2010 To Do List

1. Travel to Boise to meet my niece, Olivia Diane
2. Ski Jackson Hole
3. Get through the Olympics
4. Travel to Phoenix to visit Cheryl and Nicco
5. Read a book a week
6. Travel to New York City to visit Matt
7. Camping in Glacier National Park with family
8. Accomplish my HUGE goal for March/April...and maybe into the summer
9. Lose 87 pounds
10. Michael Buble

For the workers, it was a lonely holiday week at the office

This article is hilarious, and exactly what's going on in my office this week and last with the holidays. Check it out and see if you can compare:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/12/30/AR2009123002695.html?hpid=artslot

2009: Year in Review

2009 was a great year!! I worked hard in a new position at work, went on a ski trip to Big Sky, Montana in February, visited my big brother in New York in May, took a trip to Wisconsin in September to visit family, and was in my best friend's wedding up in Idaho in October.

My brother came home for the 4th of July and Christmas this year, some family friends came to visit throughout the year, and we celebrated my dad's 60th birthday in February with a huge party at my parent's house.

A couple of babies were born this year. Ella Rose was born to Carly and Joel in February. Olivia Diane was born to Emily and Michael in November.

I turned 25 years old this year. I now can rent vehicles with no additional fees, and I'm hoping my car insurance will go down (fingers crossed!!). The down side? The infamous quarter-life crisis has begun.

Overall, a pretty great year! I am hoping for one big change this year that will change everything in my life. This could be something that is announced in March or April, but possibly later. I'll keep you posted!

Cheers to a new year!

Happy Holidays!!

Happy holidays to everyone!! Happy Hanukkah, Kwanza, Christmas, and New YEAR!! 2010 is just around the corner! Whoa!

No big deal, but...

I made these last week and they were DELICIOUS!!

The 67th Annual Golden Globe Awards NOMINATIONS

HOLLYWOOD FOREIGN PRESS ASSOCIATION
2010 GOLDEN GLOBE AWARDS
FOR THE YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2009


1. BEST MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA
a.AVATAR
b.THE HURT LOCKER
c.INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS
d.PRECIOUS: BASED ON THE NOVEL PUSH BY SAPPHIRE
e.UP IN THE AIR

My Pick: Inglorious Basterds

2. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA
a.EMILY BLUNT - THE YOUNG VICTORIA
b.SANDRA BULLOCK - THE BLIND SIDE
c.HELEN MIRREN - THE LAST STATION
d.CAREY MULLIGAN - AN EDUCATION
e.GABOUREY SIDIBE - PRECIOUS: BASED ON THE NOVEL PUSH BY SAPPHIRE

My Pick: Helen Mirren

3. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA
a.JEFF BRIDGES - CRAZY HEART
b.GEORGE CLOONEY - UP IN THE AIR
c.COLIN FIRTH - A SINGLE MAN
d.MORGAN FREEMAN - INVICTUS
e.TOBEY MAGUIRE - BROTHERS

My Pick: Morgan Freeman

4. BEST MOTION PICTURE – COMEDY OR MUSICAL
a.(500) DAYS OF SUMMER
b.THE HANGOVER
c.IT’S COMPLICATED
d.JULIE & JULIA
e.NINE

My Pick: Julie & Julia

5. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE – COMEDY OR MUSICAL
a.SANDRA BULLOCK - THE PROPOSAL
b.MARION COTILLARD - NINE
c.JULIA ROBERTS - DUPLICITY
d.MERYL STREEP - IT’S COMPLICATED
e.MERYL STREEP - JULIE & JULIA

My Pick: Meryl Streep, Julie & Julia

6. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE – COMEDY
OR MUSICAL
a.MATT DAMON - THE INFORMANT!
b.DANIEL DAY-LEWIS - NINE
c.ROBERT DOWNEY JR - SHERLOCK HOLMES
d.JOSEPH GORDON-LEVITT - (500) DAYS OF SUMMER
e.MICHAEL STUHLBARG - A SERIOUS MAN

My Pick: Robert Downey Jr.

7. BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM
a.CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS
b.CORALINE
c.FANTASTIC MR. FOX
d.THE PRINCESS AND THE FROG
e.UP

My Pick: Up

8. BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
a.BAARIA (ITALY)
b.BROKEN EMBRACES (SPAIN)
c.THE MAID (CHILE)
d.A PROPHET (UN PROPHETE) (FRANCE)
e.THE WHITE RIBBON (GERMANY)

My Pick: A Prophet

9. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MOTION PICTURE
a.PENÉLOPE CRUZ - NINE
b.VERA FARMIGA - UP IN THE AIR
c.ANNA KENDRICK - UP IN THE AIR
d.MO’NIQUE - PRECIOUS: BASED ON THE NOVEL PUSH BY SAPPHIRE
e.JULIANNE MOORE - A SINGLE MAN

My Pick: Penelope Cruz

10. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A
MOTION PICTURE
a.MATT DAMON - INVICTUS
b.WOODY HARRELSON - THE MESSENGER
c.CHRISTOPHER PLUMMER - THE LAST STATION
d.STANLEY TUCCI - THE LOVELY BONES
e.CHRISTOPH WALTZ - INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS

My Pick: Matt Damon

11. BEST DIRECTOR – MOTION PICTURE
a.KATHRYN BIGELOW - THE HURT LOCKER
b.JAMES CAMERON - AVATAR
c.CLINT EASTWOOD - INVICTUS
d.JASON REITMAN - UP IN THE AIR
e.QUENTIN TARANTINO - INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS

My Pick: Clint Eastwood

12. BEST SCREENPLAY – MOTION PICTURE
a.NEILL BLOMKAMP, TERRI TATCHELL - DISTRICT 9
b.MARK BOAL - THE HURT LOCKER
c.NANCY MEYERS - IT'S COMPLICATED
d.JASON REITMAN, SHELDON TURNER - UP IN THE AIR
e.QUENTIN TARANTINO - INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS

My Pick: Nancy Meyers (Love her!)

13. BEST ORIGINAL SCORE – MOTION PICTURE
a.MICHAEL GIACCHINO - UP
b.MARVIN HAMLISCH - THE INFORMANT!
c.JAMES HORNER - AVATAR
d.ABEL KORZENIOWSKI - A SINGLE MAN
e.KAREN O, CARTER BURWELL - WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE

My Pick: Karen O, Carter Burwell

14. BEST ORIGINAL SONG – MOTION PICTURE
a.“CINEMA ITALIANO” — NINE
b.“I WANT TO COME HOME” — EVERYBODY'S FINE
c.“I SEE YOU” — AVATAR
d.“THE WEARY KIND (THEME FROM CRAZY HEART)” — CRAZY HEART
e.“WINTER” — BROTHERS

My Pick: "The Weary Kind (Theme from Crazy Heart)"

15. BEST TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA
a.BIG LOVE (HBO)
b.DEXTER (SHOWTIME)
c.HOUSE (FOX)
d.MAD MEN (AMC)
e.TRUE BLOOD (HBO)

My Pick: Dexter

16. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA
a.GLENN CLOSE - DAMAGES
b.JANUARY JONES - MAD MEN
c.JULIANNA MARGULIES - THE GOOD WIFE
d.ANNA PAQUIN - TRUE BLOOD
e.KYRA SEDGWICK - THE CLOSER

