tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21131772501815063162024-02-19T09:18:48.090-08:00The Ol' Cleveland SteamerLife and musings from a quiet, little, mountain town.Chuckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09132120762740756288noreply@blogger.comBlogger66125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2113177250181506316.post-12730185487986367852010-11-01T23:58:00.001-07:002010-11-03T20:17:01.374-07:00<span xmlns=""><p>I realize part of my problem with writing is continuing to do so in a blog that no longer fits my life. I can't keep writing in something that doesn't match what is going on in my life. As much as I wish I never left Steamboat Springs, I did. I'm going to need to start a new blog, something that is more reflective of where I am, not where I've been. The old blog will still be out there for reference and strolls down memory lane, but this should mark the end. To all the characters and memories, it's been real. Onto the next blog: "<a href="http://talesofadventure-chuck.blogspot.com/">Tales of Adventure; starring me, Chuck!</a>"<br /></p></span>Chuckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09132120762740756288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2113177250181506316.post-20144562433453747742010-10-20T00:01:00.001-07:002010-10-20T00:01:54.028-07:00<span xmlns=''><p>I've finally got myself in a pattern when it comes to the gym again. It took longer than it should have for me to fall back into a routine and am now just beginning to see all that I lost. My core strength is going up, my stamina is increasing and to make sure I stick with it I have signed up for some long distance goals. In January I am going to run the PF Changs ½ marathon from downtown Phoenix to Tempe. It's all too not impressive 13 miles, but it will be the longest I have ever run for one period and I am pretty optimistic I can do it. Then in April I signed up for the warrior dash, a 3.5 mile run that has 12 obstacles (including jumping over fire and crawling under barbwire in mud). When you finish the warrior dash your reward is a beer and Viking helmet. The beer and the helmet was enough to get me to register. <br /></p><p>To make sure I avoid injuries prior to the marathon and dash I went to a custom running shoe store to get fitted for a pair of shoes that would complement my running technique (or lack thereof). During this hour I learned that I put the majority of my weight on my left heel (56%) and that I have very high arches on my feet. When I run, my ankles bend inwards and push my legs out which results in pressure on my inside knees. I have been complaining of pain in my knees for the last year and I am really optimistic that these shoes and insoles will help alleviate that.<br /></p><p>Granted the insoles and shoes set me back $200, there's proof in the pudding. I went to the gym today and just started running before lifting. I ran 3 miles no problem and when I finished the cool down my knees felt fine. It was such a relief to have ran that distance and not feel any pain. I even had the strength to do squats immediately after running. After the last few weeks of some fairly heavy drinking and poor eating I finally feel like things are coming together. As much as I write about the women in my life and how I feel towards them, I am making a conscious effort to just concentrate on me. There's a girl that I would like in my life and I cannot force her to be there so there's no sense in thinking about her more than I think of myself, so that's what I am doing one mile at a time. I feel better each day since I got back into the gym and since I've been pushing myself as hard as I have been I am seeing results. I'd write more but I got to put food on my table…stupid healthcare.<br /></p></span>Chuckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09132120762740756288noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2113177250181506316.post-42083521160001070902010-10-18T00:07:00.001-07:002010-10-18T00:07:36.413-07:00<span xmlns=''><p>I'm normally very very good at reading people. My first impression is usually the one that sticks. Six months ago I put in for a transfer from one restaurant to another. It the world of restaurants it was definitely a downgrade from where I was working previously but it was a change that had to be made, so I made it. When I first got there my immediate impression was that I had made a huge mistake. I looked around and I thought that I had reset and thrown away all the restaurant experience I had up until then and was starting over. The people who I was going to work with were nice enough, but no one seemed to be someone I would really want to know. There were cliques from day one. A few of the cute girls were all hanging together, apparently friends from school that all decided they needed more money and took up serving. I didn't think too much of any of them, except that I recall they all had poufy hair.<br /></p><p>We all broke midway through the first day for dinner and all the groups of people went their own ways. I went to dinner with a group of four, one of whom I knew, and ate pretty quickly. We still had some time to kill so we went and grabbed some frozen yogurt. Outside of the yogurt place there was a table where some of the servers were all sitting and chatting. No one really knew anybody so we all went up and said hi. I'll never forget what happened next: This very cute blonde girl (one of the aforementioned poufy-haired girls) looked up and with a very sincere and genuine smile asked me if I knew who I looked like. I've heard it before but I played along and asked who. Then all the girls chimed in, "Chad Michael Murray". I've heard this before and I gave my typical response of, "Yea I've heard that, and I really hate it." I laughed as I said it because I wasn't serious but then the blonde girl smiled and said, "At least you don't look like a Mexican Ross from 'Friends'!" and pointed to my eventual friend, Ever. I legitimately laughed very hard at this because it is actually a very apt comparison. <br /></p><p>That was my first, albeit brief, conversation with Katie. I'll admit that I thought the girl was very cute. I had actually heard from one of my previous managers that there was a girl named Katie who I would be working with who was "Megan Fox-hot". I didn't really know how to take that but this girl was definitely very pretty, but more intriguing than anything. She had a way of smiling when she turned her head that made it feel like she was thinking about you as she walked past. I noticed that right away. As the weeks went by I slowly became friends with Katie and her friend Lauren. Lauren was a pretty easy read. She was a young, cute girl who liked to party and was not all too concerned with much else. She was fun. One night when we were closing she blatantly asked me out of the blue "Do you like Katie?" I was completely taken aback by this question but tried not to show it. "What do you mean? Like if I like her? Yea I think she is really cool." Lauren's response was that she was asking about the bartender Katie, not server Katie (the blonde one). There was a sigh of relief from me, but also disappointment. I really wanted to think that Katie had put her friend up to asking me how I felt about her. It was at this moment that I first thought seriously about my feelings for Katie and that I must be starting to fall for her. <br /></p><p>Of course when I think I might start falling for a girl I immediately begin to second guess myself. I rationalized that a girl like Katie wouldn't be into someone like me, that she had plenty of other guys that were interested or that she was already seeing someone. It was hard to get a read on her, so I focused my attention on Lauren. I wasn't falling for Lauren in any way, but I was bored and she was cute so I figured if I couldn't have Katie then I should at least have a good time. Lauren and I flirted back and forth and one night we both got drunk and ended up in the same bed the next morning. Katie had been there with Mike, not with him, but they were both partying with us and were some of the last people standing from the night before. When I came downstairs everyone already knew that I had been upstairs with Lauren. I laughed it off and went on my merry way. This continued on for about a week or so and then abruptly ended just as soon as they had begun. During this time I felt a little ashamed, ashamed that I had these thoughts and feelings towards Katie and ran off with her friend. I eventually learned that I was correct with my initial read on Lauren as some people who knew her from her hometown would confirm. I was happy to be done with it and move on. I started seeing a girl who was nice and funny and cute, but the sense of intrigue and romance wasn't there. I hoped it would develop but it never did.