and as a result, I have been listening to a lot of music. And I noticed the other day that there are lots of songs that I like for a few weeks or months while there are other songs that I like for years and years. For some reason, there are a handful of songs that just never get old, no matter how many times I listen to them. It got me thinking why? What is the difference between the songs I love for a few months and the songs that I love for years? Is it the composition? The lyrics? The style? Is it me? I don't have any answers, but I sure think that it's an interesting phenomenon.

With that said, here is just a small portion of the songs that never get old for me.

Radiohead - Karma Police

The Pixies - Where is my Mind

U2 - Sunday Bloody Sunday

The Cure - Friday I'm in Love

The Cranberries - Zombie

Moby - Porcelain

Beck - Loser

Coldplay - Clocks

Cake - The Distance

Weezer - Island in the Sun

MusIC MMXI

2011-12-03T19:41:00.001-08:00

You wanna know what the year 2011 has sounded like inside my head?

Then listen to this: MMXI
50 songs that give a pretty good representation.

#ItMightBeLove

2011-12-03T15:30:00.000-08:00

I love bike.

There. I said it. I love my bike. The last 2 weeks or so I've taken this beaut for a daily spin and I've fallen in love.

Not only do I love the bike itself (easily the best $150 I've spent in decades), and the act of biking, but I love what I see while I am riding my bike. I've noticed hole-in-the-wall restaurants, side streets with beautiful houses and landscaping, a lot of cool and weird cars, and the overall beauty of the area I live in.

It's been good for me to slow down a bit and enjoy those things that are around me each and every day.. Maybe it's just the fact that it's fall and everything outside is beautiful, or that we just finished Thanksgiving, but I have been feeling very grateful of late for the beautiful world we live in. All around us there are amazing things and people, and if we slow down for a few seconds we might actually see and experience some of them.

If there is one thing I have learned over my short and unproductive life, it is that when we are grateful for what we have we are content and we are happy. So I admonish all of you, slow down. See what the world around you has to offer. The people. The beauty. The unique. Experience more and enjoy your life more. Recognize the many blessing around you and you will be happier. It's a fact.

Also, my iphone has brought out the inner-photographer in me and here are just a few more of my favorite finds over the past few weeks.

M83 bliss

2011-12-01T19:48:00.001-08:00

The M83 album, "Hurry Up We're Dreaming", is pure bliss and I absolutely love this song right now. The only word I can really find to describe it is cute. Or maybe adorable. Or maybe cudorable. Anyway, give it a listen. Rather, give the whole album a listen, it is that amazing.

M83 - "Raconte Moi une Histoire" I don't really understand why it's put to this video, so maybe just close your eyes if it is distracting you.

Happy Decembers!

Things that I love

2011-11-11T11:21:00.001-08:00

There are only a limited quantity of things that I truly love in this life.

Here are most of them:

1- Things that are free

Free concert in SF...really doesn't get much better than that.

2- Winning

Trivia night at a local pub...needless to say, we won.

3- Making Arts

Major League Facial Hair

3- Quality people watching

Hipster scene in SF is always amazing...and it's even better when you have people to share it with.

4- Good music

Sick band called Seatraffic I saw fo' free in SF. I could do this every day.

5- Good food

This is Sol Food...best Puerto Rican food I have had. Also, my favorite restaurant in California.

6- Grand friends

Off the Grid in SF...best taco truck food ever.

7- Awesome Family

All the boys. They are my best friends.

And people say we look alike...

The whole crew. The Zollinger clan. The cool kids.

To my female readers: On a side note, I will be the only single adult in my family in a few short months...I'd prefer it not to stay that way for too long. So....you catch my drift, eh?

For all of you that fall under one of these categories, thanks for being in my life. I love you.

Dance the night away

2011-11-07T00:08:00.000-08:00

I like to dance. Sometimes.

And during those times I especially like it when it is at real "classy" clubs, pubs,and bars in the greater Bay area. Cause then not only is the dancing fun, but the people watching is amazing and I get to have a good time laughing and heckling my fellow dancers.

For instance, about two weeks ago I went dancing with some friends in Palo Alto at a real nice club and, as is evidenced in the photo, I had a great time making a fool of myself and watching others do the same.

You might wonder why I like to dance since it's no secret that I am a tall and uncoordinated white man and therefore genetically terrible at dancing. In fact, it's hard to really classify what I do as dancing. It's more like random movements of my body that sometimes end up being in synch with the beat of the music, but it's the best I can do and I enjoy it. And that is what really matters.

With that said, I really wish that I could dance

I really wish I could somehow learn to dance like this.

Or this.

Or this.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IxPbgnO81sQ&list=LLPE6IoEkfdjE-oLT78gJ5KQ&index=12&feature=plpp_video

Or even this.

Really I just wish I was coordinated in some way, shape, or form...maybe in the next life, eh?

Phantogram Dreams

2011-11-04T00:36:00.000-07:00

As many of you might know I really like the band Phantogram and I might have a slight crush on Sarah Barthel.

Since March of this year I have been attempting to see them in concert, but I would always hear about their shows in SF as soon as they sold out and the only way to get tickets was via Craiglist for about $50 a pop...a price I couldn't justify even to catch a glimpse of Sarah.

With that said, on Wednesday night I had the blessed opportunity to see Phantogram perform in the flesh. It was a beautiful experience and honestly one of the best concerts I have ever been to in my life. It reaffirmed my love for the band and for Sarah.

It's hard to explain exactly why the concert was so great. The music was amazing, it was loud, it was the thumping, the songs were powerful, and Sarah's voice was angelic. Add that to the amazing visual aspects, Sarah dancing and whipping her hair around, the fog, the lasers, and the light show and you've got something that borders on heavenly. Add to that a fair dosage of weed (second hand of course) and it really was magical. I know that my words can't do it justice, so here are a couple of videos I took from the concert so you can get a better feel for what I'm talking about.

Phantogram 2 from Brett Zollinger on Vimeo.

Oh ya, and Sarah Barthel is even more beautiful in real life than in photos...I am truly smitten.

Here are some sick photos I snapped for your viewing pleasure as well.

Artist or Procrastinator?

2011-10-26T19:46:00.000-07:00

I don't know what happens, but every so often I get inspiration for some sweet artwork and over a few months time it seems to take up a decent chunk of my time.

The most recent episode began about a month ago when my friend approached me about helping him create some artwork for his new company Denik. They sell notebooks with art on the cover and give a portion of the proceeds to some sort of charity/non-profit, which currently is a great organization called Mali Rising.

Anyway, this pushed me to start thinking about some sweet artwork I could create, for awhile I was stuck, but then I realized that I would love to make some stencils. So for the past two weeks I have been creating stencils, mainly of celebrities/athletes, but I'm debating moving into the realm of other stuff, maybe an owl next? I dunno. Anyway, here are two of my finished projects and I have about 4 more getting close to being done.

Dennis Eckersley - The Mustache

Brian Wilson - Fear the Beard

The side-by-side

Best part about all of this is that it distracts me from my ever present mountain of homework and allows me to be a more effective and happy procrastinator. So if anyone has any cool ideas, or suggestions on how to make my stuffs better, please send them my way so I can improve my art and my procrastination.

Just rant it out

2011-10-25T22:12:00.000-07:00

I feel the need to rant. So here are the things that bug me lately/always and forever:

- Incorrect usage of your and you're, their and there, and then and than. Seriously people, it is not that difficult, if you made it through the 7th grade you should have no problem understanding that all of those words have distinct meanings and usages.

- People who care more about animals than humans. I don't get it, I like animals and everything, but humans > animals.I don't care if you take in every stray animal you see, but don't use that as an excuse to not help the poor and needy humans all around you...

- People who drive slower than the speed limit. I probably need to be more patient, but I think it would be easier if people just learned to drive.

- People who smoke. Do what you want just don't do it in places that makes me walk through your filth everyday.

- People who run into your car with theirs then just drive away. Grow a pair and take some responsibility for your actions.

- Roommates that come home at 2 in the morning then watch a movie with the volume so loud I can hear the actual dialog of the movie. You are inconsiderate and dumb.

- When my toilet isn't working. Ever since scout camp I've known I can "hold it" for at least 4 days if need be, but I really like having a toilet that works and doesn't smell like a porta-potty...

- Roommates who leave their dishes in the sink so that someone else (that would be me) can clean them.

- People who borrow things, then ruin them, lose them, or never return them. You know who you are. I will make you pay.

You might be saying to yourself, "Wow, that's a little too stern don't you think Brett?"
And I would reply with this (just replace "the Russian police" with my name):

So if you do any of these things, please stop. You'll be making this world a better place.

Thanks and I love you all.

Spotify: Enabling an Addiction

2011-10-20T18:05:00.000-07:00

I am addicted to listening to music.

There I said it. If I were wanting to overcome this addiction, I would have just made the first step towards recovery. But I like this addiction, and rather than looking for ways to stop, I look for better ways to enable it.

And recently I found a new tool to enable my addiction. I discovered Spotify about 3 months ago, it seemed cool, but after a few days I was over it and back to using a combination of youtube, and itunes. A few weeks later Jo asked me if I had seen some songs he had sent me via Spotify, I said I hadn't really been using it much and he told me I was crazy and needed to get back on it.

So I did.

I then spent some time to really get to know its features and abilities. And then I fell in love.

It is an amazing program. You can send music to people (it connects with facebook so you are instantly connected with your friends), you can share playlists, you can listen to almost any band/album/song with an internet connection and create playlists out of them. And it is all for freeeeeeee. You do have to listen to the occasional ad, but it's worth it.

You can also pay $9.99 a month to take any of that music with you without the need of an internet connection. You can sync any playlist/album with your computer/phone/ipod and listen to it in your car, at school, in the bathroom, in the mountains, or at your mom's house. It's a pretty cool feature that I am trying out for a month (for free) and I think I might have to end up paying the monthly fee cause it is so freaking sweet.

Anyway, if you love music and like seeing what your friends are listening to I highly suggest you at least try the free version of Spotify and let your addiction to music be enabled.

On a related sidenote, if you like Pandora I would suggest you try out Last.fm, it does the same thing as Pandora, but it does it better and offers a lot of cool features like suggesting new bands to listen to, suggesting free downloads, info on upcoming concerts, band bios, and oh so much more.

Mormons and Cults

2011-10-17T16:11:00.000-07:00

Recently my religion, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormon), has been forced under the spotlight and received a lot of media coverage due to some not so flattering remarks from Pastor Jeffress. You might think that his comments are "bad publicity" for the LDS church, but I think that it is great. Ya, there might be some people out there who think Mormons are members of a "cult", but the majority of those people decided that long before Pastor Jeffress said anything. But I hope and believe that for the majority of Americans this has merely made them wonder what Mormons are really all about.

And that is the part I think is great. I want more people to know who we are, to understand what we actually believe, and to know that we are normal (or at least semi-normal) people. So we are devoted to our religion, we go to church for three hours every Sunday, we read scriptures everyday, we pray multiple times a day, we don't drink alcohol or coffee, and we don't smoke (or at least we strive to do/not do all these things). But that is only a portion of what we are devoted to. Our true devotion comes in the form of our belief in God our Heavenly Father, and in His Son Jesus Christ, and in modern-day revelation thru living Prophets and Apostles.

If that devotion is what it means to be in a "cult" then yes, I am in a cult and I am proud of it. Mormons might be a little quirky or in some instances just plain weird, but we are really just a community of people trying to live the best lives we know how by following the example of our Savior Jesus Christ and by sharing that with those around us.

This church has given my life purpose, drive, and understanding and has brought me only happiness and joy as I have tried to live my life by its teachings. Being a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints defines who I am and the man I am striving to become.

I invite all of you to ask me if you have any questions about my faith. I can't promise that I have all the answers, but I love sharing what I do know and believe with others. But if you would rather not ask me since you get sick of hearing my voice, I would invite you to go to www.mormon.org to better understand my faith and that of Mormons around the globe.

Nonstop Joy

2011-10-03T14:04:00.000-07:00

I have taken a long hiatus from blogging, not because I haven't had anything funny or witty to say, but because I just haven't had time (or made the time). The past month has easily been one of the busiest of my life, but at the same time one of the most enjoyable.

Here is why:

Bachelor Party in Tahoe with some real cool dudes

Hiking Half-Dome

Running Ragnar with ma friends

Visiting Utah for a wedding, family photos, golf, and college football

I'm sad I don't have nearly as many fun things planned for October and November, but I'm glad to finally be able to put in the time I need at school and not feel like I have no leisure time. So here's to straight A's this semester...or more realistically straight B's! Either way, I'd be happy with myself.

My Rationale

2011-08-25T22:48:00.000-07:00

School started last week. I'm in my second year of law school and I've now been a California resident for over a year now. It's kind of weird.

So the rational thing to do 2 days after school starts would be to go on a free trip to San Diego with your borther and his family, right?

Right?

Well, that's what I did and I loved it.

The highlights of the trip were documented via hipster photos and are as followed:

SEA WORLD

THE ZOO

THE SAFARI

PETCO PARK

CORONADO

LA JOLLA

It was a great trip. A great way to extend the summer, procrastinate my studies, and spend some good quality time with my brother and his family. The only bad part being that I had to return to the real world and start reading law books again...I love my life!

My Failure

2011-08-14T10:49:00.000-07:00

As many of you might know, I had one goal for the last 2 weeks of this summer: to watch all 6 seasons of Lost.

I knew it was an ambitious goal, and there were many doubters and naysayers from day one, but I figured if I was gonna make a goal I might as well shoot for the stars. So I did, and I truly believed that my abilities to watch a crap-load of tv would allow me to accomplish this extremely ambitious goal.

I started off hot, even exceeding expectations by watching 60 of 120 episodes after 6 days, which gave me hope that I truly could do it. But now that there is only 1 day left before school starts I have only watched 90 of 120 and I have to admit to myself and to all my numerous supporters that I am not going to complete my only real summer goal. It hurts to fail. It is a little bit painful because I am letting myself down, but letting all of you down is what really hurts. Knowing that I am failing my friends, family, ancestors, and posterity makes my heart hurt and brings me much shame.

I feel kind of like this right now.

So to all of you out there counting on me, I am sorry. Now you know that I am not perfect and that even I can make a mistake from time to time. But I promise that I will finish Lost in the near future, and that I will do my best to complete all of my future goals so as to not let you or myself down ever again.

I love myself and I hate myself.

I'm on a Broat!

2011-08-11T18:08:00.000-07:00

This past weekend I went to lake Shasta with about 30 cool kids from the bay area, of which I knew about 8, and spent 3 days basking in the sun on the top of a houseboat. Needless to say, it was the best boating trip of my life.

Here are just a few of the highlights:

The weather was perfect, the water was warmer than a heated pool, and the scenery was beautiful.

Jumping off the houseboats became a regular activity and source of great joy and entertainment.

'Nade pong had some inappropriate distractions and ended in a fluke victory by the girls.

One good weekend with some good bros on broat 92.

Flip cup domination by the team on the left of course.

Truth or dare got a little out of control...

Henna Tattoos were super hipster and as you can tell I love irony

This is the whole Shasta crew.

While I didn't know many people going into the trip, and most of those I did know were recent acquaintances, I made a lot of new friends and became better friends with those I didn't know that well on the trip. It was a fantastic weekend and a part of the reason that I am loving my life in California more and more everyday.

Also,just a quick thanks to all the girls for the food and the pictures. I don't know how I would eat or document while on vacation if it weren't for girls...

