Best of the Decade

I haven't blogged in a while so I will be super cliche and make a best of list. I hope you enjoy/dislike my picks.

It's hard for me to put these albums in any order because they are all great. I would rate them differently 1-10 depending on what my mood is.

Tool - Lateralus
One of the greatest hard rock albums of all time, enough said

Beck - Sea Change
I really didn't discover this album until I was late into college and I found an extremely mellow, sad album that is great to listen to when you need to calm down. Which many of you know is something I need to do often.

Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros - Up from Below
I'm glad I started listening to them a week after they where in Tucson, I blame anyone who happened to catch them for my current pathetic state. "Home" might be the song of the year for me.

Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes
If the CSNY crossed there harmonic boners this would be there child.

LCD Soundsystem - Sound of Silver
Electronica+Punk= LCD Soundsystem=my funky dance moves

Arcade Fire - Funeral
From the first to the last song this albums flows beautifully. I saw these guys at Coachella while waiting for Tool to come on and it was musical wetties at first sight.

My Morning Jacket - It Still Moves
Discovered this album while spending my lunch hour at Hoodlums. A perfect mix of psychedelic/country/rock and great vocals from Jim James from the get go.

Radiohead - Hail to the Thief
I can't even explain how great this album is. Maybe one of the GOAT! (Greatest of all Time, for all you who don't know my speak)

Red Hot Chili Peppers - Stadium Arcadium
It is amazing to see what has become of this punk band from the late 80s into the mega group they are know. This album encompasses the musical styles from several aspects of the band's career. Seeing that John Frusciante has officially left the band it might be the last great album they ever create.

TV on the Radio - Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes
A truly different sound these guys create. Great vocals, with a doo wop sound at times, love the horns and the bass line that rolls throughout is what really does it for me.

Stay tuned.......Coming soon, my movies picks for the decade.

Thank You Notre Dame

Thank you Notre Dame University for making my previous blog from a few days ago look like a hiccup. Well ASU might look like a bunch of dumb asses, but we didn't have every crazy devout Catholic set up camp.

Good thing I was able to get this read up on this breaking story from FoxNews.com. Where they informed me of the bus loads of people coming from all over the country to show there support and prove that truly religious people don't have jobs. This next passage really made me realize how serious people where about this issue;

Judy Parran, an organizer for the group, said a third bus is currently being procured due to increasing demand. Several priests and nuns are expected to be on board, she said.

"The calls just keep on coming," Parran told FOXNews.com. "I just got an e-mail from a couple of people who aren't even Catholic."

Let me guess Judy, did these other people happen to be Evangelicals? So what you are trying to tell me is that there is more than one religious group out there that would pack up all their shit and drive across the country. Look at this picture to prove it, notice the licence plate. Colorado, well that's only 1,100 miles and 17 hours away from South Bend. And let me guess that box van get greats mileage. Wait, what do you say....oh it's running on used veggie oil, well I'm glad that when you are forcing your beliefs on others you are being kind to the environment. That makes it all ok. This next picture really moved me. Good thing that they pointed out on the bottom of the poster that all the crosses where for the aborted fetuses. I would of never guessed. (It also made me sad to think how many Charlie's have to die for Travis' enjoyment of ND football.)

I was glad to see that these protesters where going to take the nessary actions to prove to America how fanatic for they where about getting their point across;

Corrina Gura, an organizer for the Pro-Life Action League, said their group will send a total of four buses -- approximately 220 people.

"We're going have graphic pictures of abortion and what abortion does to babies and we'll also have signs that will say 'Obama = Abortion' and 'Shame on Notre Dame,'" Gura said.

Thank you for pointing out that Obama is now synonymous with Abortion. That's a good one, I will be sure to use that one at work.

Now in no way do I believe that abortion is right and moral. But then again I've never been forced with a decision that would make me think differently. So don't you people understand that it isn't a government's role to make that decision for you, but your own. I love to hear these Pro-Life fanatics in the news, always talking about how America is being ruined by the moral less leaders. "How we need to get back to what this country was founded on", you hear it over and over. Well open a history book and realize that this country was founded on separation of Church and State. And when you start to blur those lines you are going against everything that and truly American by attacking our freedoms.

