Catch Up

Quick Hits

It has been a while since I posted my last update, so here it goes:

Running

In October and November, I ran a 2 hour half marathon in San Jose and a 10k night trail run in Usery Mountain Park.  The half marathon is probably the hardest physical challenge that I have faced in my adult life, and it was extremely rewarding.  Wifey even joined me in San Jose and ran a 10K, despite her previous declaration that "I don't run unless something is chasing me".  This is what true love looks like.

I also ran two Spartan Races back-to-back in February that were 5 and 10 miles long with about 23 obstacles in each.

Up Next

The 3rd and final Spartan Race in Dallas on 10/27 will be 13 miles with 35 obstacles.  After that, it'll be a quick break before training for the 2019 Rock N Roll Marathon

Travel

Allie was blessed to be able to go to Malawi on a medical missions trip with our church in May.  They saw hundreds of patients and were able to minister to people who never would've been able to see without support from all of our friends and family.  This was a life changing trip for her and I am excited to go with her and the team in the near future!  Allie will be working closely with our church on ministry in that area of the world because of her experiences in Malawi and Mozambique.

While Allie was off changing the world I took that opportunity to try something new, and I was able to travel to Yosemite National Park for the first time ever.  I was there camping for about a week, also for the first time ever. 

I simultaneously over-prepared and under-prepared for this trip, I hope that next time that goes a little more smoothly.  I meal-prepped everything possible with the help of these amazing camping recipes from Bon Appetit, I highly recommend checking these out whether you're camping, or just looking for a little rustic flair for your home cooking (my two favorites were these short ribs and oyster butter fried potatoes) .  

Yosemite was probably the most beautiful place that I have ever visited (Bora Bora is either 1a or 2).  The views are breathtaking and I don't think any photo that I have can reproduce the feeling when you are looking into those views.  Granite rock formations so tall that it's disorienting, waterfalls that completely soak you, and iconic hikes no matter where you decide to go.  My biggest hikes were up to El Capitan and Half Dome.

El Capitan was an adventure because I took a back trail for almost the entirety of the hike.  I only saw two people the entire time and that was when I had finally reached the 3000-foot peak.  It was really peaceful, aside from getting a little lost from time to time and having to kick pinecones the size of footballs out of the "path".  That was about 26.25 miles over 11 hours.  And for some reason, I skipped breakfast that day.

Half Dome is the highlight of Yosemite for most, personally, I thought it was amazing but I had a tough time because I wasn't ready for that kind of mileage over 3 days.  The falls were beautiful to walk up, albeit a little dangerous because of the carved granite steps being covered in water like everyone else on that path.  And then there's the part where I forgot my lunch (3000 calorie breakfast burrito, RIP) and my knees were so spent that I walked the last mile sideways/ backward because of the pain.  The top of Half Dome brought out a fear of heights that I didn't know that I had in me.  The final leg of the hike are steps carved into the top of the mountain that feel like they go straight up without anything to either side to give you a rest.  It was worse going up than down, otherwise I would've maybeeee been a little stuck.  This hike was about 22 miles overall and was about 10-11 hours. I thought it would be easier than El Capitan because of the shorter overall distance, but then I realized you actually hike up about 4737 ft., 1700 ft. higher than my previous hike.  Sidenote, my calves have never looked better than right after this trip.

Overall it was an amazing experience.  I got my solo survival camping trip that I had always wanted.  I learned a lot about some best camping practices, hiking (get the goofy-looking trekking poles because they take about 70 lbs of pressure off of your knees and that matters when you have a massive hiking pack), and that I don't need that long to be alone EVER.  I gave in a few nights in and just watched a movie on my iPad because I needed some sort of noise back in my life.

I thought that was going to be enough to provide a good recap here, but I didn't realize that I would only be working at Empire Southwest for a few more weeks.

New Job

A company reached out to me in June called Foresight Intelligence.  I had been at Empire for almost 6 years and was in a really tough position.  I had a job that was at one of the most secure and successful companies in the state, but I was stuck in a position that had left me highly specialized but without room to grow.  After I finally had an offer from Foresight, Empire had come back with multiple counter-offers that really made it hard to leave.  They had recognized that they had left my position without much room to grow and they valued me and my role more than I had thought.  In the end, my decision was based on a willingness to try something new, to stretch myself, and to broaden my skillset while I still could.  I get to travel, it's just Allie and Iggy at home, and I probably won't have an easier time in my life to work at a startup without assuming the risk that comes with those factors.

