Tuesdays with Muerte

2006 13" White Macbook Fan Replacement

2012-01-29T18:04:00.003-07:00

I fixed my vintage Macbook. After 6 years, the fan started to give out. It made a horrific noise like this. I called to see if the Apple Store would fix it. They called my computer, "vintage" and said that they don't service my kind anymore.

That's OK. I had taken my computer apart before to upgrade the RAM and the HD. Could the fan be much more difficult. (I found out that the only thing more difficult to replace is the motherboard itself.)

I took it all apart, took out the old fan, dusted the innards as best as I could, disolved the hardened thermal paste on the heat sync, only to find out that I purchased the wrong fan. So my computer sat in pieces for a week before the correct part arrived in the mail. (Fortunately, those replacement parts were only about $15.)

35 screws later, my computer was working as good as new. Now all I have to do is figure out what to do with the 5 extra screws I have leftover...

Sorry for not posting a sexier pic. I forgot to snap a shot when the topcase was removed.

Twilight Walmart

2012-01-29T17:33:00.000-07:00

This story is horrifying.

I went to Walmart specifically to buy a particular blu-ray disk and a special brand of potato chips. I have some history with Walmart. I've never really been comfortable browsing the Wally-world isles. However, since the fateful day I stumbled upon the first few seconds of an objectifying music video about men going to Walmart to pick up women whose morals are low and loose, I haven't set foot in one. That video scarred me.

So now, I'm afraid of Walmart. It's a weird, personal phobia.

Anyway, I had quickly hit up the movie section and was tangenting on toward the chips when it happened—the 2-year-old in the shopping cart next to me started baying at the moon-like, incandescent lights above us like a little wolfcub. At first, I was disarmed by the cuteness. Then, almost immediately, I was taken back by the sound of a piercing return howl from a slightly older sounding wolf-wannabe in the next isle over.

After a few enchanting exchanges, I was enjoying myself. "I never get this type of entertainment at the other places I shop!" I thought to myself. However, the cuteness rapidly spun out of control when adults started chiming in.

That's right folks. Adults. The howling caught on like some unplanned, halloweenesque, flash-mob event. (Unfortunately, this was NOT a flash mob.) I left the chips isle and headed directly for checkout. At this point, I was genuinely frightened. If shoppers so readily abandoned their inhibitions like that, what other breaks in social norms and rules of propriety need I worry about?

Upon leaving the store, I never looked back and I vowed to myself—even if the movie I just purchased as awful, I would not return it...

Perhaps the dress code is what is making all the werewolves come out? Rule of ~~bum~~ thumb: if you can fit more than two words across, your booty shorts, wear something else.

Building my Relationships with my Roommates

2012-01-14T13:51:00.003-07:00

The real title of Elder Bednar's article is "Building My Eternal Marriage" but since I need to liken the article unto myself, I tweaked it a little bit. Allow me to demonstrate

Some of the things we have done to have a strong, happy marriage are:
Pray together every day. When we pray at night, we thank Heavenly Father for our ~~marriage, for the love we have for each other~~ [relationship], and we ask that our feelings will be strengthened and that we can become strong individually in the face of the designs of the adversary, who works to destroy ~~families~~ [relationships].
Ask for forgiveness. We work to never allow pride to keep us from asking for forgiveness or admitting we are wrong. Love and unity are more important than who is right or who is wrong.
Never speak evil of each other. It is obvious that neither of us is perfect, but we don’t say bad things about each other, and when we’re with others, we speak positively about each other.
Defend the institution of marriage. Whenever we have a chance—and especially if we are around people who are criticizing the institution of marriage—we stand up for families and what we believe in.
Talk a lot and listen. We stop what we are doing to really listen when the other person is talking.
Treat each other with love and consideration. We do not insult, accuse, or criticize each other.
Continue to seek help and counsel about ~~marriage~~ [our relationships] from the scriptures and the words of modern prophets. We do not know everything. We are imperfect and prone to forgetting and making mistakes. We prefer not to wait for problems to afflict us, but instead we work to build a ~~strong marriage~~ [relationship] before a situation can hurt us.

Source: Sept. Ensign 2011

Thanks for the food!

2012-01-13T19:29:00.001-07:00

LOL! This photo is spreading like wildfire. Be the first one of your friends to have seen it!

Best Free iPad Apps of 2011, Pt. I

2012-01-09T18:48:00.001-07:00

StumbleUpon

Free
Tired if visiting the same old online destinations? What to waste an entire DAY! The beautifully revamped Stumbleupon app lets you Sam Beckett your way through the Web, leaping from article of interest to article of interest. You can also check out the specific links that have been submitted by fellow Stumblers who you follow if you aren’t in the mood for randomness. You'll never know where the time has gone!

Twitter for iPad

Free
Once (or if) you become accustomed to .Twitter for iPad's cramped composition box design, you'll find it hard to go back to TweetDeck for iPad or any other iPad Twitter client. It's not perfect, but it simply feels right in both horizontal and vertical orientations. It's obvious that Twitter spent a good amount of time in creating this app, and it was well worth the lengthy wait.

Yelp

Yelp

Free
Yelp's iOS app brings the Web site's reviews and recommendations to the iPad, but diehard Yelpers will miss a handful of features that didn't get ported to Apple's tablet. This app is an active dater's best friend.

Citrix Go To My PC

Citrix Go To My PC

Free
GoToMyPC for iPad makes it simple to control your computer while away from your work area, but the lack of multitasking support, and latency issues, may dampen the experience.

Dragon Dictation

Free
Featuring very accurate voice transcription and the ability to share messages via e-mail, Facebook, and Twitter, Naunce's dictation app is both fun to use and immensely helpful—as long as you're connected to the Web.

