110 Things to do For the New Year

Okay everyone here is my list of things to do for 2010. I've been inspired by Megan's list so here it goes, its going to be an interesting year:
1. Get married.
2. Play the Game of Life. For real!
3. Paint myself Blue.
4. Kiss the one I love at least once a day.
5. Go kite flying.
6. Hike to the Top of the World.
7. Write a children's story.
8. See my love all in White.
9. Smile everyday.
10. Love passionately.
11. Laugh everyday.
12. Road trip with my WIFE.
13. Laugh in the face of danger.
14. Create a World.
15. Live my dreams.
16. Eat escargo!
17. Go to a live Rock Concert.
18. Learn to play the cello.
19. Sing my heart out.
20. Eat SpoonMe Frozen Yogurt.
21. Read a Book with Megan. (my soon to be wife)
22. Renew an old friendship.
23. Check 35 items out on my library card at one time.
24. Cut out snowflakes, and have a continual snow storm in my house.
25. Go skinny dipping.
26. Hike Mount Olympus.
27. Have a toga party.
29. Get a full-time job.
30. Learn some Italian.
31. Day-dream about Europe.
32. Pay the ultimate price for freedom: RENT.
33. Watch a Shakespearean play.
34. Laugh my guts out over nothing.
35. Stand backwards in an elevator.
36. Run cross country for 5 miles.
37. Shelf a cart under 20 minutes.
38. Write a book review about my favorite book.
39. Passionately kiss my love when she least expects it.
40. Stare at the sun.
41. Get a wicked awesome tan.
42. Swim in Bear Lake.
43. Paint a portrait.
44. Say yes for time and all eternity.
45. Touch a cactus.
46. Climb down a cave.
47. Visit the zoo.
48. Find a sexy tux.
49. Make a list of 111 things to do next year.
50. Have my first Christmas with a wife.
51. Go to Mass.
52. Eat a whole bag of peanut butter M&Ms.
53. Go rock climbing.
54. Eat deep-fried oreos at a fair.
55. Drive a Chevy Colorado.
56. Have my own car.
57. Surprise Megan with a gift.
58. Pick an entire field of wild flowers, run from the cops and give them to Megan.
59. Write a funny story.
60. Go window shopping for houses.
61. Do homework with my wife.
62. Mop the floor of my apartment.
63. Go to the Aquarium.
64. Watch all six movies of Star Wars.
65. Watch all six movies of Pride and Prejudice.
66. Beat Megan in a game of Risk.
67. Wear bright yellow on a gray day.
68. Finally live on a budget.
69. Be Conservative with my money.
70. Go to two full semesters of School at the U.
71. Make new friends with someone.
72. Go to a star party.
73. Go on a picnic.
74. Visit Antelope Island.
75. Photograph a sunset.
76. Visit an obscure Utah city.
77. Go cloud watching.
78. Set off Fireworks.
79. Roast and eat hot dogs.
80. Go camping!
81. Go canoeing.
82. Cry cause I'm laughing so hard.
83. Make a Chocolate cake with Megan, then eat it with our hands.
84. Try Indian food.
85. Cook Chinese food.
87. Make green-dyed waffles.
88. Talk with an accent for a day.
89. Spend a whole day in PJ's.
90. Live off of PB&J sandwiches.
91. Lose at a game of chess.
92. Own my own Laptop.
93. Wrap myself up in wrapping paper and a bow. stick me on my own front porch, address to Megan H. Erickson.
94. Run from one end of campus to the other.
95. Play tag in Walmart.
96. Kiss Megan in a Rain storm.
97. Read a book in a hammock with Megan.
98. Plant a garden.
99. Be sealed to Megan.
100. Tell someone I'm sealed to my wife forever!
101. Go karaoke singing.
102. Sing "The Sweetest Thing" by U2 to Megan, with a wooden spoon.
103. Wake up every day (for half the year) to Megan's face.
104. Write love note on bathroom mirrors to Megan.
105. Eat everything Megan cooks me.
106. Explore IKEA with Megan. . . Again.
107. Plant a tree.
108. Wash Megan's Car.
109. Drive through the country.
110. Go to Disneyland.


Happy New Year Yall!

Over and Out.

