Don't Judge a Book by its Cover

Susan Boyle.

You can watch her here - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxPZh4AnWyk

Need I say more?

And yes, I cry every time I watch it.

Things we Think we Want

Tonight I actually watched an episode of "The Biggest Loser". I have followed this show for the past few seasons and there are things about it that I really like such as the amazing transformations that occur in these individuals lives. There are also things about it that I really don't like especially the back stabbing strategizing that goes on. I haven't watched much of Season 7 because it seems like I always have somewhere else I need to be on Tuesday night, but I have kept kind of updated on what is going on by checking the weekly recaps on the website. I have been pleasantly surprised that this group of people have seemed to be a kinder, gentler group than the last few. However, things apparently have reached the point where kind and gentle is replaced by mean and nasty. I am sorry to see that happen.

I also think this show teaches me some great life lessons, not necessarily about losing weight, but about making everyday choices and what I am willing to do to get what I want or what I think I want. Tonight the group was given a temptation. They all went into the gym where there were lots and lots of covered trays. Under each cover there were various items - unhealthy food, money tickets, and one special tray with a golden ticket that would give the individual that found it the only elimination vote at that week's weigh in - ultimate power. Each person could choose whether or not they played, but in order to move on once a tray was uncovered, the food had to be eaten. It was amazing to me, but not surprising, how crazy the majority of the players went with this temptation. All the self discipline and rational thinking that they have learned over the past couple of months went out the window when they were tempted with this power. They wanted to be able to say who left this week, as well as protect themselves.

Each player could only be sent home if they had the smallest amount of weight loss, and yet they were willing to put there safety in jeopardy for the chance to determine someone else's fate. I was happy when Kristin realized that no one could have power over her if she stayed above the yellow line this week and just chose to stop eating the junk. The results of this temptation were so sad to me in many ways, and perhaps the saddest was when Laura, who won the golden ticket, realized that she didn't want to have the only say in which of the two individuals who fell below the line went home. She had the power, but when it came right down to it it wasn't nearly as wonderful as she had thought it would be.

How often is this just like my life? I am going along, making good choices and trying to do what I am suppose to do, listening to my leaders who know more than I do, and even making some progress when all of the sudden temptation comes barrelling along. Boom! I see something I think I want and I forget what I have learned and the progress I have made and the counsel I have been given and I succumb to temptation. I am willing to put my ultimate goal, eternal salvation, in jeopardy so quickly, without even thinking the decision through. How long does it take me to realize how foolish I am being? Do I, like Kristin, recognize the error of my ways right away and stop or do I continue on until the thing I want is out of my reach and the guilt begins to set in or until I actually get what I wanted and only then realize that it was just a sparkly distraction that I don't even really want at all?

How important is it for me to think through my decisions? To pray when I am faced with temptation or to refer back to the counsel of my leaders? To remember what it is that I really want and the road that will get me there? To not be sidetracked by the path that might look smoother or easier, and if I am, which will probably happen, to stop and turn around as soon as I realize my mistake, before I get so lost that I end up at a totally different destination? I think it's of eternal importance. Much more important than the choices made on some reality TV show.

Where Were You?

January 20, 2009
10:00 AM Arizona Time

My youngest son was here.

I was here.
Where were you?

