Give Thanks...My Parent's Decisions

 As I get older, I better understand my parents. I suppose it's another "Circle of Life" that we go through. I see things differently.

I also see that because of decisions they made--sometimes even decades before I was born--has directly affected my life and the life of my family. My father and mother both grew up during The Great Depression. They grew up in homes that lacked electricity and indoor plumbing. I can hardly imagine life without the internet...I don't think I could handle a home without running water or indoor bathrooms.

They both worked hard. My mother helped put my father through college. My father got a bankable job--it paid him well, well enough to invest in hillside property in what would become one of Utah's most desirable places to live. And because of that, my family has never had to worry about a place to live.

Parent's made good decisions.

Tonight, as I write my little blog post, I'm thankful for parents who made decisions not only for themselves, but for their children, and as it turns out, their children's children. I hope my wife and I have made good decisions, decisions that will help our children and their children. Time, of course, will tell. 

Watched An Incredible Comeback Today...I Can't Figure Out This Team

 I can't figure out this team.

I'm sure, sometimes, they're thinking the same thing.

I have watched considerably less sports in the past year. I think that's an overall good thing. I spent/wasted too much time on watching sports in my life. I think watching some sports is not bad--others may disagree. 

The last couple of years, I pretty much stopped watching sports live. DVR'ing games allows me to watch an entire contest in minutes, not hours. Plus, if my teams don't win, I can just delete the game and save even more time. Today, I hit "record" on the University of Utah Men's Basketball team as they played the Buffalos from the University of Colorado. I recorded the game because during the time the game would be played, I had other commitments.

The game began. The recording started. While I was otherwise engaged, I periodically checked the score. Utah down. At halftime, Utah was still down, but not much. I made the mistake of checking at the midpoint of the second half.

Utah down big... 

At that point, I disengaged. It's been a crazy year, U of U Men's Basketball included. I've watched parts of almost every game this season and they're confusing. They have talent and I can understanding getting beat by better teams, but in many of these games, Utah has led and looked really good, only to fade and lose it in the end.

Today, that did not happen. After the game ended--because I had disengaged--I chalked the game up as a big L. When I checked the final score, I saw they got a big W. I watched the replay. Alfonzo Plummer was amazing! He owned that second half. Good for him. Utah's only senior put on a monster show.

It was a great win for the team, a much needed win. I have no idea how the rest of the season will go--they'll only get to the big dance if they win their tournament, which isn't impossible, but improbable.

No, I can't figure out this team, but today, was fun.

When Meme Hits Close To Home...

  I have a friend. We swap memes. It's a thing. It's such a thing I've had to delete all the photos in or text conversation because it takes up too much memory. I've had to do it several times, actually.

Most of the pictures in our conversations are of memes...

Good ones, bad ones, funny ones, stupid ones. So many memes.

When I spotted one from the Babylon Bee yesterday. I snapped a picture of it, cropped it down, then sent it--without comment--to his phone. A response back back containing a simple one-word reply.

"Booo."

I admit, it was a little mean. His wife is out of town visiting her mother so my friend has been alone with the kids while she's gone. And I thought he might be going through a tough time feeding the kids. Of course, if my wife were to go visit her mother and I were responsible for keeping the kids alive, I'd probably not appreciate someone sending me that meme, either.

It hits close to home.

The Land Of Dreams...And Nightmares

 On social media today there were the expected political posts, opinions on selling short on stocks, and views on other news items of the day.

There were also several "Where were you when...?" posts.

I remember where I was January 28, 1986. I read the headline and didn't understand it at all.

Of course, the headline wasn't written in English, but Danish, and it said a spaceship exploded. That made absolutely no sense to me. In Denmark, in the mid-1980s, newspapers had little signs outside convenience stores, tobacco shops, and bakeries. The signs had huge headlines to catch the attention of the average Dane, or an American living overseas wearing a tag on their suit coat pocket identifying them as a Christian missionary.

I read the paper headline as we took our morning walk to the bakery for our breakfast snack. I had no idea what they meant when they used the word, "rumskib." I envisioned the USS Enterprise. It wasn't until I returned to the mission office when we found out it was the Space Shuttle Challenger.

I read about the disaster and found out the cause of the explosion originated in Utah. It's where the booster rockets were built and tested.

Turns out, they still test rockets in Utah. And now we live a few miles from the testing site. One week ago today, we heard and felt a rumble. After it stopped we noticed a large smoke cloud above the western mountains. I assumed it was a rocket test and yesterday, the local newspaper confirmed our suspicions. 

