A Toast (Toasty Fire...) To The Year That Was

 There's only a few hours (for us...) left in 2022. Too early to begin a countdown, too late to do finish all those resolutions made a year ago. No, it's time to sit and wait, play some games, listen to music...

And watch a fire burn in the backyard.

I think we've started a new tradition--weather willing.

There's a lot to say about any singular complete journey around the sun. Friends/family members got married, some deaths, some new babies, people bought homes, changed jobs...any possible change has happened to someone.

Last week, before the storms hit, I brought in some firewood into the garage. I also assembled several boxes from Christmas and from cleaning out the basement. I hauled it all outside this afternoon and started a fire. If the storm that's coming had hit earlier, we'd not have a fire.

I watched it burn and thought about life. Something about fires can do that to a person. That basic elemental action--a fire--allows philosophical thoughts to swirl. Maybe it's because a fire can erase, rather effectively, something that needs to be destroyed. It's a cleansing function. That's a good thing to do from time to time.

Good-bye 2022. It's been a year. 2023 is almost here. I pray we may all face it and the challenges/blessings that accompany it with courage, grace, and humility.

2023--bring it on!

When Christmas Goes Away...

 Today I entered the space under the stairs, retrieved the empty Christmas boxes, and hauled them upstairs. After watching, A Christmas Story, I repeated the process in reverse. The boxes were heavier than before, stowed were ornaments, nativity scenes, lights, outdoor decor, and Christmas cards. The boxes also contained that Christmas feeling now missing in the front room.

When Christmas goes away.

We bought an artificial tree last year. We set it up and it was okay. This year, we changed the location and it worked so much better, almost as if the space was made for a Christmas tree. Now that it's crammed in a box under the stairs, the space is empty, void of emotion, missing the spirit welcomed into our home for several weeks.

Funny how a slight change of perspective affects everything. We ran errands this afternoon, a light snow continued to fall, and clouds so low visibility was only a few hundred yards. Had we taken the drive last week, it would have been picturesque, quint, festive, a Christmas memory. Today, the sky was grey, overcast, for some...possibly depressing. Such is a post-Christmas world in winter.

It's amazing how some physical items in boxes can change life so much. They're still there, waiting for approximately eleven months until the boxes are opened, the lids are lifted, and they once again bring a message to a room. Yes, taking everything down leaves a hole in the room, which means when Christmas was in the room, it was great.

One Year...And A Day Since We Lost Her

 Yesterday was the one year anniversary...exactly one year since our sister left us. My family gathered at the cemetery (where my parents's graves are also there...) and held a memorial. Unfortunately, me and my immediate family were unable to attend. Like last year, they released lanterns in her honor. I'm sure, like last year, they watched the ascend and wished they weren't there.

Even though yesterday was the anniversary of her passing, today is an anniversary as well. Today is the anniversary of those left behind having to face a life without her, without her laugh, without her wit, without her spirit. Ever since I was two and a half years old I awoke to a world exactly a year ago today without my sister.

Though hard on my brother and I and our families, it's most difficult for my sister's husband, her children, and her grandchildren. I know what it's like to lose a mother, but I lost her when I was in my forties, not my twenties. She was their rock, their world. 

I don't know if the family will gather each year on the anniversary of the passing. Traditions can be wonderful things to help heal, and to remember her memory. If they do, I hope to be a part of it.

Things Are Happening In This Little Town...

 It seems I do this...I'll look up and see the scene before me and snap a picture. It happened to me a few days ago. I was driving into town, the road heading almost due east. Before me a snow-capped mountain range. To the right a neighborhood auto dealership, the left an open field soon to be turned into the expanding apartment complex already creeping west.

Yes, things are happening in the town we call home.

It feels like we just moved a few months ago, and because of that, the changes seem so sudden, so unexpected. We looked at some statistics. Between 2020 and 2021 the town increased 10% in population. We were part of that change. It was only about 1,000 people, but a 10% increase...that's a lot. If that continues, the town will double in size in less than a decade. 

Big changes already happened, big changes on the way. 

I still follow a few social media groups from the city where we used to live. I know the people feel fortunate to live there--and they are--but every once in a while there are complaints. It makes sense--the sites are set up to notify the city's residents of current events. There's a central theme among the comments--the city's growing too fast and it's hard to keep up. I can sympathize with them because what they are saying is completely true...the city's exploding and it's hard to keep up with all the changes.

Now, we drive around the nearly empty streets, do our shopping, run errands, enjoy the little town we call home. Because we went through it before, I know the complaints are coming. Some already see the writing on the wall...the people are moving here and there's not much anyone can do to stop it. 

Such is life. Best to make good decisions and try to keep up.

Gingerbread Buildings Built...Next Stop--The Inferno

 There are things our family does during the Christmas season. Like most families, we look forward to this time of the year when we can gather and enjoy the time we spend together. One of the things we started doing several years ago was assemble gingerbread structures. This year...

We had a competition.

Really, the only reason we had a competition is because we bought a competition kit gingerbread village.