Dropbox for iPad

Dropbox for iPad

Free
Simple to use and extremely useful, this file synchronization app will keep all of your files in step, but the lack of built in file editing, and other limitations, may prove irritating.

Monster.com Jobs

Monster.com Jobs

Free
Monster.com, one of the leading online employment services, makes job-hunting couch-compatible with its fun, free iPad app.

WordPress

Free
One of the world's biggest blogging platforms has arrived on the iPad with many of the features that made it such a hit on the desktop intact. Bloggers can create, save, publish, and schedule posts and pages. You can even upload images directly from the iPad.

TextNOW

TextNOW

This capable iPad SMS app is priced right, easy to use, and features the very cool ability to send free, unlimited texts, and embedded photos.

Source: PCMag

Perfectionism

2012-01-08T17:44:00.001-07:00

Advantages of Perfectionism:

I'll work hard.
When I do great work, I'll feel terrific.
I won't settle for mediocrity and end up with a second-rate career.
My exceptionally high standars will show that I'm a very special and extremely talented person, and that I'm a cut above other people. After all, we wouldn't expect someone who's just average to be perfect!
My Perfectionism gives me an easy way to measure my self-esteem.
Other people will admire me because I'm so hard working and conscientious.

Disadvantages of Perfectionism:

My perfectionism may create lots of stress and worry.
When I fail or make a mistake, it will feel devastating.
My perfectionism may prevent me from being creative and taking risks, since I'll be afraid of failure.
It will be hard to learn from criticism because I'll feel threatened and defensive. My self-esteem will always be on the line. This may annoy other people.
I often do my best work when I'm relaxed and not trying so hard.
I may lose sight of the bigger picture because I'll focus on all the small details.
I don't get along very well with others people when I get perfectionistic and demanding.
People seem to like me more when I express an interest in them, and not when I'm trying to impress them with my own accomplishments.
I may procrastinate because every task will seem overwhelming.
I'll never feel like I've succeeded because I'll never really be perfect at anything. There will always be room for improvement.

5 Secrets of the Female Psyche (Supposed by Me)

2012-01-08T17:37:00.000-07:00

Regarding relationships with men:

Women often take a man's words very seriously, get excited, assume commitment, and then get hurt when he pulls away due to the added pressure.
Women are attracted to strength and confidence.
Women fall in love with friends.
Women are anxious to get into a relationship, but they trust and value slowly-progressing relationships.
Women long to feel adored.

5 Most-True Secrets to the Male Psychology (for Women)

2012-01-08T17:33:00.000-07:00

Men are largely logical about their relationships and commitments; thus, they do not commit easily to things they have not invested in over a period of time.
Men are driven to succeed, face challenges, compete, and conquer.
Men like women who like themselves.
A man experiences anxiety in every conversation a woman initiates until she tells him what she wants him to do.
Men adore women who give them love, attention and affection.

Best Free iPad Apps of 2011, Pt. II

2012-01-07T06:28:00.000-07:00

ESPN ScoreCenter XL

Free
Staying on top of the latest sports scores is a breeze with ESPN ScoreCenter XL. Besides checking out the scores, you can view video highlights, in-depth game previews, and even follow a particular sport or team.

Marvel Comics

Marvel Comics
Free
Here's yet another example of something you can't do with a Kindle: read comics in their colorful, crisply drawn glory. Marvel's free iPad app offers a standard page-by-page view with zoom and pan controls, as well as a panel-by-panel, animated guided view. There's also a fully integrated store for buying your favorite comics.

MoMA AB EX NY

MoMA AB EX NY

Free
MoMA's new Abstract Expressionist app achieves symbiosis with the iPad: if you're an art enthusiast with an iPad, consider this app a must-download.

Netflix

Netflix

Free
This app enhances the value of a Netflix subscription by letting you watch movies directly on your mobile device, with excellent streaming. In the latest version, Netflix has made a number of improvements, like adding star recommendations and removing the status bar while titles are playing.

Slacker

Slacker

Free
Slacker Radio's iPad has been a long time coming, but the new, eye-catching, intuitive interface, deep customization options, caching, on-demand streaming, and the usual Slacker bells and whistles makes it a must-have for music fans.

Photoshop Express

Free
The iPad is perfect for viewing photos, but what if you want to make changes to those pictures? Adobe's Photoshop Express lets you crop, straighten, rotate and flip images, as well as add a variety of filters and effects. For fine editing you will still need to work on a PC, but for basic fixes this app is fantastic.

Bing for iPad

Bing for iPad

Free
Bing is a visually rich app that lets you search and browse news, movies, Bing homepage images, local businesses, trending topics, perform vocal searches, and much more.

CNN

CNN

Free
For news junkies and loyalists, CNN App for iPad serves up a heaping plate of streaming videos, and a side social networking.

Epicurious

Free
Nast's first iPad app for foodies—and mourning Gourmet readers—is excellent. Epicurious features a gorgeous interface that feels and reads like a luxurious, fully searchablecookbook. You can find recipes by main ingredient, course, cuisine, dietary consideration, and dish type, and even by season or occasion.

Fox News

Free
Love it or hate it, Fox News is a major player in broadcast journalism—and its iPad app represents the channel well. With it, you can watch “fair and balanced” videos from the likes of Smith, Hannity, and O’Reilly, read timely articles, and check out a scrolling ticker with the latest news tidbits.

Google Earth

Free
Traveling is expensive. The free Google Earth app most certainly is not. By keying in a location such as “Coney Island” or “London,” you can zip to the other side of the globe in mere seconds to check out satellite and aerial imagery. Geo-located Wikipedia articles add insight to your journey.

Crackle

Crackle

Free
Crackle, Sony's video network, lets users stream free, ad-supported Hollywood television shows and uncut movies (as well as original content) from Columbia Pictures, Screen Gems, Sony Pictures Classic, and TriStar Pictures. There's a nice variety of classic and contemporary content here, making it a solid iPad app for anyone who would like to kick back with their tablets and watch a program without making needing to open their wallets.

