very good stuff

I'm going to begin a new segement here. The next post will have a better name.... maybe.

The goal is to share some things I find inspiring, and hopefully you will too.

Our first offering is Kubic 555, by Daniel Rossa with urbanscreen. Enjoy.

and the winner is...

mom and dad with a guess of $150.

The actual amount was $155.88. mmmm... so... many... fruit... pies....

our 20 year path toward a mild increase in net worth

Do you remember what you got for Christmas in Sixth grade? Do you still have any of that stuff? Is it worth anything? If your answer to any of these or other questions is no, Kristie is better than you. If you are surprised by this, you shouldn't be. She is obviously your superior in every way, and it was silly of you to hold delusions to the contrary. Let me elaborate...

On Christmas morning 1988, my lovely wife-to-be woke from that fitful anticipatory slumber kids everywhere are so familiar with, made her way to the tree, and began opening presents. She still remembers one present in particular, as it has been a part of her life ever since. That present? Her giant coke bottle piggy bank.


The Bottle

20+ years later, after filling it penny by penny, that bottle was finally so full it couldn't hold another coin. It was so stuffed that the bottle had actually stretched out on its sides because of the pressure. 5 years ago when it was only about 3/4 full, we had to bring it in the house on a dolly, and it's been in the same spot in the kitchen because we couldn't lift it to move it.



FULL? Nah, there's plenty of room

We've known the day was coming for a few months now, and for a while Kristie has been telling me it was full enough, and I've been trying to get her to keep filling it until there wasn't room for a single addition. Two weeks ago the big moment arrived.



The final penny... kind of bittersweet.

Since we're not crazy, and we don't have several days to spend rolling pennies, we decided to take them out of the jar, separate the other coins from the pennies (there was about 6 bucks in other change in there, and an Orange Blossom Express token from when Kristie was down in Riverside, CA for college.) and take them to the bank for deposit.


The bags we used to take the pennies to the bank... It was kind of wierd walking INTO a bank with sacks full of money.

So now we are waiting, 20 years later, with much the same sense of fitful anticipation as kids get before christmas morning, for the final count from the bank to gome back.

How much do you think was in there?

its still summer here

so this entry officially catches me up...

After we got back from Mexico, the visitors kept coming. First Kevin came through town and we got to catch up with him. He came midweek, but we were still able to take him to a Rockies game, and hang out for a few nights. It was a great visit, and we're looking forward to seeing him again soon.

Right after he left, Megan and Aaron, their kids, and Hollee came to visit. Together with Kristie's parents, Mark, Amy, and Kevin. That means we got to see all the family, minus a Melinda, Paul, Joshie, and some of the kids, this summer.


Kristie and Aaron blowing bubbles that Hollee brought with the girls.


Helpless Corbin being attacked by the bubbles.


the girls got fish to play with. "Play with" involved feeding them bubbles, and begging me to pick up the fish and move them back and forth between the bowls. After being left outside overnight.... fish funeral.


Kristie and the Kiddos at Mom and Dad's place


Me and the kids. They were so much fun to have around and get to know better.

After everyone went home the summer calmed down a bit... lots of workin for both of us. We were able to see my parents a few times, and we're feeling really lucky to have them here for the year.



In August we decided to go to the BWG camping trip in Aspen. we drove up and back with my co-worker, Steve, which was pretty fun. It was a cool drive; we went over Independence Pass for the first time, and it was really pretty. The party was definitely rockin' at the campsite with lots of late night shenanigans and only got crazier after we went to bed. That's all I'll say about that, since I don't want to get fired. I work with fun people. crazy, but fun.


Us at the top of Aspen Mountain.

Kristie got us tickets to see Demetri Martin, this guy:



The show was almost all new stuff, and it was SOOOOOO funny. His prepared act was really good, but unlike a lot of other comics, he seemed like a genuinely funny guy, talking back and forth with the audience, and at one point coming up with jokes on the spot.

Before the show we went to dinner at TAG on Larimer Square, and lucked into eating at the Chef's table. It was a really fun experience, watching the chef and his staff work behind the scenes, talking with him, and trying different samples of the stuff they were sending to other tables. Kristie tried sushi for the first time in one of sample plates, and we would definitely recommend it to everyone, especially the chef's table.

The last month has been pretty low-key. I've been teaching at CU, which has been really rewarding so far. I have a good group of students and they are working really hard, so I have high hopes for the rest of the semester.

una semana en playa del secreto

it has been a good summer around here. After graduation we decided a little vacation was in order, so we pulled out our handy CDC global pandemic map, and picked somewhere that that looked exciting. Always trying to be on the cutting edge, we couldn't resist a trip to swine flu central, Mexico!

