Me, Myself and I
- Mateo
- I am a Mormon...married to Lisa. We have 5 awesome children. I am a gun rights advocate and believe the 'right to keep and bear arms' refers to an INDIVIDUAL right, as affirmed by the U.S. Supreme Court. I like to hunt big game, although I have only ever killed a single buck deer. I am an actor of sorts and have been in many local plays and musicals.
20 March 2009
The One and Only
MY WIFE:
She organized the raising of $120,000 within a month or two in order to help her mom pay for stem cell cancer treatment. If my family did not have Lisa, we would likely be viewed as anti-social. Why, you ask? Well, if Lisa didn't keep us straight on appointments and calendars, we'd likely never see the light of day.
She takes an honest and loving interest in the lives of her friends and neighbors. If we haven't seen a certain person at church or around the neighborhood, she's the first to notice. Cookies will soon follow and relationships are re-forged.
She follows her gut (the spirit). I can't count the number of times she's received major inspiration that, when followed, has helped our family immensely. And we're talking LARGE decisions like moving, and having kids. It usually starts with a wane smile and a comment like, "Lance...I need to talk to you about something."
She can put on a happy face. If I am angry or irritated, everyone knows about it and everyone feels that negative energy. I can't even wonder how that is a good quality to have. Lisa can put on a smile and positively charge others even when she's not at the top of her game because she puts others' needs ahead of her own.
She worries about me more than I worry about myself. She'll ask questions that I've never even posed to myself that make me realize she has my best interests at heart.
She's damn smart. Did you know Lisa graduated college with honors? Magna or Suma Cum-something. She even got a 4.0. If you ever need a teacher who's the smartest of ALL teachers, Lisa is your man....er...woman!
Lisa keeps a dang clean home. Our kids have come back from other peoples' homes (no offense, seriously) and commented on how much they enjoy living in a clean house.
Lisa has had a gazillion callings over the years and she never fails to magnify them. She thinks about the people she's responsible for and puts her thoughts and feelings into action by serving them and their needs. She prays for people with sincerity.
Did you know Lisa can play sports? If the ward/stake sports people knew about her genealogy, she'd never get OUT of church sports. She can play basketball and volleyball as well as anyone I know. Heck, she even played softball for many years when she was younger.
Lisa can SING. In high school, Lisa quit playing sports and student government and asked her parents for singing lessons. She's an anomaly in her family because her dad and sister can't carry a tune in a bucket! She took professional voice lessons and got REALLY good. She's always telling me that my voice is better than hers, but everyone that knows us knows that is a royal CROCK of hoo-doo. She just doesn't want to get asked to sing at funerals and sacrament meetings. Honestly, if you could hear her sing "All I Ask of You" from Phantom or "On My Own" from Les Miserables, you'd be amazed. That voice belongs on Broadway.
Lisa gets me all excited. I'm sorry, but she's hot! She gets more beautiful with age, which most people are not blessed with.
The second thing that attracted me to Lisa was her confidence. Holy crap this woman knew who she was, where she was going in life and had it all planned out to the minute! She sweats confidence. Not arrogance, but true, womanly confidence.
And lastly, my kids have all asked me over the years whom I love most. They all know the answer: Mom. I make it clear that my love for Lisa is in a class all its own. Those kids got nothin' on her!
11 February 2009
Wolves and Sheep (and Sheepdogs)
My dad was in a car accident when I was young. His van flipped several times on some highway in the middle of Wyoming. He'd be dead if he didn't have his seat belt on. While I have only been in 2 car accidents my whole life, I wear my seat belt all the time. The probability of getting in an accident is SUPER low, when you look at the thousands upon thousands of hours I spend at the wheel. I also have a fire extinguisher and smoke alarms in my house. How many homes burn down each year in the United States? It's got to be some insanely low number, I am sure. Yet I still prepare for those possibilities. I keep my hunting backpack, complete with a sleeping bag and 72-hour kit in my car. As well as snow gloves, boots, and a winter hat. What are the chances I will ever need those things? Again, very low. It's the same with a lot of things we do in life. We prepare for the worst, but always hope for the best because the worst is so UNlikely to happen.
The extreme majority of people in the world are good people. The murder rate in Utah is about 2.3 per 100,000 people. The US average is more like 4.8 per 100,000 (2005). With over 300 million Americans, about 1.4 million become victims of violent crime. That's less than one half of one percent. As I look at these numbers it becomes evident that some people are sheep and some people are wolves. Sheep do not generally possess violent natures. Wolves do.
I consider myself neither of the above. I am a peaceful person. I do not cause mayhem or commit crime. I obey the laws of this land. But the ability to be aggressive is within me. I could not stand by and let someone harm me or my family. I prowl the figurative 'perimeter' of my home, sniffing the wind and watching for the wolves to appear.
As I was watch various episodes of '24', I have no problem picking out the bad guy or seeing bad things before they happen. Lisa commented on this and said something like, "You're just always looking for the worst to happen in these shows." Not totally true. I just see them coming and can't help commenting. Then I mentioned that it just seemed to be built into me that I watch out for bad things. It's not that I create bad things, I just want to be protected against them when they happen. It doesn't matter where I am, I am always vigilant for anything out of place.
A lot of sheep don't like my mentality. They see me as alarmist or slightly paranoid. Maybe that definition is slightly true. But I don't do it because I think everyone is a bad person, I just do it because I don't like wolves. I don't like the way in which they victimize or take advantage of the weak and I believe I possess the ability to protect them and myself.
As Dave Grossman quoted in the link below, there is nothing morally superior about being a sheepdog; it's just what I choose to be. While some folks might run away from the bad guys, I look forward to engaging them and seeing them brought to justice.
The basis for a lot of the sentiment in this post stems from an article that can be found here.
The extreme majority of people in the world are good people. The murder rate in Utah is about 2.3 per 100,000 people. The US average is more like 4.8 per 100,000 (2005). With over 300 million Americans, about 1.4 million become victims of violent crime. That's less than one half of one percent. As I look at these numbers it becomes evident that some people are sheep and some people are wolves. Sheep do not generally possess violent natures. Wolves do.
I consider myself neither of the above. I am a peaceful person. I do not cause mayhem or commit crime. I obey the laws of this land. But the ability to be aggressive is within me. I could not stand by and let someone harm me or my family. I prowl the figurative 'perimeter' of my home, sniffing the wind and watching for the wolves to appear.
As I was watch various episodes of '24', I have no problem picking out the bad guy or seeing bad things before they happen. Lisa commented on this and said something like, "You're just always looking for the worst to happen in these shows." Not totally true. I just see them coming and can't help commenting. Then I mentioned that it just seemed to be built into me that I watch out for bad things. It's not that I create bad things, I just want to be protected against them when they happen. It doesn't matter where I am, I am always vigilant for anything out of place.
A lot of sheep don't like my mentality. They see me as alarmist or slightly paranoid. Maybe that definition is slightly true. But I don't do it because I think everyone is a bad person, I just do it because I don't like wolves. I don't like the way in which they victimize or take advantage of the weak and I believe I possess the ability to protect them and myself.
As Dave Grossman quoted in the link below, there is nothing morally superior about being a sheepdog; it's just what I choose to be. While some folks might run away from the bad guys, I look forward to engaging them and seeing them brought to justice.
The basis for a lot of the sentiment in this post stems from an article that can be found here.
20 January 2009
Vice is a Monster
"Vice is a monster of so frightful mien,
As to be hated needs but to be seen;
Yet seen too oft, familiar with her face,
We first endure, then pity, then embrace."
~Alexander Pope, 'Essay on Man', Epistle II, section V~
The above excerpt goes well with this scripture from the Old Testament: Isaiah 5: 20 "Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!"
The scriptures define a lot of sinful behavior, which is overly abundant today, according to a prophet. In fact, some civilizations which have been destroyed by God in ancient times were even less sinful than we are now. That's a little scary, but it also denotes the fact that there must be a lot of righteous people living on the earth. Hence, we, as a people, are not RIPE for destruction. That's comforting, I guess. But if we hang around sinful behavior too long we begin to pity the sin itself and eventually embrace it as acceptable. Each murder we hear about on the news becomes less and less stinging. Seeing and hearing about sexual themes in television and movies cheapens the true purpose behind sex which is to create children. Marriage was an institution created by God, NOT mankind. HE defined marriage as between a man and woman and, as far as I know, has not seen fit to alter that definition. Yet those who defended that heavenly-defined thing in supporting Proposition 8 were seen as evil, hateful, and prejudiced.
Sexual sin makes lots of people very wealthy. It surrounds us and permeates the media. I saw a commercial the other day where a pretty woman was seen blowing kisses and making suggestive poses at some unseen person in the background. Turned out to be a cow. It was a commercial for Angus beef hamburgers from Arctic Circle. What hamburgers and sex have to do with one another is beyond me.
Satan seeks to cheapen and dilute marriage. Why? A critical point to our beliefs and to the Plan of Salvation was that all God's *spirit children come to the earth to receive a body. I believe this number is *finite. When that number is reached and there are no more spirits waiting to come to earth, the Second Coming can occur and Satan's reign on earth will be through and he will be bound for 1,000 years. By wrecking the family, re-defining marriage, and cheapening sex, he is, in effect, lengthening out his time here on the earth. The more humankind participates in sexual deviancy, thus postponing the creation of children, the more souls he will gain.
