Just Letting It Die...

This is the second summer I've spent at my work building. I may be wrong, but I don't remember a big dead lawn right in front of our building last year.

I know there's differing opinions about lawns. Some people might like seeing a huge swath of dead grass because it means precious water is being used for other things. We do live, after all, in a desert.

I'm not one that believes the lawn has to be watered everyday, but I think if they watered it a couple of times a week, it could at least be green. It might need more water than that--I don't know. I do know that right next to the lawn is a home where many veterans live. And many of those men have dogs as companions. When the weather gets warm, it's fun to watch the men enjoy a beautiful day with their dogs running around the lawn.

The area is for sale. I don't think that sign was up last year and maybe that's why the lawn is not getting watered. I'm not sure the reason. I do know, it seemed a happier space when it wasn't dying.

Keeping Cool At Church...A History

I grew up in the same neighborhood where we now live. We moved here when I was four, lived away for a few years, and eventually built a house across the street from my parent's house. When you live as an adult in the town of your youth, you end up going to many of the same buildings you visited as a child.

Unless, of course, those buildings no longer exist.

But one building I frequented years ago still does.

The Farmington Rock Church.

Today was Sunday and I attended services. Because it's summer, the a/c units are fully cranked. And, occasionally, not every square inch inside is a comfortable77º. For the past several weeks, as I've sat in our unofficial/official seats, I've forgotten to bring along my iPhone/iPad fan. Today I remembered and the thing worked beautifully.

As the cool wind offered much needed comfort I remembered how things used to be, back before there was no a/c in the building, back when all we had were paper fans.

Of course, not all the fans were paper. Many of the parishioners brought elaborate fans to cool them down. I remember looking out at the congregation and seeing a flock of fans moving back and forth, back and forth. For those of us who didn't own their own fans, we made the,. We took a piece of paper, usually the printed program, folded it and--Wha la! We had our own fans. Today I made one (to add a visual to this blog post...). It's the first fan I've made in at least three decades. And I used it in the same meeting house that once had no air-conditioning at all.

The technological advancements that have taken place since then are astounding. I know a/c was around long before I sat on those wooden pews back in the 1970s, but the building didn't have it so it didn't matter it have been invented. But my little electronic fan runs on an iPhone or an iPad, and those didn't exist back then. I wonder, in the next three decades, what things will be around to make those Sunday worships more comfortable. And will I blog about it then.

Probably.

Saturday In The Park...With Family

Usually, when someone suggests leaving the comfort of my air-conditioned home during July, I turn them down. I mean, who wants to be outside feeling like your skin is melting off your bones?

Not me.

But, when family is in town, perspectives change. 

This afternoon we loaded up the van (and a couple of more cars...) and drove up Mueller Park Canyon in the hills above Bountiful Utah. We unloaded people, firewood, and fixins for a cookout.

Utah is an amazing place. If you're an outdoorsy person, there are few places better to live in than Utah. Golf, ski, bike, run, hike, snowshoe, camp--the state's got it all. And if Brigham Young's original state boundaries had stayed in place, Utah would have San Diego's beaches as well.

This afternoon was a treat, and I'm not talking about my double s'more. We chatted, shared, learned about how the families are doing and plans for the future. This is my wife's family, a group of people who have welcomed me as one of their own to which I am eternally grateful.

No, normally I'd consider turning down a request to have dinner--cooked by an open flame, no less--in the middle of July. But today I said yes. And I'm glad I did.

Can't Believe It Came Back To Life...

Last year I took an amaryllis plant I picked up at a yard sell to work and tried to get it to grow. On the box it showed beautiful blooms and I thought it would be nice to have some color on my desk.

Day 1

I followed the instructions, planted it, and watched as four leaves sprouted and grew like crazy. I thought after seeing the leaves grow, I couldn't wait for the beautiful blooms ad advertised on the box. Turns out, the blooms never happened. Eventually the leaves died and I was left with what I started with, a big bulb halfway buried in some dirt.

