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Good Afternoon Ladies & Gentlemen,

This past week has been “The Big Move over to the East Bay” and we’ve been setting up the apartment, internet, all that stuff… and frankly putting all of our sh*t in appropriate places, but we’re coming along nicely. There are a few other things that happened this week though… we had another BJCP (Beer Judge Certification Program) class Tuesday night… but yeah, that was a lot of learning…

Izzy & I also watched “Gods of Egypt” starring Gerard Butler & Nikolaj Coster-Waldau in… frankly one of the most ridiculous movies that I’ve seen in a while. Basically it’s a movie based on Egyptian mythology… in that they take some of the names from Egyptian gods and various grunts & noises (Bek, Zaya, Urshu, etc) and apply them to a city made entirely of pasty models in front of a green screen and add a lot of CG that seems dated even by 1999 standards. It’s pretty bad… and I’m trying to be nice. I really am. Anyway, I’m getting ahead of myself. The plot: God of War Set (Butler) shows up at a ceremony where the King of the Gods Osiris is passing his title onto his son Horus (Coster-Waldau) but… spoiler alert… instead of just saying congratulations, the God of War kills Osiris (somehow, because he’s a God right?), whoops Horus’ ass, and takes his eyes out of his skull, leaving him blind… and then takes his woman to be his mistress too… like a f**king boss. So then we fast forward a few years, and there’s this British… sorry, obviously Egyptian thief kid named Bek (Brandon Thwaites) who tries to steal some sh*t (one of Horus’ eyes which is like… a glowing crystal or something) from Set… and it ends up getting his girlfriend killed… so now he teams up with the exiled Horus after giving him his eye back… so that Horus may or may not be able to bring her back from the Death. Oh… and we’re just getting start… we’re like… 30 minutes into this 2+ hour movie. It only gets crazier from here… but I’ll hold off on the plot points… save Geoffrey Rush has a giant blade of fire that he uses to fend off a giant worm from Dune from devouring the Nile. Needless to say, they’re not well thought out… and nonsensical… and again, the visual effects are just… I don’t know what the budget was exactly… but it wasn’t well spent. Director Alex Proyas (“Dark City” & “I, Robot” among others) didn’t seem to have his game on in this one. I can see why the movie was a colossal flop. That being said… if you like “300” then you’ll probably like this movie. Gerard Butler does that character well… some of the designs and shots are pretty cool for being completely obvious CGI… other than that though, I really have no idea what the hell I just watched & why it was made. I unfortunately cannot recommend it.

 

Next week, Izzy’s going to Utah on her first work trip that she won for being such an amazing employee… and he’s only been there for about 90 days!!! Truly amazing!!! She’ll be there for her birthday, leaving me behind to miss her… but I’m sure that we’ll get by without each other for two days… and we’ll just have to make it up when she gets back. Have fun beautiful!!!

Also while she’s out, we’ll be posting the next episode of the Everything I Learned From Movies Podcast featuring the 1999 movie “Drop Dead Gorgeous” which was suggested by OUR 1^st SPECIAL GUEST HOST, SALLY!!! It’s one of her favorite movies… and neither of us had seen it… so you get some real sincere reactions & it gets pretty hilarious! Check it out, let us know what you think, and let us know if you’d like to be a special guest host on a future episode… and we’re always down for suggestions. Until then, have a great day everybody!!!

Movin' & Groovin'

Good Afternoon Ladies & Gentlemen,

Yes, even more moving stuff… so not much really interesting to anybody out there… but some other things happened this week.

Tuesday night, Izzy & I started our training to become beer judges through the BJCP (Beer Judge Certification Program) thanks to our teacher, legendary homebrewer & fellow SFHG member Keith Kost and our gracious host & fellow SFHG board member Kevin Inglin at Ferment.Drink.Repeat (opening soon). This introductory class essentially went over the criteria of the scoresheet, the process of judging, and delved into the first few beer styles (essentially lagers & lighter beers… like Pabst Blue Ribbon was one of the tests). During the three hour class, we sampled different types… and basically I learned that I have a LOT to learn, especially in preparation for the blind taste tests and written exam coming up in July. Wish us luck!

Unfortunately that’s really about it this week besides all the other stuff with moving… forwarding addresses, packing up possessions, paperwork, lease forms, roommate BS, all that mess… and you don’t want to hear anything about that. Let’s be honest. If you do… let us know on the podcast because…

Time Travel Month continues on the Everything I Learned from Movies Podcast with our latest installment featuring “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III”. Yes, this is the 1993 movie in which the four legendary heroes go back in time to feudal Japan in order to save their reporter friend April O’Neill. As you may suspect, this movie is absolutely flawless! It’s acting, story, logic, all without reproach. Better than even that… it’s currently streaming on Netflix, so you can check it out, remember it for the first time (bad time travel joke) and let us know what you think. In the meantime, have a great weekend everybody!!!

Happy Mother's Day!!!

