Dear Winter,
The slushy mess you deposited on my driveway this morning--while a tad less than the fluffy white stuff I desired--did manage to get me a snow day.
Thank you very much.
Bryce
Friday, February 26, 2010
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Dear Winter
Dear Winter,
You've really been disappointing me lately. I mean, we had a great December. You dumped snow all over my area, and I got one and a half snow days out of the deal. I thought we were set for at least a six month relationship. January came around, and some of the thrill was gone, but I thought we could still make it work. Relationships are all about sacrifice, right?
But then February happened.
You started seeing other places. DC. Philly. New York. Showering them with white, glistening gifts in amounts I haven't seen all year. Why didn't you treat me that way? I mean, those other places don't even want you. You're not one of those girls who's always after the bad boys, are you? The big, glitzy cities who pretend to want you by throwing a flashy Christmas celebration, but then just start complaining about where to put all the snow as soon as you come around? Because they're going to dump you like yesterday's donuts.
Not me.
I'm here. Waiting for you. Things looked good for a few days--snow was in the forecast. I thought you might finally be remembering me. But no, you decided to dump wet slushy crap all over the place. Thanks for nothing.
All I'm saying, is that I want you back. All will be forgiven, if you just would start coming around regularly again. I'm not the jealous type. You can still go down to New York for a getaway now and then. Just be sure to always come back where you belong:
Maine.
Longingly,
Bryce
You've really been disappointing me lately. I mean, we had a great December. You dumped snow all over my area, and I got one and a half snow days out of the deal. I thought we were set for at least a six month relationship. January came around, and some of the thrill was gone, but I thought we could still make it work. Relationships are all about sacrifice, right?
But then February happened.
You started seeing other places. DC. Philly. New York. Showering them with white, glistening gifts in amounts I haven't seen all year. Why didn't you treat me that way? I mean, those other places don't even want you. You're not one of those girls who's always after the bad boys, are you? The big, glitzy cities who pretend to want you by throwing a flashy Christmas celebration, but then just start complaining about where to put all the snow as soon as you come around? Because they're going to dump you like yesterday's donuts.
Not me.
I'm here. Waiting for you. Things looked good for a few days--snow was in the forecast. I thought you might finally be remembering me. But no, you decided to dump wet slushy crap all over the place. Thanks for nothing.
All I'm saying, is that I want you back. All will be forgiven, if you just would start coming around regularly again. I'm not the jealous type. You can still go down to New York for a getaway now and then. Just be sure to always come back where you belong:
Maine.
Longingly,
Bryce
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Advice on Writing, and Why I'm Not Watching American Idol This Year
First things first: I came across these two lists of writing tips by famous authors. Very entertaining, for the ones I disagree with as much for the ones I agree with. So interesting to see how different writing is for everyone.
Second: American Idol. Yeah. I'm not watching this year. Why? Well, I sat down and thought back on all the other four or five seasons I had watched. To watch all of an AI season (not counting the stupid audition shows and Hollywood week, which I'm prone to skip), takes a good 50 hours, more or less. So it boiled down to this: did I feel like 50 hours of American Idol was worth my time?
It wasn't.
End of story.
Second: American Idol. Yeah. I'm not watching this year. Why? Well, I sat down and thought back on all the other four or five seasons I had watched. To watch all of an AI season (not counting the stupid audition shows and Hollywood week, which I'm prone to skip), takes a good 50 hours, more or less. So it boiled down to this: did I feel like 50 hours of American Idol was worth my time?
It wasn't.
End of story.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Decluttering
Ever since Christmas, when I bought DKC a book on how to declutter a home, I've been a decluttering fiend. Up until reading that book (yes, I read it first despite the fact that I gave it to my wife. She wasn't reading it. So I did.) I'd never been able to really get on top of clutter. Stuff just seemed to congregate in various areas of the house on its own accord. I blamed it on SPR (Spontaneous Paper Reproduction). My kitchen was usually a disaster, the area by my bed was heaped with clothes, books, and other detritus . . . it wasn't pretty. Do I really have to give you the nitty gritty details? Suffice it to say that the only time the house got sort of cleaned was when we knew company was coming. This isn't to say the house was dirty--it was cleaned. Just not tidy. Maybe that is a better word for it.
