Best Quotes of 2010, Pt. 1

To wrap up 2010, I have collected some of the most memorable lines from our favorite posts, which forms a narrative of our year.

January

I would be dumb not to leave my diet plans in the hands of the restaurant that created "Fourthmeal" (that's the meal between dinner and breakfast) and offers tantalizing menu items like the Beefy 5-Layer Burrito. The Drive-Thru Diet // 1.07.10

If the [A-Team] movie doesn't feature countless rounds of ammunition being fired without anyone actually getting shot, or at least one scene where the bad guys roll their car half a dozen times only to climb out totally unscathed, I will be very disappointed. 2010 Coming Attractions // 1.19.10

When I started the odyssey that is Junior High, I was in for a few surprises. One being that I was now being forced to shower after gym class, but another was soda machines at school... and they were stocked with Crystal Pepsi! Catching Some Waves // 1.22.10

February

Time to celebrate, C-3PO. Your "realistic metalized body" is free from its plastic prison. Free C-3PO // 2.04.10

Since my Dad seemingly only liked the Beach Boys, and the edgiest thing in my Mom's record collection was the Ray Conniff Singers, some of the Piano Man's saltier lyrical passages like "the microphone smells like a beer" were met with parental opposition. Albums I Grew Up On: Road Trippin' // 2.11.10

Q: Is there really a difference between pairs figure skating and ice dancing? A: Pairs figure skating involves more pumping up the jam. Olympic Answers // 2.28.10

March

Memo to owners of old timey theaters still in use—please only show cool movies. My work is unavoidably sullied when tripe like "Tooth Fairy" is emblazoned on the marquee. Friendly Fillmore // 3.07.10

A woman gets a little crazy where her maternal instincts are concerned. Just ask Dave. Krissy's Life in Film, Pt. 1 // 3.15.10

Since this isn't officially licensed merchandise, the trick has been to make them sexy, but not so sexy that we infringe copyright. Sexy Vampire Candles // 3.17.10


April

This spinning whatchamacallit appears to be a close relative of last year's infamous leg swinging thingamajig. Spin City // 4.11.10

Today I am taking a look at two diametrically opposing albums from my past which represent a conflict as old as the dawn of man. Brawn vs. brains. Jock vs. nerd. Cool hair vs. big glasses. Actually, forget I mentioned hair. Albums I Grew Up On: Butt Rock vs. Geek Rock // 4.15.10

Who wouldn't want a life of excitement and adventure, outsmarting genetically engineered dinosaurs in an amusement park gone wrong? Krissy's Life in Film, Pt. 2 // 4.25.10

May

It's never good to be the fifth man stuffed into a two man truck cab, especially when the other four are Tongans. Ten Things... I Learned From Bailey's Moving & Storage // 5.07.10

What better way to conclude this series than with Mini Elvis cutting in on a Stormtrooper's would be street corner photo-ops? What Happened in Vegas, Pt. 2 // 5.25.10

Yes, unfortunately [Pizzeria 712] is in Orem. But since readers of a Utah County newspaper once voted Panda Express best Chinese food in the valley, perhaps they need to experience a higher standard of dining. We Heart More Pizza // 5.26.10

June

I remember endlessly extolling the virtues of Hootie to my seemingly oblivious classmates in 9th grade geometry. Albums I Grew Up On: '90s Jangle Pop // 6.07.10

McFly knocks Biff out cold in the past, thus rendering him a fruity, track suit-wearing auto detailer in the present. The One-Dimensional Movie Villain Hall of Fame // 6.14.10


With the help of peeonastick.com, I learned that the faintness of the line is not important as long as the color matches. A Tasty Morsel // 6.16.10

Home for the Holidays

With Kristen being within a month of her due date, we decided to play it safe and stay home for Christmas this year.

During the afternoon on Christmas Eve we went to the Living Planet Aquarium. When we told Eddie we were going to see some fishes, he asked if "Brucie" (the shark from Finding Nemo) would be there. We gave a noncommittal "we'll see," but were pleasantly surprised to find that there actually was a large model of Brucie hanging from the gift shop ceiling. Eddie was alternately terrified and mesmerized. He also enjoyed seahorses, the penguins, and a sea turtle he called "Dude" upon first glance.

