Grounded

Antioch, CA

After a month in a pot, these twins will go into the ground on Thursday or Friday.

Memoirs of a Gym Member - Relapse, Re-entry and Repentance

So a funny thing happened on last Tuesday. I paid for my gym membership for the month yet I hadn’t gone the entire month. Ever since the garden started, I have been going to work, going to the garden, going to dinner and going to bed. There was no going to the gym. And even though the garden does give me a work out (shoveling, clawing, tilling and raking) I’m still the tubby little guy I have always been. My arms are stronger, but the rest of me is still flabby.

Last week I made several attempts to go back but nothing ever panned out. If it wasn’t the garden, it was grocery shopping or eating out with friends or arguing with my roommate. Everything else seemed to just get in the way. So on Saturday, I made the decision to start going in the mornings starting today.

At 6:30 this morning the alarm clock went off and I straggled out of bed, washed my face, brushed my teeth and left my apartment. (Note – I did not comb my hair. I am not going to the gym to impress women.)

Because it was a triumphant return I figured there would be trumpets when I breezed through the doors at my gym. Strangely, there were not. Instead there was almost no noise. I guess it is packed from 4:30 – 6:30 AM and then it is packed from 5 PM on. At 6:50, when I got there, there were probably 10 people.

Following up on Brad’s advice, I didn’t go swimming. I went and worked my lower extremities. There were only three machines for that though. There was the one where you sit knees bent and there is a bar that you push up as you straighten your legs. There was one that made me feel like I was at an OBGYN appointment – where I had to spread my legs wide open and there were two pads on my inner thighs and I had to try to squeeze them together. The last, and third, machine was just like the second except the pads were on the outside of my thighs and I had to try to spread my legs apart.

That was it for machines and I still had 20 minutes left in my workout. So I went over to the recumbent cycle and pedal for my last 20 minutes. Though not quite the experience of Dun, I got to have a great musical adventure. The guy pedaling next to me was singing al of the 80s songs as they were being piped over the speakers. Occasionally he even knew some of the actual words. It was amazing. I really wanted to turn to him and remind him that there were people who wrote those songs that way for a reason, but before I could he turned to me and invited me to sing along. I think tomorrow I’m going back to the pool. A little less talking and a lot more action going on there.

Zoe

Antioch, CA

Monica posted a picture of her Zoe, so I decided to post a picture of "my" Zoe.

Okay - so it's not blue

Brentwood, CA

I had to work the YW's broadcast tonight. As they showed a video about girls trying to figure out which bathing suits would please God yet still get them dates, I took pictures in the foyer.

(The title is in reference to this song)

(BTC)

searching

Antioch, CA

I spent most of the evening trying to find a new place to live and trying to find out about grad school programs in OT.

to be able bodied

I think my mother would have loved this movie. She hated when people treated her this way.

Chicken Shit

Antioch, CA

Tonight John and I layed out compost and chicken manure. I'm three steps away from planting:

1. Steer Manure
2. Tilling
3. Setting up a water source to attach the Drip to

Once that is all done the plants will go in and we'll pray something comes up.

(See John rolling around in Chicken Manure)

Tennessee Nashville

Learn more here

Easter Traditions

My family doesn't have a lot of easter traditions. This of course makes up for the fact that my family has over a million Christmas traditions.

To take the place of my family, my friends and I have developed an Easter tradition that I think is really fun.

Because I was sick on Sunday, tonight we celebrated Easter. As the friendly tradition goes, we had grilled steak and grilled potato. And then we brought out the Peeps for a little fun. (Not this type of peep fun. That's just wrong)

Roasting Peeps over an open fire is one of two Peep traditions. Because Peeps are nothing but sugar, when they get in contact with open flame they sparkle and ignite. As the sugar in side of them heats up, their cute little bodies expand before finally blowing a hole in their sides (to let the steam out) and then implode on themselves. Finally, the outer shell of the Peep hardens and the inner Peep boils in a beautiful blue flame. It's poetic.

The other Peep tradition is to get two pink rabbit Peeps and put them across from each other in the microwave. Arm them with toothpicks and turn the microwave on high. As the rabbits go round and round, and expand, they dual their little wooden swords. eventually one falters and falls and dies. It's tragic, but entertaining.

These two Peep traditions is the one reason I look forward to Easter every year.

