tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-90398256279028751792024-02-21T02:20:05.728-08:00Cultural and Social IncongruitiesUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger79125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9039825627902875179.post-3152903558748167862020-07-09T22:02:00.001-07:002020-07-13T12:37:33.501-07:00Kindness and Unity<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I am grateful for the teachings and example of Jesus Christ. His love for each one of us is beyond our comprehension and He has asked us to “love one another.” He called it a new commandment:<o:p></o:p></div>
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“That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.<o:p></o:p></div>
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By this shall all <i>men</i> know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.”<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9039825627902875179#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" style="color: #954f72;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align: super;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align: super;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">[1]</span></span></span></a><o:p></o:p></div>
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As we study the New Testament, we can see the Savior love others. It’s evident in the way He spoke with individuals and groups. He shows it in His service – providing both physical and spiritual nourishment. He healed countless of the sick and afflicted, lightening their burden. He was kind to those who were different, weren’t “chosen”, or treated Him poorly. He forgave those who crucified Him. Using the parable of the Good Samaritan, he taught what it meant to be a neighbor – to serve and help those who society may say should be our enemies.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The Apostle Paul taught:<o:p></o:p></div>
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“And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.”<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9039825627902875179#_ftn2" name="_ftnref2" style="color: #954f72;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align: super;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align: super;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">[2]</span></span></span></a><o:p></o:p></div>
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I love what a modern Apostle of Jesus Christ taught regarding kindness. Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin said:<o:p></o:p></div>
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“Kindness is the essence of greatness and the fundamental characteristic of the noblest men and women I have known…It softens hearts and molds relationships that can last lifetimes.”<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9039825627902875179#_ftn3" name="_ftnref3" style="color: #954f72;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align: super;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align: super;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">[3]</span></span></span></a><o:p></o:p></div>
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We can feel that greatness that comes from kindness as we read the account of Jesus washing the dusty feet of His apostles and the way He lovingly ministered to those in <span style="font-size: 12pt;">Bountiful as recorded in the Book of Mormon.</span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9039825627902875179#_ftn4" name="_ftnref4" style="color: #954f72; font-size: 12pt;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align: super;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align: super;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">[4]</span></span></span></a><br />
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Along with a commandment “to love one another” as He loves us, the Savior has also commanded us to be <i>one</i>. He was quite direct in the commandment:<o:p></o:p></div>
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“I say unto you, be one; and if ye are not one ye are not mine.”<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9039825627902875179#_ftn5" name="_ftnref5" style="color: #954f72;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align: super;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align: super;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">[5]</span></span></span></a><o:p></o:p></div>
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The adversary is making it particularly difficult at this time in history for us to be:<o:p></o:p></div>
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“Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” and to be of “One Lord, one faith, one baptism.”<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9039825627902875179#_ftn6" name="_ftnref6" style="color: #954f72;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align: super;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align: super;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">[6]</span></span></span></a><o:p></o:p></div>
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Today, along with all of our normal disagreements, we are faced with polarized opinions about how to deal with a global pandemic and significant racial issues. Social media, rather than strengthening our ties, is in many cases the platform for callousness, cruelty, meanness, impatience, contention, provocation, and pride. Too many individuals engage with the intent of proving one another wrong rather than to have a meaningful discussion. Social media makes it easy for us to forget that we can be right about an issue, but still be wrong in how we treat one another. I worry that we’re trading our love, kindness and unity for the sake of winning arguments.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The Lord gave us the perfect instructions on how to influence one another His way. (I’m not going to lie, His way is difficult but actually effective.)<o:p></o:p></div>
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“No power or influence can or ought to be maintained by virtue of the priesthood,<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9039825627902875179#_ftn7" name="_ftnref7" style="color: #954f72;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align: super;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align: super;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">[7]</span></span></span></a> only by persuasion, by long-suffering, by gentleness and meekness, and by love unfeigned;<o:p></o:p></div>
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“By kindness, and pure knowledge, which shall greatly enlarge the soul without hypocrisy, and without guile—<o:p></o:p></div>
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“That he may know that thy faithfulness is stronger than the cords of death.<o:p></o:p></div>
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“Let thy bowels also be full of charity towards all men, and to the household of faith…”<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9039825627902875179#_ftn8" name="_ftnref8" style="color: #954f72;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align: super;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align: super;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">[8]</span></span></span></a><o:p></o:p></div>
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The Lord sets a high bar. Frequently I find myself coming up short. Too often I find myself reviewing what I said or wanted to say or write and realizing that my approach or my words don’t measure up to the Lord’s standard.<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9039825627902875179#_ftn9" name="_ftnref9" style="color: #954f72;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align: super;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align: super;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">[9]</span></span></span></a> With each failing, I hope to do a little better.<o:p></o:p></div>
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We have historical and scriptural proof that the Lord’s people can truly be one. Remember the City of Enoch?<o:p></o:p></div>
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“And the Lord called his people ZION, because they were of one heart and one mind, and dwelt in righteousness; and there was no poor among them.”<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9039825627902875179#_ftn10" name="_ftnref10" style="color: #954f72;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align: super;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align: super;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">[10]</span></span></span></a><o:p></o:p></div>
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I can only imagine the sheer effort it took for them to achieve this, the amount of patience it took to have meaningful and productive conversations about topics such as helping the poor. How did they do it? Going back to the words of Elder Wirthlin, he said:<o:p></o:p></div>
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“Kindness should permeate all of our words and actions at work, at school, at church, and especially in our homes.”<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9039825627902875179#_ftn11" name="_ftnref11" style="color: #954f72;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align: super;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align: super;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">[11]</span></span></span></a><o:p></o:p></div>
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I am grateful for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and for the fellowship of the Saints. I’m grateful for the opportunity to serve, worship and learn with individuals, children of God, who come from different backgrounds and experiences and have different views of the world. I enjoy the opportunity to learn from them. I hope and pray that I can find the strength to be more patient, long-suffering, gentle, meek, kind and loving in my communications. If I do so, the Spirit will bless those communications and relationships. And, if the Spirit is present, by revelation eternal truths “shall distill upon [our] souls as the dews from heaven”.<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9039825627902875179#_ftn12" name="_ftnref12" style="color: #954f72;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align: super;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align: super;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">[12]</span></span></span></a> <o:p></o:p></div>
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As we prepare to gather together again for sacrament meetings under the directions of our bishops, I pray that we can set aside differences and disagreements. I pray that we can be patient and forgiving. I pray that we can support, sustain, and uplift one another in our efforts to become like our Savior. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9039825627902875179#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" style="color: #954f72;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align: super;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align: super;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">[1]</span></span></span></a> John 13:34-35.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9039825627902875179#_ftnref2" name="_ftn2" style="color: #954f72;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align: super;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align: super;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">[2]</span></span></span></a> Ephesians 4:32.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9039825627902875179#_ftnref3" name="_ftn3" style="color: #954f72;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align: super;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align: super;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">[3]</span></span></span></a> Joseph B. Wirthlin, <i><a href="https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2005/04/the-virtue-of-kindness?lang=eng" style="color: #954f72;">The Virtue of Kindness</a></i>. General Conference, April 2005.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9039825627902875179#_ftnref4" name="_ftn4" style="color: #954f72;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align: super;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align: super;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">[4]</span></span></span></a> 3 Nephi 11:17.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9039825627902875179#_ftnref5" name="_ftn5" style="color: #954f72;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align: super;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align: super;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">[5]</span></span></span></a> Doctrine and Covenants 38:27.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9039825627902875179#_ftnref6" name="_ftn6" style="color: #954f72;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align: super;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align: super;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">[6]</span></span></span></a> Ephesians 4:3, 5.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9039825627902875179#_ftnref7" name="_ftn7" style="color: #954f72;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align: super;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align: super;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">[7]</span></span></span></a> Note: Our priesthood office, Church callings, and gospel-understanding don’t automatically make us right on every other issue. Even if we are correct about a particular issue, that doesn’t mean we should force our thoughts and opinions on others. One, it’s not kind; and two, if we are right, it’s not an effective method for changing hearts and minds.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9039825627902875179#_ftnref8" name="_ftn8" style="color: #954f72;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align: super;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align: super;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">[8]</span></span></span></a> Doctrine & Covenants 121:41-45<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9039825627902875179#_ftnref9" name="_ftn9" style="color: #954f72;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align: super;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align: super;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">[9]</span></span></span></a> Note: Looking back, I can see that I have never won a heated argument on social media. I’ve only lost.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9039825627902875179#_ftnref10" name="_ftn10" style="color: #954f72;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align: super;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align: super;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">[10]</span></span></span></a> Moses 7:18.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9039825627902875179#_ftnref11" name="_ftn11" style="color: #954f72;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align: super;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align: super;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">[11]</span></span></span></a> See Wirthlin.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9039825627902875179#_ftnref12" name="_ftn12" style="color: #954f72;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align: super;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align: super;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">[12]</span></span></span></a> Note: I expect to find out over and over that my thoughts and opinions are wrong on a number of issues. While I know the Restored Gospel is true, I can’t even comprehend how little I actually know about anything in mortality. I’ll do my best based on eternal principles and hope and trust that I will be taught and learn as I progress.</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9039825627902875179.post-42612836576734497392019-09-11T13:40:00.000-07:002019-09-11T13:40:11.075-07:00Won't You Be My Neighbor?
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<!--StartFragment-->
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdYGyweGQmK8viu1AAm2H_s58sV8Lh0PiM22wA4Oz7fEEPEzJr32WLmHlSmP3q3qxxp7Gc8m5Vmav3Cv4iHr2DdpKYRtQuYACrQ-5tmsQSk83UbB64ilyLtQ3l4WSjGN-cONCGjalNkok/s1600/Neighbors_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="612" height="287" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdYGyweGQmK8viu1AAm2H_s58sV8Lh0PiM22wA4Oz7fEEPEzJr32WLmHlSmP3q3qxxp7Gc8m5Vmav3Cv4iHr2DdpKYRtQuYACrQ-5tmsQSk83UbB64ilyLtQ3l4WSjGN-cONCGjalNkok/s320/Neighbors_2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">It’s a beautiful day in this neighborhood<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">A beautiful day for a neighbor<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">Would you be mine?<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Could you be mine?</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">As so many others I enjoyed watching Mr. Rogers walk into
his studio home, change his jacket for a sweater and his shoes for house
slippers as he sang <i>Won’t You Be My Neighbor?</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course, I watched enough to have the words
of the song memorized and I always sang along without ever thinking much about
the words.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I watched because I enjoyed
the imaginative way of teaching and showing things.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mr. Rogers always taught kindness through
stories, using imagination and conversations on screen with a number of
different guests.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">It’s a neighborly day in this beautywood<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">A neighborly day for a beauty<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">Would you be mine?<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Could you be mine?</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">With each story and interaction, I most often recognized the
lesson being taught.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sometimes it was a
simple educational opportunity – knowledge about how the world works.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Invariably, however, the ultimate lessons
were about kindness to one another regardless of our differences.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">I have always wanted to have a neighbor just like you<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i>I’ve always wanted to live in a neighborhood with you</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">Because of his kindness, Mr. Rogers created a safe place for
millions of children.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He taught lessons
that many might not be learning otherwise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He was a role model for children and adults alike.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He invited us to be his neighbor, to be his
friend.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He let us know that he cared.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">So let’s make the most of this beautiful day<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">Since we’re together, we might as well say<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">Would you be mine?<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">Could you be mine?<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">Won’t you be my neighbor?<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">Won’t you please<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">Won’t you please<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Please won’t you be my neighbor?</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">Now, as an adult, looking back I’ve learned some new lessons
about Fred Rogers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As a child, he
experienced first-hand unkindness from other children.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This helped him to be friend to himself and
develop his imagination.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Most know he
was an ordained Presbyterian minister, something he earned after starting his
career in television.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve listened to
and read some of the things he’s said and written on and off of his famous
show.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">There are three ways to ultimate success: The first way is
to be kind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The second way is to be
kind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The third way is to be kind.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">____<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">Because deep down we know that what matters in this life
is much more than winning for ourselves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>What really matters is helping others win too, even if it means slowing down
and changing our course now and then.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">____<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">I hope you’re proud of yourself for the times you’ve said
“yes,” when all it meant was extra work for you and was seemingly helpful only
to someone else.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">____<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i>I believe that appreciation is a holy thing, that when we
look for what’s best in the person we happen to be with at the moment, we’re
doing what God does.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, in loving and
appreciating our neighbors, we’re participating in something truly sacred.</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">There’s that word again neighbors.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why does he focus on asking us to be his neighbor?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Because as he’s lived the Greatest
Commandment, he is also living the second greatest commandment.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">“Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and
with all they soul, and with all they mind.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">“This is the first and great commandment.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i>“And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love they
neighbor as thyself.” – Matthew 22:37-39</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">As Fred Rogers invited us, pleaded with us to be his
neighbor, he was obeying the second great commandment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was following the example of Jesus Christ.
He lived this commandment openly and fully.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The lesson for me is this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are
all neighbors.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The second great
commandment instructs and invites us to love everyone as we love
ourselves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It takes a deliberate
effort.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> It is ministering as the Savior ministered. </span>Like Mr. Rogers, we should be
valiant and magnify our efforts to obey this commandment by expanding our
circle by helping others to recognize they are our neighbors by loving them, by ministering to them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<!--EndFragment--><br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9039825627902875179.post-863047453334413272019-07-17T23:06:00.001-07:002019-07-17T23:06:27.485-07:00Larry Burns: Here Am I, Send Me<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<!--StartFragment-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">Here am I, Send Me…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">In the doctrine and canonized scripture of The Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, there is a belief and understanding that
before this Earth was created a Great Council was held.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This Council was led by God, our Heavenly
Father.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The goal of the Council was to
present to us, His spirit children, a plan that would allow us to progress and
to become more like Him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This plan
involved us leaving His presence, to pass through a veil of forgetfulness and
to have our spirits enter mortal bodies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>With these mortal, physical bodies, and with no clear memory of our
pre-existence, each of us would be tested and tried to see if we would be
faithful to return to our Heavenly Father and receive eternal life with Him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">Key to this plan was the fact that all of us would fall
short of what was required to return to dwell with our Heavenly Father.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All of us would make mistakes and sin.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All of us would struggle with the appetites
and weaknesses of a physical body.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In
order for us to be cleansed, a Savior was required.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This Savior also would be required to receive
a body, to face and experience all of the temptations, sufferings, and sorrows
common to humanity…and to be perfect, to be clean.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This Atoning sacrifice would bring pain that
we cannot comprehend.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">The great Father of us all asked: “Whom shall I send?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">One of His Sons, who sought to glorify his Father and save and
exalt the others, said: “Here am I, send me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">The Father accepted the offering. Jesus Christ came to Earth to save mankind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the Garden of Gethsemane, prior to His
death, the pains and sorrows of humanity began to settle upon Him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Twice He asked the Father if the “cup might
not pass away from me.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Both times He accepted
the Father’s will and drank the bitter cup.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">For the past week, as I thought of Larry Burns, I can’t help
but think of how he emulates our Savior Jesus Christ.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Larry made the choice to be a law enforcement
officer, to serve and protect the people of his community.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>During that time Larry chose some of the most
dangerous assignments by serving in and commanding the SWAT team.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Each day that he, and every other law
enforcement officers, put on his or her uniform, they are offering up their
lives on behalf of others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">In the New Testament, Gospel of Matthew chapter 10 verse 39, we read:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">“He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth
his life for my sake shall find it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">Each day, Larry willingly offered up his life, and because
of that he found it in a life of service and influence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His wife and children made the same sacrifice
throughout his career.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Each day they
walked out the door not knowing when or if he would come back home.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">We also read in the New Testament, Gospel of John chapter 15 verse 13:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his
life for his friends.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">With each action and door entry as a member of SWAT, with
each traffic stop, with each welfare check, or community engagement, Larry laid
his life upon the altar for his friends, those he knew and those he didn’t.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just because the Lord didn’t take the offered
sacrifice, doesn’t diminish the value or sincerity of the offering.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Larry loved his friends.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His friends were his community.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His friends were everyone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">With retirement, Larry didn’t pick up his offering and walk
away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His time, his talents, his
resources, and his life remained upon the altar available to any who were in need.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Last week, God leaned over and picked up his sacrifice, taking Larry
home to him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">For some reason, a few decades ago, Larry stood when he
heard the call and said, “Here am I, send me.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Then he said the same thing every day for the rest of his life.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">Godspeed, Larry Burns.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>God bless his family and loved ones.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<!--EndFragment--><br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9039825627902875179.post-79015850645272390882019-01-11T16:24:00.000-08:002019-01-11T21:00:12.631-08:00Glen the Angel<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCWCTJMZsmOwBb-DQgtRVhDkiAI36zId2Rfxah7-fMygs6JFCWi1T1tko4QrKpj6RLVqDhwXad3WFoo58qr98SRaiJj1S1WKD_yalLIUKhsA68OjBAjKsSaoxfQ6xlBB2sSmNMHkjUrkQ/s1600/20190110_184154.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCWCTJMZsmOwBb-DQgtRVhDkiAI36zId2Rfxah7-fMygs6JFCWi1T1tko4QrKpj6RLVqDhwXad3WFoo58qr98SRaiJj1S1WKD_yalLIUKhsA68OjBAjKsSaoxfQ6xlBB2sSmNMHkjUrkQ/s320/20190110_184154.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Last night, after a day of meetings in Salt Lake City</span><span style="font-size: large;">, I ducked into the Deseret Book across from Temple Square to buy a few things for my wife. With the cold, damp air of winter, it felt good to step inside the store. I used the opportunity to make a quick call for work. I walked to an area of the store away from most other patrons to avoid disturbing anyone. As I was talking, a middle aged man in a dark overcoat and beanie approached me. He appeared to be listening to something on his headphones. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">I walked away from him to continue my conversation. When I turned around he was standing close again, looking at me. As we made I</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">eye contact, he gave me a beautiful, innocent smile. I smiled and nodded. He walked away and I thought that was it. When I wrapped up my conversation I went to look for the books I was sent to get. This gentleman again walked right up to me.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Seeing that he wanted to talk, I turned to engage with him. As soon as he started to speak, I knew he was one of Heavenly Father’s special souls. He asked me what I was looking for. He asked if I was from Salt Lake. He asked me what calling I had in my ward. After I had answered a slough of questions, I started to ask him some of the same questions. I don’t remember if he answered many because suddenly he asked if he could shake my hand. I did so gladly, taking his hand that was inside a knitted glove. As we clasped hands he immediately leaned into me, put his other hand on my head to pull it to his.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Heavenly Father must have known that I needed to feel loved that evening. That feeling of love overwhelmed me. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">As he stepped back, he said, “I’m glad you like special people.”</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">I said I liked special people, that I liked all kinds of people. He gave me another hug. I tried to ask him more questions and he gave me another hug.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">After the third or fourth hug, he said he had to leave and said again that he was glad that special people didn’t bother me. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">As he started to walk away, I realized that I wanted to know his name, so I asked.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">“My name is Glen.”</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Another hug. He started to walk away and turned back. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">“What’s your name?”</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">“Jarad.”</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">One final hug and he was gone. He’s the one that made me feel special and was an instrument in God’s hands that night.</span><br />
<div>
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9039825627902875179.post-26106908056061660852019-01-09T22:30:00.001-08:002019-01-09T22:30:48.918-08:00Bless Our Men and Women of the Thin Blue Line
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<!--StartFragment-->
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaGv1S6oVG4zowaTe2PQ3OxrV5hDgH3_iV2USKdoz_OyRouV-j2c7PT44zt4sboTKauVvf00PBCy6VbYLbXrpizr30tq6tgLX3GZDxMMwUlC9r3ilBDJ1oq0WkJKXsW1cXwmxDOI22dXE/s1600/Shinners.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1007" data-original-width="752" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaGv1S6oVG4zowaTe2PQ3OxrV5hDgH3_iV2USKdoz_OyRouV-j2c7PT44zt4sboTKauVvf00PBCy6VbYLbXrpizr30tq6tgLX3GZDxMMwUlC9r3ilBDJ1oq0WkJKXsW1cXwmxDOI22dXE/s320/Shinners.jpg" width="238" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Many of us have no idea when we or our loved ones might take
our last breath.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We don’t know when our
health might take a sudden turn or when an unexpected accident or disaster
might end our life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are individuals
among us, who every day walk out the door to go to work and face a significantly
higher chance of not coming home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m
thinking of those that serve in the military, in law enforcement, as fire
fighters and first responders.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For some
reason, there are those among us that are willing to put themselves at greater
risk every day to make our lives safer and more secure.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As the son of a lifelong law enforcement office and military
veteran, it was normal for me to know that my dad was leaving for a shift or
for an overseas deployment knowing that he might not come home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On more than one occasion I remember my
father, ready to walk out the door after some type of family strife, doing his
best to soften hurt feelings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He would
say, “I can’t leave with us angry at each other.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In case of any terrible incident at work, he
didn’t want our last interaction with him to be unkind or angry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He didn’t want that to be our last memory of
our living relationship with him.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sometimes I thought he was a little too dramatic about
it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Often, I would ride with him during
his shifts, both as a deputy sheriff in a rural county and as a police office
in a medium-sized city.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Most shifts were
uneventful with seemingly little risk of harm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>But I remember watching him carefully approach a car he had pulled over
on the side of a lonely highway late at night and wondering why everyone was
moving around in the vehicle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Questions
began to run through my mind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">What if they were breaking a law?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What if they had a warrant out for their
arrest?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What if they were armed?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What if they started shooting?</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was an unpleasant experience.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Another experience comes to mind when I was with him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He and another officer responded to an alarm
at an office building.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When we arrived,
a door was ajar.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I watched as the drew
their weapons and cleared the building, listening closely to the radio as they
reported their progress.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Again,
uncomfortable questions began to run through my mind.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sitting in his police vehicle, on more than one occasion, he
talked me through the importance of knowing our location in case he became
incapacitated and I needed to call for more help.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He talked to me about driving his vehicle
away in case things became openly violent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It never happened, but I always payed attention.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As far as I know, my father was never shot at while on duty
as a law enforcement officer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The same
isn’t true of his decades of military service in the US Navy Reserve.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was deployed to Kuwait, Iraq, and
Afghanistan on more than one occasion, flying in and out of dangerous
areas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Together with his fellow sailors,
soldiers, and marines, he survived multiple mortar round attacks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Every time a law enforcement officer dies in the line of
service, my heart breaks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It breaks for
the officer’s family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It breaks for the
officer’s fellow officers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It breaks for
the officer’s community.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My heart breaks
every time one of our brave men or women die as part of their military
service.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>None of these people are forced
to put themselves in harm’s way on our behalf.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They chose to do it.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This past week one loss hit extremely close to home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tears and anxiety hit me hard when I learned
that a Provo City Police Officer was shot and killed in the line of duty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My father served the Provo City Police
Department for twenty years, retiring as a lieutenant.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know several of the officers at the department.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some are close family friends.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve ran marathons and other races with
several of them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Immediately, I started
to run through the names of all of the officers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I reached out to my father, who is serving as
a Federal agent in Germany for the US Government (his retirement job).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We continued to message back and forth as we
waited for the name of the officer to be released to the public.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I never met Officer Joseph Shinners, but I know him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know his family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know the worry that they felt every day he
went to work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know the pride his
family felt because of his service.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know
of Officer Shinners’ desire to do something bigger than himself, to protect others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know that he thought of his family often
while he worked, especially when he weighed the costs and risks of his chose
profession.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In the face of all the negative press and feelings toward
law enforcement, I remain deeply grateful for a group of men and women that are
willing to give so much for others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let
us not forget that they are willing to do what many of us would never consider
doing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let us not forget that in a
moment of danger and need, we want a police officer to be at the ready, present
to help us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let us not forget that much
of the safety and security exists in our communities because these men and
women are willing to stand between us and those who have no respect for the law
or the rights of others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They, not us,
step up to deal with the unpleasantness and the danger.<o:p></o:p></div>
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God bless the men and women in uniform.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Officer Joseph Shinners Biography</div>
<!--EndFragment-->https://www.heraldextra.com/lifestyles/announcements/obituaries/officer-joseph-william-shinners/article_edcdf4dc-2e07-5d90-8fb2-deb0ff4d3986.htmlUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9039825627902875179.post-83968938127060840552017-11-21T10:23:00.000-08:002017-11-21T10:25:10.917-08:00Remembering Arloa and Chuck White<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMhcDcBU1DbEq5fRamAQ_c7c4ppcoGWQh4AVMmSjG19x7VK7og99mVOy-aJTlw2jY_1XZluG32y-m8YHbsjiseS11O4vFAwqptjlR-DS3_8tI0SsBfTjFZQrUhzQWg5WRvVHj2f7Kt5VY/s1600/Mrs.+White.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="640" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMhcDcBU1DbEq5fRamAQ_c7c4ppcoGWQh4AVMmSjG19x7VK7og99mVOy-aJTlw2jY_1XZluG32y-m8YHbsjiseS11O4vFAwqptjlR-DS3_8tI0SsBfTjFZQrUhzQWg5WRvVHj2f7Kt5VY/s320/Mrs.+White.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
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<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">How many
young people in Duchesne learned how to dance – square dancing, ballroom
dancing, line dancing – from Mrs. White in elementary school? How many young people in Duchesne learned to
be more responsible for their own actions by interacting with Mrs. White in
elementary school?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">I must
admit, there were times that I was a little scared of Mrs. White. She could be a little sharp with her words
and firm in her expectations, especially for a carefree young boy. Not once, however, did I doubt that she cared
about me and all the other students at school.
