Wedded Bliss

Sometimes a post seems so daunting that I put it off.  Like how to I put into words my wedding. It's pretty darn difficult. It was the most special day of my life. It's the reason why I haven't posted until now. I don't even know if people are still reading Pete Chat but part of the reason I have this blog is to remember the special moments in my life. I think there is probably a more fun way to do this post than just a traditional narrative. What I'll do is write first what I thought getting married would be like and then tell you what reality was, and I will add a few anecdotes and pictures from the weekend.

Isn't she lovely? Isn't she beautiful?

What I thought: Everything will go exactly like we planned it.
What really happened: There are so many unforeseen circumstances on the day of the wedding. Time was one thing that we almost always underestimated. When I putting my tux on after the ceremony I was really taking my time. Dan, Joe and Scott got me some genius Millenium Falcon cufflinks that I took my sweet time putting on. All of a sudden I get a message that Shannon is ready and waiting for me. I ended up being like 20 minutes late for the big temple walk out. Definitely my bad. There was traffic between the Temple and the reception because of an accident which caused the wedding party to arrive at different moments.

Oh hey.

What I thought: It's going to rain! Oh No!
What really happened: It was a beautiful day. The night before however it was pouring rain. This makes everything really nerve wracking. Shannon and I were checking the weather report on our phones and just hoping it wouldn't rain. On Saturday morning I woke up and the sky was blue and the clouds were white and fluffy. This is really nice when you have to take pictures outside, and hair styles are very important.

Blue skies and fluffy clouds

What I thought: We're going to look really good on our wedding day.
What really happened: We looked really good on our wedding day.

Like Don and Betty, minus the drinking, carousing, infidelity, and general debauchery.

Han Solo might call it delusions of grandeur but I thought we looked great, especially Shannon. She looked gorgeous. I looked pretty great myself. I'm not sure that I looked like Don Draper as I hoped to but I considered myself a handsome groom none the less.

What I thought: I'm really going to get to enjoy the refreshments at the reception.
What really happened: The reception was a whirlwind. I was out of my mind to think that I would get to enjoy the food, I didn't have a minute to eat. I heard so many times, make sure you eat something but I never had the chance. I know my nieces enjoyed the candy bar, I surely did not. I think a got a bite of cake, that is pretty much all I remember.

What I thought: I'd get to have long and meaningful conversations with my guests.
What really happened: Much like eating, it was such a whirlwind that I barely got to spend more than a few moments with our guests. I felt bad for the people who had traveled a long way to be there or who I hadn't seen in a long time but only got to say hi to and not much more. I think most everyone understood that.

The Bride with her maidens, the Groom with his men

What I thought would happen: You'll get every possible picture combination you could want.
What really happened: We ran out of time. If there was one overarching theme besides how beautiful my bride looked was that there wasn't enough time. I really wanted a cool picture with all my groomsman at the reception, but it never happened. Between traffic and guests arriving we never made it. Luckily we got one on the steps of the temple.

See we are a handsome bunch

What I thought would happen: My dad would wear a tuxedo.
What really happened: He got sized for it, he picked it up, and he paid for it. What he did not do was wear it. When you get to a certain age, you can make unilateral decisions and people just have to deal with it. In this case my dad decided he didn't want to wear it. I look forward to being in that stage of my life some day, it is also about this time in your life where people will make you a plate, and the best chair is always offered to you. While he did not wear his tux he still looked very handsome as we Dorsch men tend to do.

The beautiful bride and her flower girls.

 What I thought would happen: I would have the most beautiful bride who would be escorted by the cutest flower girls.
What really happened: I had the most beautiful bride escorted by the cutest flower girls. They enjoyed their flowers but not as much as the enjoyed the candy bar.

We both wanted to make a big exit, and I think it went really well. It was so fun to run passed our friends and family under the sparklers. As far as I know, no one was burned.

What we don't know is Don is in the back seat.

What I thought would happen: We would drive off to out Hotel and then on to our Honeymoon the next day.
What really happened: That's pretty much what happened until my brother in law Don popped out of the back seat. I could not have been more surprised in my life. I'm pretty sure Shannon screamed. I have to say that Don had a pretty good run those few days. He photo-bombed, made friends with Shannon's Grandpa, gave a touching speech at the rehearsal dinner (that whole dinner was really fun), and gave me good advice. Well done Don Brenier.


And then it was over. What a a whirlwind. It was an amazing and wonderful day. I had the most beautiful bride. While it didn't go off without a hitch I could not have asked for anything more.

I have a list of thank you's.

First my in laws Scott and Jeanene, who made this day possible and who made me feel welcome from the moment I showed up at their house for Easter.

My new brothers and sisters in law who helped so much.

My family who put on a kick butt rehearsal dinner, and flew out with their horrible kids to be there.

My groomsmen who are my best friends, the coolest guys I know, and half way decent football players who all got up very early the day of the wedding so I could throw a bunch of interceptions.

Mary and Joe who are honorary groomsmen (or groomswoman in Mary's case), they baby sat the kids the night before.

