From the Facebook post little known facts about Josh Case Sr:
9 - I only started Blogging to support my wife with her goal to blog every day for a year.
My wife prefers to spend time with me (which is still odd to me because I don't think I'm anything special to hang out with, but ...) it makes her happy. Many years ago, she decided she wanted to blog daily, but quickly realized she would have to do this in the evenings after the kids go to bed. That had become our only real time to hang out as a couple, so she was torn between these goals. So I started blogging as a sort of "two birds with one stone" kind of solution. Little did I know that I would enjoy it so much (most of the time anyway) and that it would continue for so long.
Song Of The Day:
One of my favorite 80's songs is "Stuck With You" by Huey Lewis and the News. I can't say that the lyrics apply to my relationship with Karen, other than the happy to be stuck with you portions. I don't think we've thought about giving up (although I think that applies to blogging for sure!) but it's too good of a song NOT to use it!
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Saturday, November 9, 2013
Friday, November 8, 2013
8 - This One Has To Be A Lie, Right ?!
From the Facebook post little known facts about Josh Case Sr:
8 - I am actually quite introverted and quiet or shy.
Some people will not believe this, especially my work friends. I only act confident and outgoing because my role(s) require it. I am not afraid of public speaking, but I much prefer to do my tasks by myself than work in groups. I also prefer to listen rather than speak (some will call that an outright lie), but I am nervous in silent situations so I will often speak just to break the silence.
Once I am comfortable with someone or in a certain environment, I will seem very extroverted ... but it's a struggle every time I do it! I am forcing myself to go against my nature and engage in conversations or lead groups of people.
That's why this is perfect to be shared in a "little known facts" list ... because other than my immediate family and a few really close friends, probably no one would EVER know this.
Song Of The Day:
There are many tie ins to the song for this post. "Invisible" by Taylor Swift is a quiet, wallflower kind of song. I'm not ashamed to admit that I often feel invisible, but I also know that I own the solution for that. I need to force myself to not be invisible. That said, I think true invisibility would be the best superpower (if I were able to pick one that would be it!) I think that's why I try to ask so many questions of other people. While on my mission, I found that asking people to talk about themselves makes me feel good. I can pick and choose things to connect with them on and I feel less invisible then.
...
8 - I am actually quite introverted and quiet or shy.
Some people will not believe this, especially my work friends. I only act confident and outgoing because my role(s) require it. I am not afraid of public speaking, but I much prefer to do my tasks by myself than work in groups. I also prefer to listen rather than speak (some will call that an outright lie), but I am nervous in silent situations so I will often speak just to break the silence.
Once I am comfortable with someone or in a certain environment, I will seem very extroverted ... but it's a struggle every time I do it! I am forcing myself to go against my nature and engage in conversations or lead groups of people.
That's why this is perfect to be shared in a "little known facts" list ... because other than my immediate family and a few really close friends, probably no one would EVER know this.
Song Of The Day:
There are many tie ins to the song for this post. "Invisible" by Taylor Swift is a quiet, wallflower kind of song. I'm not ashamed to admit that I often feel invisible, but I also know that I own the solution for that. I need to force myself to not be invisible. That said, I think true invisibility would be the best superpower (if I were able to pick one that would be it!) I think that's why I try to ask so many questions of other people. While on my mission, I found that asking people to talk about themselves makes me feel good. I can pick and choose things to connect with them on and I feel less invisible then.
...
Thursday, November 7, 2013
7 - Is That A Knife ?
From the Facebook post little known facts about Josh Case Sr:
7 - While serving my two-year mission in Los Angeles, I was held at knife-point and had my life threatened ... by my missionary companion.
There is too much of a story here to summarize properly, but here are the pertinent details:
- Missionaries have certain rules they are expected to follow and my companion broke one of them by having a small television set which he began watching periodically.
- I followed the proper chain of command in reporting this to my District Leader. This eventually led to our Mission President calling and leaving a message on our answering machine informing my companion that he needed to get rid of the tv.
- My companion stated that he was going to kill whoever told the President about his tv. He suggested that it was our District Leader and I corrected him (fearing not for my own life but rather for the life of my fellow missionary).
- My companion then calmly walked into his bedroom and came back carrying a 6-inch hunting knife (possessing such a weapon was another rule he was breaking).
The remainder of the experience is a bit of a blur to be honest. I remember being punched and pushed. I remember being picked up by my shirt collar and thrown against a wall. I remember my District Leader and his missionary companion breaking down the door to our apartment and physically restraining my companion until the Mission President arrived.
