big ocean, little fish

Korea!

2010-11-08T05:05:00.002-06:00

I am in Korea! And what better thing to do in Korea than to tell you my exciting adventures in Korea! I was flying through the mountains of Korea today and I wondered if there was any sort of civil aviation here. All I ever see is army helicopters flying every now and then. The person I was flying with showed me a small airport though where there is some sort of rotory club or something like that. There are a lot of places here where you cant fly so it doesn't surprise me that there are not too many private aviators. There is definitely a lot of things to tell about Korea so stay posted, I will try to keep you up to date on things here.

Bedtime story

2010-10-17T06:28:00.003-05:00

I want to tell you a bed time story. Don't get to excited it is nothing special, it is a story about bed time. Saturday morning I woke up and talked with my girlfriend online for an hour before a scheduled power outage where I currently live. After hanging up with her I figured I would go back to bed and sleep through the power outage. As I lay in bed wanting to go to sleep but not doing so I decided to play a little game. With my eyes closed laying in my bed I started imagining myself in different beds/bedrooms I have slept in. Lying in a bed with your eye closed the room can be whatever room you imagine so I thought I get myself to feel like I was in one of those rooms from my memory. I started with the room I stayed in after my mission in my parents house. The room that has probably been through ever single brother at different periods. I imagined myself there, with blue walls and a green/blue carpet, my desk the window to my left looking out on the back lawn the door to my right leading into the upstairs hallway. I was there. I noted that my feet pointed North in that particular bed. So I decided to see if I could envision a bed from my life for each cardinal direction. The next bed to come to mind was the bed I slept in occasionally through flight school in Alabama. I often times did not care to sleep on a bed but was content with the floor. Eric, my roommate, and I made a guest bedroom there for when his parents or brother would come to visit and I on occasion slept in it. Off-white walls, a tan carpet. Green bed sheets with a green and white striped comforter. TV in the left corner and a nightstand to the right. That bed pointed West. Next was my bed in Utah when I was living with my Aunt and Uncle. I thought of that one because it pointed East. Makeshift basement room, large window on my left looking into the backyard and up at the Wasatch Front. Bookshelf above my head, desk at my feet and plenty of blankets and pillows to keep me warm. Again, I was there. My current bed points south but as I was envisioning other beds in my life and imagining myself there the next thing I realize is that it is 11:00am and I am waking up again. Some where in my envisioning I had fallen asleep without even knowing.

I stayed up late last night working on projects and when it was time to go to bed I again lay there wanting to go to sleep. Realizing the success of the mornings memory exercise i decided to reenact it. That is all I remember. I remember deciding that I was going to envision different bedrooms and that I started to but the next thing I know is that I am waking up Sunday morning wondering if I had actually done so.

Try it out. If you have trouble falling asleep at night see if you can recall to your memory different bedrooms you have lived in and the beds you have slept in throughout your life and try and place yourself in them. I think much of the reason we have trouble falling asleep at night is not because we aren't tired but because our minds are racing thinking of things to do or things done that you wish you had done better. The mind is so carried away in thought that. My exercise gets the mind off those lists and burdens and gets me thinking about beds and sleeping. It is a fun challenge to see how many beds I can recall and the details of the room and it helps me fall asleep.

Billboards and Carbon Monoxide

2010-08-17T20:56:00.002-05:00

What is more polluting, Carbon Monoxide or billboards?

breaking the mold

2010-07-06T00:50:00.003-05:00

It is time for some change in my life. I have been keeping this blog for 2 years now and that is a long time in computer years. Same computer, same site, same design, yadda, yadda...

I was going for consistent and it was working. but I am growing tired of consistent. I welcome change...I thrive off of change. When I was a kid I would move my furniture around in my room every now and then just for something different. It seems every time I would clean it some item would end up in a different corner or maybe the whole room would be rearranged. So I get bored easily. Is there any harm in that?

You may have noticed that I have not been as on top of my blog this year as in the previous year, and especially in the last few months. Perhaps some off that is because of boredom but much of it has been school. School has demanded a lot out of me in the last 3 or 4 months but that is drawing to a close. Yay!

To my readers: thank you for your interest in my ramblings. I appreciate you. There is change in the pipeline but I don't even know what it is. The world is changing. Circumstances are changing. I am changing. Whatever happens...keep reading; things can only get better. Some people fear change, but I say "bring it on." Change invites growth yet growth breeds change. It is a dynamic world that we live in and if we dont change to keep up what happens to us? There ARE a few things in life that should not change but as for the rest- welcome it, embrace it, cherish it.

The power comes in knowing what can change and what must remain constant.

oh say can you see

2010-07-04T15:28:00.000-05:00

Most everyone knows the first verse but what about the second, third, and yep- fourth verse of the Star Spangled Banner. It is the anthem of this great country but what citizen of hers can recite it? Many don't know there is more than one verse. That is sad. I love the 4th verse above, it is my favorite.

Oh! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved home and the war's desolation!
Blest with victory and peace, may the heav'n rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: "In God is our trust."
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

It has a new meaning to me this Independence Day. My brother is in the Army National Guard and his unit has just recently deployed to Iraq for a year. This country exists because of a few men who were willing to stand up to a government that was not treating its people with equality. It continues to exist because of free men who, despite the harsh piercing words of others choose to put their life on the line, sacrificing time, family, and pleasure to fight against those who would oppress and instill fear in those who what that same freedom.

There is plenty more to be said on this but it sufficeth me to stop here. I love this country. I love that flag. And I love those who are willing to stand up to defend the principles she was founded on.

I love you Bro. God bless you.

Father's Day

2010-06-20T00:41:00.001-05:00

I love my dad, my father, my pops! Happy Father's Day.

unwelcome fix

2010-04-06T07:23:00.004-05:00

"Getting your pet fixed makes them happier," that is what I heard on the radio anyway. Somehow I doubt that. How on earth did they come to that conclusion? The process can't be enjoyable for your pet and afterward... Afterward they will never be the same. Would it make you happier if you got 'fixed' Mr. Veteranarian person? I don't think so. So why would your pet be happy? That is a ridiculous supposition.

carnival rides

2010-03-06T07:18:00.002-06:00

I had a thought at a county fair that I went to a while ago. There is something about roller-coasters and ferris-wheels that are meant to be temporary and mobile that make me question their safety and the logic in choosing to ride on one.

I was riding a ferris-wheel a little while back at a festival I went to where I saw the bolt holding the pod above us on the wheel was held on at the bottom by a cotter pin. The pod was suspended from the top with a pole running down the center and a heavy metal pin passing through the bottom to keep the pod attached. It was through this pin that the cotter pin was clipped. It was safe enough I suppose, but there is just a since of insecurity attached with a cotter pin.

And as a separate note, I don't know how much confidence I am willing to place in those people that operate those rides.

terrorizing the nation

2010-03-06T01:08:00.002-06:00

Here's an idea, lets close all the national parks and cool places to visit, and see, in America because of terrorism. How much do terrorists really care about a sign that says trespassers will be liable per code 247455? If they really want to they will find a way, regardless of sign fence or security check point. As we have found out just recently with the man that tried to blow up an airplane landing in Detroit if there is a will there is a way, and they will find it. It is unfortunate but true.

In this world one person's bad decison causes ever so many others to suffer and endure greater toils in life. This is a principle that exists out of untarnished personal agency.

I understand agency but, I want my parks and historical sites back! I want to be able to visit with my kids the places I visited as a kid and learned from. Maybe some crazy person does want access to the same for evil reasons but he will find away to get that access if he wants it bad enough.

Maybe the reason is to prevent too many people from being in that vacenity, to lessen the attractiveness. I may agree with such an arguement but there again, we are not going to stop gathering at parks and sports events to prevent possible unfortunate events.

cooling or warming

2010-02-13T13:13:00.005-06:00

I have heard that there is irrefutable scientific evidence of global warming. I would like to see this evidence or the scientists who determined it. I am no scientist but I don't think you have to be a scientist to know that snow is cold. Moreover, any fifth grader can tell you that for it to snow 5" in Southern Alabama requires it to be colder than normal. You might see snow fall in Lower Alabama on occasion but never stick or accumulate. Not like it did yesterday. No, that is definitely abnormal.

That is right, it snowed yesterday here in Alabama, and not just a little bit, a good 4 or 5 inches where I am; more elsewhere. To me that is some pretty solid evidence of a COOLING trend. I am thinking there is an agenda, or someone was holding the thermometer upside-down when they took the readings.

Or maybe, it is that law of conservation. The one that says that energy exists and cant be created or destroyed but only transfered. Yeah, maybe that is it, the world, the globe, is warming as Lower Alabama is cooling. That has got to be it. What was I thinking!

the american taco

2010-01-30T20:44:00.003-06:00

I was eating at subway this week and decided that Subway is just an American taco. I remember when subway would cut down and into each side of the bread, take the top off, build the sandwich, and put the top back on. Now all they do is cut down one side and fold it over. Why the change? Now you have to eat it on its side to keep the stuff on the insides from spilling out. You end up with that same tilt in your head when you eat a taco. So, what is the difference? Tacos have a meat, and lettuce, and tomatoes, olives, cheese, and, if you want them, jalapenos. So, what is the difference? The shell you put it in, that's it.

A Subway sandwich is an American taco. Terrific!

state of the union

2010-01-28T08:10:00.004-06:00

I watched the State of the Union last night. After two minutes of listening the applause got old. Every other sentence had to be confirmed or agreed to with applause. I am confident that the whole address could have probably been given in a half an hour if it weren't interrupted every 20 seconds with an outburst of applause. And if they really like what President Obama had to say they would stand and applause. It seemed that they all did more standing and sitting then is done at a Catholic wedding.

So they agree with what he was saying, I understand that. And it is nice that they agree and what everyone to see it but there has to be a better way to do it that doesn't distract so much causing sentences to be interrupted and proposals hacked into fragments separated but restless applause.

Why don't they just let the man talk and at the end give a nice long standing ovation. I am all for showing your agreeance with what is said, and it is nice for the President to know that the people agree with what he is saying when he says it but I think it was just annoying during his address yesterday. It was a bit too much agreeing. Here is an idea, instead of clapping they can show their agreeance by raising their hand in the air and rubbing their thumb back and forth across their fingers. Much quieter and less interrupting yet people can still see they agree.

ice = rock

2010-01-12T01:19:00.000-06:00

Does anyone else find it ironic that many people call ice rocks and rocks ice? I have never ordered a drink at a bar but I do know enough about mixed drinks to know the meaning of the phrase "on the rocks." Anyone who has watched more than one James Bond movie knows that. So ice cubes are often called rocks.

"Ice" may not be used so commonly but we have all heard of it. It is common enough that there is a website ice.com that is devoted to its sale. Not all rocks are called ice but there is no denying a diamond is a rock.

So there it is. Ice is a rock and a rock, ice. Interesting.

the happiest place on earth

2009-11-30T23:03:00.003-06:00

You know, for the "happiest place on earth" there sure is a lot of screaming. That doesn't make much sense now does it? Has anyone else thought about this?

I went to Disney World over Thanksgiving weekend with a friend because I had a complementary pass I needed to use and I had the time off. It was enjoyable but I would not call it the happiest place on earth. I saw a lot of unhappy little children while I was there. Several scared childrens too. Who says it is the happiest place on earth? They do. Is that something you can self-proclaim?

If you want to see some pictures you can check out my album.

halloween lights

2009-10-31T09:18:00.000-05:00

Halloween Christmas lights? I was talking with my sister-in-law the other day and she was getting ready for a Trunk-o-Treat were instead of door to door, kids go car to car at a Halloween activity. She was asking me how she should decorate her truck because she has never done it before and I told her it did not have to be anything fancy and that she just needed some cobwebs or some...then i said it...Halloween Christmas lights.

That doesn't make much sense now does it? But you know what I am talking about. What are those lights called? They can't be Christmas lights. If I were to call them Halloween lights you would probably get that look on your face that people get when I tell them...we will leave that one alone for now. Anyway, I have no idea what they are called. The simplest descriptive name would be orange Christmas lights but that is mis representative.

I don't know what my sister-in-law ended up doing to decorate but she sure got me thinking about a completely unnecessary thing.

a tense relationship

2009-10-28T23:49:00.002-05:00

The opposite of Open is Close and if I open or close a box in the past it is past tense, Opened or Closed. So why when I own a business is it Open or Closed? The tenses are not congruent. When we are open it is true that we are open currently. It may have been closed in the past but too it is close now. Close now is not closed it is close. Right?

hd

2009-10-06T13:21:00.001-05:00

HD, its the new i- which was the new e-!

Every couple of years marketing comes out with a new prefix to the latest and greatest tech item. Yesterday on tv there was a commercial for HD sunglasses; they improve your viewing experience. What!? HD sunglasses? HD radio, TV, Binoculars, all sorts of stuff.

In the 90s we had the e-volution. E-surance is still around from those young days of the internet, and email is not going away anytime soon. The new millennium, and Apple computers brought us a new letter- i. iPod. iTunes. iWork. and iAmDoneWithTheLetterI!

