Yep! It's official...

... you ARE a grand old 27, my dear. Amanda had to do some math this morning just to double-check her age. How could I help a little birthday "roast" when I saw this on the fridge? :)

Ageless Wit & Observations

If you don't read the newspaper, you are uninformed;
if you do read the newspaper, you are misinformed.
- Mark Twain

Suppose you were an idiot. And suppose you were a member of Congress....
But then I repeat myself.
-Mark Twain

I contend that for a nation to try to tax itself into prosperity is like
a man standing in a bucket and trying to lift himself up by the handle.
-Winston Churchill

A government which robs Peter to pay Paul can always depend on the support of Paul.
- George Bernard Shaw

A liberal is someone who feels a great debt to his fellow man,
which debt he proposes to pay off with your money.
-G. Gordon Liddy

Democracy must be something more than two wolves and a sheep voting on what to have for dinner.
-James Bovard, Civil Libertarian (1994)

Foreign aid might be defined as a transfer of money from poor people in rich countries to rich people in poor countries.
-Douglas Casey, Classmate of Bill Clinton at Georgetown University

Giving money and power to government is like giving whiskey and car keys to teenage boys.
-P.J. O'Rourke, Civil Libertarian

Government is the great fiction, through which everybody endeavors to live at the expense of everybody else.
-Frederic Bastiat, French Economist (1801-1850)

Government's view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases:
If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it.
-Ronald Reagan (1986)

I don't make jokes. I just watch the government and report the facts.
-Will Rogers

If you think health care is expensive now, wait until you see what it costs when it's free!
-P.J. O'Rourke

In general, the art of government consists of taking as much money as possible from one party of the citizens to give to the other.
-Voltaire (1764)

Just because you do not take an interest in politics
doesn't mean politics won't take an interest in you!
-Pericles (430 B.C.)

No man's life, liberty, or property is safe while the legislature is in session.
-Mark Twain (1866)

Talk is cheap... except when Congress does it.
-Unknown

The government is like a baby's alimentary canal,
with a happy appetite at one end
and no responsibility at the other.
-Ronald Reagan

The inherent vice of capitalism is the unequal sharing of the blessings.
The inherent blessing of socialism is the equal sharing of misery.
-Winston Churchill

The only difference between a tax man and a taxidermist is that
the taxidermist leaves the skin.
-Mark Twain

The ultimate result of shielding men from the effects of folly is to fill the world with fools.
-Herbert Spencer, English Philosopher (1820-1903)

There is no distinctly Native American criminal class...save Congress.
-Mark Twain

What this country needs are more unemployed politicians.
-Edward Langley, Artist (1928 - 1995)

A government big enough to give you everything you want,
is strong enough to take everything you have.
-Thomas Jefferson

The Master Cleanse!

A couple of weeks ago, I came across a book one of my co-workers had left by the copy machine--Staying Healthy With the Seasons, by Dr. Elson Haas, M.D. I picked it up and opened straight to a page about "The Master Cleanse." Intrigued, as the topic of detoxifying my body is one I have wondered about but up to that time had never explored, I photocopied that entire chapter. I read the whole chapter on my train/bus ride home from work that evening. The next day, I had a copy of the entire book from the library.

So, what is the cleanse? I quickly learned that the master cleanse is not a concept, especially to the health-conscious, organic shopper types who can be found at places like Whole Foods Market. In fact, it was developed in the 1940's by Stanley Burroughs. Essentially, the cleanse is basically a diet of a special "lemonade" that helps rid the human body of impurities, and in some cases YEARS of build up. Ewww...

Lemonade??

2 Tbs. fresh squeezed lemon juice
2 Tbs. Grade B 100% Pure Maple Syrup
8 - 10 oz. filtered or spring water
1/10th tsp. cayenne pepper*

* I have learned a secret... cayenne pepper pills. Much more tolerable!

The idea is to Drink 8 - 12 servings daily of the above concoction for 3 - 10 days (or more, for some folk). The objective is to fast from eating solid foods and to let this drink cleanse your entire digestive system. It also helps "clean" certain organs like the liver and kidneys. "Lemon is a perfect liver food and a great body cleanser," says Dr. Haas. He continues, "High in Vitamin C, Potassium, and other minerals, lemons are somewhat astringent, meaning that they contract and tighten tissues, which loosens up and clears the toxins from deep tissues and organs."

The maple syrup provides an energy source for the muscles.

The cayenne pepper, I read, "helps clear the blood and eliminates toxins and mucus, as well as keeps the body warm."

Because the body senses the absence of food, it will naturally want to slow down if not stop the "elimination" process. However, as the idea is to rid the body of those toxins, many of which are found in the bowels, it is essential to keep things moving. Resources suggest utilizing a "salt-water intestinal flush" and/or herbal laxative senna tea. The flush includes two teaspoons of sea salt mixed in a quart of lukewarm water and is to be taken in its entirety the first morning of the cleanse. It is advised that you stay near a bathroom for the next 1 - 2 hours! The purpose is to clean out your bowels, and if you can get through that whole quart, that's precisely what will happen!

As of this latest edit, I have just completed my first Master Cleanse! Originally, I set out to do the cleanse for 7 days, but, as Dr. Haas suggested, I "listened" to my body and felt after the 4th day that enough time had passed. Here's how it went!

DAY 1 - starting weight 195 lbs.

CONFESSION: I tried jumping into this LAST week on Monday after a delicious Sunday dinner of steak and potato stew. I could only stand drinking half of the salt water (16 ozs) before I gave up. That stayed in my system for hours and was not a pleasant feeling. So I decided to give it a go the following week.

This time around, I eased into it, eating only fruit morning and afternoon of the day before starting and a light vegetable soup for dinner... no meats or sugars for the day. Day 1, I pounded nearly the whole quart of salt water, and it worked the way it should.

How did I feel? The first day was an adjustment period. I felt a little tired, especially during the afternoon, perhaps due to the absence of my morning diet Dr. Pepper run. Nevertheless, it felt like a healthy tired, if that makes sense. I hit the gym for a light workout, and that got my endorphins up. I wasn't too hungry, but when I smelled food, I craved it. Being at the office during the day helped, as there was really no food to be tempted with to snack on. Glad I learned about the cayenne pepper pills... it made the experience much more pleasant, as that one experimental day last week was tough to choke the drink down with the pepper mixed in. Using the pill method, the juice is actually pretty good!

DAY 2 - weight 192 lbs.

The day was pretty good. A bit headache-ridden at times. I chose to do a light workout again on my lunch break, and that helped chase the headache away and up the energy. I felt more energy than on Day 1.

My cravings for food lessened a little more, too. While waiting for the train after work, something smelled incredibly good at a restaurant somewhere in the vicinity on Main. It was easy at that point to recognize the truth that my love for food will not go away with this cleanse--nor is that the purpose--but I think my choices will become wiser in what I willingly put into my body.

DAY 3 - weight 190 lbs.

