Needing a Break

I need a break. I'd like to be out somewhere, amongst the trees, dressed warm, but feeling the cold wind touch my face. I'd like to smell the crisp, December air of the mountains, and sit by a warm fire, sipping hot chocolate, or maybe ice fishing at Strawberry in a tent village with my compadres.

Instead, I'm delivering mail during the Christmas season, working all my days off, finding no time to relax or enjoy.

Yup, I'm whining.

Napster Relics Must Go

I'm currently going through my MP3 list and attempting to single out all the ones I once downloaded from the original free Napster. I'm methodically deleting them. I can't live with the idea of having illegal downloads--it kind of gnaws at the conscience, pestering me to get rid of them, which I intend to do.

I guess the reason I'm doing so is because it doesn't take much waffling in any area to find yourself on a slippery slope, and I'm climbing off that slope, one measly step at a time. Give it a try. You'll be happy you did.

Climbing Denali

I've been mulling over trying to climb our nation's (and continent's) highest peak...Denali in Alaska, a.k.a. Mt. McKinley. I just got some info from a guy at bogley.com who was a guide there for quite a few years. It looks like it's feasible if I can come up with the money to do it. It looks like it'll cost $7000 to $8000 when it's all said and done, counting the guide, the equipment, the flights to and from Alaska and everything else. I think I'm going to have to sell a book first before I'll be able to do it. That and get a bunch of practice climbing in between now and then. I guess I'll make those two things my goals: climbing a bunch of mountains, and getting a book published. And if anyone wants to come along, let me know.

The Guitar Life: Starting Back In

I've made up my mind that I need to get back to my guitar playing with a lot more dedication. I've just been letting it slide, maybe doing too many other things that kept me from playing. I'm working a lot of ten hour days now and that really has cut into my free time, so I need to be more organized. I'm thinking that if I prioritize things I can get them done more to my liking. I really want to become a good player, so I need to dedicate more time to it. If not now, when?

My New Article at Examiner.com

So, my new article "Winter Camping: Eight Tips to Staying Warm" is up. Check it out and let me know what you think on the comment section at the bottom.

Barack Obama is a God

Many people have come to look at our President as some kind of god-like figure. They seem to almost worship him. Even songs have been written about him that seem to deify him. I've actually come to believe that he is god like. He's like Loki. According to Norse mythology, Loki was a trouble-maker and represented change and chaos. Sounds like our esteemed leader a bit, doesn't it?

I Can't Stand You. Prepare to Be Silenced.

In the midst of listening to the Michael Medved Show today, I was floored by what I heard. Medved was talking with a spokesman for the Alliance Defense Fund about the new hate crime legislation that is awaiting the President's signature when a female caller called in. She stated that she was a lesbian and proceeded to state that anybody who said homosexuality was immoral, was wrong and should go to prison for saying such things. Medved continued to query her about freedom of speech and freedom of religion, but the woman went on saying that no, if someone denies that homosexuality is good, they should have to do time. Medved said, and I'm paraphrasing, "so you think that someone who stands up before their congregation in a church and preaches that one man and one woman is the only way a marriage should be, that person should got to prison for saying that?" The woman replied, "I most certainly do."

That's the way of people on the left, isn't it? If your opinion doesn't agree with theirs, you are in need of some jail time. You are the most hideous person on the earth for stating what you believe. I don't know about you, but to me, that sounds like the old Soviet Union or Castro's Cuba. Funny, I kind of liked the old America that I grew up with, where people could say anything they wanted and not have to worry about the thought police corralling them and jailing them for the crime of speaking their minds.

On the Eve of the Utah Elk Hunt

I remember several years ago when I went on my first elk hunt. I had been lucky enough to draw out for a cow tag. As the hunt progressed, I found myself in a clearing, watching and waiting for some elk to come through. It wasn't long before I heard the cracking of brush, and the sound of many large animals coming directly toward me through the trees. They broke into the clearing and I aimed my 30-30 at a nice, fat cow, then pulled the trigger. Nothing happened. It suddenly dawned on me that I had failed to jack a shell into the chamber. By the time I now did so, the elk heard me and took off at a run. I fired a shot at a running elk, but missed, and then they were gone, over the ridge.
I can look back and laugh at that now, but at the time I was kicking myself for missing a golden opportunity. I guess the moral of the story is, when opportunity knocks, we need to be ready.

My Outdoor Articles

So, I'm writing these articles on the outdoors for examiner.com. I hope you'll take a look and subscribe, or comment and let me know how you like them. They can be found here: clicky-clicky

Utah's Budget Shortfall

Utah Governor, Gary Herbert seems to be on the right track when he says: "I think raising taxes at a time of economic downturn is absolutely the wrong thing to do. We want to grow the economy, we want to stimulate opportunity in the business community. To put taxes of any kind on top of a repressed market would have, I think, the negative result of actually repressing the economy even more and styming the ability for us to turn the corner."