Good Afternoon Ladies & Gentlemen,

 

This past weekend was Mother’s Day, a happiest of times for all the mothers out there! We met up with Izzy’s mom and Izzy cooked her an amazing dinner of chimichirri seasoned steak, roasted Brussel sprouts, gorgonzola gnocchi, and an amazing salad… and for dessert, the currently streaming “Bloodsport” starring Jean Claude Van Damme! Here are some pictures…

 

This past week has been a lot of packing & moving smaller things around between the houses & storage unit… but Izzy & I were also able to attend the SF Homebrewers Guild’s Monthly Meeting at Barebottle Brewing. We had a special guest speaker, author & homebrew experimenter extraordinaire Mr. Drew Beechum who came and shared his wisdom. He’s a fellow podcaster (Experimental Brewing podcast) with his co-author / homebrew legend Denny Coon and they specialize in brewing experiments on a large scale to really bring home the truth & science of homebrewing… kinda like a “Mythbusters” but with booze. Sounds pretty sweet, right? We purchased a book of theirs called “Homebrew All-Stars” in which they interviewed some of the legends of homebrewing for tips, recipes, backgrounds, etc. Should be a great read!!! Thank you for coming to our meeting, Mr. Beechum!

 

We also announced the winner of the Muir Woods IPA competition that we entered. We didn’t win but we got some great feedback. It was really just a great, fun meeting… and here are some pictures of Barebottle Brewing again & the festivities…

 

Other than that, like I said… it’s mostly moving stuff… so pretty boring… except for the fact that I’m SUPER excited to move in with my longtime ladyfriend Izzy, share my life with her (and her pets), and also just be done with roommates. I’ve had some good roommates… but yeah, time to stop with that BS. Plus I love Izzy’s neighborhood, her home, and most of all her heart & soul… so it’s going to be EPIC!!! I can’t wait… but moving just sucks… period… but I’m also used to it so… here we go!!!

 

Time Travel Month continues on the Everything I Learned From Movies Podcast with 2003’s “Timeline” starring Paul Walker, Gerard Butler & Billy Connelly where an archeological team is sent back through time (using a hall of mirrors & bright lights) to save their professor… and try not change history along the way. If you haven’t seen this movie, it’s currently streaming on Netflix so give it a glance & let us know what you think… you may get a shout-out on a future podcast! Our review & jokes will likely make more sense too… and if you’re not interested in watching the movie, listen to us & hear all the best parts in about 20 minutes (and another 20 minutes of great stuff). We look forward to hearing from you… but in the meantime, have a great day everybody!!!

Makin' Big Moves

Good Afternoon Ladies & Gentlemen,

 

Sorry it's been so long... I've been really busy... and unfortunately pictures aren't downloading right so... a brief recap, picture-free... my apologies.

 

Last Wednesday night was the first test taste of our newest Torpedo Clone / India Pale Ale batch… and honestly, it’s pretty damn good. Now, it’s not super hoppy, which is good because then we’ll drink it pretty quickly… but it’s definitely hoppier than our Pale Ale that we’ve made in the past. I’m pretty impressed with ourselves. We'll see how it fares in the SFHG competition.

 

My Mom also came to town this past week due to my fast approaching birthday… and frankly I think she just misses me. We got to hang out on Friday, basically the usual trip out to the Taco Bell in Pacifica (oddly enough, her favorite spot here in the Bay Area) and then we went to the DeYoung Museum to see a bunch of dresses by Oscar de la Renta… enthralling!!! Here is where pictures would be... but they're dresses... and I'm a Man.

 

Friday night was my company’s Anniversary Dinner and it was pretty good. Izzy was my +1 and looking super hot as always… we ate prime rib, mock sushi & pork belly… we cut up the rug… and we were back before too late to hang with my mom. I don’t really have any pictures of that… but may have some later.

 

Saturday was Steve-toberfest!!! Yes, the annual celebration of my glorious birth in which friends & family from around the globe flock to the Bay Area to drink beer, enjoy great food & just have a helluva good time!!! There were about a dozen of the best people in my life that came to hang… and a great time was had by all. I’m always a little impressed with all of the wonderful people that I’ve been able to surround myself with in my truly blessed life. It humbles me… at least for a few moments… but seriously, you’re all amazing and I love & miss all of you. No pictures of this one either… the drinking started early & it involved “Exploding Kittens”.

 

Sunday, my mom FINALLY got to meet Izzy’s mom… and we hung out with her aunties for dinner… and Sunday was pretty good.

 

That is… at least until the usual roommate shenanigans started up again over the next few days this past week… and a whole bunch of other negativity that I’m just not going to delve into… but the long & the short of it is… wait for it… IZZY & I ARE FINALLY MOVING IN TOGETHER!!! Essentially, I’ve found the love of my life… we’ve basically been living together for the most part across both homes… it’ll save us a bunch of money… and I’m just f**king sick of roommates, especially when they’re catty little c*nts in their 20’s who have never lived without a parent cleaning up for them & simply cannot take care of themselves. Therefore, over the next month or so… I’m going to be moving after over five years in the latest place… but yeah, I’m done with that sh*t. On to the next one… let’s see what else is out there…

 

The new episode of the Everything I Learned From Movies podcast has posted… and we WERE going to have our FIRST SPECIAL GUEST… but unfortunately due to a lot of that negative jibber jabber, IT DIDN’T WORK OUT!!! Spoiler alert: the guest was going to be my Mom… and the movie that Izzy & I discuss on this special birthday episode is the 1986 classic from my childhood, “Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend” starring Sean Young, the Greatest American Hero, Edward the Longshanks and… BABY!!! The namesake of my 1969 Pontiac LeMans!!! Be sure to check this episode out, and of course subscribe & follow us on all the social mediums. Until then, have a great day everybody!!!

I'm Here!!!

Good Afternoon Ladies & Gentlemen,

I know, I know… it’s been too long. Let me assure you, I’ve been insanely busy transporting my life from Tahoe to San Francisco. For example, that first weekend, I went down to San Francisco & checked out apartments… about a dozen in total. For those who don’t know, you kind of audition to be a roommate or to get an apartment in the city because, I guess demand’s pretty high and they want to make sure that you’re a good fit. It’s different to me because every other time has been, “Do you have a check that you can write me?” “Yes.” “Congratulations! You’ve been approved!” So then… we played the waiting game.


