The Cyclists' Bill of Rights

Click on the title of this post to check out an article recently written about the problems being had of bicycles receiving equal treatment on the roads of America.  Recently L.A. as a city considered what they are referring as the Cyclists' Bill of Rights.  The article brings up a few good points that need to be considered, pondered upon and addressed.  I think this is a movement that will generate a lot of response, honestly both good and bad.  

Some major cities, notably Seattle, are considering instituting bike taxes through licensing in order to generate more revenue for the city.  That money would be used (hopefully) exclusively to build and improve bike paths throughout the city and create way-stations throughout the downtown areas of the cities for commuters.  If we can be assured that that will indeed be the case, i think that a tax would not be a good idea.  

Just a few thoughts.  Interesting, i think...

Christmas Break, Hurry Up!

Anyone who doesn't really know me might think that my blog's name might be somewhat sincere.  It never really was...  I can't really say that I hate Provo.  In fact, I feel quite the opposite, I've enjoyed my time here quite a bit.  Some of the people here.... ehhhh... let's say I've been able to surround myself, more or less, with people that I can agree with and understand.  I've had cycling, which lets me view so many of the beautiful things that this area has to offer, and has introduced me to a whole new way of thinking.  But I've been here a long time, and quite frankly this is not an area that I plan on spending the rest of my life in.

Recently more than ever I've felt like I need a break from "happy valley."  I haven't been able to nail down exactly what it is.  It could be the long amount of time it's been since I was able to see Virginia.  Perhaps it's the people around here that I don't actually agree with, and don't understand.  Maybe it's the thoughts that I've still got another 2 years of school to go.  Whatever it is, it's starting to get to me.  I feel like I need a break.  I know I can't take off any time for school, but it would be nice to just be able to not before around here for just a little while.  If NOTHING else, it would be a relief to just not have to put up with petty Provo drama.  I've never been one for that crap.  But that's not exactly something I can just will one way or another.  It's always around here, as sad as it is.  

Either way, I'm venting.  I don't think it's really helping anything, so I'm going to stop.  Just crossing the fingers that somehow Christmas break sneaks up quickly.  

Sentiments of a Redneck Thanksgiving...

I will be honest that I haven't exactly spent my entire life in VA.  In fact, my family only lived there for about 6 or so years before we moved.  I was there for less than that.  But in that relatively small time, we were sure good at picking up on a few "primola" redneck habits and/or pastimes.  This Thanksgiving was one good way of our proving to ourselves that we did indeed still have a little bit of VA in us.  Without further ado, here's a few pictures that help illustrate my point...

 

Yup... that's a picture of a big ole' turkey just cooking away in a big deep fryer.  Now, on one hand, you have the fact that this is indeed pretty "redneckesque."  But on the other hand, and this is something that must be stressed, it was absolutely ridiculously delicious.  In fact this isn't the first time we've prepared our turkey like this, and there is a reason for it, because it is just plain down home cookin' good.  Here's a picture of my Dad enjoying himself, perhaps a little too much: 

There's the setup!  If any of you have not tried frying your turkey, then next year by all means bring up the idea, you won't regret it.  You may feel a bit like a redneck-ish... but as long as you read up on it and make sure you don't burn your house down, you'll be in "delish" city.  That's a redneck promise from the Cavender household.

Hope you all enjoyed your turkey and fixins...

Thoughts as Thanksgiving is upon us...

Weird, a cannibal turkey...

  

When I first looked at this picture, the first thing that caught my attention was this little dude's eyes.  Pretty smug, creepy look wouldn't ya say?  It's like this guy really sincerely thinks he fits in and won't get eaten himself.  I guess that's an easier way to look at things then this next little turkey man is considering his present circumstances...

I think this turkey is still holding onto tiny scraps of hope that someone 

will think he's good to go.  I respect him a little more than the first turkey, since at least he hasn't given up on his small hope for continued existence. 

Most people after Thanksgiving will look a little like this:

 

(I'm sorry I had to force that on you).

Let's hope that that's not the case for me.  First of all, ewwww.  Secondly, and perhaps far more important actually, I really don't think I look very good in a neon green bikini of any size.  This is a guess based entirely on assumption, not actual experience, I promise.  I think someone somewhere is looking for their tent fly, which unfortunately has been stolen and forced into stretchy, torturous labor.  It's not doing a good job either, especially if part of it's job description is to cover...well...anything.     