What I Like

2011-07-27T14:41:00.000-07:00

I like books and movies. So much in fact that I own over 120 books, 60 dvds, I subscribe to Netflix and Hulu and it got me thinking, just why I like books, movies, and TV shows so much and I came to a couple of conclusions.

1- I like to be entertained. Whether it be through comedy, action, or drama, I, like all lazy Americans, love to put forth little to no effort in order to be entertained.

2- I like to get to know characters. I enjoy getting to know more about characters, I love learning about their past, learning about their thoughts, and seeing their relationships with others grow. It's almost like making a friend, and it's the hardest part to deal with with books or movies end because you know you won't get to see them again.

3- I like to learn lessons and morals from others' experiences. I love reading about and watching people overcome trials or learning important life lessons. It not only makes me feel good, but it also gives me the courage to do the same in my own life.

As a result of this love for entertainment, I decided yesterday that I would fulfill at least one of my summer goals and watch all 6 seasons of Lost. So now I am going to watch somewhere around 90 hours of Lost over the next three weeks and enjoy every second of it.

PS - These are just a few of my favorites:

Oops.

2011-07-21T12:16:00.000-07:00

Do you ever sit back and reflect on your life and wonder how in the world did I get here?

So I've been home from my mission for over 5 years, and the other day I got to thinking about what I have accomplished since that time. It's funny, looking back and remembering my expectations back then. I thought for sure I would be married, or at least well on my way towards getting married, and that I would be done with school and working. Those were my only two real expectations/plans, and now I realize that I failed on both accounts. You know, sometimes I wonder if law school was a smart choice and I also realized that I dated a few girls in the past that I'm pretty sure I could have married. Sitting here thinking about it now I'm not 100% sure I made the right decisions...

Oops.

But it's all good cause I am happy to be where I'm at. I am glad to be at law school and learning so much and making so many new friends. And single life isn't too bad at all, in fact, it is pretty awesome. (Don't worry Mom, I'm still working on it). I've learned a lot during the past 5 years and I don't regret being where I am or who I am and to be completely honest, I wouldn't change a thing. I've had too many great experiences and made too many good friends to want to change it all.

(I love West Yellowstone)

(Los Banditos about to visit 7-11)

(Sunday afternoon bike rides are the best)

(Jay-Z loved us!)

(2 girls + 1 guy + roadtrip to So Cal = best idea ever)

(Oh Mexico, how I miss thee)

(Scatterball is the best game ever, thank you McKay)

(Finding a Swiss family was a dream come true)

(My twin, gonna love ya, gonna miss ya)

(Friends getting married is weird)

(Wine dinner with the lawyers)

(Besties with testies)

The last 5 years have been fantastic, but now I've just got to hope that I'm married and working in 5 years. If not, I'm sure I'll have even more cool friends and experiences, but I'll likely be living abroad or as a beach bum...or both?

I love to run?

2011-07-18T21:44:00.000-07:00

For as long as I can remember, there are 4 things I have always hated: mustard, pickles, fake people, and running.

I don't really feel the need to explain the first three, but I know exactly why I have always hated running: asthma.

Asthma has been a factor in my life since I was just a kid. I was an active kid, but I remember I was always the first one out of breath and and I remember developing fevers after soccer and basketball games in middle school. I didn't know why, but I just knew that running caused it, so I hated running. It wasn't until I got a severe case of bronchitis and developed an acute respiratory syndrome at the age of 17 that I was diagnosed with asthma. For awhile thereafter I used an inhaler, but I didn't notice much of a difference, so I gave it up. And I began to use my asthma as an excuse to stop running during lacrosse practice or to take a break during a basketball game. It began to dictate my life and I didn't mind. Until now.

Recently, one of my good friends, Syd, asked me to run a relay race with her this fall and I just couldn't say no. As a result I have been training and pushing myself in order to overcome my asthma. In the process I realized something amazing. As I push myself not only have I begun to master my asthma, but I have begun to enjoy running. Something I never thought possible. But here I am, running 4 to 5 times a week, pushing myself each day, and loving it. Not only do I love how I feel, but I love feeling of progression and overcoming a weakness. Overcoming obstacles is honestly one of the most empowering feelings in the world.

Now while this is a very simple and superficial example it has finally taught me the lesson I've been trying to learn this past year. That is, we only truly love something when we put effort into it. This applies to all aspects of out lives, to our studies, professions, relationships, talents, activities, and religion. If things come too easy or free, we seem to ignore them and/or under-appreciate them. But once we work for something we appreciate it and recognize it as the blessing that it really is. Sometimes we wonder why God puts obstacles and struggles in our way and ask "Why me?" or "Why now?" or exclaim that "I don't deserve this!" All the time not realizing that God allows these obstacles to exist for many beneficial purposes, one of which is to let us truly appreciate the blessings in our lives, teach us the value of progress/growth, and show us our true potential. For without opposition in all things there could be no "happiness nor misery," there could be no growth, there would be no purpose. 2 Nephi 2: 10-27.

I know that this is easier said than done, but next time you have a trial or obstacle in your life put your efforts into overcoming it, not complaining about it, and you will begin to see what a blessing it really is in your life, you will find purpose, and in the end, you will be happy.

A Tradition Coming To An End

2011-07-15T10:45:00.000-07:00

“It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live, remember that.”

“To the well organized mind, death is but the next great adventure.”

Dumbledore

12 years ago I was introduced to a tale of life and death, joy and misery, laughter and tears, and courage and deceit. And now, later this evening, that tale will finally come to an end and I can't help but let a few tears come out of my face. Harry Potter has been a great inspiration in my life and now it's movie form is finally coming to an end. I can't wait.

For about the past 5 years I've gone to the opening night showing of Harry Potter, and when possible I went with my HP crew. This crew consisted of myself, my sister Brittany, and my cousin Niccole. It was always a good time cause when it comes to Harry Potter we are like 3 peas in a pod. In addition to loving the movies, all of us are huge fans of the books. In fact, I remember going with the crew to a couple midnight release parties. I am a fanatic myself, but I always loved going to these types of things to see just how fanatical some people would get with their outfits and just their overall antics. They are great places for people watching, which is my number 1 activity.

I don't have many pictures to remember the past by, but here are a few we took during the opening night premier of movie 6.

(We all made shirts with a little bit of bleach and a whole lot of awesomeness and awkward poses.)

(Apparently these are the faces we would make when confronted by a Basilisk. Notice my lack of fear.)

(And our reactions to seeing Voldemort walking down the street...not sure why Brittany is happy...)

Sometimes we ended up with terrible seats, other years we had the best in the house. But it didn't matter, either way we all had a great time. We just loved being there and seeing a decent representation of the books, which we had visualized for years with our imaginations, put into movie form.

Tonight will be a little bitter-sweet. I'm sad to see the movies finally come to an end, but excited to see how it all ends. At the same time I'm sad I won't be able to go with old crew back in Logan, but I'm excited to go with a few of my friends here in Cali. But I know that the movie will be good and that there is like a 55% chance I will shed a tear or two...so what, I have a sensitive side, ok?

Well Harry Potter it's been good...we're gonna love ya, we're gonna miss ya.

I judge...so what?

2011-07-14T22:43:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I see a girl and I'll think, "she's pretty cute, I wouldn't mind taking her on a date."

Then I'll see the same girl on a date with a real idiot and I'll think "I'll bet that she just doesn't say 'no' when asked on a date."

Later I'll be on facebook and see that they are dating and I'll think "Wait. What the? How in the world did that happen?"

And that is the moment that all of my respect for that girl and desire to talk to her is gone.

I come to the realization that I don't like her based on the fact that she apparently enjoys being around a person I cannot stand.

This may be some faulty reasoning on my part, but I can't help it...sue me.

Like Father like Son

2011-07-12T21:57:00.000-07:00

Over the past 3 or 4 years an interesting phenomenon has begun to appear in my life. I have slowly started to become more and more like my Dad. I've started to notice the similarities in 4 areas thus far.

Style:
For as long as I can remember my Dad has worn black jeans and black cowboy boots. Six years ago I would have called you crazy if you told me I would literally be wearing my Dad's boots to church each week and that I would own multiple pairs of black jeans. But here I am, doing just that.

Taste:
There are several foods that my Dad has had always loved and that I had always hated.One being asparagus and the other tomatoes. I really started liking asparagus about 3 or 4 years ago, and more recently I started liking tomatoes. In fact, I prefer my sandwiches and burgers with one, something I thought would never occur.

Work:
While I failed to follow in my Dad's footsteps as an engineer, I have come to love yard work. I used to hate mowing the lawn or doing pretty much anything that didn't involve a tv or computer. But now I have gained a true appreciation for the work involved in creating a beautiful yard and I can't wait to have my own someday.

Religion:
My Dad has always been a very faithful and active member of the Mormon church and a great a great disciple of Jesus Christ. Over the past 7 or 8 years I have really begun to follow in his footsteps and religion and Christ have become a very integral part of my life and in creating the person I am today.

I'm not gonna lie, when I first noticed some of the similarities I was pretty surprised. I never really thought I would be very similar to my Dad, but when I really thought about it I realized how awesome it is. I am honored to becoming more like such a great man. I'm still not patient, even-tempered, wise, or successful, but I hope that in time I will begin to develop these great attributes as well. I know that I have a long way to go before I'm there, but it's a comfort to know that it is possible and that I have such great potential...so, thanks Dad. You are a great example and influence in my life and you deserve the slow clap.

Life Changing Investments

2011-07-10T22:39:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I buy things and within a few days I wonder, "why in the heck did I buy that?" But these last few weeks I've made a couple of the best purchases of my life.

I have owned fans in the past, and I have always appreciated how they move air around, but I've never really thought they could do much to really cool me down. That was until I bought a Bionaire floor fan from Costco last week for $50. It has changed the way I feel about fans. The fan freaking pumps out cold air! COLD AIR! It's like A/C only cheaper and less draining on the utilities bill. It is amazing! I really don't know how I was handling summer here before I had the fan...well, I know how I was handling it, it just involved a lot of sweat and no one wants to hear about my sweat.

Anyway, after a few days I was sure it was going to be the best purchase of the summer if not the year. That is, until I made my next purchase.

I'm training for a relay race in Napa Valley called the Ragnar and as a result I've been running 4 to 5 times a week and I had been using some pretty old cross-trainers. As a result, my feet had been starting to hurt so I decided I'd invest in some shoes that were made for running. After some research and advice I decided on a pair of Nike's called the Lunarglide 2.

(Left: New Lunarglide 2, Right: Old and crappy white turds)

To my utter astonishment they were the most comfortable shoes I had ever worn and they made running not only easier, but also more enjoyable. I still can't quite believe just how comfortable they are. It's pretty much a Christmas Miracle in July. Now my feet aren't sore after running and I'm pretty sure I'm gonna own Ragnar in a big way. And it's all thanks to my beautiful, comfortable, attractive, fast, and perfect running shoes.

These two purchases, these two worldly possessions have made me realize again just how grateful I am to have my life.And realizing that has made me a happier person. We all have it pretty good and I know that if we recognize the little things in our life to be grateful for that we will all be happier. That's a promise. So do it.

Sweet American Bro

2011-07-07T10:21:00.000-07:00

4th of July is one of my favorite holidays and despite being in a new state this year it did not disappoint. It consisted of a lot of goodness, laughter, relaxing, and celebrating of America. Specifically, it included:

- Being a sweet-bro and wearing a tank top pretty much the entire weekend.

- 3 BBQ's, and absolutely no healthy food was consumed the entire weekend (in between BBQ's I had Taco Bell, Five Guys, and New York Pizza and a crap ton of soda).

- Going crazy at a dance party. It was just one of those nights when I had too much energy and I let it all out on the dance floor. I was a sweaty mess and made a complete fool of myself, but it was a great time.

- No weekend/holiday would ever be complete in California without a good amount of time poolside and in the sun. So I took advantage of my living situation and hung out by the pool for at least 10 hours over the weekend. It was perfect.

- Bocci ball and water-polo domination. I did the dominating in bocci ball, but got dominated in water-polo. I was surprised to find out that some of those mormon girls playing were ruthless beasts...and I'm not sure I'll ever be the same.

- It's not the 4th of July without sitting on some blankets in a park and watching fireworks. Luckily, this weekend did not fail me and I got to chill, do some people watching and watch free fireworks with some pretty funny people.

- But what really made this weekend amazing was that people I spent it with. I got to spend some good time with my old-man of a brother and his family, I hung out with a lot of my old friends, and I made a bunch of new friends. It really doesn't get better than that and that is really what makes life enjoyable. Doing fun and exciting things isn't that fun or exciting if you don't have people to share it with. The key to enjoying life is enjoying the people around you and it was really easy to do that this weekend.

I am so thankful that I live in America where pop-culture is so important and where I can be as overweight as I want. Seriously tho, I love this place. I love my life.

Coke or Pepsi

2011-07-05T14:19:00.000-07:00

Coke or Pepsi?

Personally, I am a coke man, but I drink both and enjoy both.

Years ago, I had heard rumors that in a blind taste test it was impossible to tell the difference between Coke and Pepsi. But I've always believed that there is a distinct difference between the two and I thought for sure that I could tell the difference. So, I decided to test myself.

On Friday I went with my roommate Ryan and bought a 2-liter of Coke and a 2-liter of Pepsi. We then proceeded with 2 phases of testing. We used 5 glasses that were identical and I blindfolded myself to make sure the study was not compromised.

Phase 1
This phase consisted of 3 rounds of 3 cups with the only requirement being that all 3 couldn't be the same soda. I guessed 9 out of 9.

Phase 2
This phase consisted of 2 rounds of 5 cups again, with the only requirement being that all 5 couldn't be the same. In the first round I guessed 4 out of 5, but in the second round I lost control and only got 2 out of 5. Making a total of 6 out of 10 in phase 2.

I believe one reason for my fallout at the end was that my tastebuds had been fatigued or simply that my pallet was full of both flavors, ruining my chances to distinguish one from the other. If I had found some way to cleanse my pallet after each round I think I could have come 19 for 19. So if anyone has ideas on cleansing pallets that doesn't involve ginger I would love to hear it.

While this test was by no means conclusive, I now know that I can tell the difference between the two. And my record of 15 for 19 proves that, it is a .789 batting average after all...dang, I am talented.

PSA: A Constant Threat

2011-07-01T11:33:00.000-07:00

I know that I have discussed this before, so to all of you that read My Contingency Plan last year, I apologize, just take this as a reminder. Last week I started reading a booked called Pride and Prejudice and Zombies and it has got me thinking that we all need to be prepared for anything. Particularly, a zombie infestation/attack.

And apparently the government is worried about the too. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention website, a government agency, recently released plans in the case of a zombie apocalypse. It suggests that every person be prepared with the essentials, like water, food, medication, clothes/blankets, tools, and first-aid supplies. Additionally, it suggests that each person/family should have a plan prepared (E.g. a meeting place, emergency contacts, multiple escape routes, etc.). You likely think I'm joking right now, but check out the website and you'll see that the government is not joking around and neither should you.

While the website is a good starting point, it is by no means the end of preparing for what is destined to happen. The biggest flaw I noticed in their plan was that it included no information concerning battling the zombies. Choosing weapons to combat the undead will depend a lot on your style, but I would recommend a gun of some sort and something that doesn't require ammunition (baseball bat, crowbar, etc.).