Shannon's aunts who helped with everything from decorating to photography.

Rebecca our photographer and Eric our DJ for the reception.

Our friends who came from near and far to be a a part of our special day. Trust me I wish we could have talked more, sorry if we didn't.

And most importantly  a HUGE thank you and I love you to my bride Mrs. Shannon Dorsch. Who stuck by me when I left her not once but twice, first to Malibu and then to Tel Aviv. Who planned everything, let me have the things I wanted, and mostly forgave me for getting a mohawk three weeks before the wedding. I love her so much, I apologize profusely for taking so long to write this. But I don't apologize for not wearing pink socks because pink is a girl's color and I don't care what anyone else says. She was the most beautiful bride and I am so lucky to have her.

And to all those people who were nearby and didn't come or the people who never responded to the many attempts to get your address, you are dead to me. (Just kidding...sort of.)

And if you thought you were getting details on the wedding night you are a perv.

Stayed tuned for the post on our trip to Maui.

I Hate To Break it To You

(Before we begin, I have to tell you a bit about this post. I noticed a trend a while back and wanted to write about it. Then before I could post one of my good friends cut her hair and I was like oh no she is going to think this is about her (don't worry it's not), but then I saw her picture and it wasn't nearly so short as I thought it would be. Believe it or not, it is not my intention to hurt feelings, only to point out things that I find interesting enough to blog about.)

 Sorry, much like being a QB in flag football (I'm playing on a ward team right now) maintaining a blog is harder than it looks, sometimes I don't feel super inspired or prompted to write about anything. In the old days of Pete Chat I would go off on these vitriolic rants usually having to do with my lack of relationship success. It may not have been healthy but misery makes for good content generation. Now as I have completed my first two months of wedded bliss I can no longer go to that well. I just haven't been inspired to rant lately. I needed some fuel and I got it.

Have you ever noticed that there are certain things on Facebook or Instagram that will get tons of likes? Engagements, baby announcements, paparazzi style pics of ward members making out in a parked cars and new jobs usually get and deserve many likes. You should like these seminal events in the lives of people who often times you have only virtual contact with. But there is a phenomenon that also exists and was recently brought to my attention once again. Before I get to the point of my post let me remind my readers of something I have been saying for  a long time. Guys like long hair. Guys do not like their girls to have boy haircuts. You can wear our sweasthirts, but not out haircuts. Now there are surely some guys who are the exception to this rule but the overwhelming amount of us want you to keep your hair long. I don't mean Enchanted long, and I'm not talking about Katie Holmes and Rihanna's A-line cut but unless you are Natalie Portman in V for Vendetta or Halle Berry you should leave the buzz cut and it's short haired clip cousins to the dudes.

Do you wonder why this works? Because she is Natalie Portman. You are not.

There are two things that have me wondering. Why do some girls cut all their hair off when they get married, and why do people go what I would consider way overboard complimenting them for that decision? I have noticed that when a girl gets what I would call a dramatic new short haircut, that other people will fall over each other to complement to recipient of the haircut, but I feel it is mostly lies. How do I know this? Because I have eyes and and they work. As someone who has received literally hundreds of haircuts in my life, and some that may be considered dramatic ( I have chosen a mohawk the last three summers), I know that a good haircut doesn't get the attention that a poor choice of haircut does.

There is a phenomena where for some strange reason a girl cuts most of her hair off and then other people start telling her how great it looks, but it's not true, they are lying. It isn't that it is a bad haircut, it just a terrible terrible choice of a haircut. But rather than doing the polite thing and just say nothing at all, the fake compliments start rolling in. Now my good friend (and former neighbor) McMary asked me what happens when people really do like it, and to that I say shenanigans. Because when someone gets a legitimately great haircut it does not garner nearly the response that some awful short hairstyle generates. I recognize that long hair takes some work, but you know what, a lot of the things we do take work, and we are rewarded for that hard work and effort.

There are a few possible explanations for this. Maybe people just have good souls, and they want to make others feel better about their bad but ultimately temporary choices. But I don't really think that it is the haircut that is generating the response. It's what the haircut represents. In some minds it is the bold decision. The "I'm not going to let my life be dictated by invented social conventions, I can cut my hair how I want (and if I have the guy locked up already that is just a coincidence)." And in a show of solidarity the compliments start rolling in, but I'm looking at the same haircut and I know it is a bad choice. You can't blame the stylist, they are simply accepting a commission and doing what they are asked.

As a newlywed I am somewhat fearful of this happening in my own home. I love Shannon's long hair. But luckily and importantly she loves it even more than I do. While I would love her just the same if she were to cut it to Bruce Willis length I'd prefer she kept it long. But I notice how many girls get married and then chop all their hair off. Why do this? If this is something you always wanted to do, why didn't you do this before you got married. I think it is pretty suspect. There is no corollary for men. It's not like guys get married and decide you know what, I'm going to go Tom Selleck and grow a moustache. The other half of the mystery is why people fall all over each other to compliment the new style?