Wow, I felt GREAT on Day 3! I really felt the effects of this cleanse. I opted to go the herbal lax route instead of the salt-water method, and it works like a charm. I had a very tough time willingly drinking that salt water. Cup of tea before bed, next morning it does its job. Not to get too specific, but I'm amazed at what the body begins to eliminate after 3 days of this cleanse.

I felt energy that I admittedly did not think I would feel after 3 days with no solid foods. It's like a pure energy; no credit to caffeine. While the first couple of days were accompanied by some headaches, Day 3 was almost completely devoid of headaches. I found myself no longer craving that diet Dr. Pepper nor unhealthy foods. In fact, rolling past the Burger King on 4th this morning on the train, I thought "I could never go there again and be totally cool with that." I felt a little guilty that I've taught my kids to eat french fries and other fast foods. I'm still trying to decide how to implement more of a whole foods diet that the kids will take to.

DAY 4 - weight 187 lbs.

By this final day, I felt like I had completely adjusted to my new diet, that I could live on lemonade forever. While I felt that I could easily go on for days, I think 4 days is a good benchmark for the first "cleanse" and I determined to ease off of it at the end of the day. I have been able to see a difference looking in the mirror. That little tire around the middle I've had such a tough time eliminating, even after a solid year of exercise, was greatly diminished in 4 days! I think my body really burned some of its stored fat.

My plan is to do this again, perhaps for a couple more days, after the new year and for sure by March 1st. I think it would be ideal to do quarterly! I feel great!!

Helpful Secrets I've Learned So Far:

• I've made the drink with lemon juice, lime juice, and a mixture of both. I prefer the lemon version best, in spite of my love for lime. Lime is good when made fresh but not if made the night before and refrigerated.
  


• As it is suggested to not store the juice in plastic containers due to the acids in the lemon juice extracting toxins from the container, I've found glass SoBe bottles to be perfect for mixing/transporting 2 servings at a time. I made three bottles and took them to work with me.


• Rinse or brush after drinking each serving! The acidity in the lemon juice is not kind to tooth enamel.


• I like making this fresh more than making it in advance. The advance method offers some convenience, but it tastes a little better fresh.

Disclaimer: If you decide to try this out yourself, it would be wise to study up on the subject first. Again my main resource was "Staying Healthy With the Seasons," by Dr. Elson M. Haas, M.D. But simply "googling" the subject MASTER CLEANSE will provide a plethora of resources as well.

"Vote Your Conscience!"

Okay, I'm breaking my calm silence about the election, thanks to this awesome video. I'm still not coming out and saying "vote Republican" or "vote Democrat." At this point, the ballot I cast will have more than one of each party on there, and possibly an independent and a Constitution Party candidate.

But I think anyone with a pulse that has paid even a little bit of attention to the issues knows WHO is on WHICH side of the issues that matter. I don't love either presidential candidate... but I think one leaves little guess work on being truthful while the other comes off as a wolf in sheep's clothing.

Open to your thoughts. Comment if you want to, but please VOTE on November 4th for sure! And do what these folks suggest... really consider the issues you are voting for or against when you cast your ballot!

Enough already!

I was having a conversation recently with a co-worker. Among the topics of our brief discussion were the economy, the lacking choice of candidates in the presidential election, the poor health of the banking industry, and the imminent changes within our own realm that have been announced but not detailed yet.

He told me, "One positive thing is that I'm losing weight! I'm just not eating as much because my stomach is in knots over it all."

My conclusion is that I have the opposite problem: I eat when I get stressed. I get odd cravings too, mainly for sugary, processed, unhealthy JUNK. Ahhhhh!!! This sucks! I've been working too hard for too long to get into good physical shape and to stay that way.

Anyone have any secrets about controlling such a thing?

Regional Conference!

What a weekend. We got to spend some quality time overnight at the cabin on Friday, just the four of us! Fun! Chilly. :) Gorgeous morning on Saturday, though, and we had a fun short hike at the top of the canyon.

The typical Sunday finds us at church with our local "ward" or congregation of about 200. Twice a year, we have what is called "Stake Conference" where 7 or 8 wards in our area all get together for a single 2-hour meeting instead of the regular 3-hour block of meetings. On rare occasions--like this past weekend--the occasion is even larger. Not to be confused with "General Conference," which is broadcast to all the Church's units around the world, we had Regional Conference on Sunday, which involved the Salt Lake North Area, a total of 73 stakes (we're guessing about 250,000 people).

As those 2-hour meetings tend to be a real challenge on the little kids, we agreed to keep Amanda home with the kids and send Justin to the broadcast with pen and paper in hand to take notes... and take notes he did! It was such an awesome meeting, we thought it would be worth sharing some highlights.

First of all, the conference was presided over by the President of the Church, Thomas S. Monson. It is always an amazing experience to hear this inspired man talk and give council. We truly believe he is God's mouthpiece here on the Earth today, and that he indeed receives revelation, not only for the church members, but for the world over!

Elder Richard Hinckley, the son of our previous prophet and President of the Church, Gordon B. Hinckley, was the first speaker. He spoke on gratitude for the love that our Heavenly Father shows for us as his children. "Families are the foundational unit of God's society, both here on Earth and in the eternities," he said. He went on to quote a wonderful verse from the New Testament, Matthew 16:19. "And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." His point was to caution us about the way we live our lives, as we are truly laying out our eternal life now. He spoke a lot about the testimony of Peter and the keys of priesthood and wished he could go on and on about the fascinating role played by each in the gospel. He told us to never take our temple covenants lightly and bore testimony of the power of the sealing ordinances performed in the temple.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sister Cheryl Lant (General Primary President) was the next speaker, and she delivered a great talk about what we must do to keep our families and homes safe in today's world. She quoted a lot of the 38th section of the Doctrine & Covenants, particularly highlighting what it says about an "enemy in secret chambers" and how "if [we] are prepared, [we] shall not fear." Sometimes Satan's influences is obvious, sometimes not, as she put it. A very interesting point she punctuated was that Satan cannot come in [to our homes/lives] unless we invite him in. His tools, of course, are the media, time-wasting activities, selfishness, and so forth. She turned her thoughts to protecting our families and quoted President Spencer W. Kimball - it was such an awesome quote, I searched for the exact words. I'm including more here than Sister Lant quoted, but it's worth the space:

We need continually to fortify our homes and families and
defend them against the onslaught of evils such as divorce, broken
families, brutality, and abuse, especially of wives and children.
We need to constantly guard against immorality,
pornography, and sexual permissiveness that would destroy the
purity of the family members, young and old. . . .

. . . We find these evil forces almost everywhere we go.
Exposure is almost constant. We track them into the home from
the school, from the playground, from the theater, the office,
and the marketplace. There are but few places we go in our
everyday world where we can escape them.

What then must be our service? What must we do? We must be
constantly alert to their evil presence in our homes and destroy
them as we would the germs and filth of disease. We must hunt
them from the closets of our minds, freeing ourselves of such
worldliness, quenching the embers of wickedness before they
become destructive flames.

- Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Spencer W. Kimball, p. 208

Sister Lant further encouraged that we allow no excuses nor rationalizations to allow evil to exist in our homes. We need to regularly evaluate the level of such influences in our homes. Our focus should become:

1. Secure the basics of faith, repentance, baptism, prayer, service, keeping the Sabbath holy, having Family Home Evening and regular scripture study. These bring the Spirit and strengthen us. She also encouraged obtaining and referencing the new nursery manual: Behold, your little ones. We should not be afraid to use the scriptures to answer children's questions about the gospel. They understand more than we give them credit for.
   
2. Evaluate where we spend our time and energy. Don't let selfish things detract from family time. It is ever important to find balance in our lives.
   
3. Make and keep covenants with the Lord. Our lives should be defined by these covenants. She quoted Jacob 3:2 from the Book of Mormon - "O all ye that are pure in heart, lift up your heads and receive the pleasing word of God, and feast upon his love; for ye may, if your minds are firm, forever."
   
4. It is important to fulfill our roles within the home, namely of Father and Mother working together. She admonished children to receive parents' teachings with an open heart. She commented on the example of the faithful Lamanites in 3 Nephi 6:14, who "were firm, and steadfast, and immovable, willing with all diligence to keep the commandments of the Lord."

She closed by repeating the counsel that we should take comfort and hope in our Temple Covenants.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Elder M. Russell Ballard, Quorum of the Twelve Apostles: Elder Ballard was the next speaker, and he opened by quoting President Monson's words from the Priesthood Leadership Meeting from Saturday, it was a beautiful quote and something along the lines of always acting when you have a prompting from the Spirit. His message repeated a few things. First, the Holy Ghost remains our companion only as we live righteously; we need to truly "receive" the Holy Ghost, as we are instructed after baptism. His mission is to teach and testify of truth! No man receives such a witness of spiritual things except by the Holy Ghost, and it is He who helps any man or woman to gain a testimony of Christ and the gospel. Again, He will be our companion only as we anchor ourselves to the light of the gospel and to Jesus Christ. We are entitled to his presence but only if we are living worthy of it. He used that platform to advise us to absolutely shun the evils that are constantly surrounding us. He proclaimed that each of us will experience our share of failures in life, but that our successes "will certailny outweigh" our occasional failures if we seek Holy Ghost.

Elder Ballard shared a touching personal story of missing opportunity to heed a spiritual prompting and learning a painful lesson from it as a young bishop. To recap the story, he was leaving the church late one night around 10 pm when he had a prompting to stop by the home of an elderly sister in the ward. He dismissed it due to the lateness of the hour, figuring it would be improper to stop by so late. He promised himself he would stop by early the next morning before heading to work. When he arrived, the lady's daughter came to the door and received him with tears in her eyes, saying: "Thank you, bishop, for coming so soon. Mother passed away just 2 hours ago." He stifled the reluctant emotion in his voice as he spoke of the lesson learned, that we should never ignore a prompting of the Spirit. In this case, he lost the opportunity to bless a sister who was at the end of her mortal life preparing to cross over the veil into the spirit world.

He concluded with a few words about repentence and becoming like our Savior one step at a time. He quoted 3 Ne 27:19-20: "19) And no unclean thing can enter into his kingdom; therefore nothing entereth into his rest save it be those who have washed their garments in my blood, because of their faith, and the repentance of all their sins, and their faithfulness unto the end. 20) Now this is the commandment: Repent, all ye ends of the earth, and come unto me and be baptized in my name, that ye may be sanctified by the reception of the Holy Ghost, that ye may stand spotless before me at the last day." He specifically highlighted that Jesus grew from "grace to grace" until finally He becoming like our Heavenly Father. He set the example for us, and we should proceed one step at a time.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

President Thomas S. Monson took the podium after the midway rest hymn and as the final speaker. Personally, I was thinking whoa... he's got a lot of time to talk; I wonder what's on the agenda? Well, in true President Monson fashion, he had a simple and direct agenda. He spoke of the importance of "lov[ing] thy neighbor as thyself," declaring that it is our responsibility to follow the Savior's example. He quoted a verse from 4th Nephi 1:15 about how love is designed to take the place of contention in the hearts of man.

The remainder of his talk was based around the passage in The Doctrine and Covenants 88:119, which reads: "Organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing; and establish a house, even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God;" The context of the verse came from a revelation through Joseph Smith at the end of the year 1832 to the saints that they should build a temple in Kirtland, Ohio. He put a twist on it and said "there is no better theme to consider as we build ourselves, our own personal temples." President Monson went through each aspect of the verse, and shared a unique story from his life experience about each one. A few of them I remember and will share specifics:

1. A house of prayer. He encouraged us to "pray always," both in private and as a family, and especially with our children.
   
2. A house of fasting. Shared some verses from Alma 17 - namely, verses 1 through 3. In those verses, Alma meets up with the sons of Mosiah as he was traveling from Gideon to Zarahemla. Not only was it a joyful meeting just to run into them, but he was delighted that they were still faithful, and they attributed that to, among other things, much fasting.
   
3. A house of faith. He shared a cool story. While he was presiding as an Apostle at a stake conference in Ohio, the stake president asked him if he'd be willing to meet with the mother and father of a young missionary who had recently decided that he was going to come home early from his mission. He agreed, and right off the bat, the father exclaimed, "Elder Monson, I just don't understand. We have been living our lives as faithfully as we possibly can, and we have felt the Lord's blessings, yet our son is making this decision. We fear the Lord is not hearing our prayers."
   
   President Monson's simply reply was a question, "Where is he serving?"
   
   The parents responded, "Dusseldorf, Germany."
   
   President Monson described how he just smiled and said, "Good brother and sister, the Lord has heard your prayers and He does care about this situation. It just so happens that I will be travelling to your sons mission in 2 weeks to address the missionaries!" Long story short, President Monson took time to meet with this young elder, he remained on his mission, and had a great and successful experience.
   
4. A house of learning. President Monson's words were simply, that "there is safety in the scriptures" and we should not postpone reading them. He reiterated Sister Lant's comment that children are more able to understand than we realize. He encouraged personal and family scripture study and that we always seek out the very best books.
   
5. A house of glory. I didn't get any specific notes. I believe he addressed "glory" and "order" together.
   
6. A house of order. He quoted the great musical verses from Ecclesiastes that "to everything there is a season." I recall him talking about how we should keep that in mind with each phase of life we go through, that while each phase may have some common threads, there are new things to learn all along the way. God has a plan for each of us.


7. A house of God. President Monson spoke of the importance to have clean hearts and willing hands so that we can do the work of God.

He closed with a really cool story that rather encompasses all of these bullet points. While serving as a mission president in Toronto, Canada, President Monson had a young missionary who got really sick quite suddenly. He had shared a 6-bed room with 5 other gentlemen. The morning that he was wheeled away for surgery, the nurse came in with 5 breakfast trays each with a delicious breakfast. As she went to deliver the first tray, the patient said, "No thank you, I won't be having breakfast this morning." She was a little surprised but went on to the next patient. He said the same thing. As she went down the line, the remaining men all refused the delicious-smelling breakfast.

