Jace Burgess' Blog About Nothing

Buckeye

2012-01-24T09:06:00.000-08:00

Well I did it, I got into OHIO STATE!! Now the only school I'm waiting to hear from is Vanderbilt. If Vandy doesn't end up happening I will be moving to Columbus Ohio where Cassie and I will have the chance to live in a new city all by ourselves. I'm excited for the experience and for my partner in the move. I'm also glad it is only going to be a year so we can quickly return and continue building our life and family in our home town. I'm glad that my two top options (Ohio and Tennessee) both have a temple and a lot of LDS people. I kind of feel like being a member of the church is a bit like a secret club with members all over. So no matter how big or different a city is, you can find people with the same beliefs and it is almost like knowing you'll have instant friends when you move to a new place. I'm also excited to attend a big school and see if I can keep up with the students from other places. I think it was cool that Ohio State accepted my via youtube. Here is the link to my acceptance video!

Though I had a minor set-back during the holidays on my workout and eating plans, I am now back on track and I'm actually starting to enjoy Crossfit, something I thought I never thought would happen. It just feels good to be getting in shape after the last few years since my mission when I've let myself get so unfit.

Life is good, I can finally stop having panic attacks over GMAT studying and my wife will be glad I can stop taking xanax and going to bed at 9 o'clock every night. I'm glad to see that everything is working out, and the things that aren't working aren't that important.

We started planning for our SPRING BREAK trip already and it is looking like it will be the best yet! We have a solid group going this year and the Jazz are going to be in Phoenix while we are there too and that is the recipe for a solid trip.
We finally got the pictures back from our New York/Philly trip. Here are a few to end this post on:

It is now 2012

2012-01-19T11:33:00.000-08:00

I haven't posted in a seriously long time. I'm writing this as I wait for my lunch in a restaurant that I eat the same lunch in almost every day. I don't feel like I'm 25. I don't feel like I'm applying to grad school and got my undergrad degree almost a year ago. It seems like life changes in too small of increments to notice but time goes by way too fast. I have so many nieces and nephews. There are currently 14 with one on the way. I Don't feel old enough to have a kid yet.
But life is good. I've developed a hobby (for I was seriously in need of one) in which I've been buying/selling/raising animals. Last summer we 14 cows in total and currently have about ten goats but that number goes up and down almost weekly.
Cassie is coaching high school girls basketball and I've been watching most of their games. I can't figure out why it makes me so mad to watch the games but it seems like I shout a lot more than necessary. My sister-in-law is on the team and I want them to win I guess but I can't understand how I could care enough to get so into the games. Maybe it is good to release steam at sporting events... Or maybe it just means I need to see a psychiatrist or something.
I joined a crossfit gym and started eating better. I lost over twenty pounds in the first couple of months but now it seems that I'm not consistent enough with my diet or my workouts to make any more of a dent in my body's shape or weight. I went from 218lbs down to 195lbs but since Christmas I've been stuck between 197-200. I attribute some of this to cold weather since I don't feel as excited to work out when it is cold but mostly I've just struggled with getting up at 6 am ever since Christmas.
I've really taken a liking to the tv series Breaking Bad. I'm half way into season two and I think it is among my favorite television series of all time.
I didn't do great on my GMAT the first time so I'm retaking it next week and submitting the rest of my applications soon after.
I hope I get into Vanderbilt or Ohio state.
Well this has been an update into my 2012 self

Jace Burgess Charity Fund

2010-08-06T11:40:00.000-07:00

*none of this money will actually be used to benefit anyone but jace burgess

Been a Long Time

2010-07-26T09:05:00.000-07:00

I think it is weird that throughout the school year you imagine this summer break will give you loads of time to do the things you want to get on top of. Decorating your house, planting your garden, organizing your pictures and attacking your media library with all the labels and tags necessary. Then, before you know it, it is the end of July, you've been married a year and still haven't hung all of your wedding photos in your house. This has been a crazy summer for me, and not just because it was my first as a married man.
The stuff with my dad was a big deal. I think the reason this summer has felt so heavy is because of the worry that he'll be ok. Even now, when things are looking very positive, there is still a lot of concern.
The running for the marathon is a bit slow, but it is happening. I may not get a great time on the marathon, but I'll finish if it kills me. I've got some mad shin splints right now but between icing my legs during work and taping them every time I run I hope the pain will subside soon.
Our anniversary was yesterday. We both had to speak in church, then I had to teach a class afterwards. It perhaps wasn't the most amazing set-up for a 1 year anniversary but after church we hung out at my parents house and then watched an old movie. I'm glad Cassie has been around more this summer. Basketball was fun to watch and I was happy for her when she was playing, but since she decided to quit it has been more fun being able to spend all day together.
Summer is almost over and I need to squeeze the most out of the rest of it.

WHY DOES THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT NOT CARE ABOUT THE ECONOMIC CONSEQUENCES OF THEIR DECISIONS?

2010-01-11T09:51:00.000-08:00

After taking a number of courses in economics, finance, accounting and even management, I am often dumbfounded by the actions of our elected officials. There seems to be no rhyme or reason to the decisions they make. They have the mentality that I had when I was 10 years old, which caused me to ask my mother, "why don't we just print more money to buy the things we want?" She responded by explaining (very simply) that the more money we print, the less every dollar is worth. I walked away with the knowledge that inflating the dollar isn't a viable option to pay for things I couldn't afford. Why doesn't the government practice the basic truths we teach our children? How can you justify asking for more money than is available in the entire planet's financial markets, just to pay for things you want? The more I learn about what we are doing as a nation, the more sick I become. Why is an elementary knowledge of economics absent in congress?

I've always been annoyed at those who claim to "hate the government" but now I am simply mad because of the reasons they always cite. I'd rather live in an imperialist nation than a nation governed by complete disregard for the future. As long as we were an imperialist nation who looked ahead further than 60 days.

I can't stand the health care debate. This new "Cadillac Tax" is a perfect example of how the government crowds out the private sector when they become involved. We have all sorts of anti-trust law to prevent businesses from gaining monopoly power, but the government won't even attempt to compete without using the bureaucracy to make the playing field a bit more uneven. President Obama claims taxing high-end health insurance plans will hopefully get people to come to ONE source for ALL of their health care needs. They already get to pass through all of the business hurdles with their "government" status, the playing field is already uneven when you compare business with the all powerful government. This is obvious in looking at interest rates. When interest rates go up, businesses and households stop borrowing. When interest levels go up, the government keeps borrowing like nothing has changed.

They've given us all a share of the national debt over $100,000 a person, which amazes me when I think of how little we got in return at that price. As a college student and recently married 23 year old, I'm a little more than concerned about what happens next.
I have always been one to stand up for the USA when people start to mock us, but I can no longer stomach doing so until we make great changes in our policy. I'm tired of being physically ill in class while we learn about inflation and the fiscal policy of the USA. It is a terrifying time to be alive, but I suppose it has always been terrifying to be alive.. And while we're all going to end up taking it in the shorts, There is very little we can do about it right now. First step is to START APPLYING THE KNOWLEDGE WE LEARNED AS CHILDREN! Stop buying things we don't need at prices we can't afford. Don't ask for a handout at the cost of everyone else. Don't vote for people because of the promises to "help" you out in return.
Study economics and understand supply and demand. While you are at it, study the great depression and pre-WWII Germany. The only way out of our current situation is serious inflation..

A Recurring Rant...

2009-12-06T17:43:00.000-08:00

Bryce Murray 1200 limos, 140 private jets.... expected CO2 emissions: about the same as the country of morocco in 2006. let the copenhaagen hypocrisy begin.

3 hours ago · Comment ·

You like this.

Jace Jonathan Burgess

no no no, you have it all wrong m8. They become carbon neutral when they tell us what to cut back on. So, rather than cut back themselves, they avoid hypocrisy by not practicing what they preach while forcing it on the general public by way of taxation and law. Al Gore cares for the environment, even though his own footprint isn't a good indication of such. Al Gore cares enough about the environment to travel all around the world on jets (leaving the heat on in his two mansions), receive the fame that he "deserves" and even pocket a few coins along the way. Now, if I have to sacrifice a few bucks in order to buy a prius and devote tax money to fund city recycling initiatives that are marginally(if any) better for the environment than regular trash disposal then so be it. Because I care enough about the environment, and I'm enough of an egomaniacal spinster to promote the idea that 200 years of industrial pollution is really going to cause the Earth (which has been doing fine for billions of years of natural highs and lows) to become uninhabitable. I'm also completely opposed to the idea that in the next 100 years science will have thought of an efficient way to employ renewable energy. How could we make such a leap without serious government intervention? Free markets may have been what produced the combustion engine and the automobile, but it is obvious that only collectivism and the limiting of personal freedom could provide the incentives necessary to produce a green society. Also, while capitalism is designed to find what the buying public wants and produce it at its lowest possible cost, only having a ruling bureaucracy affords us the luxury of telling the future and adjusting the public to what it could be like (for a small fee of our taxes and share of the debt)

wow, it feels good to get that rant out of my system. That was a good break from studying. Thanks for the outlet, and sorry for the amount of space I consumed with my response. Have a good day.
PS, sorry I ripped your pants 2 and a half years ago with my incredible wrestling moves.. I don't seem to know my own strength when that adrenaline kicks in.

What I hate about college?

