tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47888811106149062024-03-13T11:01:41.860-06:00Shake 'n BakeDalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01352167096081172943noreply@blogger.comBlogger37125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4788881110614906.post-5265615728635062532011-01-19T22:17:00.000-07:002011-01-19T22:17:59.125-07:00An Amazing Story by a Navy SEALThis video is of a speech given by Marcus Luttrell who was a Navy SEAL. He talks about a mission that his SEAL team was given in which they were to kill or capture a high-ranking Taliban leader in Afghanistan. This story, for lack of a better description, is plain crazy.<br />
<br />
What this guy went through is unreal. It's sad that he was the only surviving member of his SEAL team. It's sad that we need people like him, but I'm glad he's on our side. I can't really explain how grateful I am for those who serve our country. Watch this video.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/VQebS8WUYuA?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>Dalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01352167096081172943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4788881110614906.post-52791315522158815582011-01-02T16:57:00.000-07:002011-01-02T16:57:07.179-07:002010: A Pretty Good Year2010 was decent for me. I wish it was better for some friends and family, but hopefully '11 will be better for everyone. Here are some highlights from my past year in no particular order:<br />
<ul><li>Received the best email ever! Click <a href="http://dwbaker.blogspot.com/2010/12/random-stuff-to-talk-about-to-my-uncle.html">here</a> if you missed my last post.</li>
<li>Went on two epic road trips: Chicago and Jackson Hole, WY. Drove back to Utah from Chicago by myself in only 19 hours. Never do that.</li>
<li>Graduated</li>
<li>Discovered the miracle of the <a href="http://pedeggtv.com/">Ped Egg</a>. Received it as a gift for Christmas from my niece's dog!</li>
<li>Became the king of gag gifts this Christmas: Ped Egg, Dungeons & Dragons cartoon DVD, spatula</li>
<li>Attended epic concerts: Billy Joel/Elton John, Carrie Underwood, John Mayer, Boyz II Men, Ben Folds, Safetysuit</li>
<li>Introduced some of my family to the Tim Tam Slam and now can't visit without bringing Tim Tams</li>
<li>Discovered the wonders of Corn Hole</li>
<li>Dominated at Mad Gab. I have yet to be beaten.</li>
<li>Solidified my status as "Greatest Uncle Ever!" See aforementioned email. Hopefully this is a precursor to "Greatest Dad Ever!"</li>
</ul>Overall, I learned a lot this year. Especially about myself and the kind of person I want to be. Thanks especially to my family and friends for a great year. I hope the best for everyone in 2011!Dalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01352167096081172943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4788881110614906.post-36121446795280318372010-12-31T15:41:00.000-07:002010-12-31T15:41:40.681-07:00RANDOM STUFF TO TALK ABOUT TO MY UNCLE DALE WHO IS THE BEST UNCLE EVER!!!!!!!!!!!<div style="text-align: center;"><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i><b>This is an email my niece wrote to me today. I love it.</b></i></span></u></div><br />
<br />
<div style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">HEY YOU ARE THE BEST UNCLE EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! </div><div style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">YOU ARE SO AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!</div><div style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">YOU ARE ALSO THE CLOSEST UNCLE I HAVE!!!!</div><div style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">BUT I AM GLAD BECAUSE YOUR MY FAVORITE UNCLE OF ALL TIME !!!!</div><div style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">YOUR ALSO LIKE 13 FT AWAY!!</div><div style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">BUT STILL COOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!<wbr></wbr>!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!<wbr></wbr>!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!<wbr></wbr>!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!</div><div style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">B-) :P :) :( 3:) HAHAHAHA!!!!!</div><div style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">SO IN AUGUST PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE</div><div style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE DON'T MOVE AWAY</div><div style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">YOU CAN MOVE CLOSER TO US</div><div style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">BUT DON'T MOVE FURTHER AWAY</div><div style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!</div><div style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">THAT WOULD SUCK IF YOU DID!!!!!</div><div style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">:( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :(</div><div style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">THAT WOULD MAKE ME MAD</div><div style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">AND VERY VERY SAD!!!!!!!!!!<img goomoji="33F" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/e/33F" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0.2ex; margin-right: 0.2ex; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;" /><img goomoji="B0E" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/e/B0E" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0.2ex; margin-right: 0.2ex; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;" /></div><div style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">YOU WILL BREAK MY HEART IF YOU DID!!!!!!~<img goomoji="B06" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/e/B06" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0.2ex; margin-right: 0.2ex; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;" /></div><div style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><img goomoji="B56" height="15" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/e/B56" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0.2ex; margin-right: 0.2ex; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;" width="15" />HOW ABOUT YOU MOVE IN </div><div style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSTTTTTT<wbr></wbr>TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT</div><div style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">AAAAAAAAAAAAAAANNNNNNNNNNNNNNN<wbr></wbr>NN</div><div style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">SSSSSSSSSSSSSBBBBBBBBBBBBBB</div><div style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUURRRRRRRRRRRRR<wbr></wbr>RR</div><div style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">YYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY<wbr></wbr>YYY<img goomoji="B06" height="15" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/e/B06" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0.2ex; margin-right: 0.2ex; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;" width="15" /><img goomoji="B06" height="15" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/e/B06" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0.2ex; margin-right: 0.2ex; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;" width="15" /><img goomoji="B05" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/e/B05" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0.2ex; margin-right: 0.2ex; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;" /><img goomoji="364" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/e/364" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0.2ex; margin-right: 0.2ex; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;" /></div><div style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">WHAT SHOULD WE DO FOR THE LAST DAY</div><div style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">OF 2010<img goomoji="B04" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/e/B04" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0.2ex; margin-right: 0.2ex; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;" /><img goomoji="B04" height="15" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/e/B04" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0.2ex; margin-right: 0.2ex; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;" width="15" /><img goomoji="B04" height="15" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/e/B04" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0.2ex; margin-right: 0.2ex; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;" width="15" /><img goomoji="B04" height="15" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/e/B04" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0.2ex; margin-right: 0.2ex; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;" width="15" /><img goomoji="B04" height="15" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/e/B04" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0.2ex; margin-right: 0.2ex; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;" width="15" /><img goomoji="B04" height="15" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/e/B04" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0.2ex; margin-right: 0.2ex; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;" width="15" /><img goomoji="B04" height="15" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/e/B04" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0.2ex; margin-right: 0.2ex; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;" width="15" /><img goomoji="B04" height="15" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/e/B04" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0.2ex; margin-right: 0.2ex; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;" width="15" /><img goomoji="B04" height="15" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/e/B04" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0.2ex; margin-right: 0.2ex; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;" width="15" /><img goomoji="B05" height="15" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/e/B05" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0.2ex; margin-right: 0.2ex; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;" width="15" /><img goomoji="1B2" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/e/1B2" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0.2ex; margin-right: 0.2ex; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;" /></div><div style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">WE SHOULD BANG POTS AND PANS AT TWELVE O CLOCK</div><div style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><img goomoji="B06" height="15" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/e/B06" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0.2ex; margin-right: 0.2ex; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;" width="15" /><img goomoji="B06" height="15" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/e/B06" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0.2ex; margin-right: 0.2ex; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;" width="15" /><img goomoji="B06" height="15" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/e/B06" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0.2ex; margin-right: 0.2ex; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;" width="15" /><img goomoji="B06" height="15" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/e/B06" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0.2ex; margin-right: 0.2ex; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;" width="15" /><img goomoji="B06" height="15" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/e/B06" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0.2ex; margin-right: 0.2ex; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;" width="15" /><img goomoji="B06" height="15" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/e/B06" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0.2ex; margin-right: 0.2ex; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;" width="15" /><img goomoji="B06" height="15" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/e/B06" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0.2ex; margin-right: 0.2ex; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;" width="15" /><img goomoji="B06" height="15" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/e/B06" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0.2ex; margin-right: 0.2ex; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;" width="15" /><img goomoji="B06" height="15" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/e/B06" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0.2ex; margin-right: 0.2ex; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;" width="15" /><img goomoji="B06" height="15" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/e/B06" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0.2ex; margin-right: 0.2ex; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;" width="15" /><img goomoji="B06" height="15" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/e/B06" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0.2ex; margin-right: 0.2ex; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;" width="15" /><img goomoji="B06" height="15" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/e/B06" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0.2ex; margin-right: 0.2ex; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;" width="15" /><img