Sports in my Lifetime

Spending pretty much 2/3rd of my life in the Bay Area. Obviously the local teams are going to be my favorites. I like hockey and baseball the most. What a strange kid. Most people like football and basketball. Why? I dunno, maybe deep down I don't like black people. I kid I kid.

So the biggest local winner is the 49ers, despite the decade of mediocrity, they're 290-196 (.598) since the 1980 season. Owners of five titles and 18 trips to the playoffs. You'd think I'd be a football fan.

Next "winningist" team in the bay. The A's. The ugly redheaded step child of the bay. They've managed to win more games, win more championships and go to the playoffs more years than the Giants since coming over here in 1968. Yet they struggle to draw people even in the winning seasons. A 2464-2275 (.520) record since 1981. One title and 10 trips to the playoffs. I like the A's. A once in a lifetime talent like Rickey Henderson sure helps.

Coming in third, the Giants. 2435-2307 (.513), owners of one title, one fancy new(ish) ballpark and seven trips to the postseason. The Halloween kids do a fair amount of winning. But I already picked a baseball team.

The new kids on the block, created in 1991. The Sharks have made up for two horrible first seasons and post a 649-631-121-80 winning record (.506). 13 playoffs trips in 18.5 seasons. I like my hockey. Its fast and entertaining to me. Hello policing your own game instead of waiting for the refs to do it for you!

5th is the Raiders. With a road trip to Los Angeles from 1982-94. The Oakland Raiders are 122-165 (.425). 4 playoff trips and 1 title to call their own. The Raiders have been kind of a joke since returning. Heck even if I was a fan, I couldn't watch most games since they're blacked out in the bay area...

Last is the Warriors 1017-1442 (.414). 4 trips to the playoffs since the 1980-81 season. Not sure how anyone is a Warriors season ticket holder. I guess its kinda cool to see the other stars of the league beat the Warriors ...

Ok so the Warriors suck. Why can't I like another NBA team? Only 8 teams have won a championship in my lifetime. 8! So much for parity.

Side note: March Madness has produced 19. So I guess I could maybe possibly like college basketball at one point.

By comparison there have been
19 MLB champs and 16 college baseball champs

16 NFL champs and 20 college football champs... 4 seasons of co-champs... not sure how you can have two best teams in a sport... but whatever.

14 NHL champs and 14 college hockey champs.

Those dynasties of the 80s for hockey and football sadly died with the creation of a salary cap.

Oh and the San Jose Crash turned Earthquakes are better at winning than the Raiders and Warriors, 162-160-72 (.503). That's with the last three seasons going through expansion team growing pains. Thanks to our mayor at the time, who let the team leave despite being a mexican. Maybe since it was called soccer and not called futbol confused him.

2010

Merry Christmas Blog Followers.

So pretty much The Tullis' and Larrie.
I'm not sure who else there is.

So where did I go this year?
Fresno....Orange County... Yosemite.

There was no trip to Phoenix due to the fact that David moved. No Vegas trip.


Well Kaakun had to add to that, so I Jet Blue'd my eyes out.
So off to Los Angeles, Seattle, New York, Orlando, Nassau, San Juan, Cancun, Washington DC, Baltimore, Boston, Chicago and Salt Lake. Living out of a backpack, backpacking across the United States of America, Bahamas, Puerto Rico and Mexico.

Saw nifty places, met nifty people, shot nifty pictures.

Pretty much the best month of my life.

That was it for travel.

Hit up some hockey and baseball games throughout the year. I think I saw more movies in theaters this year than any year since leaving the Bubble.

Lost an uncle, the family tree is getting less and less bushy on the top.

Merry Christmas, Happy Kwanzaa, Super Festivius, Good Hanukkah.

Close

Person A: Are you close to an attorney, judge... (pretty much list off any job that spends any time in a courthouse)?

Kaakun: Define close.

Person A: I don't know, however you'd define it.

Kaakun: I know one in Southern California.

Person A: Are you close? Because Southern California is not close.

Kaakun: (Hmmmm.... I want $225) um, no.

Person A: Are you closer to a reporter... (pretty much list any one that works in media)?

Kaakun: um... no

I participated in a mock trial. After 10.5 hours I can honestly say, I have no interest in business or contract law.

