What the heck is my deal

I have priorities, I really do, but somehow they seem to get put on the back burner for other junk I need to do. Do not be offended if I helped you with something lately and just called it junk to do. But yes I have been busy. Not Heidi busy but not many people can keep a pace like her. Here is the list of things I have high priority on. Cleaning my garage! It makes me nuts that my creative work space is cluttered by unfinished projects, tools everywhere and junk, junk, junk. I need my space bro! and Heidi still likes to park in there too!

Next would be my book. I am 94000+ words and right near the finish but to fully enjoy it I want a bunch of stuff done and off my mind so I can enjoy finishing it, like saving your favorite food till the last thing on your plate. The problem is that lots of people like me and keep filling up my plate. That's great I love to help, I just need to throw the book to the front and dig in. The truth is my plate will never be empty so just jump into what you love I guess.

Next is the closet I built for Heidi  it still needs doors, small project but the garage is hanging me up, next after that is my closet, I need more hanging space and well  I need my garage done to really get into this wood project, also Heidi said not until I finish the closet doors, You know me Heidi! I get things 3/4 done and move on to the next thing! grrrrr I want to tear apart our closet now.

Then there are the really fun things, Like a super detailed vw micro bus pinewood derby car for the adult derby, and now for a little drooling, my new but never tried before special love of building hollow hood surfboards. I know this is going to be killer cool and tons of fun but once again I will need space in my garage and now I need a shed out back for doing the fiberglass part.

I still need steps on my deck, good crud I have a deck six feet in the air and no steps. I guess I just got it 3/4 done and moved on.

I can finish all the food on my plate plus Heidi and Max's plates! Why can't I finish these dumb projects.

Also high on the list is stripping and polishing my bike. I can't wait for that sweet sweet look of polished aluminum.

I need to make a list, check it twice and just start knocking out unfinished projects. and let go of some crap that I just will never finish like that stupid coffin shaped carying case for my helicopter I sold months and months ago. It's 3/4s done and taking up half of one of my project tables in my garage, the other half is full of parts for my deck step railing!!

GET ER DONE!!

This last week I talked Heidi into letting me buy yet another tool box. It's big and red and puuuuurty. and now all of my automotive tools are in one tool box, with wheels! so it can be moved around and not clog up my space.

A new ramp for Devin

been building this this week, had a lot of help from family and neighbors. hope it helps Devin get in and out of  his house easier when he comes home.

Update on Max's doings

Max has had a busy few months, these are some of the events I captured on my little phone. He was in a talent show, we had no idea he had signed up to play piano for his talent, he doesn't play piano so you can imagine we were a little caught off guard. But he was not a bit shy about the two note song he had made up and just got up and played it then took a bow and sat down.

He also did pretty well with his pinewood derby car that he himself designed. He put quite a bit into it and was perfectly willing to take input on how to do things from dad. At first it was really slow but then he ran it backwards and dropped his time by quite a bit and even came in first on a couple races.

Max and I got some new pets, mine is named Gator because she likes to hunt low to the ground and then burst at her prey with open mouth and surprising speed. Her unsuspecting prey doesn't know what hit em until they are in her crushing jaws of death. Max's is named Cocoa Spot, I'm not really sure why but she has a little heart shape on her head.

 Gator is the one on the left. Cocoa Spot is up front for her glam shot.

Sweet Lizzie holding one of the Leopard Geckos. They love to be held. They will crawl all over your shoulders and tickle your neck with their snouts and tongues.

Max also helped Dad out working on the breaks of his sweet red truck. Max actually did very well and shows signs of being very mechanical minded. I tightened up the bolts he did and they were already very tight I doubt I got a tenth of a turn on them after he was done. The jack was a bit of a struggle but he figured out how to manipulate his weight against it.

We have a secret visiter

Max for some reason felt the cats needed 3 cups of food instead of one. So the next day I went out and noticed the food was gone and the bag was tipped over and someone had been eating out of it. I put the bag on a high shelf and told everyone only one scoop of food, this way they eat it all in the morning and still hunt critters around the yard. Heidi bought another bag of food and set it on the floor in the little room the cat door opens into. The next morning I found the entire bag of unopened cat food halfway out the cat door, whatever it was was trying really hard to get it open or get the entire bag out the little cat door.

