Last Saturday, I was enjoying lunch with my family at Carls Jr. when suddenly I noticed a fairly large aircraft, possibly a 727, was flying towards us at a very low altitude. I guessed that it was only a few hundred feet above us. My son and I, first to see the oncoming craft, raced to the other side of the restaurant to watch. It was flying so low that it disappeared over the next foothill. We waited for seconds for an explosion but it never came. Finally, it came up and bended left avoiding the mountains ahead. I noticed half the restaurant was now looking out the window with us. Eventually, everyone returned to their seats and continued eating. This event was not in the news and apparently went unnoticed by most people.
Had it actually crashed, this would have no doubt been a big news story. It turned out to be a non-event without the dire consequences that we had predicted. Take from this story what lesson you will.
PS. As it turns out, BYU was playing Air Force and the low-flying aircraft was no doubt a demonstration of the might and power of our Air Force. Sadly for them, they lost to the might and power of the Cougars of BYU.
Tuesday, November 01, 2005
Friday, August 19, 2005
Thursday, August 11, 2005
Driving Miss Daisy out of the Fast Lane
I was driving to work this morning with my daughter in the car. We were in the commuter lane and cruising at about 75 mph. Some car was following dangerously close behind me so I sped up to 80 mph. Apparently that wasn't fast enough for a 65mph zone. I promptly let him pass. However, remarked twenty minutes later that we arrived downtown at the same time. Has anyone else experienced a similar phenomenon?
Do some people have such a warped sense of time that they think all the lane jockeying really makes an appreciable difference in there commute? I've found that it rarely does. We usually just irritate other drivers as we drive five feet behind them which, I will add, is a flagrant breaking of the two-second driver safety rule. What? You've never heard of it? I guess I shouldn't be suprised. If the car ahead of you passes a landmark, like a lamppost, you should be able to count "one-alabama, two-alabama" before you pass the same landmark. This will work at any speed. Isn't that great? If you do this you will probably have adequate breaking distance in the event that that car in front of you suddenly stops.
Generally, I just let the busybodies of the world pass by. Why not indulge their silly delusions? I mostly want them out of my way so I won't collide with them. I can't save everyone, but please do try the two-second rule. The life you save may be your own.
Do some people have such a warped sense of time that they think all the lane jockeying really makes an appreciable difference in there commute? I've found that it rarely does. We usually just irritate other drivers as we drive five feet behind them which, I will add, is a flagrant breaking of the two-second driver safety rule. What? You've never heard of it? I guess I shouldn't be suprised. If the car ahead of you passes a landmark, like a lamppost, you should be able to count "one-alabama, two-alabama" before you pass the same landmark. This will work at any speed. Isn't that great? If you do this you will probably have adequate breaking distance in the event that that car in front of you suddenly stops.
Generally, I just let the busybodies of the world pass by. Why not indulge their silly delusions? I mostly want them out of my way so I won't collide with them. I can't save everyone, but please do try the two-second rule. The life you save may be your own.
Tuesday, August 02, 2005
The essence of money
Money is a funny thing. Both the excess and the lack thereof can make people miserable. You would be tempted to think that there is some magic number that makes us comfortable, but that number seems to be very subjective. As for me, I've usually had just enough and never more. I wouldn't mind a bit more buffer, but I've never had it.
Perhaps Sheryl Crow is right: It's not getting what you want, but wanting what you've got. I hate quoting music lyrics, but what can you do when it's right. I know many Eastern philosophies talk about the cessation of wanting as the golden path to happiness, but I know also that the New Testament touches on it just as well.
I'm sure others would agree that sometimes a simpler life would be better, but it seems the Genie is out of the bottle. It's just that sometimes I'd like to go native and just pick enough fruit to fill my belly for one day and not worry about my belly tomorrow.
If you're low on cash, my heart goes out to you. Good luck. Don't let the money get to you. Most of the things you really need you probably already have.
