Gating

(Two Guys just playing in the snow)








(A rare woman in our midst)

Gating is what I call when you date guys, but not intentionally, that would be gayting. Anyway, I was musing about this topic the other day and this is exactly what happened to my roommates and me last year. Most weekend nights we subconsciously weighed our options about what we would do. There was always the pressure to go out on dates, but for some reason our cost-benefit intuition kicked in and we decided it would just be better to hang out with each other. I mean, why would we want to go on awkward first dates or spend money on someone else when we knew that we would have guaranteed fun with each other. We spent many a night at the nickel arcade, dollar theaters, or at home watching Jazz games. Some of the best times of my life with my best friends of all time. I think a lot of people subconsciously do this, but I noticed it in my life a lot last year. Having two of my best buds not live with me this year has of course changed my perspective and made it a lot easier to date, visit the sick and elderly (mostly my grandparents), and read of the best books. Having my best friends close around was one of the best times of my entire life, but I realized that the marginal benefits from this lifestyle were small and amount to little in my current life. I would never trade those times, but I am grateful for the position that I now find myself in. Gating can be a good thing and most of the time a fun thing, but I've learned to limit these interactions.


Gaters!!! (Guy daters)

Going on the Record

We all know that T.I. has had a huge year on the charts with "Whatever you like" and "Live your life". These songs are way sweet and I love them both, but I'd like to introduce you all to a song you probably haven't heard yet. Let's just say that the closer T.I. gets to going to jail for a year, the better his songs get. T.I. still thinks all other rappers have success because of him and that he is the King supreme, which right now makes sense because he puts out more music than most everyone else. It has actually been out for a while, but I feel like it is about to take off. He raps more in this new song than any of the others and it has Justin Timberlake as a guest. Hope you enjoy this, it's going to be around for a while . . . Dead and Gone

Wedding formalities

So I just got back from my best friend's wedding and there were some great times to accompany the events that took place. I thoroughly enjoy the Josie extended family and took more time taking pics of them than the actual bride and groom during the day. Anyway, the day started with the ceremony in the morning and as I passed Jesse upon the conclusion of the sealing I kissed him on the cheek much to the chagrin of many present including the sealer. As far as I am concerned it was appropriate for the time and setting. Kelly Josie presided at the ring ceremony and offered one of the best wedding speeches that I have ever beheld. I could not contain my laughter because it was actually so good. He started talking about when rings were introduced in ancient roman times and how the bride and groom would be chained together for a number of days before the wedding to make sure that they could stand each other and how rings symbolized a bill of sale in some cultures. He then moved on to the traditional exchanging of rings, which wasn't popularized until the 13th century. Kelly was at his finest and I really enjoyed his words. We had to leave a little bit early to get back for school and social events, but it was good to see Jesse and Darcy and how happy they were.

Fred taking some pics and creeping a bit.

Riley being the funny kid that he is and doing impressions of some of our old acquaintances.

Holy Matripony (Stang edition)

Well, the day that I have been anticipating for the last few months has finally arrived. The wedding of my best friend Jesse Josie to Darstang. Her real name isn't Darstang by the way. Her name is Darcy and she drives a Mustang, so we put the two together and arrived at the moniker Darstang, it was later shortened to Stang. December 12th these two love birds will get married in the St. George temple. I'm about to drive down with my family to witness the event. There are pictures and stories to come from this outing that I am excited to share. The fact that I should be studying for finals this week makes it all that much better, because I will be able to relax and enjoy the events.

Agoraphobia

Agoraphobia is my new favorite word/disorder. It was recently used on an episode of 30 rock. The literal definition is a fear of the marketplace, but it is basically a fear of fear. In other words, someone needs to go to the store later, but they are scared that they will be scared or have a panic attack at the store, so it renders them useless. Even though it sounds serious and somewhat funny I suppose that many people have already suffered from this disorder to some degree or another. Like, when you have to go on a date with someone and you are scared that you will have a bad time on the date, or if you have to play in a game and you are scared you will mess up. These are lesser degrees, but kind of humorous if you think about it. Oh well you agoraphobics I am out of here.

Recent Reads

I didn't get any homework done this entire weekend, but I did get the chance to finish three books. I have been wanting to read them all for quite some time and I finally go t the chance. Catcher in the Rye was good, about a young lad who has a proclivity for cursing and contradicts himself more than a local weather man, but an interesting read and has some funny phrases (i.e. Did you give her the time?) I'm going to start using that term liberally in my speech.I finished this book a little post-maturely, if that is even a phrase. Yes, I know McCain was defeated in the recent election, but this book is an interesting read for anyone interested in Navy lore and stories. I was disappointed in the sketchy character of young Johnny Mac, not quite the winsome man that we now witness on tv. I enjoy war tales, so this was a good look at the men behind some of the biggest decisions in Americas largest battles over the last century.

