does birthday mean party?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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!

~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

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

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

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

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

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

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!

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

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

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.

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?

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

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

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.