Additionally, to effectively prepare I would suggest watching a few zombie movies (28 Days/Weeks Later, I am Legend, Zombieland, etc.) in order to see both effective and ineffective zombie defenses and tactics. You'll be able to see how zombies act, learn the best ways to protect yourself and see the best places to find defense.

Lastly, take the advice of the CDC and make yourself a contingency plan. Without it you will likely freak out and be one of the first to fall to the plague. So, are you prepared?

Stay Awkward San Diego

2011-06-24T10:08:00.000-07:00

This past week I gave a talk in church on gratitude, so naturally I've been noticing a lot of things in my life that I am grateful for. Like, a wearing a brand new pair of socks, the smell of bacon all the time, otterpops in the summer, just barely making a green light, mullets on children or overweight women or anyone, or finding money in a pocket or drawer. But I also realized just how grateful I am for all the awkward people around the world, more especially, I'm grateful for the awkward people I have the joy of crossing paths with. They make my life so enjoyable, give me something to laugh about and remind me how grateful I am to be me.

Here are just a few experiences over the past couple of weeks.

New Roommate: I met the new addition to our apartment on saturday as I was watching Modern Family. At first sight I knew he was a little awkward (I know it sounds bad, like I judge, but you can just tell...) and my first impression did not disappoint. I heard him head to the bathroom and before he had come out I had literally finished two episodes of Modern Family. When he finally came out this is what happened:
New Roommate: "So, you guys have been living here for awhile, right?"
Me: "Ya, why?"
NR: "You wouldn't happen to have a plunger around would you?"
Me: "I don't think so...did you clog the toilet?"
NR: "Ha ha, ya, I sort of have a knack for it. At my house we had three bathrooms and I bought a plunger for each."
Me: "Nice dude."
He then proceeded to rip off about half a roll of paper towels and clean up the mess on the floor. Then he went to Safeway to buy a plunger....it was fantastic!

Couple in Church: There is this couple at church that express way too much affection. The guy seems pretty normal, but the girl is out of control. I can't quite describe it, but she is just crazy and all over he boyfriend at church. I can understand holding hands, or even minor cuddling at church, and I can even understand the occasional peck on the check, but these two are almost making out at church at times. But she is always kissing him and making him kiss her and she is constantly draped over, hanging on, or smothering him....and it's not like they sit in the foyer or in the back of the chapel, instead they sit right in the middle so everyone gets to experience just how much sexual tension they have. It is so awkwardly awesome.

Little Asian at the Club: A couple of weekends back I went to the club/pub with my friends and we spent the whole night dancing. It was surprisingly a lot of fun, but what made it so awesome was watching the awkwardness happen over and over again. At the club there was an Asian guy dancing nearby, he was probably 5'3" and dancing as awkwardly as possible. And I know awkward dancing, being a terrible dancer myself. If you can shuffle your feet while bouncing a little bit and let your arms swing then you can not only dance just like this guy, but imagine him doing so the entire time. But that alone wasn't what made it so awkward and great. It was enhanced by how hard he tried to dance with girls almost a half foot taller than him. He never had any success, he would just dance on the outside of a group of girls as they tried to ignore him. The little guy was relentless and it was awesome to watch.

Side Note: That night my truck was about 5' from a murder scene and we had to wait about an hour for them to deal with the scene before they let us in to take my truck back.
You can't really see from this picture, but there are about 6 cop cars, 2 fire trucks and an ambulance down there and police tape blocking off the entire block...also note, cops don't like drunk people.

Thank you awkward people. You keep life interesting and make me laugh so keep up the good work!

Funny People

2011-06-20T10:09:00.001-07:00

I've heard quite a few funny things over the past few weeks and I decided that I have some pretty funny friends and family.

For example, two weeks ago I was playing Halo with Joe and his buddies when one of them was asked if he was going to see the Green Lantern he responded with, "Why would I want to see a movie about a guy that gets his powers from camping gear?" And Joe responded by saying, "What if he had like a crap ton of propane though?"

Also a person who shall remain nameless recently said, "you know, sometimes I wish I were a bear so I could crap anywhere I wanted and no one could do a dang thing about it."

Then this past weekend I hung out with my nephews and we went to an amusement park in Gilroy. The kids were hilarious and were always making funny comments during the trip. The rides weren't the best, but the scenery was amazing and for only $10 I can't complain one bit.

Typical little punks right there.

I think I need to keep a journal of all the funny things I hear, cause they are plentiful. So to all you funny people out there. Thank you. You enrich my life and I hope that your humor and wit will continue to bless those around you.

Celebrate

2011-05-14T10:47:00.000-07:00

Friday, May 13, 2011 at approximately 4:30 p.m. pacific time I finished a 3 hour property exam and as a result had finished my first year of law school.

Afterwards, I grabbed some nachos with my study group and then we headed over to the bar that is located across the street from campus. I was only planning on staying for an hour or two, since being the only sober person in a bar tends to get boring pretty quick. With that said, I had a great time celebrating/talking with all my great law school friends. But I was shocked when I felt ready to go that it was already 10 and that I had been entertained for about 4 hours. So I said my goodbyes/congrats and headed out.

When I got home from the bar I decided to celebrate in my own Mormon way. I grabbed a Mountain Dew, put on my swimsuit and relaxed in the hot tub for a half hour.

It was a great way to unwind and reflect on the past 10 months of my life as a California resident and a law school student. It hasn't been the easiest year of my life and there were definitely times when I wondered what the hell I was doing. But overall, it has been a great one. I've made some great friends at school and at church. I've had some awesome times (concerts, baseball games, Switzerland, the beach, visits to the city, softball, dodgeball, poker nights, etc.). And I've learned a little bit/studied for a disgusting amount of time.

A wise man once wrote that "every blessing ignored becomes a curse." I know that being grateful is an important part of life and a large factor in my ability to be happy....what I'm really trying to say is that I have a good life and I am grateful for it each and every day. And it is good in large part due to all the great friends and family I have. So thanks everyone who is a part of my life, whether you're at law school, church, Utah, California, New York, Idaho, Switzerland, or somewhere else. I love you all and hope you are grateful for your life and realize just how great your life is too.

Also, this...

Voltron's Summer Camp

2011-05-07T23:36:00.000-07:00

Finals started this last week, one 3 hour test on Tuesday, one on Friday, another this Monday, and the last on Friday the 13th. Nevertheless, life is good. Really good.

Why, in the middle of finals would I say that? Well let me tell you.

First and foremost, on Tuesday, immediately following my first final, my coed softball team, the bad news barristers, won our final game of the season, went undefeated and became the Intramural Softball regular season champions! That's right, the old law students handed losses to all 4 of our opponents. It is likely one of the greatest accomplishments of my schooling career. Especially considering that going into it I wasn't too sure we would be any good at all. Turns out we are pretty dam good and I can't wait to see what we can accomplish these next two weeks.

Second, on Thursday I received a check in the mail for $118.43 from T-Mobile. I was part of a class-action law suit against them for unfair contract cancellation practices. I think it's just a premonition of how awesome I am going to be as a lawyer. Also, it's nice cause I'm hoping it can feed me with a steady diet of beans and protein shakes for the next 54 days.

Third, summer is pretty much here! And now I live in California rather than Utah and it is awesome.

Also, I got into summer school classes here, so it looks like I'm gonna stay and party in the 408 rather than be a tourist in Istanbul. So now I get to enjoy a summer of sun, bbq, baseball, beaches, workouts, basketball, xbox, lost, starcraft, and hopefully a chance to work a few weekends at the infamous Bohemian Grove. If you don't know what it is google it and educate your ignorant self. I am already getting excited for the summer and in anticipation I am all tanned up for it...it is shaping up to be the best summer of my life of 2011!

But before that party even starts I get to visit the UT for the last two weeks of May and watch a few of my friends get married/become dead to me, but mostly I'm coming back to party with y'all. So consider yourselves warned and make sure you're ready to shotgun mountain dews, play bingo, and watch American Idol and Saved by the Bell just like the old days.

Finals suck, but there are a lot of positive things going on in my life and I am just excited for the fun times that will be this summer and I am very excite!

PS - I decided after watching Hot Rod for the thirty-first time that I want to name my firstborn, regardless of gender, Voltron Zollinger. If my future wife isn't cool with it I'll settle for Ron Swanson Zollinger or Tom Haverford Zollinger. You think I'm kidding...but I'm not.

Summer Camp

2011-05-02T13:07:00.000-07:00

As all of you know. San Diego + Me is not happening this summer.
So many of you are likely up late at night thinking, "Brett, what are you going to do this summer?"

So rather than let you stew for weeks, here are the current plans/possibilities:

1- Watch all 6 seasons of lost

2- Watch a crap load of movies, specifically Harry Potter 7: Part 2

3- Baseball games, BBQs, sun, beach, get tan

4- Study abroad/internship in Istanbul

5- Read a book, for fun

Finals start tomorrow, but I'm just excited to see what I end up doing this summer. If you have any suggestions, feel free to send them my way.

Good Friday

2011-04-24T23:08:00.000-07:00

Good Friday started off not so good. I began the day outlining and being rejected by my San Diego internship. I told my friends that even a win by the Braves would do next to nothing to make-up for the rejection. But by 6 I was in San Fransisco getting ready to watch the Braves beat the Giants and forgetting about my lack of an internship for the summer. I had some sweet seats in the bleachers in right-center and had a great time watching the Braves beat the Giants 4-1. My opportunities for heckling were many and the weather was fantastic. And after the game, the Giants fans' weak attempts at insults concerning Brooks Conrad and the World Series only made my night brighter.

On Saturday I got some rays while watching my nephews play a lot of baseball, had an Easter feast, and then watched Tim Hudson and the Braves (this time on the tv) beat Tim Lincecum and the Giants 5-2.

The weekend culminated with a great day at church, being reminded that Christ lives, and the Braves sweeping the Giants 9-6 in 10 innings. It was a great weekend and reminded me just how great life is and can be regardless of the little setbacks and trials we experience. And I kind of felt like this.

I was disappointed about being rejected by SD, but within a few hours something as simple as a baseball game had lifted my spirits and I began to realize that things would work out for the summer. Christ plays, or should play, the same role in our lives. When we are down He can lift us up, He can remind us that life is wonderful and that it is worth living no matter what seems to go wrong. The late Prophet Gordon B. Hinckley was an optimist and once said, "Things will work out. Keep trying. Be believing. Don't get discouraged. Things will work out." I truly believe these words. I know that things will work out for all of us as we strive to do what is right and follow Jesus Christ.

With that said, to all you Giants fans out there...Jason Heyward > Buster Posey.

Dear Law School...

2011-04-18T17:41:00.000-07:00

One year of law school has almost been completed. Crazy right?
One might ask, "Brett, what have you learned so far?"
I would respond, "First, in order to stay sane, one must have a balanced life. Second, the answer is the commerce clause."

I don't really want to explain the commerce clause, but here are a few things I've done to attempt having a balanced life:
- Reddit! (don't look at any links with NSFW, it's not a good idea.)
- Chill with Joe in San Rafael
- Hit the gym 5 times a week and get swoll
- Chipotle and the Safeway "chicken bacon ranch"
- Dodgeball League
- Phantogram
- Church every week
- Co-Ed Intramural Softball
- Parks and Recreation

Now for things that don't keep me sane:
- Classes
- Outlining all freaking day
- My 45 minute commute
- Constipation/diarrhea
- Finals. They are like corn on a stick, and this is how I feel about them coming up in about 2 weeks....

Now let's just hope I can make it thru finals with my sanity and grades intact and we can consider this year a borderline success.

PS - I'll find out about my internship by Friday morning, so keep up the praying friends!

Pray for me

2011-04-13T00:49:00.000-07:00

Please, if you care about me at all, or even if you don't, please pray for this to happen.

San Diego

Me Dancing

Yess!

I love Technology

2011-03-28T16:47:00.000-07:00

I went to the Exploratorium in San Francisco this weekend and it was pretty sweet. For those of you who don't know what it is, it's like a science museum, but one where you get to try everything out. It's hard to explain, but it's like a ginormous playground that explains and gives examples of many different principles of science. Joe and I went Saturday and we spent about two and a half hours there and only saw about 2/3 of the exhibit. It cost 12 bucks with a student ID, but I would recommend it to anyone in the area who enjoys science or museums or learning or a good time or all of the above.

Being there reminded me about just how much I love science, especially when it doesn't require you to calculate anything or show your work. Ever since I was young, I have been intrigued by science and have loved to see how it applied in the world around me. Now I am a grown man and I am most definitely no physicist or chemist, but there are many out there trying to gain a better understanding of the workings of the universe. Einstein and Hawkings are freaks of nature, but thanks to them and the things they observed, we now have a better understanding of the world/universe around us. While I will likely never understand the principles the same way that they understand them, I nevertheless am benefited by their efforts through the progression of science and technology and I am continually intrigued by the ideas and principles they and other scientists present.

All this thinking about science reminded of this video about quantum physics I saw awhile back. It shows how little we understand the basics of science and specifically how little we understand about quantum physics and particles. It's about 5 minutes long and the animation is a little cheesy, but I promise that it is worth watching.

I think that scientific anomalies, like that shown in the video, are very complex on the surface and yet underlying them all are some very simple and clear principles by which everything is ruled. Whatever the situation is, I know that I am intrigued and love to learn about stuff like this.

A message of hope.

2011-03-26T11:09:00.000-07:00

This post, like so many before it, begins with a story about a boy and a girl...

Last Friday I was texting up a storm, and during a conversation with a girl who goes to San Jose State something was said that shook the foundation of my world. Here is the pertinent part of our conversation.

Me: How do you feel about about college basketball?
Her: Never been to a game before
H: I'm down with going though
M: What?! Never been to a game? Well I assume you still know what March Madness is?
H: Um of course...What is it?

This is kind of how I felt...

Initially I was shocked. Then I felt a little bit betrayed. Finally, I felt pity.

One of my peers, a college student, had never heard of March Madness. The single biggest (and greatest) college sporting event had somehow slipped by this girl and she had gone on living her life in ignorant bliss, thinking her life was complete. I felt impelled to, at a minimum, explain to her just what an amazing thing she was missing out on. I don't think she realized just how amazing it is, but I did what I could, I shared with her what I knew to be good and true. March Madness rarely fails to a highlight of my year, so I cannot understand how a person's life could be complete without it...

This year has been no exception. For the most part the games have been nail-biters, the upsets have been many (and surprising), my bracket has been busted (still hoping my Gators can pull it off), and March Madness on Demand has allowed me and and millions of other responsible Americans to watch each and every game while at school or work on our laptops.

It has been an amazing ride thus far, and from experience I know that the last 7 games will not disappoint. For millions of Americans, the only problem with March Madness emerges once the champion has been decided, because, well, then what? There is no replacement, there is no substitute for the joy and excitement provided by March Madness and that is when the true "madness" begins. It's like being addicted to Oxycotin and trying to replace it with gummy bears. They are good, but not any kind of a substitute**. For me personally, I have never had a problem because baseball season usually starts within a day or two of the end of March Madness. But for the majority of Americans, baseball just doesn't cut it. And while the playoffs for both the NBA and NHL follow relatively close behind, we all know that they are sad and unrealistic substitutes. People try to find things to fill the void in their lives, but day-time dramas, court-room tv, and brownie fudge shakes physically cannot do the job. As a result there are sharp increases in depression, insanity, boredom, gambling debt defaults and obesity all across America.