A person can’t work that hard at their job and not love the people they
serve. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">When I was
on the “dance team” in sixth grade, one of my favorite things was to see her
smile or hear her offer praise to us after we had done well at a dance. Praises and smiles came only after work,
practice, correction, and more instruction.
Her passion and high expectations pushed me to work harder and to expect
more of myself. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">And who didn’t
love to see Mrs. White riding around town on her scooter?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">It wasn’t
until high school, however, that I got to know her at a personal level. At Church, I was assigned to be home teaching
companions with her husband Chuck. He
was just starting to get active in the Church and I was assigned to show him
how to be a home teacher. Spending time
with Chuck was a treat for me. He had a
wonderful sense of humor and great stories about working all over the Basin and
the Mountain West. It was great to
listen to him visit and share stories with the families we were assigned to
visit. We even had the privilege of
working together for two summers at the school district. One day, after I had graduated from high
school and before I left on my mission, we were assigned to tear out a bathroom
at Union High School. The school year
had just started. It was time to carry a
toilet out of the bathroom and throw in the back of our truck, but it was in
between classes. I told Chuck that we
should wait until everyone was back in the classroom. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">He smiled
and said, “No, let’s do it now.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">So I was on
the front side of that heavy, industrial toilet with the front of the bowl
tucked right up under my chin. We
stepped out into the hallway, completely full of students and faculty. I endured the shocked and teasing comments in
good cheer, until I saw a girl that I spent time with at a dance a week or two
before. She looked right at me, she recognized
me and her face contorted in disgust. I
never asked her out.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">One Sunday,
after Chuck and I were home teaching companions for a bit, Mrs. White pulled me
aside to tell me thank you for being friends with her husband. I wasn’t sure what to say, but I assured her
that it was an honor for me. She then
invited me to come by their home sometime to visit. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">Over the
course of my last year of high school I did just that a handful of times. Usually it was just for a dessert on a Sunday
afternoon. It also turned out that all
three of us liked Ray Stevens, so we spent an afternoon watching their
collection of Ray Stevens VHS tapes.
They told me about their family, about Chuck’s work in the oil field,
about their family vacations. Chuck even
once called to confide in me a problem he was having and asked me, a seventeen
year old kid for advice. They listened as I discussed plans for college and a
mission and my dating life.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">I was saddened to learn of Mrs. White's passing this week. I was blessed to get to know Chuck and her so well. All of us
were blessed for knowing Arloa and Chuck White.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">_______________________________</span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">Blackburn Vernal Mortuary</span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px;">
Arloa Woolley White<br />
September 11, 1940 ~ November 17, 2017</div>
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<div style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;">
On November 17, 2017, we lost our dearly devoted wife, mother, grandmother and friend. Arloa was born on September 11, 1940, to Arlo and Stella Wooley in Vernal, Utah. After being raised in Rangley, Colorado, she married Charles (Chuck) White on December 21, 1957. She traveled all over the western US with Chuck's work, until settling in Duchesne, Utah in 1971. She touched many children's lives while working as the el<span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline; font-family: inherit;">ementary secretary and teaching dance. After retiring in 2000, her and Chuck traveled all over the country in a motorhome for 11 years, finally settling in a new home in Stansbury Park, Utah. She loved to sing karaoke, and teach line dancing to her friends. She is survived by her children; Rick (Debbie) White; San Antonio, Texas; Arla (Mark) Liebmann, of Stansbury Park, Utah; 7 grandchildren; 4 great-grandchildren, and numerous relatives and friends, including siblings sister, Connie (Bill) Bankster, of Grand Junction, Colorado; Leon (Jenny) Wooley, of Rifle, Colorado; Gwen (Les) Wilson, of Pasco, Washington. She was preceded in death by her parents, and brother, Art Wooley. Funeral services will be conducted on Wednesday, November 22, 2017 at 11 a.m. at the Blackburn and Sons Vernal Mortuary. A viewing will be held Tuesday from 6-8 p.m. and one hour prior to the services. Burial will be in Maeser Fairview Cemetery, under the care and direction of the Blackburn and Sons Vernal Mortuary.</span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9039825627902875179.post-33068857014979510772017-06-02T13:32:00.000-07:002017-06-03T15:30:58.083-07:00Hiking with Landon<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiykb2eqA1s1u8WfV_bn9H2DxxSkUwr7l-SPleQtrmYiPPOGwrxcOPMl_9Sz-mcEP_jyzJyPzatbbB9G2yqneOE6v8rnpHelOMYQE0gVqDxmLa1w9_UB3mCI3mwwD96_mLvpARHnNPlcOg/s1600/Landon+5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiykb2eqA1s1u8WfV_bn9H2DxxSkUwr7l-SPleQtrmYiPPOGwrxcOPMl_9Sz-mcEP_jyzJyPzatbbB9G2yqneOE6v8rnpHelOMYQE0gVqDxmLa1w9_UB3mCI3mwwD96_mLvpARHnNPlcOg/s640/Landon+5.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Landon mailed this to me when I was living in Florida.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Landon was the first friend I made
when my family moved to Duchesne. It was
around thirty-seven years ago when we moved into the Twin River
Apartments. He has been my friend longer
than anyone outside of my family and was the first person with whom I had any
memorable adventures including almost getting bit by a rattlesnake and nearly
finding the Basin Bigfoot. Starting that
year in kindergarten, we spent hours exploring everything outdoors in our
neighborhood.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Eventually we both ended up in the
subdivision near Porter Merrill’s farm next door to one another. He didn’t live there for long because his dad
built the coolest house ever on the Bench, an underground house. For several years, we spent time going back and
forth between our homes. Little time was
spent inside. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<span style="font-size: large;">At our house, we would spend entire
days in the mountains. We walked miles
and miles. We went back and forth
between the two Devil’s Soup Bowls, built a zip line across a draw (it didn’t
work very well), and crafted an amazing shelter in an old juniper up on what we
called “The Ridge.” We created a rock
vault, trying to be like Moroni, and buried a few items there. When I moved back to Duchesne my junior year of
high school we went back up to that juniper and tried to find the vault. We couldn’t find it, but on the way, there I
did manage to have a small rattlesnake strike my boot when I stepped off a
rock.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<span style="font-size: large;">In all of our exploring, Landon
loved to look at and explore the wildlife.
If we came across a deer or two, we had to watch them or try to follow
them. Once we had five or six deer run
within a few yards of us while we sat in our shelter on “The Ridge”. Another time we found several ground owls
that ran around staring at us. We were
always on the lookout for Sasquatch. We
swore we found sign of him one time.
Heading up Indian Canyon we came across a particularly tall juniper with
no branches on one side. Something with
brown fur had rubbed all over tree up all the way up above our heads, leaving
pieces of fur everywhere on the tree. It
looked like deer hair, but it was too high in the tree for a deer to
reach. While the fur was interesting,
the most interesting thing was a deer antler that was stuck into a hole in the
tree up high.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<span style="font-size: large;">On a different trip up Indian
Canyon we were shot at. At one point, we
crossed from one side of the canyon to the other side of the highway. We came out right at the spot everyone used
as a shooting range. Being unwise, we
decided to climb up right above the shooting range. As we were about halfway up a truck pulled up
and two people got out. They proceeded
to shoot at targets directly below us.
I’m not sure if they ever did see us, but we got out of there as quickly
as we could.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Many lizards in those hills and on
the bench lost their tails as we did everything we could to catch as many of
them as possible. Landon had a quick
hand and was unafraid to go into the sage brush to get them. Occasionally we would take them home, put
them in a bucket and try to feed them. I
don’t think we ever kept any for long, mostly just tried to see if we could catch
them. One time, however, we caught
several and had plans to keep them.
Finding a place to hold them during the hike home was always difficult. This day we were lucky. I had on a windbreaker with the pockets torn
out. We put the lizards in my pockets
and they would run all over in the lining.
That day we must have caught over a dozen. The plan was to take them out and do
something with them once we got back to my house. Unfortunately for the lizards, as soon as I
got home I had to hurry off for some other activity. My mom put my jacket into the washer and then
into the dryer without any idea of what was inside. She found them everywhere in the laundry
after that.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<span style="font-size: large;">I loved going to stay the night at
Landon’s house on the Bench. We stayed
out as late we could in the evenings and would spend the entire next day
roaming anywhere and everywhere. From
the ledges along the edge of the Bench by the Old River Road all the way back
to the irrigation ditches and canals by the Spencers and Poulsons, we walked
and explored. More than once we followed
an irrigation ditch off the bench into some ponds by property owned by one of
the Grants. Every time we would go right
into the pond, (we called it a swamp).
Once we even managed to get into a water snake fight—which hurt both the
snakes and us. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<span style="font-size: large;">One day we went down into a thick
grove of trees on the bank of the Duchesne River just off of the bench. I’ll never forget being in those trees. They were so thick that hardly any sunlight
could make it through. Everything was so
silent that I almost felt uncomfortable.
I started to say something to Landon, but he put a finger to his lips,
signaling me to stay quiet. Slowly he
pointed up into one of the trees. A
large owl sat there looking around. I
assumed we must have woke it when we walked it.
Suddenly, without making any noise, it swooped from the tree to the
ground. It grasped a large mouse in its
talons and flew off to another tree. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Before I could say anything, Landon
asked if I could hear something. Unsure
what he meant, I said I didn’t hear anything.
Quickly he walked forward to where the mouse had been and picked up a
baby mouse that he said he had heard squeaking.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPMLRrX5yCiEqK4FgdRdEJiiS5wADHQXUZGd9kZpcM4Q8MroQ5lf78NPgzp74MBhaVcr7wdC6L0B9vJ7j6rKrGhsYrbOw20_48DfSES8S7XI9-kG5x2psC7Z5HtSbQ10zhgNC-osKkXcc/s1600/Landon+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1106" data-original-width="1600" height="442" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPMLRrX5yCiEqK4FgdRdEJiiS5wADHQXUZGd9kZpcM4Q8MroQ5lf78NPgzp74MBhaVcr7wdC6L0B9vJ7j6rKrGhsYrbOw20_48DfSES8S7XI9-kG5x2psC7Z5HtSbQ10zhgNC-osKkXcc/s640/Landon+2.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Unfortunately I took it upon myself to label and date this picture.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I swear, Landon and I walked all
over all the hills and down every street in town. Sometimes he was talkative, but mostly he
liked to keep silent. I made him angry
one day. We were walking from town back
to his house. For some reason, we
already were on each other’s nerves.
Yet, as we walked we would walk into each other, bumping shoulders and
leaning into one another, separate for a few steps and then do it again. I kept trying to get him to talk, but he
wouldn’t. Finally, I stopped right
before we ran into each other and I put my foot out. Landon was so focused on looking ahead that
he didn’t see what I had done—he tripped right over my foot and fell into the
full irrigation ditch along the road. He
started talking then and not much of it was pleasant, but I was too busy
laughing to care.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Besides exploring, Landon loved to
create art. His handwriting was a form
of art. I once changed the way I signed
my name for a couple of years, trying to do it the way I had seen him sign my
name. In fact, his handwriting was so
good, that more than once he forged parents’ signatures on unfavorable progress
reports for some of his classmates. (I’m
not admitting to anything.) You just had
to bring in a copy of a returned check that they had signed and he worked his,
umm, magic. Sitting in a classroom for
hours wasn’t his favorite thing, so he signed a few of his own progress reports
on behalf of his mother.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB0smignGSUFyMXhWZzqTUmDxA8J8HIgZ84J1j2tad6P_xlMD5FrNFzTC2ocwT95gIKLPehSFO5QXutKFI2uq5PQD_7LhlJJJwRnSauLdFpOvJ8U18h-mRS8xtzwuBC2Cq4udC2BU2HgQ/s1600/Landon+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1366" data-original-width="1600" height="546" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB0smignGSUFyMXhWZzqTUmDxA8J8HIgZ84J1j2tad6P_xlMD5FrNFzTC2ocwT95gIKLPehSFO5QXutKFI2uq5PQD_7LhlJJJwRnSauLdFpOvJ8U18h-mRS8xtzwuBC2Cq4udC2BU2HgQ/s640/Landon+1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJv-a297JERtyq5BKJn2seU8r72s0EUoiEBD5kqKxYeljbSYVhxQDQmibRWFdDIABq3FuyOqR8gSPbN3cd6FsYvypGSArZM1un9g4t2Un4myTCvT0yWjoAcw299oAtAt65X9xhk6KpvJ4/s1600/Landon+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJv-a297JERtyq5BKJn2seU8r72s0EUoiEBD5kqKxYeljbSYVhxQDQmibRWFdDIABq3FuyOqR8gSPbN3cd6FsYvypGSArZM1un9g4t2Un4myTCvT0yWjoAcw299oAtAt65X9xhk6KpvJ4/s640/Landon+4.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">His wildlife drawings were amazing
from early on. I loved to watch him
draw. More than once I pushed him to
draw something so I could watch. I
managed to talk him into giving me a handful of his drawings. I’ve had them for over three decades. Every few years I’ll pull them out to look at
and share with my wife and children. To
this day I cannot look at a piece of art that depicts wildlife without thinking
of Landon. A few short weeks ago I stood
in a bookshop in Cusco, Peru looking at drawings and paintings of birds. I thought of Landon, his talent, and his art.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I will miss my friend. We had limited contact the past few years,
but we were in touch about work and family.
