an ode to breakfast

There's something to be said

For having white bread

with mustard and some smoked ham.

You want to add cheese?

You can do as you please.

Nothing's better than a sandwich in hand.

Readers (I put a plural on that because I think I have two now), I thought you just might want to join in the praise of a delicious breakfast. I hear it's the most important meal of the day.

burgers and donuts

Okay, tonight pretty much rocked. Laursen called me and we decided that it was high time that we got some food. We were pretty hungry. Well, one thing led to another and we were off to Alby's to grab some fixins for burgers and dogs. $10 later, and we had enough food to feed enough for the impromptu BBQ.

One or two invites seemed to escalate into a few more which seemed to take another step, and before we knew it, it wasn't just three or four people, but rather we had a good ten or eleven.

2.0 came and brought a salad that she had made. It was freakin awesome. She had composed her own raspberry vinaigrette dressing on spinach and mixed lettuce. (No iceberg junk for this masterpiece)

A mutual friend Heather was there and shortly after leaving, I got a call from someone she drove with named Angela. Angela explained that Heather had gotten a flat tire just after leaving my house and needed some help. I was on my way to the rescue.

Now, I'm no MASTER at changing tires, but I know what I'm doing. But this tire was a MONSTER to get off. A very kind officer of the law stopped and helped us with the light. We chatted with him while we got the tire off and he told us about how we was working the night shift on this particular street for just a little while. He had come from being undercover ("a long haired dirtbag with earrings, not to say long hair or earrings make you a dirtbag...") where he had been working for the last 5 years or so. Before that, he was a homicide detective. Wow.

Well, with the donut in place, Officer Long-Hair was off and we all parted our ways. I drove Sarah home while she got the update of her nephew who was in the hospital for having a nut lodged in his esophagus. Fun. Now I'm off to bed to sleep until eight AM work... yippy...

ben rocks

Kudos to Ben for the awesome pic at the top of my blog. He wants the credit, so I'm giving it to him. It's from the Yellowstone Summer of Epic Proportions trip. There was a strorm coming in over the water. It was pretty amazing.

white trash day

For those of you who know our family, we do have a few white trash things lying around. Since before I can remember, we have had a soda machine in the back yard. When I was a wee lad, I remember a dry season where the Coke machine died and left us high and dry for nearly a whole millennium (although real time was much shorter, a matter of day seems closer) and to a kid, that is pure hell.

On top of that, we do have an old church pew right next to the giver-of-cold-beverages-with-the-quarters-on-top. Oft I would sit on the pew, drinking a cool refreshing beverage, probably a root beer or Mountain Dew, and think to myself, "What a wonderful world."

Well not too long ago, there was a new addition to the RFC. We have had him (as well as his brothers who have been replacements for when the previous one seems to have flaws or breaks) in the family for years, and it was a good day to see him rise from the ashes of winter like the phoenix of summer. Welcome back old friend and thank you for bringing summer back into our lives.



This is where he has killed the grass in previous years and left us with putting a "putting green" in his stead.

It's good to have you back.

fast food nation

Today was an all-day-work-fest. I spent the whole day in my little workspace, talking to people, getting frustrated by that intolerable "ding" noise that comes from the drivethru, and best of all, talking about restaurants and food that we wanted to eat.

We really did expect the day to be hilariously insane busy (I'm trying that "hilariously" thing out. Is it working?) and were not so thrilled to find how painfully slow it was. I mean, come on! The day before a holiday, although be it a Utah state holiday, when we have to close is usually so busy you want to vomit with rage. But not today. I was working drivethru (...Yay...) so I had

about twice as much work as those who were around me, so I felt busy, but we were slow. Well, to make a long story not quite as long but still substantial, when it gets slow, we like to start talking about random topics. The goal today? Get the other people to change their mind about what food they want for lunch.