One thing I want to clarify ... this missionary remained serving in the mission field, at my request. A few days after the event, our Mission President asked me what I thougt should happen to the other Elder. I asked that, if he was remorseful and repentant, he be given the choice to remain serving as a missionary for the remainder of his time. He stayed, repented, and served many other people. I think this is a very important lesson to remember and it is the part of the story I prefer to focus on. People make mistakes. But repentance and forgiveness is real.
Song Of The Day:
I know it is a love song but "The Heart Of The Matter" by Don Henley has a repeated refrain of forgiveness and that is why I picked it for this post. I never spent any more time with this Elder again. He never met with me or sought me out to apologize. That doesn't really matter to me. If he needed to do that to forgive himself then I would have (or still would) welcomed that. But I didn't need that. His outburst was uncalled for, but probably a sign of deeper issues he was working through. There is no value in my carrying a grudge or holding this against him, then, or ever again. In the song there is another phrase that says "you keep carrying that anger, it'll eat you up inside." How true that is!
...
7 - While serving my two-year mission in Los Angeles, I was held at knife-point and had my life threatened ... by my missionary companion.
There is too much of a story here to summarize properly, but here are the pertinent details:
- Missionaries have certain rules they are expected to follow and my companion broke one of them by having a small television set which he began watching periodically.
- I followed the proper chain of command in reporting this to my District Leader. This eventually led to our Mission President calling and leaving a message on our answering machine informing my companion that he needed to get rid of the tv.
- My companion stated that he was going to kill whoever told the President about his tv. He suggested that it was our District Leader and I corrected him (fearing not for my own life but rather for the life of my fellow missionary).
- My companion then calmly walked into his bedroom and came back carrying a 6-inch hunting knife (possessing such a weapon was another rule he was breaking).
The remainder of the experience is a bit of a blur to be honest. I remember being punched and pushed. I remember being picked up by my shirt collar and thrown against a wall. I remember my District Leader and his missionary companion breaking down the door to our apartment and physically restraining my companion until the Mission President arrived.
One thing I want to clarify ... this missionary remained serving in the mission field, at my request. A few days after the event, our Mission President asked me what I thougt should happen to the other Elder. I asked that, if he was remorseful and repentant, he be given the choice to remain serving as a missionary for the remainder of his time. He stayed, repented, and served many other people. I think this is a very important lesson to remember and it is the part of the story I prefer to focus on. People make mistakes. But repentance and forgiveness is real.
Song Of The Day:
I know it is a love song but "The Heart Of The Matter" by Don Henley has a repeated refrain of forgiveness and that is why I picked it for this post. I never spent any more time with this Elder again. He never met with me or sought me out to apologize. That doesn't really matter to me. If he needed to do that to forgive himself then I would have (or still would) welcomed that. But I didn't need that. His outburst was uncalled for, but probably a sign of deeper issues he was working through. There is no value in my carrying a grudge or holding this against him, then, or ever again. In the song there is another phrase that says "you keep carrying that anger, it'll eat you up inside." How true that is!
...
Wednesday, November 6, 2013
6 - How Is This Even Possible ?
From the Facebook post little known facts about Josh Case Sr:
6 - Despite my love of basketball, I have never attended an NBA game.
This is a sheer tragedy, especially when you consider that I have attended 3 (three) NHL games featuring the Colorado Avalanche ... and I actually don't really like hockey at all. I've also never been to an NFL game and I have become quite the Broncos fan in the last 15 years.
There is no reason other than time and money for which I have never attended an NBA game. I shelled out over $100 for tickets to attend the NCAA Tournament in Denver a few years ago (when Jimmer Fredette was leading BYU to the Sweet Sixteen). So money has a small part to play, but it isn't enough of a reason NOT to go. I also have invested quite a bit of time attending and/or participating in sporting events, primarily basketball. So that is not enough of an issue either. It's really the combination of time and money that gets me I think. That easily applies for never making a Broncos game (yet).
Song Of The Day:
Blues music is just awesome! Here is the original recording of "Ain't That A Shame" by Fats Domino. It is a shame I haven't (yet) been to an NBA game. But I know it will happen sometime so there's no sleep lost here at night because of it.
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6 - Despite my love of basketball, I have never attended an NBA game.
This is a sheer tragedy, especially when you consider that I have attended 3 (three) NHL games featuring the Colorado Avalanche ... and I actually don't really like hockey at all. I've also never been to an NFL game and I have become quite the Broncos fan in the last 15 years.