It was awesome, and cheap, so here's the tip for all you would be world travelers... contagious diseases = fantastic bargains (and maybe a horrible horrible death, so check to see if people be droppin' before you book).

We stayed at the Valentin Imperial Maya in Playa Del Secreto... it was really fancy. They greeted us with drinks at the entry, and gave us a free room upgrade.









The grounds were awesome and very well cared for.



This place was crawling with these guys. We usually saw 2 or three walking between the room and the pool.


Us at the pool... it was HUGE.


and because everyone thought simply stepping foot in Mexico was sure to kill you, it was almost empty most of the time.


Shopping in Playa Del Carmen... it was fun to haggle with the vendors. I got a lot of Spanish practice in.


My boss hasn't been happy with my decision to wear this look to every client meeting since we got back. I think it adds a little pizazz to the office, so I'm sticking with it.


Playa was crazy. Because there are entrances to caves and Mayan ruins mixed in with the shopping. Right under this balcony there was a deep water filled cave (cenote) that you could go down to for some swimming/ cave snorkeling.




So, We were driving back to the hotel from Playa del Carmen when this car pulled in front of us. Mexico is nuts. Yes, that sweet music is coming from the bangin' system in the back of the car in front of us. Yes, we are on a freeway. Yes, it was much louder in real life. and yes, the speakers are held in place by a broom handle and bungee cords.



We were walking along a dirt road to the ruins in Tulum when we saw this sweet Nacho Libre bike.



Me at the entry to the ruins.


Ya, the ruins were pretty awesome. Seeing them was definitely on my life list. There was a little beach right below them that you could go down to.



Sitting on the ruins. I was so tired, because Mexico is so incredibly hot. Go there, but go in the winter. Summer in Mexico = sweaty all the time.


At the beach in Tulum.




This is Akumal. Akumal is soooooo cool. Definitely more low key than Playa del Carmen. The snorkeling here was so great. Right off the beach we saw a bunch of giant sea turtles, an eagle ray, and lots of fish. The turtles were munching on sea grass in about 10-15 ft of water, and would swim right by you when they came up for air. Incredible, and totally free other than the snorkel equipment rental.

I went in another area away from the turtles, and there was great coral, with a wall of little fish like 10 ft thick. I got a tip that there might be a barracuda in the area, too, and sure enough, after checking under two or three boats, I stuck my head under water and was face to face with a massive scary looking one. I was only like 2 ft away, and it was really ugly so I was a bit shocked. It was about 4 ft long, and just sort of floated there staring back at me. creepy but cool.





We ate lunch right on Half Moon Bay in Akumal. Life is hard.


Kristie got a tattoo.



This monkey was pretty cool.



Until he totally felt Kristie up.



Kristie and the (much more respectful) iguana, Maurice.

All in all it was a pretty relaxing week. Full of just what we needed...








Thanks for reading... I really do plan on being better about this.

Here is a slideshow of the rest of the photos.

- Scott

Graduation

Hey everyone. I know its been a long time coming, but I thought I should post some pictures from graduation.



Walking in to the ceremony.



Just after receiving my degree.



Mark helping show off my super-huge gown with fancy wings on the sleeves. (A word of advise to future grads: Don't order the gown rental online. Go try it on in person. This was big enough for two of me.)



Huggin' my mom



Pops and me



Kristie, Jim, Maggie, and me. I'm not sure if you still read this, but thanks again for coming out you guys.


Lamy came back to Colorado to celebrate with us. It was like old times having her here. Amy gets partial credit for this because she got me a terrible job at grocery outlet when I was 14. I still remember some of the dudes I worked with there, and how much I didn't want be be like any of them. At all.



Mark gets some credit too. He got me a job at Sakata right after High School that was even worse, and had even worse dudes... one of the dudes had been my boss at Grocery Outlet... (another was Leroy... but that's another story all together. Leroy should get his own post.)

There was something else about that job that I've thought back too a lot over the years. One day on the way home from Sakata, Mark and Melinda told me that the plant manager wasn't too fond of me, and had said I didn't smile enough. That day this manager had come down from his office, walked up to me and said something about my not having enough fun. As he said this, I was sweeping up millions of little broccoli seeds that had been spilled by the drop-out coke-head idiot I was running the canning machine with. It is still perplexing to me how anyone would be having fun in that situation, let alone smiling. Well, for the last 8 years, I've been working day and night to have a job that did put a smile on my face. More than that, I've been working for a job that no one would ever question my commitment too, or enthusiasm for.