Sittin on the dock of the bay

Contra Costa County, CA

I've had this song in my head for the last week - so I went out to the docks to night to take shots.

(BTC)

Happy Anniversary

Today marks the 3rd year since I started blogging. Wow has a lot happened since then. In the first year there was a lot of posting about KNJ and EVO - Grills. Since I have started blogging I have graduated from college, started a wheelchair basketball program at BYUI and traveled much of the western and mid-western United States. From that single blog, several other blogs have launched successfully. In fact, I'm not even sure this is a accurate list, because from my blog, other have started blogging which resulted in even other blogging.

1. Bob and Fred's Blog - killed thanks to stalker Tom
2. Rexburg sled report - killed after three weeks of no snow
3. Rexburg Gossip - killed because I ran out of gossip until today - Craigos is moving and becoming a full Italian resteraunt.
4. Sean's Dating life - killed because of stalker Tom and Sean was dating Erika for a while.
5. I know Harold King - killed because I have writer's block, but used to show the humor in knowing my friend Harold and the influence he has.
6. Sean's Spiritual blog - Killed because of stalker Tom.
7. Southern Idaho Spirit
8. Life in Idaho
9. John's blog
10. Katie's blog
11. Jenni's blog
12. ~Gu's~ blog (Formerly am)
13. Dun's Blog (Formerly AM and ProvoPRguy)
14. Sean's attempt at fiction writing
15. Photo a Day - which in turn has created PADs by Bonnie, John, Jenn, Melinda, Gu, Dun, Tric and Nina
16. Lake Affected
17. Melinda
18. Mama in Beta
19. And there were all of those blogs created for Adaptive Services at BYUI that have since been destroyed per the request of the school's new Activities website (that sucks).
20. Beyond the Cut
21. Dear Missionary

I'm sure there are others and even more that I will create, but just can't remember them all. Needless to say - it has been a great, funny & therapeutic 3 years an I look forward to more.

Mikey

Antioch, CA

My best friend from high school came down to see me for dinner tonight.

easter eggs

Antioch, CA

I decided to paint my easter eggs white this year.

How I spent Saturday

Antioch, CA

I finished building a fence on Saturday and ripped down an old shed. It was exhausting work but fun as I saw live lizards, black widow, recluse spiders and a dead snake. However, it took a lot of time which prevented me from taking pretty pictures.

On top of a oil freighter

Solano County, CA

If only I had been 8 feet to the left I could have taken a pic that made me look like I was actually on board. Oh well. Next time.

(BTC)

lake spitting

Walnut Creek, CA

The Artist

Oakley CA

Sometimes at work they have me draw pictures of exercises for our clients to do. I think they suck, but being the ONLY aide willing to draw pictures, everyone appreciates my efforts.

over the roof sunset

Antioch, CA

Babbling brook

Laurel Road, Oakley (I think), CA

(I was talking to Melinda as I took this picture. It's snowing where she's at and I'm basking in sunlight. I'm growing to like California again.)

Vacationing

When I lived in Oregon, I lived with a few guys that were divorced that looked at the future with different perspectives. One of them, Chad, had been divorced for quite sometime. After the first year of being in the dumps he decided to make a goal for his next marriage - he was going to honeymoon better the next time. He said he realized that didn't really make a marriage, but it was something to look forward to.

So over time he saved his money and checked out spots and eventually came to the conclusion that he wanted to go to Hawaii on his honeymoon. So he bought a 2 person package "Gift Certificate." And when he got remarried, that's where they went.

I tell you this because I'm trying to figure out how to plan a vacation to look forward to. Throwing all of my fears out the window I could ideally go anywhere (keeping my fears in place - I can really only go places connected by an interstate and not anywhere in the deep south. Oh an no place where they speak another language - like Canada).

I was trying to remember past vacations, to see if I could use a pro and con series of thought. (i.e. I really liked this, I didn't really like this when I went here). But truth be told, I've haven't taken the traditional vacation since high school, and those vacations usually weren't planned by me - they were planned by my girlfriend's parents. (We went to a bed and breakfast in Bodega Bay, we went to Disneyland and we spent a weekend in Discovery Bay) My normal "vacations" usually involve me driving to a friend or family members house and saying "Entertain me." (With some family members that involves physical labor).