I watched this very compelling documentary this morning and it really made me think about how I listen to music today. I am very much in agreement with the film and believe that most radio today sucks and the only real way to hear good new music is through the internet or word of mouth. It got me thinking of the last time really I listened to music on the radio, and I truly cannot remember. Besides getting into someone else car and have to subjected to them flipping through the stations finding the same shit on each channel. Recently I almost yelled at one of my best friends when he picked me up and was listening to the radio, flipping through and I almost lost it.
There will probably always be the bubblegum pop shit, but its becoming easier to avoid. Naturally you would think that the demand for better music could have changed this by now. Unfortunately with large corporations allowed to control the air waves its taking longer than what the true market demands. The death of independent radio stations has hindered the growth of new music because the corporate stations play what the major labels tell them to play and never really plays anything that is new and different.
As the movie points out we have became a nation obsessed with material wealth and pop culture and the music we listen to reflects this. All the garbage that was put out there was only to turn a quick buck and get us to buy their image more than the music itself. Now this movie is a few years old (2006) and times have changed economically for us recently and the way we digest music has definitely taken a step in the right direction. I don't purchase many albums anymore and have bought a few albums but only from artists that deserve my dollar. For the most part I discover bands from friends and internet and if I like them I respond by seeing their live performance, not by purchasing the album because that shit is free. The amount of music that is out their to discover is now limitless due to the web and sites such as myspace and last.fm. When I feel the need to listen to something new I don't turn on MTV of the radio but just browse the net for a bit until I find a band I like. Then I find their full album and download it, and if they are just lucky enough I pay them for their music by seeing them in concert. Plain and simple that is how I digest my music today. I know there are many people who consume their music much like I do, but clearly there isn't enough to really change the music industry, but time will tell.

We have a game to play

Last time I checked MLB had a problem with the length of games. So I don't understand why everyone is coming to the support of Magglio Ordonez, Jim Leyland, and the Detroit Tigers. You can't have players arguing balls and strikes for a certain reason, pace of play. So when an umpire doesn't want to hear one player's cry and gives a player a directive cue (I know you like my term for a slight push) everyone acts like he punched the guy in the face. Umpires are authoritative figures and players and managers need to start respecting them like one to make the games run smoothly and allow fans to enjoy a 3 hour game. No one has pointed out that the game 7 to 8 in the 7th inning, already 2 hrs 30 min in and that the Tigers had just scored a 3 run HR with no outs. There was a lot of runs on the board and the ump wanted to get the game moving. Oh and it only took 4hrs 50 min to complete the 13 inning game. Wow I wish every player would of argued when they struck out so game could of been 6 hours long.
There should be a zero tolerance for players and managers delaying the game. Now this doesn't mean that you can't let the umpire know how you feel, but just do it yelling on the way to the dugout so the next player can bat. MLB always talks about implementing rules to pick up the pace, but they are soft on enforcing them and players end up ignoring them. How about this rule; A player has 3 seconds to start heading towards the dugout after being called out, or they will be ejected for delaying the game (barring injury). Then this whole situation would of been avoided. This would never happen because MLB is as serious about picking up the pace as they are on steroids. MLB talks a big game but rarely acts.
Shame on you MLB for not backing the umpire for trying to move things along. Shame on you Magglio Ordonez for being a cry baby because you stared down a nice curve ball away. And most of all shame on you Jim Leyland for spitting all over umpire Paul Schrieber when you where yelling at him. I bet you have that decrepit old mans breath and let that ump get a good taste of it.

I'm glad my degree is worth something

When I watched this last night I was almost crying from laughing so hard. Then I watched it again this morning and realized what a fucking joke ASU is and it made me somewhat embarrassed to have graduated from this distinguished university. I already know that Arizona State doesn't have the best reputation when it comes to education and that it is known as a party school, but I don't need to reminded of it on a national level. Getting made fun of on the Daily Show is usually reserved for crooked politicians and moronic media organizations, and ASU fell right in line. ASU made it easy to embarrass themselves and allowed others to take credibility away from the university.
Now I've been upset with Arizona State before. When they told me take down my pirate flag that was displayed in my dorm window. The 2004 presidential debate was coming and they needed to clean up campus before all the CNN cameras showed up. In a letter I told them to not to trounce on my 1st Amendment rights and something about ASU being communist. By which they respond by changing the locks on my door when I went out one night and my roommate and I had to sleep on couches in the common room. Anyhow I ended taking down the flag the next morning so my roommate and I could sleep in the 5'x20' box they called a dorm. Now this situation pissed me off but that's much different then being ashamed to have graduated from ASU.
It's a shame that university president Micheal Crow must embarrass the university like this and didn't have the sense to step in and make things right. All it would take is one word from the man (Micheal Crow) and this whole thing would of went away. It doesn't matter how big you make the school or how many big name professors you bring in, we will still look like a bunch of idiots if you allow things like this happen Mr Crow.

