Pudding anyone?

Tonight while I was at Macy's Grocery here in Provo I saw a wonderful thing. A young father was shopping with his two young daughters (maybe 3 or 4). One little girl wanted some pudding cups - and let's be honest, who doesn't?

The father, being thrifty, told her to put them away, and she said she really wanted them.
He then told her they couldn't buy them because they didn't have that much money. Her response? That she had two dollars of her own to buy them. He started laughing and told her that 'OK', they'd get the pudding.
It got me smiling pretty good.

Ryan's new toy

Sorry it's been so long between posts. I am alive, and doing well. This past week I bought a motorcycle, and it's been a lot of fun. Right now I'm just trying to practice with it, getting comfortable, etc. It's a lot of fun. I run my errands all over town on it, and hopefully I'll get comfortable enough to use it when I'm meeting my car pool buddies for work.

In other news, I got a slight flu Wed. afternoon, so I took Thursday off as sick leave. I also coordinated a massive family home evening bonfire on Monday. About 60-70 people showed up.

This is pretty sweet

Snakes on a Plane
That's a pretty sweet link. I highly recommend it.

Other things that are sweet:
Motorcycles
National Parks

Things that aren't sweet:
Having your 1 month free pass to Italy cancelled on you.
Being bored at work.

At Home in Dallas

So I've been home for a few days. My brother Jeffrey got home from his mission to Uruguay - it's been fun to see him. Yesterday I got to ride my Dad's motorcycle - a Honda VTX 1300. Pretty dang big. I think I'm going to get a bike, but something a little smaller, like a 750.
I've also spent a lot of time hanging out with my nephew Caden Thomas Crofts. That's me and him spending quality time together yesterday.

Also, some of you already know, but the Job called me Thursday and told me my Italy trip was cancelled. I'm bummed about this, but figure that everything worked out too specific and too directly for the Lord not to have a part in this. For some reason, it seems I'm meant to stay in Provo for another year. I'm looking forward to it.

United Airlines

After 3 hours of sleep I woke up and went to the airport to visit my family in Dallas. Now, to drive non-stop from Provo to Dallas would take somewhere around 20 hours, so I guess it still worked in my favor, but 13 hours seems like to long.

United Airlines had maintenance problems that delayed me by almost 3 hours, then I missed my original connection from Denver. Anyways, I made it home, but it took far too long. I'm voting United as Ryan's least favorite airline of the day.

It also took far too long for me to make it back home. It's been 7 months since I've been home, and it feels good.

Life is Crazy

Life is pretty crazy right now.
This Thursday I fly home to Dallas for a few days to see my brother Jeff get back from his mission to Uruguay.
Then I get back Monday, go to work for a bit on Tuesday, and leave for Italy on Wed.

Oh, and in the meantime, I need to figure out
A) Am I staying in the same apartment this fall, or moving across the hall?
B) How to tell this girl I've been making eyes at that I would really like to write her while I'm gone, and perhaps court her when I get back?
C) How I'm going to take everything I need for Italy and/or the Middle East, while still having plenty of room for souvenirs.

3 days, 3 changes

So it would seem that I WILL be going overseas - thus eliminating my need to decide make a decision on where to live. Since I leave ~2 weeks from today (Thurs), and I'm going home to Dallas next week, I don't have time to look for a new place. I'm going to be staying here at the Omni with Ken.

Now, I say that, but tomorrow I'll be finalizing the details. I'm actually excited about this - it should be for 3-4 weeks, up to maybe 5 if things get crazy. The pay won't be that great, but when you're being paid normal salary + bonuses to work 40 hrs/week in Europe for 3-4 weeks, you take it and run.

If, come December, I'm really itching for a change, I'll move then. But this will give me a chance to travel, a chance to continue seeing my friends, a chance to spend some time with my Brother Jeff this fall, and a chance to see where things will go with this girl down here.

Provo or Salt Lake

So it was decided today that I'm not going overseas again - at least, not anytime soon. The next major decision for me to make (assuming I don't get into Law School this fall, and at this point it doesn't look like it) is whether or not to move up to Salt Lake, or stay down in Provo.
There's good reasons for both.
Provo: Don't have to move my stuff.
Already have friends here.
Don't have to look for an apartment.
Some family around. Brother Jeff will be back this fall.
Some girls I'm interested in right now live here.
SLC: Much closer to work. Save $ and time.
Fresh start socially.
Women who are older and more focused on dating/marriage?

Basically I'm going to pray about it, and try to feel what's right. It greatly depends on whether or not this girl thing pans out. If not, I might just say Adios to Provo.

