In My Mind's Eye

Ding Dong bin Laden's Dead!

2011-05-02T09:30:00.004-06:00

Just a little diddy I modified from a familiar classic. I think the mood of this piece fits the general mood of all who are enemies of hate and terror, and all who love peace and justice, because after nearly 10 years of hateful acts of violence and terror preying on the weak or unsuspecting, the "wicked" Osama bin Laden is dead.

Bet he didn't think we'd pursue him this tirelessly and this doggedly. I bet he thought he was getting away with something; but really, all it got him was a life of fearful hiding and at last a swift bullet in the head, courtesy of Jack Bauer, a.k.a. the US NAVY Seals who courageously and expertly executed a well-planned operation.

God bless the USA!

Hope you enjoy it...

Americans (and all freedom-lovers)
Ding Dong! Bin Laden's dead. Which bin Laden? Osama bin Laden!
Ding Dong! The Wicked bin Laden's dead.
Wake up - sleepy head, rub your eyes, get out of bed.
Wake up, Osama bin Laden's dead.
He's gone where the villains go,
Below - below - below, Yo-ho
Let's open up and sing and ring the bells out.
Ding Dong' the merry-oh, sing it high, sing it low.
Let them know
Osama bin Laden's dead!

President
As Leader of America, In the Country of the Land of The Free,
I welcome you most regally.

Attourney
But we've got to verify it legally, to see

President
To see?

Attourney
If he

President
If he?

Attourney
Is morally, ethic'lly

Father No.1
Spiritually, physically

Father No. 2
Positively, absolutely

Americans
Undeniably and reliably Dead

Coroner
As Coroner I must aver,
I thoroughly examined the monster.
And he's not only merely dead,
he's really most sincerely dead.

President
Then this is a day of Independence
For all Americans and their descendants
Yes, let the joyous news be spread
The wicked Old bin Landen at last is dead!

I am ashamed :..(

2011-03-18T17:00:00.008-06:00

Recently, Jen and I have been spending a lot of money on stuff that's unavoidable (e.g. air-fare to siblings weddings, car payments, 6-month insurance premium, and so on... OUCH!). So I looked at our moneys and noticed I/we spent quite a bit on eating out, even just for a quick lunch by myself (despicable, I know). I decided that for one solid month I was going to go cold-turkey on eating out, with the exception of the weekly date, but that would NOT be spent on fast food but on good-tasting food. Because food should taste good. Am I right? Or am I right?

Anyway, we have been doing so good and I have been able to completely avoid eating out and we have gone on a dinner date a week for the past 3 weeks. Jen and I have been eating our own food bought from the grocery store, prepared in our own home, and it has been so delicious! Jen is such a good cook and home-made food is ABSOLUTELY the better way to go (for the record, I have always known this, but sometimes convenience governs the situation where you have to rush out the door and you don't have time to make a lunch). Here's a sample of our St. Patty's Day dinner from last night. Wish you could taste the corned beef through the blog... So tasty and yet so lean!

Such a colorfully festive meal!

...Jen insisted to take my picture as well

Today, however, I broke down and broke my perfect streak of no fast food. I bought Taco Bell at the CougarEat because I was famished and was planning on staying on campus for a while longer to work on my Masters project. And what I'm most disappointed in was not my failure to stick to my morals, but the food. I haven't had fast food in so long that I have been spoiled by the deliciousness of Jen's cooking. And so, when I ate my grilled-stuffed burro, which I know I used to like, I thought to myself, "this must be what they mean when they call is 'Taco Hell'"! So disgusting... I threw it away.

Jen, I will never cheat on your cooking again. My stomach will be ever-faithful to you.

Moral of the story:

Why cheat when what you have at home is far better than anything else you can possibly find outside of it?

Happy Fat Tuesday and I Love My Sister!

2011-03-08T19:56:00.008-07:00

First of all,

Happy Fat Tuesday!

I would really like to go to the French Quarter in New Orleans in the Carnival season some year. How fun that would be! (I hear that there are "family-friendly" parts of the parades, so I wouldn't be too worried as long as Jen was with me!) Really, I'd just love to go there any time of year. But check out how cute my niece and nephew are! I laughed out loud when I opened my email from my sister Michelle; and no one was even around so I had to share this picture. They're in Mardi Gras masks they made! My favorite is Russ' expression.

Secondly, I love my sister Annie! She's getting married in just 18 days to Awesome Kenny and I couldn't be more happy for them both. Annie just went through the temple recently and had her bridals taken as well. Here is just a sampling for your viewing pleasure.

Isn't she gorgeous!?! For serious.

Also, I obviously love her because I'm missing this to go to the wedding:

I got this special invitation through my civil engineering class to personally come view the placing of the longest bridge moved using Self Propelled Modular Transporters (SPMTs) in the western hemisphere! Cool right! Yeah, let me just admit what I know you're probably thinking right now... Nerd... Yep, it's true. I just love this stuff. In fact, I wish Jen was driving every time we pass a construction site because I want to slow down and take a good look at what's being built.

Really, it doesn't even compare to witnessing my sister's wedding, but it just goes to show either (a) how much I love my sister by what I would give up to come, or (b) how much of a nerd I am (or the obvious (c) which is both).

What can I even do?

2011-03-01T18:31:00.004-07:00

What on earth is a guy to do when I'm here in the computer lab and someone across from me has his head phones in his ear while apparently doing his homework and is singing along to who-knows-what-song(!?!) because whatever he is singing more than likely does not even remotely resemble what he is listening to.

In fact, I have no idea if he even knows that he's singing at all.

It sounds like an even more whispy and airy version of radiohead because he's singing under his breath, but it's somehow higher than falsetto. Whatever the 'h' it is, it's annoying the 'h' out of me!

I plead with you all, if you EVER hear me singing like that in public, please please please throw something at me to at least make me aware that I sound like a dying fairy. I would then stop singing immediately before I continue to make a fool of myself and annoy everyone within earshot of my faint whispery voice.

...the way commercials should be

2011-02-17T18:30:00.009-07:00

I feel like a fat kid on free dessert day when I watch this commercial! (for the record, in case that's offensive to you, I'm actually talking about myself)

Just a sampling of some commercials I like from this years superbowl... Enjoy!

Could I be dreaming?

2011-02-14T20:26:00.008-07:00

I have a confession: sometimes I wake up in the night in a panic because in my sub-conscious mind's eye I have a horrifying recurring thought/fear that...

(pause for dramatic effect)

MARRYING JEN WAS JUST A DREAM!

(you may gasp out of terror now)

...That the beautifully pivotal day last June was just imagined and that I am just kidding myself that I could ever get such a wonderful woman to marry me! (Seriously, what an incredibly awesome best friend to have, with whom I get to spend almost every day)! I'm so grateful for her and I love her so much! Let me count the ways...

I don't know another person who knows how to live life as fully and as richly as she. She loves it. I will probably never understand her ways or be able to duplicate her methods. But she does her own thing, and I love it, and I love being with her when she's doing it.

Jen loves good food. A true foodie. I'm so glad we have that in common! She's so happy and good and true. She loves with her whole heart and it's such a good heart. So pure. She is passionate and dedicated and consistent. Count on her to do what she sets out to do. And you can take that to the bank.

She is gorgeous. It's hard to believe sometimes that such a dame would ever consent to be seen with a nerd like me, let alone MARRY HIM! I'll let the picture do the talking on this one.

This was my first impression from over two years ago of who would eventually become my wife. What a babe! And to top it all off, as much as I love her, she loves me too! What a Valentine's Day miracle! Happy Valentine's Day, Baby!

"Lazy Sunday"

2011-02-13T22:30:00.002-07:00

Here's just a little Sunday "joy" for you. A little Andy Samberg goes a long way.
True that. Double True!

Gold Nugget of Wisdom... SONG!

2011-02-05T23:47:00.004-07:00

I heard this song on the radio today and kept listening because of how different it is from the same 14 songs I hear every time I turn that thing on. I'm glad I did. It turns out it's a speech from some graduation in '99 put to a beat and some tunes (the tunes aren't too bad, but not nearly as good as some of the advice!)

No, it's not too long and yes, it's totally worth listening to. Trust me.

Hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

Do all star wars nerds love Volkswagens?

2011-02-03T22:13:00.006-07:00

.....'Cuz this one sure does!

How did they know?

Well anyways, this nerd also LOVES this commercial!

"You Got Jimmered!"

2011-01-27T00:09:00.005-07:00

This was the taunt the cougar-faithful were chanting to the SDSU Aztecs by the end of a gloriously exciting and also nerve-wracking adventure at the Marriott Center tonight in what many in college basketball were saying was purported to be the biggest game of the season in the nation up to this point. Two top-10 teams, hacking it out for the number-1 spot in the conference. And I was lucky enough to actually be in attendance at this blessed event! I'm SO lucky, and SO blessed! So I thought I'd blog about the experience. Also, I'm seriously high as a kite right now from the win and I need an outlet for my excitment. I'm looking online to see what is being said about BYU and by who because I'm just reveling in the glory of the moment. I have to admit I get a little depressed when my team lets me down, but when they win, oooh buddy! I win too! I'm just so proud of my boys-in-blue and so proud to be a Cougar myself. Blogging about it will either calm me down so I can get to bed, or it will just stir me up again and I'll be wasted tomorrow. So I guess we'll see what happens...

Here's a re-hash of the events of the evening:

First half: Daniel almost poops his pants and half of his nails are bitten off from elevated anxiety levels on account of the game being so evenly matched. A very low-scoring, very defense-driven game. Jimmer worked well with the double-team by dishing it off to teammates who were equal to the task of sharing the load. The refs let the guys play by not calling a lot of ticky-tack fouls and calling it pretty evenly on both sides... at least for the first half. The Aztecs definitely threw the Cougars off their normal game plan, forcing us to slow the pace and playing just as good defense as we did offense. And even though they kept us from playing our usual fast-paced score-on-you-when-you-blink can't-stop-Jimmer-any-better-than-a-freight-train style, we were doing a great job keeping it close. Jimmer ended the half with 20 points. Not too shabby. Not at all.

Second half: The Cougars come out running, but so do the Aztecs. When we started to pull ahead they would put a stop to it and come back again. In fact, I read on espn.com that there were 15 lead changes throughout the game. Then there were the refs. There were multiple blatant fouls committed by the Aztecs that otherwise would have led to probably 20 points from the free-throw line. But the Mountain West, it seems, has it out for the people in Provo. They would allow gross fouls when we had the ball on one end, then call the most controversial fouls on the other end against us. Not equally called. It was a very good thing I wasn't within 15 rows of the court because I definitely had a moment of rage when I was screaming myself hoarse and, given the chance, quite possibly may have aimed a full water bottle at the head of one of the officials. This continued until about the last 2 minutes when we pulled ahead by 6, at which point my heart rate started to slow down a little. SDSU made a few critical errors... like fouling Jimmer Fredette, who, as we all know, MAKES. EVERY. FREE-THROW.