You may ask, "How does sexual deviancy equate to a decrease in the number of children born on the earth? Wouldn't it increase that number???"
Let's think about it. Are teenagers who get pregnant outside of wedlock more or less likely to have more children? Studies say less likely because they do not have the support system that traditional marriage would provide. See here.
What about homosexuality? Universal homosexuality would cause the entire human race to die out in a single generation. That's as self-destructive as it gets.
I'm not judging homosexuals, just homosexuality and sexual sin. I count myself a sinner just like everyone else. That's why I go to church each Sunday and try to repent; to become a better person. I'm just stating the facts as they occur to me.
As a bit of a side note this article and this article speak to the increase of multiple births in the world in the last 20 years.
As to be hated needs but to be seen;
Yet seen too oft, familiar with her face,
We first endure, then pity, then embrace."
~Alexander Pope, 'Essay on Man', Epistle II, section V~
The above excerpt goes well with this scripture from the Old Testament: Isaiah 5: 20 "Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!"
The scriptures define a lot of sinful behavior, which is overly abundant today, according to a prophet. In fact, some civilizations which have been destroyed by God in ancient times were even less sinful than we are now. That's a little scary, but it also denotes the fact that there must be a lot of righteous people living on the earth. Hence, we, as a people, are not RIPE for destruction. That's comforting, I guess. But if we hang around sinful behavior too long we begin to pity the sin itself and eventually embrace it as acceptable. Each murder we hear about on the news becomes less and less stinging. Seeing and hearing about sexual themes in television and movies cheapens the true purpose behind sex which is to create children. Marriage was an institution created by God, NOT mankind. HE defined marriage as between a man and woman and, as far as I know, has not seen fit to alter that definition. Yet those who defended that heavenly-defined thing in supporting Proposition 8 were seen as evil, hateful, and prejudiced.
Sexual sin makes lots of people very wealthy. It surrounds us and permeates the media. I saw a commercial the other day where a pretty woman was seen blowing kisses and making suggestive poses at some unseen person in the background. Turned out to be a cow. It was a commercial for Angus beef hamburgers from Arctic Circle. What hamburgers and sex have to do with one another is beyond me.
Satan seeks to cheapen and dilute marriage. Why? A critical point to our beliefs and to the Plan of Salvation was that all God's *spirit children come to the earth to receive a body. I believe this number is *finite. When that number is reached and there are no more spirits waiting to come to earth, the Second Coming can occur and Satan's reign on earth will be through and he will be bound for 1,000 years. By wrecking the family, re-defining marriage, and cheapening sex, he is, in effect, lengthening out his time here on the earth. The more humankind participates in sexual deviancy, thus postponing the creation of children, the more souls he will gain.
You may ask, "How does sexual deviancy equate to a decrease in the number of children born on the earth? Wouldn't it increase that number???"
Let's think about it. Are teenagers who get pregnant outside of wedlock more or less likely to have more children? Studies say less likely because they do not have the support system that traditional marriage would provide. See here.
What about homosexuality? Universal homosexuality would cause the entire human race to die out in a single generation. That's as self-destructive as it gets.
I'm not judging homosexuals, just homosexuality and sexual sin. I count myself a sinner just like everyone else. That's why I go to church each Sunday and try to repent; to become a better person. I'm just stating the facts as they occur to me.
As a bit of a side note this article and this article speak to the increase of multiple births in the world in the last 20 years.
02 January 2009
Pearson Party Palace
Generally we have a few Christmas parties at our house each year. This year was exceptionally crazy. There were MANY more parties at other places, which made it seem like a really insane year.
- Pearson/Mackay (extended family) Christmas party: November 29th.
- Pioneer Trek reunion dinner: December 13th.
- Pearson family Christmas party: December 21st.
- Yearly Youth Planning Meeting (church): December 27th.
- New Year's Day Pearson/Mackay party: January 1st.
Here's a pic of what the basement looked like for party #3:
Excluding our trek reunion, we averaged about 40 people for each party. It's great to have a spacious room for all these events, and a full basement kitchen helps, but I think we'll cut back next year. :-)
06 December 2008
Cheap Dates
My wife and I have never been super at dating. We go out a lot, but more often it's with friends. Recently we decided that we needed to go out on at LEAST 2 ONE-ON-ONE dates per month, more like 3 if I can help it. We quickly realized how expensive dating can be even without hiring a babysitter (thank heavens for that 12-year old). So we had to come up with some creative ways of improving our relationship.
Here are a few examples of our dates-of-late:
Ice Cream at Cold Stone: It's away from the house and doesn't cost any more than $10.
Matinee movie: Cheaper than evening movie.
Restaurants where a tip is not required, like Bajio or Chik-Fil-A (and they both have great coupons to save you bundles).
Something we did today was really cool. We called our favorite Mexican restaurant and ordered takeout. It cost $21.50 for a HUGE amount of food, PLUS chips and salsa. We didn't have to pay for drinks at $2.50 each OR give a tip to anyone. Then we brought the food home and ate in our little dining room in the basement while we sent the children upstairs to play. Even with the kids goofing off upstairs, it was quieter than the restaurant and we had one-on-one time for 45 minutes and didn't worry about kids or the baby. I also got to drink a can of Pepsi Max, which NO restaurant keeps in stock. DEE-lish.
Honestly, I love dating my wife in this creative way because neither of us have any guilt about spending so DARN much money and it makes things fun.
What sort of creative dates to you prefer?
Here are a few examples of our dates-of-late:
Ice Cream at Cold Stone: It's away from the house and doesn't cost any more than $10.
Matinee movie: Cheaper than evening movie.
Restaurants where a tip is not required, like Bajio or Chik-Fil-A (and they both have great coupons to save you bundles).
Something we did today was really cool. We called our favorite Mexican restaurant and ordered takeout. It cost $21.50 for a HUGE amount of food, PLUS chips and salsa. We didn't have to pay for drinks at $2.50 each OR give a tip to anyone. Then we brought the food home and ate in our little dining room in the basement while we sent the children upstairs to play. Even with the kids goofing off upstairs, it was quieter than the restaurant and we had one-on-one time for 45 minutes and didn't worry about kids or the baby. I also got to drink a can of Pepsi Max, which NO restaurant keeps in stock. DEE-lish.
Honestly, I love dating my wife in this creative way because neither of us have any guilt about spending so DARN much money and it makes things fun.
What sort of creative dates to you prefer?
30 July 2008
Fights and Bullies
I have only been in a single fist-fight in my life. I've never started any fight and I've never been a bully. The last day of 7th grade at Bennion Junior High School was a great one. Life was still pretty carefree. It was a very warm day and all of my friends were having a water fight on our street. I gladly joined in. We had water balloons and water weenies and hoses. Everyone was wet. Then someone introduced a can of shaving cream. Now we were a bunch of kids having a water fight that smelled incredibly clean! I'm sure our mothers were proud.
Enter Kirt Meeks.
He showed up on his bike and invited himself to the party. I had never met him before but the other kids knew him vaguely. He had just finished 9th grade and was older than us. As he was driving past us on his dirt bike, squirting us with water, I ran as fast as I could on his other side and plastered his hair with shaving cream.
Screeeech.
He got off his bike and, in Bruce Lee fashion, wiped the shaving cream from his face and hair and wagged his finger in my direction while uttering a high-pitched "waaaaa-aaaaah! OK, he didn't really do that, but he wasn't happy. I don't know why. He was soaking wet, just like the rest of us and seemed to be having a great time.
"Think that's funny?" he asked me.
"Uh...sure," I said, mystified at his sudden aggression.
Out of my lower-left field of vision I noticed his right hand coming toward my head. I deftly moved my head out of the way and watched the punch sail harmlessly away. Then my brain clicked off.
In a hail of fists I literally punched that bully all the way down the street and onto the grass at the church, vaguely aware that Kirt was bouncing around, bobbing his head, and counting the whole time. "One, two, three..." he would repeat breathlessly. He must've been taking some sort of boxing lesson which had yet to prove effective. A large group had gathered around us and was watching. Then Chris Cox showed up. He was older and MUCH larger than all of us and could have stopped the fight at any moment. But he didn't. He stood at the edge of the melee and calmly observed. Then his older brother Mike showed up and tried to stop the fight. Chris didn't let him. He held him back. To this day I don't know why. Perhaps Chris had watched the whole interchange and knew that a bully was getting his butt kicked? Who knows. Finally, as I became aware of my surroundings again, I was out of breath. I was sitting on Kirt, pounding him, and decided he'd had enough. I held him down, looked up at the crowd and said, "I'm tired. Could someone come hold him down?" Mike came in and grabbed Kirt. I walked home alone. I sat on my bed shaking like a leaf wondering how I had gone from the joys of the last day of school to a fist fight. My hand hurt. My knuckles gradually swelled and hurt for a week. I had not brought this on myself. I don't even remember my parents knowing about it. Besides sore knuckles, I don't think I had a scratch on me. Poor Kirt.
We didn't talk much about that day after it happened. In fact, I don't think it was EVER mentioned. I even had a locker not 2 doors down from Kirt when I was in high school. We never spoke to each other and rarely made eye contact. It was the elephant in the room.
