"You have chosen... wisely."

At the end of the movie, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Dr. Jones must choose one of many goblets that could be considered the holy grail to save his father's life. After making his selection and drinking from it to test it out, the last Knight of the First Crusade tells Indy, "You have chosen... wisely."

I've thought a lot about this line over the past few days and say that I have been very blessed in my selection of a wife. Bethany is truly wonderful and I love her so much but this week she taught me a lesson about charity, love and compassion through her own examples.

It started Wednesday night after I got home from work. I was beginning to feel a sore throat coming on and there were still presents to wrap and my parents had just gotten in town and were going to be with us through the next four days. We got through everything we needed to but my health worsened as the night went on. Sometime after 1:00 a.m., we retired for the night. I woke up early the next morning with a burning sore throat and tried to make it through opening presents that morning. But after getting the kids set up with their toys, I returned to bed and tried to sleep but the pain from my throat was too much and so I laid awake for five hours. Bethany was fine to take care of the children and also my parents and occasionally came in to check on me. When I couldn't see any point in staying in bed awake, I made my way downstairs to where everyone else was and sat on the couch for a while.

Bethany was preparing dinner, dealing with issues with the kids and still entertaining my parents while I was off in the distance on the couch. She didn't once lose patience with the kids. She seemed to be having a pleasant conversation with my parents and dinner was coming along fine because it sure smelled good. I hadn't eaten all day because swallowing my own saliva was excruciating. So I returned to my bedroom for the night and laid awake most of the time until the next morning.

Bethany offered to take me to a nearby Instacare and sat with me for 2.5 hours until I could be seen by a doctor. She talked about so many things with me hoping to help me pass the time. After a few minutes with the doctor and a diagnosis of strep throat and an ear ache, she drove me to the pharmacy to fulfill the prescriptions. She also bought a Chloraseptic spray and encouraged me to use it before we got home. The directions on the bottle state that you should wait 15 seconds after spraying and spit out the rest. So she pulled over to the side of the road and let me do so. It was a little thing but she was willing to do whatever to help me be more comfortable and recover sooner.

Her support for and attentiveness to me were second to none. She seemed like she could do it all and she did. No doubt that kind of attitude came from her upbringing.

What a wonderful wife she is! I did choose wisely. I'm going to get her a medal.

Also, to clear up any confusion, my parents aren't the type to just lounge around and be a burden. They were pretty helpful. Maybe they should get a medal too.

 

The Happy Prince

I had some great young men advisors when I was growing up. There is one in particular who shared a Christmas story with us one Sunday. It was a short story entitled The Happy Prince. The story is about a gilded statue of a prince in the middle of a city. The statue has some jewels on it and many people in the city admire it. A self-centered swallow comes along as it is migrating south to Egypt for the winter and one night decides to nest at the statue. The statue of the prince talks to the swallow and convinces the swallow carry the ruby from his sword to an impoverished mother at a poor house. The swallow does so and returns to the statue for the night. The next day, he announces that he's leaving but the statue petitions the swallow to remain one more day and take a different jewel to someone else. This goes on for many days until all the jewels and the gold leafing are removed and distributed to the poor in the city. Finally, the swallow succumbs to the cold and just before dying, he kisses the prince on the lips and falls to his feet. The lead heart in the statue breaks.

I won't give away the ending. It's a great short story! If you are interested, I would recommend reading it. You can find the story of The Happy Prince here.

Merry Christmas!

Christmas Tag

So I wandered around a few blogs of some friends last night and came across one that tagged all of the readers of the blog. What a cool idea! So I'm doing the same thing! If you're reading this, consider yourself tagged.

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags

Wrapping paper, definitely! I love wrapping presents in beautiful paper and decorative ribbons. It makes the gift look a bit more special.

2. Real tree or artificial?

Real tree... and I prefer it be FLOCKED! Christmas in Las Vegas was mildly cold and brown. I love the snow and having a bit of white on the tree reminds me of the few trips we made to Utah to visit grandparents during Christmas, which, for me, were the best Christmases of my childhood.

3. When do you put up the tree?

Usually within a couple of weeks after Thanksgiving

4. When do you take the tree down?

Sometime during the week after New Year's Day

5. Do you like eggnog?

ABSOLUTELY! Straight is great but I prefer to mix it with a bit of milk.

