Not Smarter

Albert Einstein, one of the greatest scientists in the history of the world, was quoted as saying "It's not that I'm so smart, it's just that I stay with problems longer." Think about it.

Summer Trip No 2- The Drive-In

Okay, okay, so technically I went on trek before I went to the movies, but I've got all the pics from my movie escapade right here in my hot little hands, something I can't exactly say for the trek pictures.

So here's the deal. My best friend leaves for Europe a week from when this post is published (Today), so I told her "We HAVE to do something before you jet off to Europe." I think that was actually my exact quote. So we did! Here's how it turned out:

The original plan called for an authentic Vietnamese dinner at an authentic Vietnamese noodle house, brought over to downtown Salt Lake City piece by piece from a village in Vietnam. This legit restraunt is known in these parts as Mi La Cai.

Delicious food at Mi La Cai

There was, however, a snag. All of the wonderful Vietnamese people who make the wonderful food at this wonderful restraunt had, in fact, run off on vacation until the twelfth of July. So Mi La Cai was not a dining option. Lame

So, In true Joe Huston fashion, I turned to my date, who happened to be riding in the same car as I was, and told her, "Quinci, we're going on an adventure." (once again, another direct quote.) So, thinking fast, as I always do, we proceeded to a little place I know of in Sugarhouse known as "The Blue Plate Diner"

Obviously the Blue Plate Diner

Dinner, though a little more of an adventure than I had anticipated, was delicious, and we continued on with our 50s style theme and went to Iceberg for milkshakes. Yum. Then proceeded to the drive in theaters (also fitting in nicely with this newfound theme) on Redwood road to see a movie known as Toy Story.

However, there was another snag. We were too early: the gates hadn't even opened. So in true adventuring manner, we cracked open my camera case and began to take pictures!

It was exciting! The movie was great, and after Quinci had apologized for hitting the poor little girl in the head with a Frisbee, the rest of the evening went slightly more smoothly, despite the fact that I couldn't get my lights to turn off, and my radio would not pick up the audio for the movie. 

All in all, it was a great hurrah for bigger and better adventures, and I hope we'll be able to do it again before the summer's through

Summer Trip No. 1- Boise Idaho

Okay, to kick off the summer, I embarked on a voyage to the far off land of Boise, Idaho. En route, I took the new header/title picture/jigger deal you see as you enter my newly titled blog. I also snapped a few pics of stuff I saw, like this window of wonder seen above. The hotel was called "Modern." No obnoxious 'the's to get in the way here, just "MODERN." I digress. Anyway the next few pics are random smidgens and snapshots of the trip. Exciting huh?

My traveling companion and sidekick, also known as my dad, looking like a boss before a day of location scouting.

Your lovable host, hero and fellow blogga looking even more like a boss in his aviators, also before a day of scouting locations

 .The Beast that brought us to this magical land of Idaho, created specially for this trip by the fine people at Chevrolet

I had time to play with some perspective shots, so I did. This is one of the modern tables at Modern

A tree in the courtyard. Unfortunately this particular tree isn't bearing plastic fruit hung from fishing line.

My room was up there!

Not actually my room, but it was one of our locations. Pretty sweet

And here's me looking like a G on the bleachers at the Boise State football field

Other Highlights of my Voyage to Boise

> Throwing a frisbee from the top of Boise State Football Stadium

>Playing frisbee on the blue turf of the Boise State Football Field

>Ripping a gaping hole in my shorts while playing frisbee on the Boise State Football Field

>Breaking my camera on the FIRST DAY (not actually a highlight but it happened)

>eating a 'Free range, grass fed, hand ground beef hamburger.' Did I mention the place was a bit yuppie?

>Romping around rooms cleaner than operating rooms, rooms full of equipment worth millions of dollars, playing with lasers more expensive than said equipment, and doing all of this no questions asked

>Being an extra (if this puppy ever airs, I'm walking through a shot somewhere by the Student Union Building)

>Visiting a legit record shop, and just about buying four new vinyl albums for my collection

>Eating at Mollie's for breakfast

>But not eating at Mollie's for lunch

The Spider's Web

The spider casts out a line of slender thread, stronger than steel, from a tree branch, and swings across the gaping chasm to the waiting arms of another branch. Slowly, with much deliberation and surgical precision, the lone spider weaves the web he calls home. Working tirelessly through the night, he spins, snips, attaches, detaches, and reattaches the cords that will eventually bring the rewards of food, and the satisfaction of a well-done job.

