Maxine and Mark

Mahna Mahna

2012-06-08T07:41:00.000-06:00

Me love Muppets! I take a couple of days off from work and how do I start it all off? By watching videos of the Muppets, of course.
Here are a few of my favorites.

The first, being Bohemian Rhapsody. Watch it. You won't regret it. I actually laughed out loud several times.

And, of course, Mahna Mahna.

And the ground breaking Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem

Today's song of the day

2012-04-07T09:54:00.001-06:00

The True Test of Time

2012-03-30T16:55:00.000-06:00

WARNING: If you are not Maxine, you might want to skip this post.

An open letter to Maxine:

Today is our 18th wedding anniversary.
Well, at the time this posts anyway. I've actually been working on it for a while.

I've tried to put in to words what you mean to me. It isn't easy. Everything I've started on has ended up sounding cheesy. But then, you know and appreciate my cheesiness.

I've spent a lot of time reflecting on you, on me, on us. I am grateful to you for everything I am, Everything I have, Everything I aspire to be.
As much as you want to deny it, I would not be me without you.

My youth was marked by rejection, pain, and a lack of affection. You are the first person to love me unconditionally. To help me learn that it is ok to make mistakes. You and your family taught me what a family could be.

You have given me so many gifts.
You have given me the three most beautiful children in the universe.
You have given me the happiest life I could ever imagine.
Most importantly, you have given me your heart. The most important thing I will ever have.
I will spend the rest of forever doing my best to care for it, to nurture it, to be worthy of it.

You have taught me so much. And you continue to teach me. Even when you don't realize it.
You taught me that even though I make mistakes, you will always support me.
You taught me that love is something to look forward to.
You taught me that it is important to say "I love you"
You taught me that hugs are magical.
You taught me that having something to work for makes work worthwhile.
You taught me that laughter is sometimes the most important thing that exists.
You taught me that sometimes it is important to self-edit.
I'm not saying that I've perfected the things you taught me. Just that I got the lessons.

Because of you I am happy in my own skin.
Because of you I am the confident man that I am.
Because of you I am a husband and father.

There are so many reasons that I am thankful every second of every day to have you in my soul.
You are the most honest person I have ever known.
I love the way your eyes sparkle when we talk.
I love the way you laugh at my jokes, even when no one else on the planet would get them.
I love that you will always listen when I'm having a hard time.
I love that you never judge me for the things I think, do, or believe.
I love that you are a strong woman that is able to stand for her convictions.
I love that you are able and willing to tell me when I'm being a complete knob.
I love that you can admit that you love Paul Walker and all of his horrible movies. (am I being a knob?)
I love that, without fail, you will giggle at babies in commercials.
I love that commercials can also make you cry.
I love that we can spend an entire day together and do nothing but talk.
I love that road trips are fun with you. Not because of the destination, but because of the journey.
I love your frugality.
I love that when we need something, your first thought is always, "I could build that."
I love your stubbornness and determination.
I love taking showers with you every morning.
I love that, after all this time, we still you please and thank you.
I love walking anywhere with you hand-in-hand.
I love when you gallop at me.
I love that "it was a drive by fruiting."
I love that the last two won't make sense to anyone else.
I love that we finish each other's thoughts and sentences.
I love that we started out with such different tastes in music.
I love that we now have most of our musical tastes in common.
I love that you aren't caught up in what other people have.
I love that you are able to make sense of the nonsense that comes out of my head.
I love that no one can make me laugh the way that you do.

Most of all I love that I can trust you with my heart and soul. So utterly and completely. Without fear, without worry. I know that there are a million ways that life can hurt me. I know that there is one soul that never will.

I am hopelessly, utterly, completely yours. In mind, body, and soul. Forever.
I love You. Those words seem almost inadequate but they are the best I can do.

Or, as they say in the old country, "You people make my ass twitch."

Love,
Mark

Music I'm Obsessed With...

2012-03-24T08:54:00.001-06:00

There are a few bands that I am ALWAYS in to.
Foo Fighters, of course.
The Beatles, naturally.
Justin Timberlake, it goes without saying. (Don't judge, its great stuff)

Two bands you might not have heard of that I've been REALLY in to for the last year or so:

King Niko:

I first heard them when they opened for 30 Seconds To Mars. I bought their CD at the show and haven't looked back.

