Everyone should have an Anna in their life

I got to spend Wednesday through Monday in Arizona. The highlight of my trip was Anna. For those of you that don't know I have a 2 year old niece. Now I know some of you have two neices, maybe a nephew here or there, heck you may even have 26 nieces and nephews. Well for the next two and a half months I have only one and her name is Anna. She's always been adorable (for additional pictures see www.thebarraganfamily.blogspot.com)

This weekend was all Anna. She's amazing, we were playing scrabble and she was looking at my letters, she then said "A". I thought "okay she knows 'A' and she got lucky."
I showed her a "Q" (10 point letter) and she said "O" then "Q". I had her guess five other letters and she nailed them. This kid is two years old. She's a friggin genius.




The next game was rummy. Anna started listing all my cards by their numeric value.

I learned two things from that experience. First Anna knows her numbers and letters and second I need to make sure she stops revealing my game hands.



We watched Sponge Bob Square Pants and even went to the lake and pool. I love Anna. You should get to know her, she'll lighten your world.

The World Famous Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Jazz Basketball is there anything better (Okay Foo FIghters and Yankees' Baseball but I'm in Utah)

Mother's Day and I decided to do something that everyone should do at least once. I went and saw the Mormon Tabernacle Choir in its "Music and the Spoken Word" performance. The performance was great. You have to get there early to get your seats. We, Brooke and I sat in the front row. Prior to the live performance (which is the longest running performance in U.S.) they introduce several promenant attendees. Unfortunately I was not noted. Next time perhaps. Janice Kapp Perry who is a big deal with Mormon music was there because they were playing her song. The music was inspirational. They started with "Morning has Broken" a song that Cat Stevens covers and lots of other people. One of the songs during the middle of the performance had a snare drum. The acoustics made it sound as if it was right overhead. It was awesome. They closed the presentation as they always do singing "God be With You Til We Meet Again." After the show I was even able to get my picture taken with real live Mormon Tabernacle Choir peoples!



The best part was later that night. You see the Utah Jazz were having Game 4 of the Western Conference Semi Finals. During the game they were showing some of the more notable Utah attractions and wouldn't you know it there we were front and center. You could totally see us. I even re-wound the television, which you can do these days, and saw it again and again. All in all it was a great experience.

Oh yeah and then there's this guy...

Dun Da Da Na Na Dun Na Nana Nana Na Nah Nah Nah

Lots of people, like lots, saw the Iron Man movie this week...




But what they didn't get to do was see it three weeks early like me and Craig Tovey.

So without further adu I'd like to tell you the story of how Craig Tovey and Chris Barragan saw Iron Man three weeks early...

I just quit my job and had the rest of the day to play. Craig and I met at one of those Baja Fresh/Mexi Fresh places that have the fish tacos (I decided to go for it and they were muy tasty). Anyhow Brooke and her family were with us and we were all having a nice meal. When Brooke had to go back to work I asked Craig if he wanted to go see a movie. He said he did and we made our way over to the dollar theater.

There was nothing playing. I mean there were tons of things playing if you like crap (The Game Plan featuring Dwyane "The Rock" Johnson, 27 Dresses featuring that girl from Knocked Up and the X-Men guy) so we decided to go to the Century 10 on 33rd and State street.

When we got there once again crap movies. But wait a second, private screening, what does that mean?

"Excuse me, what's the private screening?" says Chris Barragan. "That's for the Salt Lake film critics, they're watching Iron Man."

"Oh really?!" Chris Barragan replies "We'll have two for that please."

"You can't buy tickets for it." states the ticket counter girl.

At this point I could see that she didn't really like her job and she wouldn't care what we did after we had our tickets ripped.

"Okay give me two tickets for anything playing"

"What do you want?"

"I don't know, Drillbit Taylor."

So we took our tickets and proceeded to fake out the other underpaid movie house employees on our way to Iron Man. Once inside we were immediately greeted by our credential asking tardy guard.

"Are you with the Salt Lake film critics"

Now before we came in we started developing a poorly designed plan for how we were going to pull this off. Craig, once confronted would tell any security people that he worked for Fuel Marketing, that should do the trick. As for how we were to get out...

"Once the movie ends please come see me so that I can get you information" say tardy woman.

We started watching the movie. It's awesome. You can now watch it without deception and truly enjoy the experience.

So as the movie went on I would have moments where I freaked out. How are we gonna get out of here. Then I'd look over to Craig Tovey and he was as cool as could be.

Five minutes before the end of the movie I leaned over to Craig Tovey and asked "What's the plan? What do we write on her form?" Craig Tovey's reply "I kinda thought that when the credits start rolling we run like hell."

So that was the plan, the credits roll we run in the dark like hell. The only problem was when the credits began to roll the lights immediately came up and there we were sitting in the front of the theater for all to see.

So what did I do? Well I just calmly got up, made eye contact with tardy woman and began toward her. Three steps toward her and then I bolted. I ran as fast as I could, first out of the double doors to the lobby, then immediately to my left and out the back exit. Craig was at one point on my heels but quickly passed me as we made a dash for the car. I didn't look back. I didn't want to see tardy lady running after me.

We got to the car short of breath and laughing our heads off. Two grown men acting like kids, dressed professionally, outrunning the law.

When we got in the car Craig Tovey said "Do you really think that fat lady was gonna chase after us?" we bursted into laughter it was classic.

So that's how Craig Tovey and I saw Iron Man three weeks before it opened.

And then there's this guy...