Wordless

Death and Dinosaurs

I've realized that if I ever live out here in rural Utah permanently, my blog is going to be mostly about Utah for a while. But, there's worst things to talk about I guess. Really, I think it means that I've been away from here long enough that the oddities of this state are more apparent.

Anyway, I find myself loving reading the newspaper. Now, I follow the news when I'm in DC, but reading the Deseret News and Vernal Express are treats. My favorite part in both newspapers? The obituaries. I know it sounds morbid, but I enjoy reading about what their families choose to include in the obituaries. Word choice is a favorite also. I admit though, I do find myself mentally rewriting the obituaries often.

Moving from obituaries, I find myself being amazed a little at the article content in the Deseret News. Utah really still has a small town mentality that's kind of fun. Case in point: yesterday's Metro front page article was an interview with the gentleman who dresses Rex. For those not familiar with Rex, he's the 23 foot dinosaur that greets people from the west side of town (Dinah bats her eyelashes at visitors at the east side) . Glade Allred has been dressing the dinosaur for holidays and special events. He's worn cupid wings, a Santa cap, a cowboy hat and other assorted accessories for corresponding holidays and special events for the past 10 years or so (the article seems to indicate that Rex has dressed up for nearly 20 years, but that's not true--it's only been a regular event for about 10 years or less). Needless to say, the costumes aren't the same every year and tourists and residents alike look forward to when Rex changes costumes. Seeing a 23 foot dinosaur dressed up is sure to thrill your inner 6 year old.

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/705323094/Best-dressed-T-rex-in-the-West.html

Makin' History....

Last year I blogged about Candace Workman, the wrestler from Uintah High School who was probably the first girl to qualify for the Utah State High School Wrestling champs. Well, this year she's in the State finals at 103 pounds. Very impressive.

Baby Jesus and I: A Recap

Christmas was very nice here in Vernal. I celebrated the big day with my parents and one sibling as the other one is/was still on his honeymoon. We presents, and due to all the snow, I was able to take my new snowshoes out in the pasture and do laps.. one thing I learned, is that our dogs don't understand snow shoes and tripped me up a few times.
I've shared the story of my first cake on here recently, and I think I've shared my 15th birthday story, where I made my own cake and then started singing to myself. Well, this year my cake nearly went to the dogs. My mom decided to make an "easy" tres leches cake for my birthday. After she cooled the cake, she poked the cake and poured the dulce de leche on top. Not having enough room in the fridge, she put the top on the cake pan and put it on top of the barbecue outside. Well, 15 minutes later my dad and I happened to look outside and saw one of the dogs, Bruno, pushing a metal box across the snowy deck. We both started talking about what he was doing, when my mom heard us and rushed outside. Luckily, the top of the cake pan hadn't come off yet, we caught the dogs before there was any lethal damage to the cake. The cake was a little worse for wear, and the dogs had been whipped into a dulce de leche frenzy, but luckily they didn't actually taste the cake. Other than that, the holidays have been nice. We played some cards with the Mortensons, Steven and I just got back from snowshoeing up by Red Mountain (above our house here in Maeser), and my mom started cooking for the wedding shower on Saturday.

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Paul Riley Millecam

Paul Riley Millecam

October 20, 1975-November 18, 2007

Paul Riley Millecam Vernal, Utah Our Father, Son, Brother, Uncle and Dearest Friend, Paul Riley Millecam, returned to his Heavenly Father Sunday, November 18, 2007. He was born on October 20, 1975 in Vernal, Utah to John and Deena Riley Millecam.

Paul's greatest calling in life was that of Father. His children ~ Elijah Paul and Christian Kent ~ brought him eternal joy and peace. Paul cherished time spent with Christian. They enjoyed playing the guitar, fishing, playing video games, watching movies with popcorn, golfing, being with family, singing, reading, storytelling, snuggling, tickling, teasing, chasing, hugging, sleeping out under the stars, and laughing. Paul and Christian are best friends. Paul adored his "little bud". They loved each other "gogaplex gogaplex plus infinity". His children are forever in his heart.