Digital TV

Perhaps I should begin this post
by saying that I am not a big fan of TV.
I'm pretty sure I could very happily live
without even one TV in my home.
Unfortunately I am the only member
of my household that feels this way.
My husband is a major TV fan.
I have to admit that I have known
since my very first encounter with him
that TV is a very important part of his life.
In fact, if it weren't for the fact
that he didn't get TV reception in his basement apartment
and his TV was "living"
in the apartment that I moved into
when I returned to BYU following my mission,
I might have never even made his acquaintance.
I should be grateful for TV
because it brought us together,
but usually I'm not,
because most days
I feel like it drives our family apart.
The boys in the family room
watching their shows
and the hubby in the bedroom watching his.
Me talking and never being heard.
Because of my dislike of TV
we have 2 very old, very small
analog television sets with rabbit ears.
Because of my dislike of TV
we do not subscribe to cable or satellite.
Because of my dislike of TV
I haven't been all that worried
about the switch to digital TV.
So what if the TV
doesn't work after February 17th?
Hooray!
Because of my dislike of TV
when my husband ordered coupons
for converter boxes
I put them away in a safe place
and then forgot where that safe place was.
No one told me they had expiration dates,
which by the way,
I think is absolutely ridiculous.
Well, the other day
when the hubby was talking about going out
and buying converter boxes at full price
I slipped and said,
"Maybe it would be smarter to just buy a digital TV."
You should have seen his face light up.
Ever since that thoughtless moment
all I've heard is "I better go look at TVs".
Well, tonight he suggested we go by Walmart
and check out their TVs.
I do try to be a supportive wife,
every now and then,
so I said OK.
We walked into the electronics department
and there on the far wall was a sea of TVs,
all big enough to view from across the room.
I tried to act interested
and walked closer with him
and the closer I got
the more I realized
I am definitely not a fan of digital TV either,
especially not on a big screen.
There were snowboarders
on every screen and I was sure
I was going to plunge to my death momentarily.
It was all very, very well defined
and I felt like I was on
the STAR TOURS ride at Disneyland
(which I will admit here,
but no where else,
I usually ride with my eyes closed)
and was going to loose my hot dogs any second.
Maybe it was the number of sets,
all showing the same highly defined image,
but I got vertigo like you can not believe.
My husband thinks it was just an excuse
to not buy a TV, but I am not lying.
It just about did me in and
I had to get out of there.
The oldest son says it's OK
if I can't watch the TV.
They'll put it in the family room
and I won't ever have to look at it,
except to dust it I'm sure,
but at least then it will be turned off.
Such a thoughtful child.
The family says they'll "only" get a 32 inch screen,
so maybe that won't send me over the edge.
I'm pretty sure we're getting a new TV
any day now
and my husband works hard and deserves one.
Those are my words not his.
See I am a supportive wife.
I also buy him TV shows on DVD
because I love him and he loves them,
even though I know he'll ignore me
when he watches them.
As long as he doesn't watch them
in high definition maybe I'm OK with that.

One last thing.
Can anyone tell me why
the government cares
what kind of TV reception I get?
I just don't understand
why this is a government issue.

I just finished reading a book
about a new government
that is ruling earth
after earth as we know it is destroyed.
The centralized government
doesn't like the fact that the
districts around North America
rebelled against them and
they squash the rebellion and
then as a reminder of who's in charge
each year the government requires
each district to send 2 of their young adults
to the hunger games -
a reality show
where the last person alive wins
and gets to stay alive.
The citizens of the districts
who can't afford food,
who live without electricity most of the time,
and work to provide luxuries for the leaders
are required to watch day after day
as these games transpire
and the youth kill each other
one by one.
Amazingly, there is always enough electricity
to power TV sets
either in homes
or in the public square
during this time.

Please hurry and explain to me
why the government cares
what kind of TV reception I get.

Trepidation

There are some words that I really don't care for and other words that I just really like the sound of. I don't like the word anxiety. It sounds like a disease. Wait, it actually is a disease. At least they have pills to treat it so that seems to indicate that it's a disease. I also don't care for the word worry. I am very familiar with this word because I do it way more than I should. I am a chronic worrier, even though I really try not to be. Fear is another word that isn't one of my favorites. Fear frightens me. However, I really think that the word trepidation is a great word. First of all, it's fun to say. It is similar to anxious, or worried, or fearful but to me it is a little bit different. In my mind it is a little more positive . When I feel anxious or worried or fearful I tend to draw into myself, hunker down and refuse to budge but when I hear the word trepidation I think more of proceeding with caution than coming to a sudden halt. Be prepared for what might possibly happen, but keep going. I can work through trepidation easier than the others.

Now, with that said, I will actually begin this post by saying that with some trepidation I shipped my youngest son off to Washington DC this morning to perform in a band festival and also to attend the Inauguration of President Barack Obama. When this band tour was first announced, back in September, I was more concerned about the amount of money it was going to cost and where it was going to come from than with the safety of my son. However, as events have transpired and things have fallen into place it has crossed my mind once or twice that perhaps the nation's capitol on January 20, 2009 might not be the safest place in the world to be. It wasn't until a couple of weeks ago though, when I attended the mandatory parent meeting, received the trip schedule, heard about the plans for Inauguration Day and was given the option to have my son remain at the hotel and watch the proceedings on TV rather than in person that I actually started really thinking about the whole safety issue. Was I being an irresponsible parent and putting my son in danger by allowing him to attend this historic event? The hubby and I discussed the possibilities. The boy and I discussed the possibilities. The hubby, the boy and I discussed the possibilities. We all know that unfortunately there are crazy people in the world who have their own ideas and agendas who might feel like this is a perfect opportunity to make a forceful statement about how they believe. There is the possibility that something dangerous might happen, but should that cause us to hide? After our discussions and some prayer concerning the matter we all signed the permission slip that said he would attend the Inauguration. My trepidation did cause me to give my son a little more advice on safe and cautious behavior in large groups than I'm sure he wanted to hear, but it didn't stop me from allowing him to have this experience. The new president will be happy to know that I will be offering my most heartfelt prayers for his safety (and my son's) on Tuesday morning, but I hope he will forgive me if I choose to attend the temple during his swearing in rather than watch the proceedings. One never knows when trepidation might actually turn into one of those less positive words and I'm not taking any chances.

