May 2023...The Month That Was

 In a few hours (our time...) the month of May--2023 version--will be over.

Strange how time flows differently a times. Before the month began, June seemed so far away. It's the month when our daughter gets married, the month when school for our youngest ends. Back in April...oh, we had so much time.

Tomorrow, June begins.

Time is slipping away, and the rock is rolling faster and faster.

It was a great month--frustrating a times--but great. One project we had to complete was fixing our sprinkler system. The old controller bit the digital dust so I thought replacing it would be no big deal. Let's just say, I know so much more about sprinkling system controllers than I did before. As June hits, we can, with a simple push of a button, activate the entire system from our phones...isn't technology wonderful?

Another sign of life returning in the wide valley are yard sales. When we first moved here a few years back, we saw almost no yard sales. I guess we just didn't know where to look. Now, they're all over and we've taken advantage. Last summer we bought so many things to decorate the house and yard at these sales. We thought we may continue the tradition, but this year--so far--we've had to be more discerning. There's a wedding to finance, you know.

May is almost history. June is just around the corner. It will be a month like we've never experienced.

I hope we're ready.

Well, There's Your Problem Right There...

 Every year, without fail, I'm forced to remember things I once knew but apparently have forgotten. I'm talking about yardwork, but with me and my age, it could be anything.

I work at a job where we're supposed to know literal volumes of information in order to do the job correctly. It's so much to learn and retain that many times after I've learned it, it may not be remained. Of course, I'm usually reminded that I've forgotten something when I do it wrong and it's found out I did it wrong. Then, my aging brain searches for that time when I learned that particular tidbit of knowledge I somehow forgot and wonder why I failed to recall it when needed.

The same thing happened to me today. We live in an area that has four seasons, meaning, we have snow in the winter and hot temperatures in the summer. Because of this, we shut down our sprinkling system in the fall and resurrect it each spring. I remember being told when we put in the system that the secondary/irrigation water is not clean--not by a long shot. We have a filtration system to remove the gunk and silt that's in the lines. The water was turned on a few weeks ago.

I noticed the pressure in our lines was low and I couldn't figure out why. 

Then I remembered.

The filter.

There's your problem right there.

Cleaning out the filter it reminded me of when I forget things at work and probably other places that I haven't yet remembered I've forgotten.

I guess I'm getting old.

A Birthday Party...Celebrating Ninety-Five Years

 How appropriate to celebrate my uncle's 95th birthday this weekend, a weekend when we remember the lives of those who went before, those who sacrificed. Even though my uncle and aunt are still with us, they've lived through times about which books are made, generations are formed.

In the above picture from left to right are my grandparents on my mother's side, then my mother, father (the tall one...), my aunt, and finally my uncle. Only the last two are still with us.

Yesterday, our family gathered at the gravesite of my parents and sister. Today, we got to spend time with cousins, friends, family. 

I've always considered myself lucky, blessed to be placed in the family I'm in. Being adopted, my entire existence could have been so much different. Because my father passed away when me and my siblings were so young, we spent a lot of time with family, especially on my mother's side. We also spent time with my father's siblings and their families, but many of them were older and lived farther away. We really bonded with my cousins, many of which were at today's celebration.

I love those people.

Many of the fondest memories of my youth involve those people, summer vacations, hiking in the Tetons, just spending time in southeast Idaho.

I didn't take a photo of my uncle today--it didn't feel right. Instead, my wife and I listed to him tell us a sweet story of what it's like living for almost a century. The birthday gave us an excuse to hold a mini-family reunion. As we get older, those usually happen when one of us are no longer here and not only are we gathering to reminisce, but to say, good-bye. Chances are the next time we meet will be for that very reason.

Happy birthday, Uncle! You're small in stature, but a giant in my memory and my world. God bless.

Give Thanks...For Second Chances

 May 2023 has been a crazy month. We're preparing for a wedding in just under three weeks, and that has taken so much of our time and brain-power. Earlier in the month I wrote two short stories and submitted them for anthologies. Haven't heard back on either of them. I have no illusions as to my chances, but I had a blast writing them.

I saw another call for stories. This time, it's dogs and science fiction/fantasy. I didn't have a story written, or even thought of one, but I wrote a novel about a dog in space...maybe I could do something with that. I opened a browser page with the submission information on it and then...

Forgot about it.

I opened the browser page on a Monday. The contest ended the Friday before. I missed it. Bummer. Then, as if a very specific prayer was answered, the submission contest opened again.

Score!

I'm a few thousand words into what should be a 4-5k story. I've set up the beginning and introduced the story's major conflict. The contest ends Tuesday, the 30th. I've got two days (minus a family party tomorrow...) to get it done.

I'm grateful for the second chance. As with the other stories, I have no idea my chances, assuming I finish the story in time. I'm grateful for opportunities that are out there. I'm grateful for people who are taking chances with art and allowing others to participate. I'll let you all know how it goes.