In reading the many "where were you when" posts today and from people's personal stories in the past, the event had a huge impact on America. I can't share that impact--I wasn't part of that communal experience, even though it was shocking. It's strange to be living so close to the area forever connected to that event.

When Someone Sends You Memories...

A week or so ago I received three e-mails. I did not recognize the address so I thought they were spam.

Turns out, they weren't spam e-mails at all.

They contained memories.

When you reach adulthood, it means you completed a childhood. We all have memories of our childhood--some good, some bad. I suppose that's true of any stage of life...good days and bad. When I look back on my childhood, I think it was mostly good. I'm sure I'm mostly remembering the good times. Yes, my father passed away when I was eight-years old and my mom had to work full-time from that point forward, but there was never a moment that I can recall that I wasn't fed, sheltered, clothed, and most importantly, loved.

That's a blessed childhood.

After my dad died, our family spent a lot of time with extended families, mostly on my mom's side because her sibling's children were closer in age to my father's sibling's kids. Though, we did spend time with my dad's youngest sibling's families. I remember those days. I remember playing, camping, spending time with cousins--and how I love my cousins--they were a rock for us, mostly for my mom, I'm sure. I remember spending Christmases with them, until, after a few years, they had Christmases with their own families. But, for a pre-teen and teenager, hiking and camping in the Teton mountains was an incredible adventure.

The picture of my mom with her sister-in-law meant the pictures came from family, from a cousin. The e-mail included the words: "And this one of our mothers." This narrows it down.

Then, there's a picture of us Taylors. My brother Alan, sister Tara, and mom. I'm in the back wearing my Mother Karen's ski parka, permed hair, and a big smile. I don't know the identity of the baby--maybe my cousin Kris's first-born, but I can't be sure. You can see in that picture our sofa system, drapes my mom made, and our Hi-Fi. That was our living room and that was our family.

The last picture, well, that's of me and Tasha, our Shih Tzu. I must be thirteen in that photo. The dog lived for seventeen years, lived through my jr. high and high school years, lived through the years I served my mission, graduated from college, got married, and even had our first son. We had to put her down at the end--that spirited little dog had no quit in her.

I don't know who sent me the photos, and if I'm supposed to know, I apologize. Maybe after this post, I'll know. But, whoever it was, thank you! Those are some great photos and some wonderful memories. 

Malad Idaho...And The Bee Gees

 Sunday...a beautiful day outside. With us no longer needing to get ready for, and going to, church (video church...), there's more time for other things. It was later in the afternoon and I thought it a good time to go for a drive.

My wife and I decided to drive to Idaho. We currently live about a half hour from the state line. Idaho, the Gem State, is an amazing place. My mom was born and raised in Idaho. My dad was a deputy sheriff in Idaho. I spent many a summer in Idaho. I can't tell you how many times we've driven north on Interstate-15, past the state line, past Malad, Pocatello, Blackfoot, Idaho Falls, or to Rupert via I-84... Ever since we moved, we wanted to visit Idaho and Sunday provided the perfect opportunity.

It was a beautiful day.

In all those trips driving past Malad, neither my wife or I had ever taken the exit or driven through the town. It's not that Malad wasn't what I expected. I had no idea what to expect. Malad was quint, a classic "sleepy town." And, almost no one was out and about. As we headed out of town I took out my phone and videoed us driving through the main drag.

As I filmed, I realized--thanks to the miracle of modern technology--Pandora was playing through the van's speaker system. And the song playing as we drove was The Bee Gee's How Deep Is Your Love? I thought, what a surreal moment it was driving for the first time in a town I'd passed dozens of times in my life and one of the greatest songwriting bands of the twentieth century had a hit of theirs playing in the background.

I apologize for the cut video--if you notice in the first video a SUV parked to the right. That was a cop. I stopped videoing, then resumed after we passed the cop. I was so into the street and the song that I missed the turn to the Interstate. We had to double-back to get home.

It was our trip to Malad, soundtrack courtesy of The Bee Gees.

So, Why Are They Called "Classics"...?

 A few years ago at a FanX Salt Lake Comic Convention I participated on a panel on how to get kids to read. One of my fellow panelists raised a very important point. He said a lot of kids don't read, or get turned off from reading, because they're forced to read boring books.

I remember the audience cheered. 

He struck a nerve.

