P-Town

I'm a little late in posting this but better late than never. I headed to Portland last weekend. It was a somewhat spur of the moment trip to see some friends. I've been informed by some that the "cool kids" refer to it as PDX. I'm sticking with P-town. It's a nice city. Depending on what I decide I want out of the news business, Portland looks to be an ideal spot for me. It would be hard to get there but it's a decent possibility.

The drive was annoying (especially the 9 hour, snow-laden trip back) but I had an awesome time. Stupidly, I didn't take any pictures. But I dug through all my old photos to come up with a reconstructed narrative. Enjoy.

My main motive for going was to see Katie.
We met more than 5 years ago in Glacier National Park. Here we are in 2003 at Charlie's in Babb, Montana. Katie has come to visit me many times in Bozeman and Boise so I thought it was time to return the favor. Despite a disasterous trip up to Mt. Hood...it was a good time.

Two more Glacier buddies also live in Portland.

This is Jason and Shelly, also known as Shelson (and occasionally referred to by their lesser known portmanteau Jelly). They met in Glacier, fell in love, and got married. Cute isn't it? We had dinner and drinks and reminisced the night away. However, we're all getting on in years and most of us were in bed by midnight. Still...good times.

Also living Portland...my good friend Chris.

I met Chris in 2004 when I worked at Big Sky Resort. Here he is getting a workout in Monument Valley. Chris works for the National Park Service in Denali National Park. He's basically stationed on Mt. McKinley all summer long. He's hard core. I met his lovely girlfriend Amanda too. They're a disgustingly cute couple.

I expected to see one more person.

This would be Josh. He's Chris' good friend and also worked in Big Sky. Unfortunately, Josh got called into work (he works with an outdoor wilderness school for troubled youth) and couldn't hang out for the weekend. Maybe next time.

There's a certain moment in life that I cherish. It feels the same every time it happens yet it never gets old. I'm in the midst of a group of people I love (whether it be friends or family) and I take stock for a brief second. It's almost like I'm watching the scene out of a movie. The scene where everyone is laughing and talking and smiling. Conversations of all sorts fly by and sometimes mix with each other. I watch this and I simply smile. I'm part of this group of happy, fun-loving individuals and we are having a good time. It's hard not to revel in such simplistic joy. I had one of those moments this past weekend.

Thanks Portland.

Blah

For the past several nights I've sat down to write something...anything...on this blog. I've got writer's block. I have nothing meaningful to say.

I'm leaving for Portland. I'll be back Sunday. Perhaps I'll have something to say then.

Have a good weekend.

Underrated

Allow me to talk news for a moment.

I just have to say that I don't understand why Katie Couric gets so much disrespect. While I've always been an NBC News loyalist, I find myself watching her CBS Evening News more and more these days. She's good. She's really good. She made me laugh on The Today Show. But she impresses me with journalistic chops in her current gig. What is it about her that some people don't like? Or is it that they simply like Brian Williams and Charles Gibson more? I have no idea. I just know that I've slowly come to realize that she is at the helm of a solid newscast. I think she deserves more credit.

On a somewhat related note, I still regret not saying something to Ms. Couric when I saw her on Main Street in Bozeman. I don't think I ever told that story on this blog. That's probably because I feel stupid for the missed opportunity. I walked out of a store with my friend Whitney. We looked to the left and as I made the recognition, Whitney grabbed my arm and said, "It's Katie Couric, it's Katie Couric, it's Katie Couric." I simply watched her walk by. There I was, a news anchor at an NBC affiliate and I didn't say anything to one of the biggest names on NBC News. (She was still there back then). I don't know why. I'm lame like that I guess. But I regret it and I'm not going to make the same mistake if a similar situation presents itself in the future.

And to finish with this newsy post, I've got to mention another favorite of mine. World News Now is the overnight newscast on ABC. It airs in the wee hours of the morning. It's long been a cult favorite for news junkies. It's irreverent, unusual, fun, and entertaining....and since I'm up every morning at around 2:30...I get to watch it regularly. Anchors come and go on a regular basis (Jeremy Hubbard and Vinita Nair man the desk now) but they always seem to find a team that works well together. I wouldn't mind getting to that desk in my career. If you're ever up late one night, check it out.

