The Last Word

My Wallet

2012-01-28T15:30:00.003-07:00

I doubt this post will be as interesting as others I have written, but blogging about what is in my wallet is one of the challenges. So, without further ado...

- Associate discount card

- Insurance cards

- Receipts

- Two credit cards

- Debit card

- Picture of my mom

- Driver's license

- Information card

- Del Taco coupon for a free taco

- Subway frequent diner card

- Two Starbucks gift cards

- Two Cafe Rio frequent diner cards

- Fantastic Sams "Haircut Bonus Club" card

- HoGwilD Grill frequent diner card (which I will now dispose of; this restaurant recently closed)

- Men's Wearhouse "Perfect Fit" reward card

/cliffhanger

2012-01-24T21:03:00.001-07:00

This post is a continuation of One Amazing Week.

Sunday (January 22)

My day began with a farewell. My nephew Nick, who is leaving for the California Arcadia Mission tomorrow, and his brother Conner spoke. Although we may not always agree or believe the same things, I am very proud of both of them, and I enjoyed listening to them. Afterward, we went to a recreation center for lunch. It was nice visiting with family.

After a brief stop home, I excitedly, yet nervously began the drive to pick up my date. When I arrived, I knocked on the door -- no answer. I called his phone -- no answer. Dejected, I left.

I texted a few friends and vented with Mike and his girlfriend Gina when I got home. Then, he called. He apologized and explained he was out with his friends longer than he expected and his phone died, so he could not text me. He felt horrible and asked if we could reschedule the date to later that night. I picked him up a few hours later.

We drove to Pipa for dinner, but they were closed, so we went to Simply Sushi instead. We then drove through the Avenues to see the view of the city lit up, like Mike and I did earlier that week. We then went back to my house and watched The Room (one of the best worst movies I have ever seen) and two episodes of Adventure Time. After that, I drove him home.

We sat in his driveway for a minute, and he said he had a really good time. We talked about going out again, and then we hugged. He paused a second before opening the car door and said, "I really want to kiss you, but I don't know if you want me to."

I replied, with a big grin on my face, "I'll kiss you!"

A few seconds later, he exited the car, and I drove home. He texted me a few hours later, "Thanks again for the awesome date."

I am seeing him again this Thursday. I cannot wait. :-)

One Amazing Week

2012-01-23T19:59:00.001-07:00

The last entry was depressing to write (as well as read), so I will make it up to everyone by sharing with you the events of last week, which ended on a very high note...

Monday (January 16)

I was the closing Manager-on-Duty (MOD), and when I got home, my roommate Mike and I ordered a lot of delicious Chinese food from China Village. The rest of the night was a blur, but I think we watched Community and How I Met Your Mother.

Tuesday (January 17)

I closed again, but only because I gave my friend Zac a ride from work to my house. My friend Aubry came over as well, and then we went out to dinner at Akasaka for her birthday.

Wednesday (January 18)

I worked. That night, Mike and I watched Community, How I Met Your Mother, and Glee, which made me cry. A lot.

Thursday (January 19)

I had quite a few meetings at work. That night, I went on a date with someone I met on OKCupid. We walked from his condo to Eva, and I fell in love...with the restaurant. Even though I felt like we did not click, he was very nice and I enjoyed getting to know him. Afterward, Mike and I went for a drive to the Avenues to see the view of the city lit up. We then drove through City Creek Canyon, passing by the beautiful Capitol Building, and then parked downtown. We briefly visited with our friend Kyle where he works at the Hotel Monaco, and then we walked around the City Creek Mall development for awhile.

Friday (January 20)

I was closing MOD again, and I had to deal with drama I had not encountered before, but it was more humorous than stressful. After work, Aubry came over again and we talked for awhile before going to dinner at Pipa with our friend Bryan and his husband. Afterward, we went to Jam, but we decided to leave after about an hour there. We drove to Metro, but it looked empty. We talked about going across the street to Club Sound where our friend James was working, but since their dance floor is open to everyone 18 and older, we decided to go to a more adult bar. So, we went to Try-Angles. We sat at a table near the dance floor drinking cocktails. Then, he walked in...

He sat down at a table a few feet from ours, and I was immediately attracted to him. He sipped his drink and looked somewhat melancholy. A few minutes later, he left, and I felt like I had missed an opportunity. Fortunately, he came back, and Bryan and I got up to dance. I saw the guy looking at me and I smiled. He smiled, stood up, took off his jacket, and danced over to me. Bryan went and sat back down at our table while I got to know this new person. We danced and talked until the bar closed. We exchanged numbers and made plans to go out Sunday. Aubry and I then drove him home.

Saturday (January 21)

Mike and I went grocery shopping and then visited a friend. That night, our friends Deborah and Christa came over for our weekly adventure. This time, we went to dinner at Eva (I told you I fell in love) and while we waited for a table, we went next door for a few drinks at Cheers to You. Afterward, we went to Tavernacle, where we met up with Christa's friend Jeff. We drank, talked, and had a really good time.

Sunday (January 22)

Most of you already know the story, but I will save this day for the next blog... :-)

Three Down...

2012-01-14T12:24:00.002-07:00

I feel I need to preface this post with how I have been feeling to somewhat explain why I chose to complete these three challenges. This week was more difficult than anticipated. I had a lot of fun with friends, but truth be told, I really miss being in a relationship. Despite the significant problems that were evident from the beginning, there was nothing better than venting to my husband after a long day at work, planning a future and spending time together, and sleeping next to and cuddling with the one I loved.

So, here is a photo that makes me both angry and sad, a song that makes me cry (or nearly cry), and the music video on YouTube.

One of my favorite pictures of us together.
Taken August 2006 in Pacific City, Oregon

The song is "Only One" by Yellowcard. We sang it together on our first date, as Sean describes here, and it became one of our songs. It seems more applicable and significant now than it did then...

Please do not get me wrong; although I miss the relationship, I recognize the first few weeks are the most difficult, and I realize better times are ahead.

The Blog Challenge Revisited

2012-01-11T18:41:00.003-07:00

Quite some time ago, I posted The Blog Challenge and the list of 30 topics. My goal was to complete one or two a week, but that did not happen... So, I am going to try it again. Again, the topics are numbered, but I will do them in no particular order. Here is the list again:

The Blog Challenge Topics:

#01 - my favorite song
#02 - my favorite movie
#03 - my favorite television program
#04 - my favorite book
#05 - my favorite quote
#06 - 20 of my favorite things
#07 - a photo that makes me happy
#08 - a photo that makes me angry/sad
#09 - a photo I took
#10 - a photo taken over 10 years ago of me
#11 - a recent photo of me
#12 - something I am OCD about
#13 - a fictional book
#14 - a non-fictional book
#15 - my dream house
#16 - a song that makes me cry (or nearly cry)
#17 - a piece of art (drawing, sculpture, painting, etc.)
#18 - my wedding
#19 - a talent of mine
#20 - a hobby of mine
#21 - a recipe
#22 - a website
#23 - a Youtube video
#24 - where I live
#25 - my day, in great detail
#26 - my week, in great detail
#27 - my worst habit
#28 - what is in my wallet
#29 - hopes, dreams, and plans for the next 365 days
#30 - a dream for the future

New Beginnings

2012-01-08T12:27:00.002-07:00

Happy New Year! I hope everyone had a safe and enjoyable holiday. I did, despite spending way too much money, as well as a few unfortunate mishaps. It was my first time hosting an adult party on New Year's Eve, so I learned a few lessons, but I enjoyed celebrating the end of 2011 with good food, drinks, and friends.

