Life Happens

Halloween

2009-11-02T11:41:00.005-07:00

So Halloween day turned into quite the adventure. Spent the early morning taking a friend to the ER after he broke his wrist playing basketball, spent the afternoon eating some Brazilian grub and shooting guns with the Elders, and the night with Cory and Sarah and the kids for trick or treating. Eventful to say the least.

Today's Talk

2009-02-22T13:15:00.002-07:00

I know some of you showed some interest in hearing the talk I gave today in church. Since I typed out the entire thing, I figured I would throw it on here for you. Enjoy.

Be grateful, love and work hard=true happiness and no regret

I was very humbled to receive this opportunity to speak to you today. Especially because of the topic and the timing of the request. President Monson’s talk (Finding Joy in the Journey) made a significant impact on me when I first heard it, and reading it again brought back many of those same feelings. I only hope the spirit can be with me so that my feelings regarding his words will make a small difference in each of our lives today.

Throughout our lives we have heard that change happens. President Monson reiterates this sentiment quoting the familiar adage, “Nothing is as constant as change.” But realization of that quote means nothing until change happens to you. To help make this point I decided to quote a passage from my journal from this past week.

“What a difference a week makes. What a difference life in general makes. Just over a week ago, I left town for work. Not even half way through my trip, I found out that my uncle passed away completely unexpectantly. The worst feeling in the world in not having an opportunity to say goodbye to someone you love. Even worse than that, is realizing that is takes a death or some other catastrophic event to put life into perspective. You automatically ask yourself questions like "What am I doing with my free time? Am I telling my family everyday how much I love them? How will my decisions affect my future?" and so on. There are so many things that go through your mind.

The week of being away and dealing with a death in the family helped me to realize how lazy I have been, and how I have put off some inevitables. Sitting around and being satisfied with the ordinary is fine. It suits many people, but true happiness is never satisfied with the mundane. I envision happiness as something that provides much more than the ordinary, the feeling of accomplishment from hard work and the rewards reaped from such work.

Neglecting family and loved ones can seem fine in the present with no knowledge of the future, but they can be taken in the blink of an eye. Be grateful, love and work hard=true happiness and no regret. A simple formula that all of us can follow.”

This is the formula I would like to speak about today.

First, Be Grateful.

D&C 59:7 says, “Thou shalt thank the Lord thy God in all things.”

Being grateful is easy by word, but not so much by deed. In our lives, we have the Gospel of Jesus Christ, fully restored with a prophet and apostles to lead and guide us. We have been raised to know that individual study can teach us of those truths. We have scriptures, we have families, friends. I assume we often show our gratefulness to those we love more often then we show how grateful we are to the one person who provided all we have.

“When ye are in the service of your fellow beings, ye are only in the service of your God.”

Serving God’s children “SHOWS” our gratefulness to our Heavenly Father.

Second, Love

When I received the news of my uncle’s passing, I was alone in a hotel room. Not the best way to get that kind of news. One of the first things that popped into my head was the realization that I wasn’t prepared. I couldn’t remember the last time I told my uncle I loved him. Now I understand preparing for the death of a loved one is nearly impossible, but we can tell them we love them more, we can show them we love them more. I made it a point to promise myself that night that I would tell those close to me how much I loved and cared about them without hesitation, because hesitation to such promptings only brings about regret later.

Third, Work Hard

One of President Monson’s favorite quotes is from the Music Man. “You pile up enough tomorrows, and you’ll find you’ve collected a lot of empty yesterdays.”

Working hard stretches to so many facets of our lives. Work hard to be the best in our chosen profession, work hard to be a worthy son or daughter of God by studying the scriptures, praying, attending our meetings and such, work hard in our calling and so many more. Life is way too short to complain or worry that things aren’t the way they should be, because empty yesterdays will be the logical result to that kind of thinking.

Result is True Happiness and No Regret

Showing our gratitude to those we love including our Father in Heaven, telling those we care about how much we love them constantly and working hard will leave our lives with complete happiness and no regret.

Measure of a Man (Clive Romney)

Our journey on earth is short. What we do everyday is a big deal. The decisions we make now do affect our future, but we can’t allow that big responsibility to lead us towards fear. Fear is Satan’s opposition to Faith. The only thing we should focus our lives on is satisfying that Man who gave each of us life, who has provided a way for us to return to live with him Our happiness, our ability to adapt to change without regret depends on our own willingness to do what is necessary.

Be grateful, love and work hard=true happiness and no regret

2009-02-16T11:38:00.003-07:00

What a difference a week makes. What a difference life in general makes. Just over a week ago, I left for New York, Connecticut and Florida for work. Not even half way through my trip, I find out that my uncle passes away completely unexpectantly. The worst feeling in the world in not having an opportunity to say goodbye to someone you love. Even worse than that, is realizing that is takes a death or some other catastrophic event to put life into perspective. You automatically ask yourself questions like "What am I doing with my free time? Am I telling my family everyday how much I love them? How will my decisions affect my future?" and so on. There are so many things that go through your mind.

The week of being away and dealing with a death in the family helped me to realize how lazy I have been, and how I have put off some inevitables. Namely, career and marriage. Sitting around and being satisfied with the ordinary is fine. It suits many people, but true happiness is never satisfied with the mundane. I envision happiness as something that provides much more than the ordinary, the feeling of accomplishment from hard work and the great rewards that are seen from that hard work.

I know that it's time for me to get married. To whom is still up in the air, but I know I gave up on Kelly way too early to know if she is it for sure. That is why we are still together. Judging too early is not working...it hasn't worked in the past, so working in the here and now would be ridiculous. One day at a time, being grateful for what I have and knowing that God will eventually find a way to knock some sense into me will keep me afloat.