This year I'm considering going on vacation. I have three trips planned that are like my usual vacations (I'm going to SLC some time in early May. I'm going to Provo for Memorial day Weekend, and I'll be in Wisconsin from July 3rd to the 7th.), but I think I want to go on a vacation that is a little more exotic than that. But not having a lot of experience, I'm not sure where to go. The quickest thoughts are Maui or Florida. I did think of Disneyland or a Cruise (with Disney Cruise Line) but I couldn't help but think that those two places are places you go with someone, and I'm doubtful this vacation will include that type of person.

If you have any suggestions, I'd love to hear them. Only one rule - the place must have electrical outlets so I can charge up my camera every night. (There is no vacation for photo a day.)

a whole lot of nothing

Antioch, CA

After a very busy week, I took today off.

Saber Cats Home Opener

Alviso, CA
I refereed Games in the morning


San Jose, CA

After I was finished refereeing Power Soccer games in Alviso, my dad took me to the Saber Cats Arena Football Home Opener. It was an amazing game and I'm hoarse from yelling.

(BTC)

Forward progress

Antioch, CA

This week I finished Clawing the ground and getting the weeks raked to the side. I built the dirt shaker (center) while on my lunch break at work today and will start using it on Monday to sift out the rock and the weeds before moving onto the next steps (i.e. chicken manure, horse manure and wood ingrained compost tilled into the soil). But either way...it's moving along.

(If you are at all confused, read about the above picture here.)

On a personal note, I have known all week long that I was going to be building the dirt shaker. Knowing that a dirt shaker was originally used for mining gold, I've had this song (please ignore the video) stuck in my head all week, which usually meant I also had this song in my head as well.

(BTC - for my Dad)

not made of chocolate

Oakley, CA

bloomin

Oakley, CA

Costco Run

Antioch, CA

It's been a while since I posted a Random Food picture.

Soccer ball on a Leash

Antioch, CA

Hair today, gone tomorrow

Antioch, CA
Oakley CA

One of these pictures was taken today and the other was taken on Friday. I'll let you decide which is which. (-:

Road from the Cemetery

Somerville, CA

I went hiking with my dad this morning. We went to Black Diamond Mines Regional Park, mainly because I wanted to go take shots at the old Rose Hill Cemetery.

Josh has a similar shot.

New View

Antioch, Ca

In an effort to see my toes in the shower again some day, I've been doing crunches at night before I go to bed. This is the view I have as I lay on my back and do crunches. I'm thinking about gathering up some pictures of ex-girlfriends and posting them up there as a reminder of the secondary goal. The next time I run into an ex-girlfriend and her husband or domestic partner, it would be cool if they see a slimmed down me and went "Wow! I could have had that."

--

On a different note, I became a grandfather again. Confused? Let me explain.

I was inspired by this blog. I created this blog. Melinda, inspired by me, created this blog. Melinda's sister was inspired and created this blog.

Recently I became a grandfather again. Once again, this journal inspired me, so I created this blog. John was inspired by me and created this blog. He has now inspired Jenn to create this blog. And I think Jenn took it one step further and inspired this blogger.

All told I have inspired 5 Photo a Day blogs: Bonnie, John, Jenn, Melinda, and Nina

I love to see how far this idea has gone. Josh, my original inspiration, has created a community on Live Journal that has even more people. I love to see this spread!

(I post on Blogger and Live Journal)

Dating advice

I have two clients that are pretty close in age, somewhere between 9 and 11. They come at the same time and so I treat one of them for 30 minutes while the real PT works with the other, and then I switch and get the other. One is a girl and the other is a boy.

During Treatment
Girl: Sean you need a wife to make you happy.
me: Really? Hmm how should I go about that?
Girl: On myspace there are a ton of girls you could get to know. Then you could woo them and pick one to marry.

After switching
Boy: Forget myspace, Sean, E-harmony is the way to go. That's what my dad says.
me: I don't know about the whole e-harmony thing. I once did their survey thing and one of the girls they suggested was a girl I knew. I would have never dated that girl because of her personality and her looks.
Boy: What was wrong with her looks?
me: She was ugly.
Boy: Then you should go to the other place my dad suggests.
me: Where's that?
Boy: Hooters. My dad says they have some great waitresses there that he'd like to do stuff with. Maybe you could meet a waitress at Hooters and you could marry her.