Last year Bryce had an experience that I was surprised by. He had been outside playing football when a neighbor hit him on purpose. He just told the kid to knock it off and walked into the house. He didn't start crying until the door slammed behind him. I made it clear that he was NEVER allowed to start a fight. But I also made it clear that if someone is hurting you, you have every right to defend yourself until that threat goes away. And Bryce is not a small kid. He's 12 and is as large as half the 14-year old boys in our neighborhood. Heck, he's always been among the largest kids in the elementary school. I digress. I consider myself a lover, not a fighter. [har, har, Alfalfa!] The fact that I've only been in a single fight shows that I'm generally pretty good at diffusing tempers and making peace. At least I think so. I've known parents who prohibit their children from striking another child under ANY circumstances. I have heard parents state that they teach their children to "run away at all costs and avoid engagement." What are your experiences? What do you teach your children?
Enter Kirt Meeks.
He showed up on his bike and invited himself to the party. I had never met him before but the other kids knew him vaguely. He had just finished 9th grade and was older than us. As he was driving past us on his dirt bike, squirting us with water, I ran as fast as I could on his other side and plastered his hair with shaving cream.
Screeeech.
He got off his bike and, in Bruce Lee fashion, wiped the shaving cream from his face and hair and wagged his finger in my direction while uttering a high-pitched "waaaaa-aaaaah! OK, he didn't really do that, but he wasn't happy. I don't know why. He was soaking wet, just like the rest of us and seemed to be having a great time.
"Think that's funny?" he asked me.
"Uh...sure," I said, mystified at his sudden aggression.
Out of my lower-left field of vision I noticed his right hand coming toward my head. I deftly moved my head out of the way and watched the punch sail harmlessly away. Then my brain clicked off.
In a hail of fists I literally punched that bully all the way down the street and onto the grass at the church, vaguely aware that Kirt was bouncing around, bobbing his head, and counting the whole time. "One, two, three..." he would repeat breathlessly. He must've been taking some sort of boxing lesson which had yet to prove effective. A large group had gathered around us and was watching. Then Chris Cox showed up. He was older and MUCH larger than all of us and could have stopped the fight at any moment. But he didn't. He stood at the edge of the melee and calmly observed. Then his older brother Mike showed up and tried to stop the fight. Chris didn't let him. He held him back. To this day I don't know why. Perhaps Chris had watched the whole interchange and knew that a bully was getting his butt kicked? Who knows. Finally, as I became aware of my surroundings again, I was out of breath. I was sitting on Kirt, pounding him, and decided he'd had enough. I held him down, looked up at the crowd and said, "I'm tired. Could someone come hold him down?" Mike came in and grabbed Kirt. I walked home alone. I sat on my bed shaking like a leaf wondering how I had gone from the joys of the last day of school to a fist fight. My hand hurt. My knuckles gradually swelled and hurt for a week. I had not brought this on myself. I don't even remember my parents knowing about it. Besides sore knuckles, I don't think I had a scratch on me. Poor Kirt.
We didn't talk much about that day after it happened. In fact, I don't think it was EVER mentioned. I even had a locker not 2 doors down from Kirt when I was in high school. We never spoke to each other and rarely made eye contact. It was the elephant in the room.
Last year Bryce had an experience that I was surprised by. He had been outside playing football when a neighbor hit him on purpose. He just told the kid to knock it off and walked into the house. He didn't start crying until the door slammed behind him. I made it clear that he was NEVER allowed to start a fight. But I also made it clear that if someone is hurting you, you have every right to defend yourself until that threat goes away. And Bryce is not a small kid. He's 12 and is as large as half the 14-year old boys in our neighborhood. Heck, he's always been among the largest kids in the elementary school. I digress. I consider myself a lover, not a fighter. [har, har, Alfalfa!] The fact that I've only been in a single fight shows that I'm generally pretty good at diffusing tempers and making peace. At least I think so. I've known parents who prohibit their children from striking another child under ANY circumstances. I have heard parents state that they teach their children to "run away at all costs and avoid engagement." What are your experiences? What do you teach your children?
08 July 2008
Fasting
This will hereafter be known as The Week of Bryce in blogger land. I jest. However, I am talking about Bryce quite a bit because he has such an exciting, pubescent life.
Sunday was Bryce's first attempt at fasting. We had a little pep talk the night before and made sure we all started our fasts with a prayer and a purpose. Bryce woke up the next morning and was fine. He never eats breakfast anyway (like his father). I headed to PEC at 9:30 AM and brought Bryce with me since he had to do fast offerings. I got home from my meeting around 11 AM and got the story. Bryce had arrived at the church and very few fellow deacons had shown up to help. This left Bryce and Gaven working together to get 2 fast offering routes done. The day was quite warm and when the boys arrived at our house, Bryce was dying. If you count the sleeping part, he lasted for about 14 hours. Pretty good for a n00b.
It reminded me a lot of fasting experience I had on my mission. Imagine not eating or drinking for 24 hours while tracting in 108 degree temperatures with 80-100% humidity. It was highly dangerous. Looking back, I should have curtailed my tracting during those 24 hours and simply stayed at our flat. It would have made for a much more meaningful fast.
I also remember "fasting" at a much younger age than 12. However, my fasting consisted of not eating anything from the moment I arose Sunday to the moment I entered the house after church. It was never done with a prayer and never had a purpose. I was just starving myself. Kind of useless.
For me, fasting is a great way to overcome physical addictions, as seen here: Sugar Addiction I also have a friend who went on that 10-day Master Cleanse in order to rid himself of some eating addictions. It worked as well. My feelings about fasting have run the gamut. I've loved it, I've hated it. But most of all I've learned that it's necessary to overcome this physical beast which we have to tame here on earth. It's the best way to sacrifice that which is animal in us on the proverbial altar.
Sunday was Bryce's first attempt at fasting. We had a little pep talk the night before and made sure we all started our fasts with a prayer and a purpose. Bryce woke up the next morning and was fine. He never eats breakfast anyway (like his father). I headed to PEC at 9:30 AM and brought Bryce with me since he had to do fast offerings. I got home from my meeting around 11 AM and got the story. Bryce had arrived at the church and very few fellow deacons had shown up to help. This left Bryce and Gaven working together to get 2 fast offering routes done. The day was quite warm and when the boys arrived at our house, Bryce was dying. If you count the sleeping part, he lasted for about 14 hours. Pretty good for a n00b.
It reminded me a lot of fasting experience I had on my mission. Imagine not eating or drinking for 24 hours while tracting in 108 degree temperatures with 80-100% humidity. It was highly dangerous. Looking back, I should have curtailed my tracting during those 24 hours and simply stayed at our flat. It would have made for a much more meaningful fast.
I also remember "fasting" at a much younger age than 12. However, my fasting consisted of not eating anything from the moment I arose Sunday to the moment I entered the house after church. It was never done with a prayer and never had a purpose. I was just starving myself. Kind of useless.
For me, fasting is a great way to overcome physical addictions, as seen here: Sugar Addiction I also have a friend who went on that 10-day Master Cleanse in order to rid himself of some eating addictions. It worked as well. My feelings about fasting have run the gamut. I've loved it, I've hated it. But most of all I've learned that it's necessary to overcome this physical beast which we have to tame here on earth. It's the best way to sacrifice that which is animal in us on the proverbial altar.
05 June 2008
Family Dynamic$
In a recent email I was telling a friend about how our lives change with the addition of each child to our clan.
When you have the first child, it's not that difficult. If compared to basketball, you could say you're able to Double-Team the child. Once child #2 is born you have to change strategies from Double-Team to Man-to-Man. And that's still fine because I can take a child and Lisa can take a child and we're good to go. But then #3 is born. This is where things start to REALLY change. The defense changes from Man-to-Man to a Zone Defense. The tides have changed. It's 3-on-2 now and the kids have the tactical advantage. With #4 the defense changes again, except that the PARENTS are being Double-Teamed by the kids. So we're still doing a Zone Defense. But the good thing about 4 kids is the fact that Lisa and I both have 2 hands. We can each hold a child's hand in each of our hands so everyone feels the love.
So what the heck do we do when #5 arrives? It alters the dynamics drastically because someone is getting left out. OH!!! But guess what?!? The oldest is now 12 and is perfectly capable of fending for himself. He can hunt and eat small animals that he can find in the neighborhood all by himself. SO KIDDING. But there is some truth to that. The oldest can even assist the smaller kids when our hands aren't enough. And it works well. He learns responsibility and gets a taste of what his parents have done for him the past 12 years.
Then there's all the money we spend on kids. Food, driving to school and soccer games and blah, blah, blah. Lisa was a sporty kid. She played softball, volleyball, etc. until 9th grade. And she still has the calf muscles to prove it. So all of our kids are involved in some kind of sport. Bryce's first 5 years were spent at a baseball field and now it's switched to soccer. He's pretty good too. Blake liked soccer, but it was a little too fast for him. If you know Blake, he's one relaxed kid. So swimming is more his thing now. Kid has an amazing backstroke. Mitchell has always played soccer and Mallory has yet to enter the age of sports. She'll likely choose tumbling or dance, knowing that little girly girl.
What am I getting at? I don't know. Maybe it's that families are expensive and time-consuming and crazy. But guess what? I wouldn't change it for the WORLD!!!
