Outside the World

Camping II

2011-11-28T20:43:00.001-07:00

Every good story deserves a sequel. Five years ago, I wrote what some consider to be a good story about a star-crossed camping trip. I described it as “...not a long story, ...filled with happiness, embarrassment, laughter, disappointment, steak, and 150 miles of driving.”

If that story was Home Alone, this is Home Alone 2. Except with less steak. So sit back and cast your thoughts aside for a few moments while I entertain you with another adventure.

We had planned this trip for a long time. When I say, “plan”, you might conjure up in your mind such descriptors as “outline”, “schedule”, “purpose”, or even “call ahead to see if they allow overnight camping”. No.

When I say we planned it, I mean Daniel Dawson and I desired to go camping. Greatly desired. We simply wanted to drive to the desert, light a fire, grill some steak, get some rest, and shoot some photos. You know, camping.

After finally setting a date, Daniel and I split some basic responsibilities and necessities and met on a Friday afternoon. We piled everything up in the trusty van, and set off northward toward the Needle Rock area, which was the spot of many camping adventures in the past, including the ill-fated camping trip of 2006.

We thought we were so well prepared. We had our tent, steak, our “trundle” of wood (as christened by me, it being three bundles of wood) and plenty of daylight. We should have realized our night’s true destiny then, when we pulled up to the Needle Rock entrance and saw pavement instead of a dirt trail. Yes, the forest service had taken hold of this land, paved it, and blessed it with bathrooms. And wanted money for the experience. Permits required.

No matter! Onward and forward we thought, pulling into the well-manicured campground, loveingly named “Needle Rock Campground”. Our first stop was a parking lot, where we found our second revelatory hindrance; a “No Overnight Camping” sign.

Allow me a brief diversion; does not the word “camping” denote the overnight variety? Forgive me if I lack the intellectual fortitude to fully grasp the mountain man’s vision of camping, but when I say, “I’m going camping” to someone, you better believe they’re thinking I’m not coming back until at least the next day. Hmm.

So, thus disenchanted but never discouraged by our discovery, we decided to take the first unpaved road we saw and forage our way ahead to see what else we could find. Not even 100 yards on this path we met our third hiccup in the night’s affairs by nearly getting my front-wheel drive family mini-van stuck in some nasty sand. Luckily, it lasted only a moment, and we turned back, proverbial tail between our legs, a nasty taste of deja vu in our mouths.

As I had AT&T and had ventured outside of my 25-foot grace period of the city limits, my phone would do us no good as we turned to the Internet for help in our search for suitable camping arrangements for the evening. Luckily, Daniel had Verizon and was somehow pulling down about 5mbps out in the boonies, so we quickly confirmed our fate at the current campground and headed south.

After several unanswered phone calls to family members resulted in a quick Google search. As good fortune would have it, there was another campground only three miles to shy of us called McDowell Mountain. It seemed a literal utopian paradise for us; we were wrong.

A few hundred yards from the entrance to the park, I noticed something awry. Another snag in the fibers of the night. There was a line of cars, campers, and trucks waiting to get in. Yes, it was a holiday weekend, but still...a line of near 50 vehicles seemed hardly warranted at this point. When you’re faced with this unfortunate set of circumstances, you have very little choice. You pull in and mark your spot in line, noticing that no one is being turned away. Faithfully, you dig in, and wait.

I turned to Daniel about 20 minutes into our queue and revealed to him what only I could see past the careening sequence of autos; a “Campground Full” sign. I was flabbergasted. How could this be? We were still 10 cars back at least, and no one was driving the opposite direction from us. There had to be a mistake. Fate could not possibly hold such unmitigated sway over our endeavors.

The sun setting before our very eyes, we had little options. After a few more excruciating minutes in line, we pulled up to a very congenial looking gentleman. Pleasantly, he glanced in the car at us and said, “You running?”

I was perplexed. Did he think us fugitives, evading the law at the nearest 45 minutes line of cars we could find?

“Are you running?”

“Ex..excuse me?”, I stammered. I could no longer hide my utter confusion at this curveball of a conversation.

“Are you racing this weekend?”, he blustered back. Consternation knit my brow.

“No..no..We’re camping. Camping. We want to camp.” I could only muster the vocabulary of an eight year old at that point. There was a lump in my throat. Tunnel vision clouded my processes. Daniel laughed and guffawed at my side.

“Oh, you’re serious,” he said, looking very sympathetic. “I’m sorry. You’ve waited for nothing. We’re full." He stammered a bit; shuffling his feet for stability. "We don’t have anything for you. We’re holding the Ironman Triathlon here this weekend. I’m so sorry.”

I don’t recall very well what I said next. For all I know, it was probably a few hesitated inflections about how I really just wanted a place to grill some steak. Nonplussed, the gentleman carried on.

“You know, if you drive not four miles to the North, there’s a campground there you can stay at.”

“We know”, we said nearly in unison. “We just came from there. There’s no overnight camping allowed anymore.”

“Well, that’s unfortunate. I just sent a few others there this evening. Look, do you know where the Bush Highway is?”

I said I did not know where that was, when clearly, I knew where it was. My thoughts were with those other poor souls who were sent to Needlerock. Our eyes glazed over with disillusion.

He pushed on. “You just gotta drive south through Fountain Hills, get to the Beeline and take that north to the Bush Highway. It’s the Saguaro Del Norte recreation area. You drive down that road and you’ll be damned sure to find a place to camp there.”

We looked at each other for a brief moment to communicate our thoughts, turned back toward the man and issued our gratitude for his help. Flummoxed, we took our adventure southward again, toward the Fountain Hills area and ultimately the Bush Highway.

Hysteria and delirium clobbered the van at that point. How could we be afflicted yet again with such a destiny? Did the fates hold anything for us? Would we be able to grill any steak? Read on, dear readers.

We faced a decision. With our allotment of daylight dwindling rapidly, and no clear destination in mind, did we push forth and try to find a suitable spot? Careening through the rolling streets of Fountain Hills gave us plenty of time to both decide and complain. By the time we reached Shea Blvd, we had made up our minds. We knew our destiny, and it smelled like steak seasoning.

Peeling out while turning to the East on Shea, the fearless Odyssey minivan showing its true colors and passion to its occupants, we headed toward the Bush Highway. Headlights on, we kept our eyes peeled for any clues that might show us the way. Turning left on what seemed like a good location, we discovered only a pier that led to the lake.

Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted the small Lakeshore Restaurant. Daniel bade me to ask someone for directions. Spotting a woman on a golf cart, I drove up to her and sheepishly asked her whether there was a place to camp nearby.

She said there wasn’t, and we both lowered our heads in disbelief. Quickly she corrected herself however, remembering that it was in fact November, and the Park Service allowed camping along the shore of the Salt River until March. We simply needed to keep following the road until we found the Water Users Camping area, and hike on down to the shore. We finally felt a brief moment of relief and hope. Thanking the woman, we left her and made our trek back to the highway.

Light had all but left us at that point. Following the woman’s precise directions, we located the parking lot that would allow us passage to the shores of the Salt River. Letting the headlights be our guide, we passed back and forth while deciding which spot would bring us closer to the campsite.

Unexpectedly, a small animal darted in front of the van, eyes ablaze as its tapetum lucidum reflected our headlights back at us. Daniel freaked; he screamed and beckoned me to stop. After discovering it to be a lost kitten, we discarded our man-cards and parked on the North end of the lot.

It was time to investigate this campsite.

It should be mentioned that we had stocked immensely for the night. Tents, sleeping bags, chairs, wood, a grill, a cooler, and other odds and ends that would prove difficult to carry down to the river in one trip. We decided that we had better take a trip sans supplies, just to see if we could even find a suitable location. After all, the sky had darkened and time was a luxury we did not have.

Once down at the shore, we realized the last damning fact that sealed our fate. Every square inch of the area was covered in broken glass. There was no chance of camping here. While our tetanus shots were both up to date, the thought of dealing with those shards helped speed our decision to simply make a fire, grill the steak, and get home.

Home. We remembered at this point that Daniel’s car was 50 miles away, parked in the lot of an AJ’s Fine Foods. Our nightly adventure had taken us quite a few miles out of our original path.

I digress. After a few runs to the car, we placed our “trundle” of wood inside a hastily crafted fire ring, and begun the process of heating the coals for the grill. With our chairs set up, Daniel and I had a few minutes to ruminate on the night’s transpiring. We could hardly believe that we fell victim to another night of gallivanting about the Valley in search of a place to camp.

With the steak cooking on the grill, Daniel took out the potatoes that his dear wife had carefully wrapped in aluminum foil for us to cook. He dug a couple small holes a few inches deep, set in each a hot coal, placed the wrapped potato on top of the coal, and placed three more; one on top, and one on each side.

