Just Blog It!

White Christmas....Hope Not

2008-12-22T14:10:00.000-08:00

Normally I would be pretty enthusiastic about a pending snow storm or the possibility of having a White Christmas but not this year. For the last week, most of Northwestern Oregon has been crippled by snow. At first it was a bit of a joke. There was hardly any snow on the roads, no ice and people were being overly cautious. But, Saturday rolled in and the real storm came in. Since that moment, it has not stopped snowing. As I look out the window, it's still snowing. I'm tired of it to be honest. We have had nearly two feet of snow fall in most places around the Portland area and there are drifts that are literally burying cars. It is just a white lump on the road.

It may not be a big deal for people who are use to snowy winter weather, but for Oregon, we don't expect this and we are never prepared for it. I like about two inches of snow. Enough to just cover the ground and make everything look nice. What we have now is a bit much. It is wildly inconvenient. You have to schedule everything around the weather. Who knows when it will be over with. Starting last Wednesday, the weather reports have all been wrong so it's pretty hard to tell if things will get better any time soon.

It's cool for about a day or two, but then it becomes a burden and cabin fever begins to set in.

I Believe in Father Christmas

2008-12-02T01:43:00.001-08:00

Anytime...

2008-11-29T16:47:00.000-08:00

Today I went up flying by myself, like I do all the time. Today was different though. I was a little hesitant to go because I just felt weird. You know how sometimes you get a weird vibe something is going to go wrong? Well it did.

So I did my whole routine in Troutdale, everything seemed O.K. I headed south to Mulino Airport south of Portland to practice landings. As I was circling the airport for another landing, there was another small airplane taking off. As I was watching him he was sluggish on his take-off roll and he appeared to be struggling on the climb. I took about five seconds to look at my own situation and make sure everything was fine and as I turned my head back to look at the other airplane, it looked like it had crashed in a field north of the airport. Sometimes when you fly, your eyes play tricks on you and illusions are created but as I turned for my final approach to land, I noticed this was not a trick.

The airplane had gone nose first into the ground and crashed. I landed and got off the runway. I wanted to jump out of the plane and go help but I couldn't just leave the airplane on the taxi-way. I felt so incredibly helpless not being able to assist this person. Thankfully, there were others who were able to help and when I took off back to Troutdale, emergency crews had arrived.

To my relief, I read the news report and the pilot only suffered a broken ankle and a cut up face. On my way back, I was ever vigilant though. It was such a surreal thing to witness and the worse part was not being able to do anything about it.

I was a little on edge the rest of the time and Neil Finn's lyric that says, "I could go at anytime..." was on repeat mode in my brain. Sometimes I think I'm invincible up there but today proved that you just never know.

Really?

2008-11-13T15:38:00.000-08:00

I apologize for my lack in blogging as of late. Brady, his friend Spence, and myself moved into an apartment and I finally was able to steal the internet yesterday from somebody in the complex; which saves me some coin.

Last week in school, we were discussing executive orders that the president can make and the example that was given was when the U.S. dropped the bombs on Japan. That apparently was an executive order. After about five minutes, a girl raised her hand and said, "Could you please clarify this for me. Do you mean the bombs that Clinton dropped on Japan, or the bombs that Bush dropped?"

Really?

The majority of class sat there stunned. As the teacher calmly explained to her that it was Harry S. Truman that dropped them in 1945 at the end of World War II, I thought to myself, "I didn't know it was possible not to know that historical information."

That's not all. In another class, we were discussing the electoral college. One girl commented that South Carolina was considered a swing state in the recent election. She attempted to point out on a map South Carolina but ended up pointing to North Carolina. We all respectfully pointed out her mistake, and then she stepped back and said, "Oh, well then where is South Carolina?"

Really?

Correct me if I'm wrong, but knowing where states are and knowing that neither President Clinton nor President Bush dropped bombs on Japan is common knowledge. Right?

It's almost sad to see our exchange student who is 16 years old, from Spain, know more about the United States of America than people in their 20's.

I suppose it all makes school a little more entertaining.

An Update

2008-09-22T11:47:00.000-07:00

I haven't had much to write about which is why I've posted only videos lately which I find quite enjoyable.

Anyway, on the 11th I had an interview at FedEx at the airport (of course) and I'm still waiting to hear back about that. I'm getting a little anxious to know whether I have gotten the job or not. It would be such a great job. The benefits alone would be more than worth. They offer a 401k, medical/dental/vision insurance, tuition reimbursement, etc. If any company wants to pay for my school, they are more than welcome to.

Today I started classes at liberal Mt. Hood Community College to work on my general courses then once I'm done with those I'll transfer to a four year University to get a Bachelor's Degree in Journalism; as a back up if the whole pilot thing doesn't work.

Speaking of which, flying has been sparse lately as I am still trying to get a loan. It's been quite an annoying process as they request one thing at a time instead of asking for all the information they need all at once which just prolongs the process. Very frustrating. I just keep telling myself it'll happen sooner or later.

My Sunday's have become busier since I was made the Executive Secretary of the ward which means early mornings and 6 to 7 hours of church. It's a pretty great calling though which enables me to meet and know everyone in the ward so in that aspect I enjoy it.

That's about it for now, pretty dang exciting huh?

Seven Years Ago Today...

2008-09-11T13:51:00.001-07:00

As many of us reflect upon the horrific events that took place on September 11th, 2001, I hope we take at least a little bit of time to remember how lucky we are to live in the United States of America and be thankful for those who represent this country defending us and sometimes paying the ultimate price for freedom.

I saw this video the afternoon of September 11th, 2001 on Vh1. It's "Overcome" by the band Live.

Enjoy.

America and Basketball

2008-08-30T13:54:00.001-07:00

Got to love America and the game of basketball!

New York Doll

2008-07-24T10:28:00.000-07:00

Recently, I was told to watch the movie "New York Doll." I had heard about this movie, seen it around, knew sort of what it was about, but never took the time. The other day I was browsing through the channels and saw that it was on so I decided to watch it.

A quick synopsis of the movie is that in the 1970's, there was a rock and roll group called the "New York Dolls" and the bass guitarist was Arthur 'Killer' Kane. He is the subject of the movie. After the group broke up in the mid-70's, Arthur's life went south. He was deep into drugs and alcohol. He was abusive mentally, physically and emotionally to himself and others. At one point, once his wife left him, he jumped out of a 3rd story window injuring himself severely. Here, a broke, drug and alcohol addicted rock star's life was falling apart. During recovery from his suicide attempt, and his attempt to change his life, he picked up a Bible and started to read it, and then saw in some magazine an ad for the 'Book of Mormon.' He called the number to request the book and of course, the church doesn't just send it in the mail, they send the missionaries. So here these "two beautiful blond missionaries" as he described it, show up. He begins to take the discussions and to pray about it. He said the feeling he got when he prayed to know if it was true or not was like being on drugs; except there were no drugs. In 1989, Arthur 'Killer' Kane, joined the LDS church. For the remainder of his life, he worked in Los Angeles at the genealogy library. In 2004, Morrissey of the group 'The Smiths' had a show in London where the New York Dolls were invited They re-united, rekindled broken bonds of friendship and performed a wonderful show. Arthur was thrilled to be back on stage doing what he loved with his friends in front of thousands of his "friends." Twenty-two days after he returned from London, Arthur checked himself into the hospital complaining of fatigue. Two hours later, he passed away of leukemia which he had no idea of having.

I'm not one to normally be moved by things, especially a movie, and this may be a strange one to be moved by, but it made me realize somethings. Here was a guy; a rock star, a drug addict, an alcoholic. Just a human being completely lost in the evils of life. Then after a re-evaluation of his own life, he turned things around. I thought to myself "how many times do I see someone and think there is nearly no hope for that person?" I suspect a lot of us think that way. However, I'm now convinced that this sort of notion is irrational. I was deeply touched in a personal way by this documentary film about a rock star. I suppose sometimes that happens; and I'm pretty sure that's perfectly acceptable.

The Mountain Man

2008-07-21T22:22:00.001-07:00

As I reflect on the evening's events at the 2008 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas and as most of the Trailblazer fans seemed to progressively get drunk, the most prominent memory is of a seven-foot center from the University of Arkansas: Steven Hill. The fans embraced Hill and his beard so much they rallied behind him enough that the coaching staff took notice and after a few laughs, kept him in the game. To our delight, he got a few boards, some good blocks, and some points...oh yeah, and the Blazers got a 'W'.

This, That, and the Other

2008-07-15T19:50:00.000-07:00

Today is July 15th, 2008 and it's been 23-months since I last got up on a water ski. Not because I can't, but because of my lack of boat. In October 2005, I bought a Connelly F1 water ski for $175.00 up in Seattle from a lady who's husband hurt his back and couldn't ski anymore. This was when I worked for the airline in Portland, so I got to the airport early in the morning to get on the first flight to Seattle. I was so excited to see it. I met this lady curbside at Sea-Tac handed her the $175, looked at my ski and I just smiled. I loved it. I said thank you, rushed inside so that I could get on the next flight back to Portland. I checked the ski, got my boarding pass, rushed to the gate, and it was full. Of course. So there, separated from my ski, I sat alone in the terminal. Two hours later, I was on my way back. I was filled with great concern that my ski had been lost, damaged, or heaven forbid, stolen. I hurried down to the baggage claim area, and there is was. Perfectly safe. What a relief. Since that day, I have never skied on it. Two and a half years later, this coming Thursday, I will be able to....finally.