My Pick: January Jones

17. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA
a.SIMON BAKER - THE MENTALIST
b.MICHAEL C. HALL - DEXTER
c.JON HAMM - MAD MEN
d.HUGH LAURIE - HOUSE
e.BILL PAXTON - BIG LOVE

My Pick: Michael C. Hall

18. BEST TELEVISION SERIES – COMEDY OR MUSICAL
a.30 ROCK (NBC)
b.ENTOURAGE (HBO)
c.GLEE (FOX)
d.MODERN FAMILY (ABC)
e.THE OFFICE (NBC)

My Pick: 30 Rock/Glee

19. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES – COMEDY OR MUSICAL
a.TONI COLLETTE - UNITED STATES OF TARA
b.COURTENEY COX - COUGAR TOWN
c.EDIE FALCO - NURSE JACKIE
d.TINA FEY - 30 ROCK
e.LEA MICHELE - GLEE

My Pick: Toni Collette

20. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES – COMEDY OR MUSICAL
a.ALEC BALDWIN - 30 ROCK
b.STEVE CARELL - THE OFFICE
c.DAVID DUCHOVNY - CALIFORNICATION
d.THOMAS JANE - HUNG
e.MATTHEW MORRISON - GLEE

My Pick: Alec Baldwin

21. BEST MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
a.GEORGIA O'KEEFFE (LIFETIME TELEVISION)
b.GREY GARDENS (HBO)
c.INTO THE STORM (HBO)
d.LITTLE DORRIT (PBS)
e.TAKING CHANCE (HBO)

My Pick: Grey Gardens

22. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MINI-SERIES OR MOTION
PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
a.JOAN ALLEN - GEORGIA O'KEEFFE
b.DREW BARRYMORE - GREY GARDENS
c.JESSICA LANGE - GREY GARDENS
d.ANNA PAQUIN - THE COURAGEOUS HEART OF IRENA SENDLER
e.SIGOURNEY WEAVER - PRAYERS FOR BOBBY

My Pick: Jessica Lange

23. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
a.KEVIN BACON - TAKING CHANCE
b.KENNETH BRANAGH - WALLANDER: ONE STEP BEHIND
c.CHIWETEL EJIOFOR - ENDGAME
d.BRENDAN GLEESON - INTO THE STORM
e.JEREMY IRONS - GEORGIA O'KEEFFE

My Pick: Chiwetel Ejiofor

24. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A SERIES, MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
a.JANE ADAMS - HUNG
b.ROSE BYRNE - DAMAGES
c.JANE LYNCH - GLEE
d.JANET McTEER - INTO THE STORM
e.CHLOË SEVIGNY - BIG LOVE

My Pick: Chloe Sevigny

25. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A SERIES, MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
a.MICHAEL EMERSON - LOST
b.NEIL PATRICK HARRIS - HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER
c.WILLIAM HURT - DAMAGES
d.JOHN LITHGOW - DEXTER
e.JEREMY PIVEN - ENTOURAGE

My Pick: John Lithgow

Julie & Julia

Last night, my mom and I watched Julie & Julia. It was spectacular!! I loved Meryl Streep before, but this movie just proves what an amazing acress she is. It was absolutely hysterical!

Amy Adams seems to making a name for herself as well. She might be the actress to watch in 2010. She has had quite a few roles already, Enchanted, Doubt, and one of my all time favorite movies, Drop Dead Gorgeous. But she has also proven that she can handle any kind of part, so I can't wait to see what she does next!




Another movie I am extatic to see this season is It's Complicated, another Meryl Streep film. It also stars Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin, two actors I can always count on to make me laugh! This film was written and directed by Nancy Meyers, who also wrote and directed Somethings Gotta Give, which I loved! I can't wait to see this movie!

What a week!

The last week has been filled with babies, Thanksgiving, friends, family, and my birthday!

My friend, Emily, just had her first baby, daughter Olivia. I'm so happy for you Emily, and can't wait to meet her!

Thanksgiving was filled with family, friends, and fun! Our family friend Cheryl came up to Park City from Arizona to celebrate Thankgiving with us. We had a great time shopping on Main Street and walking around the new Redstone condos (where Cheryl will hopefully be buying a condo!!). We ate a ton of turkey, cranberries, potatoes and more! I love Thanksgiving food!

I celebrated my 25th birthday yesterday. I always hate my birthday, but yesterday was surprisingly great. I think the last few years, I've expected so much from people, and I just disappointed myself. Now that I'm getting older, I don't expect much, no gifts, no parties. I don't need all of that to be happy.

Christmas is just around the corner, only three weeks away! I can't believe it! My brother Matt will be coming home on Dec. 18, so it will be great to see him.

Snow.....Oh snow....This season has been starting out slowly. It hasn't snowed in days, if not weeks. All the snow at the resorts is man made. Park City Mountain Resort opened a few weeks ago, but only a few runs. Deer Valley will be opening this Saturday with 11 runs available. I need to ski!! Pray to the snow gods!!

Hate

I don't have a lot of hatred in my life, but there is something that really grinds my gears. I hate when I am upset with someone because of something they did to me, I tell them how I feel and they don't take the criticism very well, then I feel the need to apologize to them for causing the uncomfortable situation. I'm basically apologizing for being honest and telling them how I feel. I'm apologizing for feeling the way I do.

Why aren't they apologizing to me?????

Moral: Don't be honest about your feelings. Lie about everything. Deal with the horrible way you feel and let it take over your life. Eventually become depressed and hate life all together, including everyone around you.

Thought of the Day

I personally do not enjoy discussing politics and religion with people who feel differently than me. It's not because I don't enjoy a good debate, but people seem to be overly stubborn on these subject. The funny thing is, they claim to be "open-minded". So, how can you have a discussion with someone who has a differing opinion and not stick to your own beliefs?

For example, I have a friend who majored in Political Science, interned and worked in D.C., and now works with me in Utah. She grew up Catholic, but doesn't necessarily share all of their beliefs. We have had many arguments, to the point where I have had to tell her that I don't want to talk about it anymore. (I used to have a rule for myself where I would stay away from discussions on politics and religion with people who don't feel the same way because of situations like this.) We have even had discussions where she tells me that I should be more open-minded. I feel like I am a pretty open-minded person already, yet there are some things that I am going to stick to, and that includes my religious beliefs. There's no room for open-mindedness when it comes to that. And what constitutes open-minded? I thought America was based on the opinions of the people and voicing those opinions. If everyone is open-minded on every subject, that leads to no one having any kind of thought on anything. And if you're trying to pursuade someone else to think what you think, isn't that being just as stubborn and closed-minded??

It's upsetting to know that basic morals are going out the window. Why should I be ashamed to believe in something like The Bible? I believe and I follow, and I will not be open-minded on things like abortion. It doesn't mean that other people can't be, it just means that I won't. It's my own opinion and I'm sticking to it!

Halloween 2009

Had to post this awesome picture of my Halloween costume this year.

The Big 2-5

I turn 25 on December 2 and I'm not sure what to think about it. All my friends who are around my age are always talking about their quarter-life crisis, but I never really understood it. I was never one to feel depressed about growing old or things changing in my life. I was happy for who I was and what I had accomplished in my 25 years....