Anyway.
Enter this book. The author, Peter Walsh, breaks it down quite simply: picture your ideal room (bedroom, bathroom, living room, kitchen, etc.) What is its purpose? How is it used. Now, go through that room, and remove anything that doesn't serve that purpose. Viola! Clutter is gone. The trick lies in taking a good candid look at each item you have and deciding how/if you're using it. If you have an extensive collection of something, and you claim it's important to you, but you keep it stuffed in a box and never look at it, is it really that important? (Case in point: I've collected ticket stubs for years, but I never organized them. Now, I took the stubs that were post important to me (first date with DKC, for example), and put them in an album. The ones that weren't that important (random movie I saw in the theaters that I didn't like anyway) I tossed.))
The next key that I've been following is the 10 minutes a day approach. Walsh promised that if you set aside 10 minutes each day to declutter, and stuck with it, you'd conquer the problem. I was skeptical, but I've been trying it--and it's working. My kitchen is decluttered, as is my living room, my bedroom, and most of my home office now. Better yet, the areas I've decluttered are actually staying that way.
It's very encouraging.
Anyway--just thought I'd share with you, the Peoples of the Internet. If you're having trouble conquering the clutter, too . . . maybe this book would help. (No, I'm unfortunately not receiving money for this endorsement.) :-)
Anyway.
Enter this book. The author, Peter Walsh, breaks it down quite simply: picture your ideal room (bedroom, bathroom, living room, kitchen, etc.) What is its purpose? How is it used. Now, go through that room, and remove anything that doesn't serve that purpose. Viola! Clutter is gone. The trick lies in taking a good candid look at each item you have and deciding how/if you're using it. If you have an extensive collection of something, and you claim it's important to you, but you keep it stuffed in a box and never look at it, is it really that important? (Case in point: I've collected ticket stubs for years, but I never organized them. Now, I took the stubs that were post important to me (first date with DKC, for example), and put them in an album. The ones that weren't that important (random movie I saw in the theaters that I didn't like anyway) I tossed.))
The next key that I've been following is the 10 minutes a day approach. Walsh promised that if you set aside 10 minutes each day to declutter, and stuck with it, you'd conquer the problem. I was skeptical, but I've been trying it--and it's working. My kitchen is decluttered, as is my living room, my bedroom, and most of my home office now. Better yet, the areas I've decluttered are actually staying that way.
It's very encouraging.
Anyway--just thought I'd share with you, the Peoples of the Internet. If you're having trouble conquering the clutter, too . . . maybe this book would help. (No, I'm unfortunately not receiving money for this endorsement.) :-)
Monday, February 22, 2010
Day Trip: Maine State Museum
I took the day off last Friday to spend some time with the fam before TRC's first spring break was over. (We get two spring breaks out here in Maine, perhaps because we have so much winter?) The initial plan was to go skiing, but we eventually decided to scrap that plan and have just TRC and DKC go skiing in the morning instead, with all of us heading on a road trip in the afternoon. TRC went skiing twice last week, and he's getting quite good. (So good, in fact, that when watching the Olympic downhill skiing event, he calmly stated that he could go faster than those guys, if he wanted to.)
In any case, we ended up deciding to head off to the Maine State Museum in Augusta. I wasn't sure how the kids would take it. I mean, a museum? Would they like looking at objects, and not being able to interact with them? They loved it. I think it helped that TRC was so enthusiastic about it--he rushed from exhibit to exhibit, excited to make each new discovery. DC saw how hyped he was, and she loves to do anything he likes to do, so she was pumped, too. It also helped that they were doing special events for spring break. We all got to work on making our own arrow heads through a process called pressure flaking. TRC thought that was highly cool. Other favorite exhibits included anything that made noise or had moving parts (a car horn and a water wheel, for example), some antique guns, stuffed animals and (of course) the gift shop.
Afterward, we walked around through downtown Hallowell a bit, then took the kids to Friendly's to cap off the day. (TRC adores Monster Sundaes.) All in all, a great deal of fun was had by all, for about $40. (We've made sure to build some money into our budget for "Fun Stuff," and days like last Friday prove how important that is.)