That Saturday night, Bubbles, myself & her roommate’s friend went to a club called Icon… did some dancing, had a few drinks, good times… then I drove Bubbles home a little early because she started turning pale. Not good. I think it was just the heat of the club because after a little fresh air and sitting, she was just tipsy. We still had fun until that point though.


Sunday was more apartment investigation, then Bubbles & I went on our way to the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl at AT&T Park. Unfortunately just before kickoff, we were having dinner… and Bubbles started having a migraine...so I figured the last place to take her would be a football game with 40,000 screaming fans… so I took her home and we watched some movies instead. Apparently it wasn’t that good of a game anyway.


Instead I watched “Dirty Dancing” for the first time… which is her favorite movie & made her feel better… except for when I threw out a few comments about the movie. What can I say? The soundtrack is great… and chicks seem to love it. Really. I’m pretty sure that it’s the favorite movie of at least one in three women. Go ahead and ask around. Test my theory. It’s basically the equivalent of “Scarface” to men’s favorite movies… and the opposite sex usually just doesn’t “get it” when it comes to the other. Don’t get me wrong, I liked it. There’s dancing, a steamy love story between a young teenager and the older bad boy in tight pants, the annoying older sister, the dad who would do anything for his baby (and by the way, the dad is awesome in that movie… and I think acting perfectly rational throughout), and did I mention the soundtrack was awesome? Is it a favorite of mine now? Hell no… but if it makes the ladies happy, you can’t hate on it.


After that, was the first week at the new job, meeting all the new faces, learning all the new tricks of the trade, getting lost in a maze of offices & back hallways, but through it all the new coworkers & bosses were amazing… and I’m really picking it up quickly. We’ve even already hung out after work a few of the nights at my new favorite bar, Grumpy’s. It’s a nice pub atmosphere place, kind of a locals dive… but the service is great, drinks are affordable, and it’s convenient to my new office so that I can get a quick drink (or two) after a long stressful day. By the way, did I mention that I actually have an office now? Sure it’s a glorified windowless closet in real life… but it is my office… and it has plenty of shelf space for my stuff so it’s not all on my desk in a mess.


Oh… a few days into the work week, that’s when I got the offer for the room that I was hoping for… but there was a catch, the people currently living in it had to get word from the apartment they were looking to move into… but it’s basically the perfect situation for me. It’s the master bedroom (11’ x 13’) with plenty of closet space & my own bath with shower, shared four bedroom, and the other three roommates are all college educated females in their 20’s & not a whole lot more than the clothes on their back. I’m not joking. It’s just about the perfect situation for me, I think. Mostly because I have a lot of sh*t… but also, the roommate situation might be very interesting, you know, living with girls… and being outnumbered. Oh… and oddly enough, it’s less than a block from Bubbles’ apartment. I looked at over a dozen places in the Presidio, about 10 square miles, and the place that calls back with the best offer is a block from my buddy. Like I said… perfect situation for me.


That next weekend, Bubbles & I drove to Tahoe to meet up with my mom, my cousin Alicia & my Tahoe roommate W to pack up my crap, load it into the moving van & then drive it down to San Francisco (still unaware of where it was going to be stored since I was awaiting word on the new apartment’s availability). So why did I do it? It was a GORGEOUS weekend in Tahoe, my mom was going to be there anyway (previous trip planned) & frankly, who knows how the next weekend would be. It worked out for the best though. Everything went smoothly… except for us having a little too much wine maybe… but still good times. Also, the first time that Bubbles met my mom… and she hearts her, of course. What’s not to Love?


The next day, we had breakfast after a late rise (again, wine) and then W helped me load the few heavy items that I had, then it was basically me loading most of the stuff into the van while they cleaned afterwards (because I want my deposit back). It took a while… because I have a lot of stuff… but we got done around sunset & were on the road by 5 PM after a hug goodbye. Bubbles followed behind me in Gretchen… and when the last four moves that I’ve helped with were over 4000 miles combined (three for me & Filly’s), this 200 miles was nothing. We were back to the City by 9 PM and ordering Chinese from Ho’s.


The past few days, I’ve just been waiting to get the word to move into the new apartment (and getting charged $50 a day while waiting) and I’ve only met one of my new roommates… but it’s back to work as usual & exploring the city. I’m really enjoying it… except that I need to get moved in soon. I don’t want to be a burden on Bubbles & her roommates… and they’ve been more than incredible in helping me. I just don’t want to wear out my welcome… and I’ve been sure to give Bubbles her space the past few days. I’m sure she’s pretty much sick of me by now… but hey, I know they understand. We had the discussion when I first showed up that I don’t want to be in their way any more than I have to… and I’m willing to buy dinner, pay rent, etc. but they seem cool with it. Maybe it’s just me being paranoid or something. Why do I care what other people think so much? I should be independent of that by now, right? I pretty much am… but I just keep going to new towns on new adventures… so there’s always new first impressions… and I’d just prefer them to be good ones.