...until now. I look back on everything and I am happy with my accomplishments up until the age of 22, right after I graduated from college. Since then, I can't say that I have had the time of my life and there's nothing to complain about. It's just not true. After graduating from college, life has been less than. My school loan and credit card debt is ridiculous, my job isn't what I was expecting it to be, and thinking about that is depressing.

I recently read that the primary cause of stress is financial reasons. Check! That's me. As a college graduate, I should be making more money than I do. But as an employee in a non-profit organization, it's pretty hard to make that happen. My company is run by men, so it doesn't give much hope to the women in the lower positions. Don't get me wrong, I love my job, the company, and the people that I work with, but the pay is not what I thought it would be. I guess winter sports just aren't as popular as the NBA, NFL, and MLB.

The greatest fear that I have in life is failure. I want to be a successful person, and to me that means finding a place where I am happy. And to break that down even further, that means being financially stable, having a happy and healthy family of my own, and making a place for myself in the world. I want to do more volunteer work and donate my time to things that matter. Someday I would love to go to Africa and help build a school in a 3rd world country, or teach English in China. But I know the only way that will ever happen is if I get out of debt. That's going to take me many years.

Cue quarter-life crisis.

2009-10 Season

The ski season is finally underway! The first World Cup at Soelden was a success. Ted Ligety came in 3rd and Lindsey Vonn was 9th, both leading the U.S. in alpine.

My coaches clinics begin on November 14. I am planning on traveling to a few of the clinics to become more educated in my current career. I figured I should probably know what goes on at these events so I can be consistant in my answers to people's questions. Some options in locations would be Steamboat Springs, Winter Park, Big Sky, and possibly Bogus Basin. If Bogus is an option, then I will definitely head there to visit BFF Amy! Although, anywhere in Colorado would be great. I haven't skied at Steamboat or Winter Park.

This weekend is the Park City Ski Swap!! I'm looking for new boots, and possibly some cross country equipment. My mom and I are going to look for new skis for my dad since his are 1970's Kastles....picture those!! They're the kind you make a shotski out of, or maybe a ski chair, anything but actually skiing on them!

On a low note, it's been in the high 50s in Park City the past few days, AKA T-shirt weather. There's no snow on the ground and it's not cold enough to blow the snow guns. Park City Mountain Resort usually opens on Thanksgiving weekend and Deer Valley is scheduled to open on December 5. Right now, November 5, it doesn't look good, and it's kind of depressing. I'm ready for snow and I'm more than ready to put my skis on! Let's all pray to the snow gods!

Congrats Amy & Bob Shaw

I flew up to Boise for the weekend so I could be in my best friend, Amy's, wedding. She married Robert Shaw on October 17. It was such a beautiful wedding!! All of the bridesmaids looked amazing, the groomsmen were so handsome, and Amy was gorgeous!

What a weekend! The wedding party went through quite a bit of booze throughout the three days we were all together. Let's just say there were Hasidic Jews, chicken tacos, people with no pants on sleeping in the back of cars, lost phones, hookups, and so much more. I had the time of my life!

The poor bride was sick the entire time and needed to rest before the big day, so she wasn't able to come out with us and paint the town red. Thankfully, she was better by Saturday morning!



Here are all the bridesmaids after walking down the aisle. This is right before I started crying!

Congratulations Amy & Robert Shaw! I love you both so much!

October Update

Work is starting to get busier, thank God! Lately I haven't had much to do, which makes the day go by super slow...another reason why I need change.

I'm the kind of person that needs to be challenged every single day. I like to learn new things and I like working hard at what I do. Currently, in the position I'm in, I cannot do that, and I feel worthless. Throughout the year, my job is routine. I like routine to an extent, but I don't know that I like routine at the job. It tends to make things boring.

This leads me to my next point (which I have recently written about), change. I can't stop thinking about change. I need to change careers, environment, and salary. I'm constantly struggling with money, which means I can never do anything for myself. I hate being in a place that is overpowered by a certain demographic. I need diversity and culture. I don't think that's something I can find in Park City, Utah. Don't get me wrong, I love living here. Skiing is my life (literally) and I can't wait for the snow to cover the mountains. I just feel differently than I did before. I look at my friends and their experiences, and then I look at my life and how I haven't really accomplished much. I'm young and healthy, now is the time to make this change!

I'm not entirely sure what I want to do. I know that I love the sports industry and if there are any opportunities in my field, then I am willing to relocate in a heartbeat (salary pending). I am ready for anything!

Big Day in the USA!

President Barack Obama was awarded the Nobel Peace Price, and golf and rugby were both added to the Olympic roster.

One thing that concerns me about this Olympic situation is that a sport like golf can get in, but women's ski jumping is going through a court case because the chauvenistic men in the IOC don't think women should be ski jumping. Seems to me like women's rights haven't changed much in Copenhagen since the 1950's. But then again, even the Canadian Olympic Committee will not support this case because they "would screw Canada's chance of ever getting major events again...like the Olympics again some day."

If you think of all the sports in the Olympics that include women, half of them are dangerous. How is ski jumping any more dangerous than crashing on an alpine course skiing at 65 mph, or flipping over in a bobsled, or stabbing yourself with skate during an ice skating event, or sliding down an icy track head first in skeleton?

Unfortunately, this case is difficult. It's international, which means U.S. laws and rights are exempt. These women can't win this case on discrimination alone.

Currently, an appeal has been filed (July 21, 2009). On November 12 and 13, a panel of judges will hear the argument for the appeal. Fingers crossed! Get 'em girls!

Also, today is my dog's birthday. She is 5 years old! Happy Birthday Babsy!!

Check out this video of my buddy, Lindsey Van, winning the first FIS Nordic Ski World Chamionships in Liberec on Feb. 20, 2009. "This is for everyone. This is for all the women who have been pushing the sport over the last 10 years and all the women who really did well today. They deserve this too."


More world Ski >>

Cross Country Snowboarding

This sport was recently introduced to me and I have fallen in love! What an incredible way to be one with nature in full spandex race suits and snowboarding on a flat surface. The slowness of your speed allows you to look at the beauty of the world around you, and the extra time will help you to figure out who you really are. Cross country skiing was prejudice towards the snowboarders of the world. Now we all can become apart of these backcountry excursions through cross country snowboarding.

Everything is amazing right now, and nobody's happy

My BFF Amy

This past weekend I went up to Boise to attend my BFF Amy's bachelorette party. Yowzuhs, was it a fun weekend! There was lots of booze, good food, and strippers. I've only been to two or so bachelorette parties, but this one takes the cake!

Amy will be married to Robert on October 17. I am a bridesmaid and can't wait for this special day! I know I will be crying tears of joy throughout the entire ceremony! Emily, you're in charge of bringing tissue!

Only 11 more days! Congrats Amy & Bob!

Exclamation point!!

Fall in Park City

The leaves have been changing to the beautiful reds, organges, browns, and yellows. It has been absolutely gorgeous here in Park City the last few weeks. The temperature has been perfect, high 70s to low 80s, perfect for hiking in the colorful mountains!

The resorts were filled with the beautiful colors, and the aspens just started changing, so Deer Valley was full of yellow!

Moose have been coming down from the higher mountains for food and water. This beast was seen just outside of my office parking lot. I have never seen a moose this big before! Trust me, he's a lot bigger than he looks in this picture! Next time I'll have to go stand by him so you can see the size.

And then it snowed.

Here is a picture taken outside my office this morning, snowy and cold. The Rocky's were expected to have 20 inches last night!

