I like Seinfeld. I also like Modern Family, 30 Rock, The Office, etc. But Seinfeld has a special place in my heart, and brain (I am unapologetic about the memory space occupied by Seinfeld quotes).
A coworker directed me to these fake movie trailers made from Seinfeld scenes - they are excellent. I'm impressed by the editing work and music selection for dramatic effect. Enjoy:
I think you know this character.
His teacher asked all the students to write a paper about school - favorite subject, least favorite subject, what you're good at, etc. Here's what Kade wrote:
Allow me to translate:
Dear Mom and Dad,
I don't like school. It is boring. I like reading. I don't like math. I want to improve in nothing. I'm good at reading.
Love,
Kade
Wednesday the doctor told Jolene she could ditch the crutches and start walking on the leg she broke 16 weeks ago. She was very careful at first, but now she's getting around pretty good. It still gets sore and swollen but it's way better than crutches.
Very good to see her on her feet again. Time to setup the trainer.
I'm going to share a secret about myself. I have a rare condition that causes me to age very slowly. I'm actually 146 years old. Don't believe me? Have a look at a few of my many yearbook photos.
1950
1952
1968
1978
1984
1986
1988
1990
1996
Please vote for your favorite year in the comments.
I spent a few hours playing with Yearbook Yourself with the kids laughing at the results. The top one (1950) makes me look like my grandfather who always wore a crew cut and horn-rimmed glasses. The bottom picture (1996) freaked out my wife, it came out eerily good.
This is what the internet is for.
It's been cold and altogether too wintry here along The Front. But it has also been cold and wet down south. No escape.
Then this week St. George dried out and so escape plans were made. Alex and Rick had extra motivation: new bikes. 29ers. Alex a Santa Cruz Tallboy and Rick a Specialized Epic.
We escaped Monday evening, stayed in a cheap hotel in St. George and were riding dirt in the morning.
First up: Precipice, Sidewinder,Barrel Roll. We started with vests and arm warmers, but within an hour we'd peeled them off to feel the warm air and sun on our skin. Glorious. The trails were tacky and perfect. Alex and Rick got the feel for their new steeds quickly and we relished the ups, downs, drops, curves, everything.
That's snow in those mountains in the distance.
The new bike boys.
Then we crossed the wash and rode most of the Rim trails: Up Rim Reaper and Rim Rambler then the Rim Runner and Rim Rock loops. Mellower than Barrel Roll but still fun.
We packed up and drove over to Zen. Great trail but I had forgotten how relentlessly technical it is. I did OK but wasn't cleaning the tricky stuff.
Then I took a bad line off a ledge and dropped the front wheel in a crack and endo'ed. As I went over I thought "I can't get injured with Jolene's leg still broken." I broke my fall with my hands (hurt my wrists) then landed hard, on rock, on my left side which partially knocked the wind out of me and gave me sore (probably bruised) ribs.
We finished the rest of the ride without incident and the extra adrenaline allowed me to ride the ledge drop to the right around the bolder when dropping into the ravine (video below from Alex). A little redemption.
Alex almost to the ravine bottom.
Loaded up again and drove to the Cottonwood trail head for the Prospector trail. Jolene has done this trail but not I. It was fun and fast. Good tacky dirt but the sand traps had dried out enough to be deep and loose. A happy lap around Church Rocks and then back to the car to load up and drive back home.
Alex's helmet-cam video of me riding Church Rocks.
A refreshing escape for a day full of dirt.
Saturday I did a longer cross country ski with Steve and Kerry. Started at Pine Hollow (like last time). When we got to the Timpooneke turnoff we decided to see if we could go all the way out to the front (west face) of Mount Timpanogos.
A few snowmobiles had made a nice packed track. There was an inch or so of new snow and we made fresh tracks all the way out.
About half way out the road looking north with American Fork Canyon below and Box Elder Peak in the distance.
Steve with Tibble Fork in the background.
I had forgotten how big the slide area is the road crosses. I went across first and felt very exposed, even though I knew the avalanche danger was low. Kerry turned around here. See Steve in photo for scale.
Looking up above the slide area. Gave me the willies.