Skiing will have to wait for next season

Heavenly closed for the season on Sunday and now it is time for me to change gears and get ready for summer. I had a good ski season but short of being great from lack of snow. I improved my ski skills and feel comfortable in all conditions and all slopes the mountain can throw at you. But where does that leave me, so I skied a lot this winter but oddly I'm disappointed at myself. I could of skied more but the conditions were not always the greatest and when there was no new snow it made it hard for me to find the motivation to ski. Not that I'm mad at myself for not skiing enough its just that I haven't created any new friends or social groups here in Tahoe. Skiing can off set my loneliness for my friends and my hometown, but I miss my large social network and have realized that I need my friends for my own self worth. You really don't realize what you truly need until its not there anymore. And not having the ability to be with my closest friends on a daily basis is getting to me. I just want to come home and find Madjidi, the Dempseys, Melling and Wolf chillin on my couch. I want to go over to Dick's house uninvited and sit on my high chair in the kitchen while Lauren and Rox cook up random goodness for me to eat.
But back to my main problem of not creating friendships here in Tahoe.
1st off the sample size in Tahoe sucks and most people are burnt out losers who came up here 10 years ago to do the same thing I'm doing and they don't have much to bring to the table. Also the lack of women can really drive a man crazy. Not that I'm much of a womanizer, but it would be nice to meet someone new. Thats not an option here. Most local girls here are beat as fuck and the pretty ones are here on vacation with there boyfriends. Hopefully this will change with the seasons.
2nd off I'm not one who puts myself out there enough. I'm more a wait and see kind of person. Most of the friends I make is through my friends and seeing that I don't have many friends up here, therefore I don't have a large social network. I'm the same way with women, I have never just gone out and met someone that I don't know. It seems that it's always a friend, friend of a friend, classmate, or co-worker. I need to work on this but I truly am shy when it come to picking up new women. With the summer coming and the beach just down the street I should be able to work on these skills hopefully. I need to start realizing what the worst thing that could happen, I get turned down. At least I would give it a shot, and that would be a huge improvement for me.
But truthfully I'm having a great time up here I'm just having a lonely day as you can tell. I've realized that I need to quit being such a baby and live it up while I can. Kevin is bringing his boat up soon and we are renting a slip for the summer. I started hiking a bit and have found some sweet trails and places to camp once summer arrives. I'm looking forward to backpacking for a few days with no real plans other than to fish to survive. I need to get a mountain bike because there are hundreds of great downhill trails here that can feed my need for speed now that skiing is over. The possibilities are endless for me this summer and I just need to go out there and take advantage of all that Tahoe has to offer me.

Pond Skimming

Today I truly had a once in a life time experience, skiing across a 90 foot body of water. That happened to be around 40°, and it was only 30° with a good breeze. To say the least I owned that body of water and skied across no problem the first time and won $20, for being awesome. After the first run I was pumped and ran back up for another turn. After waiting 20+ minutes for my 2nd turn I became inpatient (I know, very uncharacteristic of me) and started to yell at the guy who was sending us down because he kept on letting people go who have gone 2-3 times already. Only to have him say it was over and no more people could drop in. So after the last guy went and cleared the pool, I bombed it and went off the kicker spread eagle, and came down with my back and skis parallel to the water and skied in the most awkward position for about 20 feet, and than sank like a rock. Unfortunately our friend who was supposed to be taking videos of us was fucked up on PKs because he broke his collar bone last week and just had surgery 2 days ago, but he got one killer video of Schlink rippin' across the water. One guy came up after my 2nd jump and showed me a sweet pic of myself coming into the water, (not the one to the right) we exchanged emails and hopefully I'll get that pic soon.

