Tuesday, February 28, 2006

Too Warm, Too Soon

It's not even March yet, and it was 61 degrees today. Most people I talk to are loving it, but I barely got to enjoy winter. I know the snow on the mountains will stick around for a while, but I still want more here in the valley. There will be plenty of time for warm weather when May comes around.
In other news, Ryan left Saturday morning for a month-long TDY to Texas, so I'm back to living by myself again. We went house hunting last Wednesday and found a great place in south Layton. It's a four bedroom, bi-level house, which is perfect for our needs. The lady who owns it is doing some minor remodelling inside, and she won't be done for a month. This works great for us since our lease here isn't up until the end of March. I'm praying everything will fall into place and we can move in as soon as Ryan gets back from Texas.
And finally, we started our exercise today, and it looks like this is going to be a pretty easy one. I'm on RST (Readiness Support Team) once again, and as far as the Phase I goes, our job is pretty much already done. The rest of this week will be pretty dull, and next week probably won't be very exciting, either. I'm hoping to get lots of reading done.

Sunday, February 26, 2006

Evergreen -or- Curtis Squared


Curtis & Me
Originally uploaded by currtdawg.
I've only known Curtis for a few months, but I'll tell you what. This conversation NEVER gets old:

Curtis: Curtis?
Curtis: Is that you, Curtis?
Curtis: Yes, Curtis, it is.
Curtis: How are you, Curtis?
Curtis: Great, Curtis. And yourself?
Curtis: I'm just fine, Curtis.
...and so on.


Ryan & Tonya
Originally uploaded by currtdawg.
Last night, Curtis and his roommate, Nate, had their annual Colour Party. This year's colour was green, so it may just look like a really early St. Patrick's Day party, but it wasn't.


Mandeara & Nate
Originally uploaded by currtdawg.
This was also a rather bittersweet party, because on Tuesday, Curtis and Nate are moving to San Francisco. Curtis is going to culinary school, and Nate, to art school.


John & Ryan
Originally uploaded by currtdawg.



Tonya, Amy, & Ada
Originally uploaded by currtdawg.
I met lots and lots of new people. Curtis and Nate's apartment is in downtown SLC, and it's not very big, but it was packed. Ada played bartender, and even though I wasn't really drinking, I tasted several other people's drinks, and they were all very good.


Curtis & Nate
Originally uploaded by currtdawg.
Farewell, Curtis and Nate! You'll definitely be missed!

On Deck


The Canyons
Originally uploaded by currtdawg.
Yesterday, some guys at work asked if I wanted to go boarding at The Canyons in Park City. My answer? "Hells, yeah!"


Ben, Nick, Jason, & Neil
Originally uploaded by currtdawg.
This was our crew. I'd never been boarding with any of them before, but we were all at about the same level.


Neil at the Back Country
Originally uploaded by currtdawg.
I'm normally not one to tempt fate, but we decided to go through the back country anyway. It was definitely a challenge, but I'm glad we went that way.


The Canyons
Originally uploaded by currtdawg.
Here's more breathtaking images of Utah's landscape.


The Canyons
Originally uploaded by currtdawg.



Ben & Nick
Originally uploaded by currtdawg.



Me
Originally uploaded by currtdawg.



The Canyons
Originally uploaded by currtdawg.



The Canyons
Originally uploaded by currtdawg.
It was a great day complete with perfect weather and snow. It was a little bit crowded, but not to the point of inconvenience. And I'm not even sore.
There's less than two months left in the season, so I need to get in as much powder time as possible.

Saturday, February 25, 2006

Slightly sarcastic with a good chance of a) indifference or b) disinterest

I've been in a foul mood for the past few days. Not really angry or upset, but easily agitated and a little down and for no reason at all. Sometimes, I see these moods coming, but this one really snuck up on me. I'm sure it's just a minor phase, and I'll be over it pretty soon. It's when I get in these moods that I want to just lay on my bed and read, even though I know I should be around people as much as possible. Luckily, I have two parties to attend this weekend, plus, I'm going boarding tomorrow with some friends from work. That should make me snap out of it. I hope.