In other news, there's talk of a storm approaching in the next few days. Seeing as how all my precious precious snow has melted on me, I'm hoping against hope that this storm pays off. I didn't move to Maine for snow-free winters. Sigh.
In any case, we ended up deciding to head off to the Maine State Museum in Augusta. I wasn't sure how the kids would take it. I mean, a museum? Would they like looking at objects, and not being able to interact with them? They loved it. I think it helped that TRC was so enthusiastic about it--he rushed from exhibit to exhibit, excited to make each new discovery. DC saw how hyped he was, and she loves to do anything he likes to do, so she was pumped, too. It also helped that they were doing special events for spring break. We all got to work on making our own arrow heads through a process called pressure flaking. TRC thought that was highly cool. Other favorite exhibits included anything that made noise or had moving parts (a car horn and a water wheel, for example), some antique guns, stuffed animals and (of course) the gift shop.
Afterward, we walked around through downtown Hallowell a bit, then took the kids to Friendly's to cap off the day. (TRC adores Monster Sundaes.) All in all, a great deal of fun was had by all, for about $40. (We've made sure to build some money into our budget for "Fun Stuff," and days like last Friday prove how important that is.)
In other news, there's talk of a storm approaching in the next few days. Seeing as how all my precious precious snow has melted on me, I'm hoping against hope that this storm pays off. I didn't move to Maine for snow-free winters. Sigh.
Friday, February 19, 2010
Movie Review: (500) Days of Summer
DKC and I took an Olympic break last night to get in a movie: (500) Days of Summer. I honestly can't remember where I heard about this flick. It's been in my Netflix queue for a while, and then it appeared in my mailbox. I got distracted by other things (Lost, Olympics), and it was getting to the point that I was considering just sending it back to get something new. After all, if I'd had it that long and hadn't watched it, it couldn't have been that good, right?
Wrong.
Fantastic movie. The tagline pretty much sums up the premise: Boy meets girl. Boy falls in love. Girl doesn't. Fantastic performances by Joseph Gordon Levitt and Zooey Deschanel. I think one of the things I liked most about it was how well it seemed to capture my general feel of romance prior to when I finally met DKC. I'm not going to get all sappy here and tell you about it--suffice it to say there are a few movies that really stick with me about relationships, and this has now been added to the list. (Others on the list? Films like High Fidelity, Joe vs. the Volcano, and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.) This movie is full of quirky, edited in a unique but easy to understand mishmash of time, and spot on throughout. There's a reason it's in the imdb top 250 list.
One thing that stood out to me was how well the characters were developed. They were all well-rounded and fully believable, and the way they interacted was where much of the interest in the film came from. As DKC put it, the film feels very real. It doesn't feel like your typical Hollywood romantic comedy, because it isn't. (It states that plainly right at the beginning of the movie, which I appreciated.) Don't go in expecting a story where everything fits and people act like people are Supposed To in movies.
In any case--highly recommended. Four stars. See it today.
Wrong.
Fantastic movie. The tagline pretty much sums up the premise: Boy meets girl. Boy falls in love. Girl doesn't. Fantastic performances by Joseph Gordon Levitt and Zooey Deschanel. I think one of the things I liked most about it was how well it seemed to capture my general feel of romance prior to when I finally met DKC. I'm not going to get all sappy here and tell you about it--suffice it to say there are a few movies that really stick with me about relationships, and this has now been added to the list. (Others on the list? Films like High Fidelity, Joe vs. the Volcano, and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.) This movie is full of quirky, edited in a unique but easy to understand mishmash of time, and spot on throughout. There's a reason it's in the imdb top 250 list.
One thing that stood out to me was how well the characters were developed. They were all well-rounded and fully believable, and the way they interacted was where much of the interest in the film came from. As DKC put it, the film feels very real. It doesn't feel like your typical Hollywood romantic comedy, because it isn't. (It states that plainly right at the beginning of the movie, which I appreciated.) Don't go in expecting a story where everything fits and people act like people are Supposed To in movies.
In any case--highly recommended. Four stars. See it today.
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Update on the Olympics
So I'm watching the Olympics totally online this year, and I thought I'd give you all a brief update on how that's working out.
Not great.
