BLOGHORN

Sticking With It

2012-01-30T13:13:00.000-08:00

One of the things I tell salespeople during training is - If you get on the fence and crow like a rooster someone inevitably will throw a rock at you. So throw a rock if you feel inclined.

I've stuck with my New Years resolutions; at least for a month now. That's about 29 days more than any other year! So let me tell you...

I've written no less than an additional 73 pages in my book (almost 18,000 words). I'm still only 1/3 of the way to completion of the first draft but making progress rapidly. The story is starting to fill out and the characters are driving the plot. I've been reading a book that Marian gave me for Christmas titled "On Writing" by Stephen King; yes, THE Stephen King. I affectionately call him Steve. I'm always telling Marian, Steve said.." or "Last night Steve pointed out...". The book has been very helpful - Thank you Marian, and thank you Steve.

Anyway, Steve says... "When you let the characters drive the plot instead of the plot driving and confining the characters you'll have a better story." I proudly admit that my characters are driving the plot in my book. I know the basics of the story but I don't know how I'm going to get there yet. My characters keep telling me where it's going. I spent 3 hours the other night writing a scene about a battle between an Egyptian merchant ship, on which my characters are passengers, and some pirates in the Mediterranean Sea. Yes, Pirates! There were pirates then too. I did my research, which Steve says is critical. It turned out pretty good. COCKADOODLEDOOOOOO! First crow.

Marian and I embarked on a diet January 5th (like Marian needs to look better!) It has been helpful doing it together. It was a little difficult the other night watching Keegan eat Five Guys Burgers and Fries in front of us but we held firm. The scale said down 21 lbs. this morning even though I still look like Foghorn Leghorn. COCKADOODLEDOOOOOO! Second crow.

You can throw rocks now. NO more crowing.

I'm proud of myself for sticking with it. I am looking forward to a night off on my birthday. Is losing a total of 30 lbs. and writing 100 more pages possible by then? We'll see if I can Stick With It!.

Politics - NSFW

2012-01-16T21:21:00.000-08:00

A friend of mine posted this quote on Facebook today;

"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter." - Martin Luther King

I don't want to write a political diatribe but I read the following today on MSNBC, and in honor of Dr. King I won't remain silent.

In the upstate city of Easley, the Rev. Brad Atkins, president of the South Carolina General Baptist Convention, has posted an email exchange on his church website with a local reporter on his objections to the LDS church. "Romney's Mormonism will be more a cause of concern than Gingrich's infidelity," Atkins wrote. Christians can forgive sin, the pastor said, "but will struggle to understand how anyone could be a Mormon and call themselves a Christian."

Are you kidding me! What incomprehensible ignorance! I am embarrassed for this man and offended. I think Martin Luther King would be offended. Excuse me, but I AM A MORMON! I believe in Jesus Christ. In fact, I belong to the "Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints", and I am a Christian!

I am truly amazed at the ignorance that remains about my faith. That being said, disqualifying people for being unfit for the Presidency based on their religion is not even a factor. Nor is being Jewish, Catholic, Black, Chinese or Hispanic. Martin Luther King's entire message to the world was obviously lost on you Mr. Atkins.

The Movies

2012-01-14T13:49:00.000-08:00

Marian and I went to see Warhorse last night, Marian for her second time. She had seen it earlier in the week with Natalie. So I have completed viewing the "big movie" releases over the holidays (at least the ones I wanted to see); We Bought a Zoo, Mission Impossible, Sherlock Holmes, Warhorse. Marian commented on the way home from Warhorse last night, "And people still feel like they have to go to war!". I had the exact same thought during the movie. There are many stories and movies with a scene where the enemy meets in no-mans land. The scene is the same; they find a common element - "humanity". They shake hands then continue killing each other. I'll never understand war.

Having said that you probably want to know which was my favorite, which one I would go see again...drumroll..."We bought a Zoo"! It was the first movie we saw of the four but I have to admit not my first choice to see. We went between Christmas and New Years. I like Matt Damon and I liked the story, and if Scarlett Johansson happens to be in the movie, that's ok too. I read they are making another "Bourne" movie but Matt Damon has opted out. I won't have much interest in seeing that one. All the movies were unique and I enjoyed each one for different reasons. Each was thoroughly entertaining.

I am always curious about the origin of a movie. At the end of the movie I look in the credits for "based on the novel by...". Some movies are original screenplays. Others are based on TV shows, comic characters or inspired by true events. The ones that interest me the most are those based on novels. I always wonder if the author envisioned a movie as he/she wrote the story. Are the characters they create molded from real actors they feel could play the part if the book became a movie? I know as I write (create), a black and white movie plays in my head and I try to describe what I see. The interesting part is that the movie is constantly being edited, it goes in many directions before I choose a path by describing in writing what I see in my minds eye.

I would love to write a book that became a movie. How fun! But actually I would thrill in just writing a story that someone read and liked. Guess I need to cut this short and get back to my book. There's a great movie in the making..."Based on the Novel by Rick Black!" COOL!

Welcome 2012!

2012-01-06T15:29:00.001-08:00

It's been far too long since I posted anything in this blog. It is time to resurrect so I am starting fresh.

You will see at the right the most monumental events. New Son-in-law, new Daughter-in-law, and new graduate. There are a lot of back stories to each of these but so much has happened since my last post that it is impossible to fill in all the gaps. In general the family is good. Everyone is healthy and happy.

My New Years resolution (besides the weight thing for the umpteenth time) is to finish my book. My goal is to have the manuscript ready for the "Old Mans" annual fishing trip to Panguitch Lake in July. I plan on passing out copies to some of my best friends and mentors and have them edit away, or at least read it and comment. I think it's a great story, but then again I am the author!

I am sure 2012 will provide plenty of fodder and humor to entertain me anyway. Your comments are always welcome even if it's "this article sucks!" That's OK. I want to dedicate most of my writing time to finishing the aforementioned book, so I can't promise how often I will write in here but I am rededicating myself. (As if there were thousands of readers anxiously awaiting my next written words - HA!)