Today I am thankful for

a husband who played taxi driver for the 4:45 AM trip to the airport and the later trip to another airport to pick up the daughter and son-in-law.
a son-in-law who's smart enough not to fly a plane that is having issues.
a more upbeat report from my mom about how she feels.

Distractions

I am a person that is easily distracted from accomplishing what I set out to do. Sometimes my Blog is my distraction and sometimes other people's Blogs distract me from mine and sometimes just turning on the computer distracts me from everything.

I have become very distracted this past week by the aftermath of the vote on Proposition 8 in California - Protests outside Mormon temples, church member's jobs, homes, and businesses being threatened, white powder being mailed to several different religious buildings... I was caught off guard by all that has been happening. It is hard for me to comprehend what has been taking place following a decision made in a democratic election. A statement issued by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints says "People of faith have been intimidated for simply exercising their democratic rights. These are not actions that are worthy of the democratic ideals of our nation. The end of a free and fair election should not be the beginning of a hostile response in America." I don't understand why political officials in California aren't willing to stand up for the majority of the people they represent and acknowledge that this decision is the will of the people and affirm that they will uphold it. I try to picture the individuals in favor of Prop 8 behaving in a similar fashion if the final tally had gone the other direction and not in our favor. I can't even imagine it.

I think because I find some of these events so incomprehensible, I keep being drawn to more and more information about them hoping in someway to make sense of the whole thing. I have wasted a lot of time reading articles and news reports about all that is transpiring and still I simply don't understand. As a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints I am sure that part of the issue is that I don't like to see the Church that I belong to and believe in reflected in a negative light, especially when I don't feel that we are the ones that have done anything negative. Also, in the back of my mind I keep feeling grateful that California is where this issue has come to a head and not Arizona (following the passing of Proposition 102) and then being disappointed in myself because of those feelings. I worry, "when will it be my turn to have to stand in the face of dangerous and demoralizing opposition and courageously maintain my position?" I am frightened by the visibility of Satan and his plan going forward in today's America.

Since this issue has been foremost in my mind recently, I thought it was appropriate when I opened to Elder Robert D. Hales conference talk to read in the Ensign today. It is entitled Christian Courage: The Price of Discipleship. It amazes me over and over again how inspired our leaders are in the messages they prepare and share with us. I may have been surprised by what happened in California following the election there, but obviously the leaders of the church, both here on earth and in the heavens above, were not surprised at all. This talk brought me the peace and understanding that I have been searching for in so many ways. God knows what is going on. "The opposition which may seem hard to bear will be a blessing to the Kingdom of God upon the earth." "When we do not retaliate - when we turn the other cheek and resist feelings of anger - we stand with the Savior. We show forth His love, which is the only power that can subdue the adversary and answer our accusers without accusing them in return." However, the message that struck me with the most power was this, "We have a great work to do, which will not be accomplished if we allow ourselves to stop and argue and be distracted. Instead we should muster Christian courage and move on. As we read in Psalms 37:1 'Fret not thyself because of evildoers'."

There is Heavenly Father's message to me. Don't let this distract you. Move away from the computer and go and do what needs to be done.

With that said I guess I better sign out.

I find it ironic that since November, the month to be thankful, started I have been very remiss in writing down what I am grateful for every day. Writing these things down is a very important part of my life and makes a big difference in my daily attitude. I need to step it up again.

Today I am thankful for

Inspired leaders who receive revelation concerning topics to speak on in General Conference and pass that inspiration on to me.
Family Time.
Times when things just seem to work out right. Today the youngest son and I both got to be happy with a trip to the church.

Hope Wins!

Less, you all think I'm sitting at home
paralyzed by my bad feeling
I feel compelled to share
some more of my thoughts and feelings.

I don't think that it was totally by chance
that the November issue
of the Ensign Magazine
arrived in my mailbox yesterday.
I was definitely ready to revisit
some of the amazing and comforting talks
that were given by our leaders
in the recent General Conference
of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints.

One of my favorite talks,
and the one that I quickly turned to this morning,
is entitled The Infinite Power of Hope
and was given by Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf.
I loved this talk the first time I heard it
and I loved it even more as I read it today.
I need to have hope.
I want to have hope.
Our nation needs to have hope.

I think hope is what a lot of Americans
voted for in yesterday's election.
Hope for a better life.
Hope for peace.
Hope for a united country.
Hope for a stronger economy.
Hope that the promises
made by our newly elected leader
will actually come to pass.
Hope.

