So much blogging…so little time!



So I haven’t updated since I spent that memorable night in the Denver airport. For the record I did not develop a flesh eating disease…so I think all will be well. It was however quite possibly the longest 48 hours of my life. I guess it builds character or something. Or as my grandma would say, “You’ll be a better person for this.” So I arrived in Utah relatively unscathed. I was there for about 24 hours and I flew out to Oakland for a nuclear conference. It was definitely interesting to be back with all the policy wonks. I also got to see a ginormous laser facility...but only my nerdy friends will appreciate that. I was traveling with a new set of coworkers...and oh man...I'm glad I brought a GPS.



So then it was back to Utah on Friday. Saturday we went hiking in Adams Canyon which is not too far from where I live…maybe 5 minutes. I was look forward to a beautiful view with a waterfall at the end. We started on the trail and a little ways in my buddy Jeremy asks if anyone heard that bug. It was at that time that Nick yelled and jumped the other way. So Jeremy and Nick were separated from Jill and I by….a rattlesnake. A Great Basin Rattlesnake to be exact. And this thing was PISSED!!! He was all coiled up but his head was raised like he was going to strike at any minute. I just stood there frozen and informed the boys that if they needed me, I’d be in the car. Jill was engaged in taking pictures of the ugly thing (Which when I get them, I will post here). After what felt like a decade, but was probably about 5 minutes the snake uncoiled itself and went slithering up the hill and we went on our merry way. I thought seeing rattlesnakes in Utah was pretty rare, so we thought we would be ok for the rest of the hike. It was overall a decent hike, some rock climbing, some tromping through water, all in all a good time. The hike finished at a very pretty waterfall where we all took pictures (I’ll post those too). When we were thoroughly frozen from the waterfall water, we started our descent. We passed the point where we saw the first rattlesnake and laughed at how silly that was. Then a little ways down the trail head I saw Jeremy jump about 10 feet in the air and Jill jump on his back. I was walking behind Jill so I got the full view. A little rattlesnake cutting across the path right in front of me. I screamed like a little girl and had one of those full body shivers. But the snake continued on unfazed. About another half mile down Nick almost stepped on a huge one! It was about 4 feet long and it wasn't happy either...but it just took off into the weeds. So we saw 3 rattlesnakes in about an hour and a half. Totally not cool!

If I had a "bucket list" I just crossed off 2 things this week. I successfully spent the night in an airport and I saw a rattlesnake in the wild. Not sure those would have been on my list to begin with...but I'd be glad to never experience those again.

This week has been rather busy, although that tends to happen when one isn't in the office for a full week in over a month. I can't complain that much I suppose, my job could be worse.

Looking forward to spending some time in Utah (bet you didn't think I would ever type that) if only so I can maintain a healthy diet and a decent workout schedule. Oh yeah and there's some boys that want to do some serious hiking. And they are looking for some amusement...so they invited me along...they're taking bets on whether my scream can crack glass. Next on the list...Ben Lomond trail! Yes, that's the one that inspired the Paramount Pictures logo. Whoo!

That is all!

Just a little update before bed.

So right now, I am camping in Denver. And by camping I mean getting ready to sleep on the floor of the Denver airport. And trust me, it really is camping. I have none of my necessary beauty supplies to prepare me to sleep (including the all important toothbrush), I have no pillow or blanket and have you ever seen an airport floor?, I'll be lucky to get out of here without a case of flesh eating strep. On the upside I know now what my list of necessities would be to take to a desert island, were I ever to be stranded on one.

So this is a fantastic way to spend the first 10 hours of my birthday. Which by the way, thank you to all who sent their well wishes...and their tongue-in-cheek well wishes. Yes, I am now part of the old club, my mid-twenties, the age where it's cheaper to rent a car, whatever you call it. I did feel pretty good earlier tonight though. They were giving out free wine on my flight to Denver (it was the least they could do with all the crap I had to put up with today) and I went to reach for a glass and the stewardess asked me if I was of age. I know I look young...but under 21?