This is still an exercise for me in creative writing; repeat -for me. Your attendance is optional.

~~~

I turn 59 next month...hummm!? Not quite sure how happy I am about that. Probably more happy than I will be next year when I turn 60. I guess I should be glad I am turning anything. Speaking of turning. That weight thing. Yes it's time, it's really time. I have foregone any thoughts of impressing people with my rippled muscles as I do chin-ups on the high bar in Venice Beach. Ain't gonna happen! I am just tired of impressing people how someone as large as me can actually squeeze into a restaurant booth. Fat people usually sit at the tables. There, I said it; fat people. "Hi my name is Rick and I am a fat person" -the first step. It's not a 12 week program it's a life change. The first milestone is a year, this is long term. Wish me luck and light candles in church for me (figuratively). Enough said about that.

Keegan, our youngest graduated from high school last spring. He is taking some time off school and working hard hoping to get into BYU's art program in the spring this year. My reason for mentioning that is the fact that the house chemistry has changed forever. We are blessed to see our kids frequently but there are a lot of evenings spent alone. We're entering that next phase of life. I can't believe how quickly it has come.

I had an idea for another book; that would be four books at some phase of progress. I need to at least write my thoughts down so I don't forget the premise but I am committed to finish one before I begin a fourth. I was laying in bed the other night when I started to think about all the stories I knew about my Dad and those I assume I know and can elaborate. I thought it would make an interesting book about two brothers growing up in San Diego in the 20's and 30's with a single Mom, then going off to war, returning to marry and start families blah blah blah. There you have it - premise. I think I can make my Dad more of hero than he already is to me. There would be considerable artistic license but I don't think he'll mind.

Signing off for now. Hope you'll join me next time. If not, the real joy for me is in the writing, not the reader reading.

MSNBC Headlines 5/19/10

2010-05-19T12:05:00.000-07:00

Calderon condemns Arizona law on U.S. visit

Mexico’s president says policy ‘is forcing our people to face discrimination’

Sorry, I just get pissed sometimes!

What "people" are you talking about Mr. Calderon? The ones that left your sorry policies and country to seek out a better life? The criminals that are here illegally with their hand out? It's easier to come into America through a hole in the fence than fly from Salt Lake City to San Francisco. Think about it.

No Senor Calderon, we just discriminate against criminals. What do you do to criminals in Mexico? And YO Felipe, what about the rights of "OUR PEOPLE" ? I find it interesting that non-voting illegals are waving our constitution at us. Or do they get to vote now too? Maybe that's why Obama panders to them. Unlike the well informed, educated and appointed Mr. Eric Holder - current U.S. Attorney General, I have read both the Arizona law and the Federal law. Interesting how alike they are. How did you ever get through Law School without reading Mr. Holder? But I know "hearsay evidence" * holds up well in court. Yeah, right!

* Hearsay is information gathered by one person from another concerning some event, condition, or thing of which the first person had no direct experience. When submitted as evidence, such statements are called hearsay evidence. As a legal term, "hearsay" can also have the narrower meaning of the use of such information as evidence to prove the truth of what is asserted. Such use of "hearsay evidence" in court is generally not allowed. This prohibition is called the hearsay rule.

What incompetence!

This is the "Home of the Brave and the Land of the Free" ... "Give me your tired, your poor." I have no problem with that whatever the color of your skin. But sign up and register at the door. It's NOT OK that we as legal citizens are struggling in this economy and are forced to subsidize this situation. Why don't we try spending the millions of health care dollars spent on illegals on our own citizens that deserve it. That's true health care reform.

I've had bill collectors climb up my colon and camp because of overdue medical bills when we went through tough times. But now I get mail for a Gloria Torres three times a week. Mostly free offers for diapers and baby food. Apparently Senora Torres, or whoever the hell she really is, thought it was OK to give the hospital our address, along with other false information, after she had a baby. I wonder if the medical bill collectors will camp up her colon for the hospital bills she walked away from? I highly doubt it. You, my fellow citizens, will pick up the tab for that one and thousands more just like it.

Will we let 545 people (Senate, Congress and Supreme Court) drive a 300 million people country into the ground because they don't have the "huevos" to enforce existing laws for fear of losing votes? I say, "Vote them ALL out!". The majority rules here in a democracy, unless we don't speak up!

I'M SPEAKING UP!

The Ass Family... you gotta love this.

2010-01-12T09:12:00.000-08:00

2009-12-22T13:06:00.000-08:00

I was never a soldier... but I was young once.

I've just started reading this book. I've already cried twice. Vietnam tears my soul apart.

I remember at 16 going to the San Diego Airport with my sister to say goodbye and good luck to her boyfriend. A 26 year-old returned Mormon missionary now Army Officer. Fresh from OCS, he was wearing his dress greens with a 1st Cavalry Division insignia on his shoulder. He had a smile on his face, sparkling blue eyes and orders in his briefcase. Destination; Vietnam.

It turned out to be more "goodbye". The next time I saw him was in a coffin. Same dress greens. No smile. No sparkling blue eyes. A landmine had taken his legs and his life. His name along with 50,000 others are engraved on the The Wall.

http://thewall-usa.com/info.asp?recid=44469 (click on "Personal Comments or Pictures" link from this page to see more)

Every time I see Marian's brother Mike I want to give him a bear hug and thank him. He was an Army river-rat, front-line infantry radioman. In his early twenties his Delta House days were traded for the Mekong Delta. Vietnam didn't take his legs nor his life but it took part of his light for many years. As good a guy as Mike is Vietnam took something forever away from Uncle Mike.

War is Evil. War comes from evil. War is darkness not light. There is only one person that smiles when good, young men and women on opposing sides kill each other.

February in Cancun

2009-11-25T06:01:00.000-08:00

Sometimes you work hard and you don't make anything... Sometimes you work hard and you are rewarded. Moral... Always work hard! This year for all my hard work I get a trip to Cancun. I'll take it! February 2010 right around my birthday. Three months to carve Adonis... OK, realistically, I'll do my best. I'll at least visit the tanning salon before going. I don't want to blend in with the white sand and have a tractor try and smooth me out. Pictures will follow.

Liar Liar?

2009-09-16T14:39:00.000-07:00

All fishermen are liars but not all liars are fishermen.
-Anonymous fisherman
I don’t agree with Rep. Jim Wilson shouting out in Congress at the President of the United States, “you lie”. Bad Form! Bad Manners! But I also don’t agree with former President Jimmy Carter, for whom I have the utmost personal respect, calling Jim Wilson’s comments racially motivated. Where does that segue come from?

I, along with most intelligent Americans haven’t read the entire content of the President’s Health plan proposal. What brought the comment out of Jim Wilson was when President Obama said, “illegal aliens will be ineligible for federal subsidies to buy health insurance”. Maybe Jim Wilson has read the Presidents plan and doesn’t agree with the wording and the interpretation of the President. I agree with President Obama if he really means that illegal aliens will not be entitled to these benefits. In fact the bill should specifically state, “No person in the U.S. illegally has any claim or right to benefits under this law…EVER UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE!” If it were written that way in H.R. 3200 then I figure Jim Wilson wouldn’t have grounds to call the President a liar. But again, I haven’t read it. If it says something other than that and with the way the Supreme Court interprets things these days we better be damn clear on our intent and meaning, and maybe Jim Wilson has a point (But still bad form)

I am of the opinion that everyone should have the right to health care, those that work full or part time, the elderly, children and even those that can’t afford it. I am not for giving free health care to people that break the law and are here illegally with their hands out. This doesn’t make me a racist either.

The US Taxpayer recently spent $700 billion on a bank bailout, and $130 billion on an automaker bailout, both of which I disagreed. Under the Capitalism that I subscribe to; those that run a good ship survive. Those that don’t nor heed the warning of the lighthouse crash on the rocks, as well they should. Who knows what the cost of Universal Health will be. But we need healthcare reform more than we need inefficient automakers and poorly run banks.

Has anyone documented what the cost has been to Joe Taxpayer who currently funds healthcare for millions of illegal aliens? Here’s a quote from an article posted 9/11/09 in the Contra Costa Times. (East San Francisco Bay Area, California)

“The state Department of Health Care Services estimates 768,400 undocumented immigrants will receive coverage this fiscal year through Medi-Cal, the health program funded by state and federal tax money. The cost: $1.2 billion.”

I think Jimmy Carter should stick to the wonderful job of sponsoring Habitat for Humanity and not assume he understands the underlying intent of a rash comment. I think Joe Wilson should sincerely apologize to the President and control his emotions. I think President Obama should be clear, no, make that crystal clear to the taxpayers of America, who does and does not get money under this plan. Because if Universal Healthcare becomes a reality and I find out that illegal aliens are getting benefits, then I will call the President a name worse than a liar.

Thermopylae

2009-09-15T12:03:00.000-07:00

Brutal read. Brutal battle. Defending your country, your farms and your family brings out an unheard of courage and commitment. I scratch my head in unbelief at the Spartiate warrior culture. Samurai's to Seal's have nothing on these guys! I bet the Spartan in every fight. At least one of these 300.

Rick's Garage

2009-09-14T12:36:00.001-07:00

If all else fails I can open a garage and get a bunch of shirts with my name on them.

I went to the storage unit with the old beater truck Saturday morning. Great intentions of hauling out a few loads. I shut the tailgate on the first load, moved my black lab Pele out of the drivers seat and turned the key. Nothing! … Well not really nothing. I did get some white smoke coming out of the right corner pocket of the hood. That’s never a good sign. It’s actually an Indian signal for, “We’re screwed now Martha!” I lifted the hood and could readily see that the battery cable was loose and the resultant arcing had melted the clamp in half that attached the cable to the terminal on the battery post. WTF? Fortunately I have a rusty tool-box in the truck with enough tools for MacGyver to rig something up. I cleaned off the melted lead as best as possible and wired the cable to the terminal post at least to be able to start the car and get home. Viola! It worked.

I went right to the parts store to get a new clamp and fixed the problem on the spot. Well… maybe not the whole problem. My starter had been whining for a couple of weeks and I knew it was not long for the world. You guessed it. It started up fine in the driveway back to the storage unit but as soon as I began to enter the gates the #*@#% stalled. I turned the key and got this sick whirring sound that basically tells you the starter is toast. OH CRAP! Unbelievably our neighbors were coming out of the storage facility at that very moment and gave Marian, Cecily, Pele and I a ride home. God loves me! Well, he loves Marian, Cecily and Pele.

Long story short. An hour later I replaced the starter in the street outside the storage unit. Actually, Bryan my capable son did with my help. I got the truck back home and blew off any more trips to storage. I am just glad I am mechanically inclined.

New cable clamp - $2.99.
New starter - $54.99.
Tow truck charge to a mechanic for diagnostic of white smoke and whirring sound and having them do the same repair - $350 or more!

Qualifying for a job with my name on my shirt - Priceless!

I am hoping my next post isn’t about cars!

New Car

2009-09-11T13:16:00.000-07:00

Well we found a suitable replacement for Grandpa's Taurus. Upgrade in car and upgrade in age perception. An '06 Nissan Altima that someone babied for 2 years. Low mileage, good MPG and not a scratch. Not quite the X5 BMW Marian had in mind but it will do for a year or so till that becomes a reality. I can still buy a beater Jeep in the meantime unless Keegan trumps me with a '68 VW Van. He's already bored with the '76 Bug we restored this summer. Cars.... What an American Cultural oddity.

The Beast is Dead!

2009-09-04T06:50:00.001-07:00

It wasn't all about the water pump and the power steering pump. It was the leak in the rack and pinion and the blown head gasket. Despite my best ass-pocket mechanic efforts the beast is dead. I'm proud of the work I did. At least someone will get some new parts when the Kidney Foundation hauls the car to a wrecking yard. Oh well. I guess we get a new car. What's the downside?... A car payment I haven't had in almost 20 years. Not particularly looking forward to spending Labor Day weekend on car lots either.

Car Repair

2009-08-28T11:49:00.000-07:00

I decided sometime in 1994 to start working on my own cars. I enjoy the work. It's a type of therapy. It allows me to do something with my hands other than dial a phone. ...And I can swear and no one will hear me.

Yesterday I tackled the water pump. The power steering pump went out all of a sudden and I had suffered long enough with a weak water pump so I decided to go for a "two-fer". I could invest a day and $150 or pay Pep Boys $500 and not worry about it. "Which would you prefer...?"

I elected the do-it-yourself approach. I don't take that much time off and besides it was a Thursday I probably wouldn't have made $350 so I decided to save it instead. I realize that a mechanical engineer of most auto designs was never a mechanic. Knowing how to draw it up and build it does not necessarily mean you can repair it. I cussed these engineers all day long. I wanted them to figure it out. I wanted them to be there busting their knuckles and bruising their forearms and experiencing those "wtf" moments with me. All of you ass-pocket mechanics and my sons will understand what I'm talking about.

Here is a picture of the water pump I replaced. What you don't see is the alternator, power-steering pump, pump-bracket, coolant reservoir, 3 pulleys and a serpentine belt the size of a hula-hoop I removed to get to this. The picture makes it look like a cake-walk; other than the 12, yes 12 bolts that hold on the water pump. The water-pump gasket instructions say, "clean old gasket material off mounting flange to assure good seal." Sounds simple enough. An hour of scraping with a razor blade, chisel and grinding with a wire brush disc on my drill assured the "good seal". I wanted to take the designer of this car and the writer of those instruction and spend an hour grinding their butts flat with a razor, a chisel and a wire brush on a drill to assure a good seal to the STUPID CHAIR!

End of day...Water Pump replaced. Power Steering pump replaced. Car works fine. Saved $350 and got the day off work and off the phone. ArrrArrrArrrr...... I proved once again I am a manly man!

15 BOOKS

2009-07-06T06:08:00.000-07:00

My daughters "Tagged me" on Facebook and shared their list of 15 with me. So I responded in kind and am including the list on my blog. I realize I could add 10 or 20 or take any of these off but I'll stick with my guns.

Here are 15 books that I read that will always stick with me. Not in any order or degree of importance or with any explanation. Grisham didn't make the list and I have read most of his. Creighton could have had 3-4 on here. And do you remember reading JAWS by Peter Benchley when it came out! Talk about a page turner. These are books I own in hardback - because that is a true commitment. And books I would recommend to my friends. I wonder what a list like this really says about a person?

1. Centennial - James Michener
2. Hawaii - James Michener
3. Winds of War - Herman Wouk
4. War and Remembrance - Herman Wouk
5. Hunt for Red October - Tom Clancey
6. In Cold Blood - Truman Capote
7. The Horse Whisperer - Nicholas Sparks
8. Sphere - Michael Creighton (Creighton rocks!)
9. Snow Falling on Cedars - David Guterson
10. Jesus The Christ - James Talmage
11. The Discoverers - Daniel Boorstin
12. Contact - Carl Sagan
13. Shogun - James Clavell
14. Noble House - James Clavell
15. The Eye of the Needle - Ken Follet

OK...

2009-06-09T12:48:00.000-07:00

I'm tired of this...
No, I'm sick and tired of this!...
NO! I'M *#$%^@* SICK AND TIRED OF THIS!...

I want to play the drums in a rock band!
I want to play the guitar like Jimmy Page!
I want to ride a bike across the country!
I want to get a ticket for going a 120 in my new, fast, hot, black car!
I want to swim in big surf again!
I want to pull my kids and grand kids up skiing behind my 21 foot speed boat.
I really do want a Harley!
I want to roll 7 or 11 - 5 times in a row at the craps table in Vegas, draw a crowd, pump my fist in the air and yell HELL YES! at the top of my lungs as I walk away with an armful of chips.
I want to finish my funny, freakin' book about "Mikey" and have someone call me and beg to pay me millions for the movie rights!
I want to say on the phone to people exactly what I think, not what is politically correct.
-If you suck, you suck.
-If you lie you are a liar.
-If you are Chicken-S#^* then I want to call you out.
-If you can't make a decision I want to tell you that you are spineless, indecisive toothless 3rd cousin of a jellyfish!
If I order a #3 combo and you give me a #5 I want to walk in the restaurant throw it back at you and shout,"WHAT'S SO HARD ABOUT PUTTING 3 TACOS AND A CHALUPA IN THIS LITTLE BAG WHEN I ASK YOU FOR 3 TACOS AND A CHALUPA!
I want to tell people to SPEAK UP and SPEAK ENGLISH!
I want people to understand there is a difference between RIGHTS, and RIGHT and WRONG!
I want the Lakers and all their smug fans to lose!
I'm tired of people half my age with half my experience telling me how many blocks they've been around!
I want to tell Doctors that if I have an appointment at 1PM then dammit it's at 1PM. I'm as busy and important as whoever they think they are!
I want to tell all celebrities to keep their screwed-up political opinions to themselves. THEY'RE ACTORS FOR HELL SAKE!
What part of "Abraham" do the Jews and the Muslims not understand! HOLY CRAP!
I want a Navy Seal to use a 50mm bullet as a Q-tip on Osama bin-Laden left ear.