I don't know, enlighten me.

Meet My Groomsman Pt. 10 Dan Douglas

Shannon and I celebrated our first month of marriage with a trip to Baskin Robbins for some Ice Cream. We love married life, and are getting used to being a one car family, which hasn't been all that difficult. And with that one month of marriage we have come to the end of the very popular series Meet my Groomsman. I hope you have all enjoyed getting to know some of my best friends. The last edition will feature one of my new brothers in law. I had Don and Marc for a long time. Now I have, Christopher, Joseph, John, Matt, Matt Russell, Warren, Scott (I think that is everyone) and the subject of this at last but certainly not least post in the MMG series, Mr. Dan Douglas.

When did you meet?
I met Dan and at lot of Shannon's family when I went with her to Richmond for Easter 2010. She had told me that her brothers liked a lot of the same things I did. In particular comics, video games, and basketball.

Nickname 
Dan the Man, Fish Tank Head

Where does he live?

Dan lives at home in Richmond, VA. He did however live in Rexburg, ID while attending BYU-I.

Who does he root for?
Dan is the only Charlotte Bobcats fan I know. His favorite player is Steve Nash. He also likes the Redskins I think.

What does he like?
Video games, famous bowls, Busch Gardens, Pool, Basketball, Ramen Noodles, Comic Books, and Big Beautiful Women.


Which Star Wars Character is he most like?
Wickett the Ewok. Because Dan is very nice and helpful. Also I'm pretty sure Wickett would love a Famous Bowl from KFC.

Things you should know about Dan

• Dan is a Twi-Hard, and though he doesn't like to admit it, he enjoys the books.
• When I went to the beach with Shannon's family, I bought this Disney Trivia game for PS2 figuring I would dominate. Oh how wrong I was. Dan was really good and pretty much beat me every time.
• Before I left VA I gave Dan my Comic Books.
• Dan's celebrity crush is Kim Kardashian, I told him that he seemed more like an Eva Mendes kind of guy.
• Dan didn't have a car while he was in Rexburg, and was living with older guys. This worried me, so I ordered him a case of Ramen from Amazon. This made him happy.
• For Dan's birthday we went to Busch Gardens in Williamsburg, VA. It was really fun but poor Dan had a chaffing issue. I suggested using a Famous Bowl as a cooling and comforting agent, he thought this was funny.
• Dan loves his Maryland Crabs, and he can process and eat them at a rapid pace. His prowess is legendary.

No one in the family made me as welcome as Dan did. We made fast friends (again we like all the same things) and I'm thrilled to have him for a Brother in Law. Now he just needs to get his butt in gear and work on his mission papers.

Meet My Groomsman Pt. 9 featuring Dan Nelson

Greetings from sunny southern California. This is my first post as a married man. I'll do posts on the events surrounding the wedding but I haven't forgotten the very popular series of meeting my groomsmen. Seeing as I still have about a day until the Open House I figure these posts are still relevant. This posts focuses on none other than my consigliere Mr. Daniel John Nelson.

When did you meet?
Great story actually. I was sitting in the SWKT at Washington Seminar orientation in Fall 2003. They put the roommate assignments up on the screen and it flashed Dan Nelson and Peter Dorsch. We just happened to be sitting next to each other. I turned to Dan he turned to me, we shook hands and have been dominating ever since.


Nickname 
Neltzon, Old Man Nelson, DJNeltz

Where does he live?

Dan lives in Arlington, VA in my old house. I had so much fun when I lived there. Occasionally we were told that we were having too much fun. This is also the house where you have to be on guard at all times. If you say something questionable you will be called out. This can be about anything including the way I answered my work phone.

Who does he root for?
Dan Nelson is a true sports fan. It's funny because we totally agree on the Cougars and Lakers, but he hates the Niners and Angels. Dan is the biggest Yankees fan there is and takes great umbrage when I make statements like, "Robinson Cano is a nice little player." Dan is also a Rams fan but more of an LA Rams fan than a St. Louis fan. Eric Dickerson is not walking through that door.

I liked this picture so much, I made it into a magnet and it's on the fridge in Arlington

What does he like?
Dan likes reading sports biographies, baseball, BYU, Star Wars, Quicksilver, batting cages, bow ties, bobble heads, Mario Kart, Snap Shirts, sitting on the porch, having a catch, the Crossroads of the West, Don Draper, IN-N-Out, Brigham Young's Birthplace, Jim Rome Show, Sports Reporters, Redskins Fans, IBC Rootbeer, Sundown, Magnum PI, Karate Kid, and Hulkamania.


Which Star Wars Character is he most like?
No question Lando Calrissian. He's as cool as they come, sharp dresser, and I have trusted him to drive the Millenium Falcon. One day, I was talking to Dan, I said wouldn't it be cool to have a shirt that had Chewie, Lando, and Han, and it said Players Club. I come home from CA and sure enough Dan produced these. Looks like they heard about his little maneuver at the Battle of Tanaab.

Meet the Players Club (Congrats Millie on the twins!)

