Doug Johnston - Little Red Ride Promotions

Completion of My First Book

2009-11-06T08:05:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, I accomplished something that has been on my “bucket list” of lifetime goals for a long time. I have finally completed my first book of about 76,000 words. I know I talk a lot, but I did not know I had that much to say about anything…I guess when you find what you feel is a good story to tell, it just happens…

I have to keep saying it out loud, “I wrote a book!”…Because it almost feels like I am dreaming. I’m not sure why it feels like a dream… I mean… I’ve worked really hard on this book…I’ve spent countless hours researching information… and developing characters… and giving them life.

In fact, now that it is done I find myself wondering what I will do with all of my extra time that I used for writing the book….But while writing it, I felt as if I had to steal away every precious minute to find the time to get it done. I guess that just proves that if you set a goal, you become totally committed to it, and you dig right in each day to accomplish it…dreams can become a reality.

I’ve been thinking about why this goal has been so important to me…Why do I find the art of writing so compelling? Well, for one…I love books and I love inspirational stories. I also love working with authors to realize their literary goals. I have watched authors I have known and some that I barely know, finish and publish their book…By the time they are done writing it, they are so engrossed and attached to their story and their characters because it has all been created from their mind and soul...Almost like making something from nothing.

Everyone loves a good story. Storytelling goes way back to the beginnings of man. Writing stories with pictures have been found on the walls of caves from as far back as the neandrothals. Even then, they were compelled to tell a good yarn, to make up a fish tale, to weave together a good plot. A lot has been learned about lost cultures from the stories that they managed to write down in any way they could.
From cave walls, to scrolls, to handwritten books, to the printing press…man has continued to satisfy his need to write stories. I wonder how many books have been written now….? Millions…? Billions…? With all the tools we have to write better and to write volumes and volumes of stories…is it no wonder that it sometimes feels like everyone is writing a book?

I have learned so much about the process of writing and I have also learned a lot about myself from this process. Frankly, I did not know for sure if I had it in me to actually finish. When I typed and reread that last sentence, I thought, “Wow! I did it.” What a great feeling of accomplishment…a feeling of great satisfaction.
I’ve come to know my characters in the book so well, that sometimes I even wonder what they are up to and how they are doing. Some of you authors out there will have to tell me if that is normal or if I have really lost my mind this time.

My book is being edited as I write this and I cannot wait to see my work polished and truly complete. And then, what will I do? Pick up the writer’s pen again…of course!

Appreciating Life’s Firsts

2009-09-30T15:58:00.000-07:00

First Love…First Kiss…First Day of School…First Car…First Impressions…Life is full of “firsts!” Have you ever watched little kids when they experience things for the first time? I once observed a two year old boy discovering a caterpillar for the first time. He was truly fascinated! He got right down on his belly to lie on the cement and get a better look. The caterpillar was inching his way along the cement to nowhere in particular. He put his nose right up to it and examined everything about it. As he looked at it very closely, I could tell that he was taking in every little thing about the caterpillar; how it wiggled, how slowly it moved, its light green color and bumpy body, all of the many little legs wiggling so quickly yet moving so slowly along the cement. He was truly fascinated!

The child had forgotten about everything else going on around him. He was totally caught up in the moment and having a great time. The next time he saw a caterpillar, he was still very excited, but he did not get right down on his belly to watch it. He simply bent over, looked at it for a few seconds, and then went on his way.

I was going through a box of old pictures the other day and I found a picture of me holding my firstborn son, Jeremy. It was his first moments of life. He had been wrapped up tightly in a warm blanket by the nurse. Then, I had wrapped him up tightly in my arms as I held him for the first time.

As I looked at my face in the picture of me and Jeremy, I noticed how truly wrapped up” in the moment I appeared to be. In fact, as I looked at the picture, I was taken back to how I felt in that moment. I remember being nervous because I was a young, first-time father. I was afraid that I would not hold him correctly and hurt him in some way. As I had settled back into the chair to continue holding him, I began to calm down and start taking in everything about the moment. It was definitely as if everything else around me had faded away…and, it was just me and Jeremy.

As the surrounding of the hospital room around me faded away, I started to take in everything about this little guy… His little nose, mouth, and ears…his little fingers as they wrapped around my fingers and of course how good he felt and smelled to me… There is nothing quite like that moment for a parent. I am so glad that I was there to experience that moment. It was a “first” moment that would never be the same. Each time I held the next of my other four children, there was something about each one and their entrance into the world that was special and unique to them. From this experience, I have learned to be more like the child with the caterpillar and to take the time to appreciate the “firsts” in my life.

My son Nick and his wife are expecting their first child. I will be a grandpa to one of my children’s children for the very first time...Another important first in life for me. I can’t wait to take it all in and enjoy each moment.

To Nick and Cayce --- I watched you buy your first new car together a few weeks ago. It was so fun to watch you experience this “first” together as a couple. Now, I get to watch you enjoy a more important life-changing first and I am very happy for you. This is one of the firsts in life that is BIG!

My wish for you is that you will enjoy every single moment of parenthood, because as I am writing this, I realize how it goes by much too fast that your kids are grown and gone making their own way. I also want you to know that if this little one brings you half as much joy and excitement as my children have ---you are in for the first time ride of your life!!

Bad Luck Comes in Threes

2009-09-06T13:27:00.000-07:00

I’ve heard that bad luck comes in threes. For example, if your cat Fluffy dies an untimely death, then, you will have two other kinds of bad to follow.

I have never taken too much stock in this superstition, but last week was the kind of week that just may make me a believer. Yup…Doug’s got a tale to tell!!!

Last Thursday, I was working at home…totally absorbed in what I was doing…when my cell phone rang and I heard the familiar ringtone for my twenty-one year old son, Nick. I talk to Nick often, so it was no big surprise that he was calling.

Do you know how parents just know when something is wrong with their child – no matter how old they are? I had that feeling before I even heard Nick’s voice on the phone.

As soon as he did speak, I was positive that something bad had happened. Sure enough, Nick had been in an accident in his work truck. Nick installs cable, so he is on the road driving all day long. Another driver making a left hand turn in the intersection hit him head on as he was going through the intersection.

Of course, I immediately felt my adrenaline start to rush through my veins. I began to consider all of the possible scenarios and ramifications of him having an accident. Was he all right? Was the accident his fault? What would that mean to his job if he was at fault? How bad was his truck damaged? How much would it cost to repair? You know – all the usual questions…

While I had Nick on the phone, I could tell that he was downplaying the situation. In fact, he sounded quite a bit like he was in shock.

Sure enough, when I arrived at the scene of the accident, I was amazed that Nick had survived the crash. The entire front end of his truck was crushed all the way into the driver’s side of the cab. The truck was a total loss.

Nick was walking and talking. His leg hurt and it looked as if he may have broken nose. I took him to the hospital rather than in the ambulance. We were in the emergency room for several hours listening to Spanish and broken English. Why? I have no idea why there were so many Spanish speakers there, but it just added to the surreal situation in which I had found myself that day. It was almost dreamlike.
Each member of the family arrived one by one or in small groups. So, I had to repeat what had happened to Nick over and over again.

Nick had called his wife, Cayce and she had come to the scene of the accident. It was difficult to see the fear on her face as she looked at the totaled truck and as she looked at her husband for signs of injury.

The previous morning, I had heard on the news about a fatal accident. I had thought to myself, “How terrible that in a few minutes, someone will have a Highway Patrolman on their doorstep to give them the devastating news that would change their lives forever. Nick and our family were very lucky –even though it was bad luck that he had been in an accident.

When the crisis was over, I was relieved and had a grateful heart that, “all’s well that ends well.” That thought was short-lived.

A couple of days after Nick’s accident, I was driving my old van on the freeway. My destination was about an hour and a half away.

I had my nine year old daughter, Kenna with me. We were having a nice drive together – and then, without warning – my tire blew out! When it blew, the van immediately began to bounce and heave violently. We came very close to rolling – as we had been traveling at about seventy to seventy-five miles per hour.

The look on my daughter’s face, and her screaming in fear, and grabbing for me was difficult to deal with. It took me a while to calm her down after I had safely pulled over to the emergency shoulder of the road.

As the fast-paced traffic continued to whiz by the van, I told Kenna that everything was going to be alright – that I just needed to change the tire. Then, we would be on our way again.

She looked at me as if I was absolutely crazy to even talk about continuing to drive in our possessed vehicle. I must admit, I was pretty shaken and rattled myself – Literally!!

As I stepped out onto the pavement, I noticed the large black skid-mark that the van had made while I was trying to control it as it pulled left and right and I wrestled with the brake and the steering wheel to gain control. A big black mark to show what had happened. How many times had I seen this kind of mark on the road and wondered who had made it and if they were in a terrible accident as they skidded across the freeway? Now, the mark was mine. I wanted to hurl!

I composed myself and quickly took a picture of the black skid-mark with my cell phone. Then, I began the process of changing my blown out tire.

“This will be no big deal!” I had thought to myself. I went through the process that I had learned way back long ago in driver’s education at Roy High School. (Yes, they had cars back then children.) “I’ve changed tires before. I’ll be on the road again in no time.” I affirmed in my mind.

I hopped back in the van when I was done and assured Kenna that all would be okay. I was very close to my destination when the blow out occurred. I knew when I arrived I would have a legitimate reason for being late and a good story to tell – with pictures!

After our visit, Kenna and I jumped back into our beast of a van and started heading back home. We hadn’t been on the road for very long before I could feel that the beast was riding very rough. “What now?” I thought.

Then it happened – No, not another blown out tire! – The entire wheel came right off and flew to the side of the road while we continued going forward. Poor Kenna! She must have thought her dad was trying to kill both of us as we almost rolled over in the old van for the second time in one day.

It was now after ten o’clock at night. I called a tow truck to take the van. I called my son Jeremy to pick us up.

Now the van is in a repair shop and will cost me $279 to fix. I am driving a small rental car. If you haven’t guessed by now, I’ll admit to you that I was at fault for not fastened and tightening the lug nuts well enough. As embarrassing as it was, I went back to the freeway the next day to find my wheel and save a little money on the cost of repair.

One piece of luck I had was that I did find the wheel. But, of course, the biggest piece of luck was that my family did not have a highway patrolman on their doorstep telling them that two members of their family were gone. Whew! What a relief!

After those two close calls, one would think that the drama was over. Not in the crazy and unpredictable world of Doug Johnston. Oh no!!!

Just a few short days later I received a call from another son, Riley. Riley had been saving all summer long to purchase a car when it was time to go back to school in the fall for his junior year.

Riley was thrilled with his new car. I was proud of him for earning the money for it and pleased to see the joy of him getting his first car. I remember that feeling from when I was sixteen and purchased my little red ride – a VW Beetle – What great times I had in my bug!

Riley had not owned the car for more than two weeks when he was traveling on the winding road of the Ogden Canyon and a deer ran right out in front of his car. Riley had a quick decision to make of two awful choices – a true dilemma. He could hit the deer – risking killing or hurting both him and the deer or swerve to miss the deer and take his chances. Of course, he chose the latter. He avoided hitting the deer but as he swerved to miss it, he lost control of his new most prized possession. He crashed onto the side of the canyon road. His front bumper was destroyed and the front end of his new car was damaged.

Once again, I realized – and I believe Riley did too – how quickly things can change and how lucky we were that nothing more than property was severely hurt. It could have been so much more tragic.

He will earn the money he needs to fix his car and in the mean time I will be his chauffeur in my rental car or Nick will drive him in his borrowed truck from work.
I truly hope that our bad luck on the road has come to an end at three because we are running out of our own vehicles fast!!

Even though I had experienced these three moments of bad luck, I know at the same time how they were also three moments of good luck. All four lives had been spared and that is pretty good odds. Three times we had been close to disaster and all three times we had come out unharmed even though our poor vehicles had not.

Someday maybe I will know the reason why we were all graced with good luck when we faced such bad luck. And hey – thinking positively – I think it may just be time for a new car! I think poor Kenna will be truly grateful for that bit of good news!

The funniest dog and tv host meeting ever!

2009-08-22T16:02:00.000-07:00

If you love it when the pets are brought on tv, where the host of the show shows the pets and asks people to come adopt them, you will LOVE this video! PROMISE!

Is the Disney Wedding Proposal real or fake?

2009-08-07T19:36:00.000-07:00

First of all, let me say I LOVE Disneyland. If I could go there everyday I would. Almost two million people have seen the video below. Is it real, or is it fake. After seeing it, I will tell you. If you don't want to know, only watch the first one.

Now, look at this version. When he gets the megaphone at the 1.00 mark, he holds it, not by the handle, as he did in the first video. The first version was a Disney filmed version, and the other was not. But it shows that it was done, more than once, and that is is completely staged. All of the performers were Disney employees, including the girlfriend. But it is magical!

In the Disney version, which is the very well produced one, he picks up the megaphone at 3.29 into it.

Angels All Around Us

2009-08-07T18:03:00.000-07:00

Some of you know that this week is the anniversary of my mom’s death and those that do probably know that I am a complete and total Momma’s Boy!! What can I say, she loved me! She took good care of me and I hope that I took good care of her when she needed me.

I took care of her in her later years as she struggled with cancer. She beat the cancer --- even though the doctors told her she wouldn’t. She was pretty amazing that way. But, even though she had beaten that cancer, she still ended up in the hospital a lot during the last few years of her life. She also had to live in a care center the last three months of her life. During that time, her body just deteriorated to a point where it would not work. She slowly lost the function of her kidneys, her blood pressure became uncontrollable and she had many high fevers. The list of things wrong with her just kept building until her tired body had no more fight to give.

She passed away August 3, 2008 at home where she wanted to die. When she first arrived home from the care center, she seemed to do better for a while. We even took her to Colorado for a school reunion just a few weeks before her death.

I could go on and on about the life of my mother and the tremendous impact she had on my life. There are so many stories, but instead, I want to write about the angels that I met along the way as we struggled with all of her health problems….there were many, but I want to focus on one occasion in particular. It happened in a waiting room….Those that read my blog often-- know about the last angel I came across in an ICU waiting room – in fact, it was a whole family of angels!…Maybe that’s where the angles congregate or just hang out… I don’t know, but they seem to help me there a lot!