<br /></p><p>A few more weeks went by and the summer was officially in full swing. That meant that everyone who was still in school could party just about every night and I would go out with them when I could. On one such night a girl Megan had some people over to her place and we all had some beers and some laughs. Katie was there, and we had been talking and flirting with one another the whole night. We went down to the pool to do some night swimming and the group we were with kind of broke up a little and I was left alone with Katie. In that moment I threw all the preconceptions, all my concerns and all my feelings and kissed Katie. I thought I was over her, I thought I was over my feelings but in one instant, with one kiss I knew I wasn't. To my amazement and my relief she kissed me back, and there was feeling behind it. I was drunk, but in that moment I was sober and wouldn't allow alcohol to cheapen what I was feeling. What happened next was a torrent of what I had been feeling. I told Katie everything that I was thinking, everything that I had thought, all at once. It probably didn't make a lot of sense to her but to me it was a relief to get it all out there. <br /></p><p>She told me she felt similar, but that she wasn't sure how to feel because of things that had happened with Lauren and I. She said she was annoyed that I was apparently interested in Lauren. I explained to her that this wasn't the case and since it was the truth I believe Katie thought me to be sincere. We kissed a bit more and then slowly retreated back into Megan's place and fell asleep. Well I did, I think Katie and Megan stayed up. Time passed after that night and Katie and I continued to flirt and make fun of each other at work. Cute little text exchanges, funny conversations would follow. Katie had to go home and get surgery on her knee, and I found myself missing this girl immensely. Work, a place I had come to enjoy, wasn't the same knowing I wouldn't see her there: No matter how bad my day had been, or even how good, seeing her smile <span style='font-size:9pt'>and</span> give me a cute face just made my day better. The whole month she was gone I was constantly thinking about her and texting her. We had some really great conversations about how we had similar feelings, missed one another, and wanted to see where things would go. <br /></p><p>When she came back it was an awesome day for me. I was so excited to see her that I couldn't think of exactly what to say. I just kind of stood there and smiled dumbly. I can't imagine it was the best impression to give her after a month absence, but it was too impossible not to do exactly that because it's how she makes me feel. My normal wit and charm and cynicism just melt away. She completely disarms me and I love it. <br /></p><p>Since she's been back we went out on a date once and I didn't want it to end. We kissed afterwards and I genuinely felt like she enjoyed it as much as I did. Since that time I've really only seen her at work, but we still talk and flirt with one another. I don't want to push things with her but I also don't want to lose an opportunity with her. I really want to see where things go with this girl and I am hopeful she still does too. I told Ever that it feels like I always have a 50/50 chance with this girl, but that's part of her charm. We will see where things go with her, one day at a time. In the end, even if nothing more happens, the way she has made me feel and the way she has restored calm to my heart will be what I take away. I wasn't sure I could feel the same way about a girl again, but she's proof that I can. She inspires me to be better than I am and work at being a better person. So if nothing else, I owe Katie a thank you, and hopefully a kiss, too.</p></span>Chuckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09132120762740756288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2113177250181506316.post-24309952839523389262010-10-17T20:42:00.001-07:002010-10-17T20:42:51.392-07:00October 17th<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:officedocumentsettings> <o:allowpng/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves/> <w:trackformatting/> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:donotpromoteqf/> <w:lidthemeother>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:lidthemeasian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:lidthemecomplexscript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> 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0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0in; mso-para-margin-right:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal">A little over a year ago I made a decision that impacted my whole life. I drunkenly broke up with the girl I thought I loved. After two years of a relationship that was better in theory than in practice, things were finally over. I didn’t want them to be after a few weeks of being alone and ran back to what was familiar but by then it was too late. The gravity of my decision began to sink in and for a very long time I think I was depressed. I didn’t know that I was depressed but I did act like I wasn’t; a state of denial really. </p> <p class="MsoNormal">What really hurt was that the girl I used to be involved with ran right into the arms of someone she worked with. This happened within two months and whatever scar tissue had formed over my aching heart was cut anew: From there I sort of lost control of myself. On the outside I presented a calm and collected front, but on the inside I was raging. This hurricane eventually downgraded itself into a depression and from there a constant drizzle, but it was still there reminding me of what I had lost and constantly wondering if I would ever find that feeling again.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Then about a month and half ago I had an epiphany: The problem wasn’t her or what I had lost it was my attitude towards her, towards life. I was looking to cover up those feelings with alcohol and women and though it worked as a temporary heal, the wounds would always reopen when my muse was exhausted. Being an out of control borderline alcoholic sycophant has it perks, but the lifestyle is old and redundant. There’s more to life than aimlessly soul searching for something you already have. </p> <p class="MsoNormal">So what have I learned on this journey of self-discovery and self-pity? I’ve learned that good friends are invaluable even when they are not there. I’ve learned that pain is temporary and its sole purpose is to remind us that we are still alive. I’ve learned that once you accept your mistakes for what they are you can move on. I’ve learned that negative emotions and thoughts are impossible to avoid but not impossible to overcome. I’ve learned that the girl I thought I loved didn’t love me. I’ve learned that I deserve more than a half committed relationship despite the mistakes I’ve made in my past. I’ve learned that some people find love sooner than others. I’ve learned that experience coupled with opportunity can present itself in ways you can’t see if you don’t have the right attitude.</p>Chuckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09132120762740756288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2113177250181506316.post-34897659834515975232010-03-04T14:00:00.001-08:002010-03-04T14:00:23.094-08:00I am currently in a two hour meeting. Please order one gun, one bullet and deliver it to my table, compliments of my employers. I'll be in the bathroom figuring out how best to self inflict a non-lethal wound with above ordered gun. Thank you<br /><br /><br /><br />Chuckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09132120762740756288noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2113177250181506316.post-2007051356959041612010-02-13T12:39:00.001-08:002010-02-13T12:39:13.798-08:00February in AZ is hard to beat. I will miss this the most when I leave, outside of the people, duh.<br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://blogpress.w18.net/photos/10/02/13/916.jpg'><img src='http://blogpress.w18.net/photos/10/02/13/s_916.jpg' border='0' width='210' height='281' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />Also, there is a hopeful pro athlete packing heat at the pool. I'll miss AZs gun laws too. <br />Chuckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09132120762740756288noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2113177250181506316.post-18908997091169782762010-02-08T22:03:00.000-08:002010-02-08T22:04:01.889-08:00I like being able to write my musings whenever I like, this is going to be good for this ol' blog. This blog can now be much more "real time", not in the Bill Maher way, but in the literal "this is what I am currently doing". I know people want to know what I am doing and thinking at all times because let's face it, who doesn't?<br /><br />It saddens me that I have not done a better job of recording my life. I'm actually envious to see the rewards others have given themselves by keeping up with their writing. In some ways I think writing is so much more definitive a captured moment in time versus a photo. A photo only shows you what is happening at an exact moment without much context. When you write something it gives you insight to how your mind was working and what you were thinking at that point in time. I think this serves as better reinforcement than a photo. But hey, photos are pretty swell too. <br /><br />Last night work was pretty good. Any day I walk out of there with more than $100 I count that as a pretty good night. It's funny because on all accounts I should loathe my job as a backserver, but I don't. I work with my ex's boyfriend, I get paid fairly poorly and work harder than most people there and yet I still have a smile every night for some reason I do not know. I do like the respect and recognition I get for doing my job well, but that's hardly my focus. I find my job easy thus it is easy to excel. I'm being moved up next week to a full fledged server which means I'll have to prove myself all over again but that shouldn't be too hard. Most servers don't have too much going for them and I'd like to consider myself the exception to the rule but then I have to rationalize that everyone probably thinks they are the exception to some rule. <br /><br />I promised myself I would never go back to the world of serving but plans change. Years ago I was graduating college, had a steady job lined up and a steady girlfriend. Fast forward three years and I still have a steady job (x2) but everything else in my life seems upside down from where it was. In my case change isn't something bad, it's something I've always sought. On the cusp of change again, I have every intention of leaving Arizona come the end of October. All signs point to Colorado, but I think I'd be happy just about anywhere, provided it is not a city with no culture and hellish summers.<br /><br />For now, AZ ain't bad. I'm just going to shift life into neutral for a few months and just enjoy the rest of my time here. Both my jobs are means to an end, an end I cannot wait to start. That is me being poetic and failing. This is picture is not me failing: <br /><br /><center><a href='http://blogpress.w18.net/photos/10/02/08/1226.jpg'><img src='http://blogpress.w18.net/photos/10/02/08/s_1226.jpg' border='0' width='210' height='281' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />Just kidding. That dude totally fails. I shared a plane with him back to Phoenix. Ick.