So tonight I set a trap, I have the cats locked in the garage and switced the cat door to swing in only and not out so whatever is getting into the cat room will be trapped there tonight. I figure by tomorrow I should have either a pot of gold or a coon skin cap!

It's pinewood derby time

We recently had a pinewood derbis for the Elders and I did pretty well. I had a hang up with one wheel but once it was figured out I was flying even beat the fastest car there on one run, if it wasn't for my bad first runs I think my overall times would have placed my first. And I had by far the coolest car there.

But now Max has decided to try out scouts and has a pinewood derby coming up. I am letting him choose his design and he will do most of the sanding and painting I will do the cutting and help with suggestions on wheels and weights but to satisfy my itch and not take over his project I will be building one with him. I chose a jeep this time and I think it will be really cool. Now to clean up the wood shop and hit the hobby store with Max. We are in for some good father and son time.

thank you thank you thank you

Who ever you are that gave me such an awesome gift I just want to thank you, it was so amazing.

To those who do not know of what I speak I will tell you. Someone who knows me very well bought me something I have wanted for quite some time. I even tried to stand in line at best buy for it on black friday but they didn't have enough and the line was crazy long! But someone found one for me and left it on my doorstep with a little note, it kind of made a little tear come to my eye. But after a long wait I do finally have (thanks to someone) an asus transformer with the keyboard and a little sleeve. pretty awesome for sure! Its a little android tablet with a plug in keyboard that turns it into a little laptop. Its the perfect traveling combo for work and fun and great fun around the house. I am soooo excited. I have it plugged in charging right now.

When I got home there was 3 packages on the doorstep and I was like "that's weird, I don't remember ordering anything" Then I thought what in the world is this? each package had a little note and I opened the first which was the sleeve and I thought "this is odd," then I opened the second which was the keyboard I think and I was like "No way!" then the last was the tablet and I was jumping on the bed and jumping in the trees. well I'm goning to go play with my new toy now.

thank you again, I really really love it!

Making the best of a cold day

Well with the unusually warm and snowless winter we have had this year I figured by end of February we would have flowers popping out of the ground but instead winter decided to come several months late. But max was able to make the best of it by curling up with a good book about Bad Kitty and a cup of hot cocoa and bowl of popcorn. Mom on the phone was an added bonus to the comfy set up he has in my office. Later he wants to have daddy son time watching Invader Zim. any time he wants something he figures if he calls it daddy son time he will get it, clever kid. I could easily talk him into sledding and making a snow man but I am a terrible father and would rather skip the cold and wet.

We are missing Mom for sure, she is in St George helping out with uncle Richard in the hospital for a few days. But we are having fun none the less. Come home soon Heidi, your side of the bed is weird without you there and your bright smile and sweet eyes really warm up the whole house.

It is Finished

Finally after several months of work and a near constant flow of my hobby funds my Align T-Rex 600 is finished. It was a big learning experience and required the help of friends but tonight I finally finished it. It is crazy powerful and could easily decapitate a full grown human (I sure hope I never do that!) But it is ready to fly!!! I can't wait to crash it and start all over again!

From the tip of the blade to the tail is over 5 feet long!

Here you can see it next to my little 100.

my new collectors item

I just picked up a Justin Timberlake Marionette... (silence...crickets chirping in the back ground)... that's right its a puppet of Justin Timberlake. I thought I could sell it on ebay but they seem to be pretty common. I'm not sure but I think if I was a super pop star in a freaking awesome band like nsync and someone came to me and said hey I want to make you a puppet I would say no. Now I didn't buy the thing, we found it in a house that we had to haul all the trash to a storage unit then wait thirty days and haul it away. So no I am not a JT fan but I thought hey I could make a buck of some cazy chic but no, the crazies are not bidding on the JT puppets, not sure why, it seems so utterly awesome. Sure the puppet looks like a 40 year old with bad skin and weird hair but the package says Justin Timberlake on it and Nsync so why wouldn't the crazies want this thing? oh well better luck on the next job I guess.

The California Birthday Trip

Heidi surprised me with a trip to California for my Birthday,it was good good times. We hung out with Krystie and Jer and did somebeaching it up, surf museum and just all around fun.

Of course the weather was great except maybe a bit overcast the last

day but nicer than Utah in February.

The best part is I finally got myself a Little Mermaid photo,I have always wanted one!

