Back in the Kitchen Again

Christin and I have lived together for about a year and a half. During this time we have cooked quite a few lavish meals together. However, I ran out of money. Christin still cooked sometimes, but our dinners just haven't been as amazing.

Well we bought some halibut yesterday, and today we had one of our most amazing dinners to date: Brioche and Pesto Crusted Halibut with Portobello Caps, Broccoli, Creamed Fennel and Sun-Dried Tomato Beurre Blanc.

Thank you food network for your delicious recipes. You can link to it http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/behind-the-bash/brioche-pesto-crusted-halibut-portobello-caps-broccoli-creamed-fennel-sun-dried-tomato-beurre-blanc-recipe/index.html. And we skipped the pesto.

Uncomfortable at Times in My House

I really don't approve of the "organic food" craze that is sweeping the country. I hate having eggs in my fridge that are so expensive that I feel guilty eating them.

Back to School, Back to School

I wrote this last blog post and then I started on my homework. An hour or two later, my breathing was possibly the worst that it has ever been. I was constantly gasping. I actually started to get a little worried about it. I stopped doing homework, watched some tv online, and tried to relax a little.

As nervous as that did make me, I realized that my problem is school. I haven't exactly done awesome in school since I have been in college (I suppose you could include high school in that sentence as well), and I am a little nervous about not doing well this semester. I am not taking hard classes really, but if I ever plan on graduating college, this semester is kinda important. And every subsequent one.

The last few days have been better though. I got my homework done, I did awesome on my test that I had. I will be okay.

Air Supply

No this post is not about the awesome eighties group "Air Supply," but about how my air gets supplied to my body. See, when I was about eight I got into a little four wheeler accident. There was no blood, no broken bones, but I hit my head pretty good. It also was the only one of my four concussions that knocked me unconscious, and that includes my motorcycle wreck. When I woke up my dad was kneeling over me. I couldn't get up. He told me to squeeze his hand. I couldn't. I vividly remember his face and the fear that hit me. Luckily, the paralysis went away in about fifteen seconds. It seemed like I was pretty much unaffected by the wreck shortly thereafter.

However I started developing a breathing problem not too long after. I was often gasping for breath, very similar to a yawn. The problem was, I wasn't tired. I wasn't bored. I wasn't working out too hard. I just couldn't breath. I had a CT scan, went to a couple doctors, was checked for asthma, and was finally told that I had Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. Seems a little intense, but I guess at eight you are very sensitive to things.

I realized later that if I talked things out, that the breathing problems stopped. I had several counseling sessions with my mom when I would recount the whole story, cry, tell her how it felt and why it scared me, etc. It mostly disappeared from my life. I say mostly because as I have gotten older, if my stress levels rise, it comes back. Over the last week it has surfaced once again, though more intense than it has been for probably six years.

The problem is, I don't exactly know why I am stressed. Since I do not know, I think and worry about it, and then I feel like I am more stressed. It's a vicious cycle. I do have stressful things right now in my life, but not anymore than they were last month. I actually feel like things are considerably better as of late. Maybe it's not me though. Maybe I am stressing for Christin, John, Ariana, Tyler, Bridget, Kristine, Bryan, Levi, and whoever else. Whatever it is, I need to figure it out soon.

New Roommate: Tricia

For a little over six months, there has been an apartment full of girls living in the building next to me. I have spent quite a bit of time over there, and they have spent considerable time in Christin and I's apartment. Recently two new additions have moved into the house, Allison and Tricia. Thus far I have gotten to know each of them a little and enjoy their company quite a bit. A little about Tricia:

I think thanks is probably owed to Bridget for painting such a great wall to bring out the blue in my eyes :)


So Tricia is from north Scottsdale. She has lived with her family until this semester. I am not sure why she finally decided to make the change after two years of college. She gives me maybe as many disappointing looks as Ashley Minkalis does, I don't think she really knows how to handle someone like me. She drives a Ford Focus and likes to dance. She lived with Allison for nearly a month and didn't know what kind of car she drove until I told her tonight. She likes American Idol, though she has missed almost the whole season so far, except for the episode we watched tonight. She doesn't really like ice cream though. Who doesn't like ice cream? She thinks that Joe Dirt is a dumb movie. She works at a physical therapy office, ran cross country in high school, and never wore much make up until she was seventeen.

And that's about what I know about Tricia. I'm working on the rest, and when Allison gets home so that I can take a picture, I will let you know about her as well.

Who Doesn't Want an iPhone?

Since Apple first came out with it's new product lines some five years ago, I have tried to boycott them the best I could. Though all of my friends and just about everyone I know has jumped on the iPod bandwagon, I still haven't. I have sold both of the ones that my company gave to me, and there is a 30 gb iPod video of Christin's that has sat at my house for over a year and a half without ever being so much as turned on. . . . I'll just leave that one there.

Anyways, for some reason I haven't bought one. I don't like that they try to make you only use their stuff, like iTunes and the special headphones and adapters that they used to have. And now the iPhone.

I don't really want one for a phone. I can call with any old phone (just ask Christin :)). But now they are coming out with all of these amazing new applications, and . . . well . . . I want one. Who wouldn't? Check these out.

I will start these off in strict contrast to my last post:

1 ) Kiss application for valentines day

Kiss is a new application from codegoo.com for the iPhone. It allows you to send a virtual kiss to a loved one. Simply kiss the screen, your lip print shows up and then select a background from over 20 choices.