I've thought a lot about that one statement made by the incredible author Paul Genesse. He's right, to a point. Many of the books we were forced to read were boring, not because of the books themselves, but because--many times--we were too immature to understand the book on the same level those forcing us to read them do.

They're called classics for a reason.

I remember when we started homeschooling. One teaching technique placed a huge focus on reading the classics. You want to teach redemption? Read Les Miserables. You want to read about racism, read Uncle Tom's Cabin or Huckleberry Finn. Want to learn about our countries founding? There's so many good books out there. A book that's being read a hundred-years or more after it was first published means there's a reason it's still being read. We learn from the experiences of others. Stories--especially written stories--connect us in a way that no other medium can.

I need to read more. I have dozens of books, great books, written by friends that I have yet to read. Instead I grabbed from the bookshelf a classic, George Orwell's 1984. I know just the tile brings with it a flood of opinions, from every side. Some think it's a story of what our country's experienced over the past four years. Some think it's a prediction of what's coming. Actually, it's political commentary of the world one astute and observant writer who understood human nature and history and who saw and wrote about his day in 1948.

But, the fact that everyone has an opinion of the novel--for good or bad--THAT'S what makes it a classic. 

Oh, and by the way, just the first fifteen pages are terrifying.

Today...Every Day...For Ten Years

 For those of a certain age, you may remember sitting in a high school or jr. high school math class, and someone--maybe even you--asked the teacher if we could use a calculator to figure out the problems. And inevitably, the teacher would say something like, "This is important stuff to know--you're not going to always have a calculator with you?"

A time machine would allow both the students and the teacher to know that is basically not true. So, if anyone needs to know how many days are in ten years, without a calculator I can say (with the inclusion of two leap year days...) is 3,655. 

I didn't need a calculator for that...

But, I did use my blog's dashboard to get that number.

Ten years...ten years of daily blog posts. Many times I wondered if I'd reach that milestone. Most of the time, I find something to write about--it's not always interesting, but it's always punctual. There were other times, however, when I had no idea what I was going to write about. Somehow, some way, the post was written and published.

I started the blog as an experiment, a way to write something at least once a day. It's been a journal of sorts. I've chronicled the decade of three U.S. presidents, three of my four kids graduating from grade school, our family moving, a son getting married, and of losing a family patriarch. We've had broken cars and other things, saying hello to new pets and good-bye to others, big storms and small miracles--lots of those.

It's not the most exciting life, but it's ours, and for three-thousand, six-hundred, and fifty-five days I've tried to mix humor, drama, some serious stuff, a tribute thrown in, and only a few political rants. And after every post is published, I put away the computer hoping what I put into the ether made someone laugh, or cry, or think just a little.

The last line of my first blog post (you can check it out by clicking: HERE if you'd like...) I wrote:

Let's hope we have a good time as we interact and explore and entertain an(d) inform (I even had a typo...). We shall see...

Hopefully, we've done that.

Thank you for checking out my little blog. Let's see what the next ten years brings.

Which Photo...Just Couldn't Decide

It happens occasionally. Throughout the day, I look for something to photograph to post. I don't spend a lot of time with this most days (and you can probably tell...), but sometimes, when I know I'm going to do something fun like go to a museum or a play or skiing, I'll look for the most interesting thing to photograph and snap a picture.

Then, sometimes, I'll take a couple of pictures and I'll have a tough time deciding which one to use.

That happened today.

I found three pictures I thought about using. Now, you may not think there's anything particularly interesting about these three pictures. And, you may be right. But, I liked them and since this is my blog, what I say goes.

The first picture I took was at the thrift store. We went mostly for my son--he needed things for his bedroom, and things he found. It was a very successful day for him. I spotted something for the house--a hall tree that might have looked good in our front room. It was sturdy--we'd need to paint it, wrong color--and it might have worked for us. Since my wife wasn't there, she said it was up to me to buy it. 

I did not. Just as well.

The next picture came when we did some Saturday afternoon grocery shopping. I thought the Christmas-themed napkins were fun. Plus, can anyone really explain to Santa? Not really. When it hits the fan and Santa knows if you've been naughty or nice, I doubt an explanation will make much of a difference.

The last picture I took had a funny story behind it. If you see the sales receipt and think some store is cool to have a modern new-wavy art print on it, you'd be wrong. It is customary now for grocery stores--and all stores, really--to have hand sanitizer dispensers in the check-out lines for patrons to give themselves an extra dose of hygiene security. On the day we shopped at Ridley's, I squirted my hands with sanitizer only moments before the attendant handed me the receipt. The artwork you see was caused by sanitizer hitting the heat-sensitive paper.

