My Life as a Dog

A Wii for Mii

2008-07-17T09:53:00.005-06:00

I just ordered myself a Wii gaming system. Last Monday, I went to my singles FHE at Ryan's house. He brought out the Wii and we had a little fun playing tennis, boxing, and bowling. I particularly liked tennis. Maybe it was because I got a few smoking fast serves in. (And I was the only one who could do it!) When it came to boxing, I got knocked out by Carol. I think she might have been taking out her frustrations on me. The next day I found myself a little sore. My serving shoulder is still a little tender and my left leg hasn't quite recovered from all the lunges in bowling.

I just received an e-mail saying that it was now shipping. I just hope my muscles are ready for it when it gets to my house. :)

Spare Change - Robert B. Parker

2008-07-16T16:36:00.001-06:00

Robert B. Parker is one of my favorite authors but I've mostly stuck to reading his Spencer series. In fact I've read all but the newest of the Spenser books. But I do have it on my hold list at the library. While I was waiting for that one I needed something else to take on my San Francisco trip. I thought why try a book from one of his other series. Thus I checked out Spare Change: A Sunny Randall Novel.

I gotta admit that I was a little skeptical as to how much I would like it. But Parker quickly won me over. How did he do that, you ask. (Well pretend you did ask.) Right away, he let's us know that the setting is the same for the Spenser series. Sunny Randall is a private investigator in Boston. Spenser is also a private investigator in Boston. Then we find out that Sunny is seeing a shrink. It's not just any shrink, it's Susan Silverman, Spenser's love interest. Through the course of the novel Sunny interacts with characters (Belson, Quirk, etc.) that we are already familiar with from Spenser books. And of course, Parker's dialogs between the various characters are filled with the quick wit that I love.

Another thing that makes me lover Parker's writing is that he personifies the dogs. Each dog is a regular character with thoughts, emotions, etc. In the Spenser series there is Pearl, Spenser and Susan's dog, who provides many of the humorous moments. Knowing that, Sunny would have to have to have a dog also, right? Parker does not disappoint. While Rosie, Sunny's dog, didn't have as many funny moments, Rosie did become one of the main characters and added her own humorous interactions with the other characters.

So if you are a fan of the Spenser series and love Parker's writing there, don't be afraid to check out the other series. (I've started a Jesse Stone novell by Parker. So I'll let you know how it works out.)

Spray Paint Artist - San Francisco

2008-07-13T17:57:00.004-06:00

While we were in San Francisco we got to see plenty of street artists along Fisherman's Wharf. None of them quite compare though to the guy doing spray paint art. The guy shown here is not the guy we saw but the painting he makes and the techniques he uses are very similar to the one we did see.

Janet Has No Friends

2008-07-13T16:09:00.006-06:00

Often when trying to find old friends on Facebook, I'll search for their names. If they don't have a photo and they do not belong to any network it's often difficult to determine whether they are the person you are looking for or not. So, I will click the View Friends option to see if we share any of the same friends. I find it disconcerting to learn that "Janet has no friends." How sad! :(

San Francisco - Day 4: July 5, 2008

2008-07-12T23:17:00.001-06:00

Our fourth and final day in San Francisco consisted largely of touring Alcatraz. The tour was with Alcatraz Cruises. They launch the ferry from Pier 33 and we didn't realize just how far away it was or how long it would take us to get there. We didn't run, but close.

Once on the island they hand out headsets and audio players so that you can give yourself a tour. It works out really well. The audio is delivered by either guys that used to be in prison on the island or by some of the officers that served there. It certainly made it more interesting. We caught the ferry back to the mainland and glimpsed our first view of the Golden Gate Bridge without it being obstructed by fog. Woo hoo!

Once we got back to the pier we had food on the brain. The group of us walked to Boudins to eat once again. This time it was in the sit down restaurant upstairs. And on the way out I had to pick up a few loaves of sourdough to bring home with me.