His mother, father, brothers and sisters are inspired by his integrity, warmth toward others, humor, uplifting character, competitive nature, and zest for life and passion for family time.

We love you Paul. We miss you. We'll meet you at Jesus' feet.

In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to the Ronald McDonald House. Funeral Services will be conducted Wednesday at 11 a.m. at the Maeser Stake Center. Viewing will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 20 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Thompson-Blackburn Vernal Mortuary, and on Wednesday, November 21 from 9:45 - 10:45 a.m. at the Maeser Stake Center at 2745 W. 1000 N. Vernal. Interment at Maeser Fairview Cemetery under the direction of Thomson-Blackburn Vernal Mortuary.

Published in the Salt Lake Tribune on 11/20/2007.
Obituary and Guestbook

My Dad called this morning to ask me a work question and told me about Paul's passing. Paul was a year older than me and I was a year older than his younger sister. We didn't really hang out in the same circle, but I guess we sort of did in high school. Growing up in a small town, and going to a pretty small school, you knew everyone, and I knew Paul and his friends pretty well, I guess. I remember that Paul plaeyed some sports, was always active in student life, was a cheerful, and had a nice smile. He was a good guy. I saw him once or twice in the past 6 years I've lived on the east coast, but lost touch. Several months ago, Paul contacted me out of the blue on My Space, we e-mailed back and forth and he told me to come say hi when I was in town. Well, I didn't. But this isn't about my regret, this post is about Paul and a tribute to his life. This morning and this holiday season, as I remember Paul, my thoughts and prayers go out to his family and loved ones.

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From Labor Day Uta...

Wordless Wednesday

Goat Quest 2007

High Uintas. Looking down into Crow Canyon. We're at over 11k feet

Everyone's favorite ambiguously animal butt----Lady!

Joy, Nicole, Rich, Blake Bell-one of Rich's friends

Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday

You know You're a Hick When.............

Someone in Sunday School says that you can't herd sheep the same way that you can cows. Then she goes on to say that sheep have to be led, they can't be pushed or they won't go the way you want them to go. It was all I could do from raising my hand or turning behind her and saying, "Um, that's a myth, have you ever herded a sheep or even see the movie, "Babe," but I kept my hand down, and my mouth shut--

but I did laugh a little inside, and pictured my dad wearing a robe, holding a staff and wearing tevas, being followed by his little sheep herd. Or better yet, my Uncle John wearing a robe, holding a staff, and wearing tevas being followed by my dad's sheep herd (you'd have to understand how much my Uncle John hates sheep. We could never chase the cows when we were little, but we could always chase my grandpa's flock after my grandpa passed away. It was very enjoyable for a 7 year old. As a proper cattleman, John hates sheep with almost every fiber of his being. When he has grandkids, I doubt if he'll ever give the kids stuffed lambs.)

In my defense, I had to think a little about herding sheep. Another reason I've lived on the East Coast way too long.

Note: I felt a little bad for posting this since the lesson the next hour was about forgiveness and how we should never gossip. Bot not badly enough to not post it since the real purpose of this post is to dispel mormon myth!

Updated: It doesn't say anywhere in the Sunday School manual about the technicalities of leading sheep. That section is in my comments section. Oh, and I'm cracking up a little about how focused I am on this.

Utah HS Wrestling UPDATE

Candace Workman is in the Quarter finals (but her next opponent looks formidable on paper).
Cooper Field (my first cousin) lost in the first round but should win his first consolation match.
Uintah has 8 wrestlers in the Quarters. Wasatch has 11 (boo!)

Update 8:00pm et: Candace lost, Cooper won.