Things you should know about Dan

• I have never heard him admit to him liking a player that was not on one of the teams he roots for.
• He and I strongly believe that you can not trust a man who doesn't like baseball. 
• We once held a 300 lbs snake on Capitol Hill with TV's Jim Fowler.
• After a concert Dan told me to call into the the radio and request Cruel Summer by Bannanarama. I did and they played it.
• Dan single handily kept a mutiny from happening in regards to our Cobra Kai Halloween costumes.
• We had this ongoing joke for years about wondering what happened to people only to realize that they got married. Now that I am married I'm not sure the joke is as funny.
• Dan picked me up from the airport when I moved back to VA. His first words...Welcome to the Commonwealth.
• When we got our place at the Melrose, Dan had all the utilities turned on and bought us a really nice TV. He wanted a little be of appreciation and said "Thank you would be nice." I responded, you are welcome.
• He hates people taking pictures of food and displaying it, and Family Home evening.
• I have dunked on him about a million times on a nerf mini hoop.
• He pick sixed me in flag football (from the endzone I believe) and doesn't let me forget it. From that point on, I always made sure he was on my team. He's really fast and he takes great joy in running past people who underestimate him.
• He taught me that anybody can make good meat sauce.
• Dan does not like to be called Danny.
• La Serna would definitely beat Brighton in any sport.
• Dan and I have been to a ton of games in Baltimore. One time Matt Waldrip, Dan and myself fully dominated the stadium, on another occasion we saw the absolute worst managerial decision ever, and got free pretzels because we were next to the fan of the game.
• Once when we went to New York to see the Angels play the Yankees, he forced me to sit through a 12-0 Angels loss where I believe only one Angel got to third base.
• Reg or Pre Reg?
• I believe with all my heart that I saw Jim Thome at Dunn Loring.
• He may know the whereabouts of the Ganzer's wedding album.
• Like me he encourages our friend Brian Barker to "take the diaper off".
• Every year about this time the Redskins start their season, Dan and I love to pretend to be 'Skins fans and talk about the majesty of Joe Gibbs.
• I once made a character based on him for my wrestling video game. He wore a tie and had a sweet taunt that he would do.

I probably have a million inside jokes with Dan. He's been a great friend, and I am absolutely pumped for him to move out to CA for school. Now we just need to get Joe out here too and there will be balance in the force.

Meet My Groomsman Pt. 8 Marc Stanworth

So I got back from Israel and it is so good to be home. I'm getting married in two days and things are coming together great. I got our apartment and have spent the last few days in VA doing the last bit of preparation. Shannon and I have been having such a great time. I haven't blogged in a few days but I am running out of time for my MMG posts, so I better get moving. Today's installment is none other than Prince Charming himself my brother in law Marc Stanworth.

When did you meet?
I first heard about Marc in 1996. Jennifer met him at BYU and she thought he was wonderful. They wrote off and on for two years and despite the valiant efforts of RM's at BYU Jenn was waiting for Marc. He came home and visited us for the first time in the summer of 1998. Jennifer was sooooo nervous to introduce him to us. She brought him over for a BBQ and he's been around ever since.


Nickname 
Bulldog, Marky Bob, Mike Stansburry, and of course Prince Charming or PC for short. Chrissi dubbed him this and she still refers to him that way.

Where does he live?

Marc and Jenn and their lovely brood live San Clemente, CA.

Who does he root for?
Marc like me is a die hard Cougars fan. He enjoys the 49ers, had season tickets for the Jazz growing up and is enjoys the Mavs because of his time in Dallas. He HATES the Lakers.

What does he like?
Surfing, hunting, soccer, MMA, Grateful Dead, working, golfing, Pumas (the shoe not sure how he feels about the animal)


Which Star Wars Character is he most like?
Wedge Antilles- Heroic, Dashing, and seemingly good at everything. If anyone had the fortitude to blow up a Deathstar it would be Marc (at least half a Deathstar).

Things you should know about Marc

• Marc is the only one of my family members to visit me in DC since my parents visited in May 2006.
• Marc is not on Facebook.
• When I called home for Christmas in 2000 Marc and I spent 20 minutes breaking down the Jazz season to that point and wondering if Donyell Marshall would be a difference maker.
• Marc and I saw first hand one of the greatest victories in BYU Sports history when the Cougars beat OU at Cowboy Stadium in Dallas, we also watched BYU get humiliated by TCU the next year.
• Marc was one of the first people I told about my first kiss. He gave me a high five and a hardy congrats.
• I went to a Jazz game with Marc and his folks. I spent the whole game yelling at Jerome Kersey.
• Marc read and reread my personal statement for graduate school about ten times for me.
• Whenever I have a moment where I can't believe Marc is this good at everything I remember that he once wore socks with sandals.
• I was really nervous for Marc to marry my sister. It turns out that it was a really good match.

Marc is one of my heroes and a role model. He's a great dad and husband, and a heck of a sports fan.