The Suicycles:

I had the hardest time figuring out which Suicycles video to link. I love so many of their songs.

Cavedoll:

Cavedoll has a lot of various sounds. Some I love, some not so much.

Check out all three. You are bound to like them. If you do, buy their music. Support independent music!

This is good.

2012-03-09T18:47:00.001-07:00

ELF SABERS

2011-12-13T09:21:00.000-07:00

Have I mentioned that I'm a geek?

What?

2011-12-10T08:25:00.000-07:00

John Cleese explains politics so that anyone can understand.

I love you, Mr. Cleese!

So much great music...

2011-12-06T20:25:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the world of The Suicycles.

I love this band. I know I have posted their stuff on Facebook but I don't know that I've ever mentioned them on the blog.

They are one of my fav bands right now and I want to post some of their vids. Watch if you want.

These Aren't The Droids You Are Looking For

2011-12-04T19:27:00.001-07:00

Did you know I'm a geek?
I really think I might be.
I'm probably not the biggest geek you know. I think of myself as kind of a borderline geek.

I enjoy technology. I don't spend all my time reading about it. I don't spend a lot of time reading about it.
If I hear of something cool and its free, I will probably play with it.

I enjoy video games. I'm not good at video games. I'm not even moderately good at games. I don't play "first-person shooters." I almost never finish games that I start. (In fact, I think that in all my life I've only finished 3-4 games.) I used to play games every day. I'm sure Maxine thought I played them A LOT. As I look back, it probably was more that I should have. I never played for hours and hours everyday but I did play. Every day. Which is excessive. Nowadays I play for an hour or two in the mornings on Saturday/Sunday. It is my "me" time. That's one benefit to waking up before everyone else.

I appreciate some things "geeky" but I don't know that I fit with the geek culture. I like mainstream. I disapprove of downloading things you didn't pay for that shouldn't be free. (Movies, TV shows, music, etc) Some people I know find it strange and humorous that I won't download (or borrow downloaded) media.

The point being, I suppose there are levels of geekdom. People I associate with, because they don't know any geeks, tend to consider me a geek. The few geeks that I know can geek me out fairly easily. Maybe I'm a moderate.

This is why I hate labels. They rarely ever apply correctly.
I suppose I would be a rockerhippiegeek. But that doesn't really apply either. I also love sports. How does that fit in?

I can't be a rocker. I enjoy rock music. I don't go to concerts or know all the obscure bands. (And I love Justin Timberlake, Ricky Martin, Wilson Phillips, etc. That's not very rock and roll)

I can't be a hippie. I love the environment. I want peace and happiness for everyone. I wish the world was a more tolerant place. But I also bathe. And I have a leather jacket. And we own an SUV. (Even if it is a small one)

And, for all the reasons above, I cannot truly be a geek.

Therefore, I present to you a new classification of person.

A Mark!

Fight the man! Destroy labels now! Let people be people and freedom reign supreme!

(**this rambling post brought to you by that chunk of time spent waiting to color Maxine's hair. Have a nice day!)

I love it an laugh at it....all at the same time...

2011-12-03T09:00:00.000-07:00

We saw this video a week or so ago. It took a Google moment to decide if it was real or a joke.
It's real. I think it might be AWESOME. You decide...

I went back and forth for a while but decided that since I keep thinking about it, it must be doing SOMETHING, which makes it awesome. I am going to explore their other music. I read somewhere yesterday that their DJ died as a result of his Progeria so it remains to be seen if they keep going.

I'm not missing, I promise...

2011-12-02T14:23:00.001-07:00

Oh, dear sweet blog, I have not forgotten you.
I've just been busy.
I had a few blog post drafts that were WAY too serious and personal.
I started them, finished them, decided to let them sit for a day or two before posting, and then deleted them.

I love the holidays but they are also a little bit of a melancholy time for me. I am kind of an emotional wreck from Thanksgiving to New Years. Up and down, up and down...

It probably makes life we me pretty interesting but Maxine is too big hearted to say anything.

Anyway, I have a few fun things that I want to share, I just need to write them up. One of them, I am pretty sure, will be up tomorrow.

This will only be funny to certain people...