This past Saturday was a full one. Brian Harris, Dave Nuffer, and myself once again headed over to the beautiful Hagg Lake in Forest Grove to compete in the tri-athlon. It was a beautiful morning, sun was shining, it was warming up quickly. All in all, shaping up to be a perfect day for a race. Brian did his swimming portion and had a PR of 12:51 then it was my turn. He tagged me, ran to the starting line, mounted my bike and took off. I had an excellent pace going. I wasn't getting tired or anything and I felt great. I was sprinting on the flat stages of the circuit, going up the hills quickly, conserving my energy on the down hill, everything was great. A mile and a half from the finish I was feeling my best. Then, some dude on a bike, not really knowing what he was doing is swerving all over the place. I thought I'd be fine to pass him but of course he decided to swerve at the perfect time right in front of me. To avoid crashing, I chose not to slam on the brakes, but to shift down rapidly and apply the brakes lightly. This caused too much stress on the gear system causing my derailleur to explode off my bike. I couldn't even roll my bike. It was broken. So I took my shoes off, picked my bike up and ran/walked to the mile and a half to the finish line coming in at 52:51. It was both disappointing and frustrating.

That evening, one of my good friends, Andy Davenport got married down on the Columbia River. It was a beautiful venue, with good food, good friends and good music. Aside from being dressed in a wool tuxedo and being 97 degrees outside, it was a really nice wedding.It was at the bride's parents home that live at one of the moorages off of Marine Drive and they built a dock for the wedding ceremony and then dancing later in the evening. It was a lot of fun. Made for a memorable evening.

And finally, it wouldn't be my blog if I didn't
mention something about airplanes. So since fire season is in full swing, and with a fire raging near Mt. Adams up in Washington, we get the tanker planes in at the Troutdale Airport to fill up with the fire retardant. That's one of them.

The Recent Accomplishments of Corey Rust

2008-07-10T10:43:00.001-07:00

On the 2nd of July, 2008, I finally finished what I had been working on for the last seven months: my Instrument rating; and I can't be more thrilled to be finished. Let me tell you, it was a work load. There were so many technical things I had to learn, memorize, perform, whatever. In the back of mind many times I wondered if it was really worth it and ultimately it was. It's that feeling of great achievement after working so hard for something. You can sit back and reflect on all the hard work and be completely satisfied with what's been accomplished. With the flight training I've had in the last seven months, I've not only become a more proficient and safer pilot, but I learned a lot about myself in terms of challenging myself.

On Saturday the 5th, I put all these skills to use during a flight from Troutdale to Salem with my Dad, Brady, and our friend Tom Waddell. At about 3,000 feet we got into the clouds and for the next 45 minutes or so that's where we were. With no outside visual reference, I needed to rely completely on the instruments and trust what they were telling me. Losing focus could have been disastrous. But, about 25 miles out of Salem, we were cleared to descend out of the clouds and fly the approach into McNary Field in Salem. To be completely honest, I was a bit nervous, but I just had to remember everything I had been taught; and I was taught a lot.

What else is new you may ask? Well, not a lot. Just looking for a job, getting ready for school in the fall, finding money (it's not as easy as people think) for that and for more flying. I'm also hoping that Brady and I, and possibly one of his friends can find a place away from the folks...and soon.

Goodbye Boise...

2008-06-24T10:41:00.000-07:00

It's a bittersweet departure filled with memories and created friendships in Boise, Idaho. Eight months ago to the day I arrived in Boise unsure of my choice to come to this city and now after time has flown by, I have mixed emotions on leaving. I've learned a lot here. I've learned how to appreciate life, family, friendship and how to respect goals and aspirations. I've learned how to struggle and be challenged with real life and how to overcome such road blocks. At times the eight months seemed to drag on, but now it seems like it flew by. I'm going to miss the experiences I've had. I love this city deeply and will forever remember the time here. I'll never forget the friendships I made at work, and the lessons I learned interacting with those people. I learned a lot on how to conduct myself maturely around others and how to appreciate other peoples traits whether I believe in what they believe or not. It's been fun here. Boise and Idaho may be the butt of many jokes, but it truly is a lovely region that has many beautiful features. Boise has treated me well, and I will miss it.

Here's what's on tap for this summer:

On July 12th, myself, Brian Harris, and Dave Nuffer will defend our title at the 2008 Henry Hagg Lake triathlon. That evening my good friend Andrew Davenport is getting married on the Columbia River which I'm expecting to be a gorgeous venue. The next week, I am hoping to go down to Las Vegas once again for the NBA Summer League and possibly attend a Coldplay concert down there. I will also be continuing my flight training up in Troutdale. Another expensive summer!

Don't Hassle Me I'm Local

2008-05-01T12:10:00.001-07:00

My friend Courteney called me up 2-weeks ago and inquired if I would like to go to Hawaii. Without hesitation, I said yes, invited my friend Derrick to come along, and that was it, trip planned. We left on a Tuesday morning to Seattle, and arrived in Lihue, Hawaii at 7:40 p.m. We got the rental car and just drove around because we weren't really tired and figured we might as well use up all the time we could. For food we went to the local Costco right before it closed and got the last of the hot dogs available for the day. Then we drove to the beach, and after about 2 1/2 hours of exploring the darkened island of Kauai, we began our search for a place to sleep. To keep the cost to a minimum, we opted to not get a hotel, but to sleep in the Chevy Equinox in which we rented. We found a parking lot and tried to sleep until the local fuzz decided to disturb our slumber. So we moved to an area where no one was around. About 2:30 in the morning, every chicken on the island decided to crow or whatever they do waking me up from the already uncomfortable rest I was having. The sun started to come up at about 5 and we all decided that was it, end the awful night and get going on the day. Throughout the day we went on hikes, waterfalls, rope swings, snuck into the Grand Hyatt Kauai and used there pools and hammocks which was glorious. By the end of the day we were all pretty exhausted so we just sat on the balcony of the Grand Hyatt, kicked back a few smoothies that were wildly over priced, and listened to the live music that was being played by one guy with his guitar. When he finished playing the Hawaiian version of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow," we decided that was our que and we headed back to the airport where we waited for the red-eye flight back to Boise via Seattle. As short as it was (26 hours to be exact), it was one of the most fun days I've had in a while. It's like an entirely different world over there and almost exactly what I expected. An absolutely beautiful place that is just full of lush green vegetation and natural beauty. I may be crazy for only going for a day, but you do what you can with what you've got. It was a nice to forget about life for a day and take a vacation; a vacation from my problems!

A Concert of Covers

2008-04-11T10:25:00.001-07:00

So as you may or may not know, I decided a few months ago it was time to expand my musical knowledge and learn how to play an instrument, so I decided guitar was the best choice. I started looking around on craigslist.com and found an acoustic for $50. Pretty good price, so I jumped on it, and bought the guitar. After looking at how much actual guitar lessons would cost, I thought I would head to the World Wide Web to seek instruction. I will say this, if it weren't for YouTube, I wouldn't be blogging about this topic. So after exploring, practicing, and just having fun, I've been able to learn some favorite songs of mine, and some that have become favorites because they're fun to play. So if I had to play a concert tomorrow, by myself, these are the songs that I would play; and by the way, it's really fun to play songs you like, so I recommend learning:

-"Jam" by Toad the Wet Sprocket
-"Better Be Home Soon" by Crowded House
-"New Slang" by The Shins
-"Fall Line" by Jack Johnson
-"Closer" by Travis
-"Sunday Bloody Sunday" by U2
-"Let My Love Open the Door" by Pete Townshend
-"Hotel California" by The Eagles
-"Green Eyes" by Coldplay
-"Hurt" by Johnny Cash
-"Sing" by Travis
-"In Gods Country" by U2
-"Belong" by Remy Zero
-"If I Had Eyes" by Jack Johnson
-"One" by U2
-"Man on the Moon" by R.E.M.
-"The Drugs Don't Work" by The Verve
-"With or Without You" by U2

Just a Story

2008-03-20T12:51:00.000-07:00

Well here in Boise, nothing much has changed. Still working with the same old biscuit heads as before, still working on my Instrument Rating which is actually coming along well.

Let me talk about that for a second. I'm really enjoying this stuff. It makes me feel smarter and more efficient as a pilot. It is such a technical rating with a lot of new verbology (word?), technical terms, acronyms, abbreviations, numbers, etc. BUT, you know when you're coming into land in an airplane? They're doing what is called an approach. There are various approaches such an RNAV approach, an ILS approach, GPS approach, VOR approach. Anyway, so the pilot has an "approach plate" which is just a sheet of paper with the route and the course you should fly. So when you follow the directions on this sheet, and obey the instructions given by Air Traffic Control, you should be lined up perfectly with the runway.