Valentines Date

We did our valentines early this year and had dinner at the Chart House, it was awesome! Heidi planned it out, we had a view of the ocean as the sun set. the waves were big all night and we watched a bit of surfing as well. The resturaunt is a nice place, very nice actually, most people dress up fairly snazzy for it. for me that meant jeans without stains. We did a double date with Kristy and Jer and though we laughed a lot the funniest part was when some mother started haninging birthday decorations on the wall. Like hey lets go to a really nice place for your birthday and redecorate it! oh it was too funny, of course the manager had her take them down. probably because they already paid a decorator and the chrome "happy birthday" streamer didn't fit the motif.

Or 2011 Disneyland Trip!!!

Swamp People

Has anyone caught an episode or two of this History channel show?

It is so funny I just crack up watching it. Don't think I am making fun of these people because I'm not, I think they are adorable. I know a manly man such as my self should not use the word adorable but I have to with these people. They have the thick thick accents and wear the same clothes everyday and its fun to see them get excited about finding a gator on their lines. Ooooohhhhh that's a bigon there, shoot it shoot it!

My favorite part of these people is how much of their lives are centered on family. As soon as they shoot a big turkey for thanksgiving dinner they say "ohhhh mamas gonna be happy about that!"

There are two brothers with long beards and toothy grins that are sooo funny. "I got the guns lets go. Why you puttin on shoes?!" "Cuz its gettin cold, I gotta keep my feet warm somehae." They head off into the swamp looking for squirls and end up shootin a couple rabbits then come across a neighbor floating down the river and trade a rabbit for a couple of snappin turtles. Then who comes to dinner? the neighbor who traded for the rabbit. He got a rabbit then come over for turtle soup and a couple of bites of the other rabbit.

They get so excited about smokers and guns but for the most part they don't have much in the way of worldly possessions and don't seem to care much about them. They love to cook for big groups and invite everybody over. And they go on an on about how good the food is. And it must be because most of the good ol boys got a nice gut out front.

Life seems so simple for these people, go out and shoot something and bring it back for dinner and invite everybody over. I think they got it right in the swamp! Whats more enjoyable than food and family?

Most of the gater huntin crews are made up of father and son teams. When you're able to spend that much time with your son you have a pretty good chance he'll turn out decent.

Here's what they learn in the swamp, family first, your family depends on you for survival, all you need to provide is a boat, a gun, bait, line and hook, and someone to help drag the gater in, preferably family.

There is drama as well, but usually they blow off steam pretty quick and get back to business. They show real humility but at the same time pride in who they are. They give thanks to God for what they have and consider it a blessing to never need to leave the swamp to provide for their families.

You know your a man in the swamp when someone says "he shoots like John Wane" and you can stand in a boat and drag a 750 pound gater in nearly by yourself without tipping over. I know I can't do either of those things, so maybe I'm not as much of a manly man as I thought I was. I better go build something to make myself feel better.

Milagros

Heidi took me to a newish Mexican place in Orem off of 8th north. Not sure how to pronounce the name but I must admit I have had fun in trying. Especially with my fake Hispanic accent.

I had a really fun time, my wife was as cute as can be in her little grey coat. She never took it off because I think they were running the ac in there even though it was like 30 degrees out and blowing like crazy, even I was cold but I can't eat with a jacket on.

The waitress a bubble of fun and loved Heidi's hair. It did look very nice by the way, which it pretty much always does. I can't remember our waitress' name but she wasn't gonna give an inch on my off the menu dish ideas I was trying to order. Good for her standing her ground but dang it I want a fish chimi!

I ordered the seafood quasidilla or how ever its spelled. I forgot to read the ingredients cuz I hate shrimp. It was actually really good even with the shrimp in it. I will try something else next time though. I like the seasoning and flavors the food had. I just wish they had Horchada. I know right how can it be Mexican without Horchada. The waitress said it was a low seller so they took it off the menu. Dang!

I think one of my favorite parts of the evening was a young man named Jackson Danger. I think he was about 13 to 14 and had a little hat and a guitar that he totted from table to table playing songs for the guests. He was a riot to watch and listen to. He had no qualms about going right up to adults eating dinner and telling them he was gonna play them a song. He knew his stuff too and was great on the guitar I couldn't believe how talented he was.

All in all it was a very fine date and lots of fun so if you are looking for a Mexican food experience try out Milagros, not perfect but for sure worth a try.B e sure to go on Friday nights to check out Jackson Dangerous. Take a few dollar bills too cuz he works on tips.