Another view from my office.

Some native Park Citians (such as myself) say that the seasons are different here. Fall begins in early August and ends in early October when winter takes over. One of my favorite things about Park City is the seasons. Every season comes and goes and every season is beautiful! We have the best snow on earth in the winter, a green and rainy spring, a hot and dry summer, and colorful and cool fall. It's perfect for people like me who love to enjoy all times of the year. When you're sick of the summer heat, the leaves are already changing and the weather is cooling down. When you're ready to put on your ski boots and head up to the mountain, there is snow on the ground and the resorts are open. When the boots are ready to come off and the slopes are icy, the resorts are closing and spring is in bloom. When the rain is enough, the heat of the summer air is just around the corner. I love it here!

My Emmy Picks Compared To Emmy Wins

Outstanding Lead Actor In A Comedy Series
MY PICK: Steve Carrell
PROBABILITY: Alec Baldwin
WIN: Alec Baldwin

Outstanding Lead Actress In A Comedy Series
MY PICK: Toni Collette
PROBABILITY: Mary-Louise Parker
WIN: Toni Collette

Outstanding Lead Actor In A Drama Series
MY PICK: Michael C. Hall
PROBABILITY: Jon Hamm
WIN: Bryan Cranston (Never even heard of Breaking Bad)

Outstanding Lead Actress In A Drama Series
MY PICK: Sally Field
PROBABILITY: Holly Hunter
WIN: Glenn Close

Outstanding Comedy Series
MY PICK: Weeds
PROBABILITY: 30 Rock
WIN: 30 Rock

Supporting Actor In A Comedy Series
MY PICK: Neil Patrick Harris
PROBABILITY: Neil Patrick Harris
WIN: Jon Cryer

Supporting Actress In A Comedy Series
MY PICK: Amy Poehler
PROBABILITY: Amy Poehler
WIN: Kristin Chenoweth

Supporting Actor In A Drama Series
MY PICK: John Slatterly
PROBABILITY: John Slatterly
WIN: Michael Emerson

Supporting Actress In A Drama Series
MY PICK: Dianne Wiest
PROBABILITY: Rose Byrne
WIN: Cherry Jones

Outstanding Drama Series
MY PICK: Dexter
PROBABILITY: Mad Men
WIN: Mad Men

My Emmy Picks

Outstanding Lead Actor In A Comedy Series
Steve Carrell
Jim Parsons
Tony Shaloub
Alec Baldwin
Jemaine Clement
Charlie Sheen

MY PICK: Steve Carrell
PROBABILITY: Alec Baldwin

Outstanding Lead Actress In A Comedy Series
Sarah Silverman
Toni Collette
Mary-Louise Parker
Christina Applegate
Tina Fey
Julia-Louis Dreyfus

MY PICK: Toni Collette
PROBABILITY: Mary-Louise Parker

Outstanding Lead Actor In A Drama Series
Hugh Laurie
Gabriel Byrne
Michael C. Hall
Bryan Cranston
Simon Baker
Jon Hamm

MY PICK: Michael C. Hall
PROBABILITY: Jon Hamm

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series
Mariska Hargitay
Sally Field
Kyra Sedgwick
Elisabeth Moss
Glenn Close
Holly Hunter

MY PICK: Sally Field
PROBABILITY: Holly Hunter

Outstanding Comedy Series
Entourage
30 Rock
Weeds
The Office
How I Met Your Mother
Family Guy
Flight of the Conchords

MY PICK: Weeds
PROBABILITY: 30 Rock

Supporting Actor In A Comedy Series
Kevin Dillon
Neil Patrick Harris
Jon Cryer
Tracy Morgan
Rainn Wilson
Jack McBrayer

MY PICK: Neil Patrick Harris
PROBABILITY: Neil Patrick Harris

Supporting Acress In A Comedy Series
Kristin Chenoweth
Jane Krakowski
Elizabeth Perkins
Amy Poehler
Vanessa Williams
Kristin Wiig

MY PICK: Amy Poehler
PROBABILITY: Amy Poehler

Supporting Actor In A Drama Series
William Shatner
Christian Clemenson
Michael Emerson
Aaron Paul
William Hurt
John Slatterly

MY PICK: John Slatterly
PROBABILITY: John Slatterly

Supporting Actress In A Drama Series
Sandra Oh
Dianne Wiest
Rose Byrne
Hope Davis
Chandra Wilson
Cherry Jones

MY PICK: Dianne Wiest
PROBABILITY: Rose Byrne

Oustanding Drama Series
Big Love
Mad Men
Dexter
Breaking Bad
Lost
House
Damages

MY PICK: Dexter
PROBABILITY: Mad Men

This is all I can do for now. There are so many other nominations. We'll see how close I am! Tune in Sunday, September 20! Print your own ballot HERE!

Ski Season

It's hard to believe that ski season is almost here. I posted my clinic schedule a few weeks ago and am getting ready for the season to begin. I can't wait! I love the snow, I love the cold, I love everything about winter! The snow should start falling in the next month or two. I'm hoping we are going to have another epic year like we did 2 years ago. The snow didn't stop until late May, and I remember walking through a tunnel of snow just to get to my front door.

I need to buy new alpine boots this year, either coaches boots or racing boots. I'm also hoping to invest in cross country gear. I will be going to the ski swaps at Rowmark (Oct. 16-17) and Park City (Nov. 6-8). The swaps always have the best deals.

This year, I'm taking full advantage of the Gold Passes. I have plans to ski at Jackson Hole, Big Sky, Sun Valley, and hopefully Steamboat. And of course all of the Utah resorts: Snow Basin, Park City, The Canyons, Deer Valley, Snowbird, Alta, Solitude, and I'd love to ski Sundance (which I have yet to do).

How awesome would it be to have a motorhome and drive around the country with skiing at every resort you came across? I think I'll put that idea on my Bucket List!

Politics

I have decided that my lack of political knowledge is getting the best of me, whether it's through day-to-day conversation, or just knowing what's going on in my country. I want to be more involved and have a better understanding of the issues that are important to my everyday life. I may need to buy "Politics for Dummies" at the bookstore!

I just made this decision yesterday, so all day today, I have been catching up on my articles through CNN, The Washington Post, and even watching a few videos. Right now, the big issue is health care and what Obama's plan is to help the single mothers, the unemployed, etc. who don't have health insurance.

Recently, I had my annual medical exam and the whole insurance process has been ridiculous! I went to the doctor on May 6 and my insurance still has not figured everything out. Of course, I blame it mostly on the U of U Clinic that I went to. For 3 months, my insurance company had no record of the clinic ever sending in any of the claims. What a joke! I have been on the phone with them at least 5 times in the last month and I just received my bill yesterday saying that I owe nothing. Thank God! But...it's only half of the bill. There's still another $125 on my account, waiting for a payment from me, which they will never receive.

To sum this up, I'd like to have the understanding of what is going on in America today and be able to converse with others about certain issues that are affecting people's lives. If anyone has any links, I'd appreciate any literature!

A random email from a friend...

-I wish Google Maps had an "Avoid Ghetto" routing option.

-More often than not, when someone is telling me a story all I can think about is that I can't wait for them to finish so that I can tell my own story that's not only better, but also more directly involves me.

-Nothing sucks more than that moment during an argument when you realize you're wrong.