So I tell you that to tell you this. Recently, we took off from Boise Airport and headed out west towards the Caldwell Airport; a city west of Boise. All are instruments were set up, working properly and so we were ready. Straight ahead, was a nice thick rain cloud. Awesome! Not many Instrument students get "actual" instrument time which means they really fly in the clouds. So, I took off my hood which limits what I can see. Basically I can't see anything but my instruments with the hood on. We get into this cloud, and our main worry is icing. Too much ice, we're goners. We follow this approach just right, we pop out of the cloud and we were lined up right with the runway and we could have landed safely if we chose to land. It was, for me, a really cool experience.

It's that proficiency that I love about flying. My love of flight is like a little boy looking up at the sky. Every time I get in a plane; either an airliner or just a plane I'm flying, I'm like a 5 year old kid. I absolutely love it. I get excited to fly everyday and disappointed when I can't. It's one of those things that you're so passionate about you want to share the experience with others. It just reaffirms my desire and my knowledge that I know it's what I want to do for the rest of my life.

The Haps...

2008-02-11T17:57:00.000-08:00

After a week of procrastination, I decided to give an update as to what I've been up to. First off, February 1, a Kiwi gentleman called Tim Finn of Crowded House, The Finn Brothers, and Split Enz fame came into Boise to put on a show. Why Boise? Still trying to figure that out. Anyway, upon learning this in December, I jumped on the opportunity to get a few tickets to the performance and invite my Uncle Ben to come up and enjoy the experience. So having free flights and what not, I flew Ben up Friday afternoon, we went to The Cheesecake Factory which was fantastic, then to the gig. It was at a place called "The Bouquet" or as the locals like to call it, "The Bucket."

The room was filled with smoke and by the end of the show, a lot of drunk people. I hate the smell of cig smoke, but I found myself getting lost in the music. It was really awesome. We showed up early enough that we were able to get a table at the very front of the stage. The sounds was great, the set list was great, it was just an awesome night.

Let me tell you a little bit about the accompanying guitarist you see in the picture. His name is Brett Adams and he to is from New Zealand. He's a part of a band called "The Bads" that have what I think to be a very Smith-esque sound. I would often go into a trance watching this guy play on his guitar. He was amazing.

On Saturday the 2nd, I had a very long day. I went to 4 states, 4 major cities, on 3 different airplanes, with 3 different airlines. I took Ben home so that it would be a free flight and we had to fly from Boise to Seattle, then Seattle to Las Vegas. After dropping him off, I headed up to Portland. While sitting at the airport in Vegas, I looked at my ticket to see that they booked me on a flight to Boise, as well as the bag I had checked. I went up to the gate agent, told her the entire problem, and she was more than unhelpful. I asked if they could move my bag from the Boise flight to the Portland flight in which she responded, "No that's impossible. We have millions of bags down there. We can't sort through all of them." First of all, millions? Try again. Secondly, all the bags are sorted by destination, and I'm sure it wouldn't be hard to find my bag in a cart of 30 bags headed to Boise. My favorite part was when she seemingly tried to make it seem like it was my fault by saying, "Next time you should check your ticket first." I just rolled my eyes and got on the plane.

On Sunday, my friend David blessed his baby Ava, and I was privileged to stand in the circle on that special day for them. That was the first time I had ever done that, and it's weird to see a friend you grew up with blessing his own child. It was a really neat experience though.

So that's about it. I'm hoping to get to Lihue, Hawaii in a few weeks! I'll let you know how that goes.

Corey

Who Plays Who?

2008-01-28T13:34:00.000-08:00

I'm taking an institute class up here in Boise, and we're studying the Book of Mormon, so I got to thinking; who would play who if they made a movie based on the 1st Book of Nephi? Here's the list:

-Nephi would be played by "The Rock."

-Joe Pesci and Robert DeNiro would play Laman and Lemuel.

-Late Night Talk Show host Conan O'Brien would play Nephi's brother Sam.

-Morty and Helen Seinfeld would play Lehi and Sariah.

-Laban would be portrayed by Sweetums from "The Muppets."

-Zoram would be played by Professor Dumbledor from Harry Potter.

If you're thinking, 'Corey, you've got to find something more to do up there,' let me explain that I should be flying right now but because it snowed and it is still snowing, I had to sadly cancel the flight. All my studying is pretty much caught up and so I have some time today. Had to occupy it with something!

Portland Tower, Horizon 2591 requesting emergency landing....

2008-01-06T15:23:00.001-08:00

After a fun New Years in Portland, I had to head back to Boise to be back for work. I was scheduled to work at 8 p.m. on Wednesday January 2nd, so I figured if I left Portland at 4 in the afternoon, and the flight arrives into Boise at 6, I'll be in good shape. So I get to the airport on time, check in, looks like the flight will leave right on time.

Time keeps ticking by and still no plane has pulled up to the gate, so I get a little more worried as the minutes pass. The people at the gate told us that the plane was at the maintenance hanger being worked on and will be brought over shortly. 5 o'clock rolls around and we finally board the plane and I'd still be back in time for work. We take off, everything is normal, we get in the clouds and we level off and the pilot pulls the power back. Being the nerd that I am, I knew something was wrong, and sure enough, the captain gets on the speaker and announces we'd be turning around and heading back to Portland.

I had two initial reactions: 1. Crap, I'm going to be really late for work and 2. But hey, I get a four day weekend out of it. So we bring it in for landing, fire trucks and ambulances were staged throughout the airport with lights flashing prepared for the worst. We touched down without any problems and went back to the gate. Apparently there was a problem with the engine and so they canceled the flight. As I said before, the plane was at the hanger previous to the flight, and I'm not a genius by any means, but I do know that if something is brought over from a hanger, it's usually because something was broken, and the chances of it still being broken are pretty good.

So, I called my supervisor in Boise and told him what was going on, I'm sure he wasn't completely thrilled that I wouldn't be coming in that night, but he understood that I really had no control over the situation. Luckily, 30 minutes later, another flight from Portland would be leaving for Boise, and would get in at 9:30 p.m. I got on that one and finally made it back the "Gem State."

To be honest, I was happy I didn't make it to work that night because for one reason, I was really sick and not feeling well at all; I just wanted to go to bed. Which I ultimately did.

Not a bad way to start the New Year!

A Little Fixin' of Happy Christmas

2007-12-20T16:51:00.001-08:00

So I was looking around for some Christmas music on "The Tube" and came across this interesting compilation. John Lennon's "Happy Christmas (War is Over)" has been covered so many times by so many different people; but I think this has got to be the most interesting and unique. These guy's can really belt it out!

A Belated Thank You

2007-11-29T18:32:00.000-08:00

I just finished reading "For One More Day" by Mitch Albom; author of "Tuesdays with Morrie."

To simply describe the book, it's about a man's life and his mother.

Now, I'm not writing this to advertise the book even though it was a good book and I highly recommend reading it. I am always touched by Mitch Albom's books. He has an ability to really express intimate feelings through words and even though the stories are fiction, I find myself evaluating my life as it relates to the story.

This book made me reflect and really contemplate somethings. The story in short is about a boy and his relationship with his mother and his father; focusing more so on his mother. I look back on the short 21 years I've lived this life, and think about how it's been molded into what it is today. As I read this book, I seemed to open up the pages of my mental journal that has been filled with childhood journey's I've taken, dreams I've developed, and experiences I've had. All that I have achieved I would like to think was by my own doing, but there are so many other factors that have contributed to my "success."

Many people would like to think that what they accomplish is all because of their hard work. Of course, there is most definitely some truth to that; but where did that work ethic come from? Let me get straight to the point. My life is nothing to brag about, but it certainly isn't anything to complain about. I am who I am today because of two people; my mother and my father.

They're not perfect, and sometimes as kids, you expect your parents to be and the notion that a parent can do anything for you is false. They can't do anything for you, but they will do everything for you when you need it. I think back to all the times I never said thank you, and all the times I ran off to my room yelling at them how they ruined my life. I think of my ungrateful attitude towards them at times when all they were doing was trying to make me happy. I think of all the hurtful things I've said to their faces and behind their backs. To think that I was too prideful to say 'I'm sorry.'

In the last few pages of the book, the mother of the main character asks him, "Was I a good mother?" To answer the question of "Was I a good mother" and I'll add in, "father?" Yes. In spite of imperfections, could I ask for better family leadership? Not at all.

I'll be honest, my parent's irritate me with some of the things they do, but that's part of a parent's job description: Irritate children. As much as I would like to deny it and not accept the reality of it, I'm going to annoy my kids. Why? Because my parent's annoyed me. It's a vicious cycle.

I am who I am mostly because of my mom and dad's influence. I know it's not close to mother's or father's day, but I wasn't going to wait 7 months to write about this. My life is pretty good and I've had some pretty good help along the way.

If you haven't thought about it already, think about reading that book. It'll make you think; it's good to do that once in a while.

