Top Ten Utah Moments

Well, it's here. Rivalry week. Most people know I (Dave) am a Utah fan. Some would describe me as a "big" Utah fan, others don't know the extent of my fandom. Suffice it to say, I like the Utes.

In commemoration of the big game I thought I'd list my top ten Utah moments / Utah related memories - some are for the sports folks out there, others are more general in nature.

(10) Pulling in front of Kristin's house for the first time only to be greeted by a giant lit U in the upper window. Love at first sight (that refers to Kristin, of course).

(9) As a 12 year old, sitting in the BYU season ticket holder section while Yergensen nailed a 55 yard field goal to beat the Zoobs.

(8) Eating Christmas (or was it Christmas Eve) dinner, again as a young tike, with Phil Dixon (Ute basketball player) at Grandma and Grandpa's house. Having Phil Dixon, at the same dinner, give me two tickets to the Utah Wyoming basketball game. Also, and this may be my own addition (just ask Kristin about my bad memory), having Phil Dixon point / wave / come up / something to my dad and I at the game.

(7) Getting kicked out of Rice Eccles stadium while watching a closed-to-the-public spring practice in preparation for the magical 2004 season. In 2004 I worked night shifts (5 - 9) on campus. I often took a break from school by spending my afternoons watching the Utes practice. On one particular day the Utes practiced in Rice Eccles. I made my way up into the stands and watched about 30 minutes of practice. I found it odd that I was the only spectator in the stadium. I soon knew why. To my surprise, don't ask me how I didn't see him coming, a large man barked at me from the portal "get outta here before I call the cops, this practice is closed." I left.

(6) Fracturing my ankle on the morning of the Utah BYU game in 2004. Greg Condie, Nate McConkie and I ventured down to the ESPN Game Day set to watch Game Day that morning. Before the darn thing even started ESPN threw out Home Depot shirts to the fans. I jumped up to grab one, fell awkwardly, and fractured my ankle. Despite the intense pain, I couldn't miss Game Day. So, I had Greg and Nate drop me off at Scott Jacobsen's where he and I watched the show. I then went to the Instacare, got a brace, learned it was fractured, etc. That night I attended the game on crutches.

(5) Singing the Utah fight song with Dan Hinckley and Byron Burkhart in front of our Fluid Hydraulics class in return for my teacher moving our homework assignment due date from Friday to Monday (the new date allowed us to see the Utes' Thursday night game).

(4) Hearing Grandma say "Fred and I are going to the ball-game on Saturday." There's something special about Grandma, Grandpa, and the "ball-game."

(3) Standing under the basket as a ballboy when the Utes' Byron Wilson threw in a halfcourt shot to beat UTEP. Seeing myself on the news that night as the ballboy standing under the basket in which the game winning shot was made.

(2) Walking through Times Square on New Years Day 2005. The Utes thrashed Pittsburgh later that night, and my brother, Dave Hansen, and I watched the thrashing from the Vincents home in Delaware. But we had spent New Years Eve in NYC and accordingly found ourselves in Times Square on New Years morning. Some guy, from across the street, noticed my Utah gear and yelled out "Go Utes." I whipped around and yelled the same back to him. It was great to feel the Utah fever in the heart of New York City.

(1) Maintaing my position as the only one (out of 14 who have attended some form of college) of Grandpa Fred's grandchildren to remain true to his school (Lindsey Homer, I hope you'll join me).

At Long Last

Thanks to a timely Christmas present (yeah - 2 months early - so what?!?) from Kristin, our family once again has the ability to put pictures on our blog. We are way behind. So, instead of giving long descriptions - we'll just give each picture a title.

Smiling Patten in a red striped shirt


Sand-focused Patten

Patten and the red plunger

Momma and Patten (in his yellow pajamas)

Good friend Melaine, future girlfriend Hannah (pink hat), and Patten

Aunt Kimberlee and Patten

Argyle Patten playing the piano

Patten and future girlfriend Aggie (don't worry Hannah, he's not cheating on you)

Patten and dad with Patten's birthday cake

No explanation needed
Patten wearing momma's ankle socks while getting ready for Halloween

Dalmatian Patten and Professional DodgeBall Playing mom


Dalmatian Patten

You Better Believe It

I don't particularly like baseball. I don't know how any individual can follow the regular season - all 160-some-odd games.

BUT - when it comes to the World Series - I am a true fan. My friend said it well the other day, "I hate baseball, but I could watch the World Series - all day - everyday."

And, when you add the Phillies to the equation, my interest level goes through the roof. In fact even Kristin, who I would wager had earnestly watched perhaps 1 combined hour of baseball in her life, LOVED the world series.