It is a problem, and I don't know what the answer is. But it might be as simple as picking up a good book, or by watching all 6 seasons of Lost in one month, or by simply using those hours spent focused on basketball by focusing instead on your family, friends, or even work. I hope you are able to deal with the withdrawals in an effective manner and that the "madness" doesn't drive you to hurt yourself or do something crazy. If you need any help or support, I am here for you, I will be a shoulder for you to cry on and a friend for you to vent to. But most importantly, I will teach you to love the game of baseball and permanently overcome the low in your life that is post-March Madness.

** I am not addicted to prescription drugs if that's what you're thinking.

Switzerland

2011-03-20T23:08:00.000-07:00

I could write at least 20 pages concerning my adventures in Switzerland for those 8 blessed days that I was able to visit, but instead I'll just leave you with two sentences:

1- Switzerland was amazing, miraculous, and expensive.
2- Returning to law school and responsibility in America is only one of those things, you guess which one.

Really tho, here are some pictures and uncut/unedited/low quality videos from our trip to show the highlights of the trip (anyone know an easy way to post HQ videos to a blog?).

Sledding in the Alps

Meeting our Swiss Families

Jo and I decided to go to church at the little Mormon branch in Interlaken and were both certain we would have a unique experience there, but if you told us that we would end up becoming friends with two families in the branch and staying with them for four of our eight nights in Switzerland we would have called you crazy. But that, nevertheless, is exactly what happened.

The Stussi family showed us around Interlaken Sunday afternoon and then had us over for some great Swiss food and let us hang out with them for the evening. Their son Terrance then extended his home to us and let us stay with him at his apartment in Bern for two nights.

The Kaufmann family invited us to come to Grindelwald for the day to hang out with their family and see what little ski towns in Switzerland are all about and then extended the invitation to stay at their chalet that they owned and rented out to visitors.

The Matterhorn

The food

The beauty of the country

The train rides

The good times

It was an amazing trip, and I honestly feel like I was supposed to go there. It sounds kind of cheesy, but I really feel like I was able to go to Switzerland for a reason. I'm not exactly sure what that reason is, but I do know that I made some amazing friends, saw some amazing sights, and realized again that God lives and loves me...now I just need to find a way to get a summer law internship there and soon.

The Madness

2011-03-01T21:27:00.000-08:00

If you could marry one sport, which would it be?

Basketball, competitive eating, golf, skiing, football, soccer, baseball, skateboarding. tennis, poker, billiards, bowling, badmitton, croquet, snowboarding, rollerblading, or hacky-sack?

My initial reaction to this question would be by responding with baseball. Baseball is my love and from April to October, baseball is my life.

With that said, I have a confession to make. I may be cheating on baseball due to my current infatuation with College Basketball. Not only do I love following my teams (Utah State, Florida, and Jimmer Fredette), but I love watching almost any college basketball game. This love makes the month of March especially wonderful. For starters, March has always been one of my favorite months since it is the month of my birth and because it marks the coming of spring. But over the past 10 years or so I have come to love it even more because of March Madness and the NCAA tournament. And about a week and a half ago I got my first taste of the bliss that is March Madness.

My Utah State Aggies played the Saint Mary's Gaels at Moraga, which happens to be about an hour and a half away from where I am living. I went with my brother and his son and we arrived about 30 minutes before tip-off. When we got there I noticed four things: 1- the gym was tiny, I felt like I was in a high-school or church gym (I think it seats around 3,500); 2 - there were almost no open seats in the general admission section; 3 - there were approximately 30 other Utah State fans sitting together on the other side of the court; and 4 - St. Mary's had the least attractive cheer leaders I had ever seen. Period.

We ended up finding some seats on the first row of general admission, right behind the students. This was potentially the worst place we could sit in the off-chance that the Gaels would beat the Aggies, and for awhile when the Aggies were down by about 10, we got a lot of yells, screams, and celebrations right in our faces. During those few minutes, it got pretty loud in that place and I was impressed with the amount of noise the crowd made. And that means something since I came from Utah State where the Spectrum is known to have one of the best, loudest, and most intimidating fans in the Nation.

Luckily my Aggies came back strong in the second half and beat the Gaels real good on their own court. It looked for a minute like the Gaels were going to mount a comeback with a few minutes left on the clock, but this amazing dunk by Brady Jardine shut up their offense and their crowd...it was so freaking amazing!

In the end the Aggies won by double digits, got a solid win against a solid opponent, and put themselves in a good position for the NCAA Tournament. And I got to gloat and bask in sweet, sweet victory as defeated Gael fans walked past, with heads low, not daring to look me in the eye. It was honestly the best game I have ever been to. I can't even begin to describe the rush that being in hostile territory and gaining a victory like that can give you, but just know that it was awesome.

Now I've just got to hope the Aggies don't make any stupid mistakes so that I get to watch them and 64 other great college basketball teams fight for the title....oh how I love March Madness!

Swiss Man-cation 2011

2011-02-15T15:58:00.000-08:00

In about two weeks I will be experiencing this:

As many of you know, I will be embarking on a journey to Switzerland for spring break with my bestie Jo Olsen. If this trip were to have a theme song from 2006 it would be "Brothers on a Hotel Bed" by Death Cab for Cutie. As it stands tho, the year is 2011 and the theme song will likely be more along the lines of "Mouthful of Diamonds" by Phantogram, seeing that we are both in love with Sarah Barthel, a member of the band. We are also looking for a theme to the trip, we have thought of "Swiss man-cation 2011" and "European bromance 2011", but if you have any suggestions for either, please let us know.

As far as our plans are concerned, Jo and I have decided to leave much of them open. We are hoping that this will allow us some freedom to go where ever the wind leads us and result in us experiencing the real Switzerland and not just the tourist Switzerland. These are our plans as of today:

    March 5 :Arrive in Zurich, see the city, visit Zollicon (where my last name originated), party in Zurich
    March 6: Travel to the area of Thun/Interlaken and begin exploring
    March 7-12: Meet some hot European girls, truly experience Switzerland, (insert your ideas here)
    March 13: Travel back to Zurich, fly to San Fran

We have thought of possibly traveling to Milan, Italy and catching a flight via Ryan Air to another area of Europe for dirt cheap (like $15 each way), hanging out in Thun/Interlaken and really getting a good feel for the area, or traveling up to Munich, Germany. Now that you know our schedule and range of options, we would like to know anyone has any suggestions of things we must see or do in order to have a memorable experience.

All ideas (for theme songs, trip names, and agenda items) will be considered and discussed in great detail, so please let us know what you think. Your feedback is essential to Jo and I having a successful trip...ya, that is not true at all, but your ideas are much appreciated.

Switzerland won't know what hit it!

We are what we read

2011-01-30T22:37:00.000-08:00

I have a friend here in California.

I know, it sounds ridiculous, but I'm pretty sure that it is true.

Anyway, this friend of mine, Joe Jeppson, (If you don't believe me, just go poke him on facebook, he would love it) really likes to read. This gives the two of us a lot to talk about and discuss since reading is one of my few passions in life. This past weekend we hung out in San Fran for a bit and after spending an hour or two in a sweet bookstore we got to talking about just how influential books can be/are in our lives. Joe said something I've been thinking about a lot lately, he said something along the lines that each book we read becomes a part of us or that we become a product of each book.

Essentially, we are what we read. It got me thinking about what books have played a role in creating me. Having read hundreds of books over the past 20 years or so, the list would be fairly long, but I just want to mention a few of my favorites and how they are a part of me.

1- The Book of Mormon (9). I consider myself a religious person and this is the book that created that part of me, it has literally changed my life and continues to change my life as I read it everyday. I consider It is by far the most influential book in my life and I recommend it to anyone and everyone, so if you want a copy, just ask me.

2- The Screwtape Letters by CS Lewis (2). CS Lewis is a genius and by taking a different view on religious principles and and taught me how to be a better person. Pure and simple.

3- The Alchemist by Paulo Cohelo (4). Taught me to follow my dreams. I have since lived my life in a different manner, I am more grateful for my everyday experiences and do my best to learn from everything.

4- The Road by Cormac McCarthy (3). Many see it as a depressing book, but for me it was uplifting and powerful. It has taught me that despite the terrible condition of the world around us, people can still be good. It taught me that I can be a good person and have an impact at a time in my life when I doubted it.

5- A Long way Gone by Ishmael Beah (2). An easy read, a hard read, but most of all, a gratifying read. This book taught me just how grateful I need to be for the life I have been given and for the situation in which I live. I am a pretty lucky guy.

There are so many books that have had an impact on me and played a role in creating the person writing this blog. Even simple things, like my style of writing are a result of the books I have read. I would encourage you to look at your life, and recognize just how influential books have been in your life and then I would encourage you to read more. I believe that reading is one of the most important things we can do and I am sad when I see just how undervalued and unappreciated it has become in our society.

So do me a favor. No. Do yourself a favor and read a good book and become a more diverse person.

2011 GREAT SUCCESS!

2011-01-20T23:22:00.000-08:00

Well, despite my somewhat discouraging words earlier in the week, the year of 2011 can already be described as a great success. I finally beat Whoswayne in words with friends after approximately 15 strait losses (give or take 5), I did not get an e-mail asking me to join the class for "struggling" students (although, I guess I still could...), I just bought tickets to Switzerland for spring break ($600 round trip), and I finally got my music blog up and running.

It is titled "But Also Mostly" and is a combined effort with my best friend and communications expert, Jo Olsen. The purpose of the blog is to help proliferate quality music in the hopes that it will have a positive impact on those that choose to listen. My portion of the blog is titled "Premium Musics" and each week I will showcase a song or artist.

So please, if you like music, check it out. Support Jo and I. Save yourself. Enjoy Life. Peace.

FAIL 2011

2011-01-17T21:26:00.000-08:00

Christmas break was a bittersweet experience for me this year. I had the opportunity to go back to Utah for about 3 weeks and for the most part I got to spend a lot of quality time with my family and friends. That encompasses the sweet part.

The bitter part came in the 2 days before I came back to California when I received my grades from law school (that were substantially lower than I had hoped) and I had "the talk" with Natalie that ended our 14 month on-and-off relationship. I was able to stay pretty positive while I was in Utah amongst my family and friends, but soon after I returned home to California, everything began to settle in. During the week that followed I felt like my life was falling apart at the seams and I hit some serious lows concerning my self-worth and happiness as I began asking serious questions about myself, my potential, and where my life was going.

But I was soon lifted up as I remembered a principle that has guided my life over the past few years; I remembered that happiness is a choice. We as humans don't have a lot of control over the circumstances and events in our lives, but we do have exclusive control over how we react to those events and happenings. If we choose to look at events in our lives with a negative perspective, then a lot of bad things will happen to us during our life spans and we won't be happy. But if we choose to have an optimistic perspective then the exact opposite will occur.

So I realized that these seemingly terrible things that happened aren't all that bad, and in all likelihood are actually great blessings. There are a lot of life lessons to be learned from failing or from falling short of our goals and expectations. In fact, most things we learn in life are due to the moments in which we fall. Those are the moments in which we learn who we are and prove ourselves to God.

I have already learned a great deal about myself, and about life from the past two weeks and I know that there are many more great lessons to be learned as I move forward and progress in life. And at the moment, the lesson I have learned is that my happiness is my choice. This was reconfirmed to me this evening as I read a verse in the New Testament that quotes Paul as saying "...I have learned, in whatsoever state I am in, therewith to be content." - Philippians 4:11

I know that we will all have experiences and trials that will seem to be terrible and burdensome, but I also know that things happen for a reason and we don't have to let those moments get us down. Rather, we can choose to learn from those experiences and we can choose to be happy. Life is great, so let's all be happy.

Also, this makes me happy.

Special thanks to Steve West.

A True Christmas Miracle

2010-12-15T20:38:00.000-08:00

I finished my last final yesterday and I am still in shock.

I cannot believe that I was able to get thru a whole semester of law school and remain both sane and alive. I would dare say that it was a real life Christmas miracle that my first semester of law school wasn't for to be to make me dead. I have no idea how it went, but I honestly don't even care. I am just relieved to have the first semester over and done with.

And now I'm just ready to celebrate the holidays, enjoy some good company, and laugh a lot!
So to begin, here is a little something that makes me laugh.

Paint me a rainbow

2010-12-09T21:01:00.000-08:00

I have now completed two of my four law school finals and have the third tomorrow at 1:30, but in between studying, wasting time, and procrastinating I decided I need a little rest and relaxation so I returned to one of my most therapeutic hobbies.

Painting.

This is what I completed. It's not exactly what I wanted/intended (the colors aren't quite right), but I like the idea and plan on painting another one similar to this.

My painting excursion this past weekend reminded me just how much I love to paint, it really helps me relax and keep my mind clean and clear. It made for a surprisingly relaxing week.

It also helps that I was listening to the likes of this.

Politically Correct Song of the Week: episode 3

2010-12-07T10:30:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone, so apparently the cat theme was offensive to some of our viewers, so we are going non-discriminatory from now on and just calling it the politically correct song of the week. Boring, I know, but until I have a moment of cleverness it will have to remain politically correct.

This weeks song is called "Kettering" and comes to our ears from a band named the Antlers. They hail from the United States of America and enjoy eating and play-dough. The music video is really weird, but the music itself is fantastic.

Also, be on the look out for some big changes coming to the world of music and blogging over the next few weeks, I smell something fresh coming our way.

With that said, stay classy and remember peace and love.

Less than common sense?

2010-12-02T22:02:00.000-08:00

Law school is cool. From 12-1 each day there are no classes held on campus. It's for something religious I think, I'm not exactly sure what tho. Anyway, I have learned to love this time because different student organizations in the law school hold little seminars and bring in speakers. But most importantly they almost always provide food and good food at that (if I'm lucky they'll have Chipotle). I went to a meeting a week or two ago that was titled something like "Morals, Faith, and Law." Being the very religious Mormon that I am, I decided it might be worth my while.

It was a fairly interesting meeting, there were 5 people of different faiths and backgrounds who just talked a little about how their religious beliefs and their careers interacted and how they reconciled the two. To be honest, I didn't learn that much. They talked about priorities, ethics, and the benefits of those in the work place. I specifically remember a couple of the panelists saying that it was important to treat everyone with respect, no matter how insignificant their position. They stated that it benefited you in the long run because you gained mutual respect and that you never know when that respect will help you out.

And I thought, duh. It all seemed like common sense to me, but then I realized that it might not be that common after all. In fact, it might be less than common sense.

While working as a server at Cafe Sabor, I realized that my job was easier and more enjoyable when I made an effort to make other people's jobs better. If I treated all my co-workers with respect they would treat me with respect as well. If I cared more about my busser and hostess than I did about myself, the easier and more enjoyable my job became. It might seem counter intunitive at first, but it is the truth. I tried to inform others about my new found understanding, but it seemed like the majority of people were only concerned with the amount of money they made. They didn't care about anyone else, they just wanted to make money. They only cared about themselves.

Don't get me wrong, this is no "I am holier than thou" type of a post cause I know that I am as just as likely as anyone to be self-centered and uncaring. This post is merely my way of trying to share what little I have learned in the hope that I can better understand myself and help someone else in the process. Because the truth is, I am happy when I forget myself and think about others. And that, I believe, is not a coincidence.

It is exactly what Christ taught us to do when he said "Follow me." Christ lived a life of true happiness. A life of worth. A life of meaning. If we want to do the same, we must follow His example and care about others more than ourselves. We must treat others as we would like to be treated. We must love one another.