-Corey

B-town

2007-11-05T21:21:00.000-08:00

It's 10:25 p.m. at 190 E Front Street in Boise, Idaho, and as I sit here in front of my computer, I am filled with glee because I don't have to go to work until 2 in the afternoon. Which is really nice. The past week has been filled with adjustments, uncertainty, changes, new faces and places, and early mornings. It'll be nice to "relax" a little bit.

It's been one week since I moved into my new place of residence and I wasn't too sure in my decision to move here; and honestly, I still don't know why I felt I should move to Boise, but it's only been a week. I began working at Horizon Air once again at the Boise Airport throwing bags around. I've worked for Horizon in several different positions, and frankly I'm tired of doing work around the planes, I want to work in them. Have to serve my time though; or so I've been told.

Since I've worked with the company before, I could fly for free instantly rather than waiting the traditional 30 days. Which is fantastic. Here is an example of how I fully utilize this fabulous benefit: Saturday, I woke up at about 7:30 or so and realized I had nothing to do. BUT I did need to do some laundry, so I did what any cheap person would do and packed a suitcase full of dirty clothes, got on a plane bound for Portland and did a few loads. It's cheaper for me to fly home and do laundry than to stay here and do it in the coin operated washer and dryers. Financially, it just makes sense. Some say it's a bit crazy, I think it's resourceful. Everyone else is probably right though.

I've really been having what I like to call "Oregon withdrawls." Many of you can relate to that I'm sure is some way or another. Oregon will always be my home, and my goal is to get back to the Portland area permanently. If I get all my flight ratings done quickly, get the necessary flight hours, and hired to fly for Horizon, than my goal of living in Portland again will be reached. I think I can do all that in at least 3 years. We'll see.

I'm not in any hurry though. The ward I'm in here is great and they made me feel so welcome on Sunday and at Family Home Evening yesterday. A good ward always makes a transition go smoother. I've also made a few biking buddies, so I'm excited to go on some weekend bike rides and to get back flying. However long I'm here, I think I'll enjoy it. It is a great place.

So that's sort of what's up. Hope everyone is doing excellent!

Corey

One Step Closer....

2007-10-13T12:11:00.000-07:00

If you hadn't heard already, on October 10th I got my pilots license! After 4 months of training, a few speed bumps and frustrations, and a lot of studying, the patience paid off and I finally accomplished one of my life long goals. I also don't know why my hand looks mangled in the picture.

At 9 a.m. on Wednesday, I went to the flight school to meet with the FAA examiner who would be conducting the exam. We first did the oral exam which is basically where the examiner wants to see if you can explain certain things about flying. It took about two hours to complete which is the minimum. I got pretty frustrated with this lady because she would ask me a question and I would answer it correctly, just not in the wording or phrasing she preferred so some of the questions took longer than they really needed to. This happened a few times. When she uttered the words, "Ok, lets go flying now," I was quite relieved. I have never been one to thoroughly enjoy sitting in a classroom being quizzed. I think I'm more of a 'hands-on-kind' of guy, so the flying part was my forte.

I checked the plane to make sure everything was ok, which it was. Got in the plane, listened to current weather conditions, and the wind was coming from the southwest at about 12 m.p.h. with gusts up to 18 or so. Pretty strong especially for a little plane. I knew I'd have to handle this flight really well to prove to the examiner I can fly proficiently and safely. Throughout the flight I was fighting winds coming from the south and from the west and we were getting tossed around pretty good. After displaying I could safely operate the airplane and not crash, she told me to go back to the airport and do a few landings. Which I did.

I performed every landing almost flawlessly for the wind conditions we were in. The last landing was so sweet; just smooth. I landed with the left wheel touching first which is what you do with a cross wind like we had. I balanced on the left for a few seconds then put the right wheel and front wheel down and taxied off the runway back to the parking area. The examiner went in and filled out some paperwork, and gave me my license! It was a pretty exciting moment in my life, one which I'm still having a hard time believing. But it is fun, I'll tell you that much.

Up next is a move to Boise, start a job with Horizon Air in Boise, and continue on with school and some more flight training. This license is just the first step and I'm glad to get it done.

Change o' Plans, and some bad news...

2007-09-10T13:27:00.000-07:00

Well since last time, some things have changed in my plans. Originally my plan was to move to Provo and live with my friend, do online classes while I was there, work, and fly. Well after some research, much contemplation, and seeking of advice, I'm moving to Boise, Idaho.

Why you say? Well for one, it's easier to get a somewhat better job. Secondly, I'd be saving a couple thousand dollars on flying. Which was the one of the biggest selling points. Plus my friend Brian is living in Boise attending Boise State. So by the end of this month (hopefully) I'll be in Boise calling it home.

Now for the bad news. I got my third-class medical certificate from the FAA today in the mail. Which is good. The bad part is in the letter it says I am "ineligible for medical certification under title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations...." Basically what that means is I can never get a First Class medical certificate which is needed to be an airline pilot because of my past heart condition, which is completely fine! To simplify my rant, I can't be an airline pilot because I can't get a first class certificate.

My two letters from my regular physician and my cardiologist stated that I was able to do whatever I want, and my treadmill stress test I did to get my heart beat up to 200 beats per minute went without problems and the cardiologist that supervised that test said I was perfectly fine, and this "doctor" in Oklahoma City looks at these results and these letters and determines because of my history, I'm ineligible for a First Class! It's almost as if this guy is out to spite me! It's so frustrating. I'd like to see that guy do a triathlon and get first place (refer to previous post).

It's not only frustrating but extremely disappointing. I'm most definitely going to appeal that decision. It's outrageous. My heart is fine and I haven't had any incident since the procedure was done, which means it worked. I'm going to be an airline pilot, because I'm not good at anything else and I don't love anything else like I love flying. It's just annoying right now.

CR

Ballroom Blitz

2007-09-04T08:50:00.001-07:00

I saw this commercial and had to share it. Enjoy.

Par 3, and 9 strokes later....

2007-08-29T10:14:00.000-07:00

I played my first round of golf last week at the Mt. View Golf Course in Boring, Oregon and lets just say it doesn't come naturally. Sure I go to the driving range once in a while but it's normally just to mess around.

It was a nice typical Oregon day: rain. It wasn't cold though, so it's not as bad as it sounds. My friend Brian and I paid for the round of golf, which ended up being $22! Yes, I'm cheap. I found it hard to pay $22 to hit a ball into a hole. That's just me.

We got to the first hole, and I'll admit it, I was excited. I put that ball on the tee, set myself up to make it under par, I cocked that club back and swung, hit that ball and it immediately hooked right, and landed in the road that was situated parallel to the hole. Thankfully there were no cars!

I decided to give it another try. It happened again. Then I think on the 4th hit, it landed in the rough. "I'll take that" I thought to myself. Eight strokes later, it finally landed in the hole.

Throughout the entire afternoon, I got a little better each time and learned how to swing the club correctly. Once the 9th hole came around, I was ready to be done. Not to say I didn't have fun, because I did. Golf just isn't my game I think.

I'd go again though. It was fun and relaxing.

Update: Still waiting on my medical exam to be approved by the FAA, then I'll be moving to Provo after I get my license. I'm aiming at getting there by either the end of September or early October. We'll see!

Little People, Big Trouble

2007-08-09T10:05:00.001-07:00

June 19th, 2007, little guy Matt Roloff from TLC's "Little People, Big World" was arressted in Beaverton, Oregon for DUI. I read a comment somewhere that "he must have had only about half a beer." I found that to be humorous. Anyway, it's unfortunate. Many people looked up (pun) to this guy. Hopefully he'll learn his lesson. Maybe the TV show, the LP conventions, and family life were just stressing him out. That's not a valid excuse though. Isn't it hard enough to drive as a little person, let alone being an intoxicated little person? Just a big mistake by a little person.

In other news, my friend Brian Harris and I started a company called CB Aero. "C" standing for Corey, and "B" standing for Brian; obviously. It's an LLC and we're in the process of purchasing our first airplane; a Cessna 152. We will be leasing it to a flight school locally here and hope to buy more airplanes in the future. I'll be sure to keep you updated.

I'm pretty excited about getting a plane. I'm really close to getting my liscense, which is one step closer to my ultimate goal! I'm just waiting on medical approval. Because I had a heart procedure done, we had to send my FAA physical exam to the Feds for approval, and as you're probably well aware, the government likes to prolong these types of things. It's frustrating for me because I know I'm perfectly healthy, and there is nothing wrong with my heart anymore. So I'm just sitting on my hands unable to really progress towards getting that liscense. Soon enough though.

That's it,

Corey

A couple of beers and a ball game

2007-07-27T12:49:00.000-07:00

There comes a time in every mans life when they feel the need to go to Las Vegas in the middle of summer wearing a purple fleece elf hat, a full beard, and a make shift Trailblazer jersey. Oh, and of course the desire to buy a couple of beers: one for yourself, one for Coach McMillan. Soon disappointment would set in when UNLV arena security would stop you not allowing you to share the booze.

This just goes to show you that Portlander's are not only a bit whacky, but very generous and thoughtful of others. What's the saying? Give a man a beer, he'll drink for a few minutes, give a man two beers, he'll share it with others. I think that's how it goes.