At this point, I would just like to thank everybody who made this all possible… especially Bubbles. Without her, I wouldn’t have known about this job opportunity, wouldn’t have known much about the area from my previous visits, wouldn’t have had a place to crash in the area that I was looking for apartments (and would’ve been MUCH more expensive than it already is), wouldn’t have had someone to show me around the office & introduce me to people, wouldn’t have had as much help moving this past weekend, wouldn’t have had someone to bring Gretchen while I drove the van, wouldn’t have had someone to hang out with after hours & share laughs with while I’m so stressed out, and now you can probably see why she’s sick of me. Like I said, we’ve basically been side to side for nearly two weeks. Anyway, I can never repay you for helping me during this past month… but I’ll certainly try.


Also, my mom, my cousin, my roommate W, all the people at work, everybody out there for supporting me & giving me suggestions & advice, I really do appreciate it… and I’m incredibly excited for the new possibilities that this city has to offer. I’ve already met some fantastic coworkers, someone in the movie industry, a few great bartenders, some of my neighbors while out walking Brutis, & am still finding all the things like… the closest grocery store, delivery places, dry cleaners, hospital, etc. but once I get moved in, it’ll all fall into place like a great puzzle… and I’m curious to see how it turns out. Sure, I miss Tahoe a little bit… but I’m just so excited about my future here… and new experiences… and even the “bad things” about the area like the fog & the rain… really not a big deal to me at all. So yeah… that’s what I’ve been up to in a brief summary. Can’t wait to show you all the pictures… like this one of how much crap I have still…



Have a great day everybody!!!

Fortune As I Desire

Good Afternoon Ladies & Gentlemen,

Well… it’s basically the eve before I go to San Francisco to look for a home (or at least a temporary residence). One more day at work… and then leaving after so that I can hopefully avoid the storm coming in this weekend. Then after a weekend of searching The City for a future pad with or without roommates, then I get an evening of relaxing chaos at the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl (GO WOLFPACK!!!), then start the job at the new office bright & early on Monday morning. Next weekend will hopefully be the Big Move… but first, I have to find a forwarding address. I cannot tell you how incredibly excited I am for this move… and the last few days at work have been INSANELY busy… so it’s made it very easy to walk away from… I can’t lie, I kinda had a f**k it attitude at moments… but I’m a professional & set them up VERY well for some time to come. I will miss all the ladies & gentlemen that I worked with for the past year or so… and though it’s been a sudden switch, it was a difficult decision to make… but it felt like something that I simply had to do… and the time was right (for me, not necessarily the Tahoe office, but whatever, they had their chances).

Now I go to a new opportunity to explore a new city in depth, a job that pays pretty well, meeting new people, experiencing new cultures, there’s so much to do, I seriously already have four concerts (Albino, George Clinton with Parliament Funkadelic & TWO Richard Cheese) in the next six weeks that I KNOW I’m going to… and a football game this weekend. I’m really excited about the new office I’ll be working in and learning & growing with the company, as well as an individual as I hope to get back into doing things that bring me joy… like charity, spending time with great people, working out more, playing basketball & just enjoying all the things around me. Obviously I’ve felt a little lonely & isolated here in Tahoe… but I have a feeling that’s going to change here in the next few weeks. 2011 has already been pretty fantastic so hopefully it will only get better… and maybe some of my good vibes will rub off on Bubbles, as she’s apparently had a pretty sh**ty year so far… but that’s what I’m here for, right?

The real joy of my life is bringing joy to others… and I feel like I’ve been missing that. There have been a few instances where I can make people at work laugh, the roommate loves my sense of humor (watched “Boyz N the Hood” last night & let’s just say, I have a way of breaking the drama) & I can usually make people laugh over the phone… but they’re usually few & far between. I really can’t wait to get out there and see what’s going on in The City and (knock on wood) maybe stay there for a while as at least a pseudo-home. This being a wandering gypsy thing is tough when you have a lot of crap & nobody to share your experiences with (except both of you who read this thing) but you know me, I’d like to establish some roots, maybe set up a family down the line, but I’m pretty free spirited & anything’s a possibility at this point. Oh well, time will tell where this journey leads me… but I’m excited for the next few steps. I really hope that I find a fantastic living situation for me this weekend… and I hope that you all get to visit & let me share my experiences with you. Wish me luck!!!

Fortune Cookie of the Day - "You will have Fortune as you Desire... in bed!!!" - Guess who's gonna be bangin' on a pile of money in the near future... Have a great weekend everybody!!!

Another Pros & Cons List

Good Afternoon Ladies & Gentlemen,

Well, as promised, some possibly HUGE news. There's a new job opportunity that has come up that has great potential for growth & a significant pay raise within the company. The catch is... that it's in San Francisco. I know what you're thinking. "$teve, you love Tahoe. You love your job. Why the hell are you even considering it?" Well, you're right. I do love my job... very much so, even if they may not pay me what I'm worth, I really enjoy the people I work with, the responsibility that my job entails & the experience that I've gained from it. I do love Tahoe... in the summer. I don't have all the details yet, so this is still preliminary... but I just thought I'd give you the heads up, that your boy Dr. Mookie Love may be taking his talents to South Beach... er, San Francisco. There's quite a number of steps between here and there though... so let's break it down. As usual, when I have a possible life-changing decision, I do two things: First, I make a list of Pros & Cons. Second, after doing some research, I contact my Board of Trustees (family & friends) and see what they think about the idea.

Bubbles told me about the opportunity on Monday, so she's obviously in favor of the idea. Or as she put it, "We'd be like peas & carrots again." Obviously referencing one of my favorite movies. The Wingmans, JL Clyde, K-Fish, Lilie, all seem to be in favor of the idea, thinking that the city would appeal more to my social nature... and I really don't like being snowed in for half the year and barely making ends meet financially. My mom really liked the idea too. She's obviously a little scared of her baby boy in the big city and everything... but I'm sure she won't mind visiting from time to time... any time of year. I even talked to Boss Man K... and he was very supportive of it... even when he knows the amount of work that he would be taking on, especially in the short term until he found someone (or four) to replace me.

