Work In Progress

2010-04-16T11:14:00.000-07:00

Soccer and Spring/Summer Plans

2010-03-19T17:15:00.000-07:00

My second season with the Red Pandas wrapped up tonight with our 8th and final game. Our record was much improved over last season of 1 wins and 7 loses. We finished with 4 wins and 4 losses. Last nights game was a huge disappointment due to the fact we beat the same team last week 8 to 6.

I've been averaging 2 goals and 1 assist for this season but last night I let the team down. 0 goals, 0 assists, and 1 bruised face. An opposing player was confused and thought he was playing hockey and slammed me into the wall. Just add insult to injury since we lost 2 to 8. Everyone was placing blame on me because I shaved off the "lucky beard".

There is always next season, which starts in a week.

It's officially spring today! This winter was great. I had an amazing time snowboarding, going to a stuga, and snow caving but I've got big plans for Spring/Summer. Here is what I have to look forward too over the next couple of months!

Indoor Soccer

Ben's Wedding!

Ben's bachelor party

Hiking

Camping

Kooza!

Timbers soccer

Fishing

Group rafting trip

Skydiving!

Nickleback / Breaking Benjamin!

Coheed and Cambria !

LSI

Preceptoring nursing students

Camp Nurse!

Sea Kayaking

more more more ..

With such a busy schedule keep checking back for updates but don't be too disappointed if my blog posts are not as regular as they have been.

Rise Against - Savior

2010-03-19T13:44:00.000-07:00

This song totally kicks ass! One of my favorites. I listened to it a lot this winter on the way to the mountain, enjoy!

2010-03-15T12:45:00.000-07:00

I've always said I would rather have a baby before being married. With a kid if you get tired of them you can kick them out after 18 years. With a wife you're in it for life.

With all jokes aside I'm 25 years old now, although it's hard to tell with my recent beard trim, but growing up I always figured I would be married with some lil gromlets running around by now. My parents were young when they married and had us kids and I always wanted the same.

Over the years I have met many amazing people. For one reason or another things never worked out. It's becoming apparent that most of those reasons were my fault. My ignorance and selfishness has deprived me of what very well could have been happiness. "They say bad things happen for a reason, but no wise words gonna stop the bleeding". Thank you The Script.

The Script - Breakeven Lyrics

It's time for me to grow up and I believe I have started too, just a couple months too late. Regardless, I'm going to man up and take the consequences that will shortly be coming my way. I can not expect other people to make good decisions because that only ends up in disappointment.

Kind of a heavy and lame post compared to my most recent articles. Side note, all the trees are starting too bloom. It's about time. I was tired of winter and can't wait for all the fun plans I have for this summer.

Beard no mo'

2010-03-15T09:48:00.000-07:00

Every once in awhile I shave the furry thing off my face just to see if I still look like a 16 year old teen. This time was no different than the rest. I look pretty damn young without the beard. Not sure what I think .. actually, I don't like it at all. What do you all think?

For a comparison, here is a bearded picture of me.

Comments? I can't imagine me staying baby faced like this for long. It just looks wrong.

Votes:

The beard is beast! - 2

Baby face ftw! - 1

"I like you both ways" - 1

32 Annual Shamrock Run Portland Oregon

2010-03-14T16:30:00.000-07:00

I've never been much of a runner. The only times I ran were from bullies and playing sports. Today was different. Sarah talked me into running the 32nd annual Portland Shamrock Run. We decided the 8k (4.97 miles) would be a good distance to run for my first race.

There was a total for 21,000 people signed up for the race! It was amazing to see so many people running for charity, dressed in crazy costumes, and drinking beer at 9 in the morning. Running with so many people keeps you motivated over the course of 5 miles. I kept looking at the weird people in front of me thinking "I can beat them!" In fact, I did pretty damn well for my first race. Here are the results from myself and my other friends:

15k Race

Kevin Erickson

8K Race - 4994 Racers

Dan Jones - Place 912 -

Tiffany Jones - Place 2939 -

Sarah Callaway - Place 1294 -

The race was the best part of my day. I could see myself doing more fun runs in the future, I don't think I would enjoy training for a longer more serious run. Either way I enjoyed myself.

If I got your results wrong just send me a link to your runners account and I will update my listing. =)

Here's an oxymoron

2010-03-09T11:01:00.000-08:00

-noun, plural-mo·ra [-mawr-uh, -mohr-uh] A figure of speech by which a locution produces an incongruous, seemingly self-contradictory effect, as in “cruel kindness” or “to make haste slowly.”

i.e. Warm and sunny Oregon Coast. This past weekend marked one of the nicest days I've had on the Oregon Coast. Most Oregonians go to the coast expect rain, fog, and high winds but on this particular visit it was anything but.

After hiking 1.8 miles we found a secluded beach that is only accessible by the trail and the ocean. It was a two mile stretch that only 5 other people were on. You can see the beach from the trail in the picture below.

This has been a mild winter by many accounts. Little rain, hardly any snow in the mountains, but after this sunny warm weekend I am most definitely looking forward to summer.

Cape Lookout Album

Sea Kayaking on the Columbia River

2010-03-02T18:42:00.000-08:00

Josh and I decided to get out of the city for a bit and enjoy some of the rainy weather Portland has to offer this time of year. We drove up to Ridgefield, WA and paddled around Bachelor Island and through the Columbia River.

The sun managed to peak through the clouds several times on our three and half hour journey. We paddled by several bald eagles.

All-in-all we had a good time just floating the flat water talking. Thankfully my boat didn't tip over. Water and I don't seem to get along that well.

You can view the whole album here. Enjoy!

Proud to be a Jones

2010-02-28T11:43:00.001-08:00

I MUST be related to this guy some how. We are both totally awesome! It's pretty wild what people will do. Enjoy this laugh.

All grown up

2010-02-28T06:52:00.001-08:00

Ever since I bought my home in October of 08 I've been sleeping on my King sized mattress on the ground, I even spent two weeks sleeping in my walk in closet . Bedroom furniture has never been a priority. Yes, those are snow flake flannel sheets!

So today is a big day for me, I'm no longer going to sleep on the ground! I never thought the day would come when I would be excited for bedroom furniture.

Pretty sweet huh?

Great song

2010-02-27T21:05:00.000-08:00

Heard this song on the drive home tonight. This song is totally badass, had to put it up for everyone else to enjoy.

I've been thinking ..

2010-02-26T20:22:00.000-08:00

.. would I rather be happy working hard healing those who don't want to be healed or working hard making a lot of money for myself?

My decision to go into nursing stems from helping someone in dire need (another story for another time). Helping those who can't hep themselves seemed like a great career to me! What joys and rewards await for me! But like many things in life they are not always as great as they seem.