[Mitchell and Maya at the last game]
When you have the first child, it's not that difficult. If compared to basketball, you could say you're able to Double-Team the child. Once child #2 is born you have to change strategies from Double-Team to Man-to-Man. And that's still fine because I can take a child and Lisa can take a child and we're good to go. But then #3 is born. This is where things start to REALLY change. The defense changes from Man-to-Man to a Zone Defense. The tides have changed. It's 3-on-2 now and the kids have the tactical advantage. With #4 the defense changes again, except that the PARENTS are being Double-Teamed by the kids. So we're still doing a Zone Defense. But the good thing about 4 kids is the fact that Lisa and I both have 2 hands. We can each hold a child's hand in each of our hands so everyone feels the love.
So what the heck do we do when #5 arrives? It alters the dynamics drastically because someone is getting left out. OH!!! But guess what?!? The oldest is now 12 and is perfectly capable of fending for himself. He can hunt and eat small animals that he can find in the neighborhood all by himself. SO KIDDING. But there is some truth to that. The oldest can even assist the smaller kids when our hands aren't enough. And it works well. He learns responsibility and gets a taste of what his parents have done for him the past 12 years.
Then there's all the money we spend on kids. Food, driving to school and soccer games and blah, blah, blah. Lisa was a sporty kid. She played softball, volleyball, etc. until 9th grade. And she still has the calf muscles to prove it. So all of our kids are involved in some kind of sport. Bryce's first 5 years were spent at a baseball field and now it's switched to soccer. He's pretty good too. Blake liked soccer, but it was a little too fast for him. If you know Blake, he's one relaxed kid. So swimming is more his thing now. Kid has an amazing backstroke. Mitchell has always played soccer and Mallory has yet to enter the age of sports. She'll likely choose tumbling or dance, knowing that little girly girl.
What am I getting at? I don't know. Maybe it's that families are expensive and time-consuming and crazy. But guess what? I wouldn't change it for the WORLD!!!
[Mitchell and Maya at the last game]
27 May 2008
Of Dogs and Hooded Men
In the last few years, there have only been a few times where I felt physically threatened enough that I might consider using force to defend myself. And they both happened in 2008.
A few months ago, likely around 10 PM, a person knocked loudly on my door. That, in and of itself, is strange. Most adults are smart enough to call on the telephone at a late hour, if absolutely necessary. So I proceed to the door slowly and look through the glass at the top of my door (yes, I'm that tall). I see a large person, about 300 pounds, dressed in a dark hoodie and dark pants. He had his back to my door and I could not see his face. I waited, and waited, and waited, all the while with my hand on the butt of my pistol. Then, since I had not answered the door, he turned around to ring the doorbell again, and I could see that it was my neighbor from across the street.
Whew.
Another incident happened over the weekend. I was standing in the Scout Master's driveway discussing the upcoming scout camps when down the street we heard a man yelling. The Scout Master's 2 year-old daughter was standing next to us. As we stared toward the yelling, we noticed that one man had a large dog on a leash and that another large dog had gotten away from the 2nd man. They were chasing the dog. Brad grabbed his daughter and quickly took her into his house and shut the door. We proceeded in our discussion until the loose dog entered his yard. I immediately placed my hand onto the butt of my pistol because the dog was coming straight for me. He approached and stood directly in front of me for about 10 seconds and then took off down the street.
Whew.
I believe dogs have a sense for nervousness. In fact, I know they do. With my hand on my pistol, I was confident that I could defend myself if the dog attacked me. I think the dog knew that too. My heart was not racing, but in my mind I was saying to myself, "BRING IT ON, LITTLE DOGGIE!"
Luckily, I've never had to employ deadly force to defend myself. I hope I never have to. But I will always be prepared to defend me and my family. Better to be prepared and not have to use it, than WISH you were prepared in that moment of need. That would lead to some bitter regret if something ever happened to my wife or kids.
A few months ago, likely around 10 PM, a person knocked loudly on my door. That, in and of itself, is strange. Most adults are smart enough to call on the telephone at a late hour, if absolutely necessary. So I proceed to the door slowly and look through the glass at the top of my door (yes, I'm that tall). I see a large person, about 300 pounds, dressed in a dark hoodie and dark pants. He had his back to my door and I could not see his face. I waited, and waited, and waited, all the while with my hand on the butt of my pistol. Then, since I had not answered the door, he turned around to ring the doorbell again, and I could see that it was my neighbor from across the street.
Whew.
Another incident happened over the weekend. I was standing in the Scout Master's driveway discussing the upcoming scout camps when down the street we heard a man yelling. The Scout Master's 2 year-old daughter was standing next to us. As we stared toward the yelling, we noticed that one man had a large dog on a leash and that another large dog had gotten away from the 2nd man. They were chasing the dog. Brad grabbed his daughter and quickly took her into his house and shut the door. We proceeded in our discussion until the loose dog entered his yard. I immediately placed my hand onto the butt of my pistol because the dog was coming straight for me. He approached and stood directly in front of me for about 10 seconds and then took off down the street.
Whew.
I believe dogs have a sense for nervousness. In fact, I know they do. With my hand on my pistol, I was confident that I could defend myself if the dog attacked me. I think the dog knew that too. My heart was not racing, but in my mind I was saying to myself, "BRING IT ON, LITTLE DOGGIE!"
Luckily, I've never had to employ deadly force to defend myself. I hope I never have to. But I will always be prepared to defend me and my family. Better to be prepared and not have to use it, than WISH you were prepared in that moment of need. That would lead to some bitter regret if something ever happened to my wife or kids.
21 May 2008
The Plague of the 21st Century
Ezra Taft Benson said, "The plaguing sin of this generation is sexual immorality. This, the Prophet Joseph said, would be the source of more temptations, more buffetings, and more difficulties for the elders of Israel than any other."
David O. McKay said, "Infidelity and sexual immorality are two principal evils that threaten to weaken and to wreck present-day civilization."
J. Reuben Clark said, "Our very civilization itself is based upon chastity, the sanctity of marriage, and the holiness of the home. Destroy these and Christian man becomes a brute."
I have found similar quotes by Neal A. Maxwell, Howard W. Hunter, Spencer W. Kimball, Dallin H. Oaks, Boyd K. Packer, and many others.
We built our house in the year 2000. Since then we have known of at least a dozen couples in our ward who have divorced or separated due to infidelity...which sometimes stemmed from viewing pornography. And I'm not the bishop of the ward, so there could be WAY more than that. When I meet bishops, or have the pleasure of talking to a bishop from any ward, I usually get around to asking them this question: "What percentage of your young men have problems or addictions with pornography?" Without fail, they have all said, "The Majority." In some cases, it's the VAST majority.
Comment: Chastity is more than just sexual purity. It is complete and utter fidelity to our wives in heart, mind, and motive. (D&C 42:22)
Howard W. Hunter: "A man who holds the priesthood shows perfect moral fidelity to his wife and gives her no reason to doubt his faithfulness. A husband is to love his wife with all his heart and cleave unto her and none else (see D&C 42:22-26)." President Spencer W. Kimball explained: "The words 'none else' eliminate everyone and everything. The spouse then becomes pre-eminent in the life of the husband or wife and neither social life nor occupational life nor political life nor any other interest nor person nor thing shall ever take precedence over the companion spouse."
The next questions can also be used as a guide to test the effective functioning of your marriage. If you answer 'yes' to any question, explore the subject with your husband/wife, and see the bishop or a professional counselor if you feel it necessary.
1. Are you getting bored in your marriage?
2. Do you sometimes dislike the company of your spouse?
3. Do you frequently disagree about many important aspects of your marriage, your family, or each other?
4. Do you complain to others about your spouse or criticize him or her in the company of others?
5. Do you often have negative feelings about your spouse, or feelings of being misunderstood, neglected, or not appreciated?
6. Are you frequently alone with a man or woman that is not your spouse?
7. Have you developed strong affectionate feelings for someone outside your marriage?
Not sure if I came up with this, or if this next quote was from a Conference address, but here goes...Our Heavenly Father expects us to progress in our marriages during mortality. It is not a sound decision then, to postpone working on the marriage, assuming that the next life will automatically heal its faults. We’ll have new plans and goals then, and it’s very doubtful that the ability to simply tolerate an unsatisfying marriage in this life will enhance our spiritual readiness for the life to come.
What, then, is the cure for this plague? This plague which can infect you, simply by viewing it's filth? My answer is this: Consistent Patterns of Righteous Living.
It means regular temple attendance, daily prayer, daily scripture study, regular fasting, weekly church attendance.
But I tell you this, my dear readers, the day is fast approaching when those items listed will be the MINIMUM requirement to pass through this 'portent of stormy weather' as prophesied by Gordon B. Hinckley. If you are doing those basic things, you might pass the test with a D- grade. You may make it, but you will not be unscathed. It will take much greater spirituality and consistency to overcome and beat the devil at his game. You'll want to add Family Home Evening, Home/Visiting Teaching, and Magnifying Your Calling to the list, to name only a few.
[Sunday School lesson over]
19 May 2008
My Past...It's Passed.
Melissa's blog today got me thinking.
I love my siblings. ALL of them. We get along famously in our old age and laugh like crazy when we're together. We may all have a little annoying habit here or there, but like an old couple, we ignore it and move on. We like to reminisce about our childhoods and love sharing stories over and over and over again. Like how Nathan was a strange-looking baby, but turned out to be one good-lookin' dude. Or Ben's "broken bum face" Popsicle story. Or Nick and his gullibility and naivete. Eventually, however, the conversation strays to a topic that makes me sad. You see, I was a mean little boy. An angry, mean little boy. Don't get me wrong, I have lots of happy memories, but it seems like I blocked out most of the really mean things I did. But my siblings? They remember EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM. And they don't mind sharing.
