I'm All For Quality, But...I Don't Live In Their World

I saw the display and I did not just a double-take, but a triple take.

No way, I thought.

Maybe it's because I'm not used to shopping where the items are so expensive. Maybe it's because I'm not used to shopping in general. But when you see things items I'm used to seeing at 1/10th the cost, it takes me by surprise.

I'm no expert in marketing, but I understand some of the basics. Is a Porsche worth the cost of ten regular cars? Yes, there are things a Porsche can do that regular cars cannot--and no matter how many regular cars you have, you'll never match the performance of the Porsche. A brand-new Hyundai can't match the acceleration, the cornering, the top speed of the Porsche.

So, I can sort of understand a price difference between those two car makers.

But a toaster?

Can a $300 or $400 toaster out-perform a GE model costing $50?

And that's just a toaster. The display also had a blender costing $600, a $500 coffee maker, and a $600 cooker. 

It's easy for me to sit back and rip on Wolf for these appliances. I don't live in their world. There's a reason these things are priced as they are. It's because many people out there want them and are willing to pay for them. I'm actually glad they're out there. As with anything--even toasters--you have different levels of quality. There's low end, middle end, and top-of-the-line. And for those willing and capable of paying the price for these items, Wolf's made them for that very reason.

Thinking about it, I'd like to be included in that group. The question is, if I had the means, would I consider spending the money on them? Or would my decades-old frugality (i.e. cheapness...) stop me from pulling the trigger? Right now, I can't see myself doing it. 

I don't live in their world.

No Sports? No Problem...Just Check Out Classic Car Auctions

Did a little channel surfing today, since there weren't any games on that I was particularly interested to watch.

As I surfed, I ended up on a televised auto auction in progress.

It wasn't the first time I'd seen auto auctions on TV before. Sure, I've seen them, but I don't watch them very often. Thinking back, there's two main reasons for this:

1--don't have anywhere near the kind of money it would take to purchase any of these vehicles.

2--once I start watching, I'm not going to stop.

I'm not a big car guy. I mean, I'd like to be, but cars in general are expensive and when you get into rare and old cars, well...it takes things to an entirely new level. I know people who are into cars and they sacrifice other interests to pay for their hobby. Good for them.

Then rolled up a car that my brother-in-law would die for, a 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle LS6 convertible. It sold for $230k. He has a classic Chevelle hard top and hopefully we'll be able to visit them in California (and not just to see the car, that will be a bonus...). 

The car sold, and a late 60's Camaro took its place. Moments later it became under new ownership to someone who, 1--has the kind of money to purchase these kinds of cars, and, 2--I'm sure whoever bought it, watches these shows a lot more than me.

Just. Me, A Mask, And Empty Train Car...And An Unseen Enemy

I anticipated a lonely ride.

Even though things in my state have somewhat opened up in some areas, many people don't like the thought of traveling in a closed train car (I guess the open-air train cars are not really around anymore...) with covid seemingly around every corner.

So, when I boarded the southbound Frontrunner train Tuesday morning to attending a meeting with my supervisor, I didn't expect there to be too many others on the train.

I was right.

In fact, in my particular section of the train, I was all alone.

It wasn't until I was more than halfway into my trip that I realized I had my mask on. Now, I'm not going to debate the effectiveness of masks--there's pros and cons for each side and everyone seems to have an opinion, but I knew if I wanted to take the train, I'd have to wear a mask. Sure, I could have drove, but I didn't, which means = masking up.

I looked around and all the other people not on the train with me and I wondered if I really even needed to have the mask on. I'm sure someone with knowledge of the ventilation systems of the modern Frontrunner train and first-hand knowledge of the transmission methods and effectiveness of said transmission methods of the covid virus would be more qualified than me to definitively determine if I even needed to have that thing on.

Personally, I think there are very few people--if any--who have both those qualifications.