That said, there are some pros and cons. I've discovered NBC is fairly draconian in the measures they've taken to make sure you can't watch the games anywhere other than their site, if you're an American. So all that free streaming Canada is shooting out into the internets? Unavailable. Which is disappointing.
On the other hand, NBC is at least doing a fairly good job of making all the events (with all the competitors) available online at their site, which I appreciate. For one thing, I like being able to watch everyone compete--not just the handful NBC has decided have important enough stories for me to care about. Because you know what? Everyone has stories. So I've gotten to see figure skaters fall, but not just skaters from China, Russia, America, and the occasional German. No--I've seen Estonian and Polish falls, as well. Spread the love around some.
That said, most of the coverage NBC has online has no commentary. This is bad in a way--a lot of the time, I'm not really sure what the rules of the sport are that I'm watching, and it can be harder to tell if someone did something wrong now and then. But it's good, too. I've decided most of the commentary is tripe. You can tell just fine on your own how someone's doing.
Another bad spot is NBC's tendency to boldly announce results on every page of their website. BODE MILLER WINS BRONZE tends to defeat some of the suspense, when you see it before you watch the event.
But in the end, I'd give the coverage a C. Definitely lacks in picture quality, and the rules of when and how you can watch it are frustrating, but I can watch it. Ideal? No. Doable? Yes. Worth $600 to have my satellite back for? Definitely not.
Hopefully NBC gets it better for the next Olympics. Because in the end, I feel like the Olympics are something not to make money off of, but to celebrate as an entire globe.
But maybe that's just me.
Not great.
That said, there are some pros and cons. I've discovered NBC is fairly draconian in the measures they've taken to make sure you can't watch the games anywhere other than their site, if you're an American. So all that free streaming Canada is shooting out into the internets? Unavailable. Which is disappointing.
On the other hand, NBC is at least doing a fairly good job of making all the events (with all the competitors) available online at their site, which I appreciate. For one thing, I like being able to watch everyone compete--not just the handful NBC has decided have important enough stories for me to care about. Because you know what? Everyone has stories. So I've gotten to see figure skaters fall, but not just skaters from China, Russia, America, and the occasional German. No--I've seen Estonian and Polish falls, as well. Spread the love around some.
That said, most of the coverage NBC has online has no commentary. This is bad in a way--a lot of the time, I'm not really sure what the rules of the sport are that I'm watching, and it can be harder to tell if someone did something wrong now and then. But it's good, too. I've decided most of the commentary is tripe. You can tell just fine on your own how someone's doing.
Another bad spot is NBC's tendency to boldly announce results on every page of their website. BODE MILLER WINS BRONZE tends to defeat some of the suspense, when you see it before you watch the event.
But in the end, I'd give the coverage a C. Definitely lacks in picture quality, and the rules of when and how you can watch it are frustrating, but I can watch it. Ideal? No. Doable? Yes. Worth $600 to have my satellite back for? Definitely not.
Hopefully NBC gets it better for the next Olympics. Because in the end, I feel like the Olympics are something not to make money off of, but to celebrate as an entire globe.
But maybe that's just me.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Piece by my Grandfather
This appeared today in an online Mormon scholar site. I don't typically link out to overtly religious pages, but since it's an article by my grandfather, I figured I'd make an exception. (Please note: different grandfather than the one whose funeral I just attended.) It was interesting to read about the journey he's made across the globe as an organist. Some of it I had known, some of it I hadn't. Maybe it won't be as interesting to you, but hey--that's why I have a blog.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Adventures in eBay
I finally took the time to put some stuff I had kicking around the house up for auction on eBay. One of my goals this year is to eBay four things a month at least. So I went for it. Took the pictures, made the posts, calculated the shipping, slapped up the auctions . . .
The good news?
I sold all four items.
For a grand total of $16.
The bad news?
I miscalculated shipping. I don't send boxes much, so I underestimated how expensive it would be.
The good news?
I still made a profit.
How much?
$3.50
I figure I made about $1/hour on that deal. Here's hoping I get better at this in the future . . .
The good news?
I sold all four items.
For a grand total of $16.
The bad news?
I miscalculated shipping. I don't send boxes much, so I underestimated how expensive it would be.
The good news?
I still made a profit.