While we missed spending time with family, it was nice for the three of us to share a quiet Christmas at home. We even pulled out the china and crystal for a delicious feast of roast beef, cheesy potatoes, garlic knots, and veggies. After dinner we had a modest Christmas Eve program before shipping Eddie off to bed so we could do the Santa Claus thing.

Kristen and I purchased a new TV and entertainment center over Thanksgiving weekend, so that was our gift to each other. But other presents from family included a panini press for me and a Nook electronic reader for Kristen.

We gave Eddie a new toy box as well a little card table and chairs for his room. We also got him a Sheriff Woody doll (which has gone to bed with him pretty much every night since). His grandparents and extended family made sure he got every other stitch of Toy Story merchandise available on store shelves this season.

I captured a good portion of Christmas morning on the video camera which I then cut together into this short video. It includes Eddie's rendition of "You've Got A Friend In Me," as well as something every parent has to deal with when the wrapping paper comes off. Enjoy!

Merry Christmas

Last Minute Gift Ideas

As per blog tradition the last few years, I humbly submit some last minute gift suggestions for our family.

For Dave: SmashBurger Gift Card(s)

With your help we'll be eating at SmashBurger 'til the cows come home. Which they won't. Because they'll be getting made into smashburgers.

For Kristen: A New Pair of "Potato Sacks"

When she was pregnant with Eddie, Kristen innocently bought a pair of pajama pants. The drawstring waist has a fringe-like edge that resembles a potato sack, inspiring me to give them this nickname. They are very baggy, and when she's not pregnant she could probably fit inside one leg.

Long story short, she needs an extra pair because none of her other pajama pants currently fit. So, when her potato sacks are in the wash, she is forced to wear my warmup pants instead (which she has dubbed "jazz pants" because of the shiny material they are made out of). Are we the only couple that gives each others' pants nicknames?

Alternate: The Cat Who...Cookbook

For Eddie: Pickle Things by Marc Brown

One of the few things Eddie will consistently eat are pickles (just take a look at the sandwich he had at Leger's Deli last week). Well, there just so happens to be an obscure book from my childhood called Pickle Things that effortlessly weaves rhymes like "pickle things you never see, like pickles on a Christmas Tree," and so forth. My parents' copy now resides at the family cabin, so we only get to enjoy its briney goodness a few times a year. It is long since out of print, but can be found on eBay for exorbitant prices.

Alternate: A trip to the ocean to swim with dolphins.

"You never hear a pickle talk. You never see a pickle walk."

The Happy Elf

I asked Eddie to smile for a picture so we could make an elf video, and well, you'll see what I got. It's true to life, that's all I can say.

O Rainy Night

We spent a rainy Thursday night making our annual pilgrimage downtown to see the Temple Square lights. Luckily the moisture we received was fairly light, and as an added bonus it created some interesting reflections.

A friendly passerby kindly offered to take a photo of the three of us. Of course it was at this moment that Eddie decided to freak out and show off his headless horseman impression.

Sure, Eddie liked the lights, but his favorite part of the excursion was the water features. He really, really wanted to touch it, get in it, you name it, but his stick in the mud parents are kind of opposed to hypothermia.

Kristen grumbled something under her breath about Eddie falling in while Daddy was busy taking pictures. "But what a memorable picture it would be!" I said, dodging an icy look.

Digesting Inception

I have to marvel at director Christopher Nolan's phenomenal 6-year run of Batman Begins, The Prestige, The Dark Knight, and now Inception. Try as I might, I can't imagine what a bad movie by Nolan might look like. Balancing impeccable artistic vision with an apparent lack of ego, his rise has been as meteoric as M. Night Shyamalan's fall.

In getting an anxiously-awaited chance to revisit Inception on Blu-ray this week, I wanted to take this opportunity to look back at my unexpected reaction to one of the film's most famous scenes when we saw it theatrically last summer—the rotating hallway fight.

With all the precision of a fine Swiss wristwatch, the parameters of the story have been copiously laid in place. Then this gravity-bending sequence kicks off the film's main setpiece, and you witness how one dream layer can really mess with the physics of the next layer.

Watch Clip

It also happened to be at this very moment in the theater when the chicken and waffle dinner I downed just before showtime started rotating in my intestines, and I had a sudden, forceful urge to have a bowel movement.

As the urge persisted I started to panic. I was completed and utterly invested in this cinematic jigsaw puzzle. How could I possibly get up and go to the bathroom? If I left now, even for a few brief minutes, I would no doubt be totally lost upon my return. I squirmed in my seat. I clenched the armrests. Beads of sweat formed on my brow. But I fought through it and the urge subsided.

