Another Photo of the Week

Just another reason why Alaska is an awesome place. This photo was taken at the North Pole, when the moon is closest to the earth. The smaller light is the sun.

Photo of the Decade

The photo of the week is an old one. Everyone has seen it. It is about two years old, but it is an amazing photo...even if you are not an SC fan. Enjoy and Fight On!

Photo of the Week

Everyone who knows me, knows I love to take photos. I am not necessarily good at it, but I do it none the less. I am envious of anyone who has that artistic ability to take good photos, and I do believe it to be an art. When I see a photo I like, whether it be mine or another's, I will include it in this blog. You will learn I like photos with many colors. I hope you all enjoy these photos as much as I do.

Men's Journal's Life List

Men's Journal recently put out a "Life List". A Life List is a list of things you must do before you leave this big blue marble. In the case of Men's Journal, they listed 45 things. Surprisingly, I have accomplished some of these things, though this is not necessarily my Life List. I thought I would list these "must dos" on this blog.

1. Climb an Active Volcano - Check! I have not done this, though I have walked through an Active Volcano in St. Lucia. The active volcano they show in the magazine was spewing molten lava, where as the volcano I walked through in the Caribbean only smoked and smelled of rotten eggs.
2. Drive a Ferrari in Italy - Does driving an Alfa Romeo in American Fork count?
3. Record Your Own Record - For the sake of those with ears, I doubt this will ever be done.
4. Build Your Own House - Check! Sortof. I just finished my basement. That was an experience that I am happy is over.
5. Get Shipwrecked - No thank you.
6. Witness a Revolution - Sounds fun....
7. Gamble More than You can Afford - Check! Been there, done that, took the 12 step program. Just kidding, but I have done this and will never do it again.
8. Go Winter Camping - Check! Several times. The last time I went was with the young men in my ward. I have never heard such sniveling in all my life. I think the further we go along, the less tough our young men are. I hope none of them read this....I love you guys anyway!
9. Drive From Monaco to Nice in a Convertible - Again, Does American Fork to Sundance in a convertible Alfa Romeo count?!
10. Raft the Grand Canyon - Check! One of the most fun things I have ever done.
    
11. Touch an Elephant - Check! At a zoo....this one surprises me it is on a life list.
12. Try the Blowfish - Gross.
13. See the Sunset from Key West - Check! I haven't really seen it from Key West, but I have from the Bahamas, Hawaii, Jamaica, Mexico, West Indies, Virgin Islands, California, Florida as well as never seeing it set in Alaska!
14. Hike the Appalachian Trail - I would love to do this.
15. Learn a Language - Che! That was not a typo. I have learned half a language. I was forbidden to continue you my French classes in High School.
16. Go Vegetarian for a Month - I am saving this one for when I get shipwrecked.
17. Try Yoga for a Week - Check! The trainer I worked with this year always had me doing Yoga moves to strengthen my core.
18. Machu Picchu, Great Wall and Pyramids - I wish I could check these off. Those are dream spots!
19. Heli-ski Valdez - How about taking my weak knees down a black diamond run at Whistler/Blackcomb?!
20. Climb from Yosemite Valley to Toulumne Meadows - We are heading to Yosemite in 2008.
21. Sleep in a Tropical Rain Forest - Hmmmm....I have slept near a tropical rain forest in several places, but in hotels with TV and air conditioning.
22. Work for What You Believe In - Check! I do this now. I personally believe we each are responsible for our own failures and/or successes. If more people believed this, we would be in a better place, all of us. Ultimately, it has always been a dream to organize and manage a truly charitable foundation.
23. Eat a Living Thing - I don't see this happening anytime soon....not even yogurt!
24. Explore the Far East by Private Jet - I can only wish.
25. Make Your Child's Life List Your Own - I hope we can begin doing this soon.
26. Rescue a Dog - Check! Rush Konahiki is our dog and I love him so much.
    