Life 101

It has been some times since I've blogged! Sorry to the world and whoever reads this. Life has really had me busy and I love it! Just to let everyone know, I became engaged on Thanksgiving night, 27th of November 2009. We were making wishes in front of one of the most beautiful buildings on earth and both of are wishes came true, isn't love just amazing? I'd have to say that life taught me one of its 101 lessons, never having been engaged before, it was a one in a life time experience. The lights, the cold crisp air, the warm beautiful face of the love of my life, and my shaking, fumbling fingers bringing up an extrodinarily bright and shiney diamond, the smile on her face. A "Yes, Yes, Yes!". Wow! And then before you know it, were kissing, laughing and crying all at once.

Now its December, Christmas is on the front step waiting to come in. Crazy how fast life can pass by us all right? Finals are over and now its just work and holiday cheer! Christmas is one of the best times of the year, sure you can make every other part of your year just as great, but there is something about the lights, the snow, family, friends and most of all the love. Some people ask, where's the love? We its here, in Christmas. We've been having some amazing storms in the past week, it was so extrodinary to me to see so much snow, since living in California, my mind has to switch back to a real winter, instead of their 50 degree winters. (Pretty much an extention of an amazing fall.) There's just no place like home.

We'll its not fully Christmas without the music, of course not the annoying overplayed "pop" christmas music that you hear every second of your shift at the store, but the beautiful sounds and melodies that come from choirs, lovers and everyone else. Singing in the car by yourself, or with your whole future family-in-law. I was privilaged to attend a choir concert of my future brother-in-law, who is an extrordinary singer himself, and part of one of the most incredible choirs I've ever heard! The concert was in this hall that has built in wavey walls. It's one of my favorite buildings, but the walls and ceiling that do actually have waves built into it, amplify the voices sung within it. Creating some of the most heart stopping accoustics. The music was phenominal! The choir, very professional and clear. It was raw talent that brought me to the edge of my seat. Once again life gave me it's 101 lessons, the beauty of a gift given to those to sing the heart strings of my own heart. To be of almost etherial voices. I was moved, touched and swept from my senses. Life is full of these simple and elegant experiences.

Oh today I was driving by the capitol building, what a beautiful grey granite buliding. Anyway, I saw a woman walking her poodle, big and fluffy white, with thick poof balls and the end of its feet. It was fabulously disgusting. Im glad its not my dog.

Life lesson: Shoveling three walks is more satisfying than doing just one.

Broken toe day.

Its been a day! This morning I smashed my toe into the ground, don't ask how cause I'm too embarassed to say what happened. Well its been quite the expedition hobbling around everywhere. It makes me so greatful for those many times that I have a perfectly fine toe. Right now I'm listening to Coldplay's "In My Place" and I feel very "put" in my place.

You know what I've finally realized in my career of customer service? (5 or more years, I know so long) That I am being honed, molded and formed into the perfect customer. With the all my experience of meeting people I know who I want to be more like or who I dont ever want to be like, I'll be the best person to check out at the grocery store, or for that matter any kind of store. I think that all those mean customers should at least spend 7 years behind the counter of any retail or customer service job. And if that doesn't get it through their head they should be pummled until they do. That simple, right?

So I dont know how I feel about this blog, its probably not getting any viewing whatsoever, but I guess its a good way for a budding writer to get his thoughts down in writing. I would really like it if anyone who looks at this to offer a comment, even if it is: yeah this sucks, that would be good enough for me. Its like in Dumb and Dumber how he asks that girl if he has a chance with her and she says "one in a million." "So there's still a chance?!"

The best part of these "Broken Toe Days' is that I get to go home to the love of my life (well at least to her house for the time being) and tell her about my day, and have her adore me no matter what kind of fool I am. Its a miracle and a blessing to be in love. You find an equal that can overlook your faults and weaknesses and say: "I Love You", The three most beautiful words in human exhistance. "Te Amo" for you who speak spanish, "Je T'aime' for you who speak French, "Ich liebe dich' for you who speak in German, "Ti amo" for you italians.
And the rest of you out there on God's green earth:
"Wo ai ni", "Kimi o ai shiteru", "Es Tevi milu", "Szeretlek te'ged", " Tora dost daram", "Jag a"lskar dig", "Nga Chola Gagai Yo. Nga Chola Tsewa Yo", " Ikh hob dikh lib", "Eu te amo", "Ek is lief vir jou", "Ana Behibak", "Ana Behibek", "Volim Te Ba", "Ngo oi ney", "Mina armastan sind", "S' ayapo", "Kuv Hlub Koj", "Mu tumaku bhala paye", "Saya cintakan awak", "meh chi chain maai", "Nga naw hta ha ja.", "Inhobbok!", "Ma timlai maya/prem garchu", "Ayor anosh'ni", "Za Tasara Meena Kawam", "Za tha sara meena laram", "Ljubim te", "Gwa ai lee", "Ya tebya kahayu",
"Tom ho' ichema", "Mo ni ife re" and "'Rwy'n dy garu di.".