You are probably now wondering why on earth I would share this with you. Well, because this rather, ahem, personal experience rather effectively sums up my feelings about the movie as a whole. Inception—so awesome, I nearly pooped my pants.

Ten Things...

...I Have Learned Through a Life of Consumerism

10. Books have stayed the same for hundreds of years. Electronic readers will be different by next week.

9. I know when it's real, and Wendy's isn't it.

8. Nobody ever really asks before declaring something to be "America's favorite."

7. It's totally worth it to add another item on your order to qualify for free shipping—even if said item costs three times the standard shipping rates.

6. Every movie franchise that stalled after one sequel will be revived to take advantage of the current 3D fad (i.e. Men In Black 3D, xXx 3D).

5. There will always be another "One Day Only!" clearance sale at JCPenney.

4. You can put a price on anything (i.e. Charlie Brown's Christmas tree, a symbol decrying the over-commercialization of the season, can be purchased at Hobby Lobby for $19.95).

3. Something can't be "world famous" if you've never heard of it. (i.e. the world famous Pillow Talk Motel in Wellington, UT).

2. Comcast, DirecTV, and Dish Network all have more HD channels than each other. Read the fine print to find out how.

1. Never shop at Walmart on a Saturday.

Feeling Crafty, Pt. 2

Car Seat Canopy

Since car seat canopies are all the rage these days, I decided that Morsel needed to have one. I found a tutorial online here, bought some fun fabric, and sewed this puppy up pretty quickly. It is a really easy project that could probably be done in an hour if you do things from start to finish in one sitting (which I don't). The best part is, the canopy coordinates with the car seat cover that I made as well.

Wipe Case Cover

One night while I was lying in bed not sleeping (that happens a lot these days), I started thinking about projects I still wanted to do. I have ample amounts of leftover fabric from various projects, so I thought I ought to make use of it to turn our not-so-cute Winnie the Pooh wipe case into a ridiculously cutesy custom wipe case. I used leftover fabric from the canopy, along with some ribbons and crocheted flowers I got from Stampin' Up to cover the case. The tutorial I followed is here. This project probably took me between 1-2 hours, but shouldn't have taken that long. I was being a little bit particular about lining things up and gluing the ribbon edges down. Really, it should probably not take more than 45 minutes to do. Of course, if you have a toddler like Eddie, you might end up re-doing all the gluing after he dismantles it.

Car Seat Cover

And now for the one you've all been waiting for... the car seat cover. Even before we found out that Morsel is a girl, I had thought about doing something to change up the look of our car seat. I had seen someone's car seat at church where they had made a slip cover for the seat, so I started looking for tutorials on how to do that. The problem with a slip cover is that it is not quite as fitted and, well, looks like a slip cover. I wasn't sure what I wanted to do when I found a great tutorial on Etsy (check out the shop here). I still wasn't sure if I had the sewing skills to pull it off, but once we found out we were having a girl, I decided to give it a shot. After all, I couldn't have a baby girl riding around in a blue and gray car seat... could I? I bought the tutorial and read through it 5 times before finally undertaking what I thought was a daunting task.

It turned out to be easier than I thought it would be. The toughest parts for me were getting the holes for the straps the right size and trying to sew darts to actually lie flat. I didn't really succeed in either, so don't look too closely. But the actual sewing was pretty easy. The seat itself turned out to be quite the circus of color, but I think it is cute, and will be even cuter with a little Morsel in it come January. Plus, thanks to my amazing foresight, the cover coordinates with the canopy (which, coincidentally, coordinates with the wipe case).

This Day in History

November 24

1784 Zachary Taylor is born, the 12th President of the United States. Taylor was the last President to hold slaves while in office, and the last member of the Whig party to win a presidential election.

1859 Charles Darwin's On the Origin of Species is published.

1868 Scott Joplin is born, composer of the ragtime classic "The Entertainer."

1887 Victorien Sardou's play La Tosca premieres in Paris, but doesn't reach its full potential until the opera adaptation is juxtaposed with sexy Daniel Craig shenanigans in Quantum of Solace.