Amazing book. If you have read Blink or The Tipping Point you will understand how interesting these books are. Outliers is no different and offers an interesting view into what makes people successful in the world. It also offers some interesting ideas for rearing children and giving them opportunities to make them extremely smart. It also helped me to review my life and notice the opportunities that I have given and what to do with them. He also makes interesting correlations between the Beatles and Bill Gates, and how they achieved success. This was my favorite of the three and if anyone is interested in reading this book, let me know and I'll hook you up.

Skinny Jay-(n)z

The rapper Jay Z so eloquently coined " Can't wear skinny jeans cause my knots don't fit No one on the corner gotta pocket like this, So I rock Roc jeans cause my knots so thick" in a recent song called "Swagga like Us". It's a sweet song with T.I., Kanye, and Lil Wayne. But anyway, he refers to skinny jeans, which is interesting because you don't picture most rappers wearing skinny jeans, but the lyric worked for his rhyme so I see no problem in the reference. I recently purchased a pair of skinny jeans and according to the obvious innuendos in this song I should be able to purchase them for a specific reason (because my knots do fit), but this is also just a nonsense lyric and skinny jeans are actually very accommodating to knots, maybe just not his. I'll move on. I was at Sears (of all places to shop for clothing) and found a pair of dashing 511s. They had my size (well my actual size does not exist, but this is the closest thing) and so I tried them on and they were tight of course, because that is what skinny jeans do, they tight you. I decided to get them because the price tag said they were 27 dollars. Not a bad price and it is hard to find jeans that are close to fitting me. So I swaggered up to the counter and the baby girl rang those pants up and they came to 10 dollars. I don't know why they came up so cheap, but I was glad and considered it as a Thanksbirthday miracle. I bought them and got up on out of there. Just another way that Jay-Z is such a blessing in my life.

Thanksbirthday

It isn't very often that a man gets to sit down and enjoy his birthday on one of the major holidays of the year. That was the case this year as I shared the celebration of my birth with the celebration of native americans giving pilgrims maize, amongst other things. So, I attempted to look at my life and see all of the ways that I can apply indian principles in my life. First of all, I can give maize to anyone in need, especially hungry people. I figure the best way to do this is to have my pockets constantly full of the stuff so that at any moment's notice I will be able to fish out some of this food and give it to whoever asks. Second of all, I will become proficient with the bow, but not the bow that is commonly associated with the native americans. No, I will focus on the bow used to translate the book of Mormon, the one that Joseph Smith inserted the seer stones into to look (peep) through and decipher those ancient hieroglyphics. This bow will obviously provide positive returns for me and my study of ancient texts in the future. Third, with India growing so rapidly on the international scene with the advent of globalization and the flattening of the modern technological world it is becoming increasing difficult to distinguish between Indians from India and Indians of the native american origin. Really, this is a perplexing issue for me anyway, because when Columbus arrived in the Americas it should have taken him all of five minutes to realize that he had not landed in India via a faster sea-route. So, why didn't he change the name of this indigenous people? Any name would have suited them better, Squawks, Reds, TimTims, but because of his error we are stuck with the awkward question in contemporary speech to ask people to clarify what Indian they are referring to. This all could have been cleared up many years ago and there needs to be a suitable way to reform this nomenclature. A fourth item that I will try to implement into my way of life is to eliminate xenophobia from my life, this is also known as the fear of foreigners. I know there are perplexing issues involving illegal immigration and even legal immigration in this day and age, but I vow to not be scared of foreigners, just like the native americans, and teach them and help them in any way that I can until they eventually overrun me from my way of life as was the case with the pilgrims. So there you have it. Some birthday lessons that I learned on this glorious day and the things that I am going to try and change in my life. Thank you for all the birthday greetings!!

Kanye verse Killers

November 25th two new cd's from two of my favorite artists in my two favorite genres of music are hitting the shelves. I really wish they would collaborate and make a song together. Chris Martin did it with Kanye, Elton John and The Killers recently teamed up as well.

What I'm listening to:

Let it Rock-Kevin Rudolf ft. Lil Wayne

Independent-Webbie

Put On-Young Jeezy ft. Kanye

Heartless/Love Lockdown-Kanye

Human/Losing Touch/Spaceman-The Killers

I'm not going to teach your boyfriend how to dance-Black Kids

Starting Now-Ingrid Michaelson

Freeze-T Pain and Chris Brown

Live your life-T.I.