After working in the hospital for nearly two years I have started to see a trend. 80% of my patients don't want to be helped. My first inclination of this was after an exhausting 2 months of saving a man's life (who was high on meth, stole a van, ran from the cops, wrecked the car, and then was smashed into by another car) woke up and the first thing he did was flip me the bird and say "fuck you". The following several weeks involved the patient hitting, kicking, and spitting on the nursing staff. During the same time a young 23 year old female was a restrained passenger in a car roller over died. For some reason we were able to save the wrong person.

Sure, I believe in second chances, as rare as it might be that dick-head of a patient MAY grow into a functional, productive member of society but It is extremely doubtful. His one goal in life is to get out of the hospital only to get high again create more problems for tax payers.

Everybody loves grandmas! But not where I work! Theses grandmas can drink even the rulliest Irish dock workers under the table. When these grandmas drink they fall. Crushing their skulls, bleeding everywhere, and creating burdens for everyone.

My point being, I work my ass of. What do I get? The same decent paycheck. Sure I get paid a decent amount but I could do less work and still get paid the same amount. Now I would be okay with everything if maybe, god forbid, my patients would actually thank me for our work. Is it too much to ask for after I saved your life? After I wiped your ass?

I'm too the point now where I want to work hard for myself. The harder I work the more I make and the happier I think I will be. This is the part where my readers say "money won't bring you happiness" and I reply by saying "that's what poor people say". There is a lot of joy for working hard and being rewarded for it. There is NO reward for helping drunk, drugged, assholes.

This is getting too long ..

The End

Side note: 1 in 100 patients are actually thankful and a joy to take care of. Those are the rare moments that I hold onto to keep me going. Forgive my poor sentence structure and grammar. I am exhausted and am more interested in bed than editing this post, night!

Hidden Forest and Dog Mountain

2010-02-19T07:47:00.000-08:00

Here are just a few of the hikes I've gone on recently. Hidden Forest was the first hike just located just south east of Bend Oregon.

It was a simple hike. One mile, one hour, and a few belly crawls we were able to check out this fairly interesting cave. Photo Album.

Yesterday Sarah and I tackled something a bit more strenuous. With 60 degree weather in the middle of February we were forced to venture out into the sun to enjoy the Oregon Gorge. Dog Mountain was suppose to be a 7 mile hike ..

.. but after getting slightly lost the final distance ended up being 10 miles. After 5 hours and nearly a mile gain in elevation we were pretty damn exhausted. Even poor lil Miley had a rough time.

We ended the day with a large plate of nachos and a couple of margaritas so all ended well. You can check out the Photo Album here.

Snowboarding video

2010-01-24T21:29:00.000-08:00

Josh made a short video of our snowboarding trip. Thought I would share it with you all. You can find the original post here. Enjoy.

Interesting Facts - Video Games

2010-01-23T09:59:00.000-08:00

Just found this interesting.

Source: Online Education

Angels Rest

2010-01-23T08:23:00.000-08:00

After a busy week at work it was time to get out of the city and enjoy some of the beautiful trails in the Oregon Gorge. We decided to hike a fairly short trail named Angels Rest.

The hike was only 4.6 miles but had a slight elevation gain of 1600 feet. At the top there was an amazing 270 degree view of the Oregon Gorge.

This is a busy month for me so it was nice to be able to get out and unwind for a bit. On a side note my indoor soccer team FINALLY won a game. We finished the season 1 win 7 loses. Hopefully next season we do better.

Angels Rest Photo Album

My Angels Rest Hike

View Angels Rest in a larger map

State Radio tonight, snowboarding tomorrow

2010-01-17T11:16:00.000-08:00

Tonight Sarah and I are going to the Wonderball Room to go see State Radio. Then, tomorrow, up to Mt. Hood Meadows to get our snow on.

Then I work work work ..

Another work day

2010-01-14T20:56:00.000-08:00

.. yup, this is what happens at work. I get all dressed up like my favorite rapper, Lil Wayne. These accessories are not hospital approved but like any true thug, I don't care!

Snowday!

2010-01-13T15:56:00.000-08:00

I decided to call in sick (even tho I wasn't scheduled to work) to get up to Mt. Hood Meadows to snowboard in the 5 - 9 inches of snow the NOAA promised. Unfortunately for me they are liars! The conditions were slush at the base with some fluff on top of groomed ice mid mountain. After a few runs the snow they promised showed up, along with some major wind.

Josh joined me for the day and decided to take the scenic route to Meadows so we arrived around 10am, two hours after we had left. Josh has been skiing since he was two years old. Thankfully he didn't mind the slower pace that I enjoy. While it was good to ride with Josh I most definitely missed my snowboarding buddy.

After lunch there was a sweet layer of fresh white stuff all over. Our excitement was cut short when high winds that blew us down and pricked out skin like needles. This didn't stop us from capturing some video footage of us just playing around. Thanks to Josh for putting the video together.

Enjoy!

Random-ness ..

2010-01-12T17:42:00.000-08:00

.. ness? Sure, everybody has it. I'm just going to post my randomness right now although I can think of some other -ness I'm feeling at the moment. =(

Some of you may or may not be aware of this but it just so happens that I have the best looking man-feet on Earth. This bold claim can be verified by respectable individuals so I don't want to hear any arguments claiming otherwise! Be warned, proof is not provided to just anyone. I take this reputation seriously! =) .. if you want to see a picture of them you can click here.

Good song

My aunt had several of us cousins over for a traditional Lebanese diner tonight. Just so happens that I went to Hoda's earlier for some good food and company. As far as I am concerned you can never get enough Lebanese cuisine. My cousin has cute lil dog that is about the size of a football. I got tired of the dog licking me so I decided to show it how it feels. She snapped a picture of me and the pooch about to smooch.

Well looks like the snow level is finally dropping. Estimate 3 - 5 inch of fluff over night with another 13 possibly tomorrow. Nothing can stop me, I am going up! Expect photos and video from tomorrows snow adventure. g'night.

Its a miracle!

2010-01-09T13:05:00.000-08:00

I just got back from my first postop Lasik exam. Initial impressions are I have blurred vision, more so out of my left eye, dry scratchy eyes, halo's around lights at night, but I have 20/15 vision! Booya! Over the next few weeks everything should start to clear up and I will be left with better vision than I was born with. Pretty awesome considering the procedure took 10 minutes and my recovery time was only a 4 hour nap.

For your enjoyment .. me napping with my sweet goggles:

Lasik, tomorrow!

2010-01-07T19:46:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow at 10am I'm finally going for my Lasik procedure. It's been schedule for three months but I have wanted this for much longer. I've been wearing contacts and glasses since middle school and I can't wait to wake up in the morning and see normally. The procedure only takes about 20 minutes but I will be unable to open my eyes for 6 hours following. At that time, If I am not blind, I will send out an update.

Happy New Year? rd. 2!