Day 2

I'm the first to admit I know nothing about amaryllis plants, so I decided to keep watering it. Every week I'd water the plant a few times not knowing if it would ever grow again. Last Monday I went to work and saw all that watering and caring for the thing paid off--the start of another leaf sprang up from the top of the bulb.

Day 3

During the four days I worked this week I watched the leaf grow taller and taller. On Wednesday the one leaf was joined by another. If history repeats itself in a few weeks there will be four leaves climbing to the sky. It's amazing how fast the thing grows--almost so fast you can see it.

Day 4

I don't know if this time will be the one where I'll finally get the flowers promised in the picture. I might, but I might not. If not, that's okay. It's fun to see life growing beside me. One thing's for certain--if those blooms do show up, I'll definitely blog about it.

Paul Kalanithi's "When Breath Becomes Air"...My Words Describing This Amazing Book

Fascinating

Thoughtful

Devastating

Touching

Brave

Passionate

Tragic

Beautiful

I Know Amazon Sells A Lot Of Things...But, Come On!

It's pretty much a given that advertisers (as well as governments...) track your online activity. You do a google search and before you know it, you see advertisements for the very things you searched. They don't even try to hide it anymore.

I'm not necessarily saying this is always a bad thing. If you're searching for parts to fix your broken refrigerator, seeing ads for what you need might help you get those parts at a cheaper price. Then again, they might just be annoying.

There was even a time when my friend Todd and I discussed writing. He asked if I had heard of a writing seminar put on by a NYT bestselling author. I told him I had not heard of that seminar. He went and told me all about it. When I went home that night, I got online and there it was--an ad for that very seminar. I had never seen that ad before. It wouldn't surprised me if the advertisers (and government...) were not just following my online searches, but listening to my conversations as well.

But, those who developed the program to channel advertisements to those with money and a need/want need to up their game. I did some research on bald eagles recently for my latest story. Next thing I know, Amazon is letting me know that through them I can actually buy bald eagles! Amazon can get me bald eagles.

Of course, a bald eagle is a tangible thing--it is something that I suppose you could buy if you had the money and it were legal. But the amazing Amazon can also sell me closed captioning. That's right! Closed captioning! I didn't even know you could buy closed captioning. Apparently Amazon can get it for me.

Maybe Amazon is doing us all a favor. Maybe it's not for advertiser, but instead, a way to remind us to be more careful about what we search for on the internet...

...or say to Todd.

The Nyes...Thanks For The Party

One of the toughest aspects of life is saying good-bye to good friends. Though we're happy for them for all the new adventures they will have, it still hurts to know you won't see their smiling faces beaming at you each week at church, or to have them return a friendly wave as they drive by.

Such is life. We hurt because of how much they mean to us.

I had a connection to both Jeff and Kathleen. Jeff's brother married a gal from my high school. He's also from Idaho near where my mother and cousins grew up. And Kathleen's related to friends from my LDS mission days. They have an amazing story of how they ended up together. Someone should make a Hallmark movie about it.

The two moved into the neighborhood and quickly became a couple you could count on to help with neighborhood projects, helping people move, or especially, cutting up firewood (Jeff loved to get firewood...). Jeff was our scoutmaster and provided some amazing memories for my sons. He replaced me as scoutmaster, actually. What a blessing that was to those boys.

Kathleen, boy...what can you say about her? She's just an amazing person. Always with a kind word, and just like her husband, always with a smile.

Each year the Nyes put on a block party. We went last fall. The whole neighborhood seemed to be there. I didn't realize it would be our last. I guess that's how things go. We never know. I've tried to take a positive outlook when beloved neighbors move. I think about the new people who haven't met them yet, but who soon will. They will get to know them, and to love them as we have. Why should we get to hog all the fun? We should spread it around.

So, the Nyes have moved on. They're settling into their new place, just as they did here many years ago. Thanks Jeff and Kathleen--you sure know how to throw a party!