Winter Wonderland At Stillestead
1 week ago
Saturday, October 18, 2008
What A Day!
I love the Fall, I think that it is my favorite season. Even in Arizona when fall starts just after Thanksgiving, I still loved it. Football season, baseball playoffs, hunting season, my favorite holidays: Labor day, Columbus day, and Boxing Day. Today was a very busy but almost perfect Fall day for me. It started out fairly early as Matthew and I met with the Boy Scouts to distribute fliers for Scouting for Food at 8 AM (this is not early to be up on Saturday, but early to be dressed and out of the house), then dropping of the kids for Primary activity day at 10 AM while Eliza slept (aren't I a great husband?), then back to the church for a practice for the Primary program at 11 AM (I just found out that I am singing in it with Owen and some of the other boys his age and their dads). Phew I'm already tired. Then Matthew and I got spend some quality time together hunting & fishing which I thought was incredibly fun, Matthew said he enjoyed a brief nap that he got while we were driving (I thought we were making memories!). Oh well, I am unbelievably grateful for the opportunity that I have to be a father, and grateful that I live in a place so richly blessed by the Creator with what I consider to be amazing beauty, and grateful for the times that I can try to share my passions with my children! Here are some pictures of our outing (and alas the big one did get away):
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Gooooooo Cards!
How awesome was the Card's win over the Cowpies? Not as awesome as when the Suns beat the Celtics in the finals, or when I met Amare, or like your first no hand drop on Splash Mountain in the front seat, but you get the picture.
Who Knew?
Maybe Britny, and much to Eliza's chagrin, Eliza herself, but I am a huge fan of tattoos. I know that Brit knows cause she would watch Miami Ink with me when she lived with us before and I've told Eliza a lot of times (Which she hates, seriously I think that she would rather I smoked pot then played World of Warcraft or got a tattoo) but I have liked them as long as I can remember.
I have a cousin who is about 178 years old who had a swallow tattoo from when he was in the military during world war 2. I can remember the fuzzy blue outline and how faded it looked and still thinking it was so cool, in the web of his hand between his thumb and forefinger about the size of a golf ball. This may be where it all started for me. I have also had a life long affinity for the Hells Angels (yeah I know I'm weird!).
In high school I desperately wanted to get a tattoo. After I graduated two of my buddies and I headed down to Mesa and stayed at my Grandma's place at 3 Fountains for like two weeks. Somewhere around 8th Ave. and Stapley there used to be a tattoo shop in this old yellow house. I was so ready to go in there, lie about my age (I was 17) and get the most RAD Sparky tattoo ever. But the shop was always closed. It wasn't until later that I figured out that most artists are nocturnal and of course us small town boys didn't drive around too much in the big city at night. Anyway I'm sure it saved my unspoiled canvas from a really crappy apprentice tattoo that looked more like Ben Affleck as Daredevil than a beloved university mascot. Such is life!
Anyway knowing that there are quite a few people in the family with tattoos, and probably a few I don't know about, I am still craving my first. Which I'm sure would lead to who knows how many others. Personally I wouldn't mind having full sleeves. My dad is working on his, like father like son? I know that will will thrill Eliza!
ANYWAY this novel is coming to an end, here's a shot of something similar to what I would like to get done on my calf:
I have a cousin who is about 178 years old who had a swallow tattoo from when he was in the military during world war 2. I can remember the fuzzy blue outline and how faded it looked and still thinking it was so cool, in the web of his hand between his thumb and forefinger about the size of a golf ball. This may be where it all started for me. I have also had a life long affinity for the Hells Angels (yeah I know I'm weird!).
In high school I desperately wanted to get a tattoo. After I graduated two of my buddies and I headed down to Mesa and stayed at my Grandma's place at 3 Fountains for like two weeks. Somewhere around 8th Ave. and Stapley there used to be a tattoo shop in this old yellow house. I was so ready to go in there, lie about my age (I was 17) and get the most RAD Sparky tattoo ever. But the shop was always closed. It wasn't until later that I figured out that most artists are nocturnal and of course us small town boys didn't drive around too much in the big city at night. Anyway I'm sure it saved my unspoiled canvas from a really crappy apprentice tattoo that looked more like Ben Affleck as Daredevil than a beloved university mascot. Such is life!