A little miffed, she stopped at the doorway, put her hands on her hips, and said, "Now you all usually eat us out of house and home! What's going on here?"

The patient in bed number 3 spoke up and explained to the nurse. "Our young friend has been wheeled away this morning for his surgery. He is a good young man, a missionary for his church. Now, none of us belong to his church, but in the time we have shared this room, he has taught us a lot about his beliefs, about prayer, and fasting, and faith. We are fasting for him this morning."

The story gets even better. The surgery, which was expected to be very risky, went perfectly. When the doctor came out, President Monson greeted him. As was the practice, he came prepared to pay the doctor for his services, but the doctor refused payment. He said something to the effect of, "I cannot accept pay for something I feel I didn't do on my own accord; my hands were as if they were not my own. They moved in a way that was foreign to me! And I cannot take credit for the success of this procedure, therefore I cannot accept your money!" The doctor gave full credit to a Higher Power. It was such a cool story.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In all, the conference was quite impressive and very inspiring. It makes us all the more excited for General Conference coming up next month! We share the same gratitude as a couple for the gospel of Jesus Christ in our lives and the unique perspective it gives us on life. In a world so fraught with disappointment and discouragement, the gospel brings a special light and reason to rejoice, knowing that no matter how grim the trials may be that come before us, this life is simply a test, and it is open-book, and with sincere effort, we can get through anything!

New Title... and Love this time of year

Okay, so I guess this is a bit of a combo-post, but I don't think it'll bug anyone (cuz I know this blog don't get read by many, esp compared to the family blog).

 

First...  I've renamed my blog, "The Theater of Justin's Mind."  I've had a lot on my mind lately, and as I get brave enough to share some of it, I figure it is fitting to retitle this thing!  All of our minds are like stages, I suppose.  If you are like me, you even role play scenarios in your head.  I swear I do it a lot more than the common observer would imagine.  It's wild how in spite of our social connections and interactions, whether they include family, friends, neighbors, co-workers, or all of the above, we all maintain our own little world.  The mind truly is a vast and an amazing thing...  sometimes it can overwhelm us, other times it protects us the way it processes.

And fall...  every time it rolls around, I proudly proclaim that it is my favorite.  There's just something about the air crisping down a bit, the slow shift in color palettes in the surrounding world, that "back to school" energy in the air, a charged up determination to accomplish new things as the reprieve from a perhaps more "lazy" summer sets in.  It's just a great time of year. 

It's been fun to enjoy a few afternoons and evenings up Millcreek Canyon this autumn of 2008.  I have truly enjoyed watching the kids and realizing it is just the fourth time Caitlin has experienced this change of seasons and Will's third experience of the sort.  My wish is to share many, many more changes of seasons with them and their cute mother, my sweet Panda.  My thirst for life, I am finding, is further invigorated with this passage from summer to fall.

(Brady Bunch Theme Music): Here’s a story, of a one car family!

After a little bit of talk (we’d discussed it multiple times), we finally made some big changes in the lifestyle of our household. Here’s the Cliff’s Notes version:

1. We sold our Mazda

2. Justin bought a bus pass and a bike

3. It works!

I put the Mazda on craigslist and kslcars.com at 5:00 p.m. on a Tuesday evening, I had an e-mail a few hours later from a mother who brought her daughter to my office Wednesday morning at 9:30, and by 10:00 it was unofficially sold! They wanted dad to buy off on it, and he was expected home from a business trip that evening… the next day, I was taking the bus home!

So, to our Mazda now residing at Utah State University, thank you for 5 1/2 dutiful years, for helping me survive a rear-end collission, for only needing an alternator, a brake job or two and a couple of sets of tires! You were a good car for us.

So, I totally love taking public transport! I know that may sound goofy, but it’s darn true. Perhaps it is the element of structure that exists there… I have two chances each hour to catch a bus 50 yards from our front doorstep that will deliver me to the light rail train, which gets me to work in exactly 30 minutes. Or perhaps it’s the fact that people actually greet each other with “Good morning!” Certainly, I smile because I know it’s saving us money, too.

With the proceeds from the sale of the Mazda-ratti, we were able to pay off what we owed on the Camry, so one payment GONE. Then we were able to discontinue the insurance, another hug e savings. Of course, no more gas or oil changes for car #2, no annual registration, and the list goes on… Even accounting for a $67 monthly bus pass, we estimate our savings to be at least $400/month!

So yesterday, after lots of online looking and an afternoon of test riding Friday, I stopped in a bike shop in South Jordan on our way home from Utah County, and long-story short came out with my new ride! What an awesome bike it is… I even did a test ride down to the office (and rode the Trax back up ‘cuz I was exhausted) after getting it home.

In case you didn’t know, bikes have become so popular once again, each shop I visited told me the same thing about their ’09 models that just started hitting their shops: they’re 20% MORE expensive across the board! Ergo, my decision to nab the last ’08 of the model I wanted (last one in my size), was a simple one!

Anyhoo, it’s good to feel (and save) a little green.

In Defense of Our Nation's Divine Origin

Now, I'm not one to impose my religious beliefs on others. Given my dedicated beliefs, I'm even perhaps too soft-spoken and cautious about discussing such things publicly unless solicited.

That said, I am very much afraid for our nation after seeing that MSNBC is collecting votes from the public about whether the nation should remove "In God We Trust" from our currency! Are they freakin' kidding??????? In my opinion, that's like wearing a meatsuit into a junkyard full of snarling pitbulls, or standing on top of the tallest building during a lighting storm... someone is seriously "asking for it."

You can add your vote on MSNBC's website here. When I voted, those in favor of removal numbered approximately ONE THIRD! WHOA!!! Way too high for a nation founded on religious freedom, methinks...

I'm not going to beg you to vote, because I really don't think MSNBC's poll will make a difference in swaying any decision makers. However, I do believe that those fellow citizens who see this poll will inadvertently allow this into this psyche, for better or worse, and I personally would love to see those numbers shift radically to the right!

The Olympic Age Debacle

4:23 P.M. UPDATE: I swear to you, I wrote the below post hours ago this morning before coming across this article. Love it! (Perhaps they read my post and were inspired? haha)

When I saw this comic in today's paper, I couldn't help but chuckle... then cut it out, scan it, and post it here to share! From opening night, I have been one of the many glued to the Olympics, and thank heaven for TiVo because I couldn't do it without the miracle of fast-forward.

In spite of the glorious opening ceremonies, the Phelps/US Swimming triumph, the "lightning" Bolt on the track, ALL the new world records that have been set, etc., there is no question that these games have been plagued with issues, whether politically-motivated, money-motivated, emotion-motivated, and who-knows-what-else-motivated. Central to that is this glossed-over issue of AGE of the olympians, particularly in women's gymnastics.

Last night, Amanda and I watched the showdown between Nastia Liukin and He Kexin--the now infamous tie that came down to a computer-decided tiebreaker awarding the Gold to Kexin and the Silver to Liukin. The commentators lost themselves in their critique of how Liukin's performance was more flawless and should have won the higher honor.

