A New Day, A New Look

Obviously, I've changed the look of the blog. We'll see how long it lasts.

In an effort of full disclosure, you should know that my original thoughts to write down today were not about changes. But as soon as I opened the page, I thought "eh, what the heck".

Changes. They happen. Often. Daily, in fact. Like writing in free verse as opposed to my usual pedantic self who prefers well thought full sentences. Some changes don't last long.

But here's one I'd like to see -- real singers singing the national anthem at sporting events. My tirade does not begin with Christina's massacre of yesterday -- she is just the most recent catalyst. And I will give her that singing on such a large stage can be intimidating and you can get lost if you aren't thinking. But I cannot excuse her inadvertent changing of keys or bending every vowel into a multi syllable phrase or screaming the words in such a harsh manner that dogs began to howl. I have had it with "celebrities" turning the national anthem into a show-off piece. I am tired of hearing it mangled by amateurs and professionals alike. I plead for people to respect the piece.

And when I say "respect the piece" I'm not questioning the performer's loyalty to the country, but their sanity, for they must, like too many others, have been thinking, "sure, anyone can sing the Star Spangled Banner -- it's easy -- I've been singing it my whole life." Here's a news flash -- the national anthem of the United States of America is a difficult piece of music for anyone to sing, let alone sing well. The range is wide, the words are a bit clumsy in our uneducated mouths, and, since it is sung by everyone at the ballpark and the arena, we think we know it when we don't.

If you are asked to sing at an event, you must practice. If you were asked to sing a Verdi aria or a Sondheim showstopper at a ballpark, you'd probably spend a great deal of time practicing and perfecting your performance. But the national anthem seems to get shorted.

Please do not take offense. I have heard many performances that were well rehearsed and well performed. During the 2010 baseball post-season at AT&T Park, Huey Lewis and The News performed and were absolutely wonderful (in four part harmony, no less). So were the surviving members of The Grateful Dead, Tony Bennett and a twelve-year-old trumpet player (sorry, I don't have his name, but he was great -- he performed at one of the games not at AT&T, either Philadelphia or Texas).

But too often, and for me, once is too often, the national anthem is strangled by vocal soloists, choirs, bands and instrumentalists. This past year, I heard a guy on a synthesizer play something that nearly sounded like the anthem.

If the point is to honor America, as the stadium announcer would have us believe, then sing the anthem honorably. It is good enough as written to be a show piece. If performed well, it will display your abilities and talents. You don't have to sound as good as the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, but sing it well, as written. There are no recording executives in the audience, so stop singing like you are trying to impress one.

And for pity's sake, if you are in charge of finding the talent to sing at the biggest sporting event in America, GET A REALLY GOOD SINGER! I am told that Christina has a good voice and can sing well -- I've never heard her do so. I've seen her on late-night talk shows and the like, and each time she has some excuse about not being in the best voice or whatever. I will admit that I have not listened to her records, so my judgement may not be fair, but I don't care for what I have heard over the years.

With all the pomp and bravado of the Super Bowl, why is low point the singing of the national anthem? The performance of "God Bless America" just beforehand was great. Maybe that singer and choir could have done the anthem, too? But, no, they had to have some huge celebrity do it.

Second news flash -- Celebrity does not equal Quality.

But enough ragging on Christina. She feels pretty lousy about flubbing the words. And, unfortunately, her performance will probably not further her career.

So here's the lesson -- if you are not 110% sure that you can perform the national anthem well, graciously decline the invitation. Karma will reward you. Otherwise, Karma will give you your just rewards.

Nerds Unite -- Today Is The Answer!

Today is October 10, 2010. Many believe that three 10s in a row is lucky (see various gambling games). There were several weddings today. Births and birthdays were celebrated.

But for those who understand binary code, today is the answer to the question of life, the universe and everything.

101010 in binary is 42 in base 10.

For those who do not understand, please refer to Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy.

Update on Unemployed In-laws

For those of you who are either not related to me or who are related to me but have been living under a rock, my two brothers-in-law have both found employment. The paralegal is now employed and making himself indispensable at a small law firm in Texas and the delivery driver is now with his former employer's competition.

Good things come to those who wait? Maybe. But more accurately, the prayers of the faithful are answered.

Congratulations to both!

The Wounds Are Still Open

While I was driving to work, I heard Maria of NPR's "Latino USA" comment that the wounds of September 11 are still open. She went on to interview several Muslims who are trying to champion the cause of peace and to take back their religion that has "been hijacked by extremists".

I think there are two reasons why these wounds are still open. The first is controversial -- we keep talking about it. I am not saying that the lives lost are no longer of value or that we should forget this national tragedy, but we need to stop using the events of that day as some kind of crutch -- everything wrong is NOT a direct result of the twin towers being attacked.

That's crazy talk. Would we be mired in a war in the desert if the attacks hadn't happened? Actually, we might. The genesis might have been different, but the result may have been the same. Would the economy have crumbled if the World Trade Center had not collapsed? It probably would have. The nation was living on borrowed money and borrowed time. The stock market was insanely inflated, the housing market was worse, and the Prophet of God specifically warned the people to get out of debt some five years earlier. Would Congress and the Presidency be so incredibly factioned if America had not been attacked on its own soil? Be reasonable -- Congress has been growing more factioned every year -- this is just the natural, although regrettable, progression of politics. The pendulum will swing back. And it will swing back not because of any outside influence or attack or achievement. It will swing back because that is what pendulums do.