Now that might get a little confusing. I can tell. I'm confused. But really, we all wanted something different, and the goal of the before-lunch hours was to convince someone else that they wanted the same food as you so that someone else could go pick up your food. Here is a little hint of our discussion/debate:

Wendy's: JBC, Frosty

McDonnald's: Fries, McDouble

Little Ceasars: Peperoni Pizza

Costa Vida: Burritos

Cafe Rio: "Better" Burritos

Chipotle: Free Drink with Burrito (Employee name tag required)

Costa Vida revisited: Also free drink with Burrito (University of Utah ID required)

Apple Pie from wherever

McDonnald's revisited: Apple pie

Top Stop: Hostess Apple Pie

Apple Pie from wherever (Probably Dan's Food) revisited

Barbacoa: Burrito (More a discussion about the restaurant. No one really wanted food from there)

Costa Vida revisited: Salad

Salad won. Although the battle had been won, the war was a terrible loss. It seemed that I was the only person that wanted to eat from there. After so much talk, everyone else just seemed to want to eat "the lunch they brought from home." Lame. So I went by myself. Got a steak salad with a cherry coke, and was on my way to lunchtime bliss and euphoria.

3 extreme's extreme glee water fight

That's a first... I went over to 3 extreme's house (For those who get confused with the numbered nicknames, let's just say I know a lot of Sarahs). I had called her to hang out and I was with the fellas. We headed over to B&D Burger (It literally is Ben's back yard) and got shakes and fries... I went with the Oreo Cheesecake. Yeah. I know. It was as good as it sounds. Well, after grabbing some grub, we headed off to Sarah's house ("3 extreme" has been established)

I have only been on the outside of her house, so it was a little adventure to just walk in without knocking and having it be dark (Imagine some old lady having some kids walk into her house... screaming ensues... "This isn't Sarah's house?

Sorry." Luckily that didn't happen). We went into the kitchen and I could hear laughing and screaming. Instantly when we came into view of the back yard, laughing went to zero and there were some whispers of "hurry." Conspicuous?

No, of course not.

After closer inspection, we found 4 soppi~g-wet people hiding (fully clothed) in and around the hot tub.

Step One: Lock door

Step Two: Take all electronics out of pockets

Step Three: Wait patiently for 3 extreme to turn her back

Step Four: Grab pitcher

Step Five: Apply liberally (to others)

Step Six: Get attacked

Step Seven: (Still fully clothed... jeans and t-shirt) Admit defeat. Get in hot tub

After the water fight which none of the other fellas seemed to want to join in (Oh well. More fun for me.) it was inside playing time.

The rest of the evening was spent with me in a towel and a borrowed shirt while my clothes were in the drier.

As Sarah explained it, we were in France. They had French fries, and we were going to watch Ratatouille. Billiards wasn't really French, but we played anyway.

I've got cool friends who are pretty spontaneous.

leavin on a jet plane

Boston here I come!

Grant is heading off to school and I'm road tripping with him to Boston. It's going to be freakin' sweet!

There is one little problem though. I seemed to have bought my ticket online, and the moment after I placed my order... I looked at my calendar. Yay!

So I'll be returning from Boston the Monday AFTER school starts. Yes, you heard right. I'll be missing the first week of school. I was nothing but thrilled to find that I had forgotten to make considerations for, well, you know, the whole GOING BACK TO SCHOOL THING!

Although I'm not too worried. I have already emailed my professors to explain my idiocy. I've heard back from two of them and they said not to worry at all about it. In fact, one just said I could meet him the week before and we could go over the stuff that I would be missing. Here is the really nice thing about being in the Computer Science department. I wrote an email to all four of the professors that I'll be taking classes from this upcoming semester. Within 10 minutes of sending, I had already gotten a response from BOTH the CS teachers, and in once instance, had already emailed her with one more question and gotten a second response.

Awesome.

I'm still waiting to hear from the Art and Writing teachers. Seems that in other departments, professors seem to not check their email compulsively. Sad really. Think of all the fun internet playing they are missing out on while they do their "interacting-with-other-people-in-real-life" thing. Virtual communication seems so much easier...

i is mojo extreme makeover

For those of you who read the blog via a reader, you'll be missing out on the new look of IisMojo. Well, enjoy!

back to the future

So I recently made some purchases. I've been pretty good about buying things I don't need, or rather, NOT buying things I don't need. But I figure I can do it every once and and while. So here was my splurging:

Do you remember our good friend the blue superhero with a gun attached to his arm? Yes, the amazing Megaman. (Rockman)

Well, I remember YEARS ago, renting the original games from the place just up the street. It wasn't a big store or anything, just a locally owned place and I would rent Megaman as often as I could.