I am coming up on my second month with this company and the experience has been great.  I feel like I have barely scratched the surface at Foresight Intelligence, so I'll probably have more on this in future posts. 

 

Redesign/NBA Finals

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Life Comes at You Fast

...  But that's no excuse for such a long layoff from posting here.  First off, meet Iggy!  Allie and I adopted this half-Corgi half-Heeler in April.  Her full name is Andrea Iguodogla and she loves socks, miniature tennis balls, and dryer sheets.

Sidenote: Wifey cut a deal with me where I get to name all of our dogs, and she gets the final say on the names all of our children. I know, I win this pretty easily here.  Not only do I get more artistic license with dog names, but we will definitely have more dogs than kids.

In other news (why I wasn't writing): decided to buy a house, re-injured my neck (I learned my lesson: never rush a workout and always focus on form), played at churches for 10 straight weekends, decided to not buy a house, and had work send me all over our territory from Imperial, CA to Morenci, AZ...  You get the picture.

Takes

Phoenix Suns

I'm not as pessimistic about losing the lottery as the rest of the fanbase seems to be. Sure we didn't get a top 3 pick, but the three teams ahead of us (Celtics, Lakers, and Sixers) all need point guards.  So we might get our choice of impact small forwards!  I am a Jayson Tatum guy, but I'd be happy with Josh Jackson too.

On the bright side of tanking: we kept two extremely injury-prone players in Bledsoe and Chandler from getting hurt, while getting to see what Len and Ulis can do in expanded roles.  

Politics

... Never mind.

Music

Paramore's new album is out now, and sadly it is without one of my favorite bassists Jeremy Davis.  His playing style was something I tried to emulate in my late teens/early 2o's, and he had some beautiful Gibson G3s.

Roy Mitchell-Cárdenas, the bassist for MUTEMATH, announced that he will no longer be touring with the band. Roy is one of my favorite bassists of all time, so I was sad at first.  But I have so much respect for him because he is taking a step back so that he can be a more present dad to his 3 kids.

Fidget Spinners

... Also never mind.

Housing and Perspective

I am not a very knowledgeable person as far as how the housing market and tax breaks are intertwined with poverty on a macroeconomic level. How Homeownership Became the Engine of American Inequality by Matthew Desmond of the New York Times is really eye opening piece with a cool historical note at the end.

And yet over the course of our history, there have been times when Americans embraced a politics of sacrifice. During World War II, families volunteered to pay more taxes, ration food and give blood to serve a higher purpose. And even today, in what can feel like an age of insecurity and self-preservation, some Americans have shown a willingness to take a personal financial hit to promote social mobility and equality. Take the people of Seattle: For 36 years, they have agreed to be taxed more to raise revenue for affordable-housing programs. Last August, 70 percent of Seattle voters agreed to the largest housing levy yet, one expected to raise $290 million over the next seven years. Contributions to the levy are based on home values; a family living in a $480,000 home (the city’s median value in 2015) pays an additional $122 a year in taxes. With that money, Seattle will fund emergency rental assistance, loans to first-time home buyers and the construction of housing units that must remain affordable for at least 50 years. Previous housing levies have generated over 13,000 affordable apartment units and enabled 900 low-income families to buy homes. The 2016 Housing Levy will do more because the residents of Seattle decided to invest in economic diversity and residential stability, sacrificing a pinch to help those in need.

Politics are so divisive right now, it feels like we are constantly at each other's throats.  This made me feel a little better knowing that, as a whole, we still want to make progress as a society, even at our own expense.  If you have the time, please take a few minutes and read the whole article.  I promise it will be worth your time.

Eating- Tuck Shop

Wifey took me here for my birthday meal, so this recommendation is coming late.  This was easily one of the best and most unique meals I have had in a long time.  The menu is constantly changing (usually a good/fresh sign) and their cocktails are to die for.  I had two different drinks with Japanese whisky, and citrus-brined chicken with a cheddar waffle.  Take me back!

Drinking- Whistlepig 10 Year Rye and Del Bac

I recently tried Whistlepig 10 Year Rye at House of Tricks and I think I am looking to get myself a bottle.

Del Bac Classic (and Unsmoked) have always held a special place in my heart.  Great price, local (Tucson, AZ), hints of vanilla and butterscotch...  It's everything I would want in a whiskey.