Amy, Mark, Mom, Pops, and me. I am so thankful you guys could be here for this. It means a lot to Kristie and I.


Finally,



I owe so much to Kristie. She has been my constant supporter, therapist and partner through all the years of Architecture School. She picked up life in California six years ago to come out here with me so I could chase this dream, and since then she has spent far too many nights home alone while I was in the studio. I'm forever grateful to her.

She has done more than just support my emotionally (although she has done a lot of that, too). Over the years, she has delivered changes of clothes on presentation days, bought and delivered supplies to the school, met me for dinner when I hadn't seen her in days but couldn't come home because of deadlines, mounted drawings on boards at 2am, 3am, 5am, etc., stayed up late to read and reread countless essays and applications, endured countless boring conversations about ideas for school projects, let me read terrible essay passages to her in order to get out my frustration at grading them, listened to me breakdown over the phone in the middle of the night after several days of not sleeping, helped me handle bad partners, and bad teachers, and bad courses, and my own bad attitude, spent so many days shopping with me for wood, paper, tools, and other stuff only architecture students would ever need, said nothing about all the money I had to spend on those things, and so many other little things.

Kristie did all this while she took care of our home, cared for Lacey, paid the bills, and worked full-time at a job that supported us. There were many times that I failed to tell her how much I appreciated it, and I certainly didn't always deserve it. I am so thankful for everything she does. Without her, I wouldn't have made it. Only Kristie knows how true that really is. Thanks. I love you.

and we're back

I am an incredible person.

While this fact doesn't explain my absence over the last month, it should provide an answer to the overwhelming sense of joyous elation you are feeling upon my return. Now, I don't want to embarrass you by dwelling any further on your blushing adoration, so I will simply say thank you, and move on...

First off, I want to welcome Aaron and Meg-o's little boy, Corbin, to the world. I can't wait to meet you and start telling you lies. I predict you will be five when you first ask your mom, "Is there something 'wrong' with uncle Scott?"

Second, I graduated. Finally. No more school for me.

If there is any testament to my awesomeness, it is in the astounding numbers to be found on my transcripts. Most people can only hack it in school until they are 22 or 23. Try 32. I withstood the rigors of the education system long enough to get 3 or 4 degrees, but not wanting to seem greedy, I only accepted 2.

Oh, you have two degrees too? Really? That's nice, I suppose.... How many schools let you in while you were earning those degrees? 1? 2? Maybe even 3? ...well, that's not to shabby, but it ain't 6, so maybe you should stop gloating. They weren't all big state schools that accept every half-literate imbecile, either. I've been to several small regional colleges that are good enough to get you in and out in 2 years.

"2 years?!!" you say? Yes. 2 Years. The statistics are staggering, I know... and yet I did these schools one better, often attending sporatically for as little as a single semester. I say learning is like dinner at a fine dining establishment. It should start slowly and then last forever, until you ultimately are gorged beyond capacity.

I will post more next time about graduation... I have pictures, and there is a lot I want to add.

walkin' with Bill

Tonight I had a meeting at the school, I walked over from work (about 3 blocks). After the meeting was over, I was on my way back when I noticed that the guy walking across the street in front of me looked a lot like (former governor of Colorado) Bill Owens.

I wasn't sure if it was him, until I noticed one of the homeless dudes that is usually in that area staring at him, too. I caught the homeless dude's eye and mouthed, "Is that the governor?"

He responded, out loud (actually, he pretty much yelled), "Yeeeah!"

I wasn't sure whether to take a photo, or try talking to him... I decided to talk, and called out, "Governor!" -a photo of the back side of his head taken hastily from my camera phone would probably just be useless anyway, right?

He turned around, said hi, and asked if I was a student at the school.

I told him I was finishing up and would hopefully be teaching there soon.

He asked my name, shook my hand, and we started walking again. He said that he taught at DU occasionally, and asked what department at CU I was hoping to join. - Wait? are we having a conversation now?

I was not planning on this at all, and, while realizing that we were now walking together toward my office, I responded, "Architecture."

(A quick side note, here. Don't former Governors get a security staff? It's a little strange to me that this dude was walking down 14th street, with no one around except homeless guys and me.)

He wished me luck with the position, and I told him thanks, and then I blurted something about how I thought he was a good governor, and that I appreciated his bi-partisanship on issues, and that I thought it was really terrible what the former CU president did throwing him under the bus on the whole Churchill thing - What am I talking about?! Where was he walking?