Then came the day when I bought the NES cartages. I had saved my money for who knows how long and I went up to the same store where I rented the games. I don't remember which game exactly I bought, but along with BattleToads, I was home playing my new games. The $5 tag taken off the cartridge, and it was mine.

Well, in memory of these great games, I got on Amazon the other day and started looking for some information on the old Megaman games. I decided that it was time to play all these classics again, so I bought the MegaMan Anniversary Edition for the Playstation 2. It is a collection of the original eight Megaman games on one disk. I've been nostalgic for these games and it really is amazing the memories that come back from playing them.

Well, the original games is great to have, but I thought I might as well get the Megaman X collection as well, so I know own Megaman 1-8 and Megaman X - Megaman X7. Nerdy, I know. Awesome, Oh, I KNOW!

pack your bags

Well, after a little thinking, I think the blog is going to be moving. I just bought a domain name, so I'll have to keep you updated on moving. I'm trying this whole "running-a-domain-name" thing.

I was told it might take 24 hours or so for the domain to be ready to receive this amazing read, but the old address should redirect you.

Fun times coming soon! Woot!

music, music, la la la

Friday Night? Free time? What's that? Concert downtown? Check!

I went to the Pioneer Day Concert put on by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. 2.0 called me and told me she had a ticket for me, so I took Trax down (meeting Therisia along the way) and met up with friends. It was pretty fun.

They truly know how to put on a great concert. A lot of the songs that were preformed were hymns of the church, but also they made sure to sing some great American classics (Somewhere Over the Rainbow for one).

They read (in the videos between the musical numbers) letters from people both members and non-members of the Mormon church where the people just praised the choir and their program each Sunday called Music and the Spoken Word. It seemed pretty cheesy (in a totally awesome way) until I found out the woman sitting next to us was in the same boat. She was not a Mormon, but had been listening to the program for years. She never missed a week. When her friend from Salt Lake City found out they were doing a concert for the state holiday (July 24th), she called this woman who lived in another state, and told her she was going to get tickets and that she should fly down to listen.

Wow. Sometimes I think I take for granted that I have such amazing culture right at my front door. I really should take advantage of those kinds of cool opportunities more often.

The evening ended in a SORELY needed dinner at Red Rock (in Salt Lake). Delicious.

stardate tango charlie sierra 2009.01

Note: Buildings shown in photo are MORE curved in real life...

Yes, TCS 2009 baby! Concert 1! Tonight was Bon Iver and it was freakin' schweet!

I went with Sarah N. ("2.0") and her friend Megan from P-town. Yes, the one and the same P-town with the whole carpet cleaning escapade. It was a blast. And with the VIP tickets, we totally got free water bottles... none of us drink beer so the 6 free ones didn't really seem to appeal to us...

I would say the two highlights of the night:

Megan found a bench and somehow shimmied enough to get enough people off to fit Sarah and I. We proceeded to listen to music when Sarah got a fabulous idea. I quickly pulled out my phone and downloaded an app... then and there, with our twinner gPhones... yes the suspense is killing you... flashing from the screens of our phones were zippo lighters. The amount of people who looked and pointed us out to their friends was astounding.

Soon thereafter, a girl who had had WAY too much to drink came stumbling (near passing out) onto the cement. Someone had to help her up and we gave her our hard-earned free water bottles so she could sip. We gave up our seat on the bench.

Returning back from the concert, Sarah made us a supurb dinner of eggs, black beans, tortillas, and a fruit that resembles a banana that isn't a banana, who's name escapes me.

It was a fun night.

soep hiking... the drive there

Summer of Epic Proportions trip #2 - Hiking Green River

It's been a while readers. Guess what though? I am freakin amazing!... and somehow still alive...

I was helping my friend Dennis the other day make some calls on Monday, and it soon got too late to make any more. I don't know about you, but I think around 10:00 pm, I have to call it quits because I feel bad calling people who are not expecting calls from a random person...

Well, as luck would have it, we started to chat. He asked if I could make the final few calls on Tuesday. I had Tuesday and Wednesday off of work, so I was delighted to put in a helping hand. Lo and Behold, it was just my luck that I told him that because after a few moments of thinking, he said, "Well, do you want to go on a hike with us tomorrow?"

Woot!

Of course I want to go on a hike! What kind of silly question is that? So he had to make sure there was room in the car, so he called our friend Sarah to see if that was cool.