People who video tape stuff

In life there are glorious and wonderful events going on all around us, graduations, fireworks, air shows, first steps and so on. Sometimes we feel so inspired by these events we want to cherish them forever. The obvious solution is to video tape it. But here is the result of video taping in my opinion.
You get out your little video taping machine and depending on how much you spent on the machine the smaller it is. Then instead of watching such a momentous occasion in real life splendor you are now watching through a tiny two inch by three inch screen to make sure you got it all. As you walk away from the awe-inspiring event listening to everyone talk about how great it was you beam with pride that you were smart enough to catch it on video. Then you tuck that little gem of a video safely away in a special pouch in your video taping machine carrying case that quadruples the size of you expensively compacted for convenience video taping machine. Now that precious memory is safe forever. 
Some time down the road you may find yourself at another of life's grand events that requires video taping and be short on tape, you will frantically rummage through your giant bag for a blank tape to record the amazing things that are going on around you, sifting through cords and adapters, chargers and cases. You will come across your stash of tapes tucked safely away for future viewing and now you have a decision to make- which one of these is less valuable than the current wonderful event. By now your wife will have said two or three times "you're missing it". Quiet woman I'm looking in this bag! Finally after you have weighed each of these precious memories and decided which was of least value- you will pop it in and rewind it in time to catch the last few minutes of the momentous event you are currently there to see. Now you have successfully captured the last few minutes of your child's performance in a play and the tail end of a laser light and water show. Grand and wonderful moments in life caught on a video tape that will never leave the safe confines of a giant padded bag.

Are Tattoos really so unique?

We just returned from a trip to Disneyland, it was a ton of fun. We did nearly everything the park had to offer.

While we were there I couldn't help but notice how many people have tattoos. It seems nearly everyone had at least one and most had many. They were plastered all over the body of the owner. Tattoos used to be a statement, a permanent mark of something you felt strongly about, now there are so many it's like a constant blast of rebellious advertising. Everybody all at once yelling- I'M A REBEL! I checked the stats to see how many Americans have tattoos, I was surprised to find only 24%, I would have guessed much higher by what I saw. For age 18 to 29 its 36% and growing quickly. The old tattoo artist saying of "the body is a blank canvas" isn't true anymore somebody doodled all over it.

Does your tattoo say who you are? I'm a complex person (or at least I like to think I am) I like lots of things. I don't think there is a tattoo that would really explain me very well. I like cars and jets and UFOs and motorcycles. I also like robots and TV, monster trucks, and helicopters. I like to hike and bike and swim. I'm a pro at slip and slide, I like surfing and snowboarding and wake boarding. I like sharks and tigers and snakes, birds of paradise. I like puppies and kitties. I like music too headbanging hard crap to classical and religious. What tattoo shows all that?? A spider web on my elbow? I can't even see that! The best place for me to see what I am showing off is on my arm or hand and whats right side up for me is upside down for everyone else. I have been inspired by lots of different sayings, I don't think I could pick one or even a dozen and if it was on me it would have to be miss spelled to really be me.

Most of the guys in my favorite bands sport tattoos and even full arm sleeves, and they look cool. I have even worn the fake arm sleeves for Halloween but my wife chucked them when she saw a sexy lady on them. I think the best tattoos are the tribal style that reflect who your people are, but I'm not from any tribe with cool looking designs. I'm just a white guy with danish roots. Do I get a tat of a good danish on my arm, I have never seen food tattooed on anyone. I think it would be lame, and make me hungry all the time.

I saw an old guy with his shirt off and a big ol' red devil covering most of his back. I wonder if he remembers he has that. I wonder if he is still such good buddies with the devil or if now that he has grand kids or is approaching the end of his life if he has a religious side. And why does the thing look like a magic marker drawing that has been threw the washing machine about 100 times too many. I really had to give it a good look to figure out what it was.

And then there is quality to consider one guy I saw on TV really loves his dogs so he had them plastered on his back. Two of them look kind of cartoonish and faded, now he has a new dog and a new artist who made it look like a photograph of his dog on his back, really nice work, but it really makes the other two look stupid.

