Another Year in Review that is Really A Decade in Review according to me.

I am jumping on the bandwagon and thinking back over the decade to rate the best and worst, as far as I remember it. I can’t believe it is already 2010. It seems like just yesterday I was digging out the bunker in the backyard and stalking up on ammunition, gasoline, and water waiting for the computers to crash. Time flies huh?

The “2k’s” were probably the years of biggest life changes for me: started a career, graduated from USU, graduated paramedic school, got married, had kids, bought a house, beat every Call of Duty so far, and made the switch from a PC user to strictly MAC. I still have the same truck though. I should have changed that too.

My favorite movie of the decade? Hard to say. My first inkling was to say Star Wars Episode 3. This was a culmination of so many ideas and ideologies. So many bad metaphors, so many good metaphors, (Yes, I have used Star Wars in many gospel lessons) and the single most anticipated movie I can recall. Many “die-hard” Star Wars nerds (also referred to as star wars virgins by Triumph the Insult Dog) were not happy with the prequels. Other than Jar-Jar Binx , the Star Wars sequels perfectly cemented the entire Star Wars movie set as one of the most defining of all time–for me. Some other movies that I can not live without from the ‘K’s’: Pirates Of the Caribbean, Remember the Titans, Band Of Brothers, Secondhand Lions, and Open Range. Okay, some of those are nowhere close to movies of the decade, but I got carried away listing the movies I like. In contrast, the worst movie of this decade, that I have seen: either Kazaam or Superbad. All I got out of this movie was that it’s title fits. The downside to working as a firefighter, downtime to watch bad movies.

My favorite album of the decade? Another hard choice. I really think my musical tastes are stuck in the 90’s and earlier. Wait, I just remembered Jack Johnson. Hands down. I listen to Jack Johnson daily. Awesome musician. Coveted life. Seriously. He drives his wife to work every day (she’s a school teacher in Hawaii), goes to the beach to surf and write songs. Goes on tour almost every summer. Least favorite musician: That kid from American Idol that sang the bang song and got a record deal out of it. Ridiculous commentary on pop culture.

Favorite popular event from this decade: Britney Spears shaving her head and me subsequently talking several co-workers down from jumping off of the church office building because of it. Seriously though, I loved this because it was the absolute most shocking event I can recall. More shocking than Nipple Gate from Super Bowl 38. More shocking than when Kevin and Winnie didn’t hook up at the end of Wonder Years. Least favorite event of this decade: Britney shaving her head and going psycho. Such a sad time for a pop star that had such potential! Yes, it fits in both categories!

Wow, this post is getting so long. Maybe I will break it up into future posts. Yeah that is what I will do. More to come in future weeks. Unless I forget or get bored of it. Next reviews: Best Sports Moment, Best TV series, best moment at work, and best internet creation.

Days Long Gone

Is it possible to be nostalgic for a time I have never experienced? I have felt lately that past generations had such higher moral, ethical, and overall better standards and of life. Standards that seem more appealing. These feelings may have originated from reading books from those times. I have also watched several old movies these past couple of months. These books and movies have made me feel like I really missed out on a great life experience that could have been had by living in a different time. Don’t get me wrong, I am very happy and satisfied with what I have, what I have accomplished, my family, job, etc. I really enjoy the technological advances we enjoy in todays day and age. Still, I wish that certain things were more like they used to be. I have been reading about men from the World War 2 era, also about Lou Gehrig–from the 1930‘s–and have been digging into many historical aspects of those times. I also watched my all-time favorite movie, “It’s a Wonderful Life.” Wow! What a show. Perhaps its my older age, and I know I am going to catch some flak for this, but I actually got a little emotional during that movie this year. No, I didn’t cry, but emotions were definitely stirred. George Bailey was such an amazing man.

