Who Left The Lights On ?

I say this all the time in my house.  It seems like every room I go into has a light on in it, whether there is anyone in that room or not.  This alone is troublesome, but it's not really the most bothersome thing to me.  What bugs me the most is ...

When did I become that guy ?!

I'm really confused.  How did this happen?  At what point did I become some sort of vigilante with these on and off switches.  It's not like I have to change that many light bulbs (they last for the longest time).  It's not like they really use that much energy (and I'm certainly not an energy conservationist ... although I do support the cause).
So why am I so charged up (pun intended) about this?!

My best guess is that it all started when I began working again with the Cub and Boy Scouts over 6 years ago.  There is a concept in Scouting called "Leave No Trace" and while it is more centered on camping and outside situations, the message applies anywhere: Leave a place as good or better than it was when you first arrived.  And so my obsession with turning lights off when you leave a room was born ... I think.

Song Of The Day
I thought for a little while about different songs that might apply to the topic of today's blog and then it hit me!  "I See The Light" from the movie Tangled (sung by Mandy Moore and Zachary Levi).  I loved this song the first time I heard it (which was while watching the movie on a daddy-daughter date with my oldest daughter Brooklyn).  Who knew "Chuck" had such a great singing voice?!  :)

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You Really Shaved It ?!

A curse upon all ye who wished for the Denver Broncos to lose yesterday, if only because you really wanted me to shave my awful (and magnificent) beard.
(I'm talking directly to YOU, Kevin and Amy Amsden!)  :)

So below are links to the videotaped demolition of my beloved Bronco Beard.

Bronco Beard Removal - Part 1

Bronco Beard Removal - Part 2

If you don't have time to watch the 3-4 minutes of videos, here are some pictures taken at various stages during the process.
Me personally?  I'd skip the videos.



The Final Bronco Beard

My version of "Mutton Chops"

How YOU Doin' ?! ... Ladies!

I hope you're happy!  (Sarcastic tone is hard to type!)

Song Of The Day
Today's song of the day is on the spiritual side and it's not related to the beard-shaving at all.  Instead it is related to a great musical number that was performed by Lou and Jared Burton in Oakwood Sacrament Meeting today.
They did not sing "All Creatures Of Our God And King" but this version by Eclipse (an a capella group my cousin James Case sings bass for) reminds me of the awesome sound and uplifting spirit their (Lou and Jared) singing of "Be Still My Soul" brought me today.



How's The Elevation Treating Ya ?!

I often forget (because you just don't think about it all the time) that we live at roughly 6000 feet in elevation here in beautiful Colorado Springs, Colorado.

The times I remember about the elevation difference are usually when I am reading articles talking about visiting professional teams having to come to Denver, CO for some sporting event.

You might not be aware, but the Baltimore Ravens had to come here today for their NFL Playoff game against the Denver Broncos.  Welcome to MILE HIGH + boys!  Hope you brought your oxygen tanks and masks!  (Editor's Note: Apparently the Broncos defense forgot to bring theirs ... how disappointing!)

Song Of The Day
I've had several friends share some of their favorite music with me over the years, including burning me CDs, etc. so I can expand my experience.  This song was brought to my attention by Linda Schow, a good friend from work.  Originally performed by the group Postal Service, "Such Great Heights" has been performed as an a capella song by many groups in the last 5 years.  The performance linked above is one of my favorites, done by Umass Dynamics.

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Why Don't You Just Say What You Need ?

I think most of us have at least one relationship in our life in which we find it difficult to just be open, honest, and maybe a little selfish.

For some it is at work.  You just don't have the wherewithal to tell your boss (or your employees) what you need from them.

For some it is at school.  You just can't muster the courage to admit that you need help.  Deciding your major.  Understanding math or science.

For some it is with family.  You don't have the heart to possibly hurt your parent's or sibling's or kid's feelings.

For some it is with your spouse or significant other.  You worry that the relationship will suffer if you are too open and honest, or that the person you care about will no longer care for you in the same way.

I say ... let's all get over it!

Talk to your boss or co-workers about your goals.  Ask a counselor or teacher to recommend the right kind of supplemental schoolwork.  Tell you mom, dad, sister, brother, or child that you love them but that you need space, time, or whatever it is.

And by all means ... tell that loved one what you need in your relationship.  It is a recipe for sure-fire failure when we begin to expect others to just know what our needs are.  Just because you have to tell someone what you need doesn't mean they are only fulfilling that need because you told them to.  The key here is ... you're giving them options to love and support you.
If they do what you ask for, then they are choosing to show you how much they care.

Song Of The Day
In the spirit of this blog post, please listen to the song "Say" by John Mayer.  Love him, hate him, I don't care.  But you cannot deny the powerful words and message of this song!

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Are They Really Going ?

When you are close to someone and they leave, regardless of whether it is expected or unexpected, there will eventually be a time when you will realize how much you love that person.

Late this evening, just before my first ever Yoga X workout on P90X, I checked in on my kids in their rooms.  I found my oldest daughter Brooklyn wrapped in a blanket, sitting on top of her clothes dresser, and looking very much like she was about to cry.