How In the World Did A Yves Saint Laurent Tuxedo End Up At The Brigham City Deseret Industries...?

 Yesterday my wife and I ran errands. We still have a million things to do to prepare for our daughter's wedding next month. On the way to pick up a clothes steamer of all things, we stopped at the Deseret Industries thrift store in Brigham City, Utah.

It's where we found a tuxedo.

Made by Yves Saint Laurent.

I tried on the jacket...it fit extremely well considering it was the only tuxedo in the store. I held up the pants at the side of my legs and they looked to be the right length. Neither of us could believe it was a YSL tux. My wife asked how much it cost.

I said, "Thirty bucks."

"We're buying it," she said--no hesitation.

When we find something at a thrift store (or a yard sale...) that might be worth something, we come home a do an internet search so see if we've scored a great deal. This time, it's hard to say if it was a good deal or an incredibly amazing deal. If you search for Yves Saint Laurent tuxedo, the jacket can cost between $3400 and $4500. The pants will set you back $1350. I know this thing isn't worth that, but, well...if it is worth something close to that, how in the world did it get there? Who donated it? Where did they get it?

Another mystery is the only tag in the garments. It says, "Ancient Thai Silk Co., LTD. 100% Thai Silk." I thought the entire suit was silk, but I think it's wool with silk linings. I could be wrong--I've never owned a silk suit before.

So, we bought a suit that came with unanswered questions. There's someone out there who knows the answers to these questions. The questions make the whole experience more fun.

Good-Bye, Mr. Squeaky...

 I blogged about it when we bought it, took pictures of it, and today, it went in the trash. Such is life. After a huge storm, the thing was destroyed. All the fins on the windmill snapped and the mechanism that allowed the contraption to turn separated so it didn't turn any more.

This morning, as we were outside weeding, the garbage truck went up the street. Before it came down, I took the top off the windmill and threw it in the can. 

I suppose we could just go buy another windmill, assemble it, and set it up where the old one stood. I don't even know how much they cost. The best part of this one is that we found it at a yard sale. The seller had purchased an even bigger one and didn't have use for its little brother. We were happy to give it a new home.

I know one person who will be happy it's been taken away in a big white truck. My daughter. Her room is the closest to where we had the windmill outside. And because it was an aging piece of exterior yard decor, it squeaked...squeaked a lot, and because of where we live, the wind blow, blows a lot. It even squeaked as a non-functioning windmill.

Tomorrow we'll plant something in the now empty spot, something that will hopefully grow year after year, and maybe we'll come across something one day that we'll love, blog about, take pictures of to.

Until that day, however, we'll try something new. Here's to new things.

Ever Lived Next To A Breakfast Cereal Plant...?

 We do, in fact, live about two miles from a factory where breakfast cereals are produced. It's one of those things that makes our little town unique, like a haunted hotel, or a work-out gym where a semi-famous movie was filmed.

We have a cereal plant.

It's located across the street from the hospital on the west side of town. Not knowing the history of the area very well, I don't know which came first, the hospital or the plant.

I knew a man who grew up on a dairy farm in Hooper. He told me once he could tell by the way the milk tasted what the cows had been eating. What does that have to do with living next to a cereal plant? When we drive by, if the wind if blowing in a favorable direction, you can tell when the plant is making different breakfast cereals. My nose isn't experienced enough to know exactly which cereal they're making when the wind flows in a favorable direction. My wife and I discuss it as we drive by. We make guesses--don't know if we're right or not.

I met someone who works in the plant. He's the son of a former neighbor. I think it would be a fascinating job making cereal.

Yes, other cities have their attractions, perhaps a big ball of twine, or a petting zoo with semi-unusual animals, but they don't have a breakfast cereal plant like we do.

Growing Up...With This Amazing Art

 While doing a little surfing tonight, I came across some artwork of Robert McCall. There's a good chance you've also seen his artwork, but if you're of a certain age, you've definitely seen it. He created the mind-blowing art for the film, 2001: A Space Odyssey. 

I loved those posters.

At the time I was a little young and not the target audience for the film. Back then, you couldn't just fire-up your laptop/tablet/phone and watch not only clips of the movie, but the entire film itself. No, if you missed it in the theater or on TV (and some shows were never broadcast on the Big 3 networks...), you didn't get to see it. I think I finally saw the film for the first time in my twenties, some twenty-odd years after the movie was released, and some ten-odd years before the year 2001 actually arrived.

Back when this artwork was available, late 1960s, early 1970s, I was young, but it was also the time when real spaceships and astronauts floated weightless above our heads in space. To a child, seeing the double-wheeled space station and a jet-like spaceship (complete with PanAm logo...) seemed not only probable, but definitely possible.

Too bad things didn't quite turn out like that.

The art was to draw people to the movie, but for me, it took me far beyond a single film. It unlocked the possibility of imagination...effective art, indeed.