<br />Chuckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09132120762740756288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2113177250181506316.post-61689331787382535292010-01-31T22:43:00.000-08:002010-01-31T23:10:34.356-08:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZvmcg2lUp363wGnDZsHwKTBJIybMc9CVCU9pRGv0S4y-m3oh3KL7saBulf-mbGWm74HRxIpvnIME5V-msh-CemFxg7f-rQ1I93anjCqdw00lNrujp8dHdWgy1hwcuqHSTDIREXvrR1jqY/s1600-h/342.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZvmcg2lUp363wGnDZsHwKTBJIybMc9CVCU9pRGv0S4y-m3oh3KL7saBulf-mbGWm74HRxIpvnIME5V-msh-CemFxg7f-rQ1I93anjCqdw00lNrujp8dHdWgy1hwcuqHSTDIREXvrR1jqY/s320/342.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5433166141631682818" border="0" /></a><br />I forgot how much fun having a modern computer is. I have been using an old frankensteined computer that I assembled from various other computers that were deemed obsolete for the last year or so and just forgot about the internet and computering and all the charm therein.<br /><br />NO LONGER FRIENDS. I have been trusting my impulses/gut all year (not saying too much since it is only a month into 2010) and went out and bought myself a trusty laptop. It's about damn time I had something that I could actually use and accomplish the things that I wanted to. I look at my lack of invovement with technology over the last year as a relationship that is the direct result of me having a defunct computer. Now that I have something reliable I hope that I am taking more pictures, documenting the adventures I will be partaking in over the next few months and just generally getting more digital satisfaction as a whole.<br /><br />This is just one goal in a big list for 2010 but I am making huge strides so far. The biggest one is moving to Denver towards the end of this year. As dumb as it sounds, havingthis laptop actually brings me a step closer, I think...<br /><br />I have given up all my worries and preoccupations that plagued me in 2009. I've made peace with my actions and demons and am looking forward to the future. Everything seems brighter in life when you have a direction. I guess it helps when you think everything is grand. It's hard not to smile to myself when I think of all the good things in my life. Every choice I made has brought me to this point and for better or worse I can confidently stand behind all the choices I made. Time is a great ally. So are beautiful Brazilian women.Chuckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09132120762740756288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2113177250181506316.post-79342683699650870702010-01-23T18:46:00.001-08:002010-01-23T18:46:32.489-08:00Departing 6:25 PMBeing able to write on the move is great. There's no better descriptor that I can really think of. <br /><br />I'm on the plane headed back to Phoenix from Park City. It's sad to be leaving but good to be coming home. Sleeping in my own bed sans Tim is just one of the simple luxuries you can't really price. I always tend to be reflective on airplanes, usually because I am next to a stranger and if that stranger is not a cute girl, I seldom talk to that stranger. This flight, however, I find myself sitting next to two of my best friends, Alecia and Tim. We're all kind of doing our own thing right now; Alecia is playing solitaire and Tim is jamming to music. I am writing this. I guess when you've been friends as long as we have there is a certain tolerance for air in a conversation.<br /><br />In a personal relationship I don't want there to be many pauses in conversation or have to think about what to say next. I've been fortunate enough in my life to have been involved with several girls where this was the case. For one various reason or another things eventually came to an end but each time I learned more about myself and what I am looking for. I used to feel the pressure of getting married and having kids and a mortgage and all the other adulty things that traditional western thought deems necessary. While I subscribe to this belief, I want it to be on my own timeline, not a predetermined one. <br /><br />There are several different types of people in this world, but I like to generalize them into two different groups: those who are defined by relationships and those that are not. Certainly there is overlap and again I am generalizing but I find myself in the latter. <br /><br />I guess it takes a certain amount of courage to be single, to try new things and not settle for something that may not be exactly what you are looking for. Now, granted I'm only 25, but I've experienced enough to know a little bit of what I speak. Even reading it over as i write this it doesn't make sense to me and I want to delete it and start over but if I'm writing it down it must be important. <br /><br />I've often wondered about everything I've written, both digital and paper, and whether or not the things I erased meant something. I'm making a concerned effort to not erase what I write. The pro is that I will have a better record of my thoughts. The con is that I will have scattered, poorly organized writings. Oh well. <br /><br />It's hard to say why I felt the urge to write just now. I think my line of thought was: friends are focused on electronics, should be too. Good opportunity to write, talk about writing. Remembered this was the only time in the history of my flights that I have had a hot flight attendant. I think about women a lot, I should write about relationships. I want to erase what I just wrote but won't. Defend why I won't erase what I just wrote. Explain thought process.<br /><br />This should equal a successful entry, right? I think so. Plane is descending as I write this sentence. As much crap as I give Phoenix and my continual desire to leave; home is home and I'm glad to be back. Work, relationships, responsibilities, all of it is just about 80 miles away and 30,000 feet below me. <br /><br /><br /><br /><p class='blogpress_location'>Location:<a href='http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Southwest%20flight%201608%20to%20Phoenix&z=10'>Southwest flight 1608 to Phoenix</a></p>Chuckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09132120762740756288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2113177250181506316.post-35805305269005984052010-01-18T09:09:00.001-08:002010-01-18T09:09:29.445-08:00Bro boardingWent riding in park city yesterday, managed to get my feet under me and also not destroy myself. Today, deer valley and skiing, I am not optimistic I will achieve the same results. More to come with pics, bro<br /><br /><br /><br /><p class='blogpress_location'>Location:<a href='http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Park%20City,%20Utah&z=10'>Park City, Utah</a></p>Chuckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09132120762740756288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2113177250181506316.post-36295083981357876002010-01-12T08:58:00.001-08:002010-01-12T08:58:22.027-08:00A torrid affairA couple months back I made the ultimate sacrifice: I gave up my verizon contract and jumped ship to AT&T so I could have an iPhone. I sacrificed a wonderful network with great coverage for all the bells and whistles the iPhone offers. I equate it to cheating on your girlfriend with a really hot, attractive girl that you may not get another chance with. Yes, I'm shallow and a terrible person. I blame it on working at a chic restuarant in Scottsdale.<br /><br />Seriously though, I can now blog from my iPhone!?! Everytime I think I am over my love affair with my iPhone, she finds a way to keep me coming back for more. I haven't treated her well in the past. I've had the misfortune of breaking the screen twice in about 6 months and both instances were remarkably similar. I was drunk to the point of blacking out at Casey Moores and being an ass. <br /><br />One time I walked home in sandals roughly 3.7 miles at 2am and made it home to see my iPhone shattered when I woke up at 3pm. The other time I made out with an Irish chick and tried to lick a girls face; all on thanksgiving. I am the very essence of class.<br /><br />I don't know if being able to blog from iPhone will be good or bad for her. I could see more breakage in her future, good thing I treat her like an abused wife who thinks she has done something to deserve all this suffering. I should name her...<br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://blogpress.w18.net/photos/10/01/12/350.jpg'><img src='http://blogpress.w18.net/photos/10/01/12/s_350.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='210' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br /><p class='blogpress_location'>Location:<a href='http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Aetna%20office&z=10'>Aetna office</a></p>Chuckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09132120762740756288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2113177250181506316.post-32616180484609981142010-01-12T08:38:00.001-08:002010-01-12T08:45:07.696-08:00January 5th, 2010I only made two New Year resolutions this year, which is exactly two more than I made last year. Judging by the way 2009 came and went, I probably should have made at least one: The year probably would have been less tumultuous for me had I bothered. Oh well, live and learn.<br /> <br />The first resolution I made, which I think will be exceedingly difficult, is to find the positive in any negative situation that happens to me in 2010. So, if I lose my job I suddenly have more free time to pursue other leisure activities. Should my car die, I now have an excuse to ride my bicycle more than I do (which is never because it has been at my friend Taryn’s house since March of 2009). I do not anticipate this being terribly hard right now, but over time, say July or something; I may just end up struggling to find a positive.