1888 Dale Carnegie is born, renowned self-help lecturer and author of How to Win Friends and Influence People.

1947 John Steinbeck's novel The Pearl is published.

1954 Air Force One, the first U.S. Presidential airplane, is christened.

1960 Wilt Chamberlain pulls down 55 rebounds in a game, an NBA record that still stands today.

1969 The Apollo 12 command module splashes down safely in the Pacific Ocean, ending the second manned mission to the Moon.

1978 Katherine Heigl is born, almost single-handedly keeping the chick flick genre alive into the 21st century.

1984 Dr. Harlow Smoot plans to attend the BYU-Utah State football game in Provo, informing Rene and Teresa Andrews that they can have their baby before or after the game. The Cougars win the game 38-13, but talk about the Cougars' undefeated season and national championship hopes are quickly overshadowed by the birth of Kristen Nicole Andrews.

Happy birthday, Kristen!

Sunday Snowy Sunday

As Eddie was climbing out of bed at 7:00 am on Sunday morning, I asked if he wanted to look out the window to see the newly fallen snow. He excitedly responded "yeah!" and sprinted across the hall into our room. After having to point out all the things outside that had snow on them (houses, cars, trees, etc.), he was so anxious to experience the snow for himself that he asked if he could "go out the window." For those who may be unfamiliar with the layout of our house, our bedroom is on the second story.

Once the window request was denied, Eddie continued to ask "wanna go outside?" all the way down the stairs, then burst into tears when we insisted that he eat breakfast first (chocolate chip muffins no less). So at 7:20 we were pulling snow clothes out of the closet, and by 7:30 Eddie and I were stepping out into the winter wonderland.

Kristen joined us shortly thereafter, as soon as she managed to zip her coat over her pregnant belly.

Eddie puts the finishing touches on our little snowman, and by finishing touches I mean he is about to topple him over.

This is pure snow! Do you have any idea what the street value of this courtyard is?

Of all the days of Eddie's life, this one was probably in the top 5 (minus the part where he slipped on some ice walking to church and bonked his head on the sidewalk). The morning did turn out to be quite lovely, and thankfully not as cold as we first feared. Still, I'm pretty sure Kristen and I deserve some sort of parents of the year award.

Sandwiches Unlimited

We are well overdue for another look at the local sandwich scene as my last post came all the way back in August of 2009. We've checked out so many places since then that I deemed it necessary to pull a few off this list to save for next time (expect that post to land sometime in early 2012).

Coronado Subs
2762 W 12600 S, Riverton

As far as I know Coronado Subs has very little to do with Coronado Island—other than sandwich names like "The Captain," and a few perfunctory oars and life preservers hanging on the walls—but who am I to nitpick? I have tried nearly everything on the menu in the short time they have been in business (maybe six months), and haven't gotten seasick once (badum).

The Italian Place
48 Federal Avenue, Logan

The Italian Place is a quirky joint with a confusing menu hidden on an obscure alleyway in the heart of downtown Logan. What's not to love about that sentence? One thing I'm curious about is its relationship with the Italian Place franchise with various locations in Utah County (which we have yet to try). They have the same basic logo, yet they utilize separate websites. Does anyone know the sordid backstory behind these apparent rivals?



New York Deli
36 N State Street, Preston

Our sandwich quest has taken us all over Utah, and now for the first time it has taken us to the faraway land of Idaho. And let me tell you, it was well worth the trip. These sandwiches are piled high with a half pound of mouthwatering slow smoked meat. And in the most lopsided fight of the century, the meat absolutely destroys the overmatched hoagie roll. But the real victor is the happy patron—stuffed silly, but with enough leftovers to get you through next week.

Port of Subs
177 W. 12300 South, Draper

Our second nautical-themed sub shop of this post actually just opened in Draper this week. Being the sandwich enthusiasts that we are, Kristen and I were present to take advantage of their generous grand opening offer of any 5" cold sub for $2. Port of Subs' gimmick of choice is slicing the meat and cheese to order right before your eyes. Why, you ask? To paraphrase the tagline adorning the wall of the restaurant, "because it's better." Any other questions?

San Gelato Café
11259 Kestrel Rise Road, South Jordan

When I first heard that Daybreak was building the SoDa Row shopping district, I loved the concept of our community having its own little "Main Street" (and secretly pined for a single screen art deco movie theater to complete this fantasy). Unfortunately, construction wrapped up right as the economy was tanking, so many of the storefronts are still currently vacant. So it's kind of like a bizarro old timey Main Street where the empty buildings are pristine instead of dilapidated.