Get ready now for HD. Make room I sense he is here to stay for a while. Coming soon to an auto store near you- HD windshield wipers. You just wait, you'll see; I would not be surprised.

mini vans

2009-09-06T21:48:00.002-05:00

You remember when mini vans had only one sliding door in the back? I was climbing into the back seat of a mini van the other day on the drivers side and realized this. I wonder if they even make mini vans like that anymore. Probably not. You still have the same number of seats but with the new ones you have two more individual seats instead of a bench seat, and I am sure every parent appreciates the value and serenity of a kids in the back having his or her own seat. "This is my side," "He's touching me!" "Get off me." "OW!" Not to say that all troubles are resolved with individual seats but I can imagine they are definately reduced.

year end goals

2009-09-04T16:32:00.003-05:00

I don't believe in New Year Resolutions. I don't have anything to resolve. I set goals, yearly goals. Goals and resolutions do not do any good though if you don't look at them from time to time. So it is the beginning of September, how are your goals coming along? I looked at the goals I wrote down in January today and I think I am going pretty well. There were a few that I did not even remember so it is good that I looked at them. Three have already been completed and the others are on there way, one needs a lot more work though.

Look at your goals, make some new ones. Goals are important so if you don't have any GET SOME. Goals keep you young.

I used to have trouble with goals, thinking they needed to be some sort of elaborate big thing. They don't. you can set big or long term goals but those need to be accompanied but smaller goals, like checkpoints. Big, longterm goals are useless with out these smaller goals. And then with smaller goals you make plans. Now you have to be careful because plans change. Don't let them change to frequently that you don't meet your goals. Adapt accordingly. If a goal is bigger than one task break it down into smaller bites.

Remember SMART goals- Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-based.

car color

2009-08-22T22:46:00.007-05:00

I saw a green Jeep today an it just seemed the wrong color. This was not a light green or a grey-green this was GREEN. You don't really ever see green cars and trucks on the road today. I know green used to be more common but I think it is out now. Another color than is out is Purple. Who drives a purple car? The only car you see nowadays purple is a PT Cruiser and that just looks ugly to begin with. What makes a car color acceptable? Who picks car colors? Every year or so you see a new car color, some good, some hideous.

It is just interesting that you see bright yellow cars and bright red cars and bright blue, or orange car and the occasional bright purple car (term used lightly), but bright green is not a color you associate with vehicles.

What about Brown? If you are driving around a bright brown car you need sit down and rethink your place in life.

proof, resistant, tolerant

2009-08-22T03:02:00.005-05:00

Water Proof. Water Resistant. Which is it? There is a difference. I have a watch and it is water resistant. Will water get in it? Yes it will, and it has. Will water get in a water proof watch? Unfortunately, yes it will. So what is the difference?

Here's how I see it. Lets think of two sacks/bags. The first is water proof, the second- water resistant. We fill both bags with water and seal them. So the first is going to keep 100% of the water in the bag. Water tight (or proof) is often associated with air-tight. if no water can escape than neither will air. Water resistant on the other had is not air tight. It may hold water for a long time but it will start to seap or absorb water. Like a child resisting his parents, will he resist, yes, but he will eventually cave to the desires of the parent. My watch is a cheap watch but it tells time. It is water resistant. It did fine in the rain and in the shower but I went swimming in a deeper pool once and I got water build up on the inside, mostly condinsated but water none-the-less. It still worked and I continued to use it up until a few days ago when I lost it on a river trip.

So I went floating down the river the other day with some friends. I took my camera. It is not water proof, or water resistant, and I didnt have a case or bag for it that was. If I were to drop it into water it would probably do unkind things to it- maybe recoverable, maybe not. On this float trip I came up with a new term. I decided that my camera was water tolerant. Many things are water tolerant. Well what does that mean? People thought I was crazy for bringing my camera on the river. They seem to enjoy the pictures now but at the time it was crazy. It did just fine. did it get a little wet, of course; everything on the river gets wet. It got splashed on and was for the most part, opporated with wet hands. The camera suffered no damage and the pictures turned out nicely. Under similar circumstances in the past I did have it fog up between two of the optic lenses but letting it sit and dry out fixed it right up, no problem. That is what I would consider water tolerant.

Humans are water tolerant too. We definately aren't water proof, or we wouldn't drown. We aren't water resistant, every kid knows she sits plays in water and her skin wrinkles and goes "prune." We are tolerant, we can splash around and get wet but don't expose yourself too long.

does birthday mean party?

2009-06-17T21:08:00.000-05:00

Different people hold birthdays to different importance. Birthday is a tradition, and with all tradition it is viewed through the scope we are given it from. A birthday, when I was a kid, was another day; a day to be congratulated and honored, but in the end, just another day. So you are a year older, big deal, if not for the 364 (365) days preceding it, it is nothing. We had cake and ice cream at dinner the Sunday before or after in honor of and grandma would do something special with each grandkid. What is so special about getting older? I hear when you do get older everybody wishes he or she would stop having birthdays. Perhaps I just downplay the significance of this special day in my mind to avoid the glamour and attention of it. I am not one for spotlights.

A friend of mine gave me some perspective the other day on the subject. The kaleidoscope of tradition which was passed to her contrasted my own. She told me about how birthdays were the happy days she remembered from her childhood. Her mother had a way of making it a special day, not just a special day but the whole week was one to remember, to honor the birthday girl. It is your day, a day in honor of you. So why not celebrate? Anything less would be evasive and unpretentious.

Everybody deservers her own day. I remember saying once that the most important day of my life so far was the day I was born, and the second most important is tomorrow- the day that (God willing) keeps my life going. I try every day to celebrate my life, to be happy to be alive. I think we all should. Perhaps that is why I don’t set my birthday apart, because I celebrate my life every day. If you do it every day how is it different on that one day each year? It is an anniversary, and anniversaries are meant to be celebrated. So, is your birthday for you? or is it for those people in your life who care about you? Either way there should be a party, right?

If you were to tell a friend that your birthday was coming up I am confident he would say Happy Birthday and ask you if you were having a party. You might say a similar thing in the same situation. I was asked this question. In response I had to ask if I was the one responsible for make sure there was a party; “I don’t know, am I having a party?” Kind of rude in retrospect, but I know I can say anything to this friend. Who is supposed to throw a birthday party? Who does it serve? Is it tradition to have a birthday party? Is it a social norm?

I don’t pretend to know the answers but my view of birthdays has changed. One small chat with a friend and you never know what can happen. Birthdays are anniversaries. A special day to think about where you started, to ponder on the direction you are headed, and to celebrate your amazing life. So whether you choose to celebrate with a bunch of roudy friends at a party, or with your family around the table at dinner, or relaxing on a white beach in the brilliant sun, make sure you have a good one. I will!

shopping carts

2009-06-15T18:10:00.005-05:00

How often do you go shopping? Once a week? Twice a week? Once every other week? Do you use a buggie (shopping cart)? I wondered today as I pushed one around, how many people have pushed this same cart? How many different hands have touched this same handle? You never see anybody wash shopping carts; at least I never have. Interesting! Other things don't raise such a thought in my mind because I see people wash them, or know that there is a person in charge of washing them. But what about shopping cart handles? Perhaps that is how pandemics spread.

unheroic

2009-06-12T14:19:00.002-05:00

The heroic nature is dying, de-idolized, regarded mockingly. There is a scripture in the Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ that says “The day will come that people will call good bad and bad good.” I think among other things this condoning of heroism is one small part of that. What is a hero? Most of the time hero is thought of as superhero. I thought the idea of Pixar’s Incredible is enlightening, the idea of suing a superhero…what a self-centered, one-track world we live in. And you know if superheroes existed today they would be sued. It is sad that there exists in this world people whose soul purpose seems to be to go around finding things to sue people for.

something to offer

2009-06-05T23:18:00.002-05:00

Kids are spellbound by peoples of authority, peoples in uniform. They are eager to ask their parents “Mommy, who is that man?” or “Daddy, why is that man wearing that?” Policemen, firefighters, soldiers and pilots, there is a certain wonder and awe of a uniform- especially one that sticks out in a crowd. To the pure and childlike eye the uniform embodies a hero. Power, authority and influence. It represents, as it should, the values of honor, devotion, and sacrifice.

What do you offer? What can you offer such an awe struck impressionable child? These days there are so many self serving ill-intending people in the world that it is hard to offer any act of shear kindness anymore without arising a cautious suspicion- especially in the eyes of loving parents of the young. I remember as a child receiving Delta Wings from a lady in a Delta Airlines uniform as I went to the airport with my parents to deliver a sibling to his waiting flight.

As I traveled recently I met such a curious little kid. Is a handshake and a greeting enough? Is there something more to offer? Something to let him know he can believe in heroes? I don't begin to consider myself a hero but that is what the uniform represents. When a policeman is seen in uniform every action reflects that force- not just the individual. Every time a soldier is seen in uniform she is praised for the ideals she is living and the efforts of all people, past present and future, who choose to wear that same uniform.

So what is there to offer?

create

2009-05-17T23:40:00.001-05:00

What do you create with? Everybody creates. It is an inherited trait of out heavenly, spiritual Father. To create is the essence of art, but art has a million mediums; pencil, pen, charcoal, paint, oil, watercolor, pastel, finger-paint, chalk, digital paint. And all that is but a few common paper mediums. What about food, furniture, woodwork, etch-a-sketch, words (stories and essays), architecture, landscape, and so many more.

The ability to create is something all are born with. As a little girl entangles her mothers hair in efforts to put it up in some fashion she is expressing that urge to create. As a young boy gathers all the pillows and blankets in the house stringing them here and there over the backs of chairs and couches he is expressing that urge to create. As you walk down the toy isle in your favorite store how many toys on the shelf have anything to to with creating? From the doodle-pad to the doll with the interchangeable outfits, from the tool belt to the plastic dump truck so many toys are to satisfy that urge to create. As we grow some choose to suppress this miraculous gift but still more choose to explore and develop theirs. The world would die if people did not create.

The most holy of creativity is the ability to create life. The seeming simplicity and assumed lack of talent required to do so has regretfully demeaned the value of this creative gift in the eyes of many creators. Undeniably, this is a demanding creation, so much so that the paints, the catalyst, are guarded by a simple lock requiring two (a man and a woman) to open. Each miraculous masterpiece requires a duality of artists.

So what do you create with? Creation is a necessity of life and each person has her own creative outlet.

on swinging

2009-05-10T10:43:00.000-05:00

I love to swing. There is something magical about it, sitting in a park swaying back and forth watching the world go by. I have some good memories on the swing. I have some sad memories on the swing. Most of all I have some soothing memories on the swing. The swing is one of my favorite places to go. No matter what the mood a swing will accentuate the positive.

There is no telling when you might find me on a swing. I might be sitting on a swing in the morning, mid-day, or evening; perhaps most commonly in those still hours of early morning at the very start of a brand new day. In a former occupation I would on occasion stop by one of many parks on my way home to sway on a swing and reflect on the day, or on the world, or on eternity.Next to swaying to and fro beside a lovely young lady this is my favorite swing activity. The night is so pure, so still. It relaxes you. You can forget any troubles you might be burdened with. You can be alone with your thoughts, to open your mind and reflect. You can watch the world pass by slowly. And you do all that while flying!

A former prophet has said that an important characteristic in this life is to possess the ability to Be Still. The swing set provides me this sanctuary to escape the noisy traffic of the world and sit quietly, reflectively. Giving me an opportunity to understand me and the small part I play in this universe.

Swinging reminds me of my mother. We all know of the young child who is soothed as he is rocked gently in his mothers arms. Perhaps the swing is those soothing arms of a distant mother. Perhaps it is the loving rock of her protecting fold. There is something about that swaying, rocking motion that calms, relaxes, and pacifies. And the first place we experience that feeling is in the arms of Mother as she takes her new born baby in her arms and lovingly sways that gentle rhythm. It is no wonder then that such a motion has such miraculous power to calm. I wonder then, do mothers do it because it calms, or do children calm because mothers do it? I am willing to assert the later.

flash of genius

2009-05-08T23:39:00.002-05:00

Here is my synopsis- it is a true story yes, but it is not a heroic story. Who is the real villain? who is the hero? Sure he won the case to correct the record and defeat big business, but at what expense? So who is the hero? He is no hero; I would say there is none. And what kind of story is it without a hero? Is a sad story worth telling? What kind of moral should I expect my kid to take from this? It is okay to sacrifice my life, my love, if in the end I come out the winner? It is okay as long as I triumph over the corporate giant? No, when the dust settles there is no winner, just a loser and a loser with a lot of money. Perseverance is important but not at the expense of responsibility. Our hero seeks to restore, or gain integrity, the whole time eroding it from the inside. I may be wrong but I would say that he is his own villain. Obsession is detrimental. You might get what you wanted in the end but you wanted the wrong thing.

I guess in the end the movie says to me, “a lot of money and 'setting the record straight' is worth more than 12 years of your life, your loyalty to your family and the love of your wife.”

...and that is the world we live in.

wall paper

2009-04-16T21:17:00.004-05:00

Do you tell your kids not to write on the wall? Sure you can erase it but before you do have you ever ask yourself "Why?" Who decided it was unacceptable? If wall righting was socially acceptable then I would imagine that more walls would have scribbles much higher than just 3 feet up.

