Life’s Truths

Selfie, No Selfie

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Selfie1Hey Kids,

I don’t care for the term “selfie”; it’s too broad and vague in its use. I propose that there be a differential between a selfie and a self-portrait.

A selfie looks like this:mona-lisa-selfie

A selfie is self-serving. As in one is promoting them self. Lips pursed, puckered, or pressed in an odd manner to enlist, I imagine, thoughts of “I’m only looking this way so that if you think it’s stupid, that’s what I intended, but then again, if you find it hot and if you play it right, this sexy duck face could be yours.”

A self-portrait is like this:426659_392318984214561_93294153_n

It’s because there wasn’t anyone else around to take the picture. Or just fun to cram together and get the thing you want in the background in the background.

I like to take self-portraits of my baby and me doing things we love to do. It’s our chronicle, our proof. (If there’s no pictures, it didn’t happen.) We like to share our adventures and the pictures that people seem to like the most are the ones that we’re in.

The fact is that pictures are much more interesting when there are people in them. We focus on the people way more than mountains, rivers, and vistas. When you see a fellow human being in a picture, the question that usually follows is “Who’s that?” Rare is the question inquiring about the landscape. (BTW- It’s Bryce Canyon)

I hate that what we do is confused with the inane image of what people think when they say, “He took another selfie and posted it on Facebook.”

Trust me, it don’t look pretty when I pucker like a waterfowl.

 

Day 36

Weekend Results

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Hey Kids,

Weekends are made to relax, to unwind, to recharge. Sometimes.

Other weekends are for gearing up, winding up, burning up.

If Monday comes around and you are refreshed and ready to take on the world, or so exhausted you can barely stand; you did it right.IMG_20150329_160148_420

Today, I’m spent of all energy. I left it fishing on the Green River for the past three days.

Oh yeah, sometimes weekends can be more than just the two allotted days.

Day 35

 

Megamouth Shark- What is it good for?

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Hey Kids,

I read a report today about a shark, a Megamouth Shark, that was found caught in a fisherman’smegamouth21e net. It constitutes only the 60th time this species has ever been seen. Where it goes, how it lives is near a complete mystery. It’s only known that it exists because its there in the net. On occasion anyway.

From time to time, other fish are caught in nets that others had thought were extinct by millions of years ago. Some of these species are figured out, others remain mysteries.

There’s a whole lot of things in this world we don’t know yet. A lot.

It doesn’t mean that speculation can’t help us find out answers, if fact, it is the key to finding the answers. But only if you are willing to challenge the speculations and accept when a speculation appears to be proven wrong.

Likewise in our decisions and understandings of life. Too many times the world “waffling” is thrown around when someone changes their mind about something. It’s certain death to a politician. Why we cannot allow a person to evolve in their own thoughts is disappointing.

In this age of strict separation of political thought, of aggressive attacks of people with opposing viewpoints, and of deep seated opinions. I urge you not to participate in the confirmed failed tactics of trench warfare.

Weigh, measure, and evaluate your own opinion. Repeat as often as you’d like, the more times the better. It’s ok to be wrong. It’s ok to make it right. It’s ok to think different. But be honest with yourself.

Like the Megamouth Shark is.

Day 30

 *Photo borrowed by: https://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fish/sharks/megamouth/Mega21.html *

 

A Dad’s Wish

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Hey Kids,

I want to share some advice that I’ve heard recently from someone I trust to give me advice, Seth Godin. I wish we had more time and contact for me to give it more context. But this quote will have to do for now.

“You are not your career.

“You’re ability to follow instructions is not the secret to your success.

“You are hiding your best work, your best insight, and your best self from us every day.

“We know how much you care and it’s a shame that the system works overtime to push you away from the people and the projects you care about.

“The world does not owe you a living. But just when you needed it, it has opened the door for you to make a difference.

“It’s too bad that so much time has been wasted, but it would be unforgivable to wait any longer.

“You have the ability to contribute so much.1966171_608730342530441_1996412835_o

“We need you.

“Now go and make a ruckus.”

Don’t wait for the word go; do it. Do it now!

Love,

Dad

 

Day 22

Working for a Living

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untitled (6)Hey Kids,

Some days, like today, I wonder what are we all doing?

Today was payroll day, meaning checking my staff’s punches and making sure they got them all in. Then make sure no one worked over 40 hours. And then make sure no one worked under 40 hours. Approve their approvals. Submit. Report that I submitted. Wait for someone to check my submission. Fix anything the checker found that was submitted improperly. And then say done.

Then we wait for the paycheck to be calculated and on the given day, deposited in our checking accounts. After taxes, of course.

We trade our hours for money. Our life for coin. To give to bill collectors. So really, we work for them by the hour. Self-inflicted, I know.

I’m really seeing it as a weird way to live.

I’m going to keep writing. And one day, when my writing reaches enough people who enjoy it and I can exchange my writing for the things I need. I will be done with working by the hour. And instead, live by my art.

Back to writing. Make the dream a reality.

Have a nice day.

 

Day 21

Paying It Forward

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Hey Kids,

Took a trip to Antelope Island, the large island on the Salt Lake City side of the Great Salt Lake. To call it an oasis might be a stretch of the imagination, but it is an island of intrigue. Bison, deer, antelope, coyotes, elk, big horn sheep, all make a good living surrounded by a near dead body of water. And within sight of the reflected city lights from the 2-point something million people just across the short side of the lake.