Quizzically, I inquired with Daniel whether he thought that would cook the potatoes. “Just set a timer”, he said. He was quite sure that in less than an hour, we would have wonderfully cooked steamy fresh potatoes for our culinary enjoyment. So we set the timer, and carried on.

A few minutes later, Daniel whisked around in his chair, alarmed, aiming his flashlight into the distance.

“Did you hear something?” he asked. I responded to him nonchalantly, stating that I hadn’t heard a thing, and for him to stop scaring me. This was the second time that night that he was roused by something, and his predilection for theatre was quite amusing.

“I swear I heard something. Right behind me.”

After a few minutes of swinging the lights to and fro, we concluded that we were not being harassed by coyotes, javelina, bobcats, mountain lions, or raccoons. A few times we did hear some fish jumping out of the water, which as time went on became the tidings of mer-people during their nightly dalliance.

The steak was delicious, if not a bit over-seasoned by yours truly. The conversation shifted from the serious to the insane, from intense to jocular, and we hardly remembered the potatoes that were surely ready to eat.

Carefully, Daniel dusted the coals from on top of the wrappings, and carefully peeled back the aluminum bundling. I did the same.

We looked at each other.

“Is your potato stone-cold?”

“Yeah. Yours too?”

For some reason, common sense so intensely illuminated our minds at the same time, that we almost fell out of our chairs for the pain of it. How did we ever expect a huge potato to cook with four coals? We could hardly stop laughing, when suddenly, Daniel whipped around again like on a swivel chair.

“There! Over there. Do you see it?”

“I don’t”, I replied. “What did you see?”

“Eyes. Something’s hunting us. I saw its eyes over there. You can’t hear it?”

I paused, shuffled my feet for stability, and perked my ears to the scene. It took a moment, but then I heard it. Rustling in the branches, small footsteps on the underbrush. Something was hunting us.

“What was it? Did you get a good look at it? Should we leave?”, I asked, hesitantly. I realized at that moment that neither of us could make a quick getaway. Besides, what could really be stalking us at that moment? Were we in peril?

We listened further, but no further auditory revelations were offered. After tossing a few rocks of humane warning into the trees and nearby foliage, we assured ourselves that we were safe, and that the night could go on.

Tossing the potatoes inside of the smoldering fire proved much more effective than our previous effort, and within 15 minutes, we had us some taters to eat. More light conversation ensued, and we hardly remembered our previous dance with the unknown adversary.

An adversary which was, my friends, quite real.

Daniel again caught him with eager senses afire, shooting around in his seat so quick that his red hair was a blur. Our flashlights found the target immediately; a pair of eyes in the distance, flickering and reflecting the light back at us, piercing, foraging, waiting. It disappeared for only a moment, and was back in a flash, nearly 10 feet from its previous position.

“It’s the kitten again”, I said.

“No, it’s not”, Daniel replied. He seemed much more sure of himself than I was.

With his certainty placing the seed of doubt so firmly in my mind, my flashlight shifted from left to right, sweeping for its target. It only took a few more moments before we found our antagonist again.

“It’s a raccoon!”, bellowed Daniel. Indeed it was, and it had given us quite the scare. But enough was enough, and we tossed a few well-aimed rocks in his direction to give him a final send off. With Mr. Procyon lotor gone on his merry way, we returned to normal, but with a heightened sense of our surroundings. And I certainly listened to Daniel when he thought he heard something.

The rest of the evening was spent taking pictures and telling stories, until the hour grew late and we broke camp and put out the fire.

Oh, and a note about putting out the fire; it’s never a good idea to urinate on top of a flaming hot 45 LB rock. Cast your mind if you will, and imagine the stench of a locker room. Now, make it 1000x worse. That’s the smell of instantly vaporized urine. It’s horrifying.

In my last ill-fated story about camping, I concluded by tale by stating that I would do it all again in a heartbeat. That’s why we went, really. Even if you had told us going in that we would be beset on every turn by every imagination of obstruction, we would have sallied forth with dogged determination.

Like before, this lengthy travelogue certainly does not do the evening enough justice. As they say, you just had to be there.

9/11

2011-09-11T10:43:00.001-07:00

Rather than create a new entry today, I would like to share a post I wrote exactly one year after 9/11 occurred.

To me, it more fully explains what was lost and found that day. It seems more focused in its intent and spirit; certainly more so than what I could write today.

The past 10 years have filtered through my soul like the cascading flow of a waterfall. What's below the tumult and chaos of the surface remains unchanged and steadfast. Reposting this essay on my thoughts that anniversary allows me to peek below to the experiences that made me who I am today.

I repost without changes, everything intact.

--------------

9/11/2002

God grant that I can say the right words here…

I’ve been debating this for weeks now. Whether to mark this day with my own words or not. Every time I caught a glimpse of today’s date I would get a little uneasy in my seat, uncomfortable in my own body. Maybe it was that I myself had forgotten. Maybe, it was the uncertainty that still laid hold of my mind at times.

It’s a somber day. It’s a day of quiet reflection, as it should be for all Americans, for the whole world. I can never forget how naked I felt that day, even in the midst of the strongest mountains of the Rockies, I felt strangely exposed. The connections that held me to each person that I knew were shattered; at once, I felt alone.

I couldn’t convince myself to drive down the canyon after work. I couldn’t pull myself away from the news. My soul was numb; my hands felt like they weren’t my own. I walked outside to the south side of the resort. Looking up at the great mountains beside me, I
said a silent prayer for those who were lost. I called my mother and heard her trembling voice as she kept saying “no, it’s not possible”. My mother realized it, the world had changed.

I had to listen to my sister cry as I told her to turn the TV on. I should have let her sleep. I wanted her to be a world away from me, in a different time where she wouldn’t have to see the flames and the blood. But she too, lived in this world on the morning of
September 11th, 2001.

I could hear Allie in the background, she was up, and she was playing. My niece had no idea how the world was changing. All she knew was she was safe; she had her mother there beside her to take care of her. She was feeling what I wish I could. I believe now, upon silent recollection, that it was my young niece that pulled me away from that scene. She was the thing that could bring me back to the world I knew.

And I called my brother Adam, whose voice had always been one of reason and calming for me in my life. As expected, nothing had changed there, he could still comfort me but I could sense a strange transition in his demeanor. I asked how his class was handling the day, he said they were scared, confused, angry, all of the emotions which we were all feeling in the aftermath of the attack on our country.

Slowly, I felt the connections to my family and friends come back to me, I felt a little more whole. Maybe it was hearing their voices that brought harmony to my soul. And as I sit here, one full year later, I am thankful that I feel not only like myself again, but more of a man than I was before that day. I was given the chance to grow
up in the world, not to let it shape me but to refine; I take the greatest elements of what life is and incorporate them. I see how the world has done just that, I see the attitudes of a million
Americans standing in solidarity, proclaiming with one voice, “we will never forget”

And may God grant that we never will, one way or another.

27

2011-08-10T11:59:00.003-07:00

My sweet wife knows my memory just isn't what it used to be. She'll often speak of things in our past with color and description when all I can muster is a vague remembrance or hint.

Nevertheless, there are hundreds (if not thousands) of memories in this gray matter of mine that are indelibly etched because they're associated with that sweet, perfect girl.

And on this, her 27th birthday, I want to mark the day with just a few of those memories, in no particular order.

1. New York City. Landing in the city of my mission meant something entirely different to me when she was by my side.

2. Walking along the beach on our honeymoon, after we took public transportation.

3. Baby #1. Walking around the hospital with her dressed in a yellow robe.

4. I remember when she got her job at Ottawa. She didn't even need an interview.

5. I used to have a scooter, and it was pouring rain. She picked me up from work.

6. Our first visit to Lake Arrowhead. It was so fun to see where she visited when she was little.

7. Our engagement pictures with her best friend. Her friend took them with a disposable camera and developed them in black and white. They were great.

8. A kiss on the cheek under the basketball hoop on New Year's Eve.

9. Our wedding day. She looked like a barbie doll and I still don't know how I'm so lucky.

10. Rock climbing before we were married. In fact, we should go back.

11. Disneyland. I think every trip was amazing. We tend to forget the outside world when we're there.

12. Bagel date. Enough said.

13. Baby # 2. She was so tough and decided that natural was the way to go from there on out.

14. David Gray concert. I'd never really sung in front of her until that night.

15. Lagoon! She didn't even get to go on a ride because our first baby was so young. But she loved it there, and it was fun to have her with me.

16. A surprise visit to Snowbird. I arranged to have our son watched by my sister and drove up the mountain after lunch at Olive Garden. I told her it was just a quick trip but surprised her when I checked into the same room we had for our honeymoon in Utah.

17. Driving home from Utah when I decided I needed Benadryl. Poor thing drove home the whole way.

18. Billy Joel concert. We originally had expensive tickets to see his show, when he got into a car accident and went into rehab. The show was cancelled. A year later, he came back, but we had only enough money for the crappiest seats there. It was still a great show, because she was there.