My argument was different. "Look at that Chinese girl... how old is she? Seven, maybe?" What an immense blow it would be if the IOC decided to listen to proof that has been publicized already about the age of some of these olympians. Sure, China wants more than anything to produce a memorable olympic games and to come out on top as part of it. But MAN, if the IOC investigated and reversed medals awarded to illigitimate participants, they'd really make a memorable mark of the variety they certainly did not set out to make.

Come on guys and girls, let's play fairly. What has happened to honesty in this world?

Capital One... buh-bye!

This is a reproduction of a letter I just sent to Capital One after an AWFUL experience trying to redeem my "No Hassle" Rewards Miles. Please read between the lines: save your sanity! If you want to get free airfare from a credit card company, look into the Rapid Rewards credit card available through Southwest Airlines (Chase is the creditor).

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Justin D. Cracroft
xxxx xxxxxxx xxxxx
Salt Lake City, UT 841xx


August 1, 2008


Capital One
Attn: Customer Retention
P.O. Box 30285
Salt Lake City, UT 84130-0289

To whomever it might concern, even a little bit,

As a professional who places immense importance upon my own delivery of customer service and satisfaction, I am taking the time to write you today to explain why I have recently removed $xx,xxx of savings from Capital One Bank, cut up my “No Hassle Miles Rewards” card (evidence attached), and plan to cease from doing business with Capital One in the future. Do I have your attention?

I became a credit card customer of Capital One in October 2003. After using my card regularly for a portion of my family’s monthly expenses for over 3 ½ years, I decided to change to the Miles Rewards card and run all possible expenses through it, with a goal of using those Rewards Miles for airfare to visit family across the country.

From April 2007 until this past month, I managed to accrue over 96,000 Reward Miles. On July 24th, I logged into the Rewards website, reviewed all of the rules once more, and proceeded to book two roundtrip tickets on Southwest Airlines in one single transaction using my Miles Rewards card. While I appreciated the convenience of choosing the airline and the travel dates, I did not realize that such would be the end of the “No Hassle” experience for me.

After allowing approximately one week for the transaction to post to my statement, I called the Rewards Center to request the credit back to my account for the charge from Southwest. I was told by the customer service agent that the cost of only one ticket could be reimbursed using 60,000 of my miles. I kindly objected, explaining that I had booked the tickets in one transaction totaling $718 and that I wished to use 71,800 miles to credit back the full cost, as per the table on the Rewards website.

The agent responded that the tickets showed up on my statement as two separate transactions and that “most airlines run transactions that way.” Being patient, I asked what solutions he might suggest. He told me I could try calling Southwest to have them reverse the charges and re-run the cost as one charge or cancel the tickets and go through a travel agency to re-book the travel. No hassle? My ass!

Feeling that the agent would not be able to assist me further, I called Southwest. Their agent listened to my plight, expressed understanding of the situation, pulled up my transaction on her computer, and confirmed that they ran just one transaction for $718 and not two for $359, as Capital One had suggested. She explained to me further, “You received one confirmation number, right? Not two?” I confirmed that for her. She continued, “That is because we only ran your card once.”

Frustrated and not knowing who was telling me the truth and who was not, I called the Rewards Center back, hoping for better luck. To my disappointment, the buck was passed again when the agent said, “Southwest told you wrong.” Upon hearing that, I expressed my concern that nowhere in the rules does it warn me that booked airfare would show up individually, even if purchased in one transaction from the airline.

Wanting to offer a solution, he kindly explained to me that I could use my “Anytime Rewards” and pay 50 bucks for every 10,000 more miles needed to “earn” enough points and get the 2nd ticket reimbursed too. I kindly expressed my frustration, told the agent that “I’m not paying more to make this work the way it already should” and I asked him to kindly send my feedback up the chain.

Thanks in part to that brilliant suggestion and my sudden realization that booking future airfare would likely be a similar aggravation, I decided I was done. Since then, I have used 60,000 of those precious miles to reimburse the cost of one ticket, applied 35,000 of the remaining miles for a separate one-way ticket recently booked separately from its return trip ticket (now that’s a hassle), and promptly zeroed out my money market accounts at Capital One Bank.

Look, as a banker by profession, I realize that losing $xx,xxx in deposits and a credit card that is always paid off each month is not going to faze you. But I know from experience that one unhappy customer has the ability (and tendency) to lead a whole herd of potential and existing customers away from businesses who fail to deliver clear and honest service.

My hope is that you will use this candid, unsolicited feedback to better your system with more accurate disclosure of how Rewards Miles can and cannot be redeemed. Please send this inter-company to whomever necessary to improve this business process!

Sincerely,
Your former customer,



Justin D. Cracroft

Another GAS comic :)

Thought this one was good... especially after spending $42 to fill our Camry from HALF TANK to full.

Green Moderate

Note: Okay, I started this post nearly a week ago, and it's time to finish it. (See next post: Finishing the unfinished).

Never in my life have I felt any desire to really link myself to either political party in my beloved homeland. The current battle for the U.S. Presidency only fortifies that stance. I've only ever actually registered as a Republican, and I even voted a straight ticket once as a young voter because I didn't know any better. But I'm embarrassed to admit that now and I'm disappointed by both parties, frankly.

So back on the 1st when I started this, during a short, enlightening workplace discussion with Steve, I found a simple expression that somewhat describes myself politically - a Green Moderate.

The Green Party does not suit my fancy any more completely than the Democrats or the Republicans. Rather, by using the term "green" I am proclaiming that I am environmentally conscious/aware, a supporter and advocate of conserving energy and open spaces, and love the idea of living "off grid" and paying no utility companies and leaving little to know carbon footprint of my own. By saying that, I'm not a nut job that would lay down in front of a bulldozer in protest of development, because I believe also in progress and man's ability to use his talents to create things and make life more livable.

By calling myself a moderate, I simply mean I wouldn't jump on the liberal bus NOR the conservative bus if stranded needing a ride. Perhaps this is for the same reason I had no interest whatsoever in uniting myself with a fraternity in college (well, the fact that my schools had no fraternities may have also had a hand in that decision). Point being, I enjoy making friends wherever I find myself. Those who know me well will agree that I remain a "people pleaser" by nature. Nevertheless, I don't avoid people because they fit into one category or another. Back to politics, the root of my "moderate" claim is that I am becoming more and more a realist as time goes by. Our dominant parties tend to both have their head in the clouds when it comes to change. I believe that some change is certainly good; however, I also believe that the addage "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" also applies in government's hand in our lives. If our congressional leaders would simply consider the issues for the issues' sakes, make decisions, and act appropriately on them instead of their motive simply to be to piss the other party off, we'd be in a whole different world.

I could say a lot more on the subject, but this'll likely be a boring post for anyone to read... it was a personal satisfaction kind of post. Just meant to clear the air and put my thoughts into type.