Each time I go on a hike or look at artwork, I will think of him and the
adventures we had and the amazing person he is. He loved his family and he
loved his friends. As so many others, I’m
a better person for being his friend.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9039825627902875179.post-38325321074278582342016-06-10T20:23:00.001-07:002016-06-10T22:37:44.602-07:00Back Story (A Memorial to Veterans)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGjTpnegiKW1NGzxftIyo4mSXbjALiwoLjmokM6UhQLqwHnG5WtYfDuGgMDtlJvG0L7101V_19veVKdOA3EjPOtDfZUyKe8e70d4XkA_D3QTEdxjkMGJyI6AZucPT3PlG5kb6921ihAB4/s1600/13442415_10208278881202993_8829983697969144121_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGjTpnegiKW1NGzxftIyo4mSXbjALiwoLjmokM6UhQLqwHnG5WtYfDuGgMDtlJvG0L7101V_19veVKdOA3EjPOtDfZUyKe8e70d4XkA_D3QTEdxjkMGJyI6AZucPT3PlG5kb6921ihAB4/s400/13442415_10208278881202993_8829983697969144121_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Global War on Terror</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">At the end of May I had the privilege of attending the dedication of the Nevada State Veterans Memorial. It was a moving event, but there is also a power in the Memorial itself. Later that afternoon, once the crowds from the dedication had dispersed, I walked through the Memorial contemplating the service of so many ordinary people that were willing to sacrifice so much for others. In an attempt to capture the power of the sculptures, I snapped a number of pictures. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Family and Predecessors </td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">For days I've thought about how to capture my thoughts regarding those that serve. This week I came across this poem by cowboy poet Waddie Mitchell. The story told is representative of what so many have experienced-veterans, families, and those on the home front. I hope this might touch others the way it touched me.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vietnam War</td></tr>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Back Story<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">by Waddie Mitchell</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Who
the fella was eluded us<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Nobody in town knew<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Just
showed up that mild winter<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Back in 1982<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">He
became our burg’s first homeless<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Proving harmless in his ways<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Hanging
near the bins and benches<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> In our city park all day<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">‘Til
the sheriff came and told him<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> He must move around ‘til dark<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">For,
we don’t want people loitering<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Or begging in our park<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">So,
move he did, perpetually<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> He marched our small town streets<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">From
can ‘til can’t he constantly<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Made rounds around his beat<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Well,
season passed as did the years<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> He’d melded in our ‘scape<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Though
he’s talking, now, as walking<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> In his never-changing gait<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Then,
with time, he starts expounding<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Using gestures and raised voice<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">We
were sure he’d be committed<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Seemed they’d have no other choice<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">But
he made sure that he checked out<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Before that’s what they could do<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">And
our country, then interred<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> The strangest man we never knew<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">‘Twas
time and lots of query<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Finally found his next of kin<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Who
had given up on<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Ever hearing anything of him<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">So,
they wrote and sent an obit<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> That was printed in our rag<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Which
filled a lot of gaps in<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> With its all too tellin’ tag<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Seems
he’d been his high school’s quarter back<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> And top of his large class<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Won
a scholarship to Stanford<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> But he humbly took a pass<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">So,
he joined the U.S. Army<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Scored high on all their tests<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Finished
jump and Ranger schools up<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Where they only take the best<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Then
OCS, then off to war<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Where he was in its hell<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The
Bronze Star and a Purple heart<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Ain’t half there is to tell<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Returning
home he found he<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Couldn’t acclimate or cope<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">And
his family prays, he’s finally found<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> A bit of peace and hope<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga7UdGgIglg8PXVj98NkZzfOLxBYPEiWz0GUS-d-2lnJgk8GNpvpIdj3aMyvKuKq3qTlAwrtit6raMoAb-TSz81TOMP3UKCvfdBcCPHJR_yyvg3E2bAPQ332j7XloFOLBnzorYr7otgpw/s1600/13434972_10208278880442974_2857304869024431017_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga7UdGgIglg8PXVj98NkZzfOLxBYPEiWz0GUS-d-2lnJgk8GNpvpIdj3aMyvKuKq3qTlAwrtit6raMoAb-TSz81TOMP3UKCvfdBcCPHJR_yyvg3E2bAPQ332j7XloFOLBnzorYr7otgpw/s400/13434972_10208278880442974_2857304869024431017_n.jpg" width="220" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Revolutionary War</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Revolutionary War<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpQJvX-ozpLTtg4-PvGu20gTh1jvsI2w136HFii8KVesK-cydtr_4AVwvyuCffazvLSqMgWRoD4uBx0RD17r3g7tfercE215Rpa63O8xIFyFCH6Pi-McFM92h34e8h3oSSA6gVeLW5JHQ/s1600/13406830_10208278880282970_6925525539376130398_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpQJvX-ozpLTtg4-PvGu20gTh1jvsI2w136HFii8KVesK-cydtr_4AVwvyuCffazvLSqMgWRoD4uBx0RD17r3g7tfercE215Rpa63O8xIFyFCH6Pi-McFM92h34e8h3oSSA6gVeLW5JHQ/s400/13406830_10208278880282970_6925525539376130398_n.jpg" width="220" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Civil War</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU5LCD2z_XWfXurff5lhSNZztE2zjUBgcMlOj-hO3DpfgCOPsJUslPBasGc0xB-bflg6gSSWAWi-L9hluMKUvaojeDDT8iMKExFDOxHOiUzE0njnQ-GCn3C-FOkIj6MH7h52LAuwE8Qf0/s1600/13419272_10208278879802958_4710615095585383888_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU5LCD2z_XWfXurff5lhSNZztE2zjUBgcMlOj-hO3DpfgCOPsJUslPBasGc0xB-bflg6gSSWAWi-L9hluMKUvaojeDDT8iMKExFDOxHOiUzE0njnQ-GCn3C-FOkIj6MH7h52LAuwE8Qf0/s400/13419272_10208278879802958_4710615095585383888_n.jpg" width="220" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">World War II</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxkTVtev6U3XOty4YeMpKbtUWVWweECDbgQ89tAmbzIG7SfR1-o8fcWw7_iU8Fr18Hxkht6QRyIoEj1pk96Z6dRVb_wPL1rMWe7ZUUR2VmY4wOedU9e9XE9ZCktYnvD943LGu-S7qCP-w/s1600/13434683_10208278879602953_3288444042020739139_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxkTVtev6U3XOty4YeMpKbtUWVWweECDbgQ89tAmbzIG7SfR1-o8fcWw7_iU8Fr18Hxkht6QRyIoEj1pk96Z6dRVb_wPL1rMWe7ZUUR2VmY4wOedU9e9XE9ZCktYnvD943LGu-S7qCP-w/s400/13434683_10208278879602953_3288444042020739139_n.jpg" width="220" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Korean War<br />
<br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9039825627902875179.post-2993495138494515222016-05-26T21:25:00.002-07:002016-05-27T13:26:16.407-07:00In Memoriam: Mike Allred<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">His home was across a small field from mine when both of us
were quite young.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He is one of my
earliest friends that I can remember.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Two events connected me to him in those very early days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>First, his family had suffered a tragedy and
I was there the day part of it happened.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Only five or six years old, I remember standing outside of his home
crying because of the sadness within.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I didn’t understand it at the time, but I felt it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Around the same time, I don’t remember if it
was before or after his family's tragedy, my two-year old brother passed
away during the night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My sister and I
watched from the front door as my mother, who had just found her lifeless son,
run barefoot across the snowy field to my friend’s home to use their phone to
call my father.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We didn’t have a phone.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">At the time he was the only one outside of my family that I
could speak with about what happened.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
would share his sadness with me at times as well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At different times throughout the years, even
when we weren’t as close, we would remember the sadness of those events.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was an honor to share a few moments of
silence with the one person that I knew understood how I felt at that time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">While our friendship helped each of us through sorrow, most
of our time together was full of joy, happiness, and on occasion mischief.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">Speaking of the mischief, we had the fortune (our teacher’s
misfortune) of being in the same class in first grade.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> One day, f</span>or some now forgotten reason we stayed
longer in the lunchroom/gym instead of going outside for the longest
recess of the day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was odd because
I loved lunch recess.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t remember
how long they lasted then, but it always seemed like we could accomplish an
unbelievable amount of play and recreation in the time allotted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On this day, however, we stayed inside long enough
to watch as the high schoolers came in for their lunch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Soon they were sitting all around us and,
magically, we became their entertainment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I don’t remember how we started making them laugh…I think he started
calling them names and teasing them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Eventually it led to a (I must say rather minor) food fight with a few
of the high school boys.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">Realizing that we were going to completely miss recess, we
decided it was time to go outside to play.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>(Unbeknownst to us we had already missed recess completely and were the
targets of an angry teacher’s focused search.)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>On the way out, we thought it would be funny to tie one set of our
shoelaces together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Watching two first graders
do a version of the three-legged race to leave the lunchroom was highly
entertaining to all of the teenagers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Halfway
across the hardwood floor, I was looking down at our feet to make sure I could
step at the right time to avoid falling down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Seemingly out of nowhere our teacher, face red with anger, was in front
of us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t remember what she said
because several high schoolers started to heckle her or us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We knew we were in trouble, but the laughter
from the room made it seem not so serious.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Our teacher, on the other hand, was ready to leave the room and escape
the high schoolers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In order to hasten
our exit, she grabbed my friend by the hand and pulled him as fast as she could
toward the door.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> With a thud and a crash, I hit the floor as my foot was pulled out from under me</span>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">Immediately, many of the high schoolers were on their feet
clapping and cheering.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our teacher was
beyond angry and embarrassed at this point, enough so that I began to worry
about my safety. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My friend had a big
smile on his face as he soaked up the applause and admiration of our audience.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">Roll forward a year to second grade.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He and I were classmates again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Apparently the teachers didn’t discuss the
potentially disastrous dynamics of certain personalities in the same
classroom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now, my second grade teacher
was possibly one of the meanest teachers I’ve ever had.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Should others feel to defend her, they don’t
understand her level of cruelty because they were probably better behaved than was
I.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She once made me miss my ride home,
as a second grader, because I had blown air into my crayon box and made what I
thought was a most excellent whistling noise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>(Unfortunately for her, she had to deal with my mother after that
episode.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">So, here we are in second grade and we really were trying
our best to behave.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our best just wasn’t
that great yet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He and I loved to
talk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One day our teacher had had
enough.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In short order both of us were
behind fold out, cardboard closets with masking tape across our lips.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As the shame of my situation started to
build, I suddenly found that the tape had come loose on my bottom lip.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was able to make a funny face and noise
when I moved my mouth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In short order I
was leaning, carefully, outside of my closet to make my friend and other
friends laugh.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Soon our teacher was out
of fold out closets.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">Now, my memory on the next part gets a little fuzzy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think it happened while we were behind the
closets.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My compatriot in mischief had
taken all he could and had to find another way to make someone laugh and I was
his target.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He grunted and caught my
attention.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Carefully I leaned out to
look at him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had a crayon coming out
of each ear and made faces with his eyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I followed suit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Soon each of us
had a crayon in each ear and one in each nostril.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At that point one or more of our classmates gave
us up as they laughed out loud.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">Just then it was time for recess.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As everyone went out, my friend and I were
detained in the classroom to write, several hundred times, the sentence: “I
will not stick crayons in my ears or up my nose.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After recess everyone else went to the
neighboring second grade classroom for some special activity involving the
principal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As we were writing the
sentences, the principal walked through our classroom to get to the event.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Seeing us sitting there he asked what we were
doing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">“Writing sentences,” my friend said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">“What is the sentence,” asked the principal.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">“I will not stick crayons in my ears or up my nose.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">Both of us were quite happy at his reaction, a happy laugh.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">(I truly believe that my terrible penmanship started in
second grade as I was forced, due to my improper actions, to write what likely
was several thousand sentences as quickly as I could.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">As my friend and I moved onto junior high and high school,
we did less together as our interests diverged.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Despite that, we often would find ourselves spending time together quite
easily.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was an amazing bowler, who
would spend time, mostly in vain, to help me get better.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When a new video game would come out, we
often would find ourselves crashing at his house for hours on a Saturday to
figure out how to beat it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After Little
League baseball, he didn’t have much to do with organized sports, which was too bad, because he was a talented
athlete.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Anytime there was a softball
game, you wanted him on your team because he could hit the ball further than
anyone else.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">He was almost always happy and he was kind to almost
everyone (except perhaps to those who were unkind).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His smile was quick to brighten life for
everyone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Like me his level of mischief
decreased, but never completely.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was
friends with every kind and type of person.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He would
help anyone.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">My friend Mike Allred passed away this past weekend.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s been years and years since I’ve spoken
with him and this makes me sad.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wish
we could have laughed together one more time, that we could have remembered
together the early sadness in our lives.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>My last memory of him is this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
was the day of our high school graduation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We had just lined up outside of the Duchesne High School big gym so that
family, friends, and neighbors could congratulate us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was standing there by Mike and my another
close friend.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mike and I were all
smiles, excited for the opportunities that were ahead of us and the amazing
memories that were behind us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Suddenly,
Mike and I noticed that our other friend’s eyes were filling with tears.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">“Why are you crying,” we asked at the same time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">“It’s over, those fun years are over.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Block Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Hyperlink"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="FollowedHyperlink"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Document Map"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Plain Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="E-mail Signature"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Top of Form"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Bottom of Form"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal (Web)"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Acronym"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Address"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Cite"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Code"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Definition"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Keyboard"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Preformatted"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Sample"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Typewriter"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Variable"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal Table"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="annotation subject"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="No List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Contemporary"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Elegant"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Professional"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Subtle 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Subtle 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Balloon Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Theme"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" QFormat="true"
Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" QFormat="true"
Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" QFormat="true"
Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="41" Name="Plain Table 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="42" Name="Plain Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="43" Name="Plain Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="44" Name="Plain Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="45" Name="Plain Table 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="40" Name="Grid Table Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46" Name="Grid Table 1 Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51" Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52" Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46" Name="List Table 1 Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51" Name="List Table 6 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52" Name="List Table 7 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 5"/>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">All three of us teared up for a bit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was right, those were fun years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But, I know that Mike brought years of fun
and happiness to many others after that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That’s the Mike I will always remember.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9039825627902875179.post-81718333691864097202016-01-15T22:21:00.001-08:002016-01-15T22:27:58.686-08:00Running Partners: Real and Imaginary<style>
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<span style="font-size: large;">To run alone or to run with
someone. That is a normal question for
anyone looking to hit the pavement, sidewalks, and trails. Personally, I enjoy running both ways—alone and
with someone or a group of people. I
know some people that almost can’t get out to run unless someone is going with
them. I know others that have no desire
for a running partner. </span></div>
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</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">
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<span style="font-size: large;">There are obvious benefits to
both. Running with someone else can
provide motivation to get out the door, to run further, and/or to run
faster. It can provide excellent
conversation while you run, an opportunity to take your mind off of the
physical discomfort that can accompany a run.
It can also give you a ready ear to hear your complaints about the
physical discomfort that can accompany a run.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2qwPZj3WfAlZMaBk6EgyUWiKQlEcgGzJMAMaMY2sMUkOABVy2rj5XeWMLkjKBI0zeLi9OM932RmH1zahRKcOLvR0pax1-hzPyLq_823YLu_Lc-Uan_7NYtVWOr0ifVCZFi4JlNSXjFjI/s1600/Trails+of+Glory_2015_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2qwPZj3WfAlZMaBk6EgyUWiKQlEcgGzJMAMaMY2sMUkOABVy2rj5XeWMLkjKBI0zeLi9OM932RmH1zahRKcOLvR0pax1-hzPyLq_823YLu_Lc-Uan_7NYtVWOr0ifVCZFi4JlNSXjFjI/s400/Trails+of+Glory_2015_1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Running by myself gives me the
opportunity to spend time alone, important time in my head. It’s a great way to meditate and to push
myself at my own pace without the stress of worrying whether or I’m slowing
someone down or being slowed down by someone. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnrmGaVjI5kPQYVDPYciJRGUSGpo9Cc3cWidE0cwhlR-dbhToNxNa9jDjeaQSHziEfWMfa7PExgmN1O60LGwTfNeCcbyQmQlapfkxN7drjnbbD9HBL0ZeJ5jXtmsPU-zUmNU7gdXg6a98/s1600/runner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnrmGaVjI5kPQYVDPYciJRGUSGpo9Cc3cWidE0cwhlR-dbhToNxNa9jDjeaQSHziEfWMfa7PExgmN1O60LGwTfNeCcbyQmQlapfkxN7drjnbbD9HBL0ZeJ5jXtmsPU-zUmNU7gdXg6a98/s400/runner.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">On occasion, I run alone when I
would prefer to be running with someone and sometimes I run with someone when I
would prefer to be running alone.</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Today I was running alone. As I started, I was satisfied with the
arrangement. It was an opportunity for
me to open up on my pace and push myself faster than I’ve been going. The run, as I expected, started out a little
rough until my muscles loosened up sufficiently. At about the two mile mark I was feeling
pretty good, so as I often do I increased my distance goal in order to take
advantage of the endorphins. </span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
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<br /></div>
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</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">A mile or so later, and after a
long hill, I was feeling a bit of tightness and a growing desire to slow down,
perhaps even walk. It was then that I
pulled out one of my trusted mind tricks I use when running alone. I don’t know if I’ve ever described this
method to anyone, but here goes. I
pretend that I’m running with someone.
Depending on the run, my condition, and my need I’ll carefully select a
running companion. Often, if I’m bored
or need to talk through things, I’ll have pretend conversations with my dad or
my wife. When I’m running alone in a
beautiful place, I’ll pretend my wife is running with me enjoying the scenery.</span></div>
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</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">When I feel like slowing down or
walking more than I should; when I want to run faster and further I pick
between two imaginary running companions.
Sam and Brett. When
I want someone to persuade me gently and kindly, I pretend I’m running with Sam. He ran with on several long runs
through winter in Colorado Springs as I prepared for my first marathon. When I need the <s>harsh</s> tough voice of a
coach, I run, in my mind, with Brett.
Brett trained with me regularly for my second marathon. We pushed ourselves hard, increasing our
speed. On our imaginary runs, Brett will
prod me, laugh at my desire to be soft, even call me names to keep me
running. </span></div>
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</span><br />
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<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Today I ran with Brett. He wasn’t kind, but he was motivating. </span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
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<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i>As
a side note, or perhaps it’s an end note, there is one running companion that
will join me, in my mind, without invitation.
It’s Brett’s dog Ryker. Ryker
went on a few runs with us while we were training. One a particularly long run, our return put
the brisk, cold wind in our faces. Ryker
decided to lean against my right leg for four or five of the return miles. He maintained a constant pressure against
me. By the time we arrived at the car my
right knee was aching mightily. Whenever I get a sore knee or leg on a run when I’m by myself, it seems that Ryker joins me.</i></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9039825627902875179.post-36639751842612041892016-01-09T23:56:00.002-08:002016-05-17T21:50:23.144-07:00Personal Encounters with Wildlife: A Story of Danger and Survival<style>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbXCHDaU7mR82ao-trJf_EZUV9vqtez1N5CSgeDtkb8Nj1RQJ-mwjGN6RlEmvOVBuUDRwEw_N3X7ia-Pq37siqF5xA0JxjyEC7JS17j9t2DWCr087GVA5p-K6eOi2B7zPS71kA8wpGRTI/s1600/Angry+Mouse.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbXCHDaU7mR82ao-trJf_EZUV9vqtez1N5CSgeDtkb8Nj1RQJ-mwjGN6RlEmvOVBuUDRwEw_N3X7ia-Pq37siqF5xA0JxjyEC7JS17j9t2DWCr087GVA5p-K6eOi2B7zPS71kA8wpGRTI/s400/Angry+Mouse.png" width="400" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Sounds of the city, electric entertainment, prepackaged food,
heating and air conditioning all provide layers of insulation from nature. Even the well-planned city park offers only a
sanitized experience with the wild side.
Many people enjoy only limited interactions with nature as protected by
the modern conveniences of our advanced civilization. I’m not one of those, at least not
completely. Given the chance, I will go outdoors. I will go fishing and hunting (even if I
never shoot at anything). Occasionally,
if invited, I will go spotting, you know, looking for large bucks, bull elk and
moose, coyotes, and whatever else someone with a truck is interested in
finding.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">While I enjoy these slightly more engaged interactions with
nature and wildlife, I have a brother-in-law who lives for wildlife. From a young age he has been enthralled by
seeking, understanding, and interacting with wildlife. After earning a B.S. in ecology, fisheries
and wildlife, he went to work for a number of state agencies in Utah, Idaho,
and Colorado. I’m not aware of all of
the work he has done, but I know he has worked with several large species to
include elk, deer, bighorn sheep, and probably some others. Currently, he’s working on a M.S. in wildlife
biology with Utah State University. His
research focuses on discovering why mortality rates are high among antelope
fawns. Some of his work involves
shooting net guns, tranquilizing, and jumping out of helicopters. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">As one would expect he has a lot of entertaining and
interesting stories to share as he has hunted and conducted hands on research
with wildlife. His best story involves a
grizzly bear. Now, in all of the times
he and I have talked he’s only expressed concern for his safety over two
activities—flying in helicopters and field research of grizzly bears. So, I hope I get my description of this
research project correct. Wildlife
biologists capture the bears by tranquilizing them and then they fit them with
a GPS tracking collar. At some point,
the GPS collar is pinged utilizing cutting edge technology to determine where
the bear is spending its time. In order
to determine why the bear was in that location, a team of three goes into that
location to look for food sources, water sources, or piles of bear
droppings. As a very wise safety
precaution, the teams wait two weeks before going into a known location of a
grizzly bear. The goal, I think is to
determine why the bear had been in that area—food, to poop, food, sleep. (Really, I’m not sure what else a bear does,
maybe hold bear parties and other social events.) </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">On one of these excursions my brother-in-law and two others
walked into one of these known locations.
