POLITICALLY CORRECT HO, HO, HOOEY

Enough already of "Happy Holidays" I will continue to wish every one I see a "MERRY CHRISTMAS" because that's what it is, and that's what I want to do. It is Christmas. A celebration of one of the greatest events in human history. This whole being politically correct about everything has gone too far. Yes we shouldn't call people hurtful names or use ethnic slurs. In the words of the great Michael Scott "You don't call retarded people retards". But when being politically correct forces us to withhold wishing everyone a Merry Christmas, just to keep from offending someone, it has really gone too far.

If being politically correct goes on much longer we will soon be hearing songs about "Frosty the Person of Snow" and "Rudolph the Nasally Empowered Reindeer"
And your children cannot make snow angels anymore because this obvious display of religion might make someone feel uncomfortable. I think Santa's reindeer are even using aliases now, because they are so embarrassed.

I love almost everything about Christmas. The music, the food, the sights and sounds. The snow, and the presents, the happy children and all that goes with it. What a glorious time of year to be alive.
This CHRISTMAS when you hang your stockings next your alternative heat source, and the children are tucked in their beds, with visions of lentils and warm whole-grain breads. Remember to put aside all political correctness, at least long enough to wish everyone a.....

Merry Christmas.
As we celebrate the birth of the Prince of Peace,
the King of Kings.

DIRT POOR AND HAPPY

As the temperatures outside are quickly dropping to single digits it makes me appreciate all the more that we have a warm home to come to each night.

When I was very young our family was not in the ranks of the middle class. My dad worked for the automotive department at Sears and I'm sure he made close to minimum wage. (was there even a minimum wage in the 50's?). When ever something had to be replaced such as a car or a major appliance Dad would work a part time job at a local gas station or a lumber store until the said item was paid for.

I remember one winter when our refridgerator needed to be replaced. Christmas was coming and I'm sure available funds were already allocated. Well Dad was if anything resourceful and somewhat of a make do kind of guy. He constructed a shelf on the back of the house just outside the kitchen window. That is were everything was stored that should have gone in the fridge. The kitchen was on the back of the house and faced North, so the sun never reached this location so food stayed safely cool. The shelf on the back of the house was our fridge for most of that winter. It you needed a glass of milk you just open the kitchen window and bring in the milk.

Even though we did without a lot things when we were young, I don't ever remember thinking that I was a poor kid. We were happy. My parents would do what ever was necessary to make things normal. I thought macaroni and cheese or peanut butter sandwhiches were just normal everyday food and that was what everyone ate.

My dad is gone now. He died six years ago, the first week of December. It was very cold that year also. I can still remember the clear cold December day that he was buried, with full military honors, in the Manti cemetery.

Wealth does not come from bank accounts or fancy cars. Real wealth is happiness, belief in God, family, and love. Love for all these things and all else that you are blessed with.

BEING THANKFUL

This week is Thanksgiving which gives us the opportunity to reflect on the things that we are most thankful for.
And the opportunity to over eat in grand fashion without guilt.

I am thankful for my family, and the love that we have together.
I am thankful for my wife, who never gives up.
I am thankful for my children.
I am thankful for my grandchildren 8 of the best looking kids around.
I am thankful for the little things in life that added all together make me happy.
I am thankful for the blessings of the temple that make our family an eternal unit. (Picture of Salt Lake Temple)
I am thankful for Nov 14 of this year (picture of Zane and Quinton) one of the happiest days of my life.
I am thankful for the changing seasons that continue to give interest to our lives, because without winter we would not have tulips in the spring.
I am thankful for my Mom who turned 80 years old this year. I'm thankful that she is still with us. (She's the cute kid in the picture above)
I am thankful for laughter.
I am thankful for tears.
I am thankful for warm clothes.
I am thankful for a home that is cool in summer and warm in winter.
I am thankful for my testimony.
I am thankful for my knowledge of my savior Jesus Christ.
I am thankful for my ward family, that gives me strength.

And now for the lighter side of being thankful, but still very thankful
I am thankful that guy from the halfway house I ran into with my car this summer was not hurt, just his bike.
I am thankful I have pockets, because the guy from the halfway house had his id and all his money in his sock!
I am thankful for people who don't text while talking.
I am thankful for good Mexican food.
sometimes I am thankful for mediocre Mexican food.
and for pizza.
I am again thankful for laughter, except when it makes soda get in your nose.
I am thankful for people who can drive without rage.
I am thankful that I am taller than Tom Cruise, who is stupid.
I am thankful for the "office" because we all need an escape from reality. That's real reality not reality TV, which we also need a break from.
I'm thankful that I have never been mugged going to work.

POLITICAL SCIENCE

Not always known for his "political correctness" Randy Newman is a fantastic songwriter. With such great lines as "short people got no reason to live" and "we're rednecks, rednecks, don't know our a** from a whole in the ground" But he has also written some great movie music, including Toy Story, Monsters Inc. and others. Here are the lyrics to one of my favorites "Political Science".