In closing, I thought this was a cool graphic... and no, I'm not equating myself to God, rather I like to believe he and I think alike politically:

Urban Running

Okay... fun new sport for the occasional work-out. Because I'm taking the afternoon off and our HRM system doesn't allow us to input 1/2 vacation days, I decided to come in at the butt-crack of dawn (pre-dawn, really), work for a bit, take an exercise "lunch" break, then work again until noon.

Well, it is such a beautiful day and the morning was such that I didn't feel like doing the elliptical machine. So I took my key card to the building, headed out the front door onto a quiet Main Street at 7 a.m., and took a 30-minute run! My route took me up Main Street across the plaza in front of the Salt Lake Temple, up North Temple past the Church Office Building, up a KILLER hill, then along 2nd Ave (my favorite part of the run) to "I" Street. At that mid-point, I headed back south to South Temple, down past the Governor's Mansion--

--to 2nd East, over to 2nd South, and then down to my starting point. It was a total of 19 city blocks or about 2.4 miles. I wasn't going for speed, as such isn't my intent--and I was reassured of that when a die hard runner passed me in front of the Cathederal of the Madeline like I was standing still--but that 30 minutes was such a fun way to start the day.

It's a bit ironic that I'm saying all of this. I used to see people running through the city and think, and even say outloud, "Who are they kidding? What a silly place to run." Well, I'm a new convert... if one goes early enough and incorporates a bit of the urban residential area (like the Avenues--again, LOVED that part; what charm), it's actually an enjoyable, ever-changing terrain with a plethora of sensory appeal.

A little GAS humor...

Nah, by no means should the title line of this post be misinterpretted. This has nothing to do with flatulance and everything to do with friggin' gas prices at their all time high. $4 a gallon! NUTS. Time to do that diesel-veggie conversion thing. :)

In honor of the insanity, a few pix from a funny e-mail I got at work today:






I think this last one is a bit outdated. I filled up Monday morning from about 1/3 of a tank, and it cost me $46! That was Sam's Club gas at $3.85/gallon, too. And a friggin' CAMRY, too. Sheesh!!

Privacy - an irony

Like many friends, I decided to make my blog "by invitation only." To the best of my memory, I've invited all friends who ever commented on a post (and therefore I consider "readers"), and my closest family & friends. If I've left someone out, all they need to do is e-mail me at jdcracroft@gmail.com and I will gladly add them!

My choice to do this is closely linked to the root of why I started my own blog in the first place--it's a place to put thoughts into words, let go of frustrations, and to get creative. Because some of those frustrations or grand schemes may vividly discuss work, school, or the like, I thought it wise to keep control of readership so as to not let the boss, the dean of students and the like have access without consent!

The irony? I just think it's kinda funny that in an age where there is such a focus on privacy of information, the technology of the day has an uncanny way of erasing so much of a person's true privacy. Nevertheless, I myself am making steps in the direction of controlling what I can!

Best,

Justin

Habits, habits...

It's official... out with the old:

(Exhibit A)

And in with the new:

(Exhibit B)

This may mean nothing to you, but it's a huge event in my life! People who know me well know that I have this nasty soda drinking habit! Albeit, I have about 90% switched over to DIET in the past few months, but soda is still about as good for the stomach as acid reflux!

This Pepsi cup (Exhibit A, above) has been my constant companion for at least 2 years. I bought it when we lived up north at the 2M on Gentile St. If I were to venture a guess, I'd say it has seen between 30 - 40 refills per month since then.

MATH
It's a bit CRAZY to do the math, but on the conservative side:

30/month x 24 months = 720 refills (23,040 ounces!)

I'd like to believe that all refills have been as cheap as Gandolfo's 50 cent deal across the street from my office, but reality is that Maverick is $0.74 and 7-Eleven is $0.84. We'll go with Maverick as an average to compute the scary, scary financial impact:

720 refills x $0.74 = YIKES! ($532.80)

So, I think I just justified the $9.99 I spent last night on my beautiful new cobalt blue (to remind me of the good old days with Exhibit A) Camelbak WATER-ONLY bottle. [I have another that I left at M&D's house a couple of weeks ago, the location of which I remembered only after last night's purchase and my unwrapping of said purchase.]

Sure, I'll still enjoy the occasional diet Dr. P or even diet Mountain Dew (thank you WebMD for suggesting such occasional indulgence is "okay"), but it's time to attack the core! Bring on the TRUE results show. (Idol ain't got nothing on this.) I'm ready to drop my final few pounds and really tone up my mid-section.

Viva la agua!

Great FHE for any family

For an Elders Quorum lesson recently, we watched this talk of Elder Jeffrey R. Holland's from the April 2007 broadcast of General Conference. It's worth checking out:

Give it a listen or even watch Elder Holland himself deliver it by clicking here.

My plan to hit 175:

So, the "final 12" is going to be a tough nut to crack, I realize. Of course, by that I am referring to nothing involving Simon, Paula, and/or Randy, but losing 12 more ellbees to reach my goal weight of 175. But this is my plan in getting there.


1. Portion control. We've traded bad habits with good in our household as far as choices in food. Ex. spray butter v. real butter, non-fat mayo v. real, light and/or non-fat yogurt v. regular, soy milk v. cow milk, chicken and fish instead of red meats and pork (the other red meat), etc. But I really am not being so careful with portions at meals. Back to the six small meals focus... meaning small meals! This is my big focus area. I love food. But I need to make a concerted effort to eat the amount my body really requires, not what my appetite suggests.


2. Steady routine. I've adapted Luanne Cobb's routine to my own personal fit. Her schedule focuses all upper-body routines on one day and all lower body routines on another, with opposing muscle groups (like biceps and triceps) being worked on the same day and abs only on lower body days. I've made that into "extension" days and "curl" days, where I do the upper AND lower body exercises that focus on the extension muscles on the same day and the same for curl exercises grouped together with abs every day. Of course, I've got the aerobic days mixed in 3 days a week between the 3 training days. Looks like this (click to enlarge):

Fun Money! Thank you, Congress.

Ever since they first came out, these fancy-shmancy flatscreen t.v.'s have been the rage. Being somewhat conservative as we are by nature, Amanda and I have opted to "save our money" instead of buying one. Truth be told, however, one of our absolute favorite things we love doing together is to enjoy a good flick as often as time will allow.


Well, I'm a bit torn with this whole "economic stimulus" plan. On the one hand, I truly despise debt and do NOT approve of the direction our deficit has been headed. It has been estimated that this "stimulus" adds between $110 and $150 BILLION to that number. Nevertheless, I understand what they are trying to do, and since I did not have a chance to voice my opinion about it before receiving a payment from the government last week, it seems only fair to treat those funds as they were intended by spending them.


So, after a bit of research and no arm twisting on either of our parts, we found ourselves last night at Sam's Club and then today on lunch break at RC Willey. Long-story-short, I will be setting this beautiful piece of electronic mastery up this evening in our home:

"Ooooooo's" and "ahhhhhh's" are permissible at this point in the post... I won't judge you as being materialistic. It is hard to argue that this simply is a beautiful piece of modern engineering in grand piano black, as the salesman called it. In part, I see us as helping celebrate humanity and our progress in technology, fueled of course by the gifts and intelligence given to man by our ever-powerful Creator. So in many ways, this is a rather oddly spiritual experience.