I was home alone tonight
and started flipping through the TV channels
looking for something to provide a little noise
in my empty house.
There was Oprah,
full of smiles and shouts,
sporting a "Hope Won" t-shirt.
I'm pretty sure that Oprah
thinks that Barack Obama
is going to save our nation
and us along with it
and now she can actually say that
on her syndicated television show.

I began to mentally compare
who and what Oprah has placed her hope in
with who and what Elder Uchtdorf counsels
us to place our hope in.
I quote,
"We hope in Jesus the Christ,
in the goodness of God,
in the manifestations of the Holy Spirit,
in the knowledge that prayers are heard and answered."
Then Elder Uchtdorf goes on to promise,
"This type of hope in God,
His goodness, and His power
refreshes us with courage
during difficult challenges
and gives strength
to those who feel threatened
by enclosing walls of fear, doubt and despair."

I am glad that so many people
have cast their vote for hope this week.
I think that it is a positive sign
that a lot of Americans realize that
our country has some major problems.
However, I question if their hope
is perhaps in the wrong person.

I strongly believe that "Hope Wins"
in this world every day
when it is placed in our Heavenly Father
and His son, Jesus Christ,
our only true source of hope.

That is the message I think
will really save our nation.

An Election Result That I Feel Positive About

A Bad Feeling

Have you ever just had a really

bad feeling

about something

with no real evidence to tell you

why you have that feeling?

I can remember two very specific times

in my life when this has happened.

The first time happened quite a few years ago.

My little family (it was little, that's how long ago it was)

was returning home from a trip to Disneyland

via San Diego and Sea World.

It was getting rather late at night

when we arrived in Gila Bend

and decided to drive toward Buckeye

and connect up with the East bound I-10.

As my hubby drove

I started to get a bad feeling.

The further he drove the worse I felt.

I could hardly sit still in the car

the feeling was so strong.

We needed to not go that way.

Finally I told my husband

we needed to turn around and

drive toward Casa Grande

and hit the freeway there.

I told him I didn't know why

but that was the feeling I had.

To his credit,

he didn't question me

and immediately turned around

even though it meant we would be

extending our trip by quite a bit.

I never found out why I had that feeling.

I don't know what might have happened

if we had continued down the road we were on.

The second time occurred a few years ago.

My oldest daughter had been away to college

but was home for the holidays.

Early New Year's Eve she decided she wanted

to drive to St. George to celebrate

the arrival of the new year with some friends there.

I am always up for an adventure and

decided our whole family should go.

However, as we began to prepare,

once again, I got a very bad feeling

about this decision.

I shared the feeling with my daughter

and told her I didn't think we should go.

She let me know that she thought

I was being unreasonable

and a party-pooper to boot

and declared that she was going by herself

if no one else would go with her.

This didn't help the feeling at all.

I asked her to try to understand

and to pray before she made her final decision.

After what felt like a long half hour

she informed me

that she had decided not to go.

I never found out why I had that feeling.

I don't know what would have happened

if we (or she) had driven to St. George that day.

Tonight I am experiencing one of those feelings.

I'm not totally sure why

and I don't really know how to turn around

and change direction to alleviate this feeling.

Like the experience with my daughter

the decision is pretty much out of my control

and I just have to pray

that everything will turn out o.k.

I hope I never find out why I had this feeling.

Today I am thankful for

family members who understand the importance of voting.

a new vacuum cleaner belt.

no more political commercials.

History Is Made!

Today History was made in the United States of America
and I was here to witness it
and participate in it.
Today the first Black (bi-racial) President of the United States
was elected - President Barack Obama.

This is truly a momentous achievement.
I am proud to be a citizen of a nation
that has reached the point
where a man is not judged
by the color of his skin.

I chose to not vote for this candidate,
but that was not because of his ethnicity
but because of his ethics, his experience,
and his political position
on some issues I feel strongly about.

On my morning walk a specific house
has caught my attention the past few weeks.
This house flies a replica of the original American flag -
13 stars arranged in a circle on a field of blue.
In the front yard of this house is an Obama '08 sign.
Every day as I walk past
I ponder how far
the United States of American has come
since the introduction of that first flag.
How much we have learned
about the equality of all men and women.

I am grateful for the progress we have made
as a nation where the issue of race is concerned.
I don't believe all of the changes that have occurred
in the United States of America since it's early days
have been positive ones,
but this is one that I am happy to be a part of.

Yes For Marriage!

Tonight the hubby,

the youngest son

and I

had the opportunity

to volunteer

and make phone calls

about Proposition 102.

There were several reasons

why I wasn't very excited

about doing this.

#1. I hate talking on the telephone.