By the time we closed out the game with a 13 point victory I was able to just soak in the moment. My first game attended at the Marriott Center this season was not a disappointment, but an incredible triumph. My team did it. Despite having played a very intense, very physical, and not to mention very lop-sidedly called game, my boys-in-blue came out on top and we all walked out the building with our heads held high.

What's that you ask? Was it worth the slight tickle in my throat that will more than likely lead to no voice at all tomorrow? Most definitely.

Here are a few facts for you on the game tonight:

BYU came into the game No. 9
SDSU came in No. 4
Mountain West conference has never had 2 top-1o teams
Sold-out crowd of over 22,700 fans
There were more blocks (5) than fouls (3) in the first 14 minutes of play
Jimmer ended up with 43 points on the night
The rematch in San Diego is already sold out

And last, but not least, my favorite factoid comes from a man named Kevin Durant. Ever heard of him? Yeah, leading scorer in the NBA right now. Tonight KD tweeted, and I quote, "Jimmer Fredette is the best scorer in the world!!"

'Nuff said, I think.

I love being a Cougar!!!

Well, I guess the verdict is I think blogging about all of this has gotten me re-psyched out again, but I think I'm so tuckered out from all the excitement, I just might actually get some sleep tonight.

Powerhouse Quote

2011-01-25T00:24:00.003-07:00

Teddy Roosevelt was an alright guy.
This powerhouse quote of his is an example why...

"It is not the critic who counts: not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming, but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself for a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat."

"Citizenship in a Republic,"
Speech at the Sorbonne, Paris, April 23, 1910

3 year old Star Wars fan!

2010-11-21T19:46:00.002-07:00

Start 'em young on Star Wars, that's what I always say.

Annie Bananie, Fee-Fie-Foh-Fannie!

2010-10-21T22:25:00.007-06:00

Sometimes you just realize how awesome your sister is. This is one of those times...

My sister, Angela Banangela Mooney, is one of the most genuinely decent people I know. And it just so happens that she is one of the people whom I know best. We seriously did everything together, from toilet papering our friends' houses to going to seminary everyday at 5:30 in the morning. We even did most of college together. She has been one of my seriously top best friends through the years.

However, we haven't always been allies. We used to be as competitive as brother and sister can be. For example, despite the fact that I'm a whole 2 years and 2.65 months older than her, she may or may not have been taller than me for about 2.65 years in the junior high era. I would then beat her at sports, just to prove my dominance. She would then kick my butt in summer reading because I would spend my time trying to get better at sports. I would then play tricks on her like get her to drink the rest of my Sprite, which actually had milk in it. She then would snobbishly try to get grown-ups to guess which of us was older (I hated family pictures for that reason - I resented having to stand on the box). We even made it a contest who would lost all their baby teeth first and she lost a bunch of her teeth and was ahead of me for some time. I then made a come-back and pulled a few of my own just to beat her.

Then, a year ago, she had to be a big smarty-pants and finish her masters degree 2 years before me. And to add insult to injury, she had to move home to Arizona. And that was the first time in my college career that I didn't have my Annie at least just a couple blocks away. It's like they say, you don't know what you got till it's gone.

Love you sister. Miss you. Miss hanging out. Miss you cooking dinner and me coming over to eat it. And in return, I would let you enjoy my company. I would also let you murder me in speed scrabble... I'm such a nice brother, I know. I miss playing soccer with you and trying to one-up you. Sometimes you would nutmeg me because I was being nice and let you make me look foolish... See? I've gotten so much mature'er in my older years.

I realize now what I then had: a phenomenal sister who is so nice, so fun-loving, and such a good listener. I'm just glad you're my sister and I'll love you forever.

Love,

This guy

We're probably trying to see who could make the silliest face. And of course I'm better at it!

Happy Birthday Annie

An Update In My World of Sports

2010-10-19T00:33:00.004-06:00

To the Texas Rangers, regarding the outcome of the ALCS game 3...

At least someone can stick it to the Yankees at home: Rangers 8, Yanks 0.

Cliff Lee, you're the man. Almost single handedly shut down the "Damn Yankee's" usually explosive offense, keeping them to 2 hits and no runs. A near perfect performance. Go Rangers! In fact, Go whoever is playing those pin-striped pin-heads!

To my boys in blue, BYU Cougar Football, regarding the TCU game last Saturday...

I have no comment other than I am embarrassed and my only consolation is that we stopped their shut-out streak.

Oh and at least our colors aren't Purple! Seriously. At the end of the day, I'm glad I don't have to wear purple to show my school spirit. 'Nuf said.

To the Phoenix Suns, regarding their performance in the preseason...

You have lost 5 of 6 preseason games. I hope you guys are faking us all out because you better pick it up and stop playing like a bunch of nanny goats for the regular season. Opening day is only a week away!

Pure Priceless Pandemonium

2010-10-17T09:43:00.017-06:00

Two Scarfs............................................. 2 Dollars
One Pair of Sunglasses.......................... 3 Dollars
A Water Bottle....................................... 1 Dollar
Wasting 2 hours of a Saturday morning, crowded around hundreds of bargain-hungry savages............................... Totally worth it! (You thought I was going to say "Priceless.")

So I went to the BYU Lost & Found sale yesterday morning. That's when they take all the stuff that's been turned in to Lost & Found over the past year that hasn't been claimed and put it out on a bunch of tables for the freak-fest that is this sale. They must have a TON of stuff that gets turned in to L&F because all the stuff that's not claimed amounts to what merits hundreds crazed Mormons and lunatics turning out to the event like it's Christmas eve and no on has done their Christmas shopping.

I got there about 15 minutes before they opened the doors and I had to stand in the back of a line that had to consist of at least 4 hundred people already in front of me. People must have been queuing for several hours. I thought to myself, "how ironic... we Mormons sometimes can't show up to church on time, but somehow a few of us manage to show up to the L&F sale 2 hours early!"

Actually, the crowd mostly consisted of poor freshmen and young students who all understand this well-known secret for what it's worth: really REALLY cheap stuff, and some of it can actually be worth your time. It's just that there were so many people there that I was very unproductive. What I needed was a team to organize and to spread out to find all the good stuff before it's sifted through by dozens of others.

Alas, I didn't have access to such a team, and I ended up just observing the craziness of the moment. Picture this:

Middle-aged mothers bumping into you, and not apologizing, or saying anything for that matter, because they're too distracted with searching through the rubble of sale items.

People literally RUNNING to get into the sale. Like all the good stuff will have gone if they just walked in. (And by the way, they handed out "Rules" for the L&F sale on a little sheet of paper while standing in line before it started, and Rule #6 was "No Running!")

A young man (likely a freshman) walking around with at least 5 calculators in his hands, apparently so excited that he could hardly contain his glee. (A site like this is particularly embarassing to me because he's probably going to end up studying engineering for the rest of his college experience, and it's kids like that who give us engineers such a bad rap... some of us are actually normal human beings.)

B.O.

Unattended little kids kicking soccer balls around or riding around on scooters that are for sale.

An auction is held in the midst of it all for all the more valuable items, such as cameras and ipods. One such item was an 8 Gigabyte 2nd generation ipod touch that went for $95, even though the auctioneer prefaced the sale of this item by saying that it was going for $70 on ebay!

Needless to say, I was amused by all of the demonstrations of interesting human behavior, of which I must admit I was a part. Although I do have to say I did feel a little like I always feel whenever I'm at D.I.... just a little gross because I'm sifting through a bunch of other peoples' used, and probably dirty, stuff.

All in all, I recommend this sale to all of you who, like me, are in love with a good bargain. And bring a friend because it's fun to observe and make fun of all the crazies.

The end.

History Montage of Rap

2010-10-01T10:20:00.000-06:00

One word: Amazing.

OMG, Ichiro Just Punched Me!

2010-07-16T12:36:00.002-06:00

I saw this on ESPN today and it was too funny not to share! Ichiro Suzuki is just doing his job and insidentally smacks a fan in the face and she is beside herself with glee. You just have to watch...

Fan Loves Ichiro - Watch more Funny Videos

Culture, Morality & Patriotism - Happy Fourth!

2010-07-05T13:06:00.002-06:00

I love my country. Pretty much the opposite of what Jen recently termed "Sacra-country-otic." In fact, I recently got all choked up when I witnessed Carrie Underwood perform The Star Spangled Banner at Stadium of Fire... a little embarrassing, yes. Point is, I'm proud to be an American, where we can worship God and live life according to the dictates of our own consciences, and not by the maniacal whims of some power-mongering dictator or corrupt system of government. We live in a society that chooses to remember the sacrifices of its forefathers by annually celebrating the nation's independence. This, I believe, is essential to our nation's success in the future: the persistence to remember the past and live life according to the morals and principles upon which this country was established.

We are free so long as we are a moral people. We will be that "city on a hill" so long as we seek life, liberty and happiness, for ourselves and our neighbors: domestic and foreign. We will have endless opportunities while we choose to be an honest and hard-working people. Sadly, we have lost sight of that recently with the poor choices that have plagued our economy: laziness, greed, selfishness, entitlement and pride.

Let's get back to what makes America great! Our industry, our tolerance, our loyalty to virtue: honesty, truth, chastity, benevolence, temperance, justice, understanding. As the great patriot Edmund Burke put it, "It is ordained in the eternal constitution of things, that men of intemperate minds cannot be free. Their passions forge their fetters."

My mom posted this on Facebook for me and because I'm such a cool Muppet nerd like that, I'm posting it on my blog too! Even the Muppets get what it means to be American.

Enjoy...

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter

2010-05-22T15:23:00.012-06:00

You gotta check this out. Stars of the Harry Potter cast came to get a sneak peak at the Universal Orlando Resort of the new Harry Potter park! I'm so excited to go there in a month and totally binge on my nerdy craze!

Live like we're dying!

2010-05-18T05:31:00.006-06:00

I had an experience last week that I want to share with you.

As I was driving to work one morning, the radio told about a crash ahead and slow traffic that ensued on a particular stretch of the freeway. Sure enough, when I crept up to the accident I saw one of the cars that was involved and I was horrified! The SUV looked like it was torn up from the inside out! I was so sad, and honestly not very surprised to find out on the radio that at least 2 people had been killed in the accident and a couple others were in critical condition.

And that's the reason why when I heard this song shortly thereafter, I got all emotional. What if a plane crashed into your office building and you had time for one phone call or maybe even none at all? Would you be able to say that you've expressed enough love to the people/person who mean the most to you? That's why we gotta live like we're dying. No regrets. If you have some love to give, why hold back? Give it now! Say it now!

That's why the following lyrics mean so much. So listen to the music video while you follow along and think about the words (honestly, I'm starting to get sick of hearing it on the radio, but the message is clear and beautiful). Please enjoy!

Sometimes we fall down, can't get back up.
We're hiding behind skin that's too tough.
How come we don't say I love you enough
Till it's to late? It's not too late.

Our hearts are hungry for a food that won't come,
And we could make a feast from these crumbs;
And we're all staring down the barrel of a gun.
So if your life flashed before you,
What would you wish you would've done?