HowStuffWorks HD

Free
HowStuffWorks HD brings the content of the informative HowStuffWorks website to Apple's slate in an attractive, easy to navigate package. Information is presented in a thumbnail-laden grid that contains links to text, video, and podcasts that are short, punchy, and full of information.

IMDB

IMDB

Free
Featuring an image-driven interface featuring movie trailers, popular actors, and a list of currently theatrical releases, the IMDB iPad app is a must-have for movie buffs who want the latest Hollywood news.

NASA App HD

NASA App HD

Free
Consider it the next best thing to being an astronaut or astronomer. NASA App HD features thousands of NASA photos, streaming video, shuttle launch information, and countdown clocks.

NPR for iPad

NPR for iPad
Free
NPR went for a magazine-style approach with its iPad app, which emphasizes news, arts & life, and music coverage in three sliding panes. The app delivers hundreds of NPR live station and on-demand streams. In addition, NPR for iPad features photojournalism with full-page zoom, plus the ability to share stories over e-mail, Twitter, and Facebook.

TED

Free
TED's official iPad app brings more than 900 TEDTalk videos (featuring education radicals, tech geniuses, medical mavericks, business gurus, music legends, and more) to Apple's slate. Not only can you stream videos over 3G or Wi-Fi, but you can download them to your iPad for offline playback.

Wikipanion

Wikipanion
Free
Wikipanion for iPad sifts through all of Wikipedia's HTML and metadata, sorting it into a beautiful, content-driven interface. The left side displays the table of contents, and the app remembers your font-size setting. The app even tracks page history by visit date, plays back embedded OGG audio, and saves images to the iPad's photo library.

Calculator for iPad Free

Free
Need to crunch some numbers? Calculator for iPad Free gives you a large, easy-to-read, attractive basic and scientific calculator for solving problems. Multitouch support lets you swipe away numbers. Upgrading to the $0.99 adds six additional themes: Standard, Silver Keyboard, Retro Grey, Pink Keyboard, Happy Pink, and Wooden.

Biblion: The Boundless Encyclopedia

Biblion: The Boundless Encyclopedia

Free
The word "biblion" was used in the Middle Ages to describe collections made from fragments of ancient texts. As such, it’s appropriate that the New York Public Library’s iPad app, which draws from tens of thousands of fragments scattered across hundreds of boxes of materials, bears the moniker. The smartly designed and informative app focuses on the 1939-40 World's Fair, but even non-enthusiasts can appreciate the history presented. Here’s hoping for a broader topic range in the near future.

PCMag's 100 Best iPad Apps

HQ Widescreen Computer Wallpapers

2012-01-04T00:45:00.000-07:00

2012 Blockbuster Movies

2012-01-03T06:09:00.000-07:00

If the world really does end in 2012, at least we'll all go out with a bang--this will be a spectacular year for film industry!

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
Despite some complaints from whiny purists, Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings adaptation has gone on to become one of the Holy Trilogies. With Jackson, and the same creative team, returning to Middle-Earth for two Hobbitmovies; the first one will definitely be one of the biggest movies of 2012 when it’s released in December, and it’ll likely see a bunch of Oscar nominations just as the previous three movies did.

The Dark Knight Rises
Superhero movies don’t have the best track record when it comes to a third entry in a series, so hopefully The Dark Knight Rises breaks the trend and ends the Nolan trilogy on a high note. If they really do make Knightfall part of the storyline, it could very well be extremely awesome. Bottomline: MUST SEE.

Snow White and the Huntsman
Kristen Stewart, Chris Hemsworth and Charlize Theron are going to kill it in this reboot of the epic Disney adventure.

The Avengers
Thor, Captain America, Iron Man, Hulk, Hawkeye, and Black Widow all in the same movie fighting off Skrulls and Loki. It’s directed by geek god Joss Whedon (Firefly), so for some comic book fans; this one is looking even more exciting than Batman. Rumor has it there’s a trailer coming that will actually reveal the alien buggers, so hopefully we’ll see that soon.

The Amazing Spider-Man
What they've revealed so far looks awesome; it seems to lack the campy and weird tone that the previous series had. For those who care, they’re also really doing the Gwen Stacey saga, which means she’ll hopefully be tossed off the George Washington Bridge at the end of the third movie. The Lizard is also a villain we’ve wanted to see on the big screen for a long time.

Brave
This anticipated Pixar film will feature, for the first-time-ever, female protagonist. An Irish one at that. The plot is bound to be as lively as Pixar's animation has already proven itself to be.

John Carter
It’s taken Disney seventy years to bring the Barsoom saga to the screen (In honor of national trivia day today, I'll share this--it was originally going to be Disney's first animated feature), and it’s coming from the director of Finding Nemo and Wall-E; so it’s in pretty good hands. The trailers and TV spots have been getting progressively better as more of the movie is revealed, so our fingers crossed that it’ll turn out well. Not necessarily for youngsters...but I'm excited!

Skyfall
The word is that they want to sign Daniel Craig for three more Bond movies past his contracted five. That’ll break Roger Moore’s record, and we couldn’t be happier as he makes a fantastic bond. He has the suave that’s needed, while being able to be a complete and total naive like Connery could. Skyfall brings back Q and it’s being compared to Goldfinger in tone, which would be welcome after the first two movies that were more serious. The new director promises that this Bond film will not follow the same, somber cadence as Craig's last two Bond films.