The 15-Day Rule is in Full Effect

2009-02-02T09:01:00.002-07:00

It's over, at least for now, but most likely for good. I know I mentioned the 15-day rule I used back in college, and somehow that rolled over to the present as well. I wish I could explain a specific reason, other than it didn't feel good, but I can't. This time, I am taking at least a few weeks off. I should've done that with Tall (3-breakup) girl, but I didn't.

Here's to a much less stressful February! (clang)

The 15-day Rule

2009-01-28T09:07:00.002-07:00

In college I used to have a rule. Date a girl for 15 days, then I was either fully in or jumping ship. Maybe that sounds a little harsh, but the reality is, I was right on most of my decisions. The only girl I ever regretted breaking up with was someone I extended past the 15-day mark. So it can come as no surprise that the analysis of the current girl is in full swing. Not only is it in line with past thinking, but it comes with my age. I analyze more and more. So here is what I have so far, and I am pretty sure I am right in thinking the way I am.

First, it is difficult to fully understand why a girl is so into me so early. Sounds weird I know, and I realize this is something I can get used to. Having a girl care enough about me to want to know what my needs are, etc. But less than two weeks in? Maybe this is a wake-up call for all of the girls I scared early!

Second, confidence is a big thing in the world of dating. It's hard for me to constantly feel like I need to reassure her that I want to be in this relationship: especially this early on. But that is the case. She is a great looking girl, has a lot going for her, yet she needs reassurance. Seems suspect, but I also maybe reading a little too much into it.

The last thing that recently caught me extremely off guard, she calls me up to ask if I care if she goes on a trip. Really? Last time I checked, I am not her fiance', her husband, or her father. It seems a little weird that the question would even be asked. Have I mentioned we haven't even been dating 2 WEEKS?

Maybe this is why I am still single, answering the question that so many have asked for so long, but to me, happiness in a relationship must be mutual and I have never really had to deal with this kind of stuff so early on.

The saga continues...

Privacy Matters

2009-01-25T18:46:00.003-07:00

So I decide to make this blog private with the idea that sharing personal information about my dating life would be easier. I came to a realization that is full of crap (sorry mom). There is such a small group of people that I let into this part of my life, and even then, they all get different parts of the same story. I keep most of it locked down. It makes my life a lot less complicated as well as making the breakup much easier, because that's where all of these relationships tend to lead.

Now after that stellar introduction, the latest in the saga of Nic, whether the whole truth or not, this is what you get.

"The RM Girl" as Mom so elegantly calls her, continues to be great, quiet, but great. The first two weeks of any relationship for me are all about what is wrong with the girl. What can I say, I am cautious (except for tall girl who screwed me three times and I was stupid enough to let it happen). So every time I hang out with her, I am looking for another excuse not to be in it. So far so good. The only things I have found to be cautious about is how quiet she is, the fact that she owns cats and calls them her "kids" and that she is an inactive member of the church. I know I haven't mentioned that part yet, though most of you already knew. I can't hold it against the girl yet, she wants to get active and wants to get married in the temple. That is enough for me for now. The cats on the other hand, I figured if I was every going to have to deal with a pet, it would be a dog. New Mexico turned me off to cats for LIFE.

So we continue to hang out almost daily. Friday I doubled with some friends to see how she handled hanging out with other people. She was still very quiet, but very flirtatious. Not gonna lie, it still weirds me out to be with a girl that seems to want me so quickly. She has to be the female version of Shallow Hal or something. Anyway, she did drop a half rack of ribs without issue, which was pretty impressive for a girl under 300 lbs (not to say she is even close to that...I am not even going to try and explain myself here, waste of energy, but you should know what I mean) The next day we babysit Cory's kids, a great opportunity to see how she handles children. She seemed to do very well, except I got stuck with poopy diaper duty. Mallory loved her, she got Coby to eat when I couldn't and Carter didn't tell her he didn't like her and threaten his father would beat her up like he did to me, so all in all it was a successful night.

This whole situation is still very new, but seems to be moving really fast. Not good for a relationship with so many holes. Those will need to be filled before the meter turns from cautious to invested. When I get invested I usually get jacked up, so the meter will be at cautious for a while.

More to come...

As the World Turns

2009-01-22T12:31:00.003-07:00

So I promised to be a little bit more open about all aspects of my life in my previous entry to this blog, but soon realized the more specific I got, the more I needed to make the blog private. So if you are reading this entry, you are one of a select few people allowed into the life of Nic. You are also among the few people who actually give a crap, so don't consider yourself that special.

I have received a number of comments regarding my previous entry. My only desire in sharing my thoughts regarding Provo girl was to give everyone an idea of exactly what the heck is going through my mind when I take these girls out. I of course don't share it all...there are kiddies that read this stuff.

So a few days after I take Provo girl out, think she is ridiculously cool, then realize I was getting the shrug off, I run into a girl at work of whom I had seen on a number of occasions, but never talked to her long enough to get an idea for who she was. Friday was that day and after about a 10-minute conversation in front of my bosses cubicle, I ask her out. (Boss doesn't hear a thing, I am 00 freakin 7)

For dinner, I took her to Red Robin, because that is the easiest first-date place in the history of first dates. Food is fairly cheap, it's loud enough where awkward silence will never feel AS AWKWARD, and if the date completely sucks, at least there are TVs to catch up on the night's games. (You have to make sure to sit in the bar, as I did) The first 20 minutes were awkward, not gonna lie. I was looking to see what games were on 5 minutes in. Conversation was a little difficult and I was about to throw in the towel, but then she started to talk. I don't know if she was nervous, if I was nervous or what, but after we got some steak fries in us, we were talking like mad about our families, goals, food, sports and everything else you can think of to get out of the way on a first date.