19. Proposing to her. Still glad she said yes, yes, yes.

20. Baby # 3. It was such a blur! But my goodness, she was tough. No meds, 10 minute labor. And then there were five of us.

21. Moving into our first apartment. Building new furniture, hanging pictures, decorating for Christmas, we loved that little 725 square foot apartment. She cried when we moved out.

22. OT school. 4am study sessions, cadaver labs, rotations, and finals. Summa Cum Laude.

23. One day shortly after our first was born, Jenna was hit in a parking lot. She called me, crying. It was her first and only accident Ever since then, my worry rises when she calls me crying!

24. Her first marathon. 26.2 miles and a broken foot. She smiled when she crossed the finish line. I offered to get the car and pick her up, but she wanted to walk. Another mile.

25. Our San Diego trip. It was supposed to be the cabin, but we drove south instead and used priceline everyday. Actually one of my favorite memories.

26. Every walk we've ever been on.

27. Before our first was born, she watched every Star Trek movie with me. Every. Single. One.

Again, just a few of those wonderful memories. I hope I didn't miss anything major.

I love this girl with all my heart.

Brand New Day

2011-08-01T21:07:00.005-07:00

Just thinking back to the year 2000; things seemed to be happening and disappearing at the same stroke of the master's brush. I leaned heavily on music to create a mood around me. Moving from the 1900's to 2000's seemed so momentous back then. In Sting's words, regarding the song Brand New Day:

"I wanted to write an optimistic song about love that began in one place and ended up in another... I used the symbol of Y2K as a symbol of beginning again. Turn the clock to zero is an interesting symbol. A symbol of rebirth."

I'm wondering; ought I to pine for a time far gone? Can rebirth occur at any time?

A poem, at last

2011-05-19T22:33:00.001-07:00

I find that distractions are at times avoided
By diving deep into their static maw
Focusing on a single point
And drinking from the cup of time

Dance; dream and reduce your sleepy eyes
To a vapor-like ember of a memory
Coalesce all that you know into your burning cells
And grant honor to years.

Lines down glass is all that I know
Best described by noise, humor and filler
And the world could be still, could be still...
But by choice, I amble full-bore down the path.

Tap, glance and blow; repeat
Find the pattern in my synapses
It's there, all there, surrounded by light and dark
Amazed by resiliency, posted to my constitution.

Words, yes. All words
But an ending to a diluted prematurity
Patterns in the fabric of stylized grammar
Fool hearty and stout all the same for lack of time

Something fun to remember

2011-04-17T20:38:00.001-07:00

I was cleaning up old, unused files on the computer when I came across this jewel. I remember making it, thinking at the time how absolutely clever I was.

Riding a bike

2011-03-30T22:37:00.001-07:00

Riding a bike at night is an experience. Especially if you explore like I did tonight.

When I was younger and living in Utah, I used to ride a lot at night. Starting at the freeway, I would wind up the hills, careening around every side street and parking lot I could find. There was something peaceful and relieving about the starkness of it all; there was not a person to be found and all was quiet. I would end most of the rides in the canyon above the city, stopping to rest on a park bench before beginning the speedy decent down the mountain.

Fast forward 15 years and it all feels brand new again.

I've lived in my town now for nearly five years, and never got to know the streets like I have in the past week since getting my bike. In a way, it makes me a little embarrassed. Yet, there really isn't any other way to explore a city and it's plentiful alleys without stepping outside of your car and slowing down a bit. With no one around, it's possible to stick your nose where otherwise impossible during the day.

Normal settings become locations of interest and value; gas stations, furniture stores, restaurants, cathedrals, and bus stops all shed their natural responsibilities and simply exist. It's possible to see the city for what it is, almost what it wants to be. During the day, a thousand people can cross another thousand people's path without notice or care. At night, the opportunity is expanded yet minimized in the same stroke, as inhibitions kick in and you become wary and cognizant of everything around.

In related news, I posted a picture from my travels this evening. It's over at the Photo Project site, so make sure to wander on over.

When will they learn?

2011-03-27T14:29:00.000-07:00

Seems like photo radar isn't welcome in South Carolina, either.

It's back, I guess?

2011-03-25T22:51:00.001-07:00

Ditched Wordpress.
Imported to Blogger.
Changed the theme.
Screwed up my DNS settings.
Blew up the site.
Fixed it.
Hummed and hawed.
Going to bed now.

Welcome back.

New shoes

2010-05-04T16:17:00.000-07:00

Someday, I'd like a pair of shoes with those wheels on the bottom.

That'd be the stuff.

At lunch

2010-05-04T07:50:00.000-07:00

Sitting here, minding my own business. Simply reading news articles on my iPad, when I notice two "gentlemen" laughing in my general direction. I notice a windows based net book on their table. I shoot them a look that quite possibly corrupted their registry.

They leave without giving me another look.

I smile.

I have no issues with other peoples' technology choices. Really, I don't. But give me a break. Don't knock it till you try it.

Hello, world

2010-05-03T09:16:00.000-07:00

After discussing blog options with my elder brother Adam, i felt encouraged to sit down and update the site. Progress was made, with Wordpress being upgraded and the appropriate app being configured on the new iPad.

I won't talk about work too much on this or any other blog, but I'll use it to bang out other weird and random thoughts again. I've started shooting more photography, so what little free time i have I'd like to spend doing that. If circumstances allow, I'll finally get around to updating the main web site via iWeb.

That's it for now. A brief, but motivating entry.

25 reasons I love Jenna

2009-08-09T18:26:00.000-07:00

I've been thinking about this post for a while now, and not just because Jenna did the same thing for me on my birthday. When you're truly in love with a girl, you can't help it; thinking about her is comparable to breathing.

So, happy birthday, Jenna. Here's my short list for you. Even when you're 100, the list will be far too brief.

1. She is totally and completely kind, generous, and patient. (Ok, so that's three.) An example? How about her taking care of me? Surgeries, ER visits, you name it. Infinite capacity for kindness.

2. She spends every lunch of hers at home. Even if it's for 20 minutes, she drives home to see the family.

3.   She is the best mommy in the world. Every action of hers speaks love.

4. She's the only girl I have ever known who can get ready for a date in 15 minutes and look completely, unreasonably, and insanely drop-dead gorgeous. I don't mean to be superficial, but honestly...have you seen her? She's beautiful.

5. She has opened herself up to everything that I've found to be beautiful in my life, and has made them 100 times sweeter.

6. She has the most beautiful long, blonde hair. And she hasn't cut it!

7. She never makes fun of the stupid things I do, like eat a package of Chips Ahoy in one sitting. That must take restraint.

8. She puts up with me. Every man who has ever loved a woman should nod in agreement, because we're very despicable creatures sometimes.

9. She's a geek like me.

10. We like the same shows. TV, movies, anything. She even likes Star Trek.

11. She loves my family.  She loves my mom and my dad, my brothers and sister, and everyone else. She was excited to meet them, and is always excited to see them again.

12. She's the most accepting person I know. She'll take you into her heart and trust you as long as you let her. She understands the miracle of forgiveness, and forgives regularly.

13. Hard worker? That's her. Earned her bachelors when she was 19. Her masters was at 23. Could have been earlier, but she met me and, eventually, Sumner.

14. You should see the way she plays with Sumner. That boy is so smart because his mom teaches him everyday. She encourages him and loves him and makes him feel safe.

15. She and SaraJane are two peas in a pod. They are kindred spirits, and well suited for each other. I love when Jenna comes home; watching my baby girl run to the door to get her mama is the best part of my day. I have that to look forward to, and I am grateful.

16. She's a morning person. What does that mean? That means I get a happy girl to wake up to, every morning of my life.

17. She bought me a computer for Christmas, using her money that she earned from work. She's totally selfless.

18. She lets me sleep in like 99% of the time, even when she's tired.

19. She still has friends from when she was a kid. It's fun to watch her get together with them.

20. She'll always make you smile. When I'm sad, she can figure out a way to make me feel better. She's insightful like that.

21. I know I give her a hard time about this, but she's fun to teach Primary with. She takes the edge off and makes the kids very comfortable with tough topics. And while I'm on that subject...

22. She's amazing with kids. Every kind of kid. Kids that bite. Kids that hit. Kids that have no one to love, and no one to love them. She'll look at them and see the good in them and help them progress.  She's infinitely patient with them.

23. She was born to be an Occupational Therapist. It's one of her callings in life. I love her for this reason because it takes a special girl to figure out such a great calling so very young in life.

24. And because of her selfless attitude in working so hard for our family, it allows me to continue my journey in life to find out who I really am. Currently, it has brought me to a retail job in a mall, which I love. And I'm figuring out a lot about myself because of it. But it would not be possible without her sacrifice and ability to take care of our family with her job. I love, love, love her for this.