On this occasion, I remember it was around the end of ’07 or beginning of ’08… My mother was very sick this time…she was throwing up repeatedly (sorry if any of you are eating at your computers…but that’s the facts…) Anyway, I took her to the hospital emergency room as soon as I realized it could not wait…it was not going to stop without some kind of medical help. It was terrible to watch and I can’t imagine what agony she must have been going through.

Well, you would think that when somebody like that came through the emergency room doors, they would put them somewhere other than with the other waiting room patients. I have to admit, it was embarrassing – even though there was no reason to be --- it was totally out of our control how sick she was and where they told us to wait.

As I looked around the waiting room, my eyes fell on a young couple…the young woman looked like she was just as sick as my mom…although she was not tossing up her breakfast, lunch and dinner like mom…she was clutching her stomach in pain…. I felt so bad for my mother and her. This young woman was feeling so poorly that she began to cry. Man, it was getting brutal!!! My mom, being the amazing person she was, leaned over to me in between “episodes” and told me to “go check with that young couple and see if you can help them in any way.” I’m sure I gave her a funny look, thinking “how can you be worrying about anyone else but yourself at a time like this?” That’s just how she was… whether sick or healthy. I told her that there was nothing I could do and I was sure they would be taking both of them back soon.

Well, after over two hours of my mom tossing her cookies and this young woman clutching at her stomach and bawling, they called the young woman’s name. When she stood up, she did not go to the nurse that had called her. She came directly over to us. She told my mom that she should go in first because it was obvious to everyone other than the ER staff that she needed to go back immediately and before anyone else. It was obvious! We thanked her over and over as I took my mom back.

When we got to the back to be helped, they had to take my mom’s entire life history! After all, they only had it in their computers for the last thirty-seven visits we had made to that hospital. After I finished and they were finally helping my mom, I walked back out to the young couple and said, “Thank you again. You will be blessed for what you did.” I felt the tears starting to fall, so I just quickly turned and went to the back with my mom who ended up staying in the hospital for four days on that visit. This couple was just one more in a line of angels that helped me over the time I cared for my mother. Their unselfish gesture to help us meant so much to us in that moment…especially since they were also suffering like others that had helped us along the way. They were there for us when we needed help.

There are so many gestures (big and small) like this that happen every day that have a profound effect on others lives. I always hope that I can return the favor by helping someone when they’re in need…even if it is just a little bit of help that they need.

Last week I had such an opportunity to help someone. I found a little boy of three years old, outside of my very large apartment complex. When I drove up, the little boy asked me if I could take him to his mom. I asked him where he lived and he said, “On the top,” as he pointed up to the top floor of the apartment building. So, I asked him which apartment it was, and he did not know. There are nineteen apartment buildings in that complex. So, I asked him where his dad was. The little boy said that his dad was sleeping and that he was not supposed to wake him up. Then I asked him if he knew where his mom was and he said, “I dunno.”

So, I sat with this adorable little boy for a little while talking to him and keeping him calm. All of a sudden, he started to yell, “There she is! There she is!” Sure enough, his mom drove up, got out of her car and ran over to the boy. She was holding a pizza. I asked her if this was her son, and of course, she said yes. I went on to explain to her what had happened. She thanked me profusely and they walked into their apartment…..which was on the BOTTOM FLOOR! I was so glad I was there to help because in this day and age, you just can’t leave kids alone for the shortest amount of time. I’m sure the mother was horrified when she considered what could have happened! There is nothing worse than imagining someone we love in harm’s way.

Well, during that same week, on the following Saturday, I received a call on my phone that said that a person that I was very close to needed my help. The phone call was from a police officer from a city about an hour away. I told the officer that I would be there as quickly as I could be. When I arrived there, the person that needed me was there as I had been told. I went into the lobby to get him and take him home. When I saw the person that needed me, they looked terrible. Next to him were two people waiting for me, but I did not know that at first. I just looked at them and smiled. But when I looked back at the friend in need, I just started crying uncontrollably. He looked terrible and like he needed a lot of help. As soon as the couple saw me crying, they told me that they were the ones who had brought him there and were taking care of him until someone could come and get him.
My mind immediately went back to a few days before when I had sat with the cute little boy, watching over him until a parent could come and get him. The couple explained to me what had happened and I’ll just say that it was pretty upsetting and my friend was very lucky to be alive. This friend had not done anything that had gotten him into trouble with the law. He had only been brought to the police station because he was in need of help.

When I heard all of the details from the couple, it was clear that they were in the right place at the right time. Well, that made me start crying even harder as I considered the alternative endings to the story. I told them thank you at least ten times. Then, I asked them for their names so I could send them a thank you card. They smiled at me and told me that they needed no other thanks than seeing how much I cared for this person and that now the person was being handed off safely to me. They said that they felt they had been blessed by being able to help someone so clearly in need of assistance with no one else around to help. I was truly thankful for them and what they had done to keep this person that I cared about so safe. It could have turned out so much differently.

Well, the day after this drama, I was outside my apartment again and I saw the mother of the boy that I had sat with earlier in the week. She was with her husband and she was pointing at me. The father of this little boy came right up to me and said, “You will be blessed for what you did for my son.” I smiled and thanked him for saying it. Then, it came to my mind that I had said the same thing to the young woman in the ER. I also remembered that the couple from the day before had felt blessed for coming to the rescue of me and my friend.

It truly felt like each one of these situations had some kind of divine intervention. As I look back on all of the help my mother and I needed, I see now how many people came to our rescue right when we needed them. I couldn’t help but think about my mother and how she had taught me to believe angels are around us. She also said that I should be there as an angel for others when I saw that they were in need of help. Then I wondered…..Could it be that my mom and other loved ones are working from the other side to assist people and to be “angels” for those in need?… Are they working to help us when we need help and keep us safe when we need safety…? -- After my experiences with my mom when we needed so much help, and my experiences during this past week with others in need of help, that wouldn’t surprise me one bit!!

Judging You Judging Me

2009-08-02T12:34:00.000-07:00

“I think he must hate me.” I had this thought often when I saw, heard mention of, or thought about one subscriber to the newspaper I was running.

I ran two different newspapers for a total of nine years. I learned a lot about people during that time. It was my job to report the news and, obviously, the news is about people in the community. It is a relatively small community where everyone knows everyone else. When I would have a story to print that was less than flattering to one of my fellow citizens, I sometimes had a difficult time bringing myself to print it in the paper. However, as a journalist it was my job to write and print the story.

Running a newspaper in a small community, rather than a newspaper publication with a much larger circulation, has its own unique problems. When a story is printed in a newspaper written for a large population of subscribers, the chances are pretty slim that you would know every single one of the people mentioned in each article…whether it be the crime section, the business section, the weddings or the obituaries. In a small town it is very likely that one does know, either first hand or through an acquaintance, every single person mentioned in the paper. And, most of them are related in some way. This can lead to some very interesting challenges for the staff of the newspaper.

For example, say there is a high speed chase on the streets… At a large paper, it would be highly unlikely that the parents, or spouse, or the congregational leader of the perpetrator would call or come into the newspaper office to beg them not to print the story because it was so embarrassing. At my small newspaper, it happened all of the time.

During my time at the paper, I can think of only four incidences when people came into the newspaper office to cancel their subscription to the paper. That really is a low number. Three of the four people canceling were members of either the City Council or the County Council. It was the newspaper’s job to have a reporter attend and print what happened at the Town Council Meetings. These articles were for the benefit of the citizens to learn what was going on in their community. Since these meeting were open to all of the public, you would think that the members of the council would only say what they wanted the community to hear…wouldn’t you? Well, I guess when they saw their actual words in print they must have seemed different somehow. They were not always pleased with how it came across in the article, or it caused them to receive grief from others about things they said or did on the council.

I would explain to them that we were only doing our jobs and that it was, in fact, exactly what was said in the meeting. Why they were surprised was beyond me. Well, one of the council members actually went and read the minutes of the meeting and came back to apologize a week later and reactivate his subscription to the paper.

One of the other two people that complained definitely thought that I, personally, had something against him. He felt that I had some kind of agenda against him. He thought I was singling out his decisions on the council and printing what he said and how he voted on various issues. In a small town, this can be very uncomfortable as everyone sees everyone pretty regularly… You know the kind of town where everyone raises their hand to wave before they even know who they are waving at….because, of course, they will know them! So, you can imagine how uncomfortable it was when I would pass this council member on the street, or see him in one of the local businesses. It was quite obvious to me that he would see me and then hurry away so he wouldn’t have to speak….at least I thought it was obvious.

I made a mistake in judging this man as someone who would hate me forever. I assumed that because of this incident with the paper that he would always dislike me and avoid me. For six years I thought this. As it turned out, I must have imagined some of it.

How do I know he doesn’t hate me now? Not from me asking him…but from me needing something from him… and yes, I needed something from him in his role as a public servant. I needed a favor and he was the decision maker on whether my request would be granted. I was hoping to avoid him all together by going through another person in his office. While helping me, this person asked me if I wanted to see him directly. I laughed and said that I was sure that I was NOT a person he would want to deal with. So the lady that was helping me took my phone number and said she would get an answer for me and call me back.

It only took a short time, a few minutes in fact, for her to call me back and report the decision. It was good news. She said he definitely knew who was making the request of him, and he approved it anyway. It was a big favor and he easily could have denied it to me. It was clear that he did not hate me at all or want to take out revenge on me. I had thought for all of that time that he did not like me and that he would never be doing me any favors.

I felt quite bad about judging this person… and it was ironic because I thought he was making a judgment about me from one incident. If I only would have taken the time to talk to him and clear the air, I would have avoided a lot of uncomfortable situations….uncomfortable for me …obviously now I realize they were not that uncomfortable for him. He had clearly moved on. He was fine and I was the one carrying the assumption of hate around with me. It had bothered me a lot when I thought this person did not like me for doing my job.

So, what did I learn? I learned that I caused myself a lot of worry by assuming something rather than dealing with it head on. I am grateful for this lesson. In the future, if I have any doubt about how my relationship is going with someone, I will simply ask. If there are hard feelings about something, I’ll try to work it out. Maybe this lesson from my small town could be of benefit to the world at large?

Learning from One of the Best (and Nicest) in Talk Radio

2009-07-29T08:28:00.000-07:00

After my teenage years of constantly scanning the radio dial for just the right tune to crank up on my car radio, I decided to let the dial stop on a talk radio show rather than just skipping over it. I was eighteen, the age for me to “officially” be called an adult. Well, there must be something to that age because when I came across this program on talk-radio, I was actually interested in what I heard. I found myself listening to more and more talk on the radio after that…whether they were informative, insightful, funny or controversial these programs really captured and held my interest. I have been a big fan of talk radio ever since.

For the past twenty six years I have continued to tune into these programs and occasionally I have even felt compelled to call in and ask a question or give an opinion. I seem to spend a lot of time in my car at different times of the day. So, I have been able to listen to and get to know about most of the radio talk show hosts from one end of the radio dial to the other. There are definitely some talk show hosts that are better than others, but I admire all of them. It would be a very challenging job to capture and then hold the interest of a live audience for several hours a day without being able to see them. Sometimes I have to just sit in my car in my driveway to finish listening to a topic.

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to meet with one of the best on the dial. Alex Kirry is a co-host of a talk radio show called, The Nightside Project. It airs every night from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. and can be found on 1160 AM or 102.7 FM in Salt Lake City, or you can listen to it live online or listen to podcasts of the show.
The show reviews the day’s top news stories with a lot of light heartedness and humor… not to say that they are never serious. They also give well-thought out commentary on various issues and are able to get a lot of people calling to join in on the conversation. Alex’ co-host is Ethan Millard and the two hosts of the show carry on a friendly, fun banter back and forth throughout the show. Even though I am not in their target younger audience of those in their twenties or thirties, I have been listening since the show began and have really enjoyed it. (Maybe my mind still operates on a younger level? -- If that!)

As many of the followers of my site know, I have been working on a book about a talk radio personality for a while now. I am sure I was influenced to write a book about this because of my years of being a listener and fan. In order to make my book more authentic, it has been important to learn as much as I can about the radio business. As I have been researching information for my book, I have thought about an occasion I had listening to Richard Paul Evans. He was giving a speech on his writing experiences. He said that once when he was writing a book that needed a lot of medical information, he shadowed a doctor for a while. As they walked in a female patient’s room, she recognized him and she said, “I knew you were an author, but I had no idea you were a doctor too!” Clearly, his research was paying off. He looked and played the part so well that this patient actually believed he was a doctor…Either that or she was just highly medicated!

So, I know that in order to make my book believable, I need to take that kind of approach and learn as much as I can about the job of my main character…but, who to ask? I considered a few different radio personalities in the area. Then, I chose Alex Kirry because he sounded so approachable. He has also been a “friend” of mine on Facebook for quite a while now. I had added him as a friend because I am a fan of his show and I like to hear about what is going on with him. We have also followed each other on Twitter.

So, I sent him an e-mail. When I sent Alex the e-mail explaining to him about my book, I was not sure what kind of response I would receive. I’m sure he is very busy.

Alex immediately responded to my request and sounded more than happy to help me. I proceeded to make him a list of questions that I needed answers for to lend credibility to my work. When Alex received the list of questions, he replied that since I had such an extensive list of questions that maybe it would be better to meet at his work to answer the questions and that I could record what he had to say.
I was very impressed by his willingness to show me around the studio. I met with Alex yesterday at the KSL Studios in downtown Salt Lake City. He spent an hour and a half showing me around the studio, answering my questions, and telling me everything he could think of that might be helpful to me. He introduced me around to a lot of his co-workers and then showed me the various pieces of equipment and explained how it all worked. I had seen other studios before but it was truly fascinating to me to see this one now… not only as an author who needed the information but as a fan of talk radio for so many years.

It was also very interesting to meet Alex in person. It is funny how you form an impression in your mind of what someone might look like when you hear them on the radio. I’m not exactly sure what I expected but the tall smiling man that greeted me was not it. Alex was so professional and good to me that I wanted to write about and thank him in today’s post. Later, after I left the studio, I was thinking how grateful I was to have asked him from all of my choices of hosts. I wouldn’t have been surprised if he hadn’t even responded to my e-mail. He certainly did not have to…there would be no personal gain for him. But not only did he respond, he went the extra mile to help a virtual stranger.