These are things I have been taught since youth and on the surface they all seem simple. They all seem to be common sense. But I've come to realize that they are anything but simple or common. Being a good, caring, and loving person often goes against what the world considers "common sense." I guess that many of the things I consider common sense are a result of my upbringing. A result of the many great lessons my parents have taught me over the years. A result of the great examples I had to follow in my 5 amazing siblings. A result of some fun friends with great morals. A result of a life based on faith.

For that, I have much to be grateful for. So at this time of year, I would hope that everyone could come to gain some of what I call "common sense" and realize that forgetting yourselves and caring about others will actually benefit you. It will bring you happiness.

When we give to others, we receive more in return.

Peace.

CLSotW: episode 2

2010-11-18T16:48:00.000-08:00

Hey again everyone. Welcome back to Cat Lover Song of the Week (CLSotW). I know y'all have been highly anticipating the second installment, so I'm sorry for the delay.

This weeks song is titled "Wax and Wire" by Loch Lomond. It is a new song from a new band that comes to us directly from the home of the domesticated cat. The Highlands of Scotland.

The video associated with this weeks song is not very exciting/cat related, so here is a fun fact: the Scottish were the first to realize the true potential of cats as not only a friend and potential ally to the human race, but as a help meet as well (e.g. vermin control, Schrodinger's cat, Kitten Mittens, etc.). I also found this video to satisfy your feline needs.

With that said, don't eat cats and stay classy.

CLSotW!

2010-11-07T17:52:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone, welcome to the first weekly presentation of the highly anticipated 'Cat Lover Song of the Week' (or for lovers of acronyms CLSotW).

During this weekly presentation I intend on sharing music for cats, about cats, by cats, or with cats. Pretty much anything that the Thundercats would approve of.

Now, don't be alarmed if you're not a cat lover, you are still welcome here and this is music that even the average human should enjoy as well.

This week's song is titled "Outside" by the Trashcan Sinatras.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0XBsYzue7M

I don't know why, but it won't let me embed it, so just click on the link (I think embedding is disabled for copyright protection on all the sweet pictures of cats. The slide show is amazing!)

Seriously tho, at least listen to the song, it is an amazing instrumental song and don't expect any lyrics cause there are none.

Until next week, or the next time I am in a really weird mood, stay classy friends.

Sammy Davis Jr. Jr.

2010-11-05T19:52:00.000-07:00

Speaking of Sammy Davis Jr. I think everyone needs to see "Everything is Illuminated." It is in my top 5 favorite movies of all time.

Here is a "very premium" clip from the movie. Enjoy.

The Blessed Melting Pot

2010-11-04T16:20:00.000-07:00

This may not be new to some of you, but I recently came across this thing called Nerdcore Hip-Hop. Some people call it racist. Others call it stupid. I call it America.

Think about it.

America is all about diversity. It's even called the "great melting pot." So what is greater evidence of this "melting pot" of diversity, than an extremely white man dropping uniquely nerdy/technical lyrics to a sick beat? Personally, I can't think of anything that's better evidence of "the melting pot" in America since Sammy Davis Jr. became a Jew.

Seriously tho, the diversity of America is one of the things that make it a great place to live. I think that the fact that so many different types of peoples and cultures live "under one roof" gives us a distinct advantage in the world. America isn't perfect, but there sure are a lot of sweet ideas and people that come out of America and I believe it is a direct result of the diversity that defines our nation.

With that said, check yourself out some Nerdcore Hip-Hop in the form of MC Frontalot.

The Journey of Laugh

2010-10-18T22:12:00.000-07:00

I like to laugh. In fact, I would say that I need to laugh. You might ask "You need to laugh? Really? Isn't that a bit of an exaggeration, Brett?" No. No it is not an "exaggeration," it is the truth.

This past weekend, I had a few of my besties with testies come out to visit me and I realized just how much I have missed laughing all the time. Of late I have been so focused on school and being successful in my studies that I have forgotten to laugh. This has made me a much too serious and unfun (or nunfun) and as a result I haven't been fully enjoying my life. I need laughter and a little immaturity to get me through my days, to help me remember that all these "important things" that "stress me out" aren't really all that important. Laughter makes me happy and it makes life bearable. I exhort you all to enter on your personal journey of laugh. Laugh more, enjoy your life more, and remember that you can be happy more...

In order to help us all in our journey of laugh, I want to share a few things that made me laugh this past weekend, courtesy of mostly Jo, but also mostly Nate, Eric, and Rhodes.

So here's to laughing more.

Start this one at 1:50.

I love technology, but not as much as you, you see, but I still love technology. Always and forever.

2010-10-12T15:01:00.000-07:00

So this commercial for Windows phone 7 fits well with what I believe to be one of our society's many problems. That is, we miss some of the most important things in life because we are preoccupied or distracted by technology. Don't get me wrong technology is a great thing and it should have a place in our lives, to not use it to some degree would make us ungrateful, disadvantaged, and just plain dumb. On the other hand, to rely only upon technology and allow it to consume our lives makes us equally ungrateful, disadvantaged, and dumb.

Personally, I don't know what I would do without technology, I mean, I wouldn't be able to write this amazing blog without it. I know that there have been times in which I have let technology dictate too much of my life, but I have also realized that technology cannot replace real life. It cannot duplicate the feelings associated with a conversation in person. It cannot fully capture or replicate the beauty of nature. It cannot replace the companionship of a friend or loved one. It cannot replace real life.

I believe that technology should play a role in our lives, it allows us to do so much more than our predecessors, but I think we need to be careful and recognize that it does not and cannot replace other aspects of our lives. Technology can be a blessing and a curse and we get to decide which role it plays in our lives.

With that said, this video is pretty friggin' funny cause it's true.

Calm down. No one is hating on anyone.

2010-10-10T01:05:00.000-07:00

So this blog is a bit on the serious/religious side, but I've noticed a bit of an uproar over Elder Pakcer's talk from General Conference last weekend and I want to talk about it a bit. I thought I must have missed something that was really offensive to gays and lesbians when I listened to it last week, so I read it over. Twice. And this is what I gathered from it.

First and foremost, people need to remember that these aren't the words of the Church or of Elder Packer. They are the words of God (at least that is what we believe). With that said, Elder Packer is pretty strait forward in saying that "any persuasion to enter into any relationship that is not in harmony with the principles of the gospel must be wrong." And that "Some suppose that they were preset and cannot overcome what they feel are inborn temptations toward the impure and unnatural. Not so!" Essentially stating that that marriage between husband and wife is ordained of God because it furthers the Plan of God and that God will help us overcome anything in order to further His purpose. Which purpose is to bring about "the Immortality and the Eternal Life of man." He then states "that moral standards cannot be changed by battle and cannot be changed by ballot" and that "regardless of the opposition, we are determined to stay on course. We will hold to the principles and laws and ordinances of the gospel. If they are misunderstood either innocently or willfully, so be it. We cannot change; we will not change the moral standard. We quickly lose our way when we disobey the laws of God. If we do not protect and foster the family, civilization and our liberties must needs perish."

I can see how someone who is gay could find this somewhat offensive, but he in no way said anything that the Church and God do not love people who are gay. Because they most certainly do! He is merely stating that it is a sin (since it is contrary to God's Plan) and that through the Atonement of Jesus Christ they can overcome this temptation in their life. He doesn't say that some people can't be predisposed or have natural tendencies, but he does say that people cannot use a weakness as an excuse not to obey God. If you think that means the Church is taking a stance towards hating gays and lesbians, then the church must also hate those who drink alcohol, smoke tobacco, look at porn, watch rated-R movies, lie, drink mountain dew, have premarital sex, have rude thoughts, and cuss just to name a few. Essentially, if the Church doesn't like gay people then it doesn't like anyone who isn't perfect. And that is just not true. Really, all Elder Packer is saying is that we all have agency, the ability to choose, and if we follow God and Christ then we can overcome any temptation, sin, or disposition. We can do what our Heavenly Father wants of us only if we want to do it. He ends by saying that we believe what we believe and that we will not falter in those beliefs, no matter what. Basically, the truth of God is the truth God whether or not the world wants to hear it.

I don't want this to sound disrespectful or condescending in any way, because I know that I have disagreed with and been frustrated by things in the past that have been said at General Conference. I didn't like the things that were said because they were things I didn't want to hear. I soon realized that the purpose of listening to the Prophets of God speak wasn't to hear what I agreed with or what I wanted to hear but rather what I needed to hear, what I needed to hear in order to follow God's plan so that I could find happiness in this life and return to Him some day. I believe that these words of Elder Packer have created a stir not because they are "hateful" or from a "bigot" as some have said, but rather because the truth is hard for us to hear when it means we are wrong. It might be hard to hear things that go against our own thoughts and opinions, but it allows us to know God's will and therefore submit to His will by allowing us to choose His Path through the use of our agency. This is true love, to tell us the truth so we can return to God, even if it hurts our feelings.

In the end God loves us all, no matter who we are or what we do, and he wants all of us to be happy and return to Him. Therefore, he will always show us how to achieve that goal, even if it means telling us things that we don't want to hear. I know that God has called a Prophet and 12 Apostles to help lead and guide us towards our savior Jesus Christ. And I know that if we will trust in them, thereby trusting in God, and follow the Spirit, then we will be happy in this life and in the life to come.

So please calm down everyone. There is no hating going on here. Rather, the path towards God has just been illuminated a little better.

It's just another miracle...nbd

2010-10-05T19:30:00.000-07:00

I haven't blogged in like, forever, but this past weekend was amazing so I feel the need to share it with all of you.

1- I finally got over my 10 day sinus infection.
2- I finished my one and only midterm.
3- General Conference was fantastic. I really don't remember a conference in which I learned as much and felt the spirit as much as I did during this past one. Just a few highlights for me was seeing Bro. Kearon speak in the Priesthood session, listening to President Uchtodrf expound on pride, President Monson's thoughts on choices and gratitude, and Elder Packer's talk on agency and forgiveness. It was truly inspiring and I wish that I was able to feel that way every week after church.
4- The Atlanta Braves made the Playoffs! Now for those of you who aren't baseball fans you won't quite understand just how amazing this is, but if you know anything about me then you know that I have only a few obsessions in my life and that the Atlanta Braves are one of them. The only thing that makes it any better is the fact that they are playing the San Fransisco Giants in the first round, and I just so happen to live in the area...this could be one of the greatest blessings of my entire life
5- I'm in law school....oh wait, this was a list of good things...never mind.
6- I finished the first season of Modern Family. That show is a real gem, thank you Natalie for introducing me to its beautiful comedy.
7- I got to play badmitton (how in the h do you spell that?) with my nephews and I smoked 'em. Suckers didn't know what hit 'em.
8- I love you all Marta.

Bobby Cox deserves to win one more World Series title. He is one of the greatest managers of all time and it would be a true Christmas Miracle if in his last year he was able to win another World Series...I'm praying for you Bobby!

I haven't seen you in awhile...

2010-08-20T17:51:00.000-07:00

Over the past few weeks I've been able to experience a whole crap load of change.

And now that I have finished 3 days of orientation and a full week of law school I think it is an appropriate time to step back, sit down, and reflect (and also update y'all on my life.)

So I'm not gonna lie, it is pretty weird thinking that I live in California and am enrolled in law school...I just never thought this day that I have been talking about for years now has finally come. I was skeptical about law school and just how difficult it would be, but I feel like I've now got at least a feel for how it is going to be. Orientation was ridiculous and unnecessary, but I actually really enjoyed the first week of class. I've probably read more in my textbooks during this first week than I would do in an entire year at USU, but surprisingly I've enjoyed most of it. I have 5 classes (Criminal Law, Contracts, Civil Procedure, Tort Law, and Legal research/writing) and for the most part I have really enjoyed those as well. The professors are all very interesting and different, but so far seem to really know there stuff and have a desire for all of us to comprehend the material. The overall feel of the school has been great, it seems to focus more on being cooperative that competitive, and the campus is beautiful (that's a pic outside the law building). The other students in my class seem to be pretty cool, I've met about 40 of them (there are 270 or so in my class) and I see prospects for some good friendships to be made. I'm not really sure how I fit in, being the one Mormon kid in the school, but I'm excited to see what is in store.

While my experience here has largely been a wonderful experience this far, I'd be lying if I didn't say that the experience has been bitter-sweet. I love California, I love being within 30 minutes of the Pacific Ocean, and I love hanging out with my family. On the other hand I miss my girlfriend, my family, all of my friends, and the comfort of home a great deal.I've only been here for two weeks, but it feels like Ive been here for months. I'm only a 12 hours drive from Logan, but I feel like I'm a world apart. I feel settled and comfortable, yet scattered and unsure. But overall I feel extremely fortunate and blessed to be able to have this experience.

I know that this isn't going to be the easiest experience of my life, but I know that it has the potential to be one of the greatest. I just need to be brave enough to let it be that great, life enriching experience that it can be. I need to embrace every moment and just enjoy my life. I believe that if we allow ourselves to enjoy whatever comes our way in life that we can be happy and grow into our potential.

I am optimistic, curious, and excited to see where we will all end up. For the first time in a long time I am excited to see what the future has in store for me and my loved ones.

Miss her.

Possums in Cali? Who knew?

The Conundrum

2010-07-22T20:36:00.000-07:00

I haven't written a lot as of late, but I would be lying if I said that I hadn't been doing a lot of thinking.

I've come to realize that we, and by 'we' I mean humans, often want contradictory things. Most people want consistency and security, yet at the same time most want change and freedom. We often want other people to make decisions for us, and simultaneously we want to be able to make our own decisions. To add to this we often want what we cannot, or do not have and then when we do have it we no longer want it. I don't really understand this aspect of human nature, but I believe that it is linked to our carnal attributes of ungratefulness and selfishness. This aspect of human nature creates quite the conundrum, and sets us up for some very interesting and disappointing situations.

I believe that much of this could be bypassed if we remembered one piece of information:

"Every blessing ignored becomes a curse." - Paulo Cohelo, The Alchemist

Life is the greatest blessing of all, and if we ignore it and don't acknowledge it as the blessing it is then it becomes a curse. If we recognized all the blessings in our lives then we would be content with our situations and events in life and wouldn't always be seeking those things we don't have.

On a more personal note, I want change and progress in my own life, yet I am scared to death of that same change and progress and I kind of wish I could just stay in my comfort zone aka Logan. But I know that this change will be good for me and help me grow into a better, smarter, faster, handsomer, more desirable, funnier, nicer, warmer, more Jewish, and happier person. I just need to recognize all these opportunities as a blessing and I will be able to take full advantage of them all...life is about change and mine is just about to get a big dose of it. I'm not gonna lie I am a little bit scared, but I can't wait to see what is in store for me.

I love you all Marta.

Happy time

2010-06-13T18:57:00.000-07:00

I dig holes.

It might not sound like too much fun, but it's what I do to earn a living in the summer. It gives me a great farmers tan, keeps me out of trouble, and gives me a lot of time to think.

Lately (for the past few years) I've had the topic of perspective constantly on my mind. But due to a few conversations I've had with Natalie in recent weeks and the amount of time I've had to dig holes I've been thinking a lot about the correlation between happiness and our perspective of time. I have been thinking a lot about how people, in general, never seem to be content with the present. Instead, we are always either looking forward to something/time in the future or we are looking back into our past and trying to relive our memories. Planning for the future and reminiscing about old times aren't bad things, in fact I think they are both innevitable and necessary in life. But they both become a problem when they consume our lives and limit our ability to live in the present.