How much?
$3.50
I figure I made about $1/hour on that deal. Here's hoping I get better at this in the future . . .
Friday, February 12, 2010
Winter Olympics
Eight years ago(!), DKC and I were in Utah for the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake. DKC translated for the Slovak national team, so she got a backstage pass pretty much anywhere she wanted to go, and I--being married to her--could tag along. That's an experience that I doubt many people have the chance to do, and I'm really grateful we could do it. We ate lunch at the Olympic Village, sitting right next to Sasha Cohen, walking past all sorts of other Olympians I recognized from television. She went to the opening ceremonies rehearsal. We went and saw Germany beat Slovakia in ice hockey. Fun times, and hard to believe it's been that long since it happened.
Tonight, we'll be heading over to a friend's house to check out the opening ceremonies. NBC isn't one of the channels I can get via antenna. But no fear: I've figured out a way to stream them live online, so my days of Olympics watching aren't over. NBC is doing it, and I believe CTV (Canadian Television) is, too. I might even decide to try and check out some coverage in German or Slovak, just for kicks and giggles. One of the things I love about the Olympics is how they bring the world closer together. Once every couple of years, we're all watching the same thing, interested in the same events, and no one's dying or killing people because of it (typically). In my book, that's pretty cool.
What sports do I like? In the winter arena, I go for ice hockey, skiing, bobsled, luge, snowboard, figure skating (for when they fall down--that's always a guaranteed good time, right there)--pretty much you name it. I'll be glued to coverage for the next ever, and then in 17 days or so, I'll blink and wonder where all the time went.
I'm very much looking forward to it.
Tonight, we'll be heading over to a friend's house to check out the opening ceremonies. NBC isn't one of the channels I can get via antenna. But no fear: I've figured out a way to stream them live online, so my days of Olympics watching aren't over. NBC is doing it, and I believe CTV (Canadian Television) is, too. I might even decide to try and check out some coverage in German or Slovak, just for kicks and giggles. One of the things I love about the Olympics is how they bring the world closer together. Once every couple of years, we're all watching the same thing, interested in the same events, and no one's dying or killing people because of it (typically). In my book, that's pretty cool.
What sports do I like? In the winter arena, I go for ice hockey, skiing, bobsled, luge, snowboard, figure skating (for when they fall down--that's always a guaranteed good time, right there)--pretty much you name it. I'll be glued to coverage for the next ever, and then in 17 days or so, I'll blink and wonder where all the time went.
I'm very much looking forward to it.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Hello Again, and Two Years
Yes, I'm back from Utah. No, if your name doesn't end in Moore or Pope, I didn't see you. Yes, I'm extremely sorry. It was a harrowing weekend. Let it go, okay? Suffice it to say that it was great to see the family I managed to see, but I have no desire to do that whole funeral thing again anytime soon. I'd post more about it . . . but I don't want to.
On to happier things.
Hard to believe my daughter's only been with us now for two years today. Back then, it was snowing cats and dogs outside. Today? Sunny as can be, with hardly any snow on the ground at all. Wish I had some of that Philly/DC snow up here. In any case, back to my daughter. She went to the doctor's the other day for her check up. The verdict? She's off the charts on height and weight. 99th percentile plus. However, she's very proportionate. Not too fat or too thin--just right. Of course, this means that if she keeps this up, she's destined for the WNBA or the catwalk as a supermodel. I'm betting WNBA, judging by the way she likes to throw herself into where ever the action is. What is she like today?
Well, for one thing, she loves to sleep. Two naps a day, each for an hour and a half or two. Minimum. Goes to bed each night at 7, wakes 12 or 13 hours later. The kid gets her beauty sleep. Second, she loves to play by herself. She asks to go to quiet time, and she'll sit there happily in her crib for a half hour or more, just playing with a few toys. Third, she loves to eat sweets. Cookies are her favorite. It was her first word, and it remains the word she says the most. She's still not talking a ton, but she's very expressive. She loves dogs--or the concept of dogs, at least. Faced with one in real life, she's not so sure. She loves the color pink, and she's very particular about what clothes and accessories she's willing to wear when. She's a great daughter.
Happy birthday, DC!
On to happier things.