Following Boudins it was back to the hotel to pick up our luggage and head to the airport. It was a fun trip. Thanks, Ben, Beth, and the girls for letting me be part of your family vacation. And I'm glad Launa and Nick came along too. I think we all had a good time.

Ferry Ride to Alcatraz Island
Don't Try to Take Any Prisoners!
Alcatraz Island
Audio Tour of Alcatraz
BriAnne Was Naughty
Waiting for the Ferry Back to San Francisco
San Francisco From the Ferry
Golden Gate Bridge (Finally Without Fog)
One Last Stop at Boudins
Buying Bread for the Road

Getting Around in San Francisco

2008-07-12T22:33:00.007-06:00

Who knew there were so many ways to tour San Francisco?!

San Francisco Tour Guide Extraordinaire - BriAnne

2008-07-11T20:02:00.013-06:00

BriAnne is my niece. She's 18 and the world is her's! So this story really should come as no surprise to anyone that knows her. This photo was taken shortly after this story.

It was 4th of July just after the sun had gone down, when Nick and I stopped our shopping. As we walked out of the sunglass store, who do we run into? BriAnne. But she was not alone. Accompanying her was a large black guy to whom she had been giving directions. Just as we found her, this guy was trying to give her a hug for helping him find Lou's Bar. Here was our conversation.

Me: Hi Bri. What's going on?

BriAnne: I was just helping him (the large black guy) find Lou's bar.

Me: How did you know where Lou's was? (I had been up and down that street so many times and I had no idea where it was.)

BriAnne: It's just right there. (She pointed. Then she guestured that he wanted to give her a hug.)

Me (Maybe Over Protective Uncle): You really should not be out here after dark alone. Nick and I were just one street over and ran into a woman without her shirt and a drunk santa clause.

To which she pretty much shrugged her shoulders. Oh to be young and fearless!

San Francisco - Day 3: July 4, 2008

2008-07-10T23:14:00.003-06:00

This day was the first day where we didn't have some kind of tour or specific activity scheduled. And it was the day where we got to do something that was high on Ben's wish list. He's a fan of the ethnic food and wanted to check out Chinatown. Since we were without a car we decided to take one of the historic cable cars to Chinatown. Conveniently located next to our hotel is the first stop on the San Francisco Cable Car Powell-Hyde route. The trolley was an experience all by itself. They fill them up as tight as they can. We slid over so that a Dutch father and sons could squeeze on the same car. As we went up and down the hills I tried hard not to squish the little guys.

The Crew Ready to Ride

Chinatown was filled with shops largely selling the same stuff and I do mean stuff. People on the street would try and get us to come into their restaurant by repeating "dim sum" over and over. I assumed that dim sum was a specific dish but now that I Google it, I find out otherwise. Apparently it's like saying brunch. I guess it makes more sense now. Ben & Launa did buy some kind of bun with a meat mixture in it. I had some. It wasn't too bad but nothing to get excited about.

We were also approached by guys going up and down the streets saying "Fireworks?" I don't know but it felt like maybe they were trying to sell some illegal fireworks or something. Otherwise why not just have a store or a stand or something?

As we were walking down the main street it was interesting to observe a wedding party down the street that was having their wedding photos taken on the main street in Chinatown. Not my idea of a great setting for wedding photos but then again, I'm not Chinese. (Surprise!)

ChinatownOur Own China Man, NickBride & Groom Having Wedding Photos Taken in Chinatown

After checking out Chinatown, we decided to start heading in the direction of Union Street because we had lunch reservations at a place called Betelnut. We thought it was a great idea because we were in Chinatown in Grant Street and Betelnut was on Union Street. So we just started walking north. Then we realized that the restaurant was also a lot further to the west. And then we realized that we were going to have a steep climb and then another drop. Just a few blocks from the top of the hill half of the group hailed a taxi. The rest of us made it to the top of the hill and were very ready when the first taxi returned to take us several more blocks. Apparently things are further apart than they look on a map!

The Long Walk Uphill (and Then Downhill) to Betelnut

Betelnut is an Asian restaurant that was recommended to us by my sister's friend who lives in the Bay Area. We ordered a variety of dishes and shared them family style. My favorites were the szechchuan green beans, Indonesian Mee goreng noodles, and the shui jiao pork dumplings.