So shut up already about September 11 and the attacks that occurred. And, yes, I am wearing a fire proof suit in preparation for the flaming that such a statement will produce. But hear me out -- the events of that day were absolutely awful and terrible (and, yes, I meant to use both words for their dissimilar meanings). But we have to move on. We cannot let the insanity rule our lives, or, more apt to my point, become the catalyst or whipping boy for all of our decisions. We are big boys and girls. Maybe even a little more mature since those events occurred. But stop blaming them for all of your problems. Even those who lost family members on that day (or in the subsequent days of battle) must move on with their lives. Otherwise, their grief and pain will consume them and they will waste the precious gift that life really is. They will waste the sacrifices of our soldiers and fire fighters and police and so many others. It is time to stop being consumed by the horrors. Honor the dead, say a prayer of thanksgiving, lay a plaque and set up a scholarship fund for the fire fighter's children? Absolutely. But stop using September 11 as the scapegoat for every other bad day that follows.

The second reason is even more controversial -- we cannot heal the wounds until we forgive those we feel are guilty (and that may include ourselves). As a nation we have turned to hatred as opposed to forgiveness. The sentiment on September 12 was "let's nuke that desert nation into glass". Now we have those who wish to burn the Qu'ran and those who wish to build a Mosque at Ground Zero (or at least nearby) and those who scream "you are insensitive" and others who scream "you are to blame" and many others who scream just to be heard.

The wounds will never close while we continue to poke at them. Every article calling Muslims "evil" and every story about suicide bombers rams another pitchfork into those wounds and twists. Not all Christians want to burn the texts sacred to Islam. Not all Muslims want to kill you in an attempt to acquire 71 vestal virgins (or crystal clear raisins, depending on your translation skills). And even those who do hate and do wish another person or group dead are still worthy of our forgiveness.

I call on the nation and the people of the whole world (many of whom unfortunately do not read this blog) to put aside your hatred and forgive each other. Genuinely forgive those misguided men who drove airplanes into the buildings of NY or the field in PA. Forgive those leaders who sent their militaries to battle each other. Give up the hatred you feel for even those who live in caves and reportedly wish you dead. Be smart and do not trust them with your life, but forgive them and trust that God and the Universe will reward all according to their intentions and their actions.

It has been nine years. For many, that is only yesterday. For some, they have never known a world in which those events had not been part of our history. It is like those of us born after 1941 -- the attack on Pearl Harbor has always been a reality. We have never known a time when that had not happened. So it is with those who are just coming to understand the world around them -- September 11, 2001 has always been a reality.

And maybe it will take until our generation is long gone that we as a people will give up the hatred. Maybe the only cure to these festering wounds is death.

I hope that doesn't have to be the case. I pray that we can be at peace again. I would like to hope for a better future than the one staring at us through the smoke. I would like to leave this world knowing that my son and his cousins and friends will be able to enjoy life and not be harrowed up by the sins of their fathers.

But I know that will not happen as long as we don't let the wounds heal. Put the bandage over it and leave it alone. Eventually, there will be only a scar left -- a quiet reminder of what we should not forget, but for which we have no lingering reason to brag or curse.

Unemployment and Education

I found out today that another sibling's household income has been significantly reduced -- her husband lost his job. Given his experience in his field of choice (delivery services), he should be able to bounce back. But it brought back to my mind an old argument I've had with friends and college roommates.

Is an education necessary for employment and happiness? I will table the happiness discussion for another posting as I have more to say than can be said quickly today (I once started to write a book on happiness -- I didn't get very far, but the concept for such a book is still in the back of my head).

It is true that not all jobs require advanced degrees -- some don't require any education at all. And all of those jobs can be careers -- even be turned into relatively lucrative careers, given the right circumstances, choices, etc. And it is also true that an advanced degree does not guarantee one a job, especially lately.

But even with the current economics raging in our ears, I still believe that the more education one receives, the better are his chances of success in this life and its associated rat race.

So are all degrees and specialties created equal? Sadly, the answer is no. The tax accountant has a better chance of employment than the actor. This is not to say that any one profession or any one degree is better than another. But the sad truth is that in the halls of commerce, finance, and economics, an education dealing with the harder sciences will most likely yield more opportunities for monetary stability than an education in the arts or soft sciences.

While this world is run on a market system (free or otherwise), an education dealing with some aspect of that system puts a person in line to make money. It is the ultimate in "if you can't beat them, join them." When we switch to a different system, new rules will need to be applied (although an education will fare well in most systems known).

My brother-in-law should be fine, though, given that his skill set is in an area dealing with the transportation of goods -- which is essential to the marketplace. Another brother-in-law had to change his skill set. He was an artist. Now he is trained as a paralegal. And while at the moment he is still unemployed (again, the economy not picking up the pieces yet), his prospects are better today than they were when he was a starving artist.

Is it better to be a starving paralegal than a starving artist? Both men are still hungry! And yet, how many operas can you name where the paralegal starved to death? Dying artists abound. Dying lawyers -- not so many, unless they were murdered (it's an occupational hazard).

And lastly, does anything I say hold any weight at all, given that my chosen profession is mandated by the government? Well, yes, because I CHOSE to be an accountant. I could have spent my university years in the pursuit of an arts degree or a political science degree -- I had great aspirations in both areas. But I am a pragmatist. There were more trumpet players looking for jobs than there were jobs available. The halls of Washington were strewn with poli-sci grads looking to clerk for this congressman or another, only to be out of a job the following November. I decided to leave such uncertainty to my younger and more idealistic associates. I decided to follow a more conservative path to wealth.

Does that make me a coward? A sellout? One who sacrificed his dreams at the alter of commerce? I don't know. Maybe it does. But, believe it or not, I am happy with the decisions I've made, and not just because I have a good job.

Invariably when this conversation is raised, there will be those who point to examples of wealthy businessmen who did not graduate at all, let alone get an advanced degree. I will humbly acknowledge that such examples exist and will glibly point out that most of those individuals are either geniuses or very lucky or both. Often they are both. If the time ever comes that I am blessed with great amounts of wealth, it will be because I was in the right place at the right time and able to take advantage of the right opportunity. And for every Microsoft or Google uneducated genius there are thousands, if not millions, of geniuses who will never be known as their companies just didn't make it.