To those who have them I mean no disrespect or to make fun I just don't understand. I have seen some that are cool but none that I would want to see everyday. Or make my loved ones see everyday. I have even considered getting one but the concept that has always stopped me is that- at some point I will grow up and then what? Will I really still love what I have done to myself?

people making comments please be aware I have friends and family who have strong feelings on both sides of this issue and I am not trying to turn my blog into a debate. its my blog where I express my feelings but I ask you to be considerate of my associations when commenting. people who read this know me but they may not know you.

Mikes Smoothies

Mike gave me a recipe for smoothie's that's pretty good so I thought I would throw it up here, no pun intended.

it comes out to 3/4 to a 1 cup of crushed ice

4 apricots -remove the pits

3 to 4 table spoons of sugar depending on how sweet you like it

1/2 to 3/4 cup of milk, you can use water if you want

blend it

here are the modifications I have tried.

replace the sugar with agave, you can use less as well but its up to you

half a peach, half a banana, 2 apricots

1 banana and 2 tablespoons of hot cocoa mix

For guys who don't think of the mushy stuff here it is broken down for you in terms you can understand.

Sunday we had a lesson on having a happy marriage, he gave an analogy that I didn't like but the idea sparked my own thoughts and I figured this is a good place to put them down. It applies best to men or more specifically men who love cars. It's not perfect but it gives a perspective so here it is.

Imagine your relationship as an exotic super car, it could be a Ferrari or Lamborghini, Porsche or anything you are interested in . First off they don't give these things away- you have to earn it, because it has value. So put the effort in, with a car you have to build wealth to purchase it with a marriage you have to build yourself into to something others would value. It's value for value remember you want a super car not a beat up rusty vw beetle. If you are already married did you put yourself in debt, do you owe someone something for what you got of high value?

Once you have obtained your dream car you obviously treat it differently than you would anything everyday, you drive it different you park it different. You don't take it places it shouldn't be, (bad neighborhoods, walmart parking lot) you protect it. If you hear strange sounds you have it checked out- waiting could cost you time and money.

A major fight could cause big problems in a marriage and even end it if its a problem that has been ignored for some time. If the transmission goes out you get it replaced because your super car still has value- so does your marriage, get it fixed. It may need a dent repair or a paint job, it may even need a major overhaul of most of the main components but ask yourself this, who was driving when all this damage was done? In reality the condition of the car is your responsibility. You may decide to not have the transmission fixed, its your choice but now all you can do is keep it in the garage and wash it, let your friends see it when they come over but you will never have real enjoyment until it's back on the road. You may not be able to fix everything that is wrong but there are people who can so get it to a shop if it needs it, it might be a little embarrassing to let people see you have a problem you can't fix but if they are close to you they have already heard the sounds of a problem as you have driven by.

Yelling at your car will get you no where, just make you look like an out of control idiot, same with marriage. To get where you want to go you have to take the appropriate steps, unlock the door, get in, put the keys in the ignition and start it. Put it in gear give it some gas and steer it where it needs to go. A marriage requires the same actions unlocking is trust, starting it is letting her know you care, getting in is getting involved, putting it in gear is making effort, giving it gas and steering is leading by example.

Regular maintenance would be weekly date night, and once a year maybe change the tires, take it some place where it will be treated right and spend some money.

The comparisons can go on and on but the bottom line is it requires attention and effort if you want to keep it as something you enjoy.

Why won't my fish die!

One day we were locking up a vacant home, the girl who grew up in the house married the boy next door and they just happened to be living in his parents basement at the time, she came over to make sure she didn't have any stuff left there. I noticed the fish on the counter, it was I believe October and the power had been off for a while. It seemed to be floating on one side then would flinch and roll over and float on the other side. I asked the girl if she was going to take it home with her. She was quite surprised it was still alive since the family had moved out in November. That's right the fish had been on the counter through the winter and almost a year. Somehow it had survived. I fed it and it seemed like it had forgotten what food was, it just floated next to it, then something in it sparked and it started eating again, after about a half hour it was swimming around like a normal little fish. Well I couldn't just leave it there so when the girl said she wasn't going to take it I asked if I could take it home, Max's fish had just died like the month before.

Well here we are now like two years later and it's still alive! I thought gold fish only lived a year but something must have happened in that toxic waste pit of a tank and mutated this little guy because he seems to be immortal. Maybe he is the Wolverine of gold fish. I need to change his name, Mr. Fishy doesn't really fit a mutant fish how about Logan Scott Monroe