2010-01-03T12:07:00.000-08:00

01/01/2010
-I hold the whole world in my hand.

01/02/2010
-The whole world crumbles in my hand.

01/03/2010
-0935 - Discharge first patient
-0955 - Admit a patient
-1135 - Discharge second patient
-1200 - Transfer orders written for third patient
.. see what the rest of the day holds! It's not even noon yet!

..see what the rest of the year holds! It's hardly even 2010 yet!

Happy New Year?

2009-12-31T07:25:00.000-08:00

We will have to wait and see. As of yet the end of 2009 has been less than entertaining. But the count down continues!

Countdown To

I spent the better part of the day helping one of my good friends, Josh, move into Portland. The city welcomed him here with a couple inches of snow and then plenty of rain. They will be living in an awesome house boat along the Columbia river.

Oh well. Time to ring in the new year like a champ! Oh wait .. I have to work New Years Day. Well maybe I will just get half-crazy.

I want a tattoo?

2009-12-28T18:52:00.000-08:00

I've always had an interest in tattoos but I have lacked the impacting life experiences and the

right designs to permanently inscribe onto my body. There has always been this idea that at some point there will be a moment that so deeply impacts me that I will want to put it on my body. A quarter of a century into it and I have yet to have one of those "ah-ha" moments.

Well .. not that I want to get one yet but I have defiantly been

appreciating the ink that SOME people put on their bodies. Most people place completely lame and ridiculous tattoos in some of the most random places. It would be nice to find a unique design that fits my personality and interests.

The designs posted here are pretty extreme but both have amazing detail and have that unique design that gives it that wow factor. If I were to ever get anything at most I think I would get a half-sleeve. But I promise, NO tribal for me!

Ideas? Opinions? Pictures of your own tattoos? Comment away!

Merry Christmas

2009-12-26T20:47:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas!

Hope everyone had a great Christmas. Just wanted to wish everyone a happy new year and share a small part of my Xmas experience with the small number of people who actually read this blog.

Although I had a great time I can't say that I am all that upset that I have to wait another 364 more days till the next Christmas.

Can you find the hidden picture?

My birthday!

2009-12-21T10:33:00.000-08:00

It's been awhile since I posted so let's talk about my Birthday! It's all about me, if you didn't know. It was a big b-day for me, 25. Kind of an adult now. So to celebrate the occasion Sarah and I went up to Mt. Hood for a day of snowboarding.

It was an amazing sunny day. 7 inches of groomed goodnes. After a day on the mountain we went to a small cabin I rented. The Swedish Stuga. My good friend Josh and his girlfriend Christina met up with us for a night of drinking and games.

The cabin was amazing! All in all it was a great birthday.

Christmas came early this year

2009-11-22T20:43:00.000-08:00

I had some down time this weekend so I decided to decorate the house a bit to lift my spirits. To be honest, I am aware putting up a Christmas Tree up before Thanksgiving a is major faux pas but look how happy my family is!

The gang together

Miley and me

Miley being a bad dog!

Finally, my cousin Katie who helped decorate the tree, thanks!

The whole fam-damn-ily will be up here soon for Thanksgiving. Should be good food with good people. Can't wait. Oh and it's never too late to start Christmas shopping. There is only one real thing that I want this year, hopefully I have been good!

Reinventing the Wheel and Man-cation Round II

2009-11-21T02:44:00.000-08:00

It's a good thing I joined the Soccerplex indoor soccer league because I am one out of shape SOB. Our first game tonight was a huge disappointment. We lead the first half by as many as four goals but as soon as second half started I was exhausted. A pounding headache and seeing double really inhibited my ability to manage the field. The game ended as a lost, 9-11. Part of me feels responsible for the loss but all the guys were pretty cool about it all. Next week will hopefully be better.

Here is a lil something for your enjoyment:

Man-cation Round II

Ben, my best friend since childhood, came back to PDX for some fun and to have my back. Brent, Ben, and I all got together after my game and went out to a few local bars, then shot some pool ate some food, and finally visited some other "classy" establishments. We met severalpeople out and about and I am now about to crash into bed at 0257. If anybody knows me then they should be able to gauge the type of night I had if I am going to bed this late. We had one hell of a night. Now if I can only find some way to convince Ben to move up here .. hmm ..

Brent and I from a river trip this past summer

Alright, off to bed I go. Good thing I purchased a heated mattress pad for my bed. It's been a tit bit chilly out as of recently. =/

Big gulps eh?

2009-11-18T15:28:00.000-08:00

.. whelp, see ya later! =(

It must be Karma and I suppose I am getting what I deserve. A good kick in the ass and a life lesson learned. Not so much fun I must say.

Seriously, this clip from The Wedding Singer is just a joke. I can remember playing this song over and over in high school. It just makes me smile and brings the situation to a more of a comprehensible level.

Good news. I finally found an indoor soccer team so hopefully I can work out and focus on other things, like snowboarding .. and .. work .. and .. shit .. I'm in trouble.

UPDATE: Let's add insult to injury to my list of "why today sucked". I've got a way of causing grief.

Long work week and fun in the snow

2009-11-14T17:12:00.001-08:00

This past week I worked 6 days in a row equaling 72 hours. After this stretch I needed to get some rest and have some fun. This happened in my two favorite ways 1. Drinking beer in the shower for 45 minutes (it's not as weird as it sounds. try it out!), along with thrashing some snow up on hood. The snow was amazing and the weather was perfect. There was only one thing missing .. but that's another story. I went with my sister Tiffany and my new brother-in-law Kevin.

The sun came out and it truly was a perfect day. Kevin some how managed to lose the Q5 key on the mountain. Thankfully a good Samaritan dropped it off at the lost and found and I made it home in time for my bed time.

If today was any testament to what to expect for the season than it is going to be one hell of a winter.

Fall in Oregon

2009-11-05T07:55:00.000-08:00

Recently I was able to get out of the city and head across the river to Sauvie's Island. Walking around I was able to shoot a few pictures of the changing season. Thought I would share just a few from the album.

My First Buck

2009-10-23T13:13:00.000-07:00

I drew my first buck tag this year and was pretty successful. As you can see from my picture I shot a small three-point buck and it snowed, a lot! In some areas there was 12 inches of snow. While cold it actually provided a perfect atmosphere for hunting.

So I shot, skinned, gutted, and am now in the process of making homemade jerky. My first batch was pretty good. I was only able to have about two pieces before work the other day before work. When I arrived home I found the whole batch gone .. Miley, my old favorite roommate, got up on the counter and at all of it. Now she just threw up half digested jerky barf on my carpet. Grr

Woke up early today to start another batch. Fingers crossed she doesnt find it.

Job Stability

2009-10-16T16:25:00.000-07:00

During tough economic times it is nice to have security in your job. Thanks to people like this, I will continue to be employed despite the unemployment rate. On the flip side a phrase comes to mind that "emergent medicine interferes with natural selection". Sometimes I think that the world would not miss certain individuals .. but .. that is not up to me.