There is no reason other than time and money for which I have never attended an NBA game. I shelled out over $100 for tickets to attend the NCAA Tournament in Denver a few years ago (when Jimmer Fredette was leading BYU to the Sweet Sixteen). So money has a small part to play, but it isn't enough of a reason NOT to go. I also have invested quite a bit of time attending and/or participating in sporting events, primarily basketball. So that is not enough of an issue either. It's really the combination of time and money that gets me I think. That easily applies for never making a Broncos game (yet).
Song Of The Day:
Blues music is just awesome! Here is the original recording of "Ain't That A Shame" by Fats Domino. It is a shame I haven't (yet) been to an NBA game. But I know it will happen sometime so there's no sleep lost here at night because of it.
...
Tuesday, November 5, 2013
5 - How Long Did You Date ?
From the Facebook post little known facts about Josh Case Sr:
5 - I proposed to my wife less than 2 months after we first met.
Here's the deets:
We met (at a church dance) on December 17th, 1997.
We were engaged to be married on February 15th, 1998.
Basically from that first night we met I was 99% convinced I was going to marry her. Oddly enough, it still took a while before I kissed her (I'm a shy "first kiss" kind of guy). Also of note, I would have actually proposed to her sooner but she was in Europe for the 3 weeks right beforehand.
I mention this because the world will tell you that there is a certain timeframe you should adhere to when considering marriage. Even I had a goal, written in my missionary journal, to NOT get married or even date anyone seriously for the first year after my mission. I did not achieve that goal (returned from my mission on November 5th, 1997; Karen and I were sealed for time and all eternity on May 2nd, 1998) ... BUT ... I would argue that 15+ years of a wonderful marriage later proves my "there is no set timetable" point.
I would caution though, that marriage is a LOT of work and so you'd better do your homework before you make such a monumental commitment. You'd better make sure your future spouse is willing to work at the marriage with you. To this day, I am convinced that Karen and I squeezed a year or more of typical dating and courtship activities into those 5 1/2 months from first meeting to eternal marriage in the Denver Temple. And we still work at our marriage every singly day!
Song Of The Day:
Sometimes you just know and that was the case with my sweet wife Karen. In a much lesser way, you can also just know the first time you hear a song that you LOVE IT. That was the case with "Unconditionally" by Katy Perry. I have probably already listened to it over 100 times and I just like it more each and every time. Lyrically. The melody and harmony. The thumping drum beats. If you haven't heard it already I really hope you like it!
...
5 - I proposed to my wife less than 2 months after we first met.
Here's the deets:
We met (at a church dance) on December 17th, 1997.
We were engaged to be married on February 15th, 1998.
Basically from that first night we met I was 99% convinced I was going to marry her. Oddly enough, it still took a while before I kissed her (I'm a shy "first kiss" kind of guy). Also of note, I would have actually proposed to her sooner but she was in Europe for the 3 weeks right beforehand.
I mention this because the world will tell you that there is a certain timeframe you should adhere to when considering marriage. Even I had a goal, written in my missionary journal, to NOT get married or even date anyone seriously for the first year after my mission. I did not achieve that goal (returned from my mission on November 5th, 1997; Karen and I were sealed for time and all eternity on May 2nd, 1998) ... BUT ... I would argue that 15+ years of a wonderful marriage later proves my "there is no set timetable" point.
I would caution though, that marriage is a LOT of work and so you'd better do your homework before you make such a monumental commitment. You'd better make sure your future spouse is willing to work at the marriage with you. To this day, I am convinced that Karen and I squeezed a year or more of typical dating and courtship activities into those 5 1/2 months from first meeting to eternal marriage in the Denver Temple. And we still work at our marriage every singly day!
Song Of The Day:
Sometimes you just know and that was the case with my sweet wife Karen. In a much lesser way, you can also just know the first time you hear a song that you LOVE IT. That was the case with "Unconditionally" by Katy Perry. I have probably already listened to it over 100 times and I just like it more each and every time. Lyrically. The melody and harmony. The thumping drum beats. If you haven't heard it already I really hope you like it!
...
Monday, November 4, 2013
4 - Who Sings That ?
From the Facebook post little known facts about Josh Case Sr:
4 - I am unashamed to like music by unpopular (see: openly scorned) artists.
Examples include: Justin Bieber, One Direction (see: boy bands in general), Yanni, Barry Manilow, Miley Cyrus, Britney Spears, Madonna, etc. I just have an appreciation for good music regardless of who sings it. You can hate the person all you want, but a good song, or good recording deserves the credit for its goodness.
