Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Austin

Lately I've spent some time with Austin and am impressed by his personality. He isn't desperate for attention or in great need of approval from his peers. Because of this he comes across to me as very thoughtful. He's a smart kid and mature for his age. I'm proud of that boy. He's turning into quite the young man.
From Family


We've been playing table tennis just about every day now and I've noticed a greater consistency in both of our play. The games are closer together and he's able to beat me much more often than he used to. Even when he loses to me he doesn't whine and complain like he used to.

We're looking forward to the Evanston Tournament, and also the Western Open in Berkely, CA.

Monday, January 26, 2009

Praise at work

Last Friday at work, I discovered a very simple number rounding problem in JPOS. This morning I arrived to a very nice email praising me on the find. I'll tell you getting a pat on the back like that sure is a boost.

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Nice speech

I just listened to the President's speech and was very impressed with it. You can watch/read it here.

I'm not very popular in Utah or among my own extended family being an Obama fan, but I'm hoping that he makes good decisions now as President and can win over the entire country and the rest of the world.

He has built up a huge vision, and hope he can fulfill it. For the sake of all of us.

The poem after the speech was bad. The closing prayer though was fantastic. It was nice to see an opening and closing prayer.

Monday, January 12, 2009

Keeping the love alive

I just read my Brother-In-Law's post about their recent date and made me realize I really should share my own dates so I can look back and remember the fun times we're having instead of being old fuddy-duds.

I've been accused of sharing too much information (TMI) in previous posts, so I'll be very discreet people. Don't worry. But I had an experience this last Saturday that was one for the record books and I'll let the details remain a mystery. Anyhow, Cathi and I went on a date to Hello China in Clinton. My co-worker and friend, David To, works there delivering orders. I love Chinese food. It's my favorite. Everything was tasty and we had some good conversation.

On the way home we went shopping at Walmart for some much needed weekly groceries. Our shopping list of four items turned quickly into a very full cart (You know diapers, lots more fruit than prescribed, etc). Not very romantic, but it was nice to go shopping together without kids. Then on the way home Cathi had this look of wanting a treat, so we stopped at Pace in Clinton as well and got Regular sized shakes. Cathi asked me when I really started getting "the hots" for her.

I've told her the story before but it was nice to share the experience again with her. I first fell in love with Cathi during our time together at my Alma Mater's High School's Christmas dance in 1990. It was at the Utah State Capital Rotunda. I was a freshman at Ricks College and she was a Senior at Bountiful High. I came down from Ricks for the weekend to go to this dance with her. I liked her as a friend when I asked her, but after this dance it was official, I was in love!

Everyone else was stuck to each other and I didn't feel comfortable dancing that way with Cathi so we did some wanna-be Ball Room dance moves with my arm gently on left her shoulder blade, supporting her left arm with mine at a 90 degree angle. My left hand was holding her right way out to the side and plenty of space in between. We danced all night this way keeping the four beat "square" rotating around even to the faster paced songs. We really had a fun time and weren't worried about what other people were thinking. We just had a ball, literally.

Then later in the evening Cathi wanted to hear a song by Peter Gabriel and went up with me to ask the DJ. He said he would play it if she kissed me. I was like "Oh Boy!" but she stated that I had a girlfriend already. Which was kind of true, but that is another story. She knew that I was asking her as a friend so it wasn't a slap in the face to me.

That date ended, and my old girlfriend faded away. Cathi then took up my thoughts. The next February during Valentine's Day I gave Cathi a stuffed animal with a group of helium balloons attached to his arm. The arm was holding a stuffed heart that said "I love you" on it. The animal had a pocket which allowed for the heart (which was permanently attached to his hand) to go inside the pocket. I thought this would be a good opportunity for this revelation to be a surprise later after I had left so it wouldn't be so awkward for the two of us.

So later after I gave her the valentine, the helium would lift the arm and the attached heart out of the pocket. Cathi told me years later, when we were engaged, that at the time she thought that I just bought the animal that way and didn't know that it had the "I love you" on it. She thought wrong.

Anyhow this story could go on and on and on. So to be brief, I'll stop there. But that is when I knew I had the hots for Cathi. Anyhow Cathi and I had a very romantic evening and confirmed to me that while we both are busy with seven kids and haven't been that good about having dates on a consistent and frequent basis, the love is still alive! We ought to do that way more often!

Sunday, January 11, 2009

Babies always want to play!

Last week our kitchen faucet which was leaking finally broke so we had to replace it. Usually those tasks really try me. I have to make sure the kids are around otherwise I'm spewing profanity like a sailor. I not only had the kids around, but Cathi too. She was laughing at me when Oliver would pound on me and try to wrestle with me while I'm trying to install the new faucet.

I was laughing too cause he was having such fun pounding on me without any retaliation. I was too busy getting the bottom of the faucet screwed in. I pretended to be really angry and yell out "You little stink! You stop hitting me right now!" He was loving it.

I'm also pleased to say that the makers of faucets have made installation much easier. I had completely removed and replaced the faucet within 30 minutes or so and had kept the spirit in our home too! Hallelujah!

Friday, January 9, 2009

I believe I voted correctly

I'm proud to admit that I voted for Obama. There's no argument that he's a much better speaker than President Bush. Poor Dave Letterman is gonna have a hard time I think coming up with "Great Moments in Presidential Speeches" once Obama takes office.

But I also voted for President Bush for his first term. And boy that was a mistake! I didn't make the same mistake for his second term but alot of other people did. I really hope Mr. Obama is able to be successful in making America better and not create some historically massive problems for our country.

I was just watching his announcement of his Intelligence staff and he sure makes me glad we have him going in to office. I hope he makes a difference and is able to turn things around for America.