His Girl Friday-Academy Is

Stang-a-rang

My best friend Jesse recently got engaged and I am so excited for him. He is marrying a fine young woman who is absolutely perfect for him and will be a joy in his life. Her name is Darcy and she is from St. George. They actually used to work together at the Pizza factory and fell in love over a calzone earlier this year. They are getting married in the St. George temple December 12. Jesse and I have been friends for the last 14 years and worked, schooled, and played basketball together for most of that time. Just like the Killers are known as the best British band to come from America, I like to think of Jesse as the best British man who has come from America. His style and humor far exceeds that of many of my close kin. I'm extremely excited for him and the events at his wedding. I have never been able to relate with a man on so many things and always be on the same page with him. Even after years apart and attending different schools, we maintain the same ambitions and humor.

Indy's new adventure

The Indiana Jones film that came out this year was not loved by everyone who saw it, in fact many of my friends were not fans of this movie at all. I can understand their point of view, but want to explain some relevant points about this fourth installment of Indy that they might have missed. First, a lot of people have troubles with the aliens at the end of the movie. Has everyone forgotten that Indy dealt with Voodoo dolls, the lost ark (which kills all who view it), and the holy grail that offers eternal life to its partaker? We have dealt with the mythical and paranormal before, and aliens is not that far of a stretch, although it does seem to be a popular cop-out for extra-terrestrial obsessed Spielberg It's a commonality in many of his films, but one that he can't be blamed for in an Indy adventure. 2) The Cold War was more intense than WW2 and lasted a lot longer. The KGB makes up a worthy foe (although Cate's accent is numbing and forced). I'm still scared of the Soviets, not so much the Germans. Elder Uchtdorf has done much to calm my fears towards Germans. 3) This movie has some classic quotes. I will share a few.
Mac: This isn't going to be easy Indiana: Not as easy as it used to be

Indy: Drop dead (slap) Indy: I'm sorry, I mean drop dead comrade

Indy: Why did you do it Mac?
Mac: Well, what can I say Jonesy, I'm a capitalist
Indy: After all those years spying on the reds.
Mac: I'm not going home empty handed again

No famous last words Dr. Jones?
Indy: I like Ike!

Interrogator: Don't throw your war record in our face Colonel Jones, we all served.
Indy: Well, what side were you on?

Admiral: Do you have any idea how many medals this son of a bitch won?

Oxley: How much of the human life is wasted in waiting?

Indy: Nice try kid, but I think you just brought a knife . . . to a gun fight.

Those are just a few of the amusing quotes that I found in the movie. That is why we go to the movies, to be amused. No one was expecting an Academy Award type movie, but I was entertained and enjoyed the adventure.

A tribute to Putnam

Funny hair Putnam. He let us give him a haircut.

Putnam looks absolutely massive in this picture. A true giant.
Getting our groove on for a little party. We were a force to be reckoned with.
A death match wrestling tournament that Putnam was getting geared up for. He wrestled a boar.
Senor flaco estas se preparando para lucho libre
Our version of the triple stack.
A gave Putnam the best turkey ever and right after he gave me a goose.
Power
Cheers Putnam.

Putnam

Can I just say that Matt Berrett Putnam is a bad a-- and the coolest person that I know right now? Number 57 had a coming out party yesterday and it was the best moment of my life. First, early in the game Bronco Mendenhall is on camera and behind him my two old live ins are playing around behind him. Mark Freeman is grabbing Putnam's armband and snapping it back and they are laughing. Then Putnam gets in the game in the third quarter and starts blowing my mind. He is a part of every play and running around everywhere, not to mention that at 6'7 he looks huge out on the field. This is when the best thing ever happened, Putnam spins off the offensive lineman and winds up in the backfield with the quarterback who looks to throw it, Putnam times the pass perfectly and jumps high up into the air and knocks the ball down to himself. One of the most athletic plays I have ever seen!!! All between him and a touchdown is the QB, who spears Putnam and flips him over. The Quarterback of all people!! I laughed harder than I have in a long time. The announcer's then quote Bronco Mendenhall talking about Putnam saying, "He will be great!" Indeed he will. He went on to have a sweet sack on the scrambling quarterback. Freeman also got some good minutes and played well on the Offensive line. I love those two guys and they made my day, especially when the announcer's kept talking about Putnam being an athletic giant out on the field. It was all topped off when the camera showed Putters after the catch and he had an ear to ear grin on the sideline and the words on the bottom of the screen read "First interception of the year for BYU." Way to go Putters!! There is a pic of Putnam with Mike on the reservoir on the right hand side as well, so you get the true feel of his magnitude.