We end up hanging out for a few hours that night, and later she tells me she wants to hang out with me again, THE NEXT DAY! What girl does that? No girl I have ever taken out. They all play a game of cat and mouse, thinking that is the only way to truly attract the guy, or to be attracted to him. She came out and just said what she felt. What did I do in response? I said nothing...why commit when I can do exactly what girls have done to me. Nice work Nic.

In all honesty, I think I wanted to sit back and ask myself what the freak was wrong with her. Girls don't act like that, so either there was something wrong with her, I was a lot more attractive than I thought, or the more logical explanation, she was just open about her feelings.

So we hang out Saturday, then Sunday, Monday and Wednesday. (Had to skip a day in there, because that's what I do)

What happens next is anyone's guess. I am sure I will soon find out she was a man until the "operation" or she is a control freak and won't ever allow me to play basketball again, or she only eats vegetables...all of which are equally tragic realizations. For now, things are good and that in itself is a victory.

Real World, Nic Style

2009-01-16T08:49:00.001-07:00

For all of you who have ever seen an episode of the "Real World" on MTV, you know how ridiculous it is. They say, "7 strangers picked to live in a house and see what happens when life starts being real" or some crap like that. I will admit, I have seen an episode or two when boredom hits an absolute high and I can't think of anything productive to do, but what it boils down to is people, for the most part, love hearing about other people's lives. A blog should work the same way, and the one part about my life I hate talking about is dating, seeing as how I am 29 and the pressure already exists at a high enough rate. But really, who cares? My dating life sucks some times, is good at other times, but it is always interesting. Since this is a public blog, I have to keep details about names and places out, unless it starts getting good feedback and people want more. Then I will make the blog private and all those unruly fans who like to hear about my dating life can subscribe to unusual doses of me!

As easy as it would be to go back and start reliving some of the past (the 3-breakup experience, the blind date from hell setup by a coworker, the manly softball player and so many more) I think the best thing to do is to begin with the here and now, talk about what happened recently. Although it was another blind date, it was probably top 10 in the last few years.

I get setup by a friend of mine who tells me about this tall, good-looking girl in his ward that will somehow be perfect for me. What's great about blind dates is I have never heard anyone tell me their friend, sibling, cousin or whomever, would be terrible for me or is nasty looking, but 90 percent of them are one or both. In fact, I have left some blind dates wondering if my looks and personality are slowly fading together because the dates keep getting worse.

The other major question I had was why my single friend wanted to set me up with a good looking girl when he could've easily asked her out himself. His response, "She is not in my league." Fair enough. I accept.

I make a phone call to this girl a little over a week ago to get an idea of who she is. (For the sake of this, we will call her Sally). Sally tells me she is a teacher, loves sports, her family, working out; all very positive things for me. She seems very down to earth, and we talk for almost an hour that first time. We subsequently speak for a couple hours before I finally take her out earlier this week.

Since past experiences in blind-dating (and really dating in general) have been terrible, I decide to start working outside of the box. The girl seems cool enough and one I will most likely be interested in, so I buy her a flower.

Note: I haven't purchased a flower for a girl in nearly 10 years because very few girls appreciate them and I have had nothing but bad experiences with those girls I bought them for. I also decide to only do things on the date that will illicit conversation, or complete awkward silence. At least it would give me an opportunity to see if I had enough in common with her to continue to have any interest.

So I pick her up around 7:30, give her the flower (which she seems to genuinely appreciate), then we head off to dinner. Dinner goes surprisingly well. For some reason, I was a little nervous before the date, but as we started talking, I calmed down. We talked for two hours about everything, and it seemed to go pretty smooth. In my head I kept saying, "I am digging this one." But I couldn't figure out why. She was definitely different than most girls I date (not in looks, but more her type of personality). I guess you could say I was intrigued. So I invited her to plan B.

Girls, here's a note for you: Every guy has a Plan A, B and C for every date. You pass the first test, Plan A, you make it to Plan B and so forth.

So Sally makes it to Plan B, which was a milkshake. (By the way, I hardly go to Plan B's unless I like them, or feel completely forced; which happened recently with the "Molly." We'll leave it at that). We shared one and talked for another hour and continued to talk about everything from family values to pet peeves to embarrassing moments and a ton more. After that hour I decide to forgo a Plan C because it was getting late. I didn't want to be the never-ending blind date she began to resent and I wanted to take her out again.

So I drive home feeling pretty good about the night. I was interested, she seemed fairly interested (who talks for three hours with someone without interest?) and I was looking forward to seeing her again. What's next in the story? The obvious in the dating like of Mr. Nic.

I call family for advice, I think about the repercussions of every possible decision, which I realize is exactly what a girl would do (sorry ladies) but I liked her and didn't want to be stupid. I decide to call her the next day and get an idea for her desire to go out with me again. Probably too quick, but the reality is, girls are fairly easy to read the day after. They let their intentions known in both verbal and nonverbal ways. Most wait on the verbal cues tending to try and stay away from making things awkward or hurting someone's feelings, expect for temple girl (there are nicknames for all the girls I take out thanks to my parents, and temple girl really should've been labeled, too high of expectations girl, but that story is for another day).

So, I call Sally the next day and we talk for a few minutes. I say talk, but it was the most awkward 10 minutes of my life. She is either the easiest girl to read, giving me the obvious shrug off, or she is terrible at showing a guy she likes him. Either way, the phone call was terrible. That leads us to today. What happens today? No clue, but I can tell you the expectations have sufficiently diminished thanks to the follow-up phone call. Freak!

To be continued...