2009-11-16T07:41:00.000-08:00

I decided something about myself today, and about college. One of the strangest things I hate about college is that there are people as smart as me.. Maybe they aren't as smart as me, maybe they are smarter, but the thing that bugs me about this is that I absolutely HATE it when I'm not the first one done with a test. Now I know that how quickly you take a test is not a determining factor of the grade you will receive on said test, but throughout my life I have almost ALWAYS been the first person in every class to be done with any standardized test.

In high school, unless I was in Charles or Kurt's class, I knew I would most likely get the highest grade on the test as well, no matter what the subject. But NOW, I found this semester that I can't even get in the top 10% of the class scores unless I actually STUDY(at least for some classes). And this bothers me because I spent the majority(by far) of my academic life coasting by and getting rewarded for it with high test results and personal pride/arrogance.

On my business law tests, I didn't study at all for the first two, and got awful scores.. There were probably many people who did worse than me, but there were LOADS who did better than me and that really made me mad. So on the 3rd test I crammed like MAD the day before the test and still only got an 85%. So for the past two days I've been cramming for the test I had to take this morning, and it was really nice to know the answers and be the 2nd person in class to turn it in. I am excited to see what my score was, and I'm fairly certain it was far better than my previous 3.

At first I thought it was pretty foolish to care so much about being the first one done with a test. But then I decided that the good feeling I got from cramming and doing well is as close as I'll ever be to the feeling of studying hard and earning a good grade, so I've decided to ignore this weird obsession of mine in hopes it will inspire me to cram more often..

Maybe one day it will even force me to really study and pay attention in class...

Been a while

2009-11-05T09:38:00.000-08:00

I am behind on posting, pictures, videos, and everything else I like to do on the computer in my spare time..
I need to really get on top of it..

soon

Check out my llama video

School

2009-09-28T08:31:00.000-07:00

Well, I can't believe I'm taking mid-term tests right now. Though I seem to dread school more and more each semester, it does seem to go much quicker each time. The fact that it is already FALL completely amazes me! I may lose my mind when winter comes(just because it feels like winter was JUST BARELY HERE) I didn't take advantage of the lake this summer as I should have, but hopefully next summer will be prime lake season. (mostly since I will be married and no longer having to try to Woo girls, Cassie and I can just go places and not have to worry about sleeping arrangements or anything silly like that.

I was supposed to have spent this hour studying for a test I have to take later today, but instead I spent most of the hour researching treasure hunting stories on the internet, and wondering why Kanab has all of the treasure legends.

HDR Photography

2009-08-28T21:20:00.000-07:00

I have recently put my mind to learning how to make HDR (high dynamic range) with my camera/computer. I have always been fond of such images, and figured I hadn't the knowledge, nor the technology to make them myself. But alas, I have figured it out, and will provide you with a sample or two. Keep in mind that these are my first images, so they are a bit rough. Also, the content is less than desirable because I wanted to take HDR more than I wanted to find something interesting to photograph, so these pictures were taken either from my car on the way to dinner, or from my front porch.
Let me know what you think of my images.. I hope to take some actually interesting photos tomorrow and so hopefully I'll soon have a better gallery.
Enjoy..

Flickr

2009-08-24T19:44:00.000-07:00

Go to my flickr page... No one ever comments:(
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jaceburgess/

Remember the Sky Hook?

2009-08-11T15:00:00.000-07:00

Since marrying a basketball player, I've spent some time in the gymnasium messing around with a basketball. The thing I've noticed most about basketball, is how completely sick the sky hook is. The problem with the "current" NBA, is that too few players utilize this attack. I'd just like to dedicate this post to Kareem, Bird, Magic, and the few other players whose arsenal of hook's are what made them into the legends we know. Here's a few shots..

How to shoot over Michael Jordan?
The HOOK

Oh Kareem..

One of the few new hook shots.. See how it works even against two defenders? Too bad Yao doesn't have the same pizazz that Kareem employed.. The almost transparent Larry Bird

What's Wrong with this Picture?

2009-07-13T10:13:00.000-07:00

As many of you know, we have recently sent out our wedding invitations. We took our photos at the old ghost town FRISCO (near milford.) It was later brought to my attention that a GRAFFITI PENIS made its way into one of the photos declaring our love. See if you can spot it! And NOOO this was not done on purpose, though I almost wish it was.

Belief in God and Belief in Global Warming

2009-06-21T23:54:00.000-07:00

I am currently sitting at work, bored as anything since it is 1am and no one has even walked through the lobby at the Holiday Inn Express in about 2 hours. I started watching a few youtube videos, and ended up reading pages of comments(like I said I'm bored).
Man people's comments are ridiculous sometimes. People with screen names like, "Jesus Saves" are saying things I wouldn't repeat under any circumstances. The Democrat/Republican debate found on the comment pages of youtube is probably the most ignorant on-going conversation in the history of verbal or printed communication. I even find myself commenting from time to time(even though I say I won't) because oftentimes I'll stumble upon something too ridiculous to leave untouched.
Since all great ideas come while you are working(I guess your brain works best when you tell it not to), a great thought struck me that needs discussing.
As a christian, especially as a conservative American christian, I am often embarrased of people that hold my same ideals. At the same time, I am often embarrased of how others treat American christians, so I guess it is a two-way street. The main thought I've been mulling over is the similarities between a belief in God, and a belief in Global Warming. (for all of you who don't know me, I personally maintain a belief in God, but not much of a belief in Global Warming caused by human-driven Co2 emissions) But fundamentally, I believe these two beliefs to be very similar and worth comparing.

First, the similarities...
1. Both are prominant political issues
2. Both require a certain level of devotion in order to live in harmony with their individual "ideals"
3. Both cause people to become abnormally defensive whilst discussing, making it difficult to see eye to eye with "non-believers"
4. Neither is possible to indisputably prove. (no matter what any "scientist" or "prophet" may claim)
5. Both seem to posess a need to "spread the faith" to others
6. Both are backed with endless propaganda/scare tactics to persuade the general public
7. Both are founded upon good intentions
8. Both have self-appointed spokespeople from Al Gore to Billy Graham
9. Both are occasionally prostituted to serve some ulterior motive
10. Belief in God doesn't hinder a belief in global warming in any way, and vice versa.

Now for the differences
1. Belief in God (in America) has been labled an "at-home hobby" while Global Warming is entering into school curriculum with increasing urgency.
2. It seems the two major political parties have chosen their "favorite" of the two faiths, with Republicans selecting the bible and the Democrats siding with the EPA
(this of course is a complete generalization, and is mentioned only to show the emphasis each party gives to the argument) Also, with today's political yes-men, both parties are claiming both faiths while erasing specifics of either.
3. Believers in Global Warming want to tax me for driving a truck (haha, cheap shot I'm sorry)

What does this mean?
The purpose for this post is just to find common ground between the two faiths. Not to persuade either to believe anything other than tolerance. My problem with Global Warming, isn't that I think it is ridiculous(because I don't think we should be wasteful or destructive, but who decides how much is too much?) My problem is that just like religion has gone through spells of control, and of being controlled, I feel that Global Warming is becoming a controlling entity that will limit my ability to "disbelieve it."
Just like creationism versus evolution, I believe we should be able to believe either theory since you can't really prove anything in this world.
I'll admit that this comparison has helped me actually see the other side of the argument, because before I compared it to my own faith, I often ridiculed believers of Global Warming just for their beliefs. This is wrong. I am still completely against the idea that I should be taxed for something I don't even believe is true, and will speak my mind whenever the opportunity presents itself. But I'm in no way opposed to people driving their own hybrid cars and conserving gasoline in any way that doesn't stop me from living as i see fit.
Interesting Video
http://www.garagetv.be/video-galerij/blancostemrecht/The_Great_Global_Warming_Swindle_Documentary_Film.aspx
Interesting Article
http://newsbusters.org/blogs/matthew-balan/2009/01/06/cnn-s-lou-dobbs-belief-global-warming-almost-religion

Rumors...

2009-05-13T09:39:00.000-07:00

You may have heard that Miss Cassie Platt and I are to be wed on July 25th, 2009!!
Just thought I'd let everyone know, and if you'd like an invitation, I suggest you email your address to jaceburgess@gmail.com
Here is a picture or two!

We'll Start to Worry When the Cynics Start Believing

2009-04-10T23:16:00.000-07:00

The problem with entertainment is this...
In the right mood, I could hate or love any movie/book/story. I am a habitual cynic when it comes to ANYTHING at ALL in this world, and I find my first reaction to something new is almost always that of distaste. Everything is always "pandering to a certain viewer that I find ridiculous." This goes for politics, entertainment, and even day-to-day goings on around campus.
This isn't something I am proud of, nor do I mention it to boast. I think it is often childish, since it is always easy to criticize.. But at the same time, I do honestly feel that my instincts are very accurate, even if they are childish.
This leads me to my point..
When I watch something in a cynical mood, I will hate it. It could be the most amazing, touching, thoughtful, intellectual, interesting piece of work ever created, but if my mood is sour, then I'll think it to be rubbish. The same is also common when I'm in a good mood, or a sentimental mood! I'll watch the most ridiculous movie and be miraculously "moved" by its content.
The question is, are we all like this? Is my innate cynical sense mine alone?
I would bet that most people would agree on entertainment if we could simply view it without emotionally prejudiced eyes.
This isn't a blog about how to achieve this, (I wish I knew), but more of an epiphany I had this evening while watching The Singles Ward. I never liked it before, but I REALLY enjoyed it this evening.. Perhaps this is because I'm in a similar place in life to those in the film. But whatever the reason may be, I really need to take fewer grains of salt in with the world around me.
The problem with giving EVERYTHING the benefit of the doubt, is that some things really are awful. I don't want to hold that "kindergarten teacher" mentality that EVERYTHING ANYBODY makes is AMAZING!! I think that kind of reaction fuels mediocrity while doing away with incentives for superior creation. But I think if I were a kindergarten teacher, I'd hoard "fuel" from everyone when I'm feeling cynical, and splash it out liberally when I'm in a random mood.
Moral of the story, I'd make a crappy kindergarten teacher.