Flower Power

Killers faves
This first one is a little drama, but oh well.

replaceable, it's cynical call me useless; just you wait put me down and call it fate broken bridges, wasted hate so just stand beside your man, the boy ain't wrong, act like I never turned you on, all I do is cry and you watched me die at least a thousand times but it's great to hear you're doing fine tonight, too late to fight but you've got inside this naive head of mine

I can't even recognize myself behind So if the answer is no Can I change your mind
While I ignore, that we both felt like this Before it starts to show So if I had a chance Would you let me know
I said I don't feel like touching her no more Well how did it happen I spent two long years (maybe mission?) in a strange strange land Well how did it happen I'd do anything just to be your man

But my heart, it don’t beat, it don’t beat the way it used to. And my eyes, they don’t see you no more. And my lips, they don’t kiss, they don’t kiss the way they used to, and my eyes don’t recognize you no more. For reasons unknown; for reasons unknown.

She told me sweet thang Run a labour In your shoes Touch me til i follow in love I wanna help her Maybe we were better alone I wanna show you how

'Cause heaven ain't close in a place like this I said heaven ain't close in a place like this
Bring it back down, bring it back down tonight Never thought I'd let a rumor ruin my moonlight

China

My recent morose mood on life causes me to reflect on where I am going and what I am doing. I feel somewhat unsatisfied in my endeavors, especially recently with most of my best friends pursuing their lady loves and making that "next step" in life. I had a lengthy discussion with my friend Dantley the other day about taking the marriage step after the mission and the pressure often associated with it. I mentioned to him how a young man in my home ward recently returned home from a mission and proposed the very next week to his bride to be. Dantley had some harsh criticisms of this move, but I can understand it. Now, I am aware I should engage in an engagement to a young female as my next step, but I don't feel like there should be a time frame associated with this step, as there often seems to be within the Mormon culture. This background sketch leads me to my current desire to live in Asia and particularly China as soon as I can after graduation. I don't know if I am ready for such a move, but what worries me more is finding someone compatible with me who will be ready to take on such a task. For seven years I have felt a strong pull to live in the orient, as I feel my talents and strengths can be used effectively in that realm of the world. I talked to another friend this week and was surprised to learn of his similar desire to live abroad in Asia. I feel like ours is a generation being prepared to ready that land for the gospel and participate in the ushering in of a marvelous work there. I knowingly accept that this will be a hard and trying time for many of us. What worries me in the courting arena is finding someone who is always positive and willing to take on such challenges. Someone who challenges themselves in their daily lives to be better and serve their fellow man. Perhaps my endeavors may continue on a personal level for a few years, but I also understand that I need to not judge or sell anyone short of such charitable capabilities.

The Killers

The Killers tried out two of their new songs for the upcoming CD Tuesday night, and I love them. One reason why is that the song names have a certain mystique about them, an electronic theme. The respective track, Neon Tiger and Spacemen, were revealed in a small club for members of the Killers fanclub. Another reason I like the songs is because they tell a story. Flowers focused on many broad topics in his last album, mainly struggles of life and death, family issues, and personal fears. Hot Fuss had songs that tell stories, such as Jenny and Mr. Brightside. The sound quality is not the best from these new songs, but there is an electronic feel to the tunes and The Killers will continue to be one of the best bands in the world. They are one of the few bands who can alter their style of music on any new cd, while others simply play to one genre. Enjoy Neon Tiger below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jLvP7JDkPiE.youtube.com/watch?v=jLvP7JDkPiE

And here is a recent pic of President Monson that I really enjoy as well at the 24th of July Celebrations. A holiday that I handed out Oreos to my co-workers that had notes on them reading Happy Pioneer Day.

Memorize, memorandum, memory

The more intimate the memory, the better.

1. Add a comment on my blog. Leave one memory that you and I had together. It doesn't matter if you knew me a little or a lot, anything you remember!

2. Next, re-post these instructions on your blog and see how many people leave a memory about you. It's actually pretty funny to see the responses. If you leave a memory about me, I'll assume you're playing the game and I'll come to your blog and leave one about you. If you don't want to play on your blog, or if you don't have a blog, I'll leave my memory of you in my comments.