Back on point, one of the first businesses to open at SoDa Row was San Gelato Café. Complimenting the large assortment of gelato flavors is the panini, which has a certain high-end flair (translation: it's kind of expensive—about $8 per sandwich). Normally I don't mind paying a little more for exceptional quality (see New York Deli), but the skimpy portions don't quite justify the high price.

I Wish

Don't get me wrong... I am extremely happy to be having a baby in two months. But, I feel that everyone is entitled to complain now and again... and if you're pregnant, you're entitled to complain daily. Besides, since all of Dave's current blog post ideas involve animal parades, I feel okay about taking the reins and posting a few things I wish I could be doing this winter.

Bending Over Without Gasping

I am really looking forward to being able to breathe properly in just two short months. Since the last time I was pregnant, I forgot how much I take for granted being able to tie my shoes, or put on my socks, or paint my toenails without having to pause to catch my breath.

Going to Disneyland

Maybe I'm just getting a little bit of cabin fever, or maybe it is because all sorts of people we know are either taking vacations or planning vacations right now. Whatever it is, I am jealous and I wish we could take Eddie to Disneyland during the holidays. Alas, it is just not practical for us to go at the moment. So we are hoping we'll be able to take a trip in April before Eddie turns 3. Still, that's 5 months away. I can only imagine the cabin fever will be much worse by then.

Skiing

Even though I have only been skiing once (last winter) and couldn't walk for days afterwards, I had so much fun that I have been wanting to go again ever since. Now the ski resorts are opening and I am beginning to wonder if I'll be able to go this winter at all. Obviously, I can't go before the baby is born, but who knows how I'll feel afterwards. I am keeping my fingers crossed that I will recover quickly enough that I'll be able to go at least once before the season ends.

More Cowbell

After my sheep parade post really set the comment board afire, I got thinking about another peculiar animal procession from my past. This one I witnessed several years ago while participating in the USU Summer Design Academy in Switzerland.

In the sleepy mountain resort of Leysin where we stayed, it was not uncommon for the still of dawn to be pierced by the clank of cowbells from a nearby pasture. But one morning, while making my daily pilgrimage to the local bakery for a warm chocolate-filled croissant, the cows got all gussied up with their finest decorative cowbells and floral headpieces and marched right through town. I'm sure there was a reason for this, I just don't remember what it was.

The following video, taken with my old digital camera, will give you a small idea of what this cow cavalcade sounded like. I'll give you a hint—it ought to wipe out any fever the Bruce Dickinson may be suffering from.



But this cow parade wasn't the only bit of bovine business I witnessed whilst in Confederation Helvetica—I was also able to take in some good old fashioned cow fighting. Not content to let bulls get all the glory, when the Héréns breed of cows in the Swiss canton of Valais are released from their barns each Spring, they lock blunted horns "without provocation" to establish the hierarchy within the herd. And the Swiss spectators that congregate on the mountainside are kind enough to bring along some cans of spray paint. Cows are very poor record-keepers after all.

A typical cow fight goes something like this—two cows butt heads, pushing back and forth for a few minutes until one backs down and is eliminated. Eventually the "last cow standing" is declared the leader of the herd and greatly increases in value. It's just about as awesome as it sounds, as you can see in another video.

Sheep Parade

We spent Halloween with Kristen's parents in Cedar City, but what we didn't realize was that our trip also coincided with the town's annual sheep parade—the "highlight event" of the Cedar Livestock & Heritage Festival.

What exactly is a sheep parade, you ask? Well, there's the usual procession of horses fertilizing the pavement, bag pipers playing the "Books of the New Testament" primary song, county beauty queens waving awkwardly, and strangers throwing candy at you.

But for the grand finale, approximately one thousand sheep are herded down Main Street, "providing an exciting glimpse of the Old West and its livestock heritage to spectators along the route."

Coincidentally, we were situated on the parade route right across the street from the old Cedar Theatre. I had already taken some shots of the Cedar earlier this year, but how many opportunities am I gonna get to photograph a theater with a herd of sheep charging across the foreground? It has quickly become one of my favorite Cinematic Utah images.

Carving Time

Kristen and I talked about carving pumpkins all through October, but by the time we finally made our way to the nearest pumpkin patch just a few days before Halloween, we were disappointed to find a pretty sad selection (and a whole lot of mud).