They took all of the standard precautions--made noise on the way in, had
bells on their shoes, carried bear mace, and kept their heads on a swivel and
their ears closely attuned. As it
happened they came up on a site where an old female grizzly had hunkered down. For some reason she had decided to stick
around, not expecting humans to interfere in her life yet again. Bursting forth from an area of dense brush,
the she-bear went straight at my brother-in-law while his two counterparts took
off running. Before he could get to his
bear mace, the bear was on him, giving him time only to raise his left
arm. The bear bit his arm, threw him to
the ground, and quickly departed the area.
As a blessed man, he was able to walk out and receive medical
attention. With excellent medical
attention, skilled surgery, and a careful recovery away from bears has made him
whole again. </span></span></div>
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</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Recently, while sitting in his parents’ house, looking at a
few of his trophies and teasing him about being unfit as bear food, I thought
to some of my more memorable run ins with wildlife. Of course, they’re not as exciting as being
attacked by a bear. (Although, in the
interest of full disclosure, I made a conscious decision as a young child never
to seek out a grizzly bear purposefully.)</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">I’ll start with the mild experiences in the hopes of building
to a crescendo. In doing this, however,
I do recognize that for some these mild experiences may be the equivalent of
your nightmare. Actually, the first
three experiences don’t even involve wildlife, just farm animals. First, once when I was the around the
impressionable age of eight or nine I went to help a neighbor herd some of his
sheep from one field to another. Things
were going well until one of the ewes made a conscious decision to run over
me. In an attempt to establish my
dominance and manhood, I decided to stand my ground. Recognizing that I had accepted the
challenge, the ewe lowered her head and picked up speed. With cunning and alacrity, I sidestepped at
the last minute, and put my arm out to shove the ewe back in the correct
direction. We made contact, I was pushed
back but the young ewe was turned in her path and joined the other sheep. Inwardly I felt a strong sense of
satisfaction, satisfaction that I had shown the adults in the field with me of
my strength and wisdom. Feeling
something wet on my arm I looked down to see it covered in bloody sheep
snot. Satisfaction disappeared as pride
was replaced by disgust and then by shame as I screamed and started to run
around to find something on to which to wipe the snot.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Dairy cows are second on my list. If you’ve ever helped milk, then you know
what I mean. Nothing more dramatic that the
occasional crap and urine. splatter.
Luckily the handful of times I helped I managed to avoid getting kicked
in the face, although I did once have a wrestling match in a holding pen that
was six inches deep in dark green, wet cow manure.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Third, attack chickens can keep life exciting. The term “laying hens” sounds so pedestrian,
calm even, but some of them are wicked evil.
We owned some young chicks that liked to peck and attack whenever I
would feed them, nothing serious.
Growing up we had a neighbor who had a laying hen that was completely
evil. I remember holding a rake to hit
the hen while my friend, with tears in his eyes, slowly approached the nest
with a thick leather glove on his hand.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">These aren’t all of my experiences with domesticated farm
animals, and it doesn’t even cover the few times I was bitten by a horse or
bucked off, but they show some of the excitement that helped make me a little
braver in the wilderness and in the city parks.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> Onto the wildlife…</span></span></div>
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</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Skunks have had a recurring role in my life. Luckily most of my experiences have not
resulted in me being covered with a funky scent. My first memorable experience occurred while
I was in high school. We had just
finished spreading toilet paper all over the yard of a friend up in Bridgeland.
While we were doing the deed, someone
took our car and hid it from us. (This
is a more complex story that may involve another blog post.) Assuming we would have to walk the ten or so
miles back to town, the three of us headed off down the dirt road, cursing our
circumstances. Suddenly, while one of us
was complaining loudly a skunk stepped out from the weeds in the ditch directly
into our path. One of us managed to get out
the word “Skunk!”, but another didn’t listen and managed to almost kick the
skunk as it high-stepped right in front of us.
I don’t know why, but that skunk didn’t spray us but took off running
instead. Because we saw the skunk we
decided to take a different road home which resulted in us finding my car after
walking just a half mile or so. What a
blessing!</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">While I was stationed in Oklahoma at Vance AFB, I had driven
to the base gym early one morning to work out.
Unfortunately, I locked my keys in the car. In order to be able to shower and change and
to get the extra set of keys, I decided to run home in the dark. It wasn’t a long run, less than four
miles. Right before the last major
intersection, on a road between two fields of corn, I heard something moving in
the ditch. Through the dark I could just
make out a large, empty dog food bag that was moving and shaking, a curious
thing as there was no wind. Presently, a
hungry skunk backed out of the bag.
Feeling that its newly discovered food source was threatened, it ran at
me. I increased my speed, assuming that
it would give up quickly to go back to its food. I was wrong.
It chased me for a hundred yards, then with a final hiss it abandoned
the chase. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">The last major experience with a skunk was the worst. Our dog started barking at the back sliding
glass door early one Saturday morning.
Thinking he simply wanted out, I stumbled from my bed and opened the
door. The dog bolted out toward his
doghouse from whence a skunk suddenly emerged.
Realizing what was happening, I called the dog back but not before he
grabbed a piece of tail and got a mouthful of spray. All of this occurred only about ten feet from
our door. Immediately I tried to shut
the door before the dog and the spray gained entry, but I failed. The dog, whining and whimpering, squeezed
through along with a healthy dose of skunk spray. I heard my wife offer a mild, yet loud, curse
from the bedroom. Over the next couple
of days, we learned what works at removing the skunk smell and what doesn’t. (Hydrogen peroxide and baking soda
works. My wife has the exact proportions
for the mix should you ever need it.)</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">While I’ve always carried a healthy caution when it comes to
skunks, I knew that one couldn’t kill me.
The first time I ran head first into a moose, I realized I could meet my
end quickly. Again, I was in high school
when we met. On a Saturday following a Friday night football game, we decided
to drive along a river several miles outside of town to find look for an old laterite
or gilsonite mine that we thought we had spotted. Eventually we reached the end of the road and
had to walk the last mile or so along the river and up the side of the canyon. We made it to the dark spot on the rock
outcropping that looked like the entrance to a mine. It turned out to be just a small recess
caused by weather erosion. My friend,
who had twisted his ankle in the game the night before, suggested that we climb
directly down to the river through all of the tall water plants and walk along
the sandy bottom to the car in order to avoid hurting his ankle more. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">His suggestion made sense.
So, I took the lead pushing my way through the tall plants to make sure
he wouldn’t fall into any deep holes or trip and fall. Finally, with some effort, I made it to the
edge of the water. As I started to step
out I saw the large cow moose standing less than twenty yards away. Her head came up as she heard and smelled me. I stopped, planning to turn and quietly tell
my friend that we had to go another way.
Impatient as always, my good friend put his hand in my back and shoved
me.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">“What are you waiting for?
Go!”</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">I landed right in front of the moose, who was now fully alert
and fully perturbed. With adrenaline now
rushing through my veins I was hyper aware of everything around me, almost like
a super hero, a super hero that was about to die. I felt the cool water running past my legs,
pulling at my jeans. I felt a breeze
rustle the the leaves and branches of the bushes and saw the hair on the side
of the moose move with the wind. Almost imperceptibly
I heard my friend, having seen the moose, curse under his breath as he started
to back into the bushes. The dark brown
eyes of the adult cow moose stared down into my blue eyes for what seemed like
an eternity. Each breath felt like a
gift of life. I lowered my gaze to the
water, acknowledging my weakness, and oh so slowly stepped back into the
bushes, expecting to be rushed and stampeded at any second. Eventually I made it to safety. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">The meeting with the moose, while exciting, wasn’t my most
traumatic. In high school I was blessed
to be employed by the county to clean up trash around the garbage
dumpsters. We drove a beautiful,
well-used, orange Ford F-150 all around the county to pick up the trash that
fell out of the dumpsters or that was simply thrown next to the full
dumpsters. Not an exciting job, but it
had its moments and could be quite entertaining. One hot summer day we stopped by a dumpster
not far from Myton. Someone had dropped
a large, heavy fold out couch next to the dumpster. After picking up the loose pieces of trash we
moved onto the couch. Picking it up we
moved to the back of the truck. I was
positioned by the head of the truck bed by the cab. As we lifted it up high enough to dump it in,
something furry fell down my shirt. At
the time my shirt was tucked safely into my pants, held tightly by my nylon
braided belt. Trapped, the creature
began to run and scratch at my belly, running in circles and passing my belly
button several times, trying desperately to find a way out.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">With a yelp, and perhaps a scream, I used all of my strength
to throw my end of the couch into the truck bed. My coworker, unaware of what had happened,
immediately began to worry for my sanity as I continued to yell, scream, and
slam by body repeatedly into the truck in an attempt to crush the critter. Finally, in a final act of desperation, I
ripped my shirt out from my pants and off over my head. The small, gray mouse flew away from my body
finally free.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Eventually, my heart rate and breathing returned to
normal. I killed the poor mouse. I’m not proud of that fact, but that’s what
happened.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Now, I have a few more stories, some involving snakes, owls,
and even wild horses in Mongolia, but since nothing compares to being the
survivor of a grizzly bear attack, I’ll think I’ll stop here. I am a survivor, a survivor of an unexpected
and brutal mouse attack and I’m not even a wildlife biologist.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9039825627902875179.post-24068833253909428052015-11-17T23:23:00.000-08:002015-11-17T23:23:26.595-08:00Humanity and Security: Can There Be a Balance?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlEw6AU1153-E2pZb55ATwzy_iuRYs5Bqr5SYf7HaEqldYui0nwXHYzRINGqco3nYIGDvJB49PXMK8Jk-s5x7GW2Gg7AGuSnRs2eQtVGjDxbZKyGizsaF16wcIb0gOE4bbEAdqpg8Vh5M/s1600/SyriaRefugee-1250x650.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlEw6AU1153-E2pZb55ATwzy_iuRYs5Bqr5SYf7HaEqldYui0nwXHYzRINGqco3nYIGDvJB49PXMK8Jk-s5x7GW2Gg7AGuSnRs2eQtVGjDxbZKyGizsaF16wcIb0gOE4bbEAdqpg8Vh5M/s400/SyriaRefugee-1250x650.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">How should the United States and other countries react to the current refugee crisis? As we read and watch stories of families, women and children in particular, fleeing the violence, death, and hunger in Syria, we see an obvious and evident need to provide meaningful humanitarian service to include a place of refuge. Yet, in light of the most recent terrorist attacks in Paris and the possibility of terrorists making it into the the US on the coattails of refugees, it makes the safety and security of the homeland a legitimate concern.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">How do we provide needed humanitarian relief while ensuring the safety and security of our homes and families? Does our own security outweigh the plight of all of those refugees who now have only their lives to lose? Do we freely open our borders to 10,000, to 100,000, or to more without question? Do we shut our borders and allow none of those from Syria into our country?</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">I believe we can retain our humanity and help without being reckless with our security, but it will take caution, patience, and understanding. We need to observe closely what has happened in Paris. Did those terrorists truly come into Europe with the Syrian refugees? If so, how did they do it? Can we prevent something similar from happening here?</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">We need our government to explain to us in sufficient detail, while maintaining necessary operational security, how they will vet refugees coming into the United States. Where are they coming from before they enter the US? What is the vetting process and demographic parameters? What will we do to keep track of refugees once they enter the country? Our government should provide us a review of the success and failures of previous refugee relocation programs.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">We need to think about and discuss how we can best help any refugees who will be relocated into the US. Where do we place them? What assistance do we provide? Is it good to provide them employment opportunities or should they not be allowed to work in order to protect jobs for Americans? How long do we allow them to stay? How long have we allowed other refugees to stay? What is the cost of bringing them in and how will we pay for the program?</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">We need to avoid making judgements based solely on race, ethnicity, and religion. Refusing help and engaging in hateful dialogue will only make such problems worse and more widespread. I believe we will be playing into the terrorists hands if we engage in such behavior. Too many people in this country and throughout the world don't understand the methodology of terrorists. Violence and fear are not the aim of the thoughtful and resourceful terrorist. Rather the terror and violence are aimed at eliciting certain responses from various groups. One common response that terrorists seek is an increase in hate and decrease in trust. Much of the dialogue we are seeing today is playing into that desired response.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">But again, at the same time, we cannot label caution as ill-aimed hate and fear. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">A wise response has room for humanity and patience, but it requires a good degree of transparency. Let's develop a well-thought out assistance and relocation plan and take the time to do it right. Let's set aside the hateful dialogue. Let's demand that our government provide us answers and explanations for what will happen without simply lecturing us. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Our biggest challenge is and will be the unwillingness of Americans to set aside political agendas, hate, fear, and uncertainty. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9039825627902875179.post-15198629126937571882015-10-10T17:13:00.000-07:002015-10-10T17:13:16.149-07:00The Master
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiKVDzAyVOyClaVH4IrFRsx0HTTtgZijM0k8wGZqsLQgR4RTnsJ8RXWDm8t9l_aUEc6_oschw-mdVCCJm2FsTgGAXSOB3SpnIVEYmb8YIb1rugP1UvVc8ExoKA3GigsioAB1cAj36YF6U/s1600/Coloring.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiKVDzAyVOyClaVH4IrFRsx0HTTtgZijM0k8wGZqsLQgR4RTnsJ8RXWDm8t9l_aUEc6_oschw-mdVCCJm2FsTgGAXSOB3SpnIVEYmb8YIb1rugP1UvVc8ExoKA3GigsioAB1cAj36YF6U/s320/Coloring.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
Today the master woke me from a
sleep, well deserved and peaceful. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
“Opportunity is slipping by,” said
he, “with each tick of the clock.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
I cleansed, dressed, and groomed;
my meal did not make me full.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
“Quickly to the shop,” demanded the
master, “It’s time to shape rock.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
A lump of material in hand, the master
insists I give it meaning.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
Upon the shelves sit forms and figures,
successes and failures bygone,</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
My present task a thing new, a
challenge perhaps beyond my doing.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
“A skill tried, a talent gained. a
basic step to progress won.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
Exhaustion, tedium, excitements,
distractions beset, entice, and mount.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
Perchance it is enough, I consider,
this small creation mostly fashioned.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
Yet the master drives me, “Halfway,
partway does not, can not count.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
“The best, the most, must be given
for effort as worthy to be deemed.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
The piece now complete, but not in
harmony with my plan designed.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
“Oh, it is well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You gave the day your full measure, the best
was done.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
Experience past employed, knowledge
and skill new is obtained.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
“You know now what you lack;
lasting failures there need be none.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
At end of day, on my knees thanks,
glory and honor given to my King</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
Firm is my commitment, deep and
solid is my resolve for the morrow.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
I, I am the master answerable for
the effort and desire that I bring.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
My own reason essential, my will vital;
As master, those I cannot borrow.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9039825627902875179.post-59396024972118198172015-09-05T23:43:00.000-07:002015-09-05T23:43:32.703-07:00Improving our Dialogue in Social Media
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<span style="font-size: large;">Social media, in all of its forms, has provided us with an
amazing method for communicating with family, friends, colleagues, and perfect
strangers.<span> </span>Personally, I think it is an
effective way to keep up with my parents and siblings, who live in different states.<span> </span>We are able to provide updates and
photos.<span> </span>On short notice we can ask about
a favorite recipe or for a needed fix-it tip.<span>
</span>I also enjoy using social media to track reputable news sources in order
to stay current on the local, national, and world happenings.<span> </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAm-lFigTX-B_i0rPMW29ZxHu68eJ-RZuTX4xKR1s65xNHcsZ8cDTK1qKdfNj3ctlyYCJbzQiEyX9OmStnSeKp7u6LMfZMtomfIvz5l7XDP4aSM-mqlfXrvfK-G1DJf5n-AKq9Qa9g5Po/s1600/Lake+in+Winter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAm-lFigTX-B_i0rPMW29ZxHu68eJ-RZuTX4xKR1s65xNHcsZ8cDTK1qKdfNj3ctlyYCJbzQiEyX9OmStnSeKp7u6LMfZMtomfIvz5l7XDP4aSM-mqlfXrvfK-G1DJf5n-AKq9Qa9g5Po/s400/Lake+in+Winter.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Different social media platforms also allow strangers
connected by issues and interests to carry on a dialogue.<span> </span>I enjoy the opportunity to learn from those
that share my opinions, values, and beliefs; and I value the opportunity to
discuss topics with those that have different perspectives, beliefs, and values
than I do.<span> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">As a forum, the Internet makes people comfortable behaving
in ways that most probably wouldn’t in polite, personal company.<span> </span>I’ve reached the point where I avoid the comments
on the most innocuous of Internet articles.<span>
</span>Some people seem to have a need to be negative in the case of any level
of disagreement.<span> </span>Some want to argue with
others on every issue.<span> </span>Anger and an
overwhelming desire to be right drive many people in their online
dialogues.<span> </span>Sadly, they fail to realize
that, (or don’t care), that anger-based arguments are ineffective.<span> </span>Belittling and belligerent language doesn’t
change minds or hearts; rather it tends to push those with other ideas to
entrench themselves further.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Social media is an amazing platform for freedom of speech,
but many individuals seem to lose their minds whenever someone states an idea,
belief, or principle that doesn’t match up with their own.<span> </span>People will argue for the right to speak
their minds, but would refuse others the same right in case of any
disagreement.<span> </span>It’s seems, almost, that
with the advent of the internet people finally began to realize that there are
multiple, competing ideas and beliefs in the world—and even more shocking, we
have learned that some of our very own family members, friends, and colleagues
have ideas different from ours.<span> </span>Being
offended shouldn’t be our default, or even reasoned, reaction to most
dissimilar ideas.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">People cling to the rights granted by the First Amendment in
support of their one-sided dialogue, but have no problem when others are
quieted.<span> </span>Confusion also seems to drive
claims to the protection of the First Amendment.<span> </span>Many seem to think that the First Amendment
gives them the right to say anything they want with absolutely no
consequences.<span> </span>In their mind, those who
agree with them should be able to say anything, no matter how potentially
offensive, in any setting without consequence.<span>
</span>Yet, they would never consider it acceptable to allow someone that
disagrees with them to come into their homes, their places of worship, their
businesses and spout offensive ideas.<span> </span>Of
course, we have the right, in this great country, to say what we want and to
share our ideas, but there will be consequences of saying things at the wrong
time, in the wrong place, or to the wrong people.<span> </span>I can lose my mind on my boss at work; tell
him what I think of his poor management.<span>
</span>It’s unlikely I will be prosecuted, but I probably will lose my job or
opportunities for promotion.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Another result of social media and Internet is the decaying
value of news on the internet.<span> </span>Opinions
are now represented as facts, and facts as absolute truth.<span> </span>Multiple news sources, of questionable
integrity and reliability have arisen, many with competing viewpoints and
agendas on all sides of different issues and political persuasions.<span> </span>Even “reputable” news outlets are becoming
looser with their reporting, giving into the need to scoop stories and internal
agendas in exchange for accuracy and importance.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Hopefully this blog post doesn’t fall into the categories
that I describe above.<span> </span>My goal is to
call all of us, especially me, to a higher standard of dialogue.<span> </span>More often than I would like, I find myself
feeling offended by what others have written or shared on social media.<span> </span>I’ve had to work hard to be careful about my
reactions and what I write.<span> </span>It’s
important for me to avoid strident and aggressive language.<span> </span>I think I can do that while still expressing
myself, and formulating arguments in support of my ideas and values.<span> </span>If I can’t do so without getting angry or
engendering anger, then I may not have a very good argument. Today I’m careful
about engaging on controversial topics and I’m very careful about who with I
engage.<span> </span>I’m not shy about sharing items
in support of my values and beliefs, but I’m careful about how I do it—careful,
but of course not perfect.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">As I struggle with the climate on social media and my
response to it, I fall back to the ideas shared by Elder Quentin L. Cook, a
member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints.<span> </span>I think he teaches a
better way, a higher way, based on the teachings of Jesus Christ without being
offensive to those who might not share his beliefs.<span> </span>He said the following:</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span> </span>“Many in this world
are afraid and angry with one another.<span>
</span>While we understand these feelings, we need to be civil in our discourse
and respectful in our interactions.<span> </span>This
is especially true when we disagree.<span> </span>The
Savior taught us to love even our enemies…there are some who feel that venting
their personal anger or deeply held opinions is more important than conducting
themselves as Jesus Christ lived and taught.<span>
</span>I invite each one of individually to recognize that how we disagree is a
real measure of who we are and whether we truly follow the Savior.<span> </span>It is appropriate to disagree, but it is not
appropriate to be disagreeable.<span> </span>Violence
and vandalism are not the answer to our disagreements.<span> </span>If we show love and respect even in adverse
circumstance, we become more like Christ.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I also hold to the concept taught by the Prophet Joseph
Smith when he said:</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">“We claim the privilege of worshipping Almighty God
according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same
privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Meaningful dialogue can only take place in an atmosphere of
mutual respect.</span></div>
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</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9039825627902875179.post-86781529614997801482015-08-14T22:49:00.000-07:002015-08-16T22:43:48.348-07:00Celebrating Fair Time<style>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijNimM993R-wWcJY47MDo70pQpfD4ojy2az3iid5YFOJX_0a970QtwJQt3J56Z3rt8ddufy474oMzkJXrMNpmgQ2MqCedHOeTjuOhJV9jCNJ6QGtC8r2QuNqCCZBZmnAh4Vv2hYAw29rM/s1600/Rodeo+Panorama_2015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="130" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijNimM993R-wWcJY47MDo70pQpfD4ojy2az3iid5YFOJX_0a970QtwJQt3J56Z3rt8ddufy474oMzkJXrMNpmgQ2MqCedHOeTjuOhJV9jCNJ6QGtC8r2QuNqCCZBZmnAh4Vv2hYAw29rM/s640/Rodeo+Panorama_2015.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">August in Utah and Idaho is a time for county fairs. Unfortunately I missed one of my favorites
last week, the Duchesne County Fair. As
part of the fair this year, Duchesne County celebrated 100 year anniversary of
its founding. This included a song
written and performed by Charley Jenkins honoring Duchesne County. I won’t lie; I may have felt a bit emotional
as he talked about each of the county’s high school mascots. Here’s a link to the video:</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.ubmedia.biz/ubstandard/audio_58a53006-41e9-11e5-81a1-c39d5bc8e3d1.html"><span style="font-size: large;">Duchesne County Life</span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">It’s interesting to note that while our family moved there
in 1979, a Van Wagoner played a significant role in the creation of Duchesne
County. In 1913, William L. Van Wagoner
of Wasatch County, a member of the state legislature, sponsored an amendment to
the state constitution authorizing the creation of new counties. The amendment was introduced specifically to
allow for the creation of Duchesne County.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">While I didn’t make it to the Duchesne County Fair this
year, I did make it to the Oneida County Fair in Malad, Idaho. My oldest son showed a pig this year as part
of the 4-H program. In the past we’ve
watched him and my two older daughters show and sell lambs and pigs. Before that I watched as my wife’s brothers
and sister showed and sold lambs, pigs, and steers at the fair. For over 30 years my father-in-law, as the
University of Idaho County Extension Agent, he ran the county 4-H
program—needless to say the fair is a deeply ingrained part of life for my
wife’s family.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">This year we arrived on Wednesday night, the day before the
pig show. My wife and I slept outside
under the stars, as we like to do, just in time to see the amazing Perseids
meteor shower. Living in the Vegas
Valley we don’t get to see many stars in the night sky. In the span of the twenty minutes I managed
to keep my eyes open, I counted over a dozen meteors streaking across the Milky
Way.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">My son had a good year showing his pig. He and this year’s pig were much more
prepared than he was last year. He came
in number three for showmanship in his class.