So long, farewell, auf Wiedersehen, adieu

Sometime last December I got a phone cal from Pepperdine encouraging me to apply for Glazer Israel Program. Now it is August and tonight I am getting on an airplane. Back to the states, my fiancee and affordable Mexican food. This summer has been a whirlwind. President Hinckley had a way of describing life, he said, “Life is just like an old time rail journey … delays, sidetracks, smoke, dust, cinders, and jolts, interspersed only occasionally by beautiful vistas and thrilling bursts of speed. The trick is to thank the Lord for letting you have the ride.”

I think if you switched “Life” to “My time in Israel” you would have a pretty accurate description of my feelings. Not every moment was thrilling. There were times when I was bored, hot, hungry, and missed home. But there were times, when I thought to myself, why am I so lucky? How did I end up here?

If the point of sending me here was to fall in love with Israel and the Jewish people, then mission accomplished. This is truly remarkable land, and a truly remarkable people. I was also so fortunate to be here with a great group from Pepperdine. While initially some of us would not necessarily have so much in common I certainly enjoyed the group dynamic.

My internship was amazing. Certainly the language barrier made some things difficult, I accomplished many of the goals I set out. I made good contacts, I represented Pepperdine, myself, and my faith well. I worked on a project I was passionate about and received excellent feedback about it.

I read at least 4000 pages while I was here, uploaded 150 or so pictures, consumed a tremendous amount of pizza and falafel ( I am pretty much done with falafel in a pita forever), walked to the beach, and grew my closest approximation of a beard.

I don’t know when I will be back here, at church on Shabat the people kept asking me if I was coming back. I told them I don’t know. But I do and will forever treasure my time here.

From the cat infested streets, the opinionated bus driver, Benny our life saver, Jo our Ambassador, accidentally hiking through an artillery range, floating in the Dead Sea, riding a Donkey,a Turkish shave to the birth place of the Savior, I saw and did everything I wanted.

Now I am excited to go home, eat some Tommy’s, and marry my sweetheart.

Meet My Groomsman Pt.6 -David Dickinson

As I write this, I am less than two weeks away from getting married and three days away from heading back to the United States. One of my roommates (Isaac) already left and the other one (Brook) is touring somewhere in Israel. Feeling like I had spent enough money and seen enough ruins, I had an extremely quiet weekend in Tel Aviv. I watched a few movies at home, did a bit of grocery shopping and went to church. I've enjoyed my time here in Tel Aviv but I am really ready to come home to Melgar Dr. and off to Virginia to get married.

What you might not know is that I am not the only person on Melgar Dr. who is engaged, nor am I the only member of the wedding party that is engaged. No, my younger brother Mr. David Drew Dickinson is the next member of the wedding party to be featured under the spotlight of Pete Chat. Now some of you are wondering why I say it's my younger brother, because I have no younger brother. Well if I did it would be David. He is like a younger brother. I used to call him my little brother but then he grew and I was no longer able to beat him up. It was a sad realization for me.

When did you meet?
This is the one where I can not definitively answer, although David has lived most if not all of his life across the street from me on Melgar. I think David was in 2nd grade and I was in 8th grade. We were an unlikely pair to be friends but we have been ever since.


Nickname 
Coach Dickinson, or David Dickerson. When David was a kid his mom Janet (who is also coming out for the wedding) had these baseball cards made of him. I'm not sure how but they ended up saying David Dickerson. This makes me laugh.

Where does he live?
David lives across the street and two houses down from me on Melgar.

Who does he root for?
Is it any wonder why he and I get along so well. He loves the Angels, Niners, and Lakers. He also roots for UCLA, but has watched a number of BYU games with me and I think he has enjoyed them.


What does he like?
Basketball (playing, watching, coaching) philosophy, working out, arguing with me, Skylar his finacee, baseball, football, and Subway.


Which Star Wars Character is he most like?
When David was a kid, he had all of the Star Wars toys. It was great. He had the Millennium Falcon. The Star Wars character David reminds me of is Yoda. Obviously not in stature but he likes to philosophize and he is capable of great physical feats.

