February Photo-a-Day: Week 5

Feb 27 (Monday) - Something you ate

Bag o' fresh fruit? Don't mind if I do!

Feb 28 (Tuesday) - Money

An ancient coin issued by King Herod Agrippa I between 37-44 AD,
bought last summer during my Israel YSA trip,
with dime for size comparison

Feb 29 (Wednesday) - Something you're listening to

I'm not proud that this song is still on my iPod, but facts are facts

That's it! I made it through the February Photo-a-Day challenge!
Trying to keep up and be mindful of what I needed pics of was quite an adventure, and it's fun to look back on all the photos taken, including those that didn't make it into the blogposts. [Challenge, weeks 1, 2, 3, 4]

Thanks for following along and for sharing your own so I could see the creativity and share in your February experiences. I know some friends are now doing the March challenge, but I'm plum tuckered out.

February Photo-a-Day: Week 4

Note: I spaced a couple days, so I'm using old pics to fit the bill on those.

Feb 20 (Monday) - Handwriting

President's Day at the Jefferson Memorial

Feb 21 (Tuesday) - A fave photo of you

Back when I was just a wee little Superman

Feb 22 (Wednesday) - Where you work

This is an old pic from back before we got dual monitors in my group

Feb 23 (Thursday) - Your shoes

My main shoes, except my golf shoe should be there, too

Feb 24 (Friday) - Inside your bathroom cabinet

I don't have a cabinet, so this drawer houses many of my items

Feb 25 (Saturday) - Green

An old pic from golfing with Will at Lake Presidential GC

Feb 26 (Sunday) - Night

They say "light dispels darkness", but sometimes it isn't by much

That's the last full week. Only three days left of this challenge.

The Epic "Guy on a Buffalo" Saga

To make up for my lack of blogging this week, I'm sharing a set of real gems from YouTube.

I hope you can handle the awesomeness of the "Guy on a Buffalo" saga.

Is that song stuck in your head yet? You're welcome.

Semi-regularly, I've been narrating my life using the song since I saw these clips.
But not out loud. Only in my head, because I'm weird enough already.

Also, I want to go ride a buffalo.
So, friends, what's the strangest animal you've ever ridden?

Flashback Friday: Garbage Pail Kids

Today's Flashback Friday is about trading cards.

But although I had many baseball, basketball, and football trading cards, there was another set that I remember from elementary school.

A set of a less-savory nature.

Garbage Pail Kids

Do you remember these?

Maybe they were only a guy thing, as they're clearly a response to Cabbage Patch Kids for girls.

Pretty gross, and these aren't even the worst of them.

Were you into Garbage Pail Kids? Any other trading cards you collected?

PS: I'll admit I also had a lot of Magic: The Gathering cards, but at least those were for a game, so maybe that makes them slightly better. No? It doesn't? Darn. Was worth a try. #nerdforlife

Jimmer Fredette Came to Visit DC

Remember Jimmer Fredette?

He's the BYU player who lit up the college basketball world last season with his incredible scoring ability.

Last night, Emily and I attended the BYU Alumni event to watch the Washington Wizards play against the Sacramento Kings (the team that drafted Jimmer Fredette out of college).

Jimmer didn't get a whole lot of playing time, but every time he stepped on the floor there was a big round of applause from all the BYU alumni in attendance. And he did score 8 points in his 12 mins.

Observation: there were way more babies and little kids in the stands than normal. Typical BYU!

We had a fun night out seeing some NBA action, and, since we didn't care either way and actually left before the game had officially ended (to beat the metro masses), it was fine that the Kings came from behind for the win.

Now when do the Utah Jazz come to town...?

Your Brain is Smarter than You Think It Is

The brain is an incredible thing, and scientists are continually learning more about how it works and what it's capable of. I've come across these two findings, and I thought they were worth sharing.

All Mixed Up
Aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoetnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be at the rghit pclae. The rset can be a toatl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe.

Neato, huh?!
Here's one more:

Figuratively Speaking

This took a second to catch on, but by half way through I was humming right along.

I don't know if that's true that "only certain people can read this," but either way it's interesting.

Yay for our amazing brains!

Messages to My Left Calf and Other Related Parties

Dear left calf,
You suck. We aren't friends right now.
Regards,
Me

Dear running shoes,
I regret to inform you that our regularly scheduled dates are postponed until further notice. Please direct all complaints and resolution inquiries to left calf.
Always your friend,
Aaron

Dear Hasher friends (my running club),
While I've been attending and doing the walker trail in recent weeks, I really can't wait to be back in the pack and hunting those hares. True, I know the FRBs are the real chasers, but I like feeling useful in solving a check here and there. Also, I'm hoping to be back to hare the St Patty's trail.
On on,
LDS

Dear scientists,
How are the cyborg experiments going? I am ready for a new left calf, because my current one hates me and won't let me get through runs without pain. Robocop was made in 1987, so you've got to be close. I mean, hoverboards from Back to the Future (1985) are in pre-order already (see attached picture). Please keep me posted.
Anxiously awaiting your response,
Aaron

Dear icepack & DVR,
Thank you for supporting me in this trying time and for providing comfort to ease my pain. I know I don't pay you much attention when I'm not injured, so it means a lot for you to step up when I need you.
Much appreciation,
Aaron
PS Sadly, I can guarantee that as soon as I'm healed, you'll again get very little attention*. C'est la vie!