"If these walls could talk," is often said with a sigh. But they could talk, if those same people would allow them to be written on. My dad has written numerous times on the hood, and other available spots, on his truck. My oldest brother is seen on occasion with on his pant leg in, seemingly upside-down, artistic patterns and notes. That truck hood talks, it tells of the hypotoneus of a roof truss or the measure of a board to be cut or the price of several bags of concrete. It even might tell of the principles behind a rocket engine. The jeans talk too. They speak of the wearer. He is a doodler. He is a creator. He gets board with the mundane. He has a knack for drawing. He is a problem solver, an innovator.

At the Googleplex, Google's Headquaters, they have whole walls of whiteboards for random doodling; drawing pictures, jotting down ideas. Why not?

Just like you can tell a lot about a person by what he wears (or what is drawn on what he wears) imagine what you could discover about a person as investigated what was doodled/scribbled/written upon the walls as you visited her in her home? Those walls certainly would have a story to tell, and if kids you might even make out their journey through the ages, a timecapsule of art and thought.

swing life away

2009-04-09T22:29:00.008-05:00

What do you think about as you lie on your back in an open field staring up in to the deep sky, or sit atop a western cliff and watch the sun fall beyond the Pacific, or as you leisurely sway back and forth on a park swing at one o-clock in the morning? I will tell you what I think about. I'll tell you what I think about, I think about me. I think about what I have done, what I need to do, where I can do more, why I have been so blessed in my young life. I ask questions of myself. Sometimes the posts you find here are a product of those thoughts.

There was more to be said here but this is a fragile thought and was interrupted in its recording by a man who asked my assistance. And I obliged. Perhaps the thought is lost forever, never to return. Perhaps you might unknowingly read about it later in a future post. But I dare not write on in efforts to conceal this fractured thought. With some thoughts it is doable, and has been accomplished in the past...but not this one, this one is fragile. I am not sure why, but I recognize that it is.

Thoughts are seen in perspective, and perspective changes. Even with only a slight change of view the understanding of that observed thought can be spoiled, irrevocably changed. The thought might still live on but your understanding of that thought in that moment is lost. All because someone in need asked my help. It is called sacrifice; and those that don't loose much more than thought.

prophet, seer, revelator

2009-04-03T08:56:00.002-05:00

It is not about ability it is about authority. Can you imagine for a moment a man today with the same authority as Moses or Abraham, of the Bible, to speak with God in behalf of the whole world- every person alive today? Can you imagine the huge responsibility of such an individual? I am here to tell you that there is no need to imagine for such a person exists. And thank God for it. God has seen a need for such a spokesperson, a seer, since the beginning, throughout time- but why?

Everybody has his own opinion. Everyone sees the world just a little differently. You, me, and Fred could all witness the exact same event any each of us would have our own views and interpretation of it. First of all we each will witness a different perspective and secondly we each draw on our own past experience in processing it. Consequently we see the event differently. In literature we might read the same passage and each come to a different conclusion of the authors intent. This is true for literary novels, science journals, play scripts, and the Bible. We see it amongst the plethora of of Churches and denominations of Christianity today.

So a spokesman could be the moderator. If he speaks with God he knows what the Authors intent is. He knows what the correct interpretation is. I know that such a man exists today. He will be speaking to the world tomorrow in a world wide conference to all of heavenly Father's children, you and me. All those willing to listen. What a great blessing and privilege to hear the voice of prophets and apostles, to learn from their mouths the truths of eterninty. The truths of Jesus Christ's gospel. The truths of Salvation.

I love my God and thank him every day for his love of me.

I invite you to join me. See what he has to say. You can believe me or not but I know and I know that if you listen and ask Him who knows all things you can know too.

Listen to the prophets voice.

rabbit ears

2009-03-26T20:06:00.006-05:00

Where did they start? Who decided one day that sticking his fingers up behind some friends head while taking a picture was fun? More importantly, who saw it and thought that it would be a good idea to imitate? The oh-so prevalent "bunny ears." And then we have moose ears. (or horns) but that tent for a seperate season.

What if rabbits were hi-tech, digital-age, picture snappin' critters?

rabbits don't lay eggs!

2009-03-25T11:22:00.010-05:00

~For the lazy reader skip to the bottom and read 'In short'~

What does a bunny, a florescent pink, and chocolate have in common? Nothing! that is why I can't quite seem to wrap my head around it. What deranged marketing analyst came up with the Cadbury Bunny?

Here is something I did not know. A Hare is not a Rabbit. They are different genus of the Leporidae Family. I always just assumed them to be different names for the same thing (that's a song). The European Brown Hare is the critter to which we can attribute the Cadbury scheme; that, and the plover.

The hare breeds on the ground in a nest rather than in a burrow as a rabbit would. All members of the leporidae family as they prepare to have a litter build a nest for their young. The nest of the hare is modest, perhaps a small brim of dirt, some twigs, matted grass, and a little fur. This closely resembles the nest of the plover, a resident ground dwelling bird of the same countryside as the hare. As spring dawns and eggs are discovered in nests on the ground in the fields where hares are now active playful in the day time, they get pegged the culprit. It all spirals down from there into a cream-filled chocolate confection and a rabbit that clucks...

Why does that rabbit cluck anyway???

In short:
Hare builds nest. Bird builds nest. Bird lays eggs in nest. Hare gets blamed for it. Hare mistaken as rabbit. Bunny sounds cuter than rabbit. Bunny lays brightly colored eggs and gives candy to oblivious youth.

(not so) lucky rabbit

2009-03-23T07:51:00.002-05:00

This is a lucky season. With Leprechauns and pots of gold; with four-leaf clovers and rabbits feet? What? What is the deal with rabbits feet? When did a rabbits foot become lucky? and why are they bright pink and techni-colored?

I guess it is some sort of hoodoo thing. I am getting contradicting stories; some say it is African-American and some say from Europe. I don't know. To me it has just never seemed very lucky for the rabbit- the graveyard dwelling, shot by a silver-bullet under a full moon rabbit that is. Unfortunately, it is only the left hind foot of the rabbit so all you gullable ones out there who were sold the right foot or worse, the front foot, you are just SOL. And all you people with the fancy colored ones- when have you ever seen a coral red, or brilliant blue, or even fuchsia rabbit? You deserve whatever extravagant circumstance comes your way.

Is that mean? I am sorry. I just got carried away there for a second. To take a part of a creature that is considered lucky does not seem very...it's just not right. I mean, I consider myself a pretty lucky individual and I am not sure how I would feel for someone to come along and start chopping off my body parts and wearing my finger on a keychain or keeping my toe on his nightstand. That is just disturbing. ...it gives me the jeebies!

traffic patterns

2009-03-22T02:23:00.000-05:00

I wonder if in Europe people walk around in the malls the opposite direction?

It occurs to me that in malls foot traffic seems to flow in the same manner as vehicle traffic. It is not a strict pattern but for the most part what ever mall I seem to step in to, opposite direction traffic is on the left and the stores closest to the right- a counter-clockwise direction of travel. So if other countries people drive on the opposite side of the road than we do here in seemingly backward land of America than which way do the great people of those lands wander around in their malls? I would find it peculiar if the majority wandered in a counter-clockwise manner. People naturally fall into patterns they are familiar with. Here in the states people are comfortable with generally counter-clockwise movement. Other countries are not as familiar with this motion so I would expect the majority of citizens to wander their malls in a generally clockwise direction.

simply made, made difficult

2009-02-28T21:54:00.000-06:00

Slow is smooth, smooth is fast. This is an adage used often in the military. What exactly is it saying though? The principle is understandable and entirely logical: If you do something slower than you will do it better and it won't be messy, preventing you from making mistakes that will slow the process or have to be done over. Simple enough but I have always been one for math. It doesn't quite line up so nicely algebraically though. There is a simple rule in algebra: If A=B and B=C than A=C. This is logical right? if both A and C are equal to B than they must be equal to each other so you can ignore B all together. If we apply this to our sentence above Slow=Smooth and Fast=Smooth so we can eliminate "smooth" and say that Slow=Fast. Wait a minute, that doesn't make sense! Slow can't equal Fast they are opposites, bookends, they are as much the same as microwaves and four-leaf clovers. So how can this make sense? The adage is both logical and illogical at the same time. It is simple yet defiant; caught between a world of logic and irrationality. You were probably fine with the first explanation until I ruined it with my algebra that you are probably trying to forget anyway. I guess I just think too much.

the game we play

2009-01-25T21:55:00.001-06:00

I had a motivation class the other day in which we discussed a large amount of theory. It is interesting to study the psychology of motivation. I find it very fascinating. We discussed Abraham Maslow's 'Hierachy of Needs' of which I have been familiar with but we also discussed two other theories, one of which was similar to Maslow's but was condenced in to 3 needs (Existance, Relatedness, Growth) as opposed to Maslow's five (Physiological, Saftey, Social, Esteem, Self-Actualization). There are parts of both theories that I believe and other parts from either one that don't really agree with each other. The intreguing thing that I picked up on in the class was the simple ability to get some one to do what you want them to do in the right environment with an understanding of the principles of motivation and human needs. You can realistically stay one step ahead of an individuals moves as you expose that person to different situations. You will see him react very specifically. The key word being react. It can be quite a scary thing as you think about it that someone can know how you will react to certain situations and then make the effort to place that infront of you and as a series of dikes and channels lead you exactly as they want you. Like a game.

santa claus; a good cause

2008-12-25T01:24:00.000-06:00

Santa's on his way. MERRY CHRISTMAS!

I lived in the Bible Belt for two years and I am once again living in that region of this beautiful country. There are some wonderful people there and many people of amazing faith. There are also a few odd ones in the bunch. I met the preacher of a church in Martin, TN who published a tract (pamphlet) called "Santa Claus and Satan's Cause." He says that Christians should not believe in, or teach their children to believe in, Santa because doing so robs Christ of his glory.

I believe Santa Claus does not "rob" or detract anything from my Savior but in fact typifies and glorifies him. Santa is a symbol that help us to remember Jesus Christ.

Christianity is all about symbolism and imagery. Why should Santa be any different? The image of Santa Claus reminds me of Christ. He is jolly. He loves children. He gives us gifts. He brings hope and cheer to those who believe. I do not worship the cherry-cheeked, white-bearded Santa; he is merely a spiritual catalyst to my sensual mind. The scriptures teach that "every thing which inviteth and enticeth to do good, and to love God, and to serve him, is inspired of God." The figure and idea of Father Christmas draws me closer to my Savior and helps me to remember the many gifts I have been given and the importance of loving and giving to others.

I know that the Son of God was not born on December 25th but that does not stop me from remembering, and being thankful for, and celebrating his birth. My mother was not born on the 3rd Sunday in May; nor did she become a mother on that day, but that does not prevent me from celebrating her motherhood and honoring her for it on that special day. Hear in the Northern hemisphere this is a time of hope as the sun reaches its lowest latitude and starts its accent into the brilliant sky. It is a time of hope and that to me is a good enough time to share the message of the Hope of Christ than any.

God be thanked for the marvelous gift of his Son, Jesus Christ and God be thanked for Christmas; a time to share His message of hope with others.

May you have a wonderful, Merry Christmas and may it bring you too closer to your Savior and mine.

the toy vacuum

2008-12-23T01:05:00.002-06:00

I was out shopping today for Christmas gifts in Target and I noticed on the shelf a toy vacuum. I have seen this before but as I saw it today I thought it was a little ridiculous. Why buy a toy vacuum? This just seems silly. If you are going to buy your kid a vacuum, buy one that will suck up dirt, not just pop little plastic balls up and down in a clear chamber. If your little kid really wants to vacuum stick something that will do the job in her hand. Lets think proactive here. Why not make the little toy Dirt Devil but make it run and suck and clean. To think that the little one could be doing something productive as she runs around with her new Christmas present, instead having it just make extra noise and irritate the little white and pink balls inside it.

USO yeah!

2008-09-18T16:52:00.001-05:00

To most a 3 hour layover in Dallas/Ft. Worth, TX airport might be something to dread. True it seems a waste of time and you would rather just get on to where you are going but new advantages and opportunities have openned up for me as I swore in yesterday as an active member of the United States Army. I have discovered this happy little place called the USO that makes layovers worth laying over. The United Sevices Organization (USO) is an organization that "represent[s] the American people by extending a touch of home to the military," according to there website http://www.uso.org/. They are wonderful places and I think they do a good job at providing that touch of home. At the same time they also provide a networking opportunity where if you will put down the X-box controls and listen, or ask the right question you can learn a whole lot about the military, about war time efforts, the different branches, and about different bases around the world. I have been to two so far today. I was first introduced to the USO at Denver Int. Airport. It was a nice little facility with a very friendly and leisurely atmosphere. They had a quiet room with comfy recliners and dim lights where you can lay and rest your head for a moment and can even set an alarm clock in the room to wake you if you need. They have food for and beverages, computers, games, books, tv, and as mentioned- friendly people, all of which are free of charge to the active service men and women of the United States armed forces and their families. I am now sitting typing this in the DFW airport USO which is a little more compact yet busier but offers a few more accommadations like a portable phone to use for long distant calls to family and loved ones.

