Mr. Know-It-All...

My Wasatch Range...

2012-01-19T23:05:00.000-07:00

Wasatch mountains

On my way to work this morning, the sun was coming up and happened to be shining on the underside of these clouds. Said clouds were then kind enough to reflect some of that light on these snow-covered mountains.

The effect made the mountains seem to glow with their own pale light. It was a sight to behold. I don't know if my camera really caught what my eyes couldn't miss, but there you have it, for what it's worth.

Sometimes I like living here.

Jump!

2012-01-09T00:03:00.000-07:00

So you know I'm in the National Guard, and every once in a while we get to do fun stuff like jump out of perfectly good airplanes. Like this monster C-17, also known as the "Globemaster". It truly is a beast, and you can see below just how BIG this plane is. When it flies, it often looks like it's almost hovering because even though it's moving quickly, its size makes you think it's going super slow.

Anyway, we had a great jump with beautiful weather (cold, but not too bad.) The Sweetie and Henry made it to the drop zone, and enjoyed watching all the "jellyfish" float to the ground.

Heading in to the beast early.

I was about halfway along the seats. There was an identical setup on the other side.

Also, whenever I think of jumping, I think of the Pointer Sisters. Enjoy!

Pelada...

2012-01-04T20:29:00.001-07:00

My new favorite movie is a documentary about pickup soccer (surprise!) called Pelada. Two pretty good, former college soccer stars decided to travel around the world filming street games. I know, the coolest, right? These guys play the beautiful game in Brazil, China, Iran (!), Germany, Kenya and 20 other countries documenting how everyday people love, love, love soccer.

I loved this film because I could identify with so many people around the world and feel a kinship with folks from all walks of life.

You may not be a soccer fan and think it's a boring game, but take three minutes to watch the trailer and see how soccer is played around the globe, then try not to watch the whole film on Netflix.

Political kick off...

2012-01-03T22:56:00.000-07:00

I'm not one to blog all that much about politics. I think I come across as preachy whenever I do, and that's not what this blog is for. So, it's with great restraint that I write about the "real" beginning of the Republican Party's nomination for president.

Tonight's Iowa caucus has come down to the wire between Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum, (both are candidates I would never support in a million years, but that's for a later time and place), and the vote tonight reminds me how crazy democracy can be. Really, Iowa? A win for a nobody with nothing? And all because he's not a Mormon? And I thought bigotry was a relic of history. Not so much, eh?

Like the Shepherds...

2012-01-02T22:12:00.000-07:00

Tonight for Family Home Evening, we watched one of the new videos about the life of Jesus Christ that the LDS Church recently published. One of my goals this year is to have FHE in Spanish in an attempt to help Henry grow up understanding a second language. (He already knows a good number of words in Spanish like ojo, boca, nariz, luz, perro, gato, vaca, sapo, luna and others.)

Anyway, we watched this video in Spanish and talked about how we should respond to the glad tidings of great joy we have in our day and age. Are we like the shepherds who acted immediately and went straight to the stable where the Christ child lay, or are we more casual in heeding the words and counsel we receive from our Heavenly Father? I hope we're like those shepherds, eager to hear and learn and act on those glad tidings.

New Year...

2012-01-01T00:25:00.000-07:00

Doesn't 2012 strike you as a year to focus, slow down and enjoy - I mean really relish - life with those you love? That's what I aim to do this year: work with my Sweetie™ to get our house in order, help my kids grow, attempt to tap my potential, and just take in the ride, you know?

What's 2012 have in store for you?

Cowboy's Christmas Ball...

2011-12-08T21:27:00.001-07:00

The Killers (I know...not the name you'd expect for a band fronted by a nice Mormon boy), release a Christmas-themed song annually. (This year's edges out my previous favorite: "Don't Shoot Me, Santa.")

Without further ado, I give you The Cowboy's Christmas ball:

Please enjoy the sheriff robot and Bonanza-style cinematography!

Address is Approximate...