I told her to climb into bed and then asked her what was the matter.  She started to cry and asked me the title question of this blog post.  She was referring to my parents, who are moving to Arizona, and plan to leave for about a month tomorrow morning.  I pulled her in for a big daddy hug and then we spent a few minutes huddled together while I comforted her with some words that I cannot recall exactly at this time.

It did not occur to me until halfway through my yoga workout (probably because my mind finally cleared up enough to be open to the idea), that my children have all been extremely blessed to always live in the same city as both of their sets of grandparents.  Only then did it hit me why my sweet daughter was so concerned.  She has never really experienced the "loss" of someone so close.  She has had some good friends move away, but virtually all of her extended family (cousins, aunts, uncles, etc.) are all here in Colorado Springs.  Even her Aunt Jodie, who has lived in California and now resides in Denver, has never really been very far away for very long periods of time.

So might I suggest you hug a loved one and tell them you love them.  Make time for your family, because even if they only move away it can still feel like they are gone.

Song Of The Day:
This experience with my daughter reminded me of a song from my youth.  The author of the song is Michael McLean, but I am not sure who the singer is.  The song is "Together Forever Someday" and can have many meanings.  Most often I heard it when someone had passed away, but the message works for any separation scenario.  I don't preach in this blog, but I do believe that Heavenly Father's Plan for us is to return to live with him and be reunited with our family and friends.  That thought has provided me an immense amount of support through trying times in life and I plan to share it with Brooklyn tomorrow morning, to help her find comfort in that eternal perspective.
**Sorry that the video for this song is just clips from the movie "The Lion King" ...
it was the best audio version of this song I could find on YouTube.
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What Online Games Do You Play ?

Over the past 5 or so years I have played a variety of different online games.  This mostly started on Facebook but then when I got my own iPad, it morphed into various apps and other types of games.

My favorite, for now anyway, is this music game called SongPop.  If you've never played it, the basic concept is to correctly pick the song title or artist from four choices as you listen to a clip of the actual song.  You want to be faster than your opponent, but you also need to be accurate because the points get exponentially higher the more correct answers in a row you have.  Not to brag, but I'm pretty good at this game, even against people who are well versed in certain playlists.  Turns out all those years of listening to music from a variety of different genres is finally worth something!  :)

I've also been enjoying a few golfing games, which were free when I downloaded them but apparently now cost .99 cents.  I've already beaten every challenge and level on Super Stickman Golf, but it's still a fun game that doesn't require an internet connection to play.

The same can be said about Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2012, except I'm only in April of the 12-month PGA Tour season.  But I've already maxed my golfer's skills out, which is why I'm totally dominating on the Tour now.  Still quite fun and addictive though.

There are a lot of "With Friends" games (Words, Scramble, etc.) but my favorite right now is Matching With Friends.  This game takes almost no time to play, involves a little skill and patience, and you can earn coins easily to increase your chances of winning.

So what online or mobile games do you play?

Song Of The Day:
Inspired by a recent round of SongPop I played, today's tune is "Mambo #5" by Lou Bega.  From the first time I heard it I really liked the tune.  And it is very easy to identify (for me anyway) quickly when it comes up on SongPop.  Bonus side-story ... my younger brother actually had dated a "Jessica" around the time when this song was popular.  So it was fun to tease him about that back then.  :)
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Are You In Charge Here ?

That's the question I got asked tonight at church basketball.  And of course I answered in the affirmative ... and then asked how I could help.

Tonight marked the start of the first full Men's Church Basketball season that I am fully in charge of.  From creating the schedule to coordinating the permission to schedule the building for the games to updating and supervising rules changes and of course, keeping the coaches and other leaders in the league abreast of all of the above.

I have some great help from my buddy Mike Hepworth, who agreed to accept the assignment to be our basketball specialist.  Because of that, I only have to be at the church one night each week instead of two.  He helped out a lot last year ... and yet was still willing to serve this year to.  A big ol' southern "bless your heart" shout out to Mike!

The game was close.  My team (Oakwood) lost by 11, but we came back from some big deficits in the first half and actually cut the lead to 7 points with 3 minutes to play.  The other team (Meridian) shot the lights out and it seemed every oddbounce landed in one of their player's hands for an easy layup or ridiculous, but made, toss-up shot.  Fun was had by all.  Tempers didn't flare (except people like me who get mad at themselves for silly mistakes).

It's gonna be a good 8-week season!

BTW ... I still did my Plyometrics workout for P90X when I got home.  Tomorrow will prove just how bad an idea that was!

Song Of The Day:
Today's song is actually a very short song that you'll recognize if you lived in the 80's and remember when there was only ONE KIND of Gatorade.  I have no idea who originally sang "Be Like Mike" but this version linked above was remixed by MC2 and the video (if you watch it) contains Michael Jordan's best 10 dunks (you can argue against it ... but not with me ... I'm just sharing the song!)

**Astute readers may make the connection between this song and our basketball specialist.  :)