Move over Las Vegas

On the southern tip of China lies a city that is a rare destination by western travellers. Macau is one of the lesser known hot spots in Southeast Asia. While many tourists flock to Hong Kong, Tokyo, and Bangkok, Macau has become a favourite destination of mainland Chinese and a popular weekend getaway for Hong Kong’s wealthy. Macau offers a wide array of culture, history, and excitement, but is primarily renowned for the casino/hotels springing up everywhere. I only had a vague concept of Macau and knew very little, other than the descriptions of one of the “Bourne” novels that take place in Macau. The book depicts Macau as a slum ridden gangster run city with widespread corruption. The images portrayed in the book differed from what I experienced firsthand. My curiosity led me to discover why this locale is unknown to many people; including many of my acquaintances.

I will begin with a brief background of Macau to facilitate explaining some of my observations. Macau is very similar to Hong Kong, in that it bares the title of Special Administrative Region to China. China owns operative rights of Macau, but Macau is run by local politicians and enjoys more freedoms than mainland Chinese, such as religion and speech. Portuguese settlers owned the peninsula for many years before returning the region to China in 1999. There are many Portuguese styled edifices dotting the city and street signs are written in Chinese, English, and Portuguese. Macau, long an area of crooks and corruption, now boasts more revenue than Las Vegas in the gambling industry, which can still be considered corrupt by ethical standards. Despite the dynamic background, Macau is relatively unheard of in western discussions. A few reasons for Macau’s hedged prominence may be because of the late blooming economy, small population, and lack of family activities.

Hong Kong has always been the economic tiger of the region. This financial capital of the world, previously run by Great Britain, thrived and rose to prosperity over the last 100 years. Macau never received the influx of foreign influence and effective governance that Hong Kong did. However, the tides have turned and Macau is growing and an unprecedented rate. As I walked through the developing Cotai strip, I was awestruck at the construction projects being undertaken. Across from the Venetian Macau an entire block is under construction. Every single building on the street is being built simultaneously appearing similar their Las Vegas counterparts. Names like, Wynn, Sands and Bellagio are sure to ring a bell to western ears, as the opulent structures take form. This influx of money is staggering as the strip, rivalling that of Vegas’, emerges. This new Macau is a stark contrast from the Macau of past years, when the city was viewed as dirty and riddled with crime.

The small size of Macau’s population and area is also a reason for the lag in growth. Macau does not have a thriving financial sector and much of the investment comes from other locales. An investment banker I spoke with recently said that casino officials invited representatives from 40 banks outside the region to help finance the new structures being built on the Cotai strip. Investors, desiring to see return on their investments; will push for more aggressive marketing of Macau to foreigners. The other problem with the size of Macau is that the population is a mere half-million, making it one of the smallest populations of major cities in Asia. Gambling is the major source of revenue but that will not attract permanent residents to the city. Much like Las Vegas, Macau is a town that many flock to on weekends, including successful Chinese businessmen. With time, Macau will experience increased financial growth and more outsiders will seek permanent residence in the city.

Perhaps the greatest failure for the lack of western knowledge about Macau is the absence of family orientated activities. Las Vegas offers families with alternative fun to gambling. Roller coasters, shows, and water parks all welcome travellers from around the country. Macau does not offer the variety of shows or concerts to attract customers of all ages. The atmosphere around town is geared towards a more mature, gambling crowd. Parents with children were non-existence as I roamed around the city and through casinos. This lack of family orientated activities is one of the main reasons that Macau is not an ideal destination for western people. There is no apparent reason to choose Macau for a vacation over Las Vegas. The grandeur and availability of activities in Las Vegas offers no reason why travellers should venture overseas to a similar and less superior locale.

I took the hour long ferry from Hong Kong and arrived to a long line at immigration. This seemed strange because airports around Asia all do a much higher volume of people and are more efficient. Macau does not appear capable to handle a large amount of people into the city or communicate with them. English is not as prevalent in Macau as in Hong Kong, but strides are being made to facilitate tourist accessibility. Buses going to and from the Venetian Casino are free for tourists and leave regularly outside the ferry station. I opted to trek through the streets of Macau prior to the casinos, and randomly wandered through parks and shops along the streets. For mid-day on a weekend I was surprised to find myself alone on many of the streets. Not until I arrived at the casino did I find the masses. Truly, gambling is the foremost attraction to foreigners and explains the absence of people on the streets experiencing the culture.