<br /> <br />The second resolution would be to write more. Easy to say, easy to pen to paper, but actually quite hard to actually practice. I had a good streak going back in 2007-2008, but that eventually became like every other shuttered blog I have attempted to maintain that now litters the internet. Two things are going to be different this time. First, I am going to keep writing in the same blog. Second, I am going to will myself to write. Even if it is just a sentence or two, or maybe even a funny picture, anything that documents what I have been up or what I am thinking. I have discovered that I need an outlet, a way to communicate with anyone who will listen to all my gripes, quips and nonsense. Should I plan to avoid going insane in the distant future, I will need record of my musings. This may not prevent me from losing my mind, but it will give others a path to follow and understand should I eventually lose my grip on reality.<br /> <br />One of the unexpected benefits of constant writing is an enhancement in speaking ability. I do not mean rhetoric; I mean the simple of act of speaking better than I currently do. I have a bad habit, which is supremely disappointing to me, of swearing when I choose to relax with leisure substances (read alcohol). I am not against swearing, but I know I need to do a better job of utilizing speech that reflects my own intelligence and with focused purpose. Saying eff this and eff that is not effective communication. Using adjectives such as sick and awesome do not do moments justice, those words sour them.<br /> <br />Awesome is by and far my favorite word, but I may need to reduce its use in my vernacular. I would like to avoid trying to use overly complicated and flowery language masked with metaphors as well. I am not good at poetry; a fact I learned at about 4th grade. By that time I was acutely aware of my inability to string words together in rhythmic fashion. I could write poems that worked for the assignment that I was given and nothing more. I will never “wow” anyone with my sonnets. Sorry.<br /> <br />It’s not fair to just jump into my writing again as though I was never gone. I’ll update on my life today, so that when I do reflect on the year that has passed, characters and plotlines make sense. This isn’t a promise.<br /><br /><br /><br /><p class='blogpress_location'>Location:<a href='http://maps.google.com/maps?q=The%20desk%20I%20spend%2040%20hours%20a%20week%20at,%20sigh&z=10'>The desk I spend 40 hours a week at, sigh</a></p>Chuckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09132120762740756288noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2113177250181506316.post-20340967821707039812008-07-20T13:32:00.000-07:002008-07-20T13:34:04.602-07:00<p>Sorry, it has been FARRR too long. I would like to lie and say that I have been exceptionally busy, but that ain't the case. A lot has changed since my last post though.<br /><br />For starters I am back in Phoenix with all my friends and family, so that's boss. I am living with my parents currently, which is not so boss, but I will be outta here in no more than a month, if things work the way I want them to. Read sick house with friends and booze.<br /><br />My girlfriend is in central America, has been since the 7<sup>th</sup> of July and won't be back until the end of August, so that's a bummer. Alecia is in South America and won't be back until the end of October I think, another bummer.<span> </span>The harsh reality of not being able to take all these fun trips already settled and passed.<br /><br />The tricky part right now is to occupy my time, which I am finding I have much too much of these days. That is because I do not start my new job until Monday, my birthday. What better way to celebrate turning 24 then by going to work in an office for orientation! All jokes aside, I am actually looking forward to having a purpose to my day instead of just resisting the urge to daydrink.<br /><br />One thing I have done that I am quite pleased with is re-joining a gym. It's awesome to feel exhausted again, and not just from snowboarding. Going back to the gym means going back to old habits, protein shakes, eggs, and chicken. Arrange them in any order for any day and basically you have what I have been eating the last several weeks. My body is slowly starting to wake out of its slumber and return to activity. The irony being that I moved to Colorado with an intention of being more active and was not. The only thing I really don't miss about the gym is the lactic acid that builds up. It's what makes ya sore after getting extreme, as Trevor and I like to call it. </p> <p>There's something great about being able to pick up and just go to the gym and work out frustrations physically. As soothing as writing is, and as effective a tool as it can be towards the same goal, I guess I just forgot how much physical activity outside of sports used to be in my life. I am really looking forward to getting back into that habit.</p> <p>As Monday approaches I really find myself more and more optimistic. My friends joke that I have a generally pessimistic attitude towards everything, but that is veiled by my actual optimism and enjoyment of life. Pessimism is a device in which to exploit the comedy of life as I see it. I think about my life in September and I can honestly say that I am thrilled. I'll be in a house surrounded by friends, working a job that I can potentially make into a career, paying off my debts, back in physical shape and my wonderful girlfriend will be home. The only downer that I can see in there is that she is starting med school so that could put a strain on our relationship, which has been tested as of late. </p> <p> <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria;">This blog does not exist for me to rant about my relationship. Those privy to such gossip do not need to read it on here. After a long 3 weeks of doing nothing, feeling sorry for myself at points and heavy drinking, I think I have successfully pulled my own head out of my ass and come to the realization that I am idiot for thinking that in the first place. Plus, I finally have a stream of new music on my ipod now that I have my computer back. That means plenty of new hip/hop, girltalk, and anything else I feel like kicking it to, so hah! Off to the gym to go get extreme, happy Sunday ya'll!<br /></span></p>Chuckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09132120762740756288noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2113177250181506316.post-2132064404116152192008-07-19T22:58:00.000-07:002008-07-19T23:07:18.526-07:00hmm... so I wrote this whole nice post and cannot figure out how to make this work on Mac, stupid my lack of knowledge. I suppose I will have to learn how to make decent posts on a Mac and not fudge them all up, but no promises. I'll post it in a bit, sadly I am going to have to email it to myself and then post it via PC. Laugh it up cool kids that know how to use Macs. Sure, you look stylish and concerned about the environment (the latter I am not sure why, my perception), but I have Vista...sighChuckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09132120762740756288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2113177250181506316.post-85052505526002122352008-06-18T15:51:00.000-07:002008-06-18T15:57:49.190-07:00Ordered myself a long board last night off <a href="http://www.blogger.com/whiskeymilita">whiskeymilita</a> because why not? It was like 70 bucks for next day air so I opted for that and should be struggling with hills by tomorrow’s eve. This is going to be quite the feat since I do not know how to really skateboard. I figure that is just details and since long boarding is different in mechanics, I should fare decently since I excel at most other board sports. Skim, Surf, Snow, and now the final frontier, Asphalt/Concrete.<br /><br />I’m going to try really hard to continue my “don’t use my car attitude” in Phoenix, but Phoenix ain’t the same as Steamboat. I can get anywhere in Steamboat in about 30 minutes walking, 10 if I got a bike. As a side note I expect it to be about 30 minutes on a long board until I get that down. Point being, Steamboat is smallsville. Phoenix ain’t so small. And the temps are not as forgiving as Colorado. The flipside is that I have a bike in Phoenix and many friends, so the problem should work itself out. Maybe. Oh, and my friend’s mom is going to try and get me a job right in the area where my roommates and I are looking for a home.<br /><br />I can also further reduce driving by having a home suitable for entertaining. This necessitates the following criteria:<br /><br />*Tiled Floors<br />*Open and spacious floor plans<br />*Pool<br />*Yard, both front and back<br />*Dog, yellow or silver lab<br />*Proximity to park<br />*No old and crotchety neighbors<br />*Proximity to bars<br />*Space for poker games (read table)<br />*Kegerator and bar set up<br /><br />Looking over the criteria, I could probably forget the pool but would not compromise on a yard. First off, dogs need yard space to do dog things like fetch, and dig, and poo. Second, Trevor and I have already expressed our desire for a horseshoe pit. Third, you cannot play bocce ball without grass. Fourth, lawn chairs in rocks would not work and look stupid. If they did they would be called rock chairs. See how dumb that sounds? Fifth and most important, grass is hip.<br /><br />All these will contribute to people coming to me, and not the other way around, thereby eliminating both my excess driving and potential and costly DUIs. Not that I would drive under the influence, but I don’t always make the best decisions when I am buzzed: College serves as GIANT, 5-year example.<br /><br />Tonight, I plan on bumping some Lil’Wayne and sitting by the river until the sun goes down. After which I will watch the Real World because I know the new girl. I had to be reminded that I knew her, so it’s not that important, but I am curious to know how MTV weaves her story. Not that I have anything to compare it to. I used to be very good at not watching MTV, but then somehow shows like the Real World, Tila Tequila and the Paper reeled me back in. Sad, I know. I watch those shows for the sheer depravity of their characters. MTV has certainly mastered the art of finding and exploiting bros and hos.Chuckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09132120762740756288noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2113177250181506316.post-68437091852426248382008-06-17T20:21:00.000-07:002008-06-17T20:27:22.157-07:00I had a great little blog entry that I was working on, but it got a little too sciency, so I sent it to the draft table to revisit. I am pretty sure only <a href="http://www.suziessecrets.blogspot.com/">Suzie</a> would appreciate it. Let me just say that you and I Suzie, as cool as we may seem, are total nerds at heart because we both get excited about science. For me, outer space gets me hard.