The Evolution Of A Thing...

 On Saturday my wife and I attended an event, a culmination of hours and hours of work and dedication to a craft. We've been attending these events for about a decade--ten years of paying (very little...) to get in, sitting for many hours on uncomfortable seats, taking multiple hours of video and hundreds of photographs of the performers.

In those years, I've noticed many things, one of which is the evolution of the ballroom dance company.

When our children were performers, there were so many dancers. From teenie-tiny dancers to experts, team after team would take the floor. We'd wait patiently for our children to perform and applaud more vigorously when they did. I remember the printed programs listed dance after dance after dance.

They were long, long, events.

Time passed...things change.

In many ways Saturday's program reminded me of those past recitals, the energy from both audience and dancers, the amazing performances, the uncomfortable chairs. But, the line-up had shrunk. It makes sense, in a way. Those in charge are older and--like me--have less energy to do pretty much anything. Also, to continue for this type of business, you need new blood and lots of it. With all the things vying for a child's interest, I think it's more difficult to recruit dancers. So much has changed even in the past decade.

Businesses grow and shrink, they have successes and the opposite. Sitting in the venue watching the children dance, I saw an evolution of a thing. It's been a great thing. I wonder what its future will bring.

Cliff Poncier Said It Best..."I Miss Those Planes"

 There's a scene in the classic film, Singles, where Cliff Poncier waxes nostalgic about the time he used to live near the airport and no one wanted to visit him because the planes were so loud. He was sad and lonely because none of his friends would come to his cookouts, but he said he missed those planes.

When asked what he was talking about, Poncier said, "I don't know."

We have wide open skies here in Northern Utah, fewer people, too. And with fewer people there are fewer planes in the air over our heads. We used to live between the Salt Lake International Airport and Hill Air Force Base...lots of planes.

I don't remember a lot about my father, but I do remember he used to fly a lot. Back then you could drive right up to the runways and watch the planes take off and land, and sometimes we used to take him to catch his flights and we'd see the planes. For obvious reasons, we're no longer able to get so close to planes, but if I could, I would love to sit and watch planes take off and land all day long.

I also liked watching the passenger jets fly over our house where we used to live, but I really loved seeing the air force jets scream across the sky, especially on the Fourth of July.

Tonight, as we sat under an incredibly beautiful sky, I watched a jet fly overhead. It's such an anomaly now. I sat and watched it cross the sky, the vapor trail disappearing slowly as it passed. It was beautiful.

Cliff Poncier said it best, "I miss those planes."

Give Thanks...We Have Fewer Cars Here

 You know, I forget things from time to time. I forget where I left my eyeglasses, or my wallet. It seems to become more prevalent as I get older.

And whenever we brought home a baby, I always forgot how much sleep I didn't get with a newborn in the house. That's a big one. Yesterday I was reminded of another thing I forgot...

The traffic in Davis County, Utah.

Yesterday, we traveled south to watch my daughter and her fiancee participate in a dance recital. They had a busy afternoon planned, dance at one venue, then they scheduled another dance in a different venue less than ten miles away. We watched the first, then jumped into our cars to make the second. We had to hurry because the second event had already started. No worries--it's just down the road.

Wrong.

I forgot on weekends tens of thousands of cars, trucks, semis, motorcycles descend upon the roads. I forgot that at any moment a crash can occur on the interstate and tie up all roads going north/south for hours. I forgot this because for the past two-plus years, this is something that's never entered my mind, something I never think about, something that doesn't exist where we live.

With the freeway a parking lot, we tried other roads. Turns out they were parking lots, too, slowly inching along, all in effort to get to where they wanted to go.

An hour later, we pulled up to Destination #2, an hour to drive just under ten miles. We were lucky...my daughter's car took an hour and a half and we left at the same time.

Living in a place with few people is not for everyone--I completely understand. And those who want to live in the center of the action put up with traffic as just part of the price of living where they want. The traffic eventually thins out--it's just when you must be somewhere on time, it's maddening. 

I'm grateful to have a life where I don't necessarily need to be surrounded by millions of others. I'm grateful to be living at a slower pace. Sure, there are sacrifices, but there's sacrifices wherever you choose to live. Yesterday I forgot what it was like to live where we did. In time, I'll probably forget again.

Looks Like Backyard Season Has Begun...

 Last year, we dug a hole in the backyard, encircled it with rocks, threw in some paper and wood, and celebrated the arrival of spring with a fire. Too bad it snowed every time we used it.

That was then. This spring, different story.

This year, it's been wonderful.

The Backyard Season has officially begun.

Last week we had family visiting from out-of-state, a perfect excuse to chop up some kindling and start a fire suitable for weenie roasting and s'mores. Thankfully, the snow never hit, even though we did get a few drops of rain.