I thought it was pretty cool.

And so you have it. I ended up using none of the three photos. I snapped a picture of a refreshing drink and used that instead. Sometimes I can't pick which photo to use. When that happens, I usually turn it into a blog post.

Like this one.

Two-Hundred Days--Two-Hundred Photos...Eighteenth Edition

 For the past ten years (almost to the day...), I've been posting a picture on social media every day. On Facebook they only allowed two-hundred pictures in each photo album when I began my postings. That's since changed--not sure how many can be in an album now. So, when I get to two-hundred photos, I create another album. Tonight, I created Album #19.

Whenever I complete an album, I like to look back and see what photos I've posted in the past couple of hundred days. Most of the albums are pretty ordinary, but these past two-hundred days, my family's gone through more changes than almost any other time in my life.

The album started at church, then I went to a writing retreat and things progressed from there. The big events--we moved. I snapped a picture of a pomegranate jewel box my son used to propose to his fiancee. He and she are now husband and wife. There's a picture of my half-sister who came up from Arizona to meet me and my family--a few months earlier we didn't know each other existed. Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, moving offices from the garage to the bedrooms, my son's first potato harvest, and more.

The album is unique for things you don't see. Every day covid hung over everything like a black cloud. Normally, I would have included pictures of comic and writing conventions, family gatherings, other social events. Hopefully, the next two-hundred days will include those events again.

Two-hundred days...two-hundred photos. It's something I've loved doing and hope to do for many many more albums in the future.

A Place For History...

 It took four boxes, boxes that were stowed in various spots throughout the house and garage. Last weekend I searched the basement, the garage and gathered the boxes together. 

My journals needed their own place.

In our last house, we put up shelves around our master bedroom and the journals took up a large chuck of the shelf space. We Also had several bookshelves in our old house and we got rid of almost all of them at our pre-moving yard sale.

What to do?

With our bookshelves gone, I found a shelf we did not sell/give away in the basement--we used it for food storage. I had to assemble it, but I thought it would work for my journals. Turns out, it worked out fine. There's four shelves and I used two of them. I ended up finding spots for seventy journals.

Seventy...

I'm glad they have a spot. 

Watched "Love, Lost & Found" Tonight...Sweet Little Film

 If you have access to Amazon Prime and you're in the mood for a sweet comedy in the style of movies found on the Hallmark or Up channels, I would recommend a little film my wife and I watched tonight. Love, Lost & Found came out this year and it's a delight.

To say we watch a lot of these films is well...sort of an understatement. We watch them all, or most of them. We watch the Christmas in July movies, the autumn spotlight films, the Christmas, winter, and spring-themed movies. Being a storyteller of sorts and a fan of the genre, my wife and I have become unofficial (and unpaid...) critics. We acknowledge the good and bemoan the bad. We feel bad for those that really tried but fell short, and we keep track of the ones with which we connect. 

I came across this film after seeing a social media post from Melanie Stone. I recently watched her in an action film--she kicked some serious butt, and I became a fan. She was excited for the release of Love, Lost & Found for good reason. Not only is she in the film, but she and co-star Jake Stormeon wrote it. I have extra respect for anyone willing to put themselves through that fulfilling, but also nerve-wracking experience. 

In the story we follow one couple that soon becomes two when the initial pair become separated while on a hike in the mountains. There's comedy, danger, silliness, a fortuitous canoe, and personalities that are sometimes over the top, but endearing. 

As good as the actors were, what kept blowing me away was the incredible beauty of the Utah mountains. I believe the film is supposed to be set in Colorado (per the Subaru Forester's license plate...), but the vista and panoramic shots were so beautiful. And to think, that beauty is in my own backyard.

I don't know much about film distribution, but I wish the film could have been on Hallmark or Up so it could have a larger reach. You can access the YouTube trailer by clicking: HERE.

 If you've got a free evening and this type of film is your jam, give this one a shot. It's a sweet little film.

Cori Stories Spotlights...Get To Know Some Authors

 A few months ago, a fellow author contacted me to see if I wanted to participate in a book give-away she was hosting. 

Of course, I said.

One way to help market your own works is to team up with other authors for an event. That way, those involved with let their family, friends, and fans know about the event and it grows from there. The author, Cori Cooper, is also a middle-grade writer also published through Immortal Works. The give-away came and went. A girl from Canada won a copy of my little book about a dog and a spaceship.