2011-11-28T15:05:00.000-07:00

Via Open Culture and Flowing Data comes an animated film about a miniature robot that takes a cross-country trip from New York to California thanks to Google Maps and Street View. It's got a beautiful soundtrack and lovely images to boot.

Address Is Approximate from The Theory on Vimeo.

Address is Approximate: A Lovely Animated Film Made with Google Maps is a post from: Open Culture. Visit us at openculture.com, or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

The Green Screen...

2011-11-20T21:33:00.001-07:00

Via buzzfeed.com. So maybe these conspiracy theorists are on to something... (I keed, I keed.)

Visual Effects In Movies: The Green Screen

Learning Austrian Economics...

2011-11-11T20:29:00.001-07:00

Ever wanted to learn Austrian economics? Here's a good place to start. No math required!

Helping Your Child Excel...

2011-11-10T23:18:00.000-07:00

Here's an article about helping kids excel via lifehack.org that I thought was worth passing along. Here's an excerpt. Read the rest here:

The Secret to Helping Your Child Excel in School and in Life

Dr. Howard Gardner, Professor of Education at Harvard University, developed a theory called Multiple Intelligences. The theory suggests that the traditional notion of intelligence, which is based on I.Q. testing, is far too limited.

Instead, Dr. Gardner proposes eight different intelligences to account for a broader range of human potential in children and adults. Here’s a brief summary of these eight intelligences:

Linguistic Intelligence (Word Smart): This type of intelligence involves sensitivity to spoken and written language, the ability to learn languages, and the capacity to use language to accomplish certain goals. This intelligence includes the ability to effectively use language to express oneself rhetorically or poetically; and language as a means to remember information. Writers, poets, lawyers and speakers are among those that Gardner sees as having high linguistic intelligence.
Logical-Mathematical Intelligence (Number/Reasoning Smart): This type consists of the capacity to analyze problems logically, carry out mathematical operations, and investigate issues scientifically. In Gardner’s words, it entails the ability to detect patterns, reason deductively and think logically. This intelligence is most often associated with scientific and mathematical thinking.
Musical Intelligence (Music Smart): This type involves skill in the performance, composition, and appreciation of musical patterns. It encompasses the capacity to recognize and compose musical pitches, tones, and rhythms.
Bodily-Kinesthetic Intelligence (Body Smart): This type entails the potential of using one’s whole body or parts of the body to solve problems. It is the ability to use mental abilities to coordinate bodily movements.
Spatial Intelligence (Picture Smart): This type involves the potential to recognize and use the patterns of wide space and more confined areas.
Interpersonal Intelligence (People Smart): This type is concerned with the capacity to understand the intentions, motivations and desires of other people. It allows people to work effectively with others. Educators, salespeople, religious and political leaders and counsellors all need a well-developed interpersonal intelligence.
Intrapersonal Intelligence (Self Smart): This type entails the capacity to understand oneself, to appreciate one’s feelings, fears and motivations.
Naturalist Intelligence (Nature Smart): This type enables human beings to recognize, categorize and draw upon certain features of the environment. A number of schools in North America have looked to structure curricula according to these intelligences, and to design classrooms and even whole schools to reflect the understandings that Howard Gardner developed. It takes a commitment though from school boards, administrators and teachers to put something like this into practice.

Some nice kid from Mad Men gives advice to other kids...

2011-10-22T21:57:00.000-06:00

Child Star Psychologist with Kiernan Shipka from Kiernan Shipka

I don't watch any of the shows referenced in this video from Funny or Die, so maybe it would have been funnier if I had any idea what they were like. I just appreciated the writing on this one, especially the lines for the cutie from "Toddlers & Tiaras".

Anyway, it's not that kind of roll-on-the-floor laughing type of funny, but I still thought I'd share. I mean, I neglect this poor blog enough as it is, so anything remotely humorous will make the cut nowadays. Enjoy!

For the birds...

2011-09-12T20:11:00.000-06:00

So, this is random. Birds taking up residence in your dryer vent? Yup. This is a real-life thing. We had birds nesting in the vent's opening. But they weren't content with just living it up with warm, scented air blowing over them once in a while. They wanted more. They went a vent too far.