Third Parties and Telecommunication

Third party companies dealing with Telecommunications has to be the dirtiest group of businesses around.
Not many business models have the cajones to charge you for something your telecommunication provider is already providing.

Hey, you know how your telephone company provides you unlimited long distance for $15 a month? Let me charge you an additional $9.99 and you'll be able to make calls over long distances as much as you want!

The cell phone bill was $10 higher than normal and some how I had something called premium texting.

So I called up Verizon, asked them what "Premium Texting" was.

"It's a third party company that provides you maps... you can cancel by texting 'stop' to blah blah blah blah "

So I canceled it via a text.
I get a reply saying i opted out and if I had questions I could call _____ or go to a website.

So I called. Past experience talking to people is they sit on hold for a while and wait and argue over getting out of this AMAZING service.

Someone promptly answered, and I asked what this premium texting was and how i signed up for it.

I was told i clicked on an ad and was texted a four digit passcode. This four digit passcode was then entered so I could get maps texted to me.

what a deal! i replied that, "I never entered a four digit passcode anywhere."

He said he'd credit my account for November and December.

No fighting. No waiting.

Go figure, good customer service from a shady company. Go unknown shady company.

Kaakun and Arcadia 1 2002-03

So I got Larrie's wedding invite in the mail. Making it one of well five former tenants of Arcadia 1 invites.

There was a strange (I mean unique?) friendship built with Kaakun and Arcadia 1.

Cue flashback music

The History of Arcadia 1 and Kaakun

Prequel Winter 2002
I home taught Emily. That's all of Emily really...

Sept '02
Met Larrie at a ward "get to know people in the ward" activity. There were other people met, but could only remember that blond that was the same height as me and was called "Larry". Soon our paths would cross again, our apartments were slapped together as part of a FHE group.

Fun was had by all. Jokes shared, giggles galore. Then something happened.


Almost everyone in my apartment got "various levels" of female friends... so it was hanging out with Andy or being social. Kaakun decided to try this social thing...

The FHE groups got shook up, there were new FHE "sisters" and they were kind of lame... So I had my first lesson in grovelling. Went back over to Arcadia 1 and said I wanted my old FHE sisters back because the current ones sucked.

Rachel laughed, then went to bed.
Kara laughed was like, "oh kaakun, you're so funny"
Irene probably just rolled her eyes and was like whatever.
Larrie walked by and slapped me on the butt.

Whatever was said, it worked. I was "social"

I got Graffitied

I spent enough time there, I could even change there.

Hello state game, midnight runs to various fast food places and watching ridiculously graphic medical shows like Maternity Ward and some sort of Genetic Defects show.

Sure it was ghetto. But it was slightly less ghetto than my apartment and there was a candle warmer I could dip my fingers into and make a mess. win-win.

Then one Friday night. I'm sitting with John and his "various-level" female friend.

C: I want to go putt-putt.
J: ok
K: um....
C: do you not want to go?

J realizes my hesitation being a 3rd wheel, explains.

5 minutes later...

C: Good news! Jacob and Teri (sp?) are going.

So instead of being a 3rd wheel... I was now a 5th. awesome. So Kaakun went to his home away from home.

Irene was sitting there.
K: What are you doing?
I: studying
K: is anyone else home?
I: no
K: You're going putt putt.
I: I'm studying.
K: It's Friday you can study tomorrow... I'll pay for it.
I: I suck at putt putt.
K: You're playing putt putt.

PS Irene kicked my butt by 10 strokes. I got 2nd. Everyone else a distant 3rd-6th. Apparently
relationships = crappy putting.

After that, Arcadia 1 turned into the Kaakun date waiting room. Sure they varied in levels of awkwardness but the girlies kept on saying yes, so I kept asking. I even took out visitors (Irene's little sister, Kara's friend) There was even an eventual awkward "love" triangle with Kara and Kyle and Kaakun (KKK... yeah that's about how screwed up it was). He even deleted my tape of recording their ice skating final (goodbye cameraman job at the '06 Olympics).

Eventually the school year was winding down, Irene was like, "I'm going to RIT". Kara was a constant "Kyle says I like you, so we fight about you and then he leaves angry" broken record. And my talents were noticed by others.