This experience told me a lot about Alex Kirry. Clearly, what I heard on the radio was not imagined. He really was a great guy. He sounded approachable on the air, and he was. So, I just wanted to thank Alex again… There is no doubt I will be mentioning him in the acknowledgments of my book. Because of the information I received, the work should move along a lot quicker now. Then, maybe I will stop waking in the night with ideas for the plot or changes that I feel I need to make. My editor laughs about all of the ideas and changes that come across her desk. One of these days, all of my ideas for the book will run dry and I will feel comfortable about not having any more changes to make. At that point, I will know that my book is ready to publish and share with all of you.

Remember to listen for Alex on the radio, and then watch for his influence in the book. Thanks again to him for helping me in the creative process of writing….I sincerely appreciated him giving so generously of his time and wisdom.

The Power of the Written Word

2009-07-24T11:13:00.000-07:00

I love the power of words which is probably why I love books so much. The written word can make us laugh, reflect upon our life, bring out emotions-- whether positive or negative-- and words have the amazing ability to motivate us into action. Just think of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution… such masterpieces of the written word that they have literally changed the world because of the inspired words that are in these documents. The right to express thoughts and ideas was deemed as so important by our Founding Fathers that the right to do so was included in the First Amendment….Freedom of Speech and Freedom of the Press. To have thoughts, words, or books banned is just unfathomable to me.

I had a wonderful opportunity during my career to work as a publisher and editor of two newspapers. I started the first newspaper and ran it for two years and then bought out the competing paper and ran it for seven more years. During that time, I also wrote columns for the newspaper. I did this for a few weeks and received a lot of positive feedback from readers. So, I continued to write articles for a long time after that – even winning some awards along the way. I was always surprised by the responses my articles received. With just a paragraph or two, I could inspire someone to do a good deed, or I could pick up the phone and have someone I didn’t even know yelling into my ear because of something I had written. That is the power of the written word.

Since my teenage years, I have always enjoyed writing…whether it was poems or journaling or letters to friends and family, I found the experience quite cathartic. Even though there are many better authors than I…I don’t let that stop my love of “putting pen to paper” and letting my thoughts pour out onto the page.

Sometimes I need the opposite to happen. I need to forget all of my problems and fall into the pages of a great story. A book can take me on a vacation to another part of the world, to another time in history, and introduce me to new people. With a good book, my imagination opens up as I mentally picture all that is taking place in the story. It opens my mind to a new place where my thoughts can run free.

It is amazing to me how many books have been written. When I go into a large book store or library, I almost hyperventilate with excitement with all of the possibilities. I somehow feel smarter just imagining all of the knowledge that is contained in all of those books. I feel as Thomas Jefferson who said, “I cannot live without books!” I look around the room I am in now and somehow feel comforted by all of the books that surround me. Am I just crazy?

I know that there are a lot of people that read this blog that are authors and also have a great love of books. I am sure they understand completely what I am talking about. However, every once in a while I run into someone who tells me that they don’t have any interest in books and they really do not like to read. I am always quite taken back by this. I feel that they are missing out on one of life’s greatest pleasures and advantages. Hopefully, someday they will pick up a book that speaks to them as so many have to me and be converted!!

The world of great literature offers so many beautiful experiences to the reader, opening and broadening the mind to untold knowledge and experiences. I recently came across this poem on the web which is what inspired this blog today… I hope you enjoy it as much as I did as it seems to sum up the love of books and the written word.

IN THE LIBRARY

Books, books, an ocean of books
Bursting with knowledge for me;
I delve in their depths
To fathom perhaps,
And drown in the billowy sea.

Books, books, dark, dusty books
Row upon row I can see;
They fill me with greed
As I ponder to read
And finger their leaves tenderly.

Books, books, volumes of books
Their titles around me glow,
And within me I feel
Their covers conceal
The things I have wanted to know.

Books, books, Life pulsing books
A spirit from out of them breathes,
And the voice I can hear
Of an author held dear
Who slumbers ‘neath laurels and wreaths.

Books, books, an ocean of books
Bursting with knowledge for me,
I delve in their depths
To fathom perhaps
And drown in the billowy sea.

Maude Elizabeth Jones Rigby (1924)

Reflecting on the Reasons

2009-07-21T05:41:00.000-07:00

I have been very fortunate to have a lot of good people enter my life…
Some enter and stay for a long time and others enter only for a short moment. There are those that left me way too soon and others that really outstayed their welcome. But, they all seem to have a reason for crossing my path when they did. Even with those that seemed to cause me heartache at the time, I can usually see later how they taught me something or fulfilled a need. Usually the experience of knowing them teaches me something I needed to know or helps me in some way.

There is no doubt in my mind that some people come into our lives for a reason. There was an individual who crossed my path a couple of years ago and I have not spoken to him since. Yet, I believe I will have the memory of him forever because of what we experienced. I think about him often and I hope he is doing well. This is an example of a chance meeting in my life with a great individual who helped me more than he will ever know.

Back in 2007, I spent a lot of time in doctor’s offices and hospitals caring for my mother who had become very sick in her later years. It seemed to fall upon me to be the one in the family who became her primary caregiver. I did not ask for this job, but I loved my mother and was grateful that I was in a situation where I could help her. Anyone else who has had this duty knows how difficult and draining it can be. There are many more hours of worry and concern than of positive bright moment.

During the course of that year, my mom was hospitalized seven different times. I spent a lot of time waiting and worrying about her while she was being helped by doctors and nurses. If you have ever spent a lot of time in waiting rooms at the doctor’s office or in the hospital waiting areas, you know how uncomfortable it can be. It always seems too cold – probably because of nerves and worry. There is really no way to relax and be comfortable when you have to wait for literally hours.

On one of these occasions, my mother was in Intensive Care at the hospital. I spent many hours in the ICU family waiting area. The hospital had provided a microwave and a sink, but other than that it was seriously lacking for staying any long period of time. I questioned whether I should just go home several times, but it just didn’t feel right to leave Mom. Now, I know that it is not the hospital’s job to be a hotel, but after being there for so long, it was easy to complain.

To add to my discomfort was what was going on around me. I saw loved one after loved one come into the waiting area while their family member was being taken care of by the medical staff. Some looked like they were in shock, some looked like they didn’t know what to do with themselves, and some just looked totally distraught.

In between the times I checked in on my mother, I became an observer of these fellow “waiters” for several hours at a time. When the nighttime arrived on the first day I was there, another family entered the waiting room. I had given a casual, “Hello” to some of the people I had seen before them in the waiting room, but with this family it was different. We immediately struck up a conversation and I found out that the patriarch of their family was the patient. He was in his seventies, and he was clearly beloved by his family. He was brought in and put in the Intensive Care Unit after suffering a heart attack and a stroke. His wife, their adult children and their spouses, and the grandchildren all began arriving in little groups. Before I knew it, the room was full of this man’s family. Apparently, the heart attack and stroke was a sudden and unexpected thing, and the family was totally distraught.

I had been alone in the waiting room and to watch this family come together to support one another was very moving. It became very interesting to see who would come in next to find out about the condition of their father, grandfather, brother, uncle and friend. I was impressed by the huge showing of support by this family to one another and the patient and yet a bit overwhelmed at how much this man must have affected all of these lives.

At some point that night, during all of the people going in and out, I had a chance to talk with a lot of the members of the family. There was one member of this family, however, that I will never forget. His name was Steve and he was the son of the man in Intensive Care. He was of about the same age as me. As we talked about how difficult it is to watch your parents get older, we formed a bond.

The next morning when I arrived back at the ICU waiting room, many members of Steve’s family were already there and some had stayed the night. They looked totally haggard. They brightened up a bit when they saw my familiar face and immediately inquired about my mother and I asked about the condition of their husband and father. I found them so compassionate and empathetic to ask about me amidst all of their own suffering.

This was a family who organized and prepared and by day three they began to bring in food. They adopted me right in as one of their own and invited me to eat with them. I was so grateful to have something other than the hospital cafeteria food. Over the next few days, I also began to bring food to share and they continued to bring in food as well. We had a lot of good food and good conversation about our families – especially considering our circumstances. It was amazing how much this family came to mean to me after only a short period of time.

Before I knew it, a week had gone by. At the end of a week of watching this family pull together and support one another and me, they lost their beloved family member. I had entered the waiting room that morning and when I saw that none of them were there, my heart sank. Somehow, I knew. I went straight to a nurse and she told me that Steve’s father had indeed passed away. I had become so close to Steve and his family that I felt as if I had lost my own relative --even though I had never met the man. They had told me so many wonderful things about him that I felt as if I knew him. In many ways I did. If the memory of this man’s life was to be his family, he had a great legacy indeed.

I saw them later and saw how crushed Steve was. I cried with him and with the rest of the family. Their spirits were so broken, and yet, they were still concerned for my welfare and the welfare of my mother. As we parted ways, this family actually promised to pray for me and my mother. “What an amazing group of people,” I thought.

The following day, which was day nine of her stay, my mother was released from the ICU, and I realized how blessed I was to still have her with me. I recommitted myself to making sure she knew that I loved her and that I cared about her each day that she had left of her life. It was much easier after having this wonderful family as an example.

A couple of months later, my mom was back in the hospital again, but luckily, not in the ICU this time. A business trip came up that was very important that I take. I hated the thoughts of leaving my mom at the hospital, but she assured me that it would be okay and I should go.

So, reluctantly, I boarded the plane and found my seat. As soon as I was buckled in and had pulled out a book for the flight, I took a deep breath. As I thought about my sick mother back in the hospital, I felt like maybe I had made the wrong decision in going on the trip. I began to get tears in my eyes and I turned my head so the passenger next to me would not see them. As I looked out the window, I saw the usual things one sees; the baggage being driven and loaded under the plane, a few maintenance people checking the plane, and that was when a person I needed at that very moment was there for me…

I had thought a lot about Steve after our talks in that waiting room and I thought that I would probably never see him again. Sometime during one of our conversations, I had learned from Steve that he worked at the Salt Lake International Airport. I had even thought about him when I entered the airport that day but I knew there was a very slim chance I would see him there.

The chances were slim, but they were not non-existent. I looked down and saw an airport employee in his orange jacket with reflectors guiding the plane back out of the airport terminal. He was using paddles to guide the pilot. As the plane came to a stop, I rubbed my eyes to make sure I was not hallucinating and sure enough… there was Steve. He was standing directly below my window. He looked right up at me and I waved. It took him only a few seconds to recognize me and then he smiled widely. At first I wondered why he did not wave back and then I realized that flailing his arms around may not be the best idea considering his job. He did, however, give me a small “thumbs up.”

I cannot begin to tell you how important this moment was to me. There was the man that I had seen only a couple of months earlier so broken by the passing of his father, and he was smiling at me. His life had gone on and he had survived the ICU waiting room experience!

We both started laughing as the plane started to slowly move towards the runway. I took another deep breath as I realized that Steve was exactly who and what I needed at this moment in my life. I took a minute to thank God for his grace in sending a person into my life right at the moment I needed him. It was precisely at that moment that I needed a smile and a “thumbs up” by someone who I knew understood my pain. He had survived his “waiting room” experience and so would I.

Valor Publishing Group, LLC Signs with Little Red Ride Promotions

2009-07-16T22:11:00.000-07:00

12 July 2009 – Orem, UTAH -- Valor Publishing Group president, Candace Salima, gladly announces its signing with public relations firm, Little Red Ride Promotions, LLC. Salima has contracted the PR firm to handle publicity for its authors and their books. “Little Red Ride Promotions has established itself in the industry as the author’s friend,” said Ms. Salima, “As such, Little Red Ride Promotions is uniquely qualified to represent and launch our authors into the national and global markets. We look forward to a long and mutually beneficial relationship.”
Doug Johnston, president of Little Red Ride Promotions, has always had a passion for the performing arts and the written word and plans to help Valor Publishing Group authors in their aspirations to expand their creative works.
For further information on Valor Publishing Group, LLC and its authors contact:
Candace E. Salima
801-358-6213
candace@valorpublishinggroup.com
http://valorpublishinggroup.com

New Beginnings

2009-07-15T12:51:00.000-07:00

Like Oprah’s weight, my life has had A LOT of ups and downs. Currently, I am on the downswing as I am going through a divorce. I have been impressed by how many people have contacted me to lend their support and help me through this difficult time. Without friends, I don’t know how I would survive this change in my life.

A few years ago, I co-wrote a musical called “Lives Change”…In it the characters go through some significant changes in their lives that re-shape who they are and how their lives go forward. I learned a lot through that creative process. Now, I look at the changes I go through in my own life and evaluate how I can use what I learn from each to better myself and the world around me.

With this most recent upset in my life, it would be easy to head into a downward spiral. I refuse to let that happen. When you reach mid-life, you have to be careful to not fall into “crisis” mode. Also, when you are thinking about the second part of your life, you can take the saying, “It’s all downhill from here!” and look at it in two different ways. Either you are somewhat giving up and you are resigned to the fact that your health, career, and personal life will all deteriorate from this point – or – you can choose to take what you have learned over the years and put it to good use – using the knowledge and wisdom you have gained on the climb to shape a happier and more productive life.

The first step I am taking on the road of my new beginnings, is in the area of my professional life. With a divorce comes a separation of people and property. My wife and I had been running a company together…So, that specific company venture is now ending along with the marriage. I love my work and have no intention of stopping it because of this set-back. In fact, if anything, this has motivated me to do more than ever before for my clients. I don’t want my personal problems to affect them in their professional pursuits.

So, with the purging of the old (the old business name, old web-site, and the old ideas) I find myself very excited about this specific new beginning in regards to my work. I am taking all of the knowledge I have gained and rededicating myself to the successful promotion of clients. The concept to provide effective and personal service to clients remains the same. It is my goal to take the promotion of my clients and their work to the next level.

The new name of my company is, “Little Red Ride Promotions.” I have spent this last week working with an amazing web-designer to create a site that will explain exactly who we are and what we do. The name of the company was inspired by the very first car I owned as a teenager. Do you remember those years? – When you just knew you could take on the world and win?! I was so proud of myself for being able to buy and maintain a car. It was a good little ride that always got me to my destination. Aah!--- Those carefree days of driving down the road with the window down, the radio turned up and me, singing at the top of my lungs… It was that feeling of having an endless road of opportunities in life ahead of me. You can read more of the story behind our new company and its name at, www.littleredride.com .