Think of an artist or group who you have heard disparaging comments about and there is probably at least one of their songs that I like. Next time, try this experiment: pretend like the song is being sung by a person or group that you really like and let your ears decide if it's "awful" or not. I'd be willing to bet you will surprise yourself ... and may even open your mind to some great music in the process.
Song Of The Day:
As explained in item #4 above, I am unashamed of good music, regardless of who the artist is that created or performed the tune. Case in point: "The Story Of My Life" by One Direction is a very good song (in my opinion), but many people will miss out on that because of the artists who sing it. Too bad for you. Judging that book by it's cover is causing you to miss out on some great music.
4 - I am unashamed to like music by unpopular (see: openly scorned) artists.
Examples include: Justin Bieber, One Direction (see: boy bands in general), Yanni, Barry Manilow, Miley Cyrus, Britney Spears, Madonna, etc. I just have an appreciation for good music regardless of who sings it. You can hate the person all you want, but a good song, or good recording deserves the credit for its goodness.
Think of an artist or group who you have heard disparaging comments about and there is probably at least one of their songs that I like. Next time, try this experiment: pretend like the song is being sung by a person or group that you really like and let your ears decide if it's "awful" or not. I'd be willing to bet you will surprise yourself ... and may even open your mind to some great music in the process.
Song Of The Day:
As explained in item #4 above, I am unashamed of good music, regardless of who the artist is that created or performed the tune. Case in point: "The Story Of My Life" by One Direction is a very good song (in my opinion), but many people will miss out on that because of the artists who sing it. Too bad for you. Judging that book by it's cover is causing you to miss out on some great music.
Sunday, November 3, 2013
3 - What Is One Of Your Biggest Regrets ?
From the Facebook post little known facts about Josh Case Sr:
3 - I am NOT an Eagle Scout.
One of my greatest regrets in life is that I gave up on Scouting once I turned 16 years old. In hindsight, I had plenty of time (2 years) to finish the last 3 merit badges I had almost entirely completed and my Eagle Scout project.
Work, church, sports, high school, and of course girls, were a higher priority for me at that time. I promised myself that if I ever had sons, they would be required to earn their Eagle Scout before they could get their driver's license (my two best friends in high school had this requirement and they both earned their Eagle!)
Song Of The Day:
I am unsure of the artist for this recording, but I think about the movie "Follow Me Boys" with Fred MacMurray when I hear this song. In the movie, he leads the boys (initially somewhat ineffectively) to accomplish things they might not if he hadn't cared enough to teach them. While I may never have earned my Eagle Scout, I can assure you that I will help as many young men earn theirs as I possibly can!
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3 - I am NOT an Eagle Scout.
One of my greatest regrets in life is that I gave up on Scouting once I turned 16 years old. In hindsight, I had plenty of time (2 years) to finish the last 3 merit badges I had almost entirely completed and my Eagle Scout project.
But I didn't.
Work, church, sports, high school, and of course girls, were a higher priority for me at that time. I promised myself that if I ever had sons, they would be required to earn their Eagle Scout before they could get their driver's license (my two best friends in high school had this requirement and they both earned their Eagle!)
Song Of The Day:
I am unsure of the artist for this recording, but I think about the movie "Follow Me Boys" with Fred MacMurray when I hear this song. In the movie, he leads the boys (initially somewhat ineffectively) to accomplish things they might not if he hadn't cared enough to teach them. While I may never have earned my Eagle Scout, I can assure you that I will help as many young men earn theirs as I possibly can!
...
Saturday, November 2, 2013
2 - Art Thou Greater Than He ?
From the Facebook post little known facts about Josh Case Sr:
2 - My favorite scripture is not in the Bible.
My favorite scripture can be found in the Doctrine and Covenants of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Section 122, verse 8. It deserves at least a little bit of set-up.
Joseph Smith had been incarcerated on false charges in Liberty Jail in Missouri for many months. In response to his multiple prayers, in which Jospeh poured out his soul and frustrations, the Lord provided a reminder of the degree of difficulty others face in their lives, while also comforting Joseph and teaching him that his suffering was necessary for him to gain experience. This specific scripture comes near the end of the Lord's response to Joseph, but has always stuck in my mind as something we should all remember.
D&C 122:8 "The Son of Man hath descended below them all. Art thou greater than he?"
I sometimes feel my life is hard and that my challenges are more than one man should have to bear. But the feeling is always fleeting as I contemplate the experiences that Joseph Smith went through during his abbreviated lifetime on this earth. My situations certainly pale in comparison to his challenges. And then there is the whole 'nother level of experiences that our Savior Jesus Christ willingly suffered through. It never takes me more than a few minutes to put things in perspective and realize that I am ridiculously blessed!
