A lot of nothing (2nd go)

By the time I got back home from work it was 1 AM and when the alarm clock went off I knew at that moment that it was going to be a long day. It was Tuesday and normally I have to be at school at around 10:45 AM after my class I had to take care of something that I had neglected for 3 weeks… a haircut!

Being this my day off from work and knowing that I could not be off to celebrate our anniversary two days later I took a cat-nap and started to get ready to take my wife for a romantic dinner at the Cheesecake Factory.

Through all of this I had no idea what to do about my assignment, I thought about getting a hold of a friend any friend but who would be funny? Do I care about being clever? Who am I kidding? I do care, but I have to worry about the 2nd licensing test I have to take for work next week.

I decided to play it safe and called my good friend Luke to help me. My brain just refused to be too creative and this was the safest bet. We agreed to be online at 6 PM that day and we would just make it up as we went and hopefully I would be able to have something half decent to present for class.

Unfortunately it was 8:30 PM when I finally made it back home, I was tired and wanted to do nothing but rest, to my dismay when I went online not one of my English speaking friends were online! I tried to talk to a another friend but he was too busy, I started to chat to someone in Spanish but the thought of translating the thing just did not seem pleasant at the time and then Luke came to the rescue, I left the computer to get water and when I came back a message was waiting for me:

Luke says:

Hey Marcus, you there?

Marcus says:

Yes, Are you still there?

Luke says:

Hey

Marcus says:

Great you are a life saver

Luke says:

So much for 6 huh. Sorry we were out driving around

Marcus says:

Sorry I took Melissa out for dinner…anniversary and all

Luke says:

lol, I wasn't here @ 6:00 either.

Marcus says:

I thought we were going to be back by then but I took her shoe shopping (I know, I should know better)

Luke says:

lol Your anniversary is Thursday, right?

Marcus says:

Yeah Feb 14 but I will be working until 1 AM and I am at school during the morning

Luke says:

Oh, uh....that kinda stinks. Long day huh?

Marcus says:

Well you got to do what you got to do

Luke says:

Yeah, I hear that

Marcus says:

BTW have you read any good books lately?

Luke says:

Yeah, this really good one by "Securities Training Corporation" [Series 7 examination] It's a real barn-burner, I couldn't put it down!! lol

Marcus says:

Good one

Luke says:

I really did laugh out loud just now.

Marcus says:

Actually I think you will like this book I finished a month or so ago

Luke says:

Oh yeah, what is it?

Marcus says:

It's the Twilight series by Stephanie Meyer She went to BYU (I know no one is perfect)

Luke says:

I'll check it out. I did read one a while ago that I think you'd really like too. It was by Frank Peretti, The Oath. What do you mean; going to BYU brings you one step closer to perfection?

Marcus says:

It's the whole thing BYU Vs U of U you do know were I am going to school right?

Luke says:

He didn't go to BYU, but he is a Christian author.

Marcus says:

The Twilight was a great deal of fun. Melissa [my wife] was reading it first and half way thru the book she told me I should read it as well... long story short, I finished the book in about a day later and before my wife

Luke says:

Wow, if it doesn't have pictures, it may take me a little longer than a day.

Marcus says:

LOL, I should have mentioned that before however the BIG words are still great, it makes you feel like you are actually there

Luke says:

Oh, I knew. I just didn't want to discourage you.

Marcus says:

Ahh great another Y fan…

Luke says:

Is that because you couldn't get into the Y? ha ha, at least we can still be friends

Marcus says:

Nope, the U is closer besides who wants to move to Provo?

Luke says:

Uh, nobody I know. It's a good thing you don't have to live there to go there. Given the choice, I’d probably go the U too, but I’d still cheer for the Y. When are we going bowling again?

Marcus says:

Not sure, I am taking the 63 test next week, most definitely after that

Luke says:

Nice, you're so lucky to be done with it. The 7 I mean.

Marcus says:

I will be lucky when and only when I get my passing grade. Ahhh yeah, that was just luck

Luke says:

From what I understand, the 7 has nothing to do with luck. Good job, really!!

Marcus says:

Are you watching Jericho?

Luke says:

Nope, I’m recording it. I love that show.

Marcus says:

It got to be one of the best shows on TV right now

Luke says:

Oh yeah. Have you seen the show Psych on USA, it's probably the best show on TV.

Marcus says:

I seen it, would not go as far as call it the best but it is a lot of fun

Luke says:

Nope, it's the best.

Marcus says:

Right… Hey Luke I think I got what I need, Thanks dude

Luke says:

NP, I was running out of stuff to talk about.

Marcus says:

Ha Ha Ha well I am watching Jericho I will need to let you go J

I was glad I was able to talk to my friend; even though we are very busy people now days it is nice to be able to keep in touch and see that we still like most of the same things out there.

A lot of nothing

The things you say when you are desperately trying to find a person to talk to online when you only have a few minutes on a day:

Luke says:

Hey Marcus, you there?

Marcus says:

Yes

Marcus says:

Are you still there?

Luke says:

hey

Marcus says:

Great you are a life saver

Luke says:

so much for 6 huh. sorry

Luke says:

We were out driving around

Marcus says:

Sorry I took Melissa out for dinner…anniversary and all

Luke says:

lol, I wasn't here @ 6:00 either.