Arcadia 3 was like, you spend a lot of time at 1. You should come visit. After a evening of being my charming self the "apartment boyfriend" title and spent the last month of the school year there.


look I got scrapbooked... and there are no pin holes in my face or horns drawn on my head.

You'd think that would be the end of the story. Nope.

There were annual larrie hang outs, annual Kara hangouts, occasional IM chats, an awkward 8-way group date spring '03 and what not.

Now you'd think the story would have faded out.

Nope hello
IK and a D Yosemite trip '08


KL Beach Adventure '07 (and R for like 45 mins)



ILK Vegas Venture '06





and quarterly 2007-09 Rachel hang outs- beach/Getty/OC Fair/Angel game/Duck game/sitting around... watching Australia vacation video...zzzzzzz

ANNNNNND apparently Annie is a little hoarder and still kept a ward directory from eight years ago.

Awwww look how young everybody looks

Root Beer

While in Chicago, Joesph asked if I liked root beer.
Eventually we ended up standing around in the kitchen, bottle of Goose Island Root Beer in hand.
It was sweet. Maybe too sweet. But tasted good after a hard day of... wandering around the city.

I've never been pickey with rootbeer. A&W, Mug, Barqs, IBC, Dads, Henry Weinhard. I'll drink anything. But after this experience, I decided to look more into the "regional" brands of Root Beer and found this site. http://www.delicioussparklingtemperancedrinks.net/rbeer/Beers.html

While at some roadside stand in Moss Landing. I found two of them Sparky's of Pacific Grove, CA and Route 66 of Indian Head Park, IL.

This brand is sweetened with cane sugar and honey, but the "botanical extracts" and spices give the first sip a bitterness which initially put some of the reviewers off. "It has a lot of flavor, its just not a good flavor." "Has a goofy aftertaste, but the taste of vanilla, honey and molasses is pleasant." After the first sip, most of the reviewers warmed to the taste: "A very interesting combo of flavors with a minty aftertaste." "It smells great and its growing on me after the initial shock.

my two cents, every sip tasted different?!? There was the goofy after taste. But one sip would be like IBC, the next was like Henry Weinhard, next was IBC...

Includes yucca as one of the ingredients. Most of our reviewers didn't find the taste strong enough or interesting enough. "Bland," said one. "No flavor other than fruity sweet." "A thin taste, slightly bitter." "Smooth and crisp, but somewhat watery and doesn't have much flavor." wrote others.

It was just sweet. Kinda like the Goose Island. I guess the Chicagoians like sweet soda.

The search for more "regional" root beer continues. Who knows what will pop up.

Creative Kaakun

So back in the day (2003-04), Kaakun had roommates.
Said roommates had family in Utah.
Occasionally said roommates would disappear for a couple days.

First it was Greg. We were worried. To replace Greg, we purchased some goldfish. Apparently 5 feeder goldfish = Greg. We were no longer worried (at least til his rent was due again). Well said goldfish soon died because really this was a half assed effort. Water wasn't properly filtered, food wasn't purchased and well, Greg the goldfishes died. Which worked out, because Greg the roommate returned.

The next time Greg disappeared, Kaakun went the non living route. Taking some clothes and a couple Daily Universes. We got... well a flat "Greg".


(apparently I didn't take a photo without all the other clothes on the bed)

The vision was there... sorta.

Kaakun soon learned from his mistake and the next time, didn't go stingy on free newspaper. Kevin disappeared and tada, Kevin was replaced.


The Daily Universe was finally put to good use.

Eventually there was a proper tank purchased and Greg the Goldfish and Kevin the Crab replaced Kevin the roommate and Greg the roommate. Til Greg the Goldfish ate Kevin the Crab I and Kevin the Crab II...

PS. This was Greg's first year at BYU, 2nd year of college.
PSS. Greg finally finished all his college courses in Oct 2010.
PSSS Greg is not a doctor.

Technology and Death.

So I remember the feeling I had when I received a letter on the mission. It was like Christmas day. The joy was two-fold if it was written. Appreciating the fact that someone took the time to find a piece of paper, find a pen, jot down thoughts, feelings, whatever. Eventually slapping a stamp on an envelope. Licking that horrible tasting glue and mailing it out.