Over and Out

Pizza! For Breakfast!

It's SATURDAY! The middle of the weekend!!!! No work and all play! For at least us chosen few.

Today I participated in the amazing ritual of pizza for breakfast. It all started out, from as far as I can remember, when my mom would run off to a retreat with alll her friends and us kids were left with Dad to take care of us. You know that saying, "When the cats away, the mice will play" ? Well that's exactly what happened with us. Every night was friday night, movies, staying up late and livin' the good life. Okay maybe not to that extent, but Dad was a lot more relaxed on the rules than mom. Anyways, Dad would have to feed us, and with him busy at work and not coming around till it was "dinner time" he would always swing by little ceaser's or dominos, or when I was really young: Godfather's pizza, and bring home pepperoni or pineapple pizza! It was like a dream come true, the warm box. the steam coming off the top of the pizza as you opened the lid, wafting the tantilizing smell throughout the kitchen. We kids would set the table up and be ready with our plates in hand. We each would grab our own and snarf it down like we were starving. And lets us not forget the complimentary A&W root bear liter or Sprite to wash all it down. Yeah, every night felt like friday night with dad in charge.
But then the next moring would dawn bright and way too early. We would stumble out of bed, bleary eyed and get ready for school. Dad was already up and getting things ready for breakfast. But there wasnt anytime for him to cook cream of wheat or oatmeal like mom would, because he was leaving the same time we were for his busy work day. So what did good old resourceful dad do? He brought out the cold pizza! Now I don't say this with any negativity, but actual gratitude. We would all gobble up that cold pizza, like it was going out of style! It was still good, and if you nuked it for a few seconds in the microwave, till it was just before the melting point, it came out even better than the night before. And the sent of it all in the air was a reminder to us of the fun we had the night before.
And to this day, when there is left over pizza in the fridge and I open the door, the same smell wafting into my face, I remember those great times together with my siblings and Dad, eating cold pizza for breakfast.

Today when I was putting up christmas lights, this random yellow lab came up to my property and just sat there and barked at me. Then, after a minute or two, got up and took off down the street. Maybe I wasn't doing a good job on the lights. I dunno, at least it wasn't my dog.

Note for life: When pruning rose bushes, wear gloves.

Over and Out

Great Questions of the Universe

What a normal day its been. I had to think about that for a second. Yup today I could say that it was pretty normal. Woke up, went about daily habbits, work, school, driving, etc. My personality today has been calm, melow and well. . . NORMAL
I feel like I should be talking like a robot, TAKE ME TO YOUR LEADER or something like that.
I'm having trouble finding what I want to say today. It quite interesting.

Today in art class were drawing pictures with white chalk, essentially doing backwards, putting the white in first and whats left and not touched by the chalk is the dark. Its a total reversal of the mind and the way one's eye looks at something. I love it. Its challenging. I just turned up my I-pod and had at it. I was in my own world, sing and drawing and shapping and blending. It was incredible! I got lost in it, so much that people had to tap me on the shoulder to get my attention. I love being that into a project, I seem to lose myself in expressing myself. Its hard to explain.

The other day I saw this 80 year old lady running through the leaves with her dog. It was one of those small dogs with the long hair, so it looked like a mop head. But it was jumping and running around her legs. She was having a ball, kicking up the leaves in the sunlight and laughing at her furry friend. It made me smile,and in a split second it was gone.
It wasn't my dog, but I wish it was.

Today I feel that all the questions I've had in my mind, or had asked to me could be answered by one simple thing. It made me laugh as I saw that answer in the words of a friend, as they quoted a much loved movie to me. What they said wasn't it in anyway, but the route my mind took to it, was, and is flawless.
The answer to all of lifes questions, and for that matter the universe's questions, today is. . . . . 42.