IT SURE WAS!

Sarah called me instantly and in more or less these words said, "We're leaving in about 20 minutes... [(thinking)... what? It's 11:00 PM] and it's going to be a 7 hour hike with repelling. Do you have any gear?"

"No," Morgan replies

"That's okay, we can send it up and down the ropes. [(thinking)... Let's see, the last time I went repelling... 12 years ago...] Do you have any good clothes that are quick drying?"

"No."

"That's okay. I think it's not going to be too bad if you just bring some shorts."

"... shorts eh?..."

"Do you have a camel back for carrying water?"

"... No."

"No worries. I might have one. Make sure to bring some good food for hiking because it's going to be a long one. Online it said 7 hours, but we're thinking about 5 or 6."

"hmmm... I'll have to stop by the store..."

At this point Morgan started to doubt his ability and preparation for said trip. Although somehow Sarah convinced me and I found myself at Albertsons packing my cart with granola bars. As I was packing, I wasn't exactly sure what to bring so I grabbed some plasticy pants that I use for sleeping every once and a while. They're kinda like warm-up pants, but totally cheap and crappy. My guess? 50 cent sale at Old Navy kind of quality. Although my dollar flip flops are still holding together. "Thanks Old Navy!" [Cheesy smile and thumbs up as seen in photo]

Sarah and Nathan quickly show up and I load my very improvised-last-minute gear (bag with granola bars) in the car. I had forgotten by this point to think about where we were going to go hiking. One of those last-minute details that seemed to slip my mind as I scrounged the isles of Albertsons. I asked where we were headed.

Sarah replies, "Well, to tell you the truth, we need to go pick up Dennis in P-town (~45 minutes away) because he's still doing a job out there."

??

"He's doing some carpet cleaning of a house, and might need some help."

Here's the lucky thing. I worked as a carpet cleaner for a long time with my dad's company, so it was pretty easy for me to get back into the swing of things. Although here is the major problem with it. Boy is it hard on the body! It uses a lot of arm strength which I sadly have lost from my carpet cleaning days. I got right on a machine and started the hardest part of professional carpet cleaning... stairs.

Clean stairs, clean second floor and 4 hours later, we were done. I know what you're thinking...
Phonecall: 11:00 pm
Picked up: 11:30 pm
P-Town: 12:30 am
Carpet Cleaning: 4:30 am

You are correct, and give yourself a gold star for aweome math skills... base 60, carry the 2... We loaded up Dennis's car and returned the equipment thus leaving P-town by about 5:00am. I proceeded to ask the question again of where exactly the hike was thinking mostly about how much sleep I was going to get after working my arms for quite a while and then going on the 7 hour hike.

"It's just outside of Green River."

"Green River? How far is that?"

The next part of the story is a little painful in memory and may have been permanantly blocked in my memory... Let me just show you the picture...

Point A: P-town
Point B: Green River
Distance: 140 miles
Time (with construction): ~3 hours

Now here's a little reference for you. You might be thinking, "Where is Green River exactly? What landmarks or big cities are near it?"



As you can see... Nothing. Unless you count Crecent Junction, which litteraly is just two highways converging with nothing there. Salina is 70 miles away...

Back to the good stuff. Let's see here:
Carpet cleaning: 4:30 + 3 hours... carry the 12... oh yeah. 7:30 am

I don't sleep in a car too well either...

We arrived and luckly the group that had slept [there] the night before was just leaving. They were about 10 minutes ahead of us, but they could hear Sarah's poor car being demolished my the dirt and motly tire-eating rocks which seemed to find delight in slamming themselves against the undercarrage of the car. Fun!

We didn't want to keep them waiting any longer than they already had waited for us, so we packed up our stuff and started to head out. Sadly, due to lack of sleep and food, Sarah was feeling pretty sick to her stomach. She said that if she went with us, she would be good for the first 2 hours or so, but she knows her body well enough that she would get REALLY sick. After much deliberation and trying to convince her to "tough it out," Sarah made her decision to stay with the car and sleep. She gave us her equipment and food and mothery concern, and Dennis, Nathan and I started down the first hill (and back up the second)

And thus the Hike begins...

[Next time on IisMojo... can he survive the towering cliffs and shear cliff wall drops? Stay tuned for the next installment of IisMojo]