<br /><br />Having said that let me digress. I am slowly become an environmentalist. I wish I could say that it was not the severity of the times that opened my eyes, but it probably was. I wince when I hear terms like carbon footprint because it just seems too preachy, but I think I have made huge steps towards reducing my own. I haven’t used my car in over a week. It is sitting idle in my parking lot. I have been using reusable bags at the grocery store. I have been making an effort to recycle all my beer cans. And you know what? It feels really good. It’s nice to feel like part of a simple solution. I could be the variable in the following equation: 2 + X = 4. Figure it out. If you can’t, replace X with 2.<br /><br />Sorry for the analogy, but honestly it just seems that simple. It is the little things that people are just unwilling to do because they are lazy. I was like that for a very long time, but I think living in Colorado has taught me to really appreciate nature and our planet . Everyone here just enjoys the outdoors. Nay, they relish being outside. There is this connection that is almost primeval that brings people back to their roots. Humans did not start out in air conditioned houses in the middle of summer. They could not simply walk to a store to get food or flip a switch to get light. At the end of the day I think humans are missing that connection to nature more than they (I) will admit.<br /><br />I’m about 7 beers deep so I apologize for this entry. It makes sense in my head but it may seem like stupid rambling .Chuckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09132120762740756288noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2113177250181506316.post-21917552521707352762008-06-16T14:00:00.000-07:002008-12-08T14:00:42.517-08:00<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN-hdrN46W-iV3j2wZ_dCuoNkJZofLoTU5FY-xbigKlUjta_vJIsou09sqztIjOUUOksS2ovr2GU77OL6UCXFC-QwF1qjN9M6kwhCj7Wh3yZ2Sh5bPyr8scaVooPu8hbHporZiZeY6kSJ2/s1600-h/Image00043230.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5212588615450774370" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN-hdrN46W-iV3j2wZ_dCuoNkJZofLoTU5FY-xbigKlUjta_vJIsou09sqztIjOUUOksS2ovr2GU77OL6UCXFC-QwF1qjN9M6kwhCj7Wh3yZ2Sh5bPyr8scaVooPu8hbHporZiZeY6kSJ2/s400/Image00043230.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>I started running again, finally. It took me awhile to find the right day, the right frame of mind. I have been telling myself for maybe the last 3 or 4 weeks that I should really start running again. Not because I am fat, not because I feel like I am getting fat, but because of how it makes me feel. It’s good to get out and just run and work through all the thoughts in your head, not that I have any at the moment. If I did though, it would be soothing.<br /><br />I didn’t call my dad on father’s day and I can’t really figure out why. I thought about it, thought about if he deserved it, and wondered if he would even notice. I’m guessing no, but he is the only person that would really no. This may seem harsh, but I base this by his only form of communication, which is text messaging. Sporadically, maybe once or twice a month I get a text from him, in horribly annoying <em>little kid AIM English</em>. I am going to copyright that term, by the way. It irks me because I go to great lengths to make sure I do not include any of those stupid shortcuts in my texts. An example of our conversation would read:<br /><br />How R U?<br />-I am doing well, how are you?<br />Good 2 hear. Im good.<br />-Well that is good, how’s Texas?<br />Good. Wanted 2 say hi.<br />-Hi<br />Luv & miss u. TTYL<br />-Miss you too, Dad…<br /><br />Pretty sad huh? That is an actual conversation, might I add. It took place last Thursday, maybe in an attempt to goad me into a Father’s day something? I won’t take away from him that he’s my father, but he really has been absent in my life since I was 13, and it was by his choice so I don’t feel too sorry for him and neither should you. Besides, 11 years later I think I turned out pretty okay. I was reading <a href="http://postsecret.blogspot.com/">PostSecret</a> as I always do on Mondays; this morning it was a tribute (if one can call it that) to father’s day. I probably would have picked a more uplifting topic to write about had I not read that. Anyways, it made me realize that I could have had it a lot worse, a lot. Some dads are pretty shitty it turns out. I guess one of my fears is turning out to be a shitty father one day. It’s fun to joke about now, but in another ten years it may not be. Seems easy enough to avoid.</div><br /><div><br />Oh, and on a related note, the Lakers game last night. Did you watch? Did you see the halftime report that had a special on Bill and Luke Walton? The father who accomplished way more than his son? They were interviewing them on their feelings about being a father/son championship duo and one word sums it up: <strong>FORCED</strong>. I have not seen Luke Walton act more out of place than that interview. The kicker was that Bill Walton was smiling and saying really sentimental things to him and they bounced off Luke like a fat kid on a trampoline. Thank you <a href="http://www.nba.com/finals2008/index.html">NBA</a>, <a href="http://abc.go.com/">ABC</a>, and the Walton Family for reinforcing what I already know: Father son relationships are always awkward no matter who you are. </div>Chuckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09132120762740756288noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2113177250181506316.post-41802446807405019022008-06-05T10:39:00.001-07:002008-06-05T10:39:33.211-07:00The first time I had coffee it was one of those frappachino drinks that come in the 4-packs you buy in the supermarket. French Vanilla, I think. I took it from the fridge because I thought it was chocolate milk. I opened, tried it, hated it, and threw it away. Later I would get in trouble because it was my mom’s and she was looking forward to it sometime later. Whoops.<br /><br />I started to drink coffee maybe 4 years ago because it was the grown up thing to do. I was not one of those kids in college that would drink an entire pot of black coffee because they had to have it to study. I would have a normal-sized cup in the morning on my way to class, sometimes another in the afternoon if my first class was early. Over time my preferences towards coffee changed. Once repulsive without heaps of sugar and cream, I can now responsibly drink coffee with or without sugar. Cream is still in the mix, but I prefer milk, and not much. Actually, Krysten turned me on to soymilk in my coffee, so that makes my heart, and me happy.<br /><br />I think one of the things I like most about coffee has little to do with coffee. Whenever I drink coffee I get the sense that things slow down, things become simpler and I feel more relaxed. I equate this feeling to the association I have with coffee being a grown-up drink. Something philosophical is at play when I have that first sip. Maybe the aroma triggers my inner-philosopher. Do I have amazing thoughts when I drink coffee, no. Could I have amazingly deep thoughts if I continue to drink coffee, probably not. Do I think I could, yes. It’s a similar process when I drink alcohol, only with better results. Tony hinted around this subject and it got me to thinking why coffee has become such a social phenomena.<br /><br />Coffee, for whatever, seems to have a reflexive nature about it. The mirror inside is discovered and unlike alcohol, the conversations you have can meaningful and remembered. But yes, your breath does suck after drinking coffee. The scientist in me would call this an inverse relationship, maybe even a cause and effect relationship. Could I draw a statistical correlation highlighting the proportion of amount of conversation as it relates to the amount of coffee drank, yes. Will I? No, because the only reason I passed statistics was because I planted myself in a group of all Asian students with no public speaking ability. I presented, they crunched numbers. The scientist in me would call this a parasitic relationship; the optimist in me would call it a symbiotic relationship. The me inside me apologizes for this entry.Chuckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09132120762740756288noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2113177250181506316.post-8496299989497560822008-06-04T16:14:00.000-07:002008-12-08T14:00:42.680-08:00<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJneQHzU22AO1B3xvsibXn0tel1gQjuo23LKNrKZJlCKek1cW9h4YauNDrHCPcUgCSUPJgJSSTXoUktY2_cMrMm7a8CBZtpygxxHFfqU3S3YCdLhuXtrXfdt-byVTV4uWVeXkdDCsTtWeW/s1600-h/Kareem52301.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5208169111299033538" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJneQHzU22AO1B3xvsibXn0tel1gQjuo23LKNrKZJlCKek1cW9h4YauNDrHCPcUgCSUPJgJSSTXoUktY2_cMrMm7a8CBZtpygxxHFfqU3S3YCdLhuXtrXfdt-byVTV4uWVeXkdDCsTtWeW/s400/Kareem52301.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>I just found out that the Phoenix Suns have a supposed Jinx on them. Phoenix was created as an expansion team during the late 60’s, 1968 to be exact. That’s a 40-year history with no championships. Not a big deal when compared to say the Cubbies or the Red Sox, but when put in basketball perspective that is pretty darn lean. Under the microscope, Phoenix has had 17 50-win season, 3 60-win seasons and even made it to the playoffs in 27 seasons. Phoenix went as far as to make it to the finals twice, once in 1976, the other in 1993. Both had the same end result: Heartbreak.