After the give-away, Cori asked if I wanted to be spotlighted with other authors on her blog.

Of course, I said.

I was included with nine other authors. On Cori's spotlight page, when you click on my mug (picture, not a drinking glass...), you see a bio and a link to my Amazon author page. To access the author spotlight page, click: HERE. To reach Cori's blog, click: HERE. 

I wanted to thank Cori for including me in her give-away and spotlight. She didn't have to do it. Pushing your own stuff takes a lot of time. It was nice of her to think of others. If you're looking for some new authors to follow and stories to reach, check out Cori Stories. I'm sure you'll find something you love.

"That's A Big Bird--Wait, Is That A...?

 During a lazy afternoon after a morning or organizing and box moving, my wife and I were taking a break in our front room. The room has a smaller window to the east, and a larger one to the west. The west window gives us a great view of the western sky. We've seen some amazing sunsets in the few months we've lived in our new house.

My wife first spotted it...a bird flying in the west. Its trajectory would have it fly directly over our house. "That's a big bird," she said. She watched it come closer--I was clueless. When she spoke her aviary observation aloud, I looked up and agreed with her assessment...it was a big bird.

I stood up to get a better look. As I did, the bird got closer, and bigger.

"Wait," she said. "Is that a bald eagle?"

It was.

And I've never seen one so close.

I live in the west, near large bodies of water. Large bodies of water attract waterfowl, and waterfowl attract predatory birds, like hawks and eagles. Only a few miles from the house where I lived for decades is a nesting site for bald eagles. I drove out there once, but no eagles. Several years ago I was at scout camp with my son and I heard an eagle cry. It's possible I could have spotted an eagle, but I'm not 100% sure. 

But today, we were sure--it had a white head and tail.

I hurried out the front door hoping to get a picture of it. I did get a picture of it, but you cannot tell what kind of bird it is from the picture. If I were thinking, I might have been able to snap a picture as it majestically floated over our house. We now live about twenty miles from a world-famous bird refuge. Hopefully, we'll see more amazing birds this spring and summer.

On a lazy afternoon on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a beautiful bald eagle soared over our little house. That's not a bad thing.

Give Thanks...Thrift Stores

 If you've followed this blog for any length of time, you know I have an affinity for thrift stores. Where we live, the prominent chain is called Deseret Industries (D.I.). It's owned and doubles as a jobs training program for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

And I love the place.

We have so many items from that store in our house, in my office, and even in my car. Most of the pairs of shoes I own came from there as did most of my suits. The bumper pool table in our basement came from the D.I., as did many of our games and DVD movies. We found ourselves needing some coffee mugs (not for coffee...) and we found just what we needed at the D.I. Last Friday, we needed some big-ticket items so we decided to go on a D.I. run. There are three D.I. thrift stores within an hour's drive of our home and on Friday we hit them all.

We found one big-ticket item...the others are still out there somewhere, waiting to be donated and reclaimed.

Today I'm thankful for these stores. They provide a valuable learning opportunity for countless people in our area. And, they allow people to provide useful items for others to buy at a discounted price. Plus, it allows me to find treasures and gives me a place to hang out on a lazy weekend day...

Except not on Sundays, of course.

Happy Birthday...To A Fun Little Story

 I don't think I'll ever forget January 16th. It's my dear friend's birthday, and also the birthday of my little novel. It's been on the market for three years.

A lot has happened in those three years. The world has gone crazy and all that entails. I've met many authors, and tried to further my craft. Writing is insane sometimes--well, most times. Because I'm not writing stories every day, they basically don't get written. They're still swirling in the brain, sometimes they swirl faster, and sometimes slower, but always in motion.

You would think that with the stories in motion as they are, getting them recorded would be easier. And, I suppose, for some, it is. For me, it takes longer. Many set goals for the new year. I have dusted off a story I'm about 1/2 to 2/3 done. Right now, it's in editing phase for basically two reasons. 1-to clean up my writings from back in 2013, and 2-to remember the story.

If I dig deep (and find an ending I like...), I should have the story done in a few months, that is, if I work on it every day. That's a very doable goal. Yes, my initial novel came out three years ago today. Since then I've had a few short stories published in anthologies. I've been very fortunate. Now, I just need to produce things for people to read.

Time to work on the swirls.

One Thing We Haven't Lost...Is Our Sense Of Humor

 Like many of you, I've done my fair of internet surfing. Of course, there's the crap posts out there that try and divide and pick fights, but what I've been most impressed with, are those that do the opposite.

