Thanksgiving

Hooray for a sense of accomplishment. Yesterday, officially, our kitchen (and I say our because i live with my grandma, which I enjoy very much) was finally finished!! It is gorgeous, completely transforms the house, and I picked out the wall color. In reality I have no particular reason to feel any sort of accomplishment for the completion of the kitchen. I did do some of the work, nothing excersises angry demons like taking a sledge hammer to your old counters, while they're still attached to the wall. But what the heck, I helped so I'm going to feel proud that its finished. This great news means that we will be able to have Thanksgiving dinner at our house, as has become a custom over the last couple of years. Thanksgiving is always a lot of fun and you should use this time of year to learn things about your famiy. For example:
We play card cames. For hours and with a voracity that one might normally associate with pro sports. We also play cards when there is alcohol involved. "first blood!" is a phrase commonly heard around the card table, this means that someone has been injured in the process of playing whatever card game we happen to be playing, this usually occurs during spoons.
Some people refuse to be cheerful. There are just some members of my family that refuse to be cheerful no matter what we do to them/with them.
If you give someone and extendable fork, they will use it to stab you from across the table. My stepdad who is renowned for his ability to eat off of everyone elses plate was given an extendable fork for Christmas several years ago to make this process easier for him. Now it has become a game to give the fork to random people at the table and see who gets stabbed with the amazing long fork first.
These extra special glimpses into what Thanksgiving dinner is like at my house should hopefully spark some imaginative efforts on your part to observe and record all of your love one's exentricities and share them with the world. Its just more fun if we can all laugh at each other together!

Revelation

I have come to a revelation. I thrive on stress. Although this particular tidbit of information probably doesn't come as a shock to some people, lest of all me, the realization of it does explain a few things about the way I live, and now apparently work. The high stress, deadline oriented environment in which I now find myself is turning out to be ideal working conditions. The constant threat of failure is a fabulous motivator, and is helping me turn out some of my best work ever. Although the gnawing, stomach churning feeling that I have forgotten something really important has taken some getting used to, I actually quite like the rest of it. Althought occassionally my inner history geek feels compelled to make an apperance at work (for those that don't know I work at the corporate office of a sporting good meca, making this apperances supremely random and causing my co-workers to stare at me blankely). The most recent example of this was the frantic rush and worry that accompanies black friday. Now when I first heard the term "black friday" being whispered around the office like some great god, or reverant diety, my immediate thought was..."why are they so concerened about the day the stock market crashed?" There is salvation for me though, as I happen to work with a fellow geek. Who saved me from terrible embarassment by voicing this concern to the other peole I work with, by informing me that this in fact refers to the day after Thanksgiving, the first day of the holiday shopping season. Who would have thought. I always did like learning new things.

Hooray for concerts!!

Tuesday Toby and I went to see Gomez at the Fillmore. Needless to say it was an amazing show. But the opening act really impressed both Toby and I. Here is a little video of them. Their names are Rodrigo and Gabriela and their band is self titled (Rodrigo y Gabriela). Enjoy!

Observations

1. People like you more when they know you're leaving.
This is something that I have noticed recently do to my exodus from the state of Nebraska. Within the last 3 weeks I've eatin more cake, had more alcohol purchased for me, and generally been hugged a lot more since people found out I'm leaving. This only leads me to believe that people must like you more when they know they wont ever see you again. Most would look at these kind gestures as people's way of showing you they cared about you and enjoyed having you around. But not me. I look at these things and say why was I not good enough to take to lunch when you thought I would be around for a couple of years? Always the master of the glass is half empty philosphy I pose this statement. People just like you better when they know your leaving.

2. People like you stuff a lot more when your leaving.
Also something I've noticed recently. I've gotten a lot of compliments on the random assorment of things I have in my office. They are just trinkets really, things that make me happy to look at them, and no one has ever really paid that much attention to them before. However, no every second person coming into my office comments on at least two or three of the decorations. The only resonable conclusion that I can come to is this is their subtle way of offering to eliviate my removing it from the building and packing it up. The old "Hey I really like that {{inner monoluge...I'd sure take it off your hands if you wanna give it to me}}" trick. This is a ploy I find highly amusing, and also a really convieniet way to make some money. "You know if you really like it I'll sell it to you for..." Yea..good stuff.