Here's the point of this rambling -- if you are at the beginning of the decision making process (i.e. just about to graduate from high school or just entered college), think seriously about where your dreams will lead. It may not now be the most important thing to you to make gobs of money -- but do not make a decision about your future lightly. And do not get me wrong -- I love the arts and have had some training in them. The world would be an empty place without them. And there are those who do succeed financially as artists. Maybe you will be one of those. But if you have talents in the sciences or mathematics, do not be too swift to lay those aside for the glory of the limelights. And even if you do decide to become an artist, take an accounting class, just so you will be able to count the millions you will make.

Then again, you can always just call me.

Last Post Deleted

To those of you who saw my last post entitled "What to do when Mom gets old" I want you to know that after venting here I realized that my post was not truly indicative of how I felt about my mother, her age, my age, my role in life, etc.

So I deleted it to hopefully avoid any misunderstandings.

Judging from the number of comments attached to that post (none), it may be that either no one saw it or everyone was embarrassed about it. Regardless, it is now gone and can be forgotten.

My true feelings about my mother are much more tender than what I wrote. I must say that of late I have been feeling rather foul. Maybe it's a mid-life crisis. Maybe I need a vacation. Maybe I need a hug. Maybe I just need my father to gently tell me to "snap out of it".

I really miss him. He would have been 72 today. Happy Birthday Dad.

I Hate SPAM

In this case, we are talking about electronic SPAM. The ham-like product enjoyed so much in Hawaii is fine with me and I consumed my fair share as a Boy Scout, usually chopped into Mac & Cheese.

But I'm tired of being asked if I want any of my anatomy enhanced. And I find it extremely disturbing that I'll get both male and female anatomy enhancement offers on the same day.

Until recently, my blog seemed to be immune from SPAM, but there were two comments left recently that linked to what appeared to be disreputable sites. I deleted the comments and have included a word verification requirement when leaving comments. I apologize for the inconvenience, but it would appear to be a necessary evil.

More to post later -- sorry for not writing for so long -- very busy year for too many wrong reasons.

I Must Be Old Now

When the pop idols of your youth are dead have you crossed over into old age? Granted, both Michael and Farrah were killed by disease and not old age, but I still felt a twinge of ancient history as I explained to my much younger associates yesterday about the years of Farrah being the hottest pin-up of the 70s and Michael once being black, good looking, and talented (not that his talent ever really wained, but he was more infamous than famous of late).

I do wish their families condolences. There are children and loved ones left behind and that is always sad, regardless of what you felt about the individual. I'm sure that there will stories and too much rehashing of these two idols' lives over the next few weeks and months. That seems to be what grieving people do -- either venerate or destroy the memories of the dead.

For me, I'm just feeling old and tired. Maybe I should put on my Thriller album (yes, I said "album", not CD), have my wife put on a blond wig, and dance like it is 1983.

Or maybe not.

Happy 1984 Day

Today is the 60th anniversary of the publication of George Orwell's "1984". It is also the 200th anniversary of the death of Thomas Paine, the 18th century philosopher whose writings greatly influenced George Orwell and his dark vision of the possible future.

NPR's "Talk of the Nation" did a piece about both events today, which I enjoyed. But it reminded me of when I read "1984" and Orwell's other masterpiece "Animal Farm". I made sure that I read "1984" before the year passed -- a strange goal, but one I set and met. I read "Animal Farm" much earlier -- it is an easier book to read and understand, but lacks nothing in its commentary on social systems and governments. I saw an animated version of it as a young teenager before I had ready the book (it was while my family was vacationing in Hawaii and I saw it with my siblings on the hotel TV). The ending was changed so that the animals rise up against the pigs after seeing them through the farm house window "change" into humans. Whether this was an attempt to make the movie more palatable or was intended as a further commentary on the future of communism, I do not know, but that is not how Orwell ends his book (the book stops with the animals looking through the window and seeing the pigs change -- no reaction, just revelation left to the reader -- powerful, but haunting, ending).

The comments on today's NPR program focused on how we did not become the world of "1984", with the exception of North Korea (some interesting points were made about that). That in fact, our world was drifting more to the vision of Orwell's friend and teacher, Aldous Huxley, and his novel "Brave New World". Oddly enough, I read this one either just before or just after "1984".

I do not agree that the world is headed towards either eventuality. It has become more evil, or at least we are more aware of the evil. But the destiny of this earth is not so bleak as an overarching or all powerful government predestining our lives and attitudes. Free agency continues to exist and we still have the ability to use our will to choose. The actions of others, individuals, governments and corporations, cannot take that will away from us. We can give it up but it cannot be taken.

Yesterday in our High Priest's Group meeting, we discussed obedience and agency. One point that was very interesting was the idea that agency can be expanded by our actions and obedience. For example, if the Bishop asks me to play the organ in Sacrament Meeting, I do not have the agency to say yes -- I can't play the organ and thus my only response can be no. But if the Bishop asks my mother, because of the choices she has made and her obedience to certain rules and laws (i.e. learning to play the organ and practicing it), she has more agency -- she can either say yes or no, depending on whether she wishes to do so or not.

The bleak visions of these satirists could only come to pass if all individuals voluntarily give up their ability to choose.

So choose wisely and make a better future.

Time To Vote Again

The media is saying that tomorrow's CA Special Election voter turnout will be at historic lows. This may be true for the physical go-down-to-the-polls-and-punch-the-screen group, but many of us have already turned in our "absentee" ballots.

Whatever category you find yourself, please vote by tomorrow.

As to how to vote, that is another issue all together. It may be that voter sentiment is off because they are tired (I know that I am) of all of this foolishness. We spent millions of dollars electing officials who cannot get along and come to any kind of compromise or meaningful idea for improvements and thus we have a HUGE mess that they are asking the voters to fix by voting on propositions that are so convoluted and confusing that most voters are throwing up their hands in disgust and yelling, "I'd move to Nevada if I could sell my house!"