Darwin would be so upset at my profession.
*Note: slight sarcasm is implied for those sensitive readers*

Just a few things

2009-10-16T10:17:00.000-07:00

Here is a quick and dirty update on what is going on in my life.

My sister got married:
(Photo Album)

I now have two roommates. Brent and my favorite, Miley:

I also got my ass kicked by a patient in five point restraints:
Im fine!

I degress

2009-09-30T20:10:00.001-07:00

Random Text of the Week

2009-09-10T16:12:00.000-07:00

This text from one of my best friends is hilarious, too me. If you were to judge his character purely based on this text alone you would have a pretty good idea of the type of person he is.

Ben: Hahaha dude that is horrible. I had a dream about u last night, that is weird. I came up to Portland and we all went out, then the next day you and I went hunting and we found a cafeteria in the woods and I bought a 9 dollar hard boiled egg. Fuckin weird huh?(8:17 AM)

Oneonta Gorge and Horsetail Trail

2009-08-27T18:11:00.000-07:00

Went on another hike today in the Gorge. This hike was much more exciting. The day began on Horsetail trail up through the woods with amazing views of the Columbia river. We ended up down in Oneonta Gorge. Instead of me talking about how amazing it was just view these pictures for yourself.

Here is a a short clip of the lower portion of the falls.

Sadly, summer is almost over. Hopefully I am able to get a few more hikes in before it starts to rain. There are plenty more trails to explore.

I love YouTube - Week One

2009-08-24T13:34:00.000-07:00

Since my life is less than exciting I often times run out of things to post. In my new attempt to keep friends and family returning to this blog I have decided to post some of my favorite You Tube clips.

This is week one and it is a great first post. Amateur surgery and disgusting body fluids make this video an Epic Win.

Two Girls One Cyst

Other funny/gross related videos:Put it on a RitzOral SurgeryEven Cows have Abscesses!

Eagle Creek Hike to Punch Bowl Falls

2009-08-15T09:13:00.000-07:00

The other day I went on a small hike up through the Columbia Gorge along Eagle Creek to Punch Bowl Falls. It was a great day to beat the heat, get some fresh air, and shoot some pictures. It was a short 2.1 mile hike up to the falls but in that short distance there is plenty to see. Here are just a few pictures I snapped along the way.

Here is a short video I found on youtube that gives you a pretty good perspective of the falls. Now I am off to Seattle to watch the Mariners Yankees game. Go Yankees. ;-)

Rest In Peace Grandpa

2009-08-12T10:04:00.000-07:00

Gerald A. Little
“Jerry”
1935-2009

Jerry Little of Springfield, Oregon crossed the “Great Divide” on August 10, 2009 from lymphoma. He was born in Albany, Oregon on July 12, 1935 to George and Wilma Little. He was raised and schooled in Lake Oswego. He life guarded on the Oregon coast and worked for Union Pacific Railroad. He then moved to the Eugene area and worked as a lumber broker. He lived his life to the fullest. His passions included the Cottage Grove Speedway, skydiving, surfing on the Oregon coast, beach combing, nature, skiing, model railroading, music, water colors, and photography; he was published in the Oregon Coast Magazine. He loved all sports and was a Duck fan. Among his many accomplishments was winning a gold medal for the breaststroke in the National Masters Championships. His American Indian heritage came out with his love of nature and his special connection with all of God’s creatures. His greatest passion of all was making memories with his grandchildren while sharing his zest for life with everyone he came in contact with. He is survived by his wife Elke “De” Little of 35 years, his four daughters – Shelley Rigdon, Kathy Jones, Susan Maas, Angela Rogers, and daughter Melanie Harrick; sister Meg Ledbetter. He was preceded in death by brother Gordon Little.
A private celebration of his life will be held at the Yaquina Head Light House in Newport, at a later date.
Donations can be made on his behalf to the Raptor Center, or the Oregon Coast Aquarium.
He lived his life to the fullest with the motto “never, never give up”. His energy and enthusiasm will be missed by all that knew him.

This is getting old

2009-08-10T08:12:00.000-07:00

Ironic story actually. While I was working yesterday I had the rare event of having a well articulated conversation with one of my patients that did not consist of them trying to talk me into giving them more narcotics.

While watching the morning news we both saw a segment filmed at my hospital reporting that there has been an increased number of car break-ins at hospitals. My patient gasped and stated that:

"It's bad enough to steal from people but I think its much worse to steal from those who are helping those truly in need. That's just low." I of course agreed and went about doing my daily assessment.

Several hours later I marched my way to the same parking garage that was on the news that morning to find that my driver side window had been smashed in, my clothes, tennis racket, and roadside assistance bag had been stolen.

If you recall, LESS THAN A MONTH AGO, my car was broken into and over $500 worth of my personal possessions were stolen. Happening a second time in 28 days has really tested my character. The first time this happened was on the street and in the middle of the night. This time was different. The car was parked in a busy parking garage, during the day, and was right next to the hospital. Of course no one saw anything.

Having only liability on my car I will not be reimbursed for any of my lost possessions or the window. Sigh .. well I should be going. My mobile auto glass repair guy should be here soon.

River Trip'n

2009-07-23T07:25:00.000-07:00

Last week I headed home for one of my five weddings for the summer. After I jumped into a boat with some of my best friends and headed down the Deschutes river for some R'n'R and adventure. Three days and two nights later here is the pictures.

We had too much fun to type it all here. The best option is to view the online album with all of the pictures. This was a nice change of pace considering my luck with the past month. Hope you enjoy.

It's been one of those months

2009-07-09T10:46:00.000-07:00

Everyone has them from time to time, a terrible day, week, month maybe, and all you can do is hope that others don't judge your character during that time. This just happened to be one those months for me.

Let's start off with my current job applications:

Air Force Reserve Aero Medical Evacuation team won't take me cause my degree is not nationally accredited, yet. Not because my school is bad, but because it's a new program.

Medical Team International Disaster Relief Team said no. Claiming I need further medical experience and international experience, hmm okay, hard to swallow but apparently I didn't pad my resume enough.

Flight Transport team also claimed I need further medical experience. This one I actually understand. So that's three no's. No problem. I will just keep on trying.

It's hard to explain but I accidentally cut a hole in my underwear at work yesterday. Nuff said.

To add injury to my insult my car was broken into this morning on NW 23rd. This nice part of town is hardly a place you would expect such an act. Although, it seems you have to always worry about break-ins anywhere these days.

They broke my passenger side window and only stole my work bag. The joke is on them! All I had in my bag was a stethoscope, which I am sure they have no use for, several medical books which they will be unable to read/understand and will most likely either use the pages for toilet paper or try to smoke it. They did get a pair of nice hemostats, trauma shears, and a few pen lights. Haha not sure if they have much of a street value but I sure used them a lot.