Late Christmas

2009-01-11T18:55:00.002-07:00

So it's January 11, and still no Christmas pictures you say? Well the wait is over. Here is a select few from the trip. I didn't include all 430 to spare you some time. Enjoy!

The Real Phantom of the Opera

2008-12-11T10:37:00.003-07:00

As many of you know, I am a huge YouTube fan. Since I work with media 24/7, I find it good for future ideas, but it is also a great way to bring some humor to the occasionally crappy day. This morning I came across this video of the real Phantom of the Opera, and it was great at filling both needs. Enjoy.

"Don't Give Up, Don't Ever Give Up"

2008-12-08T16:16:00.005-07:00

Around this time every year, ESPN announces it is raising money for the Jimmy V Foundation for cancer research. This foundation was put together back in 1993 and is dedicated to the memory of the late great Jimmy Valvano who passed away from this awful disease. For those of you who are unaware of Jimmy V, he was head coach of NC State basketball, who knocked off the famous Phi Slamma Jamma team from Houston in 1983. At the time, it was considered one of the biggest upsets in NCAA basketball history.

So I was perusing ESPN.com today and saw a link for Jimmy V's famous speech he gave in 1993 at the ESPY's where he received the Arthur Ashe Lifetime Achievement Award. He said, "Cancer can take away all my physical ability. It cannot touch my mind; it cannot touch my heart; it cannot touch my soul. And those three things are going to carry on forever." What many don't know is at the time of this speech, he was literally on his death bed. I get chills every time I see it. If you have a few minutes, I encourage you to watch it. His words are inspirational. Below is an introduction by Duke Head Coach Mike Krzyzewski and the speech follows.

Christmas Comes Early

2008-12-03T20:48:00.006-07:00

So it took me a few days, but I had to get this online. For Thanksgiving this year, I flew back to Portland to hang with the family. Among the crying of nieces and nephews, broken bones in Turkey Bowls and overeating during dinner, my brother decides to call me near the end of my break and give me my Christmas gift early. I hate getting Christmas gifts early because part of the fun of Christmas is opening the gift with the entire family there near the tree in my PJs, which have gotten significantly less embarrassing over the years! OK, so the phone call, my brother announces the surprise and tells me he has courtside seats to a Trailblazer game. I immediately tell him this joke sucks, because one of the things on my bucket list is seeing a Blazer game courtside. He reassures me he isn't joking and picks me up for a little dinner at Outback, then off to the Blazer v. Hornets game.

To describe the feeling of walking down the lower bowl stairs, accompanied by a security official would be impossible, but without mincing words, I felt like a millionaire. Every game I have ever attended, I always sat in pure jealousy of those sitting in the nice black butt-padded seats, talking trash with players and being waited on. I was now one of the lucky ones.

There I sat, within feet of one of the best point guards in the league, Chris Paul, and close enough that every player I yelled at knew exactly what I said. At one point I talked some trash with Peja Stojakovic and he completely glared me down. Got a great pic of that!!!

At halftime I was walking the halls on the lower level and ran into none other than Jerome Kersey. Funny running into him, because this new Blazer team reminds me of the team he was on, good on the court and in the community.

To top the night off, the Blazers embarrassed the Hornets, though when the game was over I didn't want to leave. I just wanted to hang around as long as possible to take in the moment. After we left the building I think I thanked my brother at least 20 times. I know he got sick of me by the time we got to the car, but I felt like a 14-year old kid for two and a half hours...giddy! Hard to say thank you enough for an experience like that. Easily the most memorable gift I have been given. Hard to think of something that will ever top it! Thanks BJ. Oh, my bad, didn't mean to, just thinking about it makes it hard to believe I was there. Oh, and early Christmas gifts aren't that bad after all!

Diaper Duty

2008-11-18T10:41:00.004-07:00

CHG, the company I work for, recently helped the United Way in gathering needed supplies for shelters around the Salt Lake Area. We were responsible for diapers, baby wipes and baby food. We collected more than 8,000 diapers and 500 bottles of baby food and distributed them to shelters in Salt Lake and Midvale. I had the privilege of delivering the items to the shelters and, to be honest, I haven't felt that good in a long time. It was a nice reminder of how many blessings I have in my life. We find so much time to complain about the problems we think we are facing, but forget about the harsh realities that so many other families are dealing with. It was nice to be of service and to see the happiness that such a small act brought to these families in need.

3, 2, 1...Dodgeball

2008-11-13T08:29:00.004-07:00

So last night I got talked into playing dodge ball for a singles activity. I have been avoiding it for a long time, but I felt it was time I start going to as many activities as possible. This is true dedication, because I had to record the rest of the Blazer game on TV to attend. For those of you who know me well, that's like asking me to remove chest hairs one by one with a pair of tweezers.

Back to the dodgeball. Honestly, I hadn't played the game in years and I felt a little ridiculous attending, so I decided if I was going to feel ridiculous, I was going to look ridiculous as well. I had a blonde mullet wig sitting at home and a great white trash t-shirt, so I put together a little ensemble to complement the game I was playing. I also shaved a handle bar mustache to complete the look. Without trying, I ended up looking like a poor mans White Goodman.

All in all, the night was a lot of fun, and my team won somewhere in the range of 10 games in a row. Not sure I will ever bring the look back, but I may just find myself a good woman who likes Nascar and buy me a trailer in the near future, so it may need to!

Blazers lose, but Kevin saves the day!