Basically all this ridiculousness started because I decided to spend the weekend at home. Syracuse in the summer is pretty much awesome and I figured since I was in town, I might as well drive up. Yes, I consider the fact that I was in DC, in town. So I spent a great weekend at home and had a great drive back down to DC. Then as soon as I went to check into my flight the wrath of Satan opened up on the district. I stood in front of the big windows in Reagan and realized that the visibility was probably 10 feet. It looked like a damn hurricane. So as a result my flight was delayed 2.5 hours, and then we sat for an hour and a half on the tarmac. So 4 hours and 2 missed connections later, I arrive in Denver. I wait in line for a crap load of time only to be told that there is no way for me to get my luggage, so I decided there's no point in me trying to get a hotel. My flight in the morning leaves at 8, so by the time I got a shuttle to a hotel, got checked in, got to bed and then calculated the time I would need in the morning to get back to the airport and get through security...I probably would spend maybe 2 hours at the hotel...totally not worth the $100 or whatever it is that hotels in Denver charge. Not to mention the Denver airport is in the middle of nowhere...to even get to a hotel is a hike. So I found myself a power outlet and I'm hunkering down for the night.

24 hours in Salt Lake and then it's off to Oakland.

That is all!

Heading for the ulcer I probably have coming to me...

So I am currently sitting in the Denver airport, on route to DC. I have been on the ground for about 45 minutes and I have already had the urge to choke no less than 3 people. To start things off I stood up on the pack of gum CRJ that we flew in on and the little 4 year old behind me started poking my butt. Not even kidding, she was like typing on my ass. I didn't know what to do, I mean how likely is it that the small child behind you will start touching your butt. Probably the same probability of her whacking you in the head while she was swinging down the aisle like a monkey. Which by the way, she also did. I wanted to turn around and tell her how rude it is to touch other people, let alone on the ass, but I figured her mother would probably just lecture me on how rude it is to lecture a child. So I refrained and got off the plane before my reflexive right hand turned around and smacked the living crap out of her.

The second person on my choke list. The less than pleasant UPS woman. How damn hard is it to tell UPS, don't deliver my damn package. I won't be there. Hold it at your center, I'll pick it up when I return. I called UPS last week and they told me that I had to wait until it got delivered in Ogden before I tried to hold it. So, lo and behold it got delivered in Ogden this morning and I called them back but apparently I can't hold it at the center until the guy tries to deliver it. Then as soon as he tries to deliver it, I can call back and tell them to hold it. Umm, hello, I'm not there to know when he tries to deliver it, if I was we wouldn't be in this predicament in the first place. Why can't I just hold it now? Well, you can't that's what our policy says. It was at this point that I informed the woman that her policy was retarded and I work for the government, I know retarded policy. She then asked if I had a leasing office that could sign. I do, but I am as about as trusting of my leasing office as I am of a hardened criminal. So I told her, you know what...fine leave it at the leasing office. Then I hurried up to call the leasing office and verify that they could do that. And thank goodness, they can. Now I normally wouldn't be fussing this much over a package, but it's the bridesmaid dress for my friend Kelly's wedding. If I screw this up, I'm in deep trouble!

Person 3 the lady at Central Violations Bureau. Enough said. That's another post for a later date and I'm hungry because I haven't had breakfast and when I get hungry, I get cranky. So I'm going to find some food, then get on this plane and pass the hell out, whether I want to or not, thanks to genetics.

That is all!

It's been an interesting week. Most of which I don't care to comment on or talk about. However, I did learn that I am probably going to be the worst parent ever, if and when I ever decide to procreate. I'm going to put my kids in a bubble and never let them out. This stems from an incident that happened last week.