With only liability insurance I have to pay for all the expenses out of pocket. Meh, It's frustrating no doubt, but apparently those ones who wronged me needed the much more than I.

UPDATE - 7/9/09 12:00: Its amazing what a Corona in the shower can do to make you feel better.

UPDATE - 7/9/09 20:30: Just realized my iPod touch was in my bag. Now I am officially bummed again. 10gbs of music and several paid games, goodbye. No Corona for me, benedryl this time, off to bed

UPDATE - 7/9/09 22:30: Estimated losses including windows = $600

UPDATE - 7/10/09 23:00: I received an interesting email today!

Daniel,
Good morning, I have in our possession, your ID badge and a book bag. We have it secured here at Good Sam in our security office. If you can call our dispatch with the case number and we can go from there.
Regards,
-Justin

This is great news! My iPod was in a hidden pouch on the side. My hopes are low but perhaps they left all my books, medical equipment, and could not find my ipod. All in all I might only be out $150. Now I should pray that the bastards didn't piss on it.

UPDATE - 7/11/09 2020: Drove across town to Good Samaritan Hospital where I was given back my book bag. It weighed slightly less due to the lack of iPod touch, my stethoscope, and watch. Grand total of losses plus my broken window - $550 - totally weak. Oh well. At least I know whoever is wearing that watch most defiantly is wearing hundreds of various strains of fecal matter on their wrist. The joys of being a nurse.

Good Advice for Life .. and the Present.

2009-07-04T02:38:00.001-07:00

Emotion is weakness.

It's best to save face.

Thats the goal. Not sure how well I am going to do but only time will tell.

My Color Test

2009-07-02T08:05:00.001-07:00

This morning I took a random quiz that is suppose to express your personality. Surprisingly accurate I am almost ashamed to post the results! Here they are:
I took the free ColorQuiz.com personality test!
""Needs peaceful surroundings. Looking for relief ..."

Click here to read the rest of the results.
My Existing Situation
"Organized and detail-oriented, he has a very precise and methodical manner. He needs relationships which offer him understanding, respect, and approval."
My Stress Sources
"Needs to meet people who have the same high principals and values as himself, but finds the need unfulfilled. His need to feel dominate and superior leaves him feeling isolated and does not allow for him to give freely of himself. He would like to surrender and let go, but sees that as a weakness he must not give in to. Holding back will allow him to stand out for the crowd and earn a higher status, recognized by others as unique and important."
Your Friend's Restrained Characteristics
Current events leave him feeling forced into compromise in order to avoid being cut off from affection or future cooperation.
Is bothered when his needs and desires are misunderstood and he feels there is no one to turn to or rely on. His self-centered attitude can cause him to be easily offended.
"Believes his hopes and dreams are realistic, but needs reassurance from others. Has strict standards when looking for a partner and wants guarantees that he will not be disappointed or lose."
My Desired Objective
"Needs peaceful surroundings. Looking for relief from stress, conflict, and arguments. Tries to control potentially harmful situations and arguments by treading lightly. Is sensitive, emotional, and has an eye for detail."
My ACTUAL Problem
"Wants to be valued and respected, seeks a close and peaceful relationship with a shared respect of each other."

Broken Phone - New Number

2009-06-30T14:04:00.000-07:00

My phone randomly decided to break on me. It won't do anything. My cell phone company *cough* Sprint *cough* (Im so embarrassed I am still with them) tore the whole phone apart looking for the problem. Even with every little component laying out infront of me nothing wrong could be found. I've been using a brick as a temporary phone until my replacement arrives.

Because I did such a good job destroying my phone Sprint was unable to recover any of my data. I no longer have anyones phone numbers. Despite this I decided it was a good time to start using my Google Voice number.

My new number: 971.252.1502

If you don't care if I ever talk to you again just ignore this post. Otherwise shoot me either an email or text with your name and I will make sure you update my contact list.

Rumor has it Sprint may be recieving the new HTC Hero phone (below). They have until October 1st to bring out a decent Android headset before I jump ship. This phone looks impressive.

WOOT OFF!

2009-06-23T01:05:00.000-07:00

Woot.com has just started another woot off. If you don't know what I am talking about then you better hide your wallets and go check out www.woot.com. Keep checking the page for the next couple of days and you might find exactly what you need for a great price.

Who needs to go to garage sales and sift through endless piles of crap when you have the intrawebz? Good thing I get paid this Friday.

Good News

2009-06-21T12:25:00.001-07:00

I recieved a phone call today from my unit supervisor. She offered me a day shift position starting July 5th. This does come with a decrease in pay bussier work days, more physicians and families to deal with but I will atleast have a normal sleeping pattern for once. The nights of cans of redbulls and pots of black coffee are over. I'm considering this a quality of life promotion.

Other good news is I can now take down the tin foil in my bedroom windows. Now my house won't look like a meth lab from the outside. This is a good thing.

My Application is in

2009-06-11T16:20:00.000-07:00

Today I sent off my application for the International Disaster Relief team with Medical Teams International. They are currently serving 27 countries including Afghanistan, Peru, Mali, and many others. Current disaster relief has been focused in Africa where worn torn countries have forced natives to flee. Looking over Medical Teams photo's gets me excited to start working! Fingers crossed for a call back and interview!

Any updates I will post on here.

Side note. Looks like a day shift position will open up in July. The only problem is the person leaving is a badass. Day shift wouldn't be the same without them. Hmm, a day shift position without humor and fun? That just doesn't sound like a position I want, we will see.

My Grandma is so OLD!

2009-06-08T08:12:00.000-07:00

My Grandma turned 70 years old the other day and we decided to suprise her in style. We rented out a room in Hotel Deluxe and celebrated. The hotel is decorated 40's motif, served amazing food, and hald plenty of drinks avaliable. Here are just a few pictures from the evening:

Hmm "georgeous" cake?

Happy Birthday Grandma! We all LOVE you!

Extended Weekend - Bend Trip

2009-06-01T23:18:00.000-07:00

Five days off. Just enough time to head over the pass and see my friends and family in Bend, OR. It had been several months since I had visited and there was much for me to do and see. My plan was to work all night and leave directly towards Bend. Two redbulls, two tabs of sudafed, and three hours later I arrived at my parents house. My shoes and shirt came off and I was asleep before I hit the pillow. Four hours later I was up and visiting with friends.

The next day I did what any good central Oregon republican would do. Shoot guns! My old roommate from OIT, Allan, took me to the shooting range with his father. His dad being a retired state trooper of 30 years had quite the collection of guns.

|| insert AR15 footage ||

I shot many handguns including a S&W .500, a Benelli shotgun, and a S&W MP AR-15 . By no means am I an expert shot or even a good shot but it was fun to be a bit crazy. It's time for me to start saving up for my own AR-15. =)

Later that night the Freemot 3 hit the town. Doing what you can only do in Bend on a Friday. **Sensored for the family** Ended up in bed around 4am.