Watching- Master of None

Late to the party, but we finally started Master of None.  I finally understand the hype!  The perfect combination of feeling real, being so funny, short episodes, and the great H. Jon Benjamin.

Final Thoughts- NBA Finals

It's like the end of a vacation.  You're finally in your groove, getting used to a life of luxury, not having a care in the world, and then you get the reminder to check in for your flight.  You start thinking about having to pack your bags, the long flight, the lines, the terrible airport food...

This is exactly how I feel about the end of the NBA season.  There is going to be a large NBA/NFL sized hole in my heart until September (late October for NBA).  So far my plans include watching all of the Lethal Weapon and Christopher Nolan Batman movies, and maybe going through HBO's The Night Of. 

Anyway

The Finals start tonight and it's the match-up everyone expected to see all season.  No big surprises, just two super teams fighting for the Larry O'Brien trophy for the 3rd tim in 3 years.

One thought I can't shake is how 2015 LeBron put up 35.8 points, 13.3 rebounds, and 8.8 assists with a lineup of Matthew Dellavedova, Timofey Mozgov, Tristan Thompson, and JR Smith...  and they managed to get 2 games from the Warriors (2 more wins than the Spurs, Jazz, and Trailblazers could get through this entire postseason).

Everyone knows that I am rooting for the Cavs.  Biases aside, I don't think that the Warriors will be able to roll to a 4 game sweep or a 5 game gentleman's sweep.  The safest bet, in my opinion, is Warriors in 6, but I am going to put my rooting interest in my pick and say Cavs in 6.  

  1. The Cavs best 7 match up almost evenly with the Warriors best 7.  Irving/Curry, LeBron/KD, Love/Green, Smith/Klay, Tristan/Zaza(or Iguodala).
  2. If both teams go into a switch-heavy defense (and they will), I think that we will have to see how well the Warriors avoid foul trouble.  Both teams will set picks until they get the most desirable match-up.  I would expect LeBron to try to get KD/Curry in the post and try to draw fouls to get them out of rhythm.  LeBron is usually pretty good about avoiding foul trouble, let's see if KD and Draymond can stay on the court while still being able to contest LeBron's drives.
  3. I still think that the Warriors bench with Livingston, Iggy, and JaVale will have success against the Cavs.  Livingston will make a point to attack Deron Williams, and the Cavs have no answer for JaVale rolling to the rim if Tristan Thompson is off the floor.  
  4. As an obvious statement, the series will be better if everyone gets/stays healthy.  Kyrie and Iguodala have the most recent injuries, and we don't know what is causing Klay Thompson's slump.  Let's just hope for the best here
  5. Lastly, Ty Lue and Mike Brown are coaching in the Finals.  Take that for data.

Ball is life.  Hopefully, I will have time in the next week or so to do some more thoughts on how the games played out.  As always, thanks for reading!

T

At Sea

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Things of Note

After a long layoff involving two weeks of vacation, traffic school, birthday(s?), weddings, etc I am back. 

Virgin Islands

I was invited to sail around one of the most beautiful places on Earth, the British and US Virgin Islands, with my wife and some of my closest friends. Not many people get the opportunity to go on a trip like this, so here are the main highlights of a sailing trip:

Sail-Sail-SAIL-EAT-SAIL-SAIL-SNORKEL-HAPPY HOUR- ICE CREAM-SAIL-SAIL-EAT MORE-SAIL-PLAY GAMES-REPEAT

Really.  

Oh yeah, and gain almost 10 pounds in 10 days.

On a serious note, I would like to sincerely thank my best friend and my second family the Hicoks for allowing us to tag along on this amazing trip.  Some highlights include the Baths at Virgin Gorda, grabbing rum from an actual distillery, and snorkeling at The Indians.

Picks (Home Team in CAPS):

To finish up the football season I went 1-1 with my Superbowl picks.  Now I get to try my luck at NBA lines (yeah, I don't watch ANY college basketball, so no bracket here).

Brooklyn Nets +9 at the BOSTON CELTICS- Isaiah Thomas is out, the Nets always play their division rivals tough.  Also, they will do anything to spoil their unprotected pick.  I am going against the grain on this one.

Houston Rockets -4.5 over the NEW ORLEANS PELICANS

PHOENIX SUNS -2.5 over the Orlando Magic- The Magic are playing on back to back nights coming off of a beat down by the Warriors.  

