Chapter One, Part One

The curtains danced on the cool moist breeze. Wind chimes on the porch provided the music to witch they seemed in perfect tune. As the chimes picked up pace the curtains followed. twisting and turning in unison, together then apart, building to a beautiful crescendo. He sat there almost mesmerized by the show in front of him. Thoughts of the past began to creep into his head. He could picture himself and a partner dancing on the wind. So light on their feet, moving as one, oblivious to the world. What a joyous feeling that was. Crack, the thunder roared and the lightning crashed bringing him out of his trance. Fitting he thought. For there could be no joy in his life. Brief moments were all he could muster. A few seconds here and there. But true joy?? Never. Not for him. It wasn't always this way he thought. Just when had it stopped he wondered. When had the feelings of pain and emptiness completely consumed him. It seemed at this point it was all he had ever known. He new this couldn't be true though because as brief as those seconds were they provided a glimpse of a better time. Long ago he thought. So long ago. The rain began to fall in earnest now. Washing away the daylight and turning it into night. Fitting he thought. Just as the daylight had left so had his hopes and dreams. He continued to sit and stare into the cold wet night as silent and as motionless as stone. Down deep inside though, his heart began to cry.....................To be continued....................

For all of us in Utah

FORGET REDNECKS; THIS IS WHAT JEFF FOXWORTHY HAD TO SAY ABOUT UTAHNS!If your local Dairy Queen is closed from September to May, you live in Utah .If someone in a Home Depot store offers you assistance and they don't work there, you live in Utah .If you've worn shorts and a parka at the same time, you live in UtahIf you've had a lengthy telephone conversation with someone who dialed the wrong number, you live in Utah .If 'vacation' means going anywhere south of Salt Lake City for the weekend, you live in Utah .If you measure distance in hours, you live in Utah .If you know several people who have hit a deer more than once, you live in Utah .If you have switched from 'heat' to 'A/C' and back again in the same day, you live in Utah .If you install security lights on your house and garage but leave both unlocked, you live in Utah .If you can drive 75 mph through 2 feet of snow during a raging blizzard without flinching, you live in Utah .If you design your kid's Halloween costume to fit over a snowsuit, you live in Utah .If the speed limit on the highway is 75 mph -- you're going 80, and everyone is still passing you, you live in Utah .If driving is better in the winter because the potholes are filled with snow, you live in Utah .If you know all 4 seasons: almost winter, winter, still winter, and road construction, you live in Utah .If you find 10 degrees 'a little chilly' you live in Utah .If you actually understand these jokes and forward them to all your friends, you live in Utah ..

Life Lesson

Today I go in search of another life lesson. I am going on a 4 hour journey that will be filled with exercise, inner reflection, and intentional pain. It is strange that as human beings we are the only animals on this planet that will intentionally do something that can cause so much mental anguish and frustration. Not only do we do it again and again but we actually pay someone else for the privilege to inflict this pain on our selves. That's right I am going golfing. What is it about golf that can absolutely get so deep into a persons bones. Personally my wife thinks the sun has just baked my brain. There is something about the game that drives me. Whether I am playing with friends or alone I continue to go back. I think we go back because there is always room for improvement. No matter what score you have shot there is always one putt. or one drive, or even one chip that you feel has cost you a shot. Therefor the next time you know you can do better. There it is. HA we just found it. The reason it's deep inside our bones. We strive to do better. As people I think we all have to strive to do better in everything we do every day. We strive to get ahead at work, to be a better father, husband, and all around good person. Just like in golf, sometimes we will miss a putt, make a bad drive into the rough, and leave room for improvement. But every morning we get up and go at it again. And every once in awile it all comes together. You see your children selflessly help someone else. You see neighbors helping neighbors. People all around you striving to be better. It warms your heart just like the rattle the ball makes when the birdie putt falls. Chasing a little white ball with a stick. Who would have thunk it.

Days of the week

I woke up this morning after a long weekend and found myself wondering where the heck did the names for the days of the week come from. I know a little wierd but what can I say. So anyway here is your lesson for today. We begin with why their are 7 days in the week. It is traced back to the Romans who probobly stole it from the Egyptions who in turn stole it from the Persions. It is kind of like a good idea in politics, everyone wants to take credit for it. Basicly it comes from the "Heavenly Bodies" at the time. Sun, Moon and 5 planets they could see. That brings us to the first day of the week Sunday. Named of course after the Sun witch spreads warmth and light. Hence why we play in the sun on that day. Next is Monday named after the Moon. The moon was important because it was believed to effect both people and crops. You can look at it today in the same way as it begins the work week where we all work to pay for our crops. A little bit of a stretch but hang with me. Tuesday is named for the norse god Tyre. Tyre is the god of courage and honor. Believe you me it takes alot of courage to get up and return to work after the usual BS that occurs on Monday. So once again perfectly named. Wedensday is named for the cheif of the gods Odin. Now Odin hung for nine days, pierced by his own spear, from the world tree. Don't try and tell me by Wedensday you dont feel like youve been hanging by a spear from the "work tree". Right on target once again. Thursday named for Thor the god of thunder. This confused me as I had believed of course that Gene Simmons of KISS was not only the god of thunder but also of rock and roll. I believe there was even a song stating that fact. But I regress. Everyone knows the thunder inside us builds with anticipation for the end of the week on Thursday. How did they get it right again. Here comes Friday. Named after the goddess Frey, goddess of prosperity, and her twin sister Freya, goddess of fertility. You have got to be kidding me here. Prosperity? duh, payday. Fertility? everyone who is single is looking to at least practice fertilization. Hot twins? only every red blooded males dream. Those Norse gods all I can say is WOW, dead spot on. Last but not least Saturday. Named for the Roman god Saturn. Mr Saturn started a little thing called Saturnalia which was a big party where the rules of etiquite were ignored and all morals loosned. HELLO, has anyone been out on a Saturday night?? It amazes me how they could have known that long ago how absolutly perfect their names would be. As always let me know what you think and hit a sponsor on the way out as a writer has to eat.