So, to the economy, will you please consider yourself stimulated by this branch of Cracrofts, and right yourself a.s.a.p.?!

More beautiful than any other site in the world...

Have you ever seen anything more beautiful than these little miracles? I just have to take a moment to say how blessed I feel to have such an amazing little family. Nothing in the world could ever compare to the joy that they bring me! These few pictures seem to capture the innocence and the marvel that are our children. How grateful I am for their sweet and beautiful mother who I love so incredibly much. No matter what the day may bring, worries fall by the wayside when I walk into the yard or the home to their tender little greetings. I am one proud papa.

A number I'm even MORE excited about... 187!

No, for anyone reading who grew up subject to 90's rap lyrics, I'm not talking about a "drive-by." I'm talking about my weight as of today! Since I started tracking my food intake and my exercise back in January, I am down 18 pounds! Since my high weight during the holidays (somewhere around 210... YIKES!), I'm down roughly 23 ell-bees!


The fun part is now I get to set a new goal weight! I had the original goal of 185, but now I want to push down to 175. I have a hunch the next 10 will be a good challenge, but steady as we go is the theme! I'll even post a theme song here. :)

My gratitude is first and foremost to Amanda. Making such a lifestyle change is SO much more possible when your spouse is in on it with you. She makes such divine healthy meals, and she thirsts for great recipes and is actively "getting after it" in her own way!

Next, I must credit new habits encouraged by The Daily Plate. It really started by using Melaleuca's "Vitality For Life" site, but I've become a quick convert to TDP because of its wider library of foods and their respective nutritional information (plus the fact that it is 100% free).

And on the topic of Melaleuca, I am grateful to the Alan and Cami for introducing us to quality products--and a quality, healthful mindset! I love the secret power behind the Access Bars and Attain Shakes!

Come here, 175! I'm gonna get you!

The Number 73

Never in my life did I expect to receive JOY from the number 73. FINALLY, after about the 12th time of logging into my personal portal at WGU, that was the number that appeared next to that horrible acronym, "MSO1." (see post below) 66 is passing (60 is what I got on the first attempt).

IRONY: Any other 73 written on a test in my life would have generally pissed me off. Glad this program is simply "pass OR fail."

SOOOOOOO glad. Bring it on, ACP1.

Oozing Useless Information

"MSO1"

Translation: Most Stupid Obstacle, numero Uno, in trying to scare me away from finishing my MBA. It has also kept me from getting a good night's sleep for many, many weeks and from playing with my children and my wife as often as I'd like to play with them.

I've never staked much of a claim on being a great test taker - believe it or not, I'd rather write a paper than take a test - but this one has been a real PAININTHEASS. I just took it last night for the second time.

For my first attempt, I admittedly took more of a shortcut in preparing for it. When I missed the passing grade by 6%, I was upset but not totally shocked. This time around, though, I really, truly prepared for it, going perhaps overboard, taking the entire course outline and preparing my own OneNote-study-guide-for-total-geeks that totaled roughly 200 pages.

Well, much to my chagrin, I'd say 50 or 60 percent of the 2nd attempt looked like a foreign-freaking language compared to what the study guide suggested I know and understand. Some well-respected associates of mine in the program took it three times before they passed.

"You sound frustrated, pal. Why don't you speak up to the dean of the department?"

Fabulous idea. Lo and behold, guess what I got in my inbox the same night of the 2nd attempt... an invitation to complete a survey on the MBA program. I took that opportunity, believe me. And I took a deep breath first--promise. I actually think the feedback I gave was quite constructive, not just blatantly open.

Here's hoping for better news... maybe tomorrow, maybe Monday. [That's the other pisser about this... if you take a test that is completely multiple-choice, on a computer, through an ASP (i.e. online), why should the test taker not know IMMEDIATELY whether he passed or not? It just adds to the aggravation to not be able to know!! Freak.]

N E WHO... back to the original statement, am I going to let the MSO1 truly be any obstacle so significant? Hell no. In fact, if nothing more, it's making me want to accelerate my pace and finish my degree. So bring it on, oh ye keepers of the ever so precious test scores. Let me have it.

Grateful

It's been way too long since I paused to write something down in here... really. For me, it's a kind of intense therapy to get feelings and thoughts out. Expressing them, whether in writing or sincere discussion, makes them real.

Anyhoo, I don't have much time 'cuz I'm at work and should be doing boring work stuff, but I took a minute to look at our family blog.

I was overwhelmed as I looked at the wonderful pictures Amanda posted. We have absolutely stinkin' BEAUTIFUL children. Incredible blessing #1 (as in most obvious from reading the blog).

Incredible blessing 2 is #1 in my mind and that is the wonderful mother who posts the cute entries, her adorable character and charisma that comes through the words, her love and devotion to family, her excitement for life, her good attitude toward doing some things backwards (like living in a house first then getting it ready to live in -- see "paint"). She has a zest for life that makes me believe it's worth living to the fullest. I look at friends and co-workers who lack a companion in life like Amanda is to me, and they just don't have the same richness I do. Some of them have more money, more things, travel more, and what not, but I wouldn't trade her love and companionship for ANY amount of those things that so appeal to the natural man.

A good job, that's blessing #3. In spite of feeling that it's not necessarily my vocation in life, I really, truly am fortunate to be in a good place (I love working downtown), working for a boss that appreciates me and acknowledges my abilities, a paycheck that pays the bills and offers enough stability that Amanda can be a full-time mom (and a 5% raise today after my 1st year! woot-woot!), challenges that allow me to hone certain abilities, practice new skills and gain new knowledge, and a GYM in the BASEMENT!!

A new attitude towards health, exercise, food, and weight management. This is an area I really am gaining passion for. I'm happy to be as healthy as I am and to be seeing results based on my tracking of food and exercise. I'm excited about where I plan to be just weeks and months down the road.

Life is good. I have plenty of weak spots I want to make strengths. But for now and always, I'm simply grateful.

12 Pounds!

NOPE, I'm not referring to the British equivalent of $24...

I went to my annual physical today, weighed in, and learned I've lost 12 POUNDS in the past 58 days. Damn straight! I attribute it to tracking what I eat and my effort made to exercise! The doc was happy with the changes he could see in my blood work, too!

There's NO way I could/would have made it this far without the teamwork and companionship of Amanda---at least 2 out of 3 meals a day, we eat out of the same cupboards and from the same stove top. SHE is an AWESOME "little chef" and her attention and attitude to it have helped me more than I can express here. Thank you, honey!

Serious... check it out! http://www.thedailyplate.com/ :)

By the way, I seriously intend to look like this after a few more months of focus:

The Tax Man Cometh

I'm going to shamelessly plug http://www.taxact.com/.