Hard to believe my daughter's only been with us now for two years today. Back then, it was snowing cats and dogs outside. Today? Sunny as can be, with hardly any snow on the ground at all. Wish I had some of that Philly/DC snow up here. In any case, back to my daughter. She went to the doctor's the other day for her check up. The verdict? She's off the charts on height and weight. 99th percentile plus. However, she's very proportionate. Not too fat or too thin--just right. Of course, this means that if she keeps this up, she's destined for the WNBA or the catwalk as a supermodel. I'm betting WNBA, judging by the way she likes to throw herself into where ever the action is. What is she like today?
Well, for one thing, she loves to sleep. Two naps a day, each for an hour and a half or two. Minimum. Goes to bed each night at 7, wakes 12 or 13 hours later. The kid gets her beauty sleep. Second, she loves to play by herself. She asks to go to quiet time, and she'll sit there happily in her crib for a half hour or more, just playing with a few toys. Third, she loves to eat sweets. Cookies are her favorite. It was her first word, and it remains the word she says the most. She's still not talking a ton, but she's very expressive. She loves dogs--or the concept of dogs, at least. Faced with one in real life, she's not so sure. She loves the color pink, and she's very particular about what clothes and accessories she's willing to wear when. She's a great daughter.
Happy birthday, DC!
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Grandpa Moore
My grandfather died last night in his sleep. This was not unexpected--he'd been ill for quite some time, and ever since my grandmother died, he hadn't really been the same. Add to that the fact that his two sons preceded him in death, and there were a lot of people on the other side he likely wanted to see and be around. So while I'm sad to hear that he died, I'm grateful it didn't take longer than it did. It's hard seeing someone you know and love slowly wasting away.
In any case, I thought I'd take a minute and write what I know and remember about him. These certainly aren't all the memories I have of him, but they're the ones that come to mind at the moment. I'll be flying out for the funeral tomorrow, and I'm not sure how much I'll be on the internet between now and next Wednesday. Try to get by without me. Anyway--on to the memories.
I remember going over to his house when I was little. He lived in Payson, and they were just down the street from the big park in the middle of the city. My brother and sister and I would walk down there and swing or slide or monkey around while my mom visited with her parents. Sometimes we'd get treats from the bakery on main street. Grandpa loved to garden, and he always had a well kept garden at his house. He liked to show off what he'd grown and give it to guests to eat. I remember at the time finding that fairly unique. I didn't know a lot of people who gardened that seriously. Of course, now in Maine, I seem to be surrounded by gardeners. Grandpa would have fit in well here.
I remember visiting him and his wife when they went on a mission to Kentucky. I remember them driving out east to visit us one year. In their car, grandma had made a garbage bag-sized batch of popcorn, and they'd been munching on it as they crossed the states. That was pretty cool, I thought. Grandma and Grandpa served two other church missions.
I remember going to parades with him. Onion Days in Payson--never an event to be missed. He was an avid BYU fan and Jazz fan, and he loved to talk about how the teams were doing, and did his best to watch all the games. Before I left on my mission to Germany, I had a blue sports jacket he admired. I gave it to him when I left--it fit him so nicely, and I wasn't going to be able to wear it. He seemed very tickled.
I remember visiting him at his job at school. I found it strange to think that I was related to someone who actually worked at a school. I'm not sure why I thought that, now.
I remember one time when he came out to visit us in the east, he suggested we go out to eat at a hamburger joint he'd liked before: Fuddruckers. Only thing was, he switch the syllables around a bit by accident, ending up wtih Rudd . . . you can do the rest. I found it very amusing.
I remember going on a road trip to southern Utah with him and my grandma and mom. We ate sandwiches in Spring City. He loved touring small towns and seeing how things used to be. His house is filled with antiques and Native American items. He collected them avidly and was very proud of all of them.
I remember how faithfully he stood by his wife after she had a stroke and had to be put in a care center--the same care center he then volunteered at, and then ended up in himself a few weeks ago. He was a great example of love and devotion, and one I hope to be able to live up to myself.
Grandpa could be stern, commanding, jovial, fun loving, caring, wise, confused, concerned--you name it.
He will be missed.