That's really I've got in my head right now.   

Done with it...

I have officially decided that I won't have anymore blogs based in politics. There are a good number of reasons for this, but the most important, I feel, is that I'm kinda done getting pointed at even by friends just because I don't agree with Obama. No government is perfect, exactly, and that's why I have the right to question policies. I apologize that I disagree with certain people on certain things, but in the long run that's what makes this nation so great. I don't have to believe the same thing that everyone else does. And there is nothing wrong with that. The tough part is that I never said that anyone who agreed with Obama was wrong, but have heard that I myself am wrong for not agreeing with him. Don't really understand that one, especially since the biggest controversy of the election this year has probably been prop. 8, and my idea of what should happen is actually identical to whose? Yup, Obama's. Funny how that works. And for those of you who don't know what I'm talking about, yes, Pres. elect Barack Obama supports bans on gay marriage, and has openly declared his belief that marriage is indeed between a man and a woman.

As to my choice to not vote... I believe it's just as much a right in this country to exercise your right to not vote as it is to vote. If you don't because you just don't care, then ya, stay out of politics. But if you don't because (as I've said before) A) you don't agree with any of the candidates, and B) you live in Utah and your vote means nothing (yes, even on a county and city level), then that's a personal choice, and it means nothing as to revoking your right to voice an opinion. I did vote, in the primaries when there was a candidate I believed in. When I see another one that deserves it, I'll vote for him too.

As I said though, that's it, all I have to say on the topic. Don't expect anything else about it, and I apologize to anyone who found these particular thoughts, or those of earlier blogs offensive.

Thoughts...

Ok, so now that the deed is indeed done and we as a country have "made history," I've begun to hear from several different political analysts and supporters a comparison of Barack Obama to Abraham Lincoln.  Technically there is not much other than their similar background, rise in youth and origin in obscurity.  Both of them had messages based in "change."  But how similar is it really beyond that point?  Let's see what Honest Abe had to say about it...

"You cannot help the poor by destroying the rich.

You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong.

You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift.

You cannot lift the wage earner up by pulling the wage payer down.

You cannot further the brotherhood of man by inciting class hatred.

You cannot build character and courage by taking away people's initiative and independence.

You cannot help people permanently by doing for them what they could and should do for themselves."  

I want to have faith in Obama's change.  I am not as certain as other "conservatives" that it's the end of the world because Obama is president elect.  I, to be honest, wouldn't even really call myself a Republican nowadays because of how many times we've seen Republican "conservative" politicians involved in ridiculous scandals where they've taken horrible advantage of their positions.  But one thing I do hope for is that this "spread the wealth" economic plan does not do exactly that which Lincoln here is counseling against.  I don't want to be taxed someday because I make money in order to pay for the life of those who don't.  I've seen personally too many welfare families to believe they just plain can't do anything about their poverty.  I don't buy that.

"Socialism" or not...  I can't say I have too much faith in the system yet...

My Favorite Poem

This for many years now has been my favorite poem.  I wanted to share it because I love the message it portrays about the indomitable human will.  The title is latin for "Unconquered."  

INVICTUS

by William Ernest Henley, 1849-1903

Out of the night that covers me, 

Black as the pit from pole to pole, 

I thank whatever Gods my be

For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance

I have not winced nor cried aloud.

Under the bludgeonings of chance 

My head is bloodied but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears

Looms but the horror of the shade,

And yet the menace of the years 

Finds, and shall find me, unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate, 

How charged the punishment the scroll, 

I am the master of my fate;

I am the captain of my soul.

Hope you like it...

Thin Ice and Dangerous Water

The only reason that I can't say I have much of an opinion one way or the other on Prop 8, which is the big todo nowadays all over BYU Campus, is because I don't think I really understand all the angles like I think I would need to before I could make a choice.  And I figure, if it's something I don't understand, don't judge yet.  But at the same time, one thing that has been interesting to me, even more interesting then the proposition itself, is the different reactions I've seen coming from so many different people, both members and non.  

For those of you who are unaware of what Prop 8 is, it has to do with the gay marriage question within the State of California. Earlier, the State decided to pass a law to allow same-sex marriages and Prop 8 is the initiative to abolish that law.  Now to give you a background as to the Church's involvement:  The Brethren have sent letters and had firesides officially asking Church members within California to vote for Prop 8 in order to destroy the ability for gays to challenge the sanctity of marriage.  