Thank you to the USO for doing such a grand job at serving. I am a big fan.

no shoes, no shirt, no cameras

2008-09-16T03:13:00.001-05:00

When did it become "against the rules" to take pictures in a grocery store? Darren envited me along to go grocery shopping with he and his wife as this evening is my last night before going in to the army. Mother advised against us taking his Nerf guns into the store so instead we I took the camera and figured I would document our adventure. I like photograph and might even say I have an eye for unique and artistic shots. Grocery stores have many possibilities for artistry in my digital stills. I was going around taking a bunch of pictures of random things and as usual being a little rambunctious with my brother at 9:30 at night in a grocery store. As I was throwing this roll of Bounty paper towels at my bro and taking a picture of it this lady cleaning the deli counter said I wasn't aloud to talk pictures in the store. I assumed she was upset at me for throwing the paper towel so I put the paper towel back on the shelf and Dars and I ran off to another part of the store as I continued to look for good shots. As I found them I took a picture or two. Later while in the produce section a different lady, whom I shortly found out was the store manager, told me that she could not allow me to take pictures in the store. "You are serious. I can't take pictures in the store?" I can be a little more outspoken when around my evil twin. I asked her if it was posted anywhere and asked to see documentation supporting her statement. She said that I could continue my shopping and she would return in a moment. I did so and as I had yet to see documentation I took a few more pictures (I got this great one of some bananas).

I can understand the "No shoes, No shirt..." policy, but "No cameras!" What is wrong with that? Lady Ann (my sister-in-law) was about done shopping now and after a few more moments she headed toward the checkout. I caught up to her a moment later as the teller was ringing her items through. I snapped a picture. The lady had still not returned with documentation. Moments after I took the picture the teller had a phone call- it was the manager asking him if he knew where the paper was that said I could not take pictures in the store. It was apparent from the half of the conversation that I heard. And after he hung up the phone he told me that she still could not find the paper. It was slightly amusing. I am a horrible person but now she will be better prepared for the next camera wielding victim that walks through the doors of her store. I never did see that paper and I am sure that as we left she was still looking for it. And because of that my team lost.

Before we even walked in the store the proposition was placed before us; whether it would take longer for Lady Ann to complete the shopping or for Dars and me to be kicked out of the store. It is an art to be kicked out of a store for not doing anything rash but doing just enough to be not welcome.

hope

2008-09-11T04:19:00.000-05:00

It is my opinion that every single person that breathes has to possess faith.

Everyone dreams. Dreams are a byproduct of thought, an enthusiasm for the future- those that don’t have it stop living. Equating Darwin’s theory of Natural Selection the humans that evolve to possess dreams produce offspring that too possess and nurture dreams. Dreams require hope. As I have mentioned dreams emit an enthusiasm for the future. An enthusiasm sprung from hope; hope for a brighter, happier future. James E Faust of the Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints taught that “hope is the anchor of our souls.” It truly is. It gives us something to hold on to, some constant in a sea of uncertainty. No one, try as he might, can remove from a person his hope. If you have the ability to think you have the ability to think positively, which radiates hope. In my gospel studies I have come to understand that hope and faith are interconnected, I have heard them referred to as the double-helix attribute of the gospel. As faith increases so does hope which in return produces more faith and thus it perpetuates. The reverse also being true, hope is diminished as faith withers and this perpetual circle is held together with the fragile strings of a principle called work. Faith requires action. There is no point in hoping for a brighter tomorrow if you don’t possess any inkling of faith that you will be around to participate in it. That is faith. Faith is possessed by all. However in order for faith to lead to salvation it must be centered in Jesus Christ (TF pg.54). That is a different story and is left to each individual to eventually strive for. Do my dreams get in the way or go against what I should be doing? I have asked this many times. Do my dreams overpower the promptings the Lord is willing to send me? Is it a trial of faith and patience, or a warning to divert from unseen harm? I can only know as sure as I know my heart and at times I feel to say that I don’t know me that well. As I review my surroundings and my friends and family, and their direction I feel to answer no; and thus I press onward. I love my parents and am most grateful for loving parents. The world can use a loving parent (preferably two) for every person out there, but unfortunately that is not the case.
There is never nothing to write about you just have to be willing to put forth a little effort. Before writing this evening several different thoughts popped in and out of mind. I have no idea now what they were and may never know. What maters is what is written, that is what caught my attention and what I have chosen to share.

Joseph Smith says, “If men were duly to consider themselves, and turn their thoughts and reflections to the operations of their own minds, they would readily discover that it is faith, and faith only, which is the moving cause of all action in them; that without it both mind and body would be in a state of inactivity, and all their exertions would cease, both physical and mental.”

2:00 a.m.

2008-09-09T05:59:00.000-05:00

Seriously, what better thing to do at 2 or 3 in the morning than to drive around town and hang out with your two older brothers? Some might say Sleep, but that is arguable. I was finishing up some studying and a little reading earlier this evening when my brother who lives next door shoots me a message, "hey, you up?" in Google Talk. Of course, so he and I chatyed for a bit. We were having such a good conversation and I haven't spent much time with him lately, and we have until 8:00a.m. to do anything before he leaves and then I leave not seeing each other until Christmas and it was just his birthday, I ask him if he wants to do breakfast. Great idea! Let's see if Dars is up for it. "Yep he's in."

Three Pinnegar's, two-o-clock in the morning, a car, a Nerf gun, and endless possibilities. Yep, it was that good! So it turns out that at 2am your possibilities are not so endless as far as dining establishments go. We went to Denny's; we made the best of it though trying there selection of mixed drinks, munching on some seasoned fries, saying/doing what ever came to mind, which (if you know a Pinnegar) is quite a lot for that hour. After we were done at the restaurant (in other words, after our waitress was done with us at the restaurant) we had an exciting trip back to Darren's where we played a thrilling game of Pass the Pigs. It was great. I haven't played pass the pigs since before Darren went on his mission. That may or may not be true but it has been a long time. Pass the Pigs is one of the greatest games. And it is even better at 3 in the morning. It was definately a worthwhile activity and I don't think a single one of us did anything illegal...except for that part when one of us was hanging out the window trying to retreive a Nerf dart.

Happy Birthday David, I hope you had a great day.

why fly? why the army?

2008-09-02T12:52:00.000-05:00

September brings new adventures and possibilities to my life. I now have two weeks remaining before I swear in as an active member of the United States Army. It has been a long and at times challenging road to get to this point, but I am here and am excited to begin this new adventure. Part of my application process for the army's flight program required I write a short essay on why I want to be an Army Aviator. This is that essay:

"Why I want to be an Army Aviator.

"Helicopters and the freedom of flying has been a passion of mine since I was a young boy. I have always looked upon the helicopter as the most boundless, controllable form of flight. As I have grown and matured I have become more acquainted with this type of aircraft and the dedication and responsibilities associated with becoming a pilot. My desire to become an aviator for the United States Army is threefold. It stems from a passion for the craft, the opportunity to serve, and from the thrill of adventure.

"Passion for the craft- Since I can remember I have always admired and sought to learn about helicopters and the gift of flight they offer. I have recently more earnestly desired a career as a helicopter pilot and have started taking flight school to become an aviator. The base of my desire to become and aviator for the army comes from my intense desire to understand and master the control of this fascinating piece of machinery.

"Opportunity to Serve- I pride myself in coming from a family in which service is an honored tradition. My parents have taught me by word and example the value of hard work and service to others. I have not always been interested in joining the United States Armed Services but as I have investigated my career options and contemplated the possibilities I have found that the best option for me is to become a proud soldier of the United States Army. I love serving others and the U.S. Army is a wonderful way to serve the country which has blessed me with my personal freedom, and to serve those who stand in need or who perhaps do not yet enjoy the freedoms you and I do.

"Thrill of Adventure-I love adventure and doing new things. Adventure to me is something new, something bold. It fortifies courage and provokes thought. Adventure motivates me and recharges enthusiasm. I believe that becoming an aviator for the army will satisfy and support this craving with new perspectives, new sights, new comrades, and new challenges.

"I appreciate challenges, both large and small. I enjoy the satisfaction that comes from working through and solving challenges. I know that becoming an aviator for the Army will bring many new challenges into my life, however I am confident that these challenges will strengthen me and my abilities will strengthen those whom I serve."

black slacks

2008-08-31T00:37:00.000-05:00

I think I may have a black pants fetish. I love black slacks. I hold that they are one of the best articles of clothing ever, definitely the best pants. A good friend of mine used to get bothered by the fact that I always wear black slacks. Almost every time she would see me I would be wearing black slacks. At that time I was working for a company that required black pants or shorts as uniform and when I saw her and her family it was usually before or after my shift at work or even during work. I am not an avid changer of clothes. If it is dirty yes I will change it but other than that, if I put it on in the morning you will find that same article being taken off in the evening when I go to bed; unless my activity changes drastically somewhere in the day requiring a different outfit. Many places I have worked require black pants as uniform. I wounder why that is?

Many people like Levi's or Denim, I don't own a single pair of Jeans. If you have to wear pants I would attest that a loose fitting pair of black slacks is the way to go. Interwoven in that first paragraph are many reasons why I love these pants so much but to further explain I have listed several key points below.

Versatility- Black slacks are extremely versatile and can be used for so many different activities comfortably. Some activities may be more comfortable in something else but that doesn't mean that it is not comfortable to do it in a pair of black slacks. I have worked out, rock climbed, hiked, worked on cars, landscaped, gone to church, repelled, cooked, played sports, proselytized, and so many more activities all in black slacks.

Cleanliness and Durability- Black slacks do not get dirty as easily as other pants, and they do not show dirt as vividly when they do get dirty. Have you ever seen a grass stain on a pair of black slacks? When they do get dusty (which is what shows most vividly on black all it takes is a pat down and a little bit of water to clean them off. I split some pipe glue on one of my pair of pants the other day and thought that I just lost another pair of perfect pants. But wait, they are perfect pants, and I have a Sharpie. Rub a little black Sharpie on the spot and everything is better in a flash. You can't even tell that I split the pipe glue on them; and after a run through the wash the Sharpie remains. This same pair of black slacks that I have had now for over six years. That is product satisfaction.

Protection- So why pants as opposed to shorts? I am a pants man. Much of it has to do with the other points mentioned but it boils down to protection. When hiking or camping or doing adventurous outdoors activities pants provide tremendous protection from scraps, cuts, bites, and the sun, and is wiser choice than shorts. They also do a good job at keeping your legs warm when it is cool out but are not uncomfortable when it is hot out. You can even get them a little wet on a hot day and will act in much the same way sweating does to keep you cool.

Appearance- I believe part of the reason many places require black pants as uniform is because of image and class. Black slacks are just classy.

on cheese

2008-08-26T01:49:00.000-05:00

As I sat eating my grilled cheese sandwich I thought, “this is the third cheese centered meal I have in the last two days.” The morning before I made myself a cheese omelet; cook an egg, grate a bunch of cheese onto it, fold it in half and vuala! For lunch that day my choices were limited so I whipped out the tortillas and made my dad and me several quesadillas. Mmmm… And then there is my grilled cheese sandwich. That does not include the cream cheese smothered bagel half I ate this morning. It can’t really say it was cheese centered, just cheese smothered. I love cheese! Cheese makes everything better. Like a Root Beer Float on a rough day, or a Band-Aid on a my nieces scraped knee. Cheese just takes food and says, "I make this taste good!" It is like a man and a woman, they are cool by themselves but put them together and they are so much more. Apples are good and tasty but when you take an apple wedge and a slice of cheese and eat them together you really have something, or some feta in a garden salad. And there are so many cheeses to choose from, if one doesn't suit you then there is still a plethora of choices; cheddar, Gouda, Havarti, Swiss, Mozzarella, nacho cheese, pepper jack, feta, blue cheese, Gorgonzola, Cotswold, Parmesan, wensleydale, string cheese, ricotta, Colby, and (if you must) "American Cheese," to name a very select few.

You can have it as h'orderves (cheese and crakers), appetizers (asiago cheese puffs), main course (cheese enchilladas), and dessert (cheese cake); and you wont get cheesed out. Oh ho ho, cheese cake; who can deny that Cheese cake is the best cake out there? In the cake world cheese once again takes first. And with frosting, why settle for plain chocolate frosting when you can have chocolate cream cheese frosting? cheese is everywhere and it is everything great! Cheese makes everything better. I love cheese.

warning: do not read this

2008-08-20T01:36:00.000-05:00

There is an interesting anomaly that occurs in human nature- generally, humans are inherently stupid, and curious. This is a more complex problem than I have given it credit in the past.