-I don't understand the purpose of the line, "I don't need to drink to have fun." Great, no one does. But why start a fire with flint and sticks when they've invented the lighter?

-Have you ever been walking down the street and realized that you're going in the complete opposite direction of where you are supposed to be going? But instead of just turning a 180 and walking back in the direction from which you came, you have to first do something like check your watch or phone or make a grand arm gesture and mutter to yourself to ensure that no one in the surrounding area thinks you're crazy by randomly switching directions on the sidewalk.

-I totally take back all those times I didn't want to nap when I was younger.

-Is it just me, or are 80% of the people in the "people you may know" feature on Facebook people that I do know, but I deliberately choose not to be friends with?

-Do you remember when you were a kid; playing Nintendo and it wouldn't work? You take the cartridge out, blow in it and that would magically fix the problem. Every kid in America did that, but how did we all know how to fix the problem? There were no internet or message boards or FAQ's. We just figured it out. Today's kids are soft.

-There is a great need for sarcasm font.

-Sometimes, I'll watch a movie that I watched when I was younger and suddenly realize I had no idea what the f was going on when I first saw it.

-I think everyone has a movie that they love so much; it actually becomes stressful to watch it with other people. I'll end up wasting 90 minutes shiftily glancing around to confirm that everyone's laughing at the right parts, then making sure I laugh just a little bit harder (and a millisecond earlier) to prove that I'm still the only one who really, really gets it.

-How the hell are you supposed to fold a fitted sheet?

-I would rather try to carry 10 plastic grocery bags in each hand than take 2 trips to bring my groceries in.

- I think part of a best friend's job should be to immediately clear your computer history if you die.

-The only time I look forward to a red light is when I am trying to finish a text.

- A recent study has shown that playing beer pong contributes to the spread of mono and the flu. Yeah, if you suck at it.

- Was learning cursive really necessary?

- Lol has gone from meaning, "laugh out loud" to "I have nothing else to say".

- I have a hard time deciphering the fine line between boredom and hunger.

- Answering the same letter three times or more in a row on a Scranton test is absolutely petrifying.

- My brother's Municipal League baseball team is named the Stepdads. Seeing as none of the guys on the team are actual stepdads, I inquired about the name. He explained, "Cuz we beat you, and you hate us." Classy, bro.

- Whenever someone says "I'm not book smart, but I'm street smart", all I hear is "I'm not real smart, but I'm imaginary smart".

- How many times is it appropriate to say "What?" before you just nod and smile because you still didn't hear what they said?

- I love the sense of camaraderie when an entire line of cars teams up to prevent a dick from cutting in at the front. Stay strong, brothers!

- Every time I have to spell a word over the phone using 'as in' examples, I will undoubtedly draw a blank and sound like a complete idiot. Today I had to spell my boss's last name to an attorney and said "Yes that's G as in...(10 second lapse)..ummm...Goonies"

-What would happen if I hired two private investigators to follow each other?

- While driving yesterday I saw a banana peel in the road and instinctively swerved to avoid it...thanks Mario Kart.

- MapQuest really needs to start their directions on #5. Pretty sure I know how to get out of my neighborhood.

- Obituaries would be a lot more interesting if they told you how the person died.

- I find it hard to believe there are actually people who get in the shower first and THEN turn on the water.

-Shirts get dirty. Underwear gets dirty. Pants? Pants never get dirty, and you can wear them forever.

- I would like to officially coin the phrase 'catching the swine flu' to be used as a way to make fun of a friend for hooking up with an overweight woman. Example: "Dave caught the swine flu last night."

-I can't remember the last time I wasn't at least kind of tired.

- Bad decisions make good stories

-Whenever I'm Facebook stalking someone and I find out that their profile is public I feel like a kid on Christmas morning who just got the Red Ryder BB gun that I always wanted. 546 pictures? Don't mind if I do!

- Is it just me or do high school girls get sluttier & sluttier every year?

-If Carmen San Diego and Waldo ever got together, their offspring would probably just be completely invisible.

-Why is it that during an ice-breaker, when the whole room has to go around and say their name and where they are from, I get so incredibly nervous? Like I know my name, I know where I'm from, this shouldn't be a problem....

-You never know when it will strike, but there comes a moment at work when you've made up your mind that you just aren't doing anything productive for the rest of the day.

-Can we all just agree to ignore whatever comes after DVDs? I don't want to have to restart my collection.

-There's no worse feeling than that millisecond you're sure you are going to die after leaning your chair back a little too far.

-I'm always slightly terrified when I exit out of Word and it asks me if I want to save any changes to my ten page research paper that I swear I did not make any changes to.

- "Do not machine wash or tumble dry" means I will never wash this ever.

-I hate being the one with the remote in a room full of people watching TV. There's so much pressure. 'I love this show, but will they judge me if I keep it on? I bet everyone is wishing we weren't watching this. It's only a matter of time before they all get up and leave the room. Will we still be friends after this?'

-I hate when I just miss a call by the last ring (Hello? Hello? Dammit!), but when I immediately call back, it rings nine times and goes to voicemail. What'd you do after I didn't answer? Drop the phone and run away?

- I hate leaving my house confident and looking good and then not seeing anyone of importance the entire day. What a waste.

-When I meet a new girl, I'm terrified of mentioning something she hasn't already told me but that I have learned from some light internet stalking.

-I like all of the music in my iTunes, except when it's on shuffle, then I like about one in every fifteen songs in my iTunes.

-Why is a school zone 20 mph? That seems like the optimal cruising speed for pedophiles...

- As a driver I hate pedestrians, and as a pedestrian I hate drivers, but no matter what the mode of transportation, I always hate cyclists.

-Sometimes I'll look down at my watch 3 consecutive times and still not know what time it is.

-It should probably be called Unplanned Parenthood.

-I keep some people's phone numbers in my phone just so I know not to answer when they call.

-I think that if, years down the road when I'm trying to have a kid, I find out that I sterile, most of my disappointment will stem from the fact that I was not aware of my condition in college.

-Even if I knew your social security number, I wouldn't know what do to with it.

-Even under ideal conditions people have trouble locating their car keys in a pocket, hitting the G-spot, and Pinning the Tail on the Donkey - but I bet my ass everyone can find and push the Snooze button from 3 feet away, in about 1.7 seconds, eyes closed, first time every time...

-My 4-year old son asked me in the car the other day "Dad what would happen if you ran over a ninja?" How the hell do I respond to that?

-It really pisses me off when I want to read a story on CNN.com and the link takes me to a video instead of text.

-I wonder if cops ever get pissed off at the fact that everyone they drive behind obeys the speed limit.

-I think the freezer deserves a light as well.

-I disagree with Kay Jewelers. I would bet on any given Friday or Saturday night more kisses begin with Miller Lites than Kay.

-The other night I ordered takeout, and when I looked in the bag, saw they had included four sets of plastic silverware. In other words, someone at the restaurant packed my order, took a second to think about it, and then estimated that there must be at least four people eating to require such a large amount of food. Too bad I was eating by myself. There's nothing like being made to feel like a fat bastard before dinner.

Soon to be September

I can't believe it's almost September!! Summer has flown by. I feel like it has been pretty uneventful. Work, work, and more work. I guess that happens when you live in the real world.

