When Bras Explode

I like StoryCorp a lot, but this story inspires an emotion of a different sort than most of their pieces; uncontrollable giggles.
Here's the Teaser: "It's difficult to explain to people in english that part of your anatomy blew out, but in Spanish? It's beyond hope. "
Read or listen to the story here

Jonesy!!

I finally got around to seeing Indy 4 this weekend. After seeing it, I have a lot of mixed feelings. On the one hand, watching Indy on the big screen, always a delight. Even though Harrison Ford hasn't aged that well, after a while you don't notice that. Even with a mediocre script, Ford shone as Indy. Ultimately though, the script left me lukewarm after the end of the movie.
I was really looking forward to Karen Allen (the best of the Indy Girls, IMO) reprising her role as Marion Ravenwood and Cate Blanchett as the villain. Neither were given a whole lot to work with. Shia La Beouf, well although I think he's talented, I really wasn't impressed.
Then there's the script. The first 20 minutes or so were great. Loved the pace, the dialogue, the action--it was all there. Then the plot started dragging the movie down, and by the time they were in the amazon (the monkey scene--what the hell), even though there was almost non-stop action, I was more or less bored. The last 20 minutes felt really patched together.
Personally, I really liked the archaelogical myths of the Indy films. I found the scenes where the characters were explaining the history and myths of the ark of the Covenantand the Holy Grail very interesting. As someone interested in Pre-Columbian culture, I found myself going wth when Indy said he'd translate the language first into Mayan (that's MEXICO) first. What the hell? And the best they could come up for the plot was aliens? (yawn).
Does the movie compare to the other three? The movie still pales in comparison to the the weakest of the three, "Temple of Doom." Doesn't even compare to Raiders of the Lost Ark, one of my favorite movies of all time. Doesn't even compare to Last Crusade either.

This is Actually Work Related....

It's the end of the work day, my brain is fried and I don't really feel like going to ask the other Mormon in my section this question. Hopefully someone out here is actually reading my blog and knows the answer to the following, "Is the Star Spangled Banner" in the LDS hymn book? I 'm almost 100% sure I know the answer, but just need a confirmation.
10 points to the person who can figure out how this question is relates to my job.

Congratulations Kaycee!

Kaycee Feild took the Bareback Title at the College National Finals Rodeo. Go Kaycee!

(Kaycee is my 1st Cousin)

Another Post Stolen from Best Week Ever

I have the best intentions of actually writing essays to post on here but I'm a lazy writer--and well, sharing (stealing) stuff from Best Week Ever? Easy.
Sam Taylor-Wood did a photography series of famous actors crying. The series is worth checking out, but Best Week Ever (who actually is hit and miss in my opinion) did captions. These are great. Enjoy:
Why are these famous men crying?

Wordless

I cause Accidents in my Wake

This morning I was riding my bike to work and was about to come around the corner of the where Four mile run intersects with the Mt. Vernon trail when another biker came around the corner. I was on my lane of the trail and she was on hers but when she saw me, a look of sheer panic crossed her face and she crashed…and fell. Luckily she was alright. I made sure that she was okay before I left (she was, except for a cut on the elbow), and I walked my bike out of the corner before I hopped on again.

An article about my mom's brother

Former pro Feild finds his calling as a coach
By JACK NOWLINStar-Tribune sports editor

Lewis Feild found it was easy to go home again. That's because the former world all-around champion and current Utah Valley State coach never really left.Born and raised in Utah, Feild was a three-time qualifier for the National High School Finals Rodeo before attending college at Utah Valley State. Feild's rodeo prowess continued on the collegiate level as he qualified in three events -- bareback bronc riding, saddle bronc riding and team roping -- at the College National Finals Rodeo.

After a professional career that included three all-around titles (1985-87) and two bareback titles (1985-86), as well as countless hours on the road away from his family, Feild is once again settled down in Utah, coaching his alma mater."It's been a great experience," Feild said. "It's been kind of a natural thing for me to do."But getting Feild to take over the coaching reins didn't come easy.When the former Utah Valley State coach left in 2001, school administrators approached Feild about stepping into the position."They asked me if I was interested. And I told them, 'Probably not,'" he said. "But then the kids talked me into it."I'm glad they did."

So are the cowboys currently on the Utah Valley State roster."I've learned everything from him," said freshman saddle bronc rider Ty Evans. "Not just how to ride, but the mental stuff. He teaches you everything."He's like our dad, that's a good way to put it."Feild and his wife Veronica have three kids of their own -- sons Shad and Kaycee and daughter Maclee -- but his fatherly advice extends well beyond his front door.

With a rodeo arena on site, the Feild's home is often used for Utah Valley State practices. There, Feild can pass along his knowledge learned from a lifetime of roping and riding.And living."(My dad) has taught me to have fun, but at the same time be tough, physically and mentally," Kaycee Feild, a bareback rider and team roper competing at this year's CNFR for Utah Valley State, said. "He teaches us that having a positive attitude is everything."Added Evans: "He says to always have a good attitude. If you get mad and kick the chutes or something he gets mad and tells you to straighten up and have a better attitude. And that helps me a lot."Make sure you have fun, but be serious doing it."

At rodeos and at practice, Lewis Feild is all business. That business-like approach helped the men's team win the Rocky Mountain Region this year."I'm not doing the team justice if I'm not tough on them," Lewis Feild said. "I correct them and I teach them, but I'm never scolding or mean. And the best part is that they listen."Rodeo is more of a mental thing. You have to develop an attitude of learning how to win."You can have all the talent in the world, but you've got to be able to perform when it counts. You've got to develop that kind of attitude and have that kind of confidence."