The island is left undeveloped and undisturbed most of the time. Hardly any of the locals venture out despite the paved causeway. It’s even a State Park. In that way it’s an oasis of discovery, surrounded by a severe lack of interest. Other people’s loss,

I love to visit. We packed a picnic lunch and headed to the ranch. On the eastern side, towards the southern end is the well preserved remains of a working ranch. It operated for 133 years. Now it’s a treasure trove of how past generations lived and worked. Not really a museum but a self-guided walk through time, it makes me wish I could live there and see it in its “glory days”.

But there’s sadness too. In a pasture rusts three vehicles. Two trucks and one tractor. They each have seen better days and now just sit, day after day, season after season. Kids climb in and around them, photos are taken upon them, and very few people see much more than junk.

I love these vehicles and I wish I could take them home. I wish I could make them run again and fire them up. But their day is done. Their engines will no longer turn. They are now tombstones to their own forgotten past. But these guys can live on in the photos they star in and I’ll add to their tribute.

Someone, one day, take a picture of my tombstone and post it in your blog; whether or not you know who I was or what I did. I’d appreciate it. IMG_20130324_135629 (1)IMG_20130324_135743-1IMG_20130324_135652      Day 20

Old Things

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IMG_20150313_144012_373-1Hey kids,

I have on my desk, a toy replica of Speed Racer’s Mark 5. I bought it a the Dollar Store for a buck.

It has been on my desk now for many years and occasionally someone might ask me about it. A few people recognize it and some ask if I liked the movie. I’ve never seen the movie.

Back in the day, sometime around 1971- 72, I watched the cartoon version of Speed Racer immediately after school. Daily, I had to see what would befall Speed, Trixie, and Pops, and of course Racer X.  Afterwards, I hit the neighborhood to find my friend Bobby and we would re-enact the races with our Hot Wheels added with passionate discussions of the episode just watched.

That was a long time ago. But Speed Racer, which I doubt I could stomach today, was exciting to me. It was fun. It was shared with a friend.

Bobby disappeared one day. Word was that his father had come and kidnapped him and his sister. All assumed they were taken back to Mexico. I never saw or heard from or about Bobby again. My family soon moved to another neighborhood and I don’t remember Speed Racer being quite the same again.

I barely remember his face exactly. I recall his blue jeans, dirty white t-shirt, and crew cut black hair. I think of Bobby still and hope everything went well for him in his life. I wonder if we would have remained friends. With the amount of moving my family did, I doubt it. I’ve retained near zero school-time friends. But maybe one from kindergarten may have been different, the bonds a little tighter. Who knows?Racer_X_promotional_image

The toy Mark 5 reminds me of Bobby. Of being a little 5 year old kid. Excited over something that really means nothing. Enjoying life before real school started. Before responsibilities. Before anything. Just joy of living and playing.

The Mark 5 takes me there when I let it. I hope somewhere out there, Bobby also remembers the Mark 5 and finds that same nugget of childhood joy in the folds of his memories.

I hope he now knows the identity of Racer X too.

 

Day 18

Lasting Impressions

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Hey Kids!

I saw in my email today that the University of Utah placed third in the World Cup Quidditch Championship.

They beat out schools like UCLA and Arizona in the Western Regionals to get to the World Cup. I didn’t know that Quidditch actually existed, let alone as a completive sport on the University level.

Quidditch, as anyone would know by now, is the sport played at Hogwarts in the Harry Potter book and movie series. The players fly around on brooms trying to put a misshaped ball called a Quaffle through a series of elevated circles, while dodging other balls called Bludgers, and while two specialized players chase a Golden Snitch.

To make it possible for muggles to play, some elements have been changed.

quidditch

My point is not to explain Quidditch, or to make light of the fact that near-gown-ups are playing a make believe game, ignoring the fact that the game is essentially impossible. My point is that sometime during their time before college, these students were touched enough by something they thought was wonderful and they still want to be part of it.

Harry Potter resonated with millions of people. Tens of millions, maybe hundreds of millions. JK Rowling didn’t just write a book, she touched people. She made a difference in their lives. She brought them a joy and a feeling that they don’t want to let go.

What can we do to touch people. Write a world class best selling book series that inspires kids of all ages to read? Sure. How about just be nice to people? Smile. Say thank you. Hold a door open. Support a fund raiser for that little kid at the door. Do something nice for someone else.

You’ll never know how much something will mean to someone else. What impression you might make. But if you did something nice everyday for someone else, you might find that your legacy might be a nicer you.

And that’s better than winning First at the World Cup of Quidditch.

Well, almost.

Day 17

Staying Grounded

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imagesHey Kids,

Today was the first real day with Daylight’s Savings time in play. It’s so shocking how long the afternoon and evening stretch that first day against a regular week day schedule.

I remember those days when I was a kid. They always got me into trouble. As kids, we learned to use the afternoon against the decreasing sunlight to judge when to get within range of our parents calling us home for dinner from the front porch. Every year, on that first Monday, my light sensors would be out of calibration against the new time settings, enough to leave me out just a little too long, miss the call for dinner, and wind up grounded for the rest of the week.

So today what did I do? Unlike years long gone, I was part of the dinner making process and therefore could not be called in late for it. So, as the other worker bees filed out of their work hives and the freeways filled with their cars buzzing home for their own dinner calls, we went mini-golfing late into the extended afternoon.

We had BLT’s when we got home and no grounding was necessary.

 

Day 14