The next day I met up with my good friend Josh. Having the Deschutes river next door and 90+ degree weather outside requires river therapy. We packed up the kayaking gear and headed off to learn how to roll a white water kayak. Being an expert Kayaker Josh was able to teach me how to roll in less than 45 minutes. It took technique and skill, both of which I lacked, but by the end of the day I was rolling like I almost knew what I was doing.

Learning to Kayak on the Deschutes River from Daniel Jones on Vimeo.

To capture the footage I wore a water proof head cam that Josh uses to make his films. All my gear was donated by www.AlderCreek.com and Christina Russell was the photographer for the day (view pictures here). All in all it was a successful day. Maybe next time I can get into some small white water.

I finished up my extended weekend up at East Lake Resort. My parents had just opened up the business for the season and I figured I should stop by and say hi. The weather was extremely stormy. Lightening, thunder, and terenchal downpour forced me to stay inside the office. It was nice to see my parents regardless. After a short night up at the lake it was time for me to head out and back home.

Now I am back in Portland and back to work.

Learning to Roll Photo Album

My Future Plans: What's Next

2009-05-26T18:55:00.000-07:00

In a recent blog post I talked about how some of my plans have placed on hold and ever since I have been trying to figure out what I should do next. Well, I've been thinking and here is my updated to do list for the year 2009:

Obtain my motorcycle endorsement
Register for my concealed handgun license
Start to study for the CCRN test
Apply for Medical Teams International disaster relief team
Travel to Nicaragua on a medical team

Let's be honest. I was a complete idiot my freshman year of college. I bought a motorcycle, drove it around without a license or insurance, and eventually wrecked it and subsequently lead to the placement of two pins in my wrist and a cast for 8 weeks. This time I am going to do things right. The amazing weather has inspired me to ride again but this time legally.

To obtain my concealed handgun license (CHL) I need to take a hand gun safety class, perform a background check, and register with my sheriff’s office. This topic may be controversial to some but to me it’s multifactor. I, 1., believe that it is an American right to bear arms, 2., I want to be prepared to save a life if need be, and 3., it’s something new to learn and be trained on. Please leave your anti-gun comments. I would enjoy a good debate. ;-)

The Critical Care Registered Nurse test is a way to exemplify you proficient in direct bedside care to acutely or critically ill patients and their families. If one were to pass this test it’s demonstrates that you have mastered certain skills, knowledge, and abilities that distinguish you as a critical care nurse. This certification is highly recognized. While it does not provide any direct benefit for my current position it could be used for further endeavors. You must be a critical care nurse for two years before you may take the test. Only one year left, I better get to studying!

Since I won’t be able to work as an aeromedical evacuation nurse any time soon I have decided to apply for Medical Teams International disaster relief team. This organization assisted in the Tsunami relief and has groups all over the world helping those in need. If hired I would fly into disaster zones and assist in any medical care that would be required. This seems like a suitable replacement for the time being. Hopefully I will be hired onto the team and hopefully be called into action.

Finally, I have plans to travel to Nicaragua in November to help install a clean water system on the island of Ometepe. We will be there for two weeks working in conjunction with Health Bridges International, who I worked with in Peru, and with Natural Doctors International. While there I would work in a medical clinic and apprentice my Grandpa on the installation of the water filtration system. Plans are still in motion but I will keep everyone updated on this blog.

Well those are my short term plans listed in a too long of a blog.

Epic Party Foul

2009-05-24T13:06:00.000-07:00

Before I start this story I feel definitions should be presented. My grandma does after all read

this and I have a feeling she may not be familiar with the term “party foul” since she claims she has 1. Never received a moving traffic violation, and 2 she has only been drunk once.

Definition: Epic - Being unusually large, powerful or wonderful. On a grander scale than the modified word would otherwise imply.

Definition: Party Foul - Something socially unacceptable done in a social gathering.

A co-worker of mine, Brad, is getting married on the 30^th and rightfully so we had his bachelor party last night. A group of 18 guys all met at a local bowling ally / bar to watch UFC 98 fights, (SPOILER: Hughes own and Machida dominates) to get to know each other, and grab a few drinks before we head out. After an amazing ending to the fight we all piled into a school bus to visit Brad’s extensively researched listed of strip clubs.

To keep the party going a huge red cooler was filled with beer and place on the bus. A beer bong affectionatly named the “Boob tube” was used to speed the process of going from drunk to stupid. This beer bong had a huge plastic boob at the end (click the link to see a picture). The only way to drink from it was to latch on to the large nipple open your throat and drink up. Most everyone took their turn on the boob, I passed. Knowing my limits and it only being 1730 I figured I would enjoy the night more if I held off for a bit longer. One poor guy wasn’t as smart. Let’s say this guy’s name was Jeff. He eagerly slammed his drink from the large titty and then proceeded to be a gentleman by taking his turn holding the funnel for his friend. I am not sure if it was the movement from the bus or if he had drunk too much but Jeff started to look pretty ill. Unable to let go of the beer bong (a good man never waste beer) there was no way for him to open a window. Instead, poor Jeff spewed frothy brown vomit all over his friend. Brown spew cover this guys pants, white shirt, white hate, and face. He even did an excellent job of painting several windows. Now that I think of it, I feel worse for the bus driver .. poor Russell.

Throughout the night we were reminded of this epic party foul by the putrid smell. All of us laughed till we cried, well, everyone except Jeff and his friend. Congratulations Brad! Hope you guys have a great time in Mexico getting married.

If you want further laughs follow THIS link to watch videos of people puking everywhere. Ahhh I love youtube.

Advice from an ER doctor to drug seekers

2009-05-21T19:38:00.000-07:00

The other night at work my co-workers and I found this article quite amusing. It may not be as funny for some non-medical professionals but it's defiantly worth the read. Enjoy!

Date: 2007-03-27, 9:56AM PDT

Source: craigslist.com

OK, I am not going to lecture you about the dangers of narcotic pain medicines. We both know how addictive they are: you because you know how it feels when you don't have your vicodin, me because I've seen many many many people just like you. However, there are a few things I can tell you that would make us both much happier. By following a few simple rules our little clinical transaction can go more smoothly and we'll both be happier because you get out of the ER quicker.

The first rule is be nice to the nurses. They are underpaid, overworked, and have a lot more influence over your stay in the ER than you think. When you are tempted to treat them like shit because they are not the ones who write the rx, remember: I might write for you to get a shot of 2mg of dilaudid, but your behavior toward the nurses determines what percent of that dilaudid is squirted onto the floor before you get your shot.