"Ya, that whole thing...", he said. - Uh oh. Better change the subject. Where the heck is he going?- The notion that he might be headed, like me, to BWG Architects for the intermediate Spanish class flashed quickly through my mind.... Him: 'Hola! Me Llamo, Bill. Fue el Gobernador de Colorado. Y tu?' Me: "No, no fue un Gobernado. A Ti, te gustas gatos negros?"

We were almost at my office when I remembered that I needed to move my car because of the hockey game at the Pepsi Center tonight. -Ohh... Ok, that's probably it... - "Are you headed to the game?"

"Ya, I'm meeting some people there."

"Cool. Hope you have good seats..."

"Thanks. Good luck again, Scott."

I left him at the corner and went into the building to get my keys. I felt kind of dumb for that last comment. Of course he had good seats. He was a governor. He was considered as McCain's running mate. He's still on the news, well at least Fox News, all the time. He probably had a suite. - Then again, he didn't even have a ride to the game. Dude's friends made him take the 16th street mall shuttle and then hoof it alone the rest of the way. That's pretty weak.


Ok, so I have to say, I came away really liking him. He didn't seem bothered to talk to me, which is odd, since I basically yelled at him to get his attention. He did ask me if I voted for him, though. (I didn't... we moved here after he was elected for his final term.) But he genuinely seemed pretty humble . When I told him that thought he was pretty good, he said (really sincerely) that he was just thankful that people gave him a chance. That may be a prepared response, but at least its the right one.

let's take a peek inside the glutton hut

While few who have seen my sculpted physique would expect it, I am, in fact, a big fan of tasty food.

To share my epicurean inclination, I've been planning a new segment for this much-lauded beacon of adequacity. In each segment, I'll share one of the many saucy secrets my adventurous stomach has unearthed during my lifelong trek along the hungry highway. I'll try to mix in some recipes, but mostly this will be the better type of food: the type someone else makes for you while you sit there and . Hopefully, this will inspire you to put something new on your plate.

Before I get to our first entry, let me just put out a little plea. I'm not so sure about this segment name. What do you think? Do you have a suggestion to replace it? Let me know.

Ok, so let's start off slow. Kristie and I were looking to try something new in the kitchen last night. While we were shopping, I saw some wonton wrappers, so we decided to give em' a go. Here is the end result:



There was a bit of a learning curve, and we'll do a little tweaking with the filling next time, but all-in-all it was pretty tasty. One package makes 60 of these, so you should do one of the following in advance of making them.

1. Invite people to a party.
2. Invite yourself to someone else's party.
3. Have lots of kids.
4. Be super fat and at least a little hungry.
5. Enter a Bring-Your-Own Wonton eating competition.
6. Have a plastic bag to put leftover wrappers in, so you don't have to make them all at once.
7. Be really bad at folding won tons so you end up wasting a lot of them.

We went with #6, with a bit of #7. (No, not #4, jerk-faces.) To cook em' we pretty much just followed the directions on the package. You should do that.

Here is the recipe for the filling that I used.

1/2 lb Lean Ground Beef (we used really lean 4% and it was still good)
1 tsp Cornstarch
1 tsp Salt
1 tbs Mirin (white wine works, too)
1 tsp Sesame Oil
1/4 C Green Onion (finely chopped)
Dash white pepper
A couple shakes of ground ginger

Basically, just mix all this togehter in a bowl, and then dab out about a TBS in the middle of each wrapper. Fold them in half, and then pinch the wrappers closed.

I think it would have been better with a some finely chopped cabbage. We'll try that next time.

Here are a few more pictures. we made up some rice, and drizzled chili dim sum dipping sauce over the wontons.... mmmm.

its too late baby now its too late...

...cause I just bought "Stanley" for me. I am so excited to get it, you have no idea. I chatted with Adam (the artist), and he has a few pieces that he is going to get up, soon. I'll link to em' when they go up. Dude is ridiculously talented, so you will want to check in.

(Also, thanks again, Adam.)

Stuff you should know about stuff that is awesome

This one is short and simple.

If you have kids, and you like them. You should get these paintings.
If you don't have kids, and are cool, you should get there paintings.
If you have kids, and want them to think you got art for them, but its really for you, you should get these paintings.

Because these are awesome. I just saw them like 5 minutes ago, and I'm not so sure I don't want em' for myself. I don't have kids, but I am awesome.

Here is the link:

xadamdx.blogspot.com

Seriously, these will not last... you do love your kids, right?

PS: This is truly awesome stuff.

Stressed at work?

I have been a bit stressed about it lately, with all the upheaval in the economy, but I think I've found the solution...

Ya, that's right... I'm wearing the snuggie to work.