YES. SAVE THE WHALES! HUG THE TREES! SAVE THE RAIN FORESTS! GO GREEN! AND KISS MY A** IF YOU CAN THINK OF A REALLY GOOD REASON WHY WE SHOULDN'T!
I want to be a disc jockey and have my own radio show. What's the downside? A Talk show!? HELL NO! A DO SHOW!
Turn up the Rock n' Roll! It makes you think clearer!

Right about now my kids are thinking to themselves.... "Something's wrong with Dad."

Yes! Something's wrong with Dad.

Maybe this was caused by the guy in Burger King the other day who's hand I wanted to shake but didn't. A well-worn USS IOWA hat welded to his grey hair. Lot's of pins on it including a small purple heart. Mid 80's. Short. Grizzled. In need of a shave. A limp. And eyes that have seen around blocks I will never travel....thanks to him. After lunch he and his wife climbed into a Ford parked in a handicap stall and slowly drove off. He played the drums in a rock band!

Happy New Year!

2009-01-02T09:11:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year everyone! I hope it's a fine '09. No, I'm not going to spend the next few minutes telling you all my resolutions and all the crap I think I'll do this year. Who am I kidding. They are the same one's I failed at last year. You can read last year's if you're curious. If I do them, I do them, If I don't, I don't. It's as simple as that. There's nothing magical or special about January ONE... oh, we do begin a new tax year, that's about the only certainty.

I don't want to sound fatalistic but I don't want to strap myself with unreasonable expectations, fail, then carry guilt around for the rest of the year. I'll tell you what, I'll do my best, That's it. That may not be good enough for some people but it will have to do. I'll do my best. I'm a good guy, I'm friendly, I work hard and I am attentive to those I love. Those things won't change.

I'll do my best

Gratitude

2008-11-27T04:41:00.000-08:00

OK - Here's the annual "what I'm thankful for blog". Yes, all of the normal things; wife, children, job, church, health...... But this year maybe something different. Something that only comes to one after fighting a tough battle for a season. Maybe that's why occasionally we are placed in the front lines of battles we would prefer not to fight....to learn wisdom. There's a couple of ways to gain wisdom; Passively by study, meditation and prayer learning from the experiences of others or aggressively by our choices and actions and the consequences that result.

The Lord in his wisdom tells us... "But behold, if ye will awake and arouse your faculties, even to an experiment upon my words" Alma 32:27. Trust and believe me - obey. Or, go find out for yourself - disobey. Life is a combination of the two. Either way, if we are honest with ourselves about the outcome we will gain wisdom.

This Thanksgiving I am particularly grateful for the knowledge that I am truly a child of a living God. That He, as proof of his infinite wisdom, has given me freedom of choice.

If I am a truly a child of a living, loving God, what are my innate abilities and what should I be able to accomplish? The possibilities are unlimited. Unlimited if we view our lives in the eternal perspective. If we view ourselves strictly from a temporal perspective (the perspective that the adversary wants us to adopt) then we confront all sorts of limitations. A short person probably won't excel at basketball. A school teacher probably won't live in a mansion on the hill. Not all of us will be rich and famous. Not all of us will drive a luxury car, sport a 3 carat diamond ring or vacation on the French Riviera. The adversary would have us believe those things are the definition of heaven, Oh, I almost forgot... and looking "tight" in those True Religion jeans. Wow, that's a heaven reserved for less than a speck of humanity if that is the criteria for membership in the kingdom.

As a child of God I am only limited by my ability to make good choices. I have infinite power to do what is in my sphere to control. If I want to be thin I can choose to be thin. If I want to write a book, I can choose to write a book. If I want to be happy and make people around me feel better, I can choose to do so. I may never be a great basketball player..... but does it really matter?

I choose to be better and do better. "Now ye may suppose that this is a foolishness in me; but behold I say unto you, that by small and simple things are great things brought to pass;..." Alma 37:6

So I'll start small today.

The Burden of Men

2008-09-15T16:01:00.001-07:00

It’s been awhile friends. I don’t suspect there are that many people that regularly check this blog other than my family, and my family is well aware of the what’s been happening since my last entry. But it does have a name; The Burden of Men. Sounds more like a title of a book. Maybe instead of a blog I should write a book.

I guess the biggest news is that I changed jobs. Breaking down reluctant people on the phone seems to be my lot in life. At least this time around they are less reluctant, more interested and better prepared for “the pitch”. It makes my life a lot easier and the days go faster. The happy part of thehappyrick.com is coming back. The purpose for work is finally being fulfilled …making money. We would all like to be doing something that fulfills our nature but the fact of the matter is 99% don’t live in that Utopia yet, so we simply work for money. I’m finally making money so all’s good.

Money can’t buy happiness but it sure as hell can buy a lot of things. I have proven one thing: Lack of money causes a chain reaction that brings nothing but stress and unhappiness. So in a real sense money does buy a certain kind of happiness despite what the PMA (Positive Mental Attitude) people would like us to believe. I am all over having a positive mental attitude. But maintaining a positive mental attitude is a little tough when you can’t feed the family, make the mortgage and the utilities go off and on with the flow of paychecks. That’s not a recipe for happiness. Which brings us to the burden of men.

“In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread” …. Some of us seem to sweat more than others. Choices, culture, family, genetics or simple luck; call it anything you want. It’s the Burden of Men. Father, Husband, Provider, tough titles with tough tasks. I’m not complaining, that’s just the way it is. Marian could write an equally compelling book called The Burden of Women. All of this rhetoric is to explain why I haven’t written in my blog since May. The Burden of Rick has weighed me heavily down, which is the burden of men in my world.

This is supposed to be a fun forum with humorous anecdotes. But this is also a verbal reality show. Occasionally reality isn’t very humorous. One thing about my new job; my natural sense of humor is returning. Seems like the last three years the burden crushed my sense of humor, my personality, and my hope for the future. I felt as if my dreams had been run through a rock crusher. No more! I feel the light coming back. I feel the ambition coming back. Perhaps some other things that are really important to me will come back as well.

Money can’t buy happiness… but life can REALLY suck without it.

The Samoan Prince is Home

2008-05-14T09:55:00.000-07:00

I can't describe the feeling of seeing Brandon again last night. He has been gone for 2 years serving an LDS mission in Samoa. Our entire family anxiously awaited his arrival. We stood in the baggage claim area looking up at the escalator as all the arriving passengers descended toward us hoping to catch the first glimpse of him in the crowd. Finally, there he was. My son! I saw his face then his smile. I immediately noticed the change in him. I thrust both my fists in the air and grinned from ear to ear as tears streamed down my cheeks. He was wearing a gray suit coat, white shirt and a light green tie. You could barely see the tie for the multiple shell lei's around his neck. Then I noticed the matching gray lava lava, bare legs and black sandals and ukulele. He held his head high and flashed a toothy white grin. He carried himself like the royal Samoan Prince he had become.

Mom, of course, was the first to run out with her arms open. What a sweet, tender moment to see that embrace. Brandon took off one of the larger shell lei's and placed it over her head and hugged her again. As he progressed to me and then through each member of the family; a hug, a shell lei and another hug. The lei was placed on each of us like a blessing. A coronation of love and respect.

I was so impressed with the love and affection he displayed to a large Samoan family that was picking up their son. I can only explain it as his royal demeanor as I saw former strangers each approach him, give him a warm embrace and kiss on the cheek. He had become a brother and fellow member of the Samoan family. He engaged in easy conversation in the native language he had learned. He spoke so fluently and powerfully. It rolled off his tongue like honey. Laughter, affection, tears. He treated them like family they now were. What a transformation.

I hate to see that aura diminish over the next few weeks and months. He is no longer a missionary. He is faced with new challenges of life. But I will always have that picture of him descending the escalator as the royal Samoan Prince. The smile, the lei's around his neck, the green tie, the lava lava, the sandals, the stand-tall demeanor.

We were all hungry and wanted to be gone from the airport. The move to the parking structure was a slow one. Brandon had to seek out each of the 6 Elders he had come home with. That lead to more hugs, and more pictures. His last stop was the Samoan Elder. I witnessed a long embrace of true brotherhood and love. They held each other by the shoulders and looked into each others eyes. I was too far away to hear what they were saying. I know they were speaking their native tongue - Samoan. I know it was words of love and respect. Things only returned missionaries can say to each other. Small words that hold two years of experience and meaning.

We look forward to integrating Brandon back into the home and family. Supporting him as he faces new challenges. Welcome Home Elder Black! - PICTURES TO FOLLOW

He Comes Home Today!

2008-05-13T07:11:00.000-07:00

After serving two years in the Samoan Islands Brandon comes home today. We are all excited to see him. We spoke to him on Mother's Day and he sounds a little native. It might take some time for him to lose the Samoan intonation in his voice. That's OK. It will be the first time in 4 years our family had been all together.

Bryan is returning from his trip to Fiji with the BYU Soccer team. Ironically they both connect in LA and are on the same flight home to Salt Lake. I am sure they will work out seating arrangements and have a nice visit. I'm sure Bryan will fill him in. It is almost surreal. I can't believe he is actually coming home...finally. What a great experience it has been for him. He will carry Samoa and the Samoan people with him the rest of his life. Part of him will always be Samoan.

Sorry Brandon, I can barbecue pork ribs on the grill; I guess I will have to learn to bury the whole pig in the backyard pit and do it like you are accustomed to.

Reprint from the Fiji Times Sunday Sports section

2008-05-12T07:46:00.000-07:00

Blues lose at home

ZANZEER SINGH
Sunday, May 11, 2008

THE touring Brigham Young University picked up win number two short tour with a stylish 2-0 victory over Shop n Save Lautoka in a friendly encounter at Churchill Park yesterday.

The visitors were on fire against an unsettled Blues outfit scoring a goal in each half.

Ba recruits Niumaia Tagi and Laisenia Tuba made their debut in the Lautoka jersey but could not help the home side.

Valerio Nawatu failed to spark in attack showing signs of lack of game time.

Lautoka fielded a full strength team but could not find its combinations.

Jone Vono Junior was substituted early after he failed to function on the left flank. The Blues introduced former Fiji FA Footballer of the Year Salesh Sami off the bench but he also failed to find the target.

Arvindra Naidu and Joshua Wilson were the pick of the players for the home side, both coming close to finding the back of the net.

Naidu showed his class in the 10th minute with a solo run from inside his own territory.

The new find beat several defenders on his 60 metre run before driving his right footer straight into the hands of BYU goalkeeper Bryan Black.

BYU nearly scored in the 20th minute after a cross from Jordan Cushman found Steven Fellows lurking in the box.

Unfortunately for BYU, Fellows could not steer the ball into the right direction with his left foot.

Naidu got another chance to put Lautoka up in the 25th minute but his shot went wide. BYU found the opener from a defensive blunder.

Tuba was unable to clear a back pass with his shot hitting the back of Marika Madigi inside the box. Garrett Losee was at the right spot at the right time for the easy tap in..

BYU led 1-0 at half time.

Sami found space on the flank inside the opposition territory and sent in a timely cross into the box moments into the second spell.

However, Wilson's attempted left footer sailed away from the goalmouth. Against the run of play Curtis Graham missed an easy opportunity at the other end. Sami should have equalised in the 57th minute after he ran onto a through pass from Nawatu.

The nippy striker toed the ball past a diving Black but could not control it as it rolled out with the goalmouth empty.

Black made a grand save in the 62nd minute palming away a bullet shot from Wilson.

BYU sealed the win in the 70th minute when Brent Jensen caught Tuba napping with his low pile driver from 25 metres ricocheting off the upright and trickling to the back of the net.

Lautoka Football Association president Shalendra Prasad said they would need to build the combinations with the new recruits coming in.

The BYU team lost to Ba 1-0 on Wednesday but bounced back to defeat the Fiji under-20 selection side 2-0 on Thursday.

The visitors will take on Suva in its final tour fixture tomorrow.

BYU: Bryan Black, Steven Fellows, Jordan Cushman, Daniel McKinley, Brent Jensen, Brett Osborne, Garrett Losee, Clay Christiansen, Drew VanWagenen, Morgan Gilliam, Curtis Graham.

Lautoka: Laisenia Tuba, Manueli Kalou, Alvin Avinesh, Arvindra Naidu, Marika Madigi, Joshua Wilson, Nuimaia Tagi, Valerio Nawatu, Muele Vuti, Malakai Waqa, Jone Vono Junior.

Why men shouldn't have Action Figures

2008-05-09T08:50:00.000-07:00

This makes me laugh. I think it was taken somewhere in Utah!

2008-04-30T07:54:00.000-07:00

I spent 4 hours the other night fixing our new dryer. I had to take it entirely apart. The good thing is, I found the problem and repaired it. It should work for a long time. I figure if I had called an "official" repairman he would have told me that the cost of repairs would be just shy of buying a whole new dryer. In fact, I doubt he would have even fixed what I did.
A major dent in the back of the dryer was putting pressure on the internal drum. The felt seal around the edge of the drum had been shredded and the metal drum was spinning against the metal on the back of the dryer. The rubbing was making an awful sound and it actually cut about a 6 inch long slit through the back of the dryer. It was ugly. I bent the dryer back into form, placed a layer of heat resistant foil tape over the worn metal, replaced the felt seal on the drum and put the whole damn thing back together! My time - 4 hours. My cost - $25 for the new felt seal. The dryer works like new. Thanks Dad for passing down the "fix-it" gene!

The Modern Office Water Cooler

2008-04-24T11:38:00.000-07:00

Every time I go into a C-Store, as they are now known, I see lines of people refilling their 32 to 44oz+ cups full of every variety of drink from Lemonade to Mountain Dew. (Guilty as charged!) Why do we do this? Don't we know this causes cancer in laboratory rats? Is this better than the old-school donut and coffee? I say no. The difference is, people only have one donut, maybe 2, and a cup, maybe 2 of coffee. Refill junkies suck on their straws all day long. That can't be good. You see office workers, road warrior salesmen and construction workers lined up to self medicate with the legal poison. The drinking paraphernalia runs the gamut from the custom silver cup with the fancy company logo to the bodacious "Dew-Bucket" that you have to put a seat belt around in order to carry in your car.

Where does it end? Are we going to end up with intravenous bags on our shoulders with a red straw inserted into our arm for the daily fix? I QUIT!! I REALLY QUIT!! I don't want a Mountain Dew Logo on my headstone. And we thought biting our fingernails was a bad habit. I don't think anyone ever died from an overdose of fingernail biting. However I can see the title of a future article in the New England Journal of Medicine, "Refills - The Modern Killer Epidemic."

I just walked around my office. Every desk has some form of refill cup sitting on it.

Not mine. I QUIT!!!

Don Henley

2008-04-08T06:40:00.000-07:00

If I could choose to be any rock star it would be Don Henley. The music of the Eagles and Don Henley as a solo artist have been with me since my post mission days in the mid 70's. I only know Don Henley from the perspective of the music he writes, not on any personal basis as I don't make it a habit to read People Magazine on a regular basis. His lifestyle like his music seem to be well-grounded. He's just himself, he doesn't push a particular "persona" as many rock-stars attempt. He doesn't seek a full-time relationship with the limelight, he just walks into it when he performs. He dated Stevie Nicks, nothing wrong with that! He plays the drums, keyboards and the guitar for a living; what a life! He has a fabulous acoustical guitar collection. His songs are true poetry. They set wonderful visual scenes and tell soulful stories of life and love - plus they actually have a melody. One thing I admire is his political activism, albeit he is a Democrat (That's OK, I'm married to one) Unlike most celebrities showing up in a parade in Washington D.C. seeking gratuitous media time to air their political spin, he uses his lyrics to state his cause and opinions. Just look up the lyrics for The End of the Innocence for proof. He has 3 children and his wife has multiple sclerosis; but you wouldn't know that as he flies under the radar with his personal life. Besides, he's thin and looks good in a flannel shirt and Levi's. I rest my case!

Pinch me! He made the team!

2008-03-18T11:11:00.001-07:00

I am proud of all my children's accomplish- ments. Here is one that needs publishing. Bryan has finally fulfilled a longtime dream of making the Brigham Young University soccer team. After the huge disappointment of last season he has finally made the team. This is his official picture on the teams website. http://soccer.byu.edu/ Now he just has to go take the starting position. I've always thought he was one of the best goalkeepers I have ever seen, but I'm his Dad. This is true validation of his talent and dedication. The team travels to Fiji in May to play two games with the Fiji national team. He will fly over his brother Brandon in Samoa on his way to Fiji. How cool is that?!