I've heard many members that have stood up and strongly begun campaigning to have this proposition passed, but I have also heard the fight from many Church members that don't really agree with the stance of the Church itself.  The arguments for this are most often two fold:  1-  Gays are not asking to be married in our Church by our authority, just by any Church that is willing to perform the ceremony, and they are asking for that marriage to be allowed by the state.  Since we still have the authority, even if it is allowed, to say no within the Church, why should we care what other Church's do?  2-  The Church is once again, as they did during the time of women's rights, getting involved in a political process and has no right to do so if they wish to keep their tax exempt status as a non-profit organization with no specific political agenda.  

I think that people that think either of those things forget one very very important detail.  There are a great many things in our Church, doctrinally or historically, that we just don't understand.  But if you believe this is God's true Church, you have accept that God does know things better than we do.  If not you are (even if not knowingly) stating that you think you can lead God's Church better than he can, and that you can make better decisions as to what the Church should or should not do than he can.  That, I think, is a dangerously fine line.  Even in Joseph Smith's time there were a great many things that many of the members did not understand, and on occasion there were times when nearly the entire body of the Church even wished to depose the Prophet.  Did he waiver, thinking that the world must be right, and God was wrong?  Absolutely not.  He stood by the decisions that we as Saints believe were given him by the Lord himself.  

How is this any different?  If I'm missing something, someone please tell me.   

I Wonder...

There are a few things I've found interesting in my life lately, questions or issues that I have been thinking about lately.  I think that the amount of self reflection that I've gone through lately has helped give me time to also see things with our world that I just don't quite understand yet.  For instance...

Why is it that humans naturally tend to unite and work together in times of crisis?  I think we see evidence of this both in the difference of public opinion before and after a tragedy happens, and in how quickly we as a people tend to forget about a tragedy after it happens.  I think though that this only happens in society, not on more personal levels like families and friends.  

What is it about a piece of art that seems to have a soothing and calming effect on the human spirit?  This particular piece is by Maynard Dixon, entitled The Forgotten Man.  For a while now it has been one of my favorite pieces in BYU's Museum of Art.  Take a look...

Moving on...

How is it possible for people who insist on living the letter of the law to instantly forget their desire to be obedient as soon as they close the door to their car?  Driving laws seem to fall into another category of righteousness in Utah...

I guess that's actually it right now.  I had more on my mind, but i don't want this post to be huge.  I don't want to be just venting, I'm just curious about it.

Tired and Sore

In terms of my recovery from surgery, I don't really seem to have any problems with my shoulder.  I have been off the pain killers for a few days now, and only every so often does it seem to actually hurt me.  I have no idea why, but it seems though, that I've been sick for a few days going now and even when I do feel better more or less, I still can't seem to shake it entirely.  Most days lately I have a dizzy head or a sore throat, and it makes sleeping a little tougher than usual.  But I don't need to just keep complaining.  

I told ya I'd drop a little line to tell everyone how I'm doing after the surgery.  Other things in life are weird right now, but I really don't feel like getting into it right now.  Let's just say it's hard to have everything go right all the time in life I suppose, and equally as hard when it doesn't.  I hope sometime this week I'll have something more interesting and perhaps more uplifting to write about.

Increase in Gas Prices Lead to More Popped Collars

This is something that as a problem is dying down nowadays due to the cold weather, but still something that I wanted to rant about because of how mad it made me. If I were to write a newspaper article it would go a lot like this:

Recently all around the country in areas dense in college student population there has been a significant rise in the presence of popped collars. This phenomenon has been seen as a plague sweeping the nation, turning good, wholesome young men into total and complete homos. With origins arguably coming from the world of rap, "collar popping" has seeped into suburban communities, predominately in southern California and Arizona, where fads tend to rule to the ebb and flow of a fickle fashion based youth. For those readers out there who aren't quite sure what it is I'm talking about (because they are sensible enough to not pay attention to idiocy) popping your collar goes something like this:



As you can see, popping collars often tend to result as well in: A) pink shirts, B) stupid hat combinations, and C) really gay, "I think I'm awesome poses." And I know what many of you out there are thinking... "How could we possibly let this happen to our youth?" How could we indeed. Experts, in a recent projection (that I made up for this article), speculated that if the fad were to continue at the rate we are seeing today, within 15 years 165 countries around the world would officially consider us the gayest nation on Earth. Of those 165 countries all European Union nations, England and Russia were included. Imagine that, knowing that France thinks you're gayer than they are.