25. She is my wife, and she chose me. I chose her. We're better together.

I tried to be sneaky and post a few extra reasons in there. 25 just isn't enough. I know I'll post this tonight and think of 10,000 more within a few hours. But she knows I love her.

Happy birthday again, sweetie.

Pretty quick

2009-08-09T14:19:00.000-07:00

05/13/09 - Star Trek, or something...

2009-05-13T17:02:00.000-07:00

Ooh, writer’s block. My mind has been empty this entire week. I know the solution is always “start writing”, but I feel I have nothing to say. A house full of sick kids and adults has left me worn out. Myself? I’m ok. But usually, I’m a night owl. Lately I can’t stay up much past 9:00.

We saw Star Trek last Friday. If it weren’t for that brief diversion, I’d be much grumpier right now. I love a night at the cinema. It helped tremendously that the movie was good, too. I’d never been disappointed by the previous Trek movies, but I’d rarely been particularly impressed, either. A few of them wowed me, First Contact being the one that pops into my mind first.

It doesn’t matter. I’m enamored with the idealistic future of Star Trek. Not the technology, though that’s all well and good. Who wouldn’t love the idea of forgoing the 13 hour drive to Utah for a little transporter action? That’s a story for a different day, I think.

No, the future I speak of is how those from Earth ended up as a human race. An entire people brought together not entirely because of the threat of annihilation, but because of the cause of discovery and exploration. Contact outside of the inky blackness of space caused us to wake from our apathetic and self-absorbed nature. It’s cliche, but those in the Trek future found out that they were not alone, and that was the reason to reach for something better.

The wife was shocked, and still a little unbelieving, to hear my confession that Star Trek, not Star Wars, is my favorite set of Sci-Fi flicks. I tried to explain why; Star Wars is fun and vast, but it holds no ties to mother Earth. It’s very separate and it allows for a great diversion, but it doesn’t make me think (and hope) like Trek does.

I don’t learn heavily toward the majority of my religious culture. Being Mormon, we are taught to hope toward the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, which I truly believe in and look forward to. I have a feeling, however; that some of my faith look to every current event as a sign of doom and destruction, and I’ve never found that a deeply satisfying outlook on life.

Some may argue that it is a sign of weak faith on my part, or a misplaced love of this world that makes me believe that the human race shouldn’t be on a one-way collision course with doom. Call me crazy for wanting to believe that we should pull ourselves out of any tailspin that we find ourselves in. Call me naive because I believe that a common cause, such as discovering the space beyond our own, could firmly and finally bring us together. You can call me those things, only because I’m pulled both ways and have been taught that this cannot not be our final ordination.

Thought about a different way, I know that the final cleansing of Earth does not mark the end of human existence. I know that, as immortal beings, we will continue to learn and grow and have the vast treasures of the universe unlocked and unfolded before our very eyes. This brings me great joy to think about, more-so than the vain hope that alone we humans may finally figure out how to be civil to one another.

I do look up at the night sky every now and again, and I do see God working. I know this is his creation, and I believe in the scientific nature and order of it. I wish I had a telescope that could show me the heavens as they are now; it baffles my mind that the light I see in the sky predates my own existence my millions of years.

I have no idea how a story about a night out to the movies turned into a religious and philosophical meditative drama, but there we have it. That’s why I like Star Trek more than Star Wars. It makes me think. I don’t like taking things for granted.

And look at that. I started writing, and the words finally came. They may not have made sense to you, but I had a great time putting them on the screen.

First 100+ degree day at my house

2009-05-07T14:28:00.000-07:00

Sent from my iPhone

05/07/09 - No, I didn't break my ankle...

2009-05-07T12:59:00.000-07:00

I don’t believe that I’m a particularly accident-prone guy. But I have to finally cede the fact that I have been to the hospital a fair share more times than the average 30 year old. I found my way back to the ER this past Tuesday, when it felt like I snapped my foot off at the ankle during a night of basketball. An unfortunate drive to the hoop and an awkward landing on someone’s foot was all I needed to ruin my evening (and more).

Thank goodness it was only a sprain. Everyone who witnessed it was certain of a break, and I had little reason to dispute their observations. I have never felt such intense pain in my life. It was almost enough to make me give up the game. Almost. Not quite enough, though.

The good news is that it’s only been a week since the injury and I’m walking again. Very little limping going on, except in the morning. The wife says I look like the Tin Man, with my unsightly shuffle-step.

I felt bad that I injured myself only a day before we left for Utah. We tried to make the most of it, keeping our plans intact for the majority of the time. I could do very little to help out; injuring the right foot meant that I couldn't even drive. The best I could do was hold SaraJane when I was being carted around in a wheelchair.

We saw plenty of family and a few friends. There never seems to be enough time to see everyone. I’m sure that if we ran around enough, we could have. But then we’d have needed the “vacation from the vacation” that you hear about so often.

A minor note about the drive home; it seems that a bit more faith in Google Maps might be in order. About 100 miles or so before we reached the normal turnoff to the 20, we decided to try driving through Las Vegas. I had never done it before, but had heard good things about it. Every so often, I would double-check my route on the trusty iPhone, wanting to be sure that I had everything in order.

Each time, Google Maps tried to get me to get myself back to highway 89. Even when I had passed Cedar City, it again tried to get me to rethink my strategy and pull back for the normal route. My wife and I thought the program had gone bananas, and thusly ignored its suggestions.

I should have taken the hint when I finally passed through Las Vegas, and the iPhone informed me that I should hug the Arizona-California border and head home that way. Seemed like an awful waste of time to me. Oh, how wrong we were. Never again will I pass that route. Driving to Mesa from the 93/60 is the worst route imaginable.

Finally, a happy birthday to my newest nephew, Parker Bowden. Parker was born today, weighing in at 6 lb. 13 oz. Welcome to the world, little buddy. You’ve got yourself quite the family to enjoy the journey with.

Good 'n Sprained!

2009-05-03T14:39:00.000-07:00

Sent from my iPhone

04/28/09 - Preparing for Utah

2009-04-28T10:45:00.000-07:00

We're in full preparation mode now, it seems. Spent a good portion of the morning cleaning out the van, and was surprised to find that it wasn't that bad. Just one bag of trash, and it was a small one. Most of the time, we extract at least a full trash bag worth of goodies from the nooks and crannies hidden away. When you have a five year old, you just can't seem to live a clean life.

Much still left to be done, I'm afraid. There's laundry, packing, shopping, and cleaning. I have to have a clean house house before we leave. There's no worse feeling than coming home to a dirty house, right?. No wait, there is a worse feeling; knowing you're coming home to a dirty house, and you still have eight hours left of the drive home. So, I like to clean before I leave. Gives me a sense of accomplishment for the whole trip. And it saves my sanity. Save it, so I can lose it another day.

The wife and I are dreading the long drive, though. SaraJane is at the age where she cannot tolerate being in the car-seat for anything more than a quick journey. After a minute or two, she starts making a low -pitched, rumbly/achy noise in the back of her throat, which is her first warning that she's about to get really mad. Another minute, and she starts a bout of yelling, telling you exactly how she feels in 9 month old barky language. After all of this, and to her immense disappointment, her audible ramblings haven't earned her emancipation from the bonds that hold her, and she cries. And cries. And finally, sleeps. I like when she sleeps. But that's when you must be very, very quiet. It makes for a fun car ride.

No, I still have not heard word one from the hospital. I'm getting antsy. I've done all I can, I suppose. It'll start when it starts. I just want to see what it's like, you know? I've pretty much decided to move ahead with the CNA program. After that, I'll start the LPN program at Gateway. Who knows; with a bit of gentle prodding from the wife, I may even become an RN, and make some decent money again someday.

It's funny; I never thought I'd change my career. I thought I'd stay at Cox Communications for years and get some retirement out of it. I enjoyed it for the most part. It's when I started driving three hours a day that it began to get old. Things that never bothered me before became the greatest annoyances.

I do realize that I have to start working again sometime, if only for my own good. Some nights, when I have a free moment to think about going into nursing, I get nervous and apprehensive. I think about what I'll be doing/seeing, and it scares the bongos out of me. And still other nights, I feel pretty confident and zealous about the whole project. Any advice from the congregation out there?

Oh yes, and the phone books arrived on our doorstep yesterday. What a day! Such an event! Does my sarcasm come through ok?

It took me only a few steps from the front door to get them straight into the recycle bin. I just don't see the point in having them anymore. Not for me, that is. If I need a phone number, address, or recommendation for pizza, I go straight to the iPhone. Tangent time.

The things we mere mortals can do from pocketable telephones now:

1. Call people
2. Look up anything, anywhere, anytime. The power of the 'Net.
3. Read the news
4. Play video games
5. Take a picture
6. Check e-mail
7. Find out the local temperature/forecast
8. Check a bank account balance
9. Pay bills
10. Listen to music
11. Watch a movie
12. Find a movie

And on, and on. Like living in Star Trek. I still can't get over it.