I need to blog more often

I don't really know where to start so I'll start when I went home last week for my cousin's wedding. I got home on a Thursday night late after driving home from SLT with Wolf, Melling, and my fat brother. Hung out with some friends and went to bed early so I could go to the dentist appointment that my dad made for me. Which was complete bullshit, I'm almost 23 years old, I can make my fucking appointments.
So after a great nights sleep on the fantastic blue couch, I'm not kidding that couch is the shit to sleep on, ask any of my friends. Then again anyone who is dumb enough to read this blog has slept on it. The story isn't about that it was when I awoke and was going to poo out all of the fast food that I enjoyed inbetween Tahoe and Phoenix. And on the way down I was like "Whats up, extreme knee pain". Ok no problem I've had knee pains before it will go away by the time I'm done at the dentist, no swelling, I'm ok. But it continued to hurt all weekend and was killing me after flying on Tuesday back to SLT. So I can jump off cliffs with my skis (or I like to think I do), but sitting down to poo makes me fuck my knee up. Just Great.
Not that big of a deal because I really wasn't missing any good skiing as it was in the 60s when I got back. I worked every day at the ski shop and tryed not to think too much about skiing but I was itching to go when Cardosi and Nelson showed up on Friday. Then out of nowhere a storm came in and dumped 2 feet and I had to push myself, I was skiing on the last powder day of the season, especially with Cardosi and Nelsopn here. It was great, my knee hurt but nothing that I couldn't bear. Skiied today as well, and my knee is actually starting to feel better. I hiked up a bowl 3 times today and didn't have much trouble, except for my lungs.

I tried to take a panoramic pic from the top of Milky Way, but I think I need a tripod

A little bit of snow

Finally the storm we've been waiting for. We got dumped on with 3 feet last night and 2 feet the day before.

28 days later

I haven't blogged for a while because I've been somewhat busy with work but most likely lazy. Skiing also has picked up and we have had a few good storms, but no big storms. Just a lot of 6 in storms but I'll take that. Hopefully we will get dumped on (by snow) this week as we have a large system coming through.
I was working for this guy Leon for over a month but wasn't able to put up with his bullshit anymore. He was very critical of me all the time and for the most part an asshole. And for my own self worth I couldn't put up with it anymore so I started to challenge the guy. I would ask him "Do you think it is effective to criticize me, is that going to make work better?" and other things like that until he blew up and fired me. Now I have had many jobs in my lifetime and had never been fired before, but I was sure glad to be. I have never had too many problems with any of my bosses before, but this was the first time I truly couldn't get along with my superior. I don't feel too bad though because Leon for the most part doesn't get along with most people. Enough about that I could bitch for days, but that will only make me more pissed off.
So I picked up more hours at the ski shop and will be hopefully working 4-5 days a week there. But I need to start finding my summer job over the next few weeks so I survive through July/August. Still don't know for sure when I will return to Arizona but leaning toward the end of summer. The plan is to work till August and when leaving Tahoe hike the Tahoe Rim Trail a 2 week trek that goes from peak to peak around the lake. I'll probably lose 20 pounds hiking for two weeks but I'm looking forward to it.
Also I haven't shaved my mustache since the day the Steelers ripped my heart out. This doesn't mean that I have a mustache though, I have a wiry blondish shit smear on my upper lip. I guess all my accelerated hair growth was put towards my ass, as most of my friends know.
I went to Tampa to visit Roger and my father last week. Roger and his family where there because Bodo (Roger's dad) was speaking at a conference. And my dad moved out there about 6 months ago to chase money (and keep a job). It was good weekend but it was in the 60s and windy the whole time so it was too cold for the beaches. Nonetheless I had a good time with Roger and his friend Tinti and went out drinking a few nights.
It was good for me to go and take a few days off becasue I hurt my leg a few weeks ago and it has been sore since. I jumped off a rock with out checking the landing and it was a lot flatter and not steep enough. Also I have my dins cranked up to 14 so my skis won't come off, but this also means you feel like your leg broke when you have a hard crash. Din setting is the amount of force you need to pop out of your ski binding, most people keep them at 7-8. I skiied the last few days and its real tender but nothing that I can't bear.
After work today David and I went on a hike around a closed campsite on Emerald Bay. Better than sitting at home and comparing boners, I mean talking about all the girls we are getting up here. Here's me throwing a large stick in to the lake, because I'm bad ass like that.

David has put his mouth in worse places

The internet went down...

...so my communication with the outside world, which consists of people outside of Kevin and David, came to a screeching halt. I gave up my cell phone and my home phone is through the internet, so therefore I haven't spoken to anyone since last Tuesday, except those persistent assholes who bothered me by calling Kevin's cell.