Unfortunately, his pig barely made weight so he got a red ribbon for
quality—a source of embarrassment for his grandfather. The auction is tomorrow. We’ll see if he can match the $900 plus he
made from his pig last year.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-Y2ALVLn2bu9b-Hq1gZA76TreELWBNnNx1gRH-Se_piFtmM3A_jXZ9dsszswWUkr2epVQT7iuG2LtatcbtzGCSIEn0MVvnT3mdI9QdJJ22mepHRQjL5tcg0pxkgkoW2TOIk9f1DZD4f8/s1600/Elijah_Pig+Show_2015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-Y2ALVLn2bu9b-Hq1gZA76TreELWBNnNx1gRH-Se_piFtmM3A_jXZ9dsszswWUkr2epVQT7iuG2LtatcbtzGCSIEn0MVvnT3mdI9QdJJ22mepHRQjL5tcg0pxkgkoW2TOIk9f1DZD4f8/s400/Elijah_Pig+Show_2015.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Thursday afternoon we had to bring in the flock of ewes so
that twenty of them could go to the rodeo for the mutton busting. Anyone who has ever tried to herd sheep, know
that they can be contrary. In the end I
managed to get all thirty of them to follow me while shaking a bucket with just
a few cups of grain. I felt like a
political candidate from the Democrat Party—a large group following based on
the hope and promise of something insufficient to provide any relief and that
actually ended up with them in servitude—but I digress.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj11rInye6rNh2VPLDLbrkQi4O8VLEEwUTou8S5qIpz9teKCbNmTnBuYv35nDVK7iqB9sk3ZTDxjJwkD25YU2lek8YVWNXjRVbV6Kg4JB1li_Im8zx2Y39-dGGwXM0jI1PFr3QDoJDIjGk/s1600/Oneida+Rodeo_2015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj11rInye6rNh2VPLDLbrkQi4O8VLEEwUTou8S5qIpz9teKCbNmTnBuYv35nDVK7iqB9sk3ZTDxjJwkD25YU2lek8YVWNXjRVbV6Kg4JB1li_Im8zx2Y39-dGGwXM0jI1PFr3QDoJDIjGk/s400/Oneida+Rodeo_2015.jpg" width="400" /></a><span style="font-size: large;">For a number of deep-seated reasons, I always get emotional
at the beginning of a rodeo, when Old Glory comes streaming into the arena on
horseback. I feel a deep sense of love
for my country and the power of the small, close-knit communities that make
this country great. To properly
celebrate the event, we bought hamburgers and fries right there on the rodeo
grounds. It’s hard to beat the taste of
fair burgers.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmvpVXPcRsEECf1uB23wFSI4z1kAskeFaQU1ItwMmWT-ahx4XbdFKxBn8I5I0HtKyhWqn2d11bdM3dRQ8CUU7qDGW1-LGh7Ayw5_b0bQ1ZTAUUOQPHpsHUAcsxemFJj5q-0EcIXLup5uk/s1600/Bronc_2015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmvpVXPcRsEECf1uB23wFSI4z1kAskeFaQU1ItwMmWT-ahx4XbdFKxBn8I5I0HtKyhWqn2d11bdM3dRQ8CUU7qDGW1-LGh7Ayw5_b0bQ1ZTAUUOQPHpsHUAcsxemFJj5q-0EcIXLup5uk/s400/Bronc_2015.jpg" width="400" /></a><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Two things made the night memorable. First, was the Calcutta auction as part of
the stock saddle event. In the Calcutta
auction, the person who bids on and wins the winning rider wins 60% of the
funds raised through the bidding process.
The person who wins the second place rider wins 40% of the pot. A number of the riders were well known for
their skills or were local riders. As a
result, they each managed to bring in anywhere from $60 to $120. One rider, Anthony Brown, was receiving no
bids—he was an unknown commodity. In an
act of confidence, he placed a $25 bid on himself. Nobody tried to outbid him and he won the
marker for his ride, a chance at the pot that totaled just over $600.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Anthony Brown came out as the fifth rider and scored 84
points, a score that would not be beat.
Mr. Brown paid $25 in the winning bid on himself when nobody else
believed in him. He walked away with an
additional $400 in his pocket because of his belief in his abilities. There is a powerful lesson in that.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Second, at the end of the rodeo we found we had an
interesting companion with us as a spectator.
I took his picture (below). He looked
back at me just as intently as I looked at him.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEges8JOLav5Z8Nl3DpUIDiYTO9ovupxUqFVUMuTF9xSpIIDJ-eyjyM_eqsHoj0yvEAMUACm_hiU_aEUaeOfIMjlQ5OwDfyrnY7Qb4KY2mHonPOB5wlGg34qNYYX40XVaw1mDCu9VpCsjl8/s1600/Preying+Mantis_2015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEges8JOLav5Z8Nl3DpUIDiYTO9ovupxUqFVUMuTF9xSpIIDJ-eyjyM_eqsHoj0yvEAMUACm_hiU_aEUaeOfIMjlQ5OwDfyrnY7Qb4KY2mHonPOB5wlGg34qNYYX40XVaw1mDCu9VpCsjl8/s400/Preying+Mantis_2015.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Next month my father-in-law will be the Grand Marshall for the
Eastern Idaho State Fair. Here’s to many
more fairs and many more rodeos and the celebration of a wonderful way of
life. </span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9039825627902875179.post-10796838919135620082015-05-01T14:14:00.001-07:002015-05-01T15:09:03.843-07:00Bridging the Gap: Law Enforcement and Community Relations<style>
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<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijMBhhYS3Odwqy69iCQPmw0ulQRQ2d3dSpkhHLYu0FOIii6a1fT04tRtcVq0drood1nwJQMVGIWr-mwTvDstIQrrRSaRUo87qpaAKkJmEh_ZdI-ZaefjrEz3W3yNZEZki-ZlJIAoUdBUI/s1600/Community.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijMBhhYS3Odwqy69iCQPmw0ulQRQ2d3dSpkhHLYu0FOIii6a1fT04tRtcVq0drood1nwJQMVGIWr-mwTvDstIQrrRSaRUo87qpaAKkJmEh_ZdI-ZaefjrEz3W3yNZEZki-ZlJIAoUdBUI/s1600/Community.jpeg" height="234" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">Today parts of our country seem ready to come apart along
racial and social seams. The causes and
solutions of the larger program are beyond my scope of understanding and
problem solving. Racial issues, while
not what they once were in this country, linger. Racial tension has morphed into an
institutional problem that is difficult to trace to any one source, making any
one solution unlikely. Answers can’t be
found in political ideologies. Both
parties have tried to fix the problem.
Both have failed. Both parties
have those who sincerely want to create the conditions for a positive
change. Both parties have those who will
use race as a stepping stone to greater power and influence. Ideological fixes have exacerbated or mutated
the problem into something more complex.
</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">One key societal interaction continues to impact communities
at large, often leading to violence and calls for more violence. The intersection of members of the black
community and law enforcement, specifically in areas with poor economic
performance and a large number of minorities. Such areas are potential tinderboxes. In places were the interactions, perceived or
real, are bad enough, any tragedy can lead to greater tragedy.</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">While I don’t think we have the knowledge, wisdom, or
capacity to address the root causes of the overall crisis, I do think we can
alleviate some serious symptoms. Perhaps
by taking some first steps in addressing this symptom, we can develop the
ability to see more clearly, understand more clearly and make other meaningful
changes aimed at the root causes.</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">Two key elements are at the center of troubled relationships
between law enforcement and the affected black community and individuals—trust
and communication. Without one it’s very
difficult to have the other. At some
point both sides, all sides, involved in the relationship need to agree to
begin doing one or the other—trusting or communicating. It would be best if they could do both at the
same time, but baby steps may be required.</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">I propose the following steps be taken by law enforcement
and municipal leaders and respected leaders in the black community in cities
where there is a recognizable problem.</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">First, there should be a sit down meeting of law
enforcement/municipal leaders and a variety of leaders from the black community. Each person in attendance should express
their goals for the community and their perception of the problems in terms of
racial interaction with law enforcement.
This session should be a listening session that is moderated by a
third-party. I believe that they would
find some common ground in terms of desires for a safe and more prosperous
community. I also believe that, if the
various parties listen, some understanding of other perspectives will begin to
have an impact. The very act of being
able to speak clearly to the other side can be beneficial. I suggest that the conversations take place
privately, behind closed doors without the media present. A report of this initial conversation can be
released to the public after it takes place.
This may not be viable, but it may help reduce the likelihood of
participants grandstanding to score political or public relations points with
their constituencies.</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">Second, all parties should agree to an in depth look at the
situation. A third-party should be hired
to do the following:</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">-<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-synthesis: weight style; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span>Conduct community polling among all ethnicities
regarding the perception of law enforcement-community relations and the role of
race in those interactions.</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">-<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-synthesis: weight style; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span>Conduct a polling of all law enforcement
officers in the agency and their perception of community relations and the role
of race in those relations.</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">-<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-synthesis: weight style; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span>Conduct a review of conviction rates and
sentencing statistics broken down by crime and race.</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">-<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-synthesis: weight style; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span>Conduct a review of the law enforcement agency’s
policies and history of race-based complaints.
The goal would be to present findings that show which complaints are
founded and which is not.</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">-<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-synthesis: weight style; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span>Conduct a review of public statements made by
law enforcement/municipal leaders and black community leaders. The goal would be to identify statements that
were helpful and which were needlessly inflammatory or harmful.</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">Third, all parties will attend another meeting where the
results of the third-party review are discussed. This meeting once again will focus on
listening. Attendees should be open so
that they can develop a more clear, unbiased picture of reality and the steps
that will be necessary to find common ground and to begin a serious
dialogue. Not everyone will agree with
all of the findings. That is not
necessary to begin the dialogue. The
goal is to identify gaps in perception relative to a more objective look at the
big picture.</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">Fourth, a series of interactive meetings will take
place. The parties will discuss each of
the major findings. Attendees initially
will focus their remarks on what they can do to improve the situation relative
to the findings. As each attendee offers
up ways they and their constituents can improve the situation desires and
perceptions will move toward common ground.
Productive dialogue has the potential to allow for concessions on issues
that are meaningful but not restricted by principled beliefs or values. Law and order can be maintained while
recognizing and protecting the rights and concerns of the black community. This concept is central to the dialogue. Law enforcement and municipal leaders must
not be asked to sacrifice law and order in exchange for anarchy. The black community can demand and receive
fair and transparent treatment.</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">Fifth, a robust community-policing program must be put into
action. The program must be developed by
and specifically for the members of the community and the law enforcement
agency. Among many possibilities, a
community-policing program should consist of at least some of the following:</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">-<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-synthesis: weight style; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span>Law enforcement and municipal leaders should
attend community events and arrange for moments of meaningful dialogue. Community and cultural understanding must be
deepened. They must come to understand
the challenges facing community members and the impact they might have on law,
order and potential interactions. </span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">-<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-synthesis: weight style; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span>Community leaders and members should participate
in appropriate law enforcement activities to understand the perspective of law
enforcement. They should go on
ride-a-longs. They should participate in
various training events to include use of force training.</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">-<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-synthesis: weight style; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span>A board of review should be put in place with
members from law enforcement and the community.