Anyway knowing that there are quite a few people in the family with tattoos, and probably a few I don't know about, I am still craving my first. Which I'm sure would lead to who knows how many others. Personally I wouldn't mind having full sleeves. My dad is working on his, like father like son? I know that will will thrill Eliza!
ANYWAY this novel is coming to an end, here's a shot of something similar to what I would like to get done on my calf:
Monday, October 13, 2008
Death Magnetic
Most anyone who knows me well knows that I love Metallica, I have since about 6th grade and have continued to love them through thick and thin. Some so called "fans" have complianed about musical style changes or the band trying out different sounds (i.e. St. Anger) to them I say wah...! If you don't like a particular album don't listen! That being said, Death Magnetic, Metallica's newest album since St. Anger in 2003:
Completely rocks! (SORRY for the cliche). As a mix of about every sound the band has tried since Kill em' All back in 1983 (which yes I like) Death Magnetic should turn on the fair weather fans as well as those fans whose "loyalty", wavered when the band released its first video One
in 1989.
Death Magnetic allows a brilliant guitarist Kirk Hammet once again solo like like a mad man and allows fans to truly relish each song as they stretch out to more traditional Metallica lengths of time (around 7 minutes in most cases). I for one was just extatic to have new Metallica tunes to listen to, but the fact that the quality (in my opinion) of each song is amazing. With this album Metallica blazes new ground in that Death Magnetic is the first album to be simultaniously released to record stores, itunes, etc... but also available for download in entirety to play on Guitar Hero 3 the day of record release, good luck novices!
While I actually like each song on the album, and I've listened to it about 20 times, my favorite song is probably Unforgiven 3:
This song hearkens back to the feel of the S & M album recorded with the San Fransisco Philharmonic Orchestra and details the perils of failing to forgive oneself for past transgressions (to blatantly use some Mormon terminology, cause Mormons can rock!). It is in no way indicative of all of the songs on the album, but like I say probably my favorite right now. Give it a listen and let me know what you think! Free plug: I bought the album at Walmart, but the first single I got from iTunes!
So like I have mentioned before, I have a biased opinion, but this album is great. If you are new to Metallica, or have only heard a few songs on the radio, this album is a great introduction to the band and will give you a taste of the different sounds the band has put out over the years. Go out and buy it now and rock it loud!
Completely rocks! (SORRY for the cliche). As a mix of about every sound the band has tried since Kill em' All back in 1983 (which yes I like) Death Magnetic should turn on the fair weather fans as well as those fans whose "loyalty", wavered when the band released its first video One
in 1989.
Death Magnetic allows a brilliant guitarist Kirk Hammet once again solo like like a mad man and allows fans to truly relish each song as they stretch out to more traditional Metallica lengths of time (around 7 minutes in most cases). I for one was just extatic to have new Metallica tunes to listen to, but the fact that the quality (in my opinion) of each song is amazing. With this album Metallica blazes new ground in that Death Magnetic is the first album to be simultaniously released to record stores, itunes, etc... but also available for download in entirety to play on Guitar Hero 3 the day of record release, good luck novices!
While I actually like each song on the album, and I've listened to it about 20 times, my favorite song is probably Unforgiven 3:
This song hearkens back to the feel of the S & M album recorded with the San Fransisco Philharmonic Orchestra and details the perils of failing to forgive oneself for past transgressions (to blatantly use some Mormon terminology, cause Mormons can rock!). It is in no way indicative of all of the songs on the album, but like I say probably my favorite right now. Give it a listen and let me know what you think! Free plug: I bought the album at Walmart, but the first single I got from iTunes!
So like I have mentioned before, I have a biased opinion, but this album is great. If you are new to Metallica, or have only heard a few songs on the radio, this album is a great introduction to the band and will give you a taste of the different sounds the band has put out over the years. Go out and buy it now and rock it loud!
Dennis Miller on Jay Leno
Did anyone catch Dennis Miller on Jay Leno a few weeks back? It is fairly rare to see even a semi mainstream guy on mainstream TV taking somewhat conservative stances on anything...
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