<br /><br />The casual observer would think that with all that success there should be a championship or two littered in those 40 years. Nope. As it turns out, Phoenix has had a curse on them since the very beginning, starting in 1969. Phoenix finished its first year of play in the NBA with a league-worst 16-66 game season. Milwaukee finished second with 27-55 season. A coin flip was used to decide who got the first draft pick for the upcoming season. The curse started the moment Phoenix lost their potential first draft pick to the Milwaukee Bucks. Milwaukee in the first round, with the first pick, selected one Lew Alcindor; better known to you and I as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Yep, the same man with the legendary skyhook and one of the most dominant and consistent centers the game has ever seen.<br /><br />Phoenix selected Neal Walk second in the draft. His claim to fame? Inducted into the Jewish Sports Hall of Fame. Since then, Suns fans have seen a series of bad luck; twists to a seemingly perfect season resulting in an untimely playoff exit. This became known as “the curse of the coin flip”. Original, I know. Couple Phoenix’s phenomenal bad luck with the fact that Phoenix has never had a dominant center and you arrive at a possible explanation for their playoff failures. Not convinced? Take a look at this and ask yourself why Phoenix fans consistently feel like they are getting the rub. Oh and by the way, Milwaukee, with the help of Kareem, would win a championship in 1971.<br /><br />In the 1969-70 season, Phoenix qualified for the western conference playoffs, squared up against the Lakers. Phoenix cruised to a 3-1 series lead over the Lakers, and then proceeded to lose the next three games. Why? Suns center Jim Fox suffered an ankle injury and Wilt Chamberlain went bananas. Center.<br /><br />The 1971 season brought a chance for redemption as Phoenix finished 9 games better than it had the previous season, with a 48-34 season. Unfortunately, the NBA decided to go to a divisional format and the top two qualifying teams in the Midwest division were not Phoenix; they were Milwaukee and Chicago. Had Phoenix been in the Pacific division at the time (where they are currently), their record would have tied for first place. Bad Luck.<br /><br />1976 was the year the Suns recovered and marched all the way to the NBA finals to match up against the Boston Celtics. Phoenix, lacking a dominant center (sub 6’9”), could not square up against Boston’s big man (over 6’9”). Gosh, Kareem could have helped there, being 7’2”. Center.<br /><br />In the 1977 season Phoenix was eliminated by Milwaukee in the first round of the playoffs. Coincidentally, the team that lucked out and got Kareem in the first place. It should be noted that by now Kareem was in L.A. Bad Luck.<br /><br />The very last year of 70’s, Phoenix met up with L.A. in the playoffs and guess who was playing center. That’s right, Kareem himself. 1979 would prove to be the year that Kareem would go on to win his 6th MVP award. Think some no name center can match up against a 6-time MVP. Me neither. Center.<br /><br />The Suns and Lakers would meet again during the Western Conference Finals in 1983, but Kareem was still there and still playing amazing ball. Phoenix continued to be haunted by the player they almost acquired. Center.<br /><br />After a 3 year losing skid, Phoenix had reached the draft lottery, the NBA’s most current form of drafting selection protocol. Phoenix would eventually learn that it would receive one of the top two picks in the 1987 draft. Guess who got second place again? Yep, good ol’ Phoenix. This new draft debacle would start a new rivalry with the team that got the first draft pick in 1987. It was the San Antonio Spurs. Their selection? A center by the name of David Robinson. He would go on to win Rookie of the Year, 10-time all star center, and MVP among other accolades. Oh, and he won a championship with the Spurs. Bad Luck and Center.<br /><br />In that same year, Phoenix’s prospect as a center, Nick Vanos, standing at 7’2”, perished in the Northwest Airlines flight 255 disaster, along with 153 others. Center.<br /><br />Phoenix’s luck seemed as though it was changing in the upcoming seasons, advancing again to the Western conference finals in 1989. Kareem and the Lakers were waiting, and they were still better. Kareem would retire after that season with 6 championships under his belt. Phoenix had none. Center.<br /><br />Phoenix finally bested the Lakers, post-Kareem, but blew both a game and series lead to the Portland Trailblazers in 1990. Bad Luck.<br /><br />The next 2 years brought Phoenix consecutive 50-win seasons. It also brought two playoff exits, at the hands of the Utah Jazz, then again with the Blazers. Thankfully this was the period in the NBA I fondly remember as “when the entire Western conference took a beating by Michael and his Bulls”. No bad luck or center issues here, we wouldn’t have won.<br /><br />Steve Kerr, who had his roots in Arizona (and is now coincidentally our GM), helped sink the Suns when they advanced to NBA finals in 1993. Charles Barkley won the MVP trophy that year but it didn’t matter, as the Suns would lose in 6, at home. Bad Luck.<br /><br />In 1995 Suns player Danny Manning (standing at 6’11”) tore his ACL during practice. Sure could have used him to match up against Houston’s all-star center, Hakeem Olajuwon, who also went bananas on a shorter Phoenix team. Houston would earn their championship the following year. Center.<br /><br />The Suns fell off the radar soon after this and flip-flopped a lot of their players, acquiring some big names, losing some big names. Nash, Kidd, Penny, Marbury all played for the Suns during this period and were all no more successful than their predecessors. Eventually Phoenix landed Amare Stoudemire, an eventual all-star who was paired with Shawn Mario and later Steve Nash. Phoenix brought in Coach Mike D’Antoni and re-wrote the way NBA basketball was played. Their new weapon was speed and transition basketball.<br /><br />In 2005 the Suns met with their new rival, San Antonio, in the Western Conference finals. Phoenix would lose as a result of losing Joe Johnson, who was a major contributor and an outstanding perimeter player. Phoenix lost 2 games by a couple of points, points that would have easily been rained in by Joe. The lack of perimeter shooting and a center that could match Tim Duncan, lead to Phoenix being ousted. Bad Luck and Center.<br /><br />In 2006, Amare Stoudemire was taken out of commission as he underwent micro-fracture surgery on his knee. That, coupled with the loss of Joe Johnson to the Hawks during the off season, proved too much for Phoenix to overcome and they fell in 6 games to the Mavericks, who they had on the ropes the entire time. The Mavericks would continue to finals and lose to the Heat, who Phoenix beat handily that season. Bad Luck.<br /><br />2007 seemed like the straw that broke the camel’s back. All the Phoenix players were healthy; Amare was back and as fearsome as ever. Steve Nash had just won his 2nd consecutive MVP, and the lowly Golden State Warriors eliminated the best-record Dallas Mavericks in the first round. Phoenix had the best record remaining and was poised to make a run at the championship. But of course, fate intervened. It was Suns and Spurs in the semifinals with Phoenix hungry for revenge. The Spurs took an early series advantage but the rout in San Antonio in game 4 was proof that Phoenix could win in San Antonio. Frustrated, Spurs player Robert Horry (who played with the Suns) checked Steve Nash into the Scorer’s table. Immediately, Amare Stoudemire and Boris Diaw stood up from the sideline bench and stepped onto the court. Because of this, Amare and Boris would be suspended for one game, Horry for two. It was later discovered that Tim Duncan left the bench on a similar play earlier in that same game but was not suspended. Thank you David Stern. As if that wasn’t enough, Tim Donaghy, a referee who officiated some of the Suns & Spurs games was caught to have been gambling on the games he was calling. He admitted that fouls were called to alter the game and favor his bets. Those games were won by San Antonio. UNBELIEVABLE BAD LUCK.<br /><br />All of which brings us to this year, 2008. A mid-season trade brought in a dominant center, Shaq, in exchange for Shawn Marion. Marion had recently come out in public about his dissatisfaction with the organization and was likely to walk by the end of the season, so Phoenix maneuvered a step behind L.A. who acquired a more agile center, Pau Gasol. Phoenix played San Antonio in the opening round and lost. L.A., with Gasol, will play Thursday in the NBA finals. Bad Luck.</div><div><br />Now you know what I know about the supposed curse that haunts Phoenix. And I’ll be honest; I’m getting a little worried it may be true. </div>Chuckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09132120762740756288noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2113177250181506316.post-47131873841705381602008-06-02T11:16:00.000-07:002008-12-08T14:00:42.875-08:00<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgySKAE0lo3odfsdqHZCwBtrbLNXwTDXsmpkEGgdIY6eDQNZukjw8EUG_wl9hzCoDHVsddiTK6VEQ9oMCOjwDlyQ4JAEk1rcj1l455JavpH6oJWTG1LbjdXNrJn4u6BGLR4Svr3XNjPdJa-/s1600-h/redrox.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5208437946186992082" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgySKAE0lo3odfsdqHZCwBtrbLNXwTDXsmpkEGgdIY6eDQNZukjw8EUG_wl9hzCoDHVsddiTK6VEQ9oMCOjwDlyQ4JAEk1rcj1l455JavpH6oJWTG1LbjdXNrJn4u6BGLR4Svr3XNjPdJa-/s400/redrox.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Traveled down to Denver this weekend but forgot to charge my camera because I am a dumbass and I still owe you pictures from Seaworld, so double-boo on me. I’ll get on that.<br /><br />Summer in Colorado is simply tits. I dare you to try and beat it. I will call you a dirty, jealous liar. The whole drive from Steamboat to Denver was breathtakingly beautiful. I think I was more awestruck because I am use to the drab and beige landscape that is the American southwest. Spotted with the occasional abandoned building or joshua tree, there is not too much else to note. Driving in the Rockies you can see some unforgettable scenery. Lush rolling green hills were capped with snow-tipped craggy mountains. Expansive ranges covered the landscape, with the herds of cattle watching over their bouncing calves. Further into the mountains waterfalls signaled the end of winter’s grip amidst protecting sheep perched out on the plateaus. The bugling of elk could be heard for much of my trip as they celebrate the land’s unyielding splendor. A stop in the eastern slope of the Rockies provided a glimpse of a roaming buffalo heard. I was rubbernecking the entire way driving maybe 50 miles an hour just trying to take in as much of it as I could.