So how are we letting this happen? What is going on that is making this happen so rampantly? Oddly enough, this dangerous "disease" is spawning from the large increases in gasoline prices throughout America. In college towns we have seen this crunch in one main demographic, that of college students swapping out their cars for a more "economical" means of transportation. And in this situation, we find our culprit.


The Scooter. Small yes, not very powerful. Or is it? Perhaps these scooters, with an average power of 100cc, pack more of a punch than most would assume. But that power comes in the form of confidence for young men everywhere who otherwise would not have the guts to pop their collars, until suddenly and almost magically the presence of "scooter gangs" find for them a home and protective force field wherein their faddish expression can flourish. But is this a truly bad thing? Is that as dangerous as we really are making it sound?

Yes, yes it is. Many, perhaps even 98.99% of young people riding scooters do not deserve to do so. From a more opinionated standpoint, I think it's crazy even that they can be riding on the roads without passing a special scooter/motorcycle course and test. This leads to young people everywhere riding 45 mph and faster on a road with nothing but shorts, a popped collared pink shirt, hideous aviator glasses, frosted hair, and flip flops. As if they want to be killed by even the slightest pebble coming out of a tire and boppin' em on the head. They ignore traffic laws, act as if they are foot traffic, and assume that every car on the road is aware of them. I don't know about anyone else, but I personally have tried to help a young man who had been hit by a car whose scooter was torn to shreds and he was thrown like a rag doll. I saw it from the road and ran to help him. After cutting his sweater away from being up and over his head, I looked into his eyes and saw the last moments of his life. He died on the way to the hospital. He's not the only one who has died because of these scooters.

Now, Italy has proven that scooters are not a bad thing by themselves. But they have helmets, and Italians have always been known to be fashionable, and can pull things like this off. We just plain don't have the history to say we're cool enough for this type of fad. And it's put us in a hole that this guy doesn't see a way out of now.

Your thoughts?

A Pain In The...Shoulder

So many of you know that about 6 months ago I crashed on a mountain bike and suffered what they call an A C, or Acromioclavicular Seperation. When I went and talked to the doctors, they took x rays that looked a lot like this. Now of course these aren't my x-rays, but rather ones I found on the web, but they are pretty dang similar. This is what my right shoulder basically looked and looks like:







And this is more what my left shoulder looked like at the time:







Now, normally after a situation like this, if it's not too bad (the catagory under which mine supposedly fell) then surgery is not necessary. There are three ligaments that you can typically tear here. Originally I was told I tore one and stretched another slightly. Well, that was 6 months ago. This summer I've felt discomfort in my arm from time to time in various painful ways, because of a variety of things I'd accidently do to it. Now that I'm back in school and with the ROTC I've been doing pushups on it for a good month or so, and unfortunately, the pain has once again escalated. So I went back into the Dr's office and after sitting in the waiting room for 45 min (I don't know how they can get away with that, by the way) I was told that the new x rays showed that the healing process wasn't quite as successful as they originally hoped. So...


Joe's goin' in for surgery... Yep, as fun as it sounds, I'm gonna be put to sleep, cut open, screwed around with and sewn up. It'll basically take me off the bike for the next 3 months. Of all things that's definitely my least favorite. Most likely it will be happening next Wednesday, so anyone who feels a desire to do so is welcome to come up to my Mom and Dad's house (most likely where I'll be) and laugh at me while I'm all doped up. I'll definitely add a heads up as to how things are going soon, and leave a full report of the aftermath for sure.

Something To Sing About

So this was something that I and my co-workers decided today while we were at work.  One way to cheer yourself up when you're A) bored, B) bummed, or C) whatever other adjective you can find that is appropriate to this situation, is to sing everything that you say.  In other words, the next time you see your friend and you decide to say hello, do so by singing "It's so good to see you, my friend, I've really missed your face" (or something to that effect) in the corniest 80's rock voice you can muster.  Another good voice is to use the best boy band impression you've got and use it to tell someone that you need to hit the can.  Actually making lines that rhyme is extra points.  