Legit Women Wrestlers

I don't talk much about it, but I come from a wrestling family, with four generations of wrestlers (my paternal Grandpa was a state champ). There's wrestlers on both sides of the family. One of my cousins took nationals in freestyle. I don't know how many "wrestles" I attended growing up, but although the number is less than my parents, its a ton, as my younger brothers started wrestling when they were little, little guys. If I had to, I could put you in a single leg take-down, a cradle, a half nelson etc without thinking about it.
I also grew up in Vernal and am a Uintah High alumni, who has 23 state wrestling team champions over the year (team championships, not individual wrestlers-that number is higher). Wrestling is king in my hometown and has been for 50 years. In my town, the wrestlers were the Big men on Campus, they dated the cheerleaders, not the football players. The wrestlers were the wild ones, the ones that got the perks and the reps that football players in most other small towns get.
This all being said, I never had a desire to be a "girl wrestler." I played co-ed basketball and soccer in elementary and middle school, but that was different. Girl wrestlers? I never was interested. A girl wrestler at Uintah? That's breaking down stereotypes and attitudes in my community that goes far beyond a girl football player.
So, I was happy to see this article about Candace Workman, believed to be the first woman wrestler from Utah to qualify for the state tournament. Guess where she's from? Yup, she's a Uintah Ute. Even wrestling at 103, its a tough region--the toughest in the state at any division most years, which makes her accomplishment that much more impressive. Candace, good luck at state!

Candace also makes the quote of the day:

(from the article below)
This year, six boys - all from out-of-state schools - chose to forfeit instead of wrestle her, she said. Some said they did not want to lose to a girl, but most declined for religious reasons.

"I hate that," she said. "There were two brothers from [Green River,] Wyoming that said it was against their morals and their religion. That made me upset. They are [Latter-day Saints] and so am I. It's not anything sexual out there, trust me."

Here's the article:

Wrestling stereotypes:
By Jay Drew

The Salt Lake Tribune

When Uintah High's Candace Workman walks out on the mat Thursday at the Class 3-A state high school wrestling tournament to face Tooele freshman Jake Prather, she won't be thinking about smashing stereotypes, breaking down barriers, making history or getting extra attention.

"I will just be thankful to have someone to wrestle against," the sophomore from Vernal said.

Workman is believed to be the first girl to qualify to wrestle in the Utah high school state tournament. She placed third in the 103-pound division at the Region 11 meet Saturday in Morgan, making her eligible to compete this week.

"I will just be thinking about winning my matches," she said. "Maybe later, I will think about the significance of it."

Workman has a 22-6 record in varsity matches this season, and is 35-6 overall. She pinned a Morgan wrestler Saturday in less than a minute in her first match, then beat him again for third place after she was pinned by Wasatch's Trevor Sweat in the semifinals.

"It feels awesome, although I really should have made it last year before separating a joint in my shoulder," she said. "What it means and all that is probably up to other people to decide. I just hope other girls who think wrestling is a great sport will see it and read about it and think, 'If she can do it, so can I.' "

Breakthroughs aren't new to Workman. She has won four female wrestling national titles in her age group, since she began wrestling nine years ago. Her goal is to make the U.S. Women's Olympic Wrestling Team, after the sport was added to the Games prior to the 2004 Olympics in Athens.

"She loves to mix it up and she doesn't fall into the regular stereotypes," said her father, Jason Workman.

Workman drew some attention as a 14-year-old in 2004 when she was excluded from wrestling against boys at a Spanish Fork junior tournament. However, after legal action was threatened, Spanish Fork recreation officials reversed their decision and let her in the tournament, because the girls division did not draw enough participants to sustain a tournament.

Washington and Hawaii are the only states with separate high school competitions for girls. But Workman doesn't want to see Utah create a special division for her.

At Uintah, coach Gregg Stensgard said the novelty of having a girl in the room wore off a long time ago. He said Workman was the first girl to ever make it through University of Minnesota coach J Ronson's famed 28-day Intensity Camp last summer.

"She works out, she runs and she lifts [weights]. She does everything that anybody else does," he said.