I wondered if I ought to de-mask. I thought about it. Every ten minutes or so a UTA employee would walk past. They did this before masks were required. I'd imagine, that if I had dropped the mask/bandana, he would have asked me to put it back on. And, as I explained earlier, I would have because I already accepted the agreement...must wear a mask to ride.

Since none of us know what's ahead for commuters, UTA employees, basically everyone, there are a lot of questions for us to think about. How long will this go on...another month, a year, forever? I'd like to think we'd be long past this by now, but I keep getting surprised...

Like the time I looked up in an empty train car and remembered I had a mask over my face.

I Guess They Really Are Strong...

I know it's hard to see from this photo, but the video should clear things up. What you see (even if you can't tell what you see...) is an ant and a fly.

Growing up we've been told just how strong ants are. And, my logical mind understands this--yes, insects, especially ants--are very strong, but until you see something like this, it doesn't stick.

There are lots of things you learn as kids that seem to make sense all your life...don't play in the road, don't speak with your mouth full of food, don't talk back to your elders, and never start a land war in Asia. Then, as you age, sometimes things happen that confirm those long-learned nuggets of wisdom.

Such as watching a solitary ant haul around a dead fly on our driveway on a lazy summer afternoon.

I wonder if we lose that innocent faith as we get older, or does our logical and sometimes cynical mind disallow the blind faith that seems natural for kids. Part of the package that includes growing up.

So, if you haven't seen just how strong an ant is, now you can.

Sometimes...I Miss Idaho

The other day I was scrolling through my Instagram feed and this picture popped up.

Stunning.

Even if you don't understand the significance of the building, the singular structure, the purple hues of the foothills, and the towering expanse of the Grand Teton peak make an incredible composition...it's simply a wonderful picture of what man has made and what God has made.

It also reminded me of my childhood, which is weird, because when I was a child, that building was decades away.

I grew up in Utah, near Salt Lake City. If you're familiar with the area, you know that the state's largest populated area rests in a valley surrounded by mountains--that, and a dead lake. If you're ever lost, just look up. Depending on which mountain range is closer, you know where you're at. If you see (or smell...) a lake, you know you're close to the Great Salt Lake.

But, if you drive north a couple of hundred miles, the mountain ranges separate and I no longer find myself sure of north, south, east, and/or west. That is, until I spot the Teton range to the east.

My mom grew up in Driggs Idaho, under the shadow of the Tetons--the Idaho side (which, in my humble opinion, is the best side...). We visited there many times as a child. As I grew, we visited family in Idaho Falls and Hamer (if you know where Hamer is, you get a gold star...). To get almost anywhere in Southeastern Idaho, you've got to drive. And when you drive, you're able to see the Tetons.

When I see those mountains, I know where I am, mostly because I know where they are.

This picture reminded me of being unsure of my location as I grew up when we visited Idaho so many times. It also reminded me of good times with wonderful people, many of which are no longer with us. Man, sometimes I miss Idaho...and everything that comes with it.

An Absolutely Beautiful Truck...

My boss and I went to lunch yesterday. Since I ventured to his domain--Utah County--I thought it best that he choose where we'd eat.

He chose Seven Brothers, Hawaiian, and the burgers were delicious!

As we entered the Provo Beach complex (where Seven Brothers is located...) we walked by a classic, 1960s-era VW bus/truck. I'm not sure the year--I'm not as up on my buses as I am on the bugs. Absolutely beautiful. My boss, I believe, is not a VW fan. As we walked by, I said, "See that van there?"

He said, "Yes."

"That's probably worth $20,000, maybe more."

"Really?" he said.

"Yup," I said.

Now, seeing as I'm not a VW bus/truck expert, I really don't know. It could be less, or a lot more. It might not even have an engine (you can legitimately joke that even with an engine, it doesn't really have an engine...). Point is, for those who are interested in antique, the vehicle was more than just an advertisement--it was art, it was beauty, if was something to behold.