BYU plays in the Western Division of the USL's PDL (Professional Development League) It is essentially professional soccer as BYU does not play NCAA. His coach called him the other day to go work out with REAL SALT LAKE - the MSL team in Utah. One of their keepers was gone for awhile and they need one to take his place. It will be a great opportunity for Bryan to measure his skills against some of the best. You never know, they might just ask him to stay on. After all, he cuts an imposing figure in goal at 6'6" - 210lbs. RSL has a practice field about 500 yards from my office. Guess who will be sneaking over to watch a bit? Keegan, his younger brother, is the back-up keeper for Mountain View High School varsity, the same school Bryan and Brandon played for. He plays full time on the JV team. Not bad for a freshman. It will be a fun soccer season! GO COUG'S! GO BRUINS!

It's your birthday, We gon' party...

2008-02-27T07:07:00.000-08:00

Sorry I've had my head in the sand the last few weeks. It's that Birthday thang! Turning 55 has kind of hit me in the face like a wet towel. I won't explain all the reasons but it's been depressing. OK, I'm moving on, the party's over and the cake's gone. Two weeks prior to the big day I got the freakin' flu. It knocked me on my butt, literally. Three weeks later I still don't have my voice or my energy back. I come to work and feel like I could go back to bed and sleep till the next morning. This too shall pass!

I am happy about the warmer days and the snow melting. I am happy about soccer season starting and having players; Keegan at Mountain View and Bryan at BYU. I am happy about Brandon coming home from his mission in Samoa in less than 3 months. I am happy for Natalie graduating from her MBA program at BYU. I am happy for Chris who recently got his contractors license and just keeps movin' on down the right road. I am happy for Cecily who can finally get off blood thinner medication and deal with her shoulder now. I am happy for Hilary who has worked so hard to lose weight and looks great - I'm sure she understands the newly incurred unwelcome butt slaps come with the territory. Frankly, I wouldn't mind an unsolicited butt slap from an admiring female now and then. I am happy about Emily becoming a master model builder and furniture restoration crafts person and her cool hockey-playin' boyfriend Taylor.

I am most happy about Marian's trip to Hong Kong tomorrow for 10 days. She and Hilary are going to visit her brother who lives there and works in the embassy. A trip well earned and deserved. She has been like a kid on her first trip to Disneyland. And by the way Marian, I love your new haircut.

I am happy for the things in other peoples life right now. Not necessarily my own. But that can change. I am part of a cool family who are accomplishing amazing things. I can and will accomplish some amazing things this year. 55 is the new 30 right! HA! I'm older wiser and more efficient in my thinking and processing. I will lose the weight I need to lose. I will finish the 2 books I am writing. I will be successful in my career. I will eventually get an admiring slap on the keester from somebody! That will be a good day because I'm getting sick of the kicks lately.

Carpool lane violation?

2008-02-05T10:12:00.000-08:00

I saw a white hearse like this flying down the northbound carpool lane of I-15. Just the driver was in the front seat. I thought the rule was two or more passengers... ummm... even if one is dead? And why was he speeding? Late for the funeral maybe? Because I doubt the boys at the cemetary start shoveling dirt in the hole if the coffin isn't there on time. Dude...!?

It's Been Awhile

2008-01-16T16:29:00.000-08:00

It's been awhile since I could hold my head up high
And it's been awhile since I first saw you
And it's been awhile since I could stand on my own two feet again
And it's been awhile since I could call you

And everything I can't remember
As screwed up as it all may seem
The consequences that I've rendered
I've stretched myself beyond my means

And it's been awhile since I can say that I wasn't addicted
And it's been awhile since I can say I love myself as well
And it's been awhile since I've gone and screwed things up just like I always do
And it's been awhile but all that shit seems to disappear when I'm with you

And everything I can't remember
As screwed up as it all may seem
The consequences that I've rendered
I've gone and screwed things up again

Why must I feel this way?
Just make this go away
Just one more peaceful day!

And it's been awhile since I could look at myself straight
And it's been awhile since I said I'm sorry
And it's been awhile since I've seen the way the candle lights your face
And it's been awhile but I can still remember just the way you taste

And everything I can't remember
As screwed up as it all may seem to be
I know it's me
I cannot blame this on my father
He did the best he could for me

And it's been awhile since I could hold my head up high
And it's been awhile since I said I'm sorry

Staind
Break the Cycle
2001
Elektra/Flip

My Morning Commute

2008-01-09T07:36:00.000-08:00

My morning commute today was much less stressful than normal. That is ironic because today was absolute blizzard conditions. Here's the reason: People were driving slow, less than 35mph. People were properly spacing their cars and not tailgating. Everyone politely used their turn signals and everyone was willing to slow down and let someone merge into the lane in front of them. AMAZING!

Of course there were a couple of idiots that don't realize that the All-Wheel-Drive-Slalom on the freeway is a qualifying event for the Paralympics. The sad thing is that they may end up qualifying someone else. I only saw 2 of them. Jerk in a Honda and one in a Yukon....hummmm? I guess their lives and jobs must be more important than the rest of us. We should always pull over and let those people pass because whatever it is they do at work must affect world peace.

Too bad we can't drive with the same concern for others and courtesy when it isn't snowing. You can still drive 65 and be courteous....somewhere in this world I'm sure. Drive safe. Buckle up and give yourself a few extra minutes to get to where your going. Enjoy the journey.

2008-01-08T07:36:00.000-08:00

So we finally get the "beater" truck I've always wanted. The piece of crap '87 Ford F150 with good tires, a trailer hitch and a heater that works; What else do you need, right? The gas gauge doesn't work. It goes from half-full to empty around the block. So you really never know when it's quite on empty. I found out today on the freeway, halfway to work that when it says "empty" it's really empty.

I was clipping along at a brisk 60 miles an hour in the right lane. There's no need to push a beater; people expect you to go slow in a truck like that. You see, the only thing missing in this picture is three Mexicans with white cowboy hats in the front seat and a truck-bed full of grass clippings! Anyway...chug, chug, OH Crap! I really am out of gas. I turned on my flashers and pulled off to the side of the freeway. All is not lost as I was smart enough to keep a gas can (with gas!) in the back of the truck. This should just take a minute. Why does the term "WRONG!" occur so much to me lately?

I realize that the size of the can and the fact that the spout is too stubby won't allow the spout to reach into the gas cap filler. No worries! I have a funnel in the tool box. I retrieve the keys out of the ignition so I can unlock the tool box. You have to understand that I am on the freeway side of the truck. The cars are whizzing by at 70 miles an hour a mere 4-5 feet away, AND, it is about ZERO degrees outside. I am freezing my A off! I fiddle with the little key on the key chain and try to insert it into the small lock. WRONG! It's frozen shut. Hummm?! I'll just go to the other side. I walk around the truck and find the same results, frozen lock. This is not good. Then I notice that the lock on the box is actually turned sideways into the open position. I push the black button and HA the box opens. Only problem is that the freakin' funnel is clear on the other side of the box and I can't reach it. It's getting colder.

I stare at it for 5 minutes trying to figure out a way to get it. I try throwing one end of the battery cables at it to hook it. That's a joke. I'm hosed. I figure I'll just wait in the truck until the Incident Management truck comes by to help me manage my incident. But I'm a guy. I can figure this out.

I spot a long twig about 3 feet down the embankment laying in the snow. Thought - long twig inserted into bottom of funnel 4 feet away will allow me to lift it and pull it over to the open side of the box. SOLUTION! You have to know what's coming here. Yes. I step down the embankment, slip, fall and slide about 10 feet on my butt. OK - It's 7:15 in the morning, freezing cold. Can someone cut me SOME SLACK HERE!!!! I find my upper teeth pressing hard into my lower lip fffforming the ffffirst letter of a primal word that wants to LEAP OUT OF MY MOUTH!

OK- I take a deep breath, check my anger, grab the twig and start back up the bank. The twig works. I am reminded of the chimpanzees that stick twigs down the openings of ant colonies, pull them out and eat the ants stuck to the twig. Animals using tools! Rick using tools!

I jam the funnel into the filler cap and pour in the gas. My fingers are freezing. I chuck the funnel and the now empty gas can into the back of the truck, climb back in the cab and turn the key......YES! Ignition! I'm off. Enough gas to get me to the gas station. I do remember to fill up the gas can again.

There is a bright side. I figure at least I had a gas can with gas in it. And I probably made some one's morning start with laughter as I am sure at least a few people saw me tumble down the embankment. I am 45 minutes late for work so I figure what's another 20 so I might as well write this down and share it.

The Lord, in his wisdom, gives us challenges and the ability to overcome them. I overcame this morning! I am glad my ancestors learned how to use a twig as a tool and passed that knowledge down to me.

Spoiling the Grandchildren

2008-01-03T06:54:00.000-08:00

As much as Marian and I would like to have Grandchildren it's just not in the cards right now. We are jealous of our friends and peers that have graduated into Grandparenthood. As we all know we can only control a portion of our lives, and I at least, haven't even figured out what portion that is yet. I guess maybe what goes in my mouth and what comes out of my mouth.... but that's a subject for another blog.

For now we do our best at spoiling who we have. BRUCE!

We babysat Bruce a while back and only managed to get him snipped at by Pele our Lab and scratched in the nose by Calvin our gay cat which precipitated tears from Marian, a phone call to me at work and a visit to the Vet. (As Jack Nicholson said in the movie As Good As It Gets when he found himself crying and laughing at the same time after the return of Verdell to Simon his owner ... "Over a dog! Over an ugly dog!") Overall not a very successful over-niter at Grandma and Grandpa's. Maybe we need some more practice before the real one's come along.

Anyway. We spoil Bruce as best we can. When he is allowed to come over he gets more attention than our own kids.

To prove it here's Bruce's new Pajamas. A gift from "Grandma".

Happy New Year!!

2008-01-02T11:21:00.000-08:00

Happy Freakin’ New Year!

I hope for all of you that 2008 is a great year and brings you all the “righteous desires of your heart”.

In the coming year, if you read or visit my blog please leave a comment. If nothing else your name and where you’re from. I see a lot of unknown hits and would like to know if it’s someone other than my family. Tell me if something made you laugh, made you mad, made you cry or made you simply say, “What an idiot this guy is!”

I know this is lame but I feel I need to put my new year’s resolutions in writing. I know each of us want to improve in some area of our life or accomplish something bigger or better this year. I know mine are so massive I don’t even know where to start. The key is starting, so writing them down is a start.

I am of the age and the wisdom that I understand accomplishing these things isn’t rocket science. It’s not about being lucky or smarter than everyone else. It’s simply discipline and setting short and long term goals. It’s really about discipline, belief in myself, and faith. I need to increase all three of these traits this year. Those perhaps, are the real resolutions. Everything else will happen as a result of an increase there. Here’s the list:

This is the most lame of all … DIET! LOSE WEIGHT! – I managed to drop 50lbs last year from June to Oct. Then managed to put 15 back on. Maybe I am an idiot! But I proved I could do it. The goal is 100 lbs from where I am today. Yesterday was the last undisciplined day. At east today I have taken my magic pill, had my breakfast drink and have consumed another 20 oz of water and it’s only 10AM. I’ve already had to pee 3 times. It must be working.

BE HAPPY! I realize no one can make me unhappy. I have to decide to be unhappy/happy myself. So I will decide to be contagiously happy.

WRITE. Finish my book. Make a daily writing commitment.

READ. Read the Scriptures daily and constantly be involved in a good book.

TAKE TWO NICE VACATIONS! I want to go on a cruise this year and I want to take a road trip to church history sites. A long weekend or two in California or Vegas is in order too!

WORK SMARTER. The hours I worked last year were outrageous, that needs to change significantly.

The biggest goal I have this year is to let Marian quit her job and buy her a new car. I know this is a simple function of accomplishing the "discipline, belief and faith" issue.

That’s it! I’m going to try and adopt Presidents Hinckley’s watchword and motto:

“Do the very best you can”

That's all any of us can do.

Led Zeppelin ROCKS!

2007-12-11T07:19:00.000-08:00

For anyone who grew up as a teenager in the 60's Rock and Roll is a vital part of that experience and memory. We remember the British invasion of the Beatles, Stones, Turtles - easy listening rock with a catchy melody and cute romantic lyrics, albeit the Stones pushed the envelope of acceptable earthiness of the times. The protest rock; Dylan, Donovan, Baez. Then the evolution of drug- culture rock; Buffalo Springfield, The Byrds, Jefferson Airplane, Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, The Grateful Dead. But there is one rock band that really gets me. The one whose music stirs the dark side of my soul like no other; LED ZEPPELIN. I don't know the names of all the Zeppelin songs. I am not a groupie and frankly don't own any of their albums, 8 tracks, cassettes or CD's. I don't have an old Zeppelin poster from the wall of my teenage room rolled up in the trunk in the garage. All I have is the memory of the songs, the places and feelings their music evokes in me. I guess at my age I should be writing about the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and the inspiration of the church hymns. Sorry! One of my daughters told me she enjoys reading my blogs simply because it gives her a glimpse of how the real Rick Black thinks and ticks. Not "Dad". Zeppelin makes Rick Black tick. Zeppelin is the music of choice for an adrenaline rush, the war cry to that "get me off my ass and do something" feeling. If you let it, some of Zeppelins music can pull you down to the depths of sadness and depression with it's slow, woeful, bluesy drone. Mostly it makes me want to run and speed and conquer!

I had the opportunity to see Page and Plant in concert a few years ago. I took my 4 oldest children. I don't think my kids appreciated what they were seeing. Page and Plant played a couple of the Zeppelin songs. We were down close to the right side of the stage and could see their faces and expressions. They are old men. They have complexions of rock stars with a lot of hard miles, they are not my hero's. But at one point Jimmy Page looked me right in the eye and smiled. It was so cool! Jimmy Page is is the God of Guitarists. No one can do what Jimmy does.

Last night Zeppelin played a benefit concert in London at the 02 Arena. In reading the commentaries it appears they still have the magic. I am sure the critics will take occasion to rip them for their age and diminishing vocal range and passion of youth. It won't be a critic from my age. A younger critic simply won't get it. What Zeppelin really is to people. It's not whether Plant can wail like he did in his twenties and thirties. It's not whether Page can hit all the notes in his signature riffs. It's not whether Jason Bonham has that unique rhythmic genetic link to his late father John. This is LED ZEPPELIN. One of the greatest rock bands EVER!

You Just Gotta Speak Up!

2007-12-06T08:07:00.000-08:00

(Turn on your sound)

The Ten Commandments of Baseball

2007-12-04T11:01:00.000-08:00

I am reading a book called Riding With the Blue Moth. It is a true story about a man who rides a bike across the country as a way of dealing with the tragic death of his son. The author is Bill Hancock whose job it is to set up the NCAA basketball tournament every year. He has a lot of sports quotes throughout the book. Last night I was reading and he used a quote from Joe McCarthy’s “Ten Commandments of Baseball”. I played a lot of baseball and never heard of the “Ten Commandments of Baseball”; so I Googled it. I was glad I did. It is pure conventional, homespun wisdom. But if you read between the lines it is about what we should all do in our daily lives. I particularly like commandment #2 and am personally working on that one. If I can make my life as simple as playing baseball I can really improve things. Because I love baseball!

Ten Commandments for Success in Baseball

by Joe McCarthy (1949)

1.Nobody ever became a ballplayer by walking after a ball.

2.You will never become a .300 hitter unless you take the bat off your shoulder.
3.An outfielder who throws in back of a runner is locking the barn after the horse is stolen.
4.Keep your head up and you may not have to keep it down.
5.When you start to slide, slide. He who changes his mind may have to change a good leg for a bad one.
6.Do not alibi on bad hops. Anybody can field the good ones.
7.Always run them out. You never can tell.
8.Do not quit.
9.Do not fight too much with the umpires. You cannot expect them to be as perfect as you are.
10.A pitcher who hasn't control hasn't anything.

I figure there should be an Eleventh one, so I will add it:

11. Always wear a cup!

Have a good day. Adjust your cup. Pull on the bill of your hat. Spit in your glove, smack it few times with your fist and PLAY BALL!

A Few Special Reasons for Thanksgiving This Year...

2007-11-20T09:44:00.000-08:00

This wonderful family. This was taken in October on our recent trip to San Diego. Shortly after my pratfall in the tide pools. (See Falling is Always Funny blog)

From left to right. Hilary, Cecily, Bryan, Jill (Bryan's friend) Natalie, Marian and Keegan. Missing are; Chris & Jacey and Bruce (their dog!), Emily and Brandon, and of course Calvin our stupid gay cat and Pele our black lab. One of these days next spring when Brandon returns from Samoa we will get one of the whole group. It's been awhile.

This wonderful wife Marian. Who continues to exercise great patience and forgiveness with me. (OK - so it was taken a few years ago - she hasn't change that much to me)

This wonderful son Brandon. Serving an LDS mission in Samoa.

This wonderful son Chris. That landed an unbelievably awesome "180" on more than just this snowboard!

This wonderful daughter Cecily. Who was recently in the hospital dealing with a blood clot.

And of course... Bruce! Who is always glad to see us.