2008-11-06T07:33:00.005-07:00

So as I previously mentioned, I got lucky once again to receive tickets for the Blazers/Jazz game here in SLC. The feeling of pure excitement I used to feel when I was a child is totally coming back. I was literally giddy before the game. We sat near the Blazer bench, and like many kids, I waited in line to give the team fist bumps as they came in and warmed up. A little childish, yes, but I loved every minute of it. Seriously, so much fun. I had some video taken of the experience. Never realized how bald I was becoming until I watched the video back. Thanks mom and dad for the great genetics! I think it's time to face the facts...the hair has to go.

Soon after the team entered the court, Blazers GM Kevin Pritchard, the mastermind behind the whole team, came up behind me and made a comment about my jersey. (worth every penny I paid for it) I promptly asked for a picture. Yeah, I know, I am a stud! But serious, I was really excited to meet the guy, because he has done a lot of really good stuff for the organization. He has brought the REAL Blazers back home.

Although the Blazers lost, I still had an amazing time. Rip City is back!

PS: I know I am a visiting fan when a 70 year-old woman is talking trash with me. Classic!

Bust-a-Bucket

2008-11-04T10:29:00.002-07:00

So I know it has been a couple weeks since I last posted, and I make excuses all the time why I don't post more, but the reality is, who gives a crap. The 5 of you that read this I talk to every week, so the good stuff you get straight from the source. And if I blogged about EVERYTHING that happened, I would tick a lot of people off, so I will hopefully continue to post once a week and be funny, engaging and all around enjoyable, but no promises. Now, for today, I found out recently that I will be attending the Blazer/Jazz game tomorrow and since this season's team reminds me so much of the Blazers of old, I was reminded of a little ditty from the old days.

Referee Tackles SC Quarterback

2008-10-21T16:57:00.002-06:00

If you haven't seen this video, you gotta check it out. It totally looks like the ref assisted in this tackle of the South Carolina quarterback. Freakin hilarious.

And 1 Mix Tape Tour in Salt Lake City

2008-10-19T01:33:00.002-06:00

I had absolutely nothing the do tonight so I decided to edit some footage I took a few years back of the And 1 Mix Tape Tour. The quality isn't perfect, I am still trying to work out some kinks, but I thought I would throw it up for kicks. Enjoy...

And 1 Mix Tape Tour in Salt Lake City from goods on Vimeo.

The Office is on Tonight

2008-10-16T17:12:00.002-06:00

Just thought I would remind everyone that The Office is on tonight. Need a push to watch. You're wish is my command.

These Are The Things You Don't Say to Your Wife

2008-10-11T00:59:00.002-06:00

Funny title to a blog post for a guy who's single, but I saw this video on YouTube today and I couldn't stop laughing. Never heard of this comedian before, but here you go...

Eating Contest on PCTV

2008-10-09T12:28:00.002-06:00

Park City Television did a little story on our Dino Bite Eating contest, so I thought I would share it. Enjoy...

Dino Bite Eating Contest

2008-09-17T18:57:00.005-06:00

Year number two in the eating contest world didn't go as well as year one. For those that have been keeping up with this blog know I entered a Corn Dog eating contest last year and placed second with 11 dogs. This year, we ate Dino bites and it was one of the worst experiences in my life. I never knew little chicken nuggets shaped like dinosaurs would be so difficult to eat, but I was only able to consume 37 in 10 minutes. I was annihilated. The winner downed 65. I think I am officially retiring from the sport. My body can't take this anymore. Anywho, here are some pictures from the event. Enjoy!

Long Time No Talk

2008-09-14T21:36:00.004-06:00

A month is too long to take a break in between posts, so I apologize. I am sure all 6 of you who read this blog are disappointed in me. It won't happen again. So the question becomes, how to catch everyone up on everything that's been going on? Well, there is a long way and a short way to answer that question, but I would rather keep it short, so here is the short version.

I have been out of town 3 of the last 4 weeks on business, seeing new places and having a lot of fun doing it. I am exhausted, but it was all a lot of fun. I did get to mix a little bit of fun into the traveling, like hitting a Boyz II Men concert a couple weeks back in Orem. (Yes, they are still performing) I always wanted to see them in concert, and they didn't disappoint. I am including a pic and a short video from the concert. (Hard to see much in the picture)

So after all of the traveling, it's nice to be home. Work won't slow down for a while, but it is nice to be home and sleep in my own bed.

Also, coming up next week, I will be competing in the our company's second United Way eating contest. Last year I took second in corn dogs with 11 dogs in 10 minutes. This year, we are pounding Dino Bites. I know I am going to be sick, but it's all for a good cause! I'll let you know how I do.

I think that catches you up. I promise, no more of these lame "catch up" posts. Again, to the half-a-dozen reading this, I apologize.

"Do You Know the Way to San Jose?"

2008-08-17T19:33:00.003-06:00

Heck yes I do! I just recently returned from a little trip to Ebay's headquarters in San Jose, CA and it was very interesting to say the least. The purpose of going out there was to learn from top tier companies what they are doing in social media to better understand how we can put those things into effect at work. My boss went with me and it was nice to see her realize how far behind we are and how much work there is for us to do to catch up.

But more than that, it was nice to get out of Utah for a couple of days and see Cali. I didn't have much time to get out and see the sights, but I did get to see a few places in downtown San Jose, including a city park across the street from our hotel, as well as do some fine dining at a couple high end restaurants. (High end for me at least!) Call me old school, but at one of the restaurants, I ordered a Chicken Pot Pie. Yeah, seriously, it was on the menu. $23 for a pot pie, but it was the most amazing pot pie I have ever had. No joke! Anywho...enjoy the pics.

