Future Change

Good Afternoon Ladies & Gentlemen,

My apologies for the gloomy rant yesterday…but I'm better now. My friends were there for me to cheer me up as usual…and I was able to make them laugh, which always makes me feel good. Thanks y'all!!! Today, I woke up a little early and did some push ups, stretches, and little workout routine that I used to always do to get the blood pumping in the morning. I would have gone jogging…but there was snow on the ground…so I passed. Instead, I gave my dad a call to see if he could use some company…and of course he wants to see his eldest son while recovering from a leg injury. So I packed up some movies that I thought he would like (Sunshine, Knocked Up, Superbad, Boondock Saints, etc.) and some classics that I know he likes (Vanishing Point, Dirty Mary Crazy Larry, & Virtuosity). Odd thing was…he actually rented Virtuosity last week. You know what they say about great minds…they think like us.

We were even flipping through the channels and watched the first minute of "Disturbia" where the main character & his dad get in a car wreck...and we simultaneously reached for the remote to change it...and then got into a discussion about how just about the only movies that make us cry are the ones where there's a father-son tragedy thing going on...like "Godfather", "Big Fish", "Frequency", and even "Lord of the Rings" when the King says something like "A father should never have to bury his son." I thought it was weird that we had that same thing...but then again, my grandpa died fairly young...and suddenly...so I can see where that would be the case. Maybe it's genetic or something. I don't know. I'm not a scientist.

He's getting around the house good with his crutches and little walker and stuff like that…but you can tell that the pain is pretty bad still. It's hard to see my dad go through stuff like that…but that's why he has a good kid like me…to help him out with the little things…like interesting conversation, refreshing his beverage, or cleaning out his urine bottle. "Dude, I really appreciate you helping me with this stuff." "It's no problem, man. At one time, you wiped my ass for me and I probably peed on you…so it's only fair that I repay the debt, right? If you pee on me intentionally though, we're done." "Hahaha, understood. Hey, remember to wash your hands." "Dude, I'm already trying to remember where the grease soap is in this place. I'm taking a few layers of skin off." "You know, urine is sterile." "I could give a damn. I'm not prepping for surgery." My dad & I obviously have similar senses of humor. Wonder how that happened…

We caught up on things…and we're already planning on a trip to Vegas, just the two of us…probably late May-early June, so stay tuned for that one. Also, he told me about some friends of his that asked him if he & my stepmom wanted to go to the Sturgis Rally in South Dakota this August. Being a big Harley guy, he was interested…as was I. Apparently, these friends of his wanted to go are well to do…and will be driving a black H2 Hummer…with the Batman logo on the sides…and pulling a trailer with Harleys. That's right, the Bat-Hummer. Apparently it's because the wife (Wiccan friend of my stepmom) saves and nurses trapped bats caught in chimneys and what-have-you back to health…but it sounds awesome. Besides, I visited Sturgis during the off-season once when I was about twelve…and saw Spearfish, Deadwood, the Black Hills, Mount Rushmore, all that stuff…but don't really have pictures of it…nor any good biker stories…so I'm trying to slide my way into this hook-up somehow. At the very least, I'm good entertainment. Oooh, speaking of entertainment, Sammy Hagar & ZZ Top will be performing at the Sturgis Rally this year. That's worth it right there. Anyway, I'll keep you posted as that comes up…but yeah, we basically caught up and watched "Sunshine" which he liked…as predicted. Then I came here to work.

As mentioned yesterday, over the last few weeks, I have been seriously considering a drastic and major change…because I find myself growing a little bored and complacent, whereas I used to have Passion to get up early, do stuff all day from school to work to volunteering to trying new things and everything in between, go to bed late, and repeat off four hours of sleep. Then I graduated…and slowly but surely, about the only things that are the same are work and going to bed late…and it's been really gradual…and I'm starting to feel like I need a major change to get the Passion flowing back into my life. I making this a little more dramatic than it really is…but only slightly. I still really enjoy so many things about my life that it's crazy to be talking like this…but I think that it'd be a great new adventure…to consider moving outside of my Comfort Zone a.k.a. Slick City.