We also dug out the grill from its winter slumber--we've used it a couple of times. There's something different about meat cooked with charcoal on a grill...it screams backyard. We're fortunate enough to have a little space we call our own, or the bank calls it there's until we pay off the mortgage, then it's officially our's (and the government's...). 

If we weren't so tired of battling traffic and the lack of yard sales this morning, we might be celebrating surviving another day with a fire crackling at our feet. The wind would be blowing the smoke in every direction seemingly all at once. We'd need to wash our clothes on laundry day.

The world is going nuts, but there's one place that offers sanctuary from all the insanity...

Backyard Season has begun.

Took A Drive Down Memory Lane...Nice Day For A Drive

When preparing for a wedding, there's lots to do. Food, clothes, flowers, invitations...

Then, there's pictures.

It's not like pictures for a funeral, but it is an ending of sorts, even though when it comes to weddings, most focus on the beginnings. For the parents of the bride and groom, there's an ending, an ending of having their child at home, an ending of the family unit never quite being the same. We are beyond excited about the upcoming event, still...

Well, things change.

Today, I was given an assignment to help find pictures of our daughter for the big day. I started driving down memory lane and ended up thinking the same thing all parents think when they enter that road...where did the time go?

I know I'm old--even my body's giving me the signals--but I don't feel that old. Yes, to me seeing these pictures of my daughter takes me back, back maybe ten, fifteen years tops. Nope...they go back further than that, back to when we lived in the apartment in the house where I grew up, the house my dad never quite finished building, back to when all kids could fit in a sedan, back when my mother and my wife's father were still alive.

A picture is more than card stock and a glossy finish. It's evidence of an event, of a glimpse of time that is always in the past, but shows an eternal present. These images and others directed me down the lane of memories, on a beautiful drive through my past.

Some Interesting, Fascinating Insights...On Writing

 Full disclosure...this blog entry is basically lifted from a twitter post I saw today, a post I found both interesting and fascinating...

And worth sharing.

Billy Oppenheimer is a writing/research assistant living in Texas. His post today on Twitter focused on Aaron Sorkin, world-famous writer and screenwriter. If you don't know Aaron Sorkin's name, you know the words he's written. He's best known for The West Wing, but also, A Few Good Men, The Social Network, Sports Night, The American President, Moneyball, and others.

In other words...a proven and successful storyteller. 

I'm not going to plagiarize Mr. Oppenheimer's post, other than to say it provides insights into Mr. Sorkin's writing history, also, he includes opinions on writing from Neil Gaiman. Something Gaiman wrote about creativity and boredom really hit me hard.

Perhaps this information is widely known--I don't know. I haven't read a lot about either Sorkin or Gaiman and these stories can be easily found or are something all fans of these writers already know. So, if you one that already knows this stuff, sorry. 

If you're on Twitter, check out the post at: @bpoppenheimer. If you're a writer, or even if you're not, hopefully you find the stories of where creativity comes from as interesting and fascinating as I did.

Spent My Days Chasing Rainbows...The Kinds You Get From Functioning Sprinklers

 To me, sprinkler systems and frustration are synonymous.

And today, offered further proof.

There was some good news, however...I know what I need to do.

We've had such a wet winter and spring, we haven't really needed to turn our our irrigation water until now. Two years ago, we put in the system. Last year, we turned on the system and it worked perfectly. This year...Nope. The controller was shot.

No problem, I thought. I'll just go get another one. I bought one last night and took the day off work to get it up and running and to check all the lines. Things didn't go as easily as I would have hoped. When I hooked up the controller, the system wouldn't work. I heard the valves click open, then they'd close. We went to the hardware store and they said it might be a bad unit. So, I bought another one.

This one also did not work. I kept wondering if I had messed up the wiring, but that's unlikely. Wiring is not that tough, and I followed the instructions. I went to the store where I bought controller #2 and explained my situation with a store employee and a customer.

Turns out the customer is a professional landscaper and sprinkler guru.

Thank, goodness!

He explained that the reason none of the controllers worked is because we were using a DC-powered unit before and I was trying to use AC-powered controllers now. I bought another controller (hopefully, the last one...), and tomorrow I'll pick up the other parts I need to make it work.

No, the system was not fixed today, but thanks to that last trip to the store and talking to the guy with the answers, I know what I need to do. Looks like the rainbows will have to wait...

But they're coming.

Before...And After

 Since we had such a long winter this year, one thing we put off was setting up a time to get our dog's hair cut. Because we have a poodle and because we don't know how to cut our dog's hair ourselves, we need to set something up from a groomer. 

If you have a dog that needs a hair cut, there's a good chance if you can find a groomer, they're weeks, sometimes months out for their next open appointment. That's what happened to us this spring, but since it was still on the cooler side, having long hair wasn't the worst thing for the dog.

Then, things got warmer.