I don't know why that same joy is not felt with digital media. I don't grin with I see Inbox(3). Even if they are "letters" and not mailing list spam or online receipts.

In one way it works out when you're getting less than ideal news. I was sitting in a hotel lobby in Cancun when I got an e-mail from my mom. It said that my uncle had passed away. Earlier today (actually yesterday, didn't finish writing this up) I was in a car flipping through e-mails and I learned that my friend's father passed away. One positive, the "sterile" quality of digital communication meant it was easier to take the news. Neither passing was exactly a surprise. So that probably helped in the "ease of swallowing the news".

After each message, I thought about it. There were no fond memories of sporting events, fishing, golfing, whatever. They were there. I was there. They were like 40 years older than I was...

So I thought... and thought.

This is what I came up with.

I knew my grandfather died when my mom was a teenager (or there abouts). Apparently it was my Uncle Billy who took on the role of raising the family (I never put two and two together). So thanks to my Uncle, my mom was able to finish high school and have a place to live, food to eat, clothes to wear and never had to learn how to smuggle 4 apples, a blouse and a box out of a store under her sweater.

There were Christmas presents growing up. A box full of Top Flite golf balls (that'll eventually be scattered into streams/ponds/tall grass/etc). Thanks Uncle Billy.

So my initial memory of my friend's father was him flipping channels while I passed through the door. Unless my friends' fathers liked baseball or hockey. There was very little "social" interaction with them.

After some contemplation. I realized he was probably the priesthood role model in my life. Growing up learned as we went on this whole priesthood thing. But there were a great deal of Priesthood sessions spent sitting next JD and his father.

Eventually at one point, he was our home teacher and we got a pie for the holidays. Thanks for being there and the pies. So in honor of John. All the home teachees get a pie... or a cookie. Can't let them get fat on a whole pie.

Salt Lake City, UT Oct 2-5

Back to the land of well... um. 5.5 years of my life.

But there was something new (to me at least), Gilgal Garden.

Thanks to a month of exploring thanks to Lonely Planet. I turned to the site to see if they had any information that I didn't know about.

Hello Gilgal. It was different.

The Sphinx represents Child's belief that the answers to life's great questions cannot be discovered with the intellect, but only through faith. The sphinx is an ancient symbol of riddles and mystery. Joesph Smith's face symbolizes Child's conviction that the LDS Priesthood reveals to mankind the answers to life's mysteries.

In this self-portrait Child conveys his great love for the masonry trade and for his religion. The figure of Child holds a Bible under his right arm and blueprints under his left.

Mish friend, friend-in-law?, friend, me.

Old mish comp, Wells. Prior to moving to Texas.

David doesn't understand, "hey look at the camera" apparently.

SL,UT Library. It's a nice library.

Good ole Crown.

Chicago Sept 27-29

So I liked Chicago. Big City, decent mass transit and good food that isn't ridiculously expensive.



Portillos hot dog and Italian beef.

I'd be there like every other day (or once a week).... or once a month.


They have baseball and a Western Conference NHL team. So thats two SJ/Chicago games a year.


Sears Tower. For some reason, I was fine with this. When I was walking on the bridge over the river... got a shiver up my spine. Go figure.

Boston Sept 25-27

Boston was an interesting place. Slept on the Liberty Clipper in the harbor. Not everyday you get to sleep on tall ship. Went into Boston after the Caribbean, kind of a big climate change. From High 80s to low 60s. Was walking around in jeans and flip flops and people are walking around in peacoats.


The Boston Ghosts and Graves tour. It was alright, entertaining, but not as entertaining as the San Diego one I did.

Bridge.

US Constitution

Redcoats

Graves




Liberty Clipper

DC/Baltimore Sept 23-25

So in 1997 I had a few hours to explore DC with Juan and David. This was the first time back since then. About the only thing I'm not a fan of is the Metro's all day pass doesn't kick in til 9:30 am. So... my longest ride on the metro was from Dulles on the 24th to downtown and I had to fork out the cash for it. Everything else I could just walk to and fro.

Big fan of the Smithsonian... huge, free. could spend a whole day there for FREE.

Got to see Nationals Park and Oriole Park. Nice parks. Not so great teams... Poor DC.