Dodge That!

Jason and I lead a bit of a crazy life. If something sounds idiotic or ludicrous you can bet your bottom dollar we’ll be in for doing it. So it’s no shocker that we were up for being part of the largest dodgeball game in the world ever.

When we heard that a local company, Property Management Solutions, was putting together what they were hoping would be the biggest dodgeball game on record in the form of a rivalry match between the fans of two local colleges, BYU and U of U, we were willing ball fodder.

This huge game ended up being even huger than expected. Over 4,000 participants showed up to support their team and become world record holders. Since the U of U side was undermanned we decided to join its ranks. I really couldn’t care less about college sports or team rivalries so it was an easy choice.

Over 760 balls were used for this game, two hundred of which had to be overnighted when the number of estimated participants soared.

The instant the game started the field became a frenzied bedlam. Blue and red balls streamed through the air as if some divine power were frantically weaving a magnificent maypole across the sky. It was quite the sight but my enjoyment of my surroundings quickly decreased as the competition heated up.

I got nailed in the face three times over the space of about a minute near the beginning of the game, mostly because Jason wouldn’t stop distracting me with his complicated game strategy, which he was insistent on me implementing. After three whammies to the cranium I decided to separate my head (along with my body) from the path of those pesky balls thus ending my dodgy career. Now if you are thinking that a hit to the face is illegal in dodgeball, and punishable via the thrower being ousted from the game, you would be correct. But my hitters in blue feigned obliviousness to this rule. I saw nothing in the way of remorse or removal to indicate their acknowledgement of what they had done. Curse you sly throwers for making my discomfort of no strategic consequence!

I couldn't play dodgeball without donning some classic attire: knee-high socks, a headband, and short cutoffs. Other players took the look even further.

Yes, the BYU players, which outnumbered the reds about 3 to 1, pretty much cheated openly. Throngs of bluers that should have been leaving the match as they got hit remained on the field. Come on! Not only did you Y fans soil your goody two-shoes reputation for a trivial game but you outnumbered the U crowd so enormously that cheating was completely unnecessary to win. Shame on you! Granted, there were a few U tricksters as well but poor sportsmanship seemed much more rampant on the Y side of things, and of course I am completely unbiased in this observation.

Jason waited anxiously for the competition to start with the rest of the red team. We were so outnumbered that we knew this was a match few of us would survive.

Once again, as always, where crazy is Sabins follow. I’m glad that we witnessed and participated in this historic mayhem but I’m sad to say it left me with a bit of a headache and a disgruntled attitude for our friends in blue. Karma must have been taking note too because BYU miserably lost their football game to the U the following day. I guess your annoying little sister was right when she told you that cheaters never prosper.

By the way, I think we blew the world record out of the water but I haven’t heard anything official yet on that.

Undead Again

I had no idea I would be dead again so soon after Jason and I stumbled through the streets of Salt Lake City a few weeks ago.

I made myself extra undeady for this shooting: lots of blood, gashes, rotting flesh, and bruises.

My friend Cam, who owns a knife business, needed some zombies for an ad he was filming last week so Jason and I volunteered and got a couple of our friends to join us. The shooting seemed to go relatively smoothly; I’m pretty good at hobbling around while maliciously glowering…probably because of all those years of practice.

My friend David is a "world-famous" actor. I'm sure you recognize him from such cinematic masterpieces as The Crow IV and A Tree Falls. No?
We did Matt's makeup on the fly while filming. Hence, he looked a bit more like Braveheart than a zombie but he still pulled off creepy well.

This piece of adtastic footage will hit the internet sometime in the middle of October. I’ll keep you posted on it. I know you wouldn’t want to miss our commercial debut as flesh feasters.

 

What a Wonderful Wendy

My good friend Wendy just reached the mournful age of 50 but we, her pals, were in no way going to let her mope about this milestone when we had some serious celebrating to do.

That's a whole lot of ladies, which means Jason had to tolerate a whole lot of girlyness. What a good sport.

For the first portion of the partying, a group of us girls, and Jason, ate at Red Rock Brewing Company in Salt Lake City, which is always an excellent spot for some pub grub. I had the wild mushroom polenta and I did not regret it. Yum!

Our group wasn't very big but what we lacked in quantity we made up for in loudness.
A mouthful of food has the tendency to make one look like they're eating...sorry Robyn, this is the only picture I got of you.
Blabbing is a particular talent of mine. I could talk the ears off an elephant or the hair off a mole. Don't believe me? Just give me a chance to open my mouth.
I guess a toasty bun and wiener are what everyman looks for in a hotdog because Jas and Chuong were determined to figure out a way to make their whole meal crispy.
Mission accomplished: the birthday girl got a laugh.

A week later another assembly of my friends headed up American Fork Canyon to roast hotdogs and marshmallows by the campfire in honor of Wendy. I think it is nearly impossible not to have a good time when relaxing with your buddies around a cozy flame while majestic pines form the only barrier between you and a glittering sky. We chomped and chatted the evening away and only closed our mouths finally when we realized that we had lingered way past the time when picnickers are supposed to remove themselves for the night.

Chuong stretched himself out on what Jason calls "the princess chair." Doesn't he look femininely regal?
Who knew one Rachel-I mean marshmallow-could make such a mess? I had so much goo in untoward places that I couldn't keep myself from laughing until I cried. This only made getting that marshmallow down even harder and I nearly choked.

Happy birthday Wendy! May all your 50ths be just as festive.