On an unrelated topic, and honestly, a topic not necessarily worth singing about, it seems that our good friend Lance Armstrong is not the only "retired" cyclist that has decided he would like to give the ProTour another go.  Recently Alexander Vinokourov decided that he would like to go for one more Giro D' Italia, and who would he like to ride for?  I'll give you a couple of hints: 1-  One of their colors is yellow, and 2- It's Astana.  

Ok, I gave that one away.  Now for those of you lucky few that actually know of the existence of this blog and do not ride bikes, you may still remember our good friend Vino from his stellar performance in the 2007 Tour De France, where he won a very strong, decisive time trial stage, only to test positive for doping before the tour had even ended.  He and a few of his friends were kicked off his team, which was Astana at the time (a team he had actually co-founded) and he was handed down a 1 year sentence by the UCI.  Now that he has finished that ban, he has decided to jump out of the retirement that he had "emotionally announced" last year (sounds familiar, doesn't it, Lance).  And now he is expressing interest and dare I say even desire to ride for his old team once again, now that it's been completely overhauled and reconstructed under Johan Bruyneel, making him a possible addition to a team that already looks to be the biggest publicity stunt in the history of cycling.  If you can't tell where I stand on this issue, let me help by clarifying.  Vino, don't come back, and if you do... please don't jump on the Lance bandwagon and make it worse than it already is.  All I really have to say about it is, I truly truly hope that Alberto Contador and Levi Leipheimer both find new teams, and that they both slaughter Armstrong and Vinokourov every time they ride against them next year and however long they stay in the peloton.  But that's just me.  

Click on the title of the post to see what velonews is saying about it.

The Cascade Classic

Ok, so the other day I was reading about something that had happened lately on the 5th stage of a race called the Cascade Classic. On this particular stage there was a breakaway that was lasting pretty long, and looked to have the juice to win the day. About 3 km out, Billy Demong, a professional skiier/cycling enthusiast who races to stay in shape for skiing, decides that he wants to break his chain. Ok, so that obviously is never the case. Actually, when his chain breaks, he becomes so frustrated by it that he throws his bike over his shoulder and begins running the remaining 3 km's. After running a whole km, no small feat of course, especially at the end of a long stage and with cleats on no less, he hears a bike pull up beside him and his buddy and everyone's good friend Astana racer Chris Horner tells him to "hop on." so...

This picture and a few others were taken largely in result of a referee calling into the finish line from a motorcycle on the course, with the message, "guys, get your cameras ready, you're gonna see something you've never seen before." Afterwards Horner was questioned about whether or not his actions had violated any rules of the race. He simply said, "The refs were pretty cool with it, honestly. I think it's because nobody had ever done anything like that before us." Demong successfully finished the day inside the time cut, and went on to finish the race in 51st of 91. Leipheimer of course took the win, what a stud. Chris Horner, who had helped Demong, finished 75th. Sorry, Chris, but you'll be everybody's race hero for your showing on the 5th stage.

In Response...

I've received a few comments that I'd like to address. First off, Nikki, a lot of the pictures I have I'll definitely have to send to you. I've got a lot and I need to put them on a computer so that I can get them off my camera. So I'll try to make sure and do that pretty soon. Another thing too, I'm certainly not saying that your blog is by any means nonsensical, in fact yours is quite interesting and I love hearing how my little ones are doing (Jeff included). You must understand though that what I was trying to make clear is that I like to ramble, creating posts that when I read back through most of the time make absolutely no sense. But I'm glad that everyone is enjoying it all so far. You all need to become followers of the blog so I know how many of you crazy people are actually lookin and readin.

Oh, and Grandma... I wouldn't say that being "trapped in provo" is a bad thing. I just don't get to get out much because of all the responsibilities I have here that force me to stay around so much. I would like to see more. Let's hope in the near future I can rectify the situation by being able to travel and see a few interesting and exciting places.

The Bailout

Yesterday I watched as the House of Representatives voted pretty strongly against the govt.'s proposed $700 Billion bailout. It's interesting to see what will happen with the rest of Congress when the Senate gets a hold of this thing. It also kind of makes you wonder if all that filibustering that was going on yesterday had (perchance) anything to do with phone calls coming into major Republican leaders from their wealthy constituents/funders who said something to the effect of, "don't expect another penny unless this bailout dies." I assume this because the wealthy of America don't have an incredibly large amount to fear from this, or so they think.