<br /><br />I met up with a couple of my fraternity brothers and their girlfriends in Denver. We caught up on each other’s lives post-college and reacted as though no time had passed at all. That night we went to downtown and barhopped the traditional hotspots in Denver, or so I was told. The night began to blur around 2AM, as it should, so we grabbed a cab and headed back to the ‘burbs. There, Mark and myself attempted to play guitar hero but it proved impossible in our state. Ashley, Mark’s girlfriend, decidedly kicked our ass before passing out. Ashley went first. Then Mark. Then I fell out of my chair and remained, so I went third.<br /><br />Mark’s mother cooked a gourmet breakfast for us, eggs, French toast, bacon, sausage, fresh fruit, OJ and coffee. Afterwards there were some chores that consisted of some light moving, then a quick nap. We made our way to Morrison, and if you have never been you need to make it out there. Ever heard of Red Rocks? The natural Amphitheatre? Unbelievable, and to be able to see a show there would be game-changing. We relaxed at a sleepy Mexican restaurant that had a rooftop patio that overlooked the foothills leading to the Rockies. Remembering my distaste for straight shots of tequila, we eventually retired back to Mark’s house where we had a nice and quiet evening grilling and sipping wine. An intense round of Bocce ball followed desert. We capped off the evening with a couple of rounds of Clue but I proved too drunk to be an effective detective (sick rhyme, I know) as I had crossed off all the rooms and weapons, so I had to ask all my questions again and by that point it was pointless as most were well on their way to victory. At least I got to be Professor Plum.<br /><br />The next morning we packed our respective cars and headed towards our 3 different destinations. Some were going to Florida, some were staying in Denver and I was headed back up the mountains. Before I left I went to a Lacrosse tournament and watched Mark’s team play a round. The Bandits, a group of 4-6 year olds, handily beat their opponents 8 – 2. Good for them. I saw Steamboat’s Lacrosse team crush their opponents and then I traveled back through the Rockies, home to Steamboat.<br />All in all, a good weekend. </div>Chuckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09132120762740756288noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2113177250181506316.post-66902556971136377472008-05-30T08:24:00.001-07:002008-12-08T14:00:42.951-08:00<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj60SdW7LobXxvltgIgezFQcrViqDBXlGshMU3J_w7mRsPXPoJKpRnEBMJ3tEv2Api8BmSB0x5Oeu38W9u3MJWu0yOigdggbF0e6kF4VBhgL-3u8BKRXLPDxDC32lHKAiwPeCpScjSo_iBN/s1600-h/clinton.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5206192301991463106" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj60SdW7LobXxvltgIgezFQcrViqDBXlGshMU3J_w7mRsPXPoJKpRnEBMJ3tEv2Api8BmSB0x5Oeu38W9u3MJWu0yOigdggbF0e6kF4VBhgL-3u8BKRXLPDxDC32lHKAiwPeCpScjSo_iBN/s320/clinton.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>I’ve seen the look on his face before. Typical college frat party situation: Guy hands girl drink. Drink is much too strong for girl. Girl indulges. Girl feels tipsy then starts dancing on table. Girl is having the best time of her life. Guy looks on, smiling. Girl keeps drinking until the fun has worn off. Girl feels drunk. Girl gets tired. Guy asks girl if she needs to go home. Girl innocently says yes. Guy smiles to other guy friends. Guy friends smile back; thumbs up are exchanged between parties. Guy drives girl to house. One-night-stand occurs.<br /><br />Hillary, how could you! Seriously though, this is a wicked funny photo. I do not know what the photographer was thinking, but this is not facebookable material. An appropriate caption would read, “OMG, I have such a wastey face going on in that pic, gross! I was so blacked-out I don’t know what even happened that night, lol!” </div><br /><div><br />Truth be told if I was fighting a battle I knew I would lose I would probably settle into a nice warm glass of whiskey, too. How else should one react when they are the clear front-runner prior to and leading into the democratic nomination process before having the rug pulled out from under them? It’s been fun Hillary, but all parties have to end sometime.</div>Chuckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09132120762740756288noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2113177250181506316.post-35820248527078285262008-05-27T14:20:00.000-07:002008-05-27T15:46:49.054-07:00Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull grossed $126 million in the box office this weekend. If I had it my way, Indiana Jones would have grossed $125,999,993 this weekend because I want my $7 back. The movie was disappointing to say the least. When I have kids and start to share my favorite things with them, they will be allowed to only watch the first three Indiana Jones movies, and even then I might take out Temple of Doom. I left the movie feeling simply betrayed. It hsould have been titled Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Greedy Director/Producer who Destroys Fond Memories. Or in short, IJKGDPDFM, as the internet kids would say.<br /><br />I never grew out of my love for Indiana; in fact, his character has sharply influenced my life. I remember first seeing Raiders of the Lost Ark and being captivated by Harrison Ford’s character. He was everything a hero should be, courageous, humorous, humble, flawed, dashing, and educated. No catharsis was necessary for you to relate to Jones Jr. Something about that movie struck a cord in me and I have been fascinated with history ever since. I was the kid who was 16 and still excited to go to Disneyland just so I could go on the Indiana Jones ride because I had never been, and loved every minute of it. And yes, I bought a $40 mock fedora. I wanted the bullwhip but it was a school trip and weapons were not allowed.<br /><br />Raiders showed audiences everywhere how “cool” history could actually be. Of course, when I hit middle school I realized that actual archeology was nothing like Indiana Jones but it didn’t matter since the message was already absorbed. I even pursued archeology as a viable major in college during my freshman year of college but then quickly learned my talents rested in other spots along the academic spectrum. Point being, the Indiana Jones trilogy inspired a lifetime passion in me, something not a lot of things can claim.<br /><br />I begged my parents to let me rent the Temple of Doom on VHS but they refused because they heard about the infamous ripping-out-heart-scene and decided that was not suitable for a boy who was four or five. I’m glad they didn’t, but that’s another story entirely. When The Last Crusade came out I was the ripe age of seven and my father took me to see it. I was amazed, even more than when I had seen Raiders for the first time. It’s still my favorite and in my opinion the end of the Indy series.<br /><br />Why is it the end? Because the two hour crap-fest that I was suckered into was nothing like the first three. It started off innocently enough with Ford making fun of his character’s age and his new limitations. It fit and I was thinking that this might work. Then, about 2 minutes into the movie when the mention of aliens first cropped up I turned my back on the feature. This wasn’t Indiana Jones. Indiana Jones doesn’t care about aliens or spaceships; he is more concerned about finding the cross Jesus was crucified on, or some other religious antiquity. Something human, something people across time can connect with.<br /><br />It shocked me to learn that the Crystal Skulls are real. The myth that there are 13 is also whispered among historians, so I guess part of the series was based on fact, albeit loosely. I feel saddened that kids who have never known the original Indiana Jones watch this and then think the others will be like this new, shiny, Indiana Jones. Ironic because Ford is anything but new and shiny. They might go back and watch the originals, maybe even like them, but most likely will prefer the new Indy to the old one. I suppose if it instills the same passion that Indy gave me then there is no harm done, but come on. I mean come on. The X-Files is supposed to deal with this garbage. The new X-Files should have paid for this script and adapted it to the adventures of Moulder and Scully, and then I would have actually liked it because that is what the X-Files deals with. The new Indiana Jones felt so foreign, like a one-night-stand. Sure, it’s fun at the moment, but when you wake up you’re probably thinking about the last girl you dated and missing that comfort because you are sleeping on opposites sides of the bed with your recent conquest and not in her arms. Then you hit the bottle. Wet, lather, wash, rinse, and repeat if necessary.<br /><br />I was really looking forward to this movie and I genuinely felt like a kid before I saw it, all giddy with the possibilities. Then, I felt like an adult after it was over. Maybe I’ll need to go back to Disneyland and go through the ride again to recapture the magic again. Then a trip through frontier land because animatronic presidents and ghosts are the shit.Chuckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09132120762740756288noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2113177250181506316.post-7572969747772172422008-05-23T16:00:00.001-07:002008-05-23T16:00:44.056-07:00Time for a confession. At some point in my life I would love to be an owner/operator of some rinky-dink ski resort with maybe a lift or two, a small lodge, and a pub. I figure if I am even remotely successful in my future that would not be asking too much. The intention being to run it for a small profit, maybe not even a profit if I could make a successful NPO out of it for teaching kids how to snowboard or something. Basically I would run it like a mountain should be run with the intention of enjoying the sport without all the commercialization that has plagued the sport. It happened at Silverton Mountain, so I am optimistic that I could so the same one day.