6. Favorite gift received as a child?

That's a toss up between a set of little 4x4 trucks with a styrofoam mountainous track or the set of laser tag guns and sensors.

7. Hardest person to buy for?

My parents. They don't really want much. They seem pretty content with what they've got.

8. Easiest person to buy for?

My boys. Wii games will always be a hit!

9. Do you have a nativity scene?

Yes. We have several. And they ALL go up around the house at Christmas!

10. Mail or e-mail Christmas cards?

Mail. It's more enjoyable to be able to put them up in the living room.

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received?

COAL! Just kidding. I can't think of one that was really bad.

12. Favorite Christmas Movie?

Another toss up. I'd say Santa Claus "The Movie", A Christmas Story, and Home Alone.

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas?

After Thanksgiving, but rarely on Black Friday

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present?

Not that I can remember

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas?

Cheeseball and crackers!

16. Favorite Christmas tradition?

Listening to my father-in-law narrate the Christmas story. He has some light Christmas music that plays in the background and it really sets a good tone for the evening.

17. Favorite Christmas song?

I like so many of them that I couldn't name just one.

18. Travel at Christmas or stay at home?

Stay at home. We get the house all decorated and warm and it's nice to be there for the actual day of celebration.

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer's?

There are the nine traditional reindeer, and a tenth if you include Olive, the other reindeer!

20. Angel on the tree top or a star?

When I was younger, I received a paper mache angel that we occasionally put at the top of the tree. But I'm fine with a star as well.

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning?

Christmas morning.

22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year?

It doesn't last long enough!

23. Favorite for Christmas dinner?

While I don't think I have ONE favorite thing, I happen to like some non-traditional items for Christmas dinner (in addition to the traditional), like black and green olives and deviled eggs.

24. What do you want for Christmas this year?

World peace! ;D -- If I can't have that, I'd settle with for a great day with my family and some snow!

25. How many days left until Christmas?

18 and counting!

I'm interested in your answers so put a comment on my blog so I know to go look! Thanks and Merry Christmas!

Pom-Poms and a Super Soaker!

Important elements in being a responsible father.

Last night, Bethany showed me a TV commercial promoting fatherhood. It was of a father with his daughter "rehearsing cheerleading routines with his daughter." It was so funny! The commercial was created by the National Responsible Fatherhood Clearinghouse (fatherhood.org). In visiting their website, I found a second movie (equally funny) about a dad and his son who were "engaged in a serious 'super soaker' battle." Links to the movies are here (cheerleading) and here (battle).

Fatherhood is one of the greatest things about my life. The births of my children account for four of the best days of my life. True, it's not always fun and games and regularly requires hard work and dicipline but when Johnny yells, "I love you!" as I'm walking out the door to work or when Sabrina makes her "Oh no!" dramatic face at me, it pays off! These commercials are great reminders of how great being a father is. In fact, I like them so much that I think I want my own set of pom-poms and a super soaker for Christmas!

That one Christmas...

I have a few memories of times when I've gone looking for trouble. I have always had a difficult time sleeping through the night on Christmas Eve. The excitement of presents and surprises and food and fun builds up the whole week before until I'm brimming with anticipation. The suspense finally overpowers any desire to sleep, usually between 1:45 a.m. and 2:30 a.m. Christmas morning.

And so it happened one Christmas when I was somewhere between 8 and 10 years old. I woke up and checked the time to once again find out I was up too early. It always killed me to realize I still had several hours before Mom or Dad would allow us to come out of our rooms to open presents. But a trip down the hallway to the living room and the Christmas tree would most definitely go unnoticed so I did it. I quietly tiptoed into the living room and flipped on the lights to see a marvelous array of presents bulging from beneath the Christmas tree. At that point, it wasn't enough to just stand at the entrance to the living room and observe the presents from afar. I had to investigate further. You see, that year, I wanted a skateboard for Christmas and Mom and Dad didn't really seem to let on that such a request of Santa would be a possibility. And from about 20 feet away, I couldn't make out the shape of a skateboard from any of the presents in sight. So curiosity got the better of me and I went for a closer look... with my hands.

Also to note, somehow or other, my younger sister, Crystal, was awake. I must have woken her up and talked her in to coming with me to the living room. (Her mistake! -- Sorry Crys!!!)