I feel like the people of times past were a much more polite and respectful generation, and not in an Eddie Haskell kind of way. Granted, many of these perceptions I am craving and admiring are coming from movies, which were exaggerated and over-acted even more so than today, but they also portrayed a lifestyle common to many. I love how the men of those times dressed. I love that they knew how to dance and play musical instruments. I love how they treated people in general and especially women. The deepest respect and reverence was expected by society. Again, perhaps this was just overacting in the movies, but that’s what I am nostalgic for.

I think we are too busy in our lives today. We do not make time for friends like they appeared to do in older times. We get so caught up in ourselves and our own needs that we fail to see the needs of close friends, family, or even country. I strongly believe that if all people had the character of the men from the World War 2 generation that our Nation would be unstoppable in all aspects of life. I think we would have a more righteous society in general. The smut and filth that is so prevalent would still be locked behind doors and not flaunted. It makes me wonder what happened? I guess history has told me what happened, but it is a little perplexing to think about.

Its too bad the lifestyle from the early part of the 1900’s could not exist with all of today’s technological advances. My dad used to joke with me that I was born in the wrong era. I never knew fully what that meant. I think he meant it as some gentle ribbing, but maybe there is some truth to it?

My heroes are the men and women from World War 2. Especially the members of the 101st airborne, Easy Company. Such an amazing story that has been highlighted by a dozen books, a couple of movies, and an HBO mini-series that is one of the best mini-series ever. There is so much to learn from these men. Examples of sacrifice, selflessness, leadership. I feel like I have learned so much from these men I have never even met.

So, yes, I am nostalgic for earlier eras. Perhaps a simpler time. A time when character stood for so much more. A time when men dressed sharp in public. A time when everyone knew and understood the value of hard work, which in turn made everyone enjoy and appreciate the “down” time that much more. The weekend was the time for the family. A baseball game on a Saturday afternoon was a luxury evening out. A time when George Bailey was the richest man in Bedford Falls.

Are Christmas Cards Obsolete?

As I peeled the Christmas cards from our fridge and placed them one by one in the garbage can, it occurred to me: Are Christmas cards out-dated? This is bound to offend someone, but I am sticking with it for a minute.

The first Christmas card was sent in the 1840’s in England. They were used to promote propaganda from the Royal Family. Businesses caught on years later and began sending cards to their customers to try to retain a contact. In the War Years, cards were used to promote patriotic feelings among those at home. Dwight D Eisenhower sent the first Christmas cards from the White House, 2000 of them. In 2005, this escalated to 1.4 million. Well, I’ve never received a card from the White House.... Anyway. This brief history was found on multiple websites.

My question for today: what's the point? With the internet and communication abilities now available, a Christmas Card seems a pointless waste of money to me, like buying a pack of baseball cards for the gum? No one does that anymore. (The gum tastes gross and stale anyway.) Christmas cards are not huge expenditures each year, but hanging them on the fridge or door for a few weeks before trashing them seems like an insult to those that spent so much time making them, addressing them, and sending them to everyone on the list. Then when you receive that card from a family or person that you forgot to include, and you hurry and send another card out and hope it gets there before Christmas so you look thoughtful. All this for what? Granted its nice to get a card from a long lost friend, or that person that for whatever reason your communication has decreased to a yearly Christmas card only. This still begs the question, “Why?” Does it ever really reconnect us to each other?

Am I alone in this? I also wonder, do people really care if they don’t get a Christmas card from a particular person? Do you feel slighted? Do you have a checklist of people that you must receive one from? I really want to know if I am alone in these thoughts. Don’t hate me and scratch me off your christmas card list or anything. I’m just saying.

Does anyone actually save these Christmas cards? I admit I have trimmed the family pictures off of a few over the years. Are there actual feelings of guilt when you consider throwing these in the trash? And how long does a christmas card need to be saved? Is there a guideline?

I don’t want to be all negative, I do enjoy the collage created by the mass of cards as we find spots for them on the fridge. It adds to the feelings and thoughts of the season. And perhaps that is the point after all?