In my most humble opinion and based on my understanding of law and finances, this is how I suggest that you vote -- NO. That's right, the whole mess is trying to be fixed by robbing Peter to pay Paul. The mess that Sacramento is in today has a lot to do with debt and being able to finance that debt. So instead of raising taxes and fees (which they are doing as well), they are asking to be able to borrow from future gambling revenues (and just who are they borrowing this from?) and to redirect monies fixed by the voters for certain purposes to go to the General Fund to just be thrown at more waste. Yes, they will kill school programs in the end. But the propositions will do that too, so there is no difference. These propositions fix nothing, but only shove more money down the hole.

My question, and the one everyone should be asking, is this: if CA has one of the largest GDPs in the world, where is the money going? I know that a great deal of it is going towards the debts that were incurred in the past (the piper WILL be paid), but that doesn't count for everything. Is it just a bunch of little things adding up or are there places where savings can be made? I know of a few crazy tax credits that CA has on the books that maybe could produce some income, but then I'm not in the rice straw business, so I naturally think that credit is crazy (a rice straw farmer would probably disagree with me). And don't tell me that this is the fault of people not paying their taxes. Yes, there are some who owe the government and some of them could owe significant amounts, but the fault is not the revenue side (again, one of the largest GDPs). The fault must lie in the spending.

They call it a budget and yet they constantly overspend. If I overspend on my budget I have to make up the difference by either cutting back somewhere or getting another job. The same thing applies here. But instead of cutting back on wasteful spending, I see essential services being cut and taxes being raised.

Maybe we need a real cut-throat accountant in Sacramento to sort this mess out. No one would like him. No one would invite him to parties. He would have to be independent of everyone -- corporations, politicians, voters alike. And then have him cut to ribbons the CA budget, killing programs that do not produce results and raising taxes when all else fails.

But too much power in one man's hands is too dangerous. So we have committees and sub-committees and politicians and statesmen and lobbyists and unions, etc., etc., etc.

I guess the only true answer is an omnipotent, omniscient King. And He isn't saying when He will return to claim His throne.

Thus, in the meantime, study the issues, think carefully, pray, and then vote. It is the best we can do for today.

A Quick Joke

A pastor pulled two glasses from behind the pulpit during his Sunday Sermon. One was full of water, the other gin. He then pulled a worm from out of a match box and dropped it into the glass of water. It wriggled around for a moment and then the pastor pulled it out and dropped it into the glass of gin. Instantly the worm went stiff as a board, dead.

The pastor then asked, "So what does this teach us?"

From the back of the room a small boy piped up, "If you drink gin, you won't get worms."

Easter -- The Time For Renewal

Easter seems to have been forgotten this year. I have found very little in the media or the general public sentiment that even acknowledges the season. Personally, I'm spending a great amount of time at work due to the looming tax deadline. But I am tired of making excuses about why I didn't plan to attend church (I repented and went to church this morning -- I need His help at this time of year -- I figured I owed Him some time this day).

But Easter should be remembered. In fact, it must be remembered. The spring season is a time of rebirth for the Earth and its plants. The animals come out and newborns are introduced to the world.

And an empty tomb makes our rebirth possible.

I do not have enough time to write everything I feel for my Savior. I do not have enough words to express my love and gratitude. English (and every other language I either know or am familiar with) is inadequate as a medium for my feelings, thoughts, desires, love and pain.

And yet we try, for that is the best we can do. Maybe the image of falling at His feet, feeling the prints of the nails, and soaking his robes with our tears is close. For today, it is close enough.

I have been saved from Death and Hell because of the events of Easter. An unparallelled gift was given and we are wrapped in His love.

And yet the world ignores.

Poor foolish world.

Don't be a fool.

Beware The Ides of March

And thus it was that Julius Caesar met his maker (probably a shock given his Roman religion and that he thought himself to be a god) on Idus Martias, otherwise known as the deadline to file calendar year-end corporate tax returns or extensions. He was stabbed to death by a group of Senators, the final blow coming from his friend, Brutus.

And on this day of celebration for the Roman god of war, Mars, I sit in my office, listening to Grieg's Piano Concerto, doing tax returns.

The 1099 forms are even later this year (thank you, Congress) and the K-1 forms are nowhere to be found (again, thank you, Congress). Brutus and his Liberatores may be long dead, but I feel like the back-stabbing bums in today's Senate are only lacking the white robes splattered with blood. Yes, I know that trying to engender feelings of sympathy for the tax accountants is a losing proposition at best, and that my futile cries for pity are only met with silent apathy, but really, Government Leaders need to spend a few moments trying to do their own tax returns under intense pressure before they start laying out more complicated provisions with shortened deadlines attached.

The reason the 1099s are late is because the IRS and Congress found out that many financial institutions were struggling to provide accurate 1099s by the January 31 deadline. The banks and brokerage houses would send out some misleading filth by the deadline and then issue "corrected" forms later -- sometimes months later. Sometimes they would issue multiple corrected forms as new information would become available. It really was getting out of hand. And the whole mess was only complicated by new reporting legislation to "make the investment industry more transparent". Given recent events, we haven't seen the last of that bit of "Government Help".

So the geniuses decided to extend the 1099 deadline to February 15 in order to "avoid the multiple corrected forms and thus allow the American people to file accurately the first time". I guess there were those who thought they could trust the first set of 1099 forms and would file quickly only to find that a new form required them to amend their return, possibly multiple times.

But did those same geniuses extend the filing deadline to say May 1? No, they just squeezed the time available to file from maybe two and a half months to just two months.

