Proof

Just in case anyone thought I was making it up.

Burial

The story about the NAACP burying the N-word sort of caught my eye. If you haven't heard, basically in an attempt to stop people from using this slur they held a symbolic ceremony, complete with coffin and pallbearers. This got me thinking about what things I would like to bury, and I came up with a short list....(in no particular order)
-"You're Beautiful," by James Blunt
- Rosie O'Donnell's voice
- "Deal or No Deal"
- New York (the person, not the city, although the Yankees are close. Actually New England in general isn't sitting pretty if I ever become Minister of Homeland Punching in the Face)
- Nickelback
I'm interested to know what my friends think. Tell me what you would bury.

Thoughts

It has been a while since I wrote anyhting on here. I don't have internet yet in my new apartment and my neighbors are really stingy and lock their wireless. Hopefully I will resolve this soon but in the meantime, I will just do what I can.
The last few weeks have gone really well. I spent a week in Florida with my family and other than that have continued to work. I finally have a permanent apartment and ward and so far both seem good. The apartment smelled like cat when I first moved in but I used some carpet stuff and now the apartment smells sort of like detergent or something, but that is better than dumb cats.
Anyways, here are a few thoughts and experiences I thought I should pass on:
- I hate the San Antonio Spurs and they ruined the NBA for me. I especially have a desire to punch Manu Ginobli in the face. With that in mind, I have an idea for a skit on SNL or Chappele show or something that follows Manu in his normal life to the grocery store or movies or wherever he goes. As he goes to these places, people accidentally bump into him and every time he flops, flying across the aisle at the grocery store and looks at no one in particular hoping to draw a foul. This could be funny to me for up to three and a half minutes.
-It turns out one thing that is great about Provo is that girls are in school and have goals. What's the deal with graduating from high school and living at home with mom and dad until you are married or thirty-seven?
-Girls jeans with no pockets on the butt are NOT attractive.
-One of the last nights in my temporary apartment I was awakened at 3:00 AM by the loudest ringing sound ever. My brain was unable to react so my instincts kicked in, telling me to turn off my alarm clock, but that wouldn't stop the ringing so I yanked the plug out by the cord...still did not stop. At this point I am panicky about how mad my neighbors will be about the loudest noise ever waking them up so I start running around the apartment opening and closing everything...the fridge, microwave, oven...trying to figure out what the deal was. I was literally running from one side of the room to the other like a crazy person. Then my brain finally caught up and it clicked that maybe was the fire alarm so I had to put on some clothes and go check. Sure enough everyone was filing out. I was relieved but also felt like a goof for freaking out the way I did. Then my apartment burned to the ground.
-Psyche....It didn't really burn...it was a false alarm.
-I can't find anyone here who plays basketball. I miss the game. I miss the way the leather feels in my hand and the sound of the shoes squeaking on the gym floor. I think I have a problem. I need basketball....or maybe a girlfriend.

How old are you?

So my search for an apartment continues. I did finally get a hold of the guy who had the house that I wanted to look. It turns out I did have the wrong number so Lavance is somewhere confused as to who this guy is who wants to live with him. Anyways, I took a look at the house and I may end up living there, but I am still exploring other options.
One of the other options that I was looking at was a house a little further south that I saw an add for at the Institute building. It said to call James, so that is what I did. Well, James seemed really friendly and told me about the place so I told him I would come over. On my way over, he was giving me directions and asked how I found out about the place so I told him. So he said, "Oh, good, my sons friend put that up." In my head, I was like....wait, what...your SON'S friend? He then asked how old I was and I told him 24. He thought that was good because his son and his nephew who also lived there were around that age, but he was 45. At this point I don't really want to go to the house anymore but I feel bad so I went anyways.
My friend Melissa went with. (when I say my friend Melissa I say that as opposed to "one of my friends" because she is really the only friend I have here. But one is better than none.) Anyways, he shows us around and tells us about his divorce but how he and his wife are still really good friends and his kids like to come over and watch movies. Then he asks Melissa questions about dental school (which she is attending) for like 10 minutes. He was really nice, but I can't begin to describe how surreal this whole situation was. The thought of me moving in with a 45 year old man was just too weird for me. I told him I would get back to him, but I already know I'm out on that. Hopefully he'll find somebody and maybe James and I will hang out again.

Taking What They're Giving

So, for the last two weeks since I arrived I haven't internet access accept at work and I was a little hesitant to try to update my blog while I was at work. Still, it is good to be back in the blogoshpere even if I don't know if anyone will read this.
In the last two weeks I have learned three things:
1. Despite what people say, Mesa is not made up completely of beautiful Mormon girls, although they do exist.
2. Wearing business casual attire does actually make you more mature.
3. 100 degrees really isn't that bad if you are inside all day in an air-conditioned office.
Work has gone really well. I was fairly nervous the first few days and I still feel like I don't know what's going on about a third of the time but atleast I stay busy and feel like I am contributing something. Everybody is really nice and I have found some people I can talk to about sports, mostly the Phoenix Suns, and I'm waiting for the right moment to spring my real sense of humor on everyone. Actually, I don't know if that moment will ever come.
I still haven't found a permanent place to live. I went to a couple wards the first Sunday and I may end up living in a house in that ward with some other guys but when I called the guy who I thought owned the place named Matt, I ended up leaving a message for some guy named Lavance who's answering machine ends, with "Take care and God bless." Don't get me wrong, I want God to bless everybody too but do I need to say it on my phone..... Anyways, I don't know what the story on that is. I'll have to get the right phone number later.
So, things are going well and I'm getting plenty of sleep since I have like 1.5 friends. It's hard to get into trouble in a town where you don't know anybody. Not that I would anyway.

Welcome to the Desert

It seemed fitting that it was raining Thursday morning when I drove out of Provo. I don't know if that is because I was sad to leave or if it was because Provo was sad I was leaving. Either way, if my life was a movie, which it may very well be after I invent the hydration machine from 'Back to the Future II,' it would make sense to have it rain on the day I leave my home of the last three years. The rain turned to snow somewhere around Beaver but cleared up around Panguitch.
The drive wasn't horrible and I got into my temporary apartment without too much trouble. (Once I figured out that I was holding the parking gate card backwards everything went smooth from there.) It was nice to have my little sister with me to keep me company. Our two stops Thursday night were Wal-Mart and a drive by the temple. We learned in both these places that Mesa is a great place to play the 'Are they Mormon' game although one of those two places was a little easier to be sure.
Friday we went clothes shopping for my first day of work and also drove around looking at apartments and where the wards in the area meet. There are probably about ten singles wards in Mesa so I have a lot of visiting to do over the next couple of weeks. Lots of sacrament anyways. So, so far things seem pretty good. Sunday is going to be huge when I get my first look at the dating pool and then it is the first day of work on Monday. The fun is just beginning.

The Last Night

Tomorrow morning I make the move down to the Phoenix area. I start my new job with Watson Wyatt on Monday and I'm a little nervous about everything. Saying goodbye to everyone tonight was obviously kind of sad and I'm not looking forward to having to make all new friends and trying to find my place in a new area and ward. Still, I'm sure things are going to go just fine and I'll have some fun new experiences. Ready or not....