Anywho, back to telephone books. I understand their importance in quite a few venues. I know a lot of people must still use them. And I know they must still generate a lot of cash for ol' Dex.

Regardless, I can't imagine the vast amount of work and resources that go into a project like the bi-yearly printing of the phone directory. But most people in my neighborhood have either recycled them, or they're still sitting on the front porch. I think therefore, that it should be a choice to receive them, no? I'm not even a landline telephone customer, for cryin' out glavin. (Mmn hmm, ah hay!) /Professor Frink

Much to do, much to do. Must end, for now. Thanks for stopping by again! Much appreciated, for certain.

04/27/09 - RD Tested: Why the Hackb00k is a success

2009-04-27T08:22:00.000-07:00

In response to this article, (link opens new page, as well as explains what I'm arguing against) I can say only this; it’s truly a matter of opinion. Therefore, I am completely aware that what follows is simply my take. But I'm pretty sure I'm right.

I kid. I am not putting the article’s author down in any way when I say that I wholeheartedly disagree with his viewpoints on a perfectly functional piece of equipment.

I am speaking about my recently hacked Dell Mini 9 netbook, which was transformed almost magically into a fully functional Macbook Mini. At only 2.5 lbs and a diminutive form-factor, it is the perfect tool for me whenever I leave the house. In fact, it routinely stays with me while in the house, as well. Having been a blogger for the past seven or eight years, I can say this laptop is the best tool for the trade.

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="iPhoto does run, just barely"][/caption]

The author is correct in stating that you do get what you pay for. This machine is not a Macbook, neither in terms of performance, nor its capabilities. I cannot successfully navigate my stash of nearly 10,000 photos in iPhoto without the machine giving up and either freezing, or throwing 4,000 errors into the wild. (This is not hyperbole; when iPhoto last locked up, I opened the error console and saw 4,000 errors waiting for me, generated within the past two minutes)

I will be perfectly honest, I had not personally owned an Apple computer before (though, my wife had). I was really excited at the prospect of having this machine run OS X. I stretched this computer further than it should have gone, but that is not the fault of the machine. I get the feeling that the blogger over at TUAW was guilty of the same sin, but to a much more extreme degree. Therefore his disappointment was all the more keenly felt.

[caption id="" align="alignright" width="300" caption="The Hackbook next to a Seagate Free Agent Go"][/caption]

To his argument that the trackpad gestures do not work, I say this; it’s not an Apple machine, and for someone who already owns several several Mac products to say this is disappointing.

The size of the included SSD hard drive is diminutive, and like TUAWSteve said, it is not sufficient for installing every program that you could possibly need. But again, used as a blogging tool, all you really need is a decent word processing program and the ability to browse the net. If more space is needed, purchase an external hard drive and/or a larger SDHC storage card. I have already done the former, and plan on purchasing a 16gb SDHC card for a compacted version of my iTunes music library. (Because it’s important to have music while you type!)

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="272" caption="Who's a good netbook? Yes, you are!"][/caption]

But I am still extremely pleased with my hacked Dell Mini 9 netbook, and here’s why. The joy was in the journey! I love messing around with technology, and love being able to make it do things that it originally was not intended to be used for. Believe me, the thrill of turning on the machine and seeing the Apple OS X boot screen has come and gone, but the usefulness and intrigue of the machine lives on.

It should also be noted that I do not share TUAWSteve’s view that Apple is indeed working on their own version of a netbook, at least a netbook as far as the world defines it at this point. Timothy Cook, Apple’s COO, was correct; current netbooks are cramped, are limited in their use, and come with terrible software. I don’t envision Apple moving away from their core at this point just to create something that the masses seem to be taking a liking to.

The popularity of Netbooks will eventually wane, and I think it’s a justified end, simply because it is such a niche product for a niche economy.

But as for me, I am glad that I purchased and hacked my Dell Mini 9. I think it’s rather ironic that I did so at the recommendation of the same blogger who has now turned his back on the entire experience! I intend to continue using this machine for most of my blogging needs, and look forward to taking it with me on my trip to Utah this week.

04/22/09 - Sleep doesn't come easily at 9pm

2009-04-22T18:17:00.000-07:00

So far, no updates from the hospital, so I doubt I'll be volunteering there this week. I'd just like to know, you know? Because knowing helps you feel better about the time when you didn't know. So it will be a few more weeks of waiting. I'm excited to get out of the house a little bit, gather some outside stimuli to dust off the cobwebs in my mind. Sometimes when I write, I feel like I am peeling away at old information.

Some points of excitement for me, as I'm getting iLife and iWork tomorrow for my little Dell Macbook. The thing that worries me is whether I'll have enough room for all the neat programs they come with. I really only want Pages from the iWork suite, and really want to try out iPhoto from the iLife collection. iPhoto has some great features that should make my thousands of digital photos easier to find. And Pages just removes the clutter while you write. I find it harder and harder to write with all that can distract you on this screen.

The family is gearing up for the trip to Utah next week; we're leaving the heat. I just hope it doesn't snow while we're there. I'd like to take at least one trip up into the mountains, you know? Hike a little bit (lot). I'm not much for skiing anymore, so the less snow on the mounts, the better.

I don't put nearly enough pictures on this blog, I know. It's extremely difficult to do with my blogging tool. You're thinking to yourself, "Didn't you change the whole thing so it would be easier?" Yes, yes I did. And in the process, added 8 more steps. I could be back to the old format before you know it.

Talked to Sumner's teacher a little bit after school today, seems the lad can't stay in his seat. Most other aspects of his behavior in the classroom are steady for now, but the chair is his mortal enemy, it seems. Strangely, this makes me smile, only because that trait is so much like his pop. In so many ways, he has the charisma and predilections of his dear mommy, so whenever I get to mark one in the daddy column, I like it.

No, I never wanted to stay in my seat. In my young mind, there were about 50 other things that I would rather be doing, or seeing, or experimenting with, and I was actively categorizing them in my mind for later activity. I see the same in Sumner.

As far as SaraJane goes, she cut two more teeth in the past week, with a few more looking ripe for departure. She's also cruising around the couches more and more, looking braver for that first big step away from the hand hold.

It breaks my heart to see her grow so fast, because little girls turn into big girls, and big girls turn into young women that find a way to get married. 18 years is never enough with a daughter. I hope that, somehow, she sees how much her daddy loves her.

My goodness, I've reached the magical 500 work threshold yet again. That's more than enough. Goodnight, and thanks for reading.

04/19/09 - A recap

2009-04-19T19:04:00.000-07:00

I really should try to remember what I did this weekend, only because I'm sitting here feeling too darn satisfied and accomplished. Back, I say! Wipe that smug look off your face.

Thursday. Only because our weekend starts on Thursday. We knew we were in for a long weekend, with showers and parties and visiting family and what-not. (Reading that sentence to myself, I realize I should completely avoid any complaint or heavy-handed tones) The wife returned from work at her usual hour that evening, feeling overwhelmed and not a bit relieved at the thought of the approaching weekend. Full of advice I was not, and so suggested we head off to dinner.

We thought an invitation to my mother-in-law was in order, and did so. But alas, she had already eaten! But the thoughtful woman one-upped us at that point; she offered baby-sitting. Ah, the weekend had just gotten that much better.

For some strange reason, we decided to head ourselves in the direction of our neighborhood California Pizza Kitchen. They have good sourdough bread. It's the reason I used to go there so much.

Side note: sign of the times, you have to request the bread now. Even more poignant sign of the times; the bread stinks. Only slightly resembles what it used to be, and more closely resembles damp styrofoam. But it was eaten, of course.

The wife and I did a real number on the poor waitress that evening. First offense was sending back the Pepsi; it was flat and watery. Plus I forgot that Pepsi is only ordered when eating Mexican food. But that's an aside. Second offense to the poor attendant was the Wife's entree. Being the adventurous and cavalier spirit that she is, she ordered something new. Now, she's a trooper and fought a few bites down, but several people averted their eyes after a few moments of the arrival of the dish and begged for wooden stakes to be driven through their hearts. Oh, you didn't get my joke? Garlic. There was too much garlic in the dish. Get it? Vampires don't like garlic. Oh, forget it.

So, we sent it back. At that point, dinner was a bust, so she wanted to see the desert menu. Ordered the Hot Fudge Sundae. Sounded like a safe bet to me!

The waitress came back with something called a Turtle Sundae, which seemed odd to me. Odd because my wife never, ever mentioned the word "turtle", nor those numerous other words in the English language that rhyme with "turtle", such as....such as...hmm. I'm no Dr. Suess here, but I'm fairly certain there aren't any.