But it gets better. The same problem was happening with partnership and trust K-1 forms. The partnerships were so complicated that they wouldn't finish the K-1s until almost the end of the EXTENDED deadline, let alone April. So the geniuses said, "the American people are having to rush to file their personal returns, thus we will require that all partnerships and trusts can only extend 5 months as opposed to 6." Now most people would think, "Ah, that means we will have a full month to file our personal returns and not be crunched as we were." And they would be correct if they were also totally ignorant of how businesses work. I guarantee that when we get those rushed K-1s, they will be wrong. The amended K-1s will come later, maybe even months later. Which means that more people will have to file amended personal returns.

Of course, some of you out there are saying, "But Accounting Man, doesn't that mean more work, and thus more revenue, for you?" And the answer is "Yes, it does." It also means that I will never run out of work. Never. I will never finish the 2008 filing season, because it will continue into the 2009 filing season next year. I will be perpetually filing returns in order to correct someone else's problem. I could be filing multiple return years simultaneously (you think I'm messed up now, just wait). Oh, and just think of what your reaction will be when your accountant tells you, "yes, we did file timely, but now we have to file again and I will have to charge you again." Those are conversations that can be SO much fun.

The alternative is to just not file the amended return. And then we can respond to the IRS matching notice. In fact, once a client has filed his return, he usually doesn't think that he will be receiving any more data for that year and thus we may not get the amended data until long after the IRS has had time to process it and send out a notice. Yep, it is what my father used to call "a communist plot" to take your money and give it to Government Pigs who are trying to pull the nation out of a recession (or depression, depending on your point of view -- i.e. whether or not you have lost your job too and not just your neighbor). And dealing with IRS auditors is on my list of least favorite activities. They have the audacity to send audit notices NOW. In the middle of filing season. Just another item in a long line of gripes about government workers and their inability to think. And if the intention is to try to catch me off-guard since I am extra busy now (and I suspect that is exactly what they are thinking since I rarely get audit notices during the summer when I have more time available), they are sorely mistaken. It just makes me agitated and more willing to fight them to the death (or at least turn the audit into a refund for my client, which is always good).

So I finish tonight, knowing full well that most of you think I am bitching all the way to the bank. And you are probably right. But if a man is perpetually filing tax returns and fighting incompetent government agents (and yes, they are that stupid -- tenacious, but stupid), when can he enjoy the mounds of cash he is supposedly bringing in?

I hear your groans. But this is my blog and I can cry if I want to. Take your knife out and get back to solving your own problems. Mine will go away soon enough.

And then they'll come back.

They Are Past Feeling

Recently I heard a film critic talk about how in his opinion the best movie of 2008 is "The Wrestler". Several other film critics agree with this particular assessment and on their recommendation, my firm decided to go see it. (For those of you who have a problem with my seeing films rated anything other than G or PG, please know that I was unaware of the film's rating at the time, as I usually don't even check such things. Maybe this is an area in which I could do better, but that is a topic for another day.)

In short, the film was AWFUL! We sat through nearly two hours of mundane, mono-emotional, unimaginative, depressing drivel, hoping that this film had an ending where someone somewhere finds some kind of redemption or at least that the moral is not just "don't let your kids grow up to be professional wrestlers". Nope. The main character and everyone around him are losers. They have problems that they do not solve or even have ideas of how to solve. And in the end, nobody is helped or saved or redeemed or even learns any kind of lesson, regardless of the value. No, this was two hours of "slice of life" about a loser who can't figure out why he's a loser and knows nothing better than to be a loser. Those whose lives he crosses are no better or worse for his being there. There were moments where connections with a lover or his estranged daughter could have gone somewhere, but the film makers decided to not pursue the idea (let alone the build up) of a plot line.

Now, my point is this: WHY THE HECK IS THIS SUPPOSED TO BE SUCH A GREAT MOVIE???

I think that we as a society have gone beyond being able to feel emotions. We are afraid to feel sad or mad or happy or energized. We cannot bear to be seen with tears in our eyes or be heard to laugh. We can't acknowledge that we want to cheer for anyone or anything. We are constantly afraid of having emotions. And that is too bad.

The Ancient Greeks created the drama as a catharsis for emotions. They depicted scenes of outrageous arrogance or hubris in order to have the audience feel the emotions of fear and/or sorrow. By so letting these emotions out, they believed that in "real life" they would not be subjected to the consequences that these emotions can produce. By letting these more "negative" emotions out, they had room to be thoughtful, happy and attain joy and unity in their democracy. To say that they were always successful would be overstating the ability of the drama, but the benefit of vicariously living a moment in someone else's shoes cannot be denied.

Plays, movies, and, to a lesser degree, TV shows should give us this same opportunity. We need to be driven to tears and laughter by our entertainment, otherwise it is a waste of our precious time. This film did nothing for me. I didn't care about the characters. I didn't care whether they won or lost. I only wanted the experience to be done. And when it was done, I was not changed in any way. That I had experienced nothing made me upset for having lost my time. And it made me question every film critic that thought this was such a great thing to see. The lead actor is supposed to be up for awards for his portrayal of a loser. Great, he knows how to play a loser that no one could care about, including the audience. Supposedly, the actor's portrayal is based on his own journey into the abyss of mediocrity. So this is what make an actor great -- mediocrity? His great portrayal is one that lacks feeling and doesn't move the audience??

To say that I am disappointed is an understatement. But I am more concerned about why we are so caught up with elevating the mundane, lionizing the mediocre, and praising those who achieve nothing. No, not all movies have to have cool special effects, actors (male or female) in tights, an obvious villain and an obvious hero. There are some great movies about the struggles of real people. But they have plots and they show how one has overcome, or could have overcome, the odds placed against him. The hero doesn't always have to win. But we need to care about the struggle, be invested in the journey.