Although Workman is a long shot to become only the second girl in the nation to win a state wrestling title competing against boys - Alaska's Michaela Hutchison did it last year at 103 pounds - she is a serious competitor who could place in the top eight if things go her way, several coaches say.

"She's legitimate," said Wasatch coach Steve Sanderson, father of Olympic Gold Medalist Cael Sanderson. "She's a good athlete, she's dedicated and she's tough."

This year, six boys - all from out-of-state schools - chose to forfeit instead of wrestle her, she said. Some said they did not want to lose to a girl, but most declined for religious reasons.

"I hate that," she said. "There were two brothers from [Green River,] Wyoming that said it was against their morals and their religion. That made me upset. They are [Latter-day Saints] and so am I. It's not anything sexual out there, trust me."

* Candace Workman is believed to be the first girl ever to qualify to compete in the Utah state high school wrestling tournament

* The sophomore at Vernal's Uintah High in eastern Utah is 35-6 this year and placed third at Saturday's Region 11 meet to qualify for state Workman, who competes at 103 pounds, has won four national female wrestling national championships

* On her achievement: ''I just hope other girls who think wrestling is a great sport will see it and read about it and think, 'If she can do it, so can I.' "

SuperBowl or (Football Season is Over!!!)

I finally wrote a post for "This Person Knows what I'm talking about," a sports blog that Aaron runs, and a bunch of cool people blog on. The blog is cool--Go check it out!

DeathMatch 2007
DC V. Vernal
Winter Weather Comparison

I'm sitting at my desk shivering 2 hours after I walked into the building. I once again got the "but you're from out west" remark when I said, "its cold this morning." I have the west v. east winter comparison discussion at least twice a week in the winter out here which gets kind of old, but I'd thought I'd share my thoughts on here. Oh, and notice I said Vernal and not Utah or the Wasatch Front. Y'all on the front? Your winters are milder than the ones in Vernal.

1) Temp
Vernal regularly gets below zero. There's usually a five to ten degree difference between the high and low in Vernal all winter. 20 for a high, 15 for a low. 10 for a high 5 for a low. -15 for a low 5 for a high etc. It goes like this all winter. Vernal getting below zero for several weeks is expected every winter also.
I've seen the temp here get below zero maybe once. The low this morning was 8 degrees, and that for DC is abnormally cold. DC winters often go in 5-7 day cycles of temperature creep. right after a storm, a cold front will move in and the high is in the 20s or 30s and the low is the same. For 5-7 days the temperature creeps up until the high is in the 40s or 50s and then another storm comes through plunging the temp down by 20-30 degrees. This persists almost all winter-except for a few weeks where the low gets down in the teens and the high in the 20s.

2) Humidity

If you've lived or been out west in the summer, you know its a "dry heat." It feels like you're in a oven, but as soon as you get wet, you instantly cool off. Nights out west (especially in the desert or high desert) cool off. In the winter, its a dry cold. Its cold, but even when its windy--if you're dressed appropriately it isn't horrendous..(unless its below zero).

On the east coast in the summer, you're wet if you're outside for any period of time. Getting wet to cool off? Only works if you're in a pool or body of water. If you're outside, its hot...no matter what you're doing you almost immediately form a thin layer of sweat that increases with the amount of activity you're doing. In the winter, once the temp drops below 30 out here, it feels about 15-20 degrees colder. 30 feels like 15 in Vernal. 20 feels like zero. If the wind is blowing, it feels colder. The cold stays in your bones too out here. when it gets in the single digits, the only thing that really warms you up is a hot shower, no matter how you dress.

3) Lifestyle

In Utah, almost everyone drives to work. You feel the cold when you walk outside to your car, when your car is warming up, and walking from the parking lot to your work or destination. The only people who really use public transportation are the kids who may be bused to and from school (yes, I was one of those kids until High School).