Spring Break

2009-04-07T21:35:00.000-07:00

It has been a while since my last post, and this one won't be long I'm afraid.
Just wanted to post a video of our spring break in Phoenix.. It was great!!!

I posted the video pretty large, so it may take a bit longer to boot up, but it will be WORTH IT!!
Enjoy!

What is it with Nigerians and internet fraud?

2009-03-17T21:49:00.000-07:00

We've all heard of Nigerian Bank scams.. But This week I became aware of yet another Nigerian scam because I WAS A VICTIM!! I google image searched my name JACE BURGESS, and this picture of me from my mission comes up, and underneath it is a website I've never heard of. It appeared to be an african site, so I assumed it had something to do with a newspaper article I wrote last summer when I worked for that newspaper in Ghana.
The site that came up was http://www.nwanebi.biz/ and it lists ME AS THE SECRETARY OF THE BUSINESS!!! The CEO is a man named Mcanthony that I met in London on my mission. And the picture of me is a picture I took with him and his wife on the day I left the area, (but he cropped it out to make me look secretarial..) So I emailed their contact email address and said I'd press charges and do whatever possible to make them erase me from their site. I just hope I am just on the website, I'm scared I'm mentioned in their other "paperwork" as the actual secretary of the company. I honestly hate stuff like this, and it diminishes my faith in people's innate sense of integrity. Luckily I'm on spring break in Phoenix with my girlfriend and two solid buddies, so I can't let this get me down..

March? Are You Serious?

2009-03-02T13:27:00.000-08:00

I had a bit of a revelation yesterday whilst sitting in Stake Conference. Cassie and I were dating LAST Stake Conference!! That is crazy to me, because time has been flying so dang fast!
Now that basketball is over for Cassie(at least for a while) I'm sure time will fly by even faster!!
We are headed to Phoenix in 12 days for spring break, and I am SO excited!!
I am selling my Ducati (if I can find a buyer who'll pay what I want that is)
Summer-Fever is gaining a powerful stranglehold on my life for sure, and I'm not sure how I'll cope on Thursday when Cassie and I drive to Lake Powell to take pictures for our photography class. I may just have a come-apart and jump in the 40 degree water!
I can't believe how fast time goes when you are happy!!
Love it...

New

2009-02-20T14:24:00.000-08:00

I wish I could see how other people think! My entire life, I have always wondered how different people react to similar things. The problem with this train of thought is that no matter what, I'll never really get a good answer. Even if we talk to different people about how we see things, we'll never really see the world through their eyes.
It makes me angry/confused when I sit and really think about the state our Country is in. I'm not just talking about the economy, or the war, or any other single problem. I hate how there are only two political philosophies, and no matter what anyone claims, they will fall completely into one of those two categories when you weigh it all out. Are there fundamentally only two types of people in this world? That's a depressing thought.
Maybe I was too black and white.
There are people in the republican party that I can't stand. As a republican, these surely means that we don't feel the same on EVERY topic. Take former President Bush for example... (Not that I'm a very anti-Bush individual. He's simply the more recent and obvious example.) He was not a conservative man. He spent so much money on everything from The War to Medicaid. That always bothered me. Maybe I'm a heartless person, but the war in Iraq always bothered me economically, but doesn't really bother me morally. (Maybe because I truly believe our intentions are wholesome enough.)
Now we have President Obama. So far, he has decided to spend more than any president ever dreamed in his first year in charge. Now comes the moral dilemma. If his spending will help save the economy, am I ok with the fact that it Robin Hood's a few people to save others from their financial problems? Is it ok to require a few who aren't in trouble, to "bail out" others who are in a tough spot?
I like to think of it as if there were two teams, a red team and a blue team. The blue team reached a point where it had a lot of money, whether earned or inherited it is impossible to divide. The red team, on the other hand, has significantly less money for reasons also impossible to decipher. (the only reason I'm setting it up this way is to illustrate my moral dilemma later on, so bear with me) So the time comes where the red team is really struggling, and unless somehow rectified, it will significantly and negatively effect the blue team. Now, does the government have the right to come in and loot the blue team for the good of the red?(which would also benefit the blue in long run, but ONLY if successful) I'm still undecided on this. Because I know instinctively I would say it isn't fair to take from one group and give to another, no matter what either of their personal circumstances may be. And I still believe this practice to be unfair. BUT, the thing that keeps me confused, is the question of, "what else can we do?"
I'd really like someone to answer this for me.. haha

Best Albums

2009-02-14T01:28:00.000-08:00

I know you have all been wondering what albums shaped me into the Jace Burgess you all know and love. Well here is a list or two! I have often thought about and revised these lists. I know the genres or labels that I give to these bands will cause some of you grief, but I guess you'll have to deal with it. If it really bothers you, I recommend you delete all of the headings and just view it as a bunch of good CDs! I also apologize for the many "greatest hits" albums included. I realize it is pretty lame to list greatest hits in the best albums list, but they are the ones I had growing up. It is very hard to make a list that doesn't change every time I listen to music, but here is my best effort!

My Top Punk/Pop-Punk/Emo Cds (kind of in this order, but not very accurate at times)

Blink-182:Dude Ranch
Green Day:Dookie
Alkaline Tri0:From Here to Infirmity
MxPx:Slowly Going the way of the Buffalo
The Ataris:Blue Skies, Broken Hearts
No Use for a Name:Hard Rock Bottom
New Found Glory:Self-Titled Album
The Offspring:Americana
Strung Out:Exile in Oblivion
Green Day:Nimrod
No Use for a Name:More Betterness!
Saves the Day:Stay What You Are
Park:No Signal
AFI:The Art of Drowning
Alkaline Tri0:Good Mourning
Blink 182:Enema of the State
The Offspring:Ixnay on the Hombre
Eve6:Horrorscope
Yellowcard:Ocean Avenue
Bad Astronaut:Acrophobe
Lagwagon:Blaze
Midtown:Living Well is the Best Revenge
Midtown:Save the World, Lose the Girl
Alkaline Trio:Crimson
Fenix TX:Lechuza
Zebrahead:Playmate of the Year
The Starting Line:With Hopes of Starting Over
The Starting Line:Say it Like You Mean it
Something Corporate:Leaving Through the Window
Rufio:Perhaps, I Suppose
Rise Against:Revolutions Per Minute
Rise Against:Siren Song of the Counter Culture
Relient K:The Anatomy of Tongue in Cheek
NOFX:Punk in Drublic
The Juliana Theory:Emotion is Dead
Jimmy Eat World:Bleed American
Hawk Nelson:Smile, It's the End of the World
Green Day:Insomniac

(oh man, I was just going to do a TOP 5 but I got a bit carried away)

My Top Screamo Albums:

The Used: Self-Titled Album
Senses Fail:Let it Enfold You
Taking Back Sunday:Tell All Your Friends
Thrice:The Arist in the Ambulance
Finch:What it is to Burn
Thursday:Full Collapse
Thrice:The Illusion of Safety
Senses Fail:From the Depths of Dreams
Brand New:Your Favorite Weapon

My Top Ska Albums:

Less Than Jake:Hello Rockview
Catch 22:Keasbey Nights
Mad Caddies:Just One More
The Aquabats:The Return of the Aquabats
Mad Caddies:Rock the Plank
Less Than Jake:Anthem
Flogging Molly:Drunken Lullabies

My Top Butt-Rock Albums

Guns N' Roses:Appetite for Destruction
Bon Jovi:Crossroad
Def Leppard:Vault
Van Halen:Best of Van Halen, Vol. 1
Journey:Greatest Hits
Aerosmith:Big Ones
Aerosmith:Nine Lives
Poison:Look What the Cat Dragged In
Ratt:Out of the Cellar
Motley Crue:Shout at the Devil
Monster Ballads(haha)
Queen:Greatest Hits: I&II

My Top 80's Pop Albums

Chicago:Greatest Hits:1982-1989
Sting:Fields of Gold
U2:Best of 1980-1990
Bryan Adams:So Far, So Good
Toto:IV
Air Supply:Love Songs
Duran Duran:Greatest
Genesis:Self-Titled Album

My Top Alt-Pop-Rock Albums (Mostly 90's)

Counting Crows:This Desert Life
Third Eye Blind:Self-Titled Album
Counting Crows:August and Everything After
The Cranberries:No Need to Argue
Alanis Morissette:Jagged Little Pill
Ben Folds:Rockin the Suburbs
Incubus:Make Yourself
Live:Throwing Copper
Our Lady Peace:Clumsy
Smashing Pumpkins:Siamese Dream
Third Eye Blind:Out of the Vein
The Wallflowers:Red Letter Days
Counting Crows:Hard Candy
Jack Johnson:Brushfire Fairytales
Black Crowes:Shake Your Money Maker
Bush:Sixteen Stone
Oasis:What's the Story Morning Glory
Oasis:Definately Maybe
Chumbawamba:Tubthumper
Coldplay:Parachutes
Collective Soul:7even Year Itch
Counting Crows:Films About Ghosts
Counting Crows:Recovering the Satelites
Third Eye Blind:Blue
Dave Matthews Band:Crash
Goo Goo Dolls:Dizzy Up the Girl
Goo Goo Dolls:Boy Named Goo
Matchbox 20:Yourself Or Someone Like You
Nine Days:The Madding Crowd
Nine Days:Flying the Corporate Jet
Pearl Jam:Rearview Mirror
Red Hot Chili Peppers:Californication
REM:Out of Time
Smashing Pumpkins:Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness
Sublime:Sublime
Ben Folds Five:Whatever and Ever Amen
Better Than Ezra:Friction Baby

My Top Country Albums

Blackhawk:Self-Titled Album
Brad Paisley:Mud on the Tires
Tim McGraw:Reflected
Tim McGraw:Everywhere
Garth Brooks:The Hits
Dixie Chicks:Wide Open Spaces
Collin Raye:Best of
Brad Paisley:Who Needs Pictures?
Rascal Flats:Feels Like Today
Taylor Swift:Self-Titled Album
Tim McGraw:Set This Circus Down

My Top TEN Albums of All-Time!!