Falling is Always Funny

2007-11-05T12:21:00.001-08:00

Nothing makes me laugh harder than to witness people falling down. The only thing funnier is when Marian sees it and I get to watch her uncontrollable laughter.

For our trip to San Diego I needed some new flips flops and waited to get some in Southern California figuring I would have a better selection. WRONG! All sold-out and not a thing I liked on the shelves. I ended up buying some slip-on sailing style shoe's. The idea was to just get something I didn't care about getting wet, sandy or muddy. These had those cool non-slip soles. I was so proud of them and modeled them in the hotel room before going to the beach making everyone tell me how good they looked. I was concerned they made me look like a middle-aged tourist. My family managed to prop up my insecurity and stroke my ego. About 2 hours later I managed to destroy it.

Natalie, my oldest daughter, and I were walking along the rocks at the tide pools in La Jolla. We were talking, I'm sure, of something of global importance and lagging behind the rest of the family. (Good thing) I had my hands in my shorts pockets and was walking slowly along stepping over small crevices in the rocks and avoiding the clear pools of water in the small hollows. I noticed the rocks were wet where I was walking and had full confidence in my brand new non-slip sailing shoes. WRONG! - Second mistake of the day. It's funny how quick you go down when you hit a patch of green algae on wet rocks.

I have been blessed with above average athletic ability and lightning quick reflexes; albeit a 54 year old reflex at this writing. In a nano-second I went into what appeared to be the old high school football "whistle drill". At the sound of the whistle you hit the ground on your stomach and bounce up running until the next whistle. It wasn't quite that smooth. Yes, I started to go down hard, face first. I don't know how I managed to get my hands out of my pockets in time to catch myself and avoid french-kissing some barnacles. I must have looked like I was doing semaphore at warp speed. Now on all fours I was trying to avoid the inevitable face plant and smearing algae all over myself. Actually, like all egotist athletes I was trying to make it look natural and come out of it as if it were an advanced Olympic floor-tumbling exercise. No such luck. I was slipping and sliding like a deer on ice. You couldn't tell if I was trying to finger paint on all-fours or imitating a drunk spider doing push-ups! I finally managed to create friction with two of my limbs and develop some traction. I saved it! No face plant. I slowly worked my way to my feet, stood tall and acted as if I had planned it that way.

Natalie is her mother's daughter. Raucous laughter echoed off the rocks of the nearby cliffs. She had just witnessed the $100,000 winner of America's Funniest Home Video's. Bummer -no video camera present. I am sure I made the old people at the picnic tables above laugh too. They probably come there every day and sit there just waiting for some gringo like me to hit that patch of algae and go down like a flopping tuna on a sport fishing boat. I was no worse for wear and had managed to not tear any muscles or clothing in the process. Best of all, my ego was still intact, despite my daughters guffaws. I'm just glad the whole family didn't witness it. I would have been the topic of conversation, imitation and laughter the whole weekend. Just a private show for you Natalie!

Editors Note

2007-11-05T12:00:00.000-08:00

I have realized that I get a little too serious in my blogs. I figured since the thing that got me started writing was my sense of humor that I should be a little more light-hearted about this and not editorialize so much. So for the next while I will attempt to make myself laugh. It doesn't really matter whether it's funny to you. After all, this is my Blog!

Navy SEALs

2007-10-26T20:41:00.000-07:00

I find myself in San Diego, California. Place of my birth. We are here on a family vacation. As a family we enjoy Coronado Beach. I spent a lot of time there as a teenager and my kids have adopted it as theirs. At 9PM Thursday night we were walking the grounds of the Hotel Del Coronado. As we approached the hotel from the beach side I could hear the unmistakable sounds of Navy SEALs training at the jetty just south. We were drawn to the shouting of the instructors, the unified chorus of response from the different teams. Initially all we could see were what appeared to be about ten small groups. Each group identifiable by eight green light sticks moving in unison in the dark distance. From previous experience I knew what they were doing. Paddling out in a raft past the breakwater, then on a signal paddling back in. As a team carrying the raft over the jetty, then wet and cold and in full uniform, standing at perfect attention until the team was told to do it again. Training. It happened to be a warm October evening. The water in San Diego hasn't started to take on it's winter temperature just yet. It wouldn't have mattered. These men train in all conditions. War is not seasonal.

I have driven up the Silver Strand 1000 times and passed the Amphibious Base located there. Home of Sea Bees, the previously designated Underwater Demolition Teams, Frogmen and the now modern Navy SEALs. In fact, the summer of 1975 I worked as a civilian on the Amphibious Base and saw these men up-close. They seemed so old to me at that time. I was 22. In reality they were most likely my age or younger. As I watched them that evening I thought of how young they really were and yet how willing each one was to volunteer to be charged with the responsibility of protecting my freedom and the freedoms of people not of our country.

The first team of Navy SEALs was commissioned in 1962. In 1987 the modern day SEALs became part of the Naval Special Warfare Command. I want to emphasize the word "SPECIAL". The 300 Spartans at Thermopylae had nothing on these guys. I told my sons and daughters who were with me that these were special men training for special assignments of the most critically dangerous kind. We were witnessing the making of the best warriors in the world. I don't agree with war. I hate war. SEALs I'm sure, loathe war as many of them have faced that ugly and vicious dragon up-close and personal. I have only seen it on TV. But the reality of the world we live in today requires men to step up and take a position on the dangerous front line of freedom where philosophies clash and bullets fly. These were the boys that allowed us to keep the privilege of having a peaceful family vacation in Coronado. The irony of SEALs training within the view of the fantasy people were experiencing as guests of the revered Hotel Del Coronado was not lost on me.

I just started the book by Navy SEAL, Marcus Luttrell; "Lone Survivor". It is a true story of Navy SEALs who served in Afghanistan. I don't need to read the book to know it is a story of courage, preparedness, teamwork and ultimate sacrifice. My interest in reading the book has been intensified. I want to personally thank all the people in the military for their service to me and my family. For allowing me to live a free life. I want to thank all the veterans. Particularly my father, Leonard Black Jr., U.S. Navy WWII, my father-in-law, Melvin Sven Johnsen, U.S. Army WWII, and my brother-in-law, Michael Johnsen, U.S. Army, Vietnam. I want to thank Marcus Luttrell and SEAL Team 10. I want to thank all the young but fully capable U.S. Navy SEALs for their dedication to duty, sacrifice and unwavering patriotism and loyalty to country and constitution. I wanted to shout out to those young men, "You make us proud gentlemen. You are the best!" I didn't, and have felt bad that they don't know how this citizen feels. That's why I'm writing this.

I entered a restaurant today for dinner. As I opened the door an officer of the U.S. Navy was walking out. He hesitated, I am sure to let me pass first. I stepped back and held the door open for him. He smiled and as he walked through said, "Thank you." I looked him square in the eye and said, "No. Thank YOU, Sir!" I hope he caught my meaning.

Nice Shoes!

2007-10-23T07:30:00.000-07:00

There are certain movies that you watch every time you stumble across them in a channel surfing moment. At least a few minutes of them. If it's late and you're up you will probably watch the whole movie for the 30th time. A few of those movies for me are, Predator (which I watched 15 minutes of just last night - you know the part where Arnold puts mud all over his body and stalks the predator because the beast can't see his heat signature through the mud...) The original Die Hard, The Bourne Identity, and The Italian Job. But they aren't all macho "man" movies either. I always get sucked into Sleepless in Seattle and You've Got Mail. I've already told you I was a hopeless romantic. Two others are Dave and The American President. There are even lines from movies that have stuck with us over the years and have become part of our conversational vocabulary.

There is a scene in The American President where Michael Douglas, portraying President Andrew Shepherd, is getting ready to go out on a date with Sydney Ellen Wade, the lobbyist played by Annette Bening. The President's daughter Lucy is fixing his bow tie and the widowed father asks his daughter if she is OK with him going out with another woman. Lucy assures him it is totally OK with her and sends him happily on his way. As he departs Lucy says to him, " Tell her she has nice shoes. Women like it when you notice their shoes." He later uses the corny line and it works. "Nice Shoes".

This blog has nothing to do with anything, but isn't that true of all my blogs? I just found this cartoon really funny and decided to write about it. It just made me laugh. Maybe it will do the same for you.

Ruuun BeeYotch Ruuun!!!

2007-10-08T07:25:00.000-07:00

Cecily -"Hurry, I don't feel so good", Natalie -"I did it!", Marian -"Will anyone run a 10K with me?", and Emily -"Can we go to Cafe Rio now!?"

The weekend took the family to the St George, Utah Marathon. No, we didn't all run it. Are you kidding? I would like to be in the kind of shape that it takes to run a marathon; but pardon me... I have no interest! We all went to support my oldest daughter Natalie in this, her second marathon. The object for Natalie was to finish the marathon. The object for us, the spectators, was to wade through the mass of people and road closures and hopefully find a few places along the way to cheer and yell out encouragement to our runner. I also had time to reflect on the fact of how grateful I was to not be one of those people running by with pained gray faces and beyond weary bodies. I am proud to say that in her second marathon Natalie shattered her time by 38 minutes. A time of 4:33:05. You Go Girl!!

When I caught her at mile 24 I could tell she was in a lot better shape than her first marathon experience. She even smiled and waved. I guess like anything else, once you know what to expect you are better prepared. The thing about running a marathon is the marathon of preparation that precedes the race. That in itself is an accomplishment worth noting.

I am proud of my daughter and her goal oriented discipline. As I have said in a previous blog, "She gets that from her Mom".

Congratulations Natalie. I am proud of you. Ruuun BeeYotch Ruuun!!

People on the Subway

2007-09-12T06:00:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I had lunch with my friend Charan Singh from work. Charan is not from Utah he is from Delhi, India. Charan is not Mormon he is Sikh. Charan smokes, and by his own admission has a couple of other unhealthy habits. He is liberal and outspoken. On the surface Charan and I have nothing in common other than we are male, we are married, we have the same job and we both laugh outloud when someone trips and falls. He is not a person I would probably hang with on the weekend or join he and his wife for dinner on a Friday night and plan a vacation together.

Charan has a contagious laugh and I love his sing-song lilting Indian accent. He is an extremely intelligent man in his early thirties and one of the best options traders I have ever met. He and I have led completely different lives. We don't have politics or religion in common.

Charan has a gift of understanding human nature. He is very philosophical and has an insight into what makes people tick and why they think what they think. On many occasion he has shared his observations of me and my successes and failures; my complaints and challenges. He has offered me some incredible insight and advice on conquering the demon I seem to be afflicted with at present. He has said things to me that have stopped me in my tracks and voiced truths that have been painful to hear. He has caused me to ponder and think deeply on what is holding me back in certain areas of my life. He has truly been instrumental in my recent decision and success with dieting.

A week ago he and I were moved to a quiet area of the office and will be working in close proximity to one another. He came up to me yesterday with a BB gun in his hand and asked me to come out and shoot it with him. We set up a water bottle and took turns plugging holes in it from 20 yards. We laughed. He told me a story about when he was a boy. He shot a bird with a BB gun. He felt so bad he picked the bird up in his hands and cried. He took the bird to his temple and asked for forgiveness and vowed never to shoot a bird again. I remember having a similar experience as a young boy. I hit my bird with a rock. I picked the bird up in my hands and cried and vowed never to throw a rock at another bird. After target practice he invited me to go to lunch with him. I am grateful for my association with this man and his insight and caring. He will truly be a light and a mentor and help me improve my thinking and my performance.

OK- Back to the people on the subway.

Our lives are filled with people that are homogeneous to ourselves and our beliefs. We spend the majority of our time with people that think like we do, believe how we do and look through the same glasses. Nothing wrong with that. That is human nature and allows us the luxury to be comfortable in our surroundings and validate our thinking and our lives.

I have had occasion to ride the subway in a few large cities. We board, find a seat alone somewhere and look at all the suspicious and dark people around us. We would never be friends with them. We most likely would never engage in a conversation with them. What could we possibly have in common with these people? And after all, we will only be associated with them for the next 5 to 10 minutes. How many people do we come in contact with that are like the people on the subway? People we work with. People in the line at the store, or seated next to us in an airplane or at a sporting event. People that are very different than ourselves. Men and women that lead different lives, have different political views, religious beliefs, cultures and ethnicity. People we think couldn't possibly know our struggle or have any insight to help us cope, work through or ultimately change our stars. People like Charan that we would never talk to on the subway. After all, we will only be travelling with them for 5-10 minutes.

It is those very people that look at life through different glasses that could potentially share with us the most insightful thoughts about our own journey. They could make our journey much richer, help us see things from a unique perspective and open our minds and hearts to real positive change. You never know. Maybe I could share something from my different life experience that would help them.

My challenge to myself is to talk to more people on the subway. The God I believe in talks to all of them. He listens to them and helps them find answers to their prayers. He helps them see their struggle in a different perspective so it becomes a more positive experience. That's why He is God. He created us all different for a very good reason. Why shouldn't I be more like Him and talk to all the people on the subway?

...I swear in the days still left we'll walk in the fields of gold....

2007-08-24T11:36:00.000-07:00

...So she took her love
For to gaze awhile
Upon the fields of barley
In his arms she fell as her hair came down
Among the fields of gold

Will you stay with me, will you be my love
Among the fields of barley
We’ll forget the sun in his jealous sky
As we lie in the fields of gold

See the west wind move like a lover so
Upon the fields of barley
Feel her body rise when you kiss her mouth
Among the fields of gold
I never made promises lightly
And there have been some that I’ve broken
But I swear in the days still left
We’ll walk in the fields of gold
We’ll walk in the fields of gold...

Sting
Ten Summoners Tales
A&M Records 1993

Lake Mead 1984

2007-08-23T14:39:00.001-07:00

I have had this picture on my desk for a long time. Lake Mead houseboat trip 1984. Great time! Great company! Great sunglasses Marian! Great hair Rick! I like this picture because of the attitude. The tiger-by-the-tail time of our life before the rains came. Lot of water under the bridge since this picture was taken. But this is who we are. Who I am! We can't recapture the moment but we can recapture the feeling. I love shaggy long hair, tan dry skin and rough edges. I love the feel of a well worn Gordon & Smith t-shirt. Bare feet, ski-boats and beautiful women in bathing suits. Water balloon launchers, barbecues and sleeping in a sleeping bag on the top deck. Laughing so hard with your friends you puke! Getting up before the sun rises to catch the smooth water and hitting the glass once again just before sunset. This is who I am. Time and life have occasionally made me forget that. That's why I keep this picture on my desk - to remind me. I am fun. I am laughter. I fix the boat when it breaks down and enjoy it. I am the first one up in the morning and the last one to bed at night. I'm the one that starts the fire in the morning that allows others to wake up to the smell of bacon frying. I'm the one at the end of a long day and night that secures everything, turns out the lights and then finds a quiet place to read or just look out on the water for an hour or two meditating. Why have I forgotten this? Why have I lost touch with this guy in the picture? He's funny as hell and if you want to have a really good time on your vacation you make sure he and his beautiful wife come with you. Plus...He owns the boat and he's buying!

Excuse me while I go outside and stand on the fence post, flap my wings and crow like a rooster. COCKADOOODLEDOOOO!!!

Now I have to go back to work.... (but I am starting the long journey back by growing my hair out)

My Morning Walk in Paradise

2007-07-12T17:57:00.000-07:00

This week the seminar circuit takes me to beautiful Honolulu, Hawaii. By the time we got checked into the hotel, scouted the seminar room and made last minute technical changes and arrangements, which included a 2 mile walk to the mall to buy a missing power cord for our projector, the day was pretty much shot. Dinner and in bed by 8:30 Hawaii time (12:30 MST) No wonder I was tossing and turning at 4AM this morning. I can’t tell you the last time I slept till 8AM in the morning. That’s what time my body was telling me it was. I felt kind of funny getting up in the dark to go check my email in the lobby of the hotel. I wasn’t the only one. There were other people out of their respective time zones doing the same thing. By about 5AM the sky was starting to turn that pre-sunrise purple blue color. I decided to check my laptop in at the front desk and take a walk.