We are not "experts" in gingerbread construction. We don't go "over the top" or "all out." No, we're simple folk and try to have fun while not putting too much pressure on ourselves to make a flawless, perfect example of a confectionary building.

We built four houses for judging, and four others for fun. We put them together on Christmas Eve morning. Later that day, my son and daughter-in-law came over and officially judged the results. The competition kit even came with a blue ribbon--no red or white for second or third place--for the winner.

Though all were good, one rose above the rest and the blue ribbon went to my artist son (none of us were surprised...). 

Another tradition our family adopted years ago was, once the buildings were finished, we wanted a fun way to dispose of them. We used to buy fireworks and literally blow them up. We stopped doing that because it became harder for us to find fireworks in December. This year, we're going to take them into the backyard, build a huge bonfire in the fire pit and throw them in. We're actually excited about that.

Yes, it's the traditions that we look forward to this time of year. Building then destroying edible structures is one we really love.

Pulling My Weight...Something I Should Have Done Decades Ago

 Every night I see the same thing...of course, the past couple of days there have been more items in the sinks than usual, but the view from above looks down on dirty dishes. 

And they're my responsibility.

And I'm totally fine with it.

You see, my wife has made tens of thousands of meals for our family since we were married over thirty years ago. It's not always been easy--doing something multiple times day after day, week after week, year after year can be a pain in the neck. Yet, she's continued making meals for us and she is a wonderful cook--top rate. For the past several years, I've done the dishes, almost exclusively. 

I know I did the dishes before, but it was more on a "take turns" basis, which was never really fair because my wife made the meals, then many times did the dishes.

Not cool.

I don't know why it took me so long to just "man-up" and do the dishes every time. I can tell you that ever since I've been pulling my weight, the dishes have been done almost every night. Gone are the days where stacks of dishes accumulated in the sinks until finally someone caved.

I know that in order for people to stay together, they have to work things out between them--either spoken or unspoken...guaranteed. Like I said, I should have figured this out years ago. 

Give Thanks...For Christmas

 My youngest played Santa last night as the family gathered in front of an electronic fire blazing on the TV. We had no where to go, we had warmth and shelter and more food than a couple of families could possibly eat in one sitting. We are, in a word...

Blessed.

We sat in a circle as my son searched though the wrapped boxes and bags. Once identified, my son delivered the presents to their new owners--a transfer from giver to given. 

It's easy to get complacent when life is good. You see the world through a blessed perspective, where the worst things that happen are called "First-World Problems." Sometimes, we forget about others and what they're going through. Last year at Christmas, my sister was recovering from some health issues. I don't think she or her husband or her children or her grandchildren knew it would be the last Christmas she would spend with them.

She passed away a few days later.

On social media yesterday and today, I noticed all the "Merry Christmas" and "Happy Holidays" posts, but I also noticed a few others. People asked for us to be mindful of those who didn't have family surrounding then in a warm room by a fake fire with dozens of lovingly-wrapped gifts about to be delivered, others who were alone or hurting or lacking that "milk of human kindness" we hear so much about. There were people who recognized the need of others.

As I get older and I see that life is not just a right, but a privilege...the ultimate gift. We will all have a time when it will be our last Christmas. Does that change the way we look on the events of his day? I hope for me it. does. I am so grateful for my incredible family, for the home where we gathered, for the food we ate. I'm grateful for Christmas, a day that we shouldn't rely on helping us realize just how blessed we are, but we sometimes do.

I hope you and yours, wherever you find yourself either surrounded by friends and family or just with yourself and maybe a pet or two, I hope you had a wonderful and blessed day. Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night.

Returning...To Bedford Falls

 As is our tradition (and, I'm sure a tradition for millions of others...), we watched Frank Capra's Christmas classic, It's A Wonderful Life today. It's rare when a film can "take you back" to the past, to a time years ago when a group of friends and strangers, family and partners joined together to put on a show.

It surprised me how many memories of a community theater production came rushing back...

Wonderful, beautiful memories.

I think at that point I had done either five of the past six Christmas shows, or six of the past seven...I lose count, but this one was different. Sure, we'd done several versions of Dicken's Christmas Carol, and we even tried,  Babes in Toyland, but this was new, new to us as performers and new to the theater. Lots of unknowns associated with that show. 

The film is so iconic--look up "Iconic" in the dictionary and you could see a picture of the title card. Before we started, I wondered how the theater would capture the joy, then near tragedy of the boys sliding on the ice, the high school dancers falling into the water, the portrayal of a man almost choosing to end his life, then showing his life redeemed.

It's quite a task.

The theater pulled it off beautifully. It's alway an honor to be part of any show, but that one--like the film--was unique. I love the above photo snapped by Bre Welsh, owner of Pepperfox Photography.

The show closed six years ago. Since then, much has changed. Two of the married couples in the cast are no longer married, one of the cast members got married and is now a father, and another young man just preposed to his fiancee. These are but a few examples. Each of us have had things change in our lives since we struck the stage--too many to keep track of--but the movie remains...

And so do the memories.

It's a special film. It was a special show. I hope they do it again so the performers, the crew, and especially, the audience can create new memories of their own. 