Select the recipient of your virtual kiss along with a short message and send it off. The recipient receives an image of your kiss via email.

A fantastic idea for Valentine’s day or just to let that special someone know you are thinking of them. Kiss is available for 99 cents from the app store.

2) Coke’s New Spin on iPhone Advertising

Coca-Cola (KO) has developed an iPhone app that could potentially generate loads of free advertising.

The latest app is a proprietary take on the classic “Spin the Bottle” game. “Spin the Coke”—designed for Apple’s (AAPL) iPhone or iPod Touch—features a Coke-bottle image that can be spun on a variety of backgrounds. Coke describes the program as a way to “break the ice - or to give that someone special a not-so-subtle hint.”

3) iPhone Can Now Double As A Heart Rate Monitor & Fitness Tracking System

Santa Barbara, Calif. - iTMP Technology, Inc., a pioneering iPhone hardware and software developer, announces the commercial launch of SMHEART LINK, a highly-anticipated new technology that is poised to bring unparalleled health and fitness capabilities to Apple(R) iPhone and iPod(R) touch users. For the first time ever, a technology is now available that allows the iPhone to double as a heart monitor and fitness tracking system that actually listens to a person’s heart. In addition to the iPhone and iPod touch, SMHEART LINK can be compatible with other smartphones, PCs or other Wi-Fi enabled devices.

4)BeatMaker, $19.99

BeatMaker combines a drum machine, sampler, sequencer, and editor with an expandable sound and effects library that includes lots of different instruments. The app has a bit of a learning curve, but beat-crafters who want something for composing on the go will really dig it. The lag time (latency) is low enough that you could conceivable use it in live performances too.

5) Midomi, Free

Shazam is a fun song-identifier app, but it only works for recorded performances. With Midomi, you can sing, type artist/song names, or hold the iPhone in front of a speaker, and the app matches it to a huge database. It returns lots of info including reviews, purchase links, and video links.

6) Absolute Fitness, $14.99

If your body is a temple, Absolute Fitness makes your iPhone its guardian angel. Its polished interface lets you monitor your nutrition, weight, and workouts, so you can reach your fitness or diet goals. You can look at progress charts and get customized food analyses, or (like us) you just use it to look up how much fat is in that slice of bacon you're holding

7) Ocarina

Some genius figured out how to use the microphone on the iPhone as an air-flow sensor — now we've got a virtual ocarina, albeit not potato-shaped. Hold the phone up to your lips and blow; four "holes" appear on your touch screen allowing you to play almost any scale (which you select under Settings). Share your tunes with other Ocarina players around the world, or just set the app to listen to their masterworks. (The Ocarina app costs $0.99.)


So honestly, I could go on for days about this. But anyone who knows me knows that any phone that has a "Spin the Bottle" application is probably worth it in my book.

Let's Not Get "Physical, Physical"

The title is referring to the song, in case anyone missed that.

Well here's the deal. I kind of owe Ariana this.
Tyler and Ariana have been officially dating for three weeks (including in the one day off). I have wrote before about this subject, and as I said, I am very happy about it.

The unique thing about this relationship is that it started mid November, and it started with kissing. And they both really liked it. Ariana was talking to me yesterday though and I find out that now there is no making out. Really? It is something that Tyler wanted (I know, Mormon guys are weird), and Ariana reluctantly agreed to at first. Now they are both very happy about it.

So I've been doing some thinking about this, and I would like to say good job to the both of you. I do not know if I could do it, but I think that it is a very good idea. Or at least to kiss less. I sometimes have the concern that my relationships revolve around it. When I stop kissing my girlfriends for a time, the relationship usually suffers. President Monson, then a counselor in the first presidency, wrote an article about marriage in the Ensign around October of 2004. He says that if you feel like your relationship is based to much on physical attraction, then you should try to not so much as hug or touch that person for a week and see if you still like to be around them. I would dare say that some of my relationships would have been very different, or not have existed at all.

I do not suppose I will ever be in a "no make out" relationship, though I might try a "no make out week." I have been getting better at placing value on kisses as I have gotten older. Not that I wouldn't occasionally kiss under the mistletoe still, but I am working on getting to know a person which has been a very nice change. Tyler and Ariana, I appreciate your example of self restraint. I think you both are a little crazy still.

Groundhog Day Parties

As I was sitting in church yesterday I decided that I needed to have a Groundhog Day party. So I made up a Facebook invite and sent it out. Well, most people didn't come. But some did and we had banana splits and ice cream while we watched Bill Murray relive Groundhog Day two hundred times until he finally sealed the deal with the girl of his dreams. I think this is a day that is far too often neglected. Tomorrow I might just start the planning for next year's Groundhog Day party.

Guys and Dating Complaints

Today in church our normal priesthood lesson was replaced with a dating one. I don't have a lot to say on the topic except that both sexes complain to much. Girls complain about the younger girls getting asked out. Guys complain about everything else. They don't want to put in any effort. The general consensus was that girls should take the initiative more, don't be afraid to have a date idea, not play games, let the guy know if she likes him, etc.

Look here. That is not how it should be. Girls should flirt more, yes. And to have input on things like dates is appreciated, but it shouldn't be the girls job. That is what guys are supposed to do. And there needs to be some of a game to dating. It should be fun. So guys, quit complaining. Get a pair.