Perhaps Sheryl Crow is right: It's not getting what you want, but wanting what you've got. I hate quoting music lyrics, but what can you do when it's right. I know many Eastern philosophies talk about the cessation of wanting as the golden path to happiness, but I know also that the New Testament touches on it just as well.
I'm sure others would agree that sometimes a simpler life would be better, but it seems the Genie is out of the bottle. It's just that sometimes I'd like to go native and just pick enough fruit to fill my belly for one day and not worry about my belly tomorrow.
If you're low on cash, my heart goes out to you. Good luck. Don't let the money get to you. Most of the things you really need you probably already have.
Monday, August 01, 2005
Movie Details
It has occurred to me that people watch movies differently. Some people watch movies like they're eating a meal. Once it's done, it's done. Let's move on to the next meal. In other words, once the plot has been consumed, there's no sense in watching it again or even talking about it.
Others don't mind watching movies again, but they watch with the same eyes as the did the first time. There is nothing gained except that they can remember why they liked it originally.
The last way to watch a movie is to catch the detail in the background. Sometimes it also means noticing not just what was said, but how. Sometimes the moments I notice in a movie aren't the usual. I've found other's who watch movies like this. If a movie has good acting, you can continue to watch many times and catch these well-acted moments every time you watch. You will also pick up on the theatrical devices that helped the movie along.
Next time you watch a movie, watch it again and pay attention to the detail of how it was packaged, acted and merchandised to really work. It's much more interesting. I've watched Pirates of the Carribean many times. It was well-crafted as a movie and employs numerous symbols: apple-life, ship-freedom, Elizabeth-love. These were the desires of the the three main pirates in the movie: Barbosa, Sparrow and Turner. Each of these symbols were leveraged against each other to get the desired object of their life pursuits.
Well, that's all I have to say about movies. Remember to pick your seat before the show.
Others don't mind watching movies again, but they watch with the same eyes as the did the first time. There is nothing gained except that they can remember why they liked it originally.
The last way to watch a movie is to catch the detail in the background. Sometimes it also means noticing not just what was said, but how. Sometimes the moments I notice in a movie aren't the usual. I've found other's who watch movies like this. If a movie has good acting, you can continue to watch many times and catch these well-acted moments every time you watch. You will also pick up on the theatrical devices that helped the movie along.
Next time you watch a movie, watch it again and pay attention to the detail of how it was packaged, acted and merchandised to really work. It's much more interesting. I've watched Pirates of the Carribean many times. It was well-crafted as a movie and employs numerous symbols: apple-life, ship-freedom, Elizabeth-love. These were the desires of the the three main pirates in the movie: Barbosa, Sparrow and Turner. Each of these symbols were leveraged against each other to get the desired object of their life pursuits.
Well, that's all I have to say about movies. Remember to pick your seat before the show.
First Posting
This is my first blog ever. That may not seem important now, but I do have a lot to say, so this is sort of an important first step.
To describe myself, I am in my low forties and have five children. That alone suggests experience. My children are above average in intellect and talent. No, really. It's uncanny that so much talent can be in one family. My wife is from Miser... Missouri. The whole "Show-me" reputation is spot on for Missourians. She is a fabulous cook and housekeeper and she keeps the kids on their toes. She drives them to success.
I would characterize myself as an artistic type. I'm concerned with how things look or sound. I'm not great with planning. I think I watched too much television as a child and as such I have a low attention span. On the other hand, I absorb a lot of detail that others miss.
Well, this is a good start. I will try to post regularly as thoughts come. Keep in touch.
To describe myself, I am in my low forties and have five children. That alone suggests experience. My children are above average in intellect and talent. No, really. It's uncanny that so much talent can be in one family. My wife is from Miser... Missouri. The whole "Show-me" reputation is spot on for Missourians. She is a fabulous cook and housekeeper and she keeps the kids on their toes. She drives them to success.
I would characterize myself as an artistic type. I'm concerned with how things look or sound. I'm not great with planning. I think I watched too much television as a child and as such I have a low attention span. On the other hand, I absorb a lot of detail that others miss.
Well, this is a good start. I will try to post regularly as thoughts come. Keep in touch.
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