Going to Summer League in Vegas was a lot of fun. Six or so hours of non-stop basketball is fantastic. Uncle Ben and I partook of several different games that day. When we got there we caught the last few minutes of the Dallas Mavericks vs. Boston Celtic, and saw the first half of the Minnesota T-Wolves vs. Memphis Grizzlies where teammates Rudy Gay and Scooter McFagdon took the floor. We then saw the Lakers play the Pistons, and Houston play Sacramento. Oregon's Aaron Brookes plays for the Rockets and made an impressive display. They were all pretty good games, but I had no emotional attachment to them.

The last game of the night was Portland against Phoenix; the one game I cared most about. The Thomas & Mack Center had a lot of Blazer fans cheering on the team which was great. Sadly, Greg Oden wasn't playing as he was in Portland getting his tonsils out, but the rest of the team put on quite a show. Duke's Josh McRoberts displayed some of his power and skill, and Finland's Koponen who by the way looks like he's 15 year's old hit a nice half court shot at the buzzer. All in all, Blazers won 89-95. PHX's DJ Strawberry is incredibly good also. This game was by far the most exciting of the day.

It was pretty cool to see people like Terry Porter, Maurice Lucas, Mike Dunleavy, Steve Kerr, Kevin Pritchard, and so on just walking around like everyone else. It's a fun environment to be in......by the way, Lex Luthor was there (see above picture).

Henry Hagg Lake Triathlon

2007-07-09T10:02:00.000-07:00

On Saturday July 7th, I participated in the Hagg Lake Triathlon with my friends Brian Harris and Dave Nuffer in the sprint relay portion of the event.

Our wave started at about 8:35 a.m. with Brian swimming. He was the first out of the water in our wave and completed the swim in 13:09. He ran up to tag me so I could begin the cycling portion. I was pretty nervous at first because I had never participated in an event like this before so I didn't know what to expect. So I got tagged and ran to the bike mounting area, hopped on, and took off.

It was a perfect day with no wind, the sun was out and it was the perfect temperature: about 75 degrees. I pushed myself as hard as I could, but didn't pace myself properly so I used a lot of energy in the beginning that I should have saved for the hills near the end. At around 8 miles in to the ride, I started feeling the burn in my legs, but I pushed harder knowing that I had a moderate downhill in about 1/4 mile. I had a general idea where the finish was after this point so I put myself into sprint mode and went as hard and fast as I could. Which paid off. I reached the finish, got off my bike, ran it to the transition area where Dave was waiting to begin the run. I finished in 42:44. For not being in the best of shape, I was pleased with my time. Definitely not the worst I've done.

Anyway, Dave started the run and finished in 23:57. We weren't sure if we would win or not, but we felt pretty good with our performance. We finished the entire race in 1:21:43.

So with all of us back, I took my bike back to the car, got changed, and headed to a picnic area where they were serving some food and had an awards ceremony. We stayed to see if we placed in the top three at least. Once they got to the awards for sprint relay teams, we listened for our team name which was "The Unit."

"The overall winner for the teams in the sprint relay is....'The Unit,' Brian Harris, Corey Rust, and David Nuffer!" We got 1st place!! I couldn't believe it. We went up, got a gold medal for our work, and we were just so happy with ourselves. We just wanted to place; but we settled for first place which isn't too bad right?

So there you have it, first place in the first race I have ever done and now I'm hooked. It's pretty fun; even if you don't win. It's an exciting environment to be in. I would like to do a full tri sometime rather than a relay, but I'll have to work on my running and swimming. I'll probably do a full one next year.

Hope everyone is doing well!

Corey

Ode to Oden

2007-06-29T09:08:00.000-07:00

Officially at 4:34 p.m. Pacific time, and after 20 seconds of deliberation in the Trailblazer draft office, Commisioner David Stern annouced to the world that with "the #1 pick in the 2007 NBA draft, the Portland Trailblazers choose Greg Oden..." That was the phrase that would change everything.

At the Rose Garden, there was a free draft party so I went down to experience the madness; and that's exactly what it was. Pure maddness. An hour before the pick was announced, people were screaming Oden's name, cheering "Go Blazers!" and whatever else they thought would be fun to scream. The enthusiasm and energy in that arena was amazing. When you mix a free event, and Portland, you're bound to get some interesting people to come out. Which we did.

Back to Greg Oden, the guy can play ball. He is such a talented player and he is just what the Blazers needed. We needed a good solid center that can score down low, play good defense, and run the floor. Oden is just a great pick and I'm sure someone around here is complaining saying we should have gotten Kevin Durant, but the majority is more than pleased. And to think we had only a 5% chance of getting the 1st pick is more than amazing. Many think the NBA is rigged and it's all a conspiracy. Whether it is or not, I could care less right now.

When Commisioner Stern announced the pick, the whole Rose Garden went wild which I thought was awesome to see and hear, but then people started storming the court like we had just won the Championship which thinking back, was sort of a funny thing to do because we didn't do anything special, and 99% of us knew that we would choose Oden, so....yeah.

P.S. Anyone know how to post video?

Amazing...

2007-05-17T13:41:00.000-07:00

I've got nothing to say, but amazing!

Blazers, School, and Everything Else

2007-04-19T09:47:00.000-07:00

Last night was a momentous one for Portlanders. The Trailblazers celebrated the 30th Anniversary of their World Championship win at the Rose Garden last night during half-time of the game against the Warriors, and also retired Lionel Hollins #14 jersey. It was pretty neat to watch and re-live that season. I recognized how much this franchise means to this city, and that the team we have now, really is a solid future for this organization.

After a hard fight last night against Golden State, they lost. Despite playing without Ime Udoka, Brandon Roy, Zach Randolph, Joel Przybilla, LaMarcus Aldridge, and if you want to throw in there Darius Miles, the team gave it all they had. Travis Outlaw scored 36 points, and had 10 rebounds, shooting 16 for 16 at the free throw line. He's shaping up to be an amazing player. I look forward to the off-season and the draft. I'm sure we'll trade a few guys (hopefully get rid of Miles) but I'm willing to bet if I were a betting man, that the Blazers will be in the play-offs next season. You can bet your bottom dollar on that. The team is solid, they're talented enough, they're strong, and they can put up a good fight when they're all healthy. So it'll be an interesting 6 months.

I know I write a lot about sports and/or music, but many of you I would think, would rather hear about what's going on with my life. So I'll tell you.

I started school at Mt. Hood Community College. It's sure a lot different than BYU-Idaho. In Idaho, they didn't talk about getting hammered on the weekends or which bar they should go to for lunch. Don't get me wrong though, Mt. Hood is a good school and I'm learning a lot. I'm fortunate to have good teachers who leave their biased opinions out of class; and I appreciate that.

I have a scholarship that I'll be using for flight school, and it's about $3,000 I think so that will help out a boat load. At least get me closer to where I want to be.

That's about it for now. Pretty uneventful, but summer's on the horizon so you know what that means: waterskiing, hiking, camping, more biking...the good things in life.

I'll try and keep you more informed more often.

C

Basil Pesto

2007-03-14T11:42:00.000-07:00

So since my last post, a few great things have happened; at least great in my mind. However, I'd like to address the importance of good food (This is a great example of how I have nothing better to talk about).

On February 23rd, 2007 at around 8:45 a.m., I arrived at Sea-Tac International Airport en route to Dallas/Ft. Worth. It was at 9:30 a.m. that I began to experience severe hunger pangs. As I walked through the food court of this airport, I sought to find a suitable restaurant. Mission failed. Nothing seemed good enough. I decided to just stick it out and head towards gate C18 where my flight would leave from. As I hobbled down this long corridor, I found my refuge: Wolfgang Puck Express. Like a light house on a foggy day, it was guiding me in. I stepped up to the counter with a smile on my face and said to the middle-aged oriental part-time working woman, 'Could I please get a Pesto Chicken Sandwich?'

'No.' She said. Because of the thick Asian accent and my pure excitement, I was sure she had said 'Why of course you can.' Boy was I wrong. As I handed her my card, she said, now imagine this as a little Asian lady, 'No, no, no, no, no. You go over to stand and pick up sandwich. We no serve Chicken Pesto til 10:30 o'clock. You come back in 40 minute.'

40 minutes! What do I do? I want it now; I was so hungry, I felt my stomach squeezing against my spine. So, to pass time, I walked around looking at the airplanes like a little boy; what can I say, I'm obsessed. After I had enough of that, I sat very close to the restaurant watching the time go by. At 10:29 a.m., I hopped out of chair and sprung to the counter. Of course, a line had assembled and I was 5th in line.

'Thank you for waiting.' she said, 'What can I get you?' The sarcastic side of me wanted to say, 'The same thing I wanted 40 minutes ago.' However, I restrained myself.

40-minutes and $7.10 later, I received substance that would change the way I looked at food forever. On two slices of freshly made Focaccia bread, a good amount of Basil Pesto was spread on these slices. In the middle, rotisserie chicken marinated in a creamy pesto populated the sandwich. As I bit into this beautiful creation, I realized like never before that food could make me so incredibly happy.