goomoji="B06" height="15" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/e/B06" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0.2ex; margin-right: 0.2ex; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;" width="15" /><img goomoji="B06" height="15" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/e/B06" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0.2ex; margin-right: 0.2ex; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;" width="15" /><img goomoji="B06" height="15" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/e/B06" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0.2ex; margin-right: 0.2ex; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;" width="15" /><img goomoji="B06" height="15" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/e/B06" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0.2ex; margin-right: 0.2ex; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;" width="15" /><img goomoji="B06" height="15" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/e/B06" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0.2ex; margin-right: 0.2ex; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;" width="15" /><img goomoji="B06" height="15" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/e/B06" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0.2ex; margin-right: 0.2ex; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;" width="15" /><img goomoji="B06" height="15" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/e/B06" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0.2ex; margin-right: 0.2ex; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;" width="15" /><img goomoji="B06" height="15" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/e/B06" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0.2ex; margin-right: 0.2ex; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;" width="15" /><img goomoji="B06" height="15" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/e/B06" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0.2ex; margin-right: 0.2ex; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;" width="15" /><img goomoji="B06" height="15" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/e/B06" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0.2ex; margin-right: 0.2ex; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;" width="15" /><img goomoji="B06" height="15" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/e/B06" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0.2ex; margin-right: 0.2ex; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;" width="15" /></div><div style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">WHAT DO YOU WANT FOR LUNCH<img goomoji="B05" height="15" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/e/B05" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0.2ex; margin-right: 0.2ex; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;" width="15" /></div><div style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">MACARONI RAMON NOODLES LEFT OVERS GRILLED CHEESE AND TO MA TOE SOUP<img goomoji="B05" height="15" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/e/B05" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0.2ex; margin-right: 0.2ex; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;" width="15" /><img goomoji="333" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/e/333" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0.2ex; margin-right: 0.2ex; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;" /><img goomoji="333" height="12" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/e/333" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0.2ex; margin-right: 0.2ex; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;" width="12" /><img goomoji="333" height="12" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/e/333" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0.2ex; margin-right: 0.2ex; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;" width="12" /><img goomoji="333" height="12" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/e/333" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0.2ex; margin-right: 0.2ex; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;" width="12" /><img goomoji="333" height="12" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/e/333" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0.2ex; margin-right: 0.2ex; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;" width="12" /><img goomoji="333" height="12" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/e/333" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0.2ex; margin-right: 0.2ex; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;" width="12" /><img goomoji="333" height="12" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/e/333" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0.2ex; margin-right: 0.2ex; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;" width="12" /><img goomoji="333" height="12" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/e/333" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0.2ex; margin-right: 0.2ex; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;" width="12" /><img goomoji="333" height="12" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/e/333" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0.2ex; margin-right: 0.2ex; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;" width="12" /><img goomoji="35C" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/e/35C" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0.2ex; margin-right: 0.2ex; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;" /><img goomoji="35C" height="12" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/e/35C" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0.2ex; margin-right: 0.2ex; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;" width="12" /><img goomoji="35C" height="12" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/e/35C" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0.2ex; margin-right: 0.2ex; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;" width="12" /><img goomoji="4F4" height="12" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/e/4F4" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0.2ex; margin-right: 0.2ex; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;" width="15" /><img goomoji="4F4" height="12" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/e/4F4" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0.2ex; margin-right: 0.2ex; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;" width="15" /><img goomoji="4F4" height="12" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/e/4F4" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0.2ex; margin-right: 0.2ex; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;" width="15" /><img goomoji="4F4" height="12" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/e/4F4" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0.2ex; margin-right: 0.2ex; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;" width="15" /><img goomoji="04D" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/e/04D" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0.2ex; margin-right: 0.2ex; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;" /><img goomoji="04D" height="15" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/e/04D" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0.2ex; margin-right: 0.2ex; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;" width="15" /><img goomoji="04D" height="15" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/e/04D" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0.2ex; margin-right: 0.2ex; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;" width="15" /><img goomoji="B0C" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/e/B0C" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0.2ex; margin-right: 0.2ex; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;" /><img goomoji="B0C" height="15" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/e/B0C" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0.2ex; margin-right: 0.2ex; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;" width="15" /><img goomoji="B0C" height="15" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/e/B0C" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0.2ex; margin-right: 0.2ex; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;" width="15" /><img goomoji="B0C" height="15" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/e/B0C" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0.2ex; margin-right: 0.2ex; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;" width="15" /><img goomoji="B0C" height="15" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/e/B0C" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0.2ex; margin-right: 0.2ex; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;" width="15" /><img goomoji="B68" height="15" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/e/B68" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0.2ex; margin-right: 0.2ex; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;" width="15" /><img goomoji="B68" height="15" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/e/B68" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0.2ex; margin-right: 0.2ex; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;" width="15" /><img goomoji="982" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/e/982" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0.2ex; margin-right: 0.2ex; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;" /><img goomoji="982" height="15" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/e/982" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0.2ex; margin-right: 0.2ex; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;" width="15" /><img goomoji="982" height="15" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/e/982" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0.2ex; margin-right: 0.2ex; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;" width="15" /><img goomoji="81F" height="15" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/e/81F" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0.2ex; margin-right: 0.2ex; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;" width="15" /><img goomoji="81F" height="15" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/e/81F" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0.2ex; margin-right: 0.2ex; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;" width="15" /><img goomoji="81F" height="15" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/e/81F" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0.2ex; margin-right: 0.2ex; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;" width="15" /><img goomoji="35E" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/e/35E" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0.2ex; margin-right: 0.2ex; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;" /><img goomoji="35E" height="12" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/e/35E" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0.2ex; margin-right: 0.2ex; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;" width="12" /><img goomoji="35E" height="12" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/e/35E" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0.2ex; margin-right: 0.2ex; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;" width="12" /><img goomoji="1E3" height="15" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/e/1E3" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0.2ex; margin-right: 0.2ex; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;" width="33" /><img goomoji="1E3" height="15" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/e/1E3" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0.2ex; margin-right: 0.2ex; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;" width="33" /><img goomoji="1E3" height="15" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/e/1E3" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0.2ex; margin-right: 0.2ex; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;" width="33" /></div><div style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">HAHAHAHAHAHHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA<wbr></wbr>HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHASHA</div><div style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">TEEHEEHEE</div><div style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">LOL LOL LOL LOL OL OL O L O L O L O L O L O L OL O L O L</div>Dalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01352167096081172943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4788881110614906.post-53648178583107910032010-12-28T11:21:00.001-07:002010-12-28T16:05:46.217-07:00Pillow Fight!I was reminded this past weekend of how abusive my niece Jayden used to be. Well, she still is, but instead of using pillows, she uses her entire body as a weapon.<br />
<br />
Needless to say, I came home a couple days ago with a few bruises from her, her sister and her brother. A lot of wrestling was done over Christmas. I think I emerged the victor, though, which is saying a lot since it was 3 on 1. They are pretty vicious.<br />
<br />