Looking back on life up to this point, as I'm sure many of the readers of this blog have, I've come to the conclusion that we are all much like the spider. We weave webs of hard work, dedication, friendship, education, religion, and enjoyment. We all have anchors, branches to which we've found hold fast. Each of us has been pounded by winds, rain, hail, emotional whirlwinds, tragedies, and even our own laziness, but the true anchors to which we've tied ourselves off to have held strong.

Because of these trials, holes have been torn through our webs; damage has been done that we think we cannot possibly repair. A friend turns his back, a falling grade in calculus seems too far gone to be mended, our testimonies have weakened, someone we love has been lost; we fear our anchors will not hold. Yet, somehow, miraculously, you and I have been able to repair these gaping holes; our anchors have held firm, and we begin the process of repairing the damage.We retie the straggling threads, reinforce the troubled area. Extra study, more selflessness, a greater degree of friendship and faith, and the holes slowly disappear, leaving a stronger web in their place.

I'd just like to take a moment and thank all of you who have made this high school career so memorable, and who, along with God and my family, have been some of the branches to which my own web has held firm to. Thank you.

Tonight

Tonight, I venture to a baseball game, spend time with family, and enjoy God's favorite sport. (Don't believe me? check Genesis 1:1)...

Last Night, I visited with a wonderful woman in my ward (fancy illiteration, huh), discussed everything from westerns to golf, and found pleasure in conversation...

Saturday Night, I made the pilgrimage to senior dinner dance, borrowing from my good friend B.E. it was one of the many last_______ of my senior year, spent time with friends old and new, and danced it up like a fool...

Friday Night, I played football, with friends, scored a few TDs, looked good for the ladies, and went to seminary....

All in all, a good weekend, full of fun, hard work, and, of course, great friends.

Stop...Shower Time!

Today

Thhhhhhbbbbbttthhh!!!!

D'oh Moment of the Day

Well, I just kissed:
10% of books cost

20% of a month's rent

2% of a semester's tuition

150% of a group date date

a juicy Ruths Chris steak

goodbye today. LAME. And what did I receive in return for this glorious $50 of my own hard earned cash? Less than a minute's worth of labor, that's what. Goodness, I need to become a locksmith

Starting at the beginning of this epic tale, I was on  a McDonald's run for the picture taking crew this afternoon. Needless to say, I took every order with care and dedication, pulled into the parking lot, double checked the order, opened the door of my 2001 PT Cruiser, locked the door, got out of the car, shut the door, and stared, in utter disbelief at my lanyard, attached to my keys, still hanging in the ignition of this fine automobile.

Needless to say, this was an 'aw shi...'moment, but I guarded my tongue, as per the seminary challenge, reached for my cell phone, and, wait for it...another 'aw shi..' moment! I left my phone at home, so as not to be a test nullifying distraction in this year's AP English exam.

Life felt pretty sucky right about now, and, scrambling for change for a one dollar bill in quarters, I called my mom and announced my folly. She was not pleased...at all. I walked back to the shoot, borrowed her cell phone, and called the locksmith, who promptly arrived after half an hour of butt-numbing hood sitting.

The handy dandy locksmith pulled up, tools in hand, and began work on my car. I anticipated a few "hold this," and "keep this here"s. But no. He walked up, jammed a wedge into the rubber window sill, reached into my door with a slim jim, and unlocked the car. He then requested payment, the $50 alluded to earlier, and was off, in under a minute. If NASCAR needed locks picked, this guy would be the front-runner for the job.

It was a day of firsts:

-First time locking my keys in the car

-First time not being able to jimmy the lock by myself

-First time using a payphone (ooh I felt like a legit stranded motorist)

-First time calling a locksmith

-First time watching said locksmith in action

-First time paying said locksmith

-And First time wanting to become a locksmith and pick up a $50 chunk of change from some chump stupid enough to lock the keys in question in the car.

All in all, it wasn't too bad. I didn't die, no one was robbed, and, if bioethics law doesn't pan out, heck, I got a new career path out of the whole experience.

Oh, and PS, if you ever do something dumb like this, make sure you've got a spare key to your car, because not having one really sucks! (and if you can, get your parents to foot the bill, then you have absolutely no out-of-pocket expense! SCORE!)

