Now that I'm heading to my second year of class in my apprenticeship I want to share some pictures from the first 3,000 hoursThis is a Head Start bus with a no smoking sign in the window. Huh?There are always things that can make me laugh because they look like something else. FunnyLike this ceiling grid piece. FunnyChanging street lamps on a cold, but beautiful December morning with the Mendenhall Towers in the background. Neat-oThis is me hooking up temporary power at a work site. CoolOne of the first panels I made up. PrideWe went to a remote island to hook up monitors on two 20,000 gallon diesel tanks for a radar station. We took a float plane to get there and spent the nights in a tent for about a week. Wow

I recently lost a bet and am hereby required to post a new post.

So it will be about the thing that has occupied my thoughts more than anything else since Sunday: Da Bears. The biggest game in the storied rivalry two of the most storied teams in professional sports. Few rivalries bring to mind such vivid memories and anticipation as match ups like Yankees Red Sox, Brazil Mexico (for soccer fans), USSR vs USA, and Bears Packers.

I've been a little obsessive about this loss. It was such a big game and it was such a big loss. My first reaction was to hate Cutler, hope for his trade or retirement or even hope that this was a much bigger injury than how it appeared. I assumed he was a quitter. This wouldn't be the first time I think he quit this season. Go back to the Giants Sunday night destruction of the Bears. Even though he was sacked at least a half dozen times, none were extremely brutal. But apparently he had a concussion and was unable to make it out of the locker room for the second half. Ok fine. I've had a concussion but was knocked unconscious and was taken off the field in an ambulance. I didn't play another series and then decide that I didn't want to go back on the field. I broke my ankle during a game and after missing only one game I played the rest of the season on it. So my indignation was a little bit justified, at least in my own mind, and this is apparently an opinion shared by a majority of the people who saw this game.

But that having been said, let's just assume that this was a legit reason for sitting out the biggest game in the entire existence of your team. A sprained knee. Which is technically a really teeny tiny tear. Let's say that it really hurt and he didn't feel like he could be effective. Let's just say that's the truth (after a few days to cool down it sounds a little bit more reasonable). Here is the problem with Cutler. People think that he would quit in a big game. We don't know him in any other facet than watching his demeanor on the field. But in that little bit which we know about him we are more willing to accept that he gave up than he couldn't go. His apparent indifference to the game after his departure was appalling, but it was consistent with the way I have perceived his attitude throughout the year.

The Bears players and coaches are quick to jump to his defense and I think that's exactly how they should behave. It's strong enough defense to make me question what I see when I watch the games. But the simple fact remains that they are in a public relations business and as my brother says, "perception is reality." The fact that this assumption has been made by so many people speaks to the collective perception of Jay Cutler. We don't get to meet him, so the judgement we make is based on our behavioral observations and his performance. So we perceive his as a smug, indifferent and ineffective prima donna who chokes under pressure and who does anything BUT get going when the going gets tough.

It's the same reason I am still not entirely convinced that this picture is a fake

My godson is learning how to sail the seas and become a salty pirate dog. When he gets to college he'll study ARRRRRRRchitecture.Thanks for the cheese ball joke Katie Connant

getting ready for excellenceExcellence in the making!Wait for it...Excellence!

I'm still up in Anchorage for class. 7 weeks per year. I'm doing well in classes and more than anything I am looking forward to getting done and heading back to Juneau.

Ohhhhh Yeahhhhhh!!!Party!!!!

I call this one "Still Life with Taco Bell: Living the Dream? Yes"

For some of my friends in Peace Corps Bolivia, the end was only the beginning of their Peace Corps Experience. Many went to Africa and others went to countries in Central and South America. My Friend Ryan went to Honduras for 27 more months. I think he's about 12 months into his second go and he sent me these sweet vacation pictures from his vacation to Guatemala and Belize. Thanks Ryan! Keep up the great work!

Go Fast! Have Fun!Take Chances!Be Creepy! Eat Delicious Awesomeness to the Extreme!

Eat to your heart's discontent!

Cue the bacon explosion! Thank you Miz for the inspiration and Justin for the tutelage. I couldn't have done this without you guys. And thanks to K-donk who took all these awesome pictures and just is all awesome all day every day!

You're right Kristin, I am taking a break from this thing.

Seriously, this is a great idea. Click the link below to a great idea in action. People are going to use the stuff anyway. Why are we wasting money we don't have on putting people in jail for using drugs?

