Memorial Day in SLC

I spent the weekend in Salt Lake City visiting a friend from high school who is earning a Ph.D. in Psychology from the University of Utah.

I was accompanied by another friend from high school, who lives here in the Seattle area. We visited Park City where the 2002 winter Olympics were held. Park City is a quaint, mountain town surrounded by homes which are covered in snow half the year. We had lunch at a western-themed restaurant.

Park City Moose

A few miles away from Park City is an Outlet mall. Unbelievably, I felt "shopped out" by the time we arrived, but reached deep down inside to press on. I found a cute belt and a skirt.

We also visited the Latter Day Saints Church a.k.a. the Mormon Temple in Salt Lake City. There were many brides. Most of them were about age 19. Apparently the Mormon girls we knew from high school are married and already have 2 or 3 kids. "Be fruitful and multiply" God said. There are pretty gardens and lots of fountains surrounding the temple, despite the fact that they are in the middle of a drought.

The LDS Temple

Today we stopped by The Great Salt Lake. From what I understand there is usually a bit of stink in the air, but today was a little chilly and raining, so it just smelled like the ocean. We were there long enough to take a photo and leave.

My First Day + Mac-n-Cheese

It took me all of 26 minutes to get home and it was in the car along the way that I realized that I didn't pay any money to go to work today. I didn't pay for a bus. I didn't pay $12 to park my car. I brought a lunch and I didn't have any coffee. I used to spend at least $20 a day when I worked downtown. Additionally, my commute was bliss. I didn't even have to get on the freeway!

As far as my job responsibilities, there's not much to report. I made friends with the computer program I'll be spending a lot of time with from now until January. I sat in an office that overlooked evergreens, Lake Sammamish and the Cascade Mountains. It wasn't my office, but it was a good buffer office. One that could help me in my transition from spending my spring mornings lazily working in the garden to becoming an ultra-productive corporate drone.

And then tonight I needed some food to tell me that everything was going to be alright (warning sign much?) I always make my home-made macaroni and cheese but tonight I was feeling lazy so I made fake 79 cent boxed mac-and-cheese. Thing is, it was terrible! Like eating corrugated cardboard! No taste, no substance and it actually made me feel as if my one sacred comfort meal had forsaken me! Into the trash went my sub-par, American school-kid dinner.

I was looking for substance and I didn't find it, but it was my fault because I wasn't looking in the right place. I'm looking for validation. I don't know what I want right now and that's why I'm not using my head. When I know what I want, I usually know where to get it.

What am I seeking?

Ps. Here's the recipe for my soulful Mac-n-cheese

You Need:
Macaroni noodles
Shredded cheddar Cheese, lots and lots of cheese, 3 cups or more!
2 tablespoons Butter
1 cup Milk
1/2 tablespoon Mustard (Secret Ingredient)
1-2 tablespoons Flour

Turn oven on to 350.
Boil macaroni.
While macaroni boils, place separate saucepan on low heat. Add the butter and milk.
Turn the burner up to low/medium and slowly add shredded cheddar so it melts, use a whisk to stir.
Add the mustard.

Strain the cooked macaroni and place it in a baking dish.

Add 1 tablespoon of flour to the cheese sauce and stir. This will thicken the sauce. If it's too milky, add more flour and and if necessary, more cheese.

As soon as it's a good consistency, pour the cheese sauce on top of the macaroni and gently stir until the cheese has snuck into the macaroni elbows.

Read your dinner a story and tuck it in (cover it) with tin foil. Place in the oven for a 25-minute nap.

After removal from oven, gently stir the mac-n-cheese and dish into servings. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Pathological Fear of Cafeterias

I hate cafeterias and large, public eating spaces, particularly at work. They remind me of high school and the social implications that arise if you aren't eating with someone. The stress! Agony! No friends!? The possibility that I have no redeeming qualities worthy of just one human who can stand my company for the brief time it takes to shove one's salami sandwich down one's throat?

My new place of work has cafeterias.

I'm not looking for someone to rationalize my apprehensions because I know that if I am a new employee I can't expect to have a full social circle upon arrival. Nor would I want to. I value my privacy.

Just wanted to throw that out there.

Muppet

This is my 14-month-old Welsh Terrier.

Pick me Skin Cancer!

We spent Saturday in Orlando at the Pro Wakeboarding Tour. It was held on a man-made lake, thus no hungry reptiles. While basking in the sun, I managed to burn my shins so badly I broke blood vessels. I used sunscreen on my upper bod, but failed to apply it to my legs. And so I suffer. And yes, I was wearing flip-flops.

We had dinner at Sam Sneeds in downtown Orlando. The angry waiter finally asked at the end of the meal who "you guys are." We were dining with pro wakeboarders and the waiter said all the servers were trying to figure out who these athletic, tan, young duuuudes were. One of our guys offered to put the waiter and nine of his closest friends on "the list" so he could get in the gate for free the following day to watch the finals. Waiter was stoked.

Pro Wakeboarders, Unidentified male, Beautiful Women