The name is Friday...Sergeant Friday!

What a coincidence, it is Friday. But Sargeant Friday was also the name of the lead character in the Jubilations dinner theatre I went to last night. It was Talisman's corporate night so about 200 employees and family were at the show. Guess who gets called up on stage? Yeah...me.

For those of you who haven't been to a Jubilations show...GO! It's incredible. I went last night with Natalie, Tracy, and Luke. At the beginning when everyone was just visiting and eating appetizers one of the waiters/actors came up and asked girls if they could borrow their guys for a bit during the play. So I said "yes" and "I probably need a beer". It wasn't too bad, Luke and I just sat on a bench on stage, had one of the hot actresses flirt with us for a bit, walked around a while, then snuck back to our seats. Glad that was over, WRONG! Only a couple minutes later another waiter came up and grabbed Natalie and I from our seats to go dance by the side of the stage with two of the actors. All right! I can dance, I'll show her a thing or two. The actress I was dancing with was also singing at the time but I still tried to dip her...she didn't go. Apparently singing takes some concentration. THEN during one of the intermissions they had a birthday thing on stage and my table sold me out. I guess March 7th is close enough. I got to tell the audience I'm almost 22 and then make a fool of myself on stage.

What about the actual show? It was amazing. Friday was a detective on his last case trying to solve the mystery of a jewel theft. Lot's of great songs and comedy. The actors were also our waiters during the intermissions. One of the guys serving tables behind us wasn't a main actor but had a great character for seving food. Basically he was a retard. Dumb as a brick. At one point he found out someone at his table was having a birthday so he shouted to get everyone's attention and everyone on that side of the room doing a slow clap, got it going faster, and then started his singing. "This is your birthday song, sadly it's not that long" and then he just leaves. Everyone is still clapping and wondering what the heck is really going on. Great night. Natalie and I snuck over next door to Aussie Rules for a bit of dancing too after our show. Yeah, life was pretty good last night.

Here's one more picture I have from Tuesday's ski trip. I can't wait to get back out there tomorrow.



It took Luke and I a little bit of practice to be able to throw up snow like that. It's not a very proper turn but it looks cool.

Sunshine...you are my sunshine...

Guess what?? Yesterday was Wednesday! Don't believe me...well it's true. It was also the first day of the work week for me. Most Alberta residents had a long weekend with Monday off but not so many had Tuesday off to go snowboarding in Banff. I made the trip this time with Luke, Kolla, Kolla's brother (AJ), and Kolla's brother's friend (Travis).



It was a bit icy for our usual powder hunting runs but I found a new love...the terrain park. I've never spent much time in there because it used to just plain scare me. I guess I've improved a bit since I was last hitting the huge table-tops because it's easy now. I can hit the jump on a stead line now. More importantly, I can land!



Luke and I stayed on the Continental chair for most of the day. The top face of the mountain is always nice to cruise down. In the afternoon the groomed run actually started to soften up to we could put down some nice edges. It was also the fasted way back down to the jumps.



There was a really light mist (cloud, snow crystals) in the sky all day and it made this really neat sundog effect around the sun. You can see it in that last picture, the rainbow around the sun. We're going out again this weekend for two days, I just pray we have close to the same weather. Sunny, just below zero, no wind. Oh, one more thing. Kolla's are crazy...all of them. AJ definitely had the biggest air of the day but Mike wasn't far behind. This last picture came out great. Mike was the only skiier in the group but he didn't dissappoint.



Can't wait to get back out there. Anyone want to see me this weekend...I'll be at Sunshine.

The King of New Orleans...

I'm sure most of you have heard this song before by Better Than Ezra. It doesn't mean anything special to me, it's just a nice song that I've been listening to this afternoon. Today has been a good day, blissfully boring. I've been busy all day, but it hasn't been stressful. I just finished one of the larger projects I've been working on. I have more to do this afternoon but not before a small break.

Two highlights of the day. 1: got a hair cut...it's short. 2: ate a great sandwich at a place called Submission. There was an injury at lunch though. I guess I just wasn't paying attention and bit my tongue...HARD! It was that sickening crunch like the sound or cartilage. Bled onto a few napkins. The sub was still okay after that, but tasted a bit like iron and the salsa stung like hell. The bottle of Coke wasn't any better. Yeah, I learned my lesson...don't bite your tongue before consuming tomato products, any other time is okay.

Have you been to Ohio? I haven't yet I don't think, but I will someday. Why? This is why:



Did that make you sick? Check this out then...



Presenting the Top Thrill Dragster at Cedar Point, Ohio. 420 ft tall (42 storys), 120 mph top speed. It gets two 120 mph twice, once on the free fall down, and at the start when it accelerates you from 0-120 in 4 seconds. I don't care if I pee myself, I'm going.

I get to catch another one of Pete's hockey games tonight. I like this being close to home thing. Oh, skipping Panorama this weekend do to poor conditions. We might catch Sunshine on Monday, it's going to be crowded though. I'd almost rather work Monday and take Tuesday off. Hmmm, maybe. My boss is pretty cool with stuff like that. I hope she doesn't mind me starting hockey on Fridays. A couple of the guys on my floor play hockey over the noon hour on Fridays. They leave the office at 11:15, play 12:00 to 1:00, and then go to Ceili's Irish Pub beside the rink for food and beer after, all payed for by some drill bit or service company of course. Friday's are paid for by Stabeco. Don't know who they are but I don't care. If one of the guys has to get back to the office that afternoon they hussle and might make it back by 2:00. Half the time they just don't come back. I'm thinking I'd be a real idiot if I don't go into drilling after I graduate. Finally a job that seems cool, plus you just don't find work with so many "extras". Matt, I'll do my best to get you hired but it's a hard industry for...well...feminine men. To the rest of you, send all the hate emails you want...I can't check them when I'm on the golf course! Have a great long weekend with the families! (I might call you at work to say hi on Monday, Janet)

Is there roughnecking in my future?