I started lifting presents and shaking them gently. That didn't produce much knowledge regarding what was in them. Then, in a flash, the wrong idea played out in my mind and I knew what I had to do if I were going to know more about the contents of those wrapped presents. I tried carefully sliding my finger in between the folds of the wrapping paper. The first few times, I was pretty careful and untaped the wrapping paper while keeping it in tact. I got through a few unmarked presents (those are presents without nametags) before finally ripping the wrapping paper. I panicked but quickly remembered where Mom kept the wrapping paper and decided to just rewrap it. In fact, I realized I could rewrap any of the presents I would thereafter unwrap as I was pretty sure there was enough wrapping paper.

There was one present in particular that did not have a nametag on it. It was small and it fit inside a little ceramic cup I made for my mom a year or so before. I figured that where it was in the cup I made that perhaps the present was for me. I unwrapped it, not being too careful and ruining the wrapping paper around it. It was a little jewelry case with some earrings. Obviously it wasn't for me.

I snooped around the room some more and actually came across an orange skateboard behind the couch! I was thrilled, elated, even in seventh heaven! My crusade was a success.

At that point I realized I needed to rewrap some of the presents so I went to get some new wrapping paper. There wasn't any paper with the same design on it so I just picked something Christmasy and rewrapped them, placing them back where I remember finding them. Crystal and I went back to bed and got up a few hours later for the festivities.

We started unwrapping presents but I was too eager to wait. Without any prompting from Mom or Dad, I went for my skateboard. That must have tipped them off that I knew something they didn't. But when I took the little present from the ceramic cup and handed it to my Mom, Sherlock Dad put two and two together and halted Christmas. I was interrogated as to how I new about the skateboard and Mom's present.

The truth came out, and Christmas was ruined. Crystal and I were banished to chairs in the kitchen. Through tear-filled eyes, we stared at our own little corners of the kitchen while Dad threatened to take our gifts to Deseret Industries. I don't remember how long we sat on chairs but it could have been for a few hours.

After the dust settled, we were allowed to get off our chairs and later that day we got our presents. The next year, though, Mom and Dad moved the big recliner down the hall to a spot in front of my bedroom door and tied the doornob to it to protect the Christmas presents from me.

Crazy, huh!?! What's the worst thing you've ever done around Christmas?

Nectar of the soda gods

I have a few other friends that are talking up their dietary programs and exercise regiments on their blogs. I thought I'd go ahead and balance out the Internet with a plug for my favorite holiday soda! (If you can't see the humor in this, don't read on.) This is Pomegranate 7-Up! It's awesome! This is the second year that I've see this stuff and I've started to stock it at home. Just over a week ago while Bethany was at the store, I got this crazy thought that I should have her bring home a few extra bottles. She laughed at me but fulfilled the request.

So if you're out this way and need something to wet your whistle, stop on by for a drink.

While supplies last. Void where prohibited. Not valid with any other offer. Nevada and Utah residents only.

America's James Bond

I'm looking forward to the new James Bond movie coming out this weekend! I wouldn't consider myself to be a huge James Bond fan but I did enjoy the last James Bond movie, Casino Royale, with Daniel Craig. His style of James Bond went over really well with me. In fact, in preparation for this weekend's premier, I rented Casino Royale again and Bethany and I watched it late one night this week.

Anyway, back in 2006 when that movie first came out, I wondered if there was anyone in our American culture that could be a somewhat similar icon, like what James Bond is to Britain. I couldn't come up with a glamourized American spy. In broadening my circle to include any decent American action figure, I somewhat settled on Indian Jones. He's no spy but he's legendary when it comes to action and he's definitely an American icon. But that opinion changed drastically with this latest Indiana Jones movie, The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. In my opinion, I think Hollywood shot us in the foot as it was a half-baked movie, barely worth the price we spent to rent it. How disappointing.

By the way, I have deeper thoughts than this usually but today, I'm focusing on issues related to the upcoming James Bond movie, so please excuse me.

But, I have recently decided that Jason Bourne from the Bourne movies could be a better fit. He hasn't been around nearly as long as James Bond. But Hollywood has developed him well so far. In fact, while I'm not necessarily wanting to pit America against England, from what I saw in the Bourne Ultimatum, I could see Jason Bourne beat the tar out of James Bond.

Can you think of someone who would fit better into the role of America's James Bond? What do you think about Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) from the Mission: Impossible series?