I have not committed to any resolutions (yet), but I do intend to blog more. I also plan on excercising more and watching what I eat, not to lose weight, but to stay physically healthy. I will post a list of my goals, if I get around to making some.

A lot has happened since the last time I posted an actual update. I went on three vacations (New York City, New York; Oceanside, California; and Capitol Reef National Park, Utah), I turned 27 (no, I am not looking forward to turning 30), I put my cat down (Sean did a good job documenting his life on his blog, Cocoa (1996 - 2011): Tribute to a FAT CAT!), and the person who broke into our house was caught (but nothing was recovered). The biggest change happened more recently.

As most of you know, Sean and I are no longer together. I do not enjoy airing dirty laundry or posting passive aggressive comments on a public blog/website such as mine (at least for now; I may make it private, but I would rather not do that), so I will not say anything more about this, but if you want to know why (from my perspective, of course), I would not mind explaining over dinner or drinks. I will say I am certainly sad the relationship (including, it seems, the friendship) ended, but I am not depressed, and for the most part, I am happier. The good that has and will come of this experience far outweighs the bad.

This year will definitely be full of "new" -- new people, new places, new adventures, new opportunities, new beginnings -- and I am looking forward to it.

2011 Birthday Wishlist

2011-03-27T19:12:00.002-06:00

Here are some things I want for my birthday this year, categorized and roughly in the order of importance. I only want new, unused items, please. I'll add to this list as I think of more stuff I want. There are more items on my Amazon.com wishlist, too. (Yes, I pretty much copied and pasted my 2010 Christmas Wishlist post.)

Miscellaneous:
Clothes (Pants: 32W 32L; Shirts: Medium)

Board and Card Games:
The Settlers of Catan

Stratego Onyx Edition

Gift Cards:
iTunes Gift Card(s)
Amazon.com Gift Card(s)
Ruth’s Chris Gift Card(s)
Fleming's Gift Card(s)

The Melting Pot Gift Card(s)

Electronics:

Suikoden Tierkreis (DS)

Mario Kart w/ Wii Wheel (Wii)
Blue 16GB iPod Nano

Recipes

2011-02-05T16:25:00.002-07:00

The mortgage broker we used when we bought our house (Kevin Horrocks, Olympus Funding) occasionally sends us postcards with recipes. Here are two we recently tried:

Shrimp Paella

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Serves: 10

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 14-ounce diced tomatoes
1 8-ounce bottle clam juice
3 cups chicken stock
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoon paprika
1 12-ounce bag arborio rice
1 teaspoon dried oregano
24 large pre-cooked shrimp
2 scallions, diced

Directions:

Heat 3 tablespoons of the oil in a large skillet. Saute the onions, garlic, and thyme for 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, clam juice, stock, pepper, and paprika. Stir in the rice and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and cook uncovered for 20 minutes or until the rice is tender.

Saute the shrimp in the remaining tablespoon of oil and the oregano for 3 minutes. Place the shrimp and scallions over the rice and serve with salt and pepper.

Lemon Basil Chicken

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Serves: 6

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
8 ounces of sliced mushrooms
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, chunked
1 teaspoon each salt and pepper
1/2 cup white grape juice
3/4 cup fresh lemon juice (4 lemons)
8 Roma tomatoes, chunked
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
1/4 cup grated Asiago cheese
1 pound cooked penne pasta

Directions

In a large skilled, brown the garlic and mushrooms in the oil. Add the chicken, salt, and pepper and cook until done, about 10 minutes. Add the grape juice and simmer 5 minutes. Add the lemon juice and tomatoes, and simmer 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the chopped basil. Serve over the pasta and top with Asiago cheese.

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

2010-12-30T16:44:00.000-07:00

I know you are thinking, "Christmas is over!" Tell that to Mother Nature. It snowed a lot last night, and it has been snowing again today. Besides, the title is appropriate for blogging about Christmas, which I was going to do last time, but we had company.

Anyway, I woke up around 8:00 AM on Christmas and nudged Sean awake. After I woke Mike up, we opened the presents under our tree. Sean bought me an iTunes gift card, Up In The Air on blu-ray, a Nintendo Wii, an extra Wii Remote and Nunchuk, and two games: Super Smash Bros. Brawl and Super Mario Bros. We set up the new system and washed the dishes (because who wants to leave dirty dishes in the sink on a holiday?) before going to my parents' house at 11:00 AM.

We ate a yummy brunch and then opened more presents. My grandma gave me various knickknacks, my stepmom and dad bought me a Walmart gift card, and my sister bought me Diary of a Wimpy Kid and Tooth Fairy on blu-ray (it was a two-disc set...). We then played a quick board game before going to Sean's parents' house around 2:00 PM, where we opened even more presents (Sean's dad gave me Telestrations, and his parents bought me a nice watch and a bottle of wine).

After eating lunch, we exchanged white elephant gifts (I ended up with the present I bought, a rip off bikini, which I gave to Sean). We then played Scene It? Star Trek, as well as Telestrations, which ended up being funnier than I expected. Around 7:00 PM, we went home. Sean played with his new camera, and I played the Wii.

Christmas didn't end there, though. A few days later, I bought myself a Nintendo DS Lite, a DS Lite Zip Case, and four games: Golden Sun, Golden Sun: The Lost Age, Golden Sun: Dark Dawn, and New Super Mario Bros. Sean bought himself gifts, too.

It was, among many feelings, sad Mom wasn't here to celebrate with us, but all in all, it was a good Christmas.

Cooking With Marsala

2010-12-27T21:38:00.004-07:00

I am glad I did not commit to posting a topic from The Blog Challenge everyday, like Sean did. I would have failed, considering I have not blogged since my last entry, My Favorite Things. At least I completed a topic, unlike Mike (but to be fair, he only committed to posting the list of topics). ~~So, to make up for my lack of posts, I am blogging twice today! Yay! Lucky you!~~

A few weeks ago, I watched a Good Eats episode ("The Proof Is In The Pudding"). The host, Alton Brown, breaks into the liquor cabinet, not to concoct a drink, but to examine the uses of alcohol in food preparation. He made zabaglione, a dessert consisting of eggs, sugar, and Marsala. It looked really good and very simple to make, so I decided to make it. It was fantastic! Below is the recipe, as well as a recipe for chicken Marsala I cooked to go along with the zabaglione:

Zabaglione

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Serves: 8 - 10

Ingredients:

6 large egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup Marsala
Pinch kosher salt
Fresh berries, for serving (optional)

Directions:

Bring 1-inch of water to a boil in a 4-quart saucepan set over high heat.

Add the egg yolks and sugar to a large glass bowl. Using an electric hand mixer on the highest speed, beat the eggs and sugar until the mixture is thick, pale yellow, and the sugar is completely dissolved, 4 to 5 minutes. Decrease the mixer speed to low and add the Marsala and salt.

Decrease the heat to maintain a simmer and put the bowl atop the saucepan with the boiling water, making sure the bottom of the bowl is not touching the water. Beat the mixture on medium speed, until it is thick, frothy, holds a ribbon, and the temperature reaches 145 to 150 degrees F, on an instant-read thermometer.