Back Over

So I have several big decisions coming up - primarily, should I go back out into the field. They want me, and I told them I was willing, but now I'm not so sure. Here's a few reasons for my indecision.
1) I've only been home 45 days - and now they want me to go out for another 100? I would really like to be home for a while.
2) Shaky game plan. They haven't decided all the details, so this may be premature, but they don't even know where I'd be going, and exactly how everything would workout isn't decided. It sounds like I might not be living on a base, but rather just in a nearby city - not an opportunity I'd desire in any part of Arabia or thereabouts.
3) Money. It all comes down to the money. At the moment, it sounding like I'd earn almost half as much as I earned in Iraq - NOT COOL. Sure, it's a lot of money anyway - I've been blessed. But right now I don't need the money, and if they want me to go they need to make it worth my while.
4) While my love life ain't the greatest, I think it's getting better, and it certainly won't continue if I go back over.

Basically the only reasons I'd go out again this soon is if A) The money is enough to help me get thru grad school without big debt or B) They really really need me.
Things that would make me tell them to take a hike: dangerous, crappy living, relatively low pay, a girl.

Laguna Beach

So my internet has been down for a few days, but it's back, and so am I. It's late, but a few thoughts on my trip to LA to Reno to Provo.

1) Laguna Beach is gorgeous! AND! I've been blessed with some amazing friends. Jared and Becky picked me up and took me to the beach, where dolphins were swimming 20 meters away from us. I got to play with their son, baby Jonah, and stayed with them that night. The next day they took me up to Oxnard via Hollywood, Beverly Hills, and Belair. Way sweet. I wish they lived closer.

2) Having a nephew is cool. It was way fun being in the baby blessing, and just holding the little guy. He still sleeps a lot, but I think he's going to be a lot of fun when he's about 6 months older.

3) Yosemite National park must be visited at length sometime in the future.

4) Reno: Nice place to visit, but no real desire to stay.

City of Angels

So, tomorrow I'm taking off for LA. I'm going to assist in the blessing of my sister's son, and help them move, and hang out with Jared and Becky and their son Jonah. Here's a picture from the last time I saw Jared and Becky.

Then I'm travelling with my Ma, Pa, and little sister to Reno to see my Grandfather, and then back here to the Utah.

In other news, I went to the Fullmer's Boxing gym yesteday - they tried to convince me to have an amateur fight on the 15th. I was thinking about it, and was going to spar tonight to see how I'm moving, how I'd do. But I don't feel particularly good right now, and wouldn't have much time to train while in LA, so I decided to pass on that.
I think this vacation will be good for me.

Home alone

So my roommates deserted me this week. Something about a wedding in California involving Kirk's brother. So I'm Home alone, and looking for things to do. Right now, that means cleaning up and throwing away lots of stuff. I did fit in time for a trip to the Mormon temple this morning.
However, at Elisabeth's suggestion, I did make it country dancing this week, and it was a wonderful time. Way too hot, but still way fun.
Other than that, not much going on. Oh, and Wal*Mart doesn't carry Mentos! What is wrong with this world?!? That's what I get for trying to buy a product from an EVIL corporation.

To the girl who almost rear-ended me today:

I pray when you slam into someone other than me, that your phone arm gets maimed and that some sense gets knocked into you.

Ready to make nice

Well, I didn't make it country dancing this week. I went to the Fullmer Boxing Gym instead. I walked in and the Fullmer Bros all asked me where I had been, to which I responded 'Iraq.' Maybe next week I'll dance. Maybe.

In other news, I'm ending my boycott of the Dixie Chicks. I still don't agree with their politics, but if I refused to be entertained by anyone whose politics or morals aren't in synch with mine I'd be 1) Very closed minded and thus ignorant or 2) Stuck reading material relating to the Glorious Revolution of 1776. Not that that doesn't make for an exciting night, but...

So with that in mind, here are some links to some music I recommend...
http://www.myspace.com/dixiechicks
http://www.myspace.com/johnnycash

Eco-Challenge

So today I completed my first triathlon, but not just any tri, today I did the BYU Football Triathlon, aka the Eco-Challenge. Basically it went like this (for me - some people are a lot faster).
4 AM - wake up
5:05 - swim 1 mile in a lane with 4 other guys. big football player guys.
6 - bike over to LaVell Edwards Stadium, run every stair
7 - start biking up to Squaw Peak overlook. mountain bikes only - no road bikes.
8:30 - rest for a minute at the top of Squaw Peak, then ride to the top of South Fork canyon (up past Bridal Veil, Vivian, and South Fork parks)
10 - turn around at South Fork, now it's on to Aspen Grove
11:30 - Aspen Grove. Now run/hike to Stewart Falls, then on to Arrowhead Peak (in Sundance Ski Resort). And jump across some streams and stuff.
12:45 - take an extended break 'cause I'm about to pass out
1:26 - shake Bronco Mendenhall's hand as I cross the finish line.

