Ryan Byrd’s Ramblings

Part of the attraction of owning one’s own home is that, with property, comes the ability to plant a garden. My house sits atop  4/10ths of an acre, which is more than sufficient for a few vegetable beds. When things get bad,  72 hour kits and food storage are important, but they are both relatively short-term fixes. The capability of growing your own food is a longer term solution.

What am I planning on planting? So far: corn, potatoes, carrots, peas, watermelon and tomatoes. What else should I plant?

Candidly, I don’t know anything about husbandry. Any gardening tips for me? Should I use Miracle Grow? Should I build a greenhouse for these plants? When is the best time to plant? Should I start the plants indoors?

I’ve decided I’m going to remove the grass four feet around the border of my backyard and create beds by hauling in rich topsoil. Then I’ll add some drip irrigation. It’s true, the over-eager engineer in me actually thought about virtual subleasing of my garden with remote control webcams, sprinklers, and all for people who want a garden, but don’t have a yard. If I get some time, perhaps that will become a reality– I’ll keep you updated.

Tangentially, I’m looking into getting chickens as well — some of my neighbors have horses, so I think my property might be properly zoned.

RBDN Quick Tip: Smiths has 40% off seeds from now until the 29th. (the seeds pictured in the graphic on this post came from Smiths.)

I’ve finally finished the last of the requirements for PADI Open Water SCUBA Diving Certification! That means I’m one step closer to awesome secret-agent skill status. I feel pretty confident with all the SCUBA equipment and basic procedures. Although I had been diving before — in Hawaii, (certifications aren’t really checked everywhere) — it was back before I had Lasik and I was admittedly pretty nervous; lacking proper training and vision made the experience a bit jarring. I’m excited to have another chance at it. Now I just need some time off and a tropical destination…

The final dive test was in the Indian Springs hot spring at the Camperworld resort in Plymouth, Utah (take the Tremonton Exit.) For fifteen dollars, they’ll let you swim around in their 25 foot deep naturally heated (90+ degrees) pond. They’ve even stocked the pool with a variety of friendly minnows. Warning: the bottom is silty and if you don’t get your buoyancy right, you’ll end up kicking up the dirt with your fins, which will dramatically reduce visibility.

Why aren’t you SCUBA certified?

I went on a Caribbean cruise February of last year, and I didn’t post my travel diary. I’ve included it below. Speaking of which, I also need to post my Eastern Europe travel diary… and my Africa travel diary…

Day 1

• SLC->Denver->Ft. Lauderdale
• Took a “Go Shuttle” from Ft. Launderdale to Miami’s Dock G — $64
• Issued Sea Card (photo ID attached to credit card– lets you on and off the ship, plus you can by stuff)
• Pass immigrations and customs
• Board Royal Caribbean’s Majesty of the sea, with 2400 other passengers
• Muster (boat is sinking) drill — finally emergency information that doesn’t insult my intelligence
• Seafaring terms: aft, port, starboard
• Want to call home? only $7.95/min. I resist the urge. Also, cellphones work on board!!!
• Stats: 2 swimming pools on top deck, 13 decks high (actually 1-14, but they skip 13…), gambling, hot tub, dining rooms, workout room,shops, entertainment (comedians, magic, dance performances), bars, clubs
• Food is free. Alcohol will cost you though. As will soft drinks.