Betelnut RestaurantBrian on Pier 39

After working our way back to the hotel some of us wandered down to Pier 39 for some more shopping/walking. On the way back we stopped at Boudins for some of their famous sourdough bread. The previous day some of us got their clam chowder in a sour dough bread bowl. Yum!

Buying Sourdough Bread at Boudins

That evening we just had to step outside our hotel to celebrate Independence Day. They had live music in the park just to the west of the hotel and just north of Ghirardelli Square. It was also there that they lit off fireworks in the bay. Since it was a foggy, the tall fireworks would just make the sky glow in the various colors.

Launa & Brian Ready for FireworksBrooke and Ben in Front of Ghirardelli'sFoggy FireworksBrooke & Nick with Fireworks

It's Just the Circle of Life

2008-07-09T23:15:00.008-06:00

While we were at the Aquarium at the Bay on Pier 39 in San Francisco, I overheard a conversation that I found interesting and a little humorous. I thought that I should share it.

As soon as we gave the attendant our tickets, we turned the corner and there were several exhibits to view before heading to the the under-water tunnels. One of those exhibits was a video about sharks similar to the video shown above. The video had a warning that it was violent. It quickly became apparent as the killer shark created a bloody mess by attacking a seal. The interesting part came from a mother and daughter also viewing the video. Here's how their conversation went:

Daughter: Did that shark just eat a seal?!

Mother: It wasn't a seal. It's not real.

Another Viewer: Yeah, the shark just ate a seal.

Mother: Okay, it was a seal and it's real but it's the circle of life. See even the birds are doing it (eating the left over seal.)

Somehow I don't find it more comforting to know that even the seagulls feed on seals. I don't know what the mother was trying to accomplish but I'm afraid that she probably only further traumatized her daughter. Now her daughter knows that her mother will easily lie about things that don't really matter. But more scary than that, I fear that she might have nightmares of being attacked not only by sharks but also by seagulls. Eeek! But hey if she got attacked wouldn't it really just be "the circle of life?"

San Francisco - Day 2: July 3, 2008

2008-07-08T21:53:00.008-06:00

We started our day early with a bus tour out to Muir Woods just north and west of the bay. We crossed the Golden Gate Bridge on our way to Muir Woods. As you can see the morning was really foggy. Above is what we saw as we crossed the bridge. The woods were nice and peaceful after being in the city. I was glad I have brought a jacket and long pants for the trip. Who knew it would be so cold?!

Big Trees! Brian, Nick, BriAnne, & Brooke in Muir WoodsBrian at Muir Woods

Following Muir Woods the van dropped us off north east of the Golden Gate Bridge in Sausalito. Sausalito is a small artsy community. There was plenty of little shops, restaurants, and art galleries. While we were there I endulged in a little fish and chips. Tasty! We could have taken the van back to San Francisco but it was leaving too early for us. So we decided to ride the ferry back to Fisherman's Wharf. During the ferry ride we got a good view of Alcatraz Island.

BriAnne, Brian, Launa, & Beth - Fish & ChipsBrooke on the dock in SausalitoBriAnne on the dock in SausalitoA Pretty Flowering TreeNick was ThirstyBrian & Ben on the Ferry

Once we made it back to the Wharf, we wandered around a bit with all the shops. We also decided to check out the Aquarium at the Bay. This is once of those places where you get to walk through the tanks filled with sea life. They also had some petting pools. The shark tank was the best.

Brian in the Aquarium with StarfishBrooke & a Huge Scary Looking BassBrooke Petting a Ray

We also stayed in a nice hotel, The Argonaut. It was right on Bay Street so we were in the middle of all the Wharf action. It used to be the Del Monte Cannery in a former life. The Cannery has since been converted to a hotel, restaurants, bars, etc... Everything in the hotel had a nautical theme going on so it was a little humorous when we opened the closests and found leopard print terry robes and pajamas! Someone didn't think that through.

