I am not going through a mid-life crisis, although I'll forgive you for thinking so. I don't think mid-life crisis' are this mild and this un-life-shattering.
But lately I've wanted to re-evaluate my life, see where I'm going right and see where I'm going wrong. And correct it.
A couple of recent incidences have brought this on.
Last month, a guy I know died in a bicycle accident. He had three children, the youngest barely three months old. He only two years older than me.
It was startling and tragic and not unusual. Accidents happen. But I wonder how often they happen to great men. This guy was probably in the top 10% of people in the world. A contributor to society. And I suppose the top 10% get in 10% of the accidents. And the dregs of society, the bottom 10% probably get in 10% of the accidents. So 80% of the accidents involve people who are not too good and not too bad. And it is tragic and you hate to think of it happening, but it is what it is. But when someone who is, say, 95% good dies in an accident, it feels a bit more shocking.
And it was shocking. I wouldn't call him a friend, but we were friendly. He was an acquaintance that I admired. And he was a universally admired in Yuma. The funeral procession was led by the teen bike club that he helped found.
And of course, it made me consider my life and my wife and children.
Just a few weeks after that, a 35 year old childhood friend was called to be the Bishop of his ward. It was very surprising, non-surprising news. Non-surprising because he is a great, tender guy. The kind of guy you'd want as a bishop.
And yet surprising because I've never thought of Bishops as "great guys." Great Men, yes, but not great guys. Bishops and Great Men are older than me. 'Great Guys' and Elder's Quorum presidents are my age and younger. And when somebody I grew up with goes from Great Guy to Great Man, it means I should at least start thinking about becoming a Great Man myself.
By Great Man I don't mean Bishop. Heaven forbid. I wouldn't wish that on Kim Jong Ill. But I'd like to be a serious, good, kind man.
I know I'm not a horrible person. I won't spend the next few blog posts beating up on myself. But every once in a while I get itching for a mild course correction.
Last time I had one of those, I ended up in Great Britain.
These are the subjects I plan on discussing.
Politics
Family
Religion
Career
Goals
Wednesday, 14 October 2009
Wednesday, 23 September 2009
Dust Storm in Sydney
1. These pictures of a dust storm in Sydney are beautiful. http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/09/dust_storm_in_australia.html
Saturday, 25 July 2009
Newberry Neil Gaiman/ The Chosen One
1. It turns out Neil Gaiman didn't win the Newberry this year. http://jameskennedy.com/2009/07/13/i-win-the-newbery/ I couldn't watch the videos on my computer but the transcript of James Kennedy's speech was great.
2. I finally read The Chosen One by Carol Lynch Williams, (You'll remember that I told you it was coming out a couple of months ago.)
No wonder it has gotten the blurbs it did. It is fantastic. By far, Carol's best. Even Melissa who is adverse to reading or watching anything on plural marriage, and who read the jacket and said, "I think I'll skip this one," then read the first page and said, "hm, yeah, not my cup of tea," then preceded to read it in one night and wanted to talk and talk and talk about it.
The protagonist and her boyfriend will break your heart. I won't say anything more.
2. I finally read The Chosen One by Carol Lynch Williams, (You'll remember that I told you it was coming out a couple of months ago.)
No wonder it has gotten the blurbs it did. It is fantastic. By far, Carol's best. Even Melissa who is adverse to reading or watching anything on plural marriage, and who read the jacket and said, "I think I'll skip this one," then read the first page and said, "hm, yeah, not my cup of tea," then preceded to read it in one night and wanted to talk and talk and talk about it.
The protagonist and her boyfriend will break your heart. I won't say anything more.
Friday, 12 June 2009
It's A Boy
Christopher Ray was born June 4th. He weighed 8 pounds 8 ounces. 21 inches long. He shares a birthday with Angelina Jolie, King George the third and my co-worker Maria Mendez. He is already sleeping through the night. We couldn't be happier.
Thursday, 4 June 2009
I've got bad news . . .
. . . for those who are eagerly awaiting the next instalment of my New York trip. Melissa went into labor at 3:00 am. Went out to the front room and read the Ensign till 7 am. Then woke us all up to get Eli ready for school. The contractions are 6 minutes apart. Soon we'll go to the hospital. (Melissa doesn't want to spend 10 hours in the hospital. So she is waiting till she feels ready.)
Earlier today I told Deborah that mom was going to labor. She patiently told me that she was not either. She's going to the hospital.
Earlier today I told Deborah that mom was going to labor. She patiently told me that she was not either. She's going to the hospital.
Wednesday, 3 June 2009
Friday in New York
1. I look like Screech from Saved by the Bell. That is my cross to bear. Not unbearable but if I had my druthers I'd rather look like Zach or the guy with the mullet. Or even Jesse, I suppose. More on that later.
2. Stopped at a nice breakfast restaurant and had a steaming cup of cream of wheat. Temperature 68 degrees. (Weather, not my breakfast which burnt my tongue.)
3. The conference itself seemed very crowded. I heard it was much smaller than last year, but it didn't feel like it.
4. People see my name tag, which says I'm from Yuma, Arizona, and ask if I'm glad to be out of the heat. Each time I say yes and laugh a little too loudly. Each time they look a little uncomfortable.
5. When Neil Gaiman signed his new children's book, I said, "Thank you so much" in a very earnest way. I wasn't just thanking him for the children's book (Crazy Hair. Very funny.) I was thanking him for American Gods, Anansi Boy, Sandman, The Graveyard Book and the new Coraline movie. He said, "You are so very welcome." I know this isn't an interesting story but it was one of the highlights of my trip.
6. Stood in line for Scott Westerfield's new book with a young, hip twentysomething lady, talked a lot about Neil Gaiman and other things. She was wearing a hot pink baseball cap. Listen to me 13 year olds, get on the ground floor, start wearing 80's fashion. I think it will be the next big thing.