Men in Black III
It’s been fifteen years since the original Men in Black and nearly a decade since the somewhat disappointing sequel, so the time-jumping third movie earns a spot on this list just out of curiosity to see if it’s better than the second. Word is that the filmmakers realize what went wrong with Men in Black II and hope the third is something of an apology for that one. :)

Prometheus

Prometheus is going to be huge for two reasons: Ridley Scott is returning to science fiction (Blade Runner). Everything that’s come out of the movie so far looks awesome. It’ll take some kind of cosmic disaster to make this one disappoint...

G.I. Joe Retaliation

Cobra Commander actually looks like Cobra Commander. The Rock is playing Roadblock. Snake Eye’s stupid mask is looking more authentic. And Bruce Willis shows up as the original Joe. Yes, we are definitely looking forward to this one.

Sissel - Auld Lang Syne

2012-01-01T21:53:00.001-07:00

Checklist of Cognitive Distortions

2012-01-01T16:10:00.002-07:00

All-or-nothing thinking: You look at things in absolute, black-and-white categories.
Over generalization: You view a negative event as a never-ending pattern of defeat.
Mental filter: You dwell on the negatives and ignore the positives.
Discounting the positives: You insist that your accomplishments or positive qualities don't count.
Jumping to conclusions:

Mind-reading - you arbitrarily assume that people are reactive negatively to you;
Fortune-telling - you arbitrarily predict that things will turn out badly.

Magnifications or minimization: You blow things way out of proportion or you shrink their importance.
Emotional reasoning: You reason from how you feel: "I feel like an idiot, so I must be one."
Should statements: You criticize yourself or other people with "shoulds," "shouldn'ts," "musts," "oughts," and "have tos."
Labeling: Instead of saying "I made a mistake," you tell yourself, "I'm a jerk" or "a loser."
Personalization and blame:

You blame yourself for something you weren't entirely responsible for/
You blame other people and overlook ways that you contributed to a problem.

*David D. Burns, MS. Revised 1992

My Most Anticipated 2012 Mid-season TV Show

2012-01-01T15:45:00.001-07:00

When it’s on: Mondays starting February 6 (NBC)
Who’s in it: Debra Messing, Brian D’Arcy James, Christian Borle, Katharine McPhee, Jack Davenport, Anjelica Huston, Uma Thurman
What it’s about: The buzz for this musical drama is off the charts! And with a cast that confirms its quality, we’re guessing this could be the next big hit that America falls in love with, even if it is on NBC.

Official Site

Wikipedia

IMDB

*Runner Up: Alcaztraz

Can Single Men & Women Be "Just Friends"?

2011-12-09T11:43:00.001-07:00

This video is though provoking; not statistically accurate--but cute.

Slacklining is Difficult

2011-11-20T17:40:00.001-07:00

This was at an FHE activity at a park across the street during the Summer.

Groupon Lessons Learned

2011-11-16T18:45:00.001-07:00

Lessons Learned (the hard way):

Don't wait to take advantage of a great deal. Supply is always limited. As time passes, demand will only increase (assuming the deal really is all it's cracked up to be).
Buy first, brag later.
Know when good, is good enough. Even when I could have saved a few more dollars if I did a little more research, get the guaranteed deal when you have the chance.
Start the buy process when you are thinking about it. Back out at the last minute (enter credit card info) if needed.

Russ Walker posted on his facebook wall that he just purchased a pair of headphone from a Groupon deal around 4:30pm. Since Russ and I had the same taste in audio electronics I made a mental note to check it out once I had finished the project I was working on (1st mistake).

When I went got around to looking up the deal, I immediately started doing some internet research. I visited the product's homepage. I read 2 reviews on the product. I affirmed that the product was indeed a great deal and boasted a feature that I needed for work (best noise reduction on the market).

Having just talked with a co-worker about the need for noise cancelation at our workspaces, I took the time to write her an email, including the link to the website. (2nd mistake)

I refreshed the deal page and was about to start the buying process, when I decided instead to checkout one more review to see if there were any extra deals I could get. Indeed there were! There exists a coupon book that gives you an extra 15% off (3rd mistake).

When I had secured the information I needed, I returned to the Groupon page, only to find that the deal had sold out in the time I had spent on that other page...

DARN IT!!!

Costumes and Cosplay of the Week

2011-11-11T15:45:00.000-07:00

Link from Zelda (Rule 64)

Death Note, Anime

Science Officer, Star Trek

Angsty Batman is still mad about his parents' death.

Captain Crunch, Cereal

Princess Leia Organa, Star Wars

Katamari Damacy, The King Of All Cosmos

Hipster Spiderman

Dr. Mario, Will Christensen

Fairy Tail, Anime (Real 8 pack)

Wonder Woman, DC Comics

Pregnancy Prank

2011-11-09T22:30:00.002-07:00

I was thinking about asking my pregnant co-worker for a used pregnancy test so I could give it as a gift to another girl friend to scare her fiancé.

Then I realized how wildly inappropriate that would be and grounds for a sexual harassment lawsuit.

Bad idea. Still funny though.

Costume Ideas for Halloween 2012

2011-11-06T17:06:00.001-07:00

It's never too soon to start thinking about it...

Fairy Godmother from Disney's Cinderella

- Katy Carpenter

Princess Mononoke

- Eve Perkins

Princess Mononoke

- Eve Perkins

Finn from Cartoon Network's Adventure Time

- Katelyn Michelle Adams

Slytherin Student

- Kristi Fisler

Creeper from Minecraft

- Rob Hall (My Roommate)

Sgt. Steampunk

- Scotty (My Roommate)

Joker from Batman (DC Comics)

- Topher Fisher or Noah Carrol

Zombie Colonel Sanders

- Jeff Hoffman, Blogger

Belle from Disney's Beaty and the Beast

- My ex-home teachee, Lynette Beard

The Libertarian Activist (in the Middle)

- Kevin from dinner group

Manny Calavera from Lucas Arts' "Grim Fandango"

- Bryan Tanner

Aku from Samurai Jack (Villain)

- Bryan Tanner

T-Shirt Sale (Please pick your favorite)

2011-11-06T15:20:00.002-07:00

I want to spend $50 to refresh my t-shirt wardrobe. That means I am allowing myself to purchase 10 t-shirts from http://6dollarshirts.com. I want 5 of those shirts to be for others. I have already decided those (shown at the bottom of the post.) But I want your help to decide which of the "shirts for myself" options I should choose. Please let me know:

which one is your favorite, and
which one you like least.