BriAnne, Brooke, & Nick - Fancy!Brooke in the Hotel Lobby

San Francisco - Day 1: July 2, 2008

2008-07-08T00:11:00.007-06:00

After arriving at the airport in the early afternoon, we piled into a minivan and head north to Six Flags Discovery Park in Vallejo just north of Oakland. I was a little worried that we were not going to get our money's worth since we were entering the park mid-afternoon. But we hit all the major rides at least once and some twice. The photo above is from our second ride on Medusa. (If you click the Medusa link you can actually view a video of the ride.) We talked Beth, my sister-in-law, to go with us for the second ride. She doesn't look happy in the photo but she did survive and was a good sport. And in case you are wondering, Bri, is actually pulling faces for the camera. She was apparently the only one to see the camera coming up. Prior to this ride, we got her to go on to go on Tony Hawk's Big Spin, which had a little too much spinning going on for her likes. This Six Flags also has animal attractions. You can feed the dolphins and apparently they have some kind of killer whale / dolphin show, which was not running while we were there. But you could still see into the tank.

My cute nieces Bri & Brooke with the dolphin

V2: Vertical Velocity

Brian resting in Looney Tunes

Launa & Nick getting on Roar

Brian, Nick & Launa on Tony Hawk's Big Spin

Ben, Beth & the Girls

Medussa & Kong as we were leaving

Nick, Bri, Brooke, & Brian

Beth, Brian & Launa getting on Roar

Jon McLaughlin - Beating My Heart

2008-06-30T19:20:00.005-06:00

Just watched Jon McLaughlin's new video on Amazon.com. I really love this guy's music. I could listen to him over and over. In fact, I often do. I believe he's toured in Utah but I wasn't smart enough to go. I'm hoping he comes back soon.

If you are not familar with him, you really should check him out. You might have listened to him without even knowing it. He sings the So Close song at the end of Walt Disney's Enchanted.

His new CD is not out until Oct but You can check out his "old stuff," Indiana.

Thank You Notes

2008-06-28T11:19:00.008-06:00

Today I was reading through my normal blog subscriptions. One of which is LifeHacker. They had a nice link to an article called "How To Write an Effective Thank You Note for Any Occasion." It reminded me of the importances of sending thank you notes.

The first time I remember getting good exposure to thank you notes (at least the first time that it sunk in) and their benefit. It was while I was on my mission in Canada Halifax. My mission companion at the time was Elder Brooks. While we served together he was constantly writing thank you notes to members when they would feed us, to our investigators, and anyone else whenever a thank you was warranted.

When I got transferred to my new area and I was with a new elder, I thought that I would try out his process. So When Sister MacKenzie delivered a fresh loaf of homemade bread to the local elders, I responded by writing a nice thank you note in return. I didn't think too much of it until later she told us that she had made ten loaves of bread to share with others. She informed us that we were the only ones to return a thank you note. She told us that it reminded her of the story of the ten lepers that were healed and only one turned to give thanks. That experience made an impression on me and helped to me to see the value of sending thank you notes.

Since then my sister, Tammy, has been a great example. She is always sending thank you notes for everything no matter how small. And I gotta say that it makes me want to help her out more because she is such a gracious receiver.

So with that, I'm going to be better at expressing my written thanks.