I'm only going to say this once: Basil pesto will make anything better.

So to make a short story long, try that sandwich. It seriously is awesome tasting. D/FW was a great trip. It was great to see family and big thank you to Dustin and Stacie for their hospitality, and to Greg for the awesome hookup to the Mavs game and to Mark for going with me.

'Til next time.

ROY ROY ASG LV 2007

2007-02-09T09:54:00.000-08:00

As the NBA All-Star Game in Las Vegas, Nevada looms just around the corner, I can't help but brag about my boy Roy. If Mr. Roy, does not receive what his name abbreviates (R.O.Y.: Rookie of the Year), we've got some issues. I've got five good reasons why he should be named ROY. Here we go:

1.) Education: Brandon Roy is one of the few out there who has this. He's somewhat of a local boy growing up just to the North in a little town called Seattle. In 2002, he was a candidate for the draft straight out of Garfield High School, but opted out of that to attend the University of Washington where he was instrumental in rebuilding the program. Thus, he entered the NBA draft in 2006 being drafted by the T-Wolves and immediately traded to the Blazers. Bad move Minnesota.

2.) Sweet Skills: The dude's got talent. There is no question about that. Just take a look at his stats. They're not outstanding, yet, but they're not disappointing either.

3.) Maturity: What Roy doesn't have in talent, he makes up with maturity. He leads the team by example and any pride that he might have he seems to leave at home in the closet. He's willing to help the rest of the team grow all the while, he grows to. Zee-bo could learn a thing or two.

4.) Potential: Picking up Roy is probably one of, if not the smartest things the Blazers organization has done in the last decade and probably longer. He's just what the team, and the city needed to maintain sanity. If the Blazers get rid of him, I give up.

5.) Drive: He's got the drive to make it happen. He's knows the city of Portland wants another championship or at least a winning season. He knows that we want Stewart Scott and Dan Patrick to say a good thing or two about our team and city on their respective programs. He also knows that Portland made a huge mistake by getting Sam Bowie instead of Michael Jordan and doesn't want to disappoint the team or city in that way again.

Bottom line is, if you're looking at stats to choose your ROY, he should win, and if you're looking at personality to choose your ROY, he should win. Either way, ROY is ROY. 'Bout time we have someone on the team that will take us to the play-offs once again. Give it a couple years. I can finally say I'm a Blazers fan again.

A Musical Journey (It's a long one)

2007-01-30T10:54:00.000-08:00

I was first introduced to rock and roll music in the 90’s when my Uncle Ben let me borrow ‘The Beatles: Abbey Road’ and ‘Simon and Garfunkel: The Essential Simon and Garfunkel.’ At the time, I loved listening to oldies music. I don't know why. It was with my friend Joseph Thom that I began to listen 97.1 KISN Fm, Portland’s oldies station. I learned ‘Sonny and Cher’s I’ve Got You Babe,’ and ‘Magic Carpet Ride’ by Steppenwolf. Soon after, I put my music listening on hiatus once I started middle school. Why you ask? No idea. Just happened.

My current obsession with music started as a short lived flirtation in the early spring of the year 2000. It was March of that year that I discovered the musical desires of my brain and the sounds and beats I would learn to enjoy. It all started in the great State of New York in the back of a large red fifteen passenger Dodge van. Driving from New York City to Rochester, New York, I heard a sound I loved and that I had heard before but never appreciated.

The sound was of the ‘Shades of Grey;’ Billy Joel. The album; ‘River of Dreams.’ All my life, I had heard songs from great bands such as ‘Chicago,’ ‘Peter Cetera,’ ‘Earth, Wind, and Fire,’ and ‘Billy Joel’ himself. I never appreciated music though. I was now 13 years old, almost fourteen, and I started to like my music. It was about time!

Upon arrival home from the trip to the East Coast, I started to construct a collection. I had one CD. Only one. That was it. I knew I needed more and I needed to learn more and search for an opinion of my own. That is when I chose to start “borrowing” my parents CD’s. The collection grew with the additions of, ‘Chicago’s Greatest Hits,’ ‘River of Dreams,’ ‘Genesis: The Way We Walk,’ and so on.

It was in the winter of that same year; 2000, that I first really discovered a band. A band I would grow to love to an obsessive amount. The band was U2. The band had just released an album called ‘All that You Can’t Leave Behind’ in October. The song: ‘Beautiful Day.’ My dad, Craig, introduced to me the song and the band through the music video which was filmed at the Paris’ Charles de Gaulle Airport.

I loved aviation and airplanes, so I chose to research the issue. I heard the song, and loved it. It was a musically genius song. But, for a few months, I took a break from the tunes, “again.”

I came back into the fold, and started to listen to my Billy Joel, and that was pretty much it at the time. In the summer of 2002, we were paid a visit by Uncle Ben and Aunt Storey and my cousin Stacy and Dustin Goodrich. Ben brought his music, of course, so I listened. Among the songs and albums I listened to were ‘Coldplay: Parachutes’ and a plethora of songs put together by Ben of ‘Neil Finn’, ‘Tim Finn,’ ‘Crowded House,’ and ‘Split Enz’ songs. I fell in love with this sound and these bands from New Zealand. It was awesome. ‘Barenaked Ladies’ (the band), ‘Sting’, 'R.E.M.', 'Travis', and so many others came into my life. The sounds produced were intriguing. From this point on in the summer of 2002, I was obsessed with music and the origins of songs, bands, and the poetic lyrics written into these songs.

I was watching the Academy Awards in March of 2003, and saw a band play a song that was absolutely beautiful. The song was ‘The Hand’s that Built America’ by U2 written for the motion picture ‘Gangs of New York.’ It was a great song and I loved it. As I watched the performance, I saw the band members playing their instruments and singing the song, and I thought to myself, ‘this is good…’ And it was, and still is. What struck me most was their character. How they played and the emotions they showed while doing so. I just thought they were all so cool.

That spring and summer, I hung out a lot with my great friend, David Waddell. He had on his computer U2’s ‘Best of 1980-1990’ album and track number two is a song called ‘New Year’s Day,’ and I said something like …’hey, this song says New Year’s Day in it…’ Dave and another friend named Matt Kennedy looked at me with a stupid look and said ‘Yeah. That’s the name of the song.’

I felt so uneducated and I determined from that point on that I would learn titles of songs, and learn artists. It was a personal mission that I was bound to accomplish.

July 2003, I went to Fred Meyer’s and bought my first two CD’s in years; ‘Neil Finn: One All’ and ‘U2: Under a Blood Red Sky.’ From here, my collection grew and grew and I'm happy to report that it continues to do so today.

I attended my first concert of my life at the Les Schwab Amphitheatre in Bend, Oregon to see Jack Johnson in concert (I'd like to give a shout out to Derrik Thayne for introducing me to to this talented artist). At this concert I discovered another new artist named Donovan Frankenreiter. Very similar style to Jack, but different, and I liked it a lot.

I love music. I can listen to it all day, everyday. I love learning about the history of a song, of an album and the background and story behind it.

From Billy Joel to Gordon Matthew Sumner, I have learned to appreciate music and where it has come from. I enjoy listening to songs that were written early in a musician’s career and comparing them to now and see how they’ve changed, or how they haven’t. I am fascinated by sound. Whether it is a police siren, jet engine, or an acoustic version of ‘Stuck in A Moment,’ I love organized sound for some reason.

Music defines who we are. It sculpts out our character and tells people who we are, and what our personality is like. Music can bring people together, bring comfort, celebrate occasions, and can be your friend. It has the ability to describe what you are feeling and every song has something written within that you can relate to. That is the beauty of music. You choose what you like, and what you listen to. There is a type out there for every person. You just have to find it.

2006-12-22T13:05:00.000-08:00

At about 3:15 p.m. Wednesday afternoon, I recieved a phone call that I could've gone without. I recieved sad news that my cousin Brittany had been killed in a car crash earlier in the day in Florida. Everything around me seemed to pause. My heart instantly sunk, my head was flooded with memories, and my eyes were filled with tears. Everything that was important three minutes earlier, were now meaningless.

In so many ways, it seems so unfair. She was always a jovial, and enthusiastic person that had the ability to always brighten up a room. It makes me sad that I didn't know her better but I'm so glad that I did know her and have memories of her. I am so sad for my family and what they all are going through.

I can only imagine the great reunion that is taking place in the heavens between Brittany and my Grandma. How wonderful it must be to be surrounded by such perfect company in such a perfect setting. During times like these, I often recall my knowledge of the Great Creator's plan and it's sacredness. I'm so thankful for the gift of eternal life and family. It brings great solace to my heart to know that it really is only a temporal loss. Doesn't make it any easier.

I Had Vertigo a Year Ago

2006-12-19T10:34:00.000-08:00

During this season of deep thought and reflection, I'd like to take a minute and recall an experience like no other. It was one year ago today on Monday, December 19th, I ventured down to the Rose Quarter despite freezing temperatures and ice on the roads, to see one of the greatest bands in the world: U2.

