10 things you never knew about Mr Walker

Okay, I crack. Thanks to my persistent pals on the Facebook I will now give into peer pressure and let you all in on some of my little known secrets. I hope you expectations are not too high, because I am not going key you in on the location of the lost city of El Dorado. Here we go.

Top ten things you never knew about yours truly:

1. My secret ambition is to become a butler for an insanely rich family. Maybe this stems from me watching too much Fresh Prince of Bel-Air when I was a kid, but I would pick this job up in a heartbeat. So many perks: get to cook good food, wear a tux to work, answer the door with class and style...
2. I detest waiting in long lines. I grew up in Southern California. I had a season pass to Magic Mountain. I ate religiously at In N Out Burger. I know what it is like to wait in lines. Long ones too. It dosen't mean I like it though. When I am by myself, I will always adjust my schedule as to avoid waiting anywhere at just about any cost.
   
3. I am super punctual. At times, this does not work well with #2.
4. My optimum temperature is 80 degrees. I like the sun. I like the heat. Heaven only knows how I endured two winters on my LDS mission to the Northeast and came back loving God more than when I left.
5. I like drinking juice straight from the container. Speaking of my mission, in Maine I started a habit of buying bottled juice and not bothering to use a cup/glass when I drank it. This habit continues to the present. *Disclaimer I will always open a new juice if I have dinner guests. I usually have a few extra on hand just in case.
6. I was a commercial fisherman for three years. Well, three summer seasons to be more exact. My Uncle John is the captain of a 47 ft pelagic fishing boat on which I worked when I was growing up. It was awesome. We caught anchovies and sardines (and the occasional barracuda) of the Ventura coast. I still leave it on my resume because it is so fun to talk about. I caught literally millions of fish, got a great tan, and got to spend time with my rad family.
7. One of my biggest regrets in life is not breaking a 5 minute mile time. I used to run all the time. I've done a full marathon and most of the races that come before it, but I never did make a mile faster than 5 minutes and it still gets to me. Maybe someday I'll give it another go after some speed training.
8. I mimic different voices. I'm no Bill Hader or Mike Hardy, but I got a decent and diverse repertoire. It mostly started when we were kids. My sisters and I would make up names for their stuffed bears and then different voices to go along with them. Most of the people I mimic now are folks that I know personally and I like to tell stories about. It is pretty fun.
   
9. I am a deeply committed Mormon. If you don't know this about me yet you are missing a huge piece of my life. I am a very active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and am very committed to my faith. One of my favorite things to do is talk to others about the gospel and learn new things about it with them. I believe that my church is unique and has the very message that each person, family, community, and nation needs to obtain true happiness. I am getting better at sharing my faith, so feel free to ask me about it sometime.
   
10. I am a vegetarian. Naw, just kidding. I bet I had you for like two seconds though. :) In truth, I really like most types of food. I have my favorites (ten points to anyone who can tell me what my favorite beverage is) and I cook a fair amount of them. I like to learn new recipes and make them for those in my immediate proximity. If you have any requests, I am usually very happy to acquiesce.

So there you go. Now I got to go back to hunting for a job.

interpret this one for me

Last night I had a dream.

I first went to the market to try and find some cheese that was on sale. I found some, but saw that it had been left out of the refrigerated section and was starting to get kinda nasty. But then I realized that my old buddy Richard lived in an apartment complex connected to the back of the store. As I dropped by to visit him, I realized he had the exact same bath towels as I did and didn't know which one I had brought. I was confused, but then settled on one because we were in a hurry. We then went to the beach with our friend Cole and had to pretend like we were plasma donors to the security guard before using the beach. We threw our things in this old shanty and were about to go surfing. As I got into the water I realized my glasses were missing and I saw some fuzzy black thing in the water. I reached into the sea and grasped my glasses victoriously.

Then I woke up.

Next time, I'll think twice before eating a few peanut butter sandwiches after 11:30pm.

Wheat grass

• It doesn't taste as bad as you imagine it does
  
• The orange slice they give you after tastes about the same
• Cambells soup = chunky Wheat grass shot= not chunky
  
• Goes down easier if you are listening to "The Police" in the background
• Probably not worth the money you pay for it...but it's worth a shot (hahahahahahaha)
  
• Undisclosed side effect: increase in bad puns
  

basil pesto: act one

So, one of my favorite aunties got me a mini-food processor for a Christmas gift. I am convinced that she has some sort of extra-sensory talent deigned from heaven to give exactly what I need. For example, on my LDS mission to the great state of Maine, most people gave me food for the holidays. She gave me wool socks. Those socks have served me well for nigh unto 5 years and I think of her every time I slip them on and save my feet from premature separation from life.

Now the tables have turned. I don't need socks anymore...I need basil pesto.

At approximately 7:37pm July 4th 2008, I was reintroduced to the world of basil pesto. It was a warm introduction with a cheese pizza being our mutual friend. I soon after started buying it as a "splurge" item every once in a while for special occasions involving lunch with females or other random recipes. Then one day I was talking with a friend from Genoa, Italy (which happens to be the self-proclaimed birthplace of pesto) and was informed that making your own wasn't as challenging as I has previously conceived. My interest peaked. What if?

Enter Auntie Sue.

Even though she claimed that salsa was the intended product that inspired her to give me a food processor, there was only one proper way to christen my new kitchen appliance. After a few hours of recon I placed 1 cup of basil, toasted pine nuts, garlic, a pinch of salt and some olive oil into my new found toy and pushed down one button that magically created one of my new favorite things to make.

The button on my processor now is aptly labeled, "Press for Paradise."

08' was great, and 09' will be divine

So 2008 was one of my best years ever. I did a ton of cool stuff, met even more cool people, and have had an overall great year. Here are some of the highlights:

Great Walker Moments of 2008

• I started this blog
  
• I re-booted my academic life
• Got accepted to grad school
  
• Bryan and Kristin got matrimonial
• Presented at two academic conferences
• Organized and ran an international educational conference
  
• Climbed Timp and Nebo
• Moved thrice in a two block radius
  
• Hiked my first slot canyon
• Ian Prescott went on a date (and a few 2nds too!)
  
• All my missionaries started coming home and running into me at BYU
  
• Worked at the CTL
• Dan and Delight's 50th Anniversary!! Complete with family temple trip
  
• Skyler convinced Rachel to say yes
• Gaverino got accepted to law school
• Tobias Sandler was birthed
• Mitt Romney took a good shot for president
• All 5 of the Walker Clan now proudly sport BYU diplomas
• I met 'grandfather goat'
• Summer lunch excursions
  
• Temples visited: L.A., Jordan, SLC, Reno, Provo, Timpanogas, Mesa and Manti
• Davey K made it okay
• Retired...again
• Hung holiday lights and cured my vertigo
• Dinner dates with my sis's
• Moni got home from NY and gave the coolest homecoming talk ever
  
• Nertz nights with the gang
• Prop 8 passed
  
• Pie shakes at Sammy's
• and tons more...

If you haven't noticed, most if not all of these included one or more of you. So thanks for a great year. 2008 simply rocked. Feel free to add any more cool moments on the comments.

Now commences 2009. I'm pretty excited for it. Do me a favor and jot down a few prophecies for Walker's 2009 Moments of Greatness. Then we will make them happen!