Here in DC, I walk .75 of a mile one way. I walk a little less than a quarter of a mile to the metro station. Then, I hop on the metro (hopefully i don't wait, that metro station can be cold), ride it 10 miles to DC, and walk a little more than a half mile (6 blocks). I like my commute. I like that I'm subsidized, but its a long enough of a walk that when its really cold, I feel it. However, I try to dress accordingly so I'm comfortable. I keep an extra pair of shoes and socks under my desk so when it rains, my feet aren't soaked all morning. When the temp dips below 30 or especially below 20, I feel it...sometimes for a hour after I get home.

4) Snow

I like snow back home. I like to ski, I hate driving in black ice, but I don't fear driving in the snow out there. Here, when it snows, I don't like driving in it because others are dangerous driving in the snow. The only thing its really good for out here is the chance of getting a snow day. There's a few decent sledding hills, but there's no good snow sports within a 5 hour radius of my house out here.

5) Overall

Winter is colder, and lasts longer in Utah. However, DC winters shouldn't be disrespected. When it gets cold, it gets cold. In Utah snow is more fun than it is out here, although the monuments are pretty cloaked in snow.

Wordless Wednesday

Odds and Ends

I'm not quite as exhausted as I was last night, but this post may still be as scatterbrained as I feel right now. At least I'll try and finish sentences.

Anyway, Utah was great. I feel like every time I go home I don't get much done, or even get around to call and visit old friends. Oh well. I did cutout 300+ 8" squares for a comforter my mom is going to make me(the nice thing about christmas/birthday presents that are made late is that I don't just get gifts one day a year). Anyway, I arrived home on the 23rd after flying in on the 22nd and spending the night in Lehi. We had a fabulous Christmas eve dinner, realized that my parents and Steven must not have played speed much because Rich and I schooled the rest at Ligretto.

My dad and bros went to Vegas for the Bowl game, and came back with groceries from Trader Joe's. Rich picked up 5 packages of tortillas and various mexican food sauces while Steven picked up various European foodstuffs.

Steven at the new Utah Fieldhouse in Vernal. The museum isn't nearly as good as the old one.

Christmas was nice. Steven, my youngest brother, woke up the latest so we didn't open presents until after 10. We had a good time opening presents and then eating "birthday" brunch casserole. That evening, we went over to Val and Coreyne's and played scum with them and Marty.

Steve(l) and Rich

Christmas was nice. Steven, my youngest brother, woke up the latest so we didn't open presents until after 10. We had a good time opening presents and then eating "birthday" brunch casserole. That evening, we went over to Val and Coreyne's and played scum with them and Marty. We ate b-day cake there, and Coreyne had some great appetizers to munch while we played games.

The day or two after Christmas we went to see the Pursuit of Happyness (All except Rich) and the filmed was retitled "Watch Will Smith run" by my parents. Good show, actually. While I cut quilt squares, my parents and I watched "Devil Wears Prada." We all agree that Meryl Streep should get an Oscar nom for that role. I gave Steven the complete Arrested Development dvds, and he's loving it, and already saying words like "Hermano" and then laughing to himself.

We headed to Peoa on the 29th, and about 5 miles outside of Duchesne, I noticed a herd of elk on the side of the road. This is much more common in Indian Canyon, not on Highway 40.

Part of the herd we saw.

We played Phase 10 with my grandma in Peoa (Peoa is in Kamas Valley) and visited with my Aunt, Uncle and Cooper. My grandma beat us all at Phase 10, and my dad told us he was disregarding his cards(some people say discarding, he says disregarding). Uncle John entertained us with his hunting stories from last summer (he got a little too close for comfort to a grizzly--we won't ever have to worry about him becoming the next Timothy Treadwell .)

Cooper is wrestling 140 for South Summit's JV team, and says he's winning more than he's losing. My cousin Kaycee was in the Circuit finals in Ogden, but we didn't end up going to see him compete.

The barnyard just above my Grandma's house.

The Uintas and the pasture outside my Grandma's kitchen window.