Yeah, we gotta start
Looking at the hands of the time we've been given.
If this is all we got then we gotta start thinking
If every second counts on a clock that's ticking
Gotta live like we're dying.

We only got 86,400 seconds in a day to
Turn it all around or to throw it all away.
We gotta tell them that we love them
While we got the chance to say.
Gotta live like we're dying.

And if your plane fell out of the skies
Who would you call with your last goodbye?
Should be so careful who we leave out of our lives
So when we long for absolution,
There will be no one on the line, yeah.

You never know a good thing till it's gone.
You never see a crash till it's head on.
Why do we think we're right when we're dead wrong?
You never know a good thing till it's gone.

Yeah, we gotta start
Looking at the hands of the time we've been given.
If this is all we got and we gotta start thinking
If every second counts on a clock that's ticking
Gotta live like we're dying.

We only got 86,400 seconds in a day to
Turn it all around or to throw it all away.
We gotta tell them that we love them
While we got the chance to say.
Gotta live like we're dying.

Here's to my Mom

2010-05-10T00:12:00.003-06:00

My mother.

I could say so much about her.

Yet, she deserves so much more praise than I could ever say.

Oh, the books that could, and should be written about her.... Volumes!

Let me at least just try to explain the wonder that is Pamela Mooney....

She has the biggest heart I've ever met and cares about so much. She's so pretty and yet so resilient and strong. The most determined and resolute person I have ever met and truly an inspiration to all who meet her, especially those who know her well.

She's the glue that binds this family together. She sets a standard by her example and the way she lives her life. She is full of faith and charity.

She had to put up with this:

And this:

And even this:

And still she loved us! What a miraculous woman. What did I do to deserve such a comfort in my life? I may never know, but this much I do know, that I am blessed to call you Mother. I love you mom!

And in the words of Abraham Lincoln, emphatically echoed by myself,

"All that I am or hope to be I owe to my angel mother."

Happy Mother's Day Mom!

Love,

Daniel

Goran Dragic is my COMRADE!

2010-05-07T23:49:00.003-06:00

Yes, you heard me. My comrade.

Where in the world did he come from? No one actually knows... unless of course you do, and it just so happens that Wikipedia does. Turns out he is from Slovenia and helped his team win the Slovenian league championship... I know, you're probably thinking, "...then why on earth haven't I heard of him 'till now, since I watch the Slovenian premier basketball league all the time?" I know, shocking.

Anyway, Dragic entered the NBA draft last year and was picked up by none other than the San Antonio Spurs, who traded him to the Phoenix Suns. Ironically, it was against the Spurs tonight that Dragic played a monumental game, carrying the Suns in the 4th quarter in a come-from-behind 14 point win to make it a 3-0 lead in the playoff series (which deficit, by the way, has never been overcome in a 7-game series in NBA history! BOOYAH!) with 23 of his 26 points in the last 12 minutes of the game! Holla! (Can you tell, I'm a Suns fan? Ok good, then you aren't dumb)

For more on the awesome game, check out this article on ESPN.

Because of Dragic, Steve Nash can rest easy that during his time on the bench, the game is in good hands. For that I thank you, Goran Dragic.

So here's to you, comrade! Cheers!

P.S. I hate the Spurs. They cheat and play dirty and someone should just punch Genobili in his already broken nose. That might make up for that fateful game 4 almost exactly 3 years ago when Robert Horry checked Steve Nash into the score bench (for a full account, see this article) or when Tony Parker's cranium broke his nose! ... Maybe.

Go Suns!

Happiness is.....

2010-04-22T11:34:00.007-06:00

This past week, I discovered joy in some of the least likely of places....

1. I found it the other day in a snack pack chocolate pudding that I ate with a plastic fork. I thought to myself, "could life get any better than enjoying this simple pleasure?... I submit that it canNOT!"... until I discovered it can when I ate one with no utensil at all! Gosh, I really love those things, but they just don't last nearly long enough!

2. Then it hit me even harder when the Suns stuck it to the Trail Blazers the other night to win game 2 of the series. However, now they have to win on the road and I have to say I'm a little nervous about it.

3. And then, I truly found it when I was walking on campus yesterday and the trees were all a' bloom and the sun was shining its big fat warm rays down at me and I was sweating, actually sweating on my way to class! Wow! I love the warmth of the sun! I wish it could last forever!

4. Greater still was the magnificently joyous feeling I had when I finished my last final yesterday. The burdens of the semester were magically lifted and for the first time in 4 months of classes and seemingly endless assignments I felt like I could breath again. And the best part about it was that I ended on a very good high note by rocking that exam! BOO-YAH!

5. And even greater was the joy when I got a call from a potential employer this morning responding to my job application! And can I just say, I have sent in about a hundred resumes by email and no one ever even responds, which just goes to show you how excited I was when this particular lady called me. She was so nice and even said that they were all "extremely impressed" with my qualifications!!! This would be a perfect job and I seriously danced around the apartment, unable to contain my joy, for a good 20 minutes!

6. And as if my joy couldn't be any more full, all I have to do is think of this girl and I get all twitterpated. I'm overjoyed that she's my girl and I'm so proud of her for graduating. I love you Jen!

HelloooooooooOOOOOO Nurse!

7. Also, all the little things in life that bring daily joy, "like such as" hearing good news from a family member; watching a funny video or movie that makes you laugh harder than you have all day; listening to a beautifully written song; reading the Book of Mormon in the morning; receiving a compliment from a close friend; doing something that you've never done before and feeling so adventurous and creative as a result; hearing from your little brother who's serving a 2 year mission for the Church; eating something delicious; making somebody smile or laugh from something you did or said to make them feel better; and a million other things!

Point is, happiness is a choice, but occasionally you have those days when the choice is so easy to make!

Provo City Library Crazies

2010-04-12T23:28:00.006-06:00

I discovered something this evening when I decided to make the Provo City Library my place of study. That is simply that.....

Libraries attract a bunch o' weirdos!

The Harold B. Lee Library on campus turns into a social club half the time when people go there to "get their groove on"! What kind of person, whether consciously thinking of a place to meet people or not, uses a library as their romantic venue? It's supposed to be a place of study and learning and reading, which means: please no pick-up lines in my general vicinity while I'm studying chemistry! There's something wrong with that scene.

And now I know that it's simply a different breed of weirdo that frequents the city library:

it's the legitimately and psychotically insane kind.

I was just studying for an exam when I decided to lift my eyes from the text to notice a passer-by. It was a squat little lady with a Little Caesar's hat on. Her eyes awkwardly met mine for a fraction of a second and I made the mistake of grinning "hello" before I put my eyes back to the page. She walked straight up to me and started talking with me as if we had already had a first half of a conversation that she was just continuing very normally, as if I had been there all along. The problem was, I wasn't there. It was all in her head. It went something like this:

Schizo: "... and so, I'm doing a lot better."
Me: "Beg your pardon?"
Schizo: "You see, my husband, he screwed me over. And that's why I'm glad he's gone."
[she then trailed off as she walked around the corner, however, only to reappear still talking]
Schizo: [mumbling something like] "...and I never want to do that again."
Me: All I could think to say was "Well, I'm glad you're doing better" (with a rather conversationally ending tone to try to terminate the discussion while I looked resolutely back to my text).

It was very awkward at first, feeling a little, what I call, "conversation-raped." But, I realized very quickly that she had psychological issues and it was easy to understand that I didn't need to understand. Apparently she was dying for someone to vent to. I felt like I did my good deed for the day by lending my listening ear for a minute. Then I continued studying the finite element method.

The end.

Fake-out and the Real Deal

2010-04-08T23:21:00.004-06:00

I saw this a month or so ago and it got me so excited that a new version was coming out. But, it turns out this is a fake; a hoax; a phony. To my credit, it looks somewhat legit.

Either way, it got me very excited for a revision of one of the best television series, although sadly short-lived, of all time:

The A-TEAM

Ok, Here's the fake:

Here's the Real Deal! It's happening! And I can't wait!

I love you Pandora Radio!

2010-04-07T09:17:00.005-06:00

Thank goodness for Pandora online radio.

When I don't particularly care to listen to the idle banter of the two girls sitting next to me talking about what so-and-so guy said or did last night and [insert random drama here] so loudly as if they want the whole computer lab to hear, I just put in my earbuds and escape to the sound of...

... The Killers
or Phoenix
or John Williams
or Jimmy Eat World
or The Format
or The Ting Tings
or Arcade Fire
or The Postal Service
or Weezer
or Coldplay
or John Mayer
or Imogen Heap
or Ingrid Michaelson
or Josh Ritter
or Bloc Party
or Michael Buble
or Susan Boyle
or Claude Debussey
... or whatever else I want to listen to besides I think you know what!

Conference Tidbits

2010-04-04T23:52:00.004-06:00

Here are just a few tidbits of wisdom and inspiration from General Conference this weekend:

"For all sad words of tongue and pen, The saddest are these, 'It might have been'."

- John Greenleaf Whittier, quoted by Robert D. Hales

"Two men can do anything, as long as one of them is Jesus Christ."
- Neil L. Anderson

Words have a powerful effect on me. I love it when they are strung together thoughtfully and when they teach simple truths. True beauty to me is a powerful and concise proverb.

What the...?!?

2010-03-29T10:09:00.004-06:00

Does anyone find it odd that TWO number 5 seeds are in the final four with only ONE number 1 seed and a 2 seed?!?

I counted some 21 upsets this March, including some really BIG ones (i.e. Kansas/Northern Iowa)! How is a guy supposed to predict any of that when filling out a bracket?

I love that NCAA basketball allows for "Cinderella Stories". Anything can happen! I guess that's why they call it...

MARCH MADNESS!!!

Did I pick the wrong major?

2010-03-28T17:56:00.004-06:00

I love civil engineering.

But, I also have a lot of fun performing.

Those attributes don't often coincide.

you can judge for yourself...

A big thanks and proper respect must go to my roommates Grant, Dan as well as Nick for the videography.

Musical Prodigy

2010-03-24T19:46:00.002-06:00

Amy Annelle Hansen is seriously so naturally talented.

Prodigy hardly does her justice!

Please enjoy this song she did and watch it as many times as you can! Because if it gets enough views she could win the Ingrid Michaelson contest!

Three Months!

2010-03-19T01:27:00.006-06:00

Ok. Ok. Can it come any faster please?

Are we there yet?... Are we there yet?... Are we there yet?...

It's only 3 months from TODAY that I get to be married to this girl:

Which also means that our engagement is almost half-way over! You see, I gave that ring to Jennifer Leigh Bloomfield nearly 3 months ago on New Years Eve. And I thought back then that I liked her. Boy was I ever wrong! That is, I was wrong by comparison because I love her now so much more than I did back then and way more than I ever thought I was capable of (and I was crazy in love with her then). And I also thought I was very anxiously waiting and excited for the grand opening of In-N-Out Burger in Orem, UT, but boy was I wrong! I look forward to being married in the Temple to this Lovely Lady at least eleventy times more than that!