In any case, I thought I'd take a minute and write what I know and remember about him. These certainly aren't all the memories I have of him, but they're the ones that come to mind at the moment. I'll be flying out for the funeral tomorrow, and I'm not sure how much I'll be on the internet between now and next Wednesday. Try to get by without me. Anyway--on to the memories.
I remember going over to his house when I was little. He lived in Payson, and they were just down the street from the big park in the middle of the city. My brother and sister and I would walk down there and swing or slide or monkey around while my mom visited with her parents. Sometimes we'd get treats from the bakery on main street. Grandpa loved to garden, and he always had a well kept garden at his house. He liked to show off what he'd grown and give it to guests to eat. I remember at the time finding that fairly unique. I didn't know a lot of people who gardened that seriously. Of course, now in Maine, I seem to be surrounded by gardeners. Grandpa would have fit in well here.
I remember visiting him and his wife when they went on a mission to Kentucky. I remember them driving out east to visit us one year. In their car, grandma had made a garbage bag-sized batch of popcorn, and they'd been munching on it as they crossed the states. That was pretty cool, I thought. Grandma and Grandpa served two other church missions.
I remember going to parades with him. Onion Days in Payson--never an event to be missed. He was an avid BYU fan and Jazz fan, and he loved to talk about how the teams were doing, and did his best to watch all the games. Before I left on my mission to Germany, I had a blue sports jacket he admired. I gave it to him when I left--it fit him so nicely, and I wasn't going to be able to wear it. He seemed very tickled.
I remember visiting him at his job at school. I found it strange to think that I was related to someone who actually worked at a school. I'm not sure why I thought that, now.
I remember one time when he came out to visit us in the east, he suggested we go out to eat at a hamburger joint he'd liked before: Fuddruckers. Only thing was, he switch the syllables around a bit by accident, ending up wtih Rudd . . . you can do the rest. I found it very amusing.
I remember going on a road trip to southern Utah with him and my grandma and mom. We ate sandwiches in Spring City. He loved touring small towns and seeing how things used to be. His house is filled with antiques and Native American items. He collected them avidly and was very proud of all of them.
I remember how faithfully he stood by his wife after she had a stroke and had to be put in a care center--the same care center he then volunteered at, and then ended up in himself a few weeks ago. He was a great example of love and devotion, and one I hope to be able to live up to myself.
Grandpa could be stern, commanding, jovial, fun loving, caring, wise, confused, concerned--you name it.
He will be missed.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Listen Up, Woodchuck Chuckers!
It's GROUNDHOG DAY!
That's right. One of the main reasons for my existence has come around once again. And once again (for those of you wondering), Phil saw his shadow. In a nice touch this year, they broadcast it live over the web. I watched it before I had to head out the door to work. Words fail to capture the true excitement of a large squirrel predicting the weather. The video was a bit choppy, but there was Phil, in all his groundhoggy goodness. Six more weeks of winter, folks. But I like to look on the bright side: that's six LESS weeks of summer. Mwa ha ha!
So what are you all doing to celebrate today? The Groundhog already stopped by my house this morning, delivering presents to all good boys and girls. TRC got a pop gun, DC got a coloring book, and DKC got a ceramic plant pot. I, being the bad boy, got nothing. The Spirit of Groundhog Day is all about giving, folks. Not getting.
I had wanted to take the day off, but I had too much going on at work, so I'm here after all. Maybe next year.
This evening, there will be a Big Party. We're having the traditional Groundhog Games of Skill (this year's events are still a bit up in the air, but they will likely include drawing a groundhog with your eyes closed, answering quiz questions, and creating a groundhog out of fruit and candy). Prizes will be awarded. No dinner at this year's party--we've gone with the more economical "finger food and dessert" potluck. Everything has to be groundhog-themed, of course. (And no--that doesn't mean it's made out of groundhog!) After that, we're trying a new experiment this year: a White Groundhog Party. (Or, if you're a New Englander, a Yankee Groundhog Party.) Party goers are bringing groundhog-themed gifts, and there'll be a huge swaperoo. I'm interested to see how creative people get.
In the biggest break with tradition, the full party will NOT include a viewing of the film. It's a school night and all, and there are little kids coming who have school the next day, so DKC and I will have a private screening of the film after the party has ended.