27. Forgive Your Parents - Check! I have recently learned that this is not always an easy thing to do or understand.
28. Make Front Page News - Check! When I was a kid I was on the front page of the Chino Champion. The paper listed my name as Bart. My uncle Brock has called me that ever since!
29. See the Night Sky in the Southern Hemisphere - I hear it is beautiful. I have seen it in the Northern Hemisphere.
30. Learn to Sail - Check! I learned on a 19' Prindle Catamaran. What a hoot. I also had the privilege to ride the support yacht for the Kiwis in the 92 America's Cup.
31. Go 12 Days Without Checking Your Messages - Check! Easy! That is business as usual for me. I try hard not to be a slave to the cell phone.
32. Volunteer - Check! I can always do more.
33. Savor a 1947 Pauillac - I assume this is a wine or sherry of some sort?
34. Savor a 2000 Pauillac - Yep, I just checked on Google and it is a wine that goes for 2-8 thousand dollars a bottle. I am content with my $.99 Coke.
35. Teach a Kid to Ski, Ride or Swim - I am looking forward to this some day.
36. Learn to Cook a Meal Other Than Breakfast - Check! I even have formal training, but don't tell anyone.
37. Scuba Dive - No thanks...major gag reflex.
38. Crash a Black-tie Party - Okay.....
39. London, Paris, Rome and Barcelona - This would be one of the first things on my life list, but I would add Prague.

For those keeping score at home, that is 15 and 1/2 out of 45. Better than I would have imagined before reading the article. It just donned on me that this 45 list of things to do is actually 39. I wonder if they counted numbers 39 and 18 individually. Sarah had a list of things to do before she turned 30. We were able to go hot air ballooning sometime around her 30th birthday. That was fun and I was impressed she had this list thing going on. We should all think about this and post our life list. Then we could help motivate each other to accomplish the list and hold each other accountable. The New Year's a perfect time for making goals and lists.

Happy Listing!

Tis the Season!

I love this time of year, beginning with Thanksgiving, ending with New Year's and Christmas sandwiched in the middle. These are three holidays that compel us to be better human beings; suggesting to us to be grateful, to be kind to each other and to become all that we can be.

Thanksgiving kicks off the season perfectly. I know it is natural for man to focus too much on our trials, short comings and those things we don't have. I have been blessed to have a positive outlook and am most always mindful of my blessings. With that said, even I am capable of the feelings of "Woe is me". Thanksgiving is the perfect reason to switch gears from that frame of mind and into the mind of gratitude. The reality is this, worse things happen to better people than me all the time. In other words, I am pretty blessed. Regardless of how bad things may seem, there are others who are experiencing greater trials and tribulations. I have a loving family, an amazing wife, loyal friends and neighbors. I have a good roof over my head, and all the talents, skills, and abilities necessary to provide enough for my sustaining. Everything else is extra. I am grateful for the extra.

Christmas is more than just a holiDAY, it is a holiMONTH. The season naturally pushes us to be kinder, gentler, and more giving. We should be this way all year; we all know this, but the season is important, because it compels us to do this. Of course the celebration is for the birth of Jesus Christ. Ultimately, he gave himself to us through his example and in his death. Through his resurrection, we all can enjoy the feelings of Christmas now and in the here after. Happy Birthday, Jesus!

The New Year is a great time of evaluation, renewal and improvement. There is something in us that wants to start anew in the beginning of another segment, whether it is a new journal, a new job, a new home, a new week, month or a New Year. This is a time to examine the last year; assessing the improvements, trials, and lessons learned. It is a time to recommit to those areas where we may have slipped or those areas we have seen improvement. And lastly, it is a time to set new goals, ambitions and resolutions. This life is a testing ground with one goal in mind...improve constantly. Become better. New Year's is a perfect occasion to remember and make plans to accomplish this task.

I wish every member of my family, extended family, in-law family, friends, neighbors and co-workers a happy holiday season. I hope every person I know is affected by the season and can count their blessings daily. I want those who don't know the magic of Christmas to experience it and learn from it. I want to be better and do my part to make this world a better place. I believe we can, and this season is the perfect time to commit to that. Merry Christmas!