One day the Sweetie™ heard scratching behind the wall in the laundry room. Rodents? No, no, thank goodness. Birds. They had crawled further in, had fallen down the vent, then tried scratching their way to freedom. So, what were we to do? Unhook the dryer and fish them out, of course. I found not one or two, but FIVE birds. One mama and four ugly kid birds. Yuck.

Oh, the joys of home ownership! I eventually cleaned out the vent, pulling about three feet of grass, twigs, feathers and poop out of the vent. Guh-ROHSS!

One of the little guys. You're a menace, bird! A menace!

Just relax, bird, and no one gets hurt. Except for you because you can't fly.

Ten years...

2011-09-11T21:25:00.001-06:00

This morning we got up early to catch live coverage of the ceremonies remembering the fallen victims and heroes of September 11. I'm having a tough time understanding how 10 years since that evil day could have passed already. In the past few days we've been watching documentaries and reading accounts of how the attacks unfolded. For me it's vital to keep this awful event in mind for freedom is not free, and we have all been enlisted, whether we know it or not, to the cause of defending our way of life from those who seek our death for their glory.

We watched CBS, then CNBC, to listen to family and friends read the names of every person (minus the terrorists) whose life was brutally and murderously cut short. It took over four hours to finish the list, but it was important to us to acknowledge each person. One of the readers was a boy who never met his father; he was born after the towers fell. Today was also the first day the memorial plaza was open to the public. How touching it was to see people thinking and meditating over the names of loved ones lost.

This anniversary has been kind of a turning point for me, too. In past years, I've been frustrated and disgusted more times than I can count with the overreactions, hysteria, and calculated power grabbing perpetrated by the federal government and supporters of the security-industrial complex. We Americans have lost not only mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters, sons and daughters, husbands and wives, we've surrendered liberty for sham safety and ceded incredible power to unscrupulous politicians and authorities.

But instead of wanting to give up and hide, this year I've been inspired by so many, especially those who gave their life saving others (and I include my brothers and sisters in the Armed Forces), to become more involved in shaping this country into what generations past intended it to be: a place where people can truly enjoy life, liberty and pursue their happiness in peace. So, while I'm at it, I encourage you to do the same. Say no to oppressive government rules and regulations, no to stupid, wasteful foreign wars, no to the nanny state. Say yes to limits on power, yes to peace, yes to freedom.

Part of the Memorial Plaza (http://911memorial.org)

Plan for the new World Trade Center complex

Spanish Fork 1/2 Marathon...

2011-09-11T20:33:00.000-06:00

In a spur-of-the-moment show of solidarity with H.B. Arnett, my SIL Lacy's dad, first time half marathoner, and all around lovable cut up, I signed up for the Spanish Fork 1/2. I thought that with the Ragnar Northwest Passage under my belt, I'd be good to go, but work and life and all that have a way of pushing you to change course, I'm beginning to notice.

I say that because the longest I got to run in preparation for this race was a measly six miles, and I didn't train at all the last two weeks or so before the race. I don't say this to brag: "Oh, look at me, I ran 13 miles without training." No. I say this as the poster child of dumb decisions. So, I was a bit nervous Saturday morning as The Sweetie™, Henry and I made our way to Spanish Fork. The weather was perfect: cool and breezy.

The race itself was not a breeze, however. I managed about a 10 minute per mile pace, and finished in 2 hours and 13 minutes. Slow, but I finished! The course itself was lovely, out amongst horse farms and corn fields.

H.B. finished, too. He reportedly told the world to not contact him for a month.

Happy family at the finish!

The hills are alive...

2011-08-26T21:00:00.000-06:00

with the Sound of Music! We went to the Sundance Theatre's presentation of one of our favorite plays/films. (I say that because I don't know which came first. The play, probably, but whatever.)

After hiking around for a while, we made it to the charming outdoor thee-AY-ter and ended up sitting one row behind Pres. Uchtdorf and his wife. I wondered how he took all the anti-German sentiment in the play, but looking back, it was anti-Nazi, so I guess it's not an issue.