For those of you who have not yet filed your taxes and plan to do your own, this is a great program to use for doing it yourself. It's pretty user friendly. And the best part, it only cost me $21!!! [That includes e-filing both federal AND state and having our taxes available electronically for 3 years. Using H&R's "Tax Cut" the past two years has cost me $40-50 and has not been as convenient.]

If your tax situation is more complex, I can't blame you for handing things off to an accountant! Just call me the die-hard "do-it-yourselfer."

I guess the one good thing about "tax time" is that we know spring is right around the corner!

Along those lines...

So, along the lines of VFL, my employer decided to incorporate a corporate wellness effort through webmdhealth.com. Kinda cool. One of the features on that site is the ability to sign up to receive different articles-slash-newsletters regarding specific health topics the user signs up for. One of those that interests me is stress reduction.

It just so happens that the first article I read was all about the therapeutic nature of writing, journaling, blogging etc... so I am fully justified here in maintaining this blog! Not that I desired any justification. But the truth is, I do feel better by writing down my thoughts--good, bad, ugly.

Vitality For Life

I'm really getting a lot out of this awesome program Panda and I are doing through Melaleuca. It has totally changed my mindset toward everything I eat during the day, balancing my daily activities with exercise, and overall physical wellness.

I expect it to trickle over into mental and spiritual wellness, as personal habits tend to blend into these areas all together.

One of my only beefs with VFL is their website seems to be mastered by an amateur, and I can't get my "ticker" to update... so I'm posting it HERE! On my way to 180, baby! Who knows, maybe I'll go even further...

[img]http://www.vitalityforlife.com/melaleuca/addfoods/tickers/461698.jpeg[/img]

Haha... it doesn't work here, either. And no, I'm not admitting to any user error!

Short tribute to another dearly departed

Well, Grandpa Paul decided not to wake up this morning, which, while not entirely unexpected, was quite a surprise to the family. Just last night, Nana Carole on the other side of the family asked my dad how Grandpa was doing, to which the reply was simply, "Great!"

Grandpa lived a full life, and I have no doubt that his active energy carries over into the next state and that he's in Paradise with Grandma.

When I think of the transition from this life to the next, a.k.a. death, I can't think of a more peaceful way to go than Grandpa did. I wasn't there, and as I understand, nobody was. But the present indicator is that he went peacefully and without any pain.

Another silly thought I had was how Grandpa avidly read the newspaper. He would read BOTH local papers EVERY day, even if he had to set them aside for a day or two. One of the things he read unfailingly (one that I read, too) were the obituaries. I'm willing to bet he wrote his own at for its eventual use, and if so, I know he will have made it humorous. He's had many letters to the editor published in the past, but now will be published his personal "hurrah." I know there will be many solemn friends and associates who will read his tribute and feel his loss. He was a good man.

I'm sure he's happy on the other side!

UPDATE: As I suspected of him, he wrote his own obituary. It's a fitting final hurrah, as I guessed! :) See it here.

I'm special!!!

Haha... by that, I mean this: I swear I have A.D.D. and maybe even a little touch of $@#$!*& tourettes! Possibly a little bipolar disorder, too... isn't that sweet? DANG IT ALL!!

hahahahaha

I just had to get that out! Do we truly not know ourselves better than any doctor or professional might? Sure, they are familiar with the symptoms, but I am self-diagnosing---as "unfamiliar" with or "uneducated" on the subject as I may be.

a.d.d.
All day long, I find myself with a serious inability to focus in on any one thing, unless it is something like this--writing--or something entertaining or physically constructive, some project I can see a beginning and an end for right in front of my eyes. Even then, I find my mind wandering, I'll turn away and be distracted, or I'll even lose interest in entertainment and fall asleep! (That's usually only if I'm already familiar with it, like watching a movie for the umpteenth time.)

I think it's really starting to screw with me when it comes to working in an office, at a desk, doing routine and mundane tasks... but I keep doing what I can to do it anyway because it pays the bills. And with school... oh dang... I just won't even go down that path. Not until after next Friday, at least. I mean, I seriously need to be wrapping up this paper on Strategic Leadership so I can start reading my textbooks in preparation for my big honkin' exam, but I'd rather vent my feelings in my blog. ADD? Yeah, I think so.

tourettes
Now, I think my touch of this one is minor... nevertheless, it's there. I don't @$%&^#$ doubt it! Even if it's mainly inside my head. It's not often that I spout off a chain of profanity in an uncontrolled matter. (The first three words are key in that last sentence.) But by golly, connected to the above diagnosis, it'll all catch up to me sometimes, and eventhough I may not manifest it out loud, sometimes that chain of boiling cuss words is just burning inside. Awful! I know.

bi-polar?
I know this one is a chemical thing determined by genetics... and I know it is not absent in mine. I have never taken any medications for it, and I don't think mine is a very severe case, but I do believe I have a touch of bpd. How else can I go from being unpredictably kind and loving to equally unpredictably angry and pissed off??

Okay. I wish I could say that now that I've "admitted" to these things that I felt better. But I don't. So I'll end this entry now ... oh look, a spider... and get back to my #@^*!%& schoolwork! AAAAAHHHHH!!! Isn't that nice? :)

Empowering thoughts and words...

What a weekend. I have really put myself "under the gun" or I guess I could say "under the Gunn" as my "mentor's" name is Linda Gunn. I'm talking about school. I've been such a lazy-ass procrastinator that I am now crunching to get three papers written and turned in (hopefully by morning---no joke) and then I have to figure out how to pass a 145-question exam that is worth twice as much credit as these 5 stinkin' papers. That test happens, ready or not, in 11 days.

So, last night as I sat in the leadership meeting of our stake conference, I wrote down on one little piece of 3x5 card all the negative thoughts I've been feeling and attitudes I've had towards school and life in general. Then, on a separate 3x5 card, I wrote pretty much the opposite... the "can do" side of the picture. It was actually an empowering practice. I've decided I need to make a physical effort to do that... probably every single day, unfortunately. That's how negative I've let myself become, I fear.

Therefore, here's celebration for a "new attitude" and a picture to illustrate the point! :)

So much time, so little change...

Wow. I decided it was time to get back in here and post again. When I opened up the blahg with my last entry of 11/12 staring me in the face, I was amazed to realize how little has changed! In fact, I feel pretty much the same way today about my job as I did more than TWO MONTHS ago.

We'll see what happens.

Our credit administrator was canned last week, and Terry got the boot officially today.... all over one shitty deal that went south. I guess a bank our size doesn't handle a $2.5MM charge off too well. I can understand that.

My good buddy Tyson was "outsourced" again, too. Same crap that went down at GE when we worked together, only the severence for him this time sucks rocks.

All this job loss stuff has me a little freaked out. And the national economy is apparently in the toilet. The fed cut rates today more significantly than any other rate cut since 1984. I value and appreciate my employment (notice I didn't say my job, cuz frankly "I can't get no..." [satisfaction] from it). All the same, changing jobs is no fun.

Well, I'm high off the fumes of polyurethane. Time to post pics on the family blog.