Or what about Kenny Balser!?! Sure, he's not as popular as Tom Cruise or Daniel Craig but I can totally see him in the role of James Bond with an American attitude! We could start a campaign. Balser for Double-0 Status! Go Kenny! Bring it!

A Pumpkin of My Own

With Halloween approaching, we decided to let the kids paint pumpkins this year. While American tradition holds that pumpkins are carved and cleaned out for lanterns, our kids have a hard time lasting more than 2 minutes with a pumpkin and a spoon to scoop it out with. So, to make it more enjoyable for them, we let them paint or draw anything on their own pumpkin.

Usually, I'm helping them clean out their pumpkins and carve faces while they are the observers. But this time, I was planning to take an observing role with the event for once. I walked around the table watching them paint their pumpkins. They talked about what each was painting and personafied their pumpkins, turning them into a werewolf, a princess and a bat. The conversation progressed to what each of their pumpkins was going to do to each of the others, except for Belle's whose was just sweet and harmless. They looked like they were having fun and I started to miss having a pumpkin to carve as we only bought three for the older kids.

Yesterday at work, I found myself wanting a pumpkin to carve so I stopped at the store on my way home and got one. I gutted it, carved it, and put it out on the front porch with a lit candle inside. I know it sounds weird but that was very satisfying!

Interpretations

Bethany sent me an email titled 9 words women use... It contained the following definitions for a handful of words women commonly use when communicating with their spouse.

Why women give away these secrets, I don't know. Perhaps they aren't meant to be secrets. And as to why we don't attempt to collect and compile these secrets into one massive compendium... well, it's because Google itself couldn't create a searchable collection that would have precise results 100% of the time.

9 words women use

Fine

This is the word women use to end an argument when they are right and you need to shut up.

Five Minutes

If she is getting dressed, this means a half an hour. Five minutes is only five minutes if you have just been given five more minutes to watch the game before helping around the house.

Nothing

This is the calm before the storm. This means something, and you should be on your toes. Arguments that begin with nothing usually end in fine.

Go Ahead

This is a dare, not permission. DON'T DO IT!

Loud Sigh

This is actually a word, but is a non-verbal statement often misunderstood by men. A loud sigh means she thinks you are an idiot and wonders why she is wasting her time standing here and arguing with you about nothing. (Refer back to # 3 for the meaning of nothing.)

That's Okay

This is one of the most dangerous statements a women can make to a man. That's okay means she wants to think long and hard before deciding how and when you will pay for your mistake.

Thanks

A woman is thanking you, do not question, or Faint. Just say you're welcome. (I want to add in a clause here - This is true, unless she says 'Thanks a lot' - that is PURE sarcasm and she is not thanking you at all. DO NOT say 'you're welcome' ... that will bring on a 'whatever').

Whatever

A women's way of saying, "You suck!"

Don't worry about it, I got it

Another dangerous statement, meaning this is something that a woman has told a man to do several times, but is now doing it herself. This will later result in a man asking 'What's wrong?' For the woman's response refer to #3.

The Name of This Blog

"What's in a name? That which we call a rose, by any other name would smell as sweet."

- Juliet Capulet, Romeo and Juliet (II, ii, 1-2)

So I showed my wife what I had started to do online with this blog hoping for her approval (not that I necessarily needed it but it's always nice to not distress your spouse). But I quickly underwent a barrage of ridicule for the name I had chosen. I tried to defend it but she had already made up her mind and was unabashedly snickering at it, dismissing my explanation. I thought about changing it again but it had taken me a bit of time to come up with this so I've decided to stick with it for now.

The gist of it is simply this: I wanted a blog title that would underscore the fact that the topics of my posts would be completely random (like most blogs) and not necessarily dedicated to a bunch of Mac propaganda, religious assertions or Italian recipes. So with that in mind, I settled on the word random but added a suffix to make it like an element from the periodic table. (By the way, I like science.) The resulting name was Randomonium.

If you think the name is too absurd, you can do one of two things: either take a piece of masking tape and put it over the name of the blog on your computer screen or post your opinion about it.

Update: November 6, 2008 - I've rethought the name and have gone with what it currently is. Enjoy!

Ciao Tutti!

Briefly, I have enjoyed reading the stories and thoughts of so many friends with their own blogs. It has pushed me to this.

For those who have asked as well as for those just curious, I do all my own stunts, artwork, and programming. Stay tuned...