Thanks.

Shirts for Myself:

For September 19th ONLY

Shirt for singles - Facebook themed (See on Site)

A yoga shirt (OM helps you meditate)

A reminder to be grateful.

I have a desire to speak Mandarin Chinese.

When I practice, I wouldn't want there to be any confusion.

Gotta love Goonies!

Fun with Monty Python.

I <3 Zelda - Kokiri Tunic

More Zelda - Goron Tunic

Even More Zelda - Zora Tunic

Konami (Contra) Code

What About Bob?!

Cool Star Wars Design

I like Biology.

Shirts for others:

"I was gaming before your were born."

For my Roommate Rob - Loves Zombies.

For Stephanie - She always needs reminders to calm down.

For my Home Teachee - Who builds bikes and needs some love.

X-mas gift for Jason Hills -- Lover of internet cats

Happy Birthday Gift for Jason Hills

2011-10-19T18:57:00.000-06:00

Happy Birthday, Jason

You opened my eyes to creativity.

I wished to open your ears…

by getting some of that wax out.

Phone Pics Over the Last 3-4 Months

2011-10-16T13:58:00.000-06:00

Scotty West BBQing outside our front door.

Benihana - Best roll I've ever eaten.

BYU Art Exhibit

Monster Taco Salad - Thanks Stef.

The moment I decided I wanted to go back to grad school.

Great web design book.

On super sale at Amazon.com.

iwantmybabybackbabybackbabybackbabyback - Dinner group w/ Kevin.

Scotty fixing putting a final touch on his bike (after months of sitting in our only parking spot).

Stef's Kababs!

In traffic, wondering what this guy does when he's not saving lives.

When I slid into 3rd base with my keys in my pocket.

Outside my conference room window at the Church Office Building, downtown SLC.

Saturdays booked for the next two months.

Christine's Ecuadorian dish for dinner group.

I can't remember. I think I made this.

This shoe made me jump hirer when I tried it on at the Park City outlet mall.

Park City Art Festival.

Steampunk at the art festival.

JW Stevenson posing for an informal LDS casting shot.

My Dirty Bib.

Lisa Murphy is a culinary genius.

Rock climbing triple date. (I liked everyone but my date.)

Provo Canyon.

Super healthy (and delicious) veggie roll.

Scotty crashed his bike and left it on the street for the wolves.

BYU football crowd at Turnberry Apts.

Me trying to be like Kevin for dinner group.

The only ice cream I eat, beside Mangum bars.

Uncles working out logistics with my dad over the phone.

Mystery sidewalk chalk. Somebody was watching too much Kid History.

Sarah Ford's Mission Farewell

Just leaving work, snapped a quick photo.

This photo was not posed.

Gabriel Antonio Parma painting his big, Italian heart out.

J Patch at the Murray Boy's and Girl's Club.

Daniel wore women's glasses to protect his eyes from paint splatter.

Scott's hand-picked Costco steaks -- Check the marbling.

Happy Birthday Dinner for Scott

Uber proud of myself for figuring out how to print to tabs that no longer have templates in MS Word.

Moving G&G into their new place.

Windows.

I love. This hole puncher.

17 Miracles - Signed Blu-Ray Disk

2011-10-15T15:19:00.001-06:00

Four signatures from principle actors

I only paid $22 for this copy of 17 Miracles (double coupon). When I walked out of the Deseret Book on the Friday before GenCon, I found a table full of actors just sitting there waiting to sign my cover. It was fun for me to reunited with them. This was the first (and so far, only) film I have acted in. Since I only served as a featured extra for one day, they didn't remember me, but I pretended like we were old friends when we visited.

I asked Jasen what one of his private thoughts was on set. He responded, "humility is not weakness." I asked Travis what his favorite food was from Craft Services. He said, "a Dr. Pepper slushy with creamer in it." I asked Emily to surprise me--she just wrote me a generic note thanking me for my role in the film. I asked Bruce which Angel he thought he was. He said, "I hadn't really thought about it. I was more concerned with not twisting my ankle on the uneven rocks inside the cave. But I do think I played a heavenly messenger."

Deseret Book

The main character - Levi Savage, played by Jasen Wade
The Drunk's wife - Elizabeth Panting, played by Emily Wadley
The midget teenager - Albert, played by Travis Eberhard
The "heavenly messenger" - The Traveler, played by Bruce Newbold

The pigeons do backflips

2011-08-24T06:47:00.000-06:00

Hardcore Parkour of the Day: Champion free runner Ryan Doyle parkours his little heart out in Mardin, Turkey, where it’s so hot that people sleep outside at nighttime. This place is so "epic" even the pigeons do backflips.

I like his example of focus and confidence. He says something very profound at the very end that inspires me and gives me hope for when I'm old and no longer able to perform repetitive backflips.

Response: America's Sentimental Regard for the Uniform

2011-08-23T07:06:00.001-06:00

By WILLIAM DERESIEWICZ

Published: August 20, 2011

An Empty Regard

Here's a thought-provoking NYT article that coins the phrase, "cult of the uniform." I'd love to hear other people's take on the ideas that the author presents.

What is Hero? This article postulates that Americans now regard anyone wearing a uniform to be a "hero" whether or not they have ever performed a brave or selfless act of rescue (my definition.)