I ask only that my entertainment entertains! That I can FEEL something. That I can experience something. I don't want to be subjected to films where there are no winners and no one to care about and be told that this is entertainment. It isn't. It is just a waste of resources. Yes, we can have cinema verity, but let it have some meaning. I recently saw "Frost/Nixon". I knew the story -- I remember the history (I lived through it). It was presented as a pseudo-documentary. And it was entertaining. There was some conflict. There was some hubris. There were moments of laughter and moments of frustration. I felt better for having seen the film.

Maybe that is the gauge we should use -- are you better for having spent this time in the theater? There are those that would argue that films are just a waste of time and you are never better for having wasted your life in such things. And maybe they have a point in that there is probably always something better that we could or should be doing with our time. But if you do see a film, do you feel better? Have you been enriched in some way?

Or are you like these film critics who are so past feeling that they don't even recognize what quality really is?

Being of Sound Mind and Body I Spent It All -- Go Get Your Own!

My father was fond of telling us that his will would say the above. I only wish that he had lived long enough to make it come true.

And now that the Republicans, Democrats, Proposition Supporters, and various others have done their duties and the election is over, it is time to be needled by every charitable cause under the sun. Everybody seems to want my money. And I know that this year has been and will continue to be very hard for the shelters and food banks, but just because there is more need does not necessarily mean that I can afford to give more to meet that need.

I have been inundated with requests for donations of late. The Public Safety groups call nightly, the charities send letters daily (which makes me wonder where they are spending the money they do get -- administrative costs or the charitable purpose?), the Young Women are selling calendars to raise money for next year's girls' camp, the Young Men are putting on breakfasts and will soon be taking lawn aerating orders (their camp fundraiser), the ward is collecting food for the local food bank, everyone seems to think that I need to have my house inspected or fumigated or have my gutters cleaned, my nieces and nephews are selling various things (magazines, candy, girls scout cookies), and my clients are now hitting us up for their kids' choir trip to China or some other thing. I'm tired of it all.

Now I must be careful as one of the above is a dear niece that kindly asked me to support her band and get a magazine subscription. Since she was the first to ask and did so nicely, my wife and I decided that we would start getting Reader's Digest again. So I don't want her (or her mother) to think that I am complaining about her because I am not. But the situation started me to thinking about fundraising efforts in general.

Why are we subjected to having to purchase some product so that the kids can go to camp or get new uniforms or build a new wing on the music building? Why can't I just give them the $20 directly and not get a box of candy I shouldn't eat? And don't give me that "you could give it away" stuff -- if I don't think I should eat it, why is it OK to give it to someone I care about as a token of my affection? It isn't OK. It's insincere. "Here, I don't care to eat this crap, but I know how much you like to eat crap and I don't care about you staying healthy or getting diabetes, so enjoy." Nope. It's just a little worse than the feeling I get when I re-gift the wine my clients send me. "I don't drink wine since I believe it is a sin and unhealthy, but I know you like to get hammered, so here's some more for your disgusting habit."

But the kids are told, actually trained by the idiots who put together these "fundraisers", to not accept direct donations. In some cases, they are told that it is illegal to do so. What a racket! The magazine publishers get a bunch of kids to hock their stuff at $20 per subscription and they turn around and give the school or group a few pennies per subscription sold.

I remember selling jackets for the track team and then later for the band. And we sold candles for the band. In fact, entrepreneur that I was, I sold candles during a blackout. Unfortunately, we were only taking orders, so the sales pitch became more of "if you had bought these candles last month, you wouldn't be in the dark now". It would have been better to have a set of candles on hand. But oh well.

My sister and I pooled our sales of candles one year and qualified for a "promotional gift". I still have that tape case. It's still full of the tapes we kept in the old Volvo we drove to school. Ah, music from the 80's. But that's just another piece of the racket -- give aways as incentive to hock as much stuff as possible. And it works for the kids. Obviously, it worked on us.

But here's my point -- why should I feel guilty if I don't support your thing? How is it that you feel justified in giving me a guilt trip? Charity should be done in private. I am a fairly charitable person, both with my time and with my money, but often done anonymously (which I really like best -- it isn't right to gloat because you helped someone -- let them never know). I give to causes where I know that the funds are going directly to the people that need it. This is why most of my charity is done through the fast offerings donations. My father used to quote President Kimball (I think), that in relation to fast offerings we should give more, and in some cases, much more. We give a lot more than just the cost of a couple of meals and since I am the ward financial clerk, I know where those funds are going and who they are helping. They help the ones closest to you -- the ones in your ward and stake first. Excess funds are sent to Salt Lake for world-wide distribution, but much of the funds collected, at least in my ward, are used locally.

I am not blind to the suffering of others. I will give what I can to the food shelters and such. But stop pressuring me. Stop expecting me to be the one to bail you out. Times are tough all over. My own little family had some trials this year and the medical bills were not cheap. I won't be filing for bankruptcy, but the hospitals and doctors and ambulances all came with a stiff cost. Granted, I'd rather pay them than an undertaker (which could have been the option). In fact, I would pay anything to keep my son alive, so there are no complaints. But, cash is a little tighter this year for many reasons.

I guess I'm just griping. And there is little need for it. But sometimes we have to vent. And usually when I vent to people they eventually just tune me out. So here I vent and moan and if you don't want to listen, I'll never know the difference.

Happy Holidays -- because even in these economically challenged times, there are things for which we can give thanks and celebrate. No need to go overboard. No need to spread fear and doom. Just raise a glass of something tasty and pledge to make the next day, the next month, the next year a little better. If you can't give some cash, then give some time. Call someone you love and tell them so. Don't waste the only asset everyone gets the same amount of everyday -- time. But spend it all -- it can't be saved. "Time saving" devices don't save time -- they just make life more busy. We use a lot of time trying to save time and we are more busy now than ever before and yet we don't accomplish very much. Maybe we should just do something with our hands and our hearts and stop trying to be everything until we become nothing. We talk more now than ever before but we say a lot less. Maybe we should say what we mean most and then just shut up and listen.