Southeast on Kalakaua Avenue takes one past all the high-end shopping and eventually to the beach at Waikiki. I walked past Tiffany’s, Chanel, Dior, Burberry, Fendi, Ferragamo, and the Wyland Art Gallery. Then it was Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Bvlgari, Rolex. Each lit up like Christmas showing their overpriced wares to the overpriced ego’s that shop there. All the stores I don’t shop in. I guess when I have the money I will probably go to Tiffany’s once a year for a trinket for Marian. I was simply hoping to find a 24 hour ABC Store so I could get a cheap pair of shorts. No such luck. My walk took me to the Royal Hawaiian. The pink palace. Queen and matron of Waikiki. Marian and I had the privilege of staying here for a week in 1999 so I have a certain attachment. The building is historical and beautiful. I walked through the open lobby into the inner courtyard. It’s like walking through a tunnel to Shangri-La. The grounds are impeccable. Each blade of grass and flower seem hand trimmed. The tremendous banyan tree was preparing to shade yet another wedding. The white tables and chairs in neat stacks were there waiting for the morning crew to begin the set up.

I walked through the courtyard garden to the modern tower of the Royal Hawaiian where Marian and I stayed. I proceeded down the steps to the pool and beyond to the sands of the beach. Off with the sandals! The cool sands of Waikiki felt like new, thickly padded carpet on my tired bare feet. There aren’t a lot of people on the beach at 5AM. Even Waikiki. A few fellow strollers and of course, the hardiest of surfers, at least a dozen or so. Certainly not the thousands of bodies that would dot the sand and surf like ants in an ant farm in a few short hours. I rolled up my Levis and with sandals in hand stepped into the easy waves lapping the sleepy shoreline. AHHHH! To truly understand how that made me feel, you need to read my previous blog, “The Ocean”. I made a commitment at that moment to begin each morning here at 5AM in the surf at Waikiki to regenerate and stimulate my thinking. Awaken and invigorate my dreams again.

Ironically there was a twinge of sadness mixed with the rush of pleasant emotion. How could that be? How could there be any sadness in paradise? Not necessarily sadness but hollowness, loneliness. I was alone. Marian wasn’t here. My family wasn’t here. It would have been so much better with them walking beside me, sharing the moment. I don’t ever want to be here alone again. As beautiful as it is. The sights of surf and sunrise. The sounds of the waves and birds. The smells of the ocean and the flowers. All of that diminished by the absence of a tender, yet strong, female voice. I wanted to punctuate the moment with easy conversation, the feel of her warm familiar hand, and the sight of her beautiful feet with freshly painted pink toenails leaving their prints in the wet sand in unison next to me. Call me a hopeless romantic. Guilty as charged. It is not complete here without her. Never again will I come here without the person I love.

Well it’s off to the store to find a cheap pair of board shorts so I can completely baptize myself tonight and again at 5AM tomorrow morning. It is time to renew! Aloha!

Holy Mitt!?

2007-06-19T15:39:00.000-07:00

You just knew I wouldn’t be able to remain silent. I have finally organized my thoughts sufficiently on this subject into an opinion I can put on paper. Previously they were random with no connecting thread. I found the connecting thread. It was an address given by Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve on February 29th, 1992 to the Brigham Young University Management Society, Washington D.C. Whether you believe Dallin H. Oaks wears the mantel of a modern day Apostle is irrelevant. His office and calling do not detract one iota from the clarity and truthfulness of this message.
In fact, understanding where the root of this message is derived only gives it a deeper ring of truth.

I am offended by media pundits or other less enlightened citizens that bring into question the religion of a presidential candidate. Not the fact that they bring it into question but the ignorance and maliciousness in which it is done. Today it was suggested by one writer that Mitt Romney is the one that brings up the subject and the fact that he is persecuted so if he isn’t elected he has the excuse that it was the people that persecuted his religion that caused him to lose. How absurd!

This election is all about integrity, leadership, and who can get the job done. Who can manage the “business” of government. Who can draw from a pool of talented people with different philosophies to create business solutions that work for the American people. As opposed to someone who knows how to work the political system and create an ugly duckling solution that is not good for anyone. Who has less of an axe to grind? Personal agenda to push? If anyone really understood the “Mormons” they would understand how low on the priority list the following achievements are; Rising to the top of the heap and holding the most powerful office in the world. Having your portrait engraved on a coin or printed on a dollar bill. A statue, memorial. A street or school named after you.

A true Mormon’s legacy is not found in a library in his home town at the end of his term. A true Mormon’s legacy is written in his home, his family. The selfless service given to others along the way. The giving and sharing of love and charity. Helping feed the poor, housing the homeless and caring for the afflicted and persecuted. Those are the core beliefs true Mormons subscribe to. What’s wrong with a President with those attributes?

According to the politically intelligent if those attributes stem from religious belief and conviction they are not worthy of the public platform. Let me quote from Dallin Oaks address.

“Many differences of opinion over the role of religion in public life simply mirror a difference of opinion over whether there are moral absolutes.”

… “Some moral absolutes or convictions must be at the foundation of any system of law. This does not mean that all laws are so based. Many laws and administrative actions are simply a matter of wisdom or expediency. But many laws and administrative actions are based upon the moral standards of our society. If most of us believe that it is wrong to kill or steal or lie, our laws will include punishment for those acts. If most of us believe that it is right to care for the poor and needy, our laws will accomplish or facilitate those activities. Society continually legislates morality. The only question is whose morality and what legislation.”

I could never have written words more inspired and clear. The only question indeed is, “whose morality and what legislation.” What if voters took that thought into the voting booth and judged each candidate based on that point alone. The poles may show a different leader. It appears that historically, with the aiding and abetting of the press, the misinformed public seek out and rally behind a candidate that is ambivalent about moral absolutes. Leaving room for the popular interpretation of the day. Not necessarily the correct interpretation.

The concern with Mitt Romney is the fear that he would push the LDS definition of the moral absolute on our country. Tongue in cheek I say, what’s wrong with that picture? Absolutely nothing! Dallin Oaks continues in his address on this perceived dilemma.

“I have a hard time believing that the teachings of religions or churches deprive their adherents of any more autonomy in exerting the rights of citizenship than the teachings and practices of labor unions, civil rights groups, environmental organizations, political parties, or any other membership group in our society.”

As citizens of this country we have been victimized by lobbyists pushing private agendas and private definitions of moral absolutes. We seem to be OK with the thievery, dishonesty, self-serving political motives driving these lobbyists. But we are willing to assume that a citizen running for president who was raised drinking from a cup of honesty and integrity and sound moral absolutes would be detrimental to the rights and privileges our constitution guarantees. Once again I say, what’s wrong with that picture?

I don’t care who you vote for. But do you want more of the same? Do we need moral leadership? Or do we just need leadership? After all, Hitler was a great leader. Does the business of government need to be repaired? Why don’t we try a successful businessman this time instead of a successful politician? Why don’t we try someone who is more concerned with how he will be remembered by his family and a right and just God rather than how he will be portrayed by the political spin doctors in media.

It’s your choice. Vote your conscience, but remember, that’s a moral absolute too!

Here is the link so you can read the entire address of Elder Oaks. It will enlighten you.

http://www.lds.org/portal/site/LDSOrg/menuitem.b12f9d18fae655bb69095bd3e44916a0/?vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=4bd89209df38b010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____&hideNav=1

The Most Recent MVHS Graduate

2007-06-15T06:32:00.000-07:00

Did I tell you how much I love my 4 girls?! Especially Cecily, she's my favorite! (But I tell each of them that) She graduated from high school a couple of weeks ago. She's a 4.0 student but that's not what her report card said. But I will tell you this, she had more fun than any high school kid should be allowed. She did it right. Smart, pretty, athletic, a great sense of humor, all the boys like her .... what else could you ask for. She is a joy to have around. There isn't a time that we sit down as a family or partial family that she doesn't make us laugh with her faces and voices. She is a living, breathing, walking Saturday Night Live gig. She lights up a room.

Each one of my girls has a special place in my heart. They all are so different yet have so many things in common. And they love each other so very much. Fortunately they got their grace and beauty from their mother. I can claim some of their intelligence and athleticism, but then again, they got that from their mother too. Their activism and social conscience, from mom again. OK - their sense of humor and contagious laughter, mom again. Their strength, drive and goodness. Concern for their fellow-man. Friendliness, outgoing personality. Loyalty, work ethic. I guess I will concede...mom again on all points. Ability to be on time to meetings...YES! Two of them got that from me!

Did I tell you how much I love my 5 girls?!

A Different Kind of June 6th

2007-06-06T12:29:00.000-07:00

Wherever you are sitting today when you read this I'd like you to look out the window. Consider your troubles, consider your future, consider your opportunities. Then consider the enormous price that was paid to allow you to have the freedom to look out the window and ponder these things; most importantly the right and freedom to change your stars.

JUNE 6TH, 1944 was a very different kind of June 6th than the one you see out your window today. Especially if you found yourself on the beaches at Normandy, France on D-Day.

To all of you who were there - Thank You! Thank you for allowing me the peace to look out my window and ponder my freedom and opportunities.

Another Agonizing SHOOTOUT!

2007-05-24T11:26:00.000-07:00

Reprinted from Utah Rangers Website May 24th 2007

'93 Rangers Beat Unbeatable #1 State Cup Seed To Advance To Semi Finals

It took the Rangers '93 team ten minutes in the opening half to calm down after the referee's whistle opened the match. In a game considered the "match of death" by the the other six quarter finalist U14 teams gathered to watch the overtime match at Lakeside Park on Wednesday, the grim reaper tapped out the Rangers '93 Premier team to face the #1 seeded Sparta Premier team. On paper Sparta appeared unbeatable. On the field the Rangers proved otherwise.

A 2-1 pool-play loss to Wasatch Shock forced the Rangers into a quarter final match against a formidable Sparta team, the defending state cup champions. It wasn't until David Hardman beat the Sparta right wing defender at the 15 minute mark that the Rangers organized enough attacking play that resulted in two dangerous shots on goal and a second half push with two one-v-one's by Winston Sorhaitz and David Hardman only to be turned back Sparta's talented keeper to preserve the tie and force the overtime and shootout.

Ranger Shooter #1, Ryan Wilson, placed the ball into the lower right corner and Keegan Black followed with a save of Sparta's first shooter. Ranger forward Winstons Sorhaitz and Defender Parker Lopp gave Sparta a one goal advantage when they knocked both their shots over the crossbar forcing a decision on Sparta's fifth shooter. Luck prevailed when Sparta shot wide, sending the decision into extra shots. Josue Cisneros was good for the Ranger's sixth shot but Sparta answered with an equalizing goal. In rare dramatic fashion, Ranger midfielder Lincoln Salmon's seventh shot was saved, but the referee whistled the goalkeeper was off his line early and Salmon knotted his second try while Sparta lost the match when their seventh shooter went wide.

Well done Rangers '93. Now its on to a Semi Final win on Friday.

"Delightfully Tacky - Yet Unrefined"

2007-05-21T12:37:00.000-07:00

I saw a guy in a Hooters shirt the back of which stated, "Delightfully Tacky - Yet Unrefined". That about sums it up. I looked on the Hooters website to see if that was a trademark statement or just simply a fact. I learned that there is a Hooters Lifestyle Section, what could that be? I didn't bother to look. There is a Gallery and the Hooters Girl-of-the-Month and a shop-online section for all the great orange Hooters gear from calendars, coffee mugs to golf bags. You can even get you own personalized Hooters Visa Card. You've got to be kidding me! Despite how I have started off here this is not an article about Hooters. It could be. Hooters is just symptomatic of another issue.

I grew up in California. Not that everything in California is cool but since moving to Utah a whole new side of what I would call "Americana" has been revealed to me. It's not unique to Utah (although Utah has some Americana uniqueness itself) Maybe it's because a lot of Utah is "country". Outside of Salt Lake there isn't a lot of urban sprawl. Most of urban Utah is touched by and borders the "country" and everything that comes with it. I apologize to you people that might consider yourselves country folk. You can write your own blog about those of us who grew up in urban sprawl on the California coast if you want. If not, just sit down, read and laugh with me here a minute.

I was never one to sport designer clothes too much. I never relished the thought of being a walking billboard for the likes of Ralph Lauren, Louis Vuitton, Prada, Gucci, Dior, Armani or Nordstrom for that matter. OK, I did buy a pair of Gucci slip-ons once in New York when I was a stock trader. Frankly I liked the look of the little gold trademark Gucci buckle across the front of the shoe. And I own an Armani tie my wife got me at the thrift store for a quarter. I don't think that qualifies me as a fashion icon.

But I have to say this, clothing by Cabela's, Browning or Big-5 doesn't qualify either. Yet these logos are worn with the same pride an 80's yuppie wears the Polo horse on his/her chest. OK, maybe that's not extreme enough to explain what I am trying to say here. Let me try and hit a little closer to the target. What's with the decal on the back window of trucks with the little kid peeing on everything from a Ford logo to the words "my ex-wife"? And I love the chrome nude lady on the mud-flaps. It just doesn't get much more unrefined than that.

I can take or leave tattoos, mostly leave; but when I see someone with a tattoo creeping up out of their shirt and up the side of their neck like the mystery plague I have to say, the words "delightfully tacky" do come to mind. It always makes me wonder what it's growing out of....eeeeewwwww!

I like hats , but when I see a man who looks like he's a quart low all the time because from his nose up he is butt-white because he never takes his hat off, it makes me wonder. We go from Yankees and Dodgers to CAT and John Deere - I know those are two of my favorite teams! How about "Sexy Senior Citizen". There's nothing sexy about a senior citizen. There's nothing even funny about using those words in the same sentence, let alone having them emblazoned on the front of your hat. What about the 60 year-old lady with the glitter shirt that says, " I hit the Jackpot in Wendover!" Darn, I'm sorry I missed that trip. I'll bet that was fun. I would hate to admit I got my tennis elbow from a slot machine.

Where do some of these people get name books when they have children? Not at the Barnes and Noble I shop at! I guess if your name is Dale and you have a daughter it's OK to change the spelling to Dael and call it good. Or Darryl becomes Darelle... whatever works. Shontay, or is it Shontae! Laverle, Gaylene, Heavenly-Treasure, Lawanda, Shandalyn, Chewbacca.....gad zooks! Give your poor child a break. Life is tough enough without living with names you have to explain.

Willya borrow me a pencil? Lets go upta Salt Lake. Let's go downta St.George. We played a good game but they wunnus. Won us? And my personal favorite, my daughter goes to the BYU. "The" BYU? Is that the same thing as going to the Harvard or the Stanford?

Jeff Foxworthy does a much better job at this. But I just had to give it my two cents. "Delightfully Tacky - Yet Unrefined" is alive and well in the Utah.

Who is Hank Hill voting for?

2007-05-09T07:15:00.000-07:00

Politics is not the first thing you would think Hank, Dale, Boomhauer and Bill are talking about in the alley while having a cold one. But like every other blue-blooded American it is not far from their lips. In fact one of Hanks favorite sayings is, "Nobody likes a knowitall who sits around talking about their genitalia." Do you think Hank was discussing politics when he made that statement? It caused me to pause and think, "Who would Hank Hill vote for".

So with some conjecture and analysis and a lot of tongue-in-cheek I will attempt to put a ballot in their hands and get them to speak out. It should prove to be interesting and potentially thought provoking. Hank and the boys have become American Icons. They are real, everyday people we all know. They are so believable to us that we think that we could drive down to Arlen and find them standing in the alley on a warm Texas evening. As for myself, I would love to stand there shoulder to shoulder holding my own cold one (in my case a Mountain Dew, although Hank besides beer probably only has Dr Pepper in the fridge) and join in the banter, challenge their political beliefs and get them to speak up and tell us what they think. My apologies in advance to creator Mike Judge.

