2015 Stats

I'm a numbers guy.  I like to see stats.  Every year I like to publish the highlights of the previous year, mostly reflecting on numbers.  I'm pretty sure no one else cares that much.  But I like it so I do it.  I usually post this in January.  But I noticed this was sitting in my drafts and hadn't yet been posted.  I think I was trying to come up with some more numbers and think of more highlights, but now it's just embarrassing that I haven't posted it and it's March.  So here are some of the highlights and stats from last year.

1. Read 57 individual works totalling 10,376 pages
2. Went inside 4 new temples

• Payson Utah Temple
• Spokane Washington Temple
• Boise Idaho Temple
• Portland Oregon Temple

3. Walked 659 miles and biked 326 miles for a total of 985 miles.  (I know it's totally embarrassing that I was that close to 1000 and didn't go over.)

4. Wrote on this blog 43 times.  (My worst year ever.  I'll totally do better this year.)

5. Attended Worldcon for the first time, and even got to attend the Hugo Awards.

6. Set foot in 5 states

• Utah
• California
• Idaho
• Oregon
• Washington

7. Travelled 15,471 miles.  (That's total distance travelled according to my foursquare data.)

I'm sure there are more numbers I could have shared.  I feel like I'm missing something.  I'll try to get you better numbers next year.

2014 Year in Review

I normally write this post at the very beginning of January. As you may be aware, it's almost February. But I'm writing it now because this is when I got around to it. Here are some of the cool things I did in the year 2014. It was a pretty good year. Clearly, not as good as 2015 is going to be. But no year can compete with 2015. Am I right?

 Without further ado, here are some of my favorite events or accomplishments of 2014 (in no particular order):

• Walked/Ran 591 miles
• Biked 632 miles
• Went on a cruise
• Set foot in 9 states
• Utah ( I live here)
• Idaho
• Washington
• Texas
• Pennsylvania 
• New Jersey 
• Wyoming
• Arizona 
• Nevada
• Set foot in 4 countries
• United States (I live here)
• Honduras
• Belize
• Mexico
• Lost 11 pounds  (After getting off diabetes medication, my weight loss significantly slowed down.  But at least it's going in the right direction.)
• Did our first Scuba Dive in the Ocean
• Wrote on this blog 90 times (not my best year)
• Took up backpacking
• Went inside 4 LDS Temples that were new to us
• Ogden Utah
• Houston Texas
• Rexburg Idaho
• Idaho Falls Idaho
• Acquired 2 new nephews (I know it's totally offensive that I wrote about one but not the other.)
• Ethan
• Logan
• Read 72 individual works totaling 17,461 pages.

It was a pretty good year, if I do say so myself.

The Best Post of 2014

This joke never gets old.  It's the best post of 2014 because it's the only post of 2014 so far.  You get it?  It's funny because it's not that good of a post.  Hilarious.  amirite?

It's become a tradition on my blog for the first post in a new year to chronicle a few of the highlights of the previous year.  2013 was a pretty fabulous year.  Here are a few reasons why.

1. Became Scuba certified.

We totally have cards to prove it.

2. Saw a moose in the wild.  At least as wild as Park City, Utah is.  But the moose was wild, so it totally counts.

3. Voted for the Hugo award  The Hugo award is essentially the reader's choice award in science fiction and fantasy.  It's been a goal of mine for a long time to read every work that was nominated, and cast my vote.

4. Saw a whale in the wild  How wild Park City is (above) is debatable, but this was in the ocean in Alaska.  It's legit.

Robyn took this photo

5. Went on a cruise.  I had never been on a cruise before.  We went to Alaska, and it was amazing.

Remember how cute we were on the cruise?

6. Went ghost hunting
7.  Lost 65 pounds  At least that was the count before Thanksgiving.  After Thanksgiving and Christmas it was more like 60 pounds, but I did lose 65 pounds at one point in 2013.  I also gained about 5.  The good news is that the end of holiday treats has come and I'm back on the wagon.

Me in January 2013

Me in December 2013 (With a statue of a pelican)

8.  Walked 519.5 miles  That's just the walking that I tracked during my exercise.  That doesn't count just walking around the house.

9.  Lifted 5.7 million pounds.  That's the sum total of all the reps I did at the gym.

10.  Read 68 individual works (some were novellas or short stories) totaling 17,735 pages

11.  Travelled 19,994 miles.  I'm an avid Foursquare user.  This is the sum total of the distances between my check-ins.

12.  Went inside 2 new temples

Reno Nevada Temple

Seattle Washington Temple

13.  Was diagnosed diabetic, and successfully reduced my blood sugar to non diabetic levels.  For those of you who understand these numbers, I was diagnosed diabetic in January with an A1C of 10.7.  My last test was in August with an A1C of 5.7.