Now, for those of you who are fairly new to this blog, I was born and raised and have always lived along the Wasatch Front in northern Utah. From the small-town ghetto to the small-town suburbs to cow country to the upper-class mountains to the larger-town ghetto to the larger-town suburbs…but all here in Utah. Why? My family & friends are all here…and they're insanely important to me. Also, I love the mountains…and nature in general. The people are really nice…like creepy nice…like something out of Stepford Wives most of the time. I have nothing but Love for Utah…but I think it would be a great adventure for me to move out of the state, if not the country, to get some real world experience…whatever that means. Of course, I'm also really logical even when I'm dreaming about ideas and this and that…so I have to do serious pros & cons…and basically use that stuff to convince myself that something is a good idea…and this is no different. Thus, I share with you…my Pros & Cons for my Top Options that I've come up with for living quarters.

Leaving Utah in General

Pros

• Career Progression
• Change of Scenery, new adventure
• Force me to break out of my Comfort Zone
• Meet new people
  

Cons

• Family & Friends aren't readily available
• If something happens, I'm on my own
• Only see family on holidays and stuff
• Already have a job with good pay & little responsibility
• Pay cut probably involved initially
• I'd have to move my stuff
• Leaving the mountains
  

Summary - Maybe I just need to get Passion into my life somehow…but really I'm thinking that I can leave for a few years and then return with some experience…hopefully to get a good job that I love in the city I want to retire in...Eden, Utah. So now let's look at the other options I'm considering…


Las Vegas, Nevada

Pros

• Love the city like a fat kid loves cake
• Prostitution, higher alcohol content, no state tax, more bang for your buck
• Entertainment Capital of the World
• America's Playground…if not the World's
• Family & friends could visit every few months easily…and gratefully
• The Wingmans live two hours away
• SoCal is about six hours away
• I know a few people in the area (Bubbles & two former bosses)
• Booming economy, especially in my favorite industries
• Already familiar with the area & have scouted real estate
• Great job market for me in the area
  

Cons

• Fear of drunk drivers increased
• Need to watch out for addictions of all kinds
• Really just the usual 'leaving home' stuff
  

Summary - This is by far the leading candidate right now. I had thought about it for a while…but it was really this latest trip to help Bubbles move in where I was convinced that it really wouldn't be a bad idea…if not just for a few years while I'm still young & adventurous. There's also a rich variety of cultures that come to the area. My job would also involve me dressing up in a snappy three-piece and flashing the charm on dignitaries and drunken socialites. Not a bad environment to work in.


San Diego / OC, California

Pros

• Closest to Heaven that I'll ever be
• 300+ Days of pure sunshine & skimpy outfits
• Tourism is big business in the area
• Ocean, beaches, culture
• Seaport city, so I can trust seafood
• I can also trust the fruits & vegetables
• Two hour flight from SLC (Delta & JetBlue direct)
  

Cons

• Extremely high cost of living…but doable
• Not insanely familiar with the area…but learn quickly
• Two days drive from my family
• Invest in sunblock
  

Summary - Having to learn a little Spanish wouldn't be a bad thing but the major drawback would be the cost of living. There are suburbs though…and if I'm willing to skimp on my globetrotting, it's doable. I do love to travel and see the world though…and a lot of cruises leave from the area. It's another strong possibility…but still behind Vegas.

New Orleans, Louisiana

Pros

• Love the culture & the food
• Great jobs waiting for me
• Familiar with the city
• Cost of living is very reasonable for good parts of town
• My friend Filly wants to move there when she graduates
  

Cons

• City is in reconstruction
• Economy is…rebuilding at best
• Fear of living underwater
• Fear of stabbing
• Humidity is not my friend
  

Summary - I love to visit the Big Easy…but I really don't know if I'd want to live there. I've also always thought it was really, really city to build an entire city under sea level…and though I know that it rarely happens…it has happened recently…and global warming…and yeah, I don't want to be stabbed either. Still a possibility though.


Anyway, those are the top contenders right now…but I may just be blowing smoke and everything right now. This may go the way of my professional basketball career, movie directing career, and other ideas that I was really passionate about…but faded over time. We shall see. I just thought that I'd share these ideas with y'all (and I already have with some of you, thanks for the input by the way) and really it's so that I can see it to look at later…and try to make a decision. The first major thing is finding a good job…because if I can't pay for the move, then it'd be really pointless, right? Let me know what you think…and I'm sure that tomorrow will probably be a funnier post, like you're used to. In the meantime, have a great night…and I'll see you in April.