And lastly, live long and prosper. Because the alternative is die young and destitute. And that just isn't as much fun.

GO VOTE TODAY!

For those of you who did not mail in your ballot already or vote early, TODAY is the LAST day to vote.

So go do it! Lines or not. Rain or not. This may be one of the most historic elections ever and you need to be part of it. If you didn't mail in your absentee ballot, then you MUST take it to a polling place today in order to be counted (Saturday was the last day to mail in a ballot).

We now return you to your regularly scheduled programming (heh, like another 12 hours of election coverage and endless political commercials)...

A Political Conversation With My Cousin

My cousin ("J") and I had the following email conversation. It started with a joke and led to the first conversation we have had in years. We used to be very close. I still love him and consider him my close cousin, but our lives have sent us in VERY different directions. That happens sometimes. Here is the conversation:

J:
It could happen!!!
Much is made of McCain's age. Has anyone brought up the fact that Obama smokes and both of his parents died at an early age. Plus Biden has had two brain aneurysms which could have killed him. If they both died while in office; that would leave Nancy Pelosi as president. I can't think of a better reason to vote for McCain & Palin.

AM:
So you are voting for the old guy and the clueless wonder so that Pelosi doesn't become president? That's a weak excuse to vote for anyone.

J:
I will vote for who I feel will be the best President of our country. I agree if the comment below were the only reason to vote for anyone it would be an extremely weak vote. However, I will not vote for anyone as inexperienced and unamerican as Obama. I don't care what you promise to the country in any debate, if you turn your back on the emblem of our country, the emblem that represents the blood lost by countless men and women over the history of our country and refuse to show honor to the emblem for which you will be called to serve as President then you have no business even running for office anywhere i.e. city, state or nation.

You can believe what you want, that is the blessing of living in this country and that blessing was won through the blood and tears of American Heroes. Obama doesn't care one bit about that no matter what he says.

AM:
I applaud your enthusiasm and passion. And of course, everyone should vote for the person they believe will do the best job -- I hope you understand that my comment was in the same jesting vein as your original posting.

But may I make one point against what seems to be sweeping this nation? I had not heard about this "Obama refuses to salute the flag" issue until a friend in church (he is the 2nd counselor in the Bishopric -- we count the tithing together on Sundays) brought this up. So, curious about this heated issue I had not heard about, I went to the Internet to find the news segment about it. I found it. I found the controversy. And I found the explanations, the excuses, the heated words, and the fear mongers spouting lies and truths simultaneously. I also found Senator Obama leading Congress in the Pledge of Allegiance at the start of several Congressional sessions and joining with school children in the same activity. The picture for which much has been said about him refusing to salute the flag and "turn his back on it" is true but also misleading. The flag is behind everyone on the stand (i.e. nearly no one is saluting it, although the other candidates do have their hands on their hearts, and two do turn around to face that flag, unlike the other 6 people on the stand). I also found an amateur video of the same event. The national anthem is being sung (rather poorly in my opinion, but that's not the point) and Senator Obama is singing along while the other candidates are just standing (either enjoying or cringing). I agree he should have put his hand on his heart. No question. But was his inaction to do so out of spite for the flag or refusal or because he doesn't care about the country or the men and women who have died for it? Or was it because he just didn't do it or forgot? I honestly don't know the real reason, but here is the point -- NEITHER DOES ANYBODY ELSE. But that doesn't stop people from ASSUMING and then spreading that he is a flag-hating, scum-sucking, anti-American lying son-of-a-gun.

There is a wave of hatred being spewed during this presidential election. There has been mud slung at the presidential candidates, some justified, some not, ever since George Washington decided to not run for a third term. But it would appear that the hate mongers have taken over the airwaves and are spreading fear and lies against both candidates and parties with such passion that people either buy into it or they don't know what to think anymore.

I had not heard about this "controversy" because I don't listen to any of them -- neither the right or the left. All of them twist the truth into what they want you to believe or what supports their twisted agenda. I can't name anyone of the media or the pundits that I would say is unbiased and so I have said "goodbye" to all of them. My voting decision will be based on what the candidates themselves say. And yes, just like every election I can remember (and that goes back to Ford/Carter -- I was a little young for Nixon, although I do remember him leaving office), the candidates are going to give a lot of promises that they can never keep and have a lot of hope they can never accomplish. The political system is more complex than any of them care to acknowledge and the office of the President has less power than some would like and more responsibility than anyone should want. But I watched both conventions with an open mind. I've listened to the debates and will tune in to the ones coming up. And then I will turn off the TV or radio before the pundits and spinners can spout anything about I just heard. I don't need their "help". And neither does anyone else.

I gather you will vote for McCain given his ties to the military and your affiliation therein. And there is nothing wrong with that. In fact, you have as good a reason to support him as anyone. Personally, I'm not sure who is best for the job of Commander in Chief, and while I will vote my conscience, I'm pretty sure that my state will vote Democrat as it has since Reagan left office. Not that my vote won't count -- it's just a little discouraging to know that if I vote Republican, I will be in the minority. But I will vote. And I will encourage others to do so. And I encourage everyone to make up their own minds and stop being swayed by hate mongers and those with alternative agendas. If you think that Senator Obama will be a bad president or that Senator McCain will be a good president, please vote accordingly. But please don't vote against someone because of what you have heard some pundit spew. If they are to be believed, then no one is fit for the job and anarchy should be established (yes, I know that was oxymoronic).

Thanks for letting me get that off my chest. Feel free to trash this if you wish -- that is part of the freedom you help defend and that I help fund. Differing opinions and the ability to express them is part of what makes America great and why so many wish to join us. It is also why others fear us and wish us harm. But as long as we continue to debate and let others keep their opinions, right or wrong, we will survive until the One whose right it is to rule returns.