Merry Christmas, everyone. Here's to more angels getting their wings.

Box Elder Bugs...A Religious Plague?

 So a few weeks ago, we're sitting in church, as one is wont to do, and you notice something on the printed program, or you notice something climbing up the wall, or on the window, or in your hair...

Box Elder bugs.

If you notice one, you start to see another, then another, then you see they're all over the place.

I don't know if other areas are affected by these little black and red bugs. I know they're along the Wasatch Front because they flocked to our old house in Davis County. I guessed correctly that they would be at our new house, especially since we moved to Box Elder County and the bugs are called Box Elder bugs. 

I was right.

As far as bugs go, I don't mind these little guys, that is, of course, if there's only a few. I have seen groups of the buggers clumped together where they're literally inches thick. I do not them like that. In church, there were several. There was even a boy of unknown age, who--in the middle of the service--took a pen and tried to stab the bugs as they scurried along the walls and windowsills, the rhythmic sound of "donk, donk, donk" echoed in the space as the tip of the pen hit wood, then wall, then bug, then wall and so on.

Many people I do know not like winter. For them, they'd live in an endless summer with warm temperatures and excuses to wear less clothing. Though I do enjoy summer, I also enjoy the time when freezing temperatures kill bugs like mosquitoes...especially mosquitoes.

The past couple of days have been especially cold, so much so, the ground has frozen. I'm thinking no insect, no matter how hardy, could survive. Church is in two days. I think I'll check to see if there's any of my little friends still around. I'm going to go out on a limb and say, I think there will be.

In My Opinion...The Scene Needs A Song

 The other day I saw a headline about the missing song in the 1992 Christmas classic, The Muppet Christmas Carol. If you're familiar with the show, you may already know what I'm talking about. Many years/decades ago, my wife and I, along with some college friends, went to see this movie in the theater...back when that was the only way to see movies until they found their way to video store shelves.

We loved it.

And as technology caught up to the way everyone would love to enjoy media (on demand...), we've made this particular show an annual viewing requirement at Christmas. This year, though, the powers that be restored a song missing for years. If you're unfamiliar with either The Muppet Christmas Carol, or Dicken's story, Ebenezer Scrooge goes back in time to relive his past. It's there, we see a young Ebenezer and his fiancee break up. It's devastating, and as good as the muppets are at showing emotion, the film suffers without the song. We see a broken Scrooge, but why is he so broken?

Because the song broke his heart yet again.

I've done a little research in what makes a good story and story pacing. The characters in the film need something to create the drama, to justify the emotions we see. What better way to do this than music? Also, a wise man once told me the reason we have musicals is because there are emotions that cannot be expressed by speaking alone and we need music to get us there.

That's why the song is needed.

And I'm glad it's back.

If you want to see the show in its original glory, go to Disney Plus and click on the Extras. That's where you'll find it. If you've never seen the scene with the song, give it a try. I think the scene definitely needs the song. Apparently, so did they.

"Little Boiler Girl"...To Celebrate The Winter Solstice Check Out My Winter Story In "Mechanized Masterpieces"

 Okay, the anthology is not winter-centric, but there's one story in Mechanized Masterpieces, A Steampunk Anthology that is set in the winter and since today is the Winter Solstice, I thought I'd re-introduce you to this gem...

Plus, it's my first published work.

This book came out in the Spring of 2013, almost ten years ago. I can't tell you how excited I was to see my name on the cover of a book. Even now, almost a decade later, I love that cover, and what's perhaps more important, I'm proud of my contribution to the anthology.

The genius idea behind the anthology is to take classic British stories--either the characters or plot or both--and create as shot story that incorporates the Steampunk genre. My story, Little Boiler Girl, focused on Hans Christian Andersen's The Little Match Girl. If you'd like to get your own copy of this fine collection, just click: HERE. I'd love to know what you think of it.

The story won't warm you up on a cold winter night, but on this day that has the shortest amount of daylight all year, what better way to curl up with an amazing collection of Steampunk stories with a fire burning in the fireplace, a cat in your lap, and a cup of hot cocoa to take advantage of all the long darkened hours.

Plus, it's a lot of fun.

So, What Do You Do With Old Churches...?

 We'd seen the building before, but it wasn't until last summer that I took a second look. When driving by, you see that it's another aging building, and by driving by slower, you can tell it's an old church. However, if you turn off the road and check out the south side of the building, you'll notice something not found in many buildings...

Huge holes in the side of the building.

And parked in those holes is farm equipment.

The building, once used as a church, is now a garage.

I think many of us have a thing for old buildings, especially old churches. My childhood church was over 100 years old when we moved into town (and that was more than 50 year ago...). Sure, it had been upgraded and remodeled time and time again. Today, it's still in use. Sure, it has its quirks, but I love that building. When we moved we were fortunate enough to be assigned to another old church--not quite as old (only 100 years old...), but old. I love that church, too.

This church-converted-to-barn building is interesting. I wonder, when it was abandoned, did anyone want it? I know several churches have been purchased and converted as meeting houses for other denominations, and even a few have been turned into private residences--usually with mixed results.