There is a hole in my bathroom floor at the moment. I am working at replacing the drain in the shower and finishing remodeling it. Because of my brothers wedding recently and having guests coming over I felt it a good idea to straighten up the area and clean the floor to get it looking presentable to guests and a friend who would be camping out on our couch for the weekend. As part of my tidying up I advanced the project to a good stopping point, got rid of the mound of dirt that I removed from the floor and then placed a large sheet of butcher paper over the hole to make the room look nice. Now for the human element; I had a choice to make, I could either leave the sheet blank hoping that no one would step on it and fall through, or I could write a cautionary note advising not to step on it. I decided to write the note. “No Step” and “Hazard: Do not step on brown paper.” Simple enough, however with signs and advisories comes curiosity, it seems to be a natural consequence. Signs invite curiosity. “Hey look, a sign- It says stay out, I wonder why? Let’s go find out!” Why do we do that? We are all guilty of it. If you are reading this right now you are guilty of it. ‘Why should I not read it? Is there something I shouldn’t know? What is it?’

So either way you are going to have someone end up in the hole. No advisory and someone might end up falling in on accident; put up an advisory and everyone gets courious as to why to avoid it and end up in the hole. So is it actually better to leave the paper blank? to not place a warning? You might argue that there is less of a chance of someone falling in by accident than from curiousity but experiance shows that not matter what you do you lose. I am not exactly sure how that happens but somehow, even with a clear warning, you are to blame.

tall people and kissing

2008-08-18T07:57:00.000-05:00

I am tall. My whole family is on the taller side of the spectrum. Often times in a crowd I can easily pop my head up above the majority by standing on my tippy-toes to locate a brother and make my way to him. Frequently at social gatherings (parties, dances, or mixers,) I can remain within eyesight of any one of my brothers heads as we individually make are way around. This comes in quite useful. How do sort people do it? I can't imagine how long it would take to find a particular someone in a crowd in which everyone is taller than you. One might have to bust out her handy-dandy cell phone and throw down a text message as a kind of 21st century, cellular radar; bounce a radio signal off a couple of towers and a few bounces later it returns in a convenient textual form giving the precise location of the individual, relative to the surroundings . So anyway, being tall has its benefits after all.

You may be wondering by now where kissing plays into all this. Let me expound. My brother has a tall girlfriend. They are quite the couple and very cute (and tall) together. It hasn't been until recently that they have started showing there love for each other publicly. Most people know it as PDA. As they have however I have discovered something, EVERYBODY CAN SEE YOU kissing! It is like standing on a tower with a bull horn shouting "look at us, we love each other and we are going to show you." I don't know why I never noticed it before, as it is so right there in front of you, perhaps it is because my oldest brother is shorter than me and my other brother married a short girl, but this brother and his girlfriend are both taller than me (and I am not short). I gained a new perspective. I really don't care about PDA as long as it is not overly excessive, which I know this brother is not about to do. I just find it noteworthy.

proposition eight

2008-08-18T00:03:00.000-05:00

I have been thinking lately about what I want to say here regarding this particular issue; there are so many sides to it and so many sub-arguments, where do I begin? I feel very passionately that marriage is between a man and a woman. I have just been unable to sort out my thoughts that would make sense to the reader. Politics are not really my thing. Fortunately, I read this blog the other day written by a friend of mine and he says it better than I ever could.

http://poachedfrog.com/blog/index.php?p=583

Take the time to READ these comments, then take time to SHARE them with others. As is said in the article, defining marriage is an issue for us all, not just those who live in CA.

I have also found several other sites regarding the Proposition 8 that may provide further understanding.

The Divine Institution of Marriage

ProtectMarriage.com

Family: A Proclamation to the World

Ballotpedia.org

NPR News Story

Interview with LDS Apostle Dallin H. Oaks

Two Reasons to Vote- PoachedFrog

a toast is in order

2008-08-01T03:01:00.000-05:00

To more fully understand the type of relationship my brother Darren and I have I wish to share a few of his own words, as written while I was away on my mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It is a blog post of his titled "Devon."

Saturday, February 26, 2005

Devon makes me smile.

He is four years younger than me but we once convinced our stylists at a barbershop that we were twins. Same last name similar first names, same height, similar eyes, they bought it.

I love him like nothing else in this world. He…shares with me in the joy of riding bikes and simply being outside. Even if it was doing chores, if we were doing it together it was fun.

We didn't need words, Devon and I, a look and we could tell by each others eyes what we were about to do, how we would do it, and who we would do it to. The random clever remark and frequent Douglas Adams quotes were bonuses.

We are very different people, he and I. I call him my evil twin…because where I am outgoing and an aspiring leader he is fairly reserved, where I am always distracted by something new to do or learn, he patiently masters complex skills. But this is what makes him perfect, he balances me out and makes me smile.

This week is the half way point Devon has been gone one year, one more year until he comes home.

One more year until I am whole again.

I love my brother Darren! A lot has happened since Darren wrote this, he has grown, I have grown, and we have both change, as well as many other parts of our lives. Change is a certainty of life.

I have been a catalyst, a temporary fill in until he found that perfect someone, that girl that might 'balance him out and make him smile.' He has finally found that someone. Ryann is that someone. And they sure do a good job at balancing each other out; Darren is tall, Ryann is short. Darren manages with little sleep and copes with early morning activities, Ryann could easily sleep through lunch if she got the chance. Ryann is meticulous and selective, Darren can often care less. But there is much more than that to their relationship. I have spent much time with the two of them as they would do things together, and often told of other times when I wasn't there. Darren and Ryann have fun together, they create together and have from the beginning cared for each other. What ever they do, when they do it together they fluently submerse themselves in a sea of buoyancy and cheer.

Ryann completes Darren in a perfect way; in a way that I never could. I joyously welcome her as my newest sister-in-law. I willingly, and lovingly, relinquish my standing in Darren’s life to Ryann, the love of his life, his better half, my friend. I may remain his evil twin but she is his saving angel.

Ryann and Darren- Fight change. If you must change, change together. Laugh together, Love each other, and Share that love with others.

not so fast...

2008-07-31T03:02:00.000-05:00

I went camping with most of my brothers the other day and I came to a more astute understanding of my youngest brother. I imagine that he has it toughest among all of my brothers and me. I used to think he had it easy but recent insights have dispelled such notions. He is a good kid, not the fastest or most obedient but I love him. He doddles and takes forever to do tasks assigned him much of the time but I suppose that is typical of a little boy his age; I am sure that is what I was doing at his age; but with a more stern consequence.

My dad (our dad) has mellowed out over the years and despite what Justin might think he gets away with much more that what I, or any of the rest of our brothers, may have. Thus it is easy to presume that he’s got it easy. What I realized on our camping trip is that though Justin may only have one father, and though Father lets him get off easy (relatively), the rest of us certainly don’t cut him any slack or let him get away with anything. I imagine it is like having six dads. That, I imagine is worse than Father being as tough on him as he has been on the rest of us.

When we got to camp there were orders being shouted left and right and many of them at Justin who had already found a stick and was doing what little boys do best- playing with sticks, throwing rocks in the water and kicking around in the dirt. As I lay on the picnic table with a headache listening to this barrage of orders I felt a small sense of what Justin may feel every day. I have since resolved to work harder at not ordering him around. I try not to demand or order people around but, as I am my fathers son, I do sometimes revert to snappy demands.

What is worse than being raised but a tyrannical father? Being raised by 6 brothers whose lives have been molded but a tyrannical father. Good luck Justin.

around the house

2008-07-27T20:36:00.000-05:00

It is not that I haven't had anything exciting or interesting to talk about, it is just that I haven't seemed to have the will to write them down or post them. I have actually had several observations that I have wanted to record and even post but never got around to getting them from my head into words. I have been a little busier lately with moving, summer adventures, my brothers wedding, and many other projects that I have been tasked to. Living at home for a season seems to do that- especially for me. My dad work hard and enjoys working his sons (and daughter) hard; there are always projects to be done, if not for others than around our house or at my grandfathers medical building. As we have all grown older the projects have not ceased but my father has become a little less inclined to do them. They are still there and needing completing so someone has to step in and take point. Somewhere in time that someone became me. How or when it happened I am uncertain; what I do know is that my dad, who once motivated my brothers and me with a look, an assertive voice, and the occasional stick, now requires and takes to my gentle motivation. So many projects- so few hours in the day!

With that said I wonder if it is possible or just contradictory to say that I want to write or have a desire to write down certain thoughts but don't have the will to? I would promulgate that my wanting to write comes from a yearning or craving, involving a passion for both recording and sharing; my lack of will stems from a laziness or a carnal disposition to not think but, simply react. Unfortunately for me (and all you who read my blog) will has more to do with character than does wanting or desire. Peculiar! This argument, or at least a form of it, has actually prodded my mind for a little while now. The underlying argument is that of desire to be righteous vs. actual action. We are judged according to thought and action but how so? Alma 41:6 says, "If he hath repented of his sins, and desired righteousness until the end of his days, even so he shall be rewarded unto righteousness." If I act righteously but occasionally think something I ought not what happens then? Or what if I desire to do right but occasionally act contrary to that thought? Is it in vain? I have more thought on this mater but I will not continue farther as of yet. I invite you ponder on this that each one may form his and her own thoughts on this.

the moon

2008-06-20T14:45:00.000-05:00

I hold the Moon to be one of the most fascinating of celestial entities. Comets come and go, shooting stars are neat but you can never trust them to stick around. The Moon is there, and it holds true to its course. It is even makes appearances in the daylight hours. True it is constant and predictable but it has its shining moments and its devious nature adds personality; it appears to move one way when in actuality it does not. This just reminds us that things are not always as they appear. It is intriguing to me that the Moon can be seen by two people in different parts of the globe simultaneously. I really don’t know why, as the same can be said of the sun. So how does the Moon get such an honor? Perhaps it is that the Moon is not required to be out for it to be night, the sun on the other hand is pre-requisite to day, but the Moon can (and does) come and go as it pleases. It is willing to take second amongst the daylight hours, or shine in supreme luster through a night sky at its choosing. There is nothing wrong with second, especially when you are competing with such a shining star as the sun.

I believe that we, as children of God, are no too unlike the Moon and that we should seek to emulate it. The Moon, of its self, does not shine. It requires a greater source, a greater entity. How much would you care about the Moon if the sun did not bring it to light? The Moon is a servant to the Earth and is dedicated to its eternal purpose. The moon reflects the splendid brilliance of the sun, the source of all life and light here on Earth. St. John 8:12, as well as numerous other passages of scripture (Doctrine & Covenants 11:28), refers to Christ as the Light and Life of the world. Sun and Son are fantastically analogous. So the Son shines and we reflect that light to the world. We serve the world. Otherwise we are dark, barren, and cold- left alone without cause or purpose. We must shine, we must serve- it provides purpose.

superheroes

2008-06-15T15:27:00.001-05:00

Kids rarely know what is good for them. Personally as a kid I wasn’t too bad (I think so anyway, hopefully my parents feel the same way.) I took my baths, I ate my veggies, I went to bed; I wasn’t the best at school work. Anyway, that’s not the point, what I had the most trouble with, along with most of my brothers, was Dad. My dad was a big-bearded, scary-looking, redheaded, work enforcing, terrifier of youth. I was certainly scared of him. I recall thinking of him at times as a slave driver, and guess who the slave was. Oh yeah. Not fun. I was mowing lawns before I was as tall as the lawn mower. Weeding flowerbeds, painting fences, clearing debris, hauling firewood, you name it, never was there nothing to do. My brothers and I were not interested. We felt we had better things to do; climbing trees, watching TV, video and computer games, reading books, playing with friends, whatever little boys like to do.

Fortunately I grew up. I realized my dad was not what I imagined him to be. I realized that I had no idea what was good for me. I know now that my dad knew what he was doing and I am extremely thankful for him. He has become my example, my idol. He is my everyday superhero. I have not read of any superhero that can match my dad in ability, achievement, knowledge, bravery, fortitude, valor, or genuine greatness. My dad tops them all. Though my childhood may have not been full of fun and games it was full of learning and experience. As an adult I understand and cherish my dads foresight in limiting what I thought then was good for me. Elbert Hubbard is accredited with saying, “Where parents do too much for their children, the children will not do much for themselves.” I am forever thankful to my dad for not doing too much for me as I see my peers who were not fortunate enough to have a superhero dad. Dads truly are real life superheroes. To the child’s eye they seem indestructible. They know everything, and seem at times to be capable of anything. It is unfortunate that some kids grow into a clouded perception of his or her father. I love my superhero dad and am glad I am one of the lucky few to consider him my father. May each of us remember our dads as the superheroes we once held them to be. Happy Father’s Day Pops!

neighborhood store

2008-05-30T01:45:00.000-05:00

Do you know your neighbor? How about the house just past your neighbor? Most of the people I know do a good job at knowing the families that live near them. But it seems common in the U.S. for people to not associate with their neighbors. Why are we drifting toward this commonality? Is it important to know your neighbor? I think it is, and helpful too. As we building friendships we build a support system. A trusted neighbor can be so many things. A trusted neighbor can help watch your home when you are away, he can feed your pets, or water your plants. A big plus is that you can run to your neighbor’s house to borrow something you need when you are in a pinch, even if you never become long-time friends.