I hope he sticks with it. To raise taxes to cover our bases is what California has routinely done, and look at their economy. Better to cut things to the bone now, and hope thing get better in the future to avoid the upward spiral of more and more taxes to cover more and more services, or even to cover current services. In my family, when we can't afford something, we don't do it. Utah should do the same.

The Power of Good Health

A few months ago, a good friend of mine and I were discussing exercise. Somewhere in the conversation, my friend said, "But you like to run, I don't." I replied back that, no, I don't like to run. I like being healthy. There is a difference between liking exercise and liking the benefits of exercise. I exercise because it allows me to remain young, to do things most people my age cannot, or won't go through the effort to accomplish. Here's an example. On Saturday, I ran my first 5k race in 13 years. My time was 25:15--not world class, but it was within one minute of times I ran 14-15 years ago. I guess my message is, start to day to turn back the clock. You'll be glad you did.

Who's Your Daddy?

I continue to be surprised and chagrined at the number of people who want the government to provide all things for them. It's as if they want the feds to be their "daddy", instead of working hard to be successful on their own. Whatever happened to the can-do spirit of America? Now we seem to be saying, I can't make it on my own. I need help. I need to rob from Peter to pay Paul. The government under the U.S. Constitution, was never meant to be like that. I think we have a large percentage of Americans who would advocate for throwing away the Constitution if they really understood what it meant.

It's frightening, really, what's happening within our government right now. Banks being taken over by the feds, Barack Obama passing out handouts with no means to pay for them. The largest deficit spending in history---four times the amount spent during the Bush administration.

This administration is quickly becoming the worst in American history.

So, who's your daddy? Do you have the courage to stand up for the principles that were set forth on this continent more than two centuries ago? Or will you let the country slide into socialism, where all of us are taken care of by a benevolent government, but none of us has any further reason to try and excel? Think about it.

Miss California Gets Slammed for Answering Honestly

When Miss California, Carrie Prejean, was asked the question regarding whether or not she believed in "gay marriage" and answered honestly, and bravely that no she did not, the outcry from the left was deafening. She is so hateful some said, what an intolerant person. Now, it seems, you can't even voice your opinion without being taken to the cleaners for doing so. I, for one, am glad she had the courage to answer that question honestly. And what a ridiculous question it was any way. I don't watch beauty pageants, but some of the low-lifes they have on those panels tick me off in their smugness. I hope brave people will continue to speak out for what is right. The term "marriage" means a man and a woman joined together in matrimony. If two men or two women want to have the same kind of relationship, it needs to be called something else. Sort of like, we shouldn't call a cow a dog.

We Need Background Checks Now

In light of California Angel's young pitcher, Nick Adenhart's death because of a drunk driver, and the thousands of other deaths caused by inebriation, I propose that all those wishing to purchase alcoholic beverages be first asked to provide their thumb print. This thumb print could then be run through a national database to find out if the potential buyer had anything in his or her background, such as an arrest for DUI, or any kind of obnoxiousness or disturbing the peace complaints. This person would then be denied the ability to buy the alcohol. As it is currently, anyone over the age of 21, and sometimes younger, can purchase alcoholic beverages, no questions asked. Many of these same people go out and drink, and injure or kill innocent people on the roads.

I'd also like to apply this to cell phone users who've been ticketed for traffic accidents that occurred while texting or talking and driving at the same time. These people should be stripped of their cells and forced to use only land lines or pay phones.

Hiking the Bonneville Shoreline Trail

Saturday morning, myself, my son, and my son-in-law went on a small hike along the old Lake Bonneville Shoreline Trail. The part we were on was from Bountiful to Centerville, but the trail is actually much longer than that. I basically stumbled upon one geocache, then I pulled out the GPS and found out which one it was. We hadn't started looking for any of them yet, but after I wandered off in the trees, I turned around and there it was. We found two others that I had downloaded the coordinates for earlier that morning.
The hike itself was pleasant, although I think I'd much rather be up among the pines and quakies somewhere--or even above timberline. Oh well, that's still a couple of months away. It was just nice to get out.

What the #!%**@ is happening to our country?