I stopped to listen to the maiden for Dug. I think I heard her say "Tell Dug to watch out for..." then the wind gusted and I missed the rest. I couldn't tell if her tone was angry for being skied on or inviting Dug and crew to come back.
We made it to the "corner" before the road heads south across the Timp bench. I was hoping for a good view of the valley below and the surrounding mountains, but no dice, the clouds had rolled in.
Mostly downhill on the way back. Coasted down a few sections but mostly poled or kick-glided. Nice to have gravity working for us on the return.
Here's a map of the trek. 15.5 miles at a decent pace was a good workout.
What is money? We use it every day, but have you thought about what it really is, how it was invented, how it's created?
Listening to NPR a few days ago I caught part of a fascinating This American Life program: The Invention of Money. The next day I downloaded the broadcast and listened to the whole thing. It's really good.
Prologue: The people on the island of Yap use giant stones as money and what that means.
Act 1: How Brazil escaped hyperinflation.
Act 2: How the Federal Reserve creates money.
Teaser questions - Why is the stone money of Yap still relevant today? Is stopping runaway inflation more about fiscal policy or psychology? Does the Federal Reserve create money by printing bills? Who oversees the Federal Reserve? What is the Federal Reserve doing differently since the recent financial crisis?
Listen or download
I've also been listening to a collection of short stories by Cory Doctorow. All are well written and have interested me. Cory focuses on near-future fiction, usually some current-day technology extended and/or used in a different way. Being a techie I like this stuff, but since most of the stories illustrate a misuse of technology, and being in the 5-10 years out range, it was a downer to consider. You know, far out stuff you can shrug off, but possible tomorrows are uncomfortable.
The stories are available to read in a variety of formats or listen to as MP3s. And all free.
Yesterday I took advantage of Alta's ski free after three deal. A bit of a drive for 1.5 hours of skiing, but it felt good to be on skis and breathing fresh air - appreciated all the more on the drive down and seeing the brown-red soup air in the valley. I tried some backward skiing, and did OK but it's awkward. I even found some chop to ski.
Today I zipped up American Fork Canyon to XC ski. I went up from Pine Hollow to Salamander Flat and back. With a small off piste detour. Other than one snowmobile coming down as I was going up, I had the place to myself. Serene and lovely. I skied at a decent pace (for me). It was snowing on the way down - finally some new snow. I hope it clears out the gunky valley air.
Saturday I headed up American Fork Canyon to cross country ski. I thought about skiing Granite Flat but decided on Pine Hollow.
Good snow pack up the road. I hadn't been to Timpooneke in winter in a long time so that's where I went. I explored the trail I mountain bike, but a large pine had fallen across it so I decided to go farther up Timpooneke road. It was nice and I'm not sure I'd ever been up it on skis.
I went out 2 hours (4 miles, checked the map at home) and turned around. I didn't wear the right socks and had some painful blisters forming on my heels.
Going down was nice. I usually had to push, but in a few places I could glide. I got into a rhythm skating down the road - a bit ungainly on the classical skis but still fun.
I had some sunshine at first, which felt nice. And it was pleasant to get out of the valley haze and into clear air. Sure felt good to get up into the mountains.
Kade got a Nerf gun for his birthday before Christmas. Of course he's shot family members, it hasn't been too bad but still.
So for Christmas we got Nerf guns for the girls. You know, cold war tactics, arm everyone.
Kade has bravado but this is not a stand-off, more like suicide-by-sister
The Angels and kid brother Bosley
The weapons
It's been fun. We've had several skirmishes throughout the house.
Christmas day we had a battle that lasted over an hour and we were laughing a lot. Head shots are always funny. Kara squeals when she gets shot, or even a near miss. Kade likes to charge. Jamie and I like to wait for good shots, or snake one through the banisters.
Kade shot the gun so much he rubbed the skin off his thumb.
Reloading is easy since by now the house is littered with foam bullets. We've lost a few behind the stove, way under the fridge and I'm sure other inaccessible places.
Good wholesome family fun. (If any of my kids becomes a murderer, well maybe it wasn't such a good idea.)
