Burnt Out

I’m so over school. This semester has burned me out. I took 13 credits with 6 of those credits including Computer Science classes. I have also worked 20 hours a week at Domo. My weekends have been my only down time. I have recently change my major to Economics, and I am planning on graduating in April 2016. I’m really excited about my new major. I know it’s going to be tough given the difficulty of all the Econ courses, but I am just excited to get out of BYU. At this point in my life, I feel as though school is holding me back. I just want to get my degree and move on with my life. I won’t have much of a summer this year, but I will be knocking out three classes and be that much closer to graduating. I will have a degree in Economics, which is extremely marketable. I want to stay in the technology industry, because I really enjoy development. I want to gain the technical skills to become a front-end web developer and have a degree that will give me opportunities to get into banking. I feel as though I will have plenty of opportunities to make a lot of money.

-Craig

“Happiness isn’t about getting what you want all the time, it’s about loving what you have”

Thanksgiving Break

It was a MUCH needed break. The school grind was really getting to me. Every day I wake up around 6 something and I usually don’t get home until around 7. During that time, I’m either doing school work, or working at DOMO. During the break I stayed in Happy Valley with my in laws. It seems like most of the time we played a card game named Scum. The first time I played it was with my family in Lake Tahoe during our family reunion over the summer. It is very addicting. There are tons of kids in my wife’s family so there were plenty of people. Also, the highlight of the break was without a doubt my NEW TV! I got a 55” LG LED. It was a steal. I have been wanting a new tv for about three years and I finally got one. It’s sitting in my wife and I’s room just staring at me in the face. It’s huge, and I love it. I can’t wait to mount it in a new house next year. That’s the plan.

-Craig

“Happiness isn’t about getting what you want all the time, it’s about loving what you have”

BYU: Love/Hate Relationship

Good ole Brigham. I love it and hate it. I love BYU because of what it stands for. The morals that are associated with the school. I really love how everyone is educated and there aren’t any hooligans that attend the university. Everyone is really nice and no one steals your laptop when you leave the library for a snack. I love attending the football and basketball games (most of the time). I love the opportunity that comes from receiving an education at such a great institution.

Now there is also another side to this story. I really hate how everyone is so worried about getting an A they would kill you if they had to. I feel like I’m average when it comes to intelligence, but it hardly compares to the many valedictorians that I attend school with.I really hate how I have to apply to programs within the school. I pay to attend the university, yet I have to jump through loops to take classes that I am most interested in. I hate how the CS department is so behind the times. The professors are old, and there isn’t even a mobile development class offered. Over 70% of executives do more business on the mobile device than their computer.

Anyways, rant over. There are many positive and negative things about BYU, but ultimately the pros outweigh the cons.

Go Cougs.

-Craig

“Happiness isn’t about getting what you want all the time, it’s about loving what you have”

The Walking Dead

The Walking Dead is the most popular television show ever. My wife and I love it. We can’t get enough of it. We have been captivated since the first season. The characters have been developed and I have grown attached to those who have survived the zombie apocalypse. Just last week, The Walking Dead more than doubled the second place cable television show when it comes to social score. The social score is derived from show names on social media, Twitter handles, Twitter hashtags, and major characters. The Season 5 premiere has climbed to more than 22 million viewers including DVR. This show has struck a cord with young viewers all across the nation. It is on AMC, which a lot of families have with their satellite or cable plans, instead of HBO which only comes with the premium packages. The Walking Dead is full of twists and turns, gory violence, and many themes including: having hope during dire circumstances, love, and friendship. I can’t wait until the show comes on tonight.

-Craig

“Happiness isn’t about getting what you want all the time, it’s about loving what you have”

California

I am a native son of the Golden West. I was born in Jackson, CA, in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada’s, gold country. My high school is in Sutter Creek, named after John Sutter, the man who was instrumental in the discovery of gold in California. I am proud to be from California, but not like a loud, obnoxious, Texas pride. Honestly, I think my home state is THE best state in the nation. Granted we have a horrible budget and we are in a terrible debt crisis, the state is home to just about anything you could ask for. Beautiful beaches along the coast of the entire state are the largest attractions that California boasts. Huge mountains from the likes of Mount Shasta, Mount Whitney, and of course, the amazing valley of Yosemite. We go snowboarding and surfing year round. I love my home state and I couldn’t ask for a better place to be raised.