Over and Out

Blustery Winter Day

Winter is upon us! I feel it in my bones! I couldn't believe the storm that swept through my hometowns! I was caught of guard as the front line of the storm swept inbetween the canyons of skyscrapers. My mind was and is still stuck on california weather, so my first thought was that someone had ordered a thousand snowmakers. It was whipping and twisting around everywhere, and i thought my nose was going to fall off as I felt my boogers freeze inside my nostrils. I was about to ask who had set them up and paid for it all, but then the reality and realization that it was moisture falling from the heavens fired through the synapses of my mind.
Three winters, three balmy, perfet winters its been since I have felt the bitter cold breath of Jack Frost on my face. It was magical and horrible all at the same time. And I loved it. The love of my life and I took refuged behind huge granite walls, and watched as winter began to unfurl its hand around us. I've forgotten how it feels, looks and smells.
Welcome Home Winter.

Today I told my mother that I had a blog going. She said to blow my nose. She's not into the "blogging" universe. Which isn't too bad a thing. I think she would rather suffer a thousand different gruesome and horrible deaths before even thinking about blogging. It provides for quite the converstions.

This morning I was looking again out my front window and saw that Capone and Charlie's mischief was afoot. They tore across my front yard as fast as they could, whipping past bushes and tearing the tops of frosted flowers off. You could see smiles of joy on their faces as their tongues lolled out. Charlie's mom (owner) came hunting after him first. She scrambled into her brand new subaru, probably muttering a few choice words to herself, and took off after them. Then I saw them come tearing pass my window in the opposited direction. A few minutes later Charlie's mom drove passed. This happened a few more times. And a few more. You should have seen the look on her face. I'm just glad, they're not my dogs.

I guess now the old sunny california me is dying away. I'm so excited to feel the true winter of the mountains again, but I am saddened that part of me will never come back, will never be the same. As my mother always says: Branch out, its good for you." I guess I will take heed and move onwards with life. It is the way of things. A bulb planted in the ground will sleep throught the long winter, to burst through frozen ground, past a blanket of snow and bear its beautiful bloom to the world, to let everyone know that spring has come. I am greatful for the winter, but a part of me will always wish for the spring.

Note for life: A bulb planted upside will alway find its way up to the sun.

A Charcoal Gray November Day

As I sit here looking out at today, I can't help but wonder if God specifically made this month to look this gray and drab so all we could do would be to think of all the things we are thankful for. Today I'd have to say that I'm greatful for sunlight, for beautiful blue skies, for white puffy clouds, for green trees and even greener mountains. Interesting how the weather so effects our moods and emotions. For some of us, when the weather is gray, our moods turn even grayer, for others they stay the same. But for us few the eyes of our imagination open wide and gather all in. The horizans of life seem to go on forever and our brain gapes wide open to catch things we'd have never thought of before. I love days like this, my mind goes for some wild rides.

I just watched as my neighbor's dog, Capone, run across my yard, next door to his friend, Charlie's house. Apparently he couldn't play, so he came back, pausing to pee on some of my mother's dead flowers. If she'd seen, he would have been given hell. Im just glad he's not my Dog, nor my responcibility. But he is fun to watch and love (as the next-door-neigbhor). It's been interesting to see from this kind of view. I am an ex-dog owner, my own two sheep-dogs passed away more than a decade ago. And I find that a detatched sort of view is very interesting, and at times humorous and rewarding, but I do long for another dog.

This kind of weather entices me to draw in charcoal, it helps that I have an assignment due soon of a charcol drawing anyway. So I must be off. Good luck to all who are living this day! Do something creative, if only to pass the time!

Over and Out

Victorious over the Evils of Mathematics

Well, class went a bit better than i expected. Actually a lot better, the numbers and letters that usually all run together as a great river of death, were cleared up. Now I understand and my brain can allow "i" and other such letters to work with the rest. Hmmm. . . . .this might just be a one night deal. We will see!

Over and Out

Cloudy, with a Chance of Chicken Wings

Today, Wednesday the 11, I had a Norman Rockwell moment. You know those amazingly painted memories of children in a candy store with a jolley, red-faced man behind the counter, counting out pennies a bright-eyed and excited child has just given him.

Well that happened before my very eyes. I had just taken the money from such a child and was giving him his candy back, when i realized that I was that jolley man behind the counter. It totally made my day.

Next a woman walked into my hardware store. She had on a jacket the color of my soul. A violently, neon lemon. I screamed, was knocked off my feet, and couldnt speak for a few minutes. I just kinda went; uh-uh-duh-duh.........yeah. It was pretty sweet.

Now hopefully I'll end the day in a triumphal victory over my math class. Cross your fingers.

Over and Out.