Why Is It More Difficult ?

I like having organization and cleanliness probably more than the average person.  I have some OCD tendencies (don't we all?!) but mostly I just like things to be in order.  Clutter is distracting and decreases efficiency.  This is applicable not just in physical spaces but also in the virtual world as well.  In this post, I am talking specifically about electronic items such as pictures, emails, documents, music, and any other type of file you can conveniently save on your computer or electronic device.

We live in a day and age when the available space for saving electronic information is virtually limitless.  Even our phones (I hear they can actually be used to make calls too now!) have capacity to store documents or files that just a few years ago would have taken a whole hard drive to "keep" around.

I think most everyone de-clutters their physical space reasonably often (Spring Cleaning is in full swing around the office and at home for me), but when was the last time you de-cluttered your "virtual" space(s)?  How many pictures are saved on your computer or phone?  How many emails have you moved over to a folder or a longer storage program like OneNote?  How many Apps have you loaded on your smart phone that haven't been used in months?  How many spreadsheets and presentations and word documents have you saved to a u:drive or w:drive that are collecting "virtual" dust?  For me, the amount of files and documents is staggering and overwhelming.

As I have recently undertaken the effort of clearing the clutter, it has become very apparent to me that I am MUCH better at cleaning physical spaces than virtual ones.  For all the convenience of finding various types of documents on a computer, it is infinitely more time consuming to throw out whole piles of files from the variety of programs they are saved under, than to just toss a stack of papers from a desk file.  It is also not nearly as rewarding afterward because you cannot actually see the progress you made.  And THAT is why I think it is more difficult for me to complete!


Song Of The Day:
I've been a James Taylor fan for many years, especially thanks to my mother's playing his records during our family's "quiet times" each afternoon.  But I cannot recall hearing his version of "Paper Moon" until perhaps a year ago on a local easy listening station.  I immediately loved it!  I chose it for today's post because I think we consider our electronic device storage space to be a bit of make believe although it surely isn't.  Also, I just really dig the relaxing vibe of this tune and after spending hours de-cluttering an "e-space" it brings back my sanity!  :)

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When Did This Happen ?

Yesterday my oldest son was joking around with my wife and he climbed up in her lap, as if to act like a little baby.
Only he's clearly not so "little" any longer!
I think Karen quickly regretted his decision to effectively squish her, but I know she remembers holding him shortly after giving birth to him as though it were yesterday.

I am quite proud of the young man my oldest son is becoming / has turned out to be.  Sure he has his moments of malice or moodiness, but overall he is a very good example of what a young man and future adult should be.
In fact, the oldest daughter from one of our "friend families" recently commented that she could tell he was being raised up right ... if he were a few years older ... and then they commentary trailed off (but you could tell it was a reference to his dateability).


Song Of The Day:
It only seems appropriate for a Boyz II Men tune, since my oldest is clearly making that progression very quickly.  Their earliest BIG hit was titled "It's So Hard To Say Goodbye To Yesterday" and seemed to be played at every high school graduation for years after its release.  It has also become a standard of a Capella music.  Great tune for a great young man!

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You're Just Playing Dumb, Right ?

I think some people really just need to be told the absolute truth.  I know the button to the left seems harsh or unnecessarily mean, but it is very true sometimes.  I have literally worried about how people survive (pay bills, feed themselves, get from here to there, etc.) when they have difficulty with other, seemingly basic concepts.  A few examples would include: reading and responding to emails at work; using a "smart" phone to take notes; filling out a time card sheet to get paid; and even learning how to latch a seat belt.

I know it is terribly judgmental of me, but it is with true concern for these people and their well-being, not mockery or picking on them that drives my reaction.  I fear that they are actually suffering (outside of times when others are around them), with the basics of living, and that pains me.  I secretly hope they are just "playing dumb" if only because it relieves me from the sad visualization that they go hungry at night because they cannot comprehend how to make a stove or microwave function.


Song Of The Day:
The song "You Oughta Know" by Alanis Morissette is a vengeful and angry tune, but the title fits with today's post because people oughta know these basic life skills and it worries me when they don't.

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But How Much Are A Thousand Words Worth ?

It has been said that a picture is worth a thousand words.  I get how that makes sense, because almost any picture could easily be expanded into a thousand, or more, words that would describe what it portrays.

But how much are 1,000 words worth?  Perhaps the exchange rate isn't that great and maybe you already have enough words to feed your family.  Is there something else you can trade that picture in for?

Here are two photos of odd or random things I've seen at work recently.  I didn't give you a thousand words with each one, but there is certainly more than just a simple story behind these pictures.