No one likes us-I don't know why
We may not be perfect, but heaven knows we try
But all around, even our old friends put us down
Let's drop the big one and see what happens

We give them money-but are they grateful?
No, they're spiteful and they're hateful
They don't respect us-so let's surprise them
We'll drop the big one and pulverize them

Asia's crowded and Europe's too old
Africa is far too hot
And Canada's too cold
And South America stole our name
Let's drop the big one
There'll be no one left to blame us

We'll save Australia
Don't wanna hurt no kangaroo
We'll build an All American amusement park there
They got surfin', too

Boom goes London and boom Paris
More room for you and more room for me
And every city the whole world round
Will just be another American town
Oh, how peaceful it will be
We'll set everybody free
You'll wear a Japanese kimono babe
And there'll be Italian shoes for me

They all hate us anyhow
So let's drop the big one now
Let's drop the big one now

TOO MANY WALLS

It was 20 years ago today (Nov 9) that the check points were opened and the Berlin wall came down. A very real symbol of a socialist government. The great wall went up and came down in my life time. It stood for only twenty-eight years. We should never take for granted the freedoms that we have in this country, that many around the world do not share. We should especially treasure our rights for freedom of religion, freedom of speech and freedom of the press. The Berlin wall is gone, unfortunately there are still too many walls, some not so visible but just as thick and hard to penetrate.

"The greatest infringements of religious freedom occur when the exercise of religion collides with other powerful forces in society. Among the most threatening collisions in the United States today are the rising strength of those who seek to silence religious voices in public debates, and perceived conflicts between religious freedom and the popular appeal of newly alleged civil rights."
Elder Dallin H. Oaks

Full text of Elder Oaks talk

Halloween Tricks

Good old fashion Halloween tricks.
I'm glad that our children have grown up in a time that most Halloween tricks have gone by the wayside.
When I was a kid we were more into candy than playing tricks on people, however we did start the farmers outhouse toilet seat on fire once. That about sums up my childhood Halloween pranks.
My dad told me that when he was a teen they once took a guys model T apart, moved it to the barn roof and put it back together.

Hope everyone has a safe
and trick free Halloween

check out this vandalism instructional video courtesy of The Office.
you'll have to watch a 30 second commercial before it starts, but it's worth it.

CITIES OF THE DEAD

When ever I travel whether on business or vacations. I love to check out the local cemeteries. It drives my wife nuts, because that is the last thing she wants to see. I especially enjoy grave yards with historical significance.
By far the best and creepiest of grave yards I have seen are those found in New Orleans.



The above-ground tombs in the cemeteries of New Orleans are often referred to as "cities of the dead." Enter their gates and you will be greeted by decorative, rusty ironwork, and blinded by the sun bleached tombs. Crosses and statues on tomb tops cast contrasting shadows adding a sense of mystery. Votive candles line tombs on holidays to remind you the Dead have living relatives that still care.
New Orleans has always respected the dead, but this isn't the reason the tombs of our departed loved ones are interred above ground. Early settlers in the area struggled with different methods to bury the dead. Burial plots are shallow in New Orleans because the water table is high. Dig a few feet down, and the grave becomes soggy, filling with water. The casket will literally float. And so they began the custom burying in above ground tombs. Wealthier families of course have the more ornate looking tombs, with iron rails, statues and other adornments. Crowded so close together they look like row houses in a small city. And so they began to be known as "Cities of the dead"
The families that own the tombs have buried generations in the same location. City ordinance requires that the previous relative must have been dead for at least 2 years. Their remains are then deposited down the sides or the back of the tomb, whats left of the coffin is destroyed, thus making room for then new tenant. Some of the tombs have long lists of those that are "buried" in the same tomb. Cool stuff. No wonder the New Orleans cemeteries are said to be among the most haunted in the world. It is probably relatives fighting over who was there first.

FRANKENSTEIN

It is October; Monster month, so I can declare,
I love Frankenstein.
Ever since I was just a kid I loved Frankenstein, I read Mary Shelly's novel "Frankenstein - or the Modern Prometheus" when I was about 12 years old. And have reread it several times over the years. Shelly completed the novel when she was only 18 years old. Even with her husband's connections it took over a year to find a publisher for her novel.
Of course Frankenstein is the name of the Doctor that created the monster, the poor monster never had a name other than "Frankenstein's monster", no wonder he had issues.
But what I really love is Frankenstein movies. There have been over 100 movies (believe it or not) having to do with Frankenstein in some way. No I have not seen them all. There are some good ones some bad ones and some very bad ones. How about "Lust for Frankenstein" 1998, nope, haven't seen that one. There are funny ones "Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein" or how about "Blakenstein" , haven't seen that one either
The first "Frankenstein" was a silent movie released in 1910, it was a whole 13 minutes long. I do have this one on my iPod a great start of the genre
My favorites by far are the Universal Studios movies made in the 1930's; "Frankenstein" 1931, "Bride of Frankenstein" 1934, and "Son of Frankenstein" 1939. With the famous monster created by actor Boris Karloff (right).
And of course high on the list of favorites is Mel Brooks "Young Frankenstein" and to make this one even more funny, you should watch the 3 old ones first. There are many subtle scenes that Mel Brooks took from the old ones, like someone descending an enclosed stair case with an unlit candle! who knows where the light source is. Or lightning flashes that can be seen in a dungeon with no windows! great stuff.

SO, HAPPY OCTOBER
Watch a Frankenstein movie.
there are plenty to go around.

DEFEAT!!

HAVING THE COURAGE
TO ADMIT DEFEAT
CAN SOMETIMES
BE A KIND OF VICTORY

TECHNOLOGY

"Sometimes technology makes you drive into a lake"
Michael Scott

"Think of how stupid the average person is....then realize that half of them are stupider than that"
George Carlin