Kids

Beings I have talked about my kids this week I thought I would attach some pics to show all of us how thankful we should be for our kids. After all we could have these to deal with. Have a great weekend!!!!

Talent

After watching American Idol and seeing the talent on the show I found myself looking at the specific talents or desires in my house. This is a tricky thing to do with your children as you have to look deep and make sure you are seeing their talents and desirers and not yours for them. Example: I have a 15 year old daughter who loves volleyball. She has a beautiful overhand serve and was one of the dominate players in her league at the Dimple Dale Rec center. We have her in Alta's vollyball camp to prepare for tryouts in Aug. Apperantly there are alot of club players she feels are farther along than she is. She may not have the most talent but absolutly nobody will out work her. I have a 14 year old daughter who I have racing go karts at Miller Motorsports Park. She had been in one of these karts for a total of 20 min preveously. She suits up and ends up racing on a track configuration we have never seen. What does she do?? Runs the second fastest qualifing lap of the 20 drivers. She is the only female and there is only 1 other teenager. The rest of the drivers were adults. I am complimented on my training of her by track officials. I tell them it's her first time on that track and they are shocked. Start calling her a natural. She has the most talent but no desire to work harder. I believe Danielle will make the vollyball team because the coaches will see her sheer force of will and hard work can over come more talent. As for Taylor who has a such a gift for being able to see and feel a racing line that other people will kill for I am lost. Do you let a child throw away a very special gift??? I guess in a perfect world I could take a little of Taylors talent and some of Danielle drive and mix it all up between them. I think thats why we watch American Idol. Deep down we know it's special to see someone with the talent and drive mixed together to chase there dreams. Let me know what you think.

A Yearning For The Past

I was driving home from work yesturday when the i-pod I have plugged into my stereo played Love Gun by Kiss. The first thing that came to my mind was the great album cover of the band. Remember album covers anyone??? The art work inside and out weather drawn or taken pictures was unique to each one. True art in its simplest form. Albums were like movies in those days with release dates I followed closely. Anyone else have friends rush over on there bikes or you rush over on your bike if they got the latest album first?? The excitement of the story about to be told thru music was palatable. Slowly taking the round disc of vinyl out, YES!! the inside liner contains the words to every song! Now we can sing every line of the story we are about to hear. Time to turn on the turntable, set the speed to 33 1/2 rpms, blow the dust off the needle sending a cracle thru the speakers, move the arm over and slowly lower it down, (right on the edge mind you as we dont want to miss and be into the song), the static is playing with everyone waiting on the edge of there seats, smiles from ear to ear, AHHHHH the wonderful sounds begin. We would listen to every note not wanting to miss a single one. And just like a play it came with an intermission. Time to turn the wonderful new black disc over. But wait, we must discuss every song on that first side first. Then we repeat the process with side two. Actual face to face interaction with opinions being shared and debates battled until we turned it back over for the second listen. You didn't punch a button and skip a song. Hell it was almost considered a envyable skill just to be able to drop the needle perfectly on a song in the middle of an album. Still it was not worth the chance of scratching it. Besides we would miss part of the story. Now days there is no story. No interaction. A CD is just a conglomeration of singles. No artwork, no story, no time. Face to face interaction?? No way. Not when we can Facebook with one hand while texting with the other. Hell my kids would Twitter with there toes so they can really be up to date. I really wish I could see a bunch of bikes come screaming up the driveway and land in a pile as they ran in and slammed the bedroom door. Music and laughter would leak out from underneath that door as it did from mine in my youth. I wish. I really do. Instead all I seem to hear is the sound of fingers on a laptop, and the vibrations of a phone. Incoming messages. No bikes in the yard, no music, no laughter, no one else in the room. Technology, separating us all one IM, text, and tweet at a time. Let me know what you think.

I Think I Have Something To Say

Hello Everyone!!!!!!!
How many of you Joes out there have something to say and no where to say it????? This blog is for all of us Average Joes bustin our humps every day to provide for the family. Now days it seems to be getting harder and harder to make ends meet. I feel the pain my brothers as I am out in the trenches right beside you , day after day. We shall rise and be heard I say. I will be talking about what ever is on my mind and encourage everyone to comment and have their say as well. We are the backbone of this great nation so let us vent and stay strong!!!