Jen is my best friend and I can hardly believe that I am so fortunate to have her in my life and even more, that she wants me in hers! I love spending time with her, no matter what we are doing. I make a spectacle of myself and she thinks I'm cute or funny. She likes my crazy ideas and even plays along with them. We have the greatest adventures, including the totally spontaneous ones. I love her now and always. Why? Too many reasons. I just do.

I feel like I'm in that "Coke-Zero" commercial:

"Come on Scientists. We are already bending the rules of taste. Isn't it time we bent the rules of... time?!" In the meantime, I'll just wait for someone to invent time-travel and put out a "want ad" for something like this:

Wanted:

1 time machine to go 3 months into the future

Go Green & Go Home!

2010-03-17T10:42:00.006-06:00

Mooney is an Irish surname.

It is for that reason that I feel more Irish than anything else.

I may be just as much or even more British or Scandinavian, but since my name is Irish I feel akin to that side of my heritage. I have this longing to visit the "emerald Isle" and see with my own eyes its lush green hillsides and landscape. I feel like it would be my pilgrimage to my homeland... The land of my fathers.

And it is for this reason that Saint Patrick's Day is my favorite random holiday!

I'll probably cook corned beef and wear as much green as I own every year on March the 17th 'till the day I die.

Top o' the mornin' and a Happy Saint Patty's Day ter ya!

Thank you Career Fair!

2010-03-16T09:54:00.005-06:00

Just when I was stressing about what I am going to do this summer for work, especially since Jen and I are getting married in June and the idea of taking on the role of "provider" seems beyond me (Jen will likely be my Sugar Mama for a while until I graduate... I love you JJ Baby!), I got a call this morning from an unknown caller.

I'm glad I answered because it was an engineering firm in Salt Lake that said they got my resume from the last Engineering Career Fair a couple months ago at BYU and they wanted to set up an interview next week for a job with them that would start this summer!

Everything seems to be coming together. And even if I don't get this particular job (I am going to do my absolute best to get it, mind you!), it's just proof that you reap what you sow, especially in these times. You can't let discouragement get you down or keep you from even trying because the prospects are too bleak. You have to put yourself out there and "plant seeds" in order to "reap the harvest"... any kind of harvest!

The Lord is Good to us!

Amen!

and Hallelujah!

I love this song 2

2010-03-13T22:59:00.004-07:00

My mom tells me that when I was really little I loved to watch Fantasia... it's true. It's hard for me to believe because it's kind of a boring film compared to other Disney greats like Aladdin and The Lion King. It just kept me entranced, my guess is because of the music. And I just had a great realization about myself. I love music. It inspires me. It relaxes me. And in continuation with posting songs that I love, I recently remembered this great Fantasia classic. So feast your ears on...

Rhapsody In Blue

by George Gershwin

Face-Rake

2010-03-12T09:03:00.005-07:00

Wow, I guess my last post was a little too inspiring for me, because I'm about to jump from inspirational to pure complaining......

This morning I did probably the craziest something of the semester:

I woke up EARLY to play basketball at 6:30 am!

Thanks Grant and Brandon for getting me to do it. I definitely would NOT have gone had there been no peer pressure (although Heaven knows I need the exercise)! Believe it or not, I had fun! It truly was a superb way to wake up! I feel so invigorated, except for one thing: I got.......

FACE-RAKED!

Yes, I went for the rebound. I got it fair and square. But, then there was this middle-aged guy on the other team, probably still a little bent that I stole the ball from him about 15 seconds prior, who made an attempt to return the favor and steal it from me. However, he missed one spherical object and hit another.... my cabeza!

An honest mistake since my face was probably orange from exhaustion! Sheesh, I really need to exercise more! I've lost my "MUCHNESS."

All in all, it was a very positive experience. And to be perfectly honest, I will likely even do it again, once again not by myself; not in a million years! Only with the assurance that I'll have friends there. I'll admit I was a little intimidated at first because the other guys who came out to play were really good. You pretty much have to be great to be that dedicated. But, seriously probably the nicest group of guys I've played pick-up ball with at the Richards Building. Ever.

But wait. Don't start thinking this is a positive post, or that I'm done complaining... Then, I went to grab a towel for my shower and the guy in the "BYU issue" room obviously had an issue with that because he stopped me as I grabbed the towel and said, rather snooty'ishly, "Towels are for student locker contracts only." He then proceeded to throw the towel that I had just grabbed in with the other dirtly ones.

What the @#$%&?!

March Fourth!

2010-03-04T17:40:00.009-07:00

Today's date is actually a sentence:

March forth!

Pretty cool huh! My friend, Kent Nelson, pointed that out to me.

I feel moved by that directive and I'm going to take some inspirational thoughts out of it. Here goes... Whatever happens in life that has potential to hinder your progress, just march forth. Whatever someone might do to try to bring you down, just march forth. If you fail a test; if you feel rejected; if your best ideas aren't as brilliant as you thought; if your best efforts seem to fall short... just march forth. Just remember, life doesn't reward the poor soul just for being poor when he or she stops trying. You have to keep going. Keep trying. Keep fighting.........

March forth.

P.S. I have included some inspirational music for while you read this inspirational thought. Enjoy.

Grown Men Do Cry

2010-03-02T08:54:00.003-07:00

I feel like Danny on the movie Oceans 13 watching Oprah. This is seriously so moving and so touching.

Men, be warned. If you haven't cried in a while this might throw you into crazy unexpected catharsis. A good one, though. Just have some tissues on hand and make sure no women are around.

Colorado = "Colored Red"

2010-02-27T22:12:00.009-07:00

... Who Knew? Not me, until I went there!

Jen and I had the great opportunity to visit my sister and brother in law with their two kids in Littleton, CO over Presidents Day weekend and Valentines Day. It was so fun and so nice to get away from Provo and school for 3 and a half days! We carpooled with Abby and Addison (thanks again Abby for driving! You're the best!) and it was an adventure to remember!

I know it's been almost 2 whole weeks since we got back, but it feels like it was yesterday. And posting pictures on the day after a trip is pretty dang good, I'd say!

Here are some highlights of the trip:

Icy road conditions in Wyoming on our way out Friday night. Gad zooks! After about 10 hours we rolled into Denver unscathed. Thanks to Addison, I am alive today to tell the story!
I changed a diaper!
Made waffles Saturday morning with my sis. Lydia really loves sweets! If you asked her if she likes syrup, she might ask you, "Is it sweet?"... "then YESSS!!!"
We went out to lunch at a Mongolian barbecue restaurant downtown, which was pretty good. It was also very fun (mostly for me) to see all the civil engineering stuff there. Great sports arenas, old buildings, winding roads, etc.
After lunch, we hiked around Red Rocks amphitheater for a couple hours. How beautiful and impressive! See pictures below. I'd love to go to a concert there someday!
Watched Olympics.
Went to "vacation Church" (involves going to sacrament and ditching the rest to go visit with Brooke Theis, Kelsey Foster and Garrett Sens at the Theis home for a little dance party with Brooke's nephew).
Made delicious food for our Valentine's Day dinner, along with the most chocolaty cake I've ever eaten!
Russell getting ridiculously caked with the said cake.
Exchanged Valentines (all you need to know is Jen is sweeter than chocolate cake!)
Lydia giving me a scratch and sniff valentine, but getting mad at Jen and I when she found out that we were leaving on Monday morning.

Jordan and Michelle and the Ballantynes were such good hosts and hostesses and we are so grateful for letting us spend the weekend with them. Love you guys!

Love,

Daniel

"Moonlight"

2010-02-27T19:49:00.012-07:00

I love this song.

When I listen to it I feel so relaxed, so peaceful... Like I can sleep easy tonight because I know everything is right with the world, or that it's going to be alright.

It was in my head and I wanted to make sure it stayed there and when it went away I wanted it to be able to return later. So I did some research to find its name and composer. But, the problem with songs without words is that you have to sing the portion you know out loud to describe it to people because you just can't exactly type the tune into google search.

Luckily I found it before too long, for you to enjoy. Here is Clair de lune, by Claude Debussy.

I also like this version with the music animation...

Wash Your Hands!

2010-02-24T00:32:00.009-07:00

Of all the Low-Life's of this world (and this world can be a pretty ugly place) there are few, in my book, who fall below the guy who doesn't wash his hands after using the bathroom. Actually, worse yet is the guy who doesn't lift the toilet seat in the stall to do a "number one" and goes ALL OVER THE SEAT! But, this post is not about him..... ggggrrrrrrhhhhhhh! But, oh how I would love to smash the face of every guy who does that on the soiled toilet seat!

Today I witnessed a disgusting thing. I saw a professor (he's not civil engineering, but probably some sort of enginerd because this happened in the Clyde Building) do a number one, proceed to turn around and face the mirror to run his hand through his hair, and then totally bypass the faucet!

Now, I'm okay with choosing to use the hand sanitizer instead of the slightly more cumbersome soap and water option. However, Professor G (short for "Grossgusting") didn't even use that. I was appalled and my faith in humanity took a hit. A PROFESSOR! Someone who interacts with dozens of students and faculty on a daily basis... and someone with a doctorate degree no less... should be educated enough to know better than that!

We live in AMERICA people. Not the JUNGLE! We live in a place with the best opportunities for a sanitary lifestyle in the world. And yet, there still seems to be those first-class idiots who decide to take all of that for granted and ignore the health and safety of themselves and others. It blows my mind.

So please, just remember that Mother's counsel still applies when you're 55 and teaching college:

Always Wash Your Hands!

Pay Homage

2010-02-21T23:30:00.006-07:00

I was recently reminded of a great song (All My Life) and got thinking about how awesome the music of my generation is! So, I just want to pay some respect to the fathers of R&B: K-Ci & JoJo, Boyz II Men, and also others like All 4 One and Seal. These guys perfected hip-hop doo-wop and gave us a fresh contrast to their fruity white contemporaries who got so over-played back in the day (e.g. N*Sync and BSB).

Without K-ci & JoJo, without Boyz II Men, and without All 4 One, there would be no R. Kelly or Brian McKnight or Usher or Neo or even Chris Brown. And let's face it, prom and our entire High School experience just would NOT have been the same! Just let the flood of memories of days gone by rush to your mind as you think about how your life would be different without these tunes:

All My Life

Crazy

I'll Make Love To You

On Bended Knee

I Swear

I Can Love You Like That

Kiss From A Rose

The "Art"(?) of Curling

2010-02-17T23:19:00.007-07:00

Yesterday, I came home from school in the afternoon and decided I wanted to watch some Olympics. However, NBC decided that they wanted to save the good stuff for "primetime". Can you guess what they put on instead?

Curling!

It has got to be the strangest and most boring sport ever invented! And yet, I found myself glued to the TV. I watched this spectacle for a solid half hour. I felt like Brian Regan when he was watching fishing... even taping fishing! There's just no sinking much lower than that.