My oldest brother lived in Finland for about two years. He posed the question one holiday: “What would people do if this country (U.S.) shut down like Finland does?” He says that there is not one store open on holidays, the whole country shuts down. What wound happen in the US of A if all the shops were closed for the holidays? More and more stores and entertainments are opening up on holidays; anything to make the extra buck. That is the sword of capitalism! Anyway, would you get along if there was nothing open on Memorial Day, Thanksgiving, or Christmas? More importantly, if someone knocked on your door and asked to borrow a small quantity of some household staple would you generously accept?

relatively oblivious

2008-05-25T02:19:00.000-05:00

So I have lived in a bubble all my life. There are a lot of things that I take for granted and many other things I am simply unaware of. Many things I don't understand on a national level, let alone an international level. There are rules and standards that apply globally and had to be decided by somebody somewhere. I was thinking about time lines today and wonder what global committee took it upon themselves to decide how and where the world would be divided into 24 different time segments? Did some guy just decide this is how it should be and then everyone else just said there is no point in arguing it? What about the International Date Line, who picked the Pacific Ocean? Was it voted upon or did was it just that that is how it was and it worked.

After doing a little research I found that there are actually 40 different time zones around the globe, and discovered several interesting things regarding global timekeeping. One such peculiarity is that the IDL is actually de facto, drawings on maps and charts are simply the construction of the cartographers who make them. There is actually a lot to time zones and international time keeping and can get rather confusing. For example, do to a jog in the IDL there are actually 3 different days being observed for 2 hours of each one revolution of the earth. So it turns out that there is (or was) an international committee that decided on a few necessary items- the International Meridian Conference of 1884. I wonder how many people made it to this conference in 1885 or how many different countries were invited/ represented. They were the ones that decided a ‘Universal Day’ would be midnight to midnight GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) and thus the start and end of this Universal Day with the IDL falls opposite this median.

Once again one little intrigue has lead to a myriad of trivial information to be regurgitated over and over in my little brain. Knowing things makes you smarter!

time and money

2008-05-18T03:24:00.000-05:00

Time and money are the two things that everyone wishes he and she had more of. It is striking to me the relation between the two and at the same time a stark contrast. Everyone is given the same amount of time in a day and days in a week. Time however is not equal to all. Some have less and some have more- only in the sense that time is lived and we each have more or less to live. Some live to their 100s while others die in youth or young adult life. Each person has only a given amount of time. Money however is seemingly endless, if you can find means there is no end to the money you may accumulate. Time is frequently exchanged for money. Time is a commodity. Just as we may exchange good for good, or money for something of necessity, time is exchanged for money. Time can be wasted as well as money and any other physical possession. Both time and money can be spent on things of little or no value.

So what is my point or the point of these ramblings? I don’t have a point to this, my friend and I were just discussing the topic earlier and I found it intriguing and thought to post it and invite others to contemplate such impractical notions. What if our money were like our time in that we had no idea how much we had left, would we spend it less cavalierly? Do we sometimes live out the time of our lives cavalierly? If money were finite and we only had so much how differently would we think?

hugs

2008-05-14T11:04:00.000-05:00

Hugs are great, in fact I wish I had one right now. When life goes sour and the building blocks of life get kicked out from under you a hug lets you know that there is someone there who cares about you and what happens to you. Hugs can be for so many things and they mean different things from different people. They can be for happiness or excitement, for friendship or for appreciation. They can be for encouragement, for sincerity, for pleasure, for affection, or for understanding. Most importantly however, they are for comfort. Hugs provide comfort. The problem with hugs is that they are not given (or appreciated) very well from far away. That is part of what makes them what they are, that they are personal and embracing. Some people don't like hugs- I think they need to live a little. Hugs are two sided, there is a receiving end, which is a great end to be on but there is also the giving end. Hugs are gifts. They are an act of service and kindness. You can't very well have a hug if no one is willing to offer one. The interesting thing is once a hug is offered and excepted than both the giver and the receiver become receiver and both are embraced. In giving we receive! I am going to go find someone to hug. I encourage you to do the same; find someone one who needs a hug and give him or her your all.

mothers

2008-05-12T11:26:00.000-05:00

Mother's Day was the other day and I got so busy with preparing my talk that I forgot to write my thoughts on mothers. My mother is a very special mom. She is amazing. I love my mother and I am glad that she know that. Without mothers I firmly believe that the world would fall apart, reverting to chaos and disaster. "Family: A Proclamation to the World" says that the disintegration of the family (of which mothers are a key part) will bring upon communities, nations and countries grave calamities. Without mothers society would be a chaotic nightmare. With this thought in mind this past week, thinking that without mothers nations would fall, I read a familiar church hymn and realized that though it is not about mothers its words speak of mothers and what they do.

They the builders of the Nation blazing trails along the way;
Stepping stones for generations were there deeds of every day.
Building new and firm foundations, pushing on the wild frontier,
forging onward ever onward

Service ever was their watch-cry love became their guiding star;
Courage their unfailing beacon, radiating near and far.
Every day some burden lifted, every day some heart to cheer,
Every day some hope the brighter

As an ensign to the nation they unfurled the flag of truth,
Pillar, guide, and inspiration to the hosts of waiting youth.
Honor, praise, and veneration to the founders we revere!
List our song of adoration Blessed, Honored Mother Dear!

I am certainly grateful for mothers. I am especially grateful for my mother. She has taught me so much and continues to teach by her loving example.

life and technology

2008-04-30T11:37:00.000-05:00

What is the life span of a laptop? My laptop is now 2 years old, it had its birthday this earlier this month and it is showing its age. They talk about dog-years and human-years but what about computer years? If I were a computer I’d be dead now! Or sitting in some antique shop or Smithsonian. I think that as far as laptops go two years is getting up there in age; desktops seem to have a little longer life expectance but maybe because they are more easily adaptable. Perhaps it is similar to the difference in life expectance between guys and gals. Anyway, the life of a computer is not so much based on how long it will last but the technology it contains (with the exception perhaps of PC’s blue screen of death). That computer from 1989 that my dad has sitting in the corner gathering dust will still turn on and play that DOS based, 5 ¼ floppy of Super Solvers but that is all it will do. Remember the days before there were mice (mouse’s)? The days of Oregon Trail in the school computer lap on brand new Apples. Weren’t those the days! There are flash drives now with more memory than the memory of that entire computer. My laptop is what is know as a “convertible,” it’s screen can fold over and I can use it as either a regular laptop or as a tablet. I am surprised that I do not see more of them than what I do around today. I think MAC has successfully taken much of their market. So, my computer is old but is still very much alive and kicking. I have had to replace the hard drive and I have dinged it up a little but it gets the job done.

plain ink

2008-04-10T17:56:00.000-05:00

Every time I go to Wal-Mart I find something to blog about. You remember my last blog about Wal-Mart. And consequently they have sidewalk chalk now and I bought some. Anyway today we discuss index cards. I went to buy 3x5 cards today because I ran out. I bought my first pack at the UVSC book store but found that they were not the cheapest. So looking at 3x5 cards at Wal-Mart I discovered to my dismay that the lined cards cost about 80% more than lineless, blank cards. What is up with that! I like the blank cards because I can print on them, and you would think that they would be cheaper because they do not use require the ink for the lines. But No, that is not the case and once again I am dissatisfied with another trip to Wal-Mart. The cards were cheaper than the ones at the bookstore but still! That’s not right!

point of view

2008-04-04T17:49:00.000-05:00

Every story has two sides. That is the trouble with life. That is the one thing that causes the most problems. I think I said once that it was humanities forgetful nature but I think that the inability/ unwillingness to understand is greater. If each person could simply understand where the other person is ‘coming from’ and respect that then life would be much more passive. Today there was an event at my work that I was not a witness to but was given the details of by my coworkers who played a role in it and then, later this evening I was given the opposing sides story as related by the sister-in-law of the costumer involved. Both sides I am sure have truth to them but I also understand that I was told the one side by a direct contributor and the other by a third party, merely a relay of one sided information. Both sides are naturally bias so where is the truth and how is it uncovered? It is just a curious thing that the same thing, whatever it may be, can be seen so differently by different people just standing at different angles to the object. Point of view is what people are made of. We all come from different circumstances and thus perceive things differently. And it is amazing to me how different the views are sometimes.

eco me!

2008-04-03T13:31:00.000-05:00

My previous post makes me wonder, Do I have more epidermis than some short fat guy of equal displacement? If me and some short guy displace the same amount we are of equal volume but if I am tall and skinny it will require more surface area to cover me. ?? That's not weird!

eco this!

2008-03-26T22:35:00.000-05:00

I was lying bed last night finishing up some reading before going to sleep and I reached over and grabbed my bottle of water to take a swig. It was then when I noticed the words “Eco-Shape” on the side of it. Arrowhead claimed my water bottle to use 30% less plastic than other bottles of that volume. I found that to be a little striking. I do not know if you have ever seen the eco-shape bottle before but it is filled with ridges and waves and dimples in the molding. So how do they say that this is an “eco-shape”? Most people know that the shortest distance (in this case least material) is accomplished in a straight line. So what’s with all the contours and the dimples in the bottle?

That is what started this blog but then upon further investigation I found an even more interesting fact. The “eco-shape” bottle is taller and skinnier than its predecessor. That brought to mind an old algebra problem I had once about a farmer and his fence, you may remember it. A farmer wants to corral his animals in a given area with 4 sides but wants to do it with the least amount of money, so with what dimensions will the fence be cheapest? The fence will be cheapest with four equal length sides. A square. It turns out that you will always use the least amount of material with a square as opposed to any rectangular configuration. The same holds true with 3-Dimensional objects. You can contain the same volume in a short stubby container with less surface area than you would in a tall skinny container. So this Arrowhead “eco-shape” container isn’t really doing anything for me. I will give it its thinner plastic but everything else about the bottle doesn’t really cry out eco friendly.

falling

2008-03-07T18:17:00.000-06:00

It is quite an exciting feeling when you are cruising along at about 15 hundred feet all find and dandy, when all of the sudden, you are falling. What a thrill! At 1700 ft/min it is quite a rush. Now I have never jumped out of an airplane for such a rush but I think this is more fun, but it won't stop me from doing it if the opportunity presents itself. Today in flight class we did auto rotations, the ability of the helicopter to "fly" (really more like fall safely) in the event of a power failure. The blades continue to spin and you still have control and most importantly- the ability to land gracefully. It is such a cool experience. The reasoning behind my thinking that auto rotations are better than parachuting is because you don't have any sudden yank, smashing your acceleration as if against some invisible concrete wall- you can gently roll on the throttle giving you a gentle return to reality. Another up side is you don't have to jump out; that is silliness (once again this would not necessarily hinder me from doing it)! So those are my thoughts on falling, one of the most happy feelings in the world if done with the right equipment and as long as when you touch the ground it is done softly.

brace for impact

2008-03-06T01:27:00.000-06:00

I thought about it today and it seems that that is not necessarily a good idea. As I understand it the more limber and loose you are the greater your chance of making it though uninjured. We read about auto accidents where the victim is injured or even killed and the selfish drunk that was too wasted to clearly determine that he was drunk and shouldn't drive walks away without injury. How is that for unfair? The drunk is loose and mellow, the victim screaming in terror, pressing himself firmly against the back of his seat with his hands against the steering wheel and foot floored against the break.

On a less sobering note I recall an article I read once about cats. Among other things it was mentioned that a cat will relax itself as it falls from a high plain. Said the article, "Relaxing also causes the impact force to be spread out over more area when the cat lands, resulting in a decrease in injuries to cats' limbs when they fall seven or more stories." That sounds pretty amazing. So why do we "brace for impact"? Another thing too- is there really any point to closing your eyes? it doesn't help anything, and you miss all the action.

weekdays

2008-02-24T02:34:00.001-06:00

I wear black pants every weekday. What does this mean? It is different than if I were to say I wear black pants every day. But they are all week days. So who decided that there were week days and not week days? But you know what I mean when I say the first. So is a week really only five days in length? I suppose it can be argued to that point. And while I am on the subject it seems only right to call it the “weekends.” There are two of them. Yes they do touch each other, but there are still two of them, and sense they aren’t week days I am going to call them peak days. Most people amongst the masses look forward to these two days. One is a peak play or get-everything-that-you-need-to-done-in day and the other is naturally the peak day of spirituality. It is great. Two days that the world definitely could not do without. So why are they not weekdays?

training

2008-02-24T01:58:00.001-06:00

I started Helicopter School this week and it has been great. I have been here in UT now for about a month and a half and I am finally starting what I have come out here to do. I now go to the airport every weekday. I have 2 to 2 1/2 hours of one on one instruction from Vincent Baker, my instructor, and then he and I go fly an R22 Robertson helicopter for about an hour. It is wonderful. I am having a blast. I think my favorite part of flying thus far is air-taxiing. It is a blast. I love zipping around 5-20 feet off the ground. Flying at high altitudes is fun too but it isn’t quite as exciting as zipping around the airport or somewhere else. So far I have learned straight and level flight; turning, accelerating, and decelerating while maintaining steady altitude; climbs and descents, and hovering. Hovering is fun too, but is takes a little work to do well. I have not yet perfected it, I have only done it twice, but I am not too bad at it- especially for only doing it twice.