A Layton High School sophomore died during football practice. I heard it on the news and I was all...aww that's too bad, probably some freak heart thing. But I didn't really put much more thought into it than that. Then I went to tutor on Tuesday. I have been working a lot with the ACT kids lately because I have more patience for juniors in high school than kindergarteners at the end of the day (I blame this on the fact that most of the people I work with act like 5 year olds a lot of the time), plus I'm one of the select few tutors that can still remember trig. The first hour of tutoring was very productive, the 2 students I was working with just did their work, no chit chat involved. Then one of the other tutors mentioned something about the football player. Well, it turns out that one of my students was friends with him and the other student had lost a good friend in a sledding accident in January...suddenly we went from productive to tears. I'm not even kidding there were 2 high school juniors at my table in tears or almost in tears. And I'm one of those people that when I see people cry, I start to cry. So I'm trying my hardest not to dissolve into tears and at the same time, trying to play counselor to two kids. Then I had to admit to myself that yes, I am now involved in the community in which I live. It was a very draining day. And that's when I made the decision...my children will live in a bubble.

Other than that, I head for DC this week. Then the next week I fly coast to coast. Monday I fly back to UT, Wednesday it's off to San Jose. And I think that somewhere in there, there might be a milestone for me or something. It definitely will not be as cool as last year when my amazing friends threw me this huge freaking pool party and then we went out to find me a guy, only to realize that you don't meet guys going out...or at least not ones you want to establish any sort of long term thing with. But most unfortunately my birthday is in the middle of the week this year and my awesome friends have for the most part moved on me.

Let's see...what else....oh yeah. Carnegie Hall April 2009. Mark your calendars. When I get the date, I'll let everyone know so you all can come see me! I'm playing my french horn at Carnegie Hall!!!!!!! I can't even believe it! How did this all start? Well, I'm a huge dork. Like big time. So I'm in the Ogden Concert Band. Why? Because I really enjoy playing my instrument...and I needed to find an outlet to get to my "happy place" and while the Ogden Concert Band is nowhere near the Boston Pops...it makes me a little bit euphoric to play every week. Well a couple of weeks ago the director of the band (who also is the director of bands at Weber State...for all you NYers...think Oswego State...same type of deal) pulls me aside at rehearsal and says, "hey you look like you could be an undergrad...how old are you, 22?" And I'm all, "ummm thanks...but I'm almost 25." Then he asks how I would feel about playing with a bunch of 18-22 year olds...and oh yeah they're going to Carnegie and they need some strong players...would you like to audition? I was so taken aback that I totally agreed to it before my brain registered that I would actually have to audition. Well I was a little excited...but I kind of forgot about it with everything else I have had going on in my life recently. So the Wednesday before I leave for Florida, the director asks again if I want to do this. Again, I agree and he says, "Great well can you come in on the 3rd and audition." And I said, "Sure, no problem. What should I play?" And he told me something that would show off my range and technical skills. So I was all, "oh like a Mozart concerto?" "Yeah, that would be great." So I got home and pulled out all my books from when I was a junior in HIGH SCHOOL. I looked at all the solos that I had done all those years ago for NYSSMA and I wanted to vomit. I realized that I was an idiot because I had forgotten how many hours I spent on those stupid things, and oh yeah I haven't really practiced in 7 years...and I haven't auditioned for anything in 8. And I was leaving for Florida in the morning...which left me with 2 days to rehearse before the audition. So being the big nerd I am I took my mouthpiece to Florida...yes I know totally nerdy...but I needed to at least give myself a chance at not totally sucking. Then when I got home, I got down to the business of trying to make myself sound awesome in 2 days. It was hell. I considered faking a broken horn so that I wouldn't have to go through the utter hell that is an audition, but I reminded myself that it's freaking Carnegie Hall...you have to at least try. So Tuesday I auditioned. And yes, true to my audition nature, I freaked. I freak when I am well prepared...make me not so well prepared and I was a wreck. I did however manage to get through my concerto much better than I had the weekend before, so I was pleased with that...but my nervousness was clearly showing. My face was red, I had broken out into a cold sweat and I shaking uncontrollably. At the end of the audition the director informed me that I was in fact going to Carnegie (even though I can only make 1 out of 6 practices) and he recommended that I read this book about the inner game of music and how that affects things like auditions. I didn't have the heart to tell him that I may never audition for anything ever again. Of course I never thought I would audition for anything again after high school, so I guess I should never say never.

And 15 months until I can move!!! The time is going faster than I thought it would.

That is all!