The board will review community complaints and questionable issues of
use of force. Recommendations and
findings by the board should demand serious consideration. The reasoning for actions and decisions of
law enforcement agencies should be explained clearly to the board and open for
discussion</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">What can we hope to gain by all of this? Trust through dialogue and transparency. Law enforcement leaders need to be able to
trust that when a community leader comes to them with a concern or a complaint,
that it is something credible. Community
leaders need to know that they will receive the information that the
information they receive from law enforcement leaders is timely and credible
while accepting the fact that at times legal concerns may delay the release of
that information. With this type of
trust, law enforcement agencies and community members will begin to work from
the foundation of shared goals and understanding. The lives and rights of community members and
those of law enforcement officers will be placed on equal ground by all of
those involved. Police officers will
monitor themselves to make sure they are behaving properly. Community members will monitor themselves to
make sure that their members are behaving properly. Both sides will address actions and reactions
to poor and improper behavior civilly and legally. The law will be enforced and crime punished
more fairly. Communities will be safer
for everyone.</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">To reiterate, these steps will address a symptom only. They do not have the power to heal some
deeper issues. They do, however, offer a
start, a place of beginning.</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9039825627902875179.post-84281330671667509662015-03-16T16:36:00.000-07:002017-05-15T08:39:23.563-07:00Escape on the Lake<style>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">Quiet and gray, crispness in the air</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">Clouds and surface combine in one</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">Snowflakes fall heavily into dark water</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">Pulling on the oar, my breath freezes</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">The shore recedes, gray water surrounds</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">Mountains rise high above the valley floor</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">Snow gathers slowly on evergreen needles</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">Ripples run outward from the silver canoe</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">Horses in the pasture stamp feet</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">Field lays fallow, yellow stubble wetted</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">Fowl glide past as all shapes fade away </span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">Isolation embraces and nature encircles</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">Lying back, staring up; sky is falling</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">Thick, wet crystals land gently on bare skin</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">Solitude is my blanket; silence my music</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">Weight and worry slip off, melting away</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9039825627902875179.post-5222028579703639852015-02-04T16:09:00.002-08:002015-02-05T15:47:28.916-08:00Memories of the Duchesne County Fair<div class="MsoNormal">
Who remembers watching the horses come off the side of the
mountain as they would sit back on their haunches and slide down?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Usually their rider would be out in front
holding onto the reins, running and sliding just in front of the horse.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Eventually they would reach the bottom and
drop out of sight momentarily…then in a mad rush horse and rider would come
galloping through the river and into the rodeo arena.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As a young boy I knew of a few people who
rode in the Crazy Horse Race year in and year out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It seems most of the riders were younger guys
who didn’t know better yet, but there were a few experienced riders that
continued to race.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
At the end of every summer I looked forward to the Duchesne
County Fair.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Shortly after my family
moved to Duchesne my dad was put to work fixing the old wood rodeo stands,
repairing seats, gates, and fences.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
loved to spend time with him as he put up new lumber and painted it as the fair
approached.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My dad, Reed Van Wagoner,
would go on to serve on the Fair Board for several years and as Chairman for
some of that time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His service on the
Fair Board and his work as a deputy sheriff allowed me to spend a significant
amount of my time around the fair as it was set up, executed, and closed
up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I remember when the Blue Fair
Building was brand new.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
For a year or two I had plans to be a bareback rider in the
Little Buckaroos rodeo.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I never made it,
but one year, with a brand new set of school clothes on my body, I won the
greased pig contest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Both my dad and I
got in trouble when I got home that night, but I did win a bag of Jolly
Ranchers.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My dad was on the Fair Board the year the old rodeo arena
was replaced.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think he was Chairman of
the Fair Board that year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was fun to
go down every day or two to check on the progress, to watch the new chutes and
announcer stands put together and to watch the huge light poles go up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
<br />
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</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
That year Charly McClain put on a concert at the fair.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sitting up front with my parents and family
friends was a cool treat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At one point
in the concert Charly McClain asked for a ten year old boy to come up to the
stage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I happened to be 10 that year,
the summer before I started sixth grade.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>My dad shoved me a little and told me to get up there, but I hesitated,
not sure if I wanted the attention and uncertain what would happen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Suddenly one of my dad’s friends sort of
grabbed me and threw me out in front of the stage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pretty soon one of the stage hands had me by
the shoulder leading me up on stage where the beautiful Charly McClain took me
by the hand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was thrilled and
terrified at the same time.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
She told the crowd that she was going to dedicate the next
song to me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Before she started she
leaned over and whispered in my ear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In
the days and weeks afterward several people asked what she whispered to
me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I told most of them it was a
secret.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But, here is what she said to
that ten year old:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“The music is going to be really loud.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don’t let it scare you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just smile and squeeze my hand.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As they started the song I recognized it from the radio.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My mom always listened to KNEU 1250 AM at the
house and car and I had heard this song more than once.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She started to sing the song “Men”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here are the lyrics and a link to the video.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Looking back, it may have been a little grown
up for a ten year old, but I just kept thinking that a beautiful woman is
holding my hand in front of my family, all of my friends, and everyone in my
hometown.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Men</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Some men treat you
just like a lady</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Others treat you just
like a child</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">And they can drive you
so far away</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Or they can drive you
wild</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Some you wanna show to
your mama</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">And some you wouldn’t
show to your dad</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Some wanna take you
straight to the altar</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">And some just wanna
take you to bed</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Women, I’m here to
tell you about ‘em</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Men, we couldn’t make
it without ‘em</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I’ve loved a few and
I’ve a few that need a friend</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">There’s nothin’ better
than men to hold</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">There’s nothin’ better
than men</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Some men are as cold
as December</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Some are ‘bout as hot
as July</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Sometimes they fill
your life with happiness</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Sometimes they make
you cry</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Women, I’m here to
tell you about ‘em</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Men, we couldn’t make
without ‘em</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I’ve loved a few and
I’ve found a few that need a friend</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">There’s nothin’ better
than men to hold</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">There’s nothin’ better
than men</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sr-JBNDvnpk">Charly McClain - "Men" Youtube</a> </i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As she finished singing the song she turned to me and leaned
over to give me a kiss.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In shock I
turned my face away…I think I remember hearing a few gasps in the crowd.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then, I came to my senses and turned back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She kissed me on the cheek leaving a
beautiful mark from her dark red lipstick.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The crowd roared and my knees felt weak.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As I left the stage, I was given an autographed picture and
a Charly McClain hat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I took that hat to
school every day for the first month of school.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I remember when Mr. Lowell Caldwell, our principal, came to my
desk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He saw the hat and asked: “What
was better? The hat or the kiss?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
wasn’t even close between the two. (I was jealous later when I found out that my mother had lunch with Charly McClain and her husband Wayne Massey at the El Cid.)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Other concerts followed through the years—Pam Tillis, Earl
Thomas Connelly (who was very drunk during his concert), and others, but none
were as good as the Charly McClain concert.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I loved watching the rodeos from the announcer’s stand where
I could watch the cowboys with their gear preparing to ride the rough
stock.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I loved watching the demolition
derbies and the horse pulls.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I loved
listening to the corny clown jokes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
loved walking through the displays in the Blue Fair Building.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Two summers ago I took my family back into town and we spent
some time at the fair and the rodeo.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My
kids loved the parade down Main Street, even with the rain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They loved the food from the vendors outside
the rodeo grounds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Growing up my mom
always warned me not to buy food from a certain food vendor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As we asked one of my friends for a
recommendation she shared several, and then, more than 20 years later, she gave
me the same advice regarding the same food vendor—“Don’t buy food from there.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As I’ve lived all over the United States and traveled
abroad, I’ve come to realize how truly special it was to grow up in a place
like Duchesne.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Duchesne County Fair
was and is an amazing opportunity for family, friends, and neighbors to come
together every year and celebrate the community and way of life.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9039825627902875179.post-86813208325729973132014-12-12T23:52:00.002-08:002014-12-13T11:59:08.167-08:00Stage Left to Stage Right: A Tale of Fun at DHS<br />
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
This is a short recollection of an event from my 7th grade year at Duchesne High School. It's mostly accurate, I think. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
“Did you get it?” I asked impatiently while trying to keep a
look out for our teacher.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We had less than a minute before she would come back to find
us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Quickly I glanced back at my two
friends, JS and MW.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were attempting
to unlock the bar on the exterior door to the high school auditorium so we
could sneak back in later during our lunch break.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Got it,” JS said, closing the door quietly.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Turning we ran back down the aisles between the seats and
upon to the stage just as our teacher stepped out from the dressing rooms.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Come on you guys.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Quit playing around.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As I followed her I looked back at the long rope hanging
from the rafters at center stage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One
more class period until lunch, then we would be back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The rope held so much potential.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We wolfed down our lunches over at the elementary school and
then hustled back up the sidewalk to the side door of the auditorium.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With a quick look around, we ducked through
the door, locking it behind us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
large room was dark and eerily silent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Carefully we made our way up onto the stage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Feeling around we found the light switches,
bathing the stage in bright lights for our pending adventure.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
MW grabbed the end of the rope.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was thick, maybe three inches with a large
knot tied at the bottom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rope in hand we
climbed up the ladder at stage left, to the small platform about 20 feet up on
the wall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The platform was small,
crowded with old, abandoned stage props from productions past.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was barely enough room for the three of
us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The length of the stage lay before us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were ready to experience it at high
speed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was anxious for my turn.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Since MW pulled the rope up we decided to let
him go first.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Holding tightly to the
rope, he carefully climbed over the railing of the platform.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With a deep breath and a scream, he jumped.</div>
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He flew across the stage with a full-throated yell.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As he reached the apex of his swing at stage
right, the backstage door from the hallway opened.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In walked Principal JD and another
teacher.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They looked up to see MW fall
from the sky right in front of them and then streak away toward the other end
of the stage.</div>
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Quickly JS and I ducked behind the props on the platform,
hoping to remain unseen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>MW gave one
brief look at us as he came back up toward the platform; his eyes were a cross
between terror and amusement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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Passing back out over center stage, MW offered a weak
greeting to our esteemed principal.</div>
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“Hey, JD.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What are
you doing in the auditorium?”</div>
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<br /></div>
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The initial look of shock was receding slowly from the
principal’s face as he began to realize what he was seeing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unfortunately the teacher with him remained
confused for at least a few more swings.</div>
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“Well, hello MW!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What
are you up to?”</div>
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<br /></div>
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“Not much.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just going
for a swing.”</div>
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<br /></div>
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“Really?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just a
swing?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All by yourself?”</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
JD looked around, expecting to find some
co-conspirators.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>MW was a very social
person, not likely to be engaged in any mischief alone.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Coming back by again, MW answered: “Yes, I’m alone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Couldn’t get anyone to come over with me.”</div>
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I felt JS shaking next to me, trying to keep his breathing
quiet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Neither of us wanted to get
caught, even for something so trivial.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Luckily for us MW was an expert at being in trouble.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I hoped he could keep us safe, the same way
he had when we built the clubhouse off campus in elementary school.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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As his kinetic energy began to zero out, MW dragged a leg
across the floor to bring him to a full stop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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JD remained unconvinced that MW was swinging by himself on
the stage during the lunch period.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>MW
was never alone.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Come on, you’re really in here swinging all by yourself?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
He was squinting his eyes looking around the stage and into
the darkness of the empty auditorium seating.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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“Yeah, I like to come here to swing by myself
sometimes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You know, just to clear my
head.”</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
JS forced out another controlled breathe next to me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I realized I was doing the same thing.</div>
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<br /></div>
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MW compliantly walked over to JD.</div>
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“So, I guess we’re going to your office to talk for awhile?”</div>
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<br /></div>
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“Yes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I guess this is
worth a chat.”</div>
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<br /></div>
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As they walked away, MW looked straight ahead, giving no
indication of our hiding place.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>JD
stopped at the door and turned to look around one more time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As he walked out, he turned the lights out
plunging the stage and auditorium into a deep darkness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
JS and I stayed in place for a few more minutes just in case
JD tried to slip back in to catch us coming out of hiding.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Climbing down from the platform was a bit
iffy in near pitch-black darkness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With
a few bangs and a slip or two we made it safely back to the stage and made our
way quickly to the exterior door.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
slipped into the bright sunlight and walked away safely.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It turns out that MW had to sit through a half serious
lecture for about twenty minutes in JD’s office.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He talked about the importance of rules and
being safe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He asked him a few more
times about swinging alone on the stage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He never gave us away.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Looking back on the events of that day, I still think about
that rope.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Part of me wishes I had carried
the rope up and taken the first and only swing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Flying across that stage with a dark auditorium to one side would have
been amazing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Looking down to see JD and
the other teacher standing there would have added to the thrill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9039825627902875179.post-79555928892341489022014-11-24T21:39:00.003-08:002014-11-25T08:57:45.663-08:00Thoughts on Ferguson<style>
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<span style="font-size: large;">
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<span style="font-size: large;">There is a definite racial imbalance in this country. Most
of us who don't have overt racial biases or tendencies, especially those of us
who are white, don't notice it as much as those who are in the minority.
Unfortunately, there is often a negative interaction between some
minorities and law enforcement. In the vast majority of these cases, race isn't
driving the issue, but poor decisions by people. Race, too often, is claimed as
the cause. Usually these interactions occur in economically disadvantage areas
that are overwhelmingly African American. The economic conditions of these
minorities in many cases are the result of the past's institutionalized racism.
Find a way to invigorate these communities economically and crime will drop. If
we can drop crime, these types of interactions will decrease. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAR7OgDdSirzhRHhLMkJnLoamfxZXIhpzTCUrMz0d8rM_D5BC_Vcn18P5SF4ET6Qh76OW65alRf52RHb3TZlI99JEtciRYlY9u-EGaUtsgy-7bTL0wylmZxoK9pO_NXCWTF7GqLOLqNaw/s1600/Ferguson.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAR7OgDdSirzhRHhLMkJnLoamfxZXIhpzTCUrMz0d8rM_D5BC_Vcn18P5SF4ET6Qh76OW65alRf52RHb3TZlI99JEtciRYlY9u-EGaUtsgy-7bTL0wylmZxoK9pO_NXCWTF7GqLOLqNaw/s1600/Ferguson.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
Riots in Ferguson are not merely a sideshow cause by a few nut jobs. It's much
larger than that. This involves thousands of people taking advantage of the
situation in order to steal and commit further violent acts. There are
individuals and groups that gain from fanning the racial flames beyond what is
necessary or helpful. Going after a cop and an institution before getting the
facts of what happened doesn't help a bad situation. When the truth came out
about what happened, it merely made people angrier when things didn't turn out
the way they demanded. They made a terrible situation much worse. Instead of
heightening the awareness of racial problems among other parts of society, they
instead have drowned out the voices of those with reasonable concerns. There is
a massive gap in the methods and purposes of today's protesters as compared to
those in the days of Martin Luther King, Jr.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">If these same "concerned" citizens focused on the
issues that are having a widespread and devastating impact on the black
community, then the rest of the world would take them more seriously.</span></div>
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</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Institutional racism exists today, but it is largely the
result of what happened in the past. Fixing economic imbalance isn't an easy
thing. Both parties have failed at it. Many would argue that Johnson's War on
Poverty did as much to maintain and exacerbate the imbalance as anything that
Reagan attempted. But, it's important to understand that neither of these
presidents implemented policies with the intent to disadvantage the minorities.
Simply, it's a complex problem with no easy fixes.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Somehow poverty rates among minorities have worsened under
President Obama and a Democrat controlled Congress. Should we assume that he is
racist? Absolutely not. Rather we should realize that the problem is beyond his
scope of abilities and understanding, just as it has been for so many other
presidents. Large government programs, tough new laws, or billions of dollars
won’t fix this problem. It can only be fixed in individual homes.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Here's my biggest problem with the terrible death of Michael
Brown in Ferguson and the terrible death of Trayvon Martin in Florida--two
young men died who shouldn't have and those deaths brought down the
condemnation of millions of people in this country, people with good and some
with bad intentions. But, when young black men are killing other young black
men nearly indiscriminately in places like Chicago, those same voices are
largely silent. That is where we see the true cost of institutionalized racism,
not in these handfuls of sensationalized cases where the media and people on
both sides of the racial equation distort the truth. What are Al Sharpton,
Jesse Jackson, President Obama, Sean Hannity, Ann Coulter, Mitch McConnell and
others doing to stop the type of violence that is killing hundreds and
thousands of young black people? Instead, everyone goes crazy when an isolated
incident occurs. We pat ourselves on the back and convince others and ourselves
that these are the real issues and that by tackling these issues we're going to
impact the problem. We're not; we're making the problem worse.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">At the same time we can't dismiss the reaction of protesters. For some this simply is a reason to run rampant, be violent, and steal a few items they may want. For many they are reacting to a situation that symbolizes the oppressive reality of their economic condition and their interaction with authority. People, at all levels of society, must use this unfortunate event and the needless fallout, as an impetus for meaningful dialogue. This issue is a behemoth, something that will not be fixed quickly or easily. </span></div>
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<b>Addendum - The Day After</b><br />
<b> </b><span style="font-size: large;">As I was driving home from work last night, I was listening to local talk radio as the nation waited for the results of the grand jury decision. One of the callers hit the nail on the head with his description of what is happening at the street level, where law enforcement and minorities interact. The caller described himself as a large, black man. He said he weighs around 260 lbs and has several tattoos. Each time he's been pulled over he can sense the nervousness of the officer making the stop. As he said, here is an officer who deals with terrible things and terrible people every day. Unfortunately, too many of those criminals happen to be young African American males. The caller expressed his understanding of the source of the officers nervousness. Society's economic and criminal realities are what they are--that officer on the street is not responsible for making them what they are and in most cases doesn't want the interaction to be about race, but about protecting and serving the public by enforcing laws fairly. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">The caller wasn't trying to justify this type of interaction at a societal level, but at an individual level. Neither that caller nor the officers that pulled him over created the current situation. They are dealing with an unfortunate reality that sometimes negatively impacts good and honest people. The caller went on to explain how he acts in situations where he has interacted with police officers. First, he recognizes that they deal with terrible people and terrible things on a daily basis. Second, he does his best to show respect to the officer for two reasons--one good and one bad in my opinion, but both make sense. He respects the officer and the job he is doing and he wants the officer to respect him as a person. He also shows respect out of fear because he, the caller, doesn't want to be a victim of an escalating situation.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Our citizens and our law enforcement agencies can do a much better job of communicating and interacting. Citizens of all social backgrounds need to feel ownership for the legal system. They need to know that their voices will be heard on issues important to them. By bringing those on the fringes of the system in to participate, law enforcement will gain greater support which is invaluable when terrible tragedies occur.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Many of those who feel disenfranchised in our country don't realize it, but we do have one of the best legal systems in the world. It's not perfect, but it works better than almost anything else being used. It works better when everyone understands it, supports it, and is engaged with it. The reaction to Ferguson shouldn't be to further marginalize either side. Instead we should find a way to have a deeper, more meaningful dialogue.</span></div>
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</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9039825627902875179.post-83006343183783026992014-10-21T15:41:00.002-07:002014-10-21T15:54:34.910-07:00Louis L'Amour - The Wisdom of a Pulp Fiction Writer<span style="font-size: small;">"If you write a book set in the past about something that happened east of the Mississippi, it's a 'historical novel.' If you write about something that took place west of the Mississippi, it's a 'Western'-and somehow regarded as a lesser work. I write historical novels about the frontier." </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"> - Louis L'Amour</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Many is the time I found myself lost in the desert fighting the elements and other men for survival. In fur and self-made clothing I have traveled the length and breadth of Siberia on foot. I have descended into the kiva on a haunted mesa and entered the Third World. I have stepped onto new shores, crossed mountain passes, and rivers. Ancient cities have housed me. I have built new towns and communities. Treasure, love, and challenge have called out to me.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5MDY451iAL0wQVYqFiOD4-EVrD-Sn7StcBOI1np12aG2DeMY8_HsCqnFN3M0yBJOudFT19FsjerNXOh51sGZJ-vkSyTn_odhhOZ-qVy9V-z3EEOiQL12F7FMogw-eNShkpIjoJKT9kGA/s1600/L'Amour.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5MDY451iAL0wQVYqFiOD4-EVrD-Sn7StcBOI1np12aG2DeMY8_HsCqnFN3M0yBJOudFT19FsjerNXOh51sGZJ-vkSyTn_odhhOZ-qVy9V-z3EEOiQL12F7FMogw-eNShkpIjoJKT9kGA/s1600/L'Amour.jpg" height="400" width="243" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The power of Louis L'Amour's books are palpable. His stories capture important aspects of the human experience. They are simple stories about struggle, striving, failure, and triumph. His plots are simple, yet direct. To me they transmit important historical and cultural mores and values that define part of America and part of who I want to be. A couple of his novels took place where I grew up. It was easy for me to place myself in his novels of the west, of the frontier. There, where I was a boy, the frontier was in the not too distant past. Old roads and trails, dilapidated buildings gave evidence of the closeness of the wilder days.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">L'Amour captured the American drive to become somebody, to create something of lasting value. His characters were men and women who willingly suffered hardship, risk, and misfortune in the pursuit of something better. They exemplified personal responsibility, ambition, and, in the midst of the wild, the value of civilization. These ideas of civilization and the opportunity offered by the frontier today seem a paradox. Many have given in to the pull of collective responsibility where risk is avoided, responsibility belongs to "them", and ambition is a sin to be covered and hidden.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">While his plot lines may not have some of the complexity that we enjoy in our literature, he shared a vision and a sense of wisdom that is classic and, if applied, still valuable today. For an entertaining and inspiring read, pick up a L'Amour. Follow the story of the Sacketts, come to know Bendigo Shafter, learn of the difference between healthy ambition and unbridled greed. There is something to be said for men and women who do, and those are the type of people that L'Amour created.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">To whet your appetite here are few of my favorite quotes from Louis L'Amour. (I have to admit that a number of years ago I started reading some of his books with a pencil in hand to underline a few things.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">"A mistake constantly made by those who should know better is to judge people of the past by our standards rather than their own. The only way men or women can be judged is against the canvas of their own time."</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">"The trail is the thing, not the end of the trail. Travel too fast, and you miss all you are traveling for."</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">"Up to a point a person's life is shaped by environment, heredity, and changes in the world about them. Then there comes a time when it lies within their grasp to shape the clay of their life into the sort of thing they wish it to be. Only the weak blame parents, their race, their times, lack of good fortune or the quirks of fate. Everyone has the power to say, 'This I am today. That I shall be tomorrow.'"</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">"The way I see it, every time a man gets up in the morning he starts his life over. Sure, the bills are there to pay, and the job is there to do, but you don't have to stay in a pattern. You can always start over, saddle a fresh horse and take another trail."</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">"Violence is an evil thing, but when the guns are all in the hands of the men without respect for human rights, then men are really in trouble."</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">"Too often I would hear men boast of the miles covered that day, rarely of what they had seen."</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">"We are, finally, all wanderers in search of knowledge. Most of us hold the dream of becoming something better than we are, something larger, richer, in some way more important to the world and ourselves. Too often, the way taken is the wrong way, with too much emphasis on what we want to have, rather than what we wish to become."</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">"Books are precious things, but more than that, they are the strong backbone of civilization. They are the thread upon which it all hangs, and they can save us when all else is lost."</span> </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Finally, for all those stories that he took with him to the grave:</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">"I have told many, yet when I go down that last trail, I know there will be a thousand stories hammering at my skull, demanding to be told."</span> </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #181818; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; orphans: auto; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span> </span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9039825627902875179.post-20524849081698220222014-10-14T16:58:00.000-07:002020-01-28T10:45:57.073-08:00Reed Van Wagoner: A Life of Service - More to Come<style>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