The ones that make us laugh.

And there's no end of material to chose from.

I found a post today, I took a picture of it and sent it to friends and family. It blends the Star Wars universe and the pandemic.

Humans constantly surprise me. We are going through a tough time, some have it tougher than others. I'm amazed how some people will do what they can to make the best of things, even when it seems everything is on fire.

Yes, it's a simple and funny meme, but it reminded me that no matter how bad things get, there's always someone who will do something to make us laugh. We need more of those people.

Week One...So Far, So Good

 My wife envisioned the space first. I saw the extra long garage on the north side of the house and thought it would make a great place for a classic VW beetle, complete with several pans underneath to collect all the dripping oil.

But, no...the wife thought we would be better served to put in a home gym. She's right, of course. And so, we maneuvered the treadmill we've owned for years onto some astroturf (thanks mom-in-law...), put up a TV my son picked up at the D.I., complete with burned in circles at the bottom, and once we found the treadmill key stuffed in one of a thousand boxes, we were in business. This week I spend four work breaks on the treadmill, not running, not jogging, but walking, and it's been fantastic.

I'd like to be jogging or running, but you've got to start somewhere.

We've never had a place specifically for our work-out equipment. I suppose--had I wanted to--I could have worked out even if we didn't have a specific place for the equipment. Heck, you can work out in a space no larger than Rose's plank doing sit-ups, push-ups, yoga. There's really no excuse to not working out.

We're hoping to expand, but for now, walking for fifteen minutes, watching Mal and the gang fight evil, pringing Alliance baddies on the wing and getting off spectacular hip shots is wonderful.

One week done...almost. Only two-thousand to go ;)

Stories From A Picture...

 That was then...

A good friend sent me this picture in an e-mail.

You can read so much in a photograph--it can tell you so much--and when you're in the picture, there's so much more to read.

This was taken either in 1983 or 1984 while my friend Matt and I attended Davis High School in Kaysville, Utah. Judging by the jackets, it's either in the fall or the spring. It's east of the school--back then--in the football field, most likely during gym. Both Matt and I were on the track team, him a star athlete (hence, the letterman jacket...), me, a poser. I mean, I did run track, but I didn't take it seriously. I was there to have a good time.

From what I can tell, we're both wearing Ray Ban Wayfarers. I know I was. Matt's wearing running shoes, Brooks or New Balance, maybe. I can't remember his shoe of choice. I was wearing Converse Chuck Taylor High Tops. You can't see from the photograph but my shoes were not the same color. I believe I wore one purple shoe and one green shoe. Me and two friends--all with the same sized feet--bought three new pair of Chuck Taylors, then we swapped. I had purple/green, another had green/orange, and the other had orange/purple. Was it a cool thing to do? You bet it was.

Your eye may go be directed to various things in this photo, the jackets, the field, even the look on our faces. For me, I zero in--like a laser--on my hair. It looks good in the picture, even though it looks a little windy. Even though I've been basically bald for more than thirty years, I miss that hair sometimes.

This is now...

Matt lives several states away, successful in his career, raising his beautiful family. He is known to tell others his letterman still fits, and he's still got a full head of hair. If you see a picture of him now, he looks pretty much the same. Me...well, I never earned that jacket (I did, but not in sports, but in drama and music...). I'm pretty sure I could never again fit into any jacket I wore in high school. I'd love to wear Chuck Taylors again, but my hair is long gone and not coming back.

Yes...the e-mail and picture made my day--thanks, Jim! Now, when you look at the picture, it tells you more, it tells a story, as I suppose, every picture can. It's not just a picture of Matt and me. Or, it is, but now we're telling you stories.

Who Knew...You All Had Such Strong Opinions?

 It was an innocent enough question, or so I thought. I had no idea by simply posting a photo of the limited-time McRib at McDonalds would generate so many comments. I guess I struck a nerve...a delicious (by some people's opinion...) nerve.

My question:

Should I try a McDonalds McRib because I've never tried one and it's only around for a limited time?

Or, should I not?

I posted a picture as my Pic Of The Day and a flood of opinions and comments came back at me, everything from "Yes, definitely," to "I had one twenty years ago and I'm still feeling the effects," to "No--don't do it." It's not that I was dying to try it...more of mild curiosity. We have a McD's a mile or so from our house, but since don't leave the house on a daily basis, I'm not "tempted" while I'm out. I wanted to hear from others to see what they thought of the sandwich.