I mean absolutely detest calling

even my very best friends and family.

I think this is very close to a phobia.

Talking on the phone scares me.

My most fear-filled memory of my mission

involves calling someone on the telephone.

Weird, I know.

#2. I hate it when people call me about political issues.

I will admit I usually just hang up

when I receive political calls.

#3. This is a controversial topic in Arizona right now.

I am not a controversial person

(although my husband may disagree

with that statement sometimes).

I don't like to argue with people

and even though I believe strongly in

the importance of marriage

being only between

one man and one woman

I don't feel like I am very good

at expressing my feelings about

this Proposition in a clear and concise way.

I was afraid to do this

but I decided that sometimes

I need to be willing

to leave my comfort zone and

speak up for what I believe in.

With that long preface

let me just say

that I had a positive experience tonight.

Even though my heart

nearly pounded out of my chest

each time I dialed a number -

I survived.

I spent 3 hours making phone calls

and probably spoke to about

25 actual people.

Of those 25,

probably 10 of them

were wrong numbers,

a few of them hung up on me,

and the others were all

willing to tell me they were

voting yes on Prop 102

and were quite pleasant

while doing so.

It didn't turn out to be

nearly as traumatic

as I had imagined

and I even got my

very own Yes on 102 sign

for my front yard.

Another step out of my comfort zone.

Today I am grateful for

sons who are willing to help me when I need their help.
a husband that lets me volunteer him for things and doesn't complain.
the privilege to live in a free country where I have the right and responsibility to vote according to my conscience.

Signs of the Times

I would just like to say that I will be so happy when the upcoming elections are over - for so many reasons. One of which is the fact that I am very tired of seeing political signs on every street corner. For a city with a "No Signs" policy most of the year Tempe sure seems to have its fair share right now.

There do happen to be a few that have made me chuckle though. The red one below is my favorite sign. It says "Return Barry Wong".

There is just something funny about this statement to me. I'm not sure what it is. It could be that Barry Wong just sounds too much like Very Wrong to me, but I think it's the word "Return". This word does not say "Re-elect" to me. When I read it I think more "take back" ie. I returned the shirt to the store because I decided I didn't like it. It also conjours up visions of alien abductions in my head for some reason. Apparently I don't associate positive feelings with this word and that's why it doesn't look right as a campaign slogan to me.

Another one that made me laugh (even though it probably shouldn't have) was for Sheriff Joe Arpaio. Where it said Re-Elect someone had spray painted the word Deport over the top. Now, don't get me wrong. I am not condoning graffiti, but given recent events in the sheriff's department I could agree with the sentiment. I have voted for Sheriff Arpaio in the past, but he will not be getting my vote this year. He has outgrown his famous pink boxers, in my opinion.

Now, having shared with you my aversion to political signs, it may surprise you to know that I was a little upset to see a lot fewer of them as I took my morning walk around the neighborhood this morning. A member of our ward had posted a lot of "Yes on 102" signs in people's yards (with their permission of course) and I noticed today that many of them have disappeared along with a few McCain/Palin and Obama/Biden ones as well. Where did they go?? I can imagine sign thieves sneaking around the neighborhood in the middle of the night pulling up signs, but where do they put them when they are all done? Or maybe everyone just mowed their lawn this weekend and forgot to put the signs back when they were finished. It's a mystery. Just like these signs that I photographed on my way to pick up the son from school that were gone when I returned 15 minutes later.

I wish it were that easy to get rid of some of this years candidates. I wonder if I'd miss them too?

Green Cash Money for my Opinions

Today a nice lady came to my house
and conducted a survey
on politics and other important issues of the day
and paid me $25.00
just for sharing my opinions.
I feel like I have a lot of opinions
but my opinions don't translate very well
into categories on a survey.
I don't want to just say
never, sometimes or always.
I want to share my Whole opinion.
The Why I feel that way.
After taking this survey though
I definitely decided I am a fence-sitter.
I hang out in the middle of the scale a lot.
It's not because I don't have an opinion
it's just that I can see how both sides feel
and why they feel that way.
I am easily swayed
or not totally sure which side
I agree with the most.

A few of the questions got me thinking though.

One of them was if I would vote for a black president
if Obama weren't that president.
Yes, I really think I would happily vote
for a president who was black
if I felt he were qualified for the job
and his beliefs were similair to mine.

Another one asked if I ever tried to live a less sinful life.
After I answered that one yes the next question asked
"Do you do this by focusing
on refraining from sinning
or on helping others?"
I answered refraining from sinning
but the more I thought about
this the more I wondered
if that is part of my problem in life.
I often feel that I am too focused on me
and need to be more focused on others.
While I am hunkered down in my house
valiantly trying to not do anything sinful
I could be out in the world
making a difference and helping others.
That's something I need to work on.