The day was filled with uncertainty as freezing rain had fallen in the metro area to paralyze the city for that morning. I was constantly checking to see if there were any updates as to whether or not the concert had been cancelled. Thankfully it hadn't. It was still on schedule for 7 p.m. that evening.

So the time arrived. The ice was beginning to thaw, but the wind began to howl so the temperatures were still extremely cold. So the ice wasn't melting all too quickly. I had two choices: Risk it and possibly crash and die while doing so, or risk it and see what happens. So I risked it, and I saw what happened.

My friend David and I made it to the Lloyd Center MAX station without a hitch (thanks to my unbelievable driving abilities), saw the gobs of people standing at the station to get on the train, and suggested we walk. So we did. It was a cold walk, but not unbearable. Thousands gathered and waited inside and outside the arena waiting for the excitment to begin.

7 p.m. rolled around and we had to sit around and listen to Kanye West for about 45 minutes. Not a Kanye fan, not a rap fan, so I could've cared less. By the time Paul (Bono), Dave (The Edge), Adam, and Larry all came out, I would say about 60% of the audience was well on there way to being wasted.

It was an unbelievable moment, when "City of Blinding Lights" started playing, the backdrop came down glowing in what seemed to be a million different colors, and the bass and chords of the two guitars on stage sent waves throughout the hall. Just talking about it, makes me excited.

The set went on for two hours mixed with U2 classics from the beginning to the most recent songs. Also mixed in there were some John Lennon covers and a few Christmas songs. The night was unforgettable. I loved it! My favorite band in my favorite city. Couldn't have asked for a better Christmas gift to myself.

Merry Christmas everyone.

Corey

The Duck vs. The Coug

2006-11-28T16:32:00.000-08:00

I just read that the Oregon Ducks have accepted an invitation to the Las Vegas Bowl in well, Las Vegas, to face the Brigham Young University Cougars on December 21st, 2006. The game will be televised on ESPN scheduled to kick-off at 5 p.m.

I think this should be a good match up. I'll be honest though, I've never been a BYU fan, and don't really have any reason to be; except for the fact that I'm LDS. That still doesn't give me enough of a reason to root for them does it? I think not.

BYU is an excellent team this year with a 10-2 record and an unbeatable season in the Mountain West Conference. That's pretty impressive.

Oregon started the season strong with an upset win over Oklahoma which was quite controversial and will forever have an asterisk by it. As the season progressed, hopes dwidnled as did determination to win it seemed. Overall, the Ducks became a disappointing team and some even chose to convert and go for the Oregon State Beavers.

So lets analyze the game on twelve twenty-one. Even though I am a Duck fan through the worst of times and the best of times, I think the "W" will go to the Cougars. I have a couple of reasons. One: they seem to be a stronger team. Both offensively and defensively, but also in camaraderie. And two: the Lord's on their side.

I really don't think that the Lord has any control over who wins and who loses. If that were the case, I think BYU would be 6-0 against Notre Dame rather than 2-4. Am I right or am I right?

Back to the subject, BYU is just a better team in my opinion and it will be interesting to see how Oregon does against them.

Oregon and BYU have met 5 times with Oregon leading that series in wins 3-2. The last win against BYU came in 1990 in Eugene.

Well I better get back to work.

Corey

11.14

2006-11-14T11:16:00.000-08:00

Have you ever been tempted to write an entire paper, e-mail, or whatever in the Webdings font? You know the one: v= V, P= P, and so on. I know I have. I remember my senior year of High School I really wanted to turn in a final essay using the symbols font. That was just my adolescent mind thinking something was funny. In a way, it still is.

Here's what I'm burning about. The recent elections were quite disappointing in the State of Oregon. Governor Ted K. was re-elected. Not too happy about that or anything else for that matter in the state. This state becomes more and more liberal everyday. I love this state, but some serious change in political parties I believe are necessary to keep this state from tearing itself apart. I read an article that proves how un-educated some people are when it comes to politics. One lady who was a registered independent chose to vote for Governor Kulongoski simply because she didn't like President Bush. Now I respect others views and if they don't like the President, that's their decision, but the President and the Governor really have no interaction with one another. Basically, a lot of people see the (R) next to a canidate's name and vote for the (D) just because of the President. Look at the issues, look at what that person stands for and what he/she believes in, not the party. It's really ridiculous if you ask me.

Last week, U2 released a new song called "Window in the Skies" and if you haven't heard this yet, you must. Ready for my personal opinion? It's one of the best song's that they have done. I think it's beautiful. Wonderful lyrics, exquisite and soothing sound. If I were to compare it to anything, I would have to say it sounds like the Beatles doing Christmas music. It's now on my list of favorite songs. By the way, this list is probably 243 songs long. Rough estimate.

One year ago today on November 14th, 2005, jetBlue 166 touched down at JFK with me on board and a pass to the "Late Show with David Letterman." This was an awesome experience. The day started by going from JFK to Manhattan on the subway. When Dave and Conan joke about the subway's being dirty, I don't think they really are joking. They were horribly disgusting. I felt like Brady for a while (he's a germaphobe for those of you who aren't aware). Let's just say that when the time came, I was happy to get off. What I thought was really cool was going to The Dakotas where John Lennon was shot. John Lennon getting shot wasn't cool, but that building has a lot of history, and supposedly a lot of celebrities have apartments there. One of them being Bono. Or so I've read.

Letterman was incredible. I had always imagined what it would be like and it really isn't any different then it is on TV. In fact, it's exactly the same. There is no editing or anything. How you see it is how it is. During the interview with John Cusack I started to get really tired since I hadn't slept since the day before. The flight was a red-eye and there was a TV in each seat, so of course I had to watch it. What option had I? So I was running on no sleep. Alas, I did fall asleep but thankfully it was during the musical act which happened to be country singer Brad Paisley, and no offence to you country fans, but I could care less.

Funny that I chose to document the New York trip a year later. Shows how good of a journal writer I am. In the sporting world, Blazers are doing better and I have lost complete faith in the Ducks. They disappoint me. Brandon Roy is hurt, but it's early in the season so I believe he'll be all better. Let's hope. LaMarcus Aldridge made his NBA debut against the Mavs and showed his stuff. He looks like a promising young player with loads of potential as does Jarrett Jack and Martell Webster. Four young players with massive amounts of talent can only mean one thing: success. As long as management doesn't screw it up, we'll get better. Give it time.

x o x o X o X X O o X

Corey

Vent

2006-10-30T20:18:00.000-08:00

Before I begin, I'd like to apologize in advance for the intimacy of this post. It's something that I need to talk about, but don't know how to present it vocally. This is my first "venting" subject, so bear with me.

Anyway, have you ever been in a situation where it seems that no matter how hard you try, it's almost as if it never satisfies others? Whether it be an employer, a friend, or a family member, it's almost hurtful that you can't please them. I have come to realize that most people are more concerned than they are angry; for the most part. If that makes any sense. I don't believe that this concern is meant to be delivered in hurtful manner. I think that what it is, is that some don't necessarily know how to talk about it. Especially with sensitive subjects. So it is delivered in a harsh or degrading way.

I understand where people come from sometimes, and I can't do anything but respect their point of view. But to be completely honest, it hurts me inside to hear certain things. Sometimes when I'm laying in bed thinking about things, I just tear up because I feel like I'm letting so many people down. Like I'm not meeting the standards that have been set. It sounds pathetic, but it's fact. I feel that people I love don't understand and have a hard time accepting certain things; and I completely understand why, but still. I want to do nothing more than to satisfy those I love and care about, but it seems like that whatever I do, it just isn't up to par for them. That's what hurts me the most. I am trying my best, and personally, it feels like they want more. It sort of seems like they want better of the best.

As the eldest child, I am expected to set a "level of standards" for my younger brothers; or so I've been told. I would like to think that I have done this, but I fear that I haven't. Or perhaps I did and they have all just exceeded it respectively. If anything, I look up to all of them. Their work ethic, their academic and athletic achievements baffle me, as well as their loyalty to others. Of course, sometimes it isn't always clear, but I see it. They are better than I am, in so many ways, and I am so glad that's the case.

I am a human being; obviously. I am so far from perfect. Not everything I do will please everyone, but I want whoever reads this to know, that I am trying to be the best person I can. I apologize for the disappointment, anguish, or grief that I may have caused. It is most definently not my intention. I am thankful for all of the support people show to me when I really don't deserve it.

Bottom line is, I'm doing my best, and not all the choices I make are going to please people. That's part of life. All I ask is for support.

By the way, this is not a "farewell, I'm dying soon" letter, it's just something I have been thinking about lately, and maybe I don't have the guts to say it to someone's, face, but it's something I needed to talk about. It's a poorly written post, but thanks for your patience.

Corey

In the Year 2000....

2006-10-18T12:12:00.000-07:00

The future?!? Lets look into the future, in the Year 2000. Wait! Is this a segment from Late Night with Conan O'Brien? No. It's just lack of intelligence and boredom seeping into my blogging experience.