Counting Crows:This Desert Life
Third Eye Blind:Self-Titled Album
The Beatles:ONE
Simon and Garfunkel:Essential
Counting Crows:August and Everything After
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers:Greatest Hits
Blackhawk:Self-Titled Album
Blink 182:Dude Ranch
Green Day:Dookie
The Ataris:Blue Skies, Broken Hearts

Unbelievable Nostalgia

2009-02-11T22:51:00.000-08:00

For those of you who served missions, I'm sure you can relate to this blog's sentiment. For anyone who didn't have the chance to live two years as a mormon spokesperson in other countries(or even other states) the best way I could explain "post-mission-nostalgia" is for you to find a part of your life that absolutely cannot happen again, (maybe a friend/relative you spent time with is now dead to you literally or emotionally... Or perhaps it is something like high school football because you know deep down you'll never be able to play real American Football again in this lifetime unless you are part of the .001% who go into the NFL.) But when I think of my mission I get absolutely fixed on the memories I had during my two years in England for hours on end, sometimes even DAYS!
The strange part is, even the parts I wasn't particularly fond of have become memories that I would pay to experience again. Companions that I never saw eye to eye with have been canonized in the happy reflection that my brain somehow held on to. Even though life right now is beyond amazing, and I love EVERYTHING that is going on in my life currently, I still feel that tinge of remorse because I know my mission is completely over and that there is nothing I could do to return! If I could live ONE part of my life over again, I would pick my mission in a heartbeat, and strangely enough I wouldn't want to change anything about it. It was such a combination of laughter, sorrrow, change, repetition, love, guilt, learning, diligence, anger, frustration, childishness, faith, discouragement and everything else there is to life, and it was blended and smeared across so many places, and more importantly so many different people that it is the most irreplaceable part of my entire life.
Now, I'm not near naive, or hopeless enough to elevate those two years above the rest of my entire life.. For I know that my future family and especially children will surely pave the way for a plethora of new experiences(good and bad) which will most likely last until the very end of my life. But I still feel that my mission will always be a very important part of who I am, and I am beyond thankful for the opportunity to spend at least a portion of my life in constant effort to help other people.
This nostalgia's tendency to only remember the good, has also introduced an interesting theory. I wonder if this is how I'll feel about my life after it is over and done with... I don't think I'd look at my mission the same way if I squandered my time there and didn't give my service the effort and care required to make it special. I worked very hard my entire mission to be obedient to my purpose and diligent in my efforts... If I wasted it all then I think I'd have more regret than anything when I considered my time as Elder Burgess. At the end of my life, I hope I feel the same way about my time on Earth as I now do about my mission.. That bittersweet feeling of accepting a new stage of life while trying to give the honor and recognition that my former stage deserves... If, after this life, I am off to bigger and better things, (whatever they may be) I'm sure I'll still miss my mortal life in some way. No matter how "grand" things may become. And I hope it feels like the post-mission life, which makes me look at ALL of it with fondness. I hope I remember only positive things about all people, and I hope I can recall VIVIDLY the funny, happy, and even sad stories of my life with every detail. I hope life up there isnt' so different from that down here that I can't get together with old friends, and reminisce until tears of laughter fill my eyes. I really had quite an epiphany tonight as I considered the similarities of my mission and my entire life. Both were choices I made in faith, without any real experience that could prepare me for what was coming. Both contained numerous positive and negative experiences, and while the negative were probably greater in number, the positive engulfed the negative so often that I had every reason to smile all day long. Both cause time to appear both endless and too short, simultaneously. Both bring us into contact with thousands of people, most of which want nothing to do with us, yet the few who do mean more than their weight in gold. Both introduce hundreds of "grey area" choices each day that force us to use our best judgement. Both are packed with time we can use to either better ourselves, or to simply be squandered. But mostly, both my mission and my life are simply a series of choices that are in some way aligned with my moral compass, and the consequences for each and every choice I make shapes my character to be closer to the person I want to be, or closer to the person it takes less effort to be. But almost every part of this life can be laughed at.. That is one of my favorite lessons learned on the streets of London.

What do you Think?

2009-02-06T09:08:00.000-08:00

Well, I think these are my final frame photos (is that alliteration if the last one is a ph?) But anyways, please leave a comment telling me what you think!! Still vote on the other pics!

I Need Your Help!!

2009-02-05T11:18:00.001-08:00

Please Vote On Your Favorite Image of the 3!!
Image #1
(Check "FUNNY" Next To "REACTION")Image #2
Check "Interesting" Next To "Reaction"

Image #3
Check "Cool" Next To "Reaction"

Place your vote based on the idea, not the details. I photoshopped these in about 2 minutes so the frame has some gross parts that I'll erase when I decide to actually focus on one of the images. Also, I'm 90% sure I'll end up taking a new photo for the final edition, so if you have ideas about what I should do next time leave them in the comments section!!
Cheers,
Jace Burgess

Short Update

2009-01-28T11:31:00.000-08:00

I have class in 20 minutes so this is going to be a short Update of Jace Burgess' LIFE!!

I am in school again, but loving my classes 100 x's more than I did last semester!
I am dating a girlfriend MOST WONDERFUL named Cassie Platt (yes she is better at bball than me)
I've got a severe case of SUMMER-itis.. I dream in shades of Lake Powell water, and start most sentences with, "i can't wait until this summer" or "In May..."
I have re-established my love of The Office (particularly season 3)
I am going to be setting up some recording equipment/software in my room to help with my goal of releasing an acoustic cd before the end of this year
Lost is back on (starting TONIGHT!!)
I put on about 37 pounds last semester.. I am now engaged in a battle of calories (both of intake and the burning thereof) which has thus far rendered me the victor! (lost 14 lbs so far)
I started swimming laps on monday... Needless to say I've little hope of becoming the next Michael Phelps.. I SUCK!!
I am enjoying my Photography class!!
I just read the ERAGON trilogy. I enjoyed it for the most part, but regret to inform you all that it is NO HARRY POTTER!! (PS, DON'T WATCH THE ERAGON MOVIE!!! TERRIBLE!!)

That is basically what is going on in my life.
I'm really going to try and post more in the future..

Jace Burgess - Republican

COMPUTER DONE!!

2009-01-09T18:06:00.000-08:00

My computer in my room is FINALLY up and running, with high speed internet and everything solid that a computer should have. So expect updates! But it is friday night and I have partying to do. Farewell

Teachers Unions

2008-12-09T07:09:00.001-08:00

I have officially written one of the worst papers EVER to be graced with my name in the header. I had such a strong passion for my topic, plenty of time, and all other variables were surely in my favor to write something to be proud of. The problem? A stupid idea. But just for the hell of it I'll post it, and you can all leave your feedback in comment form. This paper made me happy I changed my major to Finance.. haha
As if any of you want to read a long crappy paper.. haha

The Plead of the Educrat

Dear Barack Obama,

As a proud member of the National Education Association and as an American citizen, I feel an obligation towards writing you, a fellow pro-unionist, regarding the education of our great nation. The teachers unions have a lot to lose if people wake up to the many flaws of public education, and we have a $65 million dollar headquarters to uphold. You have carved an effective mantra in the eyes of voters as a man of change and progression; but I hope your ideas will keep you off the toes of the often-ferocious teachers unions and those who support them. Your changes need to protect and promote the unions that protect and promote the average worker. You could even adopt the mentality, save our ass, save America’s ass. I would strongly encourage a prayerful study of the following admonition with its accompanying legislation.

There are three heinous misunderstandings arising throughout the general public that pose a threat to the progress we have sought in our public school system. The most important threat being school choice vouchers, and the idea that our current monopolized system must be broken up to allow competition and capitalism’s invisible hand to improve education. Just because capitalism has proven effective in all other industries, doesn’t mean it will help public education. The second threat deals with the archaic notion that what we learn is more important than how we learn, which of course is a sly way of keeping technology out of the classroom and our children in the dark. After all, our teachers have spent their educational careers learning how to teach, rather than learning concepts of any importance o they are incapable of teaching anything but “the latest method.” And finally, the last of the fore-stated difficulties is that our penny-pinching taxpayers want results without providing the adequate funding necessary for progression. The media has supported these foolish opinions, and even villanized people like myself by calling us names. We’re being constantly ripped apart in the editorial section, “What is an educrat? … A special kind of person in the education world: pinheads who are so process-oriented that they are more excited in the process of learning than the myriad wonders that can be learned.” (Saunders). We can see the general shift against America’s unions painted across every headline from Detroit to New York. People are blaming unions for Detroit’s ills, but unions caused the failing auto industry about as much as it is our fault educational is doing so poorly. This juvenile union bullying is afflicting our efficiency as innovators in education advancement.