Well done, Provo Beach...well done.

Tonight's Wild Sky...

Tonight I opened the back door to our deck. It smelled like rain. It's a smell we haven't had for a long time. We could see filtering clouds descending, but we felt no rain...maybe it's too warm for the rain to reach the ground.

I hope that changes.

But, rain or no rain, the sky opened up and went wild.

I tried capturing what I saw as best I could, but it's a poor representation at best.

Such is life.

The past month, we've had some amazing sunsets, mostly due to wild fires burning in the west. Still, I believe clouds help to make the best sunsets. Tonight, we had them.

I'm just going to post what I took and include a video, or maybe two (you might catch some thunder and lightning in the videos, too...). It's something we haven't seen in a while--thought I'd share.

To Me, It Was Just An Unusual Thing To See...

 There I was, just strolling down one of the aisles at our local grocery store, and I spotted something sitting atop some beverage cans.

And I couldn't believe what I thought it was.

I snapped a couple of pictures and used one as my Pic Of The Day a few days back.

Apparently, I wasn't the only one who thought it was a peculiar. 

At first, I thought it was a big bug, or some sort of larva, but the thought of something like that finding its way into a store and on top of cans was farfetched at best. So, my logical mind couldn't come to grips with what I thought I was seeing.

Then, when looking on it again, I knew it was a root of some kind. When I posted the picture on social media, those wiser than me identified it right away.

Turmeric.

It was just a simple photograph, a big ugly bug larva invading a bunch of cans. Just like many things in life, things aren't always as they seem.

Syracuse Vs. Farmington High School Football...The Only Game In Town

I have no connection, really, to Farmington High School, except that we live in the same town. Our neighbor's kids attend the school. My son would be attending, but we homeschool and he likes his teacher.

In the past, I'd watch a local high school game now and again. They broadcast them on Thursdays and Fridays in our market. They've been fun, but as far as on-field talent, let's just say, it's lacking, but that's as far as it goes. Those kids, coaches, and fans love their teams and you can see players play with passion. It's refreshing.

It's also the only football to watch right now.

Since my favorite college team has canceled the season until spring (I'd be surprised if they play at all...), there's high school ball. Other colleges are planning on playing this fall (again, I'd be surprised if they play at all...), and the NFL is planning on having games.

But, the upcoming games, pro and maybe college, will come with attachments. Will it come with passion? Time will tell, but on a warm summer Friday night in Farmington Utah, the boys in teal and black were victorious against their cross-county rivals.

And it was a lot of fun to watch.

It's What We Don't See...

I saw this posted on Instagram the other day. 

Stuff like this fascinates me, I must admit. Years ago I watched a TV show about this sort of thing and they talked about the visible light spectrum. It was, pardon the expression, eye-opening.

The point of the show--and of this Instagram post--showed me that there's so much out there that we just don't know. Sure, other values of the spectrum are identifiable and quantifiable--that's how we know they exist, but we've all met people--myself included--that don't really believe something unless we can see it.

And because of that, just how much are we actually missing because we can't see it?

I'm no scientist, far from it. My mind doesn't think that way. I'm more on the other side of the equation. When I first saw the show, my mind went to how this fact of not seeing almost all the light spectrum could make for some amazing fiction.

Facts providing a basis for fiction.

That's the best kind.

Humans forget there's a lot out there we don't know, that we can't see, actually 99% of some things. But knowing that we don't know is something, isn't it?

Three-Thousand, Five-Hundred Posts...That's Nuts

Back in January 2011, I decided to start a blog. I was late to the party, I know. Years earlier, people became world-known by keeping interesting blogs. It was the "in" thing to do back then. I can't remember exactly why I started a blog, other than I thought it would be fun and I loved the idea of the title: Scotty Watty Doodle All The Day.

On January 24th, 2011, it began. 