My dad was the first person to tell me that I may be f**king crazy. I actually didn't tell him about the idea until late last night. He response was pretty much what I expected, which was why I wanted to have information first... but since it was early on, I didn't want it to be an all of a sudden thing. So I told him. "WHAT? SON, NO!!! Sigh... where is this job?" "San Francisco." "WHAT? Are you f**king... WHY?" So I told him about the job opportunity, that I already knew about the cost of living differences, the details were coming & it was just a thought, blah blah blah. "You know... you get like this everytime that you get snowed in. You know that, right?" Well, to look back, moving to Denver was after a futile 6-month search in Vegas at the beginning of the recession. Then the reason for moving back to SLC was not having a job for me in Denver. Then moving out here was because I didn't like being on the bottom of the totem pole again & I had an opportunity to open an office here in this paradise. He's not a huge fan of traffic & large numbers of people... and San Fran has that. He's also scared of his man-child in the big city. That's just the way parents are. He also REALLY doesn't want to help me move... and I can understand that. The thing is... I've grown up in Utah, lived in Denver, I'm not a huge fan of the snow. In Utah, it wasn't that bad... but it gets ridiculous sometimes here... and ice is even worse. If I were a skier & loved that stuff, then this would be perfect for me... but that's not the case. I've been out here a year. I absolutely love the summers, but I find myself tolerating the winter (mainly because of white gold & it's why I have a job here) and it's awfully lonely. I have a few friends but... it's mostly families out here & all the young'uns are matched up. So in the end though, "Son, you know I love you... and I'll support whatever you decide. Get the details, let me know what you decide, and we'll work it out." He even made a joke, "You know, my leg's all healed up now so I guess that means it's time for you to move again." Referring to when he decided to put a hole in his leg helping me load the LAST THING into the moving van when he helped me move here last year.

So yeah, now comes the list of Pros & Cons for this new opportunity / adventure. Here's how I have it broken down, but feel free to make mentions of other things that I might've missed.

Pros - Going to San Francisco
- Great job opportunity with advancement possiblities
- City of culture, excitement & lots of bridges
- Always something to do at any hour
- Single Women!!! - It seems like Alaska here sometimes
- Bubbles - It's always good to have good friends
- Family & friends will visit often & year round
- Three int'l airports with 45 minutes (and a cruise port)
- Public Transportation (less gas expense)
- I can bike year round (and play basketball & stay fit)
- B**ches... by which I mean beaches
- Napa, Half Moon Bay & Napa are less than an hour away
- Monterey & the Redwoods are two hours away
- Yosemite & Tahoe are three hours away (for summer)

Cons - Staying in Lake Tahoe
- Great job with people I enjoy working with already
- Fresh mountain air
- Less likely to get hit by a tsunami (I like the high ground)
- The Lake is gorgeous (but the ocean is in San Fran too)
- Cost of living is lower (but moreso are the wages)
- I don't have to move (that's a big one)

I'm sure there are many more for both sides that I'm just not typing fast enough or something... but that's a good start. So you see the dilemma, I take it. I like where I'm at... but I don't love it. Is it time for a new adventure? Already? Well, I'll keep you posted on events over the next few days (as much as I legally can) but I'm starting to get a little excited at the idea (except the moving part) but again, not all the details are in quite yet. There has to be enough force to break this ionic bond that I have to this place... but the lowering temperature probably helps with the threshold. Anyway, have a great evening everybody!!! I've got some thinking to do...

Off Like A Prom Dress

Good Afternoon Ladies & Gentlemen,

Well, I'm all packed up and ready to go. The best part was...I've come to the conclusion that I've been under the weather the past few days (thanks Barbie) but I've been too damn busy to realize it other than for the occasional cold sweats. Not fun...but hey, sh*t has to be done, right? On top of all the packing and what-have-you, I've also been thinking a lot. I typically think a lot...like all the time...but this past week it's been about...well, everything. Obviously I'm a little concerned about the move...and that's to be expected. Obviously help from my family & friends and a lot of research over the past four months or so has helped out immeasurably. However, this week, I was mostly thinking about WHY I was moving to Lake Tahoe.

As you may know from reading this blog for a few years (I'm sure there's one or two of you out there), my family is very important to me. My parents are amazing...but then again, what else would you expect from Batman & Wonder Woman? Even my stepparents are awesome...though one's a witch and the other's a sloth...but they're great parents and always there if I need somebody to talk to. My brother's really blossoming into a great guy...and you know that I have the most adorable nieces & nephew in all of the world. I have the most incredible network of friends & family that a man could ask for. What does this have to do with anything? They're all centered here in Slick City. The only person that I know within an 8-hour drive of Lake Tahoe...is my stepsister & her family who live in Carson and I really only see her on Christmas. Why in the hell would I want to leave all of them behind? What could possibly motivate me to just pack up and leave a perfect situation where I'm completely surrounded by family & friends? Not only that...but it took me about three seconds to accept that job in Lake Tahoe once it was offered. Even that seemed like a little longer than necessary...but why?