So the third offense was set in stone at that point, and away went the turtle sundae. After a few moments the waitress came back with a sundae, minus the turtle. That worried me. And spoiled my appetite.

The date night continued on quite effortlessly from that point. A trip the the Fake Apple Store, where I was coaxed by the employees to display my hacked Dell Mini 9 netbook running Mac OS X. Ok, ok, maybe I steered the conversation toward a point where they simply had to see it. But when they actually asked, I grew afraid and asked if I was allowed to. Afterall, did I not break the EULA? Hogwash.

And what would a date be like without a trip to Wal*Mart? Lucky for you readers we don't have to find out, because there was Wal*Mart. Oh, yes. I'll spare you the details. Synopsis: we bought a lot of crap that we didn't need, but will always end up using.

Friday was a very lazy day. Didn't even leave the house until 2'ish in the afternoon, when it was time to hunt down fruits and vegetables for the baby shower the Wife was throwing that evening. First stop was Fresh and Easy, which has never proven to be either or, as this particular location always smells like old celery and involves us carting down one aisle before turning back for the door.

Sprouts ended up being a wiser decision for us, and besides; they have bulk candy.

Later that evening, it was just me and the boy. Sumner and I had great time, ordered pizza, ate most of it, watched Madagascar 2, played video games, and made cupcakes. Sadly for him, he fell asleep right before the first batched popped out of the oven. I saved him plenty. Which he's not allowed to eat. Muah hah hah.

Saturday my friend Neal came over to play Super Metroid. By my count, this now makes just over 12 years that we have been playing that game together, and we show no signs of stopping now. I'm always grateful for his visits.

When the afternoon arrived, we packed up the family and headed for Maricopa, some 45 miles southwest of our location in Mesa. A birthday party for my wife's boss' son, and Sumner was invited. You may have already seen the pictures from this raucous occasion. A wonderful individual with a half dozen or so snakes and lizards came to entertain the kids and adults alike. Everything from a lizard that would fit in your hand, to a 17 foot Python he brought, and the kids loved every minute of it. Sumner let the man put one six foot python around his neck, and I'm still reeling from the shock. The boy runs from the sight of a seven pound dog. Amazing.

Put the kids to sleep that night and watched The Quantum of Solace, which was great. It was a good night for a Bond flick.

Sunday was spent at my folks house, eating wonderful steak and potatoes and brownies, watching Sumner play outside like a loon, and relaxing a bit. Came home after a few hours, tidied up the home, and settled down. Being void of cable TV, HULU.com came to the rescue and allowed us to catch up on Scrubs and The Office.

It all brings me here, 927 words later, to the point where I sit here on my bed, typing away on a keyboard that is much too small for comfort, compelled by some unknown force to give you all a traveling journal of my weekend with the family.

If you enjoyed it even a quarter as much as I did, then I know you smiled. Thanks for the read, come back again tomorrow.

04/18/09 - Weird logic

2009-04-18T14:19:00.000-07:00

For those of you who may have missed it at the Moblah'g, check this out.

No...he still won't pet a dog. But he will allow a six foot python around his neck. Love that boy.

Sumner the snake charmer

2009-04-18T14:12:00.000-07:00

Sent from my iPhone

04/17/09 - Quote of the day

2009-04-17T08:25:00.000-07:00

"I think to have faith in nothing at all is to run pretty close to madness. I think insanity is very close behind if you are totally nihilistic about everything. You've got to believe in something."

-Sting

This is how to spend a great day with your son. Watching a toy frog melt in water.

2009-04-16T16:22:00.000-07:00

Sent from my iPhone

04/16/09 - Something to write

2009-04-16T12:10:00.000-07:00

Something about having a notebook with me where ever I go encourages me to write. Although I still wish I were a pen and paper guy; my brother keeps a journal with him wherever he goes so he can jot down ideas and thoughts immediately. I guess it shows the 10 year disparity between us. I do remember the thrill of the open, blank page too, but my tenure with such an environment was shorter lived and thus my transition to typing everything was much more rapid.

Even in the dawn of the digital revolution, writing on word processors was more engaging than most contemporary computer programs. All you had was the cursor and maybe a menu. Nothing to distract you; nothing to lead your writing down the wrong angle. It's what I dislike most about Microsoft Word. They seem to think you want 9,000 options when really, all you want to do is make something bold, or change your font.

Writing with the pen is an art. I should put more energy into it.

Spent most of the morning cleaning up the house with the family's help. Too much was neglected yesterday; Wednesdays are generally nasty. The wife is at work all day. Waffles came to the rescue though. Waffles make everything better.

We did manage to get Sumner's hair cut though. When the time came for Sumner to jump in the chair, the young lady called out "Summer", as happens more often than not. The wife and I both knew this was a possibility when we named him, but I didn't realize how annoying it would be. This, coming from the person who was called "Ryan" or "David" or some other combination his whole life, but never "RyanDavid". SaraJane won't fare much better, I'm afraid, even with the lack of a space betwixt her pronouns. What have I done?

There's much for us to look forward to in the coming weeks, as we get to travel to Utah as a family to see my niece's baptism in early May. I haven't been in Utah in spring time in years, so it will be nice to go back. I called Snowbird today to make reservations like I do every year, but received word that Summer packages won't go into affect until a week after we leave. Sigh. There's always next year!

No word yet on when the volunteer work at the hospital begins; I was hoping for a call this week. With Friday on the horizon, I'm leaning heavily toward next week.

The boy just came upstairs; he seems a bit restless. I'm going to do the daddy thing for a little while. Thanks again for reading!

04/15/09 - Salt. The boy loves salt.

2009-04-15T10:19:00.000-07:00

I've always known that Sumner likes salty foods. As soon as he was young enough to reach the salt shakers at restaurants, he has tried his hardest to put sodium on everything he eats*.

Yesterday evening, I set myself to task with the weekly laundry duties, while putting SaraJane down for a nap and turning a movie on for Sumner. It's acceptable to me that Sumner can choose a snack for himself from the shelf he can reach, usually a granola bar or some fruit snacks. Instead of one of these more sensible choices, Sumner decided to take it upon himself to scramble up the rows of shelves to find an entire bag of pretzels, one of his favorites. I have nothing against them, however; Sumner has no portion controls skills yet, especially when tuning out to a movie. So, unbeknownst to me, Sumner whiled away the time snacking on the whole bag.

After the movie was done, he ran upstairs to greet me and see if I needed any help with the laundry duties (good kid, afterall). I said no, but that we should go back downstairs to clean up. It was then that I found the empty bag, and more purposeful to the story, it was then that Sumner decided to vomit abundantly.

It should be noted that Sumner is a good sport, and realized the error of his ways even while throwing up the consequence of his snacking indulgence. He looked up at me and said, quite matter-of-factly, "I had too much salt, I think". I agreed with him, and continued on cleaning up the mess he made.

Much later that evening, while discussing the event with the wife, Sumner gave me further revelation into his snacktime adventures. Seems that Sumner didn't stop at the end of the bag, oh no. He decided that waste not, want not, and ate every grain of salt left over in the bag. The boy.loves.salt.

If possible, next time you have an empty bag of pretzels, check and see how much salt is left in the bottom. Then picture a five year old boy eating all of it. Then imagine my gratitude that Sumner did end up puking it all out.

A pretty grand adventure in the world of parenting, indeed.

*No, we don't let him. Though he still tries to angle himself toward the salt shakers at every restaurant we go to!

04/13/2009 - Fuzz

2009-04-13T16:36:00.000-07:00

Today was a long day for some reason. Not really something I can pinpoint at the moment, as the standout emotion I am feeling right now is a calming one. I am fiddling around on my laptop while Sumner swims in our neighborhood pool. Very satisfying. I still have a lot to learn on Mac OS X, so much in fact that I really don't care that my computer isn't currently connected to the Internet. I don't think I've felt that way since I was using Windows 3.1.

So again, I'm just fiddling around while trying my hardest not to break anything super important. Oh yes, and I'm also keeping a close eye on the lad, though I'm very impressed with his swimming skills. He's trying to follow a much larger teenager around the pool right now while he swims laps. I think this bothers the teenager. So much annoys them.

Now he's attempting to make conversation with him. I've counseled Sumner to keep to himself and mind his manners, and the teenager made no protest. I'm going to assume that Sumner is, in fact, annoying him. I think I'll let him be for now. Pretty good entertainment.

Earlier today, I had an orientation meeting at the local hospital that I will be volunteering at. I arrived at what I thought was late, but was surprised when I found myself the first in the lobby. As each minute rolled by, more and more volunteers sauntered in the door. There was a total of eight people in my very diverse group. Living next to Leisure World, I expected a group comprised mostly of older people (or citizens, as the 34 year retired LAPD volunteer called them), but instead saw a complete range of individuals from all backgrounds. Some, like me, had decided to pursue a different career and were hoping that serving at the hospital would give them further direction and light. Others were graduated from their undergraduate program and wanted to learn specialties such as Social Work. One older couple wanted nothing more than to share the joy they had found with their 3 1/2 year old Golden Retriever with others in the hospital. One young woman was there to simply deliver cookies. A great group of people that genuinely wanted nothing more than to serve their fellow man.

