I didn’t take the best pictures in Mexico but we did have the best time. Take a look at some of the “not so great” photos here.
We did take some good pictures too though– Thanks Brittany!
Funny
Pictures of Pictures: A Journey Through Utah’s National Parks
Brittany, John, and I just returned from a long trip through Utah’s National Parks nicknamed the “Mighty Five.” Rather than taking boring traditional pictures, I decided to just take pictures of Brittany taking pictures (and she took a lot).
If you liked this post, check out my very fist post, “Pictures of my Finger in Unique Places in Europe.”
Do You Really Need All Those Things In Your Purse? An informal survey
According to a recent study (by me), the average purse holder has 24 things in their purse at any given time. But do they really need all those things? Take a look at the exclusive results.
Erin, 21 items in purse
Sample of items:
- Two water bottles. (I could understand one, but two is too many).
- An iPad Charger. Doesn’t have an iPad.
- Last week’s grocery list.
- Icy Hot and several very specific medications that she doesn’t need.
Favorite Quote: “I’m not really sure why I have an iPad charger in my purse. I don’t even have an iPad.”
Ryan’s review: Erin’s purse is like your junk drawer. Everything in there was useful at one time but now it’s time to clean it out.
Brittany, 14 items in purse
Sample of items:
- Two dice and one playing card. (Not sure what games you can play with that…)
- Four different types of hand sanitizer.
- Coffee creamer.
- An Apple pencil (but doesn’t carry around her iPad??).
Favorite Quote: “I don’t know. I just feel really bad throwing away coffee creamer.”
Ryan’s review: Bigger purses lead to bigger problems. No one needs that much hand sanitizer.
Kayla, 36 items in purse
Sample of items:
- A good luck charm.
- Lots of old/expired things: Two receipts, a gift certificate, two coupons, one rewards card, and an old name tag.
- An old Apple watch band.
- Touch up, eye shadow, and lipstick even though “I haven’t worn makeup since before Covid.”
Favorite Quote: “Yeah everything in here is expired so I guess not…”
Ryan’s review: Would you carry all of those things around in your pockets? If not, it probably doesn’t belong in your purse.
Carol, 11 items in purse
Sample of items:
- Pepper spray but doesn’t know how to use it.
- One quarter. Just one.
- Eye drops.
- A single pen.
Favorite Quote: “It’s nine years old and I’m not even sure how to use it [pepper spray], but it makes me feel better.”
Ryan’s review: This was by far the cleanest purse but I could still live without most of the things in it.
Laura, 22 items in purse
Sample of items:
- A calendar, sticky notes, business card, and a sheet with all her passwords written on it. Aka all things that could (and should be stored on her phone). I’m also slightly concerned about her digital security.
- A map of the Biltmore house. Only the essentials, right?
- Knitting needles. Maybe I’ll show her how to play games on her phone?
- A pair of scissors.
Favorite Quote: “I put things in my purse so I know where they are… they’re in my purse. Have you seen my purse?”
Ryan’s review: We need to bring my mom into the 21st century… you don’t need to carry around a full size calendar in your purse anymore. Or a map of the Biltmore house?
Linda, 38 items in purse
Sample of items:
- Four pairs of glasses. With a purse as big as hers, she needs multiple pairs so she can find one.
- Pictures to take with her to her next hair appointment.
- A lifetime supply of pens, about half don’t work.
- Several different notepads.
Favorite Quote/ Fun Fact: Linda won a contest at her last high school reunion for having the most things in her purse. The prize was an even bigger purse.
Ryan’s review: This purse is like Hermione’s handbag from Harry Potter… it just doesn’t seem to have a bottom.
𝕴𝖓 𝕮𝖔𝖓𝖈𝖑𝖚𝖘𝖎𝖔𝖓: No, you probably don’t need all those things in your purse. But who am I to say? I don’t have a purse.
Ryan Chugs an Ice After a Disappointing Performance from Carson Wentz
In my fantasy football league, whoever gets the lowest score each week has to chug a Smirnoff Ice. Here’s my latest video. Curious what happens if you get the lowest score for the entire season? Check out my previous post.
Senior Superlatives… Did we get it right?
It’s been nine years since Mount Tabor gave out these prestigious awards. Did we give the right awards to the right people? Cast your vote at the bottom.
1. Most Intelligent: George Oliver
Was this the right choice? Definitely.
George Oliver is no stranger to winning awards dating back to the middle school geography bee. He knows every world capital, several languages, and the answers to every quiz in “Seventeen” magazine.
2. Best Dressed: Matt Stockburger
Was this the right choice? Probably not.
Matt was never afraid to take a fashion risk. Unfortunately, some of those risks didn’t work out, like UGG boots for men, cowboy boots with short shorts, or, my favorite, a crop top with “USC GameCOCKS” on the front (big emphasis on the COCKS).
3. Most Athletic: Neal Callahan
Was this the right choice? At the time, yes. Right now, no.
Neal had six pack abs since elementary school and was a two-sport varsity athlete in high school. But he totally washed out as soon as he went to college and joined a fraternity. Now he’s Uncle Rico from Napoleon Dynamite.