It took some searching (and wheelbarrow rides), but we did eventually find a few non-rotten pumpkins. Then once we got them home I battled a bad case of carver's block, but I finally settled on the house from Psycho. Meanwhile, Kristen carved a Morsel, and Eddie slacked off this year.

Tricks and Treats

Well, another Halloween is in the books. Here are a few shots of my One Ring costume in case you didn't see them plastered all over Facebook. I borrowed the gold velour track suit from a coworker to complete my ensemble. It was almost scary how well it fit me.

And here is the whole Stampin' Up Lord of the Rings crew. How many characters can you identify?

Employees could bring their kids into the office for cubicle trick-or-treating and to get photos taken. Eddie mostly gave his photographer a stoic stare, but he loosened up just long enough to demonstrate how his trunk worked before getting embarrassed and running off.

After hitting up a ward trunk-or-treat, we had to go to a few actual houses to satisfy the Halloween purist in me. Everything was going swimmingly until Eddie wanted us to carry him house to house, then had a breakdown when we insisted he walk. Thus ended his trick-or-treating night. Bucketful of free candy aside, Eddie had a rough weekend thanks to some pesky molars.

One Ring To Rule Them All

It didn't take me long to figure out that Halloween is a pretty big deal at Stampin' Up. By the time I was hired last month, my department had long since decided on a Lord of the Rings theme, so most of the key characters were already spoken for. Faced with settling for a lesser character like Eomer or Denethor, I instead opted for something a little more creative.

I coated a large inner tube with gold spray paint, then after a few painstaking hours with a sharpie, I transformed myself into the symbol of all evil in Middle Earth—The One Ring. There were several other great costumes on our team, helping us earn first place in the group costume category of the company costume contest. Photos are forthcoming, but as part of our presentation we utilized the green screen in the video studio to put together an awesomely bad movie trailer. My primary contribution (aside from my brief scenes) was successfully lobbying to include the Legolas/Gimli "what about side-by-side with a friend?" moment.

Books I Read This Week

Another week, another reading binge. Here are the three books I read in the past week:

The Affinity Bridge // George Mann

I happened upon this book in the "Reader's Choice" section of our library and checked it out on a whim after skimming the back cover. It turned out to be a very interesting read. Apparently it belongs to a sub-genre of science fiction, alternate history, and speculative fiction called "Steampunk," which I had never heard of before. Allow wikipedia to enlighten us on the subject:

Steampunk involves an era or world where steam power is still widely used... that incorporates prominent elements of either science fiction or fantasy.

The story is a combination of mystery and science fiction. It is the kind of story that keeps you wanting more -- despite how bizarre it is. It is a detective story (ala Sherlock Holmes) involving gruesome murders, zombies, and robots. Despite a bit of gratuitous violence (what else can you expect with zombies in the mix?), it was a surprisingly clean read. I didn't want to put it down, reading 334 pages in 2 days, and already wanting a sequel.

Book of a Thousand Days // Shannon Hale

I had no plans to read this book and checked it out simply because the books I had on hold were still "In Transit" and I knew I would want a book to read while we were in Logan for the weekend. This book took a little while to get into, but once the story picked up, I really enjoyed it.

The story is of a maid and her lady who are locked in a tower together. The maid tells the story about their imprisonment and what happens afterward (sorry to spoil it, but they do get out). Once I got through the tower part, the book was a pretty quick read. If you liked The Goose Girl, you might also like this one... but maybe not quite as much.

Mama used to say, you have to know someone a thousand days before you can glimpse her soul.

My Name Is Memory // Ann Brashares

After perusing a list of bestsellers of 2010, I decided on this one. This book is about a romance that spans lives and centuries. It was a good read, despite some more "adult" moments and some occasional foul language. It kept me riveted simply because I wanted to know how these characters were going to work things out... but I admit that I am a little disappointed at the ending. I don't want to ruin too much, but it seems like the author didn't know exactly how to resolve the problems in the story, so instead, she just leaves them wide open. Maybe she intends to write a sequel... I don't know. If so, it has some real potential at redemption. If not, I think the ending really ruins the rest of the book.

It was smell that carried memory... Memories of smell didn't fade, and they short-circuited your entire psychology -- they didn't tunnel through endless experience or get loaded down by any part of your conscious mind. They stitched you instantly and fully to your other times, without regard to sequence.