I want to have this same positive outlook as I head into my future. I have set some new goals and I plan to make it to my new destination. I want to take as many others with me in reaching their own desired destinations as I can… While I am sure there will be some speed bumps and road blocks on the path ahead, I look forward to successfully navigating each one.

This is My Friend, Robert, & this is My Other Friend, Robert

2009-07-01T14:48:00.000-07:00

I have had the good fortune in my life to be blessed with a lot of great friends. It is purely by coincidence that the two friends that I have been closest to are named, “Robert.” This has worked out well for me. If someone asks me who my best friend is, I only have to reply, “Robert.” Neither one can be offended by which one is the better friend, because they will just assume I am talking about him.

My first friend named, Robert, was my childhood friend when I lived in Mississippi. He lived next door and we were in the seventh and eighth grades together. During this time of growth and change, it was so awesome to have a best friend I could count on to be there. We did everything together. We bowled together -- a lot! We made googly eyes at the teenage girls. We played baseball and basketball. We played Ping Pong together every single day at the Youth Center. I think he beat me every single time… Someday, I am hoping for a rematch...Maybe old age – on his part- will give me an advantage! We worked together at our very first job – we bagged groceries at the Base Commissary grocery store. And, a lot of the time we just hung out together.

During some of this unstructured time, we probably did some things we shouldn’t have. Once, at about 2:00 AM, we were on the military base in the housing area and for some unknown adolescent reason, we decided it would be a good idea to set off bottle rockets. Why would we have thought it was okay to set off fireworks on a military base surrounded by military police? Your guess is as good as mine! …But, guess what! …We got away with it! How? I will never know.

Another one of our other capers was to steal the valve stem covers off of tires on the military base. Maybe we had a death wish…I just don’t know. Why we weren’t hauled off and sent to military school for discipline? I have no idea…. When you go through things like that with a friend and they still stay your friend, you know they can be labeled as the “best” of friends.

After I moved back to Utah, I lost touch with Robert. Boys are not too good about writing letters back and forth. Well, this past week I found my old friend, Robert, on Facebook. It was amazing to see his name and face appear right there on my computer after all of these years. The modern technology to make things like this happen today is truly incredible!

We had the best time catching up after all of those years. He reminded me about one Halloween when I dressed up as a nurse. He dressed up as his sister. We walked about a mile in our costumes to the Youth Center. All dressed up as such fine-looking young ladies, we had two different cars of men try to pick us up. I’m sure you can imagine the side-splitting laughter this caused in two silly young boys. I must admit, we laughed just about as hard last week when we talked about it again. He also reminded me that I won the “best costume” award and my prize was a camera. He told me that he thinks he has pictures of the occasion somewhere. I said a silent prayer that he would NEVER find those pictures…I have plenty of incriminating photos of me on Facebook already!

I missed “Mississippi Robert” terribly when I moved back to Utah. How do you replace a friend like that…A friend who knows you so well and has experienced so much with you. It was difficult to lose him at that time in my life.

But, somehow I was blessed. Not too long after moving back, I met my second best friend named, Robert. He was in a similar situation to mine in that he had just moved to Utah from Texas. It is always intimidating to be young, and in a new place, and without a lot of friends. It was only by circumstance that I met him in the first place. I had done a lot of bowling as a boy and a teenager. When I was a teenager, I was also employed at a bowling alley for quite a while. I made a lot of friends during that time of my life, but never did I become as close to any of them as I became to Robert.

Over the years that I had been learning to bowl, I must admit, that I seemed to have a natural knack for it. Robert and his mother had come into the bowling alley to get Robert signed up in a league. At some point, his mother asked me if I would teach her son some of the skills I had learned at bowling. I was happy to do it, and I am so glad that I did. It lead to a great friendship. Almost immediately after meeting Robert and starting to bowl together, we were friends. You know how it is with some people? You just meet them and automatically “click.” We were like that.

As with the first “Robert” in my life, this Robert and I started hanging out a lot and doing everything together. Of course, we spent a lot of times at the lanes bowling, but we did a lot of other things too. We went to school together and went to a lot of concerts together. We had many double dates and for a while, I even dated one of his sisters. Hey, if your friendship can survive that, it can survive anything.

I have stayed in contact with this Robert as we have gotten busier with the more serious things in life. I have watched Robert grow into one of the greatest men I know. It’s funny how one minute your friend is just as big a goofball as you are, and the next, he is married and has an important job and being an overall responsible citizen. When does this happen? It feels like it just happens overnight!

His work has taken him back to the state of Texas. We have been able to stay in contact over the years by communicating on… you guessed it…Facebook! We talk on a pretty regular basis. He is coming to Utah in a couple of weeks and we have already made plans for me to help him move his mom and to do something fun together.
I am so glad to have both of these Roberts in my life. When I was a kid, I was just being a kid. I just wanted to have someone to accept me, hang out with, and have a good time. But, as I am getting older, I realize how much more these bonds truly are. They have helped to shape me into the person I am today, and I thank them for that. Also, I truly believe that if I ever needed either one of them, they would come to the rescue immediately. That is a good feeling to know I have developed two great friendships like that.

And, one more thing --- I have been thinking a lot about how great the power of technology is in my lifetime. Without the internet and Facebook, I may have never hooked up with my childhood friend, Robert and without Facebook; I may have never been able to stay in contact with my other friend Robert who lives in Texas. I am very grateful for that.

I look forward to continuing these friendships and to have them as lifelong connections. We have made many memories together and I hope to make many more with them. Hey, maybe at some point I’ll even be able to introduce them to each other. Then, we can all hang out, and I will introduce them to others as, “This is my friend, Robert, and this is my other friend, Robert.” How great would that be?

End of an Era

2009-06-26T12:35:00.000-07:00

Well, if you haven’t heard about the passing of Michael Jackson, I’m assuming you are pretty much brain dead….Wow, how did you all react when you heard that news? I know, we’re not talking about the death of a Kennedy or anything, but I really think that I will remember where I was when I heard the news. I was in my truck going to pick up my daughter, Kenna, when KSL radio sent a news alert to my phone saying he had been taken to the hospital and it didn’t look so good.

Now, I am not what you call a true blue, fanatic kind of Michael Jackson fan, but I did like a lot of his music and videos. When his songs come on the radio, I know the words, and most of the time, they make me want to get up and boogy. (Okay, stop laughing!! You get my point!)

There is no doubt that he was, and is, an American icon. He has made a huge impact on pop music in my life-time. His career has spanned about the length of time that I have been alive. So, I can hear a Michael Jackson song and be taken back to a time and place in my life when the song was a hit. Music is very powerful that way.
I remember when the Thriller video was made. It was like nothing I had seen before. It was so creative and fresh… set to a catchy song he had written and recorded -- it had a story behind it, a horror movie screen legend – Vincent Price -- doing a voice over, brilliant dance moves, great choreography, and wonderful special effects. I was riveted every time I saw that video. His music has always been there playing as part of the soundtrack to my life and to many people of my generation. Each decade seemed to have another song that became a hit and played over and over on the airwaves. I don’t think that anyone would argue that Jackson was a musical genius.

It is very unfortunate that he had so many problems in his life. Rather than think about all of the accusations and his legal troubles today, I have been thinking more about the man. I was thinking about when he was interviewed by Oprah Winfrey several years ago. Some of you will remember that interview. That was the first time I had seen the artist’s vulnerable side. It was clear that no matter how much fame and fortune this man had achieved, he still did not like himself. He talked about not being able to look in the mirror and how unhappy he was with his skin and the color of his skin. In the following years, we all watched as he went in for surgery after surgery to change his appearance. This man had so much going on inside of him… so much music to be let out… It is a shame that he was so uncomfortable with his face… even going so far as to hide it under a mask when he went out in public.

As I thought more about the span of his career over the past few decades and the fact that his light has now burned out, it left me feeling a little empty inside. It just felt so much like the end of an era. It made me feel old even though I know he died relatively young. The thing is that pop culture icons like Jackson become so immortalized by their music, that it is really difficult to believe he is actually gone. In a way, he never will be. There is no doubt he will live on through his music. Like other icons--such as --Marilyn Monroe, Elvis Presley, and James Dean, the images of Jackson will forever live on in American culture and around the worldpermanently. So, to the man Michael Jackson, I say, “Rest in peace.” And to the musical legend, it is clear, that his image, icon status, and music will live on forever…Like him or hate him, he is permanently sewn into the fabric of American pop culture, and that, I can respect.

Take Me Out to the Ballgame

2009-06-25T08:06:00.000-07:00

I love baseball! Like many boys, I was signed up for my little league team when I was seven. Ever since then, I have played either baseball or softball. Yes, when I became an old geezer, I had to change to softball. (It was getting just a little too difficult to drag that bulky oxygen tank around the diamond!) The bases in softball are closer together, so I didn’t have to run as far. The ball was bigger, so I could see it with my bad eyes. Even though playing the game has gotten a lot more difficult for me, I still love to play. I hope to be playing for a long, long time – even if I have to pull myself around the bases with a walker!
It is not only playing ball that I love. I love the whole atmosphere of a baseball game. I love to be a part of the crowd and root for the home team. I love to watch all of my surroundings at the ball park. The thing that is different about watching baseball from other sports is that there is a lot of time to observe things. I have mentioned that I really enjoy “people watching.” I like to just sit back, get comfortable, and watch people. I like to consider who they are and what they are thinking and why they behave the way they do. The baseball diamond is a great place to do this because there is so much going on – on the field and off.
Last night, I went to the Salt Lake Bee’s game, a triple AAA team. Watching the players of each team and their coaches and managers always gives me a lot to think about. Everything in baseball is done so deliberately. Everything is given so much thought – from the batting order to signs given by the base line coaches, there is always something to consider. As I watch, I enjoy watching all of the subtleties of the game.
I observed that all of the first and third base coaches NEVER stand inside the nice little white box that has been so carefully drawn for them. It is almost as if they cannot, “think outside the box” unless they are actually standing outside of this box! I noticed the umpire watching the third base coach out of the corner of his eye. It is a lot like watching your kids push a rule a little farther… then, a little farther to see how far they can break the rule without major consequences.
There are a lot of superstitions in baseball, a lot of routines that are followed by players in order to not mess up a winning streak or a no-hitter. I noticed that about half of the players on both teams will jump over the base line going to and from the dugout. Was this some kind of game like, “Don’t step on the crack, or you’ll break your mother’s back.”
These are just the kinds of things I observe and am curious about. Like, when the Bees were on the field and would throw a player out, they would do the traditional routine of throwing the ball around the horn before getting the ball back to the pitcher. Why do they usually leave the first baseman out of this? Is he too tired from catching the ball just a few seconds ago?
At professional games, players take time to throw balls to the fans in the stands. Some of the players always throw the balls and some players never do…is this a little clue into their minds and personalities as to who is more friendly and outgoing and who is more reserved or arrogant? I also have some theories about all of that scratching going on down there on the field, but that is for an entirely different kind of blog….
Then, there is the crowd that I am able to observe at the game. Baseball has fans from all different walks of life, so the crowds are usually very diverse. There is always something interesting to see in the stand if you are looking. It is an interesting study into human nature to watch the different loyalties of the fans. Some are so anxious to support the home team that it seems as if their entire life depends on the outcome based on how they are screaming and yelling and carrying on. But this love can be fickle and very conditional… they show the love until a member of their team makes an error or the other team gets a hit. Then, you would think they had their entire lives riding on the game by the way they turn on a player. And, of course, the players on the other team are just sheer evil to them. No matter how much physical ability they display, because they are on the other team, they are truly the enemy. That is one part of professional sports that is difficult… what do these fans then do when their favorite player signs a contract with the rival team?
In the crowd, there are also those who seem to come just to relax in the summer-time air. They don’t seem to have any interest in the game at all. I observed one lady reading a book and didn’t even look up when the home team hit a three-run homer after the game has been tied for seven innings. Another girl in front of me was casually watching a movie….the ballpark is a good place for movie snacks… I must admit…
And then, there are those who have one eye on the game and the rest of their attention on the person(s) they came to the game with. I can tell that lot of really great conversations and connections are being made in those stands. There is just something about the atmosphere at a ballgame. No wonder it has been dubbed, “The Great American Past Time.”