Macau is a city experiencing tremendous growth due to a tide of foreign investment flowing into the economy. Not many years will pass until Macau receives greater attention from the west. More tourists will take the inexpensive journey from Hong Kong to spend a day or two in this bustling community if Macau broadens their tourist scope to include family activities, such as shows and concerts. Perhaps, Macau is not ready for so many newcomers and prefers no foreign intrusion. However, this does not seem the case, with both a highly touted NBA exhibition game between the Orlando Magic and Cleveland Cavaliers last summer, and a much publicized tennis match between Roger Federer and Pete Sampras. These events place show that Macau is moving in the right direction to be a popular destination in ensuing years, both regionally and internationally.

G.I. Jordan

For some reason that I can not clearly define, the Vietnamese would not shave my head. This was disconcerting and annoying. I am now left with a bad semi-military inspired haircut that is by no means complimentary to my facial structure. This episode all began when I arrived in Ho Chi Minh City, formerly known as Saigon (pronounced Sigh Gone for anyone begging a pronunciation guide). I subcontracted a taxi driver and he left me in the downtown area without a place to stay. So, I started walking around and stopped in a few places to inquire about room prices. All were full or expensive. I wasn't too worried though, so I continued to wander aimlessly through the streets. I decided that I needed a confidence booster, so I stopped in a hair parlor. This enterprising business doubled as a pedicure local (the Vietnamese are famous for their pedicure expertise). So, I assumed that one of these beautiful Vietming would cut my hair, but to my chagrin they called a young lad from the back who performed the hair cut. It was strange and very awkward because this guy was cutting my hair and there were 5 girls in matching blue dresses sitting on a couch staring at us. I requested that the lad buzz my head so that I would resemble a G.I., he proceeded to give me the worst hair cut of my life. I looked like a Saved by the Bell reject extra in a scene at the Max. I left the saloon with little confidence intact, for the small fee of $2.

I finally found a place to rest my head. I was settled in and ventured out to find a computer and notify my parents of my safe arrival. I entered a park where the locals were courting on their bicycles, no lack of public affection. It was late at night and trepidation began to run through my body. I crossed a street where I noticed a large hotel that undoubtedly housed an email facility. As I was crossing, a very pretty Vietcong girl pulled up on her moped. She was dressed nice and I was startled at first, 1) because she almost hit me with her moped and 2) she obviously was a woman of the night. Her English was broken, but she basically told me to get on the back of her moped and that she would take me somewhere and then bring me back. I looked at her incredulously, my eyes indicating my loathing of her abominable suggestion. She persisted and like Joseph of old, I ran. I raced across the street and to my astonishment, she flipped a bi--- and continued after me. I stopped, turned to her, and shook my head. she finally got the point and drove off. I succeeded in emailing my family and went home, but not before one other strange thing happened. I was shocked when in the market a lady endeavored to sell me some gum and cigs. Abruptly, a uniformed cop walked by and ripped the items out of her hand leaving her staring after him. I was grateful that I had not purchased anything from her incessant nagging.

The next day I went on a tour of Vietcong caves and was bombarded (much like this area that had been peppered with American bombs) with anti-American sentiment and propaganda. Understandable, but part of the tour included a documetnarty that denounced "evil Washington D.C. and their bomb dropping". The facts were hard to stomach of the killing (3 million Vietnamese) that happened during that time. I was the only American in the tour group and sunk a little lower in my chair as the movie progressed. The caves were cool though and the tour guide asked for any young and strong people to volunteer . I raised my hand and said, "I am young, and I am strong." He beckoned me to crawl100 meters underground in the underground tunnel. I accepted his challenge. I was followed by a young Korean boy who is in the accompanying picture. We couldn't see anything when we went down the steep stairs so I got out my camera for light to lead us through the dark until we came across some other lights. Later, the Korean lad, a mere 14 years of age (13 American, they start age the year they are born as 1 already) indicated to me that he had just followed me and was a bit nervous. I had been nervous myself when I undertook the journey.

We left the tunnels and got back to Saigon. I exited the bus and walked down the street and entered another hair cutting saloon. I decided to give it another go. Yet again I was greeted by an attractive young Vietnamese girl and she called a young man from the back to cut my hair. I told the guy I wanted my hair buzzed and even indicated it, with sound effects and all, but to no avail. I was in for another standard haircut in Vietnam. At least it was shorter this time. So, that is how I got 2 haircuts in as many days in Nam, and now I look like a G.I.

Dark Knight

Out of everyone that I know I am the first first to see the new Batman movie. Batman is released one day earlier in Hong Kong and it is 14 hours ahead of home, so I was in a good position. All that I can say is that it is very dark and I cringed on more than one occasion due to the violent nature of the film. I was also not aware of two-faces long appearance in the movie. It was a surprise, but a good one. The movie was rather long as well and climaxes and then dives into a more intricate storyline. All in all I thought it was a great movie, and I could not even tell it was our good friend Heath under all that makeup. Luved it!