Living Alone Rocks!...Sometimes

2008-08-12T10:25:00.003-06:00

Just over a year ago, I made the “adult” decision to buy a place. I had always wanted to find a home of my own and have free reign to do whatever I wanted whenever I wanted. Run around the house naked (not a pretty sight), watch TV (Walker, Texas Ranger anyone?) until three in the morning, eat crappy, leave dishes in the sink, crap on the floor, and come home from work to silence, a big key to not going crazy. Don't get me wrong, I love people, but sometimes you just want to come home and not hear the whining of another person.

Like for one, when in my life am I going to be able to go work out for a couple hours right after work, come home and eat dinner late, and then decide I am in the mood for a little Guitar Hero, play for a couple of hours and then go to bed only after watching three episodes of SportsCenter? (I swear the shows are different, though no woman I have ever spoken to believes me!) Never! I have seen how marriage works, and the aforementioned option is not in the cards. Not to say I don't want marriage, but there is a lot to give up, A LOT!

There is a flip side to all of this that we are all familiar with. It's called loneliness. It reaches the best of us. Human companionship is a key to so much happiness that you can't get as a single person. Sound like anyone? If you answered "my parents," you are correct! I am reminded of the "happiness through companionship" thought everyday by parents and siblings who are happily married with children. I have no doubt that I will be happy when that day comes, but happiness comes in many different forms. Right now it's watching the Olympics until the wee hours of the morning, eating burgers off the George Foreman grill at 11 p.m. and throwing down Rice Krispies Treats until I feel sick. (What can I say, it's my drug of choice)

I realize I don’t fit the LDS norm. I am freakin’ 29 and single. As a Priesthood holder in the church, I am looked at as having a problem. Screw that! Do I have issues with commitment? Yeah, I am single and 29, I would be lying if I said any differently, but the world has become more about temporary happiness than eternal joy, and many in the church, including me, sometimes gets caught up in it. One specific thing is divorce. Being 29, I have a lot of friends who have gone through, or are currently going through divorce. It scares the CRAP out of me. I think of that as normal.

Living alone is amazing! Does is suck sometimes? Yes. But I can only control myself, not others. A wise person once said, “Three grand essentials to happiness in this life are something to do, something to love, and something to hope for.” As long as those three things are a part of my daily thoughts, I can’t be afraid of tomorrow. Whatever it brings.

Archuleta Mania

2008-08-12T00:12:00.004-06:00

OK, so a bad admission on my part might be that I watch a little too much reality TV. I can't explain why I enjoy it so much, but I do. American Idol is at the top of the list of reality TV shows I watch and I happened to be perusing YouTube (my favorite new site) for some idol highlights and I was reminded at how freakin' good David Archuleta was. I am including a couple of clips that I found randomly online for you all. Enjoy, or don't, but here they are.

Archuleta singing "A Thousand Miles" at home

Singing "Heaven" by Bryan Adams during Hollywood week

He quickly became famous for his rendition of "Imagine" by John Lennon

His performance of "Apologize" with OneRepublic at the American Idol Finale

Cougar Football Is Again Upon Us

2008-07-28T09:23:00.003-06:00

The official start of the 2008 college football season is vast approaching and Ute fans are already starting to talk some serious crap. Many of my co-workers are staunch Ute fans and love to talk about how they are going to kill us this year in Rice Eccles. I don't like to necessarily dwell on the past too much, but the talk was getting to a point that something needed to be done. That is why I put together the following video. Enjoy, and I look forward to Nov. 22. I hope we are both undefeated and playing for our BCS lives!

The Only Time I Will Ever Talk WNBA

2008-07-22T23:05:00.002-06:00

If you didn't see the fight between the Los Angeles Sparks and Detroit Shock, take a look at the video. And we thought the WNBA had no chance of survival! They just need to do what hockey does, get fans by promising fights. Both sports are boring to watch, but hockey players beat the crap out of each other. That's why we tune in (by we, I mean Canada and Detroit). Anyway, good on ya girls! I am tuning in for the rematch...or maybe just the highlights of the rematch.

Summer Shows Worth Your Time

2008-07-22T11:54:00.005-06:00

OK, many people tell me I watch too much television, and they're all right, for the most part. I can easily justify all of my watching because of my occupation in media. It's all just "research!" Whatever the case, if you take the time to sit down and watch some show, and want to be sincerely entertained, here are my top choices.

1. Burn Notice (Thursday night, USA)

Beginning it's second season on USA, this show is about a spy who is burned by the government and is working and a PI until he figures out who burns him.

2. Psych (Friday night, USA)

Also on USA, Psych is about a team of guys who solve crimes for the police department and pretend to be psychic. The dialogue alone is worth the time, if nothing else.

3. America's Got Talent (Tuesday night, NBC)

If you like American Idol, nuff said.

4. Walker, Texas Ranger (MTWTF morning, USA)

Since this show has been in re-runs for 8 years, anytime of the year is good for a little Cordell Walker and Jimmy Trevette, but the summer especially. Every morning at 8 and 9 a.m. on USA. If you like good endings, remember, Walker never loses!

5. So You Think You Can Dance (Wednesday and Thursday nights, Fox)

This is my first year on the "Dance" bandwagon, and I was pleasantly surprised at how good the show is. Other than the episode when they put a guy in Daisy Dukes, I have enjoyed watching.

Enjoy!

"I Love Sports"

2008-07-22T11:38:00.008-06:00

For those of you who were too busy watching "High School Musical: Get in the Show" on Sunday and missed out on the ESPYs, I truly feel bad for you. JT (that's right, we're tight) did a song and dance about his love for sports, while Portland's own Greg Oden accompanied him on the piano. On more than one occasion in this 9-minute montage, I laughed out loud. Can be embarrassing all alone while neighbors listen in, but what do you do. I digress. If you can't find humor in it, go back to watching your Grey's Anatomy and Lost; nobody cares about you anyway! For those that care, check out the clip. I also added Will Ferrell's demands to host the show as well as his acceptance speech as Tiger Woods and Greg Oden's audition tape to be host of the ESPY's. Enjoy!