To prove my point, watch the video below. It's of Jayden beating me with a pillow about four to five years ago. I showed her this video this weekend. She has no recollection of ever doing this to me. She's nine now, turning ten at the end of January.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dy5W1M1tvvlmywYaRzfTbC4_7NLmCqsRFPY5P_ZU2DCrPWA2rJrUbFcA9dOALOQmwqjXBiSq1G6GsHnLwd_' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>Dalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01352167096081172943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4788881110614906.post-68753404445691735862010-12-14T08:39:00.000-07:002010-12-14T08:39:19.586-07:00Live Action Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Cartoon IntroHad to come out of retirement for this (Thanks Michael Jordan and former favorite football player/traitor Brett Favre). My buddy Cookie had the amazing idea to recreate the intro to TMNTs for his ward talent show. It has turned out to be quite the epic experience for many of us.<br />
<br />
Now we're hoping to get it shown on ESPN's SportsNation show. I have a huge crush on Michelle Beadle. She just might be the coolest woman ever.<br />
<br />
Here's the video for you all to watch. I honestly can't believe the attention it's getting.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/FnfzV26secM?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>Dalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01352167096081172943noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4788881110614906.post-22823063006575602502010-09-14T17:05:00.000-06:002010-09-14T17:05:32.799-06:00John Mayer = Awesome (Can't believe I'm saying that)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Here are the videos Jordan and I took at the John Mayer concert. This is one of the best concerts I've ever been to. The poor quality vids are mine and the good quality vids are obviously Jordan's. Plus, you can hear him singing in most of them :) I refrained for your sake. However, the shakiness I will not apologize for. I can't stand still at a concert. I've gotta dance :)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I can't remember during which song, but John left the stage in the middle of it and his band just jammed for a minute without him. He came back and said that if you thought he had to leave to go pee, you were correct. Haha. Anyway, I was surprised at how gracious he was. He had nothing but good things to say about the audience and Utah in general. I've heard some negative things about him so I was a little worried how he'd act, but I can honestly say he was the 2nd most nicest performer I've seen next to Boyz II Men. I appreciate that.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">*Disclaimer: These videos are taking FOREVER to upload. It may be a long time before I post anything else (if ever). I've been contemplating ending my blogging career so don't be surprised if I disappear sometime soon. Why not go out on top with the most epic post in the history of my posting? In the wise words of Morrie Schwartz (<i>Tuesdays With Morrie</i>): "Don't let go too soon, but don't hang on too long." One love.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Slow Dancing in a Burning Room</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyRy02kPMbnGgbM58LvFfVxLyogAUfKcAmFnORZSEsoVRzaed6aKjV72wX_YNzaKkfLkInNPVJL7yLe1jNj' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">The Edge of Desire</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dztIjzc3drqfvUZilAtSLwr-Ap8rOAe6dYS2mez-rglemwSnWhck5Qa2gLU5lMgCsb4bBxFySK_ydt2hbrA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">The Heart of Life (1)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzjCDyH72qXwYFUcM9z_0Yz2LSnXGZpj-UxYzMEBtuueOGgoJuOQRYiKLVIHtGc_EqO11-GDeDXRvOUUP4I' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The Heart of Life (2)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><object height="385" width="480"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/PrsZ_DSeG2Q?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/PrsZ_DSeG2Q?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Half of My Heart</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwT4WQQ4KeOkTWHWowSwyGqgrPwpoLyVZGR_B59QAfe5_s7heezstC38EaMjFzQ_VTpGhtAp4NpFCbCSqiF' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Don't Stop Believing (Cover)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><object height="385" width="480"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/6SdoJPaL6KI?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/6SdoJPaL6KI?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Gravity/Some of John's Philosophy</div><div style="text-align: center;"><object height="385" width="480"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/GDFZkbAdya0?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/GDFZkbAdya0?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Heartbreak Warfare</div><div style="text-align: center;"><object height="385" width="480"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/ybAW4h9nl6Q?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/ybAW4h9nl6Q?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">John Just Jamming</div><div style="text-align: center;"><object height="385" width="480"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/xxa5IYuxnZk?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/xxa5IYuxnZk?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Waiting on the World to Change</div><div style="text-align: center;"><object height="385" width="480"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/PrsZ_DSeG2Q?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/PrsZ_DSeG2Q?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object></div>Dalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01352167096081172943noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4788881110614906.post-77565781192613953552010-09-12T12:58:00.000-06:002010-09-12T12:58:22.020-06:00My New DigsHere it is. My new place. I love it. It's so nice and actually feels like a home. I live with one roommate mostly, but the owner is in town for a month before he moves to Spain for a year. The townhouse has 4 bedrooms. Three on the second floor and one in the basement. We have an amazing view. I've been so busy that I haven't been able to enjoy my balcony very much, but I promise you I will now that I have no more friends coming to visit.<br />
<br />
One cool thing about this subdivision is when you turn into it, you're greeted by a little waterfall. I didn't get a picture of it, but just know that I think that's pretty cool. Haha. Feel free to be jealous and to visit!<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">The Outside</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8DpuNTvDERHmiYS9qADmXrFf73L7j1yIwP1YeRWj3GGm9jzd6VMH6U-PUB2M7gMjaJhnwjlUNrVhIBP0dTe7O6929tFUs-8Qeb-kwqVi7CNKd5gxS9fgnNvJaYfTU_vgT7YQHrCGlyQ/s1600/Alpine+Brook1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8DpuNTvDERHmiYS9qADmXrFf73L7j1yIwP1YeRWj3GGm9jzd6VMH6U-PUB2M7gMjaJhnwjlUNrVhIBP0dTe7O6929tFUs-8Qeb-kwqVi7CNKd5gxS9fgnNvJaYfTU_vgT7YQHrCGlyQ/s320/Alpine+Brook1.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">My Bedroom</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1yzdzsnaCDZW-yKzR0RRfYoI8QOrLYC9kSaPyoPXE5DHL7ouXzwUgde21kAX-OouS876uPYpenmSD5qoTcMuZpyuE8dmgRIWvOnWhxBgprqkvtlyj6ZQYE-V3fSo6nbrk53b0kkTM-w/s1600/Bedroom1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1yzdzsnaCDZW-yKzR0RRfYoI8QOrLYC9kSaPyoPXE5DHL7ouXzwUgde21kAX-OouS876uPYpenmSD5qoTcMuZpyuE8dmgRIWvOnWhxBgprqkvtlyj6ZQYE-V3fSo6nbrk53b0kkTM-w/s320/Bedroom1.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8bjyDCbSSyJHA8d5KF5hL2jF6hhrD1P4dMSP0l-mHJphS_NA8hIbqsm5JRiyZqQnNlUrrvMwTHRlYPcXrB9aIZBjVfXYVGK8QTOCssfIOif1Yl9ozbvi08mkr7xEyVJjnyFtV5iZEkw/s1600/Bedroom2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8bjyDCbSSyJHA8d5KF5hL2jF6hhrD1P4dMSP0l-mHJphS_NA8hIbqsm5JRiyZqQnNlUrrvMwTHRlYPcXrB9aIZBjVfXYVGK8QTOCssfIOif1Yl9ozbvi08mkr7xEyVJjnyFtV5iZEkw/s320/Bedroom2.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">The carcass that hangs on my wall!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKTiVigo9rN9ksfkBACShcEcSVdt-r9B8LPmvsshKlOD_zIhhHfMizrCEdDgWk6jLtl_oajsFHJ45PnX7W0mV1ttCRUJRCClifW_-8v6XgT_fk70rfFNSWf-i3t7ANPyf_BH98OICEUg/s1600/Bedroom3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKTiVigo9rN9ksfkBACShcEcSVdt-r9B8LPmvsshKlOD_zIhhHfMizrCEdDgWk6jLtl_oajsFHJ45PnX7W0mV1ttCRUJRCClifW_-8v6XgT_fk70rfFNSWf-i3t7ANPyf_BH98OICEUg/s320/Bedroom3.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">The First Floor</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVJPmkezyCfyzbCPOzMTKsATj1vgw7-NuA6-ISvEug9zKHb8PNbvA6_kDj8-eVyH_bh4MFyDJOpBXDlulALMPfxlnW3vEOZELjIkPiAoFzajWSCNSlsetozgXlXf3Mid0NNUAblb-t3w/s1600/Downstairs.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVJPmkezyCfyzbCPOzMTKsATj1vgw7-NuA6-ISvEug9zKHb8PNbvA6_kDj8-eVyH_bh4MFyDJOpBXDlulALMPfxlnW3vEOZELjIkPiAoFzajWSCNSlsetozgXlXf3Mid0NNUAblb-t3w/s320/Downstairs.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Kitchen and Dining Table</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjznQPCYBkUJumQphCyqmSBTv1IG40mZ8hekgS8CpfgvHLk7wwwRxpj76NiebsblWFakjwjxk6Lxqop-XPyzU4RxRFXL3NWmriLpTn8JYFJ7aoG7_JvLssQrp0qr5SubaGdEoZq17_ldA/s1600/Kitchen.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjznQPCYBkUJumQphCyqmSBTv1IG40mZ8hekgS8CpfgvHLk7wwwRxpj76NiebsblWFakjwjxk6Lxqop-XPyzU4RxRFXL3NWmriLpTn8JYFJ7aoG7_JvLssQrp0qr5SubaGdEoZq17_ldA/s320/Kitchen.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIni6uDxKjqKbUwn1yOftcMEQHa38c7IZ8ymXl27ewEygi3aYc5AeAzj8bfrefcRhqW_GMIFpTRQXU-dCIWhBbMntXZFMo9NEod0A99LJU6HQdQz5UYldw2G1NGHzSvoRjFiXizc8H2Q/s1600/Dining+Table.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIni6uDxKjqKbUwn1yOftcMEQHa38c7IZ8ymXl27ewEygi3aYc5AeAzj8bfrefcRhqW_GMIFpTRQXU-dCIWhBbMntXZFMo9NEod0A99LJU6HQdQz5UYldw2G1NGHzSvoRjFiXizc8H2Q/s320/Dining+Table.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">The Balcony View!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5w1mGeaX4prdJIeBHvaNCMSlbulhw_OY46rFkv5xZICir2IATARaAGdbx12BPUkBLN7lxuPS5Ur2Q9ZCnRFWI-VlRmJm7imOIdGYO2gNvEBycUc8GuvnYwCF_mYZiOBBip7-iPDvqsQ/s1600/Balcony1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5w1mGeaX4prdJIeBHvaNCMSlbulhw_OY46rFkv5xZICir2IATARaAGdbx12BPUkBLN7lxuPS5Ur2Q9ZCnRFWI-VlRmJm7imOIdGYO2gNvEBycUc8GuvnYwCF_mYZiOBBip7-iPDvqsQ/s320/Balcony1.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_BRt3vmI6dlshOgy70QtqBnAcbY-U6ZeVYdFiu6REnRJ8XIvKzUi0mTmFuP44ERpSANMvY0QyqZyXFhOE8YkaBK04J_Glq6b0WRjhI065fotQh1yxqvnvT2nRudRCOTVGJczo6_6LSg/s1600/Balcony2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_BRt3vmI6dlshOgy70QtqBnAcbY-U6ZeVYdFiu6REnRJ8XIvKzUi0mTmFuP44ERpSANMvY0QyqZyXFhOE8YkaBK04J_Glq6b0WRjhI065fotQh1yxqvnvT2nRudRCOTVGJczo6_6LSg/s320/Balcony2.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">The Basement</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD-3uTzBaJ5ZFvuLU046e72-wZGPr2Lc1RX_ljWkkjRJa67qHeQ4IxQwWJddDyoihvpQimzxs98RmSAir5pFOvgv6w6O9BlVT7rBHJdRPj5pyGpy2SqLngshKmUefKg9kz7tJ5phFfFg/s1600/Basement.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD-3uTzBaJ5ZFvuLU046e72-wZGPr2Lc1RX_ljWkkjRJa67qHeQ4IxQwWJddDyoihvpQimzxs98RmSAir5pFOvgv6w6O9BlVT7rBHJdRPj5pyGpy2SqLngshKmUefKg9kz7tJ5phFfFg/s320/Basement.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">So there you have it. And to top it all off, I know the guys that live next door. They randomly moved in when I did so that is pretty sweet. Also, for those of you who know Dave, he had a group of girls I know move in next to him and he lives on the street below me. So this place is about to start hopping. (Hopefully!)</div>Dalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01352167096081172943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4788881110614906.post-45447439118382299642010-09-10T23:53:00.000-06:002010-09-10T23:53:41.635-06:00Three Years In A Row, Baby!I just got back from the Boyz II Men concert! I've seen them three years in a row now. I can't believe how great they still sound. It's incredible how talented they are. I love to sing, but am no where near that good. It blows my mind hearing the control they have. I'm very jealous of that.<div><br />
</div><div>I recorded some video on my phone that I'll post later if it's good. I haven't checked it out yet. I want to wait until I can get the videos and pictures that Michelle took, because she got right up to the front of the stage. She even got a rose from them during I'll Make Love To You.</div><div><br />
</div><div>I also called my mama when they sang A Song For Mama. That's her ring tone. I'm not sure if she could hear, but she stayed on the phone for a while so hopefully she could at least hear me singing to her.</div><div><br />
</div><div>They said they'll be coming back again next year. Not sure if I'll be here, but if so, I will definitely go again. I've paid about $25 total to see them three times. The most expensive time was $10. Not bad, eh? I even paid for my brother and sister-in-law to come tonight so even with them, I have paid around $40 for the three times. Best. Deal. Ever!</div>Dalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01352167096081172943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4788881110614906.post-86652708628653815552010-09-05T17:32:00.000-06:002010-09-05T17:32:01.690-06:00Get Excited!I have a lot of updates coming. I was going to do some blogging today, but this post is all I can manage. I'm treating myself to a lazy, do nothing day since my plans for tonight fell through. Here's a sneak peak at what's coming:<div><ul><li>My new house</li>
<li>John Mayer concert</li>
<li>Pitt/Utah football game</li>
<li>WSU/BYU soccer match</li>
<li>UW/BYU football game</li>