The only solution possible is fortitude. We are confident in the system we have grown to control, and the less you try to interfere the better we’ll all be. As we know irrational change wastes time and money, neither of which our students and taxpayers can afford to lose. Seeing as we are the gurus of effective reform, we have provided you with a 3-pronged legislation entitled No Teachers Union Left Bankrupt (Schmidl) as a springboard for your actions as president.

You will find No Teachers Union Left Bankrupt is in accordance with your own agenda as stated on your website, “Obama and Biden will reform NCLB … also improve NCLB’s accountability system so that we are supporting schools that need improvement, rather than punishing them” (Barackobama.com). This amendment will give more money to schools that fail, hopefully bridging the gap between successful and unsuccessful schools until they are all somewhere in the middle; which is where true equality is found. This legislation will eradicate the possibilities of school choice vouchers, thus keeping our stranglehold on the public school system without losing precious tax funding. With the vouchers out of the way, we’ll be able to focus more on reform and keep our promise to USA TODAY. “With the exception of school vouchers, ‘no issue should be off the table.’” (Toppo). No Teachers Union Left Bankrupt will also give more federal funding to organizations like the National Center for Education Statistics, and the National Assessment of Educational Progress to improve their union censored research and promote our agenda through scientific research that agrees with our stances.

School choice vouchers are indeed the biggest threat to our progression as a country since the great depression. They are evil. The Friedman Foundation is comparable to Al-Qaeda when you consider how perverse their ideology can be; especially when they spread their poisonous propaganda through the biased media, specifically over the Internet. Their research is deplorably biased, not to mention the fact that they obviously care more for academic performance than they do for race and gender demographics. Can you imagine how many private schools would pop up in rural America, especially Wyoming, Utah and Idaho that were predominately white and Christian? Their intention is not to let competition control education, but rather to undercut public school prices with their own product. Washington DC is a perfect example of this cutthroat economic tactic, where the District’s spending per-pupil is over $10,000. Their “ideal” voucher plan would ask only $5,000, a price that sounds too good to be true, so it must be (Friedman). Allowing vouchers to pull students from public schools would be like allowing people to walk away from a brand new office building, (like perhaps our $65 million dollar headquarters) just because it is structurally unsound and potentially hazardous (Lofton). It is always appealing to take the easy way out, but hardly patriotic. America should have the most powerful public school system in the world, but how can we achieve that if our best and brightest are stolen and placed into private schools? If our system is flawed, we need to evaluate and spend appropriately until it is better.

The educrat vs. educator debate has gotten out of hand. It is imperative that we persuade the National Assessment of Educational Progress to include studies on “proven” teaching methods. It isn’t all about teaching a student to read; students must feel good about reading. It isn’t about helping students learn important material such as math and English skills, it is about helping students with their home life problems. Teachers should spend more time discussing gender awareness, and racial diversity should be mandatory in every classroom. If we want our children to compete in a technology-fueled world, they need to be well versed in how to use a computer, not so much in how they use their brain. In my perfect world, I would buy every k12 student a new laptop every 3 years. Utopian society is our aim, and if we could only embrace a few ideals, our society would be greatly improved. We can’t be so hung up on the “here and now” when “what COULD BE” is a much brighter option. Contrary to the capitalist belief, there is no such thing as a bad/incompetent teacher, only unmotivated and underpaid teachers. Which is why it is ridiculous to believe there should be competition and the firing of teachers just to improve output. Schools may have the purpose to teach, but is it the teachers fault if students don’t learn? Of course not! Our appointed scientists prove our methods.

While it is obvious to myself and the rest of the NEA, in order to achieve results we simply need more money. Facilities need to be newer, and extra-curricular options need to be as up-to-date as we can possibly supply. The American taxpayer can complain that they want results until the cows come home, but unless they want to fork out the green it is hardly their right to complain. Sure we already receive billions every year, and an estimated 3 cents per every tax dollar paid, we really need double what we are currently receiving in order to keep up with our spending (Fcnl.org). Private schools may offer “better results” for less money, but that goes against common sense and human logic. We all know getting our legislation to pass costs money. Getting teachers unions to support your cause and fight the opposition with our extreme lobbying power doesn’t come cheap you know! Beyond this, if we allowed vouchers for private schools, they would make our government owned public schools look awfully foolish for spending like we do without results. If people saw facts like this one, taken from a study done at families.com, we’d be in real trouble. The truth is,

“Most private schools, charter schools, home schools, and everything in between, generally spend at least $1,000 less per student than do public schools. Some of this is due to the sheer volume of public schools. But the gap is so large, that the fact still remains that many 'alternatives' do a better job educating students for less money.” (Delp)

The fact of the matter is this, we’ve created a spending monster, and if the public finds out about it, you will be to blame as much as we are. But if we play our cards right, continue to beg for tax dollars, and keep vouchers under wraps we’ll be able to keep above water for another year. People care about their children and that is just the emotional attachment we can bank on. They may complain, but no good parent is going to sacrifice their child’s future in order to save a few dollars in taxes.

I will admit there could be positive aspects to the voucher system. For parents always have more say in what goes on in a private organization than they ever will in the public schools, but that is what gives us the freedom we need to run the organization. And while it has yet to be proven, many still believe Milton Friedman’s opinion “that market competition, through incentives, is the best—and only effective-course for reforming public schools”(Catanzaro). The fact that vouchers could do well, is yet another reason why we should of course STOP it from advancing. There are a lot of people behind the unions, and even more working for this mammoth government institution of education who stand to lose everything to a younger, more efficient opponent. The trick will be to find a public-friendly explanation that will make those Friedman indoctrinators run for the hills.

Multiple solutions will be needed in order to satiate the masses. There are many working tirelessly at the NEA to come up with the answers we can’t prove by real statistics or fact. The major cases we have are available on our website, and look like this. The educational case against vouchers is that

“Student achievement ought to be the driving force behind any education reform initiative. Americans want consistent standards for students. Where vouchers are in place -- Milwaukee, Cleveland, and Florida -- a two-tiered system has been set up that holds students in public and private schools to different standards.”

The social case, which appeals to peoples’ emotions, states that,

“A voucher lottery is a terrible way to determine access to an education. True equity means the ability for every child to attend a good school in the neighborhood. Vouchers were not designed to help low-income children. Milton Friedman, the “grandfather” of vouchers, dismissed the notion that vouchers could help low-income families, saying ‘it is essential that no conditions be attached to the acceptance of vouchers that interfere with the freedom of private enterprises to experiment.’ A pure voucher system would only encourage economic, racial, ethnic, and religious stratification in our society. America’s success has been built on our ability to unify our diverse populations.”

And finally the legal case which attempts to attack the religious aspect, which always goes down favorably when it comes to matters of the state.

“About 85 percent of private schools are religious. Vouchers tend to be a means of circumventing the Constitutional prohibitions against subsidizing religious practice and instruction.” (Smith)

By incorporating these very effective emotional arguments, we should be able to appeal to the hearts of the people, since we don’t have the evidence to appeal to their intellect. This is our best course of action since economists care more for results than they do for the bleeding hearts of concerned Americans. After all, what good are skills if we don’t feel good about ourselves?

In conclusion, you simply must see the problem from our perspective. Vouchers will cut public education funding, making it hard for us to keep up with our many lobbying ventures. While we are currently involved in a recession, we need our fair share of tax dollars in order to keep afloat, if not an increased amount than we’re currently getting. Our legislation No Teachers Union Left Bankrupt must pass in order to keep our grasp on the public sector of education in this country. A union must have power in order to help the workers, and the vouchers would cut our political power in half, and you surely can understand that since your “power” as an individual has increased tenfold in the past 2 years. How would you feel if it was suddenly swept out from under your feet? You would no longer have the power to enact those ideas you had when you were powerless. We need increased funding to the National Center for Education Statistics and the National Assessment of Educational Progress in order to support our progress and uphold our entire cause. Without their backing we cannot justify the shifting of the public school’s focus from academic results to gender awareness and racial equality to the public. We still simply need more money to achieve these ideas. Lobbying is a very expensive job, and without the proper monetary incentives, I fear our agenda wouldn’t be considered with the attention it deserves. We also need more money for each student and each teacher, since it is they who support us and give us money to keep threatening legislation off the table. Now is the perfect time to strike up a pro-union agenda, since the death of Milton Friedman has left the supporters of vouchers without a unified leader. If we can place enough obstacles in their path by way of minor laws and paperwork, they will eventually give up the fight. I hope you can see through the eyes of the NEA, and support this crucial cause. With all of the money we have thrown at education, it is in your best interest to keep funding us until we either rejoice together, or go down with the ship.

I realize this letter was riddled with repetition, my own self-interest, biased factual evidence, agenda-fulfilling legislation, and was generally long-winded and unnecessary wordy. But these are the traits of the educrat, and pushing through bureaucratic nonsense is your curse for the next 4-8 years, so consider this page one of many. You’ll soon learn just to read the first paragraph and the conclusion, before moving on to more important things. Good luck, and remember the NEA is watching…

Sincerely,

Perry Schmidl

I need to post more!