In life we are all searching for happiness and for some reason many of us get the idea in our heads that the grass is always greener on the other side, that right now might suck but in the future we will be happy, or that if we could return to our past we would be happy again. Those ideas might not always be wrong, the grass could be greener on the other side, we could be happy in the future, or we could be happy if we were reliving our pasts. The problem with all those scenarios and perspectives is that we have no control over them now. Tomorrow doesn't yet exist, the future is not set, the past is gone and we can't return. When we are constantly looking to the future or the past for our happiness we are in essence living in a time that does not exist. If our happiness is only found in the future or the past then it too does not exist and therefore we will never find the happiness we so desperately seek.

The only way to find happiness is in the present, it is the only time that exists. The present is our past and our future. What we do now determines what we did in the past and what we will do in the future. That is precisely why it is so important to enjoy the now, not later or the before. So enjoy today, make the best of the grass you are standing on, live where you are, not where you think you should be. If you do that you will be happy now, the grass will be greener now, the past will be full of happiness and in the future you will find what you make of today.

You're life will be happiness.

Sometimes I fall in love

2010-06-06T22:44:00.000-07:00

It seems like about once every 3 to 6 months I fall in love with a song and listen to it non-stop.

This is the song that I am in love with right now. Hope you enjoy.

The Phenom

2010-05-30T16:23:00.000-07:00

Today I will rant a little bit about my favorite subject, Atlanta Braves baseball.

This year the Braves brought up a 20 year-old right fielder from AAA with the hopes that he would live up to his amazing potential as a baseball player and energize the entire team. There were many skeptics out there wondering whether or not that was a good move by the Braves. They wondered if he would be able to hold up under all the pressure and media coverage. Many believed he was too young and too inexperienced to handle it. Luckily for me, and all Braves fans out there, they seem to have been wrong.

It may be too early to tell, but through the first 50 games (of 162) of the season he seems to be living up to the hype that has surrounded him since day one. Among NL-Leaders he is ranked 1st in SLG (.596), 1st in OPS (1.017), 3rd in RBI (38), 3rd in OBP (.421), 7th in 3B (3), 8th in HR (10), 11th in BB (29), and 16th in BA (.301).

If you don't follow baseball (you should) then you prob don't really understand what all those stats mean, but to put it simply, Jason Heyward is among the best baseball players offensively in the Major Leagues this year. I am glad to see him and the Braves (28 - 22) doing well this season, but I can't wait to see just how good Jason Heyward becomes in the future.

With that said, I love baseball!

You might call it a metamorphosis of sorts.

2010-05-11T00:07:00.000-07:00

Pardon the french, but this has been a hell of a week (or two).

So let me give you a short synopsis of the fast week or so.
I finished my final finals at Utah State University on Wednesday at 3:45 in the pm. I finished my last semester with a whopping two B+'s, one A-, and a B. I worked at Cafe Sabor Thursday and worked my last two shifts after nearly 4 years of employment as a server there. I spent Friday packing and moving out of the hole that my landlord calls "a house" and moved into a much needed upgrade about 3 blocks away. I woke at 7:45 on Saturday and spent the day graduating with two diplomas, becoming best friends with Danny Glover, finishing moving, and partying with Nat and my family. To top it all off I recently decided to go to law school at Santa Clara in the fall so in a few short months I will be moving once again to the debt-ridden state of California.

It has been a very bitter sweet week, a week with a wide variety of emotions. I know that you're all thinking that manly men like myself don't have any emotions other than angry and immature, but I have at times felt excited, scared, happy, sad, frustrated, unworthy, proud, content, optimistic, anxious, stressed, worn-out, forgotten, loved, grateful, ordinary, and accomplished.

The future is bound to bring some heartache and pains, but I am excited to move onto the next stage in my life. I can't wait to see what the world has to offer and to grow thru whatever experiences it has in store. But I am also scared to have so much change, so much uncertainty in my life. The last 4 years of my life have been filled with certainty and constancy and I am sad to be leaving this town and University that I have come to know so well and love so much. I am sad to think of leaving the the many friends that I have made here and perhaps never seeing them again. If I could choose one word to describe how I felt I would put sad and excited together and make saxicted, ya I'm saxcited.

This may be a little premature since I still have one more glorious Summer to experience, but I just want to say to Logan, USU, my many friends, and my family that we've made a good run and that I'm gonna love ya, I'm gonna miss ya. Seriously, I will shed a few tears over this.

It's pretty much painless

2010-05-04T23:55:00.000-07:00

I gots two items of business that happen to be interrelated and are of grave consequence:

One- I am finally graduating from USU after five years of skipping class and b.s.ing on my exams. It is weird to think about finally graduating since I began my college career at USU in the fall of 2003, almost 7 years ago and now it's all coming to an end...weird, huh?

Two- Mr. Danny Glover is the speaker at my graduation commencement. I think the University made a great decision in choosing the star of the Lethal Weapons saga, Predator, and Angels in the Outfield for the graduation commencement speaker. I can only think of two people I would rather receive council from as I go out into the world, those being Jack Bauer and Tupac Shakur of course. With that said I mean no disrespect to Mr. Glover and I am extremely excited to hear him expound the mysteries of the universe and the future to me and my colleagues.

Unfortunately not everyone is so keen on Mr. Glover. Apparently he is a friend to Hugo Chavez and is "out there" because he believes in global warming. I had no idea that my favorite black actor of all-time (besides Will Smith, Samuel L. Jackson, "Morphius", Morgan Freeman, Jamie Foxx, Halle Berry, the guy from the All-State commercials, Tracy Morgan, Kenan & Kel, Denzel Washington, Bernie Mac, Don Cheadle, Chris Tucker, Chris Rock, Bill Cosby, Vince Vaughn, Eminem, and Ice Cube) had such crazy ideas. Many people in Northern Utah are in an uproar over the USU's decision to have Mr. Glover, who is a "crazy", "liberal", "socialist", "communist", "nazi", "America-hater", and "non-conservative", speak at USU. Some opponents of Mr. Glover believe he should be stripped of his US citizenship because he has different views and opposes many of the actions of the government which we all know is not allowed in the US and is considered treason and should result in his being hanged. Some people are so disturbed by Mr. Glover and his crazy ways that they now hate USU and will never donate a penny to the institution. Apparently the whomever the University chooses for it commencement speaker at graduation becomes the face of the institution and shows the true character of the institution.

I am honestly baffled at the very stringent opposition to Mr. Glover. I myself don't agree with many of the views of Mr. Glover, but what does it hurt to learn about different perspectives and ideas? In fact, I bet that he doesn't even talk about his political views, but rather talks about succeeding in life and making a difference in the world, you know, something that would make sense at a graduation speech. All those critics and haters of Mr. Glover also seem to always leave out the fact that he is a very active philanthropist and holds a key leadership position in UNICEF, not to mention his amazing acting skills. He might have some crazy ideas and disagree with the opinions of many Americans, but that that is what America is all about and it certainly doesn't make him a bad person.

People always seem to be scared of what they don't understand and things they are uncomfortable with. This insecurity and people's inability or lack of desire to understand other people and cultures often results in bigotry, hatred, and conflict. People need to lighten up and open up their minds to new ideas and perspectives it makes the world a better, happier, and more interesting place to be. I'm not saying anyone has to agree with another person's opinions or ideas (especially not Mr. Glover's), but what does it hurt to listen and try to understand something/someone a little better?

...it doesn't hurt at all.

Watch this and then try hating Danny...it's not possible.

Bane of my existence

2010-04-06T15:52:00.000-07:00

I have a problem and ironically enough it could even be termed a conundrum.

This is the conundrum: I like to sleep, in fact I need it. The problem is that I have a condition that doesn't let me sleep peacefully like I want.

The condition is called "sleep paralysis" but I prefer to call it the bane of my existence.

Sleep paralysis can happen at the onset of falling asleep (predormital paralysis) or upon waking up (postdormital paralysis). In both cases it is a time when the body has fallen asleep, or stays asleep, but the mind is conscious. Essentially, during sleep paralysis a person is conscious and often able to see, but is unable to move or speak. It's not very much fun to not be able to move, but to add to this already terrible situation, the paralysis is often accompanied by hallucinations. Unfortunately, these hallucinations aren't fun or exciting like gummy bears bouncing off the walls, or giant cookies dipping themselves in milk. Rather, the hallucinations are always hallucinations of imminent attack and death. Imagine waking up in the middle of the night to find your body paralyzed and then you see a man walking into your room with the intention of killing you. Or imagine a shapeless form of darkness entering your room and stopping at your bedside while it decides how to take your life. Or even imagine laying on your side and "feeling" the weight of someone on your back and a pillow being forced in your face as they try to smother you to death. I can't quite describe the feeling of death, I guess it's like a pit in or tightening of your stomach that makes you sick...essentially, the feeling of imminent death is frightening and sickening.

This has happened to me anywhere from once a week to once every other month since I was 17. For a long time these experiences had a drastic impact on my life and my ability to sleep. In fact, the first time it occurred I thought it must have been the devil trying to posses me and I struggled to sleep every night for a week. I didn't dare tell anyone about my experiences for over a year, and after a few years of these experiences I finally learned that the devil wasn't trying to control me and that I wasn't crazy, but rather that I had a condition that plagues almost 3 out of every 10 people in the US. So I write about this to let everyone know that if you have had or do have a similar experience that it isn't a serious condition, and it most definitely isn't the devil trying to steal your soul. That doesn't really make the experiences any easier to deal with while they are occurring, but it sure helps you to be able to go back to sleep.

...sweet dreams ya'll.

La Familia Delgado-Ruiz

2010-03-27T09:48:00.000-07:00

I just had the first and most likely the last legit spring break of my life...and I loved it!
I spent 2 days in Phoenix, 5 days in Mexico, and 9 days with my best friends.
Here's a few things that highlighted the trip.

-First time out of the country...amazing.
-The beach.
-The pool.
-The beach.
-The hot tub.
-The BEACH!
-Heckling Alfonso Soriano and the Cubs while getting dirty looks from Cubs fans nearby.
-Safe hands.
-Literally flying thru Mexico and Arizona on the way home. Props to Jose.
-Trains on the slide at the pool were out of control fun.
-Stolen car and assault.
-Run-in with the Mexican police.
-The hot Mexican sun.
-Volleyball on the beach.
-Late night walks on the beach.
-My new familia, Delgado-Ruiz.
-No cell, watch, internet, or tv.
-Henna tattoos.
-Carne Azada for pretty much every meal.
-Sleepovers.
-Best friends.
-Beautiful girl.

It was a great trip. I want to go back right now. Here are a few pics just to give you an idea of how wonderful it was...

Someone great

2010-03-10T16:55:00.000-08:00

"Someone Great" by LCD Soundsystem

I've loved this song since I heard it over a year ago, but recently it has been slaying me.

Check it.

My Contingency Plan

2010-02-26T13:08:00.000-08:00

The world is becoming a scary place these days and I am becoming increasingly concerned with my own safety and the safety of my loved ones. Everyday I hear about more wars, rumor of wars, murder, rape, inhumane acts, and vicious crimes. So this past week I was pondering upon what I need to do to prepare myself and my friends for what is to come and realized that I might have some holes in my defenses.

Sure I might be prepared to protect myself from murderers, rapists, wars, and acts of animal cruelty, but am I really ready for anything?

Luckily I have Hollywood. Movies have prepared me a contingency plan for almost any terrible, world ending situation. Like what to do if all the semi-trucks and lawn mowers in the world become possessed and try to kill all mankind, or what I should do if the earth is about to take a direct hit from a giant meteor, or even what to do if gremlins try to take over my neighborhood. Essentially, Hollywood has been preparing us for the end of the world for years, we just haven't been paying close enough attention.

But being the rational man that I am I realized that there is only one world ending situation we can and should be worried about:

A zombie outbreak.

Since realizing the seriousness of this future problem I have devoted serious thought and hours of planning in order to prepare myself for a zombie outbreak and this is what I have come up with.

My plan is simple and consists of 7 steps:
1- Acquire shotgun and loads of ammunition (for defense).
2- Stock up on beef jerky, peanut butter, and water filters (for eating and stuff).
3- Stock up on winter clothing and have it ready to go at any moment (for warmth).
4- Own a truck with plenty of gas cans (for transportation).
5- Have all of it ready to go as soon as zombie outbreak occurs (for quick escape).
6- Drive north into Alaska or Canada where it's too cold for zombies and their coagulated blood to function (for safety).
7- Enjoy hunting/fishing/sledding/living in peace until the end of your days (for happiness).

Mind you, this isn't the only plan, and maybe not even the best plan, but it is a plan and that's better than nothing. For this reason I urge all of you to honestly consider the threat of a zombie outbreak and write up a legitimate contingency plan. Also, if you have your own zombie contingency plan or advice/revisions to my plan I would ask that you please share so that we can all share in a safer, happier, and zombie-less future.

I'm ready for a zombie outbreak, are you?

You can't fool me, faker.

2010-02-24T19:59:00.000-08:00

It's student government election time at USU.

It's also a time I generally dislike.

I really have nothing against the elections themselves. I don't mind the weird shirts/bandannas/stickers/patches/tattoos/costumes/boondoggles, or the signs/posters, or the coupons for free/discounted stuff.

The thing that irks me about student elections is the all fakeness.

A week ago I could have been bleeding-out in the halls of the TSC and some of the people running for office probably would have just walked on by, not caring about me one little bit. But this week they are running for an office that pays pretty darn good (for college students) and it all depends on how many people they can get to vote for them. So today those same people who would've let me bleed to death in the TSC are my best friends and are "sincerely" concerned about me and my life. They want to know how school/work is, how the lady situation is, if I have any concerns/complaints about the University, they're even "concerned" with how my terminally ill hamster is doing. I don't even have a terminally ill hamster...idiots. They can try to act like real people, but underneath their thin skin of "care" and "concern" I can see that they are really just uncaring/money hungry robots of fakeness.

Granted, I have quite a few friends running for various positions and I wish them the best of luck in the elections. But that still doesn't change my feelings for the whole election process. I don't like how it makes people fake and I don't like how people think that I'm suddenly their best friend.. .it's annoying. I won't ever trust you fake peoples, I'm not about to get fooled like Willy did in "I am Legend"...mostly because I don't want to get killed by zombies, but also mostly because I don't want to have to kill my best/only friend. So please don't be fake with me cause it won't work, I'm real.

Fred fooled Will. Don't expect to be so lucky with me fakers.

A tribute

2010-02-23T17:08:00.000-08:00

My Mother turned (censored) this year and for her birthday she got her first real cell phone.

She chose (actually, it was most likely my electronic savvy Father who chose for her) an iPhone. I laughed at first when she showed it to me and said, "Look Brett, I finally got a cell phone." I couldn't believe that my technology resistant Mom was finally going the way of the world by owning a cell phone.

To understand my awe and disbelief you need understand the relationship my Mom and technology have. My mom might say that she knows how to use technology just fine, but that is a lie. For example, about 15 years back my Mom couldn't figure out how to turn the computer on and had to as my 3 year-old sister to do it for her. To this day my Mom struggles with simple technology like e-mail, cell phones, wireless internet, television recordings, GPS devices, and surface to air missile systems; yet she somehow is able to stay connected with the world and her loved ones.

The amount of knowledge my Mom has concerning electronics and technology is laughable, but I give her props for taking a step of faith into the world of cellular devices. I had the opportunity of teaching my Mom to text, to make and receive calls, and the wonders of You Tube. It was a great birthday and now I enjoy having deep and intellectual text conversations with my Mom...it is great.