Well, after my experience yesterday, I can say that watching curling gives watching fishing a run for its money! I have been trying to find a suitable place where curling stands among the ranks of other odd sports and after much consideration, here's what I got...

1. It's below bowling because you cheat! It's not just you out there, you have not one, not two, but THREE other teammates helping you and guiding the stone the entire way down the alley! Plus, at least bowling requires some physical ability.

2. For the same reasons curling also lies below the sports of shuffleboard and bocce ball. I love bocce ball by the way...

3. Slightly below cheese rolling due to the fact that there's absolutely zero risk of injury, let alone all the broken limbs and things that can happen in that crazy hill rolling activity.

4. Pool is very similar, but it has a just a slight edge on curling because you're all by yourself and I think it takes more coordination to sink 8 balls into the table pockets.

However, I believe it does sit slightly higher than the following sports/games:

darts
paper football
checkers
connect four
I don't know the name of the game but trying to see how close you can slide an object to the edge of the table without it falling down
and dozens of other crazy games people might play when they're drunk because if you're drunk while playing curling there's danger of stumbling and getting a concussion on the hard ice.

I just feel sorry for those poor announcers who have to cover that sport. What is there to say other than, "Well, he shouldn'a thrown it like that"?

Commercial Genius.

2010-02-17T22:35:00.011-07:00

I just finally saw these commercials for the first time today. I think about a bajillion other people have seen them already, but in case you haven't,

YOU GOTTA CHECK THESE OUT!!

Olympics on ESPN

2010-02-17T08:39:00.007-07:00

I think ESPN would do a much better job covering the Olympics than stupid NBC!

Can't I please just get some "sportscenter highlights" of the Olympic Games? Some Top 10 plays of the day in Vancouver? An analyst talking about an athlete and his or her struggles and what to look for in their upcoming performance? Or what about the "keys to the game" for various events?

Nope, because NBC is stupid and doesn't do anything cool like that. I know there are events going on all day, but they make me wait 'till prime time to see any of it. And even then, they leave stuff out!

.....Stupid!

In the meantime, I can just dream that someday the greatest sporting event of ever will get some decent coverage.

Chrissy Mooney, Provo's Next Shining Star!

2010-02-16T19:26:00.013-07:00

Breaking News!!!

After months of waiting (really, it's been years, as you'll see later in this post), my amazing baby sister, Chrissy Mooney, who undoubtedly hates being referred to as the "baby," just today was finally accepted among the ranks of the truest, the bluest, the BYU Cougars!

Here she is!...

This is us at a quarter past silly on Christmas at Grandma's house
(Chrissy is the "baby" on the front left, along with Annie, Joey and myself)

A longtime Mooney tradition: Spiderman Undies
(Chrissy is the one with the Donatello all over her extremely hard-core game face)

Even as a High School Junior she came to Provo to spend her Fall break

Destined for BYU greatness when she became "true blue" well before even finishing high school!

BYU Football! Once again, she's still in High School!

...I just like this picture of her (sorry Chrissy, I couldn't resist)

Look out Provo, here she comes!

I mean seriously guys, I fully realize that she's a hawtie pa'tawdy and I am a very protective big brother if you know what I mean!

'Nuff said.

So, there you have it folks. My wonderfully talented, athletic, smarty-pants, happy-go-lucky, fun and funny sister, Christine Jean Mooney (her fake middle name), is gonna spend her first semester of college at BYU at the same time I have my very last one! Oh, it's going to be a party and a half!

Love you Chrissy and I can't wait 'till this Fall!

Calling All Utah Drivers

2010-02-10T09:19:00.016-07:00

This is in response to a blog post by my friend, Ashley Jones, about those drivers who foolishly slow down to balk at accidents or even any sort of distraction while driving 70 mph in dense traffic. I hate that too!

While this behavior may be a problem in most if not all 50 states, I would like to say that there are certain driving tendencies that recur frequently in the state of Utah that annoy the heck out of this "California-driver."

1. First, the "Utah Roadblock." I googled this term that I frequently use and it turns out that Urban Dictionary actually has it defined, perfectly accurately too. It says it's "when you and your friends take up one whole side of the road with one car per lane going as far under the speed limit as you think you can get away with." And although U.D. defines it as a sort of intentional prank, this phenomenon happens inadvertently all the time by unsuspecting Utah drivers who are afraid of appearing too aggressive by passing the other car that happens to be going the same speed (usually below the speed limit). This practice prevents other drivers from passing safely on the left.

2. The other thing is the tendency of some Utah drivers to automatically drift into the left lane as soon as they get on the freeway... just because its their default lane of choice. This is a problem because it is customary to pass on the left, and its a little hard to do that when there's an old lady going 55 in the fast lane!! That's why they have signs like these posted all throughout Utah!

That's also why there are websites dedicated specifically to teaching this safe practice such as this:

http://www.slowertraffickeepright.com/

and this...

http://californiakeepright.com/

It's not the "I'm going the speed limit" lane.
It's not the "I'm going fast enough" lane.
It's not the "you can go around me" lane.
It's not the "cell phone use lane" lane.
Have you ever had any of these thoughts while in the left lane?
Well, then you need to
GET OVER to the RIGHT!

http://www.circlemp.com/stkr/stkr.html

I like this visual for all my friends who don't quite have a testimony of this principle. As you can see, there is a car in the left or "fast lane" and what you can't see is the car is labeled, "Rude Jerk (60 in 65). So, don't be a jerk. You may think that you're just being safe by going the speed limit, but if the flow of traffic is going faster than that (hint: your sign for this may be when dozens of cars speed past you on the right whenever there's an opening) then you need to get over to the right to make their passing of you safer. Thank you.

3. The last thing I'm going to say that annoys me is the drivers who think they're being considerate when they stop for the single pedestrian who hasn't even gotten to the curb yet! In fact, one day I was going to be picked up from campus and I was waiting for my ride to arrive. I was standing a good 5 to 10 feet from the curb. Standing, not walking. I obviously had no intentions of crossing the street. Then some driver stopped to let me cross and even waived me on! I then insisted that he keep going by waiving him on. Okay, of course there is the other extreme of jerky drivers who swerve around pedestrians as they're crossing the street as soon as there's room to squeeze their car, nearly hitting people as they go. To those people I am very tempted to give the finger! But the drivers who stop needlessly and naively for would-be pedestrian street crossers, all the while, holding up 5 cars behind them when all the cars could have easily gone by before the walker got to the street... they need to get off their "nicer driver than thou" high horse and just drive sensibly!

In conclusion, I admit that I'm a recovering road rager. What I have to realize is that I'm not a perfect driver either and I make mistakes. The point is, let's all just resolve to be a little bit better and a little bit safer on those roads out there so that we can all get on with the road of life a little bit faster.

It's NOT a Zit, I Swear!

2010-02-09T00:31:00.006-07:00

This weekend I went to Church with this on my face:

And I just want to make something absolutely clear... ok, two things, my face being one of them... the other is that this is NOT a zit! I was shocked at the fact that a mere 2 more people than zero asked about it at Church. And one of them actually had the courage to say, after asking what it was, that he wasn't going to ask at first because he thought it might be a pimple! This made me realize that perhaps that's what everyone else thought. I mean, you can't very well miss it! Here, just look at it:

No, it's not acne, but it would still be cool if it was because I would totally brag about having the a Guinness world record hugest zit known in the history of mankind!

It is even cooler than that! It's a battle scar obtained playing basketball on Saturday! You see, one kind of blemish guys aren't ashamed of is scars. They're proof of toughness. Manliness. Built-in bragging rights. And possibly best of all is that they're a great conversation-starter!

OK, I won't keep you in suspense any longer. Here's the short and sweet, because I know you've been dying to find out... So there I was, under the hoop. When in a flash, out of nowhere a guy 40 pounds my larger came barreling into me, knocking me to the floor. I don't remember much other than that in one second I was shooting the ball, and the next, my body was being hurled into by an opposing player and sent straight to the floor, without even enough time to stop my chin hitting first. Sadly, I didn't make that particular shot, but I went back and humbled that guy I was guarding the rest of the game, shutting him down, successfully making sure not to allow him to make any shots after that point. In fact, he got so frustrated with himself that he yelled out a couple times, and when after the game I went to say good game, he said nothing in return. What a punk huh!

Thank you for letting me tell the story that I apparently was dying to share.

The end.

Lost Art of the Compliment

2010-02-01T23:22:00.004-07:00

Recently, Jen found this article on msn.com and shared it with me. I was really touched by this man's determination and quirky interest in bringing a little happiness into peoples' lives.

I love the feeling of having either given a compliment that is well-received, or receiving a good genuine compliment from someone. It is a gift to be able to bestow such elation in only a moment and it is my goal to master this art!

Here is the link to the article and below is just a snippet from it. Please enjoy this warm, inspiring tale which is the perfect theme to kick off this month of love!

The Lost Art of the Compliment, by Tom Chiarella

"If a worthwhile compliment needs anything, it is the weight of realization behind it. So I fell back, watched people go about their jobs, the quality of their interactions, the way they looked at their reflection as they walked the street. I registered. And I learned, or started to learn, that a compliment is a partnership, because the pleasure of giving it lies in its effect upon the person receiving it."

Change...

2010-02-01T10:45:00.002-07:00

Here it is, Freburary the 1st, and I realized that I have neglected my blog a bit. I only had 3 posts in the entire month of January... pretty weak considering all that has happened in my life of late.

So, here is my resolution: Change. I vow to change, and to blog more. I know that's almost as vague as Brett Favre's resolution to retire, but I can't commit to blog more than I have time. But I do promise to blog MORE.

I just like this picture. That's all.

The Chapstick Phenomenon

2010-01-26T12:14:00.005-07:00

Why is it that whenever you pull your chapstick out of your pocket it does this?....

It's a question I have had for a long time and no explanation I've heard to this point has satisfied me. But, here's what I got so far...

1. When it moves around in your pocket the wheel spins making it come out.

Rebuttal: if that's the case then, why doesn't it ever spin so that it goes IN instead of OUT?? It always seems to come out and never in!!

2. The wax melts when it's next to your warm skin so that it slides out of the tube.

Rebuttal: once again, why does it never slide IN?

Well, I guess I will never be fully satisfied until someone does a study on this natural phenomenon or conducts an experiment to discover the meaning behind it. Perhaps it's just that my chapstick has a mind of its own and it just wants to annoy me. I guess that's what I'll have to go with for now............

On a positive note, I lost my "annoying" chapstick about a week ago and thusly I've had to endure the pain of dry lips. However, just this morning I miraculously realized I hadn't worn a particular pair of jeans in about the same amount of time. Lo and behold, sure enough, my long-lost chapstick was in the pocket! I felt pretty smart. You may call me Sherlock Holmes if you wish. And I will say, it's only elementary.

......Sure glad I didn't wash those jeans!

Bye Bye Beardie

2010-01-13T19:49:00.006-07:00

I grew out my beard this Christmas. I think I actually look decently alright with a beard... probably because the people around me are so nice and supportive about it.