So this weekend I'm trying to figure out my plan...go to Hooters and get a waitress to date, or work in my garden and not get a Hooters' waitress. Or maybe I should spend some time on my space....

I love 10 year-old kids and the things they say.

Heaven

Walnut Creek, CA

I usually get a massage every two weeks, but two weeks ago I had a cold and they told me I couldn't come (jerks!), so tonight was my first time in 4 weeks. I will sleep better tonight.

You might be a redneck

Antioch, CA

My apartment complex only has one parking stall per apartment, so every night I park in a field. Lately, in the morning, I've been waking up to a Jeff Foxworthy joke:

"If you mow the lawn and find Sean's truck....you just might be a redneck."

Spike

Oakley, CA

I have a friend who is four and we met today. I was surprised by his new hair cut.

My Gardening Resume

Both my Sister and I made reference to a garden I put in for them a few years back, so I thought I'd share some pictures.
This first photo shows (with the arrow) the area I started with. It was at the back of the yard with ivy and other spreader plants in it along with some big rocks. So first Liz and I ripped out the weeds and rocks. I used the plants to create a compost pile and the rocks I think went to another part of the Garden.
In the background (behind the cute kid) you can see how much stuff we had to rip out.
Once it was clear of debris, I got out the rototiller and cut through the ground. Olivia helped me gather up the smaller rocks before it got plowed for a second time.
The eventual size was three feet wide if I remember correctly. Now the garden does a U shape around the back of their yard and they are planting all sorts of things. If my sister has her way, they are going to use a portion of the back garden for a memorial/grave site for their cat.

Loving this song

I realize it is a bit stockerish - but I'm loving this song. So I thought I'd share.

25 cent napkins

Oakley, CA

Back in my day, the napkins were free and you paid for the burger.

ivory strings

Oakland, CA

I went to a symphony with my father tonight. Tonight they dedicated the performance to Reid Nibley, who died this past week. I listened to the piano performances of Reid through out my entire mission and loved to hear his performances. It is because of him that I give you the piano tonight.


(BTC)

The Apprentice

The people that own the backyard that I'm working in have a 5 year old boy, a almost 9 year old boy, a 12 year old daughter, an almost 16 year old daughter, a boy off at college and a one last daughter that fulfilled her Utah dream and got married.

Saturday, As I was working in the garden, the 9 year old came out and started watching me. At first he played in the corner and watched me. Then he drew closer and watched me and eventually he asked if he could help.

First off, I'm impressed that he came out. When ever I ask him, "What did you do today?" he will tell me about his adventures on Lego Star Wars. Never is it about school or doing ANYTHING out doors. So I was impressed that he was outdoors.

The second thing that impressed me was his abilities. I always seem to have helpers when I'm gardening. I used gardening to mentor three teenagers early in my 20s. I used gardening and landscaping as a way to avoid a fast food job in high school and always had people willing to help me do it and be trained in doing it. However, the last time I had a helper in the garden she was 2 and helped me collect rocks as seen below.
So my vision of what the 9 year old could do for me was a little small. But he was a willing participant and a very helpful assistant. As he hoed out the dirt that I was cutting up with the pick axe, he asked questions and tried to reason things out in his mind. Why do we till? What is a rototiller? why is netting in the soil something to make you unhappy? And to each of these questions it was my job to provide simple answers. It was nice for me to have someone asking simple questions to check my own reasoning. It was nice for him to have someone willing to teach him. I look forward to more experiences.

(As a side note, I have nicknames for all of my tools, but unfortunately, not all of the nicknames are appropriate for a 9 year old boy. So with my new apprentice, I will need to stop calling the hoe "Jessica.")

Below are two pictures. The first is a picture of the area in which I will be planting. My area is outlined by the buckets. In case you need more detail - the second picture has lines on it so that you can get a better vision of what all I have access to.

Recent pics of me

I went to the Orchard Supply Hardware How-To Fair today. There was a Beaver to take pictures with and a rock wall I went climbing on. These pictures are courtesy of John.

Pink Deere

Pleasanton, CA

I went to the Orchard Supply Hardware How-To Fair today and saw this horrible creation.

(BTC - 1)
(BTC - 2)
(BTC - for Dun)