There is a lot to know about helicopters and a whole lot more than what I originally thought goes into flying- that goes for both rotary and fixed wing flying. It is amazing what all effects flight.

All in all, school is great, it is a lot of learning but that is what makes it so exciting. I love learning. If only I loved learning as much in high school as I do know, I would probably be a whole lot smarter.

too perfect

2008-02-18T22:22:00.002-06:00

Consider with me a moment perfection. I heard recently an idle remark “it is just a little too perfect.” That doesn’t sound right, too perfect! What is perfect? Perfect is absolute, it is the best, the highest point of achievement. Therefore something cannot be beyond perfection or “too” perfect. “Pinnacle of perfection!” that is a term used often in regards to perfection. So in my mind I have come to the conclusion that perfection, if plotted would resemble an inversed parabola, or perhaps more ideally, a bell curve.

As I ponder more on it, it occurs to me that there are two different forms (definitions) of perfect. There is perfect which is often associated with middle ground or balance- “not too… and not too.., but perfect,” and then there is perfection as associated with supremacy or the best, “as good as it gets,” into which category Godly Perfection would fall. In such instances as the first, as in temperature or judgment, Graph A would appropriately depict the situation, the vertical axis representing degree of perfection, the horizontal axis would respectively be hot and cold or mercy and justice, with the extremes lying at either end.

The latter form which I will call supreme perfection is not a middle ground between two extremes as the former is. It is not a balance. It is a progression. Though supreme perfection has many different examples its best example, and the one that I wish to expound here, is that of Eternal progression, Divine Perfection. It took me a few days to think of what this graph may look like but I think I now have it. As already mentioned Divine Perfection is not a balance between good and evil, nor is it a balance between body and spirit. It is not a balance of anything. It is a pinnacle. It is the lofty height of humanity to which we each fix our gaze and our path. It is the greatest of greats. I imagine its graph to look much like that of Graph B, the square root function. Part of why I thought of this particular graph is my feeling that the closer something approaches supreme perfection it requires more effort to reach it so the curve will flatten out drastically. So in this instance the horizontal, or y-axis is effort, as the vertical remains degree of perfection. This is actually a watered down version of my entire thoughts on this form of perfection but that is not really the topic of this post. It is a topic for another day; it really does get quite better and at least makes much more sense in my mind.

In the first cast to be too perfect would be to be to the left or right of the climax and therefore no longer be perfect. In the case of the second too perfect is folly. If perfect is supreme, the height of heights, how do you go beyond it? It is a lot of thought and writing for such a conclusion but that is me I suppose. I am not the simplest individual.

All this from an idle word, or remark. Who know that such a thing can have so much sway, or can provoke so much thought in my mind. Be careful what you say around me.

animal of choice

2008-02-11T13:24:00.001-06:00

It is a question whimsically asked on occasion, if you were an animal what animal would you be? Or what animal do you feel you most resemble? Now it would be cheating, I suppose, to say ‘a human’ for people forget every now and then that we too are animals. But I have had difficulty with this in the past just as I have had difficulty with choosing favorites. There are so many options, so many good things to be or traits I posses, so many possibilities that I can not narrow it all to one. The more and more I ponder it however I have in recent months settled on a conclusion. The subject of my conclusion, of my settlement is an adventurous creature, full of energy and curiosity. He is tame and docile, yet contains a vein of ferocity and rebellion. He is a wanderer, a nomad at times, yet loves attention and affection, willing to return such affection in abundance. He is playful, generally passive, and struts a tinge of arrogance. These have been my thoughts through the last few months and today I read the following description of this animal by D. H. Lawrence. Said he in his book Reflections on the Death of a Porcupine, “Of all the animals, there is no denying it, the Timsy is the most pretty, the most fine. It is not her mere corpus that is beautiful; it is her bloom of aliveness, her ‘infinite variety’; the soft, snow-flakey lightness of her, and at the same time her lean, heavy ferocity.” I find these words accurate and beautiful. The common cat is a very alive creature and one of note. There are so many qualities that it possesses and I feel it a worthy vessel of an animal embodiment of my personal attributes.

think to yourself

2008-02-06T16:09:00.000-06:00

Is there any other kind? You often hear “…I thought to myself…” and I wonder if there is any other kind. I even say it myself! If you think about something you are obviously thinking about it to yourself, it would be rather difficult to think something to another person. You can definitely think about another person but you can’t think to another person. Our thoughts are our own so why in English do we say that we thought to ourselves? It is proper to differentiate between those we speak to by adding a pronoun and where better suited a proper noun but to think is not to speak. Thinking hopefully comes before speaking. I suppose that collectively a group of individuals can think on a subject and that is what we are differentiating in the case of thought. But in that case we would be ‘thinking with.’ One would not say that he is thinking to a group of friends, he would say that he was thinking with a group of friends. So why do we say we think to ourselves? Is it proper? I think it is redundant.

soap

2008-02-06T16:08:00.000-06:00

Maybe it is because I hardly ever watch TV, but it is not like I watch it a whole lot in my younger years… What happened to soap commercials? I was lathering up the other morning with a bar of Lever 2000 (for all my two thousand parts) and I thought to myself that I don’t think there are soap commercials on like there used to be. And then I thought “why would that be?” Soap is still a daily part of all hygienically stable people’s lives. There is still market for it. Are people just not interested in what kind of soap they use? Perhaps there are other things now days that people are more interested in. Clive Barnes has been quoted as saying that “television is the first truly democratic culture - the first culture available to everybody and entirely governed by what the people want. The most terrifying thing is what people do want.” TV, including commercials is what ‘the people’ want, if they don’t want it, it quickly becomes not TV. So it is not that people don’t want soap, it is just that there are “more important” things to advertise.

For someone who doesn’t really watch TV I sure have a lot to say about it.

four, floor & flour

2008-02-01T02:44:00.001-06:00

The letters o-u can make both the “ow” sound and the ō sound. Why is it that four says ‘for’ and flour says ‘flower’? All you are doing is adding an “L.” And to think that a person floating down a stream is not a flow-er! What is going on here, I haven’t even made it to the thought that the word floor has the double ‘O’ which every first-grader knows makes the “ooooo” sound in words like food. This only goes to show that American’s not only enjoy braking rules (or is it rools), they seem to look (luke; wait a minute, double ‘O’ can’t make too different sounds too!) for new ones to make up just to break them. Maybe that is not what it proves (proov’s) but it seems to show that we enjoy to complicate things. If you take our and put an 'F' in front of it you get four but that 'f' now magically changes the way the 'our' sounds, add an "fl" and we are back to 'our' again. It is a good thing we do not teach kids all these words at once so that they have time to forget some of the rules before learning the next word.

read the following line out loud as fast as you can; it's a killer.
our, hour, four, flour, floor, flower, slower, flow?

punctuation

2008-01-27T19:20:00.000-06:00

I have said previously that words are materials with which we build. I wish to take that as my basis for the topic of punctuation. Punctuation seems to me to be the element that brings those sentences, those paragraphs to life. Not just that but can you imagine reading with no punctuation. I have actually done this and it is not very easy. Several of my brothers in writing letters fail to punctuate so in attempting to read meaning may get lost, or worse, misinterpreted. Every individual has his or her unique style of thinking and consequently his or her unique style of both writing and reading. The way we create sentences is derived from the way we think. Because I think up sentences different from the way that even my brother may think up sentences punctuation is the key, the cipher if you will used to comprehend that sentence. True also is the fact that a sentence can take on an entirely different meaning if punctuated differently. Now, I am by no means an English major, in fact English was one of two least favorite subjects throughout high school. However, even though I am not very schooled in the art of punctuation it seems to me a not to difficult task to punctuate my thoughts. I know I mess up but it is better to try and fail than to not have it there at all. Punctuation is the top hat on the Frosty of words. It’s the pixie dust to their happy thoughts. It does something magical to them. It transforms them. It brings them to life.

unfinished thought

2008-01-27T19:13:00.000-06:00

You ever have a thought and write half of it down but then get busy and forget to finish it? Or formulate an idea and start talking only to realize that that idea was only half realized and was interrupted by the opening of the mouth? We have all done it. I have a thought that I started to record one day but did not finish. Now I have a good portion of a thought recorded with no idea where I was headed with it. I suppose I could continue with the thought in a direction that seems suiting but then it wouldn’t really be the same. I can’t just leave it. I have noticed several of these occurrences in my journal- lying in bed at 11:00 or 12:00 at night, tired ready to go to bed but want to jot down the proceedings of the day. So I start and soon realize that I had more than I thought I had to say so I put it down telling myself that I will finish it the next night only to get to the next night and find myself in the same predicament. It is a vicious cycle. It was an excellent stopping point, it really was. It is just too bad that it gives no hint or insight to the next sentence. I know there was more to be said but what? Not what would make sense coming next but what had I meant to say next. That’s the killer. It is just enough to clearly be going somewhere but not quite enough to know where that where is. It was something masterful, something crafty, something thought provoking; I know it was.

what if...?

2008-01-27T01:09:00.000-06:00

What does it really matter? You read it or hear it all the time; What if…? To me what if, as far as the past is concerned, never happened so why bother with it. What if I was never born? What if my father married someone else? What if the South won the war? Sure it might be fun to think about every now and then but to me it is not a serious question. In my amateur understanding of the universe no action or event is entirely without cause or effect so to capitulate the notion of one act or event not happening is submit too that the events surrounding it must have never happened or must not have gone down the way they did, and according to the law of snowballs this can have a very serious impact. The example of “what if I was never born?” leads me to think of the classic Jimmy Stewart movie It’s a Wonderful Life. I think the movie does a nice job of capturing the complete change of an entire town in one what if. It is like a completely separate dimension. With each event building on the next in time to remove or alter one is to affect all that proceed. To ask if there would be slavery today if the South had won the Civil War, or if you could have had a chance with a girl (or boy) if you had done something a little different are not, in my opinion, accurate questions. There may be stipulations in which it is appropriate but no event, as individuals, stands alone being affected by only one thing, one instance. Furthermore, that fact is that it didn’t happen so why fret it. As said by Disney, “hakuna matata!”

tv commercials

2008-01-22T20:17:00.000-06:00

“You can tell the state of a society by their TV commercials.” In church on Sunday someone gave a talk and they made this comment. It is funny that this was mentioned because a week or two ago I was doing something on the computer and the TV was on and there was some sort of show on, anyway the show wasn’t’ important what is important was the commercials. It seemed that all the commercials were on diets or weight loss pills or exercise programs or something of the sort. The thought came to mind, “What does it say about the show if the only commercials associated with it are diet commercials?” I think I could hear the TV set screaming out “you must be fat and lazy to sit and watch this stupid show so here, try out these products.”

fun with words

2008-01-21T12:17:00.000-06:00

Building things with words? I can build things with words! I enjoy building things. Though I have never been a big fan of reading or writing I realize something- writing is building. It is building things with words. Not only is it building sentences but it is building stories, characters, plots, ideas. It is great. You should try it; thinking of it as building makes it so much more fun.

canada

2008-01-16T00:11:00.000-06:00

Where does Canada come from? We in the US of A are taught about our blessed nation and its divine origin, with its Heavenly inspired constitution, but what about our neighbors. Now it may have been during one of the many years of schooling in which I was not paying attention, for which I regret immensely, but I do not recall learning of the formation and history of our neighbor countries. Is it important? I think it is; and I am not very much in to history. I am starting to get more and more in to it but in the past I could probably care less. I regret that too. I know we (the United States) ran in to a little trouble with Mexico in our establishing our self as a nation. That I remember, but I don’t recall any thing about Canada. Perhaps I am just ignorant and every other 23 year old out there knows and paid attention in school, but I think it is important to know not only of the nation in which you live and breathe and have your freedom, but of those nations that border it. Often those bordering nations have an influence on how the one nation comes to be. What strikes me is that the America’s were a ‘new’ land in the late 1700s and people of all over Europe traveled, risking their lives, in coming here to escape religious oppression. Canada I believe was mainly French populated, right? So did the French just not like the way the “American’s” were doing things in establishing a constitution and decided to go off and make their own new nation? Did Canada battle with France as America battled with Brittan? Why was I not interested in these things in high school where I may have been taught them?

courious

2008-01-07T17:03:00.000-06:00

It seems to me a cruelty of life that women, who are the ones most concerned with their figure and their belly, are the ones that get pregnant. But maybe that is none of my business.

the cool new hot

2008-01-05T14:51:00.001-06:00

Hot and Cool practically mean the same thing. Why is that? You can say about an item that you like, "hey, that is cool," or "try out this cool new...." Now hot is used in more of an exclaimitive way as in "that's hot!" but I have read the beckon "try our hot new..." before. So you can have your hot new toy and I will get my cool new toy and it can still be the same thing. Maybe it is seasonal? What then would you get in the summer? Summer is hot so it could be 'hot new' however because it is hot you might want to get 'cool new'. But I think that winter always gets 'hot new' I am not sure that anybody is interested in 'cool new' in the winter season. And I have no idea what goes on in the spring and autumn.

grammar

2008-01-03T01:46:00.000-06:00

I have no idea why I am posting about grammar I am hardly qualified on the subject; I have been speaking the language for about 22 years now so here it goes. I threw an amazing going away party for 2007 the other day. To many it was a New Year's Eve party but to me it was a Celebration for 2007, the amazing year that it was. Many people that evening and the following day were liberal in their offering me a Happy New Year and for that I thank them. The end of one year and the beginning of a next is a wonderful time to reflect and to start afresh, keeping in mind that that can be done whenever such a thing is needed. Perhaps one goal for some at this time could be that of grammar. Now correct me if I am wrong but, some might wish a Happy New Years upon some one. Please refrain from doing this. Instead these individuals might be obliged to wish a Happy New Year to associates. Countless others may have the opportunity this year to attend a New Year's Eve party at which they may offer a New Year's toast or wish someone a blessed New Year's Day or complement the host on a wonderful New Year's Eve party. These people may be met with funny faces if at the stroke of midnight or the drop of a ball they scream out Happy New Year's! That could be an embarrassing experience so to prevent such an occurrence it may do these people well to touch up on their grammar this year. I know that I will be. One grammar tip that I may offer is that in an interjection or subject change it is proper to say anyway, not anyways; that will get you every time if you are not careful.