Was I that bad of student

2009-06-23T22:04:00.000-07:00

I remember my kindergarten teacher by name. I remember my first grade teacher by name. I remember my second, third, and fourth grade teacher’s names. I had had a good experience with all of my teachers up to that point.
Then, when I entered the fifth grade, I met, what would become, my all-time favorite teacher! Her name was Mrs. Roberts and she was like a “saint” to me. She took the time to get to know me and understand me. She knew I had a difficult time sitting still. (I still can’t sit still.) She knew that I spent time daydreaming. (I still daydream.) She knew that she would have to remind me that I could not count the number of tiles on the floor or ceiling out loud and disrupt the class. She often had to remind me of the rules of the class. She had a unique way of getting her student’s attention when she needed it. She had set up her classroom so that the students were seated in a large circle. On her desk, she had a whole bunch of bean bags. If a student misbehaved, she would pick up a bean bag, take aim, and chuck it at the rule-breaker. (Yes, I know, she would have been fired in today’s world!) Her methods were effective and her students loved her and wanted to please her.
I was able to enjoy Mrs. Roberts class for the first half of the year. Then, in the middle of the school year, my step-dad was transferred to Spain for his work with the U.S. Air Force. So, our family packed our bags and moved to a strange new country. Then, I went to strange new school and was assigned to a strange new teacher… yes, she was very strange indeed!
To this day, I could not remember her name, and I certainly could not have picked her out of a lineup – not even if I was paid to do so…. Must not have “felt the love” as my kids say.
“What sparked this memory?” you may be asking. I was going through some old papers of mine that my mother had held onto for me… In those papers, there were report cards, Christmas cards, art projects from school… you know… the usual stuff a proud mom would keep on her favorite son….There I found my report cards from the 5th grade.
It was very eye-opening to see the difference in comments between my two fifth grade teachers! My favorite teacher, Mrs. Roberts, had written, “I have had the greatest pleasure to have Doug in my class. He is a smart young man and will go far in life. Good luck in all you do and remember that your teacher loves you.” As I looked down the grades I received in her class, they were all A’s and B’s, and I had “Outstanding” on everything except for “paying attention.” For someone with ADD, that was no surprise at all!
Then, I found my report card and information from the second half of my 5th grade school year. The first thing that I noticed on the cover was that by “Student’s Name” it read, “Johnston, Douglas.” I started laughing. No one calls me, “Douglas,”… no one! I think I have only been called Douglas two or three times in my life… All of those times, it was by my mom when she was VERY, VERY angry at me. And so, today I see that my least favorite teacher had that as my name a well…. Coincidence? I think not! But, I decided to give her the benefit of the doubt, thinking that she may not have known me well when I first signed up for school. Then, I opened the report card and began to read what she had written. Science = D, Spelling = C (Okay, if you read my blog often, you realize she may be right on this one!) Reading = D, English = D, Communication = D, Handwriting = D, Social Studies = D and finally Host Nation Language and Culture = B. Now, remember here, I had just moved to Spain from America. In my entire life, I have only known about 20 words in Spanish, and about fifteen of those are swear words that I picked up on the soccer field. It was amazing to me that these grades were given to me, the same student who had just been getting all A’s and B’s a few weeks earlier.
So then, I read the three comments she had written on the back of the report card to see why the grades were so low. The first comment reads, “Needs to be doing more class work on reading skills and logs. DOUGLAS can do good work but he must but forth consistent effort. Needs extra help at home with division.” The second comment, “DOUGLAS doesn’t always use his time wisely and has failed to complete many long term assignments.” Finally the third comment, “Best of luck next year. I’m sure you’ll do well IF you try harder.”
I found out at that point that her name, that I could never remember after all of these years, was “D. Sedrish,” from the signature on my report card. I am sorry that I was such a bad student, and I will take the responsibility for bad grades, but I will not take what she wrote so seriously, and here is why….
I am someone, like most people, that likes and responds well to being praised. I am someone who does his best when he is not being cut down because of his religious beliefs. I have written another blog about what happened to the only other LDS student in the class…. Not Nice!
When I moved back to Utah from Spain, I had the chance to go to my old home town for a day… Guess where I went! That’s right… straight to see Mrs. Roberts, my favorite 5th Grade Teacher! By now, I was in the 8th grade. When I walked in to her classroom, she looked straight at me and without missing a beat said, “Hi Dougie!” She knew me. She was excited to see me. How refreshing. It was so nice to visit with her. After that, I moved to Mississippi for two years. When I arrived back in my home town after those two years, my first person to visit was, you guessed it, Mrs. Roberts! I visited with her on many occasions after that. She truly was a positive influence in my life and really made a difference as my teacher.
Over those years, I visited with other teachers, but none had touched my life like Mrs. Roberts. I could always tell which teachers loved me and taught with love and a desire to make a difference. I have the report cards and notes from a lot of them, and they tell the story of which ones helped me to succeed and which ones did not.
For example, when I had a speech problem in the second grade, I had a speech teacher. I could not speak well at all. I went to speech therapy three times a week, and it was not making any difference. I did not really like the lady that was my speech therapist in the beginning. Then, she went on a leave to have a baby. While she was gone, in walked the prettiest speech therapist in the world. I was smitten! It wasn’t so much her looks as her smile and friendly demeanor. She immediately made me feel at ease and told me I had beautiful blue eyes. That little bit of praise was all it took. As one who now makes part of his living doing speaking engagements, you can see that she was successful in turning my speech problem around.
So, was it some miracle that my speech improved? And, was it just by chance that I remembered my fifth grade teacher’s name and her so well. Absolutely not!
Most people work better when they are in a positive environment and surrounded by happy people. As the evidence from my box of school memories proves, one little boy had his life changed forever by these types of individuals. Thank you Mrs. Roberts for taking the time to get to know me and understand me and thank you for loving and accepting me… just the way I was…..

Father's Day Best Present Ever

2009-06-21T14:04:00.000-07:00

A few years ago I won some big awards for a column I wrote about my three fathers. My dad, my step dad and my Heavenly Father. I wanted to share that with you today, but I can not find it. So, I am going to tell you about my Father's Day.

When I got divorced from my first wife, we went to church all of the time, and it seemed that after the divorce the children decided that they would not go as much, or at all in some cases. I also quit going for a long time, blaming a lot of people for things they said, and things they had done, and I won't get into the feelings and the reasons right now, but someday I will share that.

For the last year or so, I have had a huge desire to go to church again, and it has really been hard to go by myself. So, when each of my five children asked me what I wanted for Fathers Day, I told each of them, for you to go to church with me. Some laughed, some said maybe and some said no way.

Last night, my eighteen year old daughter Chelsea asked if I was going to church today. I told her I was, and she said she would go with me. I must have had a very strange look on my face. She told me that if I wanted that for Father's Day, then that is what I would get.

I KNOW that it is hard for Chelsea to go to church. She is my child that has tatoos, a nose ring, and an eyebrow ring, and I know she knew that people would be looking at her differently than people look at people that don't stand out.

We got there, and sat down, and we had a good time. The primary sang "We're so glad when daddy comes home" and she mouthed the words to me and kissed me on the cheek when it said they do so in the song.

Her cell phone was going off, luckily she had it on vibrate only and she was texting to her friends that she was in church. Most didn't believe her. After Sacrament Meeting, all of the dads were given Sweet Rolls. I gave mine to my daughter. That was the least I could do for someone that did something that was so hard for her to do.

I told her that she will be a Relief Society President someday and she will use her tattoos as lessons of when she was young. She told me that someday I would have hair... Hmmm.

And she and my nine year old made me breakfast today too.

I am a very happy Father this Fathers Day!

Back

2009-06-20T21:20:00.000-07:00

I have been gone for a little while because I have not had an internet connection. I am back now, and I also see I have 11 followers. All of them are women. That must mean all of my male friends are too good to read my ramblings.

Tomorrow is Father's Day and I will blog about Father's Day.

Book Reviews

2009-06-10T20:57:00.000-07:00

I am going to start reviewing some books on this blog. If you have a book you want me to review, just email me at doug@sublimeexpressions.com

The Drive with Chlesea

2009-06-09T19:30:00.000-07:00

Today I drove with my 18 year old daughter Chelsea to Heber City, Utah to fix my wife's car. My wife was in Heber City to cheer on her best friends daughters at the Utah High School Rodeo finals.

So, as we were heading up there, Chels found my cd's and I knew we were in for a treat. We started with Journey, followed by Colin Ray, followed by Kelly Clarkson, and then Wicked. She loves Journey, I then MADE her listen to the Colin Ray song, What if Jesus Came Back Like That, and then we listened to Kelly Clarkson and then the cd of Wicked.

Chelsea is a singer. She has sang her whole life and I love it. She has been in musicals, plays, concert choirs and is on a cd for a musical I co-wrote. Since she has threatened me if I tell everyone what song and cd it is on, I will not.

She sang loud and beautiful. I listened and smiled. That is how we operate. Me and Chels.

She tells me something and I smile, and sometimes the things she tells me I just shake my head. She is so much like me it is scary.

I hate it that she has tatoos, and she hates it that I have a big belly. I hate that she hasn't finished hair school, and she hates it that I keep bugging her about it. I don't like her piercings, and she doesn't like that I am grumpy some times. But life goes on. We all pick our battles. I have people that say, "My child will never have a tatoo, or my child will never have an earring in their nose or eyebrow". I used to say that same thing. I know that my daughter is a good person.

We are the same, and yet we are so different. But we understand each other. People tease us because we get along so well together. I love that girl! And she loves me. It makes the world go around!

Oh, and she is happy, and very positive. So, I guess I have done something right!

Followers of my blog

2009-06-08T23:30:00.000-07:00

I now have seven followers of my blog. Some I have known for a long time, and others I have known only for a short time. This post is here to thank you for following my ramblings.

If you don't follow my blog and you would be interested in doing so, please do! Thanks

Mr Positive

2009-06-08T23:25:00.000-07:00

Some of my friends gave me the name Mr. Positive. Not because I am always positive, but because I try to be so. I swear more than I should, just drive with me and you will hear it. I really try to find positive in people.

Right now I am going through a very tough part of my life, but I have to keep positive. It is hard. At times I cry, at times I am depressed, but I keep getting up each day and telling myself that today is going to be a good day.

So, it is 12:30 at night and I am going to go to bed. But you can bet on it, that when I get up, I am going to look for positive things to fill my day.

One step at a time. One breath at a time. Keep striving to fix the bad and make it good.

Ground Zero, Freedom Tower?

2009-06-07T20:00:00.000-07:00

I really wanted to go see Ground Zero when I went to New York and I got the opportunity. They are now building buildings but it will take many more years before they are completed. It is now projected to be completed in the fall of 2013. Every tour guide we talked to complained about the fighting going on about how much it is going to cost, the time it is taking and how everything keeps getting changed, including in late March the name of the main building.

The tallest building that is going to be built has been called Freedom Tower since 2003, and in last March, it was decided it will be called One World Trade Center. The Mayor of NYC, Michael Bloomberg said not so fast. He likes the Freedom Tower name and said it may be up to the residents to vote on the name. He also has said that 3 BILLION dollars of public money has and will be put into the former Ground Zero sight. The tower, whatever it will be called will stand 1776 feet in the air. The significance of that is that it represents 1776, the year of the Decoration of Independence. It is stated to be 102 stories tall.

Scared so bad in New York, I almost puked!

2009-06-07T19:47:00.000-07:00

So, there was this taxi ride form the airport that about made me mess my pants. The guy was a driver that had to be somewhere soon, and nothing was going to stop him.

Wait, that is not the almost puked story. The almost puked story happened when I was on the top of The Rock. Rockefeller Center. I think it was 90 floors or so. I can't remember for sure, but what I can tell you is that I was near the top of Empire State Building and I was fine. I have rode the rides on top of the Stratosphere in Las Vegas and I was fine, but I got very sick on top of The Rock.

I think I got sick because I was standing behind glass, and I know that glass was very thick, but I also know that glass breaks. As you can see in the photo is that the glass has small gaps in it that people put their cameras through to get better photos. Once I saw my son jump into a very think glass table when he was young and shatter it and that kept coming to my mind. He was fine.

So I sat on some chairs and waited for my wife to tell me it was time to go. And it was a long time.

In fact I have been bungee jumping and it did not scare me as bad as that.

So, yes I am a whimp.

God Bless You and the Blessing Box

2009-06-06T18:44:00.000-07:00

New York was fun, and from previous posts you can see that. But two things that happened to me will stick in my mind for a long time.

First, we were on a boat cruise around the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. The host was good, and told a lot of history and told some good jokes. The tour lasted about and hour, and when the boat was heading back to the dock, he told us that if we liked his as a guide, that he would be holding a Blessing Box as we got off of the boat. Then he told us if we did not give a tip, that me may still be blessed. I looked at my wife, she looked at me and we just giggled. I have had some high pressure people want money from me before but this one took the cake. And I left a five dollar bill for him, because I know I need all of the blessings I can get.

And the God Bless you moment came after we had dinner at Olive Garden at Times Square. Outside our dinner table was an amazing sight. As I at my dinner I was not very hungry and had a lot of food left over. I didn't want to waste it and our hotel didn't have a fridge. So I had them box the food and hoped that I could find a homeless person to give it to. It only took two blocks and I saw a homeless man going through a garbage. I walked up to him, held out the bag and told him that if he wanted some dinner he could have it. He took it, gave me a toothless smile and Said, God Bless You. I looked at him and told him the same thing.

As I was walking back to the hotel I was smiling, knowing that for a few minutes I made someone very happy. Isn't that what life is about. The little things that make people happy.

Broadway shows!

2009-06-05T21:37:00.000-07:00

I saw some Broadway shows while in New York. And I will tell you about them below.

9 to 5 the musical. 9 to 5 is headlined by the great actress Allison Janney. I loved Allison on t.v. and as the mom in Juno. I LOVED her acting in this musical, but not her singing. The other stars in the show were Megan Hilty and Stephanie J. Block and they can sing and act very well. I really liked the entire show, and it was very close to the mega hit movie with the same name, but it is very PG-13. I would not take my teen to this show. That is sad, because if they changed two or three scenes only slightly, it would be a great family view.

Mama Mia. First let me say I never saw the movie. I know I may be about the only person left in America, or the world that hasn't seen it. The musical was very, very good.
Brandi Burkhardt led the musical playing Sophie and has a very special voice. But who really sold the show for me was Gina Ferrall as Rosie. A great voice, a great actress and if I went back to New York I would find where she is acting and go see her.
Once again, there are some scenes that I would not take a teen to, very PG-13 and other than that, they had the audiance really into this show.

Chicago Chicago was good for me, great for others. I only watched half of the movie, and although I loved the actresses and actors in the broadway show, including great dancing, I don't like the story. The singing was great, the acting great. So if you like the story of Chicago, you will love this musical.

Next To Normal I really wanted to see this musical, and everyone that saw it said it is the best musical on Broadway right now, but it was sold out when we were there. Someday!

Avenue Q First, let me say that we saw the outside of the building when we walked by it, since it was right next to our hotel everyday. On the last night before we came home, we went to it. On the outside of the building it shows smiling actors with hand puppets, like on Seseme Street.
Ok, so I should have read up on it before I went. ALERT. If you don't have an adult sence of humor, DON'T SEE THIS. If you can handle adult humor, where they make fun of just about every living thing. YOU WILL LOVE THIS SHOW. So, did I like it, NO! I LOVED IT. Will most of my friends love it, about half would, and about half of them would be offended. It has won two Tony Awards, and let me tell you that the lead actress is amazing. A very stron supporting cast also.

Well that is the rundown. I would love to hear from you guys about these musicals. There are so many that we wanted to go see that we couldn't. Shrek The Musical has rave reviews also.

The Naked Cowboy

2009-06-05T21:27:00.000-07:00

My day job, well my night job too is a public relations person. And when I found out last month that I was going to Book Expo America in New York, one of the things I wanted to see was The Naked Cowboy.

The is a marketing guru, and he makes a ton of money branding himself. You can see him on t.v., I saw him on Christina's Court, on billboards, etc. He has a comic book, ceramics, protein drinks, and he can even perform marriages. So, on the last day I was in New York guess who I ran into at Times Square. Yes, The Naked Cowboy.