Friday, February 24, 2006

Richard

I'm ashamed of myself. I saw someone doing something inconsiderate. I could have gently approached and corrected her, but I didn't. I opted to be an asshole about it. Now I feel bad.
What's worse, if I ever see her again, I probably won't have the balls to apologise.

Wednesday, February 22, 2006

Hot Blooded

I had a pretty busy weekend, despite how I felt on the inside. Saturday, I was feeling kinda low and had a chill. I had plans to go to a party at Brian & Ryan's in SLC on Saturday night. Right before I left, I took my temperature, and it was 102. I tossed back a couple Tylenol and went anyway. You know how when your fever breaks, you start sweating for no reason? That happened to me at the party, but I had a great time, and I'm glad I went.
Sunday, I had plans to go boarding. I took my temperature before I left, and it was 99, so I skipped the pills. Big mistake. By the time I got home from the mountain, it was back up to 102. I tossed back a couple more Tylenol, and went to Church.
I was hoping yesterday would be a great day to catch up on laundry and reading and cleaning and maybe a little shopping, but I opted to sleep all day. Now, I normally can't sleep for more than eight or nine hours at a time, but yesterday was an exception. I went to bed around 9:30 Sunday night, and didn't get up until noon on Monday. And that was only to pee, shower, and eat. Then I got back into bed and slept until four. It was great, and I feel much better today.
Anyway, I should totally be asleep by now, but I went to dinner with a friend tonight, and we had coffee afterward, and I totally forgot to make mine decaf, so I'm lying here wide awake, and I have to get up early for PT tomorrow. Hopefully, all the sleep I got yesterday will carry over until tomorrow, and I won't be quite so tired.
Tomorrow night, Ryan and I are going house hunting. Our lease is up at the end of March, and we're pretty desperate to get a house. Apartment life isn't horrible, but it will be nice to be able to play music loud and have parties and get a dog and have a garage. Plus, I wouldn't mind getting something a little closer to SLC, since I've been spending so much time there lately, but I'll be happy with just about anything decent and within our price range.
Ryan and I moved in together in August, but he deployed in September, so really, we've only lived together for about five weeks. After living by myself for so long in Japan, having a roommate again is interesting. Honestly, the dirty dishes in the sink and the car parts in the living room don't really bother me. What I like best about it, though, besides sharing the bills, is that Ryan likes to watch really bad TV. This might seem like a curse, but it's actually a good thing because I just retreat to my room and read. I've finished two books since he's been back. It's great!
Anyway, my mind is still racing from all the caffiene, and there are a million things I could write about right now, but I should probably at least make an attempt to turn off the light and shut my eyes. This was a totally random post about things going through my head. I try to make these entries have some sort of purpose or meaning, but for this one, I just wanted to chat. Thanks for listening, internet!

Monday, February 20, 2006

Washed


Sam & Me
Originally uploaded by currtdawg.
Tonight, I went to see Sam get baptised. One can see baptisms just about anytime, but it's always extra special when it's a friend. Congratulations, Sam!

Snow Cone


Snowbasin
Originally uploaded by currtdawg.
Today, I went boarding with Nate, Josh, Shawn, and Shawn's Dad, Keith. I was kinda worried about the conditions because a) it's been bitter cold in Utah for the past few days, and b) there was a 70% chance of snow. However, the conditions were near perfect. We've had quite a bit of snow in the past few days, and it added a nice layer of powder all over the mountain.


Keith, Nate, Shawn, & Josh
Originally uploaded by currtdawg.
Normally, when I board, I'm all about speed and carving and taking the occassional jump (sometimes on accident). But these guys are balls out all about the aerials. I bit it more today than I ever have, but I also took more risks today, as well. There's probably some life lesson here. Hmmmm.


Snowbasin
Originally uploaded by currtdawg.
It was partly cloudy, but the sun shone bright for most of the day. And it seemed warmer up there than it does here in the valley.


Snowbasin
Originally uploaded by currtdawg.
Aren't the mountains in Utah amazing? Sometimes, living in Utah has its drawbacks, but the scenery isn't one of them.


Shawn, Nate, & Josh
Originally uploaded by currtdawg.
This was probably one of the more exhausting days I've spent on the slopes, but I enjoyed every second. Well, except for the time I caught my toe edge way hard and knocked the breath out of myself. Eh, it happens.
Anyway, I'm excited because tonight, Sam is getting Baptised. Also, I'm off work tomorrow. Could this weekend get any better?