My Mom is the best, she is a saint, and I love her.

I know you probably won't read this Mom, but I love you and I'm proud of you for finally being all growed up!

Thinkings and Ponderings

2010-02-19T17:21:00.000-08:00

Do you want to know more about the world?
Do you consider mullets to be a legitimate haircut or just plain awesome?
Are you sick of reading "news" in the Statesman and local opinion newspapers?
Do you ever stay awake at night worrying about global warming and how we can make it warmer?
Do you wonder why penguins look so funny when they walk?
Would you like to get some new fresh insights into different events around the globe?
Do you like cool shiz?

If you answered yes to all or one or none of these questions then I suggest you check out my new blog titled "Inform This!" It will be a weekly or bi-weekly blog covering different world events, both current and past, that have worldwide importance.

I am pretty sure you should check it out if you want to get smarts...here it is.

That's your empty brain he is sweeping up. Get to my new blog soon and often so your brain isn't empty.

My obsession

2010-02-19T16:56:00.000-08:00

I realized that spring training is right around the corner and a spark of excitement shot into my heart. I love baseball. I love to play baseball. I love to watch baseball. I love to read about baseball. I love to think about baseball. I LOVE baseball. Along with new socks and steak dinners it is one of the few passions I have in this thing we call life.

Some people say I am weird. Others say I am obsessed. They give me weird looks of disgust and wonder.

I say so what? I'm obsessed with baseball. Ger over it. It's too sophisticated for you to understand...I love baseball and I don't care who knows it!

In particular, I am obsessed with the Atlanta Braves. They have been my team since my conception and I will never stray from the path.I am pretty sure they will be pretty darn good this year and I have high hopes for their chances of making the playoffs...oh that would be grand.

Best part is that I am going to be able to see one or two spring training games in Phoenix during spring break...best idea that I have ever had or heard, I cannot freaking wait!

This is gonna be a great year for me and baseball. I can feel it in my bones.

PS- if you can name each Braves player in these photos I will be your friend forever.

I guess I'm grateful...sort of.

2010-02-10T13:46:00.000-08:00

I've heard a few time that trials and tribulation make us grow and help us to develop skills and abilities that otherwise we might not have developed. This has never more sense to me than it did a few evenings ago after a friend of mine told me I give the best back massages in the world.

It made me think about how I gained that special ability. It brought me back to my younger years. The year two-thousand and three. It brought me back to a time of immense joy, but also a time of extreme trial.

The summer after I graduated (7 years ago) I moved to Gilroy, California to live with my bro Clint and his family for the summer. It was a very memorable summer, I have some great memories of hanging out with the boyz, board games, baseball, building a patio/walkway, the beach, and just having a grand old time.

But it also includes some memories that are equally as memorable, but for less enjoyable reasons. My bro is a physical therapist and he was able to set me up with a pretty sweet job as an aide at his clinic. I had no prior experience, but I got a lot of on the job training and quickly learned the ropes. For the most I really enjoyed my job, it was a pretty low stress, I met a lot of random people, I worked with my bro, and I learned a lot about a lot of things.

Unfortunately tho, my job wasn't all fun and games. I can't tell you how many times patients came in and I would be the one that had to give them a "lower back" massage or what I have like to call the "upper butt massage." Now that wouldn't be too bad if the majority of patients in a physical therapy office were young and attractive girls, but that is not the reality. In fact, the exact opposite is true, the majority of patients are old and overweight.

I want you to imagine giving a lower-back/upper-butt massage to a 300 pound man/woman in his/her 50's or 60's. Now close your eyes and imagine that person laying face down on the table with their shirt off and their rear-end exposed... don't think about it too long tho, cause I just threw up a little bit in my mouth doing that exact exercise. Now try and imagine yourself giving that person a massage. It's not a fun thing to imagine is it. You also need to take into account that these ain't no sissy "feel-good" massages, these are intense, deep-tissue massages. Meaning, that I often worked up a little bit of a sweat in order to be able to work the muscles under the layers of fat in order to do my job correctly. Now imagine giving 5 or 6 of those massages a day, 5 days a week

Luckily, this terrible time in my life brought some positive consequences into my life. I am now a very skillful and talented masseuse...so I guess I'm grateful for all those fat and old people with "lower back" problems. Your pain and my trial have come together to create in me a very useful skill. And for that, I thank you.

Moral of the story: Make lemonade out of life and enjoy it.

Thanks Clint, Kadie, and Boyz for everything you've done for me. Ya'll are a great example to me and how I want/need to live my life. I love you all a great deal.

Harry Potter, you're a wizard!

2010-02-07T13:55:00.000-08:00

As many of you might know, I have been planning for about the past year on attending law school in the fall of 2010. Thus far I have been accepted to 2 schools (Seton Hall, DePaul) and rejected by 1 (George Mason). That leaves 7 schools I have yet to hear from.

During this waiting period I have been somewhat nervous concerning my acceptance to law school, that was until yesterday when I received a very unexpected and life changing letter in the mail. I retrieved the mail in the early afternoon to find this gem waiting patiently for me in the mailbox.

I couldn't believe it. I had just received a letter from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. In fact I didn't believe it. I thought for sure it was a hoax or some kind of sick joke. Due to my extensive knowledge concerning the Harry Potter books and movies I was able to subject the envelope and its contents to a very close inspection and perform testing in order to deduct that the envelope and the letter it contained were indeed legitimate.

I have been accepted to one of the world's greatest educational establishments. It truly is a Christmas miracle for this to have happened to me and I am still a little shocked and disbelieving when I think about it. Every time I doubt the validity of it all I just pull out the letter and all my doubts and fears are silenced. This is the real deal. This is legit.

Forget about being a lawyer and learning to sue people, I'm going to be a freaking wizard and learn to cast a confundus charm on your face and fend off dementors with my sweet patronus (which will be a great-horned owl of course). It will be a great, life changing experience and I cannot wait to further my secondary education in the realm of witchcraft and wizardry.

To all you who might be against my attendance at Hogwarts or against witchcraft and wizardry in general, I am sorry and I hope it does not destroy or ruin our relationship in anyway, but I need to fulfill my destiny and it now lies at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

I can't wait to hook up with Hermione...HOGWARTS FALL 2010 chubbies!

Thanks girls, you are great. That letter made my day/week/month/year.

PS- I made that shirt myself. It is inspired by Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.

I'm not rude, I'm just really funny.

2010-01-31T18:16:00.000-08:00

As most of you all know, I am generally a pretty chill, quiet, mellow, and reverent person in demeanor...but there are times at which I am a little out of control. Last Sunday was one of those days.

During Sacrament meeting there was a girl sitting in front of me that sparked a conversation on paper between myself and Michelle. It was written in my notebook that I carry with my scriptures and I read it today and it made me laugh. It's a bit rude and inconsiderate, but here it is nonetheless...don't judge me to harshly, I just like to laugh a lot.

Brett: That chick is pastey white, like freaking albino pastey.
Michelle: Some people don't fake bake. Don't hate.
B: Some people would be a fried chicken if they did, like whitey albino in front of us.
B: Are you a little sensitive about the subject?
M: I've spent the majority of my life being 65% albino.
B: True that. Double True.
M: Sunburns are overrated.
B: ...what does that even mean?
M: I have no answer.
B: I win.
M: False.
B: She is borderline see-through.
M: I can no longer come to church with you. I can't concentrate with this nonsense.
B: See ya later.
B: I'd say she's almost blue she's so see-through...her hair is even albino.

That's what I call it

2010-01-24T20:14:00.000-08:00

I've gotten into painting lately and I've been loving it.
This is the second painting I have done in the last month, which is about 200 percent more paintings than I have done in the past 6 years...it feels great.

It the second piece in the series of artwork I like to "The R.L.s Series."
Hope you think it's as awesome as I think it is.

You need to calm down

2010-01-20T23:10:00.000-08:00

I decided recently that girls make no sense (again).

Example:

I was walking thru the TSC on campus, just minding my own dang business, when a girl shouted with joy and jumped up in the air several times while she held a letter she had just retrieved from the mail box over her head. I kept walking, but I watched her and her friend closely so I could find out what was awesome enough to make this girl literally shake out of excitement and joy. Being the rational, clear-headed man that I am, I assumed the girl must have won 10,000 bucks or something equally cool like a new car or a trip to Europe. So imagine my surprise (and disgust) when I heard her say that it was a letter from a missionary...ya, it continues to blow my mind. This girl was about to have a seizure/panic attack/near death experience over one letter from a boy on a mission. I couldn't believe it and I stared at the girl in awe and wonder as I walked past. I couldn't/cannot figure out why this girl was so excited to receive a letter, it makes absolutely no sense to me.

But I guess I'm not really all that surprised by it tho since I don't understand much about the female race.
In fact, there are only a handful of things I do understand about girls:
-they cost a lot of money.
-they don't shower as often as I do.
-it's always that time of the month.
-they are fun to tease.
-they smell nice or at least they should.
-i like them.

Moral of the story:

Girls are dramatic, crazy, emotional, and irrational. I can hope that they will grow up, calm down, and become rational, but that would require me to live in a perfect/fantasy world. Instead, I'll choose to be realistic and just accept the fact that they will always be crazy and that I will always need/want them in my life.

It has to be true.

2010-01-19T16:48:00.000-08:00

I had the opportunity to watch the Joseph Smith movie that is published by the church this past week and it was amazing. I shed two tears.

I just feel the need to declare my knowledge that Joseph Smith did indeed see God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ, and they did in reality speak to him. I know that Joseph Smith is a Prophet of God, and that he was the servant Christ used to restore His gospel and His church back to the earth. Christ lives and loves us. We can find joy, happiness, and life eternal if we but choose Him. It is up to us, we have the power to choose, to choose life or death, happiness or misery, Christ or the devil, Heaven or hell. Let us waste no more time. Let us become the people God intended us to be. Let us choose now whom we will follow, whom we will serve.

I know this is true. It must be true. It has to be true, I am living my whole life upon that precept.

un-real un-derstanding

2010-01-18T23:44:00.000-08:00

Life has its ups and downs.
Right now might be a down,
But it might be an up.
I don't know.
I don't really want to talk about it.
But...
The words stick in my throat,
They don't want me to let them free,
They want to suffocate me.
Yet they want to escape.
They want to breathe.
It doesn't make sense,
But what does?
Gravity? Nope.
Girls? False.
The World? Strike three.
I don't understand.
I can't understand.
I want to understand.
I need to understand.
Is that so much to ask?
Is that too unrealistic?
Probably.
Yet. I will understand.
I must understand.

I need more monies

2010-01-10T14:11:00.000-08:00

I just spent about 400 bucks this last week.
I call it an investment in my future.
Or at least that's what I make myself call it so I sleep better at night when I think about those monies I no longer have.
Those 400 precious dollars were spent applying to law schools across the country.

Consisting of [School - Location (Ranking)]:
Arizona State University - Tempe, AZ (55)
Brigham Young University - Provo, UT (41)
DePaul University - Chicago, IL (87)
University of Florida - Gainesville, FL (51)
George Mason University - Washington DC (41)
George Washington University - Washington DC (28)
Lewis & Clark College - Eugene, OR (61)
Santa Clara University - Santa Clara, CA (85)
Seton Hall University -South Orange, NJ (77)
University of Utah - Salt Lake, UT (45)

I won't know to which schools I am accepted until April/May. Now let's just use out imaginations and say that a miracle occurs (it will take a miracle) and I am accepted to all 10 of the schools to which I applied.
If that happens to be the case, then I don't really know where I should go and I need your help in deciding.
So, to which school do you propose I gain an education of law?
All ideas/thoughts/perspectives/opinions/answers/solutions are wanted/needed/hoped for/accepted.
Thanks.
I'm gonna love ya, I'm gonna miss ya.

Global whating?

2010-01-08T12:10:00.000-08:00

So i keep hearing about this global warming stuff, and how the globe is getting warmer, but it looks to me like we need to find ways to keep it warmer.

Read this.

And this.

Global warming does seem to be a growing problem as the globe gets colder and colder...I think George Bush was right when he said we need to worry about the warming of the globe and how to get it warmer.

Go Ducks!

2010-01-07T22:13:00.000-08:00

I had one of the greatest trips of my life this past weekend.
Let me tell you about it in the form of a bulleted list....if you don't mind.

-spent over 20 hours in a car laughing with 3 funny sons o' chubbies.
-watched crazies on the strip in Vegas.
-watched Naterob kiss a black chick and the 35 year old, 300 lb. sun.
-got a new years kiss.
-"Go Ducks!" -drunk dude on strip.
-stayed up past 4 in the morning 5 nights in a row.
-wore short sleeve shirts in the 50 degree weather of St. George for 3 days and in the 70 degree weather of Phoenix for a day.
-went 2 for 2 on knocking down chairs and 1 for 2 on catching shrimp in my mouth when I fell on the floor in the sushi grill in front of my peers.
-had in-n-out.
-bought 4 air soft-guns and had a blast shooting each other (easily the best purchase we made the entire trip).
-one good late night/early morning chat.
-the envelope game.
-killer pong.
-losing at mini golf and taking 10 air-soft gun shots to the back.
-"Put the gun down!" -Naterob
-BSU 17, TCU 10.
-best part of the trip? Spending a weekend with 3 of my best friends and the coolest group of girls I've known. Ever.

Easily the best road trip I have been on to date. I just hope I can go on more before I become a real adult.

I are artsy

2009-12-23T01:51:00.000-08:00

So my little sister is having her 18th birthday on the 30th and I had no idea what to get her. I didn't want to just buy a gift card to some lame store like Forever 21 or something so I tried hard to think of a sweet A present. I couldn't think of anything cool (other than a bonsai tree), so I decided to make her something.

This is my attempt at making a present/creating artwork.
Behold.

I call it "The R.L.s 1".

I realized again how much I love art.
I think I will do it more often.

I feel dirty inside...

2009-12-21T16:15:00.000-08:00

So working at a restaurant often allows one to meet people they otherwise would not have met and have experiences they otherwise would not have had.

This past week at Sabor was one of those times.

Thursday night, there was a table in the restaurant of 6 ladies celebrating a birthday and getting drunk off their A's. I wasn't their server, but as they left I noticed one of the ladies still had on one of our sombreros. They aren't cheap (something like $150 a piece) so I tried to stop them, but they ran out with the hat in a drunken jog/sway laughing. I wasn't about to chase them, so I told my manager and he ran out to talk to them, but they were already in their cars and peeling away from the restaurant.

I chuckled a little to myself and shook my head. That was the last of that sombrero...or so I thought.

About a half hour later, the drunkest girl out of the bunch walked in with the sombrero. I happened to be near the front door and she walked over to me and said she had caught the culprit who stole the hat and she went on to say she was sorry about 7 times. She handed me the hat and went in for a hug. I was caught off gaurd, so I just kind of went with it.

Next thing I know, she is whispering some crap in my ear as she grabs my butt. Then she had the audacity to kiss me on the cheek. She walked away with a smile while she said thank you.

I couldn't quite believe what had happened. I just stood there as she walked out the door and left me shocked and more than a little bit disturbed. I had just been kissed by a drunk girl and been taken advantage of at the same time and it didn't feel very good.

I'm trying to laugh about it now, but I just feel so dirty inside...

4x4, a face full of snow, and a Christmas miracle.

2009-12-13T20:47:00.000-08:00

I had an experience and I feel the need to write it down. This is my method.