I realize this makes me sound like the reincarnated Scrooge. I am not trying to be a bah humbug here by any means. Like I said, I’m just sayin’. Perhaps we send these seasons greeting because it represents tradition. A sense of Christmas duty. A chance for us to show off our good looking kids with a picture. Our Christmas cards the past two years have promoted Disneyland. We should be shareholders.

So are Christmas Cards out-dated? I submit to you, readers, they are.

A Post Without a Theme

Seriously, this post is going to be all over the place. Each paragraph could be a whole new topic. By the time you are finished you will have spun around twice, slipped like a grandma using a walker on an ice rink once, and probably felt somewhat nauseated (more than normal while reading my posts.) And if you think I go off on tangents on my other posts, then just brace yourselves, I feel this is the post of tangent posts. I have had some ideas stewing in my mind for a while now, and none of them have blossomed into their own post, so here we go.

First, an open letter to the texting generation:

I get the whole texting thing. I am a texter. I like it because it completely negates the need of the awkward phone call amongst men for a quick message. See, men differ from women in phone etiquette. Prior to texting, if I needed to make a quick call to find out if someone was showing up to the ball game or not, it would take a few minutes due to the obligatory small talk. You know, the how are you? What's up? And the person on the other end being required to ask the same thing... and on and on. Now a quick text handles that. I love it. Women have the ability to turn a quick call into 45 minutes, no matter why they call. Men lack that ability and that desire. If Darwin was right, we will start seeing female children born with phones on their ears. Was the bluetooth phone thing invented by a woman?

I am also okay with some of the shortened phrases. Yep, I'm talking the LOL, LMAO, WTF, BRB, ROFL, ROFLMAO, DYSTH (thanks Angie), ASL?, MMA, BTW, RUOK, RUFTT, BFF, BFFL, KMB (KMA), TTYL, and on and on. My personal favorite is WTF! It's like missionaries always saying "fetching" and feeling like it was okay. I think "fetching" is used more by 19-28 year old LDS men than anyone else on Earth. Even more than dog trainers. (All of this is based on factual information by the way, or BTW.) I understand that typing out many of these is long, and everybody that texts knows these or learns them fast. (If you need any acronym decoded, there are many websites devoted to this.) I implore all texters, however, to strike these immediately from your vocal language. Actually saying "L.O.L." while talking to someone face to face is the most ridiculous thing ever. And it annoys the crap out of me. This is a growing trend amongst the young, olympians of text. It has to stop. Don't make me start a coalition.

Second: An Open Letter about all Celebrities but mostly Tiger Woods:

I tried to avoid this topic, since it is probably the topic of every water cooler conversation worldwide. My only thoughts on this is that it seems no one could surprise me now. I do feel that celebrities do not have a right to privacy however. Let me explain: Celebrities want us to follow them when its the positive stuff. They put themselves in the limelight whether by starring in a movie, owning the PGA for years, whatever, and they want to be top of the charts at those times, asking us into their lives, and then expect privacy on matters like these? No way. Not gonna happen. When we follow you through the good, it translates into big money for you. When things go bad, you better be willing to stay at the plate. Thats all I have to say. That and they just don't make them like Jimmy Stewart anymore. I really hope Jeter's name is not one of the 30 or so remaining on the "yet to be announced steroid list" for MLB. That would be a bigger blow to the sports world than when Tyson bit Holyfield's ear off.

(Side Note: these situations always make the best chain emails. I got one the other day of the "Woods' Christmas Card" showing a beaten up and bruised Tiger and his wife–(x-wife?)–holding a 6-Iron. It made me LOL. It reminded me of a guy that sits near us at Utah Football games that we have for years called the "retarded Tiger Woods." Gotta love Photoshop, Tiger looks like the latest Garbage Pail Kid.)

Is it wrong of me to have been trying to come up with enough information to claim an affair with Tiger too? I could say I was at Augusta in 2004 and met up with Tiger at a sleazy hotel. I am considering this for the financial payoff to keep quiet only. I would never want it to go public. I could settle for 5 million.