7. At 5 I walked to 42nd street. A guy selling tickets to a comedy show. 40 dollars, but he could get them to me for 20. Starring Dustin Diamond who played Screech on Saved by the Bell. No thanks, I said.
8. Bought tickets for 39 Steps, I had three hours to wait till it started. Another guy on the corner shouting out that he had tickets to Screech, pointed to me and said, "Hey you look like . . ."
"Dustin Diamond?" I said.
"Yeah," he said. "That's funny. You should totally buy tickets." But I have a rule to never buy anything from a salesman who tells me I look like Screech.
9. Since I had a couple of hours I took in a screening of Drag Me to Hell. Awesome. I don't want to brag, but I really called it, don't you think? . . . You all saw it, right?
10. When I left the theater a big black man looked at me. I smiled. He looked at me again as if he knew me, pointed, and then waved me over. "Hey are you Screech?"
"No," I said.
"You look just like him."
"I've been told."
"He's playing here tonight."
"I heard that."
He paused and said, "I don't think you should go to it. People will probably harass you."
"That's probably true. I'll skip it."
11. 39 Steps was good. Really good. Not amazing good but a fun time. A little too long and the teenagers beside me laughed a little too loud. (What are they on vacation from Yuma?) Perhaps a full review in a few days.
12. Went to the hotel and watched the Spenser Tracey version of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Very disturbing for a movie from 1941.
2. Stopped at a nice breakfast restaurant and had a steaming cup of cream of wheat. Temperature 68 degrees. (Weather, not my breakfast which burnt my tongue.)
3. The conference itself seemed very crowded. I heard it was much smaller than last year, but it didn't feel like it.
4. People see my name tag, which says I'm from Yuma, Arizona, and ask if I'm glad to be out of the heat. Each time I say yes and laugh a little too loudly. Each time they look a little uncomfortable.
5. When Neil Gaiman signed his new children's book, I said, "Thank you so much" in a very earnest way. I wasn't just thanking him for the children's book (Crazy Hair. Very funny.) I was thanking him for American Gods, Anansi Boy, Sandman, The Graveyard Book and the new Coraline movie. He said, "You are so very welcome." I know this isn't an interesting story but it was one of the highlights of my trip.
6. Stood in line for Scott Westerfield's new book with a young, hip twentysomething lady, talked a lot about Neil Gaiman and other things. She was wearing a hot pink baseball cap. Listen to me 13 year olds, get on the ground floor, start wearing 80's fashion. I think it will be the next big thing.
7. At 5 I walked to 42nd street. A guy selling tickets to a comedy show. 40 dollars, but he could get them to me for 20. Starring Dustin Diamond who played Screech on Saved by the Bell. No thanks, I said.
8. Bought tickets for 39 Steps, I had three hours to wait till it started. Another guy on the corner shouting out that he had tickets to Screech, pointed to me and said, "Hey you look like . . ."
"Dustin Diamond?" I said.
"Yeah," he said. "That's funny. You should totally buy tickets." But I have a rule to never buy anything from a salesman who tells me I look like Screech.
9. Since I had a couple of hours I took in a screening of Drag Me to Hell. Awesome. I don't want to brag, but I really called it, don't you think? . . . You all saw it, right?
10. When I left the theater a big black man looked at me. I smiled. He looked at me again as if he knew me, pointed, and then waved me over. "Hey are you Screech?"
"No," I said.
"You look just like him."
"I've been told."
"He's playing here tonight."
"I heard that."
He paused and said, "I don't think you should go to it. People will probably harass you."
"That's probably true. I'll skip it."
11. 39 Steps was good. Really good. Not amazing good but a fun time. A little too long and the teenagers beside me laughed a little too loud. (What are they on vacation from Yuma?) Perhaps a full review in a few days.
12. Went to the hotel and watched the Spenser Tracey version of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Very disturbing for a movie from 1941.
Tuesday, 2 June 2009
Thursday - The Flight
1. Why do they sell Playboys and Penthouses at the airport bookstores? Does anyone actually read those on the plane? I read Rolling Stone on the flight from Yuma to LA and was embarrassed that my seatmates might accidentally see some of the salacious pictures. I can't imagine having the guts to read a Penthouse. Maybe they are for the pilots.
2. I think my flight attendant from Yuma to LA was Mormon. She spoke in the sing song that Relief Society Presidents used to have in the eighties. When it was time to descend she said, "I have very exciting news." I was charmed. Good job United, usually your flight attendants seem overwork and harried.
3. I took the subway from the airport to the hotel in order to save money. I ended up saving only 7 dollars. I should have taken the shuttle.
4. While brushing my teeth I looked out the bathroom window and saw the bottom half of the Empire State Building, half a block away.
5. In New York, steam really does come out of the grates. I thought that was only in Martin Scorsese movies.
6. I fell asleep at 1:30 am after watching Bill Maher and a few other things. I was still on Yuma time. I would be for the next four days.
2. I think my flight attendant from Yuma to LA was Mormon. She spoke in the sing song that Relief Society Presidents used to have in the eighties. When it was time to descend she said, "I have very exciting news." I was charmed. Good job United, usually your flight attendants seem overwork and harried.
3. I took the subway from the airport to the hotel in order to save money. I ended up saving only 7 dollars. I should have taken the shuttle.
4. While brushing my teeth I looked out the bathroom window and saw the bottom half of the Empire State Building, half a block away.
5. In New York, steam really does come out of the grates. I thought that was only in Martin Scorsese movies.
6. I fell asleep at 1:30 am after watching Bill Maher and a few other things. I was still on Yuma time. I would be for the next four days.
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