<br /><br />Recently, a Czech company with U.S. holdings purchased an old ski resort named Ski Rio in New Mexico. I wrote a letter asking them what their intentions were and basically offering my services. Short of that, I asked if I could be allowed to hike the territory this winter and ride it to offer what little advice I could, a consultant of sorts but for free. That company will probably thing I am an idiot when I get a response, if I do. You can’t fault me for trying. You can fault me for being hopelessly optimistic.Chuckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09132120762740756288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2113177250181506316.post-58754014398622235932008-05-22T14:25:00.000-07:002008-12-08T14:00:43.340-08:00If I died tomorrow I would like to be remembered like this:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0NVfsfWnjY61PCrbowJI6gtOJHcAB7NWpZPRuyKFMR6M5bfvzBSskp1zGjKRBdRNMR9TModtb-_OlAlIsfVd45XLJd_8ZJozRlj9h6GVycWCcnubC6LquqDZBboI7tntOqYNZP1m-1fNc/s1600-h/boarding.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5203317594480904370" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0NVfsfWnjY61PCrbowJI6gtOJHcAB7NWpZPRuyKFMR6M5bfvzBSskp1zGjKRBdRNMR9TModtb-_OlAlIsfVd45XLJd_8ZJozRlj9h6GVycWCcnubC6LquqDZBboI7tntOqYNZP1m-1fNc/s320/boarding.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div></div><br /><div></div>But then People would complain that they cannot see my face so I would offer them this:<br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2_48cQq0EFkOZ8X-cRp36GThoLrauFo8CNQ1ivpyCiffg5UW_KV8s-yv6Y8VZ9AUOryW4mEQiJpoFbHY0zr6evChlXPKCqplTlBRaquW4Y4WWrvjUDVsE3hDgAqS_SHxnGzuM-xh8HzMt/s1600-h/bday.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5203317512876525730" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2_48cQq0EFkOZ8X-cRp36GThoLrauFo8CNQ1ivpyCiffg5UW_KV8s-yv6Y8VZ9AUOryW4mEQiJpoFbHY0zr6evChlXPKCqplTlBRaquW4Y4WWrvjUDVsE3hDgAqS_SHxnGzuM-xh8HzMt/s320/bday.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div></div>But they would more than likely have to remember me like this, fucking clueless:<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZizNeAkjyD-D8tWlF-HIYRSyoLN5GOVDM3aTCMkVXQEm8Kj2dAdbjmjzlNlhWuMGNfgTxNPipUE0r10rCivMMLtx8gu4IYUlqOSPRacw_UyC_S8kpUbIxJtVFfNgiEUDGLg9ItnzqWlNi/s1600-h/deer.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5203317362552670354" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZizNeAkjyD-D8tWlF-HIYRSyoLN5GOVDM3aTCMkVXQEm8Kj2dAdbjmjzlNlhWuMGNfgTxNPipUE0r10rCivMMLtx8gu4IYUlqOSPRacw_UyC_S8kpUbIxJtVFfNgiEUDGLg9ItnzqWlNi/s320/deer.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />AWESOME<br /><div><div><div> </div></div></div></div></div>Chuckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09132120762740756288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2113177250181506316.post-37076718996008949522008-05-21T16:15:00.001-07:002008-12-08T14:00:43.430-08:00<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK8TwbNvjnGgMKRqzU4P8X_KeKz0r1MCnwAM6WxmmSuuUAs3ATiFzgcysqn_BP8hVJdUtHcdeuJcqtvjvgm_GMOFQP-9_-fkvQi_x0BQn_0o8RhxlfZAVyBES4zq3O9C0acv18GNMJvPrE/s1600-h/sunpies.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5202973866354904786" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK8TwbNvjnGgMKRqzU4P8X_KeKz0r1MCnwAM6WxmmSuuUAs3ATiFzgcysqn_BP8hVJdUtHcdeuJcqtvjvgm_GMOFQP-9_-fkvQi_x0BQn_0o8RhxlfZAVyBES4zq3O9C0acv18GNMJvPrE/s320/sunpies.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Last night was nice. A trip to favorite local bar, Sunpies, with my non-Ukrainian roommate Doug. We had some locally blended hurricanes, sat in lawn chairs that overlooked the river and watched Kayakers go by. The highlight was a dude wearing a full wetsuit riding his surf board down the river, paddling ever son gently as he coasted merrily down the stream. He got the most attention. Most of the kayakers made jokes about being thrown a beer, so when we had enough we all threw ice at the next guy to say it. We all laughed, including orange kayak man with mustache. On the way out I saw a guy get pulled over and he likely joined club DUI, the least exclusive club around. Part of me was nervous seeing that and having had one drink, but then I thought, why the hell would one drink get me a DUI? Turns out I was right as I drove right past a cop. He was interested in other people, not me or my dirty Honda Civic. Doug suggested I wave to him, I suggested he shut up.<br /><br />Got home, grabbed a bottle of Mickey's finest malt ale and proceeded to drink that opting for a liquid supper instead of a solid one. Not a big deal since beer has limited food content/value. I played GTA IV for a bit, and it was fun. Something never gets old about shooting old ladies in the leg and robbing them. While I was doing this my Ukrainian roommate and I were teaching each other our respective languages. I forgot all of what he taught me, but I taught him what "are you hittin' that?" meant. He thought I literally meant if he was hitting the girl next door and seemed offended but when I explained it meant fucking that girl I could not tell if he was more or less offended. Eastern European facial expressions and body language are hard to understand and make less sense than one might think. He has a lot of stoic looks.<br /><br />I wrestled with the idea of taking a personal day this morning in place of work, but realized that it is all down hill as far as the week is concerned once Wednesday is over so I should just get up and go to work. I did. Took a quick shower, grabbed myself an orange that I thought would be delicious (it wasn't) and skipped out the door to work. Here I am, 7.5 hours later watching the clock tick by waiting for the magic hour, 5:00, to appear on the clock face. I did find some activities to do this afternoon which took up some of my time. First I started thinking that since I had been watching Jeopardy a bunch and getting a lot of questions right (at least recently) that I should apply to be a contestant. Well, when I went to go do that I found out that they have an annual test which you take and then if you qualify, take another written test in L.A. or some bullshit. I think I would just apply to grad school before that. So that didn't happen.<br /><br />Then I got to thinking that maybe I should apply to be a contestant on Survivor. That seemed like a good idea since I used to be a boy scout way back in the day and had some survival savvy.Turns out the application process is not too complicated. Just a paper questionnaire, a waiver, proof of a U.S. passport and a 3 minute video explaining why you should be on survivor. The questionnaire took longer than I expected and since I am OCD about my handwriting, decided the first copy did not turn out the way I wanted so I filled out the questionnaire a second time with blue ink. Much better. I had plenty of time to sit back and think up some good answers to some routine questions but couldn't help wondering how many other people would write down the exact same thing as me. The whole thing took me about 1.5 hours so that was nice. If I had my camera with me at the office I would begin filming my 3 minute video, but I do not so instead I settled for looking at other people's videos. This will be the most challenging aspect of the application process since I am in no way creative. Some of the videos I saw were extremely elaborate and some were not. This video thing just has the stink of lame theatre company memories from high school written all of over but I have till the middle of July to figure it out and piece it all together.<br /><br />I read an article on MSNBC that recommend you eat lunch at 2 during your workday to gain the most energy and be the most productive you can be towards the end of your workday. I think I messed up the results though since I bought an energy drink to go with my sandwich so I ruined the control variable (sandwich). I haven't had an energy drink in awhile though and it really got my heart racing as I sat at my desk. I was kicking myself for being full of energy and having to sit. Found a couple of local snowboarder's blogs from Steamboat today and threw them on the list. If you like snowboarding you may want to check them out as they give insight to both snowboarding and Steamboat.<br /><br />The only background noise I had for the better part of 3 hours was an HR strategy session going on next door to my office. Lots of spreadsheets, lots of PowerPoint slides, lots of wasted time. I am glad I am not important enough to be included in meetings like that. This probably has something to do with my always wearing a hat and sandals, never shaving and general cognitive distance that I display while at work. Or maybe it has something to do with the fact that I am the only employee that opts for a 9AM in time. Either way I get the impression that I am not taken too seriously at work, which is fine by me since I "still have my youth and should display it proudly" as my boss puts it. Whatevs I say. I spent the rest of my afternoon thinking of cheesy pickup lines because I think they are awesome. The best one I came up with goes a little something like this:<br /><br />Walk up to a cute/dumb looking girl at a bar. Ask her if she would like to see a magic trick. If she says yes ask her to write down her phone number on a cocktail napkin as a precursor to the trick. Ask her to say the magic words and then say, "My friends said I could not get your phone number! MAGIC!" Followed by "so when can I call you?" Pretty lame but it just might actually work. Try it out, I know I won't. </div><div> </div><div>We are suppossed to have thunderstorms the next 3 days :) I love those, great book reading weather.</div>Chuckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09132120762740756288noreply@blogger.com0