Failed Finger Foods

Last night I reverberated to juvenile humor in attempts to be the "life of the party" at a work event. I retrospectively condemn my failures and describe some of them in detail here.

First of all I thought it funny to write summer intern on my name tag and introduced myself as summer intern throughout the whole night. This act got a few chuckles from my fellow Cathay Pacific colleagues, but others just looked confused. I think my sarcastic and feeble humor attempts were lost on many.

Now I have to explain my demeanor and actions at parties. I am always eating. If you have ever attended a party with me I will be lurking by the food at all times. I don't know why I do this, but I always like to be eating something or have something to eat when I am mingling with people.

So, next I saw some beautiful females and on further discussion learned that they were Japanese. They were dressed far better than most at the party and I was intrigued when I first saw them. I started with the same bad jokes about being 18 and attending a hair school in Hong Kong for the summer. These were failed bits of dialogue and I again felt cheap in my comedic actions. I righted myself a little bit and talked normally for once to these beautiful ladies and then finally moved on to other tom-foolery.

My next try at being funny was eating as much as possible. A small plate of brownies came by and I grabbed three at one time and threw them into my mouth at the bewilderment of three Indian females standing on the other side of the platter. One of the ladies kept pointing out to me the rest of the night whenever the brownie plate was being taken around. I made a huge mistake. Throughout the rest of the night I would grab food and call over the waiters instead of them coming to me. Why I thought this would be funny I don't know, but I regretted it in more than one way. I was bemused at my follies for bad humor and my stomach was in shambles all the way home.

I guess that I dodged a bullet though, they would probably not be prepared for my eccentric dancing.

Are you Mormon?

This past Monday I was in Taiwan running around the city and having a great old time. I wandered to the Chiang Kai Shek memorial and tried taking pics of myself. The pics didn't turn out how I desired, so I asked a man if he would take a picture of me in front of one of the beautiful memorials. He accepted my proposition and asked out of nowhere if I was a Mormon. I gaily laughed at his inquiry and said, "why yes, I am a Latter-day Saint." I asked him how he knew and he attempted in vein to respond coherently. Something about him seeing a Mormon bible in the U.S. once upon a time when he studied there. His English was not entirely understandable, but I found his question humorous. I would never ask someone out of the blue if he was a Mennonite, or Presbyterian. How is it that someone would ask that. I was dressed in a white shirt and tie, but so were hundreds of other people in the city. If I saw a man in an orange smock I would assume he was Buddhist. If I saw a man in a brown tunic I would assume he was also a clergy man, or perhaps a friar if it was 500 hundred years ago. These are generalizations, but I believe they are quite obvious. The audacity to ask someone if they are of a particular sect is peculiar to me, but then we are a peculiar people. I took the question in good spirit and later was pleased that I was recognized for what I am and what I was portraying. This was a lesson in comportment and more significantly countenance and demeanor. What an honor to be asked such a question. However, I don't believe that I will ask the next person I see if they are Lutheran. There is no way to tell the difference, but I'm glad the world recognizes a Mormon in a group of faces.

Jump guy jump

As a single white male I have a rare gift that not many others in my demographic share. I can jump really high. Now to give you some background info, this ability stems from stem cell research ironically, where I have genetically altered my calves to feed off themselves and grow exponentially stronger. At 6'4 you may think that I'm not jumping high at all, because of my long torso, or lanky arms, but I assure you that the jumping is all real and that these photos have not been doctored in any way (except for the doctor who took the pictures, his name is Dr. Maelstrom). A jump is measured by where the crotch line is, and as you can see in the final picture, I blow the competition of other single white males out of the water. Sometimes I'll jump clear over someone while they are standing there. This has been my trademark move and fascinated scores of people. There is nothing better than running and jumping clear over a Chinese lady in the middle of a Hong Kong park. Over and out . . .