The play was well done, despite having men play nuns and women play Nazi soldiers. Gretl was the scene-stealer with her bouncy blonde curls. We had a great time avoiding the rain, watching the lightning behind Mt. Timpanogos, whispering about General Authorities, singing along to "My Favorite Things" and "Edel Weiss". A lovely way to spend the evening.

The stage

Self-portrait. Henry is non-plussed.

The beautiful Wasatch Mountains, our backdrop for the evening.

Siblings...

2011-08-26T14:05:00.000-06:00

As in Henry will have one next Spring.

Ragnar Northwest Passage!

2011-07-26T19:19:00.000-06:00

You might have seen something I've written about the Ragnar Relay before. It's a 24-hour race run by teams of 12 over about 200 miles. ESPN made an AWESOME video that explains the appeal of running a Ragnar:

So, after having run Utah's Ragnar (called the Wasatch Back) twice, this year I ran the Ragnar Northwest Passage, 190 miles of incredible scenery along the Puget Sound, with an amazing bunch of runners. I know, I know. A bunch of over-the-top adjectives. So, how did this unbelievable (one more adjective!) event come together? Amy, our team captain, adopted soccer mom, and runner extraordinaire, put together our Utah/Washington ensemble, the RagStars. Five of us came from Utah, six of us came from Whidbey Island (where much of the race was run), WA, and one came from Ft. Lewis. That's one great thing about Ragnars...you have the opportunity to make a bunch of new friends and bond with the ones you already have. It may not look like fun, but it is. Trust me, it's a blast.

The Sweetie™ and Henry came with me, and we left bright and early Thursday morning. We rented our car and picked up a few last minute items before taking a ferry (a first...you can fit a lot of cars on a ferry, I discovered!) to Whidbey Island. We met the rest of the team and ate dinner at a nice restaurant in Oak Harbor and cruised to Bellingham for the night. We got to cross Deception Pass at sunset, and the view was stunning. The span connecting Whidbey to Fidalgo Island is a narrow, two-lane, 30s-era bridge about 200 feet above the water. Pretty spectacular.

Friday morning arrived, and we made our way up to the Peace Park that straddles the U.S.-Canada border in Blaine. I ran into Derek, Holly, and Owen Leonard, some old friends from Sierra Vista. It was great to see them. We cheered on our first runner, Adam, who kicked things off at 8:15 am, and then the Utah group consisting of me, Amy, Tiffany, Suzie, and Jennie (with Aaron, our Ft. Lewis runner), cruised back to Bellingham to await the handoff. My first leg (since I was runner 12) didn't start until 5 something in the afternoon. Seven miles through flat farm land, with the cascades off in the distance. It was sunny and warm, I was sweaty, but it was great to have The Sweetie™ and Henry cheering me on along the way.

Our van rested in La Conner, a super picturesque town on the water. We started running again at about 10 pm, and my second leg, 5.5 miles started at about 2:30 am. This run had me going up a couple of hills before descending over Deception Pass and finishing at the state park. This time, the weather was perfect. Cool and cloudy. I could see mist hanging over the fields along the side of the road and running over the bridge, alone, able to see the lights up the strait, was unforgettable. A great run!

I had some trouble finding our van after that run. It was a bit chaotic, and I had left my phone with The Sweetie™. After finding her and Henry (yup, they cheered me on, even at 3 am!), I tried finding my group, but to no avail. It took about 30 minutes or so to find Amy and I apologized profusely for making them wait. (Guys, still so sorry!) We crashed at Tracey's (from van 1) house for a couple of hours, showered, and made our way to the final exchange. It was foggy and iconically Puget Sound-y. Lots of trees, green, quiet, and pretty. The Utah crew constantly remarked how lovely it was. No wonder people live there!