Many of the elite business men of America have for years now been trading in foreign markets because, sadly, the only things in the American market stable enough to put your money on are: Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Porn. And by now, buying into that stuff is next to impossible. (Is there actually a stock industry for Porn? If it is, I'm sure it's huge.)So if the stock market crashes, or rather as most are thinking, when it crashes. The loss won't be felt as much in the pockets of elitists. Unless they have retirement packages through their corporation or other big lenders like T. Rowe Price, WaMu, etc. They better have a lot of cold cash hidden in jars under their mattress if not only they expect to survive retirement after losing their 401K, but if they also expect to keep the same level of "high-society" life they've grown accustomed to.

Where this crash really hits home though, is the average everyday American who even with perfect credit and the ability to front even 50% of what they need to buy a house, can't. Why? There just isn't enough money floating around for lenders to give handouts. No one can, so no one will. Car loans will be hard to find, even financing for small ventures such as student loans will be punished by scarcity. We will find ourselves stuck face first into the dog eat dog world of "whose ready for the worst?"

I honestly don't know if $700 billion will make that big of a difference in the long run, or if we should be left to our own devices and let the moguls that dropped themselves into a hole fight back out. Either way, I think that this problem has more potential for trickle down then these republican congressmen are allowing themselves to admit. Suddenly the idea of being a college student forever isn't so bad, especially if the Army keeps paying for it...

The Fam Damnily

So, it would be a good idea, I suppose, to start off my blog by talking a little about my crazy family. I've got some random pictures I've taken over the last few years/months of them so let's enjoy.
This is my mom and I in Disneyland not too long ago. I can assume that she won't be incredibly proud to see this picture, and not because she's not paying attention...but because I look like an imbecile. I really don't know what it is that she expects though. I mean, we are in Disneyland, why not enjoy yourself, even if it means looking stupid sometimes...right Ben?



Exactly. I think it's understandable without saying that he's not exactly the brightest of the kids. But I do have to admit that he certainly is the life of the party, and everybody loves him. He just got back from his mission in Estonia, and is now in Idaho studying, or more specifically looking for a mate with which to procreate his seed.

Here's my dad. The only other pictures I had with me of him for some reason were ones where I couldn't see him very well or he was looking especially old. But he's still got quite a bit of good fight in him, so I don't really mess him with still. He'd shoot me well before I ever had the chance to do anything to him.




And here is our wonderful Stephanie, my baby sister, in one of my more favorite pictures I've taken of her. Of course, that's kinda because I straight-jacket tied her like that, and she really was having a hard time getting out of it. She's our little insane asylum breakout. But we love her, so we're not turning her in unless she loses her usefulness.


This is Nikki, the married sister. She rocks but we don't get to see as much of her because she's still back in VA with her family. Bummer... She's awesome, but I must say one of the best parts about Nikki is that she gave us a couple of amazing and awesome nieces, Katelyn and Bridget. Let's show them.


Katelyn and Jeff in Disneyland. Funny story...that night Katelyn had a bag of popcorn, which she's quite the fan of. I took her to meet Mickey, and she had it in her hands, and as a joke Mickey grabbed it out of her hands and pretended to eat it. I think she was about to have a heart attack, she didn't know what to do. So the person helping Mickey told him to just give it back, and everything went smoothly from there.


This is my little baby girl Bridget. I like this picture because she looks like quite the little pink Jedi. I think we're all willing to admit that I'm her favorite. i was the first one on earth to get her to fall asleep in my arms other than her mommy and daddy. Ya I know... tell me about it... It was a good day for me.



Well, that's the basic gist. I would add more, but honestly that's enough to swallow for one post. Sometime soon I'll sit down to tell ya more about my job and the like. After all this intro stuff it'll be much easier to get into more interesting "what's going on" sort of things. Until next time...

The Inaugural Post

Well well, look at this... I'm blogging. I really didn't know how long it would be until I could say that, since up to this point it really didn't seem like I had many reasons to. But ya, I guess I just decided that this would be a fun way to A) Collect all my thoughts, B) Share those thoughts with friends and family, and C) Let them laugh at me for how nonsensical most of these posts are sure to be. Nonetheless, as nonsensical as they may be, I've got lots of interesting things going on in my life right now, and this will provide for me a great way of sharing some stories with those who I love. I think that this will be the only post that I throw on here for today, but hopefully tomorrow I'll be able to make another post. And who knows...maybe sometime in the near future I may just be able to throw a few photos on here too!
So until next time...