Dale is the owner of "Dales Dead Bug" extermination service. Dale is a chain smoker and loves golf. He is a conspiracy theorist and believes government is out to get us. "Guns don't kill people. The Government does." Dale is paranoid. Dale is a card carrying member of the NRA. Golf and guns would make him a Republican but Dale trusts no one... "You really believe they landed on the moon?" Dale is a veteran. Dale supports the troops but most likely thinks we should drop the bomb because they eventually find the weapons of mass destruction. He voted for Bush but that not being an option he is leaning toward McCain the hawk. But POW's are pussies who couldn't fight their way out of a paper bag so he is torn. Dale doesn't believe anyone is qualified to lead the country. He would vote for Oliver Stone if he could, because Oliver "gets it". He really wishes Cheney was running "cuz that ol' boy can shoot!

Boomhauer has an IQ of a hockey score. He talks like mumbles on Dick Tracy. I think Boomhauer did too many drugs. He loves NASCAR and naked chicks on the internet. He voted for Clinton and was pissed he got caught with Monica. "Dang ol' Bill man that's Bills business". He wishes Ricky Bobby was running cuz Ricky's a winner. And dang we need a winner in the White House! Boomhauer won't get around to voting because he'll be busy working on his car

Bill is like a deer caught in the headlights and will vote for pretty much anyone Hank tells him to vote for. Bill is a Barber for the Armed Forces of America. He also supports the troops and has a yellow ribbon and a flag on the tree in his front yard but can't remember why they are there. Bill voted for Ross Perot in 1992 because he thought Perot made sense... "If you see a snake, just kill it - don't appoint a committee on snakes." That made perfect sense to Bill and made him laugh. Bill won't vote for Mitt Romney because, "I like beer. Don't you like beer? I mean, I love beer." Romney's a Mormon and they don't drink beer.

The burning question still remains. Who will Hank Hill vote for? Hank's a conservative. He's a Republican. He sells propane -clean fuel. He most likely agrees with Al Gore on global warming but won't get on the bandwagon until he sees icebergs floating in Galveston Bay. Hank is pissed we haven't won the war in Iraq and thinks we made a mistake. Hank is for Gay Rights, "They have the right to leave and go to France!" He worries gays will have an negative influence on his son Bobby. The Immigration issue can be solved with a wall like the Chinese did to the Mongols. Peggy, Hanks wife is a big influence on Hank. Peggy is outspoken and an activist. She's the moral compass of moral compasses. Peg is a Democrat. "That Barack is smooth but I just don't know about him," she will say. Peg would counsel Hank to vote for Hillary Clinton. Hank will acquiesce to her request, much to Peg's delight but once in the booth Hank will vote for Rudy Giuliani "Because voting is a private issue and you don't have to tell anyone who you voted for, even Peg." That means Bill will vote for Rudy too but wonder why he's voting for an Italian.

Hank would tell all of us to vote our conscience. He wouldn't argue with your choice, he would be happy that you exercised your right as an American citizen to vote. He would hope you would vote for people that would allow him to stand shoulder to shoulder with his best friends in the back alley, have a beer and have the freedom of speech to talk or complain about anything. I agree.

Hail the Graduate!

2007-05-03T12:15:00.000-07:00

As a parent I have many hopes for my children. The achievement of those hopes are mostly up to them. You try and provide them an environment of love, peace and learning where they can develop self-confidence and ambition. Once they become mentally independent and then actually move out on their own there’s not much else you can do. You hope you’ve raised good citizens, taught them the value of hard work and that in the end they will become self-sufficient. All the rest is gravy.

Kind, sweet and tender as a little girl, Hilary has always shown strength of conviction. She has been generous and loving to her brothers and sisters. She is a bit stubborn and quick to show her emotions. Her opinions are equally based on fact and feeling. Through the genes of her good mother she has a deep social consciousness and desire for fairness in the lives of her fellow human being. She is a loyal friend. She is independent and solution minded. Handy at home and car repairs, she could be called a “Miss Fix-it”. I am not at all surprised that she just earned her degree from the College of Social and Behavioral Science at the University of Utah.

Hilary has a long list of accomplishment to her credit. Shortly after graduating from high school she moved out and began working and attending classes at the University of Utah. Immediately she was self-sufficient. Always the saver and the best of all our children with her personal budget; she paid her rent on time, made her car payment, paid for car repairs and always seemed to have enough left to take annual trips to places like Europe, Hawaii and Costa Rica, all while plowing through a tough university schedule.

After a year or so of college she felt the desire to serve a mission for the LDS church. She was called to the Romania, Bucharest mission. She learned a difficult language and served in a handful of cities throughout Romania spending her last six months in Moldova. She gained a great testimony of the gospel and a deep love for the Romanian people.

Back home after 18 months out of the country she tackled school and became focused once again on her education. Plowing forward, struggling, and taking a step at a time a day at a time she has finally made it. It has been hard work but she has had a lot of fun along the way. An avid reader and movie fan she always has a book or two she is reading and a stack of DVD’s to watch. She has tempered her journey by rewarding herself with frequent Dave Matthew’s concerts and the anticipation of the next “road trip”.

I am sure as she looks back she is satisfied with her accomplishments, but by her nature, insecure about the next step and opportunity. Well done Hilary! You are a great example. You have made us all proud. Look well toward the future. Let your accomplishments of the past give you confidence in your abilities for the future.

Like I said; if your children turn out to be good citizens, know the value of hard work and are self-sufficient, as a parent you feel like you have succeeded. The rest is gravy. Hilary – you have filled the gravy boat! Congratulations graduate!

…So when’s the next Dave Matthews concert and where’s the next road trip taking you?

Illegal Immigrants

2007-05-01T10:14:00.000-07:00

Today on MSNBC there was an article entitled, "Immigrant rights groups rally across the U.S." Here is the link, http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18411370/

While personally I harbor no ill-will to any specific group of people, I am troubled by the current situation. My opinions and convictions run deep. I decided to post a comment to that article which I am publishing here as well. I will let the article and my comments speak for themselves.

It appears that the people that "don't have the courage", to quote Angelica Salas, "to resolve a major situation", is not the American Congress. It is the illegals themselves who have chosen to break the laws and are now demanding Congress fix it for them. Sorry- it never worked that way for us in middle-America. I knew what the laws were, I chose to break them and now I want Congress to fix it for me!? What kind of logic is that? I came here illegally and therefore I have the right to engage in identity theft and use someone else's Social Security number illegally to obtain work? Boy Angelica, you're right, Congress better get right on that because there are currently no laws protecting all of us legal owners of Social Security cards. This issue will not be brushed under the rug during the upcoming Presidential campaign. This will be a huge issue. The silent majority will speak with a loud and unified voice with their votes. And that is a whole lot more than 12 million people! I hope we have a leader in the White House that will have the "huevos" (to coin a phrase) to man-up and deal with this head-on. Maybe true enforcement of existing laws would be a good start. This is the land of the free and it is for everyone. "Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, ..." is not exclusionary. As a citizen of this country I believe this inscription on our Statue of Liberty applies to all people. But just like at Ellis Island; get in line, sign up, do it right. Then there won't be a "major situation". What illegals fail to realize is that in large part, freedom in a true democracy is obtained first, by obedience to existing laws. Not willful disobedience and demanding change because the laws are not convenient. If that's not the case, then I am going to begin to seriously speed on the freeway and demand that Congress fix my tickets and give me and my people the right to speed!

- Richard Black, legal US Citizen.

The Ocean

2007-04-24T15:14:00.000-07:00

I grew up with the smell of the ocean in my nostrils daily. It was in the air, the fog... it was in my soul. Not that I am a mariner who wants to go to sea and spend weeks and months at a time. But the ocean is every bit a part of me as a true mariner. I saw the ocean each day of my life growing up in San Diego. I just had to look west. I have great memories of the beach, the waves, the sand, the people, the fires, the laughter. The ocean was spring break, summer, music; a happy, active, energetic time of my life.

...I live in the mountains now.

I miss the ocean. I am Pisces. I have an intrinsic love of water. Pisces are governed by a duality, a struggle of the spiritual soul within the physical body. Two fish swimming in opposite directions... That's another blog completely. This is about the ocean.

The ocean invigorates me. It inspires me. It heals me. It makes me think bigger thoughts. It makes me want to throw off my self-imposed limits of thinking and accomplishment. It makes me want to be better, grow, succeed, reach-out, expand, create. The primordial soup is an elixir my soul welcomes and wantonly drinks. When I am physically in the ocean I feel my body absorbing it's strength and life. I can float and swim for hours. I dive and let it envelop me like caressing, caring, therapeutic hands. Each wave brings new feeling, new hope, new messages, rejuvenation, renewal.

I miss the ocean. I need the ocean. Of all the things I could think of doing right now, none would be as powerful, gratifying and healing as swimming against the oncoming waves of the ocean. I never actually swim against the waves. That's why I am good at it. I swim with them. I let them carry me, lift me, lower me, flow over and through me. It's a relationship, a dance. A giving and taking. I receive more than I give. I let the ocean wash the poison and pain away. Take with it the struggle and hurt. It allows me to walk away better and happier. With a few last kisses of my feet as I walk onto dry land.

The ocean is never innately angry. At times the ocean simply needs to throw off the anger and poison and self-defeat it has absorbed from people who have let her take it from us.

...I live in the mountains now.

Wall Street Wisdom

2007-04-18T06:55:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite movies is the 1987 blockbuster "Wall Street". Well, maybe it wasn't a blockbuster. It was probably at best, a B+ movie. Even though Michael Douglas did win an Oscar for best actor in a leading role. The plot was simple. The characters predictable. I relate to the movie on a couple of levels. I spent time working on Wall Street. Although these characters are fictional, I have associated with the real people from which these characters were drawn. They do exist. I have worked with them. I have seen them in action. I have heard the speeches, seen the conflicts and felt the intense emotion evoked by being around that much money. The thing that I like most about the movie are the intriguing lines that have lived on beyond the movie itself. Many of these lines have come back to me throughout the years and I have used them as earmarks of conventional wisdom. For example:

Martin Sheen as Carl Fox. Blue collar aircraft worker as said to his son Bud Fox played by Charlie Sheen: "Stop going for the easy buck and start producing something with your life. Create, instead of living off the buying and selling of others."

Gordon Gekko, investor, corporate raider played by Michael Douglas in a speech at a shareholders meeting: "The point is, ladies and gentlemen, that greed, for lack of a better word, is good. Greed is right. Greed works."

Hal Holbrook as Lou Mannheim, Bud Fox's boss and mentor: "The main thing about money, Bud, is that it makes you do things you don't want to do."

And one of my favorite lines which seems to be echoing in my head of late.

Once again Hal Holbrook as Lou Mannheim to the young broker Bud Fox: "A man looks in the abyss, there is nothing staring back at him. At that moment he discovers his character. That keeps the man out of the abyss."

Many times I have felt like I was staring into an abyss. Never more than at this time in my life. The question I ask myself daily is; Will I discover my true character and will it prevent me from falling into that abyss?

I will have to dig deep. I will have to summon every ounce of personal strength and will power. I will have to look to God, and the support of friends and family. But I am committed to not fall into that abyss.

Imus

2007-04-12T14:56:00.000-07:00

I must say this... I don't excuse Don Imus for demeaning remarks about The Rutgers Women's Basketball team. It was rude, it was wrong. But I am curious about a couple of things. It seems we have two champions of equality and crushing out racism in Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson. They always appear at the forest fire like Smokey the Bear, except Smokey carries a can of water, Al and Jesse carry a can of gas. Whipping the fire into a frenzy and demanding the pendulum of inequality swing far to the other side. Swift and harsh punishment for the wrongdoers. A reminder to us ignorant folk that we still haven't climbed entirely out of the 60's. We have not fully realized Dr. Kings vision. (I have the utmost respect for Martin Luther King, his message and his humanity) In fact, it's interesting to think of what Dr. King would say to us in light of these events. I think it would be in sharp contrast to the Al and Jesse show.

I have a question. Someone please answer me. If Jesse and Al are so concerned with disparaging racial slurs and abusive verbal inhumanity to black women, why aren't they camped on every radio station doorstep that plays what has become known as Hip Hop? Screaming for boycotts of music stores that sell it. Have you listened to those lyrics lately? Have you viewed those videos lately? C mon' Jesse, Al. They make Don Imus look like Shakespeare. Where's the outrage? Where's the call to broadcasting for no play? For firings of the VJ's and DJ's that spin this blatant racism? Where's the rush of trampling feet of vacating advertisers from MTV and every radio station that promotes this kind of inhumanity to blacks and black women in particular? Speak up - Al, Jesse! Where's the outrage? Bitches and Ho's has become the new "N Word" for women. Where do you guess Don Imus first heard the term "Ho"? Could it have been a rap song? But I guess it's OK if it's propagated by black men. Someone help me here!

Duke Lacrosse Scandal

2007-04-11T13:13:00.000-07:00

Over the past year I have followed with interest the Duke Lacrosse Scandal as it has become known. I have to weigh-in on the recent news that all charges have been dropped. For my part, I smelled a rat from the beginning. But I won't tell you, "I told you so." I wasn't there and I wasn't privy to all the evidence. We live in a country where the judicial system is based on the promise of a fair trial and you are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. What boils to the surface for me are two things, separate but related and tied to what we have become to know as "The Media". I am beginning to believe "the media" is the largest culprit. The media has become a forum for maverick and irresponsible influence peddling. The byword is "Spin". Mike Nifong , the prosecuting attorney should be hung from the rafters! Seizing a media frenzy he jumped at the opportunity to get votes for his upcoming campaign. Nifong lost sight of justice in attempt to appeal to a voting block. Doing the right thing may not be the convenient thing. Pandering to a minority vote that was justifiably enraged had the accusations been true. They too are at fault. The press represented the minority community standing outside the court screaming for a lynching before there was ever a trial.

The media early on turned this into a made for television movie. Journalist and newsrooms no longer motivated by truth but simply motivated by promoting careers and selling commercials. When the smoke cleared and wiser heads could step back and do the job the law of due process asks us to do the truth came out. The only winner here is justice. Every real person involved is a loser. The American public is a loser for having been dragged through this mud. The media once again proves to be delinquent in selling a spin cloaked in the constitutional guaranty of free press. Duke University is a loser. The Duke Lacrosse team is a loser. The victim is a loser. The community is a loser and now further polarized. The falsely accused are certainly the biggest losers of all. This has changed the course of their lives forever and not for the better. They were innocent....but were they?

Here is the lesson to all of us. Was there an appearance of evil? Was there a frat party flush with alcohol? Were strippers hired? Was there an atmosphere and occasion for a false accusation to be created and inflamed? Some would say this is just what college boys do. This is just part of the college experience. Far from true. I hope my boys don't make this behavior part of their natural and normal college experience. Hopefully my boys are better than that. Hopefully yours are too. It wasn't innocent behavior or an innocent atmosphere. It was ripe for bomb to go off. And it did. Unfortunately it went off in the faces of otherwise good men. It affected a lot of lives negatively. We are taught to avoid the appearance of evil. What goodness and positive life experience will come from a party of flowing alcohol and strippers. Call me prudish, call me moralistic. Call me whatever you like. It doesn't matter what the current spin on college life by the media would have you believe. When the smoke clears and wiser heads step back and the evidence is considered .... what good came of this?

My Favorite Songs

2007-04-10T09:10:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine told me about a website that I could download songs for listening on my computer. These are free. Not the pay for play iTunes; but Share360 - kind of like the old Napster. My children have filled their iPods with songs and I am welcome to listen to their choices on my home computer or borrow their iPods. But the fact of the matter is I am 54, they are teenagers. We have different tastes in music. Don't get me wrong, there are a lot of songs on the radio today that I like. But if I had a choice of favorite songs it would be those songs from when I was a teenager.