Deresiewicz argues that American propaganda has abused the term of hero ever since the inception of the war in Iraq. This was surely in response to how American's took out their frustration on soldiers during and after Vietnam. Now the pendulum has swung dangerously to the other side.

I especially like the part about how Steven Colbert chose to respond to this when he observed it some time ago.

My response: This article reminded me of how I felt as a full-time missionary for my Church. The members revered my companion and I as the "heroes" of the faith. (I didn't like it.) I also appreciated the author's call to action in the final paragraph reminding all of us to be leaders in our own right.

Listen to what Stephen Fry has to say about heroes:

Disney Guest Appearances

2011-08-22T07:00:00.000-06:00

As an eLearning developer, I have been tempted to slip "Easter Eggs" into my lessons to reward the ultra-observant learner. Why not? Disney artists have done the same thing for years--unfortunately, only their raunchy ones get publicity. So, let's focus on some clean fun ones. This clip has some fun guest appearances:

Start paying close attention around 02:45.

During the sequence in The Hunchback Of Notre Dame in which Quasimodo sings ‘Out There’ (one of the best songs on the soundtrack), as we pan over a view of Paris from the bell tower, characters from other Disney movies can be seen in the background.

Most prominently is Belle (Beauty & The Beast) strolling along in her blue dress and reading a book of course.
More sharp eyed viewers may also spot Pumbaa from The Lion King being carried by two men.
A street merchant shaking out the flying carpet from Aladdin
And even a satellite dish on one of the rooftops.

What is the Purpose of Marriage?

2011-08-21T07:20:00.002-06:00

http://bit.ly/niN2lZ

Sabbath-thought-of-the-day:

Are you already married? If not, do you want to be married one day? Why?! Seriously. What for? And don't say, "the tax breaks." Let's think beyond culture and politics. (Pause and think of an intelligent answer on your own.)

IF, in fact, there is NO significant reason why a man and woman should join in marriage other than because it is a social more, then I would argue that all moral arguments involving the definition of marriage and family are moot. (e.g. Gay-marriage advocates would be completely justified in thinking that the world is insane for thinking that a marriage between two men or two women, respectively, is any different than a traditional, bi-gender marriage.)

But, what if there IS a fundamental for why men and women of almost every culture on Earth have historically been drawn together to form families? Biology is one reasonable solution for why this is--all living creatures feel the need to continue their genetics over the generations. But then, why is our biology that way? If you keep asking "why" for long enough you'll arrive at one of two conclusions. Either it was by chance or by divine design.

I believe the later--that marriage is more than a social institution or custom, driven by DNA--marriage a God-given, eternal covenant (a promise) between a man, a woman and our Father in Heaven. And it has been taught and practiced in holy temples since the first man and woman.

Let's get high-level for a moment. Most people I've talked with agree with my belief that every human on this planet is a spirit son or daughter of God. (Why? They don't know, they just do.) (Now get ready for this next idea, 'cause it blew my mind when I first heard it put this way back in 1995.) Gender is an essential characteristic of individual premortal, mortal, and eternal identity and purpose. In other words, we were male and female long before we took upon ourselves these mortal shells. We are all here to work toward achieving a single objective. . .and that is to become like God, our Father, who has an exalted body and family of his own. To that end, Father has prepared a plan for his children to form families that can be sealed eternally here in mortality in sacred places called temples. (And, yes, God's plan includes those who may not have had the full opportunity to receive those eternal ordinances in this life.)

If you want to learn a bit more about why families are meant to be eternal, check out this official document on God's purpose for families.

LDS Film, 17 Miracles - Spot the Technological Artifact

2011-08-20T14:26:00.005-06:00

This is a photo of me and two of the principle actors in the LDS film, 17 Miracles; the story of the Martin and Willie Handcart Companies traveling from England to Utah.

The photo itself was take just after shooting the cheesy love scene where the two love birds do this weird heart-tapping thing. I still can't get that line out of my head--"That doesn't drive me crazy, you drive me crazy." Blah! Very cool people though.

Can you find the artifact that proves that this photo was taken in the 20th century?

Click to Photo to Enlarge

Jason Celaya as George Padley (Right)

Bryan Tanner as featured extra (Middle)

Natalie Blackman as Sarah Franks (Left)

Hint: An artifact is an object made by a human being, typically an item of cultural or historical interest. (E.g. I had to crop out the can of A&W root beer that Jason was holding in his right hand.)

Card Games for Kids

2011-08-19T18:54:00.002-06:00

http://www.pagat.com/commerce/jamesbond.html James Bond looks fun, fast and easy!!

http://www.pagat.com/war/beggar_my_neighbour.html Beggar My Neighbor- no skill- like Egyptian Rats but not rapid.

http://www.pagat.com/domino/sevens.html Fan Tan- best for 3-4 but I played at lunch time during school with 92 Girl and it was fun!!

http://www.pagat.com/domino/kingscorners.html Kings in the Corner-more fun with multiple players and it needs a flat steady space

http://www.pagat.com/adders/24.html- Twenty Four Yes, Stef, this does involve some math but is very unique and fun- Try it!!

http://www.pagat.com/whist/kowhist.html Knock Out Whist: I forgot that two can play: My personal favorite!

http://www.pagat.com/sedma/zsirozas.html Zzir: a game from Hungary where the last card matching the lead wins the trick. Sevens are wild!

http://www.pagat.com/beating/mustamaija.html Mustamaija: There are no winners of each round- just the loser who holds Queen Sarah!

http://www.pagat.com/war/camicia.html Camicia this is a war game with 1, 2 and 3's being the attack cards that followers must pay either 1, 2 or 3 cards for. Much more fun than just plain War!

http://www.pagat.com/fishing/casino.html Casino These rules span three pages-ridiculous! It is very easy. There are points for having the most cards, 1 point for most spades, sweeps (leaving none on the board), aces, Big Casino and Little Casino (10 of Diamonds and 2 of Spades) Whoever reaches 21 first, wins! Very, very fun-half luck, half strategy.