In many ways, I'd love to live in an old church, especially the ones in Utah. Most LDS churches have kitchens and basketball courts. That would be fun. What wouldn't be fun is the conversion of a church into a home. Imagine just trying to keep out mice in a structure that big--best to get a couple of cats.

I suppose no one wanted to live in this church, no other religions wanted it so it eventually became a sanctuary for birds, other small animals, and farm equipment. Even so, I'm glad it's still around.

If I Had A Business, How Would I Decorate...?

 Driving around, you see Christmas decorations everywhere...even inside (especially inside...) businesses. Personally, I love seeing it. I do live in a rural area so maybe things aren't like this in bigger cities. When I did live in a higher populated area, all the businesses seemed to decorate for Christmas--perhaps they still do.

Last week I found myself in a local gas station. In the center of their lobby sat a fully-decorated Christmas tree complete with tires used as Christmas tree stands. The tree was adorned with things found in your average mechanic's shop. It was marvelous. There were hubcaps, tachometers, speedometers, gas caps, snow squeegees, spark plugs, small can of 3 and 1 oil, even a couple of tire gauges. 

Fun.

It made me wonder...if I owned a business, how would I decorate the tree?

I suppose, I do have a business. Authors are not just authors, they're also business owners. If I were more involved in the writing world, maybe I would decorate a tree in my office. I could hang pens, a big cinderblock (to represent writer's block...), and several rejection letters could add that special something every Christmas tree should have.

So, business owners, if you do put up a Christmas tree at your place of business, do you personalize your tree? I'd be interested to know.

Give Thanks...For Good Neighbors

 Like almost everyone in the state where we live, we got snow this past week...not as much as some, but more than others. It's interesting how something like a snowstorm affects people. After one storm, I took a break from work and shoveled our driveway (off the clock, of course...), then went back to the grind.

That's when I saw our neighbor and his show blower...

Removing snow not at his house.

I live in a fairly typical neighborhood. Everyone sort of takes care of themselves. It seems every home has a snow blower sufficient for their needs. When storms hit, we all emerge from the warmth of our houses and remove the snow. Then, we go back inside where it's warm and dry. But, some will look around and see if there's a driveway and sidewalk where the snow remains.

Then, they take action.

I've been told, and I do believe, that if you're down and you want to feel better, so service. Do something for someone else...something not expected, something you don't have to do. Even if the recipient doesn't know what you've done, you know and the universe knows and you're blessed for it.

I'm grateful for neighbors who I know will help if needs be. I hope I can be that kind of neighbor. I'm trying harder and harder to become one.

When Your--Danish--Friends Bring Treats...

 We had guests earlier this week...

And they brought gifts.

The gifts were in the form of a box of treats, but not just any treats...Danish treats.

Like us, another family left the congested roads and gunky air and migrated north, to the land of open fields and happy people. They contacted us and we invited them over. They brought deliciousness.

Funny thing about the times in which we live. I had actually never met these new residents of our county, even though we had known of each other since the advent of social media. That's when I got to know one person, someone who came from Denmark and who moved to America around the same time I left that country to come home.

Man, I miss Denmark, especially at Christmas. These homemade Danish goodies took me back.

We use the word, "Danish" to describe not only a language, but also a food. There's a reason Denmark is famous for its pastry. The treats in the box did the Danish people proud. Holiday food is just one type of delicious food the Scandinavians enjoy. Red cabbage, Danish meatballs, rice pudding...it's all great.

I've loved being able to connect with the Danish culture, even though I'm not 100% Danish...my tests show me having 8% Scandinavian DNA. And it's fun meeting and enjoying the company of new neighbors. Thanks for the goodies! We'll have to make it up to you sometime soon.

Unsung Heroes...

 I've blogged about them before...drivers and other public servants who go to work when many of us want to not go anywhere. They climb in their trucks and push snow from the streets so that the society can continue moving.

Unsung heroes.

As far as the latest storms are concerns, we did not get hit as bad as many of our in-state neighbors. No, we did not have to shovel our driveways every day for the past week. We only had measurable snow twice, with one storm dumping more snow than the other. Still, without those snowplows running, it would have made life much more miserable...

And unsafe.

It's funny--there are so many people out there that we never think about until we need them, yet, they're behind their desks and their steering wheels day after day, year after year doing their jobs. We don't see them or think about them because we think we don't need them. Then, we get some debilitating snow and then we think about them...think about them a lot.

Up here, many people have trucks, big trucks with big tires that could probably drive over several feet of fallen snow. Many people who live here are extremely "prepared" for events like snow. But, a good government is to help everyone, to help those of us who have all-wheel drive vehicles in the shop or waiting to have their transmissions fixed. No, us non-all-wheel-drive minivan drivers need those plows clearing the way.

Thank you snowplow drivers and dispatchers! I'll sing a blogging song so you won't be so unsung. ;)

So Much Art...You Just Have To Look For It

 I picked up a brochure the other day. It was printed for locals and tourists alike. Even though we've been here for two years, I still feel like a tourist many times as I drive and walk around town. That's why I picked up the brochure...to help me get to know my community better.