I usually don't pay attention to the number of posts I've written. Coming up on ten years, I know I'd have over 3650 posts by January, but 3500...well, that's a milestone.

I just re-read that first post. If you're interested, you can access it by clicking: HERE. In that first post, I set a couple of goals, and I've tried to keep most of them. One I did not believe I'd keep was my goal of a daily blog. I didn't think I'd accomplish it. Funny thing is, that's perhaps the only goal I've kept, faithfully...unwaveringly...completely. I've written a post every day.

Thirty-five thousand posts.

That's nuts.

One Of Those Rare Times...You Can Look Directly At The Sun

Tonight we found ourselves in Layton, Utah, doing a little furniture shopping. There's a new store opening and it is huge. We got there late so we didn't have a lot of time to browse, and even though the numerous items inside the store were impressive, the best thing we saw was outside....

In the parking lot.

Well, not in the parking lot, but from the parking lot.

Because of numerous fires, our air, like many in the west, is thick with pollution. And because of this pollution, we're able to look directly at the sun. When we exited the store, a group of people had gathered in the parking lot and they all had their phones pointing them towards the western sky. As we cleared the building, we could see why--the sun was amazing! I snapped a picture, but it really doesn't do what we saw justice.

It's not often you can look at the sky unaided by protection for your eyes. I'd love it more, if not for the fact that the reason we could see the sun tonight in its state was due to massive destruction caused by fires. I guess it's the "silver lining" from a bad situation.

I'm sure our little group of shoppers/browsers weren't the only ones snapping pictures of the sun tonight. I'm sure, if I did a little searching, I could find many photos taken of tonight's sun--hopefully, of a better quality than mine. It was one of those things we all shared together.

Looking directly at the sun.

How In The World...Have I Taken 35,000 Pictures And Videos?

I noticed something when I checked my photos tonight. 

I was sitting at 34,999 items.

That's thirty-four thousand, nine-hundred and ninety-nine pictures and videos that I have taken and downloaded to a computer or cloud storage.

Unbelievable.

I've blogged about how I'm a digital photography hoarder before, most likely when I reached another incredible storage milestone, like 20K or even 30K. Since the entire photography process now is almost completely free (there is a price for storage, but it's nothing compared to the cost of taking pictures in the "good ol' days of film...), why not just keep all these pictures? What's the harm?

I'll tell you the harm...I almost never look at them.

We've got several photo albums stowed in a cabinet. Each child has their own album, and we have more pictures of the first child than the fourth. The kids love to pull them out occasionally and see how things have changed and how they looked all those years ago.

But now, when I've taken literally thousands of pictures and videos of each child, we never pull them up, we never reminisce, we never gather around and look and laugh and remember.

Never.

There's just too many of them. 

Imagine, just going through all those photos and videos. It would take a team of people months, if not years.

Truth be told, I've downloaded even more photos and videos that than--I've deleted some over the years. I guess the deleted ones are in some digital garbage can somewhere in the ether. Tonight I took a screen shot showing the 34,999 items and instantly, it clicked to 35,000 (actually, it didn't do that even though I wanted it to--it showed 33, 492 photos and 1,508 videos--impressive, just not as much as showing 35,000 items...).

Knowing me, I don't see myself changing anytime soon. I'll probably just keep doing what I'm doing, post a picture or two everyday and keep the ones I don't post in my digital photo album...an album no one might ever see.

Such is life in modern times.

Apple Made Me A Little "On This Day" Film...

Everyday for the past nine, almost ten years, I've sat down with my computer and picked out a photo to post on social media. Tonight, my phone informed me that something happened three years ago today and my phone assumed I would like to see what happened three years ago today.

My phone was right.

I am constantly amazed how incredible the world is in which we live. Especially technology. I know, I know...it's going to one day rise up and destroy us all, but until then, I can't help but be amazed.