2008-12-02T13:45:00.001-08:00

I'd really like to start posting more often, but that idea will most likely have to wait until after finals week.
Here is a quick list of things I've recently found enjoyable: (so you all can change your lives to be in accordance with mine in an effort to achieve that ever elusive "cool")

Hawk Nelson(and other christian pop-punk bands)
Kool-Aid (I found some in the cupboard at work and I've been mixing it up.. )
The idea that school is ALMOST OVER!!
My girls basketball ritual of a hot pretzel at half time!
Pandora.com
My new Telephoto lens for my digital SLR! I want to buy a fisheye soon too!
Guns, more specifically my new Ruger .45 Auto!
Having dual monitors to my computer in my room, and wiring on across my room and on my night stand so I can view films while falling asleep!
Great things going on right now, but will be even BETTER after next Thursday at 3:00pm. Then I'll be DONE WITH SCHOOL!!!

Sheesh

2008-11-09T13:43:00.000-08:00

I need to write a 10 page paper which uses humor and satire to paint a gruesome picture of personal debt in the USA. I think it could be fun, but I have procrastinated far too long, and now it feels a little overwhelming, and I get the feeling I won't write anything to hang on the fridge.
I did find a cool article from business week today that made me happy..
http://www.businessweek.com/smallbiz/content/nov2008/sb2008117_260182.htm?chan=smallbiz_smallbiz+index+page_top+small+business+stories

Making lemonade!!

Also, there was a cool one from the economist about utah

http://www.economist.com/world/unitedstates/displaystory.cfm?story_id=12480476

But I need to find 8 more sources to use in my paper, so I better get to work. If anyone has anything funny to say about debt, haha, throw it my way.

haha

2008-11-05T12:59:00.001-08:00

So, upon leaving school today, I noticed a piece of paper on my windshield.
it said,
CONGRATULATIONS! You are the first victim on crappyparking.blogspot.com
haha
so i went there, and there is a pic of my truck..but to be honest, it wasn't THAT bad of a parking job..
check it out.haha

Barack, Barack..... Barack Obama (great song, ask the Ghanaians)

2008-11-05T07:31:00.000-08:00

Boyish and young
Angry for change
Racially different
Albeit the same
Clinton he isn't
K.O.'d McCain
Off with a bang
Believes Brother Wright
A Muslim he ain't
Michelle is his wife
A damn shame....

That being said, I noticed this election that I need to change a few things about my opinions.. When I first heard the news, my knee-jerk reaction was "I hope he screws up so everyone sees what a mistake this was." But when I thought about that, I ruled it exceptionally childish, and I now hold a very different view. There is no changing the election now, so I will deal with it as it comes, but I hope he does well. Not for the sake of Obama's name, but more because I want things to get better for myself and the country. I will say this though, if he does well, I'll support him. If he does poorly, I'll try and give him the benefit of the doubt as I tried to give President Bush. I stuck up for Bush for a lot of things that I didn't fully "support" with all my heart, and it is always easy to criticize. If Obama makes a few mistakes, I'm not going to rub every Democrats face in it, though it will decide my vote for 2012.. haha.
I hope I can stick to this, because the Bush era was annoying for Republicans.. I don't want to retaliate with the same propaganda..

Filler

2008-10-31T14:37:00.000-07:00

since it has been a while since I posted anything, I decided to start things off with some filler.. enjoy

10 YEARS AGO I...
1. hung out with kevin higbee and kory shipp every day
2. listened to more MXPX, BLINK182, and GREENDAY than most people would consider healthy

5 THINGS ON TODAY'S TO DO LIST...
1. Acquire a gun to take to the cabin
2. Think of good Cabin ideas..
3. Buy new lens for my camera
4. forget everything i learned throughout the week
5. take a half hour nap!!

5 THINGS I WOULD DO IF I WERE A MILLIONAIRE...
1. Travel
2. umm... buy a truck with a little more balls? haha
3. buy a house, but continue to live with my parents.. haha ...
4. life probably wouldn't change much.. i hardly work, and i'm super cool..... money can't add or take away from that..

5 PLACES I HAVE LIVED...
1. Cedar City UT
2. Laie Hawaii
3. South East London (Woolwich, Lewisham, Peckham, Croydon)
4. Bristol (Clifton and Portishead)
5. Accra Ghana

5 JOBS I HAVE HAD...
1. Housekeeper (Bed Fairy)
2. Gas Station Clerk
3. Motel Clerk
4. Head Number Imputer(current..haha)
5. Zion Plumbing.. (local bad-a)

Powell-tastic

2008-09-22T08:27:00.001-07:00

I love lake powell..
Absolutely love it

EDWARD=BIG FAT GAY

2008-09-10T09:08:00.001-07:00

So, after completing book number 4 in the Twilight series last night, I've come to a few factual conclusions...
1-Edward is a big fat gay
2-The ending was the absolute worst ending I've ever seen in a book... EVER!!
3-I feel less imaginative/creative/happy having read the books
4-Jacob became a big fat wussy pedophile!!
5-Bella is an absolute black hole of intelligence, confidence, or any other attractive feminine quality.
6-Did Stephanie Meyers really think ANYONE would believe Alice wasn't coming back to save the day? Talk about the worst diversion imaginable.
7-There was absolutely zero tragedy involved throughout this entire book. It was all sunshine and rainbows, even at the height of the conflict. Never did you doubt for one second that it would end well for all of the Cullens, and the werewolves/shapeshifters. Basically, every time a character is introduced that is remotely likable, you know for an absolute fact that nothing bad will happen to that person throughout the remainder of the book.
8-The fact that there was a chapter TITLED HAPPILY EVER AFTER!! (gave away the book from the table of contents on)
9-The ongoing competition between Edward and Jacob ENDED in the worst way. Rather than have one of them kill the other, which I would have enjoyed, Stephanie Meyer decided to try and give them BOTH the best possible scenario by giving Jacob "Bella Jr." And what about that part where Edward refers to Jacob as "SON"!?!!? Talk about complete horse crap.
10-What about that previous conflict between the different wolf packs? Oh, they just decided to resolve everything peacefully and forget all about it.
11-How about the fact that it described the various fighting powers of both sides for over a hundred pages, and then the entire fight scene blows over all diplomatically.
12-Now, I realize that this was a teen novel, and thus can't be filled with too many deep or traumatic scenes.... But honestly, girls who grow up reading this book will be VERY disappointed by life. VERY...

Arrgggg
Stupid books

Backpacking Jace Doll/Jolly Jack's

2008-08-11T11:35:00.001-07:00

This is the soon-to-be-marketed BACKPACKING JACE BURGESS DOLL! I really would like to backpack further, and there have been thoughts of a giant spring break trip, so look forward to that. I think it suits me personally..haha

This picture was taken outside of JOLLY JACK'S FIREWORKS!! We have 3 large boxes worth, so we decided it was worthy of a picture.. I LOVE that there was an American Flag in the background.. One of the greatest pictures ever taken
haha..
I love life

The Truck

2008-08-11T11:19:00.000-07:00

This post is dedicated to the tank that safely guided us from New York to Cedar City. We drove her mostly NON-STOP from thursday night to sunday night, stopping only for gas, DUBUQUE(hehe) and Dinner with chuck's uncle in slc. You may notice there is only room for 2 people in the cab, thus the reason for THE BAT CAVE! This also allowed us to drive non-stop, since we shifted around and slept in the cave. Jared build the amazing racks in the Lowe's parking lot in Saugerties New York, and we picked up the CNG tanks in ohio. The Bat Cave was the best, and this truck is a dear friend of mine now. haha

THE TRUCK

THE TRUCK AGAIN

The Bat Cave (not very safe or legal, but super awesome and quite drafty)

The inside of the BAT CAVE, packed with a cot, sleeping bag, pillows, multiple ipods, laptops, books, cosmic brownies and gatorade.

Big Apple

2008-08-06T23:09:00.000-07:00

Well, another day, another crazy adventure on the road. This morning we were really confused about where we would sleep tonight. We called everyone we could think of to find a place to crash, and scoured the net in search of some kind of hostel or similar form of cheap accommodation. We finally ran into Tori on couchsurfing.com who offered us her apartment for the evening.
We spent the rest of the day chilling in New York, and seeing the usual...Times Square, the Sweet Glass Apple(mac) store... We even splurged on the cheapest tickets they had for Phantom of the Opera. Overall, there are a lot of pretty girls in New York, but it really isn't for me. I hate places I don't feel completely safe walking the streets at night. But it is a rad place to visit, and I really enjoyed my stay here. Porter also paid Charles 20 bucks to run across the subway tracks, and people had a fit about it. haha. But we didn't get in any trouble so things are solid if you ask me. It was really funny.
Tomorrow we are going to kick it in NYC for a few more hours, hopefully take tori out to lunch, and go find our truck so we can hit the road. Life is so good when you make the most of it. And this trip is doing JUST that.
Carpe Diem

I took this pic for my friend Jane, since i found a little brazil street. I circled myself in paint so you can see me. haha

I think times square makes me look shorter and fatter than normal.. haha.. maybe i'm just shorter and fatter than i wish i was. haha dang

J-Smith Memorial

2008-08-04T06:22:00.001-07:00

So, in deciding what awesome activity we could get down with after church, we decided on a visit to the Joseph Smith Memorial. Solid idea for a Sunday afternoon if you ask me.

Our guide was solid, and we got to ride in a golf cart.

Not to mention we had an hour car ride both ways to rag on socialism and plan bank robberies in Sweden.. haha..

Joseph Smith is the man, I don't care what anyone says..

Vermont or umm.. bust?