The second rule is pick a simple, non-dangerous, (non-verifiable) painful condition which doesn't require me to do a four thousand dollar work-up in order to get you out of the ER. If you tell me that you headache started suddenly and is the 'worst headache of your life' you will either end up with a spinal tap or signing out against medical advice without an rx for pain medicine. The parts of the story that you think make you sound pitiful and worthy of extra narcotics make me worry that you have a bleeding aneurysm. And while I am 99% sure its not, I'm not willing to lay my license and my families future on the line for your ass. I also don't want to miss the poor bastard who really has a bleed, so everyone with that history gets a needle in the back. Just stick to a history of your 'typical pain that is totally the same as I usually get' and we will both be much happier.

The third rule (related to #2) is never rate your pain a 10/10. 10/10 means the worst pain you could possibly imagine. I've seen people in a 10/10 pain and you sitting there playing tetris on your cell phone are not in 10/10 pain. 10/10 pain is an open fracture dangling in the wind, a 50% body surface deep partial thickness burn, or the pain of a real cerebral aneurysm. Even when I passed a kidney stone, the worst pain I had was probably a 7. And that was when I was projectile vomiting and crying for my mother. So stick with a nice 7 or even an 8. That means to me you are hurting by you might not be lying. (See below.)

The fourth rule is never ever ever lie to me about who you are or your history. If you come to the ER and give us a fake name so we can't get your old records I will assume you are a worse douchetard than you really are. More importantly though it will really really piss me the fuck off. Pissing off the guy who writes the rx you want does not work to your advantage.

The fifth rule is don't assume I am an idiot. I went to medical school. That is certainly no guarantee that I am a rocket scientist I know (hell, I went to school with a few people who were a couple of french fries short of a happy meal.) However, I also got an ER residency spot which means I was in the top quarter or so of my class. This means it is a fair guess I am a reasonably smart guy. So if I read your triage note and 1) you list allergies to every non-narcotic pain medicine ever made, 2) you have a history of migraines, fibromyalgia, and lumbar disk disease, and 3) your doctor is on vacation, only has clinic on alternate Tuesdays, or is dead, I am smart enough to read that as: you are scamming for some vicodin. That in and of itself won't necessarily mean you don't get any pain medicine. Hell, the fucktards who list and allergy to tylenol but who can take vicodin (which contains Tylenol) are at least good for a few laughs at the nurses station. However, if you give that history everyone in the ER from me to the guy who mops the floor will know you are a lying douchetard who is scamming for vicodin. (See rule # 4 about lying.)

The sixth and final rule is wait your fucking turn. If the nurse triages you to the waiting room but brings patients who arrived after you back to be treated first, that is because this is an EMERGENCY room and they are sicker than you are. You getting a fix of vicodin is not more important than the 6 year old with a severe asthma attack. Telling the nurse at triage that now your migraine is giving you chest pain since you have been sitting a half hour in the waiting area to try to force her into taking you back sooner is a recipe for making all of us hate you. Even if you end up coming back immediately, I will make it my mission that night to torment you. You will not get the pain medicine you want under any circumstances. And I firmly believe that if you manipulate your way to the back and make a 19 year old young woman with an ectopic pregnancy that might kill her in a few hours wait even a moment longer to be seen, I should be able to piss in a glass and make you drink it before you leave the ER.

So if you keep these few simple rules in mind, our interaction will go much more smoothly. I don't really give a shit if I give 20 vicodins to a drug-seeker. Before I was burnt out in the ER I was a hippy and I would honestly rather give that to ten of you guys than make one person in real pain (unrelated to withdrawal) suffer. However, if you insist on waving a flourescent orange flag that says 'I am a drug seeker' and pissing me and the nurses off with your behavior, I am less likely to give you that rx. You don't want that. I don't want that. So lets keep this simple, easy, and we'll all be much happier.

Sincerely,

Your friendly neighborhood ER doctor

Sick Day: 2009 Clackamas Water Festival

2009-05-16T16:20:00.000-07:00

After my stuffy nose subsided I headed off towards Esticada Oregon to watch Josh and Christina compete in the Upper Clackamas Water Festival. I didn’t arrive until 7pm but it was in perfect time to watch Christina’s younger siser and her boyfriend practice some play-boating on Bob’s Wave.

Shortly afterwards we drove a mile up fish creek to find a suitable camp site. Instead we ended up placing our tents at a dead end on the asphalt. With the weather expected to be in the 80's I didn't give much thought to warm clothes. Half way through the night I woke up completely frozen. It made for a pretty miserable night but thankfully we had plenty of alcohol to help us sleep in the less than ideal situation.

The next day we sat along the shore and watched boaters and kayakers alike raced down the rapids and get absolutely demolished. This big hole was causing some major drama for most of the competitors.

There was a big air competition scheduled later in the day but we unfortunately had to leave early. The ramp was about 20 feet long with a 3 foot kicker that ended up being about a good 10 – 15 foot drop. It would have been fun to see.

Clackamas Water Festival Album

Sick day .. yes?

2009-05-15T17:47:00.001-07:00

My TV repair man woke me up at 1pm today. The weather is sunny and hot. No way I am going back to work tonight, my nose is a little stuffy anyway. Now I am running off to Esticada for the 2009 clackamas paddle. Camping and drinking along the river and then kayaking fun all day tomorrow.

I'm taking my camera out so I will post pictures later.

I'm an Idiot

2009-05-14T17:13:00.000-07:00

Some of you don't know. My shifts are 12.5 hours long and I am allowed to create my own schedule for the most part. Last week, this week, and next is kind of crazy. I had 3 on, 2 off, 4 on, 1 off, and then I will be back on for 3. So don't expect too much out of me in the way of this blog.

Work and sleep and to add insult to injury the weather is suppose to be amazing.

The Daily Bore

2009-05-09T17:12:00.000-07:00

I woke to the sound of lawnmowers. It must be a beautiful day I think to myself as I roll over to see what time it is. Ughh .. it's nearly 3 pm. On a good day of rest I wouldn't get up for another two hours. Seeing the sun is a rare treat for a night nurse unless they're willing to sacrifice sleep.

The running shoes go on, headphones in place, iPod turns on and .. Fergie is playing. When did I ever buy any Fergie music? Oh well, I run for a quick mile. Do some stretching, push ups, sit ups trying not to become a fatty.

Getting home I decided that I should do the cool thing and try out my new lawnmower. Troy Built, Honda made engine. This is MUCH easier than using that crappy electric pile I owned earlier this month. Cutting my lawn was actually enjoyable and I decided to take my lawncare to the next level and sprayed all my weeds.

Next is my favorite part of the day. Shower. Then I will eat my left over spaghetti made with whole grain noodles, turkey burger, and extra olives. An organic salad on the side? I almost miss the days in college where beer and a can of Pringles would suffice. This is my Friday at work so perhaps Deschutes Brewery and myself will meet up.