4. Most Musical: Liz Olson
Was this the right choice? Unquestionable yes.
Liz was in all of the high school plays, talent shows, and choral groups. Since then, she’s earned a Bachelor’s degree in Music Theory, a Master’s degree in Choral Conducting, and has even performed at Red Rocks amphitheater. This pick was right on key.
5. Most spirited: Kayla Blevins
Was this the right choice? TBD.
According to Kayla, her biggest accomplishment as Senior Class President was choosing the theme for high school football games. Her next responsibility is planning our 10 year high school reunion in 2021. I’m going to hold off on a formal rating until I find out if the party will have an open bar or not.
6. Most Spirited: Sean Gartley
Was this the right choice? Probably.
Sean went to every high school sporting event… mainly just to find out where the after party was… but he was there.
Was Ryan a Ladies’ Man in Middle School? Analyzing photo evidence from old year books
Hindsight is 20:20. Take a look at who signed my yearbook and then vote at the bottom.
Evidence For:
1. Sparkly eyes… check.
2. Back to back phone numbers. Score.
3. Nice.
Evidence Against:
1. Uh oh. This isn’t good.
2. Seriously?? Two in one year really hurts.
3. This is DEFINITELY not what I was going for. Here’s a note I got from another male track team member.
4. I’m 100% sure this never happened.
5… And by ninth grade the only signature I got was from my sister.
In Conclusion, No, probably not.
Cell phones have gotten lamer over time
Cell phones used to have cool features like built in walkie talkies and hidden keyboards. Now they all look the same and do the same thing. Was it all worth it? Check out these cool features and decide for yourself.
Motorola i850
Pros: It’s literally indestructible and it has a built in walkie talkie. Plus, every Motorola comes with a free belt clip.
Cons: You have to stand on one foot and face east to get service. It can only store like three photos. You can’t silence the walkie talkie feature.
LG Env2
Pros: Bam! Full flip out Qwerty keyboard.
Cons: The battery life is about 45 minutes. The “9” button on the front doesn’t work.
Blackberry Curve 8330
Pros: It has Blackberry Messenger, a chat service so exclusive that only three other people have it.
Cons: It sends about three butt dials per hour, and it takes about 30 minutes to download an email. Trying to type is a nightmare.
Samsung Juke
Pros: It doubles as an mp3 player, fits in your pocket, and the clock is reasonably accurate.
Cons: I’m not sure if this can actually make a phone call or not.
Samsung Alias:
Pros: It comes pre-loaded with Fall Out Boy’s tier 2 album “Infinity on High.”
Cons: Every key has both a number and a letter on it so you never know exactly what you’re going to get. The average lifespan of this phone is about two weeks.
The Drawbacks of Having a Girlfriend
There are good things too I’m just saying… Here are some of the drawbacks:
If you try to be funny you’re going to get sent to therapy.
To be honest, I don’t really want to touch the spiders either.
Can I just sit down for like five minutes??
THE COLD HANDS
When your french fries magically disappear.
Buying expensive gifts that still miss the mark.
Constant fear of getting one of these texts.
All of her things somehow end up in my pockets anyway.
She can’t stay awake through Pulp Fiction or Fight Club.
Putting up with shenanigans like this.
…There are lots of pros too, though, and I wouldn’t change it for the world.
If you liked (or disliked) this post, you might also like (or dislike) my previous post, How Much Does it Really Cost to Have a Girlfriend: A One-month Study.
Quarantine: A Story Through Pictures
Here’s what life was like from my eyes. Am I forgetting anything?
Enjoyed cheap gas but nowhere to go.
Watched Tiger King (and played dress up).
Grew a beard (and ranked it against my friends’ beards)
Worked from home and gave PPP loans to small businesses.
Relaxed the office dress code.
Found new ways to exercise (shout out to In Yo House Fitness).
Practiced martial arts with the TST Squad.
Spent “quality time” with friends and family.
Supported local breweries.
Argued about trivial things, like what’s the best kitchen appliance (Final results here).
Spent time outside.
Perfected the “to go” order.
Dealt with some sh!t.
What’s the best household appliance? A Spirited Quarantine Debate
My friends and I can’t argue about sports, so we had to get a little bit creative. What’s the best household appliance? Read our arguments and cast your vote below.
1. George Foreman Grill, as presented by Evan.
- Tap inside the slideshow to go to the next slide.
2. Bidet, as presented by Becca.
3. Wine opener, as presented by Liz
4. Washing Machine, as presented by Ryan.
- What else are you going to do? Wash your clothes in a polluted river? Get mugged at a sketchy laundromat?
5. Old School Beer Fridge, as presented by George.
- Capacity: 48 frosty bois and 12 diet cokes.
- Reliable workhorse, will always come through for you.
- Retail value: $40, but you can probably negotiate it down to $20.
6. Coffee Maker, as presented by Carter.
- What’s the first thing you do when you wake up? Think about coffee. It’s always there for you to get your day going.
7. Air Fryer, as presented by Zach.
- Tap inside the slideshow to advance it. You don’t want to miss Zach’s animations.
The big "R" in Ryan 