And what better way to get to know a place than to look at its art.

Of course, you can't know everything about a place by looking at their art, but there's a lot you can find out--you just have to look for it.

The brochure is a map to find murals, large paintings found on the sides of buildings. 

Of course, when we first drove through downtown, we'd see some of these murals--they were hard to miss, especially the newest addition, a mural celebrating the life of Gail Halvorsen, or as he is better known, The Candy Bomber.

The funny thing about this type of artwork is you see them now and again as you drive through town, but you don't know just how many of them there are until you look at the brochure--they're everywhere. And our town is small, relatively speaking. It's amazing just how many of these public displays of art there are.

I noticed something similar a few years ago. I follow an account on Instagram. A bicyclist likes to park his bike in front of large murals in Salt Lake City and post the pictures on Instagram. He's done this for years and he never seems to run out of murals to photographs. It's not that I know everything about Salt Lake City, but I thought I knew it better than that. I guess not.

I picked up the brochure just before it got cold here. I haven't had time to actually follow the map and see all the murals.  Maybe when things warm up, I might take a walking tour. The downtown area is small enough I could see all of them in one afternoon.

Sounds like fun.

Our Non-Costumed Dog...

 Many of us have animals and some owners like to dress them up. I'll bet clothes accessories is a multi-million (if not billion...) dollar industry. It has to be. We love our pets so much, we'll do just about anything for them, which includes buying costumes and clothes for the animals we love so much.

Luckily for us, we have a dog that is not a fan of getting dressed up.

And luckily for our dog, we're not fans of doing the dressing.

Even though we're not fans, we did buy some clothes for our first dog, a small Shih Tzu named Patch. She was getting old and we thought we'd do her a favor by buying a dog sweater to keep her warm in the winter. We put on the sweater and we thought it helped. Shortly after, Patch started having trouble walking. We thought it was because she was old and her limbs were starting give out. It got so bad she couldn't walk. 

We took off the sweater and her legs began to work again. Turns out it was the sweater that caused the issue. Since then we've bought zero animal clothes or costumes.

Our current dog, Bec has never had clothes or costumes. We thought we'd try something. We came across some reindeer antlers and we thought it would be cute to see how the dog looked sporting the antlers. Turns out, our dog was not a willing participant. Just as well.

Millions of animals out there are dressed in fun and functional outfits. I wonder if they like it. I imagine many do, but I know at least one dog that doesn't.

Worn...And Well Loved

 It seems you see fewer and fewer well-worn things, nowadays. We live in such a disposal world--it doesn't help things are no longer built to last anymore. Still, if you take care of things, they'll stick around (look at all the old VW beetles out there...). 

A few weeks ago I snapped a picture of two hymnals, one was ours (I call Old Orange...), and the other belong to the meetinghouse. Both books are spiral-bound, meaning they lay flat on a music stand, which is important if your calling is to lead music and you can't fiddle with a book that wants to close. I brought our almost worn out hymnal with the thought that if they had a better edition at the church, I'd use that one...

Turns out, mine was better.

Yes, both books had covers that were duct-taped together. The blue book actually had pages that had become separated from the binding and were just sitting inside. I ended up using Old Orange and things turned out fine.

I suppose we could order a new spiral-bound hymnal--it's what people seem to do these days. I'm sure we can justify the cost. But, there's a certain charm to keeping imperfect things, things that still offer value, that still work, that still do what they were designed to do. One day in the future we'll probably have to buy a new book and on that day, I'll be a little sad. Old Orange has been good to us...

And we'll try to be good back.

AI Art...It's The Future

 If you spend any time on social media, you may have seen artwork created not by a human, well...at least not directly, but by a computer. These Artificial Intelligence-generated artwork can be found at many site--the good ones cost money. The not-as-good ones do not.

I have a story that's close to being done. It's about a demon hunter in the time of Christ. I thought it would be cool to see if these free sites could generate some artwork to accompany the story. Here are a few examples. I entered the prompt: Bible Warrior. You can see they're not to the level I would use in my story...

But, it's a start.

We're in the infancy when it comes to this technology, at least, for the novice user like myself. Considering how amazingly quick technology changes nowadays, I expect in no time even us casual users will be able to generate amazing renditions for projects like providing artwork for a novel, for example.

As with all things, there's a downside, especially if you're an artist who makes a living producing art the old fashioned way--through hard work. I can see a future where (hopefully...) people will pay a premium for human-created art. As with all things, time will tell.

Still, it's going to be a fun ride.

Give Thanks...Thinking About Denmark

Yesterday, we had some time to kill before picking up my daughter at her work, so we stopped by one of our favorite stores, a used book/antique store on Main Street in Brigham City, Utah...3 Goats Gruff.

It's an amazing store full of things I love...books, and old stuff. We've even gotten to know the owners who were there yesterday--it was fun catching up.

While we were there, I found myself standing in front of an antique armoire and I noticed some porcelain dishes. There were several--one was German, but I guessed the others were made in Denmark...

I was right.