Mexico was already great!!!

I can always turn to Pearl Jam to make things better.

Here is a short video about the new album which is less than a month from being released!

http://www.tenclub.net/video/making-backspacer

Enjoy the warm goodness!

I've lived in Juneau for several years now, and I used to get annoyed with the idea of being closed in and isolated. Since I've been back I have had a much better outlook on everything. There is an incredible amount of stuff to do here which I have never done.

For example, I've never gone to the end of the road all the way in either direction. And until recently I had never been to any of the other Southeast Alaska towns. Now I've been to Ketchican, which I thought was pretty nice and laid back. I also recently hiked up Mt. Roberts with my friend Justin and his dog and took these pictures.

It was a beautiful view on a beautiful day of this beautiful summer we have had. Life is beautiful when it's beautiful.

Is this what we have been up to over there???

Soldiers in Colorado slayings tell of Iraq horrors

The Nome airport is tiny.

Brave children enjoying the surf of the open ocean on the Bering Sea. I was considering dunking myself but opted out and let these kids do it for me instead.

I came to Nome to visit my girlfriend Lorna, who is a fisheries biologist with the state here. If you look really hard, you still can't see Russia. It was a great way to spend the fourth of July. It felt uniquely patriotic to spend independence day in the farthest reaches of the country.

I'm starting my online research in organized crime. Wish me luck!

It was great to see my family and visit with them this weekend

Now I'm sure you can see the resemblance to Mr. Brando. Look how scared that baby is. My research is paying off for sure.

I have been working at the ski area here in Juneau recently and the days have just been great. We are installing the haul rope which the chairs will be attached to and the newspaper sent a photographer to document it. So I was in the paper yet again at work. Pretty neat

This week was pretty cool. I got to do some fun work decorating a new overpass with a scene of ducks and grass, and people seem to like it. So much so that I got my picture in the paper.

Even cooler than that, if you can imagine anything cooler than that, was that my nephew, Garrett, was born after an intense and super long labor by my trooper of a sister-in-law Paige. Congrats!!!

I'm enjoying much of what Juneau has to offer lately. With skiing, hiking, hockey and abnormally beautiful weather, Juneau has been a great place to be this winter.

Obama uncensored

Check this out. Obama is from the STREETS!

For New Years ten RPCVs from Bolivia got back together again in the North Woods of Minnesota. It was a great time to get together and commiserate about our lack of ground breaking gainful employment and many other things. And it was a reminder of how great a group of people I was able to serve with.

Tom and I had an intense game of Minnesota Uno in the -20 degree weather. Good times.

An old feller who has a tienda in Corque has been inviting me to come visit his campo. Well I decided it was time for me to go check it out and it was way worth it. Just beautiful. I wish I hadn't waited so long!

this is the church for the little community where Don Pedro lives I would like to know what kind of bird this is We walked up the hill to where he gets his water, it was really beautiful Reall, what kind of bird is that? A cactus forest, which I think is pretty cool.

My first video. This is the view from the top and my amigo Ryan talking about how that ridge just keeps on going...

Tiff and Anna doing ballerina excercises before the hike

Tiffany on the bridge... pretty self explanatory

This is a really big rock and a cactus growing on top of it. Pretty cool.

The view from the top. We could see Sajama from here. My GPS says Sajama was over 170 miles away. How cool is that!!!

Heading back down for dinner with Tiffany and Anna leading the way... I couldn't help thinking the whole way that when the next ice age comes Huari is going to be THE extreme skiing destination for the southern hemisphere

One of the highlights of the trip home for the wedding was the whale watching rehersal dinner. I was unaware that there would be food on the boat, but other than that it couldn't have been better.

Eagles are as common in Southeast Alaska as llamas are here in the altiplano, but they both still blow me away

I still haven't figured out how to flirt effectively, but I think I do a better job than this sea lion.

In your dreams Regina Spector

This was the first time I had seen Orcas, or killer whales, and they stayed with us for nearly an hour performing breaches and rolls and stealing the show. My uncle Marty took all of these pictures, so thanks for sharing!

My sister introduced me to the newest thing in comedyphoto technology. It's called shakey faces, and as you can see, it is awesome. Anna

Carla

Franz

John

John's sister

Lauren

yours truly

Mike did not understand shakey face

Tiffany

triple awesome shakey face

My friend Lauren came to visit and helped easing my way back into altiplano life once again after eating alaskan seafood and seeing my whole family at the wedding. She did PC in Bangladesh so she can relate. Thanks for coming Lauren!!!!