Yesterday at work was my weekend, my time to relax and take it easy. I still did my work quickly and effciently (like always, how else would I have so much free time) but it was still less exhausting than the previous four days. On Wednesday I found out that I would be going to the field for Thursday AND Friday. Yes, a field trip and camp! So Thursday at 5:40 AM I left the house in my car, met up with my boss and the rental jeep, and drove to the well site about an hour west of Rocky Mountain House.



The rig was called Bear 2 and this was a new area for this crew to be drilling, in fact, it's a new area for anyone to be drilling. I can't tell you much about what I did there due to confidentiality blah, blah, blah...but I can tell you that it was a lot of fun. They had a few problems just after they spudded to it was interesting to watch them work quickly to correct it, kind of like watching a really intense 6-hour movie. I didn't get much sleep there.



I got back to Calgary on Friday around 6:00, just in time to pick up my snowboard at the repair shop and go out with the group to BP's. Janet came with us, and Matt and Jacob were down from Edmonton. The plan was to hit Sunshine on Saturday, Lake Louise Sunday but that was changed when the internet told us Saturday morning that Sunshine was closed for the day. If we had been thinking, we might have gone to Nakiska or something, but no, we went to Louise... like everybody else!!! So yeah, it was super packed there. Three highlights of the day for me. 1: the magician at the ski lodge beside the larch chair. 2: Skinner's interesting bail to miss a power pole and end up in a patch of short spruce trees with the phrase "it smells like Christmas in here". 3: Jacob's awesome "yard sale" right under the ski lift. I saved my laughing until after I new he was still conscious.



Sunday we hit Sunshine as it was closer, hadn't been skied on Saturday, and actually got some snow overnight. We were all a little sore from Louise, especially Tyler, Nevin's friend from PV. My dad and brother, Pete, made it up for this day. Highlights of Sunshine. 1: landing (and really sticking) my first 360 (Skinner is my witness). 2: Boarding with the little bro again, he's really getting good now. 3: Only having one other person in the gondola (Matt) so that we could each stretch out on our benches for a half hour. That's how the day is supposed to end. I had to crash in bed pretty early on Sunday, I was just exhausted. Well worth it though. Everyone, keep your ears open for another trip in April. Spring skiing!

I love scotch...scotch, scotch, scotch...and powder...

Yes I watched Anchorman again this weekend, or at least as much as I could before falling asleep Saturday night. I was extremely exhausted from the day. Why? Snowboarding...not much sleep...3 hours of driving...AND 48 CM OF POWDER!

Lucas: YEAH!!!!



Okay, start with Friday. Went to the Garage in Eau Claire after work. I'd forgotten how awesome that place is. Nevin and Lucas came with me, Lucas was supposed to have a date that night but ended up staying with us. Andrea, her friend Jen, and Luke's brother Ben also stopped by for some pool. After that we headed over to the Saddledome to see the Roughnecks kick some Colorado butt! The NLL is a brutal league, those Lacrosse boys are tough. Colleen Crowe was out dancing during the intermissions and at half time. I tried to grab her attention as she was leaving the one time but all the girls just ran on past...I guess they're used ignoring guys calls.

Anyway, Saturday, woke up at 6:00 to go snowboarding at Lake Louise but when we checked the snow report we saw that Sunshine had got 48 cm overnight. YES! Ada was also going to Lake Louise that day but a quick phone call changed her mind too. Nevin and Lucas were ready to go, Kolla wasn't planning on coming but what kind of friends would we be if we let him miss a day like that. So with only three hours of sleep, hungover, and no shower Kolla dropped himself into the back seat of the car.



The day was just awesome, easily in my top 5. Every run had powder, you could hit all the cliffs you wanted with no real worry about what was on the other side. Lucas was having a bit of an off day for landing jumps but still managed to injure himself anyway.



Actually I think everybody came away some some kind of injury or general full body soreness. The night wasn't too bad but Sunday was killer. I slept in until 11:00 in the position I was in when my head hit the pillow. Just done. The superbowl was pretty cool, I was hoping the Patriots would win, I want to see an NFL dynasty, even if I don't care much about the NFL. I didn't last too long though. In bed by 9:45 and asleep soon after. Today isn't great either. I still hurt all over and work is pretty boring for some reason. I'm going to the gym today but not exactly looking forward to it. I guess there's worse reasons to be in pain.

And tonight, live from Calgary....

WANTED



...for heinous crimes against humanity...and livestock!

If you see either of these two individuals, please, drop what you are doing, cover your bums, and RUN! The one on the right is Lucas Crutchfield AKA "Lenny Kravitz". He thinks he is the brains of the duo which makes him extremely dangerous. If he says "hey, let me give you some advice on how to pick up chicks at the bar" and you take his advice, you may end up dead. The one on the left is Lenny's older brother, Ben Crutchfield AKA "The Prof". Ben is the obvious muscle of the duo and is currently involved in a scam to steal money from Husky Energy in the form of a legal salary. He has fooled their accountants into thinking he is knowledgable in a bogus science called geology. I can't stress it enough, being in the company of one or both of these men for extended periods of time can have adverse and irreversible effects. Just listen to this eye witness:

"I have had the misfortune of having to live with Lucas for one month now. He insists that we call him Lenny or sometimes even Donny, his favorite new kid. I think he tries to get into my room every night but luckily I have a heavy dresser that I can move infront of the door. I fear for my life every day!"

To protect this witness we will not reveal his true name. Instead we will call him Nevin Edward Purser. Even writing this letter has put my own health at risk. I must now retreat to my room...and start moving my dresser. I hope I live to see tomorrow.