When I lived in Denmark for a couple of years in the 1980s, I saw porcelain plates hanging up in almost every home, and the ones most prominent were the Christmas plates, or Juleaften plates. Yesterday, I looked and hoped it'd find a plate form 1985 or 1986 (the two Christmases I spent there...), or if not them, maybe a 1965 plate...the year I was born.

Nope. They had only one plate from the 80s (1989...), and they did have a 1964 and a 1966 plates. I was SO close.

Whenever I see a porcelain figurine in a thrift store or at a yard sale, I quickly check to see if it came from Denmark. Danish figurines have a certain look that I like, personally. When I lived there, I didn't really have the means to buy anything (truth be told, I don't have it now, either...). But, I always look.

Thinking about that experience reminded me that I always find myself thinking about Denmark, the country, the people, the amazing place it is. Whenever I watch the Olympics or the World Cup, I root for the Danes--every time. I can't seem to shake the place, and even though I was there a short time, it's become part of me.

I am so grateful I was able to go there,  to work there, to live there, to find out a little who I was at the time, and to have Denmark be so infused in my life now that helped me become the person I am now. Jeg elsker landet--det er klart. I'm sure, whenever I come upon a stack of Danish Juleaften plates, I'll search them out to see if it's one that means something special to me. If I find it, you can be sure, I'll pick it up.

It's just something I have to do.

"Ghost" From Judd...Great New Song

 I don't listen to enough music--that's indisputable. What makes things worse, is that I have a lot of time where I can listen to music...at work between calls, while driving (even though I don't drive much anymore...), and at other times during the day.

No, it sometimes takes someone to push me to even access the Music app on my phone. Just such a thing happened to me the other day. A friend posted on Facebook the link to a newly created song...a song from his son...a proud papa moment to be sure.

And the song is great. 

It's a guitar and vocal number, upbeat and fresh. It's the kind of song that stays with you. Keaton Boss is a multi-talented creator and the song from his band is fun. Plus, the photo accompanying the song is of my friend and his sister many many years ago...great picture.

We live in the most amazing time in the history of the planet, as far as technology goes. Anyone, anywhere can create, produce, and upload a song that the whole world can hear. Thankfully, so many people are doing just that. If you want to hear the song yourself, you can access it by clicking: HERE for Apple and HERE for Spotify.

Like I said, I don't listen to enough music...thanks to Carson and Keaton, I'm starting to change that.

Honored To Have My Story Re-Released Upon The World

One cool thing (among many cool things...) about becoming part of a writing community, is meeting some of the most amazing people that walk this earth. I'm not saying all authors reach this level of awesomeness, or that non-authors cannot achieve this as well, but it's just something I've noticed.

Case in point...

Craig Nybo.

If you're unfamiliar with Craig's work, you're missing out. He's an accomplished musician, writer, performer, businessman, event-putter-on-er, and all-around cool dude.

And, he's a podcaster.

Craig's podcast, Terrifying Lies, is in between seasons, so since that creative "Off" button does not exist inside Craig's brain, he has dug into his treasure trove of previous projects and released another podcast episode. This time...

I'm part of it!

A few years ago, Craig had this wild idea of having local authors read original works while his band created a totally original music composition backing up the author's words. For one of his sessions, he asked me to read a short story I wrote that was included in a horror anthology, Redneck Eldritch.

It's a story (except for me not knowing Louisiana does not have counties...) I'm proud of. It's called, Taxed. I want you to check out the podcast episode--you can access it by clicking: HERE. I'd also love for you to check out the book in which the story is included. You can access that by clicking: HERE.

Yes, it's not a Christmas story...more suited for Halloween. But, I think stories like this should be enjoyed any time of year. Thanks, Craig, for the re-telling! It's truly an honor.

Design...Is Dead

 I found this picture on social media earlier this week and the caption attached to the picture is the same as what is being used as the title of this post...

Design Is Dead.

Wow.

And this is just one example.

My wife and I have discussed this very thing many times, especially since my mother-in-law bought a Hyundai around ten years ago. It was a crossover SUV, it was red, and it looked like many other crossover SUVs our there. When my wife and I were driving around town, we'd see a smaller red SUV and think it was our mother-in-law's Hyundai. More often than not, it wouldn't be, but we sure thought it was her car.

This picture explains why we thought so. Down the list, every auto manufacturer built a car that looks a lot like all the other models built by other auto manufacturers. In some ways, I can understand why this happens. You come out with something like a certain Plymouth SVU that's considered by many as "unattractive," you'll be the butt of other's jokes for decades.

Still...

It's sad, and not just because my wife and I have trouble identifying a family member's car. 

I'm guessing things will remain the same more than change in the near future. It's the way of things. Build something safe instead of bold, boring instead of exciting, like everything else instead of something new.

I hope I'm wrong, but time will tell.

"A Christmas Story Christmas"...Not As Polished As The Original, But Wonderful

 It was December, 1983. My friend, Danny Lewis and I went to catch a movie at the Trolley North theaters in Woods Cross. I don't remember with such clarity all the movies I saw in theaters back then (mostly, because all the movies we watched were only in theaters...), but I remember going to see A Christmas Story. Danny and I were in high school, our junior year. Every once in a while a film reaches you, connects on a different level. Though A Christmas Story didn't change my life...