Conclusion

I had more to say, more randomness, but this went longer than I thought it would, so I am leaving it there for now. I guess you only spun around once, maybe just stumbled in your walker rather than full on slipping, and didn't quite reach the vomiting Nirvana you were hoping for. TTYL.

Bucket List

Perhaps I feel motivated to open up a little, or perhaps I am curious if any of you do the same thing...regardless, I want to write about my bucket list.

Years before there was ever a “Bucket List” movie, I was sitting in my Adult Roles class, (10th grade I think) making my own “List of 100 Things I Want to Do Before I Die.” This was an assignment. (Other notable assignments that semester:

• design an automobile and give it features based on our personality. I chose a four wheel drive, convertible pick up-my imagination knew no bounds
• carry around a pound of flour or sugar and pretend it was a child we had to take care of for the week–we also had the option of an actual doll, but I opted for the decorated bag of flour over the cabbage patch kid
• ask the hottest girl in school out on a date- I made that up but sure wish it would have been an assignment.)

I was recently reminded of these lists while going through some boxes of junk. I found some of my old lists. It was quite entertaining to read through them again. I loved making these lists. (I am a list maker, remember?) So much that I continued making them throughout my years of college. Constantly updating and changing things as my interests changed.

One thing that kept showing up on these lists was that I wanted to meet the Princess from “The Neverending Story.” I had to google that to try to trigger some memory. Good call on my part, she was and is a hottie.

Another item I had on multiple lists was to go to all 50 states. I have done well at this. I have made it to 38 of them so far. If I stretch my rules (to count a state on my list, it typically had to be more than an airport layover, or a quick drive through the corner- i.e.- driving through the corner of Arizona on I-15 would not allow me to check-off Arizona) I can say 43. I have an eternal grudge against Dave Rock for this. We had gone to the Black Hills and Mount Rushmore in South Dakota. We were only a few miles from North Dakota and I suggested we go to a campsite in North Dakota for the night, so I could scratch it off my list. Dave was driving and protested. We never went. (My grudge goes even further because he was in such a hurry to get home that he would not stop for me to take a pee break. If it would have been his car I would have peed on the floor–one of these days Dave, one of these days!) Can anyone give me a reason to ever go to North Dakota? Perfect opportunity blown. All I can hope for is economic collapse and for North and South Dakota to merge as one state, then that area gets grandfathered in for my list. (We were able to get a “Nature Shot” with the black hills in the background-if you don’t know what a nature shot is, you probably do not want to ask.) The picture is from a town we went through on the way. Population 3? Seriously?

I have not made an actual written list for years, but I realize I still have one, mentally. I want to go to every major league baseball stadium. I have 7 out of 30 done. I get a “double whammy” this April when I have plans to go to Opening Day baseball in Boston. The Red Sox play the Yankees in Boston. Fenway Park (aka Green Monster)- Check. Massachusetts- Check.

Other notable items from my lists of the pasts (ie- I actually wrote these things on my lists at one point or another):

• Compete in an air guitar competition–still out there, though I feel like I invented this skill.
• Throw out a first pitch in a MLB game–lists don’t have to be dream free!
• Make out with the entire cheerleading squad of any NFL team–I feel this is possible, but will take some convincing of Rebecca to let her know they mean nothing to me, its just a list thing.
• Come across a traffic accident involving one of those semi trucks that carry cars, preferably one carrying luxury sports cars–I think the carnage and mayhem would be awesome, and there would be little or no human injuries.
• Go to Everest base camp- I just think it would be cool.
• Stop using parenthesis like crazy–yeah, it’s a weakness.
• Write something that people actually enjoy reading–I am trying, I promise.

These lists were contagious. I have talked many friends into making these lists. Seriously, think about it... what would you put on your list? Start with a list of 50. Realistic, or fantasy, it doesn’t matter. My lists usually have a combination of both, because after all, it takes a lot to fill up a list of 50 or 100 items.

So, do you have such lists? If not, what would you put on one if given the assignment? Let’s hear them! Pssst, if you haven’t already, read the next post too...I have done a couple this week! Hooray!