My bets this year: 6-7

What I'm Eating (again):  Mora Italian

I told you I would be back with a good review!  The opening night for Mora was a huge success, and we even got to meet Chef Scott Conant in person!  Excuse the blurryness:

They have a good cocktail menu (Rosé snow cone, what??), bottled wine and on tap, and great food for sharing.  

I would recommend all of the following: Grilled Scollipine of Beef Short Rib, Riccotta Fritters with Spiced Honey, and of course the Bread Cart and Salted Caramel Budino.

What I'm Reading: Escape to Another World and The Spy Who Came in from the Cold

I finished a book I have been waiting to read for a long time, John le Carré's The Spy Who Came in from the Cold.  This book has quickly become one of my favorite fictional novels of all time.  If anyone is into spy thrillers, this is one of the classics from the author of Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy.

Escape to Another World by Ryan Avent looks at, among other things, a trend in young males (and females) who are happily taking jobs that would be considered underemployment...  so that they can play video games.  This piece is eye-opening for anyone who thinks this situation I just described is ridiculous.  

Here is the (very well written) final paragraph, I think it gives just enough to entice:

"A life spent buried in video games, scraping by on meagre pay from irregular work or dependent on others, might seem empty and sad. Whether it is emptier and sadder than one spent buried in finance, accumulating points during long hours at the office while neglecting other aspects of life, is a matter of perspective. But what does seem clear is that the choices we make in life are shaped by the options available to us. A society that dislikes the idea of young men gaming their days away should perhaps invest in more dynamic difficulty adjustment in real life. And a society which regards such adjustments as fundamentally unfair should be more tolerant of those who choose to spend their time in an alternate reality, enjoying the distractions and the succour it provides to those who feel that the outside world is more rigged than the game."

What I'm Watching: This is Us and Logan

First, I still think This Is Us unabashedly panders to the most emotional segment of TV watchers.  There's nothing wrong with that.  I am learning to love the moments where I find myself laughing at the predictable plot turn and Wifey is fighting back tears.

BUT.

The uncut shot of Milo Ventimiglia and Mandy Moore (Jack and Rebecca) fighting after a long quiet car ride home was incredible.  The range of emotion felt so real! Well, until they cut from screaming at each other to a completely calm and controlled goodnight.  Still, bravo to the actors and crew that put that brief masterpiece together.

One last thing: Jack absolutely deserves a beating when he plays one hand of poker and then bails after he takes the mobster's money.  You don't pull that move in casinos, friend's houses, and ESPECIALLY mob games in the back of a pub.  

Rating 0/10 tears shed for that guy.

logan

9/10.  Great movie.  A little gory (better to go with fans than significant others who can be squeamish with R-rated violence). This was the best (and hopefully final) X-Men movie in the current franchise.  

It really captured the character's innate violence and the sadness that comes with it.  It gets into what has haunted Wolverine for his extremely long life.  Major props to Hugh Jackman's range from Broadway to superhero:

He is awesome.

What I'm Drinking: Tuck Shop Kitchen & Bar Cocktails

Wifey and I had 3 equally amazing cocktails last night for my birthday dinner:

  1. No. 17 nikka coffey malt whiskey (love this, I wrote about loving this whisky here),  st george nola, dolin rouge & soy sauce
  2. No. 25 tito’s vodka, el silencio mezcal, maraschino, lemon & pomegranate rosemary syrup (*drooling on my keyboard)
  3. No. 27 kikori japanese whiskey, plum wine, kina l’aero apertif & saffron bitters

The deeper I dive into the Japanese whisky, the more I fall in love. For anybody looking for a great cocktail lounge, this place is absolutely worth checking out. 

What I'm Listening to: i by Kendrick Lamar

It was just one of those weeks where I have to put this song on at some point every day.  The single is great, but the live version on the album To Pimp a Butterfly is also worth checking out because of the unexpected turn at the end of the song.  

Final thoughts

I missed doing this.  I like stretching myself, and this is definitely something that I am still not comfortable doing.  

When Allie asked me what I want to do in 2017 I thought of all of the normal things: work out, play bass better, save more money, blahblahblah.  Then I thought about writing and trying to generate meaningful content.  This is one of my bigger goals that I'll be focusing on for the next year.  

At some point in the near future, I am going to attempt posting a few deep dives.  A couple of ideas right now include local politics, a recap of the Suns season, maybe even a few bass covers.

As always, thank you for caring enough to read to this point.  Feel free to reach out with any thoughts or recommendations.

T