It made an impression, so much so that almost forty years later, I still remember that night.

Since the days of video-on-demand, I think I've watched that film every year, and not just once, but multiple times.

This year, many of the original actors have reprised their rolls in a sequel to the classic hit. A Christmas Story Christmas is available to watch on HBO Max. We watched it the other night. The verdict--

It was a solid sequel, worth of the original.

Of course, some of the charm found in the original is lacking. I don't know if it's because I'm almost forty years older, but when I watched the original, I could swear they set up camera in the 1940s. Everything about that film put you in the decade. The new film, though authentic, for me lacked that feel. It was wonderful to see the original child actors return as Ralphie, Flick, Schwartz, and Randy. 

This film also has Ralphie narrate the story, only in this film, Peter Billingsley voiced the words, as opposed to the story's author, Jean Shepard, in the original (who also is the man in the department store who asked Ralphie and his brother where they think they're going...). Grown-up Ralphie must move heaven and earth to make Christmas special for his family, just like his father did decades earlier.

If you like the original, my guess is you'll like this one. You definitely need to watch it. I sat and enjoyed the whole thing, but when the last scene played out, I found myself transported back in time to a now extinct movie theater with my friend with whom I haven't seen in years and sat in awe at the creativity of the show, the powerful use of the expertly-written spoken word, and a cinematic experience that put in on the street, in the school, and waking up Christmas morning full of wonder.

Maybe the show really did end up changing my life after all.

Down Goes Number 4...Twice!

To be honest, I didn't give either the University of Utah men's basketball or their football team a chance in their upcoming games. When it comes to the basketball team, there have been so many changes with the basketball program--I hardly know any of the players, and by the lack of fans at the Huntsman Center, I wonder if many others do either. I know more about the football team. Still...

I don't know if anyone believed what would happen last week.

First, the basketball game. Unlike the football season, the college basketball season has just begun. There are ranked teams, but the rankings are based not so much on games played, but more on reputation. The 4th-ranked team in the country came to Utah to play the Runnin' Utes. Arizona's a "blue blood" college basketball program. They were undefeated and probably thought Utah would be a push-over. 

Yes, it was a push-over situation, but Arizona were the push-ees, not the push-ers. 

Great win--loved seeing it.

Then, came the "sure thing," the "safe bet." Number 11 played number 4 for the PAC-12 Championship. No one--at least, no logically-thinking sports fan--gave Utah a chance against the University of Southern California. After all, a win guaranteed a PAC-12 team in the National Championship Playoffs and an almost certain Heisman Trophy winner.

Sorry...didn't happen.

Non-Utah fans say the beat-down was due to the UCS quarterback being injured. He was, but the rest of the team didn't step up. Basically, if the team can't do better, maybe that player was #4 in the country, not the team. Either way, what's done is done, history was made, and the result can't be changed.

Yes, it was a fantastic week for be a Utah fan. I enjoyed it thoroughly, immensely, completely. Beating the 4th-ranked team in the country is fun...doing it again the next day...priceless.

 

"Spirited"...Unexpected And Amazing

Tis the season...

For new holiday movies.

Each year a new crop is thrown at us like we're breakable plates at a carnival. Sometimes the baseballs connect and the plates shatter, and sometimes...they just whiff. Mostly, many of the movies we watch are of the Hallmark or Lifetime variety, and you're batting .500 if they'll turn out to be good, or not.

This year, we've seen many of the Hallmark/Lifetime offerings, but a few others have intrigued us, namely a new film on Apple TV+ staring Will Ferrell and Ryan Reynolds, entitled...

Spirited

Before we watched it, I had some misgivings. Sure, the two stars are solid, bankable commodities known for their comedic skills, but it could be raunchy or anti-family or pushing some activist angle that I'd rather not be part of my holiday entertainment. Not only was it none of these things (I guess it was a little "blue"...), but it was completely entertaining and in a very unpredictable way.

First, it's a big-time musical, and the music was GOOD! I'm not the most musical-savvy guy, but I know I liked it. You may ask yourself if these two stars are singers and the answer is...once again, surprisingly yes. They're not known for their musical abilities (or dancing abilities...), but they pulled it off.

I have no idea if this will be available on platforms other than Apple. If you don't subscribe to the service and you'd like to see it, it's worth your time searching, that is, if you like unconventional Christmas stories and musicals. If you do subscribe to the service, give it a shot.

This one was a pleasant surprise. 8 our of 10 Candy Canes.

Give Thanks...For Hygge

 We put up the tree the week before, but we waited until others could help to decorate. Glad we waited--it's always more fun with family. After we finished, we dimmed the lights and put on a Christmas movie. I had some computer work to do (and there was limited room on the couch thanks to the dog...) so I sat at the kitchen table. It was then, I looked over and snapped a picture of the one work that came into my mind...

Hyggeligt.