For years we've taken Bec the dog to a groomer where we used to live. We love using her--she does a great job and loves Bec. When we called for an appointment, she was booked solid for weeks. It would be sometime in June before we could get the dog in. We couldn't do that to the dog. We asked our neighbors who they use and they suggested someone only about fifteen minutes away.

We tried her out and the experience was good for us, good for Bec, and hopefully, good for the groomer.

Normally, when the dog returns home, we almost never recognize him...such a difference. This time, because we waited longer than normal, the difference between before and after was stark, as the pictures prove.

Glad we could get him groomed...it's going to get warm soon.

Writers Cantina...The Schedule Is Posted

 

As time ticks on, things that seemed far in the future become nearer...such is the way of it. We make plans, we invite others, we set the date, then we plan. During the months between first idea and final event, people reach out and are contacted, commitments made, and because we tend to be an organize bunch (some of us, anyway...), a spreadsheet forms, names added, times chosen, until a schedule is done.

Subject to change, of course.

The one-day schedule for the Writers Cantina Writing Convention is up. You can access it by clicking: HERE. The plan is for the convention to grow and next year, and have it even bigger the year after that. I'm excited to see how this thing turns out. 

We've got exactly fifty-four days until the doors open in West Valley City. Check out the schedule and see if there's something you'd be interested in. Even if not, you can hang with some tremendous authors and chew the fat. It's going to be great.

Give Thanks...For The Boy Scouts

 Last week my wife and I had to get some printing done. You know, for the wedding. They took our order and we waited for them to finish, so I went on a little tour of the print shop. Interesting place. In addition to printers, they had shipping boxes, packing material, tape, and other things you would expect to find in a business that caters to shipping needs.

There was something else in the store, something that used to be such a normal part of my life--of the lives of so many--that now is almost non-existent.

They had Boy Scouts of America supplies.

It was so odd to me, I snapped a couple of pictures.

As a boy growing up in Utah, Boy Scouts of America was everywhere. It was as big a part of my life as was church, sometimes bigger. We started in the cub scouts, then graduated to the big leagues. Every week we had pack meeting, every summer we had scout camp. All my friends were in scouts, my mom was a den leader. Scouting was so ingrained in our culture.

And then, it wasn't.

Yes, scouting has not disappeared completely, but from what I understand, it's a shell of its former self. Add to the fact that we no longer have children of scouting age, I don't even know if there's a local group in our area.

The sad part is, I enjoyed (mostly...) my time in scouting. When done correctly, scouting teaches life-long lessons and values I still try and incorporate today, decades later.  I'm grateful for the leaders and parents who sacrificed so much so their children could learn those values and lessons. Which makes the downfall so painful.

Seeing the books and posters in the store brought it back, brought back the memories--the good and the not-so-good. It made me remember just how big a program it was, and how much it's missed.

Made Another Little Video...This One About Graduating

 Remember what it was like getting a new toy? You'd open the package and play with it, see what it could do, and then, sort of forget about it? Like other things crowded out the greatness of the toy, and it gets discarded.

Until one day you discover it again and check it out.

My family threw my son a graduation party today. I was asked to create a little video for the party. I dusted off the iMovie app on my laptop and went to work. Even though the template didn't completely work with the theme, it was fun to do. I liked looking back on the memories from the past decade and more. The family enjoyed it and so did I.

Years ago, I found almost any excuse to make either a video of a movie trailer (which is what "Done With School!" was...). When I did a show, I'd take photos and videos and sometimes create an iMovie to preserve the experience. I can't remember the last time I made one, or even had the desire to do so. Had I not been asked, I wouldn't have done it.

So, we now have another little movie to add to the others. After all, graduating from high school is a worthy topic for just such a thing.

Words Cannot Adequately Described...Just How Awesome These Were

 We had an hour or so to kill before we picked up our youngest from school, so we stopped by the Logan Deseret Industries, the major thrift store chain prevalent in our state. After wandering around for a bit, my wife pointed to a couch/chair combo that was, in a word, spectacular.

Someone, somewhere would die for them.

They were covered with red vinyl, with carved wood accents. The chair was $25, the couch $55. Even though they were amazing, there's no way we could have bought them. We have no place to put them. But, if someone out there were designing a space in retro 60s style, these would be perfect.

I sat down on the couch. Let's just say, it wasn't as comfortable as it is stylish. Perhaps, more than half a century ago, they were wonderful to sit on and lay down on. If so, time has not been kind. They weren't the worst thing I've sat on and we'll leave it at that.

If you are one of those people looking for just such a couch/chair combo, you'd better head to the Logan D.I. and quick. Who knows how many people are looking for something like this for their collection?

I Didn't Think About What Day It Was...Until I Saw The Sign

 My wife and I went out for dinner last Friday. We decided to hit up the local Taco Time. If you're unfamiliar with the franchise, it's Mexican food, but not really. It's more American/Mexican...sort of like Taco Bell, but without the hype. We pulled into the parking lot thinking we'd hit the drive-thru...

Nope--too many cars.