I always drive home from family dinner on those nights with a heavy heart. I've apologized again and again for being such a mean little boy. I don't know why I was nasty. Does it matter now?
I think I've changed. In fact, I don't think I'm anything like that mean little boy now. That little boy left me in high school. I'm a nice dad. I have fun with my kids. I'm a fantastic husband (ask Lisa). In fact, I believe I'm nearly the exact opposite of that mean little boy now. It's taken serving an LDS mission, a marriage to an angel, and many years of gospel study, but I am different. Repentance will do that to a person, you know?
So to all my siblings, I am sorry for being a mean little boy. I am sorry I scratched your faces or bit you or kicked you. I am sorry for being mean. But that Lance has died and 'gone the way of all the earth.'
I love my siblings. ALL of them. We get along famously in our old age and laugh like crazy when we're together. We may all have a little annoying habit here or there, but like an old couple, we ignore it and move on. We like to reminisce about our childhoods and love sharing stories over and over and over again. Like how Nathan was a strange-looking baby, but turned out to be one good-lookin' dude. Or Ben's "broken bum face" Popsicle story. Or Nick and his gullibility and naivete. Eventually, however, the conversation strays to a topic that makes me sad. You see, I was a mean little boy. An angry, mean little boy. Don't get me wrong, I have lots of happy memories, but it seems like I blocked out most of the really mean things I did. But my siblings? They remember EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM. And they don't mind sharing.
I always drive home from family dinner on those nights with a heavy heart. I've apologized again and again for being such a mean little boy. I don't know why I was nasty. Does it matter now?
I think I've changed. In fact, I don't think I'm anything like that mean little boy now. That little boy left me in high school. I'm a nice dad. I have fun with my kids. I'm a fantastic husband (ask Lisa). In fact, I believe I'm nearly the exact opposite of that mean little boy now. It's taken serving an LDS mission, a marriage to an angel, and many years of gospel study, but I am different. Repentance will do that to a person, you know?
So to all my siblings, I am sorry for being a mean little boy. I am sorry I scratched your faces or bit you or kicked you. I am sorry for being mean. But that Lance has died and 'gone the way of all the earth.'
16 May 2008
Yoose-tuh-bee
Growing up, I was a fan of the BYU Cougars. I rooted, hooted and hollered for them and made fun of Utah fans. You know...normal stuff. Then I married into the Leatherwood clan and was offered tickets to a Utah vs. BYU basketball game. Although everyone around me wore red, I wore something pretty neutral. After all, the game was at BYU's Marriott Center. In our group were the following (all LDS folks): a Stake President, a Bishop, 2 bishopric members, and an Elders Quorum President.
So picture us walking from the parking lot up the street to the Marriott Center when a car full of rowdy BYU fans passes by. Our ears were treated to a string of profanity that, to this day, is still hanging in space over Utah Lake. I was mortified. People from my church spoke like this?!?!? I thought we were only allowed to talk like that when we were in our cars...alone. I jest.
We were seated for the game and it had barely begun and Utah scored a great basket. My group was cheering and I was half-heartedly clapping when, from behind and to my left, a BYU fan started cursing and yelling so hard that he was frothing and spitting at the mouth. "SIT DOWN AND SHUT UP!!! YOU'RE IN MY HOUSE!!!"
???????????????????????????????????????????????????
Are you fetching kidding me?
And don't even get me started on the cast for Music Man. I wore a Utah shirt to rehearsal one night and I was quite literally attacked by some rabid BYU fans. Many of them were wearing BYU shirts/hats, etc. and nobody was attacking THEM. It's like they go out of their way to treat you like crap, just because you root for Utah.
So my disdain for BYU is not so much a dislike of the teams themselves as much as it is a hatred for BYU fans. They do NOT practice, as far as I can tell, our professed religion once kickoff/tipoff begins. They become possessed.
So picture us walking from the parking lot up the street to the Marriott Center when a car full of rowdy BYU fans passes by. Our ears were treated to a string of profanity that, to this day, is still hanging in space over Utah Lake. I was mortified. People from my church spoke like this?!?!? I thought we were only allowed to talk like that when we were in our cars...alone. I jest.
We were seated for the game and it had barely begun and Utah scored a great basket. My group was cheering and I was half-heartedly clapping when, from behind and to my left, a BYU fan started cursing and yelling so hard that he was frothing and spitting at the mouth. "SIT DOWN AND SHUT UP!!! YOU'RE IN MY HOUSE!!!"
???????????????????????????????????????????????????
Are you fetching kidding me?
And don't even get me started on the cast for Music Man. I wore a Utah shirt to rehearsal one night and I was quite literally attacked by some rabid BYU fans. Many of them were wearing BYU shirts/hats, etc. and nobody was attacking THEM. It's like they go out of their way to treat you like crap, just because you root for Utah.
So my disdain for BYU is not so much a dislike of the teams themselves as much as it is a hatred for BYU fans. They do NOT practice, as far as I can tell, our professed religion once kickoff/tipoff begins. They become possessed.
15 May 2008
Cost of Living
I am part of a Reader's Panel for the Salt Lake Tribune. I was quoted this morning in an article about the record increase in the cost of living we are all experiencing in the USA. You can see it here:
http://www.sltrib.com/ci_9263556
Here's my portion:
Lance...picks up sale items from various grocery stores on his way home from work rather than making separate trips. He has five children, ages 6 weeks to 12 years.
"We haven't cut coupons like this since we were first married," he said of he and his wife, Lisa. "She even sends me out the door in the morning with a kiss and a handful of coupons."
[Lance] said to save on gas, he works from home every Thursday, which he estimates saves him about 120 miles of driving per month.
Besides cutting coupons and such, we also try and buy bulk items at Sam's when it makes sense. We watch the sales and try to buy LOTS of those sale items together.
How does your family cope? Are you feeling the heat yet from grocery and gas prices?
http://www.sltrib.com/ci_9263556
Here's my portion:
Lance...picks up sale items from various grocery stores on his way home from work rather than making separate trips. He has five children, ages 6 weeks to 12 years.
"We haven't cut coupons like this since we were first married," he said of he and his wife, Lisa. "She even sends me out the door in the morning with a kiss and a handful of coupons."
[Lance] said to save on gas, he works from home every Thursday, which he estimates saves him about 120 miles of driving per month.
Besides cutting coupons and such, we also try and buy bulk items at Sam's when it makes sense. We watch the sales and try to buy LOTS of those sale items together.
How does your family cope? Are you feeling the heat yet from grocery and gas prices?
12 May 2008
Hay Fever
Here's what I know about hay fever.
Pollen is a normally occurring substance that people should NOT be allergic to. The allergic reaction is actually the body's IMMUNE system kicking into gear because the body THINKS that pollen is an evil invader. It releases antibodies to attack the pollen. Histamine stimulates gastric secretion and causes dilation of capillaries, constriction of bronchial smooth muscle, and decreased blood pressure.
Thus, Hay Fever is actually an auto-immune disease. It is a malfunction of your immune system.
Did you know that sugar can depress the immune system by up to 40%?
An overload of sugar may cause hay fever symptoms to be more pronounced. However, symptoms from auto-immune diseases can be suppressed or controlled with freezing cold.
So if you're a hay fever sufferer and don't have a steady supply of anti-histamines to down day after day, try a nice cold compress over your face for an hour or two. Or try breathing directly from an air conditioner or air purifier (as long as it's COLD).
Or you can just stick your head into a bucket of ice water repeatedly. Until you die. Which is a better alternative to hay fever.
Take me, sweet, sweet death.
I jest. Sort of.
Pollen is a normally occurring substance that people should NOT be allergic to. The allergic reaction is actually the body's IMMUNE system kicking into gear because the body THINKS that pollen is an evil invader. It releases antibodies to attack the pollen. Histamine stimulates gastric secretion and causes dilation of capillaries, constriction of bronchial smooth muscle, and decreased blood pressure.
Thus, Hay Fever is actually an auto-immune disease. It is a malfunction of your immune system.
Did you know that sugar can depress the immune system by up to 40%?
An overload of sugar may cause hay fever symptoms to be more pronounced. However, symptoms from auto-immune diseases can be suppressed or controlled with freezing cold.
So if you're a hay fever sufferer and don't have a steady supply of anti-histamines to down day after day, try a nice cold compress over your face for an hour or two. Or try breathing directly from an air conditioner or air purifier (as long as it's COLD).
Or you can just stick your head into a bucket of ice water repeatedly. Until you die. Which is a better alternative to hay fever.
Take me, sweet, sweet death.
I jest. Sort of.
08 May 2008
Autobiographies
A while back I decided to start my own biography. I just started typing a document that chronicled my birth and went through my life, thinking of major occurrances as they entered my mind. Before I knew it I had 13 pages of stuff that I plan on adding to every year and giving to my children someday. Here's a snippet or two...
"My parents lived at their home in West Jordan on about 7500 South and 2700 West when I was born. It was a new home. We lived there until I was about 5 years old. I have vague memories of that home: one being of a really large snake on our street. The other was of the old lady across the street that gave us a cookie or treat upon request once a day. I swear she had a wall of treats at the top of her stairs that looked just like those old fashioned glass jars you’d see in the Drug Store Soda Fountains. I also remember watching the Mickey Mouse Club on our really large black and white TV set in the basement. My best friend in the neighborhood was Tim Shipley."