We began our last leg, and my turn finally came at about 11:30 am. By this time the fog had cleared, and it was warm again. Just 4.7 miles to go to Langley, where we'd finish as a team. The Sweetie™ and Henry had camped in the car, bless 'em! and we met up right before it was my turn to run. I'm glad they were there; they kept me going. When we got to Langley, I donned my punk rock wig and bandanna (punk rockers wear bandannas, right?) and cruised the last half mile to the finish. It was great to see our team: Adam, Deanie, Tracey, Mel, Tina, Jesse, Amy, Aaron, Jennie, Tiffany, and Suzie there, all decked out in their costumes, and it was an even better feeling to cross the line together. We'd made it!

We took pictures, downed copious amounts of energy drinks, scarfed some delicious white chocolate macadamia nut cookies and bid our farewells. It was a bummer we couldn't spend more time together...I had been so impressed with all of my teammates. I met up with the Leonards post-race and even got to see an old cross-country buddy, Jeb Spengler. (SO good to see you, Jeb!)

So, another Ragnar in the books. Party time, excellent!

Watching seagulls on the ferry

Whidbey Island ferry (but not the one we were on, just in case you were wondering)

RagStars pre-race

Starting at the Peace Park on the border

Getting some rest in Bellingham

Aaron killing it on his first leg

Rainbow Bridge in La Conner, WA

More of the bridge, kinda sorta.

Relaxing in La Conner

The Sweetie™ and a distracted Henry in Langley

Rockin' the head coverings at the finish!

Osama bin Laden changed my life...

2011-07-08T10:51:00.000-06:00

Sunday night at about 10:30 I was ready to wrap it up and go to bed, but I thought, "Let's check the news real quick and see what's going on in the world." Well, that change of the channel kept me up until 1 a.m. and made me late for work the next day.

Osama bin Laden had been killed by U.S. forces in Abbottabad, Pakistan. I couldn't believe it. It was electrifying news.

He changed the course of the lives of millions, mine included. Because of him, I enlisted in the National Guard in March 2002. Because of him, I've spent the last six years on active duty. Because of him, I've been deployed - separated from my Sweetie™ and my Henry.

But it's not just me. Because of him, thousands of my brothers and sisters in arms have given the ultimate sacrifice for their loved ones and their country. Because of him, all of us have had our civil liberties and our dignity as free Americans trampled upon by an over-reaching government thanks to politicians, both Republicans and Democrats, who knew to never let a crisis go to waste. The waste of money, lives, and the loss of liberty are tragic on so many levels. All because of bin Laden and his hateful ideology.

Were we justified as a nation in killing him? Whew. That's a tough one. So many moral and legal issues to wade through. Am I glad he's dead, though? Yes. Erasing him from the face of the earth brings much needed closure to a sad and scary time in American history.

Nauvoo and more...

2011-06-05T13:23:00.043-06:00

Well, we made it. After a marathon trip halfway across the country and back, we are the Mayberries, now with an eternal shelf life! No expiration date! How wonderful is our God who, through His Son Jesus Christ, prepared a way for families to endure forever.

Okay, enough talking. Now for some pictures!

Henry, standing on my hand. I love this face!

Happy family!

Thanks to all who made it. We loved having you there!

Sibs!

Porters!

Happy papa and Henry.

Looking sharp in that tux, Henry!

Joy!

Squinty...bright sun.

At Mt. Rushmore. Nice shades, Henry.

Devil's Tower. This means something!

Devil's Gate near Martin's Cove, WY

I'll blog with more detail later. This is just to give the grandparents their Henry fix so they don't go insane. Love you!

Pat's Run, 2011

2011-04-25T09:51:00.001-06:00

My brother Kevin got us hooked on Tempe's annual Pat's Run, a 4.2 mile race honoring ASU alumnus, Phoenix Cardinal, Army Ranger and all around hero Pat Tillman. We've run it every year as a family, and I don't know about the rest of the kids in my family, but I really enjoy the run.The crowds, the stadium, the volunteers, all add to an incredible event honoring a man who was killed as he served his fellow Americans. Going to Tempe, running with thousands of others who appreciate Pat and what he represents always makes me think of the scripture, "Greater love hath no man than this, that he lay down his life for his friends."