It was interesting to have to actually
verbalize some of my thoughts and feelings
concerning the current political hub-bub
and I was again reminded of the fact that
I should be a little more actively engaged
in educating myself on some of the issues.

Only 2 more months and
we will have to live with the choices we have made.

Today I am thankful

that I live in a free country where I can voice my opinions.
for $25.00 that I earned.
that there are people that actually want to be president of the United States.

The Old Spaghetti Factory

Tonight our family went to
The Old Spaghetti Factory
to celebrate my birthday.

Despite a few roadblocks
on the trip there such as
Arizona Diamondbacks traffic,
one way streets,
no left hand turn lanes,
and downed tree branches
from last night's storm
we all managed to arrive
in one piece.

The Old Spaghetti Factory
is pretty old.
I remember visiting the one
at Trolley Square in Salt Lake City
way back when I was still a teenager
or close to it.
Our family usually manages a
visit there each time we go to Utah,
but not this year.

The oldest son was happy to discover
an Old Spaghetti Factory in Phoenix
a few years ago.
We don't visit often
so it was a good "special occasion" location.

I don't know if I like
The Spaghetti Factory
for the food,
which is good
or for the decor
which is amazing,
in my opinion.

I just think the over-stuffed chairs,
the stained glass windows,
the antique furniture,
and the chandeliers and rod iron decorations
are fun. They make me feel happy.

However, I do enjoy
the Mizitrah and Browned Butter Pasta,
the small loafs of French Bread
and the Spumoni Ice Cream as well.

I enjoyed myself immensely.
Thanks family for going with me.

We are planning a return visit
on the Valley Metro Light Rail
when it starts making runs.
We discovered there is a stop
right in front of the restaurant.
Let us know if you would like
to join us on this adventure.

Today I am thankful for

Family to go out to eat with.

A husband who puts up with my passenger seat driving without complaining.

Beautiful Arizona Sunsets.
My birthmonth present today was going out to dinner.

The new thing I learned today was who Sarah Palin is and why I might want her to be the next Vice President of the United States. She is the govenor of Alaska, a mom of 5 (including a new born with Downs Syndrome and a son serving in Iraq), a wife, a beauty queen, a flute and basketball player, and a moose hunter. I think picking her as a running mate was a good political move for John McCain. Some people who's conversations I ease-dropped on today didn't agree with me.

Get a Clue!

I was understandably upset when I read in the newspaper the other day that several of my childhood friends have been sentenced to death row with their executions expected to take place by early Fall.

I guess this is to be expected when you hang out with convicted multi-murders. I knew it had to be coming sooner or later, but I was still saddened, if not surprised.

The sad thing is that the crime that has resulted in their final demise is not the murders. No. No matter how many times the jury came back with a guilty verdict these friends always seemed to get off, escape punishment, walk away, live on, go back to their old ways, and kill again.

No. The crime for which they have received the death sentence is simply that they are old fashioned and out of date. Their lives are no longer relevant to the younger generation and therefore they will be done away with immediately. Replaced by a more updated and realistic group of fashionable felons, that include a football star and a video game creator.

Let's all join in a moment of silence for my friends (and most likely yours).

Professor Victor Plum - the intelligent one who was possibly a plagiarist.
Colonel Michael Mustard - the decorated war hero.
Mrs. White - the matriarch of the group who worked as a nanny.
Mrs. Patricia Gobelin Scarlett Zaffer Peacock - the one with the most husbands.
Miss Josephine Scarlett - the unsuccessful actress and daughter of Mrs. Peacock.
Mr. John Green - the only American in the group, who sometimes referred to himself as Reverend.

May they rest in peace alongside the lead pipe, the wrench, and the revolver.

If you would like to visit and pay your respects, they will most likely be buried beneath the new spa, theater or guesthouse additions being made to the mansion.

Now before you think that I need to get a life. Let me tell you, "I tried and it was too late." The "new and improved" version of The Game of Life is already on all the store shelves and has been for a couple of years. I own it and I have played it and it is just not the same as the original that I enjoyed for hours with my brother on long summer days.

That is why I am giving you fair warning,
Get a "CLUE" now, before it is too late
or hang on to the one you've already got.

Today I am grateful for

Having enough. I went shopping today and didn't find anything I really wanted or needed.
Young Men leaders who put up with teenage boys and try to make a difference in there lives.
A son who is smart enough not to tell me distressing news while he is driving.

My birthmonth gift to myself today was a strawberry banana smoothie from Jack in the Box. I love coupons that make things totally free. No buy 1 get one, just plain free!