We parked the van and went inside to order. That's when I noticed the sign, "Cinco de Mayo, $1 Off, Soft Taco.

Apparently, we weren't the only ones who thought we'd celebrate Cinco de Mayo by taking in some Mexican food (except it's not really Mexican...).

We don't go there that often. It's a few miles away from other fast food places so we're usually too hungry to drive the extra clicks for Taco Time food, so when I saw all the cars, I didn't know if it was usually that busy on a Friday night. After we placed the order, I asked the worker if it was always that busy on a Friday night. I was told it was a little busier than normal because of the holiday.

Funny thing is, we didn't order the soft taco, so didn't really take advantage of the sale...such is life sometimes.

Sometimes I Really Miss Our Fish Tank...Then I Remember

 Last week my wife and I stopped by our chiropractor's office. We hadn't been there in a while. When that happens, you notice changes, like a new poster or TV screen, a new piece of wall art...

Or a new fish tank.

It was beautiful.

It was a corner tank, curved on a custom-built base. I have no idea how many gallons, but I would imagine at least fifty. I'm no fish tank fish expert either, but it was stocked with several species. I took a picture of a couple of them.

Both my wife and I commented on it, how great it looked in the waiting room, how amazing the fish looked swimming around in their underwater world. It made me think about when we had a fish tank and how it would be awesome to have another one.

Then, I started to think about it.

We got fish a few months after we got married. It was a tall twenty-gallon tank. Because it was tall, it didn't take up too much room which was good because our first (and second, and third...) apartments were not big. I'd say we had moderate success with the fish. Yes, they lived for a time, until they didn't. I admit I loved watching the little fishies swim about. There's something soothing about a fish tank. It's calming.

Until, that is, you deal with the upkeep.

Having any pet comes with chores, responsibilities. It's a give-and-take situation. Maybe having a tall tank made it more difficult to clean, but I'm sure I'd complain about any sized tank. We'd clean it, try new filters, even buy scrubber fish...it still seemed to get dirty quicker than we thought it should. I see those huge tanks with the beautiful fish and I wish I had the time and patience (and money...) to have another tank. But then, I don't think it would be worth it. 

 I believe tanks in professional offices are serviced with people who are paid to take care of everything so all the owners have to do is enjoy. That's the way to go. I think I could handle that.

Writers Cantina Presenter Spotlight: Larry Correia...Bringing Out The Big Guns

 In our local literary universe, you've got moons, and planets. Some planets are bigger than others...it's just the way of it. And one of the bigger planets in our solar system is our latest Writers Cantina presenter spotlight: Larry Correia.

Larry is a true literary success story. He is proof that with hard work and dedication to the craft can pay off big time. His success story is fascinating. 

Larry and another presenter, Steve Diamond host the Writer Dojo podcast where the two (and invited guests...) deliver valuable information on how to not only be a better writer, but all the other things new writers don't know they don't know.

If you've met Larry, you know he's a straight shooter, to use another gun analogy. It's apt because for years Larry worked as a writer covering the firearms industry. He knows his stuff, and that knowledge has helped him build an incredibly loyal fanbase. Plus, when you attend any panel in which Larry is involved, it's not your average panel. You never quite know what's going to happen.

Larry has a huge personality and in exactly sixty days, you can attend the inaugural Writers Cantina writing convention on July 8th, 2023 in West Valley City, Utah and find out for yourself.

We'd love to see you there.

Cluttered...But With A Purpose

We're less than five weeks out from a big day for our family. Our daughter will be getting married which, in our case, requires a lot of self-created set up. 

Translation...

There's a lot of stuff at our house.

It's been stressful ordering things, putting things together, deciding what looks good and what looks better, and envisioning the final effect. But, it's also fun and exciting. We've worked with our daughter and future son-in-law over all the details we can think of. They've been great in compromising when needed. Like all families, we can't do everything we'd like.

Our house has become part assembly line, part warehouse as things come in and depending on whether or not they need an upgrade, they are processed, boxed, then moved to the holding area where they will be unboxed at the appropriate time. 

A few weeks ago we had the most clutter, but as time ticks on and we get closer to the big day, we've been able to clear things out. The storage area is becoming cluttered, which has freed up our living quarters.

We're planning on having a huge yard sale once the wedding has become a memory. It's going to be massive. No doubt I'll spread the word on this blog and if you're in the area, we'd love to have you stop by and check out all the clutter. Until then, got to keep going. It's going to be great.

Give Thanks...O Beautiful, For Spacious Skies

 

At choir practice this morning, we rehearsed an awesome version of Katharine Lee Bates's patriotic classic, America the Beautiful. Great rehearsal for the first time the choir saw the music. Of course, it's a song we've all known basically since birth. The practice ended, I climbed into my car and started for home.

I had a tough time keeping my eyes on the road...the sky was mesmerizing.