In the mean time it finally started to snow last week for the first time since Christmas week, but it was short lived and a new high pressure zone has moved back in. We got some fresh tracks on Fri-Sat-Sunday but it was all skied out by today. We still need that big storm where we are stuck in our apartment and the town shuts down for a day or two. Then there will be an adequate base of snow to bring me skiing pleasure. It has been a very dry winter here in Tahoe and hopefully this trend will change in the coming weeks because I didn't move up to ski groomed trails. Also the less skiing I do the more I miss my friends back in AZ and it makes my move unjustified. Even though I have improved my skiing skills dramatically and have trimmed some fat in the last month, I expected more out of SLT. But then again there is summer.
I hear that the summers here in Tahoe are killer sweet and this will make up for the dry winter. We will have Kevin's boat up here by late April and can enjoy the great outdoors through different mediums then downhill skiing. Between boating, biking, hiking, climbing, and drinking on the beach I will have to some how find time to work. Which brings me to my next thought...
...my new job working for Leon. I'm working at the rental shop as planned but had to find a second job due to only working 10 hours a week at there. So I responded to a bunch of random CL ads and landed a job parting out snowmobiles on eBay for this guy who runs a snowmobile shop. Also while I'm there I answer phones for Leon's girlfriend's vacation rental properties from 2-8pm everyday. It has been a good job so far and he pays me well. Also I'm learning some little things about mechanics that will be useful down the road.
So my schedule has been the following for the past few weeks;

• 8-9am - Wake up and stay under covers watching stolen cable (ESPN)
• 9-10am - Breakfast (3 strips of man fruit and 3 eggs) and getting ready for the mountain
• 10-10:30am - Getting out the door (for those who know me you understand this 30min daily routine of mine)
• 10:30-1pm - Ski my face off
• 1-2pm - Shower and go to work while and eat on the way (usually I "Eat Fresh")
• 2-8pm - Work (tearing apart sleds and eBaying)
• 8-8:30pm - Shoot the shit and grub at Leon's house
• 8:30-10:30pm - Chill wit da rommies and get Lost with Kevin
• 10:30-11ish - Sportscenter

If I worked in a puzzle factory....

.....I would remove a piece from one box every day. Just knowing the frustration that I would cause some poor soul would keep me going to work each day. I would take satisfaction in destroying someones puzzle experience. With a sick satisfaction I would imagine that sucka tearing apart their place looking underneath the couches next to the area of the floor they attempted to put the puzzle together.

I love thinking of the box that it grew up in

Allison came up to SLT and made us veal scallopini with marsala. Which made me come to the conclusion of (insert title of blog post)

The snow is bad, but I'm ok

Even though I haven't been skiing as much as I have wanted too, things are going well for myself. The Cardinals will host the NFC championship, but I don't try to invest too much of my time thinking of this because the more time I imagine them going to the Super Bowl, the more it would hurt when they lose. But I've been wearing my Cards Zubaz for two days straight.
Craigslist was kind to me again and was able to scored a killer couch and love seat for free off the list. I'm not talking your average CL junk, these are nice couches that were a pretty penny new, and they are super comfy.
I found two jobs and now have a decision to make.
Option #1: I found an overnight job at the Wyndham timeshare in town and would work 2-3nights a week from 11pm-7am. Just making sure the place doesn't burn down while assisting locked out guests.
Option #2: Work as an office assistant helping a woman run her vacation rental company in the afternoons/evenings and have the mornings to ski. I haven't met with her yet but I'm going to interview with her later after the Chargers game.
Besides that I start this week at the rental shop and look forward to doing something except ski and sit on my ass.

some sweet pics of Kev and I lounging on our new couches (notice the Zubaz)

It's melting fast

Kevin and David went skiing this afternoon, while I sat at home. This is because I don't like skiing on rocks. The pictures will explain the sub par conditions in SLT. It was warm enough today to have the windows open all afternoon because our place was smelling like the inside of an old ski boot, which happens to one of Mike Chu's favorite smells. Also thank you Madjidi for the thermometer.

6 for 6

My season pass was blacked out till the 1st, which means I've been skiing for the last 6 days. The conditions have been below average with poor snow coverage in some places but its a lot like Arizona skiing. There are too many bald rocks that you have to keep an eye out for while cruising through the trees and the ungroomed areas and the groomed stuff is too icy. If it doesn't snow soon I will take a break from the skis until we get the next storm. The snow melts fast when its 50° plus every afternoon. I tried out my dad's old school 210 K2 skis yesterday and tore it up, and also tore up the tip of the left ski and split it completely, $10 to repair.
I'm going to Kirkwood on Saturday with David who is getting some passes from work, as a short order breakfast cook. He's been getting off work around 2pm and meets us up on the mountain around 2:45. Kev and I don't get there till 12-1pm anyways and ski till close at 4.
I used to hate DP, and I tried to quit drinking soda and stopped buying it. Then that bitch Kevin Bush showed up and stocked the fridge with DPizzles. Now I'm hooked. Better to have 3-4 DPs a day then 3-4 CCCs a day.