It also didn't hurt the team's success that some of Lewis Feild's old friends on the pro rodeo circuit would occasionally stop by the arena to help out at practice."Some of those guys would stop by and you'd see the kids' eyes get really big," Lewis Feild said. "For them, it was like Michael Jordan coming by. It means something to them when these former champions come by to help."I've always believed that when you put yourself in a circle of winners it's contagious."A serious competitor in the arena, Lewis Feild takes on a different persona when he's not competing. Behind the bucking chutes at Sunday's "Bulls, Broncs and Breakaway" session, he was completely at ease; whether it was giving advice to cowboys, swapping stories with old friends or meeting someone for the first time.

It's yet another attitude that Lewis Feild has passed on to the cowboys and cowgirls on his team."We're like a family," Wavey Allred, a freshman bull rider, said. "We travel to all the rodeos together in a big, ol' white van and pull all our horses together in a semi-truck."He's hard in the arena, but outside ... he calls and checks up and makes sure we're getting good grades. Stuff like that."

So while outsiders might categorize Lewis Feild based solely by the rodeo titles he won in his storied career, those closest to him know there's more to it than that."For me, it's no different than in real life," Kaycee Feild said. "He helps me in any way he can, but at the same time he doesn't sugar-coat anything."I really think he loves what he's doing. I know that family is a big part of his life and (coaching Utah Valley State) has allowed him to stay home."And Lewis Feild probably wouldn't want it any other way.

So Even Though I was Adopted, I'd like to Wish my Dad a Happy Father's Day*

Today is Father's Day, and since I like my dad most of the time, this post is for him.

This is the first picture of my dad and I. I'm the oldest.

Before I was born my mom said that my dad was sure I was going to be a little boy. Both of his brothers had boys first, and there wasn't any question..I was a boy. Then I was born, and she said he completely forgot that I was supposed to be a boy. He'd come home at least once a month when I was little with a new adorable little dress or outfit for me.
Even though my dad was busy with work and church, we were always doing stuff with him. When he got home from work, he'd often play sports with us in the yard. He even got permission from the neighbor to build a diamond in their vacant field. We fished, hiked, x-country skiied, down-hill skiied, he coached our teams. He always wanted to know about our school work. He was and still is a hands-on dad.

This picture was just taken a few weeks ago. Here he is with Steve-o in Nauvoo in front of the temple there. My dad is the only sibling in his family that's active in the LDS faith in his family.

This picture was taken Dec. '07 at Steven's officer commissioning ceremony at BYU, and a day before Richard got married in Bountiful. My Dad is retired National Guard and Steven chose my dad to give the dollar to during the ceremony. Very touching moment, and other people were touched by it too.

Here's my Dad with my mom, grandma, Richard and Nicole the next day.

My Dad and my Grandma. For my Grandmother's last 4 years or so of her life, she was in a nursing home in Vernal. My dad visited her at least 5 times a week that time, and couple of months of her life, it was daily, and sometimes twice daily. I was home for Christmas a few weeks before she passed and I went with him daily to the Nursing home. Her last words was "He's kind of dumb, isn't he" to me about my dad (he was goofing off trying to get her to eat).


Here's a picture of us the day Steven and my mom came home from the hospital. This picture was taken at his parent's house.


(*I wasn't adopted, but my loving father has told me (I'm the only one of his kids he's told this to) this since I can remember.)

A little Trail Magic to share

Appalachian Trail June 3-7, 2008

Last week I took Wednesday-Friday off from my Guvment job to backpack one of the trails (The Appalachian Trail) that the Department I work for (tries to) protects. Although I didn't really know the 4 people I hiked with well, we had a good time together. The link above is all of our pictures with captions that try to tell the story.

Stolen from Best Week Ever....

For a few of my friends, this summer is shaping to be the Summer of New Kids on the Block. While, I'd like to forget that particular chapter of my childhood, I couldn't help but thinking this post on Best Week Ever was a brilliant walk down memory lane. Enjoy.

10 NKOTB Pictures you should never forget.

10. The coolest thing about this picture? Donnie Wahlberg's pimp jacket and expression.

9. Jonathan Knight does look a lot like Jennifer Connolly here.

8. NBC was never this cool again. Oh wait...

7. The Luckiest Knee in the world.

6. Joey Mcintyre trying to look James Deanish at age 13 or so.

5. The hair. Oh, that hair.

4. "I'm proud to be an American."

3. First underage smoking, and now posing for child porn?

2. Yeah, so the homeliest NKOTB dated pre-nose job Halle Berry. Yeah, that Halle Berry.

1. Halle Berry and Danny.

(No, I didn't remember their names. I had help here. )

Adieu

The Presidential General Election finally began late last week (well, it actually began awhile back, but that's another topic) as Senator Clinton finally conceded and the Clinton era has been over. My only regret, is that even with Senator McCain in the race, this presidential election still has the potential to be super boring. C'est la vie.

Baby Brother

This post is for my mom as I'm not sure if Steven will show these pictures to her. Ever. Anyway, Steven is in the army, just finishing up his training and will be stationed in S. Korea for a year starting next month. Anyway, I'm not going to bother tagging him because well, he's the only one in all of the pictures, and there just might be a slight family resemblance.

I'm Finally Dandy with the Me Inside

Seriously, who doesn't love a classic Weezer video? And their new one? Right up with the rest. Oh yes, it ranks up there. Great little ditty--Perfect Summer tune.

Redefining Sexy