Just for fun...

For no other reason then I just really like watching this...

CATS!

So last Friday my family got tickets to see CATS at the Denver Center for Performing Arts. All I can say is that it was AMAZING. Its been my #1 goal in life (not even kidding it really has been) to see CATS, and now I've done it...its a very accomplished sort of feeling. So now we are looking at getting season tickets for next year, but don't know if that is going to happen as they are $570 and that's a little out of my price range out of the moment. But it does include some great plays, and discounts on tickets to non-package plays like Lion King and Phantom of the Opera..so I guess we'll see what happens. But if you ever have the chance to see CATS do it, its totally worth it.

A new journey

Well its official. My last day of work is September 29th. That weekend I'll be moving to Franktown to live with my grandma until I can afford my own apartment. I think I probably have a job with Lakeshore Staffing. Its a temp agency, but it will be good for a temporary fix until they either place me permenantly or I find something better. I'm still scared out of my mind, well more nervous than anything. But just wanted to update on the new chapter in my life. It will be nice to be back in Colorado where I belong.

Friends

So it seems that I have the uncanny ability to inspire strangers to pick on me. These last few days I was at a conference in Kearney, NE focusing on noxious weeds invading riverbeds. I know no one else will think this is stimulating, but actually it was really interesting. Anyway we took a little field trip to the Platte River to look at some of the weeds down there. I bent over to roll up my jeans so that I wouldn't get them caught on anything and fall down, and some lady that I had just met reached over and poured REALLY cold water down the back of my pants. I thought "great, now it looks like I peed my pants, just what I wanted in a crowd of 200 strangers." I turned to say that exact thought to the one person I actually knew at the conference, when another guy I have never met before, didn't even know his name, picked me up and dropped me in the river. Fully clothed in the middle of an informational tour, I managed to get thrown in the river. Needless to say every one else thought it was hilarious, and I even managed a chuckle. But I was completely uncomfortable for the rest of the tour. Just goes to prove that you can't ever let your guard down, even when you think your safe, someone may just sneak up on you and throw you in a river.

Meet the bands!

Alright so I know that most of the people that read this blog are not going to care. Mostly because almost none of them have any inclination to listen to country music. However, I was really excited so I'm going to tell you about it anyway.
Being the loving caring person that I am I volunteered to help usher during the Box Butte County fair. There were a few immediate pluses to this. 1) I got in to all of the events free (motorcross, demolition derby, and CONCERT); 2) I got to yell at people for being stupid in the stands, and even kicked a few people out...it was a good time. The major perk was that all of the ushers got to visit the bands in their trailors and hang out with them. The 2 bands of the evening were Ricochet and Confederate Railroad. They were both AWESOME! and autographed everything we put in front of them. They were also good enough to take pictures with us! Anyway I know it wont impress anyone but me, but I was super excited and just thought I would share.

Vacation

Hooray for vacation!! Its really sad when its over though. I spent a couple of days in South Dakota with my sister and some good friends riding motorcycles. I think I'm going to have to break down and by myself my own (evil laugh) cause they are really really fun, and you can't beat the gas mileage. It rained a lot, but even that wasn't too shabby. We also went to Sturgis, and even though the rally doesn't officially start until tomorrow it sure was a good time! Heehee.

Fire

This is a video of the Spotted Tail fire as it raced over the hill toward Chadron State College, shot by Jim Manternach with the Emergency Management Response Agency. For those of you that don't know I work in Chadron, and Chadron state college sits at the south edge of the town. They evactuated about half of the town. Fortunately they were able to backfire into the oncoming flames and keep the wildfire from entering town. As of today they are estimating that around 30,000 acres were damaged by this ONE wildfire. Current estimates for total damage from all 6 wildfires is not yet known. So far only 4 houses have been destroyed, thankfully. I'll try to get some more pictures of the Shanook helicopters, slurry bombers, and firefighters on here later. My boss is up in a Forest Service helicopter right now assessing, and viewing the damage, so I should have some good pictures from that as well.
Just a big shout out to all the firefighters (400 of them) that worked so hard to save Chadron, Thank you guys so much, we wouldn't have made it without you.