Greg Oden: ESPY Host Auditionfunny videosFunnyOrDie.com

See more funny videos at Funny or Die

Boarding on Utah Lake

2008-07-16T00:19:00.003-06:00

I love wakeboarding. I suck hard, but I love getting out on the water and messing around. Nice to have a friend with a boat who loves to take it out often. I got to hit the water for the first time this summer last Friday, and although I am not in any pictures, I thought I would share the experience. The weather wasn't perfect for boarding, but it was great to get out. Enjoy!

One of the Craziest Things I Have Ever Done

2008-07-10T23:30:00.003-06:00

Alright, I don't consider myself someone who lives on the edge. Heights scare the crap out of me, I haven't been skiing in over 15 years because of a freak accident and I don't take a motorcycle over a 100 just to know how it feels. So when I was asked to participate in a corn dog eating contest at work last year, wasn't really interested at first. Then, my boss decided to name the freakin thing after me and I had no choice. Add insult to injury, she put me up again against guys twice my size. (There was a small woman as well, so at least I knew I wasn't coming in last!) Of the 200 or so people that watched, 8 thought I was going to win. Seriously! 8. That got my competitive juices going and I was in it to win it. I still don't live on the edge, but I did eat 11 corn dogs in 10 minutes that day and came in second. Was sweating grease for two straight days. I put a little montage together as you can see below. It is a little ad for the company I work for. Enjoy!

Marcus on Last Comic Standing

2008-07-10T16:45:00.002-06:00

If you haven't checked out this season's Last Comic Standing, get on it! A guy from Salt Lake made the top 12 and he has a good shot of winning it all. I saw him perform at WiseGuys a couple of years ago with some friends and he is a funny dude. He does ridiculous impressions. (for the old people reading this blog, ridiculous = good!) Check out his semi-final performance about Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. Funny Stuff.

I Need Your Help

2008-06-22T23:36:00.000-06:00

http://www.ashtonsd60.com/gallery.aspx#/?category=all&sort=myPhotos&page=1&image=4576

Here is the link to one of the pictures I submitted for a contest on Nikon's Web site. The more views, the better chance I have of winning. PLEASE send this link to everyone you know and have them take a look. If I make the top 120 (which will be a miracle) then voting starts on Wednesday. I really appreciate your help. Thanks guys. Let me know if you have any problems seeing the link.

If everyone views each picture (there are three) 10 times, I should have a good shot of getting in. Thanks guys!

A Tall Tale

2008-06-21T01:38:00.008-06:00

There are a lot of professional athletes out there I have always wanted to meet. Topping the list are Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, LeBron James, Shaquille O'neil, and Lisa Leslie, to name a few. Then there are athletes you meet randomly, which can be just as exciting because they are just that, random. Well yesterday I met ex-Utah Jazz center Mark Eaton after a motivational speaking engagement where he spoke about his journey from 21-year-old auto mechanic to playing 12 years of professional basketball. Honestly, I didn't want to be one of those annoying fans, but after most of the employees left, I took the opportunity to get a photo. If you can't tell, the guy is ginormous! He is listed at 7'4" and he is every bit of it, no joke. But he is a really personable guy, very accommodating and even was cool when I told him I was glad he wasn't playing anymore because I was a Portland Trailblazer fan! Gotta love it. Well, since Mark Eaton was never on the list, I guess I need to do a little revising. Maybe I should add Dikembe Mutombo as well, except he would be impossible to understand and it would be tough to get his attention, seeing as how he has like 20 kids!

Oh, and by the way, if you believed for one second that I would put a WNBA player on my list of top pro athletes to meet, you are smoking something my friend...that will NEVER happen!

My Visit with Coby

2008-06-06T23:21:00.002-06:00

I go out of town for a day and what happens?...my little nephew Coby is born! I'm always missing the cool stuff. Anyway, tonight I went by the hospital to visit with my brother's family and meet Coby for the first time and thought I would share some pictures with everyone. He is really a cute kid. Surprising, considering the parents! Enjoy the pictures.

Coby Brent Goodfellow, Born June 6, 2008

2008-06-06T23:13:00.002-06:00

With or Without the Goat?

2008-05-13T23:40:00.003-06:00

Okay, I need some help. I spent the last month or so growing a nice little goatee, and I got mixed reviews from friends and family. Recently, I decided to get rid of the thing, but like females with long hair, I am not gonna lie, I cried a little when I let it go. I need some help...yes or no on the goatee? Leave a comment and help a brotha out.

Not Typical for the Front to Fall Off a Ship!

2008-05-12T16:29:00.006-06:00

I was checking out www.ragan.com today for work and I came across this video. It is a British journalist talking to a politician about a ship that dumped a huge load of crude oil off the coast of Australia. Listen to the politician's responses; completely ridiculous and absolutely hilarious.

The Fablehaven 3 Launch Party

2008-05-11T19:16:00.004-06:00

So for those of you who haven't been introduced to Brandon Mull, get with it because this guy will be a household name in the next 3 years. He is in the midst of writing a series of books called Fablehaven, the newest titled "Grip of the Shadow Plague." Brandon and I used to work together at Excel Entertainment here in Salt Lake City, so it's really exciting seeing all his success in such a short amount of time. Recently, his publisher held a launch party for "Grip of the Shadow Plague" that thousands of fans attended. I took my camera with me to the event, but was all the way at the back of the auditorium, so some of the pictures are a little blurry. Most of the pictures are of Divine Comedy, a comedy troupe Brandon used to write for. I also include a picture of this kid pop group (absolutely hilarious and ridiculous all at the same time) and Brandon addressing the crowd about his book. If you haven't read the books, get on it. More info available at www.fablehaven.com.