The phone showed me a pictures of what happened three years ago. It took a bit, but I finally recognized the photos and videos. On August 18th, 2017 my son and I went to a party thrown by Tobin's Elite Academy of Martial Arts. It was a carnival for the parents and students of the academy. Truth be told, it was a little corny, but also cool.

My son took part in the outside games, then went inside where he practiced his Jedi skills on a balance beam. He did defeat a very young girl, as well as took flight from other opponents. My phone compiled the pictures and videos I took on that day and created a nice memento that I'm now sharing with the world. The phone-created video came with several soundtracks that I could choose, everything from sentimental to dreamy to epic. I went with the default.

I guess we're just supposed to accept all this cool stuff that comes our way, like humans have always had phones that can not only remember what you recorded years ago, but create a video presentation as a reminder--like it's always been this way. No...we live in amazing times.

I Never Really Wanted A Swimming Pool Before...Until Now

This isn't a picture of Tuscany (of course, having never been to Tuscany, I have no idea what it looks like...). It's a picture from my mother-in-law's dinning room window at sunset. I thought it looked like a non-Utah place so I snapped a picture.

Her neighbors put in a pool a few years ago.

I've never really wanted a pool, but this summer...boy, it sure looks fun.

In all the places I've lived in my almost fifty-five years, I've never lived in a place that had a pool. Since I've lived in Utah most of my life, I always looked at pools like I've looked at boats--pretty impractical. It's only really hot about three months out of the year so the rest of the time, they're just a big hole in the ground, or above ground (pools, not boats--boats are a big hole in your wallet...).

But something about this summer. I see that pool from my in-law's window. There's also a new pool a few doors down from our house and we can hear kids and adults splashing and having a good time.

Pools are many things, but to me the've always been expensive. In our little town, in order to put in a pool, you've got to fully fence the area surrounding it. Fences, like pools, can be pricey. I'm sure there's other things you've got to do before you can have a pool, but I know about the fences.

I've often wondered if I had the means to put in a pool, would I? Even though they're expensive and impractical, boy would it be nice to have one, especially this summer.

When You Happen Upon A Classic Blake Edwards "Pink Panther" Film...You Just Have To Watch

Ah, the memories. For a kid growing up in the 1970s, we used to look forward to movies, going to them, finding joy in seeing film franchises progress. Of course, we didn't consider things like film franchises--if we loved the previous film, we wanted to see more.

Some of you may remember the Pink Panther films. They began in 1963 and continued until Peter Seller's death (I can't believe he was only 54 when he passed away...).

Watching The Pink Panther Strikes Again, takes me back to when I was a kid. And, why not? It's, for the most part, juvenile humor. 

Oh, the one-liners! Pure genius!

I know they tried resurrecting the franchise with Steve Martin playing the lead. I didn't watch them. It's not that I don't respect Martin's work--he's one of the best entertainers alive today. But, I never got around to seeing his version of Chief Inspector Jacques Clouseau. There's no way the films can compare.

These classic films are not on very much. But when they are, check them out. It's historical, and hilarious. 

Saw Some Cars Hit Each Other On I-15 This Morning...Could Have All Been Avoided

This morning, around 9am. We're driving north on I-15 after picking up groceries and a McDonald's breakfast. Traffic's not heavy, but not too light, either. Just before we exited in Farmington, I saw the car--a white coupe--try to merge into a lane where a pick-up truck was already merging. They got close and I saw both sets of break lights. I wondered if they hit each other.

A second later, it was evident, they did.

That was the first hit. The second and third hits came after.

And it all could have been avoided.

I've noticed the differences in the way people drive. A lot has to do with the time of day people are driving. Many people hate driving in rush hour traffic, but I've noticed rush hour drivers are more engaged, more aware. Sure, they drive faster than normal, but they're driving with a purpose. They want to get home. That seems to be the opposite of drivers during the other times of day. Many of those drives seem to have all day to get wherever they're going.