Is the job paying me more? Of course it is. Why would I even consider it otherwise? However, the cost of living is more there in Truckee as well...so really, I'd say it's pretty much even keel with what I'm making now (which mind you is substantially less than it was before I moved to Denver this time last year). So it's not the money that's motivating me. The job itself is exciting and the team I'll be working with seems like a great group...but it's basically just a return to what I was doing in Denver...or here in Slick City for years before that. So it's kinda the job...but then again, there are plenty of ways to make money for a hustler like me...especially one with flexible morals like myself.

Am I running away from something? Not at all. I don't have any crazy ex-girlfriends or ex-wives, baby mamas trying to get child support out of me, angry husbands looking for the man with the tattoo of a smiley face on his ass cheek, anything like that. Hell, if anything, I'm running TOWARDS responsibilities by basically being on my own...which thinking about it really isn't what I want to do...but hey, I'm a 28-year-old man now. It was bound to happen. Basically, I'm going into a new town, new job, new surroundings, alone and basically scared sh*tless because I'm leaving everything & everyone that I've ever known...and going live in the same place where the Donner Party was forced to eat each other during peak tourist season. So the question remains...

WHY AM I DOING THIS? Why does any man do anything? For the poon tang. Okay, obviously that's not the case. I was just checking to see if you were still reading. Honestly, looking at it in this logical sense so far, it really doesn't make any sense at all. And you know how I love my logical approach to most things. Listing out the Pros & Cons, countless comparisons, running over scenarios all day every day in my head to the point of tedium. That being said...I really do feel like this is the right move for me (obviously or I wouldn't be going suddenly into debt to pull this off). I don't know, maybe it's subconsciously me just going up against all my fears and proving to myself that I can be my own man...and overcome any obstacle or some crazy stuff like that. Maybe it's that I'll be living in an absolute mountain town paradise that's still very close to the ocean, casinos, my family, and everything else. Maybe it's just that I need something new & exciting to get me out of bed in the morning (though that really hasn't been much of a problem...and instead I'll be replacing it with cold lonely nights). Whatever it may be, I just have a feeling that this is the right move for me. I mean...it is paradise...as you have seen from the pictures of my limited experience...and yeah, I'll be alone to begin with...but I'm pretty good at making friends...and there'll be plenty of new people to town looking to make cool friends like me. Who knows? Maybe there's a sweet young thang out there just waiting to meet a great guy like me to try out her book that she got for Christmas last year, "The Joy of Sex...and Cooking." I don't know exactly why...but I just really feel like this can be an incredibly good thing for me.

Please don't think for a minute that this hasn't been a really tough choice for me. I really do care about each and every one of you...and that's why I pray for you every night. Oh yeah, I pray...hard. I'm going to miss you guys...but it's not like I'm going to the island of Vanuatu to be completely cut off from society (though you wouldn't know it based on how dramatic I'm making this whole thing). I'll just be in a resort town in California...and I'm sure my friends & family will come visit...as I'll visit them when time permits. In this age of technology, we can always get a hold of each other too. Facebook, telephones, text messages, web-based journals, carrier pigeons, the postal system, television, radio waves, telepathy, smoke signals, you all know how to reach me...and vice versa. And I'm still going to pray for you every night...and be there when you need somebody to talk to...because that's what friends are for.

Anyway, my dad & I leave in the morning...and it may be a few days before you hear back from me...but don't worry, I'll drive safely and I'll be sure to send a text message or something letting you all know that I made it. Just know that I'm going to miss you guys until we meet again...and don't be afraid to drop me a line & tell me about your day...and I'll tell you about my wacky, beautiful and/or sexy adventures with a backdrop as Mark Twain said, "The Fairest Picture The Whole Earth Can Afford!" Have a great weekend everybody!!!

Quick Summary

Good Afternoon Ladies & Gentlemen,

Well, it has come to my attention, that probably the best way to catch you up on the past week...is just to just spray it out real quick like all over your computer screens. Why? I'm still unpacking, while entertaining my peeps who haven't seen me in a while, while training for my new job (of which I can't rant from at this time despite already being a week ahead of training schedule WITH computer malfunctions), there's simply not enough hours in the day, I'm getting everything changed from Colorado to Utah, I'm "borrowing" somebody's wireless internet (thanks neighborino) and to be honest, I don't really have any pictures or anything other than one of the moving van while full...and another one from last night that shows that my apartment is on Utah's first burial ground. Yeah, didn't see that on the brochure. So without further ado, here's the last week...

Wednesday, April 29 - Picked my brother up at the airport, we walked around downtown, "Well, you're in Denver. Whattaya wanna do?" "Let's go watch a movie" "Ugh...okay?", we watch Crank: High Voltage, it's ridiculous but in a way that I like...just don't think too hard, "Well, it's getting to be nighttime here in the swingin' town of Denver. Whattaya wanna do?" "Let's go to Best Buy?" "Ugh...okay?", we stop by Best Buy, he buys Street Fighter IV, we buy booze, we get drunk while playing Street Fighter.

Thursday, April 30 - I awake to a screaming woman, walk out into the front room, Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer is playing in the front room. My brother had left it playing all night. We get up, he still wants to play Street Fighter IV (really?), we walk around downtown a bit so he can buy souvenirs for the kids, we eat gelato, we head back to my apartment, he plays...Street Fighter IV, I pack up because we're moving in the morning, he briefly glances at me doing this, we go to midnight premiere of X-Men Origins: Wolverine, it kicks ass, we get to bed around 3 AM. Now a story from this movie...