And another snippet...
"I recall passing the summer days away [in our second home] with Todd. We’d spy on his cute neighbor girl Amy. We’d play army. We’d jump on our trampoline. We’d ride our bikes to each end of the neighborhood and back. We played on the canal road behind his house. We built a little fire one time on that canal road. Once we saw a kid fall into the canal. He was one of the Mills boys. He made it out on his own OK. We couldn’t have been much help anyway….we were only 7 years old. He was probably 6. Boy, he sure freaked out…scared me too.
Since it was a new neighborhood, we found ourselves playing often in those massive piles of dirt left by the excavators as they dug out basements for new homes. We even played in the dirt foundations themselves. What a hoot. We’d have ‘Dirt Clod Wars’ where we pulled up clumps of what looked like ‘wheat’ to us and hurl them at everyone as if they were bombs. We’d slide down those dirt hills until we either heard parents calling or it got dark. And we’d collect all the metal pieces that looked like penny or nickel slugs."
If any of the details are wrong, it is only because time makes those memories fade. If you are my mother or sibling, feel free to correct me when your memories differ. I'll continue to post bits here and there when I feel like it.
"My parents lived at their home in West Jordan on about 7500 South and 2700 West when I was born. It was a new home. We lived there until I was about 5 years old. I have vague memories of that home: one being of a really large snake on our street. The other was of the old lady across the street that gave us a cookie or treat upon request once a day. I swear she had a wall of treats at the top of her stairs that looked just like those old fashioned glass jars you’d see in the Drug Store Soda Fountains. I also remember watching the Mickey Mouse Club on our really large black and white TV set in the basement. My best friend in the neighborhood was Tim Shipley."
And another snippet...
"I recall passing the summer days away [in our second home] with Todd. We’d spy on his cute neighbor girl Amy. We’d play army. We’d jump on our trampoline. We’d ride our bikes to each end of the neighborhood and back. We played on the canal road behind his house. We built a little fire one time on that canal road. Once we saw a kid fall into the canal. He was one of the Mills boys. He made it out on his own OK. We couldn’t have been much help anyway….we were only 7 years old. He was probably 6. Boy, he sure freaked out…scared me too.
Since it was a new neighborhood, we found ourselves playing often in those massive piles of dirt left by the excavators as they dug out basements for new homes. We even played in the dirt foundations themselves. What a hoot. We’d have ‘Dirt Clod Wars’ where we pulled up clumps of what looked like ‘wheat’ to us and hurl them at everyone as if they were bombs. We’d slide down those dirt hills until we either heard parents calling or it got dark. And we’d collect all the metal pieces that looked like penny or nickel slugs."
If any of the details are wrong, it is only because time makes those memories fade. If you are my mother or sibling, feel free to correct me when your memories differ. I'll continue to post bits here and there when I feel like it.
01 May 2008
YA....YA...YA-CHOOOOEEE! Whew!
I consider myself an extreme allergy sufferer. Make that an extreme seasonal allergy sufferer. Extreme enough that in the past, I have been forced to leave or miss work because of allergic reactions. Extreme in the fact that I am sure I have taken WELL in excess of my own body weight in hay fever medications.
I've also been vaguely aware that an excessive amount of sugar in my diet during those spring/summer months will cause an especially severe reaction. During my youth, I thought I was allergic to chocolate, because every time I ate it during allergy season, I would go CRAZY. My eyes would pour forth tears and my nose would leak so bad that I would stuff tissues up my nostrils, only to replace the soggy mess with more tissues in 5 minutes.
After my mission, the allergies took a very strange turn. Instead of watery eyes and such, I would ITCH. Insanely. So badly that I missed even more work because the doctors were mystified at this strange condition. Turns out I had developed Chronic Urticaria, which was treated VERY effectively with Hydroxizine Hydrochloride. Turns out it is also higly effective on hayfever...and some forms of psychosis. Seriously. Anyhoo, I digress.
I also have to steer clear of certain foods during those months, or my throat swells and breathing becomes a little labored. Foods like watermelon, cantaloupe, corn-on-the-cob, and avocados.
So last spring I decided to do something about it. I went to an allergist just to get an idea of the exact things that cause my allergies. The nurse poked my back with about 60 needles that were loaded with various pollens and food concentrations. And gee, surprise of all surprises, my back lit up like a Christmas Tree. The doctor told me that unless I was willing to undergo some seriously intense Gene Therapy treatments, I would be forced to continue treating my hay fever like every other person in the world. I didn't like that. I wanted a PERMANENT solution to the problem that I'd suffered with for 33 years.
I put a LOT of thought into it myself and decided to try a sugar fast. I'm not sure where I encountered the idea or notion, but I decided to stay away from sugar for 30 days. By 'sugar' I mean things like candy, cookies, ice cream, cake, etc. I continued to eat things with natural sugar in them like fruits, honey, etc. The results?
Not a sniffle.
Not a sneeze.
Not a single teary eye.
Not a single drop from my nose.
So I'm in the middle of my sugar fast for 2008. It's going well, except for those crazy days where the dust is so thick in the valley that you can't see the mountains. But that might have something to do with those Whoppers I had the other day....
I've also been vaguely aware that an excessive amount of sugar in my diet during those spring/summer months will cause an especially severe reaction. During my youth, I thought I was allergic to chocolate, because every time I ate it during allergy season, I would go CRAZY. My eyes would pour forth tears and my nose would leak so bad that I would stuff tissues up my nostrils, only to replace the soggy mess with more tissues in 5 minutes.
After my mission, the allergies took a very strange turn. Instead of watery eyes and such, I would ITCH. Insanely. So badly that I missed even more work because the doctors were mystified at this strange condition. Turns out I had developed Chronic Urticaria, which was treated VERY effectively with Hydroxizine Hydrochloride. Turns out it is also higly effective on hayfever...and some forms of psychosis. Seriously. Anyhoo, I digress.
I also have to steer clear of certain foods during those months, or my throat swells and breathing becomes a little labored. Foods like watermelon, cantaloupe, corn-on-the-cob, and avocados.
So last spring I decided to do something about it. I went to an allergist just to get an idea of the exact things that cause my allergies. The nurse poked my back with about 60 needles that were loaded with various pollens and food concentrations. And gee, surprise of all surprises, my back lit up like a Christmas Tree. The doctor told me that unless I was willing to undergo some seriously intense Gene Therapy treatments, I would be forced to continue treating my hay fever like every other person in the world. I didn't like that. I wanted a PERMANENT solution to the problem that I'd suffered with for 33 years.
I put a LOT of thought into it myself and decided to try a sugar fast. I'm not sure where I encountered the idea or notion, but I decided to stay away from sugar for 30 days. By 'sugar' I mean things like candy, cookies, ice cream, cake, etc. I continued to eat things with natural sugar in them like fruits, honey, etc. The results?
Not a sniffle.
Not a sneeze.
Not a single teary eye.
Not a single drop from my nose.
So I'm in the middle of my sugar fast for 2008. It's going well, except for those crazy days where the dust is so thick in the valley that you can't see the mountains. But that might have something to do with those Whoppers I had the other day....
22 April 2008
Each Life That Touches Ours For Good
This is something that has taken me years to compile, and I am only sharing a portion with you. Years ago I was sitting in Priesthood meeting on Sunday and started a list in my head. At the moment, I was staring at the instructor and thought to myself, "If I had to use a single word to describe him, what would it be?"
And so the list began. I took everyone in my priesthood quorum and made a list of the single greatest quality that I had observed and that had touched my life. But I urge you to do the same, not just with those in your quorum or church group, but all your family members...EVEN YOUR ENEMIES.
You might wonder why I have left my "Help Meet" (Lisa) off the list. I find it extremely difficult to put that into a single word or phrase. That relationship is MUCH too complex...and happily so.
Ron W: Softness in Speech (Prov. 15:1)
Ladell: Consistency
Bob R: Listener
John S: Quiet Dignity
Vernon: Steadfast
Don: Kind
Erik: Friend
David T: Peace
Aaron: Anxiously Engaged
Have fun with it and post any you want to share in the comment section.
And so the list began. I took everyone in my priesthood quorum and made a list of the single greatest quality that I had observed and that had touched my life. But I urge you to do the same, not just with those in your quorum or church group, but all your family members...EVEN YOUR ENEMIES.
You might wonder why I have left my "Help Meet" (Lisa) off the list. I find it extremely difficult to put that into a single word or phrase. That relationship is MUCH too complex...and happily so.
Ron W: Softness in Speech (Prov. 15:1)
Ladell: Consistency
Bob R: Listener
John S: Quiet Dignity
Vernon: Steadfast
Don: Kind
Erik: Friend
David T: Peace
Aaron: Anxiously Engaged
Have fun with it and post any you want to share in the comment section.
17 April 2008
Best Kept Secrets
I don't consider myself super outdoorsy, but I enjoy camping and hiking and hunting and get out whenever I can. This is me from September of last year on the trail to Lake Blanche:
A lot of people know about it and a LOT of people hike to this lake every year. In case you don't know where it is, I will tell you. I first discovered the Lake Blanche trail head on a date with my wife. We were newly married and decided to find a little place to hike. We went up Big Cottonwood Canyon and found this trail. About 30 minutes into the hike, we were sweating like...crazy. We turned around, but I vowed to return and find out what lay at the end of the trail.