So basically I'm dead tired now. I'm about to collapse as I write this. Since I was wearing spandex-like stuff, I had to be a little picky on which picture I could post and maintain my 'Family friendly' rating. But here ya go. This is me after 8hrs and 21 minutes of racing. If you look closely, you can see those dead sexy sweat lines across my chest.

This weeks Aspirations

So I've determined that next Wednesday I'm going country dancing. Once upon a time I went often - it's been a long time though. Hopefully I'll get a date - but if not I'll just go stag. Good clean fun.
Also, this Saturday I'm going to participate in the BYU football team's ECO-challenge. I'm not sure of everything that will be involved just yet, but it's going to be intense. They had a short 'screening' before they would let me sign up. There's a meeting about it on Friday that I'm going to - should learn more then.
I had been hoping this weekend to visit with my Grandmother while she's in Colorado, but I'd have to drive all the way to Colorado Springs, only to turn right back around. So ECO-challenge it is.
Hopefully afterword I can find some young las to heal my wounds...

Adventure of the Day: Big Springs

Today's adventure was mountain biking up Provo Canyon, to a place called Big Springs. I've decided I'm way out of shape for mountain biking in the mountains. I seemed to do fine last week in Moab, but I felt like I couldn't breath up on the trail. Plus, I've been slacking off on my endurance cardio stuff. Boxing drills and stuff are intense, but just not the same.
Also, in exciting news, I signed up to take 'Motorcycle Education' in July. Should be way fun. And my sister did have a little boy - his name is Caden, and apparently he's doing very well.

Uncle Ry

So apparently they induced my sister Kristi into labor a few hours ago. If everything goes right, I should be an uncle here in a few hours.
While I'm not sure what exactly my duties as an uncle will entail, I have some ideas.
1) Buy him an outfit - a camoflauge outfit.
2) Tickle him.
3) Play video games with him.
4) Teach him at least 1 word mommy and daddy won't like.
5) Be in California in July for his blessing.
6) Hold him.

Now, I know that the video games might have to wait a few years - that's OK. I'm patient. In the meantime I'll just hope that everything runs nice and smooth.
PUSH! HARDER! BREATH!
I HATE THIS!
YOU did this to ME!
EPIDURAL!
Oh! He's beautiful!

Moab and stuff

So this weekend was crazy. We (Ken, Kirk, Britney, and myself) went to Moab, UT, on Friday night. It was good times - I had this massive foil dinner, the stars were beautiful, nice campfire. A little warm, but really a very nice night.
The next morning we rode a trail called 'Fins and things'. It was tough, took us about 3 1/2 hours. Some slick rock, some sand, and some dirt. Not nearly as technical as the 'Slickrock' trail, but a good trail.
I got back and immediately headed off to the Rodeo up near Grantsville. Worst Cowboys I've ever seen, but it was still fun.

So today I read an interesting article on USA Today. http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/iraq/2006-06-04-iraq-doctors-cover_x.htm
It's all about the hospital at Balad Air Base. The Dr. Bishoff quoted in the article was my Mormon group leader while I was there.

Tomorrow's activity will be searching for a 21 year old that is missing in a canyon near here (Rock Canyon). I, along with T-Rav and perhaps Ken, are going to try and lend a hand to the search and rescue efforts. But, since he's been missing since Thursday morning, the chances aren't very good.

Time to think

So I've now been back a week and had a little time to reflect on the experience over in Iraq. It's been a nice week, but kinda hard too.
I feel like going to Iraq has helped me become a better man. Helped me to understand the war not from the politician's view or the media's view, but simply from the point of view of a civilian embedded with U.S. troops. Going certainly gave me some much needed technical experience, a chance to learn how the military works, and learn what life is like at a forward military base. Plus, I got paid well for it.
The toughest part wasn't the mortar fire, but rather the loneliness. Being confined to 12 square miles wasn't really all that hard - it's not like there was anywhere else in Iraq I wanted to go. It was just not having my friends and family around that was tough.
Being back has been a little rough, but certainly not bad. I mean, for the past 3 months I've had a very defined existence, to make sure my equipment ran correctly. And because I was able to maintain that existence a lot of people all over the world were able to sleep in peace. It's nice knowing I helped, in a small way, protect them.
Back here, I have no such direct purpose. I suppose in the long term, my job here in Utah does the same thing, but much less directly.
Anyway, this has been far too somber a post. I'm going to Moab tomorrow to go mountain biking. It's gonna be sweet.
This will in all likelyhood be my last post about Iraq, unless something else is just knawing at me. I'd love to talk to anyone about my experience over there, what I learned and saw, but it will probably be on an individual basis.