Walkin' in a.......

It's always funny when someone who has never been snowshoeing asks how to do it? My usual response is, "You know how to walk, right?"

It has been a long time since I went snowshoeing. This latest trip was particularly awesome. A group of 14 of us headed out into the central Idaho backcountry for an overnight trip. It wasn't exactly hard core. Our yurt was only about a mile and a half off the main road. Still, it was a good time. Katie was good enough to fly in from Portland to join me.

I've complained about winter before. But truth be told, I love it. I don't know how anyone could hate winter. Whether you are skiing, snowboarding, sledding or snowshoeing...you just have to find a way to enjoy it. It's better than whining your way through a few months a year.

Antarctic Mormons in Chewed Up Cat Boxes

This here post is a rambler.

Okay. Which one of my Mormon friends did it? Who sent the visiting teachers to my apartment? It had to be someone. The Church isn't THAT good...is it? I haven't been trying to evade them or anything. But after ZERO contact over four years in Glacier, two years in Bozeman, nearly a year in Boise, and close to a dozen address changes...how is it that they were able to track me down...and knock on my door? I'm not upset. I was greeted by two very nice elderly guys. I told them the truth and said I was about to go to bed but that they could come back another time. I'm sure they will. My relationship with Mormonism is complex and I suppose I'll be honest and tell them that. But seriously...how did they find me?

I think I sent my first online instant message in...let me think...1997 perhaps? I'm not completely sure. The point is that instant communication via computers has been around for a while. Despite that, I still had a moment of disbelief tonight as I chatted online with an old friend from Glacier. She's in Antarctica right now. That's pretty damn cool.

I went to the dentist today. It's always fun when a new dental office employee takes a look at my teeth. I sit there in anticipation as the horror of my condition becomes evident to them. If you have no idea what I'm talking about follow the thread of posts about my teeth here. The woman giving me my cleaning was awe-struck. I'm glad I could provide her with entertainment. The good news is that my teeth haven't changed all that much in the last six months. I can wait a while before I absolutely NEED a set of crowns. More time to save up some money.

And finally, I've bought a few cat toys for Merlin. He likes them well enough. But nothing can compete with a good old cardboard box. It's like heaven on earth for him. No more cat toys. I'm sticking with boxes and paper grocery bags.

Low Tide

I had about a dozen people tell me Utah was going to be slaughtered by Alabama in the Sugar Bowl. Most of those people were bitter Boise State fans...upset by the Broncos' Poinsettia Bowl loss and the fact it was Utah's higher ranking that kept BSU out of a BCS bowl game. (Note: I consider myself a Bronco fan. I live in Boise and I'd like to see them do well. But I'm a Utah grad and that loyalty comes first). Whenever I heard the naysayers, I just smiled and nodded.

Victory is sweet...pun intended.

That is all I'll say about Utah's win. What I really need to talk about is a serious transgression on my part. In my euphoria over the outcome of Friday's game, I violated one of my own cardinal rules. It's still eating me up inside.

I sent out a mass text message proclaiming my excitement.

I strongly dislike mass text messages. It's the holiday ones that really irritate me.

Happy Halloween!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Merry Christmas!

Happy New Year!

I'd say it's the thought that counts but let's be real here people...very little thought goes into it. And don't think I'm falling for the text that says "Happy Holidays! Your friendship means a lot to me!" I know every other friend on your contact list got the exact same thing.

I can't explain why these little greetings bother me so much. Some of them are even okay. Got a birth announcement to make? Go ahead...send out a mass text. Letting everyone know of a new phone number? Mass texting is cool with me. Just engaged and want to share the news? Fine...let everyone know at once. But don't pass off a generic "Happy Fill-in-the-Blank" greeting as something with a personal touch.

Sorry for the little rant. I hope it doesn't stop a few friends out there from communicating with me.