Oh yes .. my rant for the day. Last night I was placed on standby for work. This was the middle of my work week which is less than an ideal day to be placed on standby but Brent and I decided to see the new Star Trek movie. The movie is GREAT! It's a must see even if you have no idea what Star Trek is about. During the middle part of the movie my phone vibrates, shit, I know what this means. "Large traumatic epidural bleed is going to surgery", great, thanks Brad. Time for me to earn my paycheck. I Montana Exit out of the theatre and head into work. All in all it was good. I will see the movie again later this week and the patient came back from neuro surgery and ended up doing alright. His family was over joyed and greatly apprecitive of everything we did for him. I love my job most days.

Time for dinner ..

Future plans dashed, friendships lost, and life goes on

2009-05-08T08:53:00.001-07:00

Someone, and I will keep that someone anonymous for their safety, recently emailed me requesting more frequent blog updates with less pictures and videos but with more writing instead! This idea is ridiculous to me but perhaps it will be good for me. I don't care for sharing too much about my life so I would perfer to keep most of it a secret. This obviously is self defeating of owning a blog but nothing too exciting has happened recently so a blog full of text is what we will work with.

I always have plans. Ideas churning and constantly developing. The most recent scheme was to apply for the Air Force Reserve Aeromedical Evacuation squadron based out of Tacoma. My reasons are many but simple. The training would be top notch and the rewards would be vast. Working in the hospital I often become jaded of the overweight, none medical compliant whiner patients who hardly appreciate the care they receive. To help the soldiers wounded on the front lines seems like the LEAST I can do while they fight for their country. To be a part of something larger than me, larger than any of us truly seems like a life calling. The good news is they want me (the military will take anyone), the bad news is my school has not yet received national accreditation. Since I was the second graduating class from Concordia University - PDX it apparently takes several graduating classes before the national board will examine the program.

Within the next year my school anticipates receiving their accreditation and then I would be able to reapply. I won’t lie. The 45k sign on bonus for three years is a huge benefit but my desire to help those in need trumps that of any financial gain.

It is 0830 and I just got off a 12 and half hour graveyard shift. This next item will be short and probably not all that sweet. I’ve got this uncanny ability to get along with everybody, mostly, and to form strong relationships. On top of that I have a greater ability to ruin those relationships.

I hate it. I do it. And I’m not quite sure what to do about it. Perhaps someday I will figure it out but until then all I can do is be honest, be open, and be friendly. This is getting wayyy too mushy. Moving on…

Good news? Well .. I am still employed. With 12.3% unemployment in Oregon I can be thankful for my job. My sister, cousin, and friend are all getting married this summer. Finally in July I am going on a three day rafting slash camping trip. We will be on the rapids during the day and camping along the river at night. It’s going to be a great break from the city and work.

There you go Shelley .. it’s no longer a secret anymore, hope you enjoyed. Hell’s kitchen just finished this blog is done and it’s bed time. Good morning / night. It’s your call.

Summer and Kayaking

2009-04-30T03:40:00.000-07:00

Summer is almost here and It's time I started a new hobby. My friend Josh is an expert white water guide and a semi-pro kayaker. His girlfriend, Christina, has been accepted into a nursing school in Portland and will be moving here soon. Josh has sworn he will turn me into a kayaker in no time. Last year he took me on the Dechutes river for some fun.

Over summers past Josh has ran this river hundreds of times and finds it quite boring. I on the other hand thoroughly enjoyed the water and the rush of the river. This summer Josh will be taking me to local pools to learn the basics and hopefully soon I will have pictures of me working the white water in my own kayak.

Rafting on the Dechutes Album

I actually bought a CD

2009-04-29T23:43:00.000-07:00

In my google reader I came across an interesting article from Gizmodo.com about an organization called "Playing For Change". All the songs are recorded by completely unknown artists in a street virtual studio all around the world. Tracks are played and then layered it on top of each other to make a world wide compilation of incredible music. Here is a great example of one of the songs featured on the DVD:

The creators believe that through music and art the world could be a little more at peace. Even more the use of international artists who have never met each other give a stark realization that music can bring people together from all over the world. Sales from these CD's will help create and develop music and art schools around the world.

Everyone who knows me realizes that I may obtain my music from less than legal circumstances. These decisions are not because I am trying to rip off the music industry or because I lack the financial means to purchase them. No, I believe the music industry has outright driven themselves into the ground with their corrupt and shady practices. They have been unable to keep up with the changing times and have turned to suing 12 year old girls! The fact of the matter is the music industry is failing to serve those who support them. A recent study shows that pirates (if you're thinking eye patches you're wayyy off) actually buy 10 times more legal music than others. Anyway this post isn't about the music industry it is about the CD I actually bought because I believe in the message and I'm not worried my money is going to fund someones new grill (again if you're thinking burgers and hot dogs think again). I hope you enjoy these songs and consider buying the CD. Its not only good music but it's for a good cause.

Playing For Change

Tiffany's Engaged

2009-04-28T09:56:00.000-07:00

This weekend Tiffany flew down to LA to see her boyfriend. Little did she know that my parents were invited down there to celebrate their soon to be engagement. I've got to give props to Kevin. His proposal was creative and unique. He went out of his way to ensure this was going to be a special moment.

Tiffany wears a necklace with an antique key attached. Kevin had a box and a lock made that would only open with this key. When the time came he presented her with the box which she opened with the key around her neck and inside was the ring Kevin designed himself.

The date is set and the planning has begun. September 19th at East Lake Resort.

Bungee Jumping

2009-04-27T20:58:00.000-07:00

For Tiffany's 23rd birthday (my eldest sister) her boyfriend Kevin decided to take her and the rest of the family Bungee Jumping. Six of us jumped. Six of us survived. It was an amazing rush. Jumping was NOT the hard part. I felt safe and secure but the scary part was when you were falling at full speed. Doubts start to arise when you are falling 65 mph towards the ground.

On a side note, I know I am not the most elegant writer so most of my blogs will include pictures and videos to tell the story. For example, you can view videos from our jumps here on my YouTube account.

Bungee Jumping Album

Four days after our jump a local mans cord broke. Mind you he was using his own equipment but it makes you wonder if that could have been you. Thank god it wasn't! =)

Health Bridges International - Peru 2008

2009-04-27T17:14:00.000-07:00

Back in June of 2008 my grandpa and I traveled with a local non-for-profit health organization Health Bridges International to Peru. Our goal was to visit local schools and treat illnesses and identify kids at risk of becoming homeless. The current lack of sleep is preventing me from going too so I hope these pictures can suffice.

International human relief is one of my passions and I hope that later on in life I will be able to travel more. These are just two of the many amazing photos I took while on my trip. Please feel free to browse them all in my Picasa web album.

Peru Vol. 1
Peru Vol. 2