Saturday, February 18, 2006

A Little Breather

I realise my entries on here haven't been as frequent as the daily rants I was posting a few months ago. My excuse is lots of traveling and just being busy, in general.
I'd be lying if I said I didn't appreciate slacking off a little, though. Sometimes I feel like posting on here and putting my thoughts and feelings out there is emotionally draining. However, I also feel like people come here for a reason. It takes some effort to maintain friendships. True, it's not as personal as writing a letter, or a phone call, or even an e-mail; but it's about all the zeal I can muster for the time being.
So, if entries aren't daily, I apoligise. I've worked hard to make this blog what it is. I'm a busy guy, and I'll do my best to post as often as possible. Thanks for your patience.

Thursday, February 16, 2006

Freedom Isn't Free

I like my job pretty well. Really, I do. I feel productive and usually have a sense of accomplishment at the end of the day. I'm challenged by the projects that come across my desk. I interact with several different people on a daily basis. I can even handle all the bullshit the Air Force sends my way. However, there's one particular aspect of my job that I absolutely despise. And that is called "stand-by." The way it works is, the guy on stand-by has to carry around an extra phone for a week, and is on call 24/7 in case of any emergencies. I know, technically, being in the military, I'm on call 24/7 anyway, but for all practical purposes, my job is from 6 AM to 3 PM, Monday through Friday. When I'm on stand-by, it's like carrying around this ball and chain that keeps me from doing anything fun or going anywhere more than 15 minutes away.
I went into work on Monday and saw my name on the stand-by list beginning tomorrow. I immediately tried to find someone who would take it for me. It's not uncommon for someone to pay someone else to take stand-by for them, and I've done that every time I've had stand-by since I've been in Utah. I hate it THAT MUCH. And since this is a three-day weekend, I had to pay a little more than normal. I'm not going to get into specifics, but let's just say it was a three-digit number.
So, yeah, my wallet may be a little empty this weekend, but, by golly, I'm going to enjoy it to the fullest.

Wednesday, February 15, 2006

Not Bitter At All

To celebrate the fact that neither of us have significant others, Reese and I are going out tonight on an anti-Valentine's Day non-date. I don't even know what we're going to do, but Reese is a riot and I'm guaranteed to be laughing for about 86.3% of the evening.

Sunday, February 12, 2006

Dizzy


The Tavernacle
Originally uploaded by currtdawg.
Last night, I went to a birthday party for Kyle. We started off at Brian & Ryan's house in SLC, and then moved the party to a piano bar called The Tavernacle (Get it?). I've been there once before, and it's really cool because they have these two guys in the middle of the bar playing whatever anyone requests. Kyle requested Johnny Cash and we all sang along.


Ryan, Tonya, & John
Originally uploaded by currtdawg.
I met lots of cool people, like Ryan, a lawyer in SLC, and Tonya, who went to high school with John.


Doug, Me, & Kyle
Originally uploaded by currtdawg.
After we closed down The Tavernacle, we went back to Brian & Ryan's for the afterparty, where I met more cool people, like Doug, who is a video editor for one of the local television stations. And special thanks to birthday-boy Kyle for making this picture a little cheeky. Of course, he was drunk. Hell, we were all drunk.


Tonya & Me
Originally uploaded by currtdawg.
We didn't leave until after 4 AM. On the way home, Tonya and I decided that Beyonce has nothing on her. Go on, girl!

I'm pretty tired and have a little bit of a headache today, but it was totally worth it. I think I'm just gonna shower the drunkenness off of myself and lay around in my sweats all day. I'd probably end up doing that anyway.

Friday, February 10, 2006

Snapshots

I finally got the photo stream for my Texas trip together. You can see it here. I wish I would have taken more of the landscape as I was driving, but the ones I took while hanging with Abby are hysterical. Well, maybe not hysterical to people who weren't there, but they definitely make me laugh.