Things you should know about David

• For years, since Jenn's wedding I tried to set up David with my Cousin Jacqueline. They were both around ten at the time. It never worked out.
• I used to think that David was so young. He is older than Shannon.
• David came out to visit me in DC in February 2011. It was a lot of fun. We had great weather, watched a lot of BYU Basketball, he met all my friends, we went snow tubing, and he ate an entire Pizza Hut Pizza on his own. I also showed I wasn't athletically useless by showing him I can still grab the rim.
• I got David and his brother Derrick BYU T-Shirts for Christmas after my Freshman year. I came home one day and Derrick had got back from wearing it at school. I was very proud.
• Because I so so much taller than David (seven years older) I used to cherry pick baskets and that sort of thing. I would just dominate him. By the time I got home from my mission that had started to change. Not only is my younger brother almost as tall as me now, he outweighs me by about fifty pounds of muscle.
• As mentioned so many times before I love playing flag football. Every Thanksgiving it is the thing I look forward to the most. David diligently plays every year. The funny thing is as that when he first started playing he was just a kid, but now he is one of the best that plays. Many times I just throw the ball up to him and he catches it.
• David's Dad Steve is one of my favorite people. He is always glad when I am home and is always interested in my life.
• David's mom Janet is amazing. She got me my first two jobs. I paid for my prom my junior year because Janet got me a temp job at her company for a week. I did a lot of filing. Janet also got me a less glamorous job with her cousin who had a low cost pet vaccination business. The dogs made a mess and I cleaned it up. 
• Whenever I see some kid in Whittier wearing a La Serna Basketball sweatshirt I asked them if they know Coach Dicikinson. Of course they do. I tell them I used to babysit David.
• The summer I turned off the power at Ryan's house is the one where I spent most of it grounded. Janet saved that summer. I watched the boys in the morning, played video games, and went swimming in their pool. 
• Before I left for college Janet wanted to do something of my choice. We went to the batting cages but it didn't look that fun. Instead we spent the day at Disneyland. it was so fun. The Dickinson family has been very good to me. Even though every year on Derrick's birthday I would smash his face into his cake. (Again this makes me laugh)
• Besides my brothers in law and Dan Nelson (you'll meet him soon) Shannon knows David the best. When Shannon first came to Whittier I showed her La Serna and I took her into the gym to show her where I played Volleyball. David happened to be their shooting hoops. Shannon walked in without me and he was pretty confused for a moment. 

I've known David most of his life. He is like my younger brother and I am honored to have him as one of my groomsmen.

Meet My Groomsman Pt. 5 featuring Don Brenier

I assume that all of my readers have been wondering why there hasn't been a new MMG update in the last few days. Well I will answer that question for you, I was gone. Yes me and five other Pepperdiners hopped aboard an airplane and spent the weekend in Istanbul, Turkey. I had a great time there seeing the sites and getting a new stamp on my passport. But I'm back in Tel Aviv, and with less than three weeks until the wedding I have to get moving with my posts. The next subject of this fascinating series is none other than my Brother in law Mr. Don Brenier.

Men Doing Manly Things

When did you meet?


One day in March 1992 my sister brought home a guy who was going to help her work on her resume. He did tricks on the trampoline, drove a white GTI, and he's been part of the family ever since.
Nickname
I call him Bro. Whenever he calls I always answer, "Hey Bro". Collectively I call Don, Chrissi, and the kids the Brenerds.

Where does he live?
Don, Chriss and the kids live on Marie Ellen in Whittier. I spend a considerable amount of time at their house. They have a lot of TV options, and they generally let me watch my shows in peace int their front room. We are having our California Open house there. It's a little less than two miles from my house.


Who does he root for?
Don likes the Angels (his parents have been season ticket holders for years), the Texas Long Horns, BYU, and Pepperdine.



What does he like?
Dr. Pepper, Playing the Guitar, Jimmy Buffet, tinkering on his Camry, fixing things, bossing me around, T-Shirts from Restaurants, Starbucks, considering buying Ford trucks, Lizard catching, juicing, getting involved, lobstering, and chicken farming.


Which Star Wars Character is he most like?
Bobba Fett  because Don doesn't mind mixing it up. I was trying to think who are the real warriors in the Starwars Universe. Bobba is not afraid to get his hands dirty, neither is Don. Whether it is under the hood of his car, or letting a driver who cut him off know how he feels, or the Big C Don gets right in there.

The Breniers of East Whittier

Things you should know about Don

• Don, Chrissi, and Haydan all know how much I enjoy drinking juice at their house. The always keep a supply on hand for when I am there. This summer they got their own juicer and we would juice at night, sometimes the results were tremendous, sometimes they were not.
• Sometimes it takes Don and Chrissi, and Me to figure how to do the kids math homework.
• I was one of Don's groomsmen. When I get home I'll scan the photo of me in a tux smackdab in the middle of the most awkward phase of my life. I was 15 and hadn't grown yet.
• When I was on my mission I really thought I was going to gain a lot of weight and finally be able to fight Marc and Don. It didn't happen.
• During my birthday in seventh grade somehow Jordan got into Don's wallet and started passing out his credit cards. We still enjoy that story.
• Don has many many times used the fact that I hate flys against me. I don't know what it is but when flys buzz around me I spaz out and start rubbing my nose. It's weird and Don likes to make that noise.
• The Breniers like the Dorsch's enjoy a nice drive. We like driving around to see the Christmas lights or nice houses. We just like being together.
• Ever year Don and I and the kids go Christmas shopping. We always have a good time at the Brea Mall.
• One time Don and I were driving to the airport, I was a teenager and I was super impressed because Don could sing every song on the radio, he also taught himself how to play the guitar.
• I inadvertently thwarted his second attempt to ask my Dad's permission to marry Chrissi.
• Don loves his 1994 Toyota Camry. Now that he is retired he has plenty of time to work on it. It has a ton of mileage on it but he keeps it in great condition.
• This spring/summer Don has become quite the auto mechanic. We fixed my dad shocks, we replaced the high beams and hood emblem on my car, and he's done all sorts of other projects. He's thinking of getting a jeep or Bronco to fix up.
• I learned from Don that it is ok for a groom to be nervous, and it is ok for a young groomsman to keep quiet.
• Don is a Pepperdine wave just like me. He got his MBA from Pepperdine. Jennifer once toured Pepperdine when she was thinking about which college to attend. So our family has some Pepperdine pride. Not like our Cougar Pride but we do like the 'Bu.