Basically, I witnessed the first line of the song..."Oh beautiful for spacious skies."

This afternoon, we decided to bring to life our fire pit after several months buried under literal feet of snow. I started the fire an hour or two before we ate. Once the fire was lit and started to grow, I just sat in a chair and stared at the sky. The blues, the whites. It was incredible. I snapped a few pictures, but it can in no way capture the scene before me. 

We moved a few years ago, moved from an established community where our neighborhood was established about a century ago with large trees planted decades ago reaching for the sky. We moved to a mountain where the oldest tree (man planted) is maybe twenty years old. And on our street, the homes are less than five years old. After we were here a year or so, I asked my kids what they missed most from where we used to live. My son said, the trees.

I miss the trees, too, but I have to say, the lack of trees opens up the sky, and because we moved from a highly populated area to one that's quite the opposite, there's not as much pollution in the air making what you see even more spectacular.

I'm grateful for the beauty of the skies. I'm grateful I can see it, enjoy it, appreciate it. It's an honor to be able to enjoy such art. Oh, how beautiful are those spacious skies.

Online Trainings...Putting The "Suck" In "Soul-Sucking"

 Okay, that's a little harsh. It's not completely "soul-sucking," but it was a fun title for a blog post so I kept it. The problem is, it's part of the job.

I have a theory as to why we have so many trainings--the main reason? It cuts down on insurance. I may be wrong, but it makes sense that by having all employees take the same trainings, every year...

Every year...

Every year.

Since this is my 26th year with the organization, I've completed these trainings a lot. I haven't counted them, but there must be 20+ trainings we complete annually. Most are fine...they go over the same stuff, how to treat sensitive information, how to handle an armed intruder, how to deal with fires, what to do and not to do when it comes to harassment. You know, the basics. I don't want to diminish the importance of this knowledge. It's just when you take the same trainings again and again and again...well, it can feel like the dementors and circling and beginning that "soul sucking" thing.

I took a screen shot of one particularly frustrating training I did last week. I was stuck on one question for a long time. I even went back and studied the previous screens, studied the earlier information to make sure I was getting it right. The good news is after all that time I doubt I'm ever going to forget the answers to that question again...

Until we're required to take it next year, that is.

When Your Last Child Graduates...Homeschoolers No More

 There were no speeches, no cap and gowns, no standing in line waiting to receive a rolled up piece of paper--nothing like that. Today, my youngest's teacher declared school to be over. And just like that, a chapter in our lives came to an end...

A chapter that began twenty-four years ago, and ended on a brisk day in May.

Our homeschooling days are over.

What a ride!

I remember the conversations my wife and I had driving around the streets of Colorado Springs, Colorado. We discussed homeschooling and whether or not we were going to actually do it. Our first born was only a year old at the time...we had years to go to decide. When he got older, we returned to the topic and decided it was the right thing to do for our family.

Over the years my wife and I have discussed those first conversations and ultimately deciding to commit to homeschooling. At the time we had NO idea how much education in general would change from the last 1990s, or that the entire world would homeschool for a time during the pandemic. 

Four kids, over two decades later, that journey is complete. On Monday, we won't gather for school. It's such a strange thought to contemplate. 

My social media feeds have been packed with photos of friends, and children of friends graduating from the local universities. It's an amazing accomplishment. Some with continue their formal education while others will continue with other degrees. Our youngest is attending a trade school so he's not yet done with his education.

But, for my wife, who held class year after year, the last book has been read, the last lesson learned. Like all schools, we experienced budget concerns, teacher-student incidents, and students looking longingly for end of year breaks. And like all schools, we persevered. 

As May 5th, 2023, Taylor Academy has closed its doors.

Writers Cantina Presenter Spotlight: Jay Barnson...Gentleman, Author

 Jay Barnson is an author and computer programmer and another featured presenter at this year's Writers Cantina Writing Convention taking place on July 8, 2023 in West Valley City, Utah...exactly sixty-five days from today.

He's also a great guy.

I remember first meeting Jay at a steampunk convention almost ten years ago. I was attending my very first event--even got to participate on a panel. I was there trying to sell books, specifically my first published work, a short story in a steampunk anthology called, Mechanized Masterpieces.  My Story, Little Boiler Girl changed my life.

The table was set up and Jay stopped by along with his family. They were all decked out in awesome steampunk garb...they cosplayed and did a wonderful job at it, too. I remember talking to him about the publisher and how they were looking for authors and they used their anthologies to mine for talent. Fast forward a couple of years and Jay and I were both in another anthology. Then, because apparently Jay can't stop writing, he's published a series, then he goes and starts another.

I've gotten to know Jay better in those ten years, as well as his family. They are great people. Before the great shutdown, we used to see each other several times a year. It was always fun catching up. If you attend this year's inaugural Writers Cantina convention, be sure catch any panel in which Jay in involved. It'll be well worth your time. You can access the convention's website by clicking: HERE, and find out more about Jay at the convention by clicking: HERE.