Poor Ron Paul

2011-08-17T14:38:00.006-06:00

Ron Paul is getting the Shaft in the 2012 Presidental Election. This should be news, since it happens EVERY time, but it's becoming humorous. Check out this defensive sketch Jon Stewart aired this week regarding the absence of Paul from any news reports:

Two terms ago, while a comedian named Mike Birbiglia performed a Presidential BBQ (2004-2008) sketch where even he completely leaves Ron Paul out of the joke. He references "Bookworm Steve [Forbes]" and "Ralph [Nadar]" as the impossible underdogs, but he doesn't even mention Ron Paul--that's what makes this clip so appropriate. (Start @ 0:34 and punch line at 2:26.) Also, see the Comedy Central video.

Poor Ronney. Hang in there buddy. Remember the lessons learned by Abe Lincoln. Fail. Fail. Fail. Fail. Fail. Fail. Fail. Fail. Fail. Fail. Fail. Fail. Fail. Fail. Fail. Fail. Fail. Fail. Fail. Fail. Fail. Fail. Fail. Fail. Fail. Fail. Fail. Fail. Fail. Fail. Fail. Fail. Fail. Fail. Fail. Fail. Fail. Fail. Fail. Fail. Fail. Fail. Fail. Fail. Fail. Fail. Fail. Fail. Fail. Fail. Fail. Fail. Fail. Fail. Fail. Fail. Fail. Fail. Fail. Fail. Fail. Fail. Fail. Fail. Fail. Fail. Fail. Fail. Fail. Fail. Fail. Fail. Fail. Fail. Fail. Fail. Fail. Fail. Fail. Fail. Fail. Fail. Fail. Fail. Fail. Fail. Victory!

*****This post is dedicated to my conservative [read: liberal] friends David and Kevin*****

MSD Uke Band - Untitled Album Cover

2011-08-11T15:34:00.004-06:00

Click to All photos to embiggen

How will we fit 4 more people?

Don't jump!

Yvette VanDyke

The MSD Ukulele Band's First Gig

2011-08-11T09:45:00.001-06:00

July 28th, 2011--

The MSD Ukulele Band performed their first gig EVER for the department's semi-annual ice cream social! The Ice Cream Social is a time for everyone in the department to let their hair down and mingle with one another as friends. For one hour, we all forget about our projects and just celebrate unity.

Chanté asked us to be "the entertainment" over a month ago, so we all decided to buy ukuleles and learn a few songs to perform. After only three one-hour lunch practice sessions, we decided to play Hound Dog by Elvis, Hey Jude by The Beatles, and Stand By Me by Ben E. King.

During our final practice, I thought we had all decided to come dressed in Hawaiian garb--but I must have been mistaken.

Here's a video of Hey Jude captured on my phone.

Handheld Camcorders: Flip, VADO or Playsport

2011-08-04T13:43:00.026-06:00

Handheld camcorders are totally under-rated. People look at them and think, "I've already got a phone that takes videos." What they don't realize is that these are not just a cheapo recording devices--they've got the power of a full-featured HD camcorder, but MUCH smaller and MUCH easier to use, for a fraction of the price. Society has failed to see what handheld camcorders truly have to offer.

The Flip is no longer in production. For that reason, prices are being cut. In a year, they may not even provide service, but this camcorder DOES produce excellent quality video with very good sound quality and it IS very easy to use.
So now, Flips are selling at incredibly low prices; but not for long. Check out the following two deals, which I highly recommend (Mom).

PROs:

Great-grandma could use this--you're paying for simplicity (More simple than a "Mac.")
Start recording HD video in less then three seconds from power up.
Mac and PC compatible
No chord necessary--USB direct (+ HDMI w/ chord)
Both offered for low, low prices right now.
8GB of Flash memory (120 min. of HD recording)

CONs:

No audio jack for professional recordings (but the native audio is phenomenal).
Since these HD Flips only offer only one level of picture quality: 720P [1280 x 720 60fps H.264/AVC with an MP4 file extension]; while this is good, the files obtained are quite large and time consuming to upload. If you want to quickly share, consider a non-HD handheld camcorder.
You need to use the software to extract still images.
One sacrifice or simplicity is that the rechargeable batteries must be recharged inside of the camera. This means that you can only use the camera for 2 hours before needing to recharge for 3-4 hours in a computer or 2 hours in an adapter. But if that doesn't bother you, then it's not an issue.

Have access to a computer all the time.
Don't take it to 2.5 hour-long dance recitals.

Typically a 3-5 year battery life. (Only a 90-day warranty.)

Ultra Flip (Non-HD)

PERFECT for posting to the web. (640x480)

Get this one if you don't care about HQ, or you do care about low file size.

ONLY $40!
AA alkaline batteries (doesn't need the more powerful litiums.)
I've already purchased this one because the deal was to good to refuse.

UltraHD Flip (Generation?)

Click to see details

PROs:

This is the one you want if you want both low cost and HQ.

$60 (BEST VALUE!)

This one and the non-HD one are kind of brick-shaped, so it can stand on its own without a tripod.
6 hours of battery life* using the Flip Video AAA rechargeable Battery Pack (recharges when connected to USB); also supported by standard AAA lithium batteries.
Only one with premium AAC, stereo audio.

*The official website says about battery life: "2 hours of recording time."

MinoHD Flip (be sure to get the 3rd Gen.)

Click to see details

PROs:

You will not find any easier-to-use, full-feature, HQ camcorder for this price!
Much thinner (even easier to transport than the Ultra).
Image stabilization (unique feature)
Flip Video Lithium-ion Battery
Pack (included) or 3 AAA Lithium Batteries.
Today, it's selling on Buy.com for only $94!

