Some recent thoughts ...

Yesterday I heard some elderly people talking about how great it is when you get old and forget things because you will laugh at the same jokes over and over. Then one of them said, "yeah but the problem comes when you start telling the same jokes over and over". I thought that was funny. Maybe I'll tell that story again.

I think it is weird that boys and girls go jogging together. I see it all the time around BYU - like they are on a jogging date. That would be the worst date in the whole world for me. I would rather pick his zits or something. However these guys seem to be enjoying their run but keep in mind they are probably posing for this picture.

Today my personal trainer found out I was working on my doctorate degree and he said "whoa, excuse me folks - we gotta doctor in the house." I told him that he better start respecting me and quit telling me what to do all the time - even though that is what I pay him to do. Read one of my earlier posts about this guy here.

By the way, today I lifted a record weight for a girl (of all of my trainer's clients) on one of my exercises and I'm pretty proud of myself. It was this one:

Yesterday I heard some elderly people talking about how great it is when you get old and forget things because you will laugh at the same jokes over and over. Then one of them said, "yeah but the problem comes when you start telling the same jokes over and over". I thought that was funny. 

Moist Towelettes

Is it strange that I have moist towelettes in my pantry? Does anyone else have these in their homes?

These girls sure thought it was SOOOOO weird that I had some on hand when we needed them - we had ribs for dinner made by their mother who is THE best cook ever (sorry I do not have a picture of THE best cook ever). Even though they thought it was weird, they were sure glad I had them!

This niece,
Mandy, was mean to these her little sisters, Courtney and Samantha so they are sad.
This is their dad, my brother, Sam.

PS Karen don't freak out because I posted something about one of my brothers and not you.

So I like to watch volleyball ... get over it

I drove down to Las Vegas with this guy
over the Thanksgiving break to watch the MWC volleyball tournament. The first game was against UNM (the lobos) and this lady was really obnoxious and kept yelling mean things at our players. She made me mad - cheer for your team, don't heckle mine - you loco lobo.

BYU lost their second game to UNLV - in a very close match. Better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all. Oh wait, better to have played volleyball and lost than to have never played volleyball. See it works!

We went to a buffet for Thanksgiving at a Casino and had a great meal. The next day we went shopping at the outlet malls and it finally donned on me that the reason so many people were shopping and that there were so many deals was because it was black Friday. I've never shopped on black Friday before. I bought myself a lot of cool things. Sorry, did you want a Christmas gift?

The Annual Family Calendar

I am the president of my family and so ... every year around this time, I put together a family calendar with pictures of everyone from the last year. I think I've done this now for 8 years. Anyway, it is big project and the hardest part is gathering the pictures. Some of my siblings are not as easy to collect images from as they should be.

So this summer when we were all in Alaska, I came up with the idea to have a sexy family calendar and it could be like Katy is Miss October etc. I don't think it'll happen but a few of my siblings posed for the photo shoot.

Joe - Mr. January

Sandy - Miss August

Dan - Mr. November

This is my Dad laughing at the whole idea.

This is my parents - I think they should be Mr. and Mrs. March

My Sisters

Me, Sandy, Karen

Leslie, Ann Dee, Sandy

Let me introduce you.

Karen ...

is a grandmother. She is also a great kindergarten teacher but now she works at BYU as a student teacher supervisor. Let me know if you want her business card, I can get you one. She is the mother of a missionary in Guatemala. She laughs really hard at funny things and makes good chimichangas and gyosa. She and I are in competition for the favorite aunt. Tyson and Luke think it is funny so they play it up.

Leslie ...

is a mother of a missionary in Arkansas and a freshman at BYU. She is RSP in her ward and owns a sweet cabin in Island Park, ID. She likes to have fun and works really hard to be sure her kids are happy. Her two little boys (not so little anymore) are big sports guys and they are pretty good if I do say so myself. Leslie will do anything for anyone. She went to Switzerland on a mission.

Sandy ...

'

is the mother of four and works as a resource teacher at an elementary school. She likes art and went to Italy on her mission. She makes really good lasagna and pizza. She hosts family BBQs and the annual Easter egg hunt in her back yard. She is very sensitive and kind. She also has a red headed daughter Lucy who recently had a brain tumor removed. She loves to sing and dance to movies like Thoroughly Modern Millie.

Ann Dee ...

is the mother to a kid named Van who is wild and has no fear of getting hurt (he's only 10 months). She is the author of this book and teaches English classes at BYU. She is also very sensitive and just wants people to get along. She remains calm when talking to me about boys on the phone because she is trying to be an example to me about how I should react to certain situations. If it is good - no big deal. If it is bad - no big deal. She will read and edit my papers for school even late at night. She went on a mission to Hong Kong. She wishes she could be more organized like me.