I don't know about you, but I'm peeved, frustrated, and wanting a bunch of people impeached. This bailout/stimulus package is horrifying beyond belief for the future of our country. The people in control are sending the future of our children and grandchildren out the window--either through unparalleled debt, run away inflation (perhaps their plan to solve the debt), and socialism. The New Deal never worked when FDR tried it, and throwing the nation into horrendous debt because its citizens are over their heads in debt will not solve any thing either. Better to let people fall, then help them pick up the pieces.
Frankly I can't believe enough people were bamboozled by the Democrats to allow this to happen. But I see it on several fronts. Those who were tired of Bush cutting taxes and at the same time raising expenditures, the unpopularity of the Iraq war (fueled by many, but not all Richard, members of the press) and those who wanted to make history by helping to elect the first black president. Heck, I have no problem with electing a black president, but we should've made sure he wasn't a socialist before doing so. We should've looked at his campaign promises and seen the light, we should have realized that with Nancy Pelosi in charge of the House, that a veritable cornucopeia of socialist programs would make it through as a blank check to be signed by President Obama.
Then there are those who wouldn't vote for McCain because he's liberal for a Republican, supposedly. So instead, they voted for a third party candidate, helping to ensure the election of the most liberal regime in American history. I hope you can one day justify this to your grandbabies. Warren Buffet said that the stock market was in a shambles the other day. He was right, but not complete. The country is in a shambles. Hold on to your hats, it's a long ride down. I hope in the next few years we can see this as a wake up call and make the changes necessary before it becomes too late--if it isn't already.

And Here's Another Uinta Photo

This is my son Ben and I atop King's Peak, Utah's highest point.

View from Bald Mountain

Here's one of my Uinta pictures, a view from landmark, Bald Mountain.

Not to Leave Out the Uinta Mountains

I have recently added a group on Facebook called "High Uinta Lovers". The Uintas are a unique mountain range that runs east and west in the northeast corner of Utah. They are stunning and Utah's highest point, King's Peak, can be found within these rugged peaks. I will post a picture here, but if you go to the Facebook page, there is already a link to some amazing pictures of the Uintas.

Thinking About the Mountains

Wow, the Wasatch Mountains are beautiful when they're snow covered. Actually, they're stunning any time of year. I love living near them and am impatiently awaiting spring, so that I can once again traverse their wooded paths and climb their rugged peaks. I'm not looking forward to the annual inversions that we have around here, that obscure my view of those fantastic spires. The lower photo is of the Big Cottonwood Canyon area, covered in snow, shrouded in clouds. I have a better winter picture somewhere--I'll just have to dig it up. The photo on the right is Sun Dial Peak, with Lake Blanche in the foreground.

The Puppet President Begins?

Barack Obama's naming of Leon Panetta as CIA director can only be interpreted as a cave in to the extreme left. Why else would the President-Elect name someone with zero experience to head the organization charged with finding out plots against America and Americans? It's not only a huge risk for America, but a huge risk for Obama as well, for if American's are attacked and killed because of an intelligence gaffe, he and Panetta will be squarely to blame. Unbelievable, that at a time when terrorism plots and attacks are at their highest, our new President selects a rookie for the job.

What Will You Do in the New Year?

I'm thinking I might actually try and achieve something this year. Like last night I asked my friend Boyd, who is an artist, if he'd be willing to try and illustrate my cowboy Christmas poem "The Cowboy's Mile", and he said, "sure". I'm thinking it might do best if we put together the book, and then try and sell it. I'm not really much of a self-publishing fan, but I'm thinking in this case, it's a book that needs to be seen first, gather a following, and then it may just take off. At least that's what I'm hoping.
Another thing I want to do this year is work on becoming a better musician. To do that I have to be organized and that isn't my strong point. I am one of the five most disorganized people on the face of the earth. That may be an exaggeration, but it's not much of one. Anyway, I plan on playing my guitar and banjo daily, on a regular schedule in order to accomplish this goal. I've already printed out some free daily schedules. All I need to do is fill them in.
I will become a better writer this year. Whether or not I will actually sell something this year is questionable--back to those organizational skills----but I will write a lot, and I will improve. I will learn how to be a better newsletter editor. I'm the current editor for The Lariat, which is the newsletter for the League of Utah Writers, and I just completed my first one in November. It's a quarterly newsletter, so the next one is coming up soon.
I will do several hikes, mostly in Utah. I love hiking and seeing things, so I will also do some road trips, or maybe a flight or two, though flying isn't really my thing.
I think that's about enough for one year, though it won't be all. There are home projects and church assignments, family gatherings and all sorts of fun and exciting stuff awaiting me in 2009. I hope the same is in store for you.

The Utes Rip the Tide

It wasn't supposed to happen. The University of Utah Utes were supposed to lose to the vaunted Alabama Crimson Tide. At least, that's what all the "experts" said would happen. But it didn't. Millions of stunned fans watched as the Utes jumped out to a 21-0 lead and never looked back. For those of us who are Utah fans, even though the lead looked good, we worried. In earlier games this season, Utah had rushed to an early lead, only to see that lead crumble in the second half, pulling miracles out of nowhere to get some of their victories. No miracle was needed this night! And my family and I watched and waited for the experts to eat their crow. And they did. Already though, the excuses are happening. Alabama's offensive line was missing its best player is being heard time and again. Funny, but they knew he was missing before the game and they still thought Utah would get crushed. Stop making excuses and start realizing that Utah belongs with the big boys.