All the mistakes I've made, I couldn't have made without you

Yes, the title does come from a GetUpKids song. They popped up on my iPod this morning (song: Action and Action). For ruture reference, I've decided to start calling my iPod, my "pod". Please add it to your You Know How I Do Dictionary so that I don't have to explain it again in the future. To digress (come on, you know I've earned a little digression), this change is a bit monumental on account of me not being much of an abbreviator. For instance, in my left pant pocket, I have a cellular phone that I send text messages on, not a cell fone* that I text on. Most of my classes are in the Language and Communication Building or the Orson Spencer Hall, not the LNCO (pronounced 'leen-ko') or OSH (pronounced ah-sh^).

Sticking with the topic of my Pod, I spent last weekend in a town with a population of 247 called Rockville (Utah). It is right by Zion's National Park. I drove down there with my 19 year old brother. We turned on the radio at the beginning of out journey and to our happiness, Funk Friday (if that is still what the show that plays funk on 90.9 is called) was playing all James Brown. When that ended, we plugged in my pod (should I capitalize it or not? Jury's out), and listened to, in this order: the Hollies, Lovin' Spoonful, and the Beach Boys' Pet Sounds. He then plugged in his pod and we listened to Bob Marley and Gordon Lightfoot. They were tunes we could both feel comfortable with and they seemed to fit perfectly. Especially Pet Sounds. I liked that ablum before, but now I like it more than a friend. Back to the purpose of this paragraph: on the way back to the SLC, I put my pod on shuffled and committed to not skip any songs (this pact was broken about halfway through on account of De La Soul having skits on their 3 Feet High and Rising album, and I didn't feel like listening to the one titled, De La Orgy, funny as it may be). I handpicked the first song, Eric Clapton's Wonderful Tonight, which I bought off iTunes on Thursday and thought was the only Clapton song on my Pod but it turns out that he has a song on the Back To The Future Soundtrack that my brother has loaded on our iTunes. The second song played was Oregon Girl by Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin. From Rockville to Sandy, I got through 80 songs, the 80th being My Looks and Your Brains by the Mr. T Experience (which, come to think of it, has some good lines that would serve as a better title for this blog than what I chose, but I feel that my opening line has made the title a integral part of this blog....even if you don't feel the same). When I first started, I thought I would reach the thousands in songs played, but about 30 minutes in, I dropped my prediction to only 50. My Pod made the long drive (which included three bathroom stops) lonely in the good way, and served as a good way to get to know my tunes again. When I got my pod for Christmas last year, I thought that having all of my tunes in my hand would make me know my tunes better than I ever had before, but the opposite seems to have happened. It seems like a lot of the same songs are played when I set in on shuffle (for this reason, Johnny Cash has been removed from my Pod; I've grown to hate that song about Orange Blossoms or something).

I rode the high of meeting Jeff Rosso right into Christmas. I was really into the spirit of it all up until it was time to open presents. Not that I got bad presents - except for the socks. When I opened them, Pop said, "We figured you could use some more socks." If there is one thing I don't need, it is socks. But I even kind of appreciated them (the GoldToe socks, at least). I hung out with this kid on Thanksgiving named James. During our conversations about stuff he said, pulling his pant leg up, "One thing I've learned is the importance of nice socks." At the moment, I thought it kind of ridiculous, but the next day I decided that nice socks are for me. I'll still wear my white and black athletic socks but more and more, dress socks will be added to my repertoire (I just looked, and I have some on now). I'll start slow with regular dress socks like the GoldToes I got for Christmas, but in what I hope will be a short matter of time, I hope to be sporting the nicest socks out of everyone you know. They will go great with my trashy GAP jeans I got for $15 more than three years ago that I am wearing today. Though they have seen better days and have long overstayed their welcome, I can't keep them out of my rotation because they feel good and they are the best jeans I have ever owned. Anyway, something about opening presents killed the Christmas spirit for me. Maybe it was because I had nothing to hope for. It was still a great Christmas.

New Years was good too. Let me take this opportunity to congragulate one of the readers of this blog for getting married. Usually, I am opposed to any pretty girl getting married to anyone who isn't me, and this one is no different, but he isn't a totally horrible guy so I will won't hold a grudge. Especially since the aforementioned wedding opened the door for a great wedding reception/dance party/New Years Eve party to happen. This is how awesome this wedding reception was:


If things continue on as they have, 2007 will be the best year of my life. Yesterday, I sat around in my pajamas and never showered. Today, I showed up to work and wasn't needed because someone was working for me. So, I went to Nordstrom Rack and found nothing (I only ever find jackets there) and got a car wash.

The movie Rocky Balboa needs to and will be discussed soon. I liked it, but it disappointed me so.

*=This error was unintentional, but I decided to keep it because I thought it funny and it kind of goes along with the point I was making.
^=this is me being a smart a__, or 'SA' to you abbreviators (which, by the way, if you are one, find another blog to read).