</ul><div>That has all taken place in the last 8 days. It's been a crazy week, but so much fun. I only had one night of downtime and that was Wednesday. So glad tomorrow is a holiday. Hooray for laborers!!!</div></div>Dalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01352167096081172943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4788881110614906.post-45306804419807605052010-08-28T15:47:00.000-06:002010-08-28T15:47:32.328-06:00Failure May As Well Be Dale-ure<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></div><br />
<br />
I had the grand idea of making some kids' day yesterday morning. I was behind a semi and saw the kids trying to get the truck driver to honk his horn at them. He wasn't budging. I guess he just wanted to focus on turning left right in front of them. It was almost as if he was taunting them by delaying his turn longer than he needed to.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">I snagged a pic of the driver:</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photo/_new/081006-wellmannered2-hmed-11a.hlarge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photo/_new/081006-wellmannered2-hmed-11a.hlarge.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
So I wanted to make up for the truck driver's selfishness. As I drove by, I wondered if the kids would try to get me to honk. Nope. I wasn't a cool, big construction semi so I went unnoticed. Didn't matter. I honked anyway.<br />
<br />
I looked in the rear view mirror to watch their reactions and got nothing but stares. One boy, who was trying the hardest with the semi, just stood there, seemingly dumbfounded. It was so funny (to me at least.)<br />
<br />
But alas! I didn't fail completely. Even though I received no response to my efforts, as soon as the kids put two and two together, they were trying to get the cars behind me to honk. I did that.Dalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01352167096081172943noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4788881110614906.post-37206045353520575012010-08-05T21:00:00.000-06:002010-08-05T21:00:44.430-06:00Surprise VisitHad a great surprise visit from my buddy Jeff and his family today. He's currently attending the University of Pittsburgh where he's getting his doctorate in University Administration (or something like that.) We met in Las Vegas about 8 years ago. This guy is rad. We instantly bonded over our love of Michael Jordan. He owns, I think, around 20 pairs of Air Jordans and has a bunch of Jordan memorabilia. I'm quite jealous.<br />
<br />
He's one of those guys who just seems to have connections all over the place. Luckily, I've been able to capitalize on that a few times. I've gotten free tickets to BYU football games in Vegas including the Las Vegas Bowl where BYU killed Oregon. He's flying out here on Sept 2 to go to the Pitt/Utah game and I get to go on Pitt's tab. Pretty sweet! I'm so excited to go in my new Pitt shirt and hopefully watch Pitt pound Utah.<br />
<br />
Some of you may remember him from our Mountainwood days ways back when. Here's a picture of him and his three kids, Jack, Wellesley, and the latest addition Matthew all decked out in BYU gear. The funny thing is his wife and her family are huge Utah fans.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6Z_Arpb7Zmpe541YO943rPH_pXdWLob0BQ6PvmwB47hnpK15MFI20C32MOK6Rz2Yvp0_KPrc4ugWMFgMONCBKUOAEBZXEtwVrg9v5O8RXOFNYl324fteGDMqgLgwsywSUrJpA9ldvFQ/s1600/Jeff.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6Z_Arpb7Zmpe541YO943rPH_pXdWLob0BQ6PvmwB47hnpK15MFI20C32MOK6Rz2Yvp0_KPrc4ugWMFgMONCBKUOAEBZXEtwVrg9v5O8RXOFNYl324fteGDMqgLgwsywSUrJpA9ldvFQ/s320/Jeff.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Dalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01352167096081172943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4788881110614906.post-61096435018354092222010-08-01T12:24:00.000-06:002010-08-01T12:24:02.488-06:0030 Second SmileI saw a commercial for this the other day and thought it was hilarious. How much lazier are people going to get? I honestly don't see how this could be better than regular brushing. In fact, I think this is worse, but I'm no professional. Either way, it looks uncomfortable. I have a drooling problem now with an electric toothbrush. It'd be interesting to see how much worse I'd drool using this two headed system, but not enough to make me try it.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><object height="385" width="480"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/yPKuSZiOXwY&hl=en_US&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/yPKuSZiOXwY&hl=en_US&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object></div>Dalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01352167096081172943noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4788881110614906.post-17225682736479888552010-07-24T23:08:00.000-06:002010-07-24T23:08:46.395-06:00Fireworks!I went to Spanish Fork tonight with my friend Mary, her brother Mark, and Mary's ex-boyfriend to watch the fireworks show. Twas quite interesting to the say the least. However, we had prime seats for the fireworks. The show was fantastic. The fireworks went almost non-stop and I even had a little piece of ash fall into my eye. Luckily, it caused very little discomfort so the show was not tarnished in anyway. Here are a couple of videos I took on my phone.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyYo4ydvrSl8xDwEeHvpGoO4dR7rMLf_MmVCYQMQXE_qU1cJFachv8aOG4ghGGYslq0ckpctH8R-RvZbXXT' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxKeD3d_4UL21nNYxJ_GXsWhIEktYPg1orl_S2fQlf9y_GbN2DxmCQwfvSNqkndISogVy0ubVSV35SWKdH4' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>Dalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01352167096081172943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4788881110614906.post-64400499720980246912010-07-23T16:37:00.003-06:002010-08-08T08:38:06.421-06:00Ben Folds and the Utah Symphony at Deer Valley<div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">Last Saturday, Deanna and I went to the Ben Folds concert with the Utah Symphony. It was fantastic. The only issue was Ben's voice. He was struggling hitting some notes, but it was still awesome to see him perform with the symphony. <i><b>Side note: I just got an email from </b></i><a href="http://www.scera.org/events/view/243?utm_content=dwbaker4%40yahoo.com&utm_source=VerticalResponse&utm_medium=Email&utm_term=Click&utm_campaign=SCERA/Upcoming%20Events/$3%20OFF%20COUPONcontent"><i><b>Scera</b></i></a><i><b> in Orem announcing the symphony is coming on Monday, August 16. I want to go! So if you are in town and want to come, let me know. General Admission tickets are $10 for students. That's a screaming deal I think. Click on Scera above to get more info. Let me know if you want to go!</b></i></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>So here are some videos I took with my phone of Ben performing. I recorded clips of his songs Brick, Landed, and The Luckiest which was his encore. Great way to end the show. I love that song. Unfortunately, my phone doesn't have a zoom option so the video isn't much to look at. Also, the sound isn't the greatest. You'll have to turn up the volume on your speakers. We were 16 rows from him, but my phone didn't pick up the sound very well. Oh well. Trust me...it was awesome.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxvYrzEp_nf6IzXNQc-dQH7yh_av7aXOXmHmxLvomr-L-Cx0bra6MwSu2cVHLvHeccyjDpiw0ANPz-1UWlo' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dybXCC84H78LFpfXIxpmMDA0WjEdN3Jhf09mHjEk2Hg2pn9yTBWXgeUGWJxNUqL3uA4ypQZWNfCZLBnMT0q' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwS2braGVW7xb3aokAtWaMoRXPATkr1anzCA2Do4y6wYQVbQwwB1JEbpJG7LmjMvkVMyGsh5w6zi6MRhL0Z' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwmkecMLRr_HkpUReyCQrbUgdx9tx7-gPvHr55IbKIa_vVunShGG8jOP5W5MzESLLM6WKSfiA08Y9eTSHNc' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwHAK7-Fa7xiImc0cin4gWFa8wnsoD5BX9YMDbje43mIduikNo7vj_SdADGPX5LVY6Lbb__Z4oT9aRxcp5J' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>Dalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01352167096081172943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4788881110614906.post-9697307651566477082010-05-24T23:48:00.000-06:002010-05-24T23:48:29.878-06:00Who Wants To Go On A Road trip?<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">I saw this on Yahoo! I will do these someday.</span><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px;"></span><br />
<div class="logoTitle" style="line-height: 1.22em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><div class="articleHeader" style="float: left; line-height: 1.22em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; width: 420px;"><div class="articleTitle" style="color: #cc5d16; font: normal normal bold 133%/normal Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 1.22em; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><h4 style="font-size: 27px; line-height: 1.22em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">America's Top 10 Road Trips</h4></div><div class="ygcl" style="clear: both; font-size: 0.1em; line-height: 0.1em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"></div><div class="subTitle" style="font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.22em; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><h3 style="color: black; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.22em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Rev your engines . . . these all-American road trips are primed for summer adventure</h3></div><div class="ygcl" style="clear: both; font-size: 0.1em; line-height: 0.1em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"></div><div class="author" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.22em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">By Becca Bergman</div></div></div><div class="ygcl" style="clear: both; font-size: 0.1em; line-height: 0.1em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"></div><div class="picAndLinks" style="float: right; line-height: 1.22em; margin-bottom: 30px; margin-left: 30px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 7px; text-align: center;"><div class="pic" style="float: left; line-height: 1.22em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><img src="http://l.yimg.com/a/i/us/tr/bigsur.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 1.22em;" /></div><div class="ygcl" style="clear: both; font-size: 0.1em; line-height: 0.1em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"></div><div class="img_credit" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.22em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;">Big Sur<br />
<h1 style="color: black; font-size: 10px; line-height: 1.22em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Flickr<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gwoodhouse/" style="line-height: 1.22em;">/Greg Woodhouse</a></h1></div><div class="linksSource" style="font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.22em; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 30px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">More from ShermansTravel.com</div><ul class="moreLinks" style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.22em; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><li style="line-height: 1.22em; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.shermanstravel.com/top25?refer=yahoo_top_tens_road_trips" style="line-height: 1.22em;">Travel Deals of the Week</a></li>
<li style="line-height: 1.22em; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.shermanstravel.com/hotel_reviews?refer=yahoo_top_tens_road_trips" style="line-height: 1.22em;">Hotel Reviews</a></li>
<li style="line-height: 1.22em; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.shermanstravel.com/blogs/adventure_travel?refer=yahoo_top_tens_road_trips" style="line-height: 1.22em;">Adventure Travel Blog</a></li>
</ul><div class="linksSource" style="font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.22em; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 30px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">More from Yahoo! Travel</div><ul class="moreLinks" style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.22em; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><li style="line-height: 1.22em; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><a href="http://leisure.travelocity.com/Promotions/0,,YHOE%7C5317%7Cmkt_main,00.html" style="line-height: 1.22em;">Find Special Offers & More Savings</a></li>
<li style="line-height: 1.22em; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><a href="http://travel.yahoo.com/flights" style="line-height: 1.22em;">Check flight deals now!</a></li>
<li style="line-height: 1.22em; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><a href="http://westintravel.yahoo.com/" style="line-height: 1.22em;">Tips for Wellness on the Road</a></li>
</ul></div><div style="line-height: 1.22em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">With summer around the corner, the open road beckons. In that spirit, we present our favorite American road trips from the West to the East. Some are well-known destinations and others are off the beaten path. Several are steeped in history, while a few pursue remote, wild beauty. Best of all, most of these routes make for splendid drives all year long, so you can get out and explore their bounty whenever the mood strikes. So rev your engines . . . and hit the road.<br />
<br />