I have a lot planned for the next few months. On September 12 I will be going to Wisconsin to visit family for the first time in almost two years. It will be good to go back for a few days. No doubt I'll come home with the amazing accent. Good news! Packers vs. Bears at Lambeau, September 13, first regular season game of the year. What a great time for a cheesehead to be in Wisconsin!!

In October, my best friend Amy is getting married. Her wedding is on October 17 in Boise, so I will be going to Boise for the bachelorette party on October 2 as well. I can't wait!! They've been dating for......4+ years. WOW! It's about time!

The snow will be falling in no time! I can't wait to put my skis on and hit the slopes! I'm taking advantage of my job this year. I'm planning on making a few ski trips: Jackson Hole, Big Sky, Bridger, Sun Valley and maybe even a few places in Colorado, Steamboat, Vail, Aspen. Who's coming with me??

Packers fans react to Favre

Packers fans react to Favre news

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Trip to New York

It has almost been 2 months since I last wrote a blog. A lot has happened since then.

First, I went to New York to visit my brother Matt. We had a ton of fun! Here's what we did:

Thursday

I landed around 4:30pm and headed straight to Matt's office. He works for BET, so I was able to go onto the set of 106 & Park. Then we went to dinner where we met up with Matt's roommate, Kacy and checked out Times Square, then just headed back to Matt's appartment in Brooklyn for the night.

Friday

Friday was just the two of us and we packed in a lot!

• Ground Zero
• Staten Island Ferry
• Financial District
• Brooklyn Bridge
• Washington Square Park
• McSorley's, the oldest bar in NYC
• Sushi
• Hit the bars
  

Saturday

Saturday was an intersting day. Half of the morning was spent looking for a medical boot because my stress fracture from college softball decided to come back. My foot was cramping up and it was very painful to walk. We went over to the Intrepid (it was Fleet Week!!) and checked out all the ships that had come in a few days earlier. Then we headed to Central Park, 5th Avenue, then went to dinner and hit the bars. We went to this bar called Woody McHale's, where Woody McHale himself came and talked to us for an hour or more. We drank $10 bucket o' Yuenglings and were out until about 4:30am. Matt's best friend, Whitney, came down from Boston.

Sunday

Sunday, Whitney was kind enough to drive us up to the Bronx so we could have lunch in Little Italy. What a cool area! Little Italy in the Bronx is not well known to tourists, so it was very quiet. The food was amazing, and I'm pretty sure we saw the mafia at a little Italian cafe having their daily meeting on the patio. Everyone spoke Italian, which made it feel like a completely different country.

Then we headed to Harlem and walked around a bit. We went to the Columbia campus then drove up Park Avenue. We drove all the way to the West Village to find where Ms. Carrie Bradshaw lives. By the end of the day, I was exhausted. We went back home to take a nap, then we headed back into Manhattan for dinner and bar hopping. By this time, I wasn't feeling very well, which is upsetting because we went to a really cool bar called the Belgium Beer Garden. I was feeling pretty sick, so we made it an early night and headed home.

Monday

My last day in New York, we went to Grand Central Station and my favorite place so far, D.U.M.B.O. (Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass). I have seen so many tv shows and movies that have been filmed here. It's a really cool place to go and you can see the entire skyline.

We headed to the airport and I flew back to Utah. I always hate coming home to Utah after being in such a diverse area. And New York is probably the most diverse city in the country. What an incredible city!

Center of Excellence

We are finally all moved into the Center of Excellence, our new home! It's a pretty spectacular place to work. We have a full training facility on the first floor, including a rehabilitation area complete with hot tubs, sauna room, and steam room. There is also a full basketball court, and the best part of the entire first floor is the ramps & tramps area. It's basically a full skate park, as well as a place for our aerialists to train on the trampolines and foam pools.

The administration resides on the second and third floors. There is a huge balcony on the third floor that overlooks our amazing ski resorts. Right next door to me on the second floor is a media center where we can produce our educational materials using a sound booth and editing technology.

The U.S. Ski Team knows how to spend $22 million!

Fridays

Today is our last day in the training center. We will be moving into the Center of Excellence next week. It's a really exciting time for us right now, but it's bitter sweet. Things are going to change when we're all in the same building. Only time will tell.

Wishing and Hoping and Thinking and Praying

We are moving out of the training center into our new $22 million facility down the road. It's such a pain to pack up everything and move all this furniture! But once we arrive in the Center of Excellence, we will be at ease. Here are the before and after shots:

We're having a huge sale next Friday and Saturday, April 24-25, so if you need anything, stop by!

In other news, our local resorts here in Park City decided to close on April 12. After a few storms last week, Park City Mountain Resort decided to stay open an extra week. I didn't get to ski at all this week, and probably won't get out this weekend. I think I'm done for the season. I am ready for spring and warm, sunny days! No more snowy spring days.

Lately, I have been looking into grad school. I don't know why, but I've had the urge to go back to school. Since law school didn't work out, I was thinking of getting a MBA. I would obviously need to do all this while I'm working full-time. I think having this background will eventually help me onto my original career path of becoming a sports agent. I just need to get back into the swing of things. I'm thinking I probably won't go for another year, fall 2010. I know this next year is going to be extremely busy at work, with the 2010 Olympic Games just around the corner. I'll just need to wait awhile.

What else is new? Not much. I've been really tired lately. I hope it's not the beginning of depression. I don't feel depressed,, so maybe I'm actually tired. Who knows?

Steinbach out!

Blossom!

Spring is already here! I can't believe winter is already over. The ski resorts are going to close this weekend. I enjoyed this winter very much, and the skiing was great! But now, it's time to move on and enjoy the spring and summer months.

Utah's seasons are perfect. Just when you begin to get tired of the cold and snow, it's already spring and the temperatures are rising, the flowers are blooming, and shorts are being worn. This spring, I have the opportunity to go to New York City, where I will be visiting my brother in Brooklyn. I'm so excited! The last time I was there was after graduation two years ago. It's time I go back and fall in love with the city that never sleeps. I have been watching Sex and the City and it makes me more and more excited to visit this amazing place!

Spring is like a new beginning. Unlike the New Year, Spring has a different sense to starting over. Because the flowers, grass, and leaves all come out again, it's like we as people get to start over as well. It's an exciting part of the year. It's like going from cold misery, to warm happiness.

Another new and exciting event that will be taking place this spring is USSA's move into our new $22 million facility. We move this month and have our official opening May 1. This is such an amazing opportunity for all who are involved with USSA. The move is long overdue, and everyone is ready to go. Again, it's a new start. Another chance to get organized, make sure everything is going according to plan, and taking my job to the next level.

The summer officially begins in New York City, May 22. Here I come!

Hair

I have a hair appointment scheduled in a few weeks and I'm trying to figure out what color to dye my hair. There are so many options for blonde.

There's too blonde:

Medium blonde:

And not enough blonde:

Right now, I'm "not enough blonde". I want something in between "too blonde" and "medium blonde"....but I'm having a hard time finding the right color in a photo. I have the image in my head, but need an example...

I really like this color. I think it would look great with my skin tone, especially with summer coming up. I know my skin will get a little darker, so the brighter blonde would look great. And it still looks like a natural blonde, which is an absolutely must!

I think we found the winner!

What do you think?

Why is it always my responsibility?