Spoon the warm mixture into custard cups or serving glasses and serve immediately or allow to cool slightly. Serve with fresh berries, if desired.

Chicken Marsala

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients:

4 (8-ounce) boneless skinless chicken breasts
All-purpose flour, for dredging, plus 2 tablespoons
3 ounces butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups sliced mushrooms
2 tablespoons minced garlic
4 tablespoons Marsala wine
2 cups beef stock

Directions

Put the chicken breasts between 2 pieces of waxed paper and flatten with a meat pounder until thin. Cut each chicken breast into 4 pieces. Add some flour to a shallow bowl. Dredge the chicken in the flour and shake off the excess flour.

Add the butter and olive oil to a large saute pan over high heat and heat until it sizzles (do NOT let it brown). Add the chicken and saute until brown on both sides. Stir in the sliced mushrooms and saute briefly, then add the garlic. Add the Marsala and simmer for 3 minutes, then stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of flour. Pour in the beef stock and let simmer until the sauce thickens, about 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter and serve.

My Favorite Things

2010-11-30T20:31:00.002-07:00

It's been a few days since I posted The Blog Challenge, so I figured I should actually do one of the topics. So, in no particular order, these are 20 of my favorite things (adult discretion is advised)...

#01: My family

#02: My friends

#03: Sean

#04: Cats

#05: October 1 through January 1

#06: Food

#07: Luxury (and being able to afford it)

#08: Being pampered

#09: Music

#10: The Internet

#11: Staying in bed when it is snowing/raining

#12: Games

#13: Traveling

#14: Lazy weekends

#15: Alcohol

#16: Movies

#17: TV

#18: Small dogs

#19: Laughing

#20: Sex

The Blog Challenge

2010-11-27T18:26:00.009-07:00

I stole this idea from my brother and sister-in-law's blog. The idea is to blog about one topic every day, but let's be honest; that's probably not going to happen. My goal is to do one or two a week. The topics are numbered, but I will complete all 30 of them in no particular order. Without further ado...

The Blog Challenge Topics:

#01 - my favorite song
#02 - my favorite movie
#03 - my favorite television program
#04 - my favorite book
#05 - my favorite quote
#06 - 20 of my favorite things
#07 - a photo that makes me happy
#08 - a photo that makes me angry/sad
#09 - a photo I took
#10 - a photo taken over 10 years ago of me
#11 - a recent photo of me
#12 - something I am OCD about
#13 - a fictional book
#14 - a non-fictional book
#15 - my dream house
#16 - a song that makes me cry (or nearly cry)
#17 - a piece of art (drawing, sculpture, painting, etc.)
#18 - my wedding
#19 - a talent of mine
#20 - a hobby of mine
#21 - a recipe
#22 - a website
#23 - a Youtube video
#24 - where I live
#25 - my day, in great detail
#26 - my week, in great detail
#27 - my worst habit
#28 - what is in my wallet
#29 - hopes, dreams, and plans for the next 365 days
#30 - a dream for the future

2010 Christmas Wishlist

2010-11-25T23:31:00.024-07:00

Here are some things I want for Christmas this year, categorized and roughly in the order of importance. I only want new, unused items, please. I'll add to this list as I think of more stuff I want. There are more items on my Amazon.com wishlist, too.

Electronics:

Nintendo DS Lite w/ DS Lite Zip Case
   Golden Sun
   Golden Sun: The Lost Age
   Golden Sun: Dark Dawn
   Suikoden Tierkreis
Nintendo Wii
   Super Mario Bros.
   Super Smash Bros. Brawl
   Just Dance 2
   Mario Kart w/ Wii Wheel
   James Bond 007: GoldenEye
64GB iPad with Wi-Fi
Blue 16GB iPod Nano

Gift Cards:
iTunes Gift Cards
Amazon.com Gift Cards
Ruth’s Chris Gift Cards
Fleming's Gift Cards

Miscellaneous:
Clothes (Pants: 32W 32L; Shirts: Medium)
Wallet (preferably black and leather)
Watch (something dressy, like this or this)

Board and Card Games:
Telestrations
The Settlers of Catan

Movies:
Diary of a Wimpy Kid [blu-ray]
Up In The Air [blu-ray]

Changes

2010-09-15T21:49:00.001-06:00

It is amazing how much can change in a week. For example, last week, a day after Good Times, Bad News, I updated my status on Facebook to, "Andrew L Jenkins thought today was going to be a bad day, but instead, he received good news that made the day fantastic! He is not looking forward to next week, though..."

A few individuals criticized me for posting such a cryptic message, so...the good news: I received a nearly $2 raise, and Sean was offered the job at Marriott Guest Services he applied for (Marriott Rewards Specialist, my first position with Marriott, as well). The extra cash will be appreciated, and I bought Sean an Xbox 360 (and a few other things) to celebrate. I won't/can't provide much detail regarding the last sentence in my status, but it involved the terminating of an associate, something I don't enjoy doing. It went better than expected, though.

I mentioned in Let's Call The Whole Thing Off our friend Mike was moving in with us. Well, that briefly fell through when the company he worked for was sold, but he applied for a job with The Ritz-Carlton and was offered the position a few days ago. So, he'll move in soon (probably this weekend), and all three of us will be/are employed by Marriott International. Speaking of Marriott International/The Ritz-Carlton, we launched The Ritz-Carlton Rewards today. Exciting!

Well, it's getting late, and I'm planning on waking up early again tomorrow. I attended the Big Alliance's Young Leaders Forum this morning to meet and listen to gubernatorial candidate Peter Corroon, so I'm pretty tired. Good night!

Good Times, Bad News

2010-09-09T22:52:00.000-06:00

Time passes way too fast. I can't believe it's September, and Mom's been gone six months. Pretty soon, the year will be over, and it feels like it just started. I love that it's getting darker earlier, though, as well as cooler. I used to say winter was my favorite season, but I think I enjoy fall more.

On Monday, Sean and I returned from Capitol Reef National Park. My family usually stays at Thousand Lakes RV Park over Labor Day weekend every year, and we estimated we've visited this particular campground for more than 15 years. Below is a picture (stolen from my sister Jill) of the view behind the park:

And here's a picture of Mom and I the first time, I believe, we visited Capitol Reef:

Strike a pose

Sean, my brother James and his wife Heather, my brother-in-law Daren, and I hiked Sulphur Creek, my favorite place in Capitol Reef. This article does a good job explaining why. Everyone seemed to have a good time.

Before the trip, I received a call from my Big Brothers Big Sisters Match Support Specialist. He had bad news. My Little Brother's grandma asked for the match to be closed because she expected someone to play sports with him more often. I can understand that, but what I can't understand is why she didn't give me the opportunity to change. I'm disappointed, of course, and I'm sure it'll be a long time before I'm matched again.

Well, it's late, and Sean's pestering me to come to bed (what else is new?), so hopefully, I'll update again soon. I feel like I don't even scratch the surface of everything that has happened between posts, but it's hard to find time to write. I'm still trying to update every week, though, but you can see how well I'm doing...

Good night!