2011-11-28T10:21:00.000-07:00

This is Wheatley. And its a video for the gaming geek. If you've never heard of Portal (or more specifically of Portal 2) you may as well skip this. While I haven't played much of it, (I believe Andrew has finished it) this is a funny mashup. (Please note this is not actual audio from the game itself.)

Maxine's Awesome Window

2011-11-21T17:43:00.001-07:00

Uploaded from my phone, so the picture is kinda crap.
It looks awesome in person!

Happy Birthday to MEEEEEEEE

2011-11-19T20:15:00.001-07:00

Tonight I got some of my birthday presents! Aren't YOU jealous!!!

I was dying for a tea kettle. I got this one:

I am drinking the first official cup of tea it produced right now. (Tazo Calm, check it out. Hands down my favorite tea)

I also got these wicked awesome slippers:

So I am sitting here, with my comfy feet, sipping my favorite tea. Could life possibly get any better? I don't think so.

Oh, did I mention that my birthday is still 6 days away? Yes, I am THAT spoiled.

Proof I used to be in a band...

2011-11-19T10:59:00.001-07:00

So, some of you may not remember when I was in a band. We only made one video and most people didn't like it.

Do you remember?

Now with 40 Times More Toe Jam!

2011-11-17T20:25:00.001-07:00

Tonight I need something. What could it be.
Tomorrow is going to be a super slobberknocker of a day.
I need something to cheer me up.

This...is so not it...
Sometimes I hate YouTube.

So where do I go from there?

No. It didn't work.

We Wish You A....something something...

2011-11-14T13:00:00.001-07:00

It is almost Thanksgiving, which means it is almost my birthday.
And what comes after my birthday? CHRISTMAS!!!!

I get excited for Christmas. I just love it.
I love the music, I love the spirit, I love the whole vibe.

I built my Christmas playlist in Spotify this morning. I haven't talked about Spotify yet. If you haven't heard of it, I recommend that you check it out.

Here are the artists that I have on my playlist:

Michael Buble

Harry Connick Jr

Bing Crosby

Elvis

Christina Aguilera

Mariah Carey

Carpenters

Nat King Cole

Who am I missing? When you think of Christmas music, who do you think of?

I got the wild hair to decorate for Christmas yesterday but luckily we decided to wait until next weekend. I would love to buy a new tree this year. We've been looking at the pre-lit trees. Some of them look really good.

Anyway...Merry Christmas!

Once Upon A Time

2011-11-13T08:39:00.001-07:00

A few weeks ago, Maxine and I started watching a new show. (Ok, a few new shows)
I don't generally get in to TV much. I don't have the attention span to sit through most shows and I don't have the memory to keep plot lines and stories straight in my head from week to week. (Which is also why I don't do well with book or movie series.)

That being said, there are a couple of shows that I think are really good right now.
(all images pulled from IMDB)

Big Bang Theory - Not a new one, but it is one that I really like. Most episodes keep me engaged enough to make it through.

The New Girl - This is hands down the FUNNIEST show I have ever seen on TV. I don't think I have ever been bored watching it and several times every episode Maxine or I will laugh out loud. It's hilarious.

Once Upon A Time - A pretty cool show. A drama, which isn't normally my thing, but it has an interesting concept. It's an hour long show so I struggle to sit through it but that is more about me than the show itself.

I was really interested to see American Horror Story, but I didn't remember when it was on so I haven't seen it.

I also had a brief love for Wilfred, which is delightfully dark and funny but I forget to watch it.

Let me know if you've seen these and what you think. Are there any shows that you just love and look forward to?

It's the most wonderful time.....of the year....

2011-11-12T10:41:00.000-07:00

I am about to start listening to Christmas music. I don't know that I can wait until after Thanksgiving.

That being said, since I am pretty much over Facebook, I think I may actually start blogging again. Not that anyone reads this anymore but I think it could be fun.

I came across this video this morning and have watched it 4-5 times already. I can't stop laughing.

Check it out.

Happy Saturday!

2011-11-12T10:34:00.001-07:00

Music and Obsession

2011-09-24T07:45:00.001-06:00

Pretty much all my life I have loved music.
I know that a lot of people love music but for me it is such an integral part of "me" that I can't separate music from thought. I cannot think of many times in my life that aren't, in some way, tied to music.

Sometimes I don't sleep.
On a good night I sleep, of course, for a few hours at a time but some nights I sleep only one or two. I try not to get up and wander the house and most nights I am successful. Others, not so much.