It's a Danish word without a transition, really. The best way to describe the root word hygge is "cozy." I remember first learning that word and I was told what it meant, but it wasn't until I experienced it in a small front room in Denmark that I really understood what hygge means.

Hyggeligt is a state of being. Imaging sitting in a room with loved ones, lights are low, a fire smolders in the fireplace, snow gently falling outside. Add a cup of hot chocolate and you have hygge, or a hyggeligt experience.

Thankfully, I've had many such occasions in my life. I've been so blessed to be surrounded by family, friends, laughter, and love. As I looked over at my family--all our children except the oldest and his spouse--I felt it, that cozy feeling, It radiated from the decorated tree, the stockings newly hung on the mantle, the warmth generated by many humans under one roof.

Hyggeligt...it's a wonderful word, and a better feeling. I'm grateful for the word and the feeling. I hope everyone reading this can find that in their lives, or if not, can make the world just a little bit more hyggeligt.

It's totally worth it.

Delicious...AND Educational

 It's not everyday in our house that a huge tin of Danish butter cookies is opened and enjoyed. No, it's usually at this time of year...December...Christmas, that the deliciousness is unleashed on my family and guests who happen to visit during this special time of year.

It's yet another reason why it's the best time of the year.

If you haven't cracked open one of these tins in some time, you may have forgotten a thin piece of paper that acts as a barrier (and maybe a sneeze guard...) between the lid and the golden brown cookies made in a distant land many miles and an ocean away.

The world-famous Danish Butter Cookies.

As we decorated the house, we felt it appropriate to imbibe with a cookie, or two (or more...). I noticed that thin piece of paper. It gives you some information about the country after which the cookies are named, a land I call my second home, a magical place where on almost every street corner some of the world's best pastries are created and eaten--at least, that's the way it was several decades ago.

I think it's good to get a little education when enjoying delicious treats. We get a map of the country. It's a small country comprised of hundreds of islands and a peninsula attached to Germany. If you're familiar with the state of Utah, Denmark is about 1/5 the size of my home state. It's kind of amazing how many things come from that little country.

Next time you crack open a tin of Danish butter cookies, take a moment and read the information on the thin piece of paper before you excitedly toss it aside on your way to devouring the goodness found inside. Like I said, it's good to have a little education...when enjoying delicious treats.

Poor Dusty...Where Are You Little Guy?

 They're in every small town shop, a community notification board. On it you'll find notifications of upcoming concerts, postings for cement work, landscaping, even running errands. Also, you'll find posting after posting having to do with animals. There's notices of new puppies and kittens (lots of puppies and kittens...) and sometimes you'll find a "Found" animal posting. Those aren't so bad, but many times you'll find the obligatory...

Lost Animal posts.

Those are the worst.

Last week I came across one I hadn't seen before, or if I had seen it, I hadn't noticed it. On the flyer we meet Dusty, a Goldust Yorkie (with what I'm guessing is a look on his fact that does not reflect the dog's true demeanor...) that went missing from what I can tell is the end of September. That's a long time to be missing. Things don't look well for Dusty or for his extremely worried owners.

I wish I could help. I wish I knew where Dusty is or where he went. I wish I could tell them that their beloved pet has been found and a reunion would take place soon.

But, unfortunately, sometimes the dog doesn't come back, the flyer with the photo of the lost animal fails to find the lost friend. That's life...for every happy ending, there are many that don't turn out so well. And, considering the poster was still hanging on the community notification board at the end of November...well, I'm guessing this story is one of the latter.

We visit the store at least once a week. Next time we'll go shopping, I'll look to see if the Dusty notice is still hanging in the top right corner. If it is, there's still hope, but if it's gone, then either Dusty has been found or the heartbroken owners have stopped looking. If it's gone, soon another notice will take its place, another lost animal's picture will appear with similar words underneath. 

I hope when that notice is pinned up on the board, there'll be a happy ending.

He Can Do This All Day Long...

One of the things we wanted when we moved was a fenced yard. The reason...a young standard poodle. If you're not familiar with poodles, they're not just fru-fru dogs in dog shows. They are extremely intelligent and they have energy in buckets. 

In other words, they'll run and run and run.

In the summer, something we loved doing was going out at dusk and playing fetch with the dog. We'd take out several of his toys and spend time throwing the balls around the yard. He'd chase them down and bring them back. We noticed if we brought out more than one ball, he'd drop the one in order to track down the other. With one ball, it many times turned into a "game of wills" for him to drop it so we could throw it.

Seasons change, as they do, and since this is the first autumn and winter with our fence, we didn't know how the dog would act once the weather turned told and the days became shorter.

Turns out, the colder and shorter days didn't stop the dog from going outside and playing fetch at all.

In fact, because it's getting darker earlier, the dog has been going to my office door and scratching because he wants to go outside. The problem is, I'm still working. We've got three more weeks of reduced daylight, then the days will get longer. I hope the dog doesn't keep scratching at my door earlier and earlier the next couple of weeks. But, he probably will.

Still, it's been so much fun having a fenced yard and I love tossing the ball to him and having him run and run and run. He could do it all day long.