Thursday, February 09, 2006

Caller ID

I'm currently hanging out with my buddy Kyle and watching the Grammy Awards. (The Madonna / Gorillaz performance was AMAZING.) A few minutes ago, my phone rang and it was my Mom. My parents have a crew they dine with every Wednesday night, and it's not unusual for my Mom to call me from the car on the way to their engagement. But tonight, it was obvious from the background noise that she was already there. She told me they were all at a martini bar for drinks before dinner, and that everyone agreed I need to have a daughter and name her "Emma Kathleen." She was a little more giggly than normal, and then it hit me. My Mom was doing the drink-n-dial! True, I'm guilty of it from time to time, but I never thought my Mom would be the perp. She told me she'd had two martinis, and I could hear all of her cohorts laughing in the background. It's rare that my Mom has more than one drink, and I bet she was totally feeling the martinis. She told me Dad was their designated driver, which made me feel better.
Yeah, I just had to write about this. I'm still laughing.

Wednesday, February 08, 2006

A Place Called Home

I'm back at my flat in good ol' Layton, Utah! I got into my car in Vegas yesterday where it was 75 degrees. When I got out in Utah, it was 31 with snow everywhere. Who knew there could be such a climate change after only six hours of driving?
I only spent one night in Vegas, but it was way fun. Melissa, Andy, and I went to eat at Elephant Bar and had a great time visiting. Damien, their six-month-old son, is adorable. Andy had to work yesterday, so Melissa and I had lunch at The Mediterranean Cafe, one of my favourite places in Vegas.
Since it was the last leg of my drive, it seemed to take forever. I finally got here around 9:30 last night. Since I still have tons of unpacking to do and lots of errands to run, I'm hoping to get a decent photostream up by the end of the week. I should warn you I'm planning on boarding tomorrow, so I can't make any promises. However, I will share a few travel guidelines I learned on my big road trip:

1) Keep water intake to a minimum. Frequent urination is annoying and time consuming.
2) Avoid Wyoming in the winter. Trust me on this one.
3) The 'shuffle' option on the iPod is your friend.
4) It's totally okay to sing.
5) If someone pulls up beside you and stares while you're singing, it's totally okay to start dancing.
6) Licorice is the best travel food EVER. Low fat. Doesn't melt. Very tasty.
7) Texting while driving is even worse than talking on a cell phone while driving. Just don't do it.
8) See as many friends as possible.
9) Have fun!

Monday, February 06, 2006

Touchdown

I left El Paso yesterday morning and had lunch with JR in Tucson. Most of the time, when I haven't seen a friend in a long time, I expect them to look a little different, but JR looked exactly the same as he did when I last saw him over three years ago. We had a great time catching up and eating and talking.
Now, I'm in Phoenix hanging out with Jimmy, Nicole, Shelby, and his wife, Stephanie. (Yes, Shelby is married.) Last night, we went to dinner at a nice, little micro-brewery and then played pool at a bar. Today, we did a little shopping, and now we're half-way watching the Super Bowl. At least, until our pizza comes and then we're going to throw in a movie. It's pretty much a non-event for us, and I'm sure we'll find out eventually who wins.
Tomorrow, I head to Vegas! Woo-hoo!

Saturday, February 04, 2006

Roam If You Want To

Yesterday, I left Abby's house in Dallas and drove to Abilene, where Brad and Kristy live. I hadn't seen them since their wedding almost a year ago. We went to dinner and had coffee and had a good time just hanging out. I was kind of impressed with Abilene. It was much nicer than I thought it would be.
This morning I left Abilene on what was probably the most boring drive I've had so far. The only moderately interesting thing was driving through Midland and seeing George W. and Laura Bush's names on everything.
Tomorrow, I'll drive to Phoenix to see Jimmy and Nicole, stopping in Tucson to have lunch with JR, whom I haven't seen since October of '02.
By the way, Texas has GOT to be the road kill capitol of the world. I'm just sayin'.

Thursday, February 02, 2006

Taking Me Home

I took my third and final test yesterday, and am now a graduate of the Air Force Fire Suppression Advanced Course. Trust me, it sounds harder than it actually was.
I'm back at the Young homestead for one final night before beginning my trek back across the country toward Utah. On one hand, I've really enjoyed this extra-long break from work. On the other hand, I'm ready to get home and have things get back to normal.