Rocking out at my site, Corque, for a July fourth bonfire. Tons of fun!

Big fire.Franz and Tania chose to ford the river instead of waiting for the next raft. They saved several days but lost 3 oxen and 50 pounds of flour. Later in the journey one of the party died of ameabic dysentary.

An incredibly curious herd of llamas came right up to us, although there was some speculation that they were being hearded this way.

After a hike we came back to the plaza and had a local specialty, chicharon de llama.

Matt and Paige heard the sincere words of congratulations and we drank our weight in Alaskan micro brews

My godfather taught me how to dance, which is why I rock so hard.

Judging by the fact that I am not in this picture, I think I must have said something funny.

The wedding chapel

My niece, nephew and self

The whole McGuan family together

Illamani (Ee-ya-ma-ni) at over 21,000 feet is the breathtaking focal point of the La Paz skyline. This is the night before leaving for the wedding 6,500 miles to the northwest.

My family rented out this lodge and most of the following pictures are from the area around it. It was beatiful and tons of fun.

The lush, mossy, greeness was such a contrast to the altiplano that I had to take a picture.

This is the view from the front of the lodge. The chapel where the actual wedding went down is hidden in the peninsula to the left. Look at the difference in the shape due to the huge tide variation, which can change up to 30 feet during new or full moons.

We had a picnic and a hours long mushball game which was one of the highligts of the trip.

The McGuan boys and my brother-in-law Chris went go sock some dingers Matt and Stone

Matt burns all symbols of his former, single life at the bachelor party bonfire.

My dad, the poker shark, making some easy money. I learned everything I know about poker from my dad, and it pays off.

This picture was on sale for just $150 US dollars. Yes, they are doing the Titanic "I'm King of the WORLD!" pose.

Half way to Villa there is a tiny pueblito called San Jose. We stopped there and amazed the people with our white skin

When we got to Villa we were invited to a pretty special lunch. It is kind of like a pot luck and everything was made even more delicious because of the long walk that preceded it.

There were several different dishes all put together into a smorgasbord. Oh yes, I just used the word smorgasbord!

Click on this picture to see the one of worlds most valuable animal, the skittish vicuña.

Recently I had my first visitor to Corque in almost a year. My friend Ryan, a fellow B-45 volunteer, came out and helped me install some pumps for the wells I have been drilling. We had a good time. Sharing this experience with friends is very gratifying, so come one come all! If you look really hard, you can see that it was actually SNOWING!!!! in this picture.

I am a fan of snow, so this really made me happy as you can see. The snow is more visible here too.To get to Villa Esperanza we had to hop a ride in the back of this truck. It dropped us off about 15 miles from town, so we walked.

I was so happy about the snow and having a visitor that the cold didn't bother me. I was also well prepared with the alpaca scarf my Aunt Susan made me.

Senor Jorge McGuan,

After thorough scrutinization of the imposter, I have come to the conclusion that I look nothing like this Bolivian wrastler Miz. In order to avoid further confusion and possible lawsuit, and not to mention slander and liable of my good name, please find and destroy my alleged doppelganger. Also please post the attached picture of me lounging around the house to your blog, as well as this correspondence, so your readers can also avoid any confusion and bask in the glory of the one...true...and only Miz! I'M MIZ B****!!!

Thank you for your time and prompt response to this matter.

Best,

Miz

My mejor amigo and world's greatest guy, is named Miz too, and he looks amazingly similar to this popular professional wrestler in Bolivia. This poster is in a movie store in Oruro.

This is the funniest thing I have ever seen. I have been denied both times I have tried to buy it, but I have a plan that is just about fool proof.

This is the transportation to Villa Esperanza, in a "camión". I believe the translation to English is hellishly illegal and dangerous way to get home.

This is an ayni at work on drilling a well. Ayni is an aymaran work group that gets larger projects done.

This is after the well has been cased and we are trying to develop it so that it filters water more rapidly. You will notice the little rapscalion, Alber, cheezing it up for every picture.

After finishing work on the well we were drilling, we walked back to the previous well and did some more development work.

And then they cooked a nice meal of llama meat potatoes and barley soup, unlike the previous meal, which was made of unidentifiable llama innards.