Day 2

• Docked in the Bahamas. Left ship and took small (50 people) boat out to bay
• Snorkeling with a bay of rounded-up stingrays (aren’t these what killed the Crocodile Hunter? Have we learned nothing from history?!?!). We get to feed the rays parts of octopi. The rays have funny little mouths that appear to be smiling. (Question: what the %^#$ are they smiling about?)
• Factoid: the Bahamas (a British commonwealth) is an archipelago of over 700 islands, many privately owned. Archipelago is a fun word to say
• After the stingrays, we returned to Nassau where we took a cab to the Atlantis Hotel. Although geographically out of place, this Atlantis reconstruction is impressive. A reported 2 billion USD went into it’s creation. (RBDN exclusive travel tip: Atlantis aquarium entrance fee before 6pm: $32/person. Entrance fee after 6pm: $0/person)
• Negotiated with beach people for wave runners. (Here are some friendly negotiating tips from the RBDN MBA advice department: immediately balk at first offer “anchoring” attempt and counter with absurdness (to prevent anchoring), introduce other factors, be ready to walk away.)
• Walked around Nassau, got a Jamba juice, hit the awesome biggest aquarium ever (giant stingrays with wingspans of over 12 feet), jelly fish, saw-fish sharks, hammerhead sharks, etc.)
• Returned to ship for dinner of roasted duck and excellent escargot bourgeoisie

Day 3

• Our European traveling companions get testy over our late start. A little American humor and they are in better spirits
• The ship is docked at sea, 1/4 mile off the coast of CoCo Cay, an island Royal Caribbean owns (note to self: buy a Caribbean island for future summer home.) Getting to the island means catching a ride on a “tender”, which is a 250 passenger boat that ferries passengers ashore. CoCo Cay is about 3 miles in circumference, and I’m happy to say I circumnavigated the length of it before settling down into a chase for some afternoon suntanning in the pleasant, balmy weather.
• Soon enough, I tire of roasting in the solar oven. we wander over to the paddle boats. Kathi and I get a dud of a boat which barely works, though it tires my quads out immensely. We then switch over to the Hobie Cat, a small catamaran (sailboat with dual pontoons) for some speed sailing, wave jumping action. Note to self: buy a Hobie Cat this summer!
• Mid-cruise reflection: cruises are really about flexibility– you can do a little, or a lot (240 activities), eat a little, or a lot (24 hour food)

Day 4

• The big diesel engines aboard our ship motor us to Florida’s Key West during the night. To reenter the US, we have to pass through immigration. Key West is filled with art galleries and quaint shops. I snatch up a bag of souvenirs and chalk up 5 or so miles in my perambulations. Also, I get scratched up as I creatively hopped some fences and scaled a brier-entwined precipice escaping from a dead-end, shortcut attempt. Lots of shops selling tee-shirts featuring text of corny pirate innuendos like “surrender the booty!”

Day 5

• Return to Miami. Pass through customs. Head to “Tropic” hostel, situated conveniently convenient to South Beach.
• Stow bags at hostel (except laptop), take shuttle to Everglade air boat tour excursion. See crocodiles. Hold a baby crocodile (mouth taped shut). Nearly purchase a crocodile head at the gift shop (I decide that I want a whole crocodile, not just a decapitated crocodile dead. Sadly no full-bodied crocs to be had.)
• Things I learned about hostels (this was my first experience): no towels, no room service, no maid service, tower of babel in the front lobby (massive mix of languages), no TV, no thermostat, no knocking of staff before randomly entering

Day 6

• Beach, beach and more beach. Eat at Tapas restaurant. Girls visit a hookah lounge in an attempt to get cancer.

Day 7

• Travel home day– Delta (unlike US Airways*) provides 24 channels of TV for free! that entertainment combined with my new iPod and extended battery Dell laptop and an empty seat beside me, suddenly air travel doesn’t suck nearly as much. If only I had Internet access for my laptop…

Apologies for the topless photo…

A lot of people want to be like James Bond. 007 has a lot going for him. He’s constantly cool, ever beloved by the ladies and always a step ahead of the bad guys. However, if we’re being honest, most have to admit that we cannot dream of being an awesome secret agent if we don’t possess the requisite skills and abilities. What are those skills? Here’s a short list of essential spy know-how:

• Aircraft piloting
• Aggressive vehicle driving (motorcycle and automobile)
• Demolitions
• Firearm proficiency
• Fashion (tuxedo-wearing, bow-tie tying, etc)
• Scuba diving
• Hang gliding
• Sky diving
• Foreign language speaking
• Gambling
• Fine dining
• Seduction
• Watercraft piloting
• Horseback riding
• Fencing