Sport Clips vs Paul Mitchell School

2008-06-27T19:09:00.006-06:00

Okay maybe there really should be no comparison but for years I have gone to Paul Mitchell School (formerly Von Curtis). I liked them because they were cheap and so am I. This month I decided to try out Sport Clips. A friend from work had recently gone there and had a funny story (I'll save that for another time.) In any case I found out that there is a Sport Clips in south Orem not too far from my home. Whereas the Paul Mitchell School is way down in Provo up against the mountain south of BYU. Normally at Paul Mitchell I would pay $10 (including tip) for a haircut. That's a great price. But lately I've been thinking about how I have to drive all the way down there. Then they are never ready for me. So I end up waiting and waiting. Then the girls are generally not very fast either. And sometimes you might get the girl who should be the "beauty school dropout." I got her at least once but I think she went back to Guatamala because she didn't understand a word I was saying. (Small problem when you are telling them how to cut your hair.) But I digress. I walked into Sport Clips without an appointment just on a whim thinking I would try it out. I came well equiped. I had a new book I was just starting to read and a 44oz Diet Dr Pepper. (And you know how I love Diet Dr Pepper.) I walked in and to my suprise the front desk girl told me it would be about 5 minutes, which it wasn't. As soon as I could settle myself down to start reading I was greeted by Courtney. She took me back and got right to work. I kind of explained what I wanted done and it was a big change. I was a little nervous since I was new there, but Courtney just started cutting away. Apparently she is pretty good at it. She talked a fair amount and made the time go by even faster. To my suprise she did a great job and she did it so quickly! After the haircut I opted for the additional "Triple Play." (Cheesy name, I know.) Anyway it was a shampoo with Paul Mitchell's Tea Tree shampoo, which is amazing. (I was already familar with that part.) But then it also came with a steamed towel over the face while she massaged my head. I gotta say I wish it would have lasted longer. It was incredibly relaxing. In the end I paid $20 including tip at Sport Clips. My verdict? It was worth it on time savings, gas, and the overall experience. Oh and one last note: they gave me a coupon that is good for $2 to $5 off of my next four visits. I love a coupon.

Here's where the local Sport Clips is located at 254 E University Parkway in Orem.

Free Shick Quattro Titanium Trimmer (Razor)

2008-06-26T10:14:00.010-06:00

For those of you who read my entry The Dangers of a New Razor and thought, "How does he get all those free razors?" Well here is your opportunity to be like me. Schick is currently giving away a free Shick Quattro Titanium Trimmer powered razor/trimmer for uploading your face/photo into a mock pillow fight movie. Just follow these steps:

Click here

Upload your photo/any image

Choose your movie options, and play the movie

Click to save the movie, and register to receive a free sample

Do to popular demand (okay there was only one request), I'm attaching the video I made to get my free razor. I've got to say the physique is quite accurate.

Marley's - Thumbs Up

2008-06-24T13:41:00.008-06:00

Today all the guys from work went out to lunch to celebrate Rod getting another year older. He's really into motorcycles, so someone suggested that we take him to the new Harley Davidson shop in Lindon which also has a restaurant called, Marley's.

I gotta say that I wasn't sure what I was expecting but I was pleasantly surprised. In case you don't already know, Timpanogos Harley-Davidson is owned my the same guy (Dave Tuomisto) that founded Bajio. So I should have known that the food would be tasty. Even though they have not had a grand opening the place was hopping. The menu largely offers sliders. Sliders are a smaller version of a burger. You can order 1, 2, or 3 in a combo with fries or a side salad and also a drink. (They even have Diet Dr. Pepper and you know how much I love that!) I ordered 2 Marley's (hamburger) sliders with lettuce, tomatoes, and grilled onions. Tasty! You should check it out. I understand that their grand opening isn't until the end of July, but don't wait.

http://www.timpharley.com/
http://www.marleys.com/

How Does My Garden Grow?

2008-06-22T20:16:00.000-06:00

Early in the spring I always spend hours out in my backyard planting and mainting my garden. Now I am seeing the benefits of my work. Here's a few photos of my garden that I've snapped over the last few weeks.

The Dangers of a New Razor

2008-06-21T13:45:00.004-06:00

If you know me, you know that I love a bargain. Well what could be better than a free item then, right?! So several times I see these deals online where you can fill out a form and get a free razor. And when I say several times, I mean it. My bathroom shelf has about a dozen razors just waiting the be opened. I'm not particular about the brand or the model. After all, aren't all razors pretty much the same? To that I now say, "No!"