Saturday I had plans with a friend, but didn't hear from him until late morning. We ended up shopping in Park City, and then went down to South Towne and Cabela's (of course). That evening we met my Uncle Kent and Aunt Hannah, Jason and Sarah at the BYU basketball game. Jason played in the exhibition wheelchair basketball game on halftime (I don't think I've mentioned that he plays on the USA wheelchair basketball team) and realized that his teammates were the same guys from 5 years ago. Rich brought Nicole to the game and afterwards to Iceberg. We're not sure what she thought of us, but we had fun and the game was good. Seton Hall was impressive, but BYU was even more impressive for beating them.

Sunday, we were in Lehi at Kent and Hannah's. We spent the morning just talking and being impressed at Hannah's new juicer. That afternoon my parents dropped me off at my Cousin Jake's and I spent the afternoon and evening with Jake, Stacey, Sam(10), Sarah (8), Heidi (6), Ryan (3,) and Emma (2). In a few months there'll be another girl-Rebecca Sophia (our great grandma's name-but I think they should call her Sophie but I don't have any say in that). Jake and Stacey's kids are a lot of fun, and each and every one looks a lot like his side(okay, our side as he's my 1st cousin)--maybe the baby will buck the strong Buhler genes. Thanks a ton, Jake for putting me up, and putting up with me.

Heidi and Sarah

Sarah

Emma

That evening Kell and her two sibs -Jen and Chris picked me up and went to 3 parties and got home before midnight (well, I did. They might not have). The first party we went to was a linkster party. "Chess" was there with his wife but never introduced himself to me although he hovered around the appetizer table. In all fairness, I never introduced myself to him either. Thanks Jesse and Shauna for the invite and letting me bring a friend. The second and third party were invites by the fabulous SJ. These two parties were in an adjoining duplex. We wandered over to the third party party when a couple of guys got out the Shopvac to give each other hickies. When we came back to the second party, they were playing spin the bottle. The third party was party games and Tim Reagan video or whatever this Seinfeld wannabe is called(my apologies to his fans, but he may be lamer than Dane Cook)..

Yesterday, Jake was kind enough to take me to the airport for a 6:00 flight. I got home to Falls Church about 6:00, but it wasn't so bad taking the shuttle and metro from BWI. just time consuming, and my arms are pleasantly sore from lugging luggage onto one bus, two train lines and up the hill to the house.

Anyway, I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season, and have the day off, this national day of mourning.

Have a virtual candybar, on me.

Stuck in a BYU Apartment.

I'm sitting here in my baby brothers apartment in Provo. I've been home for a little over 12 hours (not acutally home,we havent been to Vernal yet) and let me give you a little of what we've done so far:

7:00pm At SLC airport, call Dad and brother-they are at Cabela's
8:30pm At Cabela's
9:30 pm At Aunt andUncles in Lehi
7:00 am Still at Aunt and Uncles in Lehi
9:00 am At Cabela's
9:30 Back to Aunt and Uncle's inLehi.

We're headed home, but I wouldn't be too suprised if we go back to Cabela's.

Everyone, have a wonderful Christmas!!

Like Ricky Bobby, I love baby Jesus!!!

A couple of days ago I took a glance at the Vernal Express front page. Above the fold was an article about the Uintah High School Graduation. The article was poorly written (and that's being nice). There was no writer attributed to it, as it was just a 8 paragraph blurb about the Grads. First, there were seven kids (all girls) who achieved a 4.0 GPA. The article made mention that six of the seven girls had an "an" or "Ann" in their names. The article went on to stay that instead of a valedictorian, Uintah honors the highest ACT scores. The problem with this is as of a few years ago, they never did this. Two boys scored a 4.0 so they were honored instead of those seven girls who got a 4.0. Then there's one sentence saying that the reason this class is so small (276 students) is because of the oil field boom.

Come on Vernal Express, you can do better than that.

Red Canyon overlook. This is Flaming Gorge.