About a year passed and Nathan and I (brudder) decided to go camping to this little spot. We were VERY under-prepared and were kind of young and stupid. We hiked that trail in maybe 90 minutes (which is insane) and I felt sick for a day after. We pushed ourselves a little too hard. BUT WHAT A PLACE!!!
I have since returned 3 more times and have made it a tradition with the Priests and Teachers in my ward each summer.
Last year (that is Sundial Peak):
We don't invite the deacons, unless they are especially strapping lads. This hike is somewhat grueling. Add a 30-40 pound pack, and you've got yourself a nasty little hike.
Last August, I made several mistakes.
Mistake #1: Leaving for the trail head in the middle of August on a 100+ degree day.
Mistake #2: Carrying 1 liter of water.
Mistake #3: Believing that I was still 25 years old.
As we approached the top of the trail, me and my priests quorum advisor collapsed, unable to move. My breathing was out of control and I was starting to go numb in my extremities. Drinking made me feel like I was going to vomit. Then everything started vibrating, as if I were sitting through a small earthquake. In my body. My teachers quorum advisor will graduate soon with a degree in Sports Medicine. If it weren't for him pushing liquids down my throat and forcing me to drink, I might have progressed into that nasty world of heat stroke. I was dangerously close and he was literally searching for the emergency number for Search and Rescue. But after 2 hours of laying down, drinking, and more drinking, I began to feel a LOT better. This is a picture of my buddy Rick laying down underneath "Shade Rock" as I termed it. That rock was my salvation on that hot day:
That fall, Rick urged me to come with him on a DAY hike up to Lake Blanche. He prodded and pushed, and like a kid who fell off the horse, I consented to get back up and try again. I vowed I would never see that place again. But if you ever get the chance, it is one of the most splendid peaceful places to hike to in Utah.
Starting elevation: 6,300 feet
Ending elevation: 9,000 feet
Length of trail: 2.7 miles
It takes about 2.5 hours to hike, if you're in decent shape. Those hiking poles are almost a necessity for this trail. Oh, and it's not just 1 lake. It's 3. They vary in elevations and flow into each other via little waterfalls.
A lot of people know about it and a LOT of people hike to this lake every year. In case you don't know where it is, I will tell you. I first discovered the Lake Blanche trail head on a date with my wife. We were newly married and decided to find a little place to hike. We went up Big Cottonwood Canyon and found this trail. About 30 minutes into the hike, we were sweating like...crazy. We turned around, but I vowed to return and find out what lay at the end of the trail.
About a year passed and Nathan and I (brudder) decided to go camping to this little spot. We were VERY under-prepared and were kind of young and stupid. We hiked that trail in maybe 90 minutes (which is insane) and I felt sick for a day after. We pushed ourselves a little too hard. BUT WHAT A PLACE!!!
I have since returned 3 more times and have made it a tradition with the Priests and Teachers in my ward each summer.
Last year (that is Sundial Peak):
We don't invite the deacons, unless they are especially strapping lads. This hike is somewhat grueling. Add a 30-40 pound pack, and you've got yourself a nasty little hike.
Last August, I made several mistakes.
Mistake #1: Leaving for the trail head in the middle of August on a 100+ degree day.
Mistake #2: Carrying 1 liter of water.
Mistake #3: Believing that I was still 25 years old.
As we approached the top of the trail, me and my priests quorum advisor collapsed, unable to move. My breathing was out of control and I was starting to go numb in my extremities. Drinking made me feel like I was going to vomit. Then everything started vibrating, as if I were sitting through a small earthquake. In my body. My teachers quorum advisor will graduate soon with a degree in Sports Medicine. If it weren't for him pushing liquids down my throat and forcing me to drink, I might have progressed into that nasty world of heat stroke. I was dangerously close and he was literally searching for the emergency number for Search and Rescue. But after 2 hours of laying down, drinking, and more drinking, I began to feel a LOT better. This is a picture of my buddy Rick laying down underneath "Shade Rock" as I termed it. That rock was my salvation on that hot day:
That fall, Rick urged me to come with him on a DAY hike up to Lake Blanche. He prodded and pushed, and like a kid who fell off the horse, I consented to get back up and try again. I vowed I would never see that place again. But if you ever get the chance, it is one of the most splendid peaceful places to hike to in Utah.
Starting elevation: 6,300 feet
Ending elevation: 9,000 feet
Length of trail: 2.7 miles
It takes about 2.5 hours to hike, if you're in decent shape. Those hiking poles are almost a necessity for this trail. Oh, and it's not just 1 lake. It's 3. They vary in elevations and flow into each other via little waterfalls.
14 April 2008
A Phreak of Sorts
Note to Female Readers: this installment may bore you to tears. If so, I am sorry. It is meant to educate.
A few of my friends and my wife understand this about me, but not many other folks have a clue of what a freak I am about guns. I've been around guns my whole life. Heck, when I lived in Sandy my friends and I would spend our Saturdays shooting our BB guns up on the hill between 1300 East and the Hidden Valley Golf Course. At the time, there were no houses around and it was just open sagebrush.
Then there was a 20-year dearth of guns in my life. When I met Garth Halter he made the mistake of telling me he was a licensed gunsmith. That was the end of it...or the beginning. I cannot tell you how many hours I spent in his cubicle at work asking him questions about firearms and ammunition. Just so you understand how freakish my habit is, here are a few little items of interest. Whenever I look at the clock and the time is any of the following, I make mention of it: 2:04, 2:23, 2:24, 2:43, 2:57, 3:08, 3:10, 3:12, 3:21, 3:23, 3:38, 3:57, 3:58, 4:10, 4:29, 4:51, 4:58. Why are those numbers significant, you ask? Well, they all either pertain to a caliber or specific cartridge. Weird? Yes, I suppose. I am writing this blog today, to teach and inform my readers about guns and cartridges in general.
This is Garth about a week before he died (April 1, 2007):
He's the guy next to me who's sitting down...the one that looks like my cousin Guido.
Anyhoo, I digress.
I spent the next 2 years poking and prodding Garth for any and all information about ballistics and firearms and such. He even loaned me some of his reloading equipment for a short time and taught me how to reload my own ammunition. He was a master. Very skillful. And all of his obsessive habits were absorbed by me.
To me, a gun is a tool. Like a hammer. Like a tape-measure. Do guns kill people? No, bad people kill people. If we took guns out of the hands of everyone, the bad guys would still find a way to obtain them, and then we'd just have an unarmed bunch of sheep, waiting for the wolves to slaughter them. That's my opinion.
Again, I digress.
Let's talk about a few terms we all hear now and then:
Bullet: the projectile that is ejected from a gun upon firing.
Cartridge: consists of 4 things: bullet, casing, gunpowder, primer.
Case/Casing: the brass component of a cartridge that holds the primer, bullet and gunpowder in place.
Primer: a small cup that is inserted into the bottom of a case which contains a small amount of explosive material. Once ignited, a primer will light the gunpowder of a cartridge on fire.
Gunpowder: a combination of sulphur, saltpeter, and charcoal. In modern smokeless powders, nitrocellulose is also used.
Assault Rifle: not a term I am happy with, because it mostly applies to weapons generally used by the military which can be purchased and used by civilians. Which I have no problem with.
High-Powered Rifle: this is my opinion, but it generally refers to a rifle that might be used to hunt medium to large game with. A '30 ought six' or 30-06 might be considered a high-powered rifle.
Bullets and gunpowder are measured in 'grains'. I don't know why, or the history behind it, but 7,000 grains is equal to 1 pound. You might typically hear someone state that they shoot a '30 ought-six with 180 grain bullets and 57 grains of powder.' That would be something a typical big game hunter might use.
I, however, opt for something a little larger and more powerful than most of your typical hunters. I use a very old cartridge that has been around for over 100 years. It has been used to kill everything from deer, to buffalo, to the largest of African game.
This is a picture of the gun and cartridge:
Currently, I have a friend of mine reload my cartridges for me. Why? Price is the first reason. It is cheaper to reload your own ammunition. Also, because this cartridge has been around for 100 years, most manufacturers have to compensate for the fact that their cartridge MIGHT be used in a 100-year old gun. Thus, they make cartridges that are loaded to very low pressures that will not destroy older guns. Since I own a more modern gun, I am able to use loads that will generate MUCH higher pressures. My current load is a 300 grain bullet. This bullet and combination of powder is something that I could use on nearly anything in this world. The only animals I might hesitate to use this cartridge on would be elephants. The average size of a big game bullet (in my opinion) falls somewhere around 150 grains travelling around 3,000 feet-per-second. This cartridge would pack about 2,900 foot-pounds of energy. My 300 grain bullet travels around 2,300 feet per second, but because of the larger size, would pack about 4,000 foot-pounds of energy.
To prove the potency of this cartridge, my buddy Erik and I did our own penetration testing while we were out hunting last year. Penetration Testing, you ask? One school of thought states that it is very important for your cartridge to have enough energy to pass completely through the animal at which you are firing, causing as much internal damage as possible so that the animal has a quick and pain-free death.
Erik's cartridge: 270 Winchester, 150 grain bullet, travelling about 2,900 fps.