I’m having a difficult time with my father’s retirement as a
police officer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For thirty-three years
he has been involved in law enforcement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That covers the bulk of my life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsySgNcsZ8YoSsfUK5jTjQOwjwGQ00sY7IMse6jjxUDNDDlFg4nsV-X1XPK7iNi0Vxv8fLzwDIz6_5i8SwqRMgtzm6uVvv9U2Ox5tTUoCZrgH80XH8LdAQe1G-LqX5lToRpMdUcDerpzo/s1600/Screen+Shot+2014-10-14+at+4.54.45+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsySgNcsZ8YoSsfUK5jTjQOwjwGQ00sY7IMse6jjxUDNDDlFg4nsV-X1XPK7iNi0Vxv8fLzwDIz6_5i8SwqRMgtzm6uVvv9U2Ox5tTUoCZrgH80XH8LdAQe1G-LqX5lToRpMdUcDerpzo/s1600/Screen+Shot+2014-10-14+at+4.54.45+PM.png" width="263" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Here’s
a quick timeline of his service:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>1981: Police Officer, Duchesne City Police
Department (Who remembers when Duchesne City had their own police department?)</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>1983: Deputy Sheriff, Duchesne County Police
Department</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>1988: Master-at-Arms, United States Navy active
duty</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>1991: Deputy Sheriff, Duchesne County Police
Department</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>1995: Police Officer, Provo City Police
Department<br />
<b style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><i><br /></i></b>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><i>As an update, since my dad's retirement in 2014 he has worked as a CID agent for the US Army in Europe, training other investigators.</i></b></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
He still continues to serve in the US Navy Reserve.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>During all of his time in law enforcement he
has been a trainer, an investigator, chief deputy, sergeant, and
lieutenant.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For twelve years in Provo he
worked as detective investigating sex crimes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>His conviction rate and service set a new standard for the City of
Provo.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>During those years he was
activated and deployed by the US Navy Reserve three times, two of those to
active war zones where Islamic militants rained mortars down on his
installation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had one brief period
where he worked in the private sector for a friend, but continued to serve as a
reserve deputy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Often during his career
he did extra construction jobs and things on the side to bring in enough income
to provide for his growing family.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
When I returned from serving my LDS mission in Russia,
another officer in Provo asked me if I was ready to apply to the police
academy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was no way, I told him,
that I could do what police officers do: shift work, working holidays,
missing family events, dealing with blood and gore at accident and crime
scenes, dealing with belligerent and foolish people on a regular basis,
insufficient pay.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think I made the young
police officer question his decision to join the long blue line.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In short, I wasn’t willing to make the same
sacrifices my father had to serve others.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I won’t attempt to speak for him regarding his career or for
those he served and helped along the way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I will share some of what I observed, experienced, and felt.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Being the child of a law enforcement officer is exciting,
frightening, annoying, humorous and sometimes painful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It’s exciting because your father is out there protecting
you and everyone else from the bad guys.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Growing up in the home of a law enforcement officer you learn that the
bad guys are real.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You also learn about
the fragility of life and the sadness that comes from accidents and
sickness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On a regular basis I was able
to ride in his police vehicle with a souped up engine, flashing lights, and
siren.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When he was a deputy sheriff in
Duchesne County, he would prepare me for what could happen during the course of
a shift.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He would make sure I knew where
we were located in case something happened and I needed to call dispatch to get
help.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had specific instructions to
hide if anything dangerous happened.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>During those early years I mostly saw him pull over a few speeders, saw
a few self-inflicted gun shot wounds caused by hunters who had decided that
extensive drinking and firearms were a fun mix, and went on a few search and
rescue missions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Another deputy was killed while he worked for Duchesne
County, shot on accident by another deputy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It brought home the reality of the risks associated with his work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>More than once I saw worry on my mother’s
face when my dad was late coming home from a shift.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At the beginning of my dad’s career we had a
police radio scanner in the house.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
was fun to listen to it and know what was happening.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After awhile my parents got rid of it with
the excuse that it was nice to take a break from work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was also nice to relax and not worry about
what you were hearing when dad was on duty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>My poor mother was a dispatcher for a short period while my dad was
working for Duchesne City or the County.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She listened on the phone while my dad was at a domestic dispute.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The caller kept telling her to call out
backup because the officer was getting the crap beat out of him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think she moved on to something different
shortly after that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While all of us face
risk going out the door every day, law enforcement officers face it even more,
knowing that they might have to put their life on the line for someone else all
while dealing with thoughts of their own loved ones at home.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Having a parent or relative in law enforcement in small town
enhances the experience in some aspects.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>You tend to find out a lot more about people than you really want to
know.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Also, friends, neighbors, and
others like to blame you for their troubles with law enforcement, especially
when it was your relative who was involved.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I don’t know how many times I was told that my dad, and by association
me, was a terrible person because he arrested so and so for doing such and such
and it was none of his business anyway.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Usually I would just shrug it off, realizing that people don’t like to
be caught doing something they shouldn’t.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Several of these types of complainers would assume that I knew what had
happened…usually I didn’t until they informed me of all the wonderful details,
some of which was occasionally incriminating.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>In rare instances, I did feel that perhaps my dad had been too harsh
with the offender and would ask him about it and he would patiently explain why
he had take that course of action.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Here is one of my favorite complaints from friends and
others in the small town environment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Duchesne is a small, mostly agricultural community with the occasional
oil boom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is common for teens to start
driving on the farm at a very young age.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Many of these teens and others, usually with their parents’ permission,
will decide it’s okay for them to drive on the roads with regular traffic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Invariably, my dad would pull these youth
over and usually send them home with a warning and occasionally a written
citation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Once caught these people would
whine and complain to me about how stupid and unfair it was that he would dare
to stop them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, finally I asked him
about it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His response?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If they caused an accident driving before
they were licensed, there would be serious consequences.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>First, they might be delayed in getting their
drivers licenses.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Second, their parents
may have to pay for the accident out of their pocket with no help from the
insurance company.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Third, unprepared and
unqualified drivers are more likely to cause serious accidents that result in
harm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It wouldn’t fair to allow them to
drive putting themselves and others at greater risk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Anyway, I’ll get off of that soapbox now
except to say that I never got to drive on the roads by myself before I had my
license, so who had it fair?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Law enforcement officers interact with some of the most
bizarre people and situations on a fairly regular basis.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some of them are disturbing and some are
extremely funny.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Listening to my dad’s
stories is one of my favorite past times, especially when there are other
officers there to share their stories.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Here are just a couple of stories that I remember.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(Of course, my memory may not be completely
accurate.)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I’m reasonably certain the first one happened to my
dad.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If not, that’s okay because it’s
still entertaining.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Back in the early
80s it was common to hear my dad tell stories of the latest arrests for DUI and
public intoxication.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For one of these
they had arrested a woman who was very drunk and larger than my father, who is
not a small person.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the booking room
at the Sheriff’s Office, this lady backed into my dad and sat on him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Before he could get up and before the other
deputies could rescue him she proceeded to urinate all over him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Good times.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Another story I love occurred when he was in Provo.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He and another officer were called to a lady
who was complaining about aliens performing experiments on her while she
slept.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When they arrived she related how
they were sending microwaves up through her floor into her bed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Because of these microwaves she couldn’t
sleep.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She wanted to be left alone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My dad said,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“Now, I’m not saying I believe you and I’m saying I don’t, but I do know
how to stop microwaves.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Thrilled that someone had finally listened to her, she
asked, “How?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Do you have any aluminum foil?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Yes.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Go get some.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’ll
lay it shiny side down under the bed and it will block the microwaves and
reflect them back down.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
He spent the next few minutes helping her lay the aluminum
under the bed while the other officer watched in disbelief.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As far as I know they were never called back
to help with the alien experiments again.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Okay, we have time for two more stories that involve me
directly.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As I mentioned I loved to ride along with my dad when he was
on duty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sometimes he would have me wait
in the vehicle while he ran into different places.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Often the wait would be extensive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On one occasion he went into the Duchesne
County Courthouse.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I waited forever and
became bored.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Looking around I found a
partial roll of breath mints.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My dad
wasn’t a big breath mint person so I was sure he wouldn’t mind if I took one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One wasn’t enough so I took another.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Finally, as I was unwrapping the packaging
for a third one he got back in his vehicle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He looked at what I was doing and smiled.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Did you eat one of those already?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Yes, two already.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Why?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“They’re not mine.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Who’s are they?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“They fell out of the purse of the extremely drunk and dirty
lady that I arrested last night.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“No, it didn’t.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Laughing, he responded, “Oh, yes it did.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
They tasted clean, kind of minty.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Fast-forward several years to when my father was in
Provo.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had been home from my mission
to Russia for just a short time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was
riding with my dad on the swing shift, which is when all the fun, crazy stuff
happens in Provo.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dispatch contacted my
dad.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The night clerk at a local motel
suspected that some teenagers were about to have a drinking party in one of the
rooms.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We drove over to the motel to
take a look.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The clerk pointed out the
room.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some of the teens saw us when they
opened the door, and went back inside quickly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>As we were standing there, a case of beer was suddenly thrown on top of
a solid brick fence on one side of the motel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Putting his finger to his lips, my dad motioned me to follow him quietly
to the wall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Reaching up he took the
case of beer.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A voice whispered, “Is that you?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Yes,” my dad whispered back.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hurry, take
it.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Quickly they set several more cases on top of the wall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We took them, setting them quietly on the
ground.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Finally, one of the two young
guys handing us the beer jumped up on the wall to help carry the beer to the
party.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As he looked down at my dad, his
eyes got huge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He looked at us and at the
room where his friends were staring through the window at what was happening.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Still whispering, my dad asked, “Is that all of the beer?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The kid on the other side, who hadn’t seen us, whispered,
“Yes, that’s all of it.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Coming to his senses the kid on the wall slid back over
before my dad could grab him and yelled, “Run, it’s the cops.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We didn’t even try to chase them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Calmly, amidst our laughing, we put the
confiscated beer into my dad’s vehicle while the kids watched from the hotel
room.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Before we left he went to the room
of crestfallen, would-be partiers.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“It looks like you won’t be having the fun you had
expected.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hopefully you didn’t lose too
much of your money.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I suggest everyone
go home now or I’ll start calling parents.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My dad loved to serve and help other people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That was why he loved being in law
enforcement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His goal was to keep people
safe and help them wherever he could.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
was never quick to write a ticket or arrest someone if it wasn’t necessary.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He would rather give out friendly advice than
a ticket.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Friends and neighbors knew
they could ask him for help at any time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It was a life that impacted me deeply.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Because of his service, I joined the Air Force and served for a short
time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His example causes me to question
my motives on a daily basis.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It makes me
want to make a difference in the lives of my family and in the lives of
others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A quick word about my mother.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t speak or write about her publicly
very often.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She is a private person and
I get emotional when I speak of her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For
almost forty years of marriage my parents have supported and loved each
other.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think of all the nights and
days when my mother was on her own with her children or by herself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think of those times when my father was
called out in the middle of the night to go provide aid to someone else even as
they dealt with their own struggles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>While she wasn’t always quiet and cheerful in her support, because
that’s not who my mother is, she made him a better person and allowed him to
bless the lives of so many other people. They will be off to new and exciting adventures that will involve more service.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
One of the last times I rode with my dad was just after he
had been promoted to lieutenant.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was
a couple of years ago.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>An elderly
neighbor from his ward called to ask him if he could help find his daughter, a
middle aged women with a disability.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She
was due to return from a trip on a bus but didn’t arrive on the bus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They had no idea where she was and had no way
of getting in touch with her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My dad
promised to find her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For the next
couple of hours my dad went to the various bus stops where she may have gotten
off early.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We asked people if they had
seen her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Finally, we pulled into the
McDonald’s just off of University in Orem and saw here sitting in at a booth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was frightened and scared.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As we walked in my dad called her name.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She looked up and her face brightened.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Reed, you found me!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>How did you know to look here?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“We just kept looking until we found you.”</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9039825627902875179.post-73127094743868005322014-09-29T12:13:00.000-07:002014-09-29T12:13:05.629-07:00The Power of Shared Experiences
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Humans love to have shared experiences.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It gives us a sense of belonging.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This desire for shared experiences will cause
us to invite others to join us; or, it will lead us to join with others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some join in experiences that are positive,
creative, and beneficial.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Others join in
experiences that are negative, destructive, and harmful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Most of us cross back and forth between the
two to one degree and another.
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Often we seek out and reach for others who have experienced
difficulties, trials, obstacles, and sorrows similar to ours.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We may invite them to join with us to some
degree.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not all of these are
intrinsically negative experiences.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Many
of them produce overtly positive results.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>But, the journey through the experience may be painful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That pain can be alleviated when it is shared
with others, when we realize that we are not alone in difficulties.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Often we don’t want to be alone.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In high school I had an experience that brought this home to
me in a humorous way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was one of
those rare days where I didn’t have anything scheduled and I hadn’t come up
with some spontaneous activity with my friends or family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fact that morning, all of my family was
out of the house and many of my friends were busy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After a quick visit to the local grocery
store in my small town, I found a rental movie I hadn’t yet seen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a small miracle since my friends and I
had seen almost all of the decent movies that were available.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The title of the movie slips my mind, but it
was some sort of modern western that looked slightly promising.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Back at home I put together a few snacks and went to the
basement to watch the movie.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It started
out fine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The acting was mediocre but
the story line held my attention.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A
mystery developed throughout the movie, driving my curiosity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Despite the overall below average quality of
the movie, I was anxious to get to the bottom of the mystery, to get the answer
that would bring it all together for the characters and for me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To my utter disbelief and consternation the
movie, in spectacular fashion, failed to answer any of the questions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rather, it recycled to the same scene at the
beginning of the movie.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I was physically angry because of the ending.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I felt that I had been cheated of
satisfaction and of the time I had spent watching the movie.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was certain that producers and director of
the movie had laughed at the viewers’ expense, knowing that we were angry at
our loss of time and money.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Admittedly,
I took consolation in knowing that not many people would be fooled into
spending time and money on their movie.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Then, I became angry and remorseful, realizing that I was one of the
“select” few to do so.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sitting there seething, looking at the popcorn I had thrown
on the floor, I pondered what I should do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I felt compelled to act.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>An idea
entered my head and I smiled.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Running
upstairs, (because we didn’t have personal cell phones or even a cordless at
the time), I called one of my best friends.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Hey, guess what?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
just watched an awesome movie.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You
should come over and watch it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have
popcorn.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Soon he was in the basement with me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This time, instead of watching the movie
intently, I watched his reactions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
build up of anticipation was evident in his face and body language.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By the end of the movie he was anxious to
know the mystery.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was verbalizing
some of the same guesses I had thought to myself earlier.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then, the ending scene recycled to the
beginning scene without giving any answers.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Wait,” he said, “What happened?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Then the screen transitioned to the ending credits and his
anger blossomed fully.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“What kind of movie is that?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That was stupid.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A waste of my
time.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As he spoke, my own tension eased.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I no longer felt alone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A friend had experienced the same trial and
disappointment as I had.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The world
wasn’t a perfect place, but it felt a little better.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“I can’t believe you made me watch that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why did you call me over to watch such a
stupid movie?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The anger in his voice was answered by my smile and twinkle
in his eyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I said nothing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then a similar smile spread across his face.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Let’s call so and so to come and watch the movie with us.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Two other
friends joined us to watch the movie.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Their reactions were the same.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Anger followed by a desire to share.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>After they watched it we took another trip to the grocery store to
replenish our snacks and then called to invite more friends to watch an
“amazing” movie.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By day’s end, actually
a bit into the night, I had watched that move at least five times.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At the last showing we had around a dozen or
so people in my parents’ basement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
final set of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">victims</i> or <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">newbies</i>, whichever term you prefer, were
upset that we didn’t have time to reach out to anyone else.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The day was amazing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Each time the movie would end, those who had seen it previously would
laugh out loud, congratulating one another on expanding the size of our
group.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The new group would transition
from anger to a degree of acceptance and belonging.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is one of my cherished memories from
high school.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It took me years to realize
why I enjoyed it so much.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It wasn’t the
movie.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The movie was terrible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It wasn’t being mean to my friends.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was doing something with my friends.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Enjoying an experience with them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was seeing how much they enjoyed being
included in the group, knowing that when we wanted to share it with someone, we
thought of them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
While I enjoy quiet and solitude more than I did before, I
still relish the joy that comes from shared experiences, even if we share them
at different times.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I love to talk about
my children with other parents.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I love
to run races with people and to talk to people who train for and run
races.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I love to talk to people who have
experienced military training, who know what it means to by TDY or to PCS; or
to have to complete something NLT than COB; or to have to go to the MPF to
enter someone into DEERS.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I love
attending church with family and friends.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I love to be invited to participate in activities with others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I love to invite them to participate with
me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I love when someone trusts me enough
to let me know about their struggles and concerns in life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I love when I can trust someone enough to
share mine.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1B-xbge-o_6o7C72H023x0KLFyvghZ5HCDFsw1t5PmIrQ0o9edwFlNT7xNuIRLDqdpRGM1djvrD_zhnpSbp2aVtw_sfKD6BFGve5s4NGG4W_kBG7LKCPO7iREpMFb7g8qbcMiduNx1o0/s1600/Kolob+Reservoir.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1B-xbge-o_6o7C72H023x0KLFyvghZ5HCDFsw1t5PmIrQ0o9edwFlNT7xNuIRLDqdpRGM1djvrD_zhnpSbp2aVtw_sfKD6BFGve5s4NGG4W_kBG7LKCPO7iREpMFb7g8qbcMiduNx1o0/s1600/Kolob+Reservoir.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9039825627902875179.post-42754096047897466492014-09-24T15:46:00.001-07:002015-09-08T09:48:30.867-07:00Looking Back: One Little Neighborhood<style>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">Today is my 39<sup>th</sup> birthday. It seems amazing to me that time has gone by
so quickly with no way to slow it down.
In my life I have loved looking forward to what comes next and to the
great and wonderful things I can do and experience. Since one of the next things in my future is
the age of 40, I think I’ll spend some time looking back, way back—not for too
long, just long enough to affirm how wonderfully blessed I am.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">When I was a very young person my parents moved from the
Salt Lake Valley to the small town of Duchesne in eastern Utah. Duchesne, for me, is a magical place. Honestly, I can’t think of wanting to grow up
anywhere else. It’s comforting to a
young boy to feel like he knows almost everyone around him and that everyone
knows him. In that small town
environment I wasn’t restricted to the house or the yard except when there were
chores, homework, or I had misbehaved.
Oh, and generally on Sundays I stayed around the house. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4IjCurpsYxHeHwdu2eZSObTOArfpu2PbkDRDe537f2GZU6IJmu48D9-5ZaDOrChd54fI0xHTCjU6Ck2anVI9xQNfsCZQ0xb0UeSEP-z55a2cgtazjsBj_tgyZmIdRjBpxL-7gMRxG9dI/s1600/Screen+Shot+2014-09-24+at+3.42.27+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4IjCurpsYxHeHwdu2eZSObTOArfpu2PbkDRDe537f2GZU6IJmu48D9-5ZaDOrChd54fI0xHTCjU6Ck2anVI9xQNfsCZQ0xb0UeSEP-z55a2cgtazjsBj_tgyZmIdRjBpxL-7gMRxG9dI/s1600/Screen+Shot+2014-09-24+at+3.42.27+PM.png" width="400" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Duchesne, UT</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">After living in Duchesne for a couple of years my parents
bought their first home in what was referred to as the subdivision on the
southeast side of town. Looking back I
like to think that I lived in the ‘burbs.
It was a great place to live.
With lots of houses there were plenty of children my age. The Strawberry River bordered the
subdivision on the west and north sides. A small
mountain range, part of the Tavaputs Plateau, ran along the south side. A piece of land belonging to a local
construction company was on the east side.
Truly it was a playground fit for a young boy and all of his
friends. In that neighborhood alone we
had bike trails, two tree houses, a sledding hill (used for sledding and
jumping bikes), and several hiking trails leading up into the mountains.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">The sledding hill was a major attraction for the children,
both summer and winter. In the winter we
would gather with our sleds and tubes to slide down the hill, clearing the jump
at the bottom with as much speed as we could muster. Steering was always important. Too far to the left and you would land in a
Russian Olive Tree with its unforgiving thorns, thorns just as likely to tear
apart a tube as flesh. Plastic sleds and
toboggans were fun, but dangerous. They
didn’t pick up much speed and they were impossible to steer. The round ones were fun because of the excitement
and danger. Often they would spin so you
would go down the hill backwards and they were faster than the other plastic
varieties. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">For speed, the best option was generally the old flyers,
wood sleds with metal rails. By far they
were the fastest and they could be steered.