This year, Dave and I ran together, and they started the race in waves, about 30 seconds or a minute apart. There were so many runners, that Dave and I, who were in the first wave, finished, left the stadium, found Lacy and the Sweetie™ (who were pushing strollers), and walked the course with them. Henry was pretty nonchalant about the whole thing. He was sporting his hat, his attention-grabbing sunglasses (complete with head strap), and a nice layer of sunscreen. He loved people watching as we made our way through the course. We met up with Scott and Brooke and the Allreds afterwards and enjoyed some lunch together at Pei Wei, skyping with Mom and Dad in Ukraine thanks to the modern marvel that is the iPhone. All in all, a great day!

So, thanks to Kevin for starting what I hope will be a family tradition for years to come. We missed you and your family, Mom & Dad, and Elder Steven.

Now, for the photos!

The crowds...impressive.

More people? Really?

Getting ready...Peeps looks pumped!

Post race with the Boy.

Cuties!

A happy, and sorta sweaty, family.

Homecoming...

2011-03-15T20:18:00.014-06:00

So, in case you didn't know, for the last year or so, I was deployed with the National Guard in the Horn of Africa. Yeah, Africa. If you could see my face, you 'd see some eye-rolling along with some pursed lips. Oh, silly Africa, you wacky continent, you.

Anyway, I think I'll leave vomiting details about Africa for another day. What I am more interested in talking about is that now I'm home! And what a homecoming! We were three Guard guys returning home and we got quite the welcome at the airport. I have a soft spot for biker gangs, now, particularly the patriotic ones who wait at airports to greet the troops. Thanks to you, you made my reunion with friends and family very special.

Here are some photos (catch them all, and video, too, here):

Bikers!

Saying hi to Mamma and baby Henry!

The Sweetie™ and wee, stoned Henry!

What a relief to be home. My heart leapt at seeing my Sweetie™ and baby Henry. She looked so great, and he looked SO big. We hugged and kissed and kissed and hugged. It's hard describing the feeling you get when you reunite with the ones you love. But it's a mix of relief, joy, peace, and excitement all rolled together. It was great, and I'm so blessed to be home, to be with my wife and son, and I'm praying anxiously so all our troops can come home safely, and soon.

Thanks to the Goodings who came from Ephraim, to Jen and Parker Kerns, to Amy and Eric Huntsman, to Aunt Lyndi and Uncle Mark, and to all my boys with Counterdrug for being there. I love you all!

Kyiv Ukraine Temple...

2011-02-17T13:37:00.000-07:00

Image by More Good Foundation via Flickr

Kyiv Ukraine Temple

My parents are missionaries currently serving in Kiev (Kyiv) Ukraine. They're the Eastern Europe Area medical directors (or something similarly titled). Anyway, I saw this video on lds.org about the celebration anticipating the temple dedication there, and I thought I'd share. It's lovely.

Thanks, Dad and Mom for being such great examples. We love you and pray for your continued success and safety!

The linguistic genius of babies...

2011-02-16T03:54:00.001-07:00

I'm on a language kick today, I guess. This time, it's babies! I'm a new dad, so I can't not enjoy this. And now I'm sharing. You're welcome.

The linguistic genius of babies: Patricia Kuhl on TED.com: "
At TEDxRainier, Patricia Kuhl shares astonishing findings about how babies learn one language over another — by listening to the humans around them and “taking statistics” on the sounds they need to know. Clever lab experiments (and brain scans) show how 6-month-old babies use sophisticated reasoning to understand their world. (Recorded at TEDxRainier, November 2010, in Seattle, WA. Duration: 10:18)

Watch Patricia Kuhl’s talk on TED.com where you can download it, rate it, comment on it and find other talks and performances from our archive of 800+ TEDTalks.

"

How Innuendo Makes Things Work...

2011-02-16T01:40:00.000-07:00

Harvard linguist Steven Pinker explains why we use innuendo in various relationships. Short story: different kinds of relationships allow for different ways to communicating information and making requests. A section towards the end talks about how people come together to protest oppressive regimes. (Think Tunisia and Egypt. And Yemen and Bahrain.) Also, I love these RSA videos.

Steven Pinker: How Innuendo Makes Things Work | Open Culture