He's a great, husband, a great dad, and a great brother and I love him.

How A Japanese Baseball Player Accidentily Described My and Many of My Friends' Experience in the Colonial Ward

Every morning in Israel goes something like this. I wake up and look at my phone and check the Angels score. If they are playing a night game in Anaheim there's a good chance that the game is still going on. That was the case this morning and I was excited that the Angels beat the Royals with some clutch hitting in the late innings. It's the Royals so I'm not going to get too excited but, a win is a win. As I was listening to the broadcast I heard the voice of the Angels Victor Rojas mention that Ichiro had been traded. Because I just woke up, it took a moment for it to register with me. Ichiro has been the star of the Mariners franchise for  more than ten years and one of most consistent hitters in baseball. He always played the Angels tough and I was really surprised that he had been traded to the Yankees. So I jump on ESPN and there was this picture.

Most Honorable

It seemed strange to see him in a Yankees uniform but I think Dan Nelson will find this trade most honorable.  I clicked on the article and was reading it when I noticed a very interesting quote. Ichiro who is not a native English speaker does his interviews through a translator. I'm not sure if it was the particular language that the translator used but I copied the quote, attributed to my old roommate Scott and sent it to my old roommates.

When I spent time during the All-Star break to think, I realized that this team has many players in their early 20s," Ichiro said through a translator. "I began to think I should not be on this team next year. I also started to feel a desire to be in an atmosphere that I could have a different kind of stimulation than I have right now." 

Dan emailed back because he was still awake in CA, and mentioned that we have all felt that way.You might think of some activity like Memorial Day at Duck Beach as the All Star break. You have a chance to take a break and think about things. You get back to church, you look around and see a bunch of young faces, and you think blah. I can't keep doing this. I know that is how I felt. Like Ichiro, I needed a new kind of stimulation.* Leaving for graduate school was like leaving for a new team. They say that a change of  scenery can do wonders for a ballplayer.

If you look around a discover that all the faces have changed, and that they are only getting younger, and you  think you may need a "different kind of stimulation", don't be afraid to do what Ichiro, Dan, myself and many others have done and found a new "atmosphere".

Zen Mammal approves of this message.

*Hideki Matsui enjoyed a different type of stimulation

That's Right...I Am Dangerous

 I love the Movie Top Gun. While I was aware of the movie from a young age, the first time I ever watched it from beginning to end was when I was in 10th grade. My friend Ryan in my Biology class lent me the tape. It’s been one of my favorite movies ever since. I can practically quote the whole thing. Dan Nelson (a Groomsman you'll be meeting soon enough) and I went to see the 25th Anniversary showing and absolutely loved it. One of my favorite lines takes place in the locker room after a training exercise. Val Kilmer and Tom Cruise have a classic confrontation and the phrase “I am dangerous” was solidified in cinematic lore.

Here’s the thing, I am not in fact dangerous. I am anything but. My mom went so far as to ask me one time why I wasn’t more rebellious. I just sort of shrugged my shoulders. Where some people like to be right in the middle of everything, I am just naturally more cautious. One of my personal mantras...don't get involved, stay out of it.

This past weekends’ trip went against my general nature. We visited the town of Sderot. It is located next to the Security wall separating Israel from Gaza. Sderot is targeted by missiles almost everyday and not only did we go there, we chose to.

Now these aren’t Patriot Missiles or anything super sophisticated, more like home made rockets, and while they are not terribly accurate they are destructive and have been deadly on occasion. Can you imagine living your life in a community where everyday you have missiles dropped on you. You can never stray too far from the bomb shelter that dot the area. It ‘s hard to believe, but that is just what people do. We met with a man named Raz. Raz lived in the community that was closest to the wall. He talked about what it was like and how both sides of the conflict feel. He talked about being aware, but not living in fear. And that’s what life is like in here Israel. You can hardly tell that some of Israel neighbors are openly hostile towards them.

I never really felt like I was in any particular danger, but it lead Isaac and I to discuss how you live your life. There is  a certain amount of danger in living. Every time you walk out the door there is a chance something terrible can happen. It almost never does, but almost never means sometimes rarely. But at least for me personally I'll take a few risks, I'll just try to be smart about it.

Meet My Groomsman pt. 4 Ryan Barber

Well it's Thursday here in Israel so that means I am soon starting my weekend. I know we have a day trip planned for tomorrow although I can't recall the name of the place we are going. Should be fun though. I've enjoyed writing these meet my groomsman posts, and I hope you enjoy reading them. This installment features none other than Ryan Patrick Barber. When I asked Ryan to be a member of the wedding party I went through his wife Lauren. Whenever I need to relay information to Ryan I just let Lauren know. Ryan is notorious for never checking his voice mail. So I sent Lauren a message and asked her to have Ryan call me. Eventually he did.