Some of you have no doubt wondered what would happen to my party this year, since it was going up head to head with the premier of Lost. Well, I don't get ABC, so as far as I'm concerned, Lost premiers online tomorrow. No conflict here, folks!
In any case, I hope you all have a wonderfulicious Groundhog Day, and a blessed and happy six remaining weeks of winter.
Go Phil!
That's right. One of the main reasons for my existence has come around once again. And once again (for those of you wondering), Phil saw his shadow. In a nice touch this year, they broadcast it live over the web. I watched it before I had to head out the door to work. Words fail to capture the true excitement of a large squirrel predicting the weather. The video was a bit choppy, but there was Phil, in all his groundhoggy goodness. Six more weeks of winter, folks. But I like to look on the bright side: that's six LESS weeks of summer. Mwa ha ha!
So what are you all doing to celebrate today? The Groundhog already stopped by my house this morning, delivering presents to all good boys and girls. TRC got a pop gun, DC got a coloring book, and DKC got a ceramic plant pot. I, being the bad boy, got nothing. The Spirit of Groundhog Day is all about giving, folks. Not getting.
I had wanted to take the day off, but I had too much going on at work, so I'm here after all. Maybe next year.
This evening, there will be a Big Party. We're having the traditional Groundhog Games of Skill (this year's events are still a bit up in the air, but they will likely include drawing a groundhog with your eyes closed, answering quiz questions, and creating a groundhog out of fruit and candy). Prizes will be awarded. No dinner at this year's party--we've gone with the more economical "finger food and dessert" potluck. Everything has to be groundhog-themed, of course. (And no--that doesn't mean it's made out of groundhog!) After that, we're trying a new experiment this year: a White Groundhog Party. (Or, if you're a New Englander, a Yankee Groundhog Party.) Party goers are bringing groundhog-themed gifts, and there'll be a huge swaperoo. I'm interested to see how creative people get.
In the biggest break with tradition, the full party will NOT include a viewing of the film. It's a school night and all, and there are little kids coming who have school the next day, so DKC and I will have a private screening of the film after the party has ended.
Some of you have no doubt wondered what would happen to my party this year, since it was going up head to head with the premier of Lost. Well, I don't get ABC, so as far as I'm concerned, Lost premiers online tomorrow. No conflict here, folks!
In any case, I hope you all have a wonderfulicious Groundhog Day, and a blessed and happy six remaining weeks of winter.
Go Phil!
Monday, February 1, 2010
Sacrilege
It came to my attention this morning that a sinister force is at work in the world. A force trying to undermine the very basis of our value and belief system. A force so evil--so nefarious--that it would launch an attack at one of the shining beacons of the American Way.
I speak of course, of PETA.
That's right, PETA--I'm lookin' at you. Has anyone else seen this article? PETA wants to have Punxsutawney Phil be replaced by an animatronic groundhog. A robot woodchuck! A cyborg whistlepig. Well you know what, PETA? I want you replaced with a gigantic chocolate fountain that spews forth ooey gooey chocolatey goodness 24/7 instead of the crazed ravings of a bunch of nutjobs. They want to release Phil into the wild? Clearly PETA has an idealized view of the life of a wild groundhog.
Upon release from his cozy home, Phil would last all of three seconds before he was either devoured by rabid wolves, or frozen into a popsicle. What's next? The Easter Bunny replaced by a fat man in a rabbit suit?
You're a disgrace, PETA. A disgrace!
I speak of course, of PETA.
That's right, PETA--I'm lookin' at you. Has anyone else seen this article? PETA wants to have Punxsutawney Phil be replaced by an animatronic groundhog. A robot woodchuck! A cyborg whistlepig. Well you know what, PETA? I want you replaced with a gigantic chocolate fountain that spews forth ooey gooey chocolatey goodness 24/7 instead of the crazed ravings of a bunch of nutjobs. They want to release Phil into the wild? Clearly PETA has an idealized view of the life of a wild groundhog.
Upon release from his cozy home, Phil would last all of three seconds before he was either devoured by rabid wolves, or frozen into a popsicle. What's next? The Easter Bunny replaced by a fat man in a rabbit suit?
You're a disgrace, PETA. A disgrace!
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