Usually, Saturday morning drives are pretty low-key, relaxed. I know we were on our way home this morning. So was the truck hauling a boat in the lane next to us. He was driving basically the speed limit and I saw that I didn't have enough room to pass him before the exit, so I slowed down to make my exit and got in behind him. At the same time I saw a while coupe do the same thing. 

Except the white coupe was in a hurry. He quickly left the slow lane to pass me and the truck/boat combo. As he did this, the truck/boat combo moved left into the next lane. The white coupe punched it and passed it on the next lane over.

So far, so good. Except the coupe wanted to make the exit, one he clearly wasn't going to make. It didn't stop him from merging into a lane the same time as another truck. They bumped, the truck and coupe slowed down, and unfortunately, the truck/boat combo hit the truck as it tried to got to the side of the road. All because the white coupe was impatient and couldn't stay behind me for a quarter mile until the exit came.

It's really too bad, one reckless driver ruining three weekends. Thankfully, no one was hurt, as least, it didn't appear to be the case. When I was younger, I used to drive like that (well, not exactly like that--I was never involved in that type of accident...). Age has mellowed me and I'm so glad it has. Now--most of the time--I'm content with just staying behind trucks and boats and fast-driving coupes, as long as I get home safe.

When Your Pet's Missing...You Can Think Of Little Else

It was a mystery.

A real head-scratcher. 

Thankfully, the mystery was solved...

Sort of.

Today, we were busy, moving things around. The front door was wide open a lot. The puppy was behind a gate to avoid him bolting, but our indoor cat. Well...no worries there. Because our indoor cat is always indoor. This thing hates being outside. We've got two cats, one a hunter who spends equal time inside and outside.

When we adopted our other cat, we just assumed he would do the same. That did not happen. We even put him in his kennel and carted him outside to see if he'd end up liking it. Turns out he stayed inside the kennel.

So, after we moved everything that needed moving, we turned around and asked, "Where's the cat?"

No clue.

We searched every inch of our house and, nothing. We thought the cat might have gotten scared or mad and just bolted out the door and into the great wide world. The only problem is, since he hates outside so much, we could not have imagined him even walking through the door.

That was around noon.

At 10:30pm tonight, the cat gingerly walked out of our master bath. We have no idea where he was. Each one of us checked that bathroom over and over again. We even opened the cabinet door to see if he had been shut in.

Point is, the cat either obviously didn't want to be found all day (he's got a very loud meow...), or he was abducted by aliens and returned hours later.

See what I mean, a mystery...a real head-scratcher. 

We're just glad he's been found.

That Time I Was An Award-Winning Photographer...

Did a little cleaning tonight and I came across three photos, three photos I took I think back in 2013. I've taken at least one picture every day since January, 2011. I chose three of those photos to enter them in our county fair photo contest.

I remember thinking I ought to send in some photos--that year I did. There was a time when I wanted to be a professional photographer. That never worked out, but I do consider myself a photographer. I had to scramble to find three pictures I felt were good enough to enter. I'm sure I've taken better pictures than these three, but I was also satisfied with the ones I submitted.

I also remember not knowing anything about how to prepare the pictures, how to showcase them. Needless to say, I did a poor job. I actually used Elmer's Glue to stick the photos to the board stock. You can even see the glue bubbles in the pictures I took of the photos.

Definitely bush league. 

So, I was kind of surprised that I even placed. After looking at the other photographs, I realized almost everyone placed, and if they didn't place, they received a "Participant" ribbon, sort of the "participation trophy" but for pictures.

Each year I've thought about entering other pictures, choosing the best ones from the previous year. But then, the deadline always passes and I forget or get busy with other projects. Of course, this year, the entire event was canceled. 

I've always thought of my photos as a hobby, a fun one, and sometimes one that generates some amazing pictures. Who knows--maybe one day I'll remember the deadline, find some good shots, property mount them on the boards, and enter them in the fair.

I could use some more participation ribbons in my life.