I've been thinking about updating this blog for almost a week now, and I'm just getting around to it now.  

The past month seems to have been pretty busy even though I have not traveled since the 2nd.  My trip back to Utah was pretty uneventful.  We took off an hour or so late and then I waited at baggage claim for almost 2 hours while they got the bags unloaded.  These are the things that happen when Salt Lake has a blizzard, which is probably why I refuse to travel in the winter.  

I went boarding at Sundance.  I expected it to be all posh and celebrity-ish.  It totally wasn't.  The ski resort part is really small and the snow kinda sucked.  After the 4th time I fell and almost broke a body part on the crappy snow, I decided to call it a day.  Now I only have 6 more resorts to hit before I have boarded every resort in Utah that will let me board.  (Yes, there are 2 resorts here that are too snobby to allow snowboarders.)  

Then the state of Utah went through a two week snow draught.  This was good and bad.  The good part was that Luke was able to come visit without any delays!  (That part was crucial because there was no time in his schedule for delays.)  The bad part was that there has been no good snow to go boarding on, which is what I fully intended to do on my federal holiday...but didn't.  

The inauguration.  I must admit, I'm a horrible poli sci major...I didn't watch it live.  I saw most of it later (at least the important parts) in various forms.  I was at work during the inauguration and we were allowed to watch it through some military streaming program, but let's face it...I was busy.  Yes, I was actually busy at work.  It seems to be happening more and more frequently lately. 

Sundance Film Festival!  Luke came into town and we headed up to Park City to see the Sundance Film Festival (and to get out of the inversion).  While we didn't get into any movies we did get to see Pierce Brosnan, 2 moose near Olympic Park and some skeletoners and bobsledders sliding.  So all in all...a productive trip.  

This past weekend I went back up to the Sundance Film Festival alone to see the John Krasinski movie.  It was really good, but unlike most films I have seen at Sundance, John Krasinski did not do a Q&A.  Which was a bummer, something about having to get back to LA and work.  I managed to make some friends with the people I was standing in line with and they ended up sitting next to me at the theater and there was one seat left at the end of the row.  They were trying to pack the theater, so every seat was going to be full.  This emo looking kid walked in and asked if there was anyone sitting next to me.  I told him no and then he informed me that he was going to get something to eat and asked if I wanted anything and that he was going to leave his jacket on the seat.  I just looked at him like ummm...excuse me emo kid...I'm good but thanks for asking and what do I care if you leave your jacket there?  As soon as he left the girls next to me started giggling and informed me that Landon Pigg was sitting next to me.  I guess he's the latest teen heartthrob and he had a song on Grey's Anatomy.  So yeah, my brush with fame. 

In weather related news, inversions suck.  For all you people who hail from non inversion areas an inversion is when the cold air in a valley gets trapped in by warm air above.  This means that there is no circulation of air.  And Salt Lake is really polluted...when there is no circulation of air we get to breathe the same toxins every day and it looks like smog!  But it's worse than LA, no joke.  We beat LA for worst air quality in the country for the past week and a half.  The only way to get rid of the inversion is to get a storm to come in and blow the warm air over the mountains.  Luckily this happened between Saturday night and Sunday morning.  Unfortunately not before I drove home from Park City in the worst fog of my life.  That's how bad the smog was...I couldn't see feet in front of my car.  It was like you could chew on the air....disgusting! 

In local news, the locals are starting to annoy me again.  I guess that's what happens when I don't travel for 3 weeks.  Although I must admit, I do enjoy traveling...but not every week.  I think one week a month would be good for me.  I was traveling once a week for 12 weeks out of the past 4 months...that was a little insane.  But back to the local news...this was the big news story this week...and by big story I mean leading off the newscast...for like 4 newscasts in a row. 

GOP, LDS Church representatives discuss liquor laws

State lawmakers may be one step closer to getting rid of the private club law.

It appears The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints supports an alternative liquor law that some believe could men the end of private clubs in Utah.

Lawmakers met with church representatives in a traditional pre-session lunch meeting yesterday. Senate President Michael Waddoups says the Church expressed an interest in an idea for bars to electronically scan driver's licenses.

"The Church indicated an interest that that may be a good way to lessen the number of underage drinkers and also that the minors are not exposed to drinking underage," he said.

"They encouraged us to continue to explore it to find out what potential is there," he added.

But Waddoups and a church spokesman both say the church did not talk specifically about private clubs or specific legislation.

LDS Church spokesman Scott Trotter said in a statement to the Deseret News, "As has been the practice for many years, the Church met with Republican legislative leadership in an annual luncheon as one of its many constituents. A luncheon with Democratic leadership was held earlier this month.

"The issue of alcohol regulation was briefly discussed. However, private clubs were not. The Church took no position on any legislation but expressed its long-standing concerns about limiting over-consumption, reducing impaired driving, and eliminating underage drinking."

This is exactly what I mean when I say there is no separation of church and state here!  Why the hell do we have to ask the church anything??  Things like this totally make me so angry and very grateful that I only have 5 months and 24 days left in this state....not that I'm counting.  And yes, it's official I am moving to the greater Boston area to continue my work with the Air Force on July 19th!!!!

There's so much to do before then!

Vegas in 2.5 weeks!  

That is all!