14.  Got approved for adoption  We've been trying to adopt for a while, but this year we completed our home study and got through the approval process.  Help us spread the word to find birth parents who are looking to place.

15.  Travelled to 2 new states  I had never been to Alaska or North Carolina before this year.  Alaska was way more awesome, but North Carolina was on a business trip so it may not be a fair comparison.

16.  Celebrated 5 years of marriage  It's hard to believe I've been with the love of my life for 5 years.  In some ways it seems like it's been longer than that, because I can hardly remember what life was like without her.  In some ways it seems like it's been shorter than that because it's gone by so quickly.

As you can see, 2013 was a good year.  The biggest changes were probably in my health, but there were plenty of other fun things as well.

In 2014 I hope to continue to improve my health.  I also hope to utilitize my Scuba certification a few times.  I plan to read lots of books, travel some more, spend time with great people and have lots and lots of fun.

Here's to a great new year!

The Best Post of 2013

.

It's a brand new year!  That means I can write a mediocre post and it will still be the best thing I've written this year.  But don't worry, I've included this graphic which will make your new year a happy one.

2012 was a fabulous year.  I had lots of great experiences.  I thought I'd recap a few that stood out.

1. I was published in a real publication.  (The Ensign, published by my church)
2. I left a tip of pi.

It happened to be a 24% tip.  That is love.

3. Beat my mother-in-law at Words With Friends.  (She's unstoppable.)
4. Went inside 4 new temples.

This is the Oakland Temple.  We're totally artistic.

5. Drove across the Golden Gate Bridge

6. Ate clam chowder at Pier 39.  (I have long yearned to have fresh San Francisco clam chowder)

7. Kissed behind a waterfall in Hawaii

I convinced a hottie to kiss me.

8. I drank from a coconut

9.  I read 41 books that totalled 10,027 pages.
10. I lifted 2.2 million pounds at the gym. (The sum total of all my reps)
11. I made this photo of me and President Obama as missionaries

12. I watched The Hobbit.  (Don't say it is just a movie.  Bilbo's actions were very important in the War of the Ring.)
13.  I tried Bacon Soda.  (More on that later)
14.  I experienced Lehi Foam Day for the first time.
15.  I went to Hawaii (I know 2 of the items above are in Hawaii, but it was either list Hawaii as a whole or list the thousands of things I did there.)

So, as you can see, 2012 was a very successful year.  2013 looks like it's gonna be pretty awesome as well.  I don't know what all it will hold.  But I'm a little hungry, so I think I'm going to have a snack.  2013 could be the year of snacks.

The Best Post of 2012

Well, another year has transpired.  I had a fabulous 2011 and I thought I should summarize some of the greatest happenings.  Those of you who follow this blog will have seen some of them already.  But worry not, there will be a few items I haven't talked about as well.

Here are the things I remember being awesome about 2011:

1. Saw Yosemite National Park for the first time

It became necessary to swallow Yosemite Falls

2. Ate at a buffet in Las Vegas until it hurt.  (Not a recommended strategy, but it was so good.)
3. Tried a genuine Chicago Hot Dog

One of the best hot dogs I've ever had.  

4. Saw the Blue Man Group perform and later dressed as a Blue Man myself

5. Read 29 books for a total of 9,195 pages
6. Stood in one of the Great Lakes (Lake Michigan)
7. Visited Carthage Jail and saw the room where Joseph Smith was martyred

Jared and I look just like Joseph and Hyrum

8. Picked up several new computer languages/skill sets
9. Got 365 days older (this means I survived the entire year)
10. Accomplished 12 items on my bucket list
11. Had a root canal (awesome things aren't always good things)
12. Visited the temple at least once a month and went inside 9 temples I had never visited before

This is the San Diego temple.  It looks like a castle where a princess would live.

13. Stood in the Ocean (Pacific)
14. Lifted a Million Pounds
15. Tried Chocolate Covered Bacon
16. Bought a new house
17. Turned 30 (became old)

As you can see, 2011 was an incredible year.  I hope 2012 will be just as good.  I'm not quite sure exactly what adventures will be included.  I'm not sure if it will be able to measure up.  I'm going to Hawaii in June, so that will be exciting.  But I'm probably not buying a new house so things may not be as crazy.

Either way, I'm sure that the coming year will be amazing.  What did you do in the past year that was exciting?  What are you looking forward to this year?

P.S.  I know this post wasn't amazing but it is the best I've done this year.  I'll try to make sure it isn't the best post for long.