Why is that? Because there is more to a favorite song than just the melody and a beat. A favorite song is defined by it's emotional signature. It's a song that pinpoints a feeling or a time in our life. Many of those where when I was a teenager - late 60's early 70's. Or when I was a young adult and music was a daily part of my life, in my car, on my stereo (8 track to be exact). As I dated. When I met my wife to be. When I was in college living a simple married life. The music I listened to defines those times, those feeling. It seems as we grow older music is less a part of the times we experience. The music is replaced by the sound of children, and work and white noise. Not that we become less romantic or less drawn to the flame of music. It just becomes less important.

We simply drive around in welcome silence. If we do turn the radio on we listen to the news, talk radio, or the pre-programmed stations our kids have chosen. Then it happens. We stumble across a station and it's playing. We turn it up. Then we turn it up louder! We start singing the lyrics because we've sung them a thousand times. We start to move our heads, tap our hands on the steering wheel. We want to dance in the car. We are charged with emotion. We are once again taken to that place, in that moment, a long time ago. It is a magical emotional arousal. A physical and chemical awakening.

If someone is in the car with us and we say, "OH MAN, I love this song!" We turn it up. "This is one of my favorites!" Most likely they won't feel the same. Because they are just hearing a melody and a beat. They are not feeling the song the way we are. It's not taking them anywhere. My favorites are varied. Soft rock, hard rock, ballads, I don't discriminate. They have a common golden thread in the way they have intertwined with the fabric of my life's quilt. They have been with me through thick and thin. They will be my favorites until the day I die. Whether you like them is not important. They are my favorites!

The Curve Ball

2007-04-02T11:09:00.000-07:00

I've spent a lot of time during my life standing in a batters box. Literally, as a young boy and a young man playing the game of baseball. Figuratively, as a man, father, husband, and employee. I've come to the conclusion that it's all about learning how to hit a curve ball!

There is nothing quite as intimidating as standing in a 4' x 6' chalked out piece of earth called a batters box. Not just standing in it, but adding the following variables make it really interesting. 60 feet 6 inches away is a person called a pitcher. This pitcher is preparing to throw a rawhide covered hardball about 3-1/2" in diameter as hard as he can in your direction. In fact, more than in your direction. He is trying to throw it into a little area called a strike zone. The strike zone is the space defined by a 17" wide "plate" on the ground in front of you whose height is loosely calculated from your armpits to your knees. The pitcher doesn't necessarily like you and he doesn't like the team you play for. On top of that, he wants you to look bad. You don't necessarily trust him, or his ability to throw the ball within the strike zone. This is not a good recipe.

Every logical bone in your body is telling you to move from where you are standing before you get seriously hurt. Hurling the ball straight at the strike zone is not good enough. At some point in baseball and baseball throwing history, someone invented the curve ball. The ability to spin the ball and make the air passing over the surface of the ball cause the ball to bend or curve. The amount of curve is dependant on one thing; the speed of the ball. (The novice here should understand that there is such a thing as a slow curve and a fast one) The pitcher places his index and middle fingers parallel to the red stitching on the ball. At the top of his throwing arc the pitcher snaps his wrist hard and downward. This produces a spinning push on the ball, causing the ball to curve when it interacts with the oncoming air pressure. OK - enough of the scientific chatter.

I repeat, the pitcher doesn't like you. His goal is to have you swing and miss 3 pitches and then set your sorry butt back down in the dugout. The curve ball is the equalizer. When it is thrown correctly to a left-handed batter from a left-handed pitcher, it looks like it is being thrown from first base. The idea here is to stay in the batters box. Don't let your mind tell you that the ball is coming from first base and looks like it is going to hit you right in the ribs. You have to forget all the logical signals. Ignore the minds inner protection devices and not respond to the nerve wrenching signal your brain is screaming to the rest of your body, "GET THE HELL OUT OF THERE!"

You have to trust this person called a pitcher. Trust what you know about a curve ball and trust that it will ultimately end up out in front of you in the strike zone. At this point a couple of things can happen. You can engage your arms and legs into a twisting motion to bring the bat down and make contact with the ball. Hopefully hitting the ball straight back at the pitcher to let him know you don't like him either. Understand that this decision process has to take place in a nano second. The other thing is that it isn't a curve ball at all and your trust in the pitcher who hates you is misplaced. At that point the ball will hit you somewhere. Again, this is mind over matter. It's just a baseball. It only weighs about 5 ounces. It's only travelling at 80 or so miles an hour. You have a helmet on to prevent a "death-blow". What's the downside here?

I'll tell you the downside. It's a welt on your leg or back that will finally disappear after a week or two once it goes through a metamorphosis of color changes that encompass the entire rainbow. It is definitely a spot you don't want to touch for awhile or get poked or hit there again. But the real problem is the bruise it will put in your confidence. You just might want to listen to your brain when it shouts, "BAIL!!!!" next time a curve ball is approaching. You may move your back foot or interrupt the twisting motion. You may do a number of things that will cause you to never hit another curve ball solidly in your life. You may let your experience rent space in your head and bail on every curve ball in the future. You may never understand or have the confidence that you can actually hit a curve ball out of the park.

You have to hang in there. You can't listen to the wrong voices. Sometimes you have to go against everything logic is telling you. Stay planted. Keep your feet firm. Twist. Extend. Put the wood on it! CREAM IT! .... And if it hits you... it's just a welt. It will go away.

As for me; I've knocked a few out of the park.... and yes a few have left some serious welts.

MIKEY...busted

2007-03-29T13:38:00.000-07:00

Thought I would share a few excerpts from my book. They are unedited so there will be lots of mistakes. Don't worry, those will all be fixed. But I just thought I would paste a section in here every week or so and let anyone read it for feed back. I wish I could find the first chapter, it is missing in action somewhere. I hope I don't have to write it over. This is from chapter 3. If it is boring, let me know. If it interests you and causes you to want to read more, let me know that too. It will help me to know if I am on the right track. Just to set this up... Mikey is about 12. He and his friend Paul just found a huge black widow spider at the train yards while playing. He comes home and is summoned by his mom who busts him for throwing rocks at an old ladies sunflower plant (Sound like anything your dad would do?) Read on...

“I’m home Mom!” Mikey yelled as he entered the house. The screen door slammed behind him.
“Mikey, I’m in the family room. Can you come in here for a minute?”
“Just a second Mom.” Mikey ran down the hall to his room to put the jar with the spider away. He was sure his Mom wouldn’t approve. Finding a place on the shelf next to the globe and a model airplane, Mikey pushed the jar toward the back and moved a picture of him and his dad at a baseball game in front of the jar to hide it.
“Mikey!” His mother called.
“Coming Mom.” Mikey didn’t like the way his mom called him. It sounded like trouble.
Mikey’s mom was a tall , pretty lady. The perfect Mom. All this friends liked her and his sisters friends where always over visiting with her, even when his sisters weren’t home. She sat in the chair by the window reading a magazine about planting flowers. Mikey could tell by the wrinkles in her forehead that something was up.
“Hi Mom.” A good hug and a kiss seemed to be in order , maybe minimize the damage.
He leaned over the magazine giving his mom a warm hug and a kiss on the cheek.
“Mikey, I just got a call from Mrs. Hudson.”
Oh crap Mikey thought as his stomach knotted.
“She said you and Paul were throwing rocks at her sunflower plants. Is that true?”
Mikey hung his head. It was never good to lie to his mother, especially with a call from an eyewitness. He was simply busted. “Yeh, but..”
“I don’t want to hear any 'yeh buts'. That’s not acceptable. Mrs. Hudson is such a nice lady why would you terrorize her like that?”
We weren’t terrorizing her mom. We only hit one!”
“How many times have we talked about throwing rocks Mikey? I won’t stand for it. I want you and Paul to go over to her tomorrow and apologize to her.”
“Mom….” Mikey protested
“I don’t want to hear it! I’m going to call her right now to tell her you and Paul will stop by on the way home from school tomorrow to apologize and see if there’s anything you can do for her. She’s such a sweet old lady and probably needs help with something. You both owe it to her”
“Mom…can’t we just say we’re sorry? I’ve got plans after school tomorrow.”
“I know,” Mikes mom said, “you have plans at Mrs. Hudson’s house. No more complaints.” Her eyes opened wide to punctuate the statement. “And I don’t want any more rock throwing reports, understood?”
Mikey hung his head. “OK”
His mother folded the paper and put it back into the magazine rack next to the easy chair. She stood up, went to the kitchen, grabbed the phone book out of the a slot above a small desk area next to the refrigerator and began to thumb through the pages to find Mrs. Hudson’s phone number. After a short minute she picked up the phone and began to dial. Mikey started to head for his room.
“Michael, you stay right here.” His mother exclaimed as she sensed his move to escape.
Mikey lowered his head and walked slowly toward his mom.
“Hello, Mrs. Hudson. This is Jane ??? Mikey’s mother. I just had a little talk with Mikey and he and his friend Paul have decided that a good gesture would be to offer you their services this Saturday with some of your chores. They both are very sorry and Mikey wanted to tell you on the phone and make arrangements for Saturday... Yes... He’s standing right here, just a second.” She cupped the phone and raised her eyes in expectation to Mikey who was grimacing in protest. She handed him the phone.
Mikey slowly took the phone out of his mom’s hand and cupped the receiver, “What do I say,” he asked.
His Mother whispered. “You tell her you’re very sorry and that you and Paul would like to go over to her house on Saturday and help her with some chores.”
“But I got soccer on Saturday,” Mikey whined
“I don’t care, you’ll just have to work around it.” His mom folded her arms signaling the end of the protest.
“OK.” Mikey lifted the phone to his mouth. “Hi Mrs. Hudson…”

Mikey’s apology was short and sincere. He agreed that he and Paul would go over to her house right after soccer practice on Saturday morning and help with some yard work. It was a difficult thing for him to do but after hanging up he already felt better.
His mom patted him on the shoulder, and spared him repeating the details of his short conversation with Mrs. Hudson. She hugged him firmly and said. “Now don’t forget to show up on time. She will be expecting you.”
“OK Mom,” Mikey mumbled.
Mikey turned to go outside then remembered the spider in the Jar in his room, and decided to take a closer look.

In the top drawer of his dresser was a magnifying glass his grandmother had given it to him a couple of years ago. He hadn’t found much use for it since he first got it and spent an hour last summer burning up ants in the field down the street. But when you needed to look at something real close, like Mikey wanted to look at this particular spider, a magnifying glass was the perfect thing. He carefully closed and locked the door to his bedroom. No one was gonna make him let this huge spider go.
It was so big! The large black body was then size of an olive at Thanksgiving dinner. The eight black legs were motionless. Mikey couldn’t see any spider eyes but he knew this one had to be staring at him. Spiders were just that way.
“Man, the kids at school aren’t going to believe this,” he whispered to himself. He inspected the spider from every angle. Then put the jar back on the bookshelf behind the picture again to block it from view.

It doesn't get any better...

2007-03-28T13:05:00.000-07:00

It doesn't get any better. The proverbial "stand in front of the tree kids for a Christmas picture" picture! This is 7 of my eight children. (from left to right Emily, Natalie, Cecily, Chris, Keegan, Bryan, and Hilary) Brandon is in Samoa on a Mission for the LDS Church. Marian (mom) must have been off to the side beaming a proud smile. Jacey, Chris' main squeeze was tending to Bruce the dog, the closest thing we have to a grandchild. There isn't a present under the tree that could ever replace the joy these kids have given me. I am sure I will share more about each as time goes on. For now I just wanted to show them off. Each is so unique and occupy their own place in my heart and mind.

Many years ago when all the kids were small someone made the comment to me that, "these are the easy years". I thought they were crazy. But age has once again proven to be the great giver of wisdom. I now realize that back then it was easy and simple and straight forward. Hurties and boo boos could be taken care of with a hug, a band aid or ice cream. Growing and learning and not running into the street were the main concerns. Now as a parent of older children I worry about things that I have no control over. Band aids, hugs and ice cream no longer solve the issues of adult children. Advice is only given when asked for. It can't be dispensed and enforced at will any longer. You still worry but they make their own decisions and you're just a spectator. That's the way it should be. But as a parent it's not easy at times. My children have made good decision, are good citizens and self-sufficient. That's really the best you can ask for. They love each other, and take care of each other. They are generous and loving people. Like I said. "It doesn't get any better".

The Real Deal....or my version of it.

2007-03-27T11:15:00.000-07:00

If I posted a picture it would be of a 54 year old round-faced, shaggy haired man with three days of graying at the chin stubble. My brow and eyes would be squinted, my mouth partially open, portraying an expression of, "what the hell are you looking at?" As a young man I heard a comedian on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson say that his Dad was so ornery that he had "Whaderyu lookin' at?" chiseled into the headstone at his grave site. I thought that was funny. I also thought it would be a good epithet for my headstone.

I AM THE REAL DEAL! I am sure Bono and Dave Matthews think they are the real deal. There are women that would agree with that. Including my daughter Hilary (her students at work call her "Hi Larry" which I think is HILARRYIOUS!) Another subject, so back to the blog. Maybe Clint Eastwood, Jack Nicholson or Viggo Mortensen are the real deal. (What is a Viggo? - a Virgo Vegan?) Men might consider Sandra Bullock, Cheryl Crow, or Diane Lane the real deal. And we can't forget about the athletic side of the real deal; Tom Brady, Phil Mikelson, LeBron.

Why do we gravitate to the cover girls and boys? Why do we give them more credit because their faces appear on the cover of magazines? My face should be on the freakin' cover of a magazine! - The Real Deal Magazine that hasn't hit newsstands yet. It might not sell but it would get your attention. In fact, I bet if you were standing in the checkout line in Albertsons waiting for the lady in front of you to finally start getting her checkbook out of her purse right after the checker processed $200 of groceries and had to send Shawn the bagger down Aisle 4 to replace a box of Tuna Helper that was leaking a funny white powdery substance, and then Shawn had to run to the produce department because Alice, the lady buying the groceries... (you and the seven people behind you in line know her name and the name of her 9 grandchildren by now) ...said the avocados were marked half off. I-N-H-A-L-E (Sorry another blog on another day) Anyway, if you saw my face on the cover of The Real Deal Magazine with my "whaderyu lookin' at?" expression, you would pick it up. If nothing else just to see who that guy was on the cover. Your initial reaction would be that it's probably the Bus Driver from DesMoines Iowa that just won $350 freakin' million dollars in the Powerball Lottery that you read about. WRONG! It's me, The Real Deal! You'd pick it up, wouldn't you? Am I right? My face is on the mag cover. I must be important. My political views are vindicated and should be listened to. You should vacation where I vacation. You should wear the shirts, pants and shoes I wear. You should drive the car I drive and douse yourself in the cologne I use. And maybe, just maybe, you might want to consider my hair style. That 2000 watt, full bore dryer blown, finger teased hair style that you think looks kind of sexy that wastes 2 minutes of my valuable time every morning. But I'll bet I could can it, market it and sell my hairstyle to some idiots in LA with more money than brains and an IQ of a hockey score for $150! All I would have to do is get an endorsement from another face on a magazine cover. Label it Haute Couture and coin it "The New Look to Snag a Mate in 08' " (Oh, I make myself laugh sometimes) LOL LOL LOL LOL - in my day it was HAHAHAHA (another blog for another day). Because I know that when I actually laugh the sound it creates is more like "lololololol", than "hahahaha". Make sense to you?

I am the Real Deal! The Real Deal is loosely based on the premise of an enlightening moment I had as a teenager. I was at breakfast in a Denny's in Las Vegas in the summer of 1968 on the way to a baseball tournament in Salt Lake (we will go there too) I was the catcher-16 and was sitting in a red naugahyde corner booth with the center fielder-16, the 3rd baseman-17 and the shortstop-16. The chaperons were our two coaches that had reached the ripe and wise old age of 25 and 28 respectively. The shortstop went on and on about some girl we all knew that he liked at school and how cute she was. How pretty her hair was, her eyes, her tan skin....on and on. We were paying more attention to pouring catsup (or is it ketchup?- another blog) on our omelettes until the older and wiser of the coaches made the comment, "she sounds pretty, does she grunt when she S#*ts?" There was about 4 seconds of total silence at the table until the catcher, the center fielder the third baseman and the younger of the two coaches laughed so hard that they blew chocolate milk and scrambled eggs out of their noses! The shortstop looked truly confused and hurt. Which made it all the funnier. I never looked at that girl the same for the rest of high school. The fact of the matter is: we are all pretty simple people with simple needs. We all grunt when we S#*t. Even the faces on magazine covers do. ...More on the Real Deal and other mysteries of the universe next time.