I first posted this on my Face Book page and started getting a lot of feedback from it.

Below is a link to a story about him. Just a warning that it is PG13, but it is an amazing story and how he branded himself. We can all learn from him.

http://online.thomsonreuters.com/onemanbrand/

And if you are confused, I am the one on the right!

Book Expo America (BEA) a low point!

2009-06-04T21:45:00.000-07:00

I put on Facebook a few minutes ago that BEA was a low point of my trip to New York. I wanted to post this tomorrow because I wanted to talk about it in detail, but I will post a shorter version now and after the questions come in I will do a follow up.

Last May I went to my first BEA in Los Angelas. Being my first time I really didn't know what to expect. I knew there would be a lot of authors there and a lot of book companies pushing their new titles. It was overwhelming how many books were given away last year. I talked with some that were there last year and again this year, and that was the biggest complaint. The book compaines were not giving out many books. That is fine, with me, because I didn't want to have to ship home a lot of books. I sent home $57 worth and filled another suitcase. Ok, I brought home maybe 40 books. I know that I could have brought home a couple of hundred but I don't read a lot of what was being given away. Last year I could have easily brought home 800.

I know that the economy is not in the best shape right now. I know that a few of the big publishers didn't even show up, and I know that a lot of the big named authors didn't come this year. Yes, there were a few big names, and that was great, but it was a lot less than last year.

Next, last year, I met with maybe 20 agents. And I could have met with more. This year, I talked with one for about 15 seconds. Did I just not see them. I thought maybe I was blind this year. So I asked others that were there, and they all argreed that they were missing. One of the people I asked said he saw zero, and another said he saw two.

Editors. Last year I talked with maybe ten editors. This year, didn't find any. I started scratching my head. Was I at the same show.

Last year, I think I saw three rows of very small publishers, this year, maybe a half of one. And they were scattered.

Ok, so last year, I spent a day and a half at the show and didn't see the whole show. This year after the first day on the top floor I was done. I didn't know that until I showed up the second day to see all of the bottom floor and found out that is was the childrens section. Yes, there was the autorgraph booths down there and I talked with some great people, but after being there for two hours on the second day, I decided that I had to go upstairs and start over.

Did I see great authors, yes. Did I bring home great books, most likely. Will I go next year, I have asked myself that a lot in the last couple of days. A maybe will be all I can say for now.

Did I meet some great people, yes. And did I see some great Public Relations gimmicks, yes. I will post some photos and stories about these soon.

And a highlight, I saw James Dashner. Wait, I always see him. No, he was a great signer and had a lot of fans there. He was signing so fast that the photo is blurry! Shadow Mountain had a great setup with their authors.

If you went, tell me what you think. If you didn't ask any questions. I will answer them.

Been in New York

2009-06-04T21:34:00.000-07:00

I have been in New York last week, and did not have an internet connection at my hotel. WHAT. Every hotel these days has internet. So on the third day, I called to the lobby and asked how much the internet was. They told me $11.95 a day. I gave in and ordered it. And I tried to get on, and it wouldn't let me on. So I called back down 25 floors and was transferred three times. When I talked to the third person, he told me that the internet was down. I asked for how long, and he just sat there saying nothing. So I asked again. Then he said, You are in New York, it may be a few days, weeks, or months. I thanked him and hung up. Then i got out my Iphone and used it.

So I am back. Instead of making one huge post of my trip I will give you a lot of little ones. That way you can read only the ones you are interested in.

Hugs make the world a better place!

2009-05-24T19:11:00.001-07:00

For a couple of weeks I have been trying to get people to hold BE HAPPY signs with me. I know it would make a lot of people happy. When I was telling my son Nick about this he forwarded this video to me. Take a look, and then go out and hug some people. Come on, be happy.

Jon Schmidt

2009-05-24T18:57:00.000-07:00

Jon Schmidt video has over a million hits. Look at it and you will see why. You can see more about that talented man by going to his website, http://www.jonschmidt.com

Dance, Dance and help make the world a better place!

2009-05-24T18:56:00.000-07:00

What are these humans doing? Dancing. Many humans on Earth exhibit periods of happiness, and one method of displaying happiness is dancing. Happiness and dancing transcend political boundaries and occur in practically every human society. Above, Matt Harding traveled through many nations on Earth, started dancing, and filmed the result. The video is perhaps a dramatic example that humans from all over planet Earth feel a common bond as part of a single species. Happiness is frequently contagious -- few people are able to watch the above video without smiling.

My Step Father, My American Hero

2009-05-24T09:51:00.000-07:00

When I was nine years old my mom married my step father. My step father was in the Air Force. He spent 26 years making America safer and I am proud to say that I am an Air Force Brat. When you are a child of an Air Force member Air Force Brat is what they call you.

When I was nine I moved with my step father, mom and sister to Zaragoza Spain. We spent two years there, and then moved to Madrid Spain, the countries capital for two more years.

After that we moved to Columbus Mississippi for two years, and then to Roy Utah where my step father retired from the Air Force as a chief master sergeant.

Most of his career he flew on H53 helicopters. They are known as the Jolly Green Giants because of their massive size. He saved peoples lives. People from pilots that got shot down to civilians that were stranded. He protected our country, and he spent many years in war. He was shot down twice. And he told me that he would do it again, because of the love of his country.

And he gave me that love of my country also.

I know how important this country is. I know that it hurt him to see people that would not take their hats off for the flag. It hurt him when they wouldn’t stand for the National Anthem. And it hurt him when people didn’t show love of their country when the troops came home from wars.

He was hurt while in the military and could have retired, but he kept going. He has more metals that most could ever dream of. He lost over half his hearing during his career.

So on this Memorial Day, I will go to his grave and I will place the American Flag next to his grave, and I will have a chat with him. And thank him for giving me the love of America, and for giving a great dad to look up to, to love and to always remember. CMSGT Win Smith, My American Hero!

On his headstone is a photo of the Jolly Green Giant helicopter!

Below is a 10 minute video of what he did in the US Air Force. God Bless him and all of the others that protect us now and always have.

and one more

Guest Blogger Anne Anderson for Memorial Day

2009-05-24T09:00:00.000-07:00

Don’t Forget to Remember

By Anne Anderson

This Monday our thoughts should turn to those who have died in service to our nation. It is Memorial Day on May 25th. Back in the fall of 2005, my father passed away. About a year before his death, I helped him to reconnect with some of his war buddies that he served with in the Navy during WWII on the USS Intrepid. When he spoke to these men, I could see and hear in their voices the deep connection and bond they had with one another 60 years later. They were caught up in a situation much bigger than themselves and the simple lives they had come from to serve.

My father grew up in the small farming community of Hooper, Utah. He farmed up until joining the Navy, and upon his discharge, he went right back to the land. One time when he and I were going through some old newspaper clippings, we came across one about the LDS Church members at the US Naval Air Station in Corpus Christi, Texas. The picture was taken while they were meeting for Sacrament Meeting. He was front and center in the picture with a big, young, handsome smile on his face. He tried to read the article to me, and he could not even get through the second line. His emotions came right to the service. It touched me deeply.

It made me realize how hard it would be -- to be a farm-boy from Hooper who enlisted in the Navy because the U.S. had been attacked at Pearl Harbor. He loved the farming life. He had always aspired to be an excellent farmer and had been attending Utah State University’s Agriculture Program. He was sent away from his small town, taught to fly and land an airplane off an aircraft carrier, and drop bombs on the enemy.

Like many WWII veterans he did not like to talk about the war. He did not like to hear anyone brag of their war experiences or glorify war in any way – which would explain his not wanting to talk about the medals he received. His family knew, and we were so proud for him. After all of his flight training and piloting hours he committed to becoming a pilot for his country, he never, not even once, got into an aircraft again -- No, not even a commercial plane! He said he was too aware of what could go wrong! We thought it was just an excuse he used to get out of traveling with our Mom. He was very patriotic, as many of his generation, and loved to go to the morning flag-raising on the 4th of July at the Hooper Park.

In 2004, a year before his death, my father and other WWII veterans watched on television as the survivors of D-Day returned to the beaches of Normandy to remember. The statistic I have heard is that there are less than one in four WWII veterans left in our country and about 1100 die each day. These veterans and those who made the ultimate sacrifice should be recognized on Memorial Day. It is difficult for them to talk about that ugly war and yet so important that the memory of it is not lost by their passing. I found this expressed well in a poem written by a man named Mark Wright in June of 2000. It is entitled “Heroes Unaware.”

I first saw him on a park bench.
I’ve seen him every day.
Sitting in a shady grove -
Where my children come to play.
Sometimes he feeds the birds and squirrels,
Or whittles little toys.
Sometimes he just sits and smiles
At the laughing girls and boys.
And, I never paid him any mind
‘Til one day just this year,
I noticed that he wore a frown
And on his cheek …. a tear.

I asked him why he seemed so down.
He looked up, began to say…
I lost half my friends, 60 years ago today.
He told me of the terror
As he fought to reach dry land.
By the time the beachhead was secure,
Half his friends lay in the sand.

That was just in one long day.
He fought on for 4 years more.
And the 60 years from then to now
Have not dimmed His sights of war.

He said they have reunions…
Just to keep in touch and share.
And for each comrade who has gone on,
They leave an empty chair.

Well, His park bench has been empty now
About 6 months or so.
And if I’d never took the time
Then I never would’ve known,
That sitting on that simple bench
With bread crumbs and little toys,
Was a man who gave his all…
To guarantee my daily joys.

So give thanks to all the men and women
Who’re still here or have gone before,
And made the highest sacrifice
In both Peace time and in War.
Because, they bought our freedom.
Paid their own blood, sweat and tears.
Then, endured the heartache of those empty chairs
For all these years.

So please do not ignore them,
Or speed by without a care.
‘Cause you never know
When you might pass by,
A hero, unaware.

This Memorial Day, as we take time to enjoy friends and family, have a barbecue, visit the cemeteries, or go to the lake, we need to remember. Please don’t forget to remember that you are able to enjoy these pleasures because so many others have fought and are fighting now to defend our freedom, our peace, our faith and our families.

The Purple Shirt Story

2009-05-22T18:19:00.000-07:00

This was first blogged about on another blog back in 2008. One of my favorites so I thought I would share it with you.

My wife is out of town with work for a few days. Before she left, she set out my work clothes because she doesn't like me to be embarrassed for my lack of knowledge of what colors go together.
I tried and tried to fall asleep last night, but due to the time change, my wife being out of town, and trying to listen for my mom's alarm to go off, I didn't get much sleep.
So when I woke up this morning, I was running a little late. This is rare for me, because I am usually very early. I checked on my mom, let the dogs out, and put on my brand new purple shirt. (Purple is my favorite color). I figured that I would put my tie on during the drive, when the traffic would make my car sit still on the freeway. That I did, and was pretty proud of the fact.
It is now lunch time, and I went to the restroom just now. My new shirt looked really weird. It looked like the left half of the shirt was about two inches lower than the right side. I sat there and moved it back and forth wondering how someone could have made it like that. I also wondered why the 20 or so people I had talked with hadn't noticed.
I returned to the restroom, and took a second look, seeing if I took off my tie, if it wouldn't be as noticeable. I figured out that that was the only solution, so I started to take it off, when I noticed that while driving and putting on my tie, I didn't button my tie to the collar buttons, but to my regular shirt button.
I know, it was dumb. It was dumber not to notice it when I went to the restroom the first time. I fixed it, and as I walked out of the bathroom, I noticed that I forgot my belt today also.
Honey, hurry home, I need you!

It is 12:34 AM

2009-05-21T23:34:00.000-07:00

I am a number person. I like numbers. Right now it is 12:34 or 1234. I seem to look up at the clock when it is 1:11 or 1:23 or 2:34 etc. I was taught numbers are good luck.

You are supposed to make a wish on the same numbers on a clock. Like 1:11 or 2:22 etc.

Some people add all of the numbers up. So say it is 3:59. they will add 3 plus 5 plus nine and that equals 17. Then they add the 1 and 7 and they get 8.

People usually have favorite numbers also. When I ask them what their favorite number is, it is usually a number they had on a sports team when they were young. And it sticks to them.

Because it is late, I am sure I am rambling, but I know some numbers for me are lucky. And I believe that 1234 is my favorite number combination. 1 plus 2 plus 3 plus 4 equals 10 and 1 plus 0 equals 1. and you can't get much better than that.

I Am Not That Old

2009-05-21T18:16:00.000-07:00

This was posted last year on another blog. I thought you might like to laugh with me over it.

It all started about four months ago when I took my eight year old daughter to get a get well present for my mom (McKenna's grandma). My mom has been sick for a long time, and four months ago she was in the hospital for the fifth time in 12 months. She got home that day, so we went to a closeout store in Salt Lake City to get her the gift.
McKenna found the perfect gift. It was a stuffed pink poodle, and since my mom has two poodles, we bought it.
After paying for our purchase, we were approaching the exit, and there was a lady sitting at the exit and checking all receipts to make sure no one was stealing.
I didn't have a problem with what the lady was doing, I had a problem with what she said to me. She looked at the stuffed animal, at me and then my daughter, and said, "Sir, that is so nice of you to buy your granddaughter a stuffed animal". My daughter laughed so hard she had tears running down her face, and I, well I had tears in my eyes also, but not of laughter. By the time we got home, my daughter had called all of her brothers and sisters, aunts and uncles and anyone else she could think of to tell the story.
That night, I had my daughter Chelsea dye my hair, and I shaved off my beard. Only last month, I turned 43.
What happened yesterday, will be post 2 in this series, after I figure out why this person said what he did.
Until then, I will get my walker out, take my Geritol and try to drive the speed limit on the freeway.

A Feel Good Story from my Journal

2009-05-21T15:54:00.000-07:00

I just opened the door at the newspaper office at 9:05 this morning, and a very nice older lady walked in. She had her hair in curlers, and slightly hunched back, and smelled like Ben Gay. I opened the door for her and she said she wanted a hug. I had seen her before, but I didn’t know who she was. I got up to her and gave her a hug.

Which I thought a little strange.

"Do you know why I gave you a hug?" She asked

"No, but if I was 40 years older, we might be a couple now", I replied

In today's newspaper you said people are not as nice as they should be. You always have a way of making people feel better about everything. I just love your column in the paper. It is what I always look forward to reading first. And I live by what you write. Someday you will be famous. Then she winked, and walked out.