Donezo

I've gone and done it. I finally cut the ties between myself and Facebook, which seemed to have a vacuum-like affect on my time and attention. I'm done with it now. No more statuses, no more updates, no more comments, no more nothing of that nature, and it feels good.


I Deleted My Facebook Account, Have YOU?

New B-Log

Ladies and Gentlemen! (Just out of curiosity have you ever misspelled gentlemen by spelling gentile men? I tend to do that a ton) Anyways, I have created a brand spankin new blog to satisfy all your reading and blog enjoying needs. Andres Bosque has Bosquetography, and now the illustrious Joe G. Huston has Stuff That Teenagers Like! Check it out if you get a moment, and be sure to sign up as one of my followers, because I know you all want to!

List O Likes

In no particular order, here's a random sampling of some of the things I like...

1. Wonderful daughters of God
2. Excellent friends
3. Hillcrest High
4. Korean food
5. The French Language
6. BYU
7. Cinnamon chewing gum
8. Stand-up comedy
9. Jeeves and Wooster
10. Group dates
11. Dressing up
12. Kimchi
13. Death Cab for Cutie
14. Success
15. Goofing around
16. Cary Grant
17. John Lennon
18. Paul McCartney
19. George Harrison
20. Ringo Starr
21. My exuberant little sister
22. Guitar
23. Classical music
24. Shakespeare
25. Short Films
26. Mission Impossible
27. iPods
28. Shoes
29. Loud ties
30. Family
31. My bloggin bros (and sisters)
32. Road trips
33. Roller coasters
34. In N Out
35. Vaccations
36. Florida
37. Kings Peak
38. Trail runs
39. Running in general
40. Monty Python
41. Computers
42. Facebook
43. MLIA
44. Plays
45. Film shoots
46. Photography
47. Cinematography
48. Biology
49. Justice
50. The readers of this blog

"When upon life’s billows you are tempest tossed, when you are discouraged, thinking all is lost, count your many blessings, name them one by one, and it will surprise you what the Lord hath done."

End Transmission...

Rise and Shout!!

I got in!

Feelin like 18 Today

One of the coolest things about photography is being able to get different angles on everyday objects: shoes, lights, soda bottles, etc. But I was reading a short story today, and came across a brand new perspective on life. You ready? Because it just might blow your mind...well maybe at least say 'hey that's cool, thanks Joe for being so awesome!'

You know that feeling when nothing seems to be going right, everyone seems to be picking on you, and the world seems to be coming to an end? Yeah, that's when I'm 14.

Or how about when you go outside for a snowball fight with your dad? That's when I'm 7

That feeling you get when your brother drives you up the wall, your sister bugs you, and the teeniest tiniest thing'll set you over the edge? Perchance that's when I'm about 4

Maybe when you hear that your best friend is coming to town, and you can't sleep the entire night before, just like when Santa used to come? Perhaps that's when I'm 10

When you think your dad knows everything? when I'm nearly 5

When you know your dad knows nothing? when I'm 16

When you realize your dad knew a lot more than you thought he did when you were 16? Um...right now, as soon as I'm about to move out on my own

And then again, the time you drop your books in the hall, freeze up when that gorgeous girl starts a conversation in the hall, you trip over your stinkin shoelace, and you just feel like a lurp? Definitely when I'm 15

Then there's that one time when you just have to go to your mom and say 'help!!! I can't do this on my own." Clearly, that's when I'm 2

And, of course, when Mr. Talbot calls on you, and you know every single little step of cellular respiration, and then you explain it all (in detail of course) to the entire class? Yeah, then I feel like 969 years old, 'cause that's how old Methuselah was, and he knew everything.

You see, I've come to the realization that you and me aren't just 17 or 18. On a daily basis, we're 18, 17, 16,15,14,13,12,11,10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2 and of course1 year old as well. It just depends on the moment to determine which facet shines through. When we're feeling sad and just need a cry, maybe we're 3. When we feel like superheros maybe we're 9. When we feel like the bomb diggedy, maybe we're a 17 year old 'big kid.' It all depends on the day.

Chew on that for a while, and feel free to leave me some comment lovin, because I feel like no one ever reads this blog (P.S. that's when I'm 11, because no one listens to you when you're 11)

Take care guys!

~Joe