In the News

We get the newspaper in my home because of me.

I am the one who orders it

and I am the one who reads it.

My mom is a newspaper reader

so I must get it from her.

She sometimes reads the newspaper back to front

and I use to laugh at her because of it.

Now sometimes I catch myself

reading the newspaper back to front.

Recently my newspaper made some changes

and the front page is now

"magazine" style instead of "newspaper" style.

I didn't like it at first.

It bugged me.

Now I like it better though

because it is easier to read that way.

Especially when you are sitting in a chair

and not at a table.

Now it bugs me that the rest of the newspaper

is still newspaper style.

Another thing that bugs me is that the comics

and the Sudoku puzzle

are now in the sports section.

I read the newspaper.

My sons read the sports section

and it has a habit of disappearing.

Actually, it doesn't disappear.

I know exactly where it is -

on the floor in their bathroom.

It just makes it more difficult for me

to read that section

(and do MY sudoku)

when it's not with the rest of the paper.

There are certain parts of the paper

that I read in depth,

parts where I browse the headlines and

parts that I pretty much ignore.

This morning I had read most of my newspaper

and I had learned some interesting things

and had had some profound thoughts.

If underwear is worn as outerwear,

which is apparently the new trend,

does it then cease to be underwear?

What do we call it then?

If the minorities in the US

become the majority of its citizens

then are they still considered minorities?

Today the National Archives released

the OSS (Office of Strategic Services)

personnel files of 24,000 individuals

who served the US in an international spy ring
during World War II.

This organization was a precursor to the CIA.

Some of the names on the list

were famed chef Julia Childs

(the oldest son performed

a very entertaining impersonation

of "Julia the Spy"

after I shared this information with him.),

supreme court justice Arthur Goldberg,

and two of President Theodore Roosevelt's sons,

Quentin and Kermit.

I get a laugh out of "Kermit the Spy".

For some reason I picture him wearing green

and infiltrating Ireland.

The average valley household in the Phoenix area spends $693 on alcohol in a year.

I wonder where my $693 dollars went?

I certainly didn't spend it on alcohol.

I probably spent it on diet soda. Is that any better?

Cindy McCain suffered a mild sprain to her wrist

when someone was a little zealous

in the hand shaking on the campaign trail.

We need to get her coming to a Mormon church

to build up those hand shaking muscles.

A father accidentally ran over his daughter.

Sad, but it sometimes happens,

just usually not when the daughter is 21 years old.

Makes the "accidental" part

a tiny bit harder to believe

for a mother of adult children.

I learned a new term - Staycation.

This is when gas costs so much that you choose

to have your vacation very close to home.

I was just finishing up my reading and

getting ready to do MY sudoku

when the eldest son absconded with the sports section.

Since I was feeling lazy and

not wanting to do anything productive

I decided to read some of the newspaper

that I don't frequently read

while I waited for him to finish.

I chose the Legal Notices.

Who really reads the legal notices?

I hope John Doe does

because almost everyone of them pertains to him.

How do you think "John Doe"

became the fictitious name of choice?

Do you think there are any

actual John Does in the world?

Why in the legal notices are

women referred to as "John" Doe as well?

I also hope dead people read the legal notices

because if Clarence King (deceased)

fails to personally appear

at the appointed time and place,

without good cause

(is being dead considered good cause?),

his parent/child relationship

with his children will be terminated.

Wasn't there an angel named Clarence

that appeared somewhere

to someone once?

Maybe it's the same person and

he'll make an appearance in court too.

How can a corporation be a foreign corporation

if it was incorporated in New Mexico?

The name of said corporation is

Double M Mud Company

and the character of the business

it initially intends to conduct in Arizona is

"any and all lawful business

in which corporations may engage."

Sounds kind of broad to me.

What kind of business

does the Double M Mud Company actually run?

I don't think I would be so curious

if I hadn't read something

in another newspaper the other day.

In the AU-AUTHUM ACTION NEWS

(the Salt River Pima/Maricopa

Indian Community paper)

there was an article entitled

"Back in the days..."

The reporter had interviewed

some of the Elders (Senior Citizens) in the community

about what life was like when they were growing up.

I found this paragraph intriguing

"Mud was a delicacy;

when asked about it these women all said

it was 'good'.

Eschief said, 'My mom only liked the new mud.

Not just any old mud,

but the one after the rains

would drench the creeks and then dry up.

This is when it would taste like chocolate'.".

I think the Double M stands for Double Mint

and they are going to start selling

mud "chocolate" bars,

but not just any old mud - foreign New Mexico mud.

Keep your eyes open for them

the next time you go shopping.