Jay Barnson...gentleman, author, all-around great author and even better person.

Goodnight, Fawna...Definitely One Of A Kind

 Yesterday a friend of more than forty years passed away. From what I can gather, it was unexpected, not that a sudden passing makes the news any worse. To find out a friend of my youth (who is the same age as me...) is no longer with is is always a shock, but there are certain people out there who have such strong personalities, it seems Death fears them...

Not the other way around.

I think everyone who ever met Fawna knows what I'm talking about. The woman was a force of nature, a spirit that that filled any room she entered, a person you were destined to remember.

Our lives crossed many time in the past four decades. I first met Fawna at Lagoon when we were both in high school. We worked in the entertainment department. In college Fawna married a fraternity brother. And, even though we were never in the same show together, she and I were part of the small theater community where you get to know everyone--sort of a "six degrees of separation" kind of thing. 

You become a family because you share the stage, and all that that entails. 

Each show becomes a chapter of your book of life. The experiences are unique, the long rehearsals (or seasons, when it came to Lagoon...), counting on each other for support--on and off stage--and feeling that incredibly conflicting love/hate relationship when a show ends, of relief of being done and sad you won't get to see your friends until the next show...if there's a next show.

And when you lose a family member, it's painful. There are no more shows, no more final rehearsals, no more show notes, no more mic checks, and the last show you did was truly the last show.

For those of us left behind, I don't think we'll ever be able to forget Fawna. I know I won't. It's like she won't allow it. When friends of her Music USA casts gather, they'll think of her, talk of her, laugh--then cry--as the memories wash over them. When casts from any of the countless shows since come together, they'll inevitably do the same. She had that effect on people.

As I get older, I suppose I've got to get used to losing friends to the inevitable...it's the way of it. To Jim, her family, children, and grandchildren, we mourn with you. She was definitely one of a kind.

Oh...Those By-Gone Skiing Days

 Last Saturday my wife and I went to a yard sale. They had some fun things. It's sometimes the small items that are the most interesting.

Case in point, I saw a pamphlet sitting among a bunch of postcards, postcards with artwork from famous movie posters. They would have cool to send out, but I never send real mail anymore so I knew buying those would be a waste. 

The pamphlet, however...

That's gold.

I asked if I could take it and the seller agreed. It's a pamphlet for the upcoming 1984 - 1985 ski season at Brighton Ski Resort. Brighton was not my "resort of choice" back in the day. It's not that I disliked Brighton--I actually liked the resort quite a bit. It's just that SnowBasin, Powder Mountain, and even Solitude were closer. Traveling to the Salt Lake resorts wasn't that far out of our way so we'd hit Brighton/Solitude or Alta/Snowbird a lot. 

Most of the time we skied Brighton was the night skiing.

The biggest "wow" I got from the pamphlet was the prices. $10 for an all day ski pass, and even more mind-blowing is it only cost $16 to ski all of Brighton and Solitude. Hard to believe.

Something's happen in the almost four decades since the pamphlet was printed. Millions of people (literally...) moved to the state and the price of going skiing increased...increased by a lot. I hardly ever go skiing now. I miss it, sure, but there are other things I enjoy, too. My one regret is that my kids didn't get the opportunity to enjoy skiing the way my wife and I did growing up.

Yes, the pamphlet brought back some wonderful memories...funny, how it was created to get skiers excited for the upcoming season. All these years later, it still elicits a response.

When Pets Are Feeling Down...

 We have one dog...we used to have two. Our first dog lived for fifteen years and at the end, was blind, deaf, and suffered from dementia. Poor girl. She had been going downhill for years until finally, her quality of life was painful to watch. We made the decision to end her pain. I miss that dog.

The remaining dog is so much different than the last. The first was a small, not very bight shih tzu. Our other dog is a poodle...

Big difference, and I'm not just talking about the size.

The shih tzu would like nothing more than to sit in your lap. Of course, her age made her not want to do much of anything else. The poodle, he'd run all day if we let him. The little dog was not very smart. The poodle - wicked smart.

Today, the poodle didn't feel too well. He lost that spark in his eye. It started last night, and continued into today. It wasn't anything major, just slight personality changes. Thankfully, he's perked up in the afternoon, and--fingers crossed--we're hoping the worst is behind us. Tonight he's acting more like his intelligent, mischievous self.

I feel so helpless when a pet is hurting. I'm obviously no veterinarian. I suppose I could do some internet searches, but that would most likely result in me thinking the dog is in much worse shape than he actually is. No, we're going to keep monitoring him to make sure things don't get worse.

It reminds of the times when there's a baby in the house and they also cannot tell you what's wrong. For us, it's been almost two decades since that's happened.

Pets are wonderful and important and strong and sometimes vulnerable. I'm so glad he relies on us to help take care of him...

And I'm glad we can.