Before we went, I said to my brother, "I HOPE we don't have to sit next to one of those guys who's just going to pick apart how the movie's different from the comic books. Those guys bug the sh*t out of me." Knowing full well that my brother...was "one of those guys" and would. "Yeah, I know what you mean." So we get to the theatre...and we're literally SURROUNDED by them...even before the movie started, one in particular is about 300 pounds and just loves to hear himself talk & thinks that anybody listening is graced with his opinion (much like myself only not as charming). My favorite part of his rambling...is when he's talking about the X-Men trilogy and the character Storm, played by Halle Berry. He says that was the worst casting EVER...and there are only TWO WOMEN that could have possibly played Storm...and those women are...Angela Bassett (which I whole-heartedly agree & believe it or not, when I was younger, thought she'd be the one to play her in a movie) and...wait for it, RUPAUL!!! Rather than spin around and directly conflict his argument (which I believe was his only possible intent for such speaking of the anal quarters), my brother & I just slowly turn towards each other...as if to say, "Did you just hear what I heard?" "Yeah" in an unspoken language. So then the movie started (thankfully) and my brother continued to be the nerd as expected, "In the comics, Deadpool wasn't..." "This is a movie, Kiel. Shut your face. You can b**ch about it later."

Friday, May 1 - Woke up bright & early to go pick up the moving van & car tow...and spent about five hours loading up the van. Now, knowing that my only help was going to be my brother, I decided to hire Two Guys & a Truck to help with the loading so that I would have some help, any help. They were magnificent. They shrinkwrapped all the furniture for no wear & tear whatsoever, packed the van tightly & methodically, and were gracious. I highly recommend them to anybody...and my brother was a horrible observer when they were there, playing his PSP while sitting on the furniture. Gotta love it. He did help out a little after they left...but all the while b**ching about why it took so long for us to leave. "Well, some of us were moving...and some of us were sitting & playing their PSP." So we got out of Denver around 2 PM...and ended up in Salt Lake just before midnight. The drive went as expected. A little fog in the Eastern plains near Cheyenne, then a lot of overcast through southern Wyoming emphasizing the nothingness, beautiful sunsets around Rock Springs, winding passes through Coalville & Park City, grinding brakes as you barrel down Parley's Canyon carrying all of your worldly possessions & little brother with you on three hours sleep and having to listen to your brother b**ch for the last 12 hours consistently ("Why won't you take a nap?"), yeah, just as expected.

Saturday, May 2 - Rained all day...so no unloading of the van, which was good because I needed some sleep. So I got some. Later, I hung out with JL Clyde, we ate Este Pizza (which she thinks is awesome & I thought was too wet for pizza...but we did meet Pizza Jesus) and then I started to feel sick. Maybe it was just everything catching up to me over the last week. I went to my dad's where I was staying, napped, woke up when he came home, basically went to bed around 10 after watching some basketball.

Sunday, May 3 - Woke up feeling HORRIBLE. Pounding head, scratchy throat, sweating all night, actually hadn't slept since the nap the night before...and today was Unloading Day. Luckily, my dad had a bunch of vitamins & Dayquil so I woke up & we got at it. He, my buddy Chris & I unloaded the entire truck in under four hours with plenty of breaks. We rock. Hard. JL Clyde, my mom & my aunt Pat came by to help out emptying the boxes...so the bed & kitchen were taken care of...which was good because I slept like a dead thing that night...starting around 8 PM.

Monday, May 4 - First day of training for the new job. Basically signed my name a bunch of times, saw a bunch of former coworkers that I hadn't seen in...well, six months or so, that's really all to say about that. Unloaded boxes at home and got it semi-habitable. Found out just how small my washer & dryer are...and it's ridiculous. I think it has a maximum capacity of four socks and a fabric softener sheet.

Tuesday, May 5 - Second day of training, more stuff I already knew but met some cool people and saw more friends & former coworkers. Followed it up with a Cinco de Mayo celebration with JL Clyde & the Mad Scientist as we went to Red Rocks Brewery (a block away from my apartment), had a few drinks then chatted back at the crib for a few hours catching up on good times. Got to bed around 2 AM or so.

Wednesday, May 6 - Third day of training and already a week ahead of schedule. I may be a manager by Memorial Day. Really liking the new job but then again, it is still early. Gonna try to finish my unloading boxes as much as possible today and get the living room set up so that it doesn't look like a warehouse. Other than that, really no plans...so feel free to give me a call or write me a dirty text message or something. They always make my day. Hopefully that helped you all get caught up. Have a great day everybody!!!

Congratulations Lilie!!!

Good Evening Ladies & Gentlemen,

Wow, it's been a few days. Well, I'd like to start off first & foremost by congratulating Lilie on her new job opportunity in sunny California. It's been a long time coming, it's exactly what she was looking for, they couldn't have hired a more qualified or pleasant person (besides myself), and SHE HAS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT because it's going to be awesome. Every single thing about it is positive...and it all happens for a reason, right? Congratulations Lilie...and thanks for the pumpkin cookies Friday night.

So yeah, back to me, because that IS why you're all here, right? Right. Friday night, Nikki drove me to the airport because she rocks...and I asked. I chilled at the airport for about four hours before the flight took off...but it was okay because I was at a bar watching preseason basketball and talking to two great ladies, the bartender Linda & a lady named Lucy and they were reminiscing about the good ol' days...and how they were glad that they were old enough where they could smoke pot again. I even tried flirting with another girl (more my age) at the bar...but it didn't turn out well when her boyfriend called her. Drats! Well, at least I tried to be charming...and the older ladies loved it. Oh well. Flew back to Utah, met up with Lilie to discuss our future careers (congratulations yet again) and then slept for a few hours.