I also learned,

while my son was reading the sports section to me,

(don't you hate it when

people read the newspaper to you

when you really just want to read it yourself?)

that I cannot say

"White Water River Rafting"

five times fast.

Heck, I can hardly say it one time slow.

It comes out

"White Water Wiver Wafting" every time.

This son has to make Wiver Wafting comments

every time he sees me now.

Try it. It's fun to say.

The last thing I gleaned from today's newspaper,

once I got the sports section back,

was that perhaps some professional athletes really are

as intellectually deficient as is sometimes said.

When Jose Calderon Manuel,

who plays for the NBA Toronto Raptors,

was asked about the publicity photos taken of

the Olympic basketball Men's

and Women's teams from Spain

in which they all made "slant-eyed gestures"

his comment was

"We felt it was something appropriate

and that it would be interpreted

as an affectionate gesture."

See what I mean.

Not so bright.

I guess it's now very definite

that I will never be a professional athlete.

I've gotten too darn smart

from reading the newspaper.

Olympic Issues

I am a little embarrassed to admit this but I have

Olympic Issues.

Not Olympic-sized issues,

although I probably have those too.

No, I have issues with the Olympic Games.


I am not a showy person.

I do not like to be in the limelight

or be the center of attention.

I am not ambitious nor competitive

and perhaps that's why I just don't understand

what motivates these athletes

to put themselves through

the whole Olympic experience.

Most of them don't even look like

they are enjoying themselves.

I just don't get it.

Yes, I understand the desire to do something to the best of your ability

(understand it but don't often achieve it).

And I guess if your best is also the World's best

then it is perhaps your responsibility

to be competing at the Olympic Games.

Unfortunately, there is only one

WORLD'S BEST

at any given moment in time

and if you happen to be a male swimmer

and your name is not Michael Phelps

and you aren't an American

then too bad -

this week you are not it.

I guess I put my focus in the wrong place.

While everyone else is watching

the amazing American Relay team

(and I will admit they were amazing)

jumping up and down and

talking smack about the French Swimmers.

I am watching the French swimmer in the pool,

head bowed,

pretending not to cry,

who just gave his Very, Very best

and it just wasn't good enough.


I have a hard time with losers.

I have a hard time with the concept of losing.

Especially when more than one

person (or team) is good.

In fact really, really good.

In fact, faster than World Record good

and deserves to win.

Yet they still lose.

I like to think that the athletes

who compete in the Olympics

and don't walk away with the Gold medal

are able to look at the Olympic experience

and see what they have gained

and not what they have lost.

But, I don't know if I could.

I don't know if I could spend 4 years of my life

(or a lot more for some of these athletes)

focusing on one specific goal

and then look at the bright side

when I reach out for that goal and

someone else's hand gets there

a split second before mine does.

I don't think I could stand in front

of a National TV audience

and respond positively and politely

to a silly news reporter

who asks even sillier questions.

Describe your emotions right now?

I don't think so!

I obviously just don't get it.

But wait,

I have more Olympic Issues.

Opening Ceremony Issues.

I watched most of the opening ceremonies

on Friday night

and they were amazing and impressive.

I was amazed at times and impressed at others.

They were spectacular!

The Olympic Opening Ceremonies

are suppose to be a spectacular show.

I think China put on a great show and

I enjoyed it

but...

The pictures on this website

show it all.

http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2008/08/2008_olympics_opening_ceremony.html
even the parts we didn't see and

the place where the billions of dollars

might have been better spent.

The two events that stood out the most to me

during the opening ceremonies were

the young Chinese girl singing

"Ode to the Motherland"

as the group of children representing

all the cultures of China marched in and

the young boy who carried a Chinese flag,

next to Yao Ming,

who had saved two of his classmates

following the recent earthquakes

because he was a hall monitor

and a leader in his school.

Not the flashiest parts of the program,

but those that touched me the most.

I had more issues today

when I found out that the adorable little girl

who sang the song

really didn't sing.

The little girl who the voice belonged to

was deemed "not cute enough"

to represent China in front of the whole world.

Her name is Yang Peiyi.

She is 7 years old and

she has crooked teeth.

Maybe she is like me

and she doesn't like to be in the lime light

or be the center of attention,

and she was perfectly happy

not to stand on a pedestal

and sing in front of the whole world.

but I still have issues.



I will be eternally grateful

to a Heavenly Father

who set up the rules

for the "Game of Life"

that we are all participating in.

That He will never

single out one winner.

That He wants each and

every one of us to win.

That there are

enough "gold medals"

for every single person

who does his or her best

and deserves to win

regardless of whether they can swim or not

or if they have crooked teeth

or if they can sing or not

or if they are American, or French or Chinese

and even if they don't understand

why people would want to participate

in the Olympics.