</div><h4 style="font-size: 20px; line-height: 1.22em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Big Sur, California</h4><div style="line-height: 1.22em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Iconic Route 1 extends almost the entire length of California, but our favorite stretch for road trips is through <a href="http://travel.yahoo.com/p-travelguide-474122-big_sur_vacations-i" style="line-height: 1.22em;">Big Sur</a>, which comprises 90 or so miles along the central coast from San Simeon to <a herf="http://travel.yahoo.com/p-travelguide-474157-carmel_vacations-i" href="http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=4788881110614906" style="line-height: 1.22em;">Carmel</a>. Big Sur’s beauty is not overrated: Sandwiched between the Santa Lucia mountains and the Pacific – redwood groves on one side and rocky beaches with sea lions on the other – it’s remarkably unspoiled, partly because the only access is via the two-lane Route 1, or Cabrillo Highway. Devote a long weekend, ideally in May or September for fewer crowds. Start out in <a href="http://travel.yahoo.com/p-travelguide-191501890-san_jose_vacations-i" style="line-height: 1.22em;">San Jose</a>, which has the closest major airport, and head south 74 miles on U.S. 101. Merge onto Route 156 and pick up Route 1, cruise through <a href="http://travel.yahoo.com/p-travelguide-191501885-monterey_vacations-i" style="line-height: 1.22em;">Monterey</a> and Carmel, and then enter Big Sur proper. There are no big towns, only small clusters of roadside restaurants and stores, so fill the gas tank in advance. The road twists along precipitous cliffs and it can be a relief to stop for impromptu hiking, picnicking, or beachcombing (try Jade Cove for its namesake stone). A bohemian Eden in the 1960s, when Jack Kerouac and Henry Miller spent time here, Big Sur is an area where their free-spirit vibe still lingers.<br />
<br />
</div><div class="ygcl" style="clear: both; font-size: 0.1em; line-height: 0.1em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"></div><div class="picAndLinks" style="float: right; line-height: 1.22em; margin-bottom: 30px; margin-left: 30px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 7px; text-align: center; width: 240px;"><div class="pic" style="float: left; line-height: 1.22em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><img src="http://l.yimg.com/a/i/us/tr/blueridge.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 1.22em;" /></div><div class="ygcl" style="clear: both; font-size: 0.1em; line-height: 0.1em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"></div><div class="img_credit" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.22em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;">Blue Ridge Parkway<br />
<h1 style="color: black; font-size: 10px; line-height: 1.22em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Flickr<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dougandbecky/" style="line-height: 1.22em;">/Quantum Physics</a></h1></div></div><h4 style="font-size: 20px; line-height: 1.22em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Blue Ridge Parkway, North Carolina and Virginia</h4><div style="line-height: 1.22em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Although old-time Appalachia has been immortalized in song, these days it can be difficult to locate that haven of rolling hills and wildflowers. The Blue Ridge Parkway, which stretches 469 miles along the southern Appalachian Mountains and links two national parks – Virginia’s Shenandoah and North Carolina’s <a href="http://travel.yahoo.com/p-travelguide-3003906-great_smoky_mountains_national_park_gatlinburg-i" style="line-height: 1.22em;">Great Smoky Mountains</a> – hits all the right notes. Drive the entire length if there's time (but remember the speed limit is 45 mph in most parts). For a shorter jaunt, fly into <a href="http://travel.yahoo.com/p-travelguide-478215-asheville_vacations-i" style="line-height: 1.22em;">Asheville, N.C.</a>, and follow the parkway north for about 2 hours to Boone. Not a single interstate crosses the parkway. Instead of gas stations and motels, it’s flanked by picnic areas and hiking trails lined with dogwood, tulip trees, and red maples, with the mighty Appalachians as the backdrop. Highlights include Grandfather Mountain, a U.N.-designated International Biosphere Reserve, and the gardens and winery of the magnificent Biltmore Estate, a 19th-century Vanderbilt château near Asheville. Most sightseers do this road trip in spring and fall for the wildflowers and foliage, but the summer brings fewer cars, and the breezy, dry weather is near perfect.<br />
<br />
</div><div class="ygcl" style="clear: both; font-size: 0.1em; line-height: 0.1em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"></div><div class="picAndLinks" style="float: right; line-height: 1.22em; margin-bottom: 30px; margin-left: 30px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 7px; text-align: center; width: 240px;"><div class="pic" style="float: left; line-height: 1.22em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><img src="http://l.yimg.com/a/i/us/tr/goingtosun.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 1.22em;" /></div><div class="ygcl" style="clear: both; font-size: 0.1em; line-height: 0.1em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"></div><div class="img_credit" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.22em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;">Going-to-the-Sun Road<br />
<h1 style="color: black; font-size: 10px; line-height: 1.22em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Photos.com</h1></div></div><h4 style="font-size: 20px; line-height: 1.22em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Going-to-the-Sun Road, Montana</h4><div style="line-height: 1.22em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">In an epoch of climate change, it’s more satisfying than ever to make a pilgrimage (albeit by car) to witness the awesome beauty of glaciers in idyllic northern Montana. In <a href="http://travel.yahoo.com/p-travelguide-477356-glacier_natl_park_mt_vacations-i" style="line-height: 1.22em;">Glacier National Park</a>, the Going-to-the-Sun Road runs east to west for 50 miles. Take at least half a day to drive it in early June or just after Labor Day for the most unencumbered backcountry tour. Although the park stays open year-round, parts of this road trip route close from mid-September to mid-June. In July and August, when the route is beleaguered by traffic and maintenance work, jump on the free and eco-friendly shuttle bus. The Sun Road, as it's also called, crosses the Continental Divide at a breathtaking elevation of 6,646 feet (keep an eye out for mountain goats and bighorn sheep) and passes by Jackson Glacier Overlook, which, as the name suggests, is a good place to spot glaciers. A huge feat in engineering when it was created 76 years ago, the parkway includes portions carved into a sheer vertical cliff known as the Garden Wall. On the side of the road, the valley lies thousands of feet below.<br />
<br />
</div><div class="ygcl" style="clear: both; font-size: 0.1em; line-height: 0.1em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"></div><div class="picAndLinks" style="float: right; line-height: 1.22em; margin-bottom: 30px; margin-left: 30px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 7px; text-align: center; width: 240px;"><div class="pic" style="float: left; line-height: 1.22em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><img src="http://l.yimg.com/a/i/us/tr/hana.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 1.22em;" /></div><div class="ygcl" style="clear: both; font-size: 0.1em; line-height: 0.1em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"></div><div class="img_credit" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.22em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;">Hana Highway<br />
<h1 style="color: black; font-size: 10px; line-height: 1.22em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Photos.com</h1></div></div><h4 style="font-size: 20px; line-height: 1.22em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Hana Highway, Hawaii</h4><div style="line-height: 1.22em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Driving Maui’s serpentine Hana Highway on the rural east side of the island provides a feel for Hawaii’s early days, when wild beauty and sleepy surf towns ruled. The famous road, also called the Road to Hana, starts in the town of <a href="http://travel.yahoo.com/p-travelguide-475396-paia_vacations-i" style="line-height: 1.22em;">Paia</a> (about a 40-minute drive from Maui’s more developed southwest area) and wiggles east along the coast for more than 60 miles. The road trip's entire length can be traveled in about 3 hours but it’s better to allot at least a day to take in the rain forest setting (and allow for traffic). Rent a convertible, slather on sunscreen, and start before dawn to catch the sunrise. With the route incorporating some 600 hairpin curves and dozens of one-lane bridges, the driving is as taxing as the sights are stunning. Leave some time to check out a few of the following: Keanae Arboretum, with an exotic botanical garden; Waikani Falls, a trio of crashing chutes; and Ka’eleku Caverns, an ancient site created from lava flow. Turn around at the peaceful village of <a href="http://travel.yahoo.com/p-travelguide-475362-hana_vacations-i" style="line-height: 1.22em;">Hana</a> or, for the real finish-line reward, continue further to Haleakala National Park to camp among vegetation that grows nowhere else in the world.<br />
<br />
</div><div class="ygcl" style="clear: both; font-size: 0.1em; line-height: 0.1em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"></div><div class="picAndLinks" style="float: right; line-height: 1.22em; margin-bottom: 30px; margin-left: 30px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 7px; text-align: center; width: 240px;"><div class="pic" style="float: left; line-height: 1.22em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><img src="http://l.yimg.com/a/i/us/tr/milliondollar.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 1.22em;" /></div><div class="ygcl" style="clear: both; font-size: 0.1em; line-height: 0.1em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"></div><div class="img_credit" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.22em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;">Million Dollar Highway (Silverton)<br />
<h1 style="color: black; font-size: 10px; line-height: 1.22em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Flickr<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/schatzimansel/" style="line-height: 1.22em;">/Schatzi and Pickles</a></h1></div></div><h4 style="font-size: 20px; line-height: 1.22em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Million Dollar Highway, Colorado</h4><div style="line-height: 1.22em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Near <a href="http://travel.yahoo.com/p-travelguide-191501899-telluride_vacations-i" style="line-height: 1.22em;">Telluride</a> but worlds away, a 24-mile stretch of U.S. 550 takes visitors back in time to when the West was still wild (the road trip conditions are not for the faint of heart). Connecting the old mining towns of Silverton and <a href="http://travel.yahoo.com/p-travelguide-474731-ouray_vacations-i" style="line-height: 1.22em;">Ouray</a> in the San Juan Mountains of southwestern Colorado, the Million Dollar Highway traverses the Uncompahgre Gorge to the summit of Red Mountain Pass, where a series of hairpin turns – sans guardrails – flank stomach-churning vertical drops. The countryside, decked in wildflowers during the spring, sustains elk, mountain goats, black bears, and deer. In the tiny towns of Silverton (a National Historic Landmark) and Ouray, Victorian buildings from the 1870s evoke the frontier era. Although the Million Dollar Highway is short, budget a day for it – all those twists and turns take time.<br />
<br />
</div><div class="ygcl" style="clear: both; font-size: 0.1em; line-height: 0.1em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"></div><div class="picAndLinks" style="float: right; line-height: 1.22em; margin-bottom: 30px; margin-left: 30px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 7px; text-align: center; width: 240px;"><div class="pic" style="float: left; line-height: 1.22em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><img src="http://l.yimg.com/a/i/us/tr/redrock.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 1.22em;" /></div><div class="ygcl" style="clear: both; font-size: 0.1em; line-height: 0.1em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"></div><div class="img_credit" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.22em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;">Red Rock Scenic Byway<br />