And although I spend most of the rest of the 11 1/2 months of the year bare-faced, whenever I shave after a week or two of not, I think I look somehow different than "normal." I know it's just because I have become used to my face having hair on it, but still it gives me a bit of a shock when all of a sudden my face is NaKeD. Here is the progression of the shaving...

Prelude.

Overture.

Interlude.

Finale.

And this concludes the tragic tale of the death of my beard for another semester at BYU. I think with a mustache, I look like a British pilot from the 1800's or something. Or maybe even George Banks.

Anyway, may the beard rest in peace.

I put a ring on it!

2010-01-02T11:41:00.005-07:00

There's been a lot of speculation and rumors going around about a certain engagement and I would like to comment on them...

They're TRUE!!!

The lovely Jennifer Leigh Bloomfield and I are engaged! In the first moments of this new year, I proposed and she said YES!

I like it, so I put a ring on it!

...It's going to be a very good year.

He's Barack Obama

2009-12-11T12:16:00.003-07:00

My roommates showed me this video. All I know is that someone put a lot of time into it because it's dang hilarious! Enjoy...

HIGH of 26°... WTF?!?

2009-12-03T09:18:00.007-07:00

Here it is, at the dawn of December and we are already experiencing extreme weather conditions in Provo, UT. Weather.com says it's supposed to by a high of 26° and a low of 7° today. That means it's not even going to get above freezing temperatures the entire day! And that's not even the worst part...

Chance of precipitation: 0%

So, in an effort to lift my spirits for the duration of the Winter season, I delude myself into thinking that I like it. Here's my Top 7° reasons Winter is better than death...

7. At least there's some variety!

Seriously, some places don't even get 4 seasons, like southern California and Arizona! There's "hot summer" and then there's the "not as hot off-season." At least be grateful for the changing leaves.

6. Christmas lights

There's nothing quite like driving slow through a well-lit festive neighborhood full of Christmas lights! Like this one...

(Jen sent me this and I about fell out of my chair laughing!)

5. I feel more studious when the weather changes!

Seriously, who doesn't feel better about going to school and learning things for the sake of learning and the enrichment of your mind when wearing a sweater and a scarf? You just feel so collegiate! Okay, it may also have a little bit to do with the fact that there's nothing else to do since you can't play outside, but let's forget about that for the sake of deluding ourselves to make the season more bearable.

4. Hot chocolate

Doesn't it just sound romantic to curl up next to a fire, reading a book, and sipping on a warm cup of hot coco?! Mmmmm-hmmmmm.

3 & 2. Uuuuh...?

I can't think of anything else I like about Winter at the moment. If you have any suggestions, please feel free to make comments below.

And the top reason Winter doesn't suck too bad is (drum roll please)..........

1. Snow!!!

I love snow! And I'm not just deluding myself this time. I really love it! I love the way it feels when a snowflake kisses your skin; I love how everything seems magically brighter when there's snow on the ground and when it is falling around you; I love how everything seems so hushed and quiet during snowfall; I love when it has stopped snowing and the already fallen snow gets blown around and looks like sparkling glitter in the sunlight; I love to ride my snowboard in it; I love to go sledding in it; I love making snow angels; I love making snowmen; I love making snow sculptures and seeing other peoples' sculptures the day after it has snowed; I love snowball fights, especially random ones that weren't planned; I even love when trees unexpectedly "poop" an excess of accumulated snow from it's branches on me as I walk to class.

So if it's going to be this cold, can we please have some snow to make this weather more bearable??? In the words of a holiday favorite, let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

Pray for SNOW!

Tackling

2009-11-30T15:22:00.004-07:00

I'm not a football expert, but I'd call this an example of what not to do.

I'd like to say...

2009-11-28T20:04:00.015-07:00

I'd like to say that I'm glad I was able to watch the BYU/Utah Football game from the comfort of a leather couch.

I'd like to say that I'm glad I had some food to snack on without having to leave my seat and pay ridiculous amounts of money for a pretzel.

I'd like to say that I'm glad that I had the best seat in the house by watching the game on a big screen tv with great coverage (let me just say, I hate the Mtn! Aaaah!)

I'd like to say that I'm glad I was able to avoid nearly losing my nose and toes to frostbite in freezing temperatures for five hours.

I'd like to say that I'm glad I avoided a huge throng of annoying people with absolutely zero personal space.

I'd also like to say that I'm glad I avoided being stuck in a croud for an hour after the game.

I'd like to be able to say all these things...

But, I can't!

What a game to miss... all because I had to be in Arizona!!! Every so often there are proud moments to be a cougar fan. Tonight was one of them! And although I have never had the privilege of rushing Cougar Stadium, I have to say I would have been the first on that field had I been there! But I rose and I shouted these words in my living room:

Rise all loyal cougars and hurl your challenge to the foe.
We will fight, day or night, rain or snow.
Loyal, strong and true, wear the white and blue.
As we sing, get set to spring
Come on cougars, it's up to you!

Oh rise and shout the cougars are out
Along the trail to fame and glory.
Rise and shout, our cheers will ring out
As you unfold your victory story.
On you go to vanquish the foe
For alma maters sons and daughers.
As we join in song
In praise of you, our faith is strong.
We'll raise our colors high in the blue
To cheer our cougars of BYU.

Ra Ra Ra-Ra-Ra, Ra Ra Ra-Ra-Ra, Ra Ra Ra-Ra-Ra,
GOOoooooooooooooooOOOOOOOO COUGARS!

...Go Cougs!

P.S. Can we PLEEEEEASE go back to the retro royal true blue colors? And not just for one game! Navy blue is just so plain and boring.

Baby Russell The Entertainer

2009-11-27T22:24:00.003-07:00

My nephew Russell had the limelight in the aftermath of dinner tonight, and he did not fail to perform! He was reveling in the attention and he was so cute.

A few prefaces are necessary. Firstly, he is very good at identifying body parts on command, especially the location of his nose and sometimes when asked to ID his nose, he gets side tracked by his boogers... He may be a little obsessed. Secondly, he also loves to talk and sometimes he's not very articulate; it does help when he signs, which luckily he's pretty good at.

Enjoy...

Muppets Rhapsody

2009-11-27T22:14:00.003-07:00

This pretty much describes me perfectly!

Now That's The Stuff!

2009-11-20T08:45:00.008-07:00

Okay, so sometimes I really crave this stuff...

...actually, I crave it almost all the time!

It all goes back to my freshman year when I had "Dining Plus" and I could get anything I wanted out of the vending machine with my "play money." I had an almost daily diet of crumb donettes and BYU Creamery chocolate milk! Is that bad?

Now, even without Dining Plus I find myself succumbing to the cravings, especially on days when I didn't pack a lunch and when I have money on my student signature card. It doesn't help that there's a vending machine just around the corner from where I study. I guess I'm just part-lazy and part-I-really-just-love-this-stuff!

America's Most Fascinating Jobs

2009-11-16T08:19:00.000-07:00

Alright Byron....

October 17, 2009

2009-11-14T16:09:00.011-07:00

Being as my family moved to Arizona 4 years ago, I feel sort of like a "visitor" whenever I go back to California. So, when my longtime friend from the growing up years, Chad Arnold, got married it was like making my pilgrimage back to my homeland for a weekend in October. I was fortunate enough to have Ian Shepley and Randy Gilliland as my wing-men... co-adventurers if you will. Like Lewis and Clark, and that french guy, whatever his name was (I couldn't pronounce it let alone spell it!) Okay, maybe not quite as extreme as those guys, but what an adventure it was!

We embarked on the journey Thursday afternoon and we took our time getting there, with some stops in Springville, Provo for some forgotten stuff, and a very fun-filled stop in Vegas to catch up with a good friend, Sterling Snedigar (yes, in that order, hahah). Sterling has been slummin' it up in Vegas for the last year and so he showed us around the sights on the strip. My favorite was the Bellagio water show, played to "One, Singular Sensation." Seriously, so breathtaking! (see the picture I took on my phone below)! Afterwards, Sterling let us crash at his place for the night.

Eventually we got to Huntington Beach the next day. And after a nice dinner with the Shepleys at the Cheesecake Factory, we saw "Where The Wild Things Are" (seriously sort of a weird movie... no plot, whatsoever, and no resolution at the end because of the lack of plot. Wait 'till it's at the dollar theater or on tv).

Then on Saturday, the day of the wedding, we started it out with some surfing in the morning... EARLY morning! We got up at 5 AM and that was before daylight savings so it was completely dark! When we pulled up to the beach, all I could do was listen to the waves because the ocean was a big black mass! But, once we got suited up and started, it was so nice: good water, good light, good surf, good friends. And in case you were wondering, yes, I got up! Even if only for about 1.5 seconds, I got up!

Then, I jetted up to Santa Monica for the wedding, as fast as the crowded freeways would let me! The ceremony was so beautiful and it was so good to see so many faces I haven't seen in so long! Chad and Lindsie were so happy and it made me so happy I cried. Then the luncheon was back in Alta Loma, where I grew up, and I made sure to take the scenic route to get there! And after 4 years of being away, I amazed myself how well I navigated my way around that day! I was on a sentimental journey; I passed by my alma mater, Alta Loma High, the old church, my old house and neighborhood! Wow, and then there was the luncheon and reception, where I was on a trip back in time! So many familiar faces. It was enough for me to come for Chad's wedding and to see how happy he was, but to see so many longtime friends was like icing on the cake (see the pictures below for some of the events of that day)!

So, this post is dedicated to the beautiful couple, Chad and Lindsie Arnold, who were sealed in the Los Angeles Temple for time and eternity. Wow! Way to be. Best wishes for a lifetime of adventures for you two and more! I love you guys!

Movie Trailers Recut

2009-11-12T22:46:00.020-07:00

Here are some trailers of a few favorite movies, with a slight twist... Which one is your favorite?

Dumb and Dumber: an emotional heart-warmer

Scary Mary! Oh the HORROR!

Shining... a love story?

Brokeback to the Future. A romance you didn't know existed!

And perhaps my favorite edit: Dark Space Ranger!

Have A Supi... No Really, I Insist!

2009-11-08T17:44:00.010-07:00

I went to the Havasupi Indian reservation back in June this past summer and I used a waterproof disposable camera. The only problem with that was it had more exposures than I needed, so I decided not to develop the film until the pictures were all used up. That was my mistake... it took me until a few weeks ago to actually finish the camera and then I didn't get it developed and put onto a CD until this past week.

So, these pictures are a little old, and they might make you wish it was still June and warm out, for which I apologize in advance.

Just as soon as we arrived after the long hike into camp, we went down to Mooney Falls...

That's Mike Stoker and Dan Thuet trying to make me fall... get it? "Mooney falls"!

More of Mooney at Mooney Falls.

That's the cliff wall behind the waterfall with Dan Thuet on it. There was so much green everywhere!

And the water was so turquoise blue it was amazing! (yes, that's me doing the back flip)

Dan Dan the Muscle Man!