Actually all of my sisters wish they could be more organized like me. I wish I could be more like all of them.

This post is dedicated to Karen who thinks I love my brothers more than my sisters because I buy them T-shirts and cry when they tell me they love me.

The search began ...

a few years ago with my trip to Hawaii.

My brother Sam wanted me to bring him 5 really cool T-shirts from my trip. Since then it has become my quest. Every time I travel, especially if it is to a place with a big university, I try and find Sam a cool T-shirt. He likes Nike T-shirts (XXL) from university bookstores but sometimes I can't deliver so he has to have a T-shirt with a professional team logo. In the last year, I've brought him T-shirts from :

• UT - Austin
• OU - Oklahoma
  
• San Francisco - Giants (I didn't have time to get to Berkeley or Stanford)
• Chicago - Cubs (I didn't have time to get to North Western)

He's wearing the blue Cubs T-shirt I got him in this picture. This was a risky pick - long sleeved!

So because I am in Baton Rouge, LA I thought I'd try again. I got him this T-shirt:


Do you think he'll like it? Will it be cool enough?

I've never been to Louisiana before. I'm here for a workshop to learn how to use the collections database software, SPECIFY. The guy from SPECIFY gave us free T-shirts. Because this shirt is TOO cool for Sam, I'll keep it for myself.

By the way, it is humid in Louisiana - good for lichens but not for my hair (picture is purposefully not provided).

From Apples to Apples ...

Tonight I played "Apples to Apples" with Sandy's family and Larry and Jewel.

Then Charlie, Lucy, Jack, and Max sat on these apples - my really cool bar stools that I bought from Alex K. Good thing they are not real apples cause that might be a bit uncomfortable.

Wanna play?

Here is the game: tell me why I chose each one of these things for my new banner.
The prize? Play to find out ...

Sometimes I cry

about things that aren't sad or spiritual - at least not really.

Like today in our graduate seminar. The man presenting talked in great detail about Karl G. Maeser. I found myself getting teary and choked up when he described the vision this man had for BYU. Then I started thinking... is this weird?

Then I started thinking about other things that I get teary about (besides the usual sad or testimony type stuff):

when I cut onions
watching someone score a touchdown
watching a team that I like take state
when I see anyone giving a tribute about anyone else
when I see missionaries reunited with their families
watching junior high kids do simple, small, nice things for other junior high kids (it is rare)
when one of my favorite teams on the Amazing Race accomplishes some huge task and they get emotional
when they play the star spangled banner during the Olympics
when Presient Hinckley waves to a crowd in the BYU Marriott center and thousands of people wave back
when my brothers tell me they love me
when Ann Dee writes about my parents
when Rory graduated from Chilton
O captain my captain
Wake Him up - The Champ (oh whoops that is a sad one)
Rudy Rudy Rudy
Lucas Lucas Lucas
(I'm starting to notice a pattern)

Oh and I guess this one applies: when I tore my achilles tendon (tears of physical pain)

There are more - I just can't think of them all. Karl just got me thinking ...

Pizzeria Seven Twelve

The chef/owner of the new Pizzeria Seven Twelve came over to my house last night and together we made a killer dinner for our friends. Colton used to be the head chef at the Tree Room - yes that Tree Room (Bob's favorite place to eat - yes that Bob). He recently stopped working at Sundance to start up this new restaurant in Orem. It is opening soon. Go eat there and I promise you will love the food.

Colton was patient with me because I was really slow at chopping and mashing potatoes - like on the Sophomore team. Colton was really fast - like a varsity starter or probably more like in the pros or something. Sorry for the bad analogy. Anyway, it was yummy and fun. Thanks Colton!

Holly and Tod and Lennon were in town as well for the big triathlon. Holly took some pictures of my condo for all of you who care but have not seen it in person. Here ya go:

Tryouts are Monday

Will I be able to stay away? I cannot image adding one more thing to my life right now. Unless that thing was an hour or two of sleep. I really don't miss coaching until I get around these girls. Last night I went to see Kenz and Mar play volleyball at UVSC. They won and now they are in the semi-finals today. I yelled so loud I lost my voice and now my throat hurts.

I can't let myself get sucked in but I really don't know how to stay away. It is too much fun and I love these girls. My obsessive personality doesn't really allow me to be halfway involved or to do something halfway. What is your opinon? Can I be involved with this team this season in a healthy way or should I really stay away altogether? Any advice?