Let's Call The Whole Thing Off

2010-08-19T22:44:00.000-06:00

I've discovered it doesn't really matter if you stand in the kitchen while watching a pot of water boil or if you wait for the aforementioned pot of water to boil while updating your blog from another room. It still takes too long for that pot of water to boil, especially when you are hungry and craving macaroni and cheese with sliced hot dogs (everyone's childhood favorite).

Exciting news! There are currently TWO tomatoes growing on one of five vines in our small, pathetic garden.

Tomayto? Tomahto?

(Yes, I know, you can see only one of the tomatoes in this picture.) We planted the vines two months ago, I'm guessing, in June, and ever since, I've been anticipating the first tomato sandwich. Nothing tastes better. I do hope there are enough tomatoes to make salsa, though. I found an awesome recipe a few years ago.

Let's see...what else is going on? Oh! Our friend Mike is finally moving in. We extended the invitation to him shortly after we bought the house, and although he wanted to move out of his grandparents' place, drama prevented him from doing so for awhile. In a lot of ways, it'll be nice to have someone else in the house, but I think I will miss being alone sometimes.

Kyle and I went to a picnic hosted by Big Brothers, Big Sisters last week. They provided Arby's regular roast beef sandwiches, chips, drinks, and ice cream for all the Bigs and Littles, and there were several games, such as disc golf, football, and three-legged races. There was also a water fight with sponges and squirt guns, and of course everyone got soaked! It was really fun, and I'm grateful Big Brothers, Big Sisters offers these opportunities.

The end of the term is coming up. I've passed two out of the four classes I wanted to complete, but I am nearly done with a third. I only have one task left, but I doubt I will finish it by the end of this month. I've been struggling with the assignment, but I'm going to ask my brother, James, if he'll help me out. Even if I don't pass this class by the end of the term, I'm still in good standing. I'm a bit disappointed in myself, though, and I'm jealous of all those who've recently successfully graduated from college.

By the way, Sean started his own blog a few weeks ago, and he'd really like more followers. Now that I've pimped my husband's blog, I'm going to bed. Good night!

Vacation, All I Ever Wanted

2010-08-06T22:38:00.005-06:00

I am currently sitting in the small, yet comfortable condominium we (the Welfy Clan) rented in Oceanside, California, and I am rushing to finish this entry before dinner at 333 Pacific (side-note: I wasn't able to and am now finishing this a day later). We arrived on Sunday, after an uncomfortable one-night stay at the Residence Inn Las Vegas Convention Center, primarily due to the 108-degree heat, but the hotel itself wasn't as good as others I/we have stayed at. The weather here in Oceanside has been very pleasant, though.

We've spent most of our time in the condo, on the beach, and in the hot tub. It's a short walk to the ocean, and the water is comfortable once you get used to it (I didn't actually go swimming, though, because I don't like swimming in bodies of water I can't see the bottom of).

On Wednesday, we ate lunch at Ruby's Diner. It was here we found out Proposition 8 had been ruled unconstitutional. Sean and I began talking about getting married, but that conversation ended when we found out a temporary stay had been issued.

Paradise? Not quite, but it's pretty close. I prefer quieter white-sand beaches, warm crystal-clear water, and skimpier bathing suits. (EDIT: Photobucket decided a picture of two attractive men in skimpy bathing suits violated their terms of use. Lame.)

Well, Sean wants to watch an episode of Mad Men, plus it's late, and we're waking up early tomorrow to begin our long drive back home (ugh). Goodnight!

To see more pictures from our vacation, please visit my mother-in-law's blog, Welfyville.

Ramblings

2010-07-21T22:44:00.006-06:00

It's been a week since my last entry, and as mentioned, my goal is to update once a week. This post will be somewhat short, even though I can think of several things I want to say tonight, since it is nearly 11:00 PM (way past my bedtime) and the battery in my laptop is low.

Kyle and I went to Lagoon last Saturday, as I said we were going to do. He didn't have a panic attack. In fact, he ended up riding rides he said he wouldn't ride (Wicked, Colossus, Cliffhanger, and Jet Star 2). It was pretty fun. This week, we will probably go to a park and play catch, so he can practice pitching.

(Useless information: I had to get the power cord for my laptop before it died.)

The Welfy Clan (Sean's family) is going to Oceanside, California (just north of San Diego) in two weeks. I'm excited, and of course, time seems to be standing still. I look forward to our annual vacation, and I really need the time off. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy my job, but I need to get away from it for awhile. Plus, I have a few hundred hours of PTO I need to use by the end of the year.

Speaking of work, I have been the Internet/Correspondence Support (ICS) Supervisor for a year now. It's hard to believe how quickly time flies. My annual review is this week. It will be interesting to see how my manager rates me, but I think I've done a good job, for the most part.

I think I'm going to end this entry here, since my eyes are involuntarily closing. I guess that means I'm tired. Good night!

What the...?

2010-07-13T20:29:00.007-06:00

No, that isn't a pig you see flying. No, Hell hasn't frozen over. Yes, I am blogging again. Shocking, I know. I think reading my old journal two weeks ago helped me realize I don't need anything particular to write about. And what I write doesn't necessarily need to be perfect (although, I have spent far too much time on this paragraph already). Hell, the majority of my last blog consisted of surveys and quizzes, such as the Rate My Life Self-Help Quiz I mentioned here. At least it was something. So, going forward, my goal is to update once a week (and posting a survey or quiz won't count).

Kyle and I are going to Lagoon this Saturday. I haven't been to Lagoon in a long time. I can't even remember the last time I went. But it should be fun. And interesting. According to his grandma, whom he lives with, he had a panic attack when they went to Disneyland a few years ago, but he was okay once they entered the park. He ended up riding almost every ride.

There is much more I'd like to write about, but it's taken me a little over an hour to write these three paragraphs, and I'd kind of like to focus on something that doesn't require much concentration, like TV or Facebook. On the other hand, maybe I'll just go to bed.

Good night!

Memories

2010-07-02T21:05:00.012-06:00

I spent the past several hours reading entries in my old blog, and seeing how often I wrote prompted me to update this blog. I was such an angsty emo kid. In some ways, I miss that period of my life...and in some ways, I guess I still am that angsty emo kid.

I used to take several quizzes and post the results on my old blog. One of these surveys was the Rate My Life Self-Help Quiz. This survey asks you a number of questions and then computes your life rating. It also breaks down your score into the following categories: Mind, Body, Spirit, Love, Friends/Family, and Financial. This was posted on my old blog three years ago on July 6, 2007:

This Is My Life, Rated
Life:	7.2
Mind:	7.4
Body:	5.9
Spirit:	7
Friends/Family:	6.5
Love:	7.3
Finance:	7.5
Take the Rate My Life Quiz

This is my life rating now:

This Is My Life, Rated
Life:	6.6
Mind:	6.3
Body:	5.5
Spirit:	7.6
Friends/Family:	5.9
Love:	5.5
Finance:	7.8
Take the Rate My Life Quiz

This survey is only for entertainment purposes, so I take the results with a grain of salt. I am sure if I took this same quiz tomorrow, my life rating would be different, since it is almost entirely based upon my mood at the time. It is interesting to compare the two life ratings, though.

Anyway, my Little Brother, Kyle, and I went to a baseball game on Tuesday. Our team, the Bees, lost to the Reno Aces 5 - 3. It was really fun, and I had not heard him talk as much as he did the other night. It seems he is opening up to me. He is a great kid, and I am enjoying the opportunity to be his Big Brother.