I learned near the end of the orientation that we would already be receiving our ID badges, pictures and all. My most previous experience with ID badges was not such a pleasant one, with a scowl on my face and grown out fuzz atop my balding head. I began to regret not taking the extra time to shave my head that morning, when all of a sudden the power went out in the building and the reserve generator kicked in. The volunteer coordinator gave us a sigh and admitted that there would be no ID badges today, as all non-essential devices would be powered down for the time being. Small miracles.

Now, the hour grows late and the sun has set beyond the point of lighting my keyboard for efficient use. There's always more to come from me, nevermind you that. Thanks for listening to my tales this evening. Till next time!

04/01/2009 - Before and after

2009-04-01T10:24:00.000-07:00

I really wanted to post something April Fools style today, but the uncanny number of Web sites and blogs pulling pranks was staggering enough to turn me off of it pretty quickly. You never know what to believe on a day like this. It's like one early poster said, "April Fools + The Internet = Crap".

So, instead of a hastily concocted lie about pregnancy or moving or some other nonsense, I thought I'd post a few pictures of the new yard for your enjoyment!

The entire project flowed smooth as silk; I can't really think of anything major that stopped the show. It's nice to have a place to relax outside now, the kids seem to have a good time and Sumner likes having another place to go other than out in front. We've already watched two movies outside. We rented "Bolt" the other night. It wasn't that bad, really. The voice acting by Travolta (Bolt) was really well done, too. It sounds like he had fun during the production. I can't imagine many other "jobs" more entertaining than voice-over work.

So other than what you see in the pictures, we're still waiting on and budgeting for a new grill, a fire pit (or a chimney stove? not sure now) and further plants and trees. Speaking of the budget, we blew through money so fast with this endeavor that we haven't gone grocery shopping, even though we're way, way past due for a trip. I mean, we're getting creative with our meals. Today, I made rice. I've never actually made rice for myself.

So the wife and I made a list of the things we'll need when we go this Friday, and the length is staggering. Seeing as how the local grocers are throwing all sorts of sales, right now seems the perfect time to go. Maybe it'll only cost us a billion and a half dollars, instead of a quadrillion. We'll see.

In other news, you may have noticed my Facebook status the other day, when I mentioned that I am starting to volunteer at Banner Gateway hospital. Seeing how I have a bit of free time now and again, and how I'd like to change career paths, the hospital seemed like a good choice. It's local, maybe only a five minute drive from my house, and I've wanted to look into becoming a nurse. Yes, I know. You can call me a "murse", if this all pans out.

So I went to get a TB test (looks good so far), and I'll go back again in a week to get a second screening. You know, just in case the first test is wrong. The CDC recommends it. How often is the first test wrong? I guess enough times to warrant this double-test, neh? After the background check comes back, I'll be cleared to go and working in the ICU. The Volunteer Coordinator gave me the gist of the responsibilities, and it sounds awesome. I think it'll give me a good idea whether I want to do nursing or not.

Time to go, for now. I've reached 500 words, which is more than most wish to read during the time set aside for blog-hopping. Thanks for the visit, and come back as you wish.

03/31/2009 - Now this tale didn't happen just yesterday, nor the day before, but long, long ago

2009-03-31T09:47:00.000-07:00

I realized today that I hadn't published any of our pictures from our awesome trip to Disneyland on March the 13th. Here are a few of them!

03/29/09 - Amazon.com Gift Card Winners

2009-03-29T15:51:00.000-07:00

Cue the drama, folks. The names were dropped into a hat (dish, actually), and the wife pulled the names, one by one.

Congratulations to Eric M. and Chelsea L.! The gift cards will be e-mailed to you electronically within the week.

So, that was pretty fun, neh? I'll do this again in a few months. What type of prizes would you like to see?

A sneak preview

2009-03-25T21:33:00.000-07:00

Sent from my iPhone

The things people worry about

2009-03-25T14:54:00.002-07:00

Games are just more fun with Sumner

2009-03-25T13:16:00.001-07:00

Sent from my iPhone

03/24/2009 - Welcome to the new blog, plus a chance to win!

2009-03-24T16:44:00.000-07:00

Hello, what's this? A new blog?

I had a heck of a time getting this new site ready for launch. I thought that it'd be nice and easy...install a new blogging software on my Web site, take the main page down for a while, and voila...but no! I had 42 headaches to contend with. But now I can take a deep breath, relax, and begin posting the daily rants and ramblings of my mind. And I hope you'll find some entertainment value in reading what I have to say.

Because if you're new here, you may notice that I've been writing posts for a while. Seven years, to be exact. Well before such publishing tools like Blogger, Myspace, Facebook, and Twitter became insanely popular, I was trying my hardest to get content online. I've met some success throughout the years, but have been reduced to smithereens over and over again because of my uncanny ability to wax lazily into oblivion. Why do I feel like this time will be any different? I suppose I never said that. I'm just crossing my fingers this time!

So, to those of you who haven't stopped by here before, welcome. What do I do with this site? The blog page, which you find yourself at currently, is the main portion of the site. This is where I spend the most time pruning and cultivating the inner workings of my mind. I try hard to stay relevant, sticking to topics that matter to people that read my work. Religion, politics, and similar subjects are not necessarily taboo, but rarely discussed here. But again, trying to stay relevant, they may pop up more as time goes along. And I must admit, long blocks of text aren't my thing. Normally, there will be pictures to go along with whatever story I have here.

Other sections of the site include the Moblah'g, which is powered solely by my iPhone. There's rarely anything said here of real substance; but there you'll find some of the best personal pictures around. There's just something about having a camera that can post anything your eye sees, whenever the mood strikes you.

You'll also find examples of photography, but I must warn you...this is not my strong area. In recent years, I've noticed the literal explosion of Web sites dedicated to close friends who have discovered the flair for digital photography. Many of my friends and acquaintances are exceptional at their art, and they nobly make it known with remarkable finesse. I make no such statement with my photography. Indeed, as is mentioned on the front page of Outsidetheworld, these pictures are simply what I saw when I was lucky enough to have a camera by my side. Hopefully I'll get a bit better with time.

So, that's it for now. You'll notice that I have a bit of a promotion going on right now, so if you'll be kind and leave a comment at the end of this post, you'll be entered to win one of two $10.00 Amazon.com gift certificates. To be sure I know who you are, please leave your name. Any other type of personally identifiable information isn't necessary. Anyone who leaves a comment will have their name put into a hat for the drawing. Comment as much as you'd like, but you'll only get one entry. Sorry! I have to maintain some semblance of order here. The contest will run until Saturday night at midnight. The winners will be announced by Monday. I'll run campaigns like this every so often to show my efforts toward maintaining a respectable and consistent blog, so keep your eye on the site and bookmark me, neh? I promise to make it worth your while!

Geez. I've spent way too much time in front of the computer today. Time to go play some basketball. Sorry for the heavy tone of this entry! I promise to be much more candid in the weeks to come. This really doesn't even sound like me. I suppose I'm trying to put my best foot forward, as I only have this chance to make a good impression. See you next time!

3/24/2009 - Hackbook?

2009-03-24T09:54:00.000-07:00

I ordered myself a new Dell Mini 9 "Netbook" today with the money I had been saving from my birthday. They had a great deal going at only $199, though I did choose a few small upgrades.

Ship date isn't until mid-April, so I'm not holding my breath for a quick arrival. But when it does get here, I'm removing Linux and installing OS X. It should be a fun adventure.

03/24/2009 - A new way to post

2009-03-23T09:03:00.000-07:00

The new blog is live. It would seem that the hours and days of fuss over the Web hosting paid off. After many years of crafting each and every blog page by hand, I grew weary of the tediousness of the task. Each new post meant at least three other pages needed manual updating if I wanted the previous entry archived properly. This, coupled with the fact that I could never establish a reliable comment or tracking service, pushed me over the edge. What I found on the other side was WordPress, which is powering the very page you see before you now.

It feels alien to me, typing a new blog on this busy looking admin page. I suppose I'll get used to it in time. It really was dead simple to install and start using, after all. I have more options than I know what to do with. But I like options. The best part about it? I can finally allow comments on each blog that I create, and each entry will be automatically archived. No more manual creation of pages for the blog. It's both sad and breath-taking at the same time.

What scares me stupid is that I have no idea how it all works in the background. Yes, I got it installed, configured, and customized to my tastes, but the whole program uses programming languages that I am not inclined to learn at this point in my life. And it uses a MySQL database. My best guess is that if my database ever dies, so do my entries. Ho, hum.