Marcus says:

I thought we were going to be back by then but I took her shoe shopping (I know, I should know better)

Luke says:

Your anniversary is Thursday, right?

Luke says:

lol

Marcus says:

yeah Feb 14 but I work until 1 AM and I am at school during the morning

Luke says:

Oh, uh....that kinda stinks.

Luke says:

Long day huh?

Marcus says:

well you got to do what you got to do

Luke says:

yeah, I hear that

Marcus says:

BTW have you read any good books lately?

Luke says:

Yeah, this really good one by "Securities Training Corporation" [Series 7 examination]

It's a real barn-burner, I couldn't put it down!!

Luke says:

lol

Marcus says:

good one

Luke says:

I really did laugh out loud just now.

Marcus says:

Actually I think you will like this book I finished a month or so ago

Luke says:

Oh yeah, what is it?

Marcus says:

It's the Twilight series by Stephanie Meyer She went to BYU (I know no one is perfect)

Luke says:

I'll check it out.

Luke says:

I did read one a while ago that I think you'd really like too. It was by Frank Peretti, The Oath.

Luke says:

What do you mean, going to BYU brings you one step closer to perfection?

Marcus says:

it's the whole thing BYU Vs U of U you do know were I am going to school right?

Luke says:

He didn't go to BYU, but he is a Christian author.

Marcus says:

The Twilight was a great deal of fun. Melissa [my wife] was reading it first and half way thru the book she told me I should read it as well... long story short I finished the book in about a day later

Luke says:

wow, if it doesn't have pictures, it may take me a little longer than a day.

Marcus says:

lol

Marcus says:

I should have mentioned that before

Marcus says:

however the BIG words are still great, it makes you feel like you are actually there lol

Luke says:

Oh, I knew. I just didn't want to discourage you.

Marcus says:

ohh great another Y fan

Luke says:

Is that because you couldn't get into the Y?

Luke says:

haha, at least we can still be friends

Marcus says:

nope, the U is closer besides who wants to move to Provo?

Luke says:

Uh, nobody I know. It's a good thing you don't have to live there to go there.

Luke says:

given the choice, i'd probably go the the U too, but i'd still cheer for the Y.

Luke says:

When are we going bowling again?

Marcus says:

not sure, I am taking the 63 test next week

Marcus says:

most definetly after that

Luke says:

Nice, you're so lucky to be done with it.

Luke says:

The 7 I mean.

Marcus says:

I will be lucky when and only when I get my passing grade

Marcus says:

ahhh yeah, that was just luck

Luke says:

From what I understand, the 7 has nothing to do with luck. Good job, really!!

Marcus says:

are you watching Jericho?

Luke says:

Nope, i'm recording it.

Luke says:

I love that show.

Marcus says:

It got to be one of the best shows on tv right now

Luke says:

Oh yeah.

Luke says:

Have you seen the show Psych on USA, it's probably the best show on TV.

Marcus says:

I seen it, would not go as far as call it the best but it is a lot of fun

Luke says:

Nope, it's the best.

Marcus says:

Right…

Marcus says:

Luke I think I got what I need

Marcus says:

Thanks dude

Luke says:

NP, I was running out of stuff to talk about.

Marcus says:

hahaha

Marcus says:

well I am watching Jericho I will need to let you go :P

First Few Hours in Salt Lake City (2nd go)

My first day in the United States is something I will never forget. Looking back at it, it feels like something that happened a lifetime ago. To some it may be the case but to me it feels like it was yesterday. What I remember the most was the contrast between my old home and my new one; mind you the first city I visited in the United States was Salt Lake City and the very first thing I noticed was the disappearance of people…

I was born and raised in Caracas Venezuela I was used to the sun, the beaches and a busy a metropolitan type of life, in short I was used to seeing a big city life, after all Caracas has over 6 million people living and the contrast between the 2 million that are in the Salt Lake City Wasatch Front and Caracas was day and night.

My first hours in the States my sister who lived in Utah for almost ten years prior to my coming wanted me to try some “real” Mexican food (something I never had tried in my life, at least not cooked by real Mexicans) and while driving to the “La Puente” restaurant the very first thing I noticed was how empty the sidewalks were. It was strange it was like the people were hiding, the only other people I was seeing were in cars not in the streets! What a contrast!

It was the middle of the summer, the sun was up and it was just nice outside I had to ask my sister “were did all the people go?” my sister just smiled because she knew what I meant… she pointed at the cars but I just did not get it, at least not yet. I just kept looking at the big sidewalks… but not one person on them what a different place this “city” was.

Once at the restaurant I had my first jalapeño ever, just than and then I decided that Mexican food was too spicy and just not for me. Don’t get me wrong I did enjoy it, but if I had my first pick Mexican food was not it.

It was after 7:30 PM and the sun was still up, I just could not believe my eyes. In Venezuela the sun goes down like a stop watch at 6 PM and even thou you may think you are prepared for changes when you move from one part of the world to another, you never are completely ready. You can try to be prepared for new things before they happen, but it is always more exiting and magical when you get to see these “new” things on your own, first hand.

Although I could go on and on about the differences, and it is true that I miss a great deal of things about my homeland I feel at home in Salt Lake City. Even though I’ve been here over ten years I can not get enough of the mountains around Salt Lake City especially during winter (Snowboarding is great!)

Marcus Sarzalejo.