That was the end of wrote that day. But it has me wondering why she though that. And for the few days I have been staying in Morgan, Utah, where I ran that paper. And during the day I have been cleaning out my moms old store, and at night I have been reading a lot of my old columns. I think the last count was 289 of them. And as I am reading them this last few days I have seen that almost all of them were positive.

Then I wonder why? I was going through a divorce during that time, I was struggling to make enough money and I was putting in a lot of hours, way to many.

As I look back now, I think my column was positive because I wanted and needed positive examples in my life. I still try to write about positive things, because I still need reminders in my life and my readers that there are good people out there.

Really Famous Person Leaves Me Wondering

2009-05-21T09:12:00.000-07:00

I wrote the following blog last year on another site. Hope you enjoy.

I am a people watcher. I watch people everywhere I go. I always have. I was in IKEA this weekend, and I was checking out this older couple. They were probably in their 80's. Holding hands and walking the entire store. They were so happy. I watched young couples, store employees and everyone else. This brings me to the reason for this link.
A VERY famous person was there. I will not tell her name, because I don't want to embarrass her. I will tell you this much. She is very famous, mostly in Utah. If you held up her photo there would be 90 out of 100 Utahn's that would know her, and thousands of others around the world. She was walking with three other people. One woman, and two men. One of the men was most likely her husband and the other two were a couple also.
The problem, she was almost naked. There was less material on her top and her bottom than on a dish towel. I promise you that there are a lot of people that would wear more clothing at a beach than she was wearing.
She knew people were staring, and she was proud of it. I watched as people would look at her. Some women hit their husbands, some women shook their heads. I am sure most knew who she was. My wife pointed her out also.
Don't get me wrong, she is amazingly beautiful. BUT, here is the problem. I don't need to see her that way, and no one else does either. The things I know her for, and what and who she represents, would absolutely die if they knew she dressed like that, and I am sure she would lose a lot of people from ever buying a product she sells, sees a movie she is in, or listens to her on the radio, etc.
Like I said, I am not telling who she is, so the last sentence may not be one of the things she is famous for.
So, famous person at IKEA, show some respect for yourself, your husband, and the people you represent and put some clothes on.

Funny Utah Song

2009-05-20T22:47:00.000-07:00

Sometimes We Just Have to Laugh!

2009-05-20T22:40:00.000-07:00

Enjoy

I Missed American Idol

2009-05-20T21:06:00.000-07:00

I watched every episode of American Idol this season, except the final. Yep, just because I knew that Adam Lambert was going to win. I knew it so much so, that I drove 30 miles away to buy a new set of scriptures.

And then I got the call. My son Nick called me and told me that Kris Allen won American Idol. WOW.

Kris Allen winning would be like the Utah Jazz winning the NBA Championship in its heyday without using Stockton and Malone.

I not only didn't see it, I didn't record it.

Some times in life we think that life is going to turn out one way, and it changes. We think that everything will be fine, and then it goes the other way.

The horse that everyone knew couldn't win, wins.

The President that almost everyone knew wouldn't win.

And Kris Allen. Congrats to him, I hear that the show was great.

This just shows, never give up. Never stop trying.

No More Chicken!

2009-05-20T09:21:00.000-07:00

I lived in a small town for nine years, and at least once a week I stopped in to the gas station to chat with Stan, the owner. He is a really nice guy. And he makes the best chicken I have ever had, really.

So, I am up in Morgan and I stop by to see Stan and wait until the first batch of chicken comes out of the oven.

No Stan. No cars. No trucks. No gas pumps. NO CHICKEN.

My heart sunk. I was so sad. So I went to the gas station across the street to get a drink. It didn't smell like Chicken Hut, it didn't have Stan standing there. It just wasn't the same.

Things change in life, and we need to be prepared for them. Kids move away, you change careers, you die.

Something inside me died today! But I know I will see Stan driving down the road, smiling and waving. And I will always have the memory of the chicken, the chicken strips and the conversations.

Amazing Author Site

2009-05-19T21:11:00.000-07:00

Every now and then I meet someone that really sticks out. Some for the good, some for the bad. Recently at the LDStorymakers Conference I met Michele Ashman Bell. She is one that sticks out for the best. Not only was she very friendly, but is a friend of mine on an online group.

At the conference she gave me a copy of the book, A Modest Proposal. What a great book.

Now there is a problem loving this book. The problem is Michele is the author of almost 20 books. So, for Father's Day, Christmas, Birthday's etc., I am going to put her books on my want list.

Please read her books, they are great. Also, check out her blog at ttp://micheleabell.blogspot.com

Well, Glee had its moments, a few

2009-05-19T20:41:00.000-07:00

I am not a t.v. critic and I never have been, but PLEASE. Glee, I have been waiting, Facebooking about it, and even blogged here about it, and there were some great moments, but....

Why did you have to have all of the hazing episodes that nothing ever happens to the responsible parties. The in the dumpster, putting the boy in the wheelchair in the porta potty. The paintball etc. In today's world, they would have been taken out of school.

Next, why did they have to show the words that kids wrote on the paper. They showed the words for a mans body part, a rear end and I didn't catch the others.

I have a nine year old that I set my DVR to record the show, but will not let her see that part.

Other than that, they set up a good show. I will watch the show, but I will not for much longer if this keeps up.

The music is good.

Glee

2009-05-19T14:57:00.000-07:00

I first heard about the new t.v. show Glee a few months ago. It was talked about in a trade journal that I was reading on an airplane. I though, was a great idea for a show. But the trade journal didn't think a high school show that gets the misfits and the wannabes together to sing and dance could make a good show.

Then a few weeks ago the Fox Network started advertising it during American Idol and I thought they really had a good shot at a great show.

Tonight they are having the pilot episode shown right after the final of American Idol. This is a very huge move for Fox and for Glee. And a risky one. Risky because the new season is a couple of months away. Unless the pilot is VERY GOOD, people will quit talking about it and the show may go away before it starts.

I have read a lot of the reviews from t.v. critics from newspapers, magazines and online and almost everyone of them say Fox has a huge hit on their hands.

I am hoping, waiting and wanting this show to be a success. I have acted in musicals, co-wrote one, and love them. I hope others will like this show also.

Check out Glee's webpage at http://www.fox.com/glee/

Toe will heal

2009-05-18T16:34:00.000-07:00

I was moving a couch by myself this last weekend. And I dropped the couch on my foot. I also didn't have any shoes on and it hurt, A LOT! I bent over in pain, and looked down. It broke my toenail and was already turning blue.

I will recover from this, and next time I am sure that I will do two things next time. Wear shoes and get help.

Sometimes in life we try to do to much, and we don't ask for help. There is always someone that is willing to help when we ask.

My toe will recover, and it will be fine. Life is like that. It hurts sometimes almost more than we can stand, but with help from friends, family and God we can put one foot in front of the other and get better.

A dear friend of mine just about gave up many years ago. Today, he is happy, successful, and loving life.

Quiet Time

2009-05-17T22:46:00.000-07:00

As I am writing this, the only thing I hear in the room is my hands hitting the keyboard. I can't hear a t.v. or radio, or people walking or talking. It is nice to have quiet time from time to time.

Usually I write with a lot of things happening. The t.v. or the radio, or kids running around or people walking upstairs. I am glad those things happen, but not always.

When I am done, I am going to get on my knees and say my prayers. And I am going to listen. And I am going to listen some more. Sometimes I don't listen enough to the answers, or sometimes i don't listen at all.

I know that I get answers to my prayers, but either I think I am too busy to say them or too busy to hear the answers.

The Light

2009-05-16T20:54:00.000-07:00

Have you ever struggled with things and then you figure out the answer much later. Like how the heck does bread end up in the bag. I know the answer, I watch How It's Made.

I have had questions about things my whole life. I think it is because I have ADD and I think about 100 things at a time.

Why did my mom and my dad have to both die from cancer? Why did I end up divorced? Why is there so much abuse, so much unhappiness, war. The list could go on for hours.

I have struggled with reasons that things happen and why they happen. Why someone does something and it hurts others instead of them.

Life does not seem fair sometimes, and I don't have the answers why.

But I do believe that things happen for a reason. All things. But I don't know why and someday I will have many questions that will be answered.

So, today I was at a meeting, and the light went on. A conversation from over 15 years ago finally made me realize what the person was trying to tell me.

Something that happened over four years ago, was not my fault, and I realize that.

Something that happened last week, happened for a reason, and the meeting I had today HAD to happen for me to realize things.

And the rock that I talked about before. It is starting to make perfect sense.

So, if you are having problems, pray! If you want the answers, start listening, and if all else fails, start believing.

The light will turn on, even if you think it is burnt out.

Be Happy Signs

2009-05-15T20:51:00.000-07:00

I posted a note on my Facebook status today asking people to help me hold up signs that say, BE HAPPY. Guess how many people have said they would do it. NONE. How many people asked me if it would make them happy, more than zero.

I will make you happy. It will give you joy, and you will give others joy. How many times have you been down and low and you have seen something that made you smile. The kid playing at the park, the rain, the walk, the here it is, the smiling people holding signs that say, BE HAPPY.

If you don't believe that it works, make a cheap sign that says BE HAPPY and hold it up in front of your family, friends, church friends, take a photo of it and put it on your Facebook Status and it will make you smile, and them.

What do you have to lose, a smile.

It is a great day to be alive.

2009-05-15T20:35:00.000-07:00

I was in my old hometown today. I ran two different newspapers there for nine years. I had to take this photo. It is at Steph's Drive in on main Street.

It says, It's a great day to be alive. It is.

People see positive, they act positive. People act positive, they live positive.

I wonder how many people were happy today because they saw that sign.

Thanks J.R. for running such a great place. GO LIVE!

Someday

2009-05-15T08:41:00.000-07:00

Everything happens for a reason,
Different days, different seasons.

We don't always know why,
and we may never know.

People come and people go,
but memories stay.

The funny, the sad,
the mourning, the glad.

When I get to Heaven,
I have so many questions.

And the main one will be,
Why?

Why do we hurt,
Why do we grow.

Why can't we have everything
We want and we need.

The answers will come,
and it will become clear,

Someday,
but not today!

The Rock

2009-05-15T08:28:00.000-07:00

Sometime in my life I had a very special rock. It looks like it is shaped something like a boat. A little background is needed for this story.
When I was nine years old, we moved to Spain for four years. And then after that we moved to Mississippi for two years. When we were moving to Spain my mom and step dad decided that we would store some things in the top of our house that we were renting out. Since they have both passed away since then, I can't ask them why. I don't know why they didn't think the attic would ruin these things.
Then last year when my mom died, I remodeled the entire house and put it up for sale. As the sale was ready to close there was an inspection done on the house and that is when I found out that all of this stuff was up there, and was told it all had to come down before the closing of the house.
So, as I was throwing out old magazines, warped books, t.v. trays, jars, etc, I came across THE ROCK. This rock I do not remember. But the note that was attached to it, I recognized as my moms handwriting. My mom had passes away only a few months before this, so I started to cry when I saw the note with her handwriting.
It said. "No matter what, do not throw this rock out. It is Doug's and it is very important to him." Joan, 1974. In 1974 I was nine. that was 35 years ago.
I didn't remember the rock or why it was so important. But I had a mission on my hands to try to figure out why it was so important. I called my sister and told her about the note and the rock, and she pretty much told me that I was crazy trying to figure it out. She then told me, "It is just a rock."
Then I went to our next door neighbors and asked them. They had been my family friends since I was five, and they just looked at me funny too. So then I got online and found a geologist for the state and sent him a note and a photo and asked him what kind of rock it was with once again the story of the note and the rock. He wrote back and told me it was a river rock. And told me that it could have been found in any river in America... Wow I was close to solving it now...
So, on my desk sits, THE ROCK. I look at it every day, and wonder, and wonder and wonder. Why was it so important to me in my life! I am not sure if I will ever know why I needed that rock, and why it was so important, but I do know I have it, and will for many more years.

Future

2009-05-15T08:14:00.000-07:00

People tell me all of the time that they are not happy. They hate their job, their spouse, their life in general. I always tell them that life is hard, it will get better. I went through a very bad divorce, and I thought at the time that my life was over.
It was not. I am better now for it. But I didn't realize that at the time. I left a job I loved because I wouldn't sign a non compete clause. It killed me to do so at the time, but it was the right thing to do.
If we build for the future, our futures will be bright. If we live with our heads in the sand, then we will always complain about how bad life has been, is, and will be.
I will tell you about the best two friends I have ever had. I will not give their names to protect them from my story telling.
The first one is married. Has been for over 20 years and is HAPPY. Very happy. In fact they can't say nothing but good things about their spouse.
The second friend was married for less than a year and divorced. That friend remarried and has been married for over 20 years now also. What would have happened if that person had given up because the first marriage did not work? That friend could be a sad old person holding grudges and living in the past.
Baseball players strike out and they get back in the batters box. Every quarterback throws interceptions, and every basketball player has sat on the bench.
Every wife has cried over something, and wondered if she has done the right thing.
But those that survive are the ones that get up in the morning, no matter how hard it is, and put their clothes on and take steps, even baby steps to get the day going.
It isn't easy or fair, but it will be worth it in the end.
I promise!

Be Happy

2009-05-14T15:29:00.000-07:00

A friend knows that I am always trying to make people happy. After watching the following video, how could you not....

Music in my Life

2009-05-14T09:12:00.000-07:00

Each and every day I listen to music. Music is a very important part of my life. When I hear certain songs, it brings up emotion. That is what I believe music is supposed to do.
I have a habit when I am listening to a cd to start songs over, A LOT. I am so into listening to the lyrics that I just have to hear the words again and again.
I also love great song writers. Michael McLean, Cherie Call, and many others. My favorite of all time is Phil Vassar. Phil Vassar sings songs that I can relate to all of the time. If I am in a low mood, and I need a pick me up, Phil Vassar will be on my ipod, my iphone, my cd or in my head.
I write lyrics and some of my lyrics have made it to a musical and a cd, but I can not write the music. And I can't sing. Oh, but I do sing. When I am alone in the car, I really sing. I sing Cherie Call songs, even if she is singing from a woman's point of view.
In my earlier years, I would listen to Michael McLean CD's when ever I was in a car. Everyday on the way to work, everyday coming home. When someone else was with me, I would listen to the radio. Michael McLean knows how to write songs that touch people. I can relate with so many of his songs. I think sometimes, he must know me and wrote that about me.
Music changes lives. If you listen to good music, you will be fulfilled. You will be better people. I hear some songs and cry, some and laugh out loud. Some bring back childhood memories, and some teen memories. One the song I got married to, and one that I had sang at my mom and step fathers funeral.
So, when you are listening to music today, listen to the words, the thoughts that went into the song, and think how the songs make you feel. If you are not feeling good about what they are saying, change the channel.