Song Of The Day:
In honor of the great man and Prophet that Joseph Smith was, I think it's time for some Mormon Tabernacle Choir and their rendition of "Joseph Smith's First Prayer" which was sung at a General Conference session of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
...
2 - My favorite scripture is not in the Bible.
My favorite scripture can be found in the Doctrine and Covenants of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Section 122, verse 8. It deserves at least a little bit of set-up.
Joseph Smith had been incarcerated on false charges in Liberty Jail in Missouri for many months. In response to his multiple prayers, in which Jospeh poured out his soul and frustrations, the Lord provided a reminder of the degree of difficulty others face in their lives, while also comforting Joseph and teaching him that his suffering was necessary for him to gain experience. This specific scripture comes near the end of the Lord's response to Joseph, but has always stuck in my mind as something we should all remember.
D&C 122:8 "The Son of Man hath descended below them all. Art thou greater than he?"
I sometimes feel my life is hard and that my challenges are more than one man should have to bear. But the feeling is always fleeting as I contemplate the experiences that Joseph Smith went through during his abbreviated lifetime on this earth. My situations certainly pale in comparison to his challenges. And then there is the whole 'nother level of experiences that our Savior Jesus Christ willingly suffered through. It never takes me more than a few minutes to put things in perspective and realize that I am ridiculously blessed!
Song Of The Day:
In honor of the great man and Prophet that Joseph Smith was, I think it's time for some Mormon Tabernacle Choir and their rendition of "Joseph Smith's First Prayer" which was sung at a General Conference session of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
...
Friday, November 1, 2013
1 - You Were In An A Capella Group ?
From the Facebook post little known facts about Josh Case Sr:
1 - I sang tenor in a four-person A Capella group in high school.
I have always loved singing, but I never claimed to be any more than adequate at it. Still, there is something heavenly, bordering on orgasmic, about a four part harmony coming together. I love being a part of that and as a result have put myself in various situations I never should have really been in.
Back in high school was the first of these experiences. Three of my friends from Spectrum (our select high school choir) and I decided that we loved singing enough that we should form our own a capella group. Why a capella? The real question is: why not?!
Our name was "A Shade Of Soul" which was supposed to be a play on words because we were all caucasian. The name was as mediocre as our singing, but we had fun and actually made quite a bit of money one Valentine's Day. We spread the word about our willingness to serenade loved ones and shower them with gifts (flowers, candy, etc.) for a nominal fee. We made enough money to pay for our entry fee to the annual UNC Jazz Festival. We also had enough left over to splurge on some sweatshirts with our ridiculous logo and equally ridiculous bright red lettered names running down the sleeve. I am glad I don't have any pictures of them.
We "broke up" shortly after our disastrous performance at the aforementioned jazz festival. But we had certainly enjoyed many wonderful moments of harmony and melody coming together as we invested hours of our free time to try and improve our sound.
Song Of The Day:
Around this same time I became quite fond of the A Capella group The Nylons. Obviously they were/are MUCH better than our group was, but their song "Good Old A Capella" always reminds me of the fun that can be had when a group of people just enjoy making that good old harmony.
...
1 - I sang tenor in a four-person A Capella group in high school.
I have always loved singing, but I never claimed to be any more than adequate at it. Still, there is something heavenly, bordering on orgasmic, about a four part harmony coming together. I love being a part of that and as a result have put myself in various situations I never should have really been in.
Back in high school was the first of these experiences. Three of my friends from Spectrum (our select high school choir) and I decided that we loved singing enough that we should form our own a capella group. Why a capella? The real question is: why not?!
Our name was "A Shade Of Soul" which was supposed to be a play on words because we were all caucasian. The name was as mediocre as our singing, but we had fun and actually made quite a bit of money one Valentine's Day. We spread the word about our willingness to serenade loved ones and shower them with gifts (flowers, candy, etc.) for a nominal fee. We made enough money to pay for our entry fee to the annual UNC Jazz Festival. We also had enough left over to splurge on some sweatshirts with our ridiculous logo and equally ridiculous bright red lettered names running down the sleeve. I am glad I don't have any pictures of them.
We "broke up" shortly after our disastrous performance at the aforementioned jazz festival. But we had certainly enjoyed many wonderful moments of harmony and melody coming together as we invested hours of our free time to try and improve our sound.
Song Of The Day:
Around this same time I became quite fond of the A Capella group The Nylons. Obviously they were/are MUCH better than our group was, but their song "Good Old A Capella" always reminds me of the fun that can be had when a group of people just enjoy making that good old harmony.
...
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