Saturday was the big day for packing up stuff onto the moving van. It took all damn day. Mostly it was because it was basically me and my 50-year old parents all day...but I do want to send a special shout-out to Nate Dogg for actually showing up and helping out with some of the bigger furniture in the morning. We couldn't have done it without ya buddy. Good karma comes back around everybody. Yeah, I won't bore you with every detail...but I will tell you that towards the end, we were disconnecting the washer/dryer...and the sh*thole I've been living in for over three years just decided to crumble like a dried-out turd. One of the connections was leaking and we couldn't close it (because the handles were held together by rust & dreams) so we turned off the water main (to the whole 4-plex). Then the neighbors complained...and I told them what the situation was...and we disconnected the water heater. Then the upstairs toilet decided that it wanted to constantly fill...so we called the landlord's son Eric (who's a nice guy) and told him to get his ass down there and take care of it...because we weren't going to be blamed for the place falling apart. It was a deck of cards when I moved in...and I kept it standing with duct tape and hope. They're going to have to COMPLETELY regut that place before anybody will move in. Glad to be out of there.

Anyway, after exhausting myself, I bought some Chinese for everybody and slept at my dad's house in a bed designed for a six-year old (Cars sheets, twin size, stuffed animals, etc) and also used his jetted tub that I helped install last year. It pretty much convinced me to join the fitness club nextdoor to my apartments, so that I'll have access to a hot tub for about two bucks a day. Oh...and I can work out too if I want to. I liked working out and being in shape...but it was such a pain in the ass the last few years just to find time AND energy to do it. I'm hoping that my job and the convenience of being next door will help...along with the possibility of playing pick-up games with local celebrities. Did I mention that a retired Hall of Fame basketball player lives in my apartment complex? Did I mention that I love this place...and that it's only about ten times better than the apartment that I used to call the Cooliseum?

Sunday, my dad & I left around 9:30 AM and got to Denver around 7:30 PM...but that's only part of the story. I drove for ten hours...and was never even tired. Why you ask? Well, my dad was there to keep me company...and even when he dozed off, there was rock & roll CDs that he brought to keep up the tempo...and there was also the constant fear of driving some 600 miles with all of my earthly possession and my best friend/father in one vehicle at about 75 miles per hour. I wasn't really stressed...but I really wasn't not stressed either. It's all good. It went smoothly. There was some casualties though. During a stop in Rawlins to stretch and urinate, we opened up the back to check the payload...and one of the boxes of booze (yes, I said ONE of the BOXES of booze) fell out...but out of the dozen or so bottles, the only ones that broke were a cheap bottle of red wine, one of four vodka bottles (it's what everybody brings), and two bottles of soy sauce and spicy peanut sauce that were on top. You can imagine the concoction of smells emitting from this spill. So we picked the glass out...and continued on.

That night, I took my dad to the ESPN Zone and we watched the last few innings of a World Series game and football highlights from earlier...and enjoyed some Cheesesteaks. We would need the strength for the next day, when we moved the stuff from the van to the apartment...and by the way, I had enough sh*t to FILL a 16' moving van. I'll copy the picture one of these days to prove it...and this was AFTER I gave a lot of stuff to the DI...including a couch, loveseat and computer desk. We slept on air mattresses like babies that night.

Monday, I worked the morning then we spent the next four hours, just the two of us moving stuff up into my apartment on the 34th floor. We were amazing. Like a well-oiled machine that runs of bacon and badass. After all that, we went to Wal-Mart and my dad insisted on getting me some groceries...and you bet your ass that I wasn't about to say no. So now I have some food in my fridge. Over the next few days/weeks, I'll be setting up the furniture, connecting all the wires, emptying all the boxes, doing a bunch of laundry, dusting, all the fun stuff, then I can invited ladies back to my home to check out the view. Did I mention that I like the view? That night, we went to Rock Bottom Brewery and basically just enjoyed the food, the beer, and the scenery...provided by about a dozen hot young ladies at the tables around us for a birthday party. It was...very reassuring that I have good odds out here as a tall, hot, single guy with a good job and a nice apartment. Did I mention that I like the...yeah, I'm sure that I have.

Today, I worked most of the day but got off a little early so that I could take the moving van back (just missed out the day before because they closed about ten minutes earlier). Then we had dinner and watched the first NBA game of the season for the Celtics & Cavs at Jim & Nick's Bar-B-Q. Great food there...and I even have some leftovers for breakfast...or an Unpack Snack later tonight. We'll see. So other than that, not a whole lot to say...and I've probably said too much anyway. Filly's in New Orleans for Halloween. Bubbles may be going to Slick City (just in time to miss me) for Halloween. I have NO IDEA what I'm going to do or be for Halloween...but I'm sure that I'll find something...even if it's just go to the movies and watch "Zack & Miri Make A Porno" or something. Halloween's just a great excuse for me to get a little buzzed and see girls dress provacatively...like any day at a strip club...but the bulletwounds are usually fake at the Halloween party.

That'll do it for me for today. Have a great day everybody...and I'll keep you posted on the goings on around here...but like I said, mostly cleaning & unpacking the next few days. Oh yeah...and learning that whole job thing...and how I'm going to pay for the apartment. Probably have to sell a kidney or my seed or something. Such a pain when you're credit union won't send you checks a week after you asked for them. Rent's due, bitches! Step it up. Anyway, again, have a great day...and CONGRATULATIONS LILIE!!!