-Craig

“Happiness isn’t about getting what you want all the time, it’s about loving what you have”

World Series Champions

They did it! The San Francisco Giants are the 2014 World Series Champions. After getting blown out in Game 6 with a score of 10-0, the Giants bounced back and pulled out Game 7 to take home the World Series trophy for the 3rd time in 5 years. I would have to say that I am pretty lucky to be a Giants fan. In 2010, the Giants won the World Series the day I returned home from my two year church mission. I watched the Giants win in 2012 at my then girlfriend, now wife’s apartment in Provo. Last Wednesday I jumped out of my seat and jumped in the air more than a few times at my in-law’s house. Madison Bumgarner was honored with the MVP trophy due to the best postseason performance ever. Bumgarner ended this World Series with a 0.29 career ERA, the best ever with 20 or more innings pitched. I consider myself extremely lucky to be able to watch the big kid from North Carolina pitch 3 gems this World Series. He was virtually unhittable. In true Giants fashion, they barely pulled out the win with an error in center field and almost an inside the park home run. Luckily Bumgarner continue his excellent performance and popped up Salvador Perez which was caught by Pablo Sandoval. Celebration ensued not only by the Giants on the field, but by every Giants fan around the nation.

-Craig

“Happiness isn’t about getting what you want all the time, it’s about loving what you have”

October Together

What a postseason this has been. The Giants never cease to amaze me. The World Series is currently tied 2-2, with Madison Bumgarner on the mound against the Kansas City Royals. They are currently leading the game 1-0 going into the bottom of the 4th inning. Last night’s game was definitely one for the books. Pablo Sandoval had the bases juiced with 2 outs in the 6th inning, and ended up getting a base hit to score 2. Then Hunter Pence got on, with Brandon Belt getting a base knock to get another insurance run. This past school week has been one of my busiest, and the Giants haven’t made it any easier on me. I absolutely love watching my team win. I am crossing my fingers so they pull this game out. Going into Kansas City and only having to win 1 out of 2 will be a situation any team would want in the World Series. The Giants have stuck to their style of play — “torture” — for most of the postseason. Last night though, they really poured the runs on to even the series 2-2. Every player on the roster has played a key role during this year’s postseason, and it has been great to watch everything unfold. Let’s hope they keep the pattern of winning the World Series on every even year – 2010, 2012, and hopefully 2014.

-Craig

“Happiness isn’t about getting what you want all the time, it’s about loving what you have”

Buy a Coke

This week I received an assignment from my MCOM 320 professor to buy a coke for a stranger this weekend. My parents came in for the weekend to visit my wife and I and we all went to Ikea to looks at bed frames. My wife and I have been in need of a new one. Now Ikea, what a workout. If there is a place that can really wear you out, it’s Ikea. Anyways, as we were leaving I knew I had to fulfill the assignment. When you finally reach the end of the maze they call Ikea, they offer food and snacks. I went up to this gentleman in line, and asked politely if I could buy his drink for him. He looked at me like I was crazy for a second, then obliged. It felt really good to do something for a complete stranger. Who knows, maybe he paid it forward and bough a drink for someone else. It was so awesome, I’m going to keep doing this. Well that’s all.

– Craig

“Happiness isn’t about getting what you want all the time, it’s about loving what you have”

Ione, CA

Ione, CA is small town in Amador County that you probably have never heard about. It also is my hometown. The population is about 7-8 thousand, half coming from the Mule Creek State Prison. It was a perfect small town to grow up in for many reasons: little to no crime, no traffic, close knit community. Speaking of no traffic, we don’t have a traffic light in Ione. Pretty cool, huh? Anyways, I went to Amador High School and played 3 sports: basketball, football, and tennis. My first love was and is basketball, with football and tennis coming in close as well. Golfing and watching my Giants are also favorite pastimes. Anyways, I left Ione in 2008 to serve a mission for my church (LDS) and my parents moved to Reno shortly after I returned in 2010. Suffice to say I haven’t been back to Ione since 2010 (and that was for a small time), but I will always consider that town “home.” I will never forget playing basketball at the elementary school, swimming at the junior high all summer, and riding four wheelers and horses at my friend’s house growing up. Those are awesome memories and I wouldn’t trade my hometown for anything. I-Town for life!

-Craig

“Happiness isn’t about getting what you want all the time, it’s about loving what you have”

My 9 to 5

Domo: a business intelligence technology company that is redefining the way businesses use their data. If anyone knows how much I love my job, it’s my wife. I think she is actually pretty tired hearing how awesome Domo is. First off, I am just an intern and learning how to program at BYU, and I’m getting paid a dream rate when it comes to college students. Secondly, the FOOD. Domo provides every meal while I am at work. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Not to mention the fully stocked kitchen with snacks and drinks. Third, Domo provided me with a 15” Mackbook Pro with Retina Display with 16GB of RAM. My laptop is straight killin it! I am excited every time I go into work. My coworkers are always willing to help and are super chill. My boss never breathes down my neck, and respects me as an adult. I am a Quality Assurance Intern, which basically means that I am testing our product throughout the entire development cycle. I absolutely love my job. We are actually having a pre-game tailgate party tonight and they are bringing in food trucks galore — all for free. By the way, I made it in the new recruiting video which you can check out by clicking on this link: http://www.domo.com/company/careers

– Craig

“Happiness isn’t about getting what you want all the time, it’s about loving what you have”