THIS PRICE WILL NOT LAST.

CONs:

May not be able to stand up, on its own, like the UltraHD can. But maybe it can.
May not be a snug fit in the underwater case.
Reviews indicate that this one might be more likely to have problems after 6 months; it's always a gamble. (Walmart reviews--they probably flushed it down the toilet or something.)
Unless you are using a laptop, the USB puts an inordinate strain on the the Flip while plugged in.

Additional Flip Info:

Flip Official Website
Compared Specs (difference between camera)

Perfect for vacations--non-stop action--and if you are ever going to do some underwater filming, this is the best I've seen in write ups. Check out this underwater case that works for both models.

Rechargeable Lithium-ion batteries make it easy to recharge anywhere, either in any USB port, or in this recharger.

Flip Alternatives:

Oh snap. Here are alternatives to Flip? You bet! Some might consider these to be much BETTER than the Flip.

1. Creative Labs's VADO! (Heather and Rick)

Offers multiple recording-quality levels.
Snaps still pictures.
Still holds two hours of HD video, BUT AT 1/2 THE FILE SIZE!
This is the ideal blogging camera

2. Kodak's Playsport (Scott and Stef)

Waterproof (10 feet)
Snaps stills (at 5MP) or can take frames from video (1080p x 30 fps or 720p x 60 fps)
Removable SDHD media card (typically 16-32GB)
Drop it--no problem (For hardcore outdoors folks.)
Comes with Mini-HDMI cable in the box.
$120

But accessories are very inexpensive, e.g. an extra battery costs about $10

Ergonomic layout for right handers.

Bottom line:

Buy the non-HD Flip right now if you ever want to post video to the web, $40.
If you want cheap and EASY and HQ, buy the $60 Flip.
If you want a CUSTOMIZABLE, HQ camcorder and you can handle a few extra features, I'd go with the VADO.
If you LOVE features and want to take this repelling off of waterfalls, definitely buy the Kodak Playsport.

My Decision:

I'm buying two: non-HD flip for quick, web stuff and the Playsport for vacation/adventure stuff that I would want to make into a HQ movie later.

Marriage Highlights

2011-07-25T20:50:00.000-06:00

Messing Around at Monday Night Volleyball

2011-07-23T00:01:00.004-06:00

First DUBstep Video I've Liked

2011-07-19T12:02:00.002-06:00

Best part 2:10

Le Royaume

2011-07-09T11:27:00.001-06:00

What does it mean?

Home remedies validated by ScIENCe!

2011-07-09T11:19:00.001-06:00

Too much haagen dazs too fast will freeze the brains of lesser men. As for you, press your tongue flat against the roof of your mouth, covering as much as you can. "Since the nerves in the roof of your mouth get extremely cold, your body thinks your brain is freezing, too," says Abo. "In compensating, it overheats, causing an ice-cream headache." The more pressure you apply to the roof of your mouth, the faster your headache will subside.

20 more remedies

"Mister Rogers" Study

2011-06-29T11:27:00.004-06:00

Bobo Doll

In Friedrich and Stein (1972)’s ‘The Mister Rogers’ study:

Procedures: A group of preschoolers watched Mister Rogers every weekday for four consecutive weeks.

Result: Children from lower socioeconomic communities were easier to handle and more open about their feelings.

Yates, B.L. (1999). Modeling Strategies for Prosocial Television: A Review. Retrieved October 6, 2010 from the world wide web: http://www.westga.edu/~byates/prosocia.htm

How to deter you kids from asking, "Are we there yet?!"

2011-05-28T17:03:00.000-06:00

Before leaving on a road trip, give each child a $10 roll of quarters. Tell them they spend it on anything he wants when you arrive — but that every time they ask “Are we there yet?” or pester a sibling, you will take a quarter. I wish I’d made this one up, but I didn’t. I read it somewhere. Wonderfully devious. (P.S. You get to spend the quarters on anything you want, too. Or save them for the same tactic on the way home.)

Source: http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/

Don't watch this commercial alone at night...

2011-05-27T20:56:00.000-06:00

Scarey commercial [long cut] ... don't worry--happy ending!

How do you pronounce "via?"

2011-05-24T14:03:00.001-06:00

According to Oxford Dictionary, it is correctly pronounced both ways:

via |ˈvīə; ˈvēə|
preposition
traveling through (a place) en route to a destination : they came to Europe via Turkey.
• by way of; through : they can see the artists' works via a camera hookup.
• by means of : a file sent via electronic mail.
ORIGIN late 18th cent.: from Latin, ablative of via ‘way, road.’

From what I've gathered from web forums, those who speak International English say, "vIa" while American English speakers typically say, "vEa."

How you pronounce it (and under what circumstances)?

The Marriage Saga

2011-04-18T00:00:00.003-06:00

In commemoration of my 1,000th post to this blog, I decided to do something special. I created a series of 4 highlight videos on the subject of Marriage, taken from excerpts from 4 talks from the 181st Annual LDS General Conference held two weeks ago. Please share them with the world.

Bonus:

Prophet Commands All Singles to Marry in 3 Days or Less

2011-04-04T21:45:00.001-06:00

3 Days to Eternity (by ideo685)

I see a lot of single adults moping around, stressed out and feeling picked on because of their current marital status.

Listen folks, you’re status is not “a problem.” No one is judging you or accusing you of anything. Nothing has been commanded of you other than to revisit your priorities and make sure that they are in line with Heavenly Father’s Plan of Happiness for families. The prophetic invitations we received this weekend were not to pressure us, but to prepare us to receive (what I believe to be) the greatest blessing that we can receive in this life.

You may feel like you are already doing all you can do. Watch this video featuring my friends living at Montecello (BYU) and ask yourself that question again.