On the 2nd day as we embarked on our hike down to Beaver Falls. I really should have kept that shirt on because I ended up getting fried on my shoulders that day! Ouch!

Here's a good little story: the funny thing was that the hike was the best part! We found a rope swing, trudged through shallow blue river waters like this, and got seriously lost! By the time we actually got to the falls, we were pooped and ready to head back.

Thank goodness for those water-filter guys we met who refilled our water supply, because we seriously underestimated how long it would take to get there! We got talking about how pretty this place was and they told us that they had revisited Havasupi for the past 22 years straight and said that this year was actually the "least pretty" they had seen it because of the flood that happened last year. We were amazed because we couldn't even imagine it any more gorgeous!

My place of Zen.

That's Grant Johansen and Becca Hall in the front, Britney Davis in the next row and Mike Stoker and Dan Thuet in the way back.

Mike.

The gang: Becca, Britney, Grant, Dan, me, and Mike.

What a sight to see! I guess I am glad I brought my waterproof camera because it was able to take shots like this, even with water bullets being shot out from the water fall in every direction!

A Smattering of Halloween Horrors and Delights

2009-11-08T00:12:00.007-07:00

I just wanted to share this random sampling of some pictures that I feel highlight some of the highlights of my life of late. Some of these items are "delights" and some are "horrors" (okay, most of the ones of me are horrors, and the ones with other people in them are delights.) I mainly just wanted to show off how weird I am, and also how cool my friends are! Here goes...

First on the list of horrors is this specimen, Horror #1:

This year I dressed up as the Mad-Hatter, inspired by my good friend Johnny Depp in the upcoming Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland. This one is a "horror" for multiple reasons. Reason #1: just look how pale my skin is! And reason #2: just look how yellow my teeth look compared to how pale my skin is! Below is the finished product:

This is also a "delight," however, because the dear Jen Bloomfield took so much time to help me with my costume and make-up, etc. Pretty much 90% of the costume came from her... inspired by her brain and half the costume was actually provided by her family's costume closet! For that reason, I must give credit where credit is due.

Now, look how delightfully happy this Halloween was. I got to spend it with my sister Annie, who came all the way up from Arizona, and these delightsome people (above, from the left: Annie Mooney as Galinda, Sara Beth Johnson as a Gypsy, Katie Bloomfield as Cleopatra, and Jen Bloomfield as Alice).

Okay, now let's move on to item #2:

This was found at the stake Halloween Party Friday night. I just love this pic. First of all there's Randy, at his best - doing his amazing Kip impersonation; and then there's Anna Hawkins as a Care Bear; and finally, if you look closely you can see the inseparable Jason and Jordan Mann in their ninja costumes... very stealth!

And I just can't move on without putting a little more spotlight on this man: Randy Gilliland... please observe the glasses, the cheesy smile, and also the mustache... it was real, people! He grew that out for his Halloween costume. That's dedication for you right there. Cheers to Randy for pulling off the best Kip ever (even better than the real thing because he brought some sick dance moves to that party)!

Now come item no's 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7:

Also found at the stake party, from the left: Brooke Theis, Justin Seipherd, Dan Thuet and Alex Hale (also featured below as the brave Peter Pan, who coincidentally dives off the high dive in the same position!)

Then, of course, is the extraordinary impersonation of Audrey Hepburn, played by the lovely Emily Stoddard.

Item #8:

Above is the pumpkin I carved this year, with some inspiration and help from my two roommates David and Robert Hyer at family home evening.

Item #9:

After a nice drive through the canyon, Jen and I were stopped at a red light behind this specimen. You can see through my streaky windshield a fake foot and hand sticking out of this person's trunk! Truly a "horror" but a brilliant one at that! I lol'd pretty hard when I saw it!

Item #10 was Hogwarts:

The Hartman family turns their front yard into Hogwarts. Yes, the famous school of witchcraft and wizardry! The festivities and the opportunities there were endless! Here I'm posing as a magically enchanted Hogwarts portrait. There was also a platform 9 3/4; sorting into houses by the sorting hat; magic wand testing; the casting of patroni and the dark-mark; butterbeer at the Three Broomsticks; lessons on how to get rid of a Bogart; divination by Professor Trelawny aboard the Knight Bus; floating candles; the Marauder's Map; Dursleys; Hagrid with his motorbike along with all sorts of Hogwarts regulars that you could meet and even receive an autograph from. But, the best of all attractions was QUIDDITCH! Kids got to practice their quaffle-shooting skills while bludgers were thrown at them from a barrage of beaters!

Truly a magical night. And I figure the only way to adequately describe the magic of the atmosphere created at the Hartman home that night is it was basically Disneyland for Harry Potter fans! Seriously the "happiest place on earth" especially when you interact with the little kids who were so into it that it just got you excited too! I was very pleased to have been able to be a part of the magic by being on the cast as Cedric Diggory.

Last, but not least, is Horror #11:

I saved the most frightening horror for last! I had started to get pains in my back in the mornings, which I thought odd because I usually sleep very well... like the dead! However, upon inspecting the underside of my creaky bed, I found this! This is what I had been sleeping on for 2 months! A bunky-board with 5 broken slats!!! Scary huh! So my roommate Kevin and I went and picked out a nice non-creaky, and non-broken one at R.C. Willey and it has made all the difference!

Thank you for enjoying this smorgasbord of really good memories from one of my favorite holidays ever. I think you are all a delight.

Love, Daniel

Nov. 19th Couldn't Possibly Come Too Soon!

2009-11-07T14:30:00.023-07:00

Yes, it is confirmed. The beloved In-N-Out is coming to Orem, UT!

Jen and I had some fun at the nearly completed building last night... and I really can't tell what's not finished, other than maybe the drive through... Anyway, the security guard in the parking lot said he thought it was supposed to open November 19th. And I actually called Customer Service and asked when the anticipated grand opening will be because I couldn't find anything online to concur with the security guard dude, and the friendly lady said, and I quote, "That's a tentative opening date of November 19th, or the week before Thanksgiving."

If you look closely you can see that the lights are all on! A good sign...
Quality You Can Taste

Jen, being so cute and excited!

Also, I'm pretty dang excited!... if you couldn't tell.

Me, eating an imaginary double double, Peter Pan style.

Where we'll be picking up our orders.

Walking up the drive thru

Dang... it's locked!

If that girl was standing in front of the restaurant, I don't see how anyone could stay away...
I know I couldn't!

November 19th, please get here quick!

H1N1 Fighter

2009-11-07T01:34:00.010-07:00

Lately I've seen several billboards advertising the H1N1 flu shot. Each one has a so-called hard-core individual with their sleeve rolled up to show off their sissy little band-aid on their shoulder. They are the self-proclaimed "flu fighters." I want to join in the cause, but the sound of not only getting "shot" in the arm but also being forced to wait in long lines at the health center among likely infected persons to get it doesn't strike me as what I would call "appealing." But, I'll tell you what does...

I've come up with my own solution for my contribution to this war with the swine floosie... OJ!!! My plan of attack is to drink one large glass of orange juice every morning with breakfast. This will improve my immune system as well as throw a party for my taste buds!

I love orange juice, especially the kind you have to chew! In fact, my OJ of choice has "Lots of Pulp." In fact, that's what it says on the carton, and it's just the way I like it! This is also why I love the Tropicana pictures with the orange and the straw. Go ahead and scroll back up and look at the picture again. Doesn't that just look so delicious?! I actually tried doing this as a kid, with the result of a badly disfigured straw and a bruised orange. I've always just wanted to see if it works... sucking on an embedded straw to get the sweet nectar out of a juicy orange. The world may never know if it does. In the meantime, I am fighting the flu, one glass at a time. If I still get sick, then oh well, at least I'll have enjoyed my orange treat!

P.S. If you have an idea for how to get a straw into an orange, please tell me. We'll have an orange juice party or something!

I Like Argyle!

2009-11-02T12:53:00.007-07:00

I'm going to start this post off by talking about Christmas shopping for my dad (I promise it'll all make sense in the end; please just keep reading)... My dad is the most difficult person to shop for because he never really needs anything - if he wants something, he usually just gets it himself.

So as a kid I always wondered what to get Dad for Christmas and the only thing I ever remember my mom suggesting was new socks. One year, after getting socks for him, I wondered if my dad ever tired of receiving these things. I know I would! I'd have been awfully disappointed if that's what I got! I hated receiving clothes as presents in general, especially something as boring as SOCKS! I would have much rather Santa, or whoever was shopping for me that year, use that precious present-giving-effort on toys or something much more fun! Although, when Dad opened my poorly-wrapped package that Christmas morning, not only was he not disappointed, but he looked pleased to see them... PLEASED!

It wasn't until years later that I started to appreciated receiving new clothes as gifts for Christmas and birthdays. I love clothes. I do. And yes, I even love socks. In fact, I have developed a love for socks that have the most unique patterns possible. One such pattern is argyle.

I love argyle. I really do! I think it may have something to do with my Irish/Scottish/English/White heritage. We white people really don't have much to take pride in, fashion-wise... we don't have fubu, do-rags, or other cool things like Afro's or high-tops with no-show socks and a rolled-up pant leg (okay, I confess I would have loved to have been born black). Nor do we have sombreros, legal fireworks, or Shakira! (basically, I just wouldn't have minded being born with dark skin!). What we DO have is newsies hats (which, until lately, I didn't think I could rock, but I'm very glad they're coming back, as well as other hats in general!), bow ties, sweaters and vests, slim jeans, and cool socks! Not much, but I have decided to embrace what I can in regards to white-boy fashion, and one of those things is socks. Argyle socks.

And it is with that preface that I introduce my new argyle blog background as well as my new blog title: "In My Mind's Eye" (which is a phrase coined by William Shakespeare, a very cool white dude!). Please enjoy the ensuing blog posts and taking a look "in my mind's eye."

Love,

Daniel

Smile!

2009-10-21T12:47:00.005-06:00

The following is a little short film... Worth EVERY one of the 16 minutes of your time! It will seriously change your life!

Purely Random!

2009-10-11T09:24:00.005-06:00

This is in reference to my previous post about floss.

I know it's very random but I just really like this picture too!

In fact, I "lol" every time I see it.

...enjoy!

H - B - Double Hockey Sticks!

2009-10-08T09:12:00.003-06:00

Yesterday, Wednesday October the seventh, 2009, was the date of my first visit to the Harold B. Lee Library (HBLL) this semester. Pretty good, I think, that I held out this long. I just had a test to cram for and I needed a quick place to study before I went to the Testing Center to take it.

(Even Brigham Young knows to stay the "HBLL" out!)

