Reminder: Guitar Hero

Just a reminder that today's the Guitar Hero competition.  If you're hoping to have a chance at figuring out the secret identity of one of the Board Writers (or if you already know who I am and just want to come because it's fun,) be at the Wilk Terrace at 7:00 tonight.

I'll try to be sufficiently guitar-heroic, just in case anyone shows up late.

Seattle, part 1

I'm currently in Bellevue, WA, a suburb of Seattle.  Tomorrow I'll be interviewing with Microsoft for a summer internship.  I've wanted to do an internship with a major software company for a few years now, so I'm excited.  And let me tell you what, they're treating me well.  They flew me up here, they've provided a rental car, (a Chevy Malibu, if you're curious,) they're paying for my rather spacious hotel room, they're paying for all my meals, and they're letting me stay an extra day to get to know the area.  I haven't even gotten to the free drinks yet, and I'm already feeling like a million bucks.  The girl down in the hotel gift shop even opened up after hours just to let me buy some toothpaste after the TSA so graciously confiscated mine.  (Granted, that wasn't really Microsoft's doing, but I'm still feeling great.)

Speaking of the TSA, I've made a discovery today.  All of my jeans have been mysteriously developing holes in the right knee, so my parents bought me a couple pairs of jeans not too long ago.  Sometime in the last couple years they've started sewing RFID tags right into the clothing, and on my jeans they're inside the right leg seam.  The tag is flexible enough that after putting the pants through the wash, I didn't even notice it for a few days.  I cut one of these tags off the other day, but apparently that was on another set of jeans.  So today when I went through the metal detector in the SLC airport, I was setting off the metal detector despite my empty pockets, shoeless feet, beltless waist, and watchless wrist.  I even had some metal fillings replaced with porcelain ones today.  I was as metal-free as I know how to be.

Blasted jeans.

Guitar Heroism

BYU's Student Activities Board is hosting a Guitar Hero competition on January 23, 7:00 PM in the Wilk Terrace.  It's free.

I'm participating.  You should all come.

It'll be fun.  And really, I might have a decent shot at it.  I'm certainly not the most heroic guitarist at BYU, but I might be among the top that enter the competition.  Either way, it will be fun.  So you're all welcome to come, even if you won't actually know which one I am.  I'll appreciate it anyway.

Lavish's Wedding Reception

I went to Lavish's wedding reception tonight.  I haven't seen her much since she got engaged, so it was fun to be there.  A few thoughts:

Lavish and I dated for a number of months, so it was an odd feeling being at her wedding reception.  As her dad said "this could have been you, you know."  And though it sounds a litltle awkward in that context, it's true.  At one point, I thought things might end up that way.  But they didn't, and I think her Mitch is so much better for her than I could ever have been.  I'm really happy for both of them, and it was genuinely just good to be there and see her at such a happy time.  

They had a live band at the reception to provide the music.  It's odd; in at least half of wedding receptions I've attended, I provided the music.  The other half have generally either had some other live pianist or used CDs, so I'm not used to having a live band there.  That was kinda cool, I guess, though I still think I want a live pianist at mine.

I stuck around for a while, and just before I had to leave they had the "Daddy-daughter" dance in which Lavish danced with her dad.  I'm not sure how, but even though it seems to be the standard thing to do at a wedding reception in the movies, somehow I've never seen it done in real life.  It was touching; her dad started crying about halfway through.  I think I gained a little insight into the feelings of a father for his daughter in that moment.  Something about the way he held her just spoke to me.  I guess I hope to have a daughter someday that I love so much that it hurts to let her go like that.

Anyway, Lavish, congratulations.  You're the most blestest one of all, today.  Thanks for everything.

All better

For those of you intensely following my recent insanity, (all 1 of you,) I'm happy to report that I'm feeling much better.  No more depressed or frustrated or confused.  I still don't know everything that's going on, but a talk with my parents helped out a ton.  It's funny how people who have actually managed to get married occasionally know something about dating.

Of course, I've decided to throw rationality out the window for now, but at least I'm not continually feeling like I've stabbed in the heart.  I think a little irrationality is a minimal price to pay for that.

Confused, an update

Okay.  Just disappointed and frustrated.  Not angry or anything like that.  But disappointed and frustrated to a rather large degree.

Confusion

Something happened tonight. I can't decide whether to be hurt, indifferent, congratulatory, offended, displeased, annoyed, or just not worry about it. I may have more thoughts tomorrow. In the meantime, I don't want to make a fool of myself by posting something that may not reflect how I feel later.

I found it quite appropriate, though, that when I sat down to my computer, my iTunes was on Vivir Sin Aire, by the Mexican band Maná.

Como quisiera poder vivir sin aire
Como quisiera poder vivir sin agua
Me encantaría quererte un poco menos
Como quisiera poder vivir sin ti
Pero no puedo, siento que muero
Me estoy ahogando sin tu amor
Como quisiera poder vivir sin aire
Como quisiera calmar mi aflicción
Como quisiera poder vivir sin agua
Me encantaría robar tu corazón
Como pudiera un pez nadar sin agua
Como pudiera un ave volar sin alas
Como pudiera la flor crecer sin tierra
Como quisiera poder vivir sin ti
Pero no puedo, siento que muero
Me estoy ahogando sin tu amor
Como quisiera poder vivir sin aire
Como quisiera calmar mi aflicción
Como quisiera poder vivir sin agua
Me encantaría robar tu corazón
Como quisiera lanzarte al olvido
Como quisiera guardarte en un cajón
Como quisiera borrarte de un soplido
Me encantaría matar esta canción

Sorry for all those of you who don't speak Spanish, but that's how I'm feeling right now.

Game of the Week: Picross 2

This week's online game:

Picross 2

This very addictive online game features Sudoku-like logic as you form pixelated pictures from a series of numbers.  Be warned, you may not be able to stop.  I've already created 7 addicts in the last week.  I figured I might as well share with the rest of you.

Enjoy!

Note: I probably won't actually post a game every week, notwithstanding this post's title.

Hugs

I've got a question for you female readers out there.  I've been told by a few different girls that I give good hugs.  I have no idea what this actually means.

Any insight, ladies?