Dear roads, sidewalks, trails, and treadmills,
I will miss you while I'm unable to visit. Just know that you always provide clarification and mental cleansing, and I'll likely be a mess until we're reunited. In the Governator's words, "I'll be back." Hopefully sooner rather than later.
Achingly yours,
Aaron


Dear bicycle,
We will hopefully be getting reacquainted in the next few weeks, so I hope you're ready to roll (pun intended). This is dependent on your cooperation with left calf, who is being finicky lately. I'll be making large quantities of Gatorade to our parties, along with a little chain grease for you. If the groundhog was right and weather stays/gets cold, our old friend the CycleOps trainer will also join us. I promise he's a good time, and you two get along swimmingly.
Ready to pedal,
Aaron

Dear pool,
I just wrote to bicycle and was reminded that you and I are out of touch. Such a tragedy. Given my current spat with left calf, I look forward to reuniting with you and bicycle on a regular basis. Please be ready and at the appropriate temperature for swim training. Also, not too much chlorine if you can help it.
You're the best dive I know,
Aaron


Dear left calf (again),
I'm sorry I was hard on you earlier. It's just really hard waking up and knowing that you're keeping me from my running. For so long, you were a contributor, and now you're holding the team back. Please remember that there's no "I" in team... or in calf.
Pulling my weight, how about you?
Aaron


Dear healthy diet and old man body of mine,
Let's pitch in and help left calf get better soon. When he's unhappy, no one's happy.
You know it's true,
Aaron


*Except DVR will still get used for Justified. How does neither Hulu nor FX offer full episodes?

February Photo-a-Day: Week 3

Feb 13 (Monday) - Blue

Yep, that's a blue Snuggie, and I'm only slightly ashamed to own it.

Feb 14 (Tuesday) - Heart

Bingo at work. Sadly, I didn't win the gift certificate.

Feb 15 (Wednesday) - Phone

My Droid keeps the golf course nearby.

Feb 16 (Thursday) - Something new

So new I still hadn't corrected the date and time.

Feb 17 (Friday) - Time

Almost 8 hours of running so far this month.

Feb 18 (Saturday) - Drink

Not just after runs; I drink it all the time.

Feb 19 (Sunday) - Something you hate to do

Love the smell of clean clothes, but hate folding them.

Three weeks down! Kinda sad that the finish line is coming up and I'm just hitting my stride.

The Page 45 Sex Life Prediction

Usually I disapprove of forwards, but this one from Facebook a bit ago was just too funny not to share.

I'm currently reading "The Fault in Our Stars", so that was the closest book to me.

Here's what the first sentence on its page 45 foretold:

"I should head home actually," I said. "I'm kinda tired."

Marvelous. Spot on. Funny because it's true (at least for my current state).

A few of my friends also tried it out, and here are some of their results:

• Jen -  A book about a political prisoner during Stalin's purges of 1937... "Whenever it suits you best. Now, if you like, or if it's more convenient, after lunch." ..."How long is it likely to take?"..."Oh, say forty minutes, perhaps an hour." ha ha ha. - This is just too appropriate. Great find!
• Lisa -  Closest book is my Bridgeman's Anatomy for Artists..."In the twistings and bendings of the body there is a harmony of movement, a subtle continuity of form, every changing and elusive, that is the very essence of motion." For real. It's about time. ;)
• Dustin -  "You have to let them go their own way eventually, I reminded myself. You have to let them have their own life..."
• Megan -  The closest book to me is a juggling manual. I looked up the line... but I'm too embarrassed to post it, so I shan't. Prospects look good, though! - Makes me really wonder what my sister found...
• Rachael -  ‎"It seemed like she never even had time to think" (the exiled queen) sounds about right. too funny
• Danielle -  "Gladly, sir, but that guitar must belong to a master. It's too good to practice on." *snort*
• David -  A book of neurological disorder case studies: "'It's an 'as if',' I answered: 'as if the parietal lobes were not getting their usual sensory information.'" Prospects look grim... - Sorry, brother :(
• Whitney -  The closest book to me is the bible. HA! and funny enough the 45th page/first full sentence is Genesis 29:33 "And she conceived again, and bare a son; and said..." - Conceived again, eh? Get a move on it, girl!
• Stephanie -  ‎"'What do you mean?' snapped the bald man, clearly irritated by my intrusion."
• Micha -  ‎"Beside a marshy lake in an obscure sector of the Dakotas, a campfire was smiling its head off." I hope that's true!!! - Another excellent reason to love the great outdoors.
• Lindsey -  ‎"Some diversity in hardware may be necessary to support legacy or mission-critical functions" BWAHAHAHA oh my gosh....tears are streaming down my face! - Too good. I couldn't help but laugh at this, too!