<h1 style="color: black; font-size: 10px; line-height: 1.22em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Photos.com</h1></div></div><h4 style="font-size: 20px; line-height: 1.22em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Red Rock Scenic Byway, Arizona</h4><div style="line-height: 1.22em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">While the city of <a href="http://travel.yahoo.com/p-travelguide-191501876-sedona_vacations-i" style="line-height: 1.22em;">Sedona</a>’s growth may have resulted in a bit of a commercial sprawl, its captivating rock formations still stand guard right outside town on the Red Rock Scenic Byway, a 7.5-mile little slip of road trip heaven. Also known as Route 179, it starts in Sedona and runs south, ending at Interstate 17 near Rimrock. Clearly marked trailheads and off-road bike paths are scattered along the way, so bring hiking boots or a mountain bike. Spend at least half a day exploring the red rock formations (many named after objects they resemble, like Bell, Cathedral, and Snoopy), which seem to change shape and color with every shift of light. Most of the drive cuts through the diverse Coconino National Forest, full of hills and washes covered in yucca, juniper, cacti, and piñon pines. Hawks and eagles swoop overhead and elk, deer, coyotes, and quail roam the terrain. Look familiar? In the 1940s and ’50s studios shot many Westerns here, including Broken Arrow with Jimmy Stewart.<br />
<br />
</div><div class="ygcl" style="clear: both; font-size: 0.1em; line-height: 0.1em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"></div><div class="picAndLinks" style="float: right; line-height: 1.22em; margin-bottom: 30px; margin-left: 30px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 7px; text-align: center; width: 240px;"><div class="pic" style="float: left; line-height: 1.22em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><img src="http://l.yimg.com/a/i/us/tr/seaislands.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 1.22em;" /></div><div class="ygcl" style="clear: both; font-size: 0.1em; line-height: 0.1em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"></div><div class="img_credit" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.22em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;">Sea Islands (Jekyll Island Bridge)<br />
<h1 style="color: black; font-size: 10px; line-height: 1.22em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Photos.com</h1></div></div><h4 style="font-size: 20px; line-height: 1.22em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Sea Islands, Georgia</h4><div style="line-height: 1.22em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Island hopping along the Georgian coastal barrier islands provides a glimpse at historic blue-blood enclaves that also beckon birders and naturalists. Over a long weekend, gain an introduction to intriguing island outposts, connected by causeways and bridges, and, in some cases, only reached by ferries. Start this road trip in <a href="http://travel.yahoo.com/p-travelguide-191501915-savannah_vacations-i" style="line-height: 1.22em;">Savannah</a> and head about 2 hours south on coastal Route 17 to <a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=4788881110614906" rhef="http://travel.yahoo.com/p-travelguide-475184-brunswick_vacations-i" style="line-height: 1.22em;">Brunswick</a>, the area’s gateway. Drive over the causeway to St. Simons, one of the four Golden Isles along with Little St. Simons, Sea Island, and Jekyll. The largest of the populated islands, upscale St. Simons is known for its golf courses and historical sites and a long, white-sand public beach. Bird watchers should head to Gould’s Inlet on East Beach for sightings, in season, of laughing gulls, royal and caspian terns, red-throated loons, or painted buntings. Sea Island, accessible by car from St. Simons, is synonymous with the Cloister resort, the <i style="line-height: 1.22em;">ne plus ultra</i> when it comes to Southern luxury. Even if you’re not staying at the resort, it’s worth visiting the island to cruise Sea Island Drive, lined with impressive Spanish Mediterranean-style mansions. To reach <a href="http://travel.yahoo.com/p-travelguide-475262-jekyll_island_vacations-i" style="line-height: 1.22em;">Jekyll</a>, return to Route 17 on the mainland and turn east on the Jekyll Island Road (Route 520). Once a playground of Rockefellers and Pulitzers, Jekyll today is the stomping ground of leisure travelers who frequent its pristine beaches and golf courses, as well as marshes and maritime forests. Head to the south end for the best birding, or take a guided walk to view nesting loggerhead sea turtles.<br />
<br />
</div><div class="ygcl" style="clear: both; font-size: 0.1em; line-height: 0.1em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"></div><div class="picAndLinks" style="float: right; line-height: 1.22em; margin-bottom: 30px; margin-left: 30px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 7px; text-align: center; width: 240px;"><div class="pic" style="float: left; line-height: 1.22em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><img src="http://l.yimg.com/a/i/us/tr/sewar.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 1.22em;" /></div><div class="ygcl" style="clear: both; font-size: 0.1em; line-height: 0.1em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"></div><div class="img_credit" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.22em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;">Seward Highway (Turnagain Arm)<br />
<h1 style="color: black; font-size: 10px; line-height: 1.22em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/72213316@N00/" style="line-height: 1.22em;">Alaskan Dude</a></h1></div></div><h4 style="font-size: 20px; line-height: 1.22em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Seward Highway, Alaska</h4><div style="line-height: 1.22em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">An easy way to enjoy a cross section of Alaska’s massive beauty is to traverse the 127-mile Seward Highway that links <a href="http://travel.yahoo.com/p-travelguide-191501867-anchorage_vacations-i" style="line-height: 1.22em;">Anchorage</a> to the tiny portside town of <a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=4788881110614906" rhef="http://travel.yahoo.com/p-travelguide-473886-seward_vacations-i" style="line-height: 1.22em;">Seward</a> on magnificent Resurrection Bay. This compact swath encompasses boreal forests, mammoth glaciers, and majestic fjords. Starting in Anchorage, where it’s easy to rent a car at the airport, the road leads south across the Kenai Peninsula, hugging the base of the rugged Chugach Mountains and overlooking the Turnagain Arm of Cook Inlet as it winds past waterfalls and wildlife. Try to spot grazing Dall sheep on the cliffs, beluga whales in the waters below, and eagles and numerous seabirds above. The road trip can be done in 5 hours, but take two leisurely days and stop en route at the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center or pan for gold at Crow Creek Mine. In Seward, tour the nearby Kenai Fjords National Park, a singular wonderland of fjords and glaciers.<br />
<br />
</div><div class="ygcl" style="clear: both; font-size: 0.1em; line-height: 0.1em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"></div><div class="picAndLinks" style="float: right; line-height: 1.22em; margin-bottom: 30px; margin-left: 30px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 7px; text-align: center; width: 240px;"><div class="pic" style="float: left; line-height: 1.22em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><img src="http://l.yimg.com/a/i/us/tr/sonomanap.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 1.22em;" /></div><div class="ygcl" style="clear: both; font-size: 0.1em; line-height: 0.1em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"></div><div class="img_credit" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.22em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;">Sonoma and Napa Valleys (Clos du Val winery)<br />
<h1 style="color: black; font-size: 10px; line-height: 1.22em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Marvin Collins/Clos du Val</h1></div></div><h4 style="font-size: 20px; line-height: 1.22em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Sonoma and Napa Valleys, California</h4><div style="line-height: 1.22em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Road trips through the neighboring valleys of Sonoma and Napa can be an entirely chichi experience, but there are also historic spots and quiet nature alongside the luxury standouts. To combine the best of both worlds in one long weekend, rent a car in <a href="http://travel.yahoo.com/p-travelguide-191501889-san_francisco_vacations-i" style="line-height: 1.22em;">San Francisco</a> and go an hour north on U.S. 101 to<a href="http://travel.yahoo.com/p-travelguide-474276-healdsburg_ca_vacations-i" style="line-height: 1.22em;">Healdsburg</a>, a sophisticated Sonoma hub brimming with tasting rooms and top restaurants (for a splurge, try Cyrus). Next, head further north on 101 to Lake Sonoma for a leg-stretching hike. Then take Route 128 southeast into Napa Valley and stop in <a href="http://travel.yahoo.com/p-travelguide-474147-calistoga_vacations-i" style="line-height: 1.22em;">Calistoga</a>, to soak in a mud bath or check out the Old Faithful Geyser of California, which shoots up water every 30 minutes. From Calistoga, cross over to the Silverado Trail, a lovely meander south (roughly parallel to Route 29) past some of the area’s most notable wineries including Phelps, Mumm, Stags’ Leap, and Clos Du Val. Take Route 29 at Oakville (procure picnic supplies at the gourmet Oakville Grocery Co.) or in the restaurant mecca of Yountville. Further on, merge onto Interstate 80 and return to San Francisco.<br />
<br />
</div><div class="ygcl" style="clear: both; font-size: 0.1em; line-height: 0.1em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"></div><div class="picAndLinks" style="float: right; line-height: 1.22em; margin-bottom: 30px; margin-left: 30px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 7px; text-align: center; width: 240px;"><div class="pic" style="float: left; line-height: 1.22em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><img src="http://l.yimg.com/a/i/us/tr/route1.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 1.22em;" /></div><div class="ygcl" style="clear: both; font-size: 0.1em; line-height: 0.1em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"></div><div class="img_credit" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.22em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;">U.S. Route 1 (Home on Kennebunkport shore)<br />
<h1 style="color: black; font-size: 10px; line-height: 1.22em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Flickr<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/pvsbond/" style="line-height: 1.22em;">/pvsbond</a></h1></div></div><h4 style="font-size: 20px; line-height: 1.22em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">U.S. Route 1, Maine</h4><div style="line-height: 1.22em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">In August, when the masses descend on Vacationland, Route 1 is a parking lot winding through a million small towns with schizophrenic stoplights. But in early summer and fall, road trips here offer an unobstructed front-row seat to the state’s hardy coastal beauty. Start this weeklong tour of Maine in its south, in the town of Kittery. Drive north through laid-back, gay-friendly Ogunquit before reaching posh <a href="http://travel.yahoo.com/p-travelguide-476319-kennebunkport_vacations-i" style="line-height: 1.22em;">Kennebunkport</a> and its seaside mansions (for an unforgettable meal, try the renowned White Barn Inn). Then head to foodie-friendly <a href="http://travel.yahoo.com/p-travelguide-191501941-portland_vacations-i" style="line-height: 1.22em;">Portland</a> and eventually Freeport, home of quintessentially Northeastern clothier L.L. Bean (open 24 hours). Further north – or down east, as they say – the landscape turns desolate within the blueberry barrens of Washington County and the sights become more ruggedly striking. Don’t miss the reversing saltwater falls, a natural wonder that results from the area's strong tides, near West Pembroke. Sometimes this can be observed in utter solitude. The trip ends in the tiny city of Calais at Canada’s border. </div>Dalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01352167096081172943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4788881110614906.post-29272349904426958312010-05-23T14:40:00.000-06:002010-05-23T14:40:32.329-06:00Daily Affirmation<div style="text-align: center;">This is one of the best videos I've seen in a while. This little girl is so cute.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><object height="385" width="480"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/qR3rK0kZFkg&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/qR3rK0kZFkg&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object></div>Dalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01352167096081172943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4788881110614906.post-7295818420267122602010-05-09T18:48:00.003-06:002010-05-10T17:40:07.472-06:00ChicagoI just took a trip back to Chicago to visit my brother and his family and my friend Deanna. I've been wanting to take a road trip so I decided to drive and I loved it. It didn't give me as much time there, but I loved being on the road and loved having some time to myself. It was very relaxing, but it's not a drive I would want to make very often. For any of you who have driven through Nebraska, you know how extremely monotonous that drive is. I decided to try and make the trip home without stopping for the night and I made it. Barely! I got a little sleepy in Wyoming, but caught a second wind that sustained me until I got back home. 19 straight hours of driving! I don't suggest it. I didn't sleep well that night either because I felt like I was still in the car.<br />
<br />
It was so good seeing my brother Bernell, his wife Irene, and my niece and nephews Caitlin, Andrew, and Matthew. They are an awesome family and I wish so much that they didn't live so far away.<br />