I’ve highlighted the items I have some experience with. Which ones would you have bolded?

src: http://www.jamesbondcollege.com/index_files/Page365.htm

I snapped this pic in downtown SLC a few days ago…

I’ve received a lot of email about how the decreased number of RBDN posts during the first 45 days of ‘09 has led to mass depression. Hordes of people want to know what I’ve been up to lately. Here’s an incomplete list:

1. Migrated all my websites to a new server after a system crash
2. Upgraded my blog software to the latest version — I can now post blogs from my iPhone!
3. Read a number of children’s books
4. Went to Provo traffic school for a ticket I didn’t deserve
5. Cooked chicken fettuccine (I don’t cook often…)
6. Started SCUBA diving lessons — just one more to go before I’m certified.
7. Worked on a video campaign supporting Utah Senate Bill 14 (which helps our local movie industry)
8. Worked on an AWESOME iPhone app (to be released soon!!!)
9. Studied Chinese and French 1 hr/week (per my new year’s resolution)
10. Taught a couple of Elder’s Quorum Lessons (one featuring Elephant Toothpaste…)
11. Sprinted up the stairs to the top of a 20+ story building on a bet (and did it in record time)
12. Joined an ultimate fighting training gym (Throwdown, in Orem)
13. Watched the movie “Taken“
14. Finally cleared the snow off my sidewalk (using salt)
15. Attended a gun show
16. Learned to bump fire my AK47
17. Had an emergency root canal
18. Spoke at the funeral of my uncle
19. Started production of a commercial training video for a shoe company
20. Manned the camera in the filming of a short comedic film (in a college elevator)
21. Consulted for a local marketing company
22. Pulled my brother’s SUV from a ditch after he tried to off-road in the snow
23. Got a mini-fridge for my basement

What have you been doing?

A local cafe I ate lunch at yesterday featured these pink-iced cookies with “NO” on them. I bought one, obviously. Tasty.

Happy St. Valentine’s Day

If you’re anything like me, you love books. You probably have Barnes and Noble and Border’s member cards and you probably spend a fair amount of time on the weekends at those stores browsing for new books to read. Still, there is something missing from those big-chain establishments, some of the romance of out-of-print, used and rare books. Fortunately, there are three famed, independent, used book shops in Salt Lake City: Sam Wellers, Ken Sanders and The King’s English Bookshop. A few days ago I found myself for the first time at Sam Wellers Books for a quick lunch (they have a small in-house cafe). The cafe has great baguette turkey and ham sandwiches. The pain-o-chocolate (normally a favorite pastry) was comme-ci, comme-ca, but the San Pellegrino Italian Soda (in both Limonata and Aranciata) made the entire experience noteworthy.

Sam Wellers is a multi-leveled, cozy maze of rooms and halls lined with a hodgepodge of teetering stacks of books furnished with comfy chairs tucked away in nooks and alcoves. Artsy, intellectual types scurry about shelving books while a musty smell of old paper floats through the air.

The Sam Wellers shop was built on an old jazz dance hall, and in the basement, the original dance floor and retro mirrored columns are still visible. On the down-low, a labyrinth of secret passageways are rumored to hide behind the array of bookcases.

Sam features an eclectic array of literature of all types and subjects (I snapped a few pics of interesting book covers for you.) I could easily spend hours pouring over the volumes. It’s a treasure trove of ancient and modernish books, priced perfectly for the bargain-shopper. On the lowest floor, a concrete bunker room, (once used to house fur coats during the summer), even has books for as low as a dollar.

Interested in rare books? On the top floor, to the north, you’ll find an entire, large room of uncommon hard and soft covers (protected behind an iron grated door.)

So, to add flavor to your reading diet, try spicing your regime with some independent book stores. I think you’ll enjoy the departure.