Well, I think I am done blogging for the night. I hope to update again soon...but we shall see...

Happy Mothers Day

2010-05-08T21:57:00.004-06:00

Tomorrow will be the first Mothers Day without my mom. We "celebrated" a day early by eating good food and visiting the grave. Needless to say, it has been an emotionally difficult day, and to top it off, she gave me a Mothers Day present...

From: Richard Jenkins
To: Andrew Jenkins
Subject: Tribute to Baby Andrew
Date: Sat, 8 May 2010 20:48:15 -0600

I found a paper in Carolyn's things that she saved for a special occasion. I have retyped it for this email but you can have the original when you are here again, if you want it. Perhaps this might be the time for you to read it and know of her deep love for you.

For Andrew Lees Jenkins
A Saved Paper From Your Sweet Mother

When my husband got home
from work today
I had something very important
to say
A new little baby is coming
our way
To join our family for its
earthly stay

Already our children
numbered seven
And all were excited for our
gift from heaven
It was very hard
awaiting the day
But a new little son
soon came our way

A warm little sunbeam
sent from Father above
To fill our hearts and
our home with love
“Oh, Father in Heaven, help me,”
I pray
To raise your child to
follow his way
Help him to follow the ways
of thy Son
So he’ll return to Thee
when his earth life is done

Baptism, the priesthood, a mission
for thee
Marriage in the Temple
and soon a father to be

But first let me hold him
and cuddle him too
Let me smother him with love
as new mothers do
Thank you dear Father
for letting me be
A partner in creating bodies
for Spirits for Thee

-Author Unknown

Quick Update

2010-04-25T22:20:00.008-06:00

Hello! It has been a long time since my last real post. I would like to promise to change that, but I am pretty sure I would not be able to. I do want to update more often, though, and as I have said before, knowing I actually have readers is encouraging...

A lot has happened since the last update; some of it has been good, and some of it has been bad. Since this is supposed to be a quick post, I am going to avoid details right now, for the most part, but if you are interested in reading more about something I mention, please let me know.

First, my mom passed away March 5, 2010. It has been difficult at times, and I am sure it will remain so for awhile. She was a wonderful person, and I miss her very much, but I know I will see her again someday. If you would like to read her obituary, please click here.

I decided I needed to go back to church after my mom's death. For the past month, Sean and I have been attending the South Valley Unitarian Universalist Society. We have enjoyed attending and listening to various speakers, such as Charles Lynn Frost (AKA Sister Dottie S. Dixon) and former Salt Lake City mayor, Rocky Anderson.

Finally, after a year of waiting, I have been matched with a Little Brother. His name is Kyle, and he is 10 years old. We had our first activity together yesterday, and I am really excited to get to know him and hopefully make a positive impact on his life.

Much more has happened, but these three events stand out the most in my mind. Again, if you would like to read more about anything I have posted, please let me know; I will try to provide more information. Until then, best wishes.

2010 Birthday Wishlist

2010-03-31T19:56:00.005-06:00

Several people have asked me what I want for my birthday, so here are some ideas:

Motorola H385 Bluetooth Headset
Board/card games, such as:
     Telestrations
     The Settlers of Catan
     Cranium Hoopla
The Sims™ 3 High-End Loft Stuff
Up In The Air
iTunes Gift Cards
Amazon.com Gift Cards
Fleming's Gift Card

Magic Sweet Rolls

2009-09-05T11:32:00.004-06:00

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Serves: 8

Ingredients:

1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 8 ounce can crescent rolls
8 large marshmallows
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 tsp. vanilla
milk
sugar

Directions:
Place a cookie sheet in an oven set to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. While the oven is preheating, lightly grease 8 cups of a 12-cup muffin pan (I used two 6-cup muffin pans). Combine the sugar, flour and cinnamon, and set aside. Separate the crescent rolls.

Roll each marshmallow in the melted butter and then the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Place the marshmallows in middle of the crescent dough. Pull the sides up and completely seal the marshmallows inside. Place the rolls in the greased muffin cups. Fill the empty muffin cups halfway with water. Brush each roll with milk and sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon.

Place the muffin pan(s) on the preheated cookie sheet and bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown.

While the rolls are baking, pour the leftover cinnamon-sugar mixture into a 1/4 cup measuring cup. Fill the cup with powdered sugar. In a small bowl, add 1 teaspoon of vanilla to the sugar mixture. Stir in enough milk to make a glaze. Remove the rolls from oven, and allow them to sit in the pan for 1 minute. Place the rolls on a serving platter, and drizzle the glaze over the rolls.

Insert Witty Title Here

2009-08-31T20:26:00.009-06:00

I seem to average one to two posts a month. I'd like to post once a week, but blogging about nothing is pretty boring. I've been trying to get Sean to post once in awhile, but now that school has begun and he's working full-time again, he's not likely to.

Work is going well. I attended supervisor training, which lasted two full days, last week. It was pretty fun, and I liked meeting people from the other contact centers/hotels in the Salt Lake City area. One of the courses touched on professional grooming/clothing, which made me really self-conscious about the way I dress for work. So, this past weekend, I went and spent way too much money on several new outfits. I wore one of them today and received several compliments, so it's already begun to pay off.

Speaking of work, if anyone needs a good full-time job, we're hiring. If I recall correctly, pay starts at $10.50. Go to https://wss6a.unicru.com/hirepro/marriottcorp/siteLocatorForm.jsp to apply.

I mentioned that Sean went back to school this week. I, too, begin a new term at WGU tomorrow. I'm retaking two courses, Quantitative Reasoning and Communication and Visual and Performing Arts, I didn't complete last semester. I'm also taking Marketing Principles and Applications and Fundamentals of Finance, Accounting and Information Technology. I feel more motivated now than I did last week; let's hope I stay motivated enough to actually do homework.

I'm getting tired, but before I go to bed, I wanted to post this recipe. Sean and I prepared it Saturday evening, and everyone enjoyed it.

Eggplant Pasta
(recipe courtesy Alton Brown)

Prep Time: 40 min
Cook Time: 10 min
Serves: 4

Ingredients:

2 medium-large eggplants
Kosher salt, for purging
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon chile flakes
4 small tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1/2 cup cream
4 tablespoons basil chiffonade
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
Freshly ground pepper

Directions:

Peel each eggplant leaving 1-inch of skin at the top and bottom unpeeled. Slice the eggplant thinly lengthwise, about 1/4-inch thick. Evenly coat each slice with the salt and purge on a sheet pan fitted with a rack for 30 minutes. Rinse with cold water and roll in paper towels to dry. Slice the pieces into thin strips to resemble pasta.

In a large saute pan heat the oil. Add the garlic and chili flakes and toast. Add the eggplant "pasta" and toss to coat. Add the tomatoes and cook for 3 minutes. Add the cream and increase heat to thicken sauce. Finally add the basil and Parmesan and toss to combine. Season with pepper, no salt needed as the eggplant will have residual salt from the purge. Serve immediately.

In Case You Forgot, My Name is Andrew

2009-08-11T21:21:00.002-06:00

It's been nearly a month since my last post. Time flies - I can't believe there are five months left of this year. At least I update this blog more often than Sean...