What do these things have in common?
A couple of things. First, since my soul is tied to music, I have the benefit of always having songs in my head. Laying in bed, listening to the music in my head is comforting. Second, when i get up in the middle of the night or early in the morning I come downstairs, throw on my headphones, and crank up music or music videos.

It is now 7:22 AM on a Saturday. Most people would be sleeping. Me? I've been out of bed for a little more than 2 hours listening to music videos on YouTube, MTV.com, and VEVO. (I try to never get out of bed before 5. Lately I've been pretty successful at falling back asleep around 4-4:30 and sleeping until 6:30 when I need to get up for work.)

This morning's playlist has been Kelly Clarkson, Shakira, and Beyonce. Who runs the world? (Girls, Girls!)

I don't really know if there is a point in all this but I think there is. It is a little insight into what makes me, well, me.

The title of this post is Music and Obsession. I am not obsessed with music. I love it. I am obsessed with Maxine.
The dictionary defines obsession as the domination of one's thoughts or feelings by a persistent idea, image, desire, etc.
Society attaches a negative connotation to the word but it is, in itself, not a bad thing.
The thing about this is that they are both (Music and Maxine) inseparable in my head. Whenever I hear music, it is in my Maxine frame of reference. Either because the lyrics make me think about her, or because it is a type of music I would not have listened to before her influence, or because its something she likes to listen to, or because its something she doesn't like.

A couple of examples...

- Last night after I picked up Regin from Classic Skating, the Eagles, Best of My Love was playing on the radio. I, of course, was singing and getting misty thinking about my Maxine.

- Every time I listen to Metallica I think about how James Hetfield adds a little grunt to the end of every line he sings because she pointed it out to me.

- One of my favorite bands right now, a local group called The Suicycles, has a very 80's new wave sound that I never, in a million years, would have liked in my pre-Maxine days.

- Sometimes I listen to Jack Johnson. I don't care for his music but Maxine digs him and every time I hear his music it makes me smile because it makes her happy. Sometimes I listen to his music just to think about her. I don't think I've ever admitted that before.

Ok, well not it is 7:43 and Shakira is telling me she's a Gypsy. The banjo in this song makes me think of the Dixie Chicks so I think I am going to switch to them and then some Ricky Martin.

More later!

Sticking in my craw.

2011-07-09T09:39:00.000-06:00

I've never really understood that phrase.
I figure that its time for an update on life, liberty, and the pursuit of a super fluffy poncho to keep the aliens at bay.

So then, the kids popped some tents in the backyard last night. A night in the heat, sleeping on lumpy, hard ground... The joys of being kids, I guess. They were pretty excited.

Maxine is as awesome as always. I feel bad that we didn't make Echo's blessing last week but with all of the expenses involved with having three tweenagers and the prospect of school fees and clothes coming up it just wasn't in the budget. I hate that word, "budget". It kinda pisses me off.

For me, things are pretty much the same as they always are. (Which is how I like it) At work we have a few exciting software projects underway that are reshaping our organization. At home I get to hang out with Maxine and the kids. Life is pretty amazingly fantastic.

And now, Weird Al is singing in my ear so any chance of a serious post is out of the question.
I will try to post some meaningful crap a little more often. It's not that I don't have anything to say, its simply that I don't spend nearly as much time in front of the computer as I used to.

Side note, Netflix now has all episodes of Star Trek, Star Trek Next Generation, and Star Trek Voyager streaming...
That is something to look forward to.

New Zip code

2011-07-02T12:00:00.002-06:00

Hi all. This is for all those who have our address. There has been some changes. We have a new zip code it is 84129 also if you have us listed as West Jordan you will need change that to Taylorsville. We live right on the border of two cities and the the post office is making these changes to hopefully make things more efficient. Thanks

:(

2011-05-19T20:01:00.000-06:00

Which awesome is more awesome?

2011-05-17T07:09:00.000-06:00

So the dilemma that has been plaguing me in recent weeks is which Foo Fighters song on their most recent album, Wasting Light, is my favorite.
I had it narrowed down to my top 11 but that is really a stretch.
I have the list at three right now. (Coincidentally, I have listed to three songs this morning.)
Which one do YOU think is better?

Dear Rosemary

Back and Forth

Bridge Burning