Several weeks ago on a Sunday I was getting ready for church. My old razor was getting a little dull and I decided it was time to break into the razor stash. Not really paying attention I grabbed the one on top, ripped it open, and proceeded with my twice-a-week shave. This is how it works. I get my face wet with warm/hot water. Then comes the shaving cream which I lather up smoothing it over my neck, chin, cheeks, upper lip, and even into my sideburns. (I don't want to miss anyplace.) Then I began my shave just like always only I was noticing how nicely the razor slid over my skin with fresh blades. I was pretty much done with only my sideburn area left. As I mentioned I like to get the shaving cream up into my sideburns so that I can get a clean line. I normally just turn the razor around and use the back side to flatten out the hair and pull the shaving cream down to wear I want my sideburns to end. To my horror I found a little too late that the back of this razor included another blade on the back! Aghhhh! Fortunately I had some sideburn left. I evened out the other side and was glad that the burns were not short to begin with. So while I may have saved a few bucks, I lost about an inch.

Plum Lucky - Janet Evanovich

2008-06-20T22:25:00.001-06:00

Plum Lucky - Janet Evanovich

If you haven't figured it out yet, I'm a big fan of Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum Series. Rarely is there a book that will make me laugh out loud but Stephanie's shenanigans never fail me. I've just finished Plum Lucky.

This time Stephanie hits the road for Atlantic City when Grandma Mazur goes missing along with a duffle bag full of money that she stubbled over while watching a rainbow. Stephanie doesn't venture out alone. She takes the whole crew: Lula the former "ho" who get's a shady job modeling plus-size lingerie, Connie the middle aged sharp-shooter, and Diesel the mysterious man hunting down a guy who thinks he a leprechaun. One of my favorite "laugh out loud" moments include taking Doug the horse (who "talks" to the leprechaun) for an evelator ride after being cooped up in Stephanie's kitchen all day.

Janet is the author who writes all the number books. This is just a short "in between the numbers" book. It's quick read for anyone who might want to try out the series. Another quick one is Plum Lovin. Actually they are all quick reads, these two just have less number of pages.

Weepies - Hideaway

2008-06-18T22:43:00.005-06:00

Hideaway by the Weepies - Brad Dayton

So my friend, Brad, has enlisted 3 of his kids to star in a music video he made for the Weepies song Hideaway. He has entered it in the Weepies 'Hideaway' Video Challenge. Best of luck Brad. Judging the posts so far, I say he has it. Plus can you beat a flying super hero eating a snack?!

Fresh Chunky Guacamole

2008-06-17T23:34:00.007-06:00

I'm not a fan of avocado but I love a good fresh guacamole. I've recently had the opportunity to make it and thought I'd share my recipe:

Fresh Chunky Guacamole

4 medium avocados
2 large chopped tomatoes
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1 fresh lime (just the juice)
4 tbsp chopped cilantro
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper
1/2 tsp salt

Do all the chopping. Combine the ingredients. And enjoy!

Discrimination!

2008-06-16T22:36:00.000-06:00

Just one more reason that it doesn't pay to be single.

Somethings Go Without Saying

2008-06-15T09:44:00.003-06:00

I mean really?!

Why Drink Diet?

2008-06-12T17:30:00.004-06:00

Today at work I thought I was being helpful when I went to restock the fridge with Diet Dr Pepper. Normally the cases are left on the floor by the fridge but today the extras were stacked on top of it. I grabbed the ever popular case of diet DP only to find out that the handle was torn and quickly tearing even faster. I tried to help it slowly fall to the floor hoping that I could minimize the crash. As the case hit the floor one can popped open and began to spray all over, followed by another, and another, and another. Until all but three lonely cans had broken open and spewed forth. Needless to say I attracted a lot of attention in the office and fortunately some help in cleaning up. We found soda on the carpet, on the wall, the whiteboard, the cubicles, and even the ceiling. Good thing it was diet or we really would have had a big mess. But on the plus side everyone indulged in a little afternoon soda from the cans that didn't fully explode.

Take That Apple

2008-06-10T16:42:00.004-06:00

With the announcement of the new iPhone, I thought everyone should remember about the competion too. See Microsoft's anwer to the iPhone:

This has been around a while but it's still funny.