To the left you will see the infamous (at least on my work floor) printer/copier.  I am fairly confident that this machine has logged as many hours "under the technician's microscope" as it has in actually performing its primary role.  This recent image caught my attention long enough to take a photo.  Apparently the absence of a whole section of the machine was not enough to keep people from trying to make it work so someone had the genius idea of placing part of a folded paper box top in the open void.  I wonder how many otherwise smart people saw this and thought it was a new place to load paper?  Or perhaps they believed it now recycles cardboard?


On the right is a photo I took in one of our break rooms at work.  If you were able to see the whole room you would see typical items within: refrigerators, coffee pots, microwaves, vending machines, a sink, a water and ice machine, and some tables and chairs.  I thought back to that song from Sesame Street (one of these things is not like the others) when I noticed a BABY BATHTUB on one of the tables.  I'm not even sure HOW to respond to this.  Is it "bath your baby at work" day?  Did someone want to recreate the bathtub gin-making that occurred during Prohibition times?  Or maybe someone wanted to bathe in the aroma of their coffee?


Song Of The Day:
Today's song is a throwback called "Undercover Angel" by Alan O'Day.  The tune itself has no real connection to this post, but each chorus begins with an incredulous "I Said What?!" that perfectly captures my response to seeing these photo-required situations.

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When You Say 'Get Dirty' ... ?

Since I make my living sitting behind a desk (for the most part anyway), I am often very grateful when the opportunity to "get dirty" comes along.
I rather enjoy working in the yard, especially when the temperature is reasonable and the physical work allows me to see progress at the end of hours of effort (sometimes hours of effort at any desk job can end with no discernible "progress" to show for it).

Last fall I snapped the picture to the right after a day of moving dirt and rocks and whatever else was on the list.  I found it amusing that, despite wearing socks and shoes, my feet themselves were still caked in dirt and grime.  I am confident these socks never came clean (that's okay though because I always need work socks and work shoes and work shirts and work pants and so on).

As Spring has sprung, I am looking forward to getting started on (and hopefully completing) this year's backyard landscaping projects.  I always sleep very soundly after a day at work in the yard, and those showers afterward are always the best!


Song Of The Day:
When I think of working in the yard I find myself in a farmer-type mentality, and that always leads me to country music.  Brad Paisley has been a staple in the country music scene for well over a decade now and his song "Mud On The Tires" is a personal favorite of mine.  I like the message of "real life is dirty" because I think we are all guilty of being too "pretty" sometimes.  In fact, Brad's song "I'm Still A Guy" is a great tune too and I think that fits here as well.  Enjoy the two-fer on this Tuesday!

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Is That A Headless Santa ?

I really don't think there is much to be said here.  While in ABQ visiting our good friends, we drove past this full sized, headless, santa suit / statue.  Later in the day it was outside the front door of this house, as if to greet visitors, albeit in a completely creepy fashion.

Song Of The Day:
It was impossible not to think of the sarcastically peppy "Christmas At Ground Zero" by Weird Al Yankovic while composing this post.  I enjoyed that song the first time I heard it and it always serves as a perfect antithesis for the spirit of Christmas.  And what is more antithetical than a headless santa in the middle of Springtime in the Albuquerque desert?!

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Is It Worth Going Back For ?

Another great experience from our Spring Break to Arizona trip was being able to spend some time at the Gilbert Arizona LDS Temple.  On Tuesday, 4/1, my wife and I plus my parents were able to attend an Endowment session at the Temple, ending inside the massive Celestial Room, which is simply awe inspiring.

That visit was so spiritually uplifting that Karen and I quickly made plans to go back on Thursday, 4/3.  So it was that the whole family made the drive into Gilbert so the children could walk the grounds of the Temple and we could take a few pictures.  I already shared the family picture on Facebook, but the two photos in this post were some that I took that I really liked.  All of the grounds of this Temple are perfectly suited for some amazing photographs, so if you like either of these then give credit where it is due (and that is the site, not me!)

Song Of The Day:
I have been a fan of piano music for as long as I can remember and there are some beautiful pieces out there.  I think the piano conveys a special spirit of reverence and majesty.
This song, "I Love To See The Temple" by Paul Cardall is a perfect companion to this post.  I certainly expect that heaven will be filled with lots of music, and I hope it is often simple tunes and melodies on a piano.
In ABQ, our friends tried to take a picture of me and my older boys in front of the Albuquerque Temple, but the back lighting of the sunset made it less than ideal, as we had to cut off the top of the Temple (with the Angel Moroni atop the spire) to avoid being completely washed out.  Oh well.

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