Actually, I have been thinking a lot about my future. Since I started my job at Horizon, my life long obsession of flight has gained strength 100 fold; which is significant since in the scriptures, I believe 10 fold is the highest it gets. I'm sick of living in my adolescent dreams and picturing myself in the cockpit of a plane. I'm at the point in my life where I want to progress. Some might take that as "growing up." False. I want to begin my adult life, however, I don't want to be an adult in certain aspects of life.

I'm a lucky man. I have a lot to be thankful for. Great friends, great family. Really, if someone said to me, "choose two things to brag about..." that would be it. Not that it would ever happen, but I would. They've always been there no matter what. In times of hardship and happiness, they have always been there in suppot. I look up to them in the highest regard. I come from great heritage and it will continue.

Random tangent.

Bottom line is this. I want to fly. Sure, I won't make tons of money, but if I play my cards right, and do what I am suppose to, the Lord will bless me and enable me to support myself and my family. I have no doubt about that. Yeah, there will be disappointments, but hey, life goes on. No sense in worrying about what happened, worry about what will happen. Al Jorg told me that. It's a gem.

I hope to figure out how to go about achieving my dreams in a short time, and where I will do it at. I'll keep you posted. Few more things. The Blazers and the Lumberjax (Pro Lacrosse) starts up soon and I'm pretty psyched about it. Ducks are doing fine. I can't believe they lost to Cal. That should not have happened, but then again, we shouldn't have beat Oklahoma. Without sports, I think life would be close to pointless.

By the way, I just noticed after reading over this, that there are a few song lyics and titles in here. I guess they creep into my subconscious. If you can find them, kudos.

Farewell,
Corey

Holy Crab!

2006-10-08T16:50:00.000-07:00

So I officially decided that the dungenous crab is the most ugly creature I have ever seen. However this mutant of an animal is quite tasty.

I went crabbing on the Oregon Coast with a couple of buddies Saturday morning north of the coastal communities of Garibaldi and Barview which are located on Highway 101 and north of Tillamook. A city famous for cheese.

We arrived to where we rented the boats, cages, and bait at around 7:40 a.m. and were on the water by 8:20 a.m.We had four crab pots filled with mutilated fish wired in as bait and when I say mutilated, I mean that basically the eyes have been picked out, the fish have been clawed at by the crabs, and no longer have any meat on them anymore. For a simple description, it was a head with no eyes and very little body left.

So we threw all four of those in the ocean and waited 15 minutes until we pulled them in the boat to collect our catch. As we pulled the first pot in, buoy 1A, about 22 crabs were frantically crawling inside knowing that they could be selected. There it was! The biggest muffin of 'em all. Hoping that it was a male and not a female we crossed our fingers and checked the goods. Male! It was a keeper. We threw him in the bucket and with our hearts swelling with pride, pulled the rest of the cages up and repeated the entire process.

As the morning went on, it grew more and more depressing. Our success had dwindled down to having only four crabs in the pot and no more time left. As the tide went out and current became stronger, one of our cages was sucked under and we never found it. We all made the presumption that it was the weight of 10's of crabs that made it sink rather than the swift current. Then again we were delusional. (It was a charge of $50 for lost cages, only if we told them and they asked. Both of which never took place).

We returned the boat to the dock and took our load up for weighing. The big one was 2 1/2 pounds! Pretty large for a crab. A crab this size at Fred Meyer would cost nearly $30! $11.99 per pound. I was happy.

It was a beautiful, sunny day on the Oregon Coast. A little chilly, but nice to be out. It was a fun experience, nothing near to being as exciting as the "Deadliest Catch" on the Discovery Channel, but I'd probably do it again. It's just easier to go to Red Lobster I think.

Ciao,
Corey

Jammin' with Guster!

2006-10-04T21:45:00.000-07:00

As I drove on the I-84 Westbound toward 801 SW 23rd Ave, the excitement that brewed within was not created from nerves, but from great anticipation. Today at Music Millennium in the Pearl District of Northwest Portland, the great band "Guster" played a set of 7 songs from their new album "Ganging Up on the Sun" and songs from previous albums as well including "Amsterdam" and "Happier."

The free set began at 5:45 p.m. beginning with the song "One Man Wrecking Machine" and may I say, nicely presented.

"Guster" is one of those groups that if you saw some of them at the mall, or at the airport you would never guess that they are a popular musical group. They are such down to earth guys with incredible talent. I had the great oppurtunity of meeting them last April at KINK FM 102, a radio station here in Portland, and they did something similar to what was done this evening at Music Millennium.

However, at KINK, the viewing group was significantly smaller. So at the end of the set at the radio station, we were able to talk to them one on one and what a great group of guys they were. They were all very polite and personable.

Anyway, this might sound like an extreme comparison, but the one thing that U2 and Guster have in common is when they play live, it sounds incredible. You know that it's a good band when they sound great live and great on disc.

Live music is always good, especially when it is free. Music's a passion. I can't play an instrument, and I can't write music or good lyrics, but I love to listen to it. Let's just say it's an obsession.

It was a great experience and I look forward to the next time I can see a great band perform live. So it brings me to my question(s). What bands do you enjoy? What are some good live shows you have been to?

I look forward to reading what you have to say.

Ciao,
Corey

An Affair to Remember...

2006-10-01T16:14:00.000-07:00

I've always wanted to brag a little bit about my state. However, nobody I've ever known has seemed to care or they live here. So as you can see, my options are quite limited.

I love my state. The State of Oregon, or the Beaver State, is my home. Never in my life would I want to move from this great part of the country. Unfortunately, a thing called marriage might force me to. Only time will tell.

I would like to put some things to rest. One of them being rain. Many people have asked me, "Does it rain a lot in Oregon?" The answer is yes and no. From October to May, it rains quite a bit but not constantly. June to late September and early October, it's gorgeous. Maybe a few days here and there are damp. However, when the sun comes out after a nice rainfall, and the clouds break off into their seperate directions, it is a true testiment to me that there is definently a Supreme Creator who created this earth for us to inhabit.

Often I think of how lucky I am to live in this great country. I have seen nearly every corner from Alaska to New York, and Idaho to Texas, and with each location comes it's own unique charecteristic. Nevertheless, when I sit on that airplane returning home from wherever I have been, it is always great to look out that window and see the population of trees that dot the landscape below. I know that I am home.

As you come into Portland you can always see the downtown skyline and whenever this occurs, I often think of the words written by the great Irish poet Bono in his ballad titled "Beautiful Day." In that song, he says "You love this town!" And indeed I do. I love this town, I love this state. It is home. From the hundreds of discovered and unknown waterfalls, to the fast paced enviroment experienced in the Rose City, in my opinion, it's the greatest place on earth.

So many places can take your breath away (metaphorically speaking). From the sun rising behind majestic Mount Hood like a phoenix from Arizona, to the gorgeous sunset at the Oregon Coast. As that sun dips below the horizon and begins a new day on the other side of the earth, it's as if that it is the last remaining gateway to heaven for that day.

It's an amazing place. No matter where I am in the world for whatever reason, Portland, Oregon will always be my home and the love I have for it will never be taken away.

And for the record I've never seen a beaver. The first beaver I saw was in Idaho dead on the side of the road.

Also, Ducks slaughtered the ASU Sun Devils Saturday!!

Ciao,
Corey

A Blog About Nothing.

2006-09-28T17:24:00.000-07:00

So this is my blog. A new option for those who are too mature for myspace and too immature to be a freelance writer for a newspaper. Take your pick. At about 5:20 p.m. Pacific Standard Time, as I sat on my couch watching Joe Donlon and Tracy Barry deliver the 5 o'clock news, I contemplated my options on how to share my life with the world. 'How could I let others peak into my life without actually talking to them?' I wondered. Then what came to mind was something you might call, inspiration. A blog.

Let's begin in May twenty-o-six. I went to BYU-Idaho in the metropolis of Rexburg, Idaho until August 24th. Ok, three months covered.

September 16th, on what was to be a nice and sunny 80 degree day, the 1st Annual "Cadence Against Cancer" charity bike ride was held in the 'Burg' benefiting the Lance Armstrong Foundation and cancer research. However, on this day, the idea of a beautiful morning was shot down like a Japanese war plane in World War II. As the sun began to rise behind the clouds, it failed to do it's job: Heat up the earth. The temperature hovered at 37 degrees and even snow flakes began to fall to the earth. This is the middle of September mind you. A time that is still considered summer in the Northern Hemisphere. A total of 13 brave souls bared the weather and rode in this fight against cancer and I couldn't be more proud. Seriously.

And finally today, after waiting about a month I interviewed with Horizon Air for a job. Nailed it! I start October 9th at the Portland Operations Center entering Maintanence Records. Hey it's a job, plus there are free flights involved. I have nothing but good things to say about this company, but I wont bore you with business affairs.

Saturday September 30th, 2006, the #14 Oregon Ducks play Arizona State in Tempe on ABC at 12:30 Oregon time and yes I know, the call in the Oklahoma game was crap but you win some you lose some. And Oregon won.

Comment and keep checking for more non sense. Ciao.