It really wasn't a bad experience. It was innocently quiet and I even sneaked a few grapes while I studied (food is regrettably not allowed in the library). However, I simply dislike what the library means to me. And what it means to me is this: other annoying and distracting people patronizing the library on the pretense of studying but really just going to pick up on chicks; being forced to barricade myself deep inside its chasms, well beyond cell phone reception, on late nights to study for exams or to work on big research projects; ear drum bustingly loud music they play starting at 11:45 pm on those nights when you desperately need those precious 15 minutes to finish something (e.g. a timed take-home test that is supposed to be finished in one sitting); a level of scholarship that I just don't measure up to; and quite frankly, the only books I have checked out of the library are because it was required for a research paper (let's face it, you can write a dang good research paper based purely on electronic resources!).

Although there are other very viable options for places to study, I will probably go back, albeit not regularly. What I realized last night after my experience with HBLL is the place that I really despise is the Testing Center. Poor Heber J. Grant. I can see at least some positives to having a large and respected library named after you; but, there are absolutely zero benefits for President Grant having a Testing Center as his namesake!

It Would Be Boss If I Had Floss

2009-10-07T08:39:00.009-06:00

You know how half the time it's the Bishop's kid who is the biggest trouble-maker in the church? Just 'cause the dad has got it together doesn't mean the whole family does too.

And just like that, though I may be the son of a dental hygienist it doesn't mean I have my dental habits all figured out. This is my "Daniel the Younger" conversion story to Dental Floss...

(I know it's random, I just liked this picture)

Believe it or not, I didn't use my floss like I should. I always had a huge stock of the stuff because my mom gives it to us for free and I never used it more than once a week (sometimes it would be even longer than that -- gross, I know)! I guess I just didn't believe that it actually helped all that much. However, lately I've been on this flossing kick and my gingiva have never felt better! I'm flossing religiously once a day after I brush. And though it hurt the first few times, it's like my buddy Ralph Waldo Emerson says: "That which we persist in doing becomes easier for us to do; not that the nature of the thing itself is changed, but that our power to do is increased." (This is beginning to sound a little too much like a church talk, so I'm gonna switch gears).

My toothbrush and my floss have become a dynamic duo. It's kind of turned into a love affair. Like my toothbrush is singing to my floss:

I'm a movement by my self, Ooh
But I'm a Force when we're together.
Mami, I'm good all by myself,
But Baby you, you make me better!

How romantic!

So, to conclude my thought, I wanted to consult the...

Wheel of Morality, turn turn turn;
Tell us the lesson that we should learn.

And the moral of the story is (drum roll please):

You can have your cake AND eat it
when you practice good oral hygiene!

Oops! I Did It Again!

2009-09-28T09:20:00.001-06:00

The plague of my cooking skills has returned...only temporarily.

This was supposed to be one side of another grilled cheese sandwich!

So I just buttered another piece of bread and slapped it on there in its place. Don't worry. It was still tasty, I'm just a little worried about Dinner Group this week!

Love,

Anonymous Arsenist No. 909

California Coast via CYCLE!

2009-09-22T10:06:00.000-06:00

I was invited by my good friend Dan Ricks to go with him, his family and some friends on an adventure of a lifetime this July! We rode our bikes 365 miles from just south of San Francisco at Half Moon Bay to Santa Barbara at 70 plus miles a day in five days, camping every night all along the coast! It was so long, and so challenging, but so beautiful, and so rewarding that words cannot do justice of describing the experience. But I will attempt to describe it by means of photographs I took. Unfortunately, it was difficult to get the peloton to stop for every breathtaking scenic view because there were MANY!... but I stopped and took some pictures anyway. So here they are:

We ended our first day at Monterrey Bay and our campsite was right next to these strawberry fields... Ooooh they smelled so sweet combined with the salty air from the ocean!

The four young dudes: Jess, Dakin, Dan, and me

Here we saw these pelicans diving into the water and dolphins jumping out of the water! Seriously!

I think the lady who was walking by who we asked to take our picture said this is called "Lovers' Point" or something... It's in Monterrey, home of John Steinbeck.

This is the "Lone Cypress" found along 17-Mile Drive at Pebble Beach.

This just looks like a pirate ship should be berthed here!

Of course I had to stop and take a picture of the beautiful bridge! What can I say, I'm a Civil Engineer at heart!

We had to ride up that road... see how it curves around that mountain? We had to climb that!!

King of the Rock!

At the end of the last day, which included 92 miles... we were pooped!

"Crazy Woman Driver"

2009-09-18T17:18:00.001-06:00

I went for a little jaunt on my bicycle on Friday and everything was going just fine and dandy... until I was about 4 blocks away from my apartment on University Avenue when from right out of nowhere a minivan comes and cuts me off to make a right turn into a business park. I was forced to slam on both brakes, all the while screaming at the top of my lungs, partially out of pure insanity/fear of getting clobbered by a vehicle 100 times my size and partially just to get the driver's attention. The van made the turn and I miraculously made my way around the rear of it without crashing. As I passed I looked at the driver to give them the stink eye for being so reckless and possibly even to give a certain hand gesture if it appeared that they did it out of contempt; however, the driver was off looking in another direction! Sure enough, it was a woman apparently lost and looking for an address.

What I believe is far worse and more dangerous than someone purposely trying to be rude, such as dear Cruella (above), is a clueless driver who has no idea of her/his surroundings and the heinous offenses they nearly commit every day. So, here's my plea to all drivers out there: don't be stupid like the crazy woman minivan driver!

Finding Hope

2009-09-15T08:20:00.000-06:00

We all remember the calamity of 9-11-01. We probably all remember where we were and we definitely remember what we felt. This man remembers too because he was there! So, if he can find peace in relation to the events of that day, then so can we! God does live and He is mindful of even the little sparrow. He cares for us because we're His children and because He loves us!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkWc_EKLs4E

WRONG WAY!

2009-09-13T21:10:00.000-06:00

Sometimes I think I'm taking a short cut by walking through the BYU Bookstore to get to the Wilkinson Center. Although it may be a shorter distance than walking around to the front entrance, don't be deceived! It's a LIE! I hate it when I forget this and I seem to forget it rather often! Skinny hallways and a ridiculous throng of people equals a recipe for frustration.

If you're like this California driver and don't like being stuck in traffic, take my advise: just go around to the West side of the building. Save yourself a multitude of nasty thoughts for ignorant and hecka-slow people who decided they'd just mosey along for a delightful stroll through the aisles of the bookstore. You're much better off. Trust me.

Thank you for letting me vent. And if you know of any other campus time-savers that are good to know, please feel free to vent back. I'm done now.

Reflections of a Recovering Arsenist

2009-09-02T09:46:00.002-06:00

I can't help but notice.

It's happened too frequently of late to ignore.

My food deserves better treatment...

I usually take pride in my food preparation skills. My pancakes are always perfectly golden. My grilled cheeses turn out just right. But twice now in the last two weeks have I done something that I NEVER do... I burned my food! And when I say "burned," I don't mean a little crispy around the edges. I mean UNFIT FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION! I mean by the time I'm done with it, the food looks like something you put on the BOTTOM of a grill that actually COOKS the food!

Really, they're just two isolated experiences. The first being when I was making a grilled cheese and since our stove takes forever to heat up, I walked away from it for a bit to do something else and completely forgot about it. When I came back downstairs, smoke was billowing from the stove and the one side of the sandwich was completely black! But, don't worry I still used the other half and made a "half" grilled cheese! The second was the other night when I was lazy and had a few taquitos left over so I put them in the oven to heat up. I was supposed to bake 'em for 9 minutes but by the time I got back it had been a good 45 or 50! They were rock hard all the way through. Not even the middle was edible!

Okay, so the moral of the story I think is I need to vow not to leave my food unmonitored, or just make food that actually requires my complete attention so I don't walk away. Either way, I am penitent and ready to start anew!

Ready or not, here I come Dinner Group!!!

Cowbro's Brodeo

2009-08-09T23:41:00.000-06:00

The other day Jen and I were at Texas Roadhouse and I noticed the different sizes of steak cuts on the menu. They went thusly:

8 ounce
11 ounce Hearty Cut
16 ounce "Cowboy" Cut

This got me thinking about what it meant to me to be a cowboy. My conclusion was that I basically think of the proverbial Cowboy as the Midwestern counterpart of the California "Bro!"

Bro's ride waves while Cowbro's ride bulls but both are only interested in how "siiiick" or how "hootin'-hollerin'" (whatever the jargon) the 8 seconds or so the ride was; both subscribe to similar fashion styles including tight jeans, tattered pearl-snap flannel shirts, and belt buckles; both are constantly concerned with being amused and where they're going to get their next big thrill; neither talk about anything of real importance and when you overhear one of their conversations you have no idea what they are talking about anyway; both are consumed in themselves and have egos the size of their raised truck; and apparently both are concerned about the amount of their protein intake (the "Cowboy" Cut of steak vs. the infamous protein shake)!!!

And for the record I am interested in taking NO PART in either schools of thought!

I would like to thank Jen Bloomfield for the inspiration and encouragement to write this post. Thanks also goes to the following websites where the previous photos were obtained, respectively:
http://www.wranglerwestern.com/ww_ro
http://tyreeoriginals.bluemoonmultimedia.com/cowboy2.html

Is this real life?

2009-06-09T11:48:00.001-06:00

The weirdest thing happened to me about a month ago...

I GRADUATED!!!

I know I have been going to school for like 5 years now; and I know it should be just the natural course of things for a super-senior, such as myself, to take the plunge and actually finish with his undergraduate experience; and I know the world is just waiting for me to do something with my life...

But yes, BYU let me graduate and for the past month and some change I have felt like a drugged-up little kid who just came from the dentist, wondering "Is this real life? I feel funny. Is this going to be forever?" I've been coming to grips with the reality that I am done with my undergrad and it all feels a little surreal... kind of like a really realistic dream and someone's going to turn the lights on any time now and say, "Time to wake up Daniel!"

Dream or reality, these pictures serve as evidence for the latter. My parents came up from Chandler, AZ to support me in this graduation thing... which I'm not sure actually happened in the first place, and secondly, which I'm not sure I deserve credit for since I had just finished BS-ing my last exam the night before to ensure a passing grade! My sister Annie came too and we all commemorated the end of my undergraduate by going to a BYU baseball game and hitting up SmartCookie afterward for their very last night being open for business (the Provo establishment of SmartCookie sadly closed the day I graduated), which I believe symbolized the end of this chapter of my life! (Please note possibly the very last smart cookie to be purchased in Provo in the slide show)!

Now you may ask yourself, "So, what is Daniel P. Mooney doing with his life now that he's a college graduate?" Answer: waiting for the fall semester to come when I'll be starting my Master Degree... as if I can't get enough of school! So, now that I'm just getting used to the idea of being free from homework and tests, I have to get used to the idea of getting back into it all!

Oh well, I guess I wasn't ready to give up school in the first place. I knew all along that it wasn't over so I guess this is just a weird time in my life when I'm just in transition into bigger and better things! In the meantime, I'm just enjoying the break and doing things like pinewood derbys, triathlons, and hanging out with seriously some of the coolest friends ever!

Love, Daniel

Giving in...

2009-05-03T16:40:00.000-06:00

So, I finally gave in... I have a feeling blogging is going to be a new-found addiction! Hollah!