Intern Musings

There has been a long line of predecessors that have walked the intern line, I don't know if it is a straight line, but a pathway nonetheless. There has been the famous temp from The Office who rose to the heights of management, there have been interns on boats performing various labors as depicted in The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, and there have been countless of real interns all over the world getting that oh so precious on the job training. As an intern I have made some observations. 1. If you do an internship in HK everyone will assume you are British. As far as I can tell, out of the 3,000 employees at my place of work I am the only young American boy. In fact, I have been accused of being the famous Prince William on more than one occasion. I have endeavored to learn British to cover for my Western drawl. Words such as peckish, lift, rubbish, brilliant, and cheers have entered my word arsenal throughout the day to assimilate me into the British role I am assumed to be playing. 2. Interns can ask any question and do anything. In the short period that I have been here I have asked every stupid question that you could possibly think of and will only continue to do so. "So, do you like work?"; "Those guys fly the planes, right?"; "What time do we leave?" Most of these questions are followed by me smiling and the other person laughing. Brilliant! I really am getting the hang of this. 3. Interns get special privileges. So in this week I have been to airplane simulations, watched flight attendant trainings and briefings, witnessed where the meals and items are prepared before the flights, and many other things. I know what ISM, FP, and Y3 stand for. I know protocol and procedures, safety and service standards. It has all been a wonderful opportunity. 4. Interns sometimes go a long time without talking to other humans. Finishing work at six and heading home leaves me with few options. I get to my flat at a retirement/wealthy community and my options become limited. I could take an hour bus into the city, read, run, or write blogs. All enticing options, but monotonous after a few days. I think I regularly go 10-12 hours without talking to anyone. Dreadful, but it opens up a lot of time to reflect and ponder. All is well. Those are some of the intern scrutinies and joys that I have found in this first week. Cheers!

Driving Me Crazy

Today I found that I have a fear that I had never previously considered. A fear that is plausible, but never considered feasible. While driving to my new flat on th gold coast, courtesy of one of the many lovely buses of HK, I became intent on the actions of the driver. The man could not go more than 10 seconds without rubbing his eyes are hitting himself on the back of the head. I found the bus drifting out of the lane on several occasions while this went on. I had never seen a man fight o hard to keep his focus and stay out of delirium, other than witnessing various students attempting the same feat in tedious poly sci classes at the Y. My curiousness into the matter elevated as my dear old friend led our entourage into a torrent of rain. The veerings into other lanes got worse, and as he endeavored to pass a truck I thought for sure that we were going to collide. To my astonishment we arrived unscathed at our destination and the driver embarked to his next destination with a prayer from me that he arrive safely there. Perhaps I underestimated the prowess of this man and his keen sense of the dimensions of his vehicle, however, when it comes to avoiding collisions with other vehicles, I prefer a sober, coherent driver.

The grass is greener where I stand. , ,

The more options that I have the harder it is for me to make a decision about something. Currently, I have over 11,000 songs on my ipod and every morning when I arise and head for school I am amazed at the cogitation process that preempts a song choice. The more movies I have in my arsenal, the harder it becomes to choose one to watch. I mean from Babe pig in the City to Poison Ivy with Alissa Milano, the choices become difficult when mass amounts of media are available. This has been my problem in the past with dating. I know this is cliche coming from a Provo dweller and I think it is becoming cliche to say cliche these days, but I'm at a loss for words. The mentality of so many of my peers (including myself) lacks a notion of compatability, and awaits perfection, in the meantime acting mediocre ourselves. What awaits around the corner? How in the hell is that guy with that girl? Why can't the girl do all the work? Why, when I tell someone how I really feel it always goes south and when someone does that to me the same happens? These are questions I pose. Are too many options a bad thing? By narrowing down the options I find it a lot easier to choose. Tacos or pizza? The National or the Killers? Black shirt or blue? Jurassic Park 1 or Jurassic Park 2? You might still find complication in these decisions, but I am suddenly able to arrive at a decision with a lot less trepidation and not have any cognitive dissonance to reflect on after words. So, this Easter I vow to turn over a new leaf, to accept my position and my options. No more waiting for girls to mature, or wasting time with what isn't there. I know what I like in someone and a lot of my friends possess the qualities that I find attractive. Where I stand I have viable options and no one else grass is greener than mine.

Groverfield

Grover Cleveland was a great president. If you are interested, his birthday is the first week of March. He was also the only President to serve two non-consecutive terms in the White House. He was also a leader of the Bourbon democrats in a period overly dominated by Republicans. These are a few reasons why I think that Grover should be more celebrated on this day more set apart for the Lincolns and Washingtons, and Roosevelt twins (Teddy and Franklin). Grover was also a Mayor, Sheriff, Governor and eventually President. He was a cartographer, boy scout, and expert at the sextant. This day commemorates President's. How many people are truly trying to acquire more information about these men on this day? Everyone I talked to today I would question them about who their favorite President was. Few were the responses of Taft, Grant, or Cleveland. Apparently there is some new movie out called Cloverfield, instead of wasting time on a porous film such as this, take some time out and learn about a President. I did, and Grover Cleveland founded Cleveland.