<br />
I've always looked up to Bernell. He's a great brother. He's extremely patient, kind, genuine, and has an awesome sense of humor. He even liked having my twin brother and I hang out with him and his high school friends. He's 9 years my elder so I don't think that is typical of most older brothers, but I loved it when he invited us to go with him. I think one of the most tramatic experiences in my life was when he left on his mission. I vividly remember being in O'hare Airport bawling my eyes out. I even remember seeing another man watching us; probably wondering what in the world is making this family cry so much.<br />
<br />
Now he and Irene have the coolest kids. I'm a sucker for my nieces and nephews. Caitlin especially has me wrapped around her finger. She is such a funny and smart little girl. She is seven years old and I wish she could stay this age forever. I don't look forward to when it isn't as cool to hang out with Uncle Dale. But for now, I will soak up all the attention I can get from her. She did the cutest thing on the morning I left to come back home. She came downstairs to wake me up so I could see them off to school and say goodbye. I was lying in bed talking to her, still in a sleepy haze, when out of the blue she leaned over and gave me a hug. So cool!<br />
<br />
It was great seeing Deanna as well. Her birthday was on Friday, April 30, so after I got a much needed haircut and head massage from her, we went downtown to eat dinner and then walked around for a bit. On Saturday, we went to Medieval Times. Awesome! We even dressed up. Oddly enough, we were the only people dressed up besides the actors. Our knight was a pansy and had to be killed first. I was OK with that because he kept giving creepy smirks to our section whenever he rode by on his horse.<br />
<br />
Here we are after we got home. Yes, we're holding an AK-47 and an AR-47. No, we did not take those with us. My brother went up to Wisconsin that morning to go shooting so he arrived home just before we did so the guns hadn't been locked up yet.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEQ7gUejHqt4PVzjQhA2D27fuk1ZlhOa56povH1JaB44X3tuovHff6nh03rFbE2OCtpT2uVdw8iY7l14K5RQioUr4X1NoZDGP4kIRO0iUQIouBgmdlmjf3_v2MBTmEgGgziABfNUuHMQ/s1600/Medieval+Times+Costume3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEQ7gUejHqt4PVzjQhA2D27fuk1ZlhOa56povH1JaB44X3tuovHff6nh03rFbE2OCtpT2uVdw8iY7l14K5RQioUr4X1NoZDGP4kIRO0iUQIouBgmdlmjf3_v2MBTmEgGgziABfNUuHMQ/s320/Medieval+Times+Costume3.JPG" tt="true" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpUGXn3Nxej1sluc9RfOvLnxQz6lfQi6x1OK5K-yiwiQJqDNK1pK7IjBXVw8pS-2-JaTsVNSwvD-1QTQZe1PVk_nJr4jO2o9tgSAgQcjjXXonqdfgYLau84K7XF3Fnz7a3d0Shl92VoQ/s1600/Medieval+Times+Costume1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpUGXn3Nxej1sluc9RfOvLnxQz6lfQi6x1OK5K-yiwiQJqDNK1pK7IjBXVw8pS-2-JaTsVNSwvD-1QTQZe1PVk_nJr4jO2o9tgSAgQcjjXXonqdfgYLau84K7XF3Fnz7a3d0Shl92VoQ/s320/Medieval+Times+Costume1.JPG" tt="true" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><br />
Here are some pics of the kids:<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">Andrew is holding a picture of him posing like this in overalls. Classic.</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfhtzA1QtyfDN95QPDVNDdazo7FqF6j5Zeem4ovldTZ3odA5TdnTYPfOP7MoVuD1oaXBzVcNczSScp75tnVHryVdsI9Nvptd24HexiMVSqX8YK6cXT0eC70oWRDM9u7tWdYRWSFa6mkA/s1600/Andrew's+Pose.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfhtzA1QtyfDN95QPDVNDdazo7FqF6j5Zeem4ovldTZ3odA5TdnTYPfOP7MoVuD1oaXBzVcNczSScp75tnVHryVdsI9Nvptd24HexiMVSqX8YK6cXT0eC70oWRDM9u7tWdYRWSFa6mkA/s320/Andrew's+Pose.JPG" tt="true" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Here's Caitlin laying the smack down on her brothers.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgydVJxL3nBhIslg4KVHpzR_DlZInFAYBdnG8UoOGfzjq8IBkF7HC2jEwg5NySu1uecJwqVBXF3Cl0W4vJQLj4TgjWCnAsauUZX4ci9vXmRZrpZu1HiDVqFpDiSOd0dLuRH7sXhXDBkvQ/s1600/Caitlin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgydVJxL3nBhIslg4KVHpzR_DlZInFAYBdnG8UoOGfzjq8IBkF7HC2jEwg5NySu1uecJwqVBXF3Cl0W4vJQLj4TgjWCnAsauUZX4ci9vXmRZrpZu1HiDVqFpDiSOd0dLuRH7sXhXDBkvQ/s320/Caitlin.jpg" tt="true" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7sSYkMXSAugDfj1h02feyRkxBrTs0Pz3pzGOx9nHUunhGqIxaiVcanbGPz1Cpq51Hsl0wJbe4cG1XrLWAH0TpJRiTjl50XmYWHFVDsPYGNmo08Qak6i9lMDz3RUXU6ShFzHIa5krR_g/s1600/Caitlin+and+I.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7sSYkMXSAugDfj1h02feyRkxBrTs0Pz3pzGOx9nHUunhGqIxaiVcanbGPz1Cpq51Hsl0wJbe4cG1XrLWAH0TpJRiTjl50XmYWHFVDsPYGNmo08Qak6i9lMDz3RUXU6ShFzHIa5krR_g/s320/Caitlin+and+I.JPG" tt="true" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">The two below are of her sporting a new dress her grandma bought in Ireland.</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIYajUa_y7gVDGOuOr4yT-p_wPfvz_tbVoahkFb6gcOVsBdkyfBTV9DpBe37Vobx9KSu_kI0p5qgbe-c5_YeLKj1uGoq_o56HFrTjeQJx6VEJu9b6WC3hOUWGyvmQFW5jDZ3q8m-a1QQ/s1600/Caitlin3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIYajUa_y7gVDGOuOr4yT-p_wPfvz_tbVoahkFb6gcOVsBdkyfBTV9DpBe37Vobx9KSu_kI0p5qgbe-c5_YeLKj1uGoq_o56HFrTjeQJx6VEJu9b6WC3hOUWGyvmQFW5jDZ3q8m-a1QQ/s320/Caitlin3.JPG" tt="true" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIHPLzTpn_yaSC4tEXNe-5idgiNyx_MI0WoieHTADgP1H-rkPtWLX0AEvVHZ-XIE4ioUrpUx5vIqCjEgc-xqJSstKoP-OjFvHwOnHwD1makoOt6jVSB6IWEi_zZ8IysUAc0B5lNtSOWA/s1600/Caitlin2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIHPLzTpn_yaSC4tEXNe-5idgiNyx_MI0WoieHTADgP1H-rkPtWLX0AEvVHZ-XIE4ioUrpUx5vIqCjEgc-xqJSstKoP-OjFvHwOnHwD1makoOt6jVSB6IWEi_zZ8IysUAc0B5lNtSOWA/s320/Caitlin2.JPG" tt="true" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Dalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01352167096081172943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4788881110614906.post-38325937213724811652010-03-19T01:36:00.000-06:002010-03-19T01:36:23.492-06:00Summer = GoodnessI'm loving daylight savings. I love the longer days. It's so trippy that it's light out at 7:30pm now. I love it! I don't know why some people hate it. I'll take the extra daylight and warmth. I can't wait to get back into the canyons and mountains. I've already started to listen to "summer" music. For some reason, some of the songs I like are more appealing in the summer. You've probably noticed I changed the music on my playlist. I recently rediscovered a band I loved in high school. I've been listening to Blind Melon and Pearl Jam nonstop for the past few weeks. I don't think many people recognize Blind Melon. They're best known for their only hit No Rain off of their first album, but that album contains much greater gems than No Rain. <br />
<br />
Anyway, back to the goodness of summer. Here's what I hope this summer will be filled with (in no particular order):<br />
<ol><li>BBQs</li>
<li>Camping</li>
<li>Real Salt Lake games</li>
<li>Baseball</li>
<li>Golfing</li>
<li>Stargazing</li>
<li>Beaches</li>
<li>Long walks on those beaches ;)</li>
<li>Fishing</li>
<li>Concerts</li>
<li>Road trips</li>
<li>Sunday drives</li>
</ol>I think it's a pretty good list. If you know of something I missed, PLEASE let me know. I want to do a couple of other things for the first time, too. I really want to see the Utah Symphony at the Deer Valley Music Festival. I just looked it up and I'm even more excited because <a href="http://www.deervalleymusicfestival.org/concert-detail.php?id=243">Ben Folds</a> is performing with them in July. That would be sweet! If you're interested in going, let's do it!!! I also want to go on a full moon chairlift ride at sundance. Oh and I've always wanted to go to the gardens at Thanksgiving point. May have to do that this summer, too. Anyone been before? Let me know if it's worth the price.Dalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01352167096081172943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4788881110614906.post-58704114963860547892010-03-08T13:07:00.002-07:002010-03-08T13:09:16.043-07:00FebruaryI finally got around to uploading some pics and videos from last month for your viewing pleasure. Get ready for sensory overload!!!<br />
<br />
My buddy David and I have a tradition of going to a buffet every time we have a Monday off of school. This last time we went to Golden Corral. The food sucked, but this kid made the trip so worth it.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGxFV-Pf1y9VoOQ-aK_qnfnVg-P_dWeAYvCTDRvE5se9baETxhBT1hyphenhyphenGLMGwbBO-evvsqyg5PbXlX9jFSRkEbPxz1FGVEvsTu5hq4W-VCuTpulnATkgMdV6Hma0GPZuWtyG9bxOsAKNw/s1600-h/kid+mullet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="281" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGxFV-Pf1y9VoOQ-aK_qnfnVg-P_dWeAYvCTDRvE5se9baETxhBT1hyphenhyphenGLMGwbBO-evvsqyg5PbXlX9jFSRkEbPxz1FGVEvsTu5hq4W-VCuTpulnATkgMdV6Hma0GPZuWtyG9bxOsAKNw/s320/kid+mullet.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And now some pics and vids from the concert.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8mWONtk5H5zULhNJ3ramvFvxUnrEaAPV7J4yQGad4mOOvjxEomXZkwID6VG0byGTbiC4CcTWcVE2Ypdr-FL08FlouXSBWOZY6co0sTjWx6iOnndxrg4zUFMeMj7zQx5MlTXY7intaoA/s1600-h/Elton-Billy+Concert1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8mWONtk5H5zULhNJ3ramvFvxUnrEaAPV7J4yQGad4mOOvjxEomXZkwID6VG0byGTbiC4CcTWcVE2Ypdr-FL08FlouXSBWOZY6co0sTjWx6iOnndxrg4zUFMeMj7zQx5MlTXY7intaoA/s320/Elton-Billy+Concert1.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWarztcvOXHZ10FQFb-i6Gjr-DXqsANK9gRMSyOGpXqrLoYrj-ahJaAfmLZtHDOtZRFw2TYFpLP8PyBWZ0fMiJSg37ppAXLJQ5lcbWT58LMEbOhHxQc9GLoyvKrlgvau5FhC_CBwfTdA/s1600-h/Elton-Billy+Concert6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWarztcvOXHZ10FQFb-i6Gjr-DXqsANK9gRMSyOGpXqrLoYrj-ahJaAfmLZtHDOtZRFw2TYFpLP8PyBWZ0fMiJSg37ppAXLJQ5lcbWT58LMEbOhHxQc9GLoyvKrlgvau5FhC_CBwfTdA/s320/Elton-Billy+Concert6.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu31VWSA1dvlfZlYJ_ttKhcAW-b9xL2EnLphXLC3lagfyxp7xg2HbHsOdazNXXDcHQ4isqxBWxlXIppTYOGvs-wH4y9iiuvFUbfr51CHwhk-FmKbhHjxIUwxVlfwiRz5K7SYGBPfLbSQ/s1600-h/Elton-Billy+Concert5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu31VWSA1dvlfZlYJ_ttKhcAW-b9xL2EnLphXLC3lagfyxp7xg2HbHsOdazNXXDcHQ4isqxBWxlXIppTYOGvs-wH4y9iiuvFUbfr51CHwhk-FmKbhHjxIUwxVlfwiRz5K7SYGBPfLbSQ/s320/Elton-Billy+Concert5.jpg" /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiFWwK-HfoBnmTcJDjTqe3J5N94ltW6X7ArtujHc03nz31XShHS8facrQJWsVEeDzXmv3305n6UcBz_3kwMMUSkH5nXLQs1PAEgdLReTw5-3-QsyCQ-0XunPc9LCZu0LLnkLtK9m9ENQ/s1600-h/Elton-Billy+Concert4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiFWwK-HfoBnmTcJDjTqe3J5N94ltW6X7ArtujHc03nz31XShHS8facrQJWsVEeDzXmv3305n6UcBz_3kwMMUSkH5nXLQs1PAEgdLReTw5-3-QsyCQ-0XunPc9LCZu0LLnkLtK9m9ENQ/s320/Elton-Billy+Concert4.jpg" /></a><br />
Well, for some reason, I'm not able to upload any videos. The icon to add videos is missing. If I can fix it, I'll add the videos. If not, your loss!Dalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01352167096081172943noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4788881110614906.post-89436221834518448992010-03-01T12:39:00.000-07:002010-03-01T12:39:42.474-07:00Recent HappeningsI thought I'd do a quick update of some exciting things that have happened lately.<br />
<ol><li>This by far is the most exciting item on this list. I bought new bath towels! Don't know why I didn't do this sooner. </li>
<li>I've started playing the drums. My mother played when she was growing up and I think she's the coolest for that if for nothing else. I've never wanted to buy a video game console, but Rock Band just might be a good enough reason now. Especially if I could get her to play again. That would be saweet!</li>
<li>I had my tires rotated on Friday.</li>
<li>I'm going to get me this <a href="http://www.nike.com/jumpman23/#/370359-100?type=apparelContent&idx=0">shirt</a> when it becomes available. Take that Jazz fans! Mwa-ha-ha-ha.</li>
<li>I became the first person to beat Cookie at Buzz! He has a vast amount of useless knowledge.</li>
<li>I had lunch with a mission companion who was in town over the weekend. I wish you could meet him. He's a champ.</li>
<li>Continued reading this <a href="http://mitchalbom.com/books/node/5515">book</a>. I'm liking it so far.</li>
<li>I went to the Elton John/Billy Joel concert last weekend. Amazing!</li>
</ol>Dalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01352167096081172943noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4788881110614906.post-86446697495252146242010-02-21T03:03:00.000-07:002010-02-21T03:03:35.687-07:00An Amazing WeekendThis weekend was one of the best weekends I've had in a while. First of all, my buddy Cookie found a great deal on some tickets to the Billy Joel/Elton John concert so we decided to take advantage of the deal and go to their show. They were a staple in my childhood as far as music goes. I rocked out to Elton's Greatest Hits, Vol. 2 album while mowing my yard as a kid. And of course we had Billy's album Piano Man. <br />
<br />
I can honestly say my expectations were blown away by both artists. The decision to go was so spur of the moment that I didn't have time to really think about the magnitude of this event. <br />
<br />
The show started out right away with them playing and singing each others' songs together. No opening band! How cool is that? Just getting to the good stuff right away. They started out playing one of Elton's songs and then switched to one of Billy's songs and kept alternating in that manner for about 30 minutes. Then Billy left and we watched Elton perform for about an hour and fifteen minutes. Then he left and Billy came out and performed for about the same amount of time.<br />