Oh Ick

At this beginning of this week I traveled to Niobrara State Park for a meeting with some of my counter parts from other NRDs. You must understand that these people all have a sick sense of humor (heehee) and have a seemingly unlimited tolerance for alcohol. The combination of these two things lead us to a taste test of frogs legs. I will tell you right now...ick. It wouldn't be so bad if they removed the meat and breaded it up like popcorn shrimp. No they must bring out the entire lower half of the frog, feet still attached. I think that makes it more unpalatable than anything else. But I was a brave soul and I tasted it. Never doing that again.

My own Phlog!

Well following in the footsteps of Rick Lee, Toby, and Jared, I have my own Phlog! Go ahead, check it out, you know you want to!

Painting

Okay so it seems that I am on a blogging role today, so I might as well keep it up. Over the weekend I got bored (as sometimes happens) so I decided to do some painting. I went out and grabed a couple of pieces of old corral wood, sanded them, varnished them, and decided to paint something on them. I used oils and this is what turned out. Not to bad for my first attempt at a sunset. Yes, I do realize it looks like a rainbow, but keep in mind..it was a first try! :-)

Update: I fixed it last night so that the sunset no longer looks so much like a rainbow, hooray for oil paints! you can always go back and fix what you've screwed up!

Update

So I was telling you about a painting I am thinking about buying. Well Ron finally got his website up and running so I can show you the painting! Just an FYI in Gallery number 2 I think there are a few paintings that Jared, Toby, and John would like. Just passin it on. Anyway this is the painting I want to buy, its called Crystal Clear Rhapsody.

Umm

Its crazy what you can find on the internet isn't it. Apparently my headstone is located in Texas. There's usually the chance that somewhere out there someone has or has had the exact same name as you, it is a little unsetteling to see your own name on a headstone though heehee.

Pretty good holiday

I hope everyone had a really great 4th of July! Mine was actually really good. I got to ride on a Percheron (really big draft horses, like the Budwieser horses) in the Parade in Crawford, NE. That was great. He's about 19 hands tall, so when I stood next to him I was basically looking at the middle of his stomach, and really wide. I am a little saddle sore today, it was kind of like doing the splits for 3 hours heehee, but totally worth it! The picture is almost exactly the height (he's a little taller) and build of the Percheron that I rode in the parade
I also went to an art show and managed to talk myself into buying a $400 original oil painting. Its gorgeous and as soon as I have a picture of it I'll post it so you can see my new buy! I really really couldn't resist. The artist's name is Ron Nordyke, and as soon as his website is working again I'll put that up here too! He's even going to let me make payments on it so that the price tag doesn't infringe upon me buying it heehee.

Pictures

I've posted a BUNCH of pictures on my Flickr, including my tanking adventure, Hiking in Estes, and some pretty pictures...check it out, you know you want too

Its Monday

For the first time in my life I'm glad its Monday. This weekend turned out to be total crap. Thrus and Fri I was sick sick, then Saturday one of my dogs got caught in the powercord for my laptop and pulled it off of the desk so its now broken. Then yesterday I got thrown off of Applesauce, my horse. All around it was just a horrible weekend, I sure hope the next one turns out better.

Presenting the one...the only ...

I HAVE MY OWN HORSE!!! For anyone that knows me you will probably realize that I am very excited about this. I've wanted my own horse for as long as I can remember and now I have one. His name is Applesauce and he is a mustang. He was taken out of the wild in Wyoming about 3 years ago. Right now I'm retraining him to the saddle, and also teaching him some basic commands and reigning techniques that he never had to learn before. He is doing very well and I've actually been able to get on him a few times without him throwing to much of a fit. A good accomplishment I thought. He is around 6 years old now. Still in the prime of life but old enough not to be crazy anymore. And the best part....He was FREE! One of my friends adopted him out of the wild when nobody else wanted him. They no longer have time to ride him or work with him so they gave him to me. Now you may be saying how could it get any better?! Well let me tell you. Another one of my really good friends gave me a saddle for my birthday. So now I can ride him without hanging on to his mane, or falling off! Hooray. Always cause for celebration. That's about all the exciting news here, besides the fact that its May and now its snowing. Sad Day.