I went to Park City this weekend to party with a good group of friends and while I was down there I decided to visit my dear friend Nat in Midway. It was my first time in the beautiful city and I had a very enjoyable time. While I was indoors tho, it happened to snow a good 8 inches. I left Nat's house at about 1 in the am and headed back up to Park City to party. It was great fun to drive on roads full of snow and unmolested by other less worthy vehicles and drivers. I had a great time sliding around in the snow, fish-tailing, and doing donuts.

Eventually, the fun started to wear off and I realized what kind of situation I was really in. I was in an area I had never been in before, late at night, and in the middle of a pretty heavy snow storm/blizzard. I didn't really let it get to me, but in the back of my head doubt and concern of my safety were beginning to sound.

I got on the highway back to Park City and that's when the real blizzard hit. I wasn't able to see the road because no one had driven on the roads in awhile and so my focus wasn't to stay in between the lines, but rather to stay on the road at all. That usually isn't too hard, but due to the blizzard I was struggling to be able to see the markers that boarder the highway on both sides. With all that said, no real panic set in until I passed an exit sign that was completely covered in snow and I realized I might not be able to recognize my exit when in came. I thought up scenarios of driving aimlessly for hours in the storm, losing control, sliding off the road and freezing to death somewhere north of Midway. I passed a few more illegible signs and I decided that rather than panic I needed to pray.

I quietly said a prayer to myself that I could have the Spirit with me to find my exit. Not even kidding, the next sign I saw had no snow on it, was completely legible and said "Park City Next Exit 1 Mile". It was a tho someone had wiped just that one sign clean. I soon found the exit and in no time I was back at the mansion called a cabin in Park City. Prayer is real. God is real. He cares for us and will bless us if we are willing to ask and to show forth a little faith. Thank you Heavenly Father for the many blessings you have bestowed upon me, my family, and my friends.

I'm a sucker for a good Christmas miracle.

Realptimistic

2009-12-02T14:07:00.000-08:00

Optimism. Would you consider it a good thing?
You prob do. And for the most part I would agree with you.
But the real question is, can optimism be a bad thing?
In some instances, I believe this to be true.

What good is optimism if it makes you miss or avoid reality and in turn creates more problems and issues. Looking at and dealing with reality allows us to more accurately asses a situation and act accordingly. If you are "optimistic" by pretending that the situation is better than it really is, then chances are you will only make more mistakes and make the situation worse.

That's exactly why we are in our current economic situation, everyone was overly-optimistic. No one prepared for or imagined that tough times could be ahead, everyone assumed that the good times would continue to roll when all the signs were saying that the growth and economic situation were unrealistic and bound to change in the near future. But "optimism" kept us from seeing the truth, it shaded our eyes and now we've fallen into a deep hole.

It's also the reason I believe the recession is far from over, all these stimulus packages have done nothing but postpone the innevitable. We made some mistakes in the past, we went to far in debt and the recession is the consequence. By going through all these measures to soften the blow we have only postponed our consequences, not avoided them all together. Bad decisions bring bad consequences, that's just how life is.

Don't think that I'm a pessimist from these comments, cause I most certainly am not. I hope to make the best of the future, but I don't think we can do that if we are misleading ourselves today by being overly-optimistic. By being realistic today, i can truly be optimistic about the future, it won't necessarily cause me to be over-optimistic.

We need to optimistic, but we also need to be realistic in order to change and improve.
Just don't be stupid and live in a world that doesn't exist. Instead create a better world by living in the real world.

If I could sum it up in two words, I would choose optimistic and realistic. Put them together and you get...realptimistic.

Ya.

Embrace your inner-animal

2009-11-26T10:22:00.000-08:00

My Spirit Animal

I have a problem when I sleep.

2009-11-23T14:25:00.000-08:00

I haven't been getting very much sleep as of late.
So I left my 9:30 class early today and went home to take a nap.

Ya, i went home to take a nap at 10 in the morning.
I was exhausted.
Don't judge me.

My dream, like all dreams, made a lot of sense at the time, but now it just sounds crazy awesome.

I am running down main street and tugging a royal blue, 14 foot canoe behind me.
Some dude in sunglasses and a chick with big hair are chasing me while dragging their own canoe.
I don't really understand why, but I need to get the hell away from them.
Main street begins to fill with water and I jump into the canoe as the current takes me swiftly away from my pursuers.
I'm not worried anymore. I'm just excited to be floating down main street on a canoe.
Of course tho, just as I am really enjoying my float down the street all the water begins to drain down the big drains on the corner of 1400 north.
Panic sets in again as I realize that my canoe isn't gonna last long being pushed along the rough asphalt.
Luckily, the canoe doubles as a sail. I grab the sides of the canoe as it lifts up into the air.
I'm flying superman style behind my canoe turned sail/flying device.
I hit traffic and panic hits again as I fly narrowly between speeding UPS trucks on both sides.
Just as I am about to hit one of the trucks head on, I pull up and fly into the sky.
I am flying swiftly thru the air...what an amazing feeling!
I've never had so much fun, the feeling of flying is better than anything I have yet experienced in my life and I realize that this is the first time in my life that I have flown in a dream...
No sooner had I realized this than my great dream quickly turned into a terrible nightmare.
I began to spin out of control and everything turned dark.
I instantly opened my eyes to the sight of my room on fire and the sound of sirens and screaming.
I wanted to jump up out of bed and run, but I couldn't move, couldn't shout, I could only lay there and watch the fire consume my room and imagine my imminent death.
I'm awake, conscious, and I begin to truly panic as the feeling of death creeps into my bones and makes my stomach twist and turn with pain.
Death is so close...I struggle and struggle and somehow break free from my paralysis. The hallucination is gone in an instant.

And I realize, it's not on fire.
I'm not going to die by being burnt alive.
Praise the Lord.
I had almost pooped my pants.

I hate my condition.

I choose you!

2009-11-21T14:35:00.000-08:00

Immortality Institute by The Abandoned Hospital Ship
This isn't much of a music video, it's mostly just a picture with music playing, but this song is amazing and easily my favorite non-church song.
So please, just go listen to it.
I love it.
You'll love it

PS- For those of you wondering, my favorite song of all time is "If you could hie to Kolob". It is amazing.
PPS- You can download The Abandoned Hospital Ship's album for free here.

Hush baby, don't cry.

2009-11-08T20:44:00.000-08:00

There is a lot of crappy shiz going on out there in the world these days. Times are rough and there are probably some even harder times ahead of us.

Bad things are always going to happen, that's life and we can't control it. But we can control how we react to it. Let's take control of the situation and make the best of it. And I think that I have the perfect solution. Just laugh. Laugh at it. Life is ironic. Life isn't fair. So what? Just make the best of it. Laugh at the good. Laugh at the bad. Laughing doesn't only make life bearable, but it makes it enjoyable. Take what life gives you and enjoy it.

Just laugh it.

If you need some help to get you started, just watch this and laugh...Life is tenawesome.

My mom says it's impolite...

2009-10-25T19:11:00.000-07:00

If someone asked me what my best talent was, you know what I would say?

Belching.
Burping.
Ructusing.
Or eructating.

Ask anyone who knows anything about me and they'll admit I'm pretty good at it. Not only are they loud, but they last a long time and they smell delectable. The reason I mention this is not to tute my own horn, but because of an experience I had in the Hub the other day.

So anyone that has visited the hub at USU knows that it employs people with disabilities to pick up the trash and clean the tables. So one day, we were having Hub Club by just eating and enjoying our time with friends. So in mid conversation I had to belch pretty bad so I let it loose. At that moment, 2 disabled employees were cleaning the garbage near us and when they heard me belch they both started laughing. Those 2 guys were smiling from ear to ear, they thought my belch was one of the funniest things they had heard. One of them even told me that my belch sounded just like an elk.

An elk!
What an honor.

We all had a good laugh about it and continued on with Hub Club. A few minutes later the 2 guys walked by and both of them were watching me, just waiting for me to belch again, but I didn't have one and I could tell they were disappointed. So I made sure that I had one ready the next time they walked by and I let another loud belch go. They started laughing again and we followed with some loud laughter ourselves. It was great. So much joy out of something so simple.

See mom, belches are good for something.

Homeless in Seattle

2009-10-20T18:19:00.000-07:00

There are a few constants in every big city:

Skyscrapers
Dark alleys
Strip clubs
Good food
and Homeless people

I don't know what it was about Seattle this past week, but the homeless people there loved me and I feel like giving to them was my fee to visit the city and see the sites each day. I swear I was approached by at least 3 homeless people each day asking for some type of help . (By approached I don't mean those sitting on the sidewalk with signs or shaking a cup at the corner of a busy intersection, i mean literally approached.) I would be walking with 10 other people, all of which were better dressed, nicer looking, and cooler than me, and some homeless dude would walk right up to me and only ask me for help. I swear they didn't even glance at anyone else I was with. They would walk across the street in front of oncoming traffic to ask me for money and food, they would grab my elbow from behind in the market and tell me how they just got out of prison and need help finding work or a cab to Tacoma. They would freaking block my path and only my path on the sidewalk to tell me I was a good kid and I needed to help them.

You might think to yourself, "well it's because you are a 6'6" giant sore thumb just asking for attention and beggars." I would normally agree, but I wasn't the only 6'6" sore thumb on the trip. Eric was usually there too and they didn't look at him twice and we all know he has more money than me. Then you might think, "well maybe you're just an idiot and fall into their traps easy." In this case you might be right, I guess I could have just shrugged them off or lied and said I didn't have any money.But does having compassion and being honest make me an idiot?

No it doesn't. I am no idiot.

I really have no idea why they only approached me on this trip, maybe I just look extra nice and giving? If that's it I can't complain one bit, but we all know that's a stretch. I guess I'm just a sucker for homeless peeps and I'm prob pretty easy to read.

And I'm ok with that.

Seattle was great, the company was hilarious, and the sights were beautiful.

Paying off the homeless was worth it.

Best Road trip of '09. By far.

Later now, or now later?

2009-10-12T23:59:00.000-07:00

You remember the candy "Now and Later" right? They are initially really hard, so you suck on them now for awhile and the next thing you know you've got chewy goodness later, right?
Well today I saw something that made me realize what a messed up society we live in.
I saw "Now and Later Soft." Initially I thought they just had a new package, but under close scrutiny and careful sampling I realized these weren't your regular Now and Later treats. They weren't hard at all like most Now and Laters, they were only chewy.

There was no now and later, it was only later, now.

I was dumbfounded.
I couldn't understand what I was experiencing.
Was I experiencing the now or the later?
Was I chewing the later now?
If so, is that how time travel works?
Or was I simply enjoying the now?

I concluded I wasn't enjoying the now because the now was traditionally the hard portion of the candy, so I must have been eating the later. The only problem is how do you have later, when there is no sooner, no now? It's crazy to think about, right?

Now think about this: This is exactly what is wrong with our society today. We are trying to enjoy the later, now. It doesn't make sense, and it most certainly doesn't work. You can't enjoy tomorrow today. You can't have your wealth at age 60 when you're 19. It is not possible.

Today no one ever wants to work for anything, all we want is instant gratification. We want it all at once. I need a cheeseburger now. I need a new car now. I need a boat now. I need a house now. I need a hot tub now. I need a pet tiger now. I need all that my parents worked for for over 40 years now.

Now now now. Need need need. That is what we have been reduced to. A bunch of lazy people, never willing to work for anything, never willing to wait, never willing to have patience and enjoy the real now. Instead we want tomorrow and forget today. That's why we are unhappy and unsatisfied, we live in a time that doesn't exist called tomorrow.

You want to be happy? Eat a now and later. Live now, not later.

#1 Threat to America...Kittens

2009-09-13T17:42:00.000-07:00

I sell Mexican food. Sometimes I smell like Mexican food.

I've been there (Cafe Sabor) for 3 years now, and I've come to learn some very interesting things. Most of all, how strange some people in this world are.

This past Friday night I was serving tables out on the patio, and I had one particular table that made me laugh at how ridiculous some people can be. It was two couples and their children just enjoying a night out to eat. They didn't seem to be very weird, just your average table that pretty much just sits there and eats without talking. So about half way thru their meal, one of the guys at the table grabs my attention. I go over and ask what I can do for them. He informs me in a disgusted tone that there is a cat out there. Mind you we were outside, so I said, "Ok, cool." But that wasn't what he wanted to hear, he wanted me to get rid of it or something. So I went over to where this vicious cat was, and I find a kitten, weighing a whopping 2 lbs and that's being generous on the fat side. As soon as I see the kitten, it flees. So I turn back to the guy, shrug my shoulders and say "I don't really know what I can do about that." Then he informed me that he was gonna stomp it if it even came close to him. So i shrugged again, made an unintelligible remark and walked off.

I thought for sure that would be the end of that, but the rest of the evening he continued to harass me and other servers working out on the patio about the kitten that was disrupting their dinner...freakin' weirdo.

Guess I should have realized that kittens are the number 1 threat to Americans.

Wonderful Inventions

2009-09-03T13:56:00.000-07:00

Last night at about 2:30 a.m., after an exciting adventure floating cutler I witnessed a genius invention. Courtesy of Matthew.

It goes like this:

We went to Burger King to grab a little late night grub. We had to go through the drive-thru since it was closed inside. But we had a dilemma, our gracious driver, Natalie, didn't want to have her car smell like rodeo burgers and we wanted 3 of 'em.

What were we to do?

Luckily, Matthew thought quickly and rolled down the window. We were all expecting him to hold it out the window on the way home. But. To our amazement he rolled the window up on bag so that it pinched the top of the bag, allowing the burgers to hang freely (and safely) out the window.

This wonderful invention allowed everyone to be appeased creating a Pareto scenario. Natalie didn't have a car smelling of rodeo burger and Matthew was not required to put strain on his arm by holding it out the window the entire trip.

It was amazing. A borderline miracle.

X-Men for real?!

2009-09-02T15:52:00.001-07:00

So I just discovered that my favorite childhood comic book is for reals. X-men is the story about good mutants who fight evil ones. I always thought it was a ridiculous idea, but a new study recently published shows that each and everyone one of us have anywhere from 150 - 200 mutations...

We are all mutants!
Now the key is to harness those mutations and all the energy behind them and become the mutants out mommas want us to become.
I can't wait to shoot lasers out of my eyes, fly, and stab stuff with the bones comin' out of my knuckles...oh what a glorious day!

Maximus Desimus Meridius

2009-08-30T16:29:00.000-07:00

Just watched my favorite movie.

Gladiator.

It gets me everytime.

I think I'll name my first boy Maximus so he'll grow up to have strong and good morals. So that he will influence those around him for the positive. So he'll grow to be a real man, a good man.

Such a good movie.

The soundtrack is amazing too. Hans Zimmer is a genius.

She's a man eater

2009-08-10T22:42:00.000-07:00

How do you feel about Hillary Clinton? Well if you feel about her the same way I do, you'll love to know how easy it is to get under her skin. Check out this video.

Not for the faint of heart

2009-07-29T17:38:00.000-07:00

There is a lot of crap TV out there, so whenever anything good is found I tend to get obsessed with it for awhile. Case and point, my 2 year obsession with the Office. I've recently been watching "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia". It is a hilarious show, but not for everyone, and definitely not for the faint of heart. It often goes over the line, and then keeps going until you think it's over and it continues going over the line. Even with that said, I still watch it because it is one of the funniest shows I have ever seen and here is a little clip I enjoy a great deal.