Let's see, what's happened? I guess I'll start with work (as I usually do, it seems). My first week as the ICS Supervisor went well with only a few issues I didn't know how to handle (one of them being a representative with swine flu). In fact, one of my associates commented that the transition has been easier for her than she expected. However, we began our annual associate opinion survey (AOS) this week, and John (my manager) and I believe we'll be scored low - some of our employees don't like and resist change. I guess we'll see what happens in the next few months, and regardless of the results, I will strive to be the best supervisor I can be.

Oh, remember the manager of Customer Relationship Management position I mentioned I applied for in this entry? I got to meet the guy who got the job, as well as the hiring manager and a few other corporate executives, today. He seemed nice, and it was exciting to get to know people I'd be working with at headquarters (if that is where I end up in the future). Of course, I need to get my degrees in Business Management and Marketing first...

I've continued to procrastinate schoolwork since my last post. It's terribly frustrating - at work, I have no problem completing tasks I set for myself or that are assigned to me, yet I struggle with school. I'm just not motivated for some reason, which I don't understand, since graduating from school is tied to moving up at work. It really decreases my self-esteem/confidence. I know I'm intelligent and can do just about anything, but I've always had trouble with school. I appreciate the suggestions you left in my last entry. If you have any additional feedback, please let me know.

On to lighter subjects, we (Sean, his family and his friend, Mike, and I) returned from a nice week-long vacation yesterday. We left home Saturday, August 1, and stayed overnight in Portland, Oregon. I love that city - it is so beautiful, and if I didn't want to end up in Washington, D.C., I'd want to live there. The next day, we stopped at Powell's Books - the largest bookstore I've ever been to - before driving to the house we rented in Florence, Oregon. We spent the week playing on/in the lake, relaxing inside, and visiting nearby attractions, such as the aquarium in Newport, Oregon, and Old Town Florence. It was a fantastic vacation!

Sean and I put an offer on this house before we left on vacation. According to my brother-in-law and real estate agent, Daren, we should be hearing from the bank regarding our offer tomorrow. Honestly, I don't think they'll approve the offer we made, but I hope they counteroffer with a reasonable price. I'm really looking forward to being a homeowner, and this property felt like home more than any others that we have looked at. *crosses fingers*

I have nothing new to report regarding Big Brothers - I still haven't been matched, and I haven't heard from anyone since my last e-mail several weeks ago.

Well, I think that pretty much sums up the past month. I hope to update sooner next time. Until then!

Sometimes, I Can't Think of a Title

2009-07-16T21:18:00.006-06:00

I guess it's that time again. It's almost been a week since my last entry. Not much has happened, though. I haven't started my new job yet. My official start date is July 25. They will begin training me before then, however, which is a good thing, considering John, my new manager, leaves on vacation July 24 and will be gone my first week on the job. That will be interesting. I'm sure that's when everything will go wrong.

I still haven't been matched with a Little. I e-mailed my Match Support Coordinator (I think that's her title) for an update, but she didn't have one. It's too bad - there are a lot of kids out there that need a positive, male adult role model. I appreciate the desire to match brothers based on comparable interests; however, it seems to me that the delay ends up hurting the children. I guess I'm just being impatient.

And school...well, I've been procrastinating on that lately. I need to complete four tasks by the end of August. Possible, but not easy. *sigh* I really want to graduate in 2011, but I don't seem to have any motivation at the moment. Any suggestions?

That's about it. There might be more I could mention, but I'm pretty tired and I have to wake up early tomorrow. Maybe I'll edit this entry later...nah. Have a great night!

Climbing the Ladder

2009-07-10T16:53:00.005-06:00

So...remember the position I mentioned I applied for in this entry? Well, as the title of this post implies, I got it! The wait was frustrating -- it was supposed to be announced yesterday -- but I am so excited! I feel bad for the other individuals, one in particular, who applied, though; I know what rejection feels like.

I will be supervising/managing a team of 23 representatives. I've worked with them for several years now, both as their coworker and as their QA. Some of them can be a bit difficult and challenging sometimes, but that's what will make this new job interesting and maybe even fun!

I don't know when I "officially" start - I'm going in tomorrow, which is normally my day off, with bagels for the team to kind of "grease the wheel" and hopefully decrease any tensions that may exist between us (since QAs are not the most well-liked individuals). Most likely, I will start the week after next.

Here is the e-mail my new manager sent, with a few minor punctuation and spelling corrections ('cause I'm anal like that), announcing my promotion:

Hello everyone,

I am happy to announce that Andrew Jenkins has accepted the position of ICS (Internet/Correspondence Support) Supervisor. Andrew started with Marriott back in March of 2006. Since then, he has worked as a phone representative, ICS representative, and as the Quality Assurance Specialist for ICS. I am excited to have him rejoin the ICS team as he brings with him a wealth of knowledge and experience. Andrew is a tremendous asset to our center. Not only has he done a terrific job of monitoring the ICS team, but he also serves as a back-up Team Facilitator as well as being a member of both the "Fun to Serve" and "Spirit to Serve" committees (the "Spirit to Serve" committee actually does not exist anymore...). His dedication to his work and to Marriott speaks for itself. Please join me in congratulating Andrew on his new position!

Yay!

I'm a Father!

2009-07-06T20:57:00.004-06:00

Funny story.

My mom called earlier this evening to ask if I know an "Amanda" from California. I asked for the last name, but she said "Amanda" told her I would know who she is; I don't. My mom then proceeded to explain why this "Amanda" called. Apparently, we've "gotten together" a couple of times the past year, and I'm her baby's father.

WARNING: TMI

First of all, I'm gay. I've never had sex with a girl in my life, and I think if I had, I would remember such an incidence and would have used protection (unless I'm a "sleep sexer," as Kim so eloquently puts it). Second, why is this "Amanda" calling my parents' house? I haven't lived there in over three years.

We're thinking: a) it's a prank, b) "Amanda" called the wrong number, or c) "Amanda" is trying to extort money. Regardless of the reason of the call, I think it's pretty damn hilarious.

EDIT: "Amanda" is not my lover. She's just a girl who claims I am the one, but the kid is not my son (or daughter?).

Another Belated Update

2009-06-22T18:24:00.011-06:00

During the past two weeks, I worked more than 120 hours, so I'm sure you can understand why I didn't post earlier. The extra money will certainly be nice -- it's paying for a trip to D.C. in October, which I'll talk about later -- but I had to take two (paid) days off this week to make up for the weekend I missed last week. Instead of doing homeworking like I planned, though, I've been playing Sims 3. I have tomorrow...

I haven't heard anything about the job I applied for two weeks ago. I'm pretty sure, though, that the hiring manager will begin interviewing this week. *crosses fingers* I really hope I get it, and if what I've heard (that I'm the top candidate) is any indication, I'm pretty sure I will. Oh, in my last entry, I told you I bought a suit to prepare for my interview. Here are two pictures of it:

To further prepare for the interview, I made an appointment at the Sanctuary Day Spa & Salon for a haircut and manicure tomorrow morning. The package I booked also includes a deep tissue massage, which will be nice. I've never treated myself to something like this before, so I'm really excited.

I received a letter from Big Brothers Big Sisters a few days after my last post. It took longer than expected, but I was finally accepted into the program! The process of finding a Little for me will no doubt be quite long, but I'm excited. I hope I'm matched with someone before the end of summer - Lagoon isn't open all year!

