Monday, May 15, 2006

Introductions

Now that we've had salsa night for about two months, I thought some introductions might be in order. I meant to do this when we started, but kept on putting it off. I'll put in a descriptive blurb in for each person (If I write too much or put info. that you deem too sensitive to be displayed on the internet, tell me and I'll change it), and everyone can add to it as they please.

Erin, I'd like you to meet Young Mother (Julia). She and Jenny were in the same ward for awhile growing up, and eventually reconnected at college. She and her husband Sam are cutthroat Settlers of Catan players, with whom we (not often enough) engage in battles that go well past our childrens' bedtimes. Speaking of kids, they have 3 little ones that are hysterically smart- their two oldest know more about dinosaurs than most aspiring paleontology graduate students. Julia, Erin is our friend from when we all lived in Provo together before (and after) Jenny and I were married. She was Jenny's roommate for a semester, and secretly wants to come live with us to tend our garden and future ranch.

Julie, meet JonnyF. JonnyF and I were roommates for a summer that was far too short and had I not been almost engaged to Jenny at the time I would have submitted a roommate extension form to his secretary. But, since I couldn't find his secretary's number, and since I wanted to live near Jenny, I let the submission deadline pass. Like you, he has an affinity for math, and also like you, he is married (but to a girl, unlike you). He likes Dave Barry, the Transformers movie, and Ultimate Frisbee. JonnyF, this is Julie with whom I grew up in the same ward. As co-captains of the cross-country team, we engaged in many semi-legal activities, including but not limited to: street sign collecting, tee-peeing, and...well I'll let her talk more about it if she wants.... She is married to Jon, and have the cutest little boy in the world. If she were catholic, she would have attained sainthood while still mortal for teaching middle school math.

Gwen and Adam, this is Warren, often referred to as patch. We made good friends with Warren when we were all in the same ward as Erin, Jared, Morgan and JonnyF. He is currently working on his PhD in economics, at some prestigious school back east. Like JonnyF, he also likes Dave Barry, Ultimate Frisbee, though I'm not sure what his stance is on the Transformers movie (I'm pretty sure he is pro-transformer's movie). Warren, this is Gwen and Adam. Jenny was very good friends with them before her mission when she, Gwen, and Randy were in the same freshman ward. They have three amazing kids, and Adam is some kind of college professor. He co-established an online academic journal of philosophy and scripture that is linked to on the main page, which I thought was pretty cool- hence the link.

Randy, meet Julie C. Actually, you two have already met, since Julie C. is Jenny's sister, and Randy was my roommate/best man at my wedding, and we have a picture of you two together for some reason. Julie C is married to Dan and they both enjoy long walks, ms. pacman, and 2nd order partial differential equations. Julie C is an amazing calligrapher (we have two of her works on our wall), cross-sticher, cook, and lots of other stuff. They both work for companies that recruit people with large brains. Julie C, as you know, this is Randy. We were companions on the mission for two months, and then constantly conspired to go on divisions together after that. He knew Jenny before me, and ironically the two of them exchanged letters at least once when we were companions. When I was tracting to find nice housing when I arrived at BYU, his was the first door I knocked on, and we took that as a sign that we should be roommates. When Jenny did her background check on me when we were dating, he luckily told her a good story, as we are now married. He is married with two cute little kids, and apparently is handy with wood restoration.

And last but not least, Morgan this is Jared (Cabeza). Yes, yes, I know you already know each other, but this is just how it worked out, ok? Jared was my apartment mate when JonnyF and I were roommates, and we home taught each other, I believe at the same time. He currently is a big shot K-street washington lobbyist. Actually, his real job is far less interesting- nuclear (Nucular, for you texans) and chemical weapons non-proliferation. Morgan is finishing his degree in chemistry, is married to Alison, and has a cute little girl Lucy's age. We often get together to race our kids and play games. Morgan (along with JonnyF, Warren, and Randy) was on our (almost) championship ultimate frisbee team Disco Stu

Again, add (or subtract) to my rather brief introductions as you feel the need to.

So now that you all officially know each other, feel free to invite any friends to salsa night that you think would be fun to have in on the conversations. Just make sure they keep their feet off the couch and bring their own chips.

8 comments:

Erin Teichert Barbuto said...

First, nice to meet all of you.

Second, I just finished The Return of the King. If no one holds it against me, I'll admit that I cried. Now I've read them AND I liked it.

JennyW said...

That was an interesting read. I mean, it's interesting to see what Nick knows about "my" friends (and by that I mean our friends with whom I have a prior claim--Randy, I got there first :) and family.

And Erin, Yikes! I thought we were still on the first book--I now have an enormous amount of reading ahead of me to "catch up." (I just wanted to use " " in two paragraphs in a row).

Erin Teichert Barbuto said...

I know--I couldn't stop (apparently "you" can't "either"). When you finish, Jenny, I'll come down to Utah and we can watch the movies, okay? Maybe we can make salsa too?




I'm curious how many people remember the pink elephant?

JonF said...

Oh man. Now I have to get rid of all the mean things I said about Brentar.

JonF said...

I'd like you all to meet Nick and Jenny. (I know, I know, but even though everyone knows you or they wouldn't be here, I think this will be fun.) Nick is from Washington, and presumably grew up in a family, though I never heard him talk about them. Nick was in our Southridge Ward, and we would traditionally sit next to each other in Elders Quorum, though I don't recall exactly why. (It may have had something to do with making rude comments during the lesson.("What about Nietzche?")) Nick and I were roomates that summer. He got me excited about running, and I got him excited about frisbee. We was the captain of the aforementioned almost championship frisbee team, and our best player (except for maybe the second season, when Gandalf was playing especially well). Jenny is from Washington. She likes books. She was in the Southridge ward too. She was an excellent choir director, and the FHE sister to Jared, Warren, and me. She was unfortunately for many years deficient in knowledge of Star Trek, which was upsetting to Nick. So Nick and I made her watch many of the movies so that their relationship could continue.
They were married in December of 2002, give or take a year, and now have a little daughter, Lucy. They live in Sandy and Nick goes to school and works and stuff. Jenny works too. I always forget the details of exactly what they're up to these days.

Anonymous said...

I would have never, EVER made her or anyone else watch the furst movie. I think they only reserve that for guantanamo. I think I just summarized it for her: giant space cloud threatens earth, enterprise intervenes, discovers the cloud's brain is the voyager 2 space probe, and sacrifices a young virgin to appease it (well the guy looked like he could have been).

Randall said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Randall said...

Nice to meet everyone. I know some of you and others I do not. And some I probably know by face, but not by name (I'm horrible with names). Realizing this, I added a picture to my profile for those that don't recognize my name.

I'd like to add to the "meet Nick and Jenny" post. I had an interesting perspective on their "hooking up". I remember at being amazed by Jenny's [humble] genius and piano ability as a BYU freshman when we were in the same ward. I remember being impressed with Nick's sincerity and weirdness when we were missionary companions (the first lady we baptized happened to have the name 'Lucy', which Nick told me had no bearing on their choice of name). Luckily, when Jenny called me up one day and told me that she was dating Nick (which in my mind caused some long rip in the space-time continuum), I decided to put in a good word (after all he was "probably" my favorite companion (it'd be in my best interest to say that now as he's the only companion I'm still in contact with) (see, I can do multiple levels of parens too!)). I found their relationship really interesting since I thought that they were quite different from a personality standpoint (almost as much as my wife and I), but they quickly became two of my most favorite people to spend time (and eat) with.

Anyway, all I want to say is: hooray for Nick, Jenny, and Lucy!!!