2008-08-03T20:06:00.000-07:00

So, the other day I was chilling at Charles' house, stealing music off of his computer late at night, when all of a sudden, he asks me out of no where, "do you want to go to New York?"

To which I replied, "when?"

To which he stated, "Tomorrow"

To which I had no choice but to decide, "Of Course!"

So we stayed up very late packing, buying plane tickets, and trying to plan out what would surely be one of the greatest road trips of the summer.

Here is the layout(for we are still making up 80% of it as we go along)

Porter flew out the same time as we did on friday

Chuck and I flew to Vermont to stay with his sister and her husband.

Porter flew to ohio to pick up a large flat bed truck which he recently purchased via the net.

After a few days of chilling for chuck and I, and a few days building a frame on the back of the truck for porter, we will meet in New York City on tuesday morning, where we will enjoy ourselves for an undefined period of time. Porter has to pick up some giant gates for his parent's house which is the reason for the journey, we will then make our way across the continental united states towards Cedar City Utah, stopping where ever we see fit, and partying generously all the while.

There are only two seats in the truck, so we will be fashioning a 3rd out of a bean bag we will purchase from a local wal-mart.

The rest is all up to our sudden impulses, which are many.

Here are a few pics of the day or so we've spent in Vermont thus far.

What Have I Been Doing Lately?!?

2008-07-20T19:31:00.000-07:00

Living a crazy life.. that is what!
I'm currently working as a housekeeper/front desk clerk for the Cedar City Holiday Inn Express!
I moved to Anaheim California to work, but after a series of Unfortunate events, and one LONG-FREAKING motorcycle ride for nothing, I ended up back in Cedar City, Utah(God's Country)
Now I'm just hanging with my friends, making frequent appearances at the Cabin!!
And trying to write a childrens book before I start school again in August.
Here is a pic of two for you NON-READING bunch, so you too can revel in the live I've chosen for myself....

Mormon Sunday Afternoons.. haha

2008-07-07T09:08:00.000-07:00

The Reverend!

2008-07-07T08:25:00.000-07:00

My new 2007 Ducati Monster S2R

83 Miles on it!

Oi!

2008-06-17T03:23:00.000-07:00

Tuesday morning, 8:32 am, I sat in my work clothes staring out the window at the pounding rain. Debating whether my pointless job was worthy of getting my feet muddy, I noticed my new roommate had the Barrack Obama book.
I picked up the book to have a big fat peruse, when at page 30 I really decided it was more worth my time to walk to work.
This is my beef with politicians, (if you didn't already pick this up from the former post that no one commented on) Why do they always have a "holier than thou" approach to all campaigning?
Why is it, that between the fabric of Obama's chapter on Republicans and Democrats, were a hundred clever jabs at Republicans? It was ironic to read the reoccurring tune which both parties have adopted that sings the verse "why can't we get along?" before leading into the repeating chorus of "I'm right, they're wrong, I'm right, they're wrong!"
Meanwhile, I started into a minor discussion on the presidential election with my British roommate,(who is a really nice guy) Only to realize that I'm growing feathers from the parroting debates which I've argued every single day for the past 3 years! It is exhausting to be an American in foreign countries, which makes me want to practice isolationism and join those crazy people who want to quit the U.N. and meet weekly to discuss conspiracy theories.
So many people take a negative stance on government because it is so easy to criticize, that I feel like I'm constantly having to stick up for my home country to complete strangers.
The terrible part is, that I would just turn the other way if these strangers said nasty things about my personally, but I get so much more offended when they hate where I'm from. I think I need to learn to just let it go, but that wouldn't be very American of me. haha

I MARVEL at what is going on in Hollywood!!

2008-06-10T05:22:00.000-07:00

Ok, for all of you who happened to see IRONMAN, WASN'T IT AMAZING? Well, after seeing the stinger at the end of Ironman, I have been super excited/nervous about the prospect of an AVENGERS FILM!! After a bit of surfing the net, I have found the most incredible news the entertainment world has given me since the movie GLADIATOR. Not only are they building up to an EPIC Avengers movie, (set to be released July 2011) but they are also making films before then about the other avengers. Thor, Captain America, Nick Fury, as well as sequels to Ironman and most likely The Hulk, will pave the way for the most kick-ass movie of all time! THE AVENGERS! The best part is how they are all going to be slightly tied together before 2011, and will be using the same actors to play all of the characters. I read online at inentertainment.com that Samuel L. Jackson is going to be making a minor appearance in The Hulk, and a major one in IRONMAN 2, as the head of S.H.I.E.L.D.
I am very happy with the lineup chosen for the Avengers, (not the complete original, but who wants to see antman?)
THE part that has me most excited, is as follows...
When making a superhero movie, special effects are absolutely key. There was an amazing jump from the first spiderman and x-men, to the final films in those trilogies in special effects, as well as introduction of characters. The Avengers will be much like X-men, in that it has many diverse characters to include. However, unlike X-men, The Avengers will include characters that have already been established in their own films, and will therefore focus more on ACTION than on character development. Which makes me happy! Also, the fact that this film is 3 years away has given me hope that MUCH care and consideration will be put into using state of the art digital effects that will hopefully even put spiderman to shame.
I had my skepticism before seeing Ironman, but now, I'm all about being excited for the next 3 summers of SWEET Marvel Movies..

The following has been taken from Wikipedia
In August 2006, it was revealed by a stock market report that The Avengers was listed under Marvel films in development. It was later stated that Zak Penn, writer of the scripts for X2, X-Men: The Last Stand, and Elektra was to write the movie's script.[25]

Iron Man director Jon Favreau said he would like to direct a film adaptation of The Avengers. This would be a crossover series to other upcoming Marvel films such as The Incredible Hulk, Thor and Captain America. He also explained that Marvel has told him that "they're pretty clear on wanting to do it with the actors who’ve established the roles or to not do it at all." He continued, "I think it’s a good idea if you use the characters established in the other franchises that then come together for an event." [26]

In a report to shareholders on May 5, 2008, Marvel Entertainment announced the release dates for two planned Avenger movies. The First Avenger: Captain America (working title) is scheduled for May 6, 2011, followed by the The Avengers, which is scheduled for July 2011.[27]

The first reference to the Avengers is in the 2008 film Iron Man, when Nick Fury (played by Samuel L. Jackson) appears in a post-credits scene and speaks with Tony Stark about the "Avenger Initiative." In the following The Incredible Hulk (film), Tony Stark has a Cameo appearance in a scene with General Ross, while in Iron Man 2, Thor will have a cameo.[28]

And the rest has been taken from inentertainment.co.uk
Marvel comics have gave so much to children and adults over the years and thanks to Marvel Studios being formed in the late 1990s, we now get to see many good movies created from those timeless comics and with today’s special effects, they can be something special. The latest big hit is obviously Iron Man and after movie goers finished watching the film, they started to think about Iron Man 2, but if you look a little more down the road, you can get excited about a few other movies coming from Marvel Studios.

While Iron Man 2 has a release date of April 30, 2010, we are also hearing about some other movies and their release dates. Thor will be on June 4th 2010 and The First Avenger: Captain America has a date of May 6th 2011, but it’s the year of 2011 that looks like a real treat.

The Avengers has been given a date of July 2011, this movie will include some of the best characters, these will be Thor, Captain America, Incredible Hulk, and Iron Man. Can you imagine the special effects in 2011, mixed with all them characters…that will be a great movie to watch.

Politics?

2008-06-04T03:17:00.000-07:00

Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery. - Winston Churchill

I really enjoyed this quote, but the sad thing about politics, is that no one is ever right. One could probably find a quote just as witty, from an equally credible source that mocks capitalism. I think the debating of politics is necessary in certain situations, but as an American who has spent much of his time out of the country for the past 3 years, I'm TIRED of the same arguments! Whether Socialist or Capitalist, Democrat or Republican, left or right wing, there are terrible flaws in each and every one of them. Whether you hate George Bush because of the war, or hate him because everyone else does. Whether you love George Bush because of the war, or love him because everyone else hates him. Whether you believe CNN or Fox, BBC or daytime Talk Radio, you have to admit the subject has been unbelievably prostituted by the media in recent years. It seems both sides are so full of propaganda and mud slinging, that no one knows how to explain or achieve their own core values. Whether you think Obama is amazing because he's geared for change, or because he's black, or because he's got big ideas, or you hate him because he is all talk, or because he's black, or because he'll have to tax and spend until we're Australia. I'm so sick of the same conversations I have to force myself through each time someone brings up Washington.
And while every day it is something new we are arguing, it is really the same argument. Someone said something, did something, is something, that we are completely shocked by, and won't stand for it any longer.
So, do I call for tolerance? Change? Fortitude? No.. Do I think the subject should come to a stand still, that we should agree to disagree? No.. I do think we should try and see all sides of the issue and discuss them intellectually and from our own experience. We are NOT to parrot the experiences of people we don't know! It is always "I have this friend..." When actually, it would be more accurate to say, "I heard this guy on cnn, or talk radio..." We have so many experiences in our own personal lives to discuss, and we have direct first person arguments to support them. This doesn't mean we ignore everyones opinions to which we are in little contact with, it merely means we talk to more people, and listen to more people. TV, Radio, and the dreaded Internet are not always credible sources for news or facts. Even major news stations can't be taken as fact 100% of the time. Try and see where people in America are coming from, and don't spend all of your efforts fighting or defending people of whom you know absolutely nothing about. Whether it is minorities, illegal immigrants, corporations, universities, etc. you can't base every argument around, "it is obvious that we need to give money to..." or "it is plain to see that we need to take money away from..."
This is why I'm not really big on a strong Federal Government, because I believe states have so much more to do with their citizens' actual needs.
I don't believe I have to be anti-welfare because I'm a republican. I don't believe democrats have to hate big business.
So much of being "a supporter" of a certain party or institution is tradition.
I am tired of sticking up for America to people from other countries who hate us because their news tells them to.
People are people. We are not limited to the thinking of our organizations, religions, or nationalities. People are genuinely good, no matter what anyone says. Expecting the worst out of people becomes a self fulfilling prophecy that I have seen and been guilty of many times.
I have hope though, which is my favorite thing about myself.
Faith