Speed was the danger…that and the hard and sharp edges of the
sled. More than one child lost control,
crashing into others, flipping, or landing in the Russian Olive Tree. Whenever there was blood on the sledding hill,
there was a good chance a flyer was involved.
Invariably the flyers won the jumping contest. They could fly further than any other type of
sled. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">Old tire tubes were the most fun and safest option. If you brought a tube, you were expected to
bring the wax for the bottom as well.
Wax was the secret to speed on tubes. The wax had to be reapplied on a regular
basis to keep the friction down and the speed up. Tubes were the HOVs (high occupancy vehicles) of the
sledding hill. If one was coming down,
you got out of the way because there could be anywhere from one to eight people
on it. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">It always paid to be friends with
someone who brought a sled, especially if you didn't have one. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">Fun at the sledding hill was the type that stuck to you and
wouldn’t let you leave. I would stay for
hours at a time, as long as I could stand the cold. Usually I wouldn’t leave that hill on
Saturdays until the dark forced us off or my mother called me home. Usually while I was on the hill, climbing up
and sliding down, I didn’t notice the cold.
As soon as I would get home and pull off all of my wet winter clothes,
the 10,000 pinpricks of pain would course through my fingers, toes, ears, and
nose. Tears would fill my eyes and I would
whimper while I sat next to our big, black fireplace in the front room changing
into dry clothes. I was always amazed at the pain that would come from running lukewarm or cool water over my frigid fingers.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">During the summer months, we would meet on occasion at the
sledding hill to jump our bikes. Enough
speed could be generated coming down the hill to jump an amazing distance at
the bottom. For a couple of years I was
too cautious (chicken) to take any serious jumps off of the hill. I’d watch in awe as my friends and older kids
went faster down the hill and jumped further and further. Part of my fear was failing miserably in
front of all of my friends and peers.
One day I was the only one at the hill for some reason. I climbed the hill with my bike and coasted
down, gently gliding over the bump at the bottom. Several times I repeated the process, increasing
my speed by increments. Eventually I was
making substantial jumps. Finally I
reached the point where I would pedal all the way down the hill and pull myself
into a lengthy jump at just the right time.
I couldn’t wait to show my friends.
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">On my last jump, although I don’t think I planned on it
being my last, I decided to do a few tricks in the air. For this inaugural occasion I decided to turn
my handlebars one direction and then straighten them out just before I
landed. Speeding down the hill I hit the
jump and pulled back with all my might.
It was my highest jump yet. In
the air I turned my wheel and looked down.
I was so impressed with the height and distance of my jump that, sadly, I threw my timing off and I landed before I turned the wheel
straight again. The last thing I
remember was my turned wheel hitting the ground and flying over my handlebars
head first into the ground. I know it
knocked me out simply because I remember waking up. My face was a little scraped up and something
felt loose in my jaw. The bike lay on
the ground about ten or twelve feet in front of me. Slowly I picked myself up and rode slowly
home. It would be another year before I
was willing to try the jumps again.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">I miss being a child in that neighborhood. Countless times I knocked on friends’ doors
to ask, “Can so and so come out and play?”
Countless times my friends knocked on my door to ask, “Can Jarad come
out and play?” Often a friend would show
up while I was in the middle of stacking firewood or weeding the garden to see
if I could join them on some adventure. Trying to leave before the work was done was
pointless. Usually they would join in to
help me complete my job. I did the same. In that neighborhood I knew that at any time
another adult there could stop me in my tracks for any improper behavior. When they did I hoped they would correct me
on the spot without feeling the need to inform my parents. Sometimes, however, it was serious enough that they spoke with my parents.
Luckily I never got into too much trouble.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcb0Cl8gOnRdXzd6ay8po5sBWp-X0Z0J9AabPC3yvuMnSpPHT1-SLJ0e61n0CL_LFUzfTvFuO4tPubUVIIw5sLOt8_xHDE6p8wfv0GEGYu6XYKyjummySDbsmztlx7GQwgd9Kr_ZtF6rA/s1600/Screen+Shot+2014-09-24+at+3.41.51+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="376" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcb0Cl8gOnRdXzd6ay8po5sBWp-X0Z0J9AabPC3yvuMnSpPHT1-SLJ0e61n0CL_LFUzfTvFuO4tPubUVIIw5sLOt8_xHDE6p8wfv0GEGYu6XYKyjummySDbsmztlx7GQwgd9Kr_ZtF6rA/s1600/Screen+Shot+2014-09-24+at+3.41.51+PM.png" width="400" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Subdivision</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">Oh, the hours I spent with friends in the mountains. We would hike and explore for hours. There were two Devil’s Soup Bowls on the face
of the mountain. One near our
neighborhood and one near the County Fairgrounds. The debate always raged about which one was
the real Devil’s Soup Bowl and which was the fake. In those hills we built huts, tracked
animals, looked for Sasquatch, avoided snakes (usually successfully), checked out the television tower, and once
hiked several miles up Indian Canyon.
One time someone even managed to spray starter fluid in his eye from a
rusty old can. Poor kid ran screaming
all the way home, up and down hills for about two miles. By the time we got there we had to explain to
his mother what had happened because he still couldn’t speak a coherent word.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">I have so many wonderful memories from those hills. One day I was hiking on the face of the
mountain with a friend. I had my brand
new cowboy hat, recently purchased at the fair.
We were up above the fairgrounds, kind of close the fake Devil’s Soup
Bowl. A sudden gust of wind blew my hat
off of my head and over a cliff. The
cliff stretched too far for me to climb around, so I took out my rope and tied
it to a large rock. My plan was to repel
down the face of the cliff to my hat and climb back up. I had seen it happen on the television set so
many times that I was sure I could do it.
The cliff was only ten to fifteen feet high. I’m not sure how I planned on getting back
up. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">As I prepared to go over the edge, my friend kept trying to
talk me out of it, but I was committed.
With the rope wrapped around my waist I leaned back and prepared to go
over. Before I could take a step I
distinctly heard these words, “Jarad, don’t do it!”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">I shook my head and slid down further to the edge. Again, I heard distinctly the words, “Jarad,
don’t do it. Stop!”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">“Did you hear that?” I said to my friend.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">“Hear what? I didn’t
hear anything. But, I don’t think you
should do it.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">Looking down at the cliff, I considered it one more
time. Again the words: “Jarad,
stop! Don’t do it!”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">That was enough for me.
I remembered all of my lessons from Primary and sacrament meeting. I untied my rope, stashed it back in my
backpack, and abandoned my hat. Several
hours later at home, my dad grabbed me by the shoulder and said, “It’s a good
thing you didn’t go over that cliff.
Your rope didn’t even reach the bottom.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">Confused, I asked, “How did you know about the cliff?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">“We were watching you from the backyard.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">“How could you see me?”
It was about a half a mile or more away.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">“With the binoculars.
Why were you trying to go over the cliff?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">“To get my cowboy hat.
The wind blew it off.”</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">"Was that you telling me not to climb off the cliff?"</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">"Yes. I was yelling as loud as I could." </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">So many more memories.
Dirt clod wars. I believe we had
three of them and usually spilled blood at some point. Working for Porter Merrill on his farm and in
his garden. Fishing the river. Camping out in tents or under the stars for
nights on end in the front or backyard.
All of that and more in one little neighborhood.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9039825627902875179.post-80521920669479828912014-09-10T16:31:00.002-07:002016-06-15T15:32:27.008-07:00Great Haircut Stories<style>
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</style> For the past several weeks, perhaps months, I’ve been busy
with family, church, work, and a larger writing project.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Today, to help me unwind, I decided to share
some important experiences related to my development and upbringing—important
haircuts in my life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For those of you
who are kind enough to read my blog on at least an intermittent basis you may
have read about my friend Brett’s amazing haircut experience in China during a
beer festival.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you haven’t read it,
here’s a link to that adventure: “<a href="http://politicsofwork.blogspot.com/2014/06/living-on-edge-brett-culturual-warrior.html">Living on the Edge: Brett, the CulturalWarrior, in China</a>”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t think any of
my experiences approach his in terms of raw shock and awe, but I think they’re
informative, entertaining, and impactful.
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrutvWtAq5GBEgxRqaXRO1MAC42S7xlRQN4AXOQRFSawckEcgNoCP-ZBwYOfV4XLb_P-KTMxwoRlTQteXSA7jvVxu_ZE4QnheKY_fDtTtTCLKYHRkYYFYRrl-nHGBcWMyuJtVZuQmkJ4s/s1600/Romania_Dog+Statue.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrutvWtAq5GBEgxRqaXRO1MAC42S7xlRQN4AXOQRFSawckEcgNoCP-ZBwYOfV4XLb_P-KTMxwoRlTQteXSA7jvVxu_ZE4QnheKY_fDtTtTCLKYHRkYYFYRrl-nHGBcWMyuJtVZuQmkJ4s/s1600/Romania_Dog+Statue.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>First Haircut</u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Of course I don’t remember my first haircut.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I just remember my parents talking about
it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s been several years, maybe even
a decade or two since they have mentioned it, but I remember it still.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The conversation between them would go
something like this:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Dad: “Remember when you took Jarad in for his first
haircut.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Mom: “Yes, I remember.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>You were so mad when they cut all of his curls off and they never came
back.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Dad: “He was so cute with curls.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Mom: “I know.” </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
They would both sigh and look at me with a bit of regret in
their eyes and shake their head sadly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I’ve always wondered how cute I would have been if I had kept my
curls.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Would I have been more
successful, more personable?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Would I
have had more friends?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Perhaps I would
be a successful third term politician by now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Instead I grew up missing the cuter Jarad I never really knew.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I like to think the loss of the curls made me
a stronger person, that I was forced to work harder for what I have
received.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My natural intelligence and
work ethic were forced to the forefront of my personality as my natural good
looks were somewhat diminished.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Like my
parents I still sigh when I think about those lost curls.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>Naval Junior
Officer Training Corps and the Flat Top</u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As a young child I once talked my dad into giving me a buzz
cut.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My mom hated it (probably because
it reminded her even more of my lost curls).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Other than that one buzz cut I went years without an exciting
haircut.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was the same every time,
with the perfect part on the one side.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>If I got my part wrong, my mom either used a sharp-toothed comb to fix
it or made me go try again.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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Life changed when I entered the 8<sup>th</sup> grade.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My dad decided to up and join the US Navy at
the ripe old age of thirty, pulling our family from quaint little Duchesne,
Utah all the way across the country to Pensacola, Florida.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Eighth grade in Florida was painful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nobody really liked the kid from Utah with
huge glasses and a perfect part in his hair.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>My favorite places that year were in my dreams and at church.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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When summer rolled around I tried out for the freshman
football team at the high school and was selected to play outside
linebacker.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In order to fit onto the
team and to deal with the hot, humid summer, I cut my hair quite short, not a
buzz, but you know, very short.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was
nothing exotic, but practical.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As school
started I was excited to register for the NJROTC classes, sort of follow in my
dad’s footsteps and learn a little more about the military.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The NJROTC instructors were amazing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They managed to convince me, and others lest
you think I was alone, that it would be cool and patriotic to wear a uniform to
school once a week while keeping a short haircut.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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Shortly after school started I was warned by one of the
instructors during our weekly inspection that my hair was about due for a
haircut.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My dad decided to take me to a
local barber he had been seeing for a few months.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>An older gentleman named Ivan owned the
barbershop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had two other ladies who
worked for him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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As I sat down my dad smiled and said to Ivan and to me,
“What do you think about a flat top?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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Never before had I really considered a flat top haircut, but
I liked the idea.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ivan responded before
I could.</div>
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“I think he would look great with a flat top.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He would have to get a special flat top brush
to train his hair and to make it work.”</div>
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Ivan proceeded to describe the process of training hair to
stand up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As a new member of the NJROTC
I was thrilled at the prospect of doing my own training.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Quickly I agreed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was refreshing to have the sides of my
head shorn of hair.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ivan used an
old-fashioned straight blade razor to clean up the appropriate spots.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It took him some time to get the hair on top
to the right length and even.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When he
was finished, I thought I looked pretty good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>In short order I had my own flat top brush.</div>
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In fact, I still have a flat top brush to this day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think I’ve owned a total of two flat top
brushes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The last one I bought, and
still use today, was purchases after I lost my first one when I was fifteen or
sixteen years old.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My sisters think it’s
a little gross that I still have the brush, but I love it, missing bristles and
all.</div>
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For the next two years I met with Ivan and his straight
blade on at least a monthly basis to keep my flat top in good working order.</div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>Wild and crazy in
the Basin – Or, Making It Up as I Go</u></b></div>
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After my sophomore year I moved back to Duchesne.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I kept my flat top for a while, but it wasn’t
considered as cool as it was as it was in Pensacola, so I slowly let it
fade.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Plus, it wasn’t a great haircut to
have during the cold winters.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My first
winter back, I went over to Roosevelt for work and decided to stop in for a
haircut at a local barbershop on Main Street.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I had never been there before and didn’t really know anybody.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When it was my turn I sat in the chair, not
sure what I wanted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Looking up I saw
that the place was full of fathers and sons waiting their turns.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>None of them had anything too crazy, outside
of maybe a lingering mullet, which was not considered extreme at the time (or
even still).</div>
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I must have been bored and wanted to entertain the crowd
because I told the barber I wanted something like a high and tight, but I
didn’t want the hair shortened on top.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>In fact, I wanted him to leave a distinct line like a bowl cut with the
longer hair coming down to a point on the back of my head.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The barber asked me several times if I was
sure that was what I wanted and if my parents would approve.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I told him I was spending my money and that
they wouldn’t care, too much.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Also, I
mentioned that I was from Duchesne and that I doubted my parents would come
over to give him a hard time for giving me a crazy haircut.</div>
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It was obvious he was excited to do it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I doubt he had ever given such an exotic
haircut.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All of the boys and their
fathers leaned forward in their chairs to watch, making comments to one another
about what the barber was doing to me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Some made it clear they didn’t approve of my deviant behavior.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some of the boys, especially those younger
than me, started to ask if they could get a similar haircut.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Discussions went back and forth as the barber
did his work.</div>
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When I was finished I paid and walked out the door with
fathers and sons still discussing the option of getting the same haircut and
wondering what mom would say.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I hope
some of them were brave enough to try it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Of course, my dad didn’t love the haircut, but neither did I.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All of the joy was in being the center of
attention and causing a little controversy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Within a few days I had the back of my head fixed and the rest of my
hair shortened a little.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I believe that
was the only time I was considered a trendsetter in my life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Whatever happened, I think the barber was
excited to try something new.</div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>The Russian
Sporteevni’ and Karma</u></b></div>
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Learning to ask for a good haircut in a foreign country in a
foreign language is a true challenge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As
a missionary I worked hard to make sure that I knew how to describe what I wanted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By the time I needed a haircut I could
explain how long I wanted it on the various portions of my cranium.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(For some reason all of us missionaries in
Russia, at least the elders, loved to go to the beautician schools so we could
get our hair cut by the young, pretty female students.)</div>
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At the time I was in Russia, the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">sporteevni’</i> cut was all the rage with the young men.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Basically, it was just a buzz cut.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course they loved to give buzz cuts
because it was easy to do and easy to satisfy the customer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unfortunately a buzz cut did not fit with the
grooming standards for missionaries.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
had to figure out how to describe what we wanted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Failure to do so accurately could result in
serious mistakes.</div>
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When I had been in the country for a year one of the newer
missionaries asked me for instructions on how to get a haircut.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Honestly, I gave him the correct instructions
and the correct vocabulary.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A week later
we met up at a baptism.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were standing
outside the school, where the baptism would take place, in the cold winter
air.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was wearing his shapka and I
could tell he wasn’t happy with me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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Finally, he pulled his fur shapka off of his head and said,
“Look at this!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Look at what you did.”</div>
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His hair, what was left of it, looked terrible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m not sure what he told them, but my guess
is that as he realized they weren’t doing what he wanted, that he kept trying
to correct them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The result was
horrendous.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I apologized, trying to
convince him that I had given him good instructions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He didn’t believe me, but he did think it was
kind of funny.</div>
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Skip ahead several months.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I was nearing the end of my mission.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The long Russian winter in Yekaterinburg finally had come to an end and
I wanted a shorter haircut to match the weather.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Completely confident in my language abilities
I went to a nearby barbershop and gave my customary instructions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The girls asked if I was sure that I didn’t
want a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">sporteevni’</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I assured her that I did not and gave my
instructions again.</div>
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As she started to cut my hair, I relaxed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The room was warm and the hands on my head
felt good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Within a few minutes I was
mostly asleep as she cut.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Suddenly I
realized she was asking me a question.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Without thinking too deeply about what she had said, I replied with a
hearty, “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Da, da!”</i></div>
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Immediately she ran the clippers across the top of my
head.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Apparently she had asked one more
time if I wanted the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">sporteevni’</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She must have been watching for a moment of
weakness, probably because she had made some mistake.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unfortunately the next day I spoke in a
sacrament meeting the next day with our mission president in attendance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had to explain why my hair was not within
mission standards to all of the missionaries, several of the members, and to
the mission president.</div>
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I still fall asleep during haircuts sometimes.</div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>What did you
want?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What are you giving me?</u></b></div>
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I have worked at the Air Force Academy on two different
occasions, as an active duty officer and as a civilian.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Both times I kept basically the same short,
military style haircut.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was a
small barbershop in Fairchild Hall, the academic building.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It wasn’t manned all of the time, so you had
to get on the schedule in advance in order to get your haircut.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of the regular ladies in there was a bit
on the eccentric and loud side of things.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She liked to complain loudly about everything in her life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>More than once I walked away when she was
working, preferring to keep long hair for a day or two to avoid the verbal assault.</div>
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One day I was down at the community center and decided to
drop into the barbershop there to get my haircut.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Looking in I saw one of the other barbers, a
guy who did a good job.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was only
one other person in front of me so I took a number and sat down.</div>
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The eccentric lady walked in and set up at her station.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She called my number.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Somewhat reluctantly I went and sat in her
chair.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Before I was even sitting she and
the other barber were in a heated discussion about coworkers and their upcoming
schedule.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She didn’t say a word to me as
she wrapped my neck in tissue and draped the cape over my shoulders.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was waiting for her to ask what I wanted,
when she just started to cut my hair with the clippers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Within a minute or two, most of the hair on
the sides of my head was completely gone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></div>
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Suddenly realizing what she was doing, she stopped and
asked, “What did you want done with your hair?”</div>
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Smiling, I asked in turn, “I don’t know.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What were you planning?”</div>
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She thought for a minute and said, “Well, I’m not sure but
what do you think about this?”</div>
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Quickly she described what she had in mind, which luckily
was almost exactly what I usually asked for anyway.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I agreed and she continued to cut, never
apologizing or pausing again in her work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Her conversation with her coworker picked up right where it left off.</div>
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It was kind of exciting not knowing what my hair was going
to look like.</div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>Where Has All the Excitement
Gone?</u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I had my haircut this weekend.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s been the same for several years now, a
military style haircut—short on the sides, with just enough length on top to
comb it forward.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My mom’s part on the
one side, like my curls, is gone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
still enjoy having my head touched, rubbed, and scratched when I get a haircut.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nothing exciting is on the horizon.</div>
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No, the most exciting thing this time and likely the next
time is when I tell them that I have a mole on my head that they may want to
avoid.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Always, they are so thankful for
the heads up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sometimes I ask them to
thin my thick hair, but I haven’t had to do that for a couple of years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That kind of worries me.</div>
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Maybe one day I’ll shave it completely bald.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Going grey isn’t as exciting as I had hoped
it would be, although the pace of conversion from brown to grey is picking up
speed.</div>
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