I also talked about Dr. Bentley's Pops Concert in my last entry. The songs we as alumni sang were recorded and posted on Facebook. I don't think you need to be a member of the group or Facebook to view them, so check them out: Defying Gravity and For Good.

Mistaken - I'm sad to see you deleted your Facebook account. My schedule is wide open for your visit next week, so give me a call and we'll get together: (801)867-1322. It'll be nice to see you again! As for what I like and dislike about Sims 3...

Likes:

Being able to walk seamlessly around town is awesome! You can visit neighbors and commercial lots without load screens, allowing you to fully immerse yourself into the neighborhood.

The addition of traits, such as "Family Oriented," "Good" (and its counterpart, "Evil"), and "Workaholic," allows you to customize your Sims' personalities, far above what you were able to do in Sims and Sims 2.

The "moodlets" are pretty cool. They can positively and/or negatively affect your mood, and they can be obtained by certain events, such as moving into a new home (a mood booster) or getting burglarized (a mood buster).

The stories of your neighbors continue to progress. They age, have children, quit their jobs and find new ones, and move out of town. It balances out the neighborhood. If you don't want the stories to progress, you can turn it (and aging) off, which is another plus.

Dislikes:

Weather, which was added to Sims 2 via the Seasons expansion pack, is nowhere to be found. Weather should be a standard feature, but I'm pretty sure it will be added again in a future expansion pack.

Apartments, which were added to Sims 2 via the Apartment Life expansion pack, have been removed, too. Like the weather, I'm sure these will come back at some point.

Where are the pets?! Another expansion pack, I'm sure.

EA is really trying to milk as much money as they can from consumers this time. In addition to the inevitable expansion packs mentioned above, they have a store, which I haven't been able to download items from, with tons of objects and other items you can buy with SimPoints. How do you get SimPoints? Well, other than the 1,000 SimPoints you are given for registering your game, you have to spend real money to get them.

I'm sure there are other likes and dislikes, but those are the only ones I can think of at the moment.

As mentioned at the beginning of this entry, I'm going to Washington, D.C. this October. We're staying for four days, and we'll be attending the National Equality March at the Mall. Our flight is booked, and we have a room reserved at the JW Marriott Hotel Washington, DC, which is located steps away from the White House on Pennsylvania Avenue. I'm so excited! It'll be my first time in the Nation's capital.

Well, that's about it for now. Thanks for reading!

Whew!

2009-06-08T21:38:00.008-06:00

So, yeah...way past my once-a-week post! Sorry. Honestly, I haven't been motivated to do much lately. I am supposed to be writing an essay comparing and contrasting three paintings for school (anyone want to "help"?), but instead, I'm updating the blog I've neglected for the past two weeks. Now that we know where my priorities lie...

Okay, what's happened since I last posted? My oldest nephew, Tyler, had his missionary farewell a week ago yesterday, and left on...Wednesday, I believe. Even though I no longer consider myself Mormon, I'm sure he will be an excellent representative of the Church. I can't believe how fast time flies, though! It seems like just yesterday my brother, James, and I were babysitting him and his brother, Dallin.

A week ago today was Dr. Bentley's final choir concert, as mentioned in my last entry. It was definitely bittersweet singing the alumni songs ("Defying Gravity" and "For Good" from the musical Wicked) we prepared and watching Dr. Bentley and his wife, Becky, ball their eyes out. It was very powerful. I have to admit that I cried, and honestly, blogging about this is bringing up a lot of emotions, too (I take after my mom and sisters). Five others from my year were there, and I wish more had participated. It was good to see them again, even though most of them rarely talk to me anymore. I hope we have a reunion sometime this summer, but I doubt we will, unfortunately.

Okay, what's next? Oh, the position I mentioned in this entry opened up last week. Obviously, I applied. I bought a very nice suit on Saturday, and I've been practicing interviewing with my manager for the past several months, so I'm sure I will do fine. The posting doesn't close until June 11, so it will be awhile before I hear anything, but I'm excited. I've heard from a few sources that I'm the top candidate, so wish me luck. It wouldn't be a huge pay increase, but I'm not disappointed. I'm just looking forward to more responsibility and visibility. I will keep you updated, of course.

I ordered Sims 3 from Amazon.com awhile ago and received it on Friday. Needless to say, I've been spending much of my time playing it, making it difficult to finish my homework. It's pretty fun, and since I'm not sure how many of you actually play the Sims series, I won't go into much detail about what I like and don't like about this new version. I asked Sean to hide it for me so I would write my paper tonight, but we can see how well that's working...

In addition to buying a suit on Saturday, Sean and I checked in to the Salt Lake City Center Marriott for the evening. It was Pride this weekend, and we always enjoy staying downtown for the festivities. Last year, we stayed at the Hotel Monaco. Both hotels are very nice and I recommend them to anyone visiting Salt Lake. Anyway, Paula Poundstone performed Saturday night. She was pretty funny, and we watched her until it started raining. On Sunday morning, we woke up to more fun, but we didn't let that stop us from enjoying the parade. We did, however, go home afterward instead of going to festival, which is kind of disappointing. I hope next year will be more dry.

Although I'd love to update you on Big Brothers Big Sisters, not much has happened. I've called the woman who interviewed me several times, but I always get her voicemail and she never calls me back. Someone else, however, finally got around to contacting another one of my references, Sean's mom, Julianne. I'm sure it will be another two weeks before they call the rest of my contacts, Sean and my boss, Jeff.

That pretty much brings us to today. I've had the Manhattan Clique remix of Katy Perry's "Waking Up In Vegas" stuck in my head. I swear I've played it at least fifty times today, and no, I'm not exaggerating. It's the only way I know how to get songs out of my head. I wish I could buy it, but I've only been able to find the song on YouTube, which I've included for your listening pleasure.

Well, I think it's time to go to bed. Wish me luck on writing the essay I keep putting off, and I hope to post again next week. Be like Mistaken and remind me to update this blog if I..."forget" to. It helps to know that people actually read it! Now I need to pester Sean into posting again...

Goodnight!

EDIT: I was able to find "Defying Gravity" on YouTube, but I couldn't find a good version of "For Good":

High School Drama

2009-05-22T18:17:00.007-06:00

First, Mistaken deserves a prize for commenting on the blog every time it's updated. You are fantastic!

On to the point of this entry. I'm 25. It's been seven years since I graduated high school. You would think high school drama would be forgotten, wouldn't you? Well, you would be incorrect.

Recently, my old choir teacher (Brian Bentley) announced he was retiring. He touched a lot of people (in a good way - get your minds out of the gutter), so a lot of us wanted to do something special for him. A Facebook group was created, which lead to a mini-high school reunion.

Earlier today, an old friend from choir -- Vocal Ensemble, where the most friendships are supposedly made, to be exact -- e-mailed our choir group, encouraging us to attend the final concert on June 1, since we will be singing two tribute songs. Here is part of the message he sent:

We would love everyone there! Since my wife and her family are the ones in charge of the whole thing, I thought I should stress it more to my year. We have had 4 people [one of them being me] participate so far but would love everyone.

I decided to reply to him with the following:

To be honest, our year isn't as close now as we were in high school, and even then, we weren't as close as other years. Heck, hardly anyone talks to me anymore...