One of the things that has really been upsetting to me lately is the fact that out of all my friends, I seem to be the only one who invites anyone anywhere. How come I have to be the one to pursue these ideas? How come I always have to do the inviting, but rarely get invited anywhere? It's becoming a pain in the ass. I don't think I should have to go to efforts of figuring out something that I want to do, then try to get some friends to join me. Hell, I should just do them on my own. Forget inviting people who don't have the decency to be creative and come up with ideas.

And what about the flaky people who you care about and enjoy being with, but who don't give a damn about you and are only selfish people who do what they want? What about those people? My best friend was in a different state for four months and when she returns she doesn't even bother to call me to let me know that she's here. Instead, she finds other "more important" friends to hang out with. What a selfish thing to do!

I am in desperate need for a change. Honestly, I'm sick of the people in my life. I'm sick of babysitting and taking care of everything. Do I need to move or something? What can I do? My family is here, my "friends" are here, my job is here, my life is here. Should I give all of that up to experience something different; experience people who DO give a damn; experience life changing things? I'm so confused. I don't know what to do. It's something that I need to decide on my own and there's no one who can help my decision. It's definitely been something I've been thinking about for a long time now. Years, in fact. I just have never had the guts to actually do it.

Blogging

Blogging has become such a huge part of society. I'm hearing about celebrities "setting the record straight" through their blogs. This has encouraged me to blog more...not that anyone actually reads my blog...but it helps me break up my thoughts and look at everything from the broader scope.

My friend, Amy, just got engaged to her longtime boyfriend, Bob. I'm so excited for the two of them!! It's been a long time coming! I'm going up to Boise in a few weeks to visit and help out with anything I can for the wedding. I like Boise a lot. It's a fun city with a great nightlife...unlike Salt Lake City. I definitely need to get away for a few days. I can't wait!

The ski season is almost over. One of my hometown resorts, Deer Valley, is planning on closing Easter weekend. I hope I can get out a few more times before then. I'm planning on going every weekend (only three more weekends left). I have been skiing every weekend, and I think I've gotten in a good 50 days. It's been a good year. The snow wasn't there this year, but I was able to get out a lot more than I did last year. I'm trying to take full advantage of my season passes!

Speaking of Easter, it's just around the corner! Easter is one of my favorite religious holidays. I enjoy going to church on Good Friday, and Easter Sunday morning. We have a great brunch at my church on Easter. I'm too old for an egg hunt, but a few years ago, my friend, Lauren, and I decided on spray painting beer bottles to look like Easter eggs. We made up a game. One person would go out into the yard and hide eight beers. The other two would then run around looking for the beers (much like an egg hunt), and as soon as one was found, they had to chug it before they could go looking for another one. WOW! We had such a great time doing it! We haven't played it since. Maybe this year is the year to get back into it!

I'm going to New York over Memorial Day weekend to visit my brother who lives out there. I have always envied my brother. He moved to Chicago in his 3rd year of college, and continued living there for an additional two years afterwards. He then decided to move to NYC to pursue his film career. He now works for BET as a camera operator and gaining the experience of a lifetime. I can't wait to go out there and see New York as it is meant to be seen. Last time I was out there, I saw the tourist attractions, but this time, I want to see the local attractions. Any suggestions??

Spring begins this Friday. I'm excited for summer, but I will miss winter. I love winter! I love the snow and I love to ski. But I had a good five months of skiing, so I'm ready for it to end. Spring is almost like a new beginning for everyone. The flowers come out and start a new life; grass grows new; blue skies bring thoughts of happiness and hope.

Looking back at the last year of my life, a new beginning is exactly what I need. There have been a lot of disappointments in the last year. I have been the happiest I've ever been, but then lost it all and experienced one of the most difficult things of my life...love. I also had to put my dog down; the dog I had for 16 years. It was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do, and I have experienced a lot of death in my life.

I almost feel like I need to leave Utah in order to experience the new things that I need in my life. I absolutely love Utah, and I love Park City and my job. But I don't want to live paycheck to paycheck. The economy is so horrible right now that finding another job is nearly impossible. It's definitely not the time to start looking. My 20-year plan has suddenly become a 4-month plan. I must decide what to do with my life and where I want it to go. I can't continue living in my parents house. I need to live on my own and be independent! That is one of the things I still have, but there's not much left.

Spring into change!

Diversity

I firmly believe that travel provides so much for human nature. It gives you the opportunity to experience new and challenging things, become diversified and cultured. There are so many different lifestyles in the world that being able to witness those things would give you a broader range on who you yourself are. I think being more cultured makes you a more humble person; a better person. And one of the biggest parts of my life is being more open-minded and being able to see people (and the world) for who they are, rather than judging them.

Overall, I think America is a very closed-minded, stubborn country. Sure, we are the most diverse country in the world, but we are set in our ways. My religion is a perfect example of that. Actually, all religion is a perfect example of that. Martin Luther King, Jr. said it best, "An individual has not started living until he has risen above the narrow confines of his individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity." That quote describes my every reason to vote for President Obama. Maybe Obama doesn't stand for everything that I personally believe in, but he stands for everything that I want for my country as a whole.

I look at my family and realize how different I am. I have different views and opinions on almost every subject. Yes, I believe 100% in my religion, but I don't think that should be displayed in my political views. Politics are meant to benefit a group of people, not one single individual.

Here's how I see it: I personally am pro-life. However, there are many women out there who think they should have rights for their body and those rights should allow for them to have an abortion. This is where I vote pro-choice, otherwise, this goes against The Constitution and our overall human rights.

Basically, what I am getting at, is I think that everyone should have the opportunity to travel and witness the beauty of the world and of all the amazing different cultures that God has provided us. I rarely get out of Utah, and we all know how red this state is. One of my goals in life is to travel the world. Traveling changes you. It makes you a better person. I don't want to be so selfish and closed-minded as I appear to be. I want to make a difference and help those in need. I want to go to Africa and help build a school for the children who don't have as many opprotunities as I do.

I am infatuated with the Travel Channel. I love No Reservations with Anthony Bourdain. He travels to the most exotic places, and the most amazing part of his show is that he doesn't do the touristy things. He has a tour guide from the country who takes him to all the places that all the locals love. That's what kind of travel I want to do. I want to be apart of the local culture. Isn't that what travel is all about?

Everyone's an asshole

No matter how close you are to a person, how much you know them, how much you trust them, they are still selfish assholes. I don't think there is a single person in this world who doesn't think about themselves first, with the exception of Ghandi.


I have this friend. She can be the coolest person in the world. I've known her for 14 years! We're best friends. But she is the flakiest person I know. Don't expect to keep plans with her because she'll just ditch you.

Then, there's this guy whom I love. Things were going great, we were really good friends. Then I tell him how I feel and he tells me he's dating a flight attendant. My heart shattered, my legs went numb, and now I'm watching him with someone else while tears well up in my eyes...oh, our friendship is now nonexistant.

I thought life was all about trust. Isn't that how we're supposed to get through it, by trusting the people around us to help us and be there for us? WRONG! Life is all about YOU! Life is about being selfish, learning how to get through things on your own, and taking everyone out while you're at it. Look at the most successful people in the world. They didn't get to be millioinaires and billionaires by being kind and helping others. They got to the top through narcissism.

Moral: Think of yourself and yourself only. Don't expect happiness. You'll never get anywhere in life by trusting others. You'll just end up lonely and depressed.