I hope you and your family are well.

J:
I apologize for getting on my soap box. I appreciate your frank reply and learned (again) to take the time to research what I hear and what the media says on TV. I will take the time in the future to try to learn more about an issue, like this one, before I share my opinion. However, I find it increasingly difficult to find credible sources for such information. It is hard to know what to believe. Candidates make promises they can't keep, the media only reports what sells newspapers and airtime and people continue to forward unsubstantiated e-mails around the globe.

Please accept my apology for being too passionate. Thank you for your patience and candor. It is my prayer that our Savior comes soon, so that the world will praise His name and He will rule in righteousness and the secret combinations of the wicked will cease.

May God bless you and yours always.

AM:
No problems. If the people of this world were guilty of only being a "too passionate patriot" like yourself, it would be a much better place than it is today. I hope you know that I am very proud to be able to say that my closest cousin serves in the Air Force and has been to places (most of which the rest of us have very little desire to visit) to help secure our national freedoms. While I was in the MTC and you were in Basic, you wrote to me that you wanted to be like Captain Moroni (I believe you even called him your hero at the time). He had a problem with misinformation once and acted very passionately about it. That is one of my favorite stories from the BofM, and you remind me of him.

Ironically, the freedoms you help protect are taken advantage of to the point that most Americans are confused by the shear volume of information (and misinformation). I too have had a hard time finding credible sources this past couple of years (longest presidential run EVER). I have to keep asking myself "Really?". In the beginning I listened to everyone. That didn't work -- they are all angry, opinionated, self-centered media whores (if you will forgive the term). So I then listened to just the candidates. That didn't work either -- all of them change what they say and promise depending on their audience and whether they need money from that audience, which is most of the time. So then I decided, "I'm a smart guy with a college degree -- let's find the official platforms and compare and contrast." That actually was very enlightening. And the biggest thing I realized was that no one in politics has a clue about the real world, how to fix the problems, or what the ramifications of their ideas could be. This was particularly true when it came to tax "reform" -- a subject I do understand. And I can tell you that nobody running today, and few who were running before, have any clue about tax law. They want to use it as it has always been used -- to reward or discourage certain behaviors. And they don't realize that half of what they want to do is not allowed by the tax code as it now reads -- thus they would need to change the code (literally by an act of Congress) in order to do what they propose. Good luck. This past two weeks we saw how "easy" that is to do. And the mess that they passed for this financial bailout is not even known by the general public. I have read what they passed and it is a major amount of tax provisions that does a whole lot for very few and punishes both the guilty and the innocent. Just wait -- you heard it here first -- this latest tax bill will bite someone you know.

So how do you make an intelligent decision? Well, prayer would be the best answer. If it is truth that we seek, then we must go to the source of truth. But if I am to take the D&C at its word, I should come to some conclusion first, right? So now I just pray to be guided in my search and for inspiration when the time comes to actually vote. I have listened to the candidates, including their various speeches and debates, and maybe in the end what I should look for is the candidate who will help the Savior come faster. Unfortunately, that may mean picking the guy who will bring about a lot of pain and suffering. :) Yes, I do have a warped sense of humor, but you already knew that about me.

Thus, in the end, I've decided to sit back, relax, listen to the various comedians poke fun at the candidates (especially those who do not take sides, but mock everyone equally) and not take anyone too seriously. It has become very apparent that this country is full of a lot of stressed out, fearful, panicky people. We all need to breathe and realize that neither candidate is a terrorist or a savior. We should remember that financial crises have come before. Presidents, Congressmen, and every other type of politician come and go. The end of the world will come, sooner or later. And for some of us, it will come sooner than it will for others (i.e. don't worry about the Second Coming -- focus on when your meeting the Savior might come -- our grandfathers didn't have to wait for the end of the world).

I better get back to work. Thanks for the chance to chat -- I do miss our days of being in closer physical proximity. I guess we finally grew up and had lives. I just wonder sometimes when it was that I grew up. :)

God bless you and yours

Hey Little Sister, What Have You Done

Happy Birthday to Daredevil Mom! Thinking about you today and driving to high school with the music blaring "Today is your birthday (du, du, du, du, du, du). It's my birthday too, yeah. (du...) Happy Birthday to you."

Yeah, I'm old. So what.

Another Tasteless Joke

What do accountants do when they are constipated?

They work it out with a pencil. (ewww)

From the Humor Department

A young man was preparing for a date with a beautiful girl. He had read that he should get his date something to give her at the end of the evening as a token of his appreciation. So he went to a chocolate store and asked the owner for three separate boxes of chocolates -- a one pound box, a two pound box and a three pound box.

The owner was happy to fill the order but asked the young man why he purchased three separate boxes.

"Well, you see," said the young man, "I have this date tonight. How the date progresses determines the size of chocolate I will give my date as a token of appreciation."

"And how does that work?" asked the owner.

"If she only lets me hold her hand and doesn't allow me to kiss her, then I will give her the one pound box. If she allows me to kiss her goodnight, but only a sweet little kiss, then I will give her the two pound box. But if she allows me to make out with her, then I will bring out the three pound box."

"I see," said the owner. "Well, good luck."

"Thanks," said the young man. "I'm really hoping that tonight will be a three pound box kind of night."

Later that evening, the young man came to the girl's home. Her mother opened the door and asked him to come in for just a moment as the girl came down the stairs. Her father also came out to meet the young man and just before they were to go, the young man asked if they could pray before leaving her house. Impressed with his commitment to his religion, but a little taken back, the girl tentatively agreed. Mom and Dad stood quietly as the young man began to pray. And he prayed and prayed and prayed. Finally, and much to the relief of the girl and her parents, he ended his prayer and they left the house.

"I didn't realize you were such a religious person," noted the girl as they got into his car.

"I didn't realize that your father owned a chocolate store."