Trinidad and Tobago Take City Cup 2010

Another City Cup has come and gone, and everyone at this house is completely exhausted. It was so great to see so many good friends in one place. Unfortunately, I was constantly running (literally) to  one place or another so my conversations tended to be very brief.

This year The champion came from the 8th seed of the knockout stages. Brothers Garrett and Grant Davis, and Jeff Petty formed the red clad Trinidad and Tobago. Like Italy in the 2006 Wold Cup, they seemed to find better and better form as the tournament progressed.

Having lost their first two games, they were not expected to advance past the first knockout game vs. the heavily favored #1 seed Greenland United who were led by the goal scoring wizard Scott Riddle. T & T shocked everyone, dominating the game from the opening whistle. They powered through a tough fought semi-final match verses the talented (and good looking) Amish Country Football Club. In the final, they faced The All Blacks who had advanced thanks to a controversial but correct (sorry Chad, John, and Jayden) decision on the game winning goal.

The Kid Cracks us Up

I realize the lack of Abby posts over the last few months. I apologize. She is growing up so fast, and I don't have time to fully document at the moment. I do have time to briefly address her fun personality. She makes us laugh out loud every day without exception. Here are some examples.

1. She is very cute when she is looking for something. When she tries to find something on the floor, she will bend over so far that the top of her head is resting on the ground as she searches. Sometimes, by looking between her legs, she will then notice us on the other side of the room and chuckle to herself.

2. Natalie just bought a jump rope, and Abby has decided it is her microphone. She drags it around with her with the handle to her mouth and the cable dragging behind, "shuush, shuu, shuush, shush..."

3. She loves when we bless the food (and makes sure we do it even at restaurants.) Sometimes she will whisper some syllables. She loves the ending the most. She used to say "menmen" or something like it, but now "done" is the preferred ending word.

4. She helps conduct the music at church. She is very serious and deliberate in her motions.

5. She can already carry a tune. She has the ability to match a note we are singing, and sometimes even mimic a string of notes. I am a proud papa for sure.

Weekend

Bueno: Driving through the gorgeous canyon to Logan.
Bueno: Playing a really fun show in Logan Friday night.
Bueno: Finally getting Mony Mony right, and the crowd dancing like crazy.
Bueno: Seeing good friends again. Seeing good friends' kids. Staying with good friends.
Bueno: Breakfast at Angies (where the locals eat) with good friends.
No es Bueno: Accidentally ordering my eggs 'sunny side up.'
No es Bueno: Natalie following suit and accidentally ordering her eggs the same way.
No es Bueno: Sunny side up sounds fun, but can be dangerous.
Bueno: conference.
No es Bueno: stomach ache.
No es Bueno: getting worse.
No es Bueno: Driving home with stomach ache.
No es Bueno: Nausea. Pulling off freeway in Kaysville. Dryheaves.
No es Bueno: Missing Priesthood session with Dad and brothers.
No es Bueno: Throwing up in front of wife, brothers, and nephew.
No es Bueno: Missing post preisthood Wii tennis tournament with Dad and brothers.
Bueno: Sunday conference, no church, chance to recover.

No Thanks

I was reading my friends/band mates blog about a pretty awkward grocery store experience, and was reminded of a somewhat similar experience I had last year.

Despite my occupation, I rarely make it out to concerts any more. Last year, my company put on a concert for a band that my good friend Jeremy represented as a booking agent. Jeremy and I made plans to meet up at the show and check it out. As we were watching the opening band play I noticed a girl glancing over somewhat frequently, and I figured maybe she thought she knew me. I looked over and determined that I had never met her before. As the bands set ended Jeremy was talking to a coworker, and I noticed the girl heading toward me from my left periphery with a determined stride. Without fully stopping she said, "I'm going to get a drink," motioning to the bar area at the other side of the club, "do you want one?"

I was caught a little off guard. My train of thought went something like this:
>"she's really determined in her stride"
> "I am kind of thirsty."
> "drink" means "alcoholic beverage"
> she's asking me "for a drink."
> this is the non-Mormon way of getting to know other singles.
>"I'm not single."
> "this is the first time I've ever been offered alcohol."
> "That's kind of weird, you would think it would have happened first in High School or College."
> "Answer her, dummy, she's determined in her stride."

She was behind me now, having slowed down to wait for my answer. I turned to face her while the aforementioned train of thought was traveling down the rails of my mind. I'm not sure how long it was from first thought to the "answer her dummy" part, but there were probably some consecutive seconds of awkwardness accompanied by a very dignified "uuuuuuuuuuuuuh." Finally I blurted out, "no, thanks."

"Oh." she said as she continued her determined stride tot the other side of the club.
"I..." I meant to explain that I'm a happily married LDS man who was flattered by her invitation but clearly unable to oblige, but she was long gone.

I don't really know what the point of this story is, but it's funny to look back on. I was like a little peek into a completely different social world, and it was pretty awkward. Let me just say, I don't envy the singles who are trying to work the club scene. Having said that, how could a bar or club be any less awkward than a "linger longer" at a student ward or a cookie and punch social in a Young Single Adult ward?

Conclusion? Being single is full of awkward moments, and it's best to just embrace them. One day you'll look back and have a good laugh.

Post Number 100: Doo-Wop on a Train

We were able to capture some video of one of my very favorite moments from our trip. We had just sat down on our seats in the subway when this group of guys started singing. I've always loved doo-wop music, and had considered it a dead genere, but for a few minutes on a train in New York it was alive and well. Abby's reaction was priceless, and the singers just loved her. This is a memory I will keep with me for a very long time.

Memory Street

That thing where you share funny, touching, embarrassing, or other stories about me. You can share stories about Natalie as well. That way, she might read my blog... I'm not bitter.