"Grip of the Shadow Plague" Launch Party

2008-05-11T19:16:00.001-06:00

My Bad

2008-05-11T18:17:00.002-06:00

All right guys, I realize I have been a complete flake in regards to this whole blog thing, but in my defense I did warn you at the beginning that I suck at this. As an apology, I will add a couple more posts today to hopefully get you updated as to what's been going on in my life. Here you go...

Happy Birthday to the Greatest Mom on the Planet!

2008-04-10T22:54:00.000-06:00

Today (April 11) is my mother’s birthday! She’s 55, and though not necessarily young anymore, she still has the energy of a woman half her age. For her birthday, I wanted to get her something she wanted, something out of the realm of her thought process. I didn't care about cost, I just wanted her to know how much I appreciated her. So I asked her, and of course she said she didn’t want a thing. What do you say to something like that? She is already a difficult person to buy for because she is exactly the opposite of my brother and father, who tend to buy everything they want the day it comes out. My mother would rather live the simple life. So I go back to my quandary of what to get the woman that doesn’t want anything but a phone call with a birthday wish; well I give her what she wants as well as my expression of love and admiration through the only bit of communication I know well, the written word.

For almost 30 years my mom has raised me to be a righteous man, a man dedicated to serving my neighbor and serving God. She doesn’t teach me by word alone, she teaches me through her actions. She raised 4 children through much of her life, and then when she thought she was done, another gift arrived nearly 13 years ago. Without complaint, she worried not for herself, but for those in the family she believed it would affect, another example of her desire to do what is right for those she loves.

She is also one of the funniest women I have ever met. Never willing to take herself too seriously and always keeping her humor clean, she lives her life to the fullest while always striving to be better. She never sees herself and the woman she really is because perfection is unattainable and she wants for nothing less. She is truly incredible!

Whenever I struggle with anything in my life I go to her for her unconditional love, for her willingness to tell the truth regarding mistakes I’ve made and how to fix them as well as focusing on my strengths and how to utilize them. She gives because it’s who she is, not because it’s what she believes she needs to do.

Mom, I love you more than any set of words could describe. Your love and support mean more to me than you will ever know. Although this present isn’t material, know that it is from the heart. Again I love you and hope you have a wonderful birthday.

That's Mr. Easter Bunny to You!

2008-04-10T18:18:00.000-06:00

So I realize I am a little late with this post, seeing as how Easter is long past us, but I just got a hold of a few of these pictures and I figured I would share them with you all. To give you the background, I recently started a new position at my company doing multimedia for the corporate events team. I realized soon after that, as the only guy on the team, I would be volunteered for things the women didn't want to do. Round one, play the Easter Bunny for a company Easter egg hunt.

They made me hold a dog! Seriously, does it get any worse? At least it's potty trained!

This is my team that forced me into this mess!

As you can see, this was not the most comfortable costume, and I was less than thrilled to jump in and play this fictional fur ball, but the party turned out really good. The little kids faces made it all worth it. The second I emerged from dressing next to a dumpster near the school, the kids flocked to me with mouths wide open in awe and arms outstretched wanting a hug. Not gonna lie, I felt like the NBA basketball player I always desired to be. Unnecessary side note, my bad. Anywho, I ended up spending an hour or so taking pictures and spending time with the kids, then disappeared back to my hiding spot next to the dumpster. Good times had by all.

The 2nd Greatest Player on the Planet

2008-04-03T18:52:00.001-06:00

Ever since I was a kid, I have loved following the NBA. I even thought, make that, knew I would one day be a player. I was so sure of it I made a $500 bet with my brother. I never paid him. The point is, I have a passion for everything about the league. I love the atmosphere, the pressure of big games, being a part of history and just having something to take my mind away from reality.

My dad bought season tickets every year growing up and I had the opportunity to see the likes of Clyde Drexler, Terry Porter, Kevin Duckworth, Jerome Kersey and Buck Williams run their way to the NBA finals twice. Those were amazing experiences I will never forget. Since then, I have been to hundreds of games and seen a lot of amazing players, but the one player I never got to see in person that I regret to this day is Michael Jordan, THE greatest player of all time. Currently, there is one player that seems to be unanimously compared to #23, Kobe Bryant, so when I was given the chance to see him play for the first time and to do so from the third row, I jumped at the chance.

I took tons of pictures and video. I felt like a giddy little school girl because I knew this may be the only time I see someone of his ability play in person. Let me say, he did not disappoint. I am including some video of him taking it to the baseline dunking, and just some random shots I took during the game. My camera isn't great, but I thought I would at least share my experience from my seat.

Remember, I am a die hard Blazer fan and Kobe was on the team that ripped my Blazers' heart out in the 2000 playoffs, so writing this entry is extremely difficult for me, but the fact is, Kobe is ridiculously good. The guy could score 50 a night if he wanted. Honestly, he is unstoppable.

Check out how easily he drives baseline and dunks. Sorry, that ain't right.

This is no man crush, just extreme respect.

Next on my list is LeBron James. That may be a few years.

Introduction

2008-04-02T23:56:00.000-06:00

Life is a roller coaster; my ride has had it's ups and downs with a few fun twists along the way. I thought it would be fun to start a blog and keep everyone who has any interest involved in what is going on. I have no idea what I will post about, but I will post, a least a couple of times a week. Some posts will be boring, some extremely entertaining because if I have anything, its funny stories to tell about people I interact with at work or girls I date, or random stupid things I do that make me me! Life Happens...you'll see.