25 Random Facts

There is this post going around on Facebook that asks you to fill out 25 random facts about yourself, then tag 25 people. In turn, those 25 people will fill out 25 random facts, tag 25 people, and it goes on and on. I thought I'd post by 25 random facts on here, but spice it up a bit!

1. I have been skiing since the ripe age of 1.5 years old. Basically, as soon as I could walk, my father pushed me down a snowy hill with two plastic planks on my feet.
2. My great grandmother was a survivor of the Titanic. When I was in high school, we took a trip to Sweden to visit our relatives. We found out that my great grandmother's fiance came back to Sweden from the US to bring her to America with him. My grandmother was in the 2nd to last life boat and her fiance tried to get in with her. He was shot and killed.
3. My great grandfather was a politician in Chicago, and whacked by Bugsy Moran, mob boss of the Polish mafia. Bugsy Moran was whacked by Al Capone.
4. My obsession with the HBO series, The Sopranos, is indescribable. I have seen every single episode at least 5 times, if not more, and will watch them all many many more times.
5. My biggest fantasy is to travel to every country in the world. I have a life list that includes some of the specific things I want to do in each country. It includes, yodling in Switzerland, meditating with the monks in Thailand, watching the flying sharks in South Africa, Octoberfest in Germany, etc.
6. I would love to take a month or two to volunteer my time and efforts in Africa. There are so many volunteer programs that go to the countries in Africa to help build homes or schools, or help make the water drinkable. It would be such an honor to help!
7. I can ski anywhere in the country for FREE. I have the privelege of working for the US Ski and Snowboard Association. We can request gold passes that will allow us to ski at any resort!
8. I work at an Olympic Training Facility and have the opportunity to watch Olympic athletes put their heart and soul into the training to become gold medalists. I can't think of anything more motivational!
9. I have to have a schedule or some kind of plan in my everyday life. I'm not that spontaneous, but can be....sometimes! I think having a plan helps you become a successful person overall.
10. I have a 5-year, 10-year, and 20-year plan. My yearly plans may be cut back to monthly due to the economy.
11. I create short-term and long-term goals that I ALWAYS complete. I guess it's the athlete in me. I wouldn't be able to achieve anything if there weren't goals to strive for.
12. I'm pretty low maintenance, not like the typical girl. It takes me 20 minutes max to get ready, either for a regular day, or a night out on the town. I'm pretty casual in my every day life.
13. I hope to one day be a sports agent or a special agent (in organized crime, obviously). A sports agent would require law school. A special agent has different requirements, but equally difficult. I would be proud to either.
14. I'm very punctual. I hate procrastinating and I hate being late.
15. I strongly believe that Brett Favre should have retired as a Packer. His comeback was a disappointment, and his trade to the Jets was a shame.
16. When I read a book, I can't stop in the middle of a chapter. I lose my place and usually re-read several sentences or paragraphs. I have to stop a place that's meant for breaking.
17. I am very religious and have been attending the same church my entire life, Prince of Peace Lutheran Church. I was baptized, confirmed, and will one day be married there.
18. I could possibly live off of bratwurst, cheese, and beer. The typical choice for a true Cheesehead.
19. If I ever became a fan of a football team other than the Packers, I would be disowned. My family is proud to be from Wisconsin, and proud to be Pack fans!
20. My brother is a camera operator for the Black Entertainment Television network. He is one of the few white people working for the company. He loves it!
21. I don't like talking on the phone in front of other people. There's something about it that makes me nervous. Usually when people call when others are around, I will ignore them and call back at a time when I'm alone.
22. I am, and always will be, an athlete. I have been playing sports for as long as I can remember. I love everything about sports.
23. I don't like getting help with things. I think it's better for people to figure things out on their own....which is probably why I suffered in Math.
24. I quite possibly could be the coolest person you know. Fact!
25. All of my DVDs are alphabetized. I'm very proud of my DVD collection and my love for films. There's a lot about the films I watch that make me who I am. Movies are so powerful and really can change someone's life. Movies in general have definitely changed my daily life, in that, most of my daily vocabulary is movie quotes.

There's a lot more to me than just these 25 facts, but it's a start!

Sundance 2009

Another year of Sundance begins today. This will be my 11th consecutive year attending the festival. My experience at the festival has given me low expectations throughout the years. They keep telling the locals that there will be more tickets available to the films, but for the past five years or so, it feels like the tickets are minimal. I used to be able to get tickets to all the movies I wanted, and that included the opening night film. Now, I basically go through my list, crossing out all the films that are sold out, and only get the ones at the bottom.

Sundance used to be different. It used to be fun! I'll be honest, when I was younger, I would go to the films depending on the celebrities that were involved. Now, I'm more involved with the films themselves. I have seen too many horrible films at Sundance. It's not worth it anymore.

Main Street is even different. The young people around the area have discovered how amazing the festival is and flock to Park City to see celebrities. But because they are doing that, the celebrities don't go to Main anymore. I used to see Jake Gyllenhaal, the cast of That 70s Show, and Luke Wilson walking up the street, but now, you can't catch a glimpse of anyone. This year, they have completely shut down the street to vehicles because it has gotten so big. There is no parking on Main, and the chance of finding parking on Swede Alley (the street behind Main) is slim to none.

Basically, the Sundance Film Festival is becoming a circus and is no longer fun. Sure, I'll still attend, but I think there may be a point in the next few years where it just won't be worth it anymore. Purchasing tickets has already been disappointing for the last few years and is becoming more and more depressing when you don't get the movies you want. But, what can you do? Being a local doesn't really have it's benefits anymore. It's discouraging and fustrating.

A New Beginning

It is only day eight of 2009 and already I feel changes, both good and bad. Let's start with the bad.

The school and credit card debt is hitting me hard. Recently, I decided to purchase a few items that are quite costly, such as a car. Now, I look back and regret a few of them, especially since I just received a phone call from my orthodontist letting me know that my credit card was declined for my January payment. Excellent! Tomorrow I will go into my credit union to see what I can do to decrease these costs, and maybe take out another loan with less interest. The only thing I'm really concerned about as far as debt is my ridiculous American Express card. This company is amazing. They can suck you in with the airline miles, and then they rack up your bill with monthly and yearly fees, as well as the 11% APR.

I have a great job, but unfortunately, the money isn't there. With the economy the way it is, USSA has enabled a hiring, travel, and salary freeze. My hopes for a raise after six months in my position have gone down the drain. My hopes for a raise after one year in my position will most likely not happen. Right now, I'm getting by. I'm lucky to even have a job in this economy. But, if this continues I will have to get a second job, just to pay the bills.

I'm still single, another negative. Looking back at my last blog, I'm trying my hardest to get over the last big thing to happen, but it's been tough. I still have hope that things could still happen, but I think it might be false hope, which is holding me back from other prospects.

On a good note, I've been spending a lot of my time with good people and good friends! I couldn't ask for better people in my life. I'm very lucky!

One of the benefits of my company is that we get season passes to two ski resorts, Deer Valley and Park City. I've been trying to get up on the hill to ski as much as I can. I will be going out again this weekend! It should be good snow considering the amount we got these past few days. I snow blowed over a foot!

I can only pray that this year will continue to go as well as it has been (in the eight days)! I have a ski trip to Big Sky, MT planned in February. I need to get up to Boise to visit Amy and some other friends. I also plan to go to New York to visit my brother in May. And I plan to ski my little heart out for the rest of the season!!