Thanks for sharing, everyone! Plenty of variety in literature and predictions, and definitely good fodder for humor and a laugh for my readers and me.

If you want to try it, please put your results in the comments, as I'd love to get a chuckle from yours, too!

Our Formula: Take Tasty Food, Deep Fry, Chomp

I usually try to avoid fried foods. Delicious, but not very healthy.

Yesterday, the goal was to go crazy on the deep fried foods.

We succeeded.

Entrees included mozzarella sticks, jalapeño poppers, zucchini, pickles, bbq wings, sweet potato fries, chicken, onion rings, bananas, pineapple, cheese-filled meatballs, and even macaroni-and-cheese balls.

Alexis and Christine

Daniel and Kaitlin

Spencer manned the deep fryer (or fryolator as some -meaning Kaitlin- call it) for most of the actual foods. Between him and Dave, they had a pretty good knowledge of how long to cook things, or just really good guesses.

Jamie and football friends

The family photo of sisters and their god-dog

This is what onion rings look like mid-frying

Our running justifies these deep-fried pickles, right?

It's good to be flanked by these great brothers

Once we were done with the normal foods, it was time for dessert. Spencer had to go, so I took over on the deep fryer. I'd been waiting all day for the desserts, so I was happy to get 'em going.

For dessert, we had Double-Stuf Oreos, Girl-Scout cookies (thin mints), Tastykakes, Triple Double Oreos, and the fan-favorite Snickers bites.

The Snickers bites went quickly; I'd say they were the big winners

This is a triple double Oreo, basically a double decker; yum!

The afternoon was certainly a delicious one, but I think I'm done with fried foods for quite a while.

Do you have a fried food weakness? Ever just feel the need to satisfy it in a big way?

Flashback Friday: Christina Aguilera vs Britney Spears

Okay, so this week I'm not going back to my childhood, exactly.

But it does go back to my senior year of high school, which was over a decade ago.

Crazy, because it seems like several decades ago.

A few years earlier, all my female friends had the apparently-difficult choice of picking between a trio of boy bands: Backstreet Boys, 'N Sync, and 98 Degrees.

My senior year, it was the fellas turn.
Two girls came on the scene for us to decide between: Christina and Britney.

Some guys struggled with the decision.
Though I have learned to appreciate some of Britney's club tunes, I've been a Christina fan from the start.

Christina Aguilera

Come On Over (All I Want is You)

Britney Spears

...Baby One More Time

Both have changed a lot over the years, and they've made some questionable personal decisions.

But let's keep those out of the equation and just focus on the music and performing.

Based on their professional product and ability, which do you prefer?

Anonymous - My Submission to the 2012 Lonely Hearts Film Festival

It's finally finished and ready to share.

After recording way too much video over multiple weeks, and then a whole lot of editing, my freshman attempt at a short film was completed and submitted to the 2012 Lonely Hearts Film Festival.

Last night was the festival and my film's big public debut.

As it happens, most of the other films were comedic in nature, and I can't decide if that made mine more interesting or just a little out of place. One thing's for sure, my fairly quiet film with its contemplative message was in stark contrast to the film shown just before, which seemed to be channeling a Marilyn Manson acid trip while outrunning a psychedelic avalanche.

On its own, anyway, I quite like mine.

My objective was to get us all to think about how many people we pass every day, and to realize/remember that those people all have things going on in their lives, just the same as in our own life.

Anyway, enough babbling. Here's my video:

If you like it, and especially if you like the message, feel free to share it.

I'd also love to hear your comments and critiques, both positive and "constructive" in nature, because if I don't hear both types, I won't know where to improve for future works.

Let's all make this world a little more friendly and personable by reaching out to those around us.

Happy Valentines Day, Everyone!

Today is February 14th.

So whether you feel like it's this:

Or this:

Or maybe this:

Or just a good excuse to eat a crap-ton of these:

I hope it's a better day all around than you expected or hoped for!

Happy Valentines Day, everyone!

February Photo-a-Day: Week 2

Feb 6 (Monday) - Dinner

Short on color, but long on taste

Feb 7 (Tuesday) - Button

Only 2 out of 5 buttons on this coat. Oopsy!

Feb 8 (Wednesday) - Sun

No sun today, just rain and a chance of snow.
So the underside of my massive golf umbrella is as close to sun as I got.

Feb 9 (Thursday) - Front door

Not my door, but isn't it a great yellow door

Feb 10 (Friday) - Self portrait

Smile wrinkles and a 29 o'clock shadow

Feb 11 (Saturday) - Makes you happy

Especially the 4 hybrid

Feb 12 (Sunday) - Inside your closet

My suits: wet, Elf, and church

Two weeks down, a couple to go!