<br />
Then he left and a minute later they both came back out and ended the show the same way it began: singing and playing each others' songs together for about 30 minutes or so. One of the coolest things was watching Elton do what I call geriactric acrobatics off of his piano. It was so cool. He stepped onto his piano bench and then put one leg up onto his piano and danced a bit. Then he turned around, sat on his piano, and danced some more. Then he slid off and starting jamming again. <br />
<br />
The whole time I kept thinking that they have to end the show with Candle in the Wind and Piano Man and that is exactly what happened. It was the perfect ending. I wish I could put in to words how incredible this concert was, but you'll just have to trust me. I took some pics and videos on my phone, but I know for a fact that the pics are bad and I haven't checked to see how the audio is on the videos. If it's good, I'll post them later. We were about as far away as you could get from the stage and my phone doesn't have zoom so the only thing you see in the pics is two white spot lights that were shining on them.<br />
<br />
So that was the main event for this weekend, but I had a pretty cool experience this morning. I had a friend in town and so I went to Denny's with her for breakfast. After breakfast, I was sitting on the bench by the cashier waiting to pay. An elderly lady sat down next to me and asked me if I was waiting to eat. I told her we had just finished. She told me she was there to pick up breakfast for her and her husband. They used to go there every Saturday for breakfast to eat the Grand Slam. He's 86 and not able to get around very well so now she goes every Saturday to get it for him.<br />
<br />
Her husband was a professor at BYU, but the tradition of going to Denny's started when they moved to Provo from Dekalb, IL, where he taught at NIU. She said that he was always a sharp dresser, but now she gets to dress him the way she wants to. So now she dresses him in plaid pants and flannel shirts. Haha!. I asked her how he feels about that and she said he loves it.<br />
<br />
Then she told me she could never put him in a nursing home. She pays for a caretaker to come every day to help take care of him. It's very expensive for her and their savings are declining quickly. Oh my gosh, I wanted to give her all of the cash that I had right there. It was so sad, but also so sweet how she spoke about him.<br />
<br />
I wish that while I was talking to her I would've thought to pay for her food or ask if I could come help out with anything around her house. I may have to make another trip to Denny's in hopes of finding her there.Dalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01352167096081172943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4788881110614906.post-10827856581883145992010-02-13T13:03:00.001-07:002010-02-13T13:05:34.459-07:00I'm the bestest friend anyone could ask for!<div style="text-align: justify;">Last night, I was reminded of a good prank I pulled on David a while back. David and I went to a birthday party for a girl that anther buddy knows and somehow the conversation turned to this prank I pulled. I've been quite successful in messing around with David and the hordes of girls who like him. There have been many late nights where we were hanging out with a girl who is in love with him who he doesn't like, but I end up leaving him alone with her so she can try to work her magic. I'm pretty great!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Well, this particular prank isn't quite like those times, but it's still pretty funny. One night we were talking about the movie The Ring and figured we should watch The Ring 2. So we went to Albertson's to rent it and when we got home and opened the case, David found the receipt with the name Sarah and a phone # written on it. We couldn't believe the store clerk was that forward. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">David thought it would be funny to return the movie with my name and phone number in it. I played along thinking that I would just take the piece of paper out of the case before he returned it. Luckily, I was successful. I remember him walking into the store hoping that he didn't open the case to double check the movie was in there. I do that everytime so I figured there was a good chance he would. Nope! He didn't look. Haha!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">So I knew a girl who worked at Albertson's in the customer service department and thus also worked the movie counter as well. I asked her about the girl and she said there isn't a Sarah who works there. So it turns out that the number wasn't meant for David. Hahaha!! So then I had my friend's roommate call David to ask him out. Oh my gosh. It was so funny. David was at some party so he told "Sarah" that he was busy." She asked him what he was doing next weekend and I unfortunately don't remember the whole conversation, but he was able to reject her advances. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">He immediately called me to tell me she called him. I freaked out and asked how she got his number. Totally egging this on. We agreed she must have gotten his number from the membership form he had to fill out when renting the movie. Classic! Me and the girls were dying laughing while David was freaking out on the phone.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I decided that I wouldn't tell him for a while that this whole thing was fake. I think a couple months went by at least before I finally told him. And even last night when I told the group at the party that I took the slip of paper with my name and number out of the DVD case, he said he didn't know about that. I'm pretty sure I told him when I confessed to the prank, but either way, his reaction was still great last night.</div>Dalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01352167096081172943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4788881110614906.post-89289096851478398382010-01-01T13:29:00.009-07:002010-01-01T18:18:31.472-07:00Oh Nine Was Divine<p align="left">I thought it would be cool to take a look back at the year 2009 as lived by me. </p><p align="center"><strong><span style="font-size:180%;color:#3366ff;"><em>2009</em></span></strong></p><ul><li>Became more <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">internet</span> savvy by starting two blogs.</li><li>Made the jump from manual toothbrushes to electric. I highly recommend it, but I suggest wearing a bib to protect your shirts from EXCESS drooling while brushing.</li><li>Switched from the Mach 3 Power razor to the Gillette Power Fusion razor. Five blades are SO much better than three. WOW!!! Also, whoever invented the vibrating razor deserves a Nobel Prize.</li><li>I'm not sure if this happened this year or not, but special mention needs to be made regarding switching to Nike moisture <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">wicking</span> socks. No more will I buy cheap Fruit of the Loom socks.</li><li>I took a 7:30 AM class and survived.</li><li>For the most part, I stopped eating frozen pizza. It's not like I ate a lot of them anyway, but finally committed to memory how unsatisfying they are even though they can be good sometimes and are quick and easy to eat.</li><li>Tried Twitter at the urging of a student presenter during one of my classes. I hated it. Thought it was completely pointless. This may be my biggest regret of the year.</li><li>Watched about 2 1/2 to 3 hours of Jane Eyre. Didn't want to stab myself in the face with a soldering iron like I did during the first 20 minutes of Pride & Prejudice that I watched 9 years ago. Couldn't get over how much Jane looks like the gay kid from Glee. It's creepy. See for yourself. The pics might not do justice to the similarities, but trust me.</li></ul><p align="center"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_md_qcJpB_7A/Sz5oZiaXelI/AAAAAAAAAHw/k-uO0SbKYDw/s1600-h/Jane.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 193px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5421885789344070226" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_md_qcJpB_7A/Sz5oZiaXelI/AAAAAAAAAHw/k-uO0SbKYDw/s200/Jane.jpg" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_md_qcJpB_7A/Sz5oZ75EWfI/AAAAAAAAAH4/hiQtUyybuo8/s1600-h/chris-colfer-320.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5421885796183726578" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_md_qcJpB_7A/Sz5oZ75EWfI/AAAAAAAAAH4/hiQtUyybuo8/s200/chris-colfer-320.jpg" /></a></p><p align="right"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_md_qcJpB_7A/Sz5oZ75EWfI/AAAAAAAAAH4/hiQtUyybuo8/s1600-h/chris-colfer-320.jpg"></a></p><ul><li><div align="left">Stopped listening to a lot of Rap and R&B. Still listen to some, but let's just say my ears have become a lot more sensitive to the content of the songs.</div></li><li>I bought my first pair of Jordan shoes. Now I just need to take the opportunities to wear them. They look brand new, because they still are brand new. </li><li>I thought I found my future wife, but it turns out they didn't think they found their future husband. Here's hoping she finds me this year.</li></ul><p>So 2009 was a pretty good year. Hopefully 2010 will be equally good if not better. I remember a quote by William H. <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">Johnsen</span> that my father had taped to the dashboard of his Minivan from when I was a wee lad that I thought was stupid, but now find applicable: If it is to be, it is up to me. How true that is. I wish for you a happy, successful, fulfilling, memorable, and accomplished 2010. God bless.</p>Dalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01352167096081172943noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4788881110614906.post-72499781351166297022009-11-29T00:20:00.004-07:002009-12-26T17:55:53.951-07:00A Weird Christmas Tradition...<span style="font-family:georgia;color:#666666;">I love my mom. I really do! Haha. I can imagine you're wondering where this post is going. I'm not even sure yet.<br /><br />My parents are spending Christmas in Chicago this year and so they gave me my presents on Thanksgiving. I, of course, opened them as soon as I got home knowing full well they wouldn't be anything I wanted. This year wasn't as bad as some of the recent years.<br /><br />For some reason my mom thinks I love getting kitchen stuff. I don't know why she thinks this. Every year, without fail, she will buy me something kitchen related. One year she bought me a garlic press. Another year she bought me a can collander. Yes...a can collander. I always figured that was what the lid was for once you opened the can. I've also gotten oven mitts and dish towels from her.<br /><br />This year she got me a set of tupperware bowls from IKEA. Definitely something I could use, but won't for a while. Cooking as a single guy doesn't generate much leftovers. It's all good, though.<br /><br />I just don't have the heart to tell her to not waste her money on these items. At least they aren't breaking the bank on them. It's become a joke between my brother Jesse and his wife Shannah. They always get a kitchen gagdet for me now. Last year they bought me an electric meat thermometer. That was pretty clutch. Just kidding. I don't even think it worked. It ended up in the trash pretty quickly. I should start keeping these things and then regift them for Jesse. Done!</span>Dalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01352167096081172943noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4788881110614906.post-17814136335455784012009-11-29T00:08:00.005-07:002009-12-26T17:59:24.523-07:00Some Things To Think About<div align="left">My friend read me some humurous thoughts the other night and we had a good time laughing at some of them. Figured I'd post some in hopes they bring a smile to your face.</div><ol><li>Do not argue with an idiot. He will drag you down to his level and beat you with experience. </li><li>I want to die peacefully in my sleep, like my grandfather.. Not screaming and yelling like the passengers in his car. </li><li>The last thing I want to do is hurt you. But it's still on the list.</li><li>Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.</li><li>If I agreed with you we'd both be wrong. </li><li>Politicians and diapers have one thing in common. They should both be changed regularly, and for the same reason. </li><li>Children: You spend the first 2 years of their life teaching them to walk and talk. Then you spend the next 16 years telling them to sit down and shut-up.</li><li>A bus station is where a bus stops. A train station is where a train stops. On my desk, I have a work station.</li><li>If 4 out of 5 people SUFFER from diarrhea... does that mean that one enjoys it?</li><li>Some people are like Slinkies ... not really good for anything, but you can't help smiling when you see one tumble down the stairs.</li><li>Why does someone believe you when you say there are four billion stars, but check when you say the paint is wet?</li><li>Always borrow money from a pessimist. He won't expect it back.</li><li>Never get into fights with ugly people, they have nothing to lose.</li><li>You are such a good friend that if we were on a sinking ship together and there was only one life jacket... I'd miss you heaps and think of you often.</li><li>Nostalgia isn't what it used to be.</li></ol>Dalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01352167096081172943noreply@blogger.com1