We fell in love with Brad Lidge (whom we referred to as the ugly man - sorry Brad, but you have lots of funny markings on your face), and Ryan Howard, and that Blanton pitcher, and the manager, and everyone else.

And as proof that parents' habits influence their children.... Last night we went for a walk, we grabbed Patten's Phillies blanket (which some good friends of ours from Delaware gave him last year) to keep him warm. Patten has a lot of blankets and is not partial to one or the other. But he smiled as wide as ever when we placed the Phillies blanket on his little legs. He loved it, wouldn't let it go. Way to go son.

Go Phillies!

Sno-Cone

We never knew our son liked sno-cones. But, apparently, he does. After church yesterday we had a linger longer and the activities committee provided sno-cones.

The kid wouldn't let the cone go. Notice the redness of his facial cavity (and the how his blue eyes match his blue shirt).

*Please note - after reading the first four comments associated with this post I decided I should clarify something. Patten is eating a Pina Colada sno-cone. Do you know what that means? The red on his face is not from cherry or some other flavor - its from burying his face in the freezing ice.



Can't I have another?

Ladybird

It's not everyday that you see this beast on your wall.


We didn't know what to make of a black-tar-looking blob on the wall. Kristin thought it was tar growing out of our cinderblock. However, on further inspection, we saw two little red dots on the side of the creature.

Turns out we had a ladybird living in our apartment. A sister to the ladybug, ladybirds are usually found in Britain - but occasionally here in the US.

That's all.

For My Aunt

Happy Birthday Aunt Missy!

And again...

Today is Missy's birthday. Happy Birthday from Dave, Kristin, and Patten.

In other news.

Patten plays twice a week with Michael from downstairs. They like each other (we think - how can you really tell)? Here is a picture of the rascals - notice the belly - gotta love it.

I want to be in the Saucer - Michael, can you share?

On another note. Looks like all y'all made the right choice by NOT going to law / business school. If it weren't for the sympathetic face-saving comment from Dan (thanks, by the way) - my little experiment (see the next post down) would have gone nearly two weeks without a single comment. Your reluctance doesn't change the fact that I liked the class / material / etc.

This Should Be Fun

I took a week-long class taught by one law and one business professor the other week. The business professor was exceptional. I won't bore you with the details - just trust me, he taught exceptionally well.

He presented a thought experiment that made me think (looks like it worked). I thought y'all would enjoy. I can't remember the problem's details (they filled 8 or so single spaced sheets of paper), but I can remember enough to give you an idea. Leave your answer, what you would do in the situation, in the comments. As per the instructions in class, you must give an initial yes or no answer with no strings attached - then you may support that answer. Also, don't assume any facts not given in the problem.

The Problem:

You make business decisions for a refrigerator manufacturing company. Your scientistists recently invented a new cooling mechanism, way-cool gas, for the latest refrigerator model. The way-cool cooling system uses much less energy and keeps food cool for much longer than your competitors models. For some time your company has actively pursued opportunities to expand outside of the United State of America. You know capitalist America largely dictates prices in less affluent areas and that the stockholders of your company desperately want big returns this year.

You have an opportunity to sell 1.5 million refrigerators to the United Nations this month, with a net profit of $10 million - a substantial return. You must make the decision today. The UN will distribute your refrigerators to individuals in third world countries who currently do not have refrigerators. Your energy-efficient longer-cooling fridges are the only fridges these individuals can use because all other fridges cost too much money and don't keep food cool long enough. You know that many of these people have never even seen a fridge in their lives. You also know your fridges will save the lives of people who would otherwise die from malnutrition / starvation - but you don't know how many lives your fridges will save.

Yesterday your scientists informed you your fridge has a defect. Out of the 1.5 million fridges you plan to sell, roughly 125 of them will leek free-on gas through a defective tube - killing any person within a 20-foot radius. Your scientists predict 500 people will die from the cumulative effect of these gas leaks (in fact the lead scientist, in a fit of rage, informed you "signing that contract is like signing 500 people's death sentences"). Your legal counsel assures you that because your daughter company will sign the official contract, the deaths will not tarnish your company's name. In fact, it is most likely even you will never hear of the 500 deaths. You could fix the problem, however doing so would take 30 days and you would miss this golden contract opportunity.

To complicate matters even more your competitor is waiting in line for this UN contract - hence if you don't take it today you will lose it. Your competitor does not have the energy-efficient longer-cooling fridges you do - but his fridges also (you assume) do not have the defect yours do.

Do you sign the contract with the UN? Yes or no.

Why?