Pray... then get to work

"Pray as if everything depended on God. Work as if everything depended on you."

--St. Augustine

Here Comes Christmas

For your edification:

Right off the press: DESERET NEWS, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 16,2009

No Nativity in D.C.

This just in from Washington, D.C.:

The Supreme Court has ruled there will be no Nativity scene this year in the nation's capital. The ruling was not based on any religious principle, however. The problem stems from the inability of Nativity organizers to locate three wise men anywhere in the city. The search for a virgin continues.

On the bright side, there has been no problem finding enough donkeys to fill the stable.

Richard Ewing Davis Salt Lake City

(http://www.deseretnews.com/article/705344697/No-Nativity-in-DC.html)

Happy Thanksgiving

May your stuffing be tasty

May your turkey be plump,

May your potatoes and gravy

Have never a lump.

May your yams be delicious

And your pies take the prize,

And may your Thanksgiving dinner

Stay off your thighs!

Dude, I can't even jump-rope standing in place

Check this out--I would totally go to the game just to see the half-time show.

It's All Taken Care Of

This will work for me when I get to that age.

No Nursing Home For Me!

About 2 years ago my wife and I were on a cruise through the western Mediterranean aboard a Princess liner. At dinner we noticed an elderly lady sitting alone along the rail of the grand stairway in the main dining room. I also noticed that all the staff, ships officers, waiters, busboys, etc., all seemed very familiar with this lady. I asked our waiter who the lady was, expecting to be told that she owned the line, but he said he only knew that she had been on board for the last four cruises, back to back.

As we left the dining room one
evening I caught her eye and
stopped to say hello. We chatted and I said, "I understand you've been on this ship for the last four cruises."

She replied, "Yes, that's true."

I said, "I don't understand" and she replied, without a pause, "It's cheaper than a nursing home."

So, there will be no nursing home in my future. When I get old and feeble, I am going to get on a Princess Cruise Ship. The average cost for a nursing home is $200 per day. I have checked on reservations at Princess and I can get a long term discount and senior discount price of $135 per day. That leaves $65 a day for:

1. Gratuities which will only be $10 per day.

2. I will have as many as 10 meals a day if I can waddle to the restaurant, or I can have room service (which means I can have breakfast in bed every day of the week).

3. Princess has as many as three swimming pools, a workout room, free washers and dryers, and shows every night.

4. They have free toothpaste and razors, and free soap and shampoo.

5 They will even treat you like a customer, not a patient. An extra $5 worth of tips will have the entire staff scrambling to help you.

6. I will get to meet new people every 7 or 14 days.

7. Is the T.V. broken? Does a light bulb need changing? Need to have the mattress replaced? No Problem! They will fix everything and apologize for your inconvenience.

8. Clean sheets and towels every day, and you don't even have to ask for them.

9. If you fall in the nursing home and break a hip you are on Medicare; if you fall and break a hip on the Princess ship they will upgrade you to a suite for the rest of your life.

Now hold on for the best! Do you want to see South America , the Panama Canal , Tahiti, Australia, New Zealand, Asia, or name where you want to go?
Princess will have a ship ready to go.
So don't look for me in a nursing home, just call shore to ship.

PS: And don't forget, when you die, they just dump you over the side at NO CHARGE!

Lady Gaga

What I learned in American Studies today:

Turns out Lady Gaga does actually provide some entertainment:

How to: Repairs

These totally made my day:

Yay for Legos!

Multi-task... I like it

This is pretty smart in my opinion.

Haha, been there done that.

Duct Tape: Miracle of Mankind

and my all time favorite:

Elder F. Enzio Busche

AF Hero

Tuesday night I attended a marching band competition at the BYU stadium, to watch Christian kick serious butt (which he did--Timpview won every award except 2nd and 3rd place thank you very much). It was awesome.

There was something more to this particular competition: American Fork. I couldn't believe that they even came, let alone performed--every single band member, even the injured played from the sidelines. It was crazy. And what a wonderful tribute, to be able to honor her with their program only a few days after her death. It was beautiful.

I couldn't do the story justice, so check it out yourself. :)

I found another article quite interesting, in which one of the rescue workers at the crash scene believes that if the crash happened one second sooner or later the outcome would have been much worse. Need I say more?

AND... for nerds like me who would like to see AF's entire performance, here you go:

Slow down, Embrace Life, and Enjoy Time Spent with Loved Ones

I couldn't help but re-post one of Stephanie Nielson's latest entries from the NieNieDialogues. If you haven't heard her story yet, it's about time to get on the band wagon! ---> this is one amazing woman (and you certainly can't forget that Mr. Darcy husband of hers--gotta get me one of those someday). Stephanie lived just down the street from me growing up (her parents still live there), and I remember loving her and her family. When I heard about the accident, I was told that she wasn't going to make it--how could she?--but here she is, just over a year later; and on Oprah to boot! ;)

Post- Oprah top 10

(photo: harpo)

Post Oprah show discussion has now begun.
Here is what I think:

1. I look kind of like a lion with my ruffly J.Crew ensemble.

2. My lips are really quite big.

3. Oprah had a silver straw in her water...I had only plastic.

4. Oprah smelled really good.

5. Oprah had on some serious high heeled shoes...Jimmy Choos to be exact.
I asked her if I could have them. Maybe next time?

6. Oprah called me "Steph" and hugged me three times. S

he is, I might add, very genuine.

7. Courtney was really funny on the show.
8. I talked to Mike Tyson's mother-in-law in the elevator in Chicago

9. I had my hair round brushed and blow-dried in the greenroom.
I was scared, (i don't even own a blow-dryer)but it turned out nice.

10. I tried paying Mr. Nielson to jump on the couch expressing his love for me. But apparently, the family pool didn't come up with enough bones to pay him

Maybe next time.

Thanks Oprah for the experience!

Check out her story here, and watch here interview here--both definitely worth the time in my opinion.


Makes you rethink life just a bit.