Strange Night

2008-06-02T02:12:00.000-07:00

So, I have just had the craziest weekend of my entire life. Our group "Projects Abroad" had our monthly party on Saturday at Coco Beach. We rented the entire beach and had loads of fun. We spent the day swimming, playing soccer, and competing in various games such as tug of war(which my team were the undefeated champions).. And even had the chance to be entertained by tribal drummers, singers, and dancers performing a dramatic play that I didn't understand in the least. After dinner, we had a bonfire, and it is at this time when things started to get scary. While we were having the bonfire, I noticed loads of people running down to the beach, and forming some sort of a circle... I figured it was just another game, so I carried on with my conversation and taking pictures of the fire and everything, since it was just getting dark and the fire was amazing. Someone later came by said they heard someone was caught in an undercurrent and no one could see her. I honestly just thought he was trying to scare all the girls, so I didn't even begin to believe it, until i too went down to the beach. A few of the volunteers decided to go swimming, at night. And when they got caught up in the current, a couple of them made it back, but one girl didn't. So one of the boys went back after her, (at this time everyone was still up at the bonfire and completely unaware this was happening) The boy who went back ended up barely making it back to the shore, where he was hardly breathing. We had all the medical volunteers with us, and they soon sorted him out enough to where he was breathing and we could get him in a taxi to the hospital. Meanwhile, the rest of us were searching up and down the beach, but it was pointless because you couldn't see anything as it was so dark. We called the police, but they told us we needed to come to the station to file a report, and they then hung up on us. Many local villagers were helping us look, but some were doing more damage than good. A few 20 year old Ghanaian girls were even laughing at us while we searched. Finally some men showed up with flashlights, which seemed to be a banner of hope. They told everyone they were policemen, and I started to get my hopes up. Soon though, they were threatening us and asking for money, and one of the local men told us they were just local crazy men! After an hour it seemed hopeless, and we were at a loss for words for what to do. No one was over the age of 25 in our entire group, and we were just confused and frustrated by our lack of options. After an hour and a half, we were just about to give up the search and go home, when her body was spotted and she was carried onto the beach. We lifted her into a taxi, and sent it off towards the hospital. The rest of the night was just a sad blur. It felt like such a bad dream, and even now, it is only real when I'm with someone else who was there.
The weird part is, I had just met Natalie Higgins earlier that night, and I just felt so bad that it was my new friend. I can hardly imagine how the people feel who actually knew her well.

RIP Natalie

Pics from the Continent

2008-05-28T06:27:00.000-07:00

I'm having SO many issues trying to upload any pics. These dodgy internet connections aren't helping. We'll see if it works this time. haha

nope.. not working.. check out my myspace page

i think it is www.myspace.com/jtotheacebtothebur

stupid computer

Have You Been To Ghana?

2008-05-22T10:12:00.000-07:00

Well, today was my first day of on the job journalizing. haha. Though I didn't get much done, I had a fantastic time. The only negative thing I have to say is that until I get the hang of things, they don't ask me to do much. Hopefully in a few days I'll be able to find things to contribute and feel like an asset rather than an American who takes people's computer when they get up to go to the bathroom. I met a cool girl from the USA named Rebecca. It was her first day too, so we hung out together and felt useless as a team... Team Useless!! But it was nice to talk to a fellow citizen of the US of A. We went out on assignment, but there was already someone from our paper at the event, so my friend Charles who I was teamed up with and the man who was already there argued in Twi for a minute, whilst pointing in my direction frequently, and we left. I am going out on assignment this evening though, and I hope I can find my way home afterwards because it will be late. haha
Loving it,
Jace

November Pics

2008-05-18T15:59:00.000-07:00

So, Tay, Myself, Tenette, and Shawn went on a big fat muddy fourwheeling trip in NOVEMBER!! and Shawn kept telling me she'd email me the pics, and she never did. TODAY SHE FINALLY DID!!! And so I figured I'd post them. I leave for africa in 14 hours, I'm pretty pumped about it.

Sell my old clothes, I'm off to heaven

2008-05-16T14:15:00.000-07:00

So I have decided that I want to be a biker. Honestly, it is amazing to just pack up and go out on a motorcycle for days at a time. I was gone about almost two days, and it was amazing! I can't imagine what it would be like to go further. It is something I aspire to do, at least once a summer. Just a week long ride a summer, just to get my head focused on the important aspects of life. I also hope my future wife is into such things, for I'd like her to join me. There are so many rad places to see, and seeing the world on a bike is the best way to view it all.. Here are a few pics for you to gander at.

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Thursdays

2008-04-18T07:33:00.001-07:00

Is it just me, or is Thursday easily the greatest night of the week? It is packed full of new episodes of the Office and Lost, as well as a night PRIME for kissing a pretty girl.
If I were you, I'd ask for work off on Thursdays, step back, and enjoy the show.

Fitting in Vs. Standing out

2008-04-14T09:07:00.000-07:00

Is it just me, or has American philosophy completely reversed in the past 40 years? If you talk to our elderly friends and family, they will assure you their most time consuming project during their stay in secondary education was to fit in. It was a normal desire to seek after friends, hobbies, and employment that would assure a lifetime of fitting the mold of your every day American. The American dream of the white picket fence, enclosing our 4 bedroom 3 bath house, with two cars in the driveway and a garage full of garden equipment was sought after and frequently realized by millions of U.S. citizens.
Then the 80's happened, and in the midst of that storm we watched fashion and entertainment hit rock bottom, as well as American ideals being compromised severely by the ever increasing desire to be different. I would specifically like to blame punk rock, but there are many factors in this social shifting decade. I think Duran Duran and The Cure could probably shoulder a vast majority of blame for adding such a depressing/emo/slit your own wrists element to popular entertainment. New wave did start a new wave in that it gave an outlet for people who didn't fit in. They could always wear eye liner and listen to Tears for Fears, and find instant acceptance with other sad kids.
The 90s tried to bring back a few hippie ideals such as love everyone and join together for peace, but at the end of the day people don't want to live in peace, and grunge was born.
My school days took place from the mid 90s to 2005, and we now see competition even inside of social cliques. No longer joining forces or being held together by common interests, teens spend most of their time searching for things that aren't cool, just so people will notice them.
Music is the easiest field to notice change, but it is spilling into other aspects of American culture as well. Most children come from patriotic families, but through this rough patch called teen angst younger people find that tearing things down at least gives confidence to opinions. Hating the government is by no means new, but it has become an incredible force that both allows you to fit in and stand out at the same time.
On the bright side, because no one wants to work manual labor anymore, people are finding some pretty creative ways to earn a living, which is resulting in more and more options for the unemployed. And as long as we keep an unrealistic amount of immigrants flooding the nations construction sites as well as its factories and service departments, we will be fine. hehe...
Though often sidetracked, I did intend this blog to be about the differences between us and our parents relating to how we do in social settings. We are the generation of "look at me," but that could inspire change that our fathers didn't have the spine to follow through with. Perhaps our constant desire to be different will unite us to fix the social problems that plague the nations of the earth. Or maybe it will just force us to relive the horror that was the 1980's
(shudder)

My current state of non-maturity

2008-04-07T08:40:00.000-07:00

I am sitting in Nutrition, and we watched this movie on eating disorders. When the girl said she was eating 50 laxatives a day, i just had to laugh, which is sad. But why do people care so much about weight? And the thing that really bothers me is that it is skinny people who always have eating disorders, which is almost an insult to fat people..haha..

New Ideas?

2008-04-04T10:44:00.001-07:00

I have decided that the most interesting way to get through boring classes, is to dream of big money on the internet. I have spent loads of time searching the deal a day sites, and comparing ebay prices for the same products. I have ventured a few of these transactions with a little success. I have made about 40 bucks, which may not seem like much, but that is 40 bucks for surfing the internet during nutrition. So, say what you want, I find it fun.
I have also decided to write more blogs, but to keep them short. This way I create an endless need for more in your lives.
Check back often
Jace

Bros

2008-03-23T20:23:00.001-07:00

The Bros

Me in AZ

2008-03-23T20:18:00.000-07:00

Some shots of the real Jace Burgess

Arizona games

2008-03-23T20:13:00.001-07:00

We had some pretty sick views from our blanket on the grass

Cartoon

2007-12-11T11:33:00.000-08:00

I Got this from the Onion.com i think it is quite funny.

just a few more pics

2007-12-04T12:09:00.000-08:00

even more pics

2007-12-04T12:06:00.000-08:00

more random pics

2007-12-04T12:02:00.001-08:00

Just some random pics from my life

2007-12-04T11:54:00.000-08:00

Here are a few of my favorite things..(and people)

London Calling

2007-09-22T06:06:00.001-07:00

Jace

2007-08-30T05:50:00.000-07:00

Well, all further progress on this particular blog will have to wait until I return back to the USA... But I thought i would start one up just for the halibut!!