I'll be surprised if more people from our year participate on June 1. It would be nice, though. And maybe we can get together afterward to catch up. Just an idea, of course.

Thanks for trying,

Andrew

Did I receive a reply? Nope. I guess I shouldn't have expected one in the first place, even though he was the choir president. The thing is, I'm not sure what I did to my old high school friends to make them stop talking to me. And if it's only because they now know I'm gay, well, that's a pretty petty reason.

That's not it, though. This same person updated his Facebook status, saying he was at a crossroads and didn't know what to do. I commented that he should do what he felt was right for him and his family (vague answer for a vague situation). Did he say "thank you" for the advice? No, he deleted my message (I should mention others have commented on his status as well, and they haven't been deleted). Wtf? What did I do to deserve such treatment?

I'm considering leaving my old choir's Facebook group and deleting all my "friends." But for some strange reason, I can't do it - choir, and my group, meant too much to me to "throw it away" over this stupid drama. *sigh*

/emo

Bored

2009-05-16T15:47:00.007-06:00

I don't have anything to say, really (other than the fact I'm bored and nothing is entertaining me). It's getting harder and harder to find something to blog about, but I'm still going to stick to it. That right there, folks, is dedication. Now if only I could be more dedicated to school...

Speaking of school, I passed my Fundamentals of Marketing and Business Communication course. I was kind of worried since I hadn't studied as much as I should have, but I'm happy I made it through another class. Only 16 more course to complete before I graduate...think I can do it in two years? *sigh* I procrastinate too much.

Sean, Mike (Sean's dad), and I had a good time last night. First, we went out to eat at Flemings with Julianne (Sean's mom). Even though it is a little expensive (I'm not even going to mention how much I spent last night), their food is so good. We then saw Angels and Demons. It's been a long time since I read the book, but I liked it better than The Da Vinci Code. I'm excited to read Dan Brown's next book, The Lost Symbol, which touches on Freemasonry.

I don't have any Big Brother updates for you. Only one of my five references have been called, which is a little disappointing, but I'm patient...somewhat. I'll probably give them a call on Monday to check on their progress since I was supposed to hear from them by today.

My old supervisor was promoted to manager the other day. I'm excited. Why? Because I'm going to apply for his position when it's posted in a few months. :) Hopefully, I'll have better luck than when I applied for a manager of Customer Relationship Management position. I wasn't even interviewed, which was really disappointing since I felt I had a good chance.

Well, for someone who didn't have much to say, I certainly wrote a lot...

General Update

2009-05-10T11:46:00.004-06:00

I interviewed with Big Brothers Big Sisters a week ago yesterday. It went well, I think. I should hear from them within the next week if I am accepted into the program, and the process of matching me with a Little Brother begins, which could take a few months, unfortunately. I'm very excited to be a Big Brother. In fact, I already have a few activities in mind. I'll continue to update you on the progress, of course.

On Thursday, I saw the new Star Trek movie with Sean and his family. I thought it was excellent! Although some Trekkies are disappointed with the changes that were made to the Star Trek universe, I feel it gave new life to a nearly-dead franchise, gaining new, younger fans. They, the Star Trek producers, writers, directors, et cetera, can take the series in a new direction without being tied down by the original time line and story. It'll be interesting to see what happens with this franchise in the future.

Here's a video mocking the disappointed Trekkies from The Onion:

Trekkies Bash New Star Trek Film As 'Fun, Watchable'

We also saw "Transmorfers: Mormon Meets the Eye" at The Off Broadway Theatre. It wasn't as funny as some of the other plays I've seen there, but it was still good. Afterward, we went to Keys on Main, which was really fun. We were all pretty tired, though, so we left early. I'm sure we'll go back sometime soon.

Yesterday, we walked in Salt Lake City's Race for the Cure. More than 18,000 individuals participated (about 100 of them from my work), raising several thousand dollars. It was nice to get out and enjoy the nice weather in support of a good cause - breast cancer. I am grateful my mom was able to overcome this disease several years ago, and I walked in celebration of her.

Happy Mother's Day!

Big Brother

2009-04-28T19:48:00.002-06:00

Although someone may be watching you, Orwell's 1984 is not the subject of this blog; instead, I'm referring to Big Brothers Big Sisters, whose mission is "to help children reach their potential through professionally supported, one-to-one relationships with mentors that have a measurable impact on youth."

As most of you probably know (since I mentioned it on Facebook and The Mo-Board), I applied to be a Big Brother. My boss has been encouraging me to volunteer outside of work (he recognized a need to develop myself), I'm good with kids (I often babysat my nieces and nephews when they were younger), and I attended a networking breakfast last Saturday where I met another Big Brother who talked about the program, so I decided being a Big Brother would be a good opportunity for me.

I have an interview with the organization on Saturday. They'll get to know me, run a criminal background check (obviously - they wouldn't want predators working one-on-one with children), and begin contacting my references. I'm attending an orientation next Tuesday (a week after tomorrow), as well. I'm really looking forward to it. After all, I'm a kid at heart sometimes, and I'll enjoy playing video games, attending sporting events (*gasp* "Did Andrew just say he would attend sporting events?"), hiking, cooking, and hanging out with a child.

If I'm accepted into the program, I'll be sure to continue blogging about my experiences as a Big Brother. Which kind of leads me to my next issue; my last post only received ONE comment (thanks, Sally)?! Granted, I didn't write much to comment on, but that's beside the point. You need to step up and make it worthwhile for me to blog! :-p

Until next week...

EDIT: Make that two comments on my last entry. Just because I say "goodnight" doesn't mean I'm actually going to bed, James. :-)

OMG!

2009-04-20T21:45:00.003-06:00

*gasp* "He's blogging again? I can't believe it!"

Believe it, folks. I'm planning on proving you all (James) wrong; I'm going to post at least once a week. Of course, I should be doing homework instead of blogging or playing Civony (I'm addicted; if you enjoy MMORPGs and games like Age of Empires and Civilization, you might like it).

Well, I guess there isn't really a point to this (short) entry, other than to meet my post quota for the week. ;-p It fits The Last Word thread theme, though - random, relatively pointless conversations where friendships are developed. This blog is just a more personal extension of that.

Anyway, I better go since I didn't get much sleep last night...who am I kidding? I'm going to stay up and play Civony...just a few more minutes, I promise...

Goodnight!

The First Word

2009-04-14T22:23:00.002-06:00

I've decided to begin blogging...again. I tried doing it several months ago, but deleted the blog after I hadn't posted anything after a few months. So...here's hoping it'll be different this time. I'm expecting all of you to encourage me by posting comments - lots and lots of comments! :D

I've invited Sean to blog as well. Since I can't guarantee I'll be active, I certainly can't guarantee he'll be active, especially when he is busy watching Star Trek, being a pest, and other, more legitimate reasons, such as going to work and school. But hey, maybe two inactive bloggers will result in one active blog.

Anyway, I'm hoping to post something at least once a week, and I'm expecting you all to remind me if I "forget". Capiche? Capiche.

Btw, yes, I shamelessly stole the name of this blog, The Last Word, and the name of this entry, The First Word, from The Mo-Board. I'm sure these won't be the last, since I'm unorginal like that.

Well, Sean's pestering me, something he does well and quite often, to come to bed. Goodnight, and I really hope this rain doesn't turn into snow tomorrow morning. Yuck.