The votes are in. It was almost a 50/50 split--for an against. Many had some interesting views, some funny, and some frightening.

After all this, I still haven't had one. Since it's a limited time thing, they may be gone and I may have missed my chance...until, next time that is. No, I'm McRib-free. I think I'll stay that way, but since it feels like the world is ending, maybe I'll jump in and give it a try.

What's the worst that can happen?

Kidding--should never say that, especially now.

It Makes You Think...

 The purpose of this post is not to persuade, or sway, or convince. It is not meant to start a heated discussion of who is right, who is wrong, who is virtuous, or who is evil. I'm inviting rational thought, something very much lacking in our world...something very much needed.

If you are at all following current events, you have heard the app and website Parler cannot be accessed at this time. Again, you may be cheering this development or just the opposite. I repeat--this post is meant to invoke thought, not to take sides.

If you're not familiar with Parler, think of it as Twitter for conservatives. This isn't entirely correct since many non-conservatives use (or used...) the platform. Now, no one can use it--it is a dead social medium. Those in charge of other platforms and social media decided it was okay to shut it down. It was found to be unacceptable.

You may not care that this happened. Chances are, you did not use Parler. Maybe no one you know used it.

Individuals are complex, multidimensional. We have many interests, we associate--either in person or online--with a variety of people and groups. Let's say, you are not on Parler, or even hate it, but you are part of a religion, are involved in community service or community theater. You work for a company that is based in America. Surely, this action by a few companies to shut down Parler cannot affect you.

But, if someone decides the religion of which you are a member, had discriminated or discriminates the rights of others, it might be a good idea to shut down apps, websites, and internet access of that religion. It may be considered unacceptable (I'm not saying these companies will take this action, but the important thing to remember is, they can and they are showing that they will...). This can be done because these software companies are, after all, private organizations and can do what they want. So, they may feel shutting down a religion's internet access is the right thing to do. Many would cheer this action because in their eyes all religions should be banned permanently from the internet, believing religions do more harm than good.

So, your religion no longer has access to the internet. You can still worship, after all. But, what if the company for which you work is owned by someone who is a member of this religion, or maybe a conservative. Since the religion and their political views are now deemed unacceptable, those in charge may decide to eliminate your company's presence from the internet. Because if the owner has these religious and political viewpoints, they must be part of how the company operates. These software companies are, after all, private organizations and can do what they want.

Try running a business in the twenty-first century without an internet presence. It's a death sentence. But, you can always get another job. The community theater you love so much--if it's run by unacceptable people, it may need to go. Community service organizations...same thing. You cannot allow an unacceptable person running those things either. Anything unacceptable is an open target.

The purpose of this post is to generate thought, nothing else. Think of all the things you do, that you're involved with. All it takes is someone to label you, your religion, your employer, your interests as "unacceptable" then the simple act of removing an unacceptable app and website like Parler might just end up affect you after all.

End Of An Era...Maybe

Twice a year, I finish a journal and begin a new one. I choose to made the change at the end of June and December. So, during June and December, I need to track down both the binder and the filler so on July 1 and January 1, I'll be ready to go.

Problem is, my way of journaling seems to be coming to an end.

I notice this years ago when the style of binder I was using was discontinued. No problem...there are many places I can pick up a small binder. The best place to find this are thrift stores. I've bought many at thrift stores. Of course, I'd pick up the filler sheets at our local bookstores, bookstores operated by a church that values and encourages keeping a journal.

The past couple of years I've noticed more than not when I go to the store to pick up filler pages, they're gone. They have plenty of journals, but they're hardbound, not ones you can add pages to. Sure, I could keep a hardbound journal--I did the first two years of journaling--but it's not how I like to do it.

Last month I thought I'd order several binders and fillers directly from the store. In speaking with the operator I made my order then casually said I was having a hard time finding the items in the stores. The operator told me those particular items might not be around much longer. It seems my preference isn't so much the journaling preference of others.

Bummer.

I ordered a couple of binders and several fillers, enough to last me at least this year. I'll keep going until I have to change the way I do things. Then, I'll adapt. It's what I've done since January, 1985.

To Quote Clark Griswold,..."The Tree!"

 Tell me, what don't you see in these pictures?

I'll give you a hint...it's green, it was once alive, and you can buy fake ones around August of each year at Costco.

What you're not seeing in these pictures is our Christmas tree.

And I have no idea what happened to it.