I really look young in this picture

When did you meet?

Ryan and I met when he started school at Murphy Ranch in fifth grade. Ryan says I was his first friend at Murphy Ranch. I think it was fifth grade but it could have been sixth grade that Ryan had one of those Wiz Backpacks which for some reason have not made a lasting impression on the internet. Either way I wanted that back pack. We were both in Mrs. Burns class with Diane Burke. Also Ryan lived across the street from KP who you might remember from my last post as the nicest guy in the world whose truck JJ and I vandalized.


Nickname
In high school we universally referred to him as Barber. I still call him Barber put most people call him Ryan. Occasionally he will refer to himself as Rybar.


Where does he live? 
Ryan lives with his wife and high school sweetheart Lauren in Northern Virginia. He works for the government and when he first moved there we lived two blocks from each other which was fun.

Who does he root for?
Ryan like me is a big Angels fan, he was a Jazz fan in High School and like me switched his allegiances to the Lakers.


What does he like?
Baseball, complaining about his job, seersucker suits, road trips, Offspring (the band and his own), chemistry, and of course Iron Man.

Which Star Wars Character is he most like?
Anakin Skywalker before he turned to the dark side.

Things you should know about Ryan

• In fifth grade Ryan and I dressed up for twin day. We more or less have the same hair color and we were the same height, and wore identical clothes. We did not place. I think we were robbed.
• In sixth grade Ryan had a sleep over and squirt gun party for his birthday. We toilet papered Nicole Ledbetter's house at 9:00 PM and explained to Nimish and Amish where babies come from.
• I went to my first ever concert with Ryan. We saw Everclear, Marcy's Playground, and Fastball in Hollywood.
• When Ryan ran for ASB Vice President he gave this really funny speech where he made elaborate preparation before the speech, wore a suit, had a briefcase and a bottle of water, and simply stated...Vote 4 Barber. The he said Vote para Barber, and then he did it in sign language. He didn't win but whenever I watch that speech I crack up. Our speeches still hold up (ask Shannon I made her watch the tape, yes tape because Jordan promised me that he burned a DVD but I never saw it and I certainly don't have it).
• Ryan's grandparents got him a Mercury Tracer when he turned sixteen. We went everywhere in that car. He also seemed to get in accidents or get tickets all the time.
• There was a time while we were in eighth grade when we were not friends. I can't really remember why except that I totally expected to be invited to his birthday party and wasn't invited. We made up and haven't had a falling out since.
• In 12th grade Ryan, Thomas and David were collectively known as the Dawg Pound, who had a feud with Jordan and Darren's group WAM. (This was the time when wrestling was huge and so were factions so it made sense). For Ryan's senior project The Dawg Pound plus myself ( I was sort of an honorary member) made this television show that was played on public access in Eagle Rock, CA. I have a feeling it was terrible but we had a very good time making it. I know it involved Ryan's head being dunked in a basketball hoop thanks to the miracle of green screen, David wearing a mustache made of construction paper and me giving a sports report.
• in 11th grade, Ryan and I discovered that you could pick the winners in a Gatorade under the cap contest by looking through the bottles of some clear flavors. We went to the grocery store and cleaned them out. 
• At first Ryan's now wife Lauren would not give him the time of day, She did however agree to be his Spanish tutor. Eventually they started dating and have been together ever since. When we went to prom in the same group together, (JJ was there too) Ryan insisted that he wear a green cummerbund. When we went to dinner at the fancy place in Newport, the waiters were dressed exactly like Ryan complete with green cummerbunds.
• Ryan, Josh, B-Rock and I were playing pool one night. As we where saying our good byes Ryan punched me in the junk. That was five years ago. I promised him ultimate revenge and I have not forgotten.
• The summer before 12th grade Ryan, Thomas, and David stayed the night at my house. We slept (really we talked all night) on the trampoline, and laughed and laughed while we listened to the South Park CD. We went to Raging Waters the next day and it seemed like we were the oldest ones there.
• When we played fantasy football this year he drafted three defenses. 
• One time I turned off the power at his house. I thought this was very funny, until his parents called my parents and I had to write an apology letter and was grounded for the whole summer. I did not get to hang out with my friends at all. I spent a lot of the summer babysitting David Dickinson ( you'll meet him soon).
• For Ryan's birthday in ninth grade we went to play paintball. It was really fun. The thing I remember most was before we got started we were just sitting around waiting. Javier shot Josh in the head. Just thinking of this makes me laugh.
• I was one of Ryan's groomsmen when he married Lauren. It was the first wedding since my sister's that I was in. I was totally honored.

There are few people on Earth that I look forward to seeing and spending time with more than Ryan Barber. He's been my friend for more than 20 years, and always will be even if we end up being depression era farmers.