My cartridge: 45-70 Government, 300 grain bullet, travelling about 2,300 fps.
Our target was the largest aspen tree we could find...which was about 16 inches in diameter.
Erik's bullet entered the tree and penetrated a few inches and then stopped. How deeply did it penetrate? I don't know, because the bullet never left the tree. My bullet's performance was a different story. It entered the 16" aspen tree and then exited out the back side and entered the next tree behind it.
That's at least 18 inches of LIVING tree, as far as I could tell. Perhaps more.
WOW!!!
When you shoot a larger bullet, however, you have to sacrifice something else. Gravity has a greater influence on that 300 grain bullet than a 150 grain bullet. So if you shoot a 150 grain bullet at a target 400 yards distant, it might drop about 20 inches from when the bullet left the barrel. My bullet, however, would drop something like 30-40 inches. To say that my bullets have a "rainbow" trajectory would be an understatement. But I am OK with that. As long as I keep shots at big game within a reasonable distance (say 300 yards, MAX), I don't really need to be concerned about that trajectory.
But another reason for my interest in guns is my interest in hunting big game (i.e. deer and elk). Someday I would like to hunt a grizzly bear or a moose in Alaska. To date, this is the only big game animal I have ever shot at:
It was taken just east of Richfield, Utah in the fall of 2006. The meat was mighty tasty! And honestly, if I did not enjoy the meat, I would not hunt at all.
So there you have it. I am slightly freakish, but I enjoy firearms very much.
A few of my friends and my wife understand this about me, but not many other folks have a clue of what a freak I am about guns. I've been around guns my whole life. Heck, when I lived in Sandy my friends and I would spend our Saturdays shooting our BB guns up on the hill between 1300 East and the Hidden Valley Golf Course. At the time, there were no houses around and it was just open sagebrush.
Then there was a 20-year dearth of guns in my life. When I met Garth Halter he made the mistake of telling me he was a licensed gunsmith. That was the end of it...or the beginning. I cannot tell you how many hours I spent in his cubicle at work asking him questions about firearms and ammunition. Just so you understand how freakish my habit is, here are a few little items of interest. Whenever I look at the clock and the time is any of the following, I make mention of it: 2:04, 2:23, 2:24, 2:43, 2:57, 3:08, 3:10, 3:12, 3:21, 3:23, 3:38, 3:57, 3:58, 4:10, 4:29, 4:51, 4:58. Why are those numbers significant, you ask? Well, they all either pertain to a caliber or specific cartridge. Weird? Yes, I suppose. I am writing this blog today, to teach and inform my readers about guns and cartridges in general.
This is Garth about a week before he died (April 1, 2007):
He's the guy next to me who's sitting down...the one that looks like my cousin Guido.
Anyhoo, I digress.
I spent the next 2 years poking and prodding Garth for any and all information about ballistics and firearms and such. He even loaned me some of his reloading equipment for a short time and taught me how to reload my own ammunition. He was a master. Very skillful. And all of his obsessive habits were absorbed by me.
To me, a gun is a tool. Like a hammer. Like a tape-measure. Do guns kill people? No, bad people kill people. If we took guns out of the hands of everyone, the bad guys would still find a way to obtain them, and then we'd just have an unarmed bunch of sheep, waiting for the wolves to slaughter them. That's my opinion.
Again, I digress.
Let's talk about a few terms we all hear now and then:
Bullet: the projectile that is ejected from a gun upon firing.
Cartridge: consists of 4 things: bullet, casing, gunpowder, primer.
Case/Casing: the brass component of a cartridge that holds the primer, bullet and gunpowder in place.
Primer: a small cup that is inserted into the bottom of a case which contains a small amount of explosive material. Once ignited, a primer will light the gunpowder of a cartridge on fire.
Gunpowder: a combination of sulphur, saltpeter, and charcoal. In modern smokeless powders, nitrocellulose is also used.
Assault Rifle: not a term I am happy with, because it mostly applies to weapons generally used by the military which can be purchased and used by civilians. Which I have no problem with.
High-Powered Rifle: this is my opinion, but it generally refers to a rifle that might be used to hunt medium to large game with. A '30 ought six' or 30-06 might be considered a high-powered rifle.
Bullets and gunpowder are measured in 'grains'. I don't know why, or the history behind it, but 7,000 grains is equal to 1 pound. You might typically hear someone state that they shoot a '30 ought-six with 180 grain bullets and 57 grains of powder.' That would be something a typical big game hunter might use.
I, however, opt for something a little larger and more powerful than most of your typical hunters. I use a very old cartridge that has been around for over 100 years. It has been used to kill everything from deer, to buffalo, to the largest of African game.
This is a picture of the gun and cartridge:
Currently, I have a friend of mine reload my cartridges for me. Why? Price is the first reason. It is cheaper to reload your own ammunition. Also, because this cartridge has been around for 100 years, most manufacturers have to compensate for the fact that their cartridge MIGHT be used in a 100-year old gun. Thus, they make cartridges that are loaded to very low pressures that will not destroy older guns. Since I own a more modern gun, I am able to use loads that will generate MUCH higher pressures. My current load is a 300 grain bullet. This bullet and combination of powder is something that I could use on nearly anything in this world. The only animals I might hesitate to use this cartridge on would be elephants. The average size of a big game bullet (in my opinion) falls somewhere around 150 grains travelling around 3,000 feet-per-second. This cartridge would pack about 2,900 foot-pounds of energy. My 300 grain bullet travels around 2,300 feet per second, but because of the larger size, would pack about 4,000 foot-pounds of energy.
To prove the potency of this cartridge, my buddy Erik and I did our own penetration testing while we were out hunting last year. Penetration Testing, you ask? One school of thought states that it is very important for your cartridge to have enough energy to pass completely through the animal at which you are firing, causing as much internal damage as possible so that the animal has a quick and pain-free death.
Erik's cartridge: 270 Winchester, 150 grain bullet, travelling about 2,900 fps.
My cartridge: 45-70 Government, 300 grain bullet, travelling about 2,300 fps.
Our target was the largest aspen tree we could find...which was about 16 inches in diameter.
Erik's bullet entered the tree and penetrated a few inches and then stopped. How deeply did it penetrate? I don't know, because the bullet never left the tree. My bullet's performance was a different story. It entered the 16" aspen tree and then exited out the back side and entered the next tree behind it.
That's at least 18 inches of LIVING tree, as far as I could tell. Perhaps more.
WOW!!!
When you shoot a larger bullet, however, you have to sacrifice something else. Gravity has a greater influence on that 300 grain bullet than a 150 grain bullet. So if you shoot a 150 grain bullet at a target 400 yards distant, it might drop about 20 inches from when the bullet left the barrel. My bullet, however, would drop something like 30-40 inches. To say that my bullets have a "rainbow" trajectory would be an understatement. But I am OK with that. As long as I keep shots at big game within a reasonable distance (say 300 yards, MAX), I don't really need to be concerned about that trajectory.
But another reason for my interest in guns is my interest in hunting big game (i.e. deer and elk). Someday I would like to hunt a grizzly bear or a moose in Alaska. To date, this is the only big game animal I have ever shot at:
It was taken just east of Richfield, Utah in the fall of 2006. The meat was mighty tasty! And honestly, if I did not enjoy the meat, I would not hunt at all.
So there you have it. I am slightly freakish, but I enjoy firearms very much.
08 April 2008
And The Show Went On...
It's a little late, but the show went off without a hitch! It was the most fun I've had in a musical or play for a very long time. I must say...for being a 'church' production, it sure wasn't any little thing. This was a BIG deal. We had a full orchestra (almost) complete with a trombone, trumpet, 2 violins, a clarinet, picolo, drums, bass, flute, and various other instruments...about 15 in all.
We did 2 shows: one Friday night and the other Saturday afternoon.
Marian the librarian was wonderful to work with, as well as the mayor's wife (Eulalie) and the Mayor himself. The quartet was also wonderful. It took them a long time to finally get synchronized, but when they did, it was spectacular! A friend took these photos and was kind enough to share them with me.
This was during the beginning of "76 Trombones"
Final scene with Marian on the Footbridge
Barbershop Quartet and Me
The beginning of "Sadder But Wiser Girl"
Marcellus was a lot of fun to work with as well. The show was just about as professionally done as could happen with a church production. Each of the leads had body microphones. The sound system was pretty good, but could've used a little more tweaking (according to a few audience members). Each night was a full house and the house was packed at least 30 minutes prior to opening.
I really enjoyed myself and would do this sort of thing again in a heartbeat...in a few years, that is.
We did 2 shows: one Friday night and the other Saturday afternoon.
Marian the librarian was wonderful to work with, as well as the mayor's wife (Eulalie) and the Mayor himself. The quartet was also wonderful. It took them a long time to finally get synchronized, but when they did, it was spectacular! A friend took these photos and was kind enough to share them with me.
This was during the beginning of "76 Trombones"
Final scene with Marian on the Footbridge
Barbershop Quartet and Me
The beginning of "Sadder But Wiser Girl"
Marcellus was a lot of fun to work with as well. The show was just about as professionally done as could happen with a church production. Each of the leads had body microphones. The sound system was pretty good, but could've used a little more tweaking (according to a few audience members). Each night was a full house and the house was packed at least 30 minutes prior to opening.
I really enjoyed myself and would do this sort of thing again in a heartbeat...in a few years, that is.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)