Some background: since 1997, we lived in a community that provided a service--they would drive around and pick up discarded Christmas trees after the holiday as long as they were on the curb by a specific date. Taking the tree out to the street after Christmas was second-nature. It's what you did. Streets would be lined with dead trees after Christmas.

During the week after Christmas we took everything down. Because this is our first year in a new community, I had no idea if that same wonderful service was available here, and since I didn't know what to do with the tree, I dragged it and left it on the curb. I did notice ours was the only tree on the street.

On New Years Eve the last contractor working on our basement came to finish the bathroom shower door. He was a local and when we had a moment, we asked him what people did with their old Christmas trees. He said people took them to the local landfill and the city added the trees to their mulch that they gave out each spring. Great, I thought. I can strap the tree to the roof of the van and go for a drive.

I figured I'd either take the tree to the dump of cut it up and put it in the garbage. Either way, it would be gone eventually. Then, I kind of forgot about the tree. We had a few skiffs of snow, but not enough to cover up the tree. Plus, some days we never leave the house so a dead tree outside wasn't high on or list of things to do.

Last Thursday I went to get the mail. As I walked back to the driveway I noticed--for the first time--the tree was gone. I have no idea when it was taken or who took it. I felt like Clark Griswold when he said in disbelief after his tree was destroyed, "The tree." If the town doesn't pick up old trees then some kind person took it away for us. If so, I'd like to know who so I could thank them.

Just another adventure living in a new place.

Happy Birthday, Hun...Here's To Fifty More (At Least...)

 Five years ago--and a few days--my wife threw me a party. She organized it, invited my friends and prepared the house. The occasion? 

I turned 50-years old.

I had five years--and a few days--to return the favor. Who knew there'd be no parties, no gatherings, no get-togethers? Not me. To be honest, I did not organize a party, invite friends, prepare the house. It was pretty clear our milestone celebrations would not be the same.

I did say I'd take my wife to Paris.

We almost made it, too. But, it would be a long drive an it just didn't work out (I'm talking about Paris, Idaho, if you hadn't already guessed...). 

Lynda turned fifty today. We were going to drive to Idaho for the joke, but it was a long way to go to get out of the car and snap a picture. So, we ended up in Logan and Brigham City doing some shopping and eating at one of the best restaurants I've ever seen, Maddox in Perry, Utah.

My wife's been a spouse longer than she wasn't a spouse. She's been a mother almost as long as she's not been a mother. She amazes me. I've always contended men have it easy in some ways. My day-to-day is fairly basic. I go to work. I need to make sure I do a good job and not get fired. My wife, however. She's over the house. Making money is easy compared to rearing and educating our children. Her influence affects generations.

I am grateful she decided to help create a new life with me and that she continues on this journey. She has made it fun and exciting and crazy and wonderful. It's not all been rosy, but more than not, it's been great. 

No, I couldn't take my wife to Paris on her birthday (or California, Florida, Hawaii, or Wendover...), but I've taken her on a longer ride, a ride encompassing twenty-eight birthdays, that included a delicious meal as the sun set in the west.

Happy birthday, Hun! Here's to a half-century more (at least...).

The Secret...Of Netflix's "The Crown"

 I'm a fan...not an obsessed fan, but I've watched the show off and on, here and there. My wife's watching the series again and I'm remembering parts that I've seen and seeing episodes I missed. The Crown is a Netflix series going strong after several years. The setup is intriguing--several actors play the key characters portraying the royals at different times.

Many have written about the series, critics, bloggers, those on social media. Many have much more knowledge on the royal family, history, even how television shows are made. My opinion here is that of an amateur and not obsessed fan. Here's what I believe is one of the show's secrets.

Protect the Queen.

I suppose watching the dirt on the rich, famous, and powerful is a favorite pastime of many, as evidenced by the show's success. If you are familiar with the show, the Queen seems to be immune from the harsh criticism that everyone else must endure. People cheat on each other, we see their despicable acts played out...

Except for the Queen. 

It's possible I haven't seen all the episodes and they've cut up the Queen--if so, I haven't seen it. In the newest episodes, they are merciless portraying Charles, Diana, and especially Margaret, among others. Was the Queen a terrible person during the same time? I couldn't tell you.

There's another thing I've noticed. When I watch the show to me the Queen represents England. She always overcomes, she always perseveres, she survives. As goes the Queen, so goes England.

Of course, these are just basic and simple thoughts, not too deep. 

Long live the Queen.