A B C D, I will figure it out!

2009-05-13T17:40:00.000-07:00

I used to remember everything. It was scary how much I could remember. But in the last few years I have lost a lot of the memories for trivial things.
I used to know about every song and every singer, every t.v. show and every actor. Every movie and saying from them.
If I couldn't remember the name, the title, the show or movie etc., I would start a little memory reminder.
Say I was trying to remember who sang the song Raindrops Keep Falling on my Head. I once knew it and now I don't so I start with the letter A and sound out names, if nothing comes to me fast I go to the next letter, B and continue until I remember the name. Sometimes it is the first name, sometimes it is the last name and sometimes it does not come to me right off.
This drives people crazy that I do this, because sometimes I do it out loud. I got to T before I realized the singer for Raindrops. B.J. Thomas. Sometimes I would have caught it on B, sometimes on J, this time I didn't. Then sometimes I have to go through the alphabet a few times, or even more.
So I was just thinking, who cares that I wrote about this. Nothing came on A, B, C, D... hmmm I will keep trying.

Hi Mom

2009-05-12T18:12:00.000-07:00

It has been nine months since you left me to go see Heaven. I miss you so much. I wish I could see you in your rocker today. I wish that I could hug you , laugh with you, and take you to the doctor. I wish I could fix your darn remote control everyday like I used to. I miss making your meals, and listening for your alarm to go off.
I miss telling you that you drink way to much Coke and you telling me that you drink way too much water. I am sure I was right on the Coke part.
I have a lot of things to tell you! And because of that I know I will see you again. Oh, do I have a lot to tell you.
Your favorite weather lady is still on the station you love, and they finally got rid of the anchor you couldn't stand. The kids are doing good, and they miss you too.
So, on Mother's Day I was in Arizona, and I thought about you. I cried for you, and I prayed that you were okay.
For the first time in my life, I can honestly tell you that I know you are okay. You are okay because you are with Dad, and you are looking down on me.
I can feel you. I can hear you. Sometimes I wake up in the night, knowing exactly what you are telling me to do.
They say time heals all wounds, but I can never get over you being gone.
So, this year I have tried to smile more, be happier, and finish that darn book that you said the world needed to see. I will finish it, and you will help me along the way with it.
I will always love you mom,
YOUR MOMMAS BOY

You were the best mom to me. You were always there. I know

The Gift

2009-05-12T18:03:00.000-07:00

I am sitting here right now and I am supposed to be editing my Christmas book, but I felt I needed to write this blog post.
There have been times in my life when I was close to failure, and there were times in my life when I was close to having huge successes. I personally know that we can have both, and I also believe that most of where we end up is because of how we treated others.
Some say that I have a gift with people. To make them better, to show them that they can do more and that they can succeed. I laugh at that, because I don't have any special talents, or skills. I only have hope.
Hope that I can live long, that I can live happy and that my family and friends will be taken care of. I have had the big house and the fancy car, and that isn't what was most important, and isn't the most important.
I am just as happy wearing $10 jeans, as the $200 jeans.
It isn't going to matter how much money we have when we go to heaven. It isn't going to matter if we drove fancy cars or lived in big houses. I believe that is how you treat others that will get you to the top, here on earth and in Heaven.
I have made some big mistakes in my life and I am a grouch, but I keep trying. One foot in front of the other, one day at a time.
Phil Vassar said it best when he said, Life is a Beautiful Thing. Now lets get out there and make it beautiful!

Helping Others Always Helps You in The End

2009-05-12T17:52:00.001-07:00

Lately I have been really trying to make other people happy, even if for just a minute. I try to leave a status on Facebook to tell people to have a nice day, or to smile or be happy. I have got to the point that it drives my wife crazy.
We were at a restaurant in Salt Lake City the other day that her aunt owns. After lunch, they were chatting and chatting so I said I was going to go out on the patio and watch people. That is my favorite thing to do by the way.
So after sitting out there for a few minutes a homeless person asked me for a quarter and I gave him a dollar. I know it will probably be used for alcohol but that is not my issue.
Then I saw a man park his car and I walked up to the parking meter and met him with money in my hand. I told him today's parking was on me. He looked at me funny and I smiled. Then I asked him how long he would be and he said thirty minutes, so I put enough in the meter for thirty minutes. Then he said he may be 45 minutes, so I put more in. Then he thanked me and put out his hand. We shook hands and then he looked at me and just said, "why?"
I looked at him and told him, that I was doing a good deed because I knew that he would turn around and do the same for someone else someday. He shook my hand again and said that he would do it again and again.
Then he went into a bail bonds company. He probably had a problem he was going to take care of and I was there to help him have a better day.
Every time I help others, it comes back to me in so many ways. I truly think we could change the world, being kind to others, one person at a time.
How do you help others, I would love to hear them?

Validation

2009-05-12T16:57:00.000-07:00

If you watch this 16 minute film it just may change your life...

Biggest Loser

2009-05-12T16:47:00.000-07:00

I love the Biggest Loser. I love that people can change their lives by changing how they live. Most people have faults. Some have weight problems, others it may be drinking, drugs, yelling, being depressed etc. and the list goes on and on.
What I love about the Biggest Loser is that although it is a game, these peoples lives change for the better as the weeks go.
I promise I won't eat treats while watching the final tonight.
I also struggle with weight. It hasn't always been that way. I was 140 pounds when I got married the first time in 1985. Then I weighed 275 pounds when I got married two and a half years ago.
Since then I have lost 25 pounds but it is the hardest thing I have ever done, well almost.
So, if you are depressed because of something, there will be better days. If you think there will be no tomorrow, you are wrong.
Get out of the bed, and take one breath at a time. I know, it has happened to me many times in my life. One breath at a time. Then it will be one minute at a time, and then maybe one hour at a time. Eventually you will be back to normal.
Everyone has bad days, everyone.
But God wants everyone to have good days, no GREAT days also.
So go have a great day. Today and tomorrow.

I am here full time now

2008-06-16T16:46:00.000-07:00

I am here full time now, since I was fired today for not signing a non compete contract. I will have posts here, as I get things that are going on.

We All Need A Lift Sometimes

2008-05-07T13:03:00.000-07:00

8 Pounds Gone

2008-04-30T08:50:00.000-07:00

I have lost 8 pounds so far. You can read about it on 75poundsgone.blogspot.com

Weight Loss Blog, I Need Each Of You!

2008-04-16T15:50:00.000-07:00

I need each of your help. I have a problem and I started a blog that I will post at least 7 times a week about. I can not do it without your help, so please go to http://75poundsgone.blogspot.com/ and lend me your support. I can do this, but it will take friends, family and strangers to help me keep motivated.
Spread the word to your friends and family to help support me also.
Doug

Doctor

2008-04-15T13:51:00.000-07:00

Many years ago i was diagnosed with a disease. One that people live with all of the time. It only flairs up every year or so and so when I got sick a few weeks ago, I didn't think it was the problem.
After going to my regular doctor, he sent me to a specialist. The specialist re-diagnosed me with the old disease.
That reminds me of life. Sometimes we forget when we do something really dumb and do it over and over and over. Lucky for me I have a wife that loves me, and keeps reminding me that I can do anything...as long as I have her permission first.
So I have some new meds, some shots, gave about 20 gallons of blood and I am now once again on the road to recovery.

Nick is Getting Married

2008-04-14T12:27:00.000-07:00

If you know Nick, my second son, you know that he isn't the marrying type. Wait, we all thought he wasn't the marrying type.
Saturday, he will be married. Yes, this Saturday.
I am really old now.
Wish me well, I mean, wish him well.

Civil War

2008-04-02T08:12:00.000-07:00

I saw The Civil War performed last night in Utah. Merrill Osmond was the lead, and he was awesome. I know the word awesome is not supposed to be used unless something was truly awesome, and it WAS.

It is amazing to me how talented Utah actors are.

Big Give

2008-03-31T15:22:00.000-07:00

Do you watch The Big Give. I think it is the best, okay the second best show on t.v. The first is The Biggest Loser.

I don't cry often, okay, not that often. But last night I cried five times in an hour show. If you saw it last night, when they went to the poor neighborhood and gave $10,000 worth of groceries away that was amazing.

I hope I can give back, one item at a time.

Denver

2008-03-31T12:52:00.000-07:00

Denver was wonderful. I spent the first night in the worst hotel in recent memory, and the next two nights in a wonderful hotel. They have the same name on the front of the hotel, but that is where the similarities end.

It got me to thinking about life. Sometimes what we see on the outside is not what we see on the inside.

Do we only talk to certain people because of how they look? Do you avoid people that don't look like you? Or talk like you?

I hope not.

I ate dinner in Denver in a very poor part of that city. From the outside of the building it looked like it couldn't be a real restaurant. Then we had the food. It was great.

So, today, step out of the box and talk to someone you usually wouldn't talk to!

Flying to Denver

2008-03-26T14:04:00.001-07:00

I am flying to Denver tomorrow, and my arms are already tired.

4 Year Old Busboy

2008-03-26T13:49:00.000-07:00

When I am at work, I have an hour for lunch, although I usually don't take on, or take only a 15 or 20 minute on. My favorite work restaurant is just on the other side of the freeway. It is a Mongolian barbecue restaurant. I usually stop there every couple of weeks.

They have the best busboy in the business. He is always happy, and he is the hardest worker I have ever seen in a restaurant. Did I mention he is 4.

He cleans all of the tables of the plates, drinks and messes after people leave, and he does it with a smile.

Today I gave him a dollar, and he showed me that ten or so other people did too. Next time I go back, I will bring him a gift, since he made my day. Now if I can only get him to teach my children to clean the table, my life will be a success.

Whitney Awards

2008-03-24T19:11:00.000-07:00

I was a presenter at the Whitney Awards on Saturday. They did a live blog from the event, and when I got up and did my little joke, I was awarded by ONE OF MY AUTHORS, corny joke number 4. Everyone that knows me knows that I have never told a corny joke. Remember the one about the sidewalk...it is all over town...

Now I Better Write

2008-03-24T19:07:00.001-07:00

Lisa linked to my blog, so I better start writing something. Lisa used to be my editor when I ran a newspaper. She has moved back east, and I have moved south. She is a great friend, and so is her husband Bradley.
So, here is a post to the blog that now, three people know about. If I keep writing, I am sure four will someday find out about it.
A little story about Lisa. She came into the newspaper office looking for a job one day, and I thought she was in Jr. High. I didn't realize that she was a college graduate.
So, I guess when the man mistakes me for a 60 year old, it is ok that I made Lisa 11 years younger than she was when I met her.

So, I Am Old

2008-03-19T10:45:00.000-07:00

If you don't think I am old, go to my other blog and find out just how old someone thought I was. atonofauthorsandawanabe.blogspot.com

Life Coach

2008-03-14T13:41:00.000-07:00

I was just told that there is a Life Coach at work today and we should tell him of our problems and let him help us out...

I need a raise.

I need my children to turn 18 so I won't have to deal with their mom.

I want my hair to grow back.

I need to lose 50 pounds.

Ok, now I need to go see him with a bunch of co-workers.
I am sure we will all just sit there and not say anything and then return to our desks and write our blogs on all of the things we need to change in our lives....

She Has Her Fathers Eyes

2008-03-12T14:27:00.000-07:00

This is my daughter Chelsea! She has my eyes!

The Biggest Loser

2008-03-11T21:04:00.000-07:00

I love the Biggest Loser. I have watched every episode this season. It was different tonight because Tawna was in Idaho working. We watched it at the same time, but a state away, and we talked about it after.
It is not the same when she is not here. I miss her smile, her laughter, her cooking and smell. Yep, her smell.
On the Biggest Loser, the contestents spend time trying to lose weight to change their lives. I think life is always changing. We all can change, but only when we want to change, not when someone else wants us to.
So, I am not telling anyone to change. You will do so when you are ready.

Birth Rate in America

2008-03-11T13:47:00.000-07:00

I heard on the radio this morning on the way to work that a woman gives birth to a child every 2.3 seconds.
We need to find that woman and tie her up!

Kerry Blair

2008-03-10T19:42:00.000-07:00

Every now and then I read a book that makes me laugh. Some are because they are so bad, others because they are so funny, and once in a great while, because it is so great. Tonight I read one of the great ones. The Book is called Counting Blessings, Wit and Wisdom for Women.
Fist of all, I am not a woman, but I know Kerry Blair from her blog, and from a list we are on togehter.
I laughed at this book at times because it was funny, I cried because it was sad, and I smiled because Kerry has a way to make everyone, not just women happier.
If you buy a book this week, buy this book. In fact, buy two, and give one to someone you love, woman or man.

It's Doug, Not Dough

2008-03-09T19:45:00.000-07:00

I was minding my own business. I dropped some work shirts off to the dry cleaners, and I noticed that when I picked up some other shirts, they had my name listed as Dough Johnston. The girl behind the counter couldn't have been over 16, and when I explained that I would like my name changed on the future reciets, she smiled, looked at my belly, laughed and said she would.
It is funny how one little letter can change the whole meaning of something.

Family Fun

2008-03-07T16:09:00.000-08:00

I am taking my eight year old to the dinosaur exhibit tomorrow. When I told her that we were going, she looked at me and said, "Did they have dinosaurs when you were little?" I think we are staying home...

Like The Photo

2008-03-07T16:08:00.000-08:00

I added my bald head to the photo. I have known for a very long time I was bald in the front. I had no idea I was bald in the back until my wife took this photo while sitting in the ER with my mom. My mom is recovering but my hair will not.

New Blog

2008-03-03T12:53:00.001-08:00

Welcome to my new blog. After eight years in the newspaper business I am now in the Public Relations business. I will post my thoughts, ideas and happenings here from time to time.