Happy New Year everybody.

millions of people

2007-12-30T23:43:00.000-06:00

Notice: This Post is kinda boring.
I went to a wedding reception the other day and it seems that every time I attend such an event I ask myself “how many people do you know?” Have you ever wondered how many people you know? A wedding is one of the most important life changing events that anyone will ever experience and is something an individual should wish to share with everyone he or she knows, so it is logical to me that this question would present itself as I attend the reception of a friend. So how many people do I know? If we start with childhood the question might actually be better stated, how many people know me? This could very easily get out of hand because we would start delving in to who my parents or my brothers may know. Assuming by ‘know’ I mean those I may recognize in a crowd and know at least a first or last name I will assert the following of my childhood associations: 150 from church and meeting people my family knows, 30 from elementary school, and 10 from middle school. From here we move to High School were I know many teachers as well as classmates. I am going to venture to say 120 as I think about both upper and lower classmen. Moving forward we come to work ventures and to my mission. For work there is Camp Royaneh and RPM. At camp I worked with about 110 staff of which I probably know half of so we will say 55 and RPM is a little harder to guess. I have worked there for about 3 years and people came and went so if I know half of those that work there now and all of the original employees and the families of several, adding in a few for those that came and went I will venture to say 120 easy but I am sure more. On my mission I met so many people, not all of whom I know. I will break it down as follows. I served in 6 wards each ward having about 120 people each, of which I probably know about 80 of. So that is 240 not counting the missionaries I served with which I will guess was about 100 across the two years. Add it all together and we get about 850 people. I forgot relatives and friends so I am going to add 150 to that. That makes 1000 people I know, minimum. That is a lot of people, or is it? The brain is a powerful tool.

luke 2

2007-12-24T02:11:00.000-06:00

I love the story of the shepherds. Of all the events surrounding the wonderful birth of our Savior that of the shepherds strikes my mind the strongest. Perhaps it is the meekness or reverence surrounding that scene? I am not for certain. As I pondered on this humble event recorded in the Gospel of Luke I had a thought concerning its origin. Luke was no first hand witness to the events of the Jesus Christ that we have knowledge of. For certain he did not witness his birth, yet he gives us a wonderful narration of this miraculous event. Unique to his gospel among other things are the:
visits of Gabriel to Zacharias and Mary (Luke 1),
visit of the shepherds (Luke 2: 8-18), and
Jesus at the temple at age 12 (Luke 2: 41-52),
all having to do with the early years of his life. Where did he find the details of these events? I view Luke as somewhat of a journalist searching for facts from eyewitnesses. The details of the shepherds though I imagine took a little more searching a inquiring than that of the others. I see in my minds eye a young Luke speaking with a now aged Mary and Joseph, pen in hand, asking Mary of her son and his birth and up bringing. I see Joseph recounting the travels to Nazareth, of the crowds of people, of the search for shelter, and of the star. I see Mary speaking of joy of her love and care for her beautiful baby boy. I see her relating to Luke the visitation of the shepherds and their visiting with her, telling her of the angels and sweet music they had witnessed. After this visit I see Luke, with passion, spending weeks and months in search of some small shepherd boy who was there on that starry night, now grown, a sage sheep herder teaching his boy the love and care of his craft. To sit down with that shepherd and have him recount that holy night of his youth, what a wonderful experience. I do not know how it all took place but my love and appreciation for Luke grows deeper this Christmas as I read the story of my Saviors birth.

what's in a name

2007-12-17T02:42:00.000-06:00

“Family is the most important thing to protect.” I was watching an episode of the old TV show The Pretender recently and this quote popped up. Brigham Young once said that whatever is true is part of our religion. It is wonderful to me how you can find truth everywhere, even on TV. I think that family is one of the most important things to protect. I think that along with that is good name. One thing that a family gives you is a name and that, to me, is something worth protecting, honoring, living up to. I am proud to say that I am a Pinnegar, and hope that I will continue to be all my life. I think it is a name worth having but know that it takes a lot to be Pinnegar. Not everyone can pull it off, in fact not too many people at all can. Maybe that is the trouble in dating and relationships; it is a matter of finding some girl who can manage to pull it off. It is not something that someone just naturally comes by, very few people (percentage wise) are born with it. I got lucky. Back to the name though, I had the thought a while ago about the Pinnegar name. I thought “what does it mean to be a Pinnegar?” The thought was inspired by boss-man saying something on the lines of “that’s a Pinnegar for ya” or “that is such a Pinnegar thing to do.” I won't bore you with that list her but think about your own name and what it means to you. I am glad I am a Pinnegar and hope that I can live up to the name I have been given.

a place to remember

2007-12-08T02:26:00.000-06:00

I gave notice today at work that I am only there for a short time longer. I will be moving to Utah at the beginning of the year so will no longer be working for RPM. Giving notice makes everything official in my mind. Before it was something I have wanted to do, now it is something I am doing. I was planning on giving notice yesterday after work but was not really able to so it was one of the first things I did this morning. It made for a rough day. RPM has been a wonderful company to me, I have learned so much from working there and they have at times gone out of there way to assist my desires. The people I have worked with over the years there have been family, in fact my brothers have often teased me that I love RPM as a family more than I loved them. Of course this was never true but RPM has always treated me well and has given me more than just a job over the years I have worked there. It is said that if you love your job than you never have to work a day in your life. RPM has been that job for me. Recently it has been difficult for me to love my job, not to the fault of RPM, maybe a few frustrations here and there but, mainly because I have felt my life to be slowing to a stand still in recent months. I have felt as though my life is stagnating, I am not moving anywhere and want to be, and should be. I tried moving forward but with no success. Thank you RPM but it is time to move on. Thank you Brent. Thank you all the many wonderful coworkers whom I have learned so much from while working with. Thank you Lonna.

There are still many uncertainties about my moving but if I wait for everything to be certain (if it ever would be) I would watch that certainty pass right by me. Now is the time. 2007 has been a great year for me. I have learned so so much, and feel that I have grown just as much. 2008 is a new year, a year of possibilities. I have no idea what many of those possibilities will be but do know that I am excited to face them.

music genres

2007-12-06T00:21:00.000-06:00

How does a hip hop/ rock station have a country song in its top 25 list? 107.9 the end is not a station that I regularly listen to, it tends to play more hip hop music than I like. Rock, Pop, Alternative- That seems to be what I favor as far as music preferences go. It is not that i limit myself to just that genre, for I enjoy and listen to so much more, that is just what I tend to listen to when I am listening to music on the radio. Every so often The End does play a song that I find catchy, for instance right now they play a song called "Tear Drops on My Guitar" by a beautiful young woman named Taylor Swift. You may have heard it, it is a catchy song. I like it. As I have listened to it I picked up on the steal guitar in the background and the country style tempo. I also found that Taylor is a country singer, this lead me to go to the iTunes store and look up the genre for this song where I found that it is indeed labeled as a country song. So to pose the question, How does a hip hop/ rock station have a country song in its top 25 list? In fact it is number 17 on the list this week. I suppose the real question might be How much does genre really matter? The question is frequently posed 'what kind of music do you listen to?' to which the response would be some genre or another. I know a lot of people who say they don't like country, many of whom would probably enjoy "Tear Drops on My Guitar." So do they really not like country music? Can you really say, I only like this genre and am not going to listen to any other because I don't like them? How much does genre really matter? I listen to what sounds good to me. If it doesn't sound good to me I don't listen to it. A genre is not going to keep me from or hold me to listening to a specific type of music. I say liberate your mind, free yourself from categorized thinking, listen to other types of music. You might find something you like.

don't bother

2007-11-30T20:43:00.000-06:00

So there is this billboard on highway 50 that i pass on a fairly frequent basis. It is for We're Organized Premium Garage Cabinets and shows the picture to the right with contact information and the business name. This Billboard has always seemed to me as a bad, or ineffective, advertisement. To me it is saying that only rich people with loads of money can afford the services of this company. It says "You can't afford us so don't even bother calling to get an estimate." How many people own Dodge Vipers in the Sacramento area anyway? Perhaps that is the image they want to display to keep from having to deal with cheap people but to me it has alway struck me as an ineffective ad. But maybe that is only because I don't have a Viper sitting in my garage; heck, I don't even have a garage.

thanksgiving

2007-11-22T23:58:00.000-06:00

What a wonderful day, a day of Thanksgiving. Many may argue that we all need to be thankful everyday so why have Thanksgiving day? I would agree with them. It is important to give thanks always, both to God and to people in your life. However I do still think it important to have a day set aside for it. A special day to give thanks for all the many things to be thankful for. It is important to honor our fathers and our mothers yet we still have a special day each year to honor them. We are to worship the Lord our God always yet God has set apart a special day each week too worship him. I served a mission for my church in Tennessee and Kentucky and while there I met a man who would not celebrate holidays because he said that it was taking away from the fact that we are to do these things all the time, all year and not just once a year. I agreed with him that many people now days do not remember the other 364/365 days of the year to be thankful (for example), but that is no reason for you or I not to take advantage of this special day to be thankful for our blessings. It doesn't take away from any other day to have a specific day to devote to thanksgiving. Worshiping on the Sabbath does not take away from worship to be given on the other six days of the week, nor does it give one the excuse not to worship on those other six days. I attempted to explain this to the man I met but he was difficult to talk to and I didn't have my sabbath day example at that time so it was a challenge but I think that he began to see the point of holidays. Thanksgiving is a wonderful day to remember what we should be thankful for all year long.

bubbles and sidewalk chalk

2007-11-21T05:47:00.000-06:00

What kind of toy department carries bubbles all year long but not sidewalk chalk? that is crazy talk. "Sorry, sidewalk chalk is a seasonal item." Since when? As far as I can recall sidewalks are year-round, so why not sidewalk chalk? There is something terribly wrong with that. And to think that bubbles get to be a staple but not sidewalk chalk. Don't get me wrong, thank heavens that bubbles don't get thrown into the 'seasonal' category, that would just be abominable if they were, but think about it- in my mind sidewalk chalk and bubbles go hand in hand they are both experienced by the same age group in about the same season. If your kid likes bubbles buy him some chalk and he will enjoy that for a while and vise-versa. So if you have not yet grasped my frustration no store should offer bubbles for kids when it does not offer sidewalk chalk. They go together like salt and pepper, Thanksgiving and turkey, or like Elmo and his crayon. Keep 'em together and everyone stays happy.

the past is past

2007-11-20T01:36:00.000-06:00

If you could go back to one point in your life what would it be, you can’t change anything but you can see whatever you wan to at that point. Thanksgiving 2003 was a rough one for me and my family. Thanksgiving itself was enjoyable but we came home from Oregon to discover that our house had been broken in to while we were away. I started writing this because of a thought of that and the resultant trouble that followed. What would it be like to be able to go back and see who it was? Then the thought has occured to me, how much does it really matter? What good would it do me (anyone) now? The trouble is still the same, the items taken still gone. It would place a face next to the frustrations but is that beneficial? I don’t think it would be. Hakuna matata I suppose. So, if you could go back to one point in your past what would it be?

new media

2007-11-18T23:02:00.000-06:00

Blog, the online, new age media. I have come to a great appreciation for journal writing and recording of thoughts over the last year. Journal writing is important and very beneficial, for oneself as well as for those he cares about. But what about blogging: an online journal for the world to see and critique? those who care as well as those who could care less. I have thought about it several times before in the past and have dismissed it. ‘If I have one what would I put in it’ has been my thought, but maybe if I create one I will take the opportunity to find thought to write and jot them down. And here I am; blog-o-devo! Exciting! I got board some early morning at about 2:00am (about two weeks ago) and created a website, and you have found it. I had a thought I felt like sharing about Halloween. The thing about a blog is that no one has to listen, it is written to anyone and if some one happens to stumble across your sit and read what is written then good for them. I obviously never made it to my thought on Halloween, by the time I had made the site the thought was past and didn’t matter anymore, maybe I will write about it in the future.