The other project in my life is the yard. After nearly 2 1/2 years, the wife and I have decided to do something with the small plot of land we were granted with our house. Up until now, it's simply been a grand (not so grand?) swath of rock and dirt, with a single, lonely navel orange tree occupying the north portion. We've made honorable attempts in the past to make it livable. We've raked the rock, planted the previously mentioned tree, and allowed Sumner to go nuts with the shovels and rakes. But we're on the cusp of something big, I think. We've decided to go with the blank slate approach; that is, we are having concrete poured over most of it. Pavers would have looked finer, but the financial impact was lessened with the concrete.

To better visualize how it stands now, here are a few pictures. I'm very impressed that I figured out how to post these in here already. Either that points to one of two things: the ease of use of this program, or my utter brilliance at figuring things out. I tend toward the former.

This should all go down on Wednesday morning. All in the household are quite glad that we're getting it done this early in the spring season. When this is completed, we should still have at least two months of cool evening weather in which in to enjoy the newly christened patio. Even better is the fact that this will be done before Sumner's 5th birthday, which undoubtedly means his party will be hosted in the yard.

The funniest part about this entry is that it probably won't be seen for a few days. I've not yet decided how I want to reintroduce Outsidetheworld to friends and family, but I do know I am having some sort of launch event. Since writing this post bored me to tears, I can only imagine the effect reading it must have on people, so no...this won't be the inaugural post, I'm afraid. But that statement implies further posts will be full of action and intrigue! We'll see.

But if you found your way down the blog to read this fine entry, good on you. Leave a comment, if you would be so kind, so I know you stopped by. There's more to come where this came from.

SaraJane's First Visit

2009-03-13T14:36:00.000-07:00

Sent from my iPhone

Another picture of the girl

2009-03-10T20:20:00.000-07:00

Sent from my iPhone

SaraJane

2009-03-10T11:34:00.000-07:00

Sent from my iPhone

Orange blossoms

2009-03-04T13:24:00.001-07:00

Sent from my iPhone

Superstitions

2009-01-16T14:03:00.003-07:00

Sent from my iPhone

There's Phoenix, if you can spot it

2009-01-16T14:03:00.001-07:00

Sent from my iPhone

Yep. Dangit.

2008-12-30T21:13:00.000-07:00

RD Burningham

Sent from my iPhone

Making a gingerbread house at Nana's house

2008-12-24T14:46:00.000-07:00

RD Burningham

Sent from my iPhone

Who needs snow?!

2008-12-23T15:44:00.000-07:00

RD Burningham

Sent from my iPhone

All wrapped up

2008-12-22T16:36:00.000-07:00

RD Burningham

Sent from my iPhone

Exhausted!

2008-12-04T16:58:00.000-07:00

RD Burningham

Sent from my iPhone

First time rolling over on her own

2008-12-03T15:12:00.000-07:00

RD Burningham

Sent from my iPhone

Lights

2008-11-29T21:29:00.000-07:00

RD Burningham

Sent from my iPhone

Time to meet Santa!

2008-11-26T13:12:00.000-07:00

RD Burningham

Sent from my iPhone

I can hold my own bottle, thank you

2008-11-17T14:26:00.000-07:00

RD Burningham

Sent from my iPhone

Just...watching Nascar

2008-11-15T13:47:00.000-07:00

RD Burningham

Sent from my iPhone

SaraJane loves her Red Dog

2008-11-13T12:14:00.000-07:00

RD Burningham

Sent from my iPhone

Got us a van. Deal with it, critics.

2008-11-06T11:32:00.000-07:00

RD Burningham

Sent from my iPhone

How's that thumb?

2008-11-03T17:21:00.000-07:00

RD Burningham

Sent from my iPhone

In Sumner's class

2008-10-30T10:37:00.000-07:00

RD Burningham

Sent from my iPhone

Salt and the silly boy

2008-10-23T11:22:00.000-07:00

RD Burningham

Sent from my iPhone

Fast asleep

2008-10-09T15:42:00.000-07:00

Those eyes!

2008-10-09T15:41:00.000-07:00

Hello

2008-10-09T15:23:00.000-07:00

RD Burningham

Sent from my iPhone

Daddy, Sumner and SaraJane ghosts (and mommy's at work)

2008-10-02T21:26:00.000-07:00

RD Burningham

Sent from my iPhone

Happy baby

2008-09-28T16:15:00.000-07:00

RD Burningham

Sent from my iPhone

A view from the hike

2008-09-26T18:59:00.001-07:00

RD Burningham

Sent from my iPhone

Colors

2008-09-26T15:34:00.000-07:00

RD Burningham

Sent from my iPhone

On a hike

2008-09-26T15:33:00.000-07:00

RD Burningham

Sent from my iPhone

The boy at Mueller Park

2008-09-26T14:12:00.000-07:00

RD Burningham

Sent from my iPhone

The old hallways

2008-09-26T13:39:00.000-07:00

RD Burningham

Sent from my iPhone

The old school

2008-09-26T12:44:00.000-07:00

RD Burningham

Sent from my iPhone

Palm trees in Bountiful?

2008-09-26T12:22:00.000-07:00

RD Burningham

Sent from my iPhone

The old house

2008-09-26T12:20:00.000-07:00

RD Burningham

Sent from my iPhone

The old street

2008-09-26T12:19:00.000-07:00

RD Burningham

Sent from my iPhone

McDonalds

2008-09-26T11:29:00.000-07:00

I'm sitting here with Sumner at the same McDonalds that I would visit
when I was his age. It looks largely the same in the dining area,
though I am disappointed that the play area has been robbed of Mayor
McCheese, Grimace, and the Hamburgler. It's also moved indoors, though
that's understandable with the climate.

Sumner really doesn't believe me that I used to live here when I was
his age. I'll keep trying to convince him today.

RD Burningham

Sent from my iPhone

Four kids @ Target...FUN

2008-09-25T17:30:00.000-07:00

RD Burningham

Sent from my iPhone

I'll miss those mountains

2008-09-25T17:23:00.000-07:00

RD Burningham

Sent from my iPhone

Taffy Town

2008-09-25T13:59:00.000-07:00

RD Burningham

Sent from my iPhone

Sumner's new haircut

2008-09-24T12:27:00.000-07:00

RD Burningham

Sent from my iPhone

Time to eat

2008-09-22T14:44:00.000-07:00

RD Burningham

Sent from my iPhone

A token from the Alpine slide

2008-09-21T11:53:00.000-07:00

RD Burningham

Sent from my iPhone

Alpine slide

2008-09-21T11:51:00.000-07:00

RD Burningham

Sent from my iPhone

Alpine slide

2008-09-21T11:40:00.000-07:00

RD Burningham

Sent from my iPhone

Cold

2008-09-21T11:17:00.000-07:00

RD Burningham

Sent from my iPhone

2nd day

2008-09-21T09:01:00.000-07:00

RD Burningham

Sent from my iPhone

Guess who?!

2008-09-20T12:46:00.000-07:00

RD Burningham

Sent from my iPhone

Oktoberfest

2008-09-20T12:39:00.000-07:00

RD Burningham

Sent from my iPhone

2008-09-20T12:34:00.000-07:00

RD Burningham

Sent from my iPhone

@ the 'Bird

2008-09-20T11:51:00.000-07:00

RD Burningham

Sent from my iPhone

The three amigos, together again

2008-09-19T15:17:00.000-07:00

RD Burningham

Sent from my iPhone

SaraJane meets her cousin, Noah

2008-09-19T13:43:00.002-07:00

RD Burningham

Sent from my iPhone

Whatcha lookin' at?

2008-09-18T17:42:00.000-07:00

RD Burningham

Sent from my iPhone

Out for the night

2008-09-11T20:22:00.000-07:00

RD Burningham

Sent from my iPhone

Dust storm

2008-09-11T18:33:00.000-07:00

RD Burningham

Sent from my iPhone

Sunset

2008-09-10T19:00:00.000-07:00

RD Burningham

Sent from my iPhone

Thoughts about iTunes 8.0

2008-09-09T18:26:00.005-07:00

A post that I found much too large for the Moblah'g wandered over to the full Blog page of the Web site. Visit if you can!

No denying the cuteness

2008-09-08T13:57:00.000-07:00

She just is.

RD Burningham

Sent from my iPhone

Out for a bit of a stroll on Sunday evening

2008-09-08T13:51:00.000-07:00

RD Burningham

Sent from my iPhone

Chubby cheeks magee

2008-09-05T20:03:00.000-07:00

RD Burningham

Sent from my iPhone

You think you've seen everything...

2008-09-05T16:53:00.001-07:00

A friend of mine sent me this picture of a road side diner in Page, AZ. I must visit next time I drive through.

RD Burningham

Sent from my iPhone

The Video is done

2008-08-29T00:20:00.001-07:00