Tuesdays with Muerte

Image Source: Movieposter.com I had the privilege of previewing Brave weeks before it opened thanks to a very special invitation from a Scottish family who had ties to Utah's Scottish Guild. Needless to say, the crowd I was with was a festive bunch.  (Everyone wore their family-specific kilts.) We gathered outside the Jordan Commons Theater in Sandy, UT an hour before the doors opened in order to properly celebrate all things Scottish: Celtic dancing, bagpipes, kilts, the works!  I had a tremendous cultural experience and loved every minute of it! Enough milieu; on to the film review!  The graphical presentation was, of course, stunning. (Well done, PIXAR.) The music was excellent, but I had hoped for more than two original, lyrical pieces.  (I do hold a special place in my heart for traditional Scottish folk music.) The story was steeped in tradition and authentic mythology and magic. Congratulations, Brenda Chapman, on capturing the essence of a civilizatio...

I love all of these shows. I own Life and Pushing Daisies  already.  The others are equally good enough to own in my opinion: Life  (season 1) - $6 Jerico - $20 The Office - $10 Perfect Strangers  (Seasons 1 and 2) - $10 Pushing Daisies - $9 Family Matters - $12 Full House - $12 Psych - $13 LOUIS L'AMOUR'S: THE SACKETTS - $7 My Blue Heaven - $6 Pride and Prejudice - $5 Man from Snowy River - $6 Sometimes I post things I want and their prices, so at least others (with money) have the option of enjoying them.

What's the easiest way to discover your love language? Answer the following three questions and you'll gain some key insights on discovering how you best receive love: What does your spouse do or fail to do that hurts you most deeply? What have you most often requested of your spouse? In what way do you regularly express love to your spouse?

I know how much you love Mt. Olympus, Dad, so a couple of weeks ago I decided to summit it in your honor.  The reason why I wanted to climb it was because I look up there every day from down below and wonder what the view would be like from the top.  I know you climbed it when you lived under its shadow and I just wanted us to have something else in common. It was a difficult hike. We were exposed to the sun for most of the way. It's steep and it's long. And the last ascent essentially requires free-hand rock climbing (not shown because I didn't have hands to spare for the camera.)  The fact that the hike is so difficult creates, I think, a closer bond between those who have actually made it to the top. This is just clip from the summit.  Jason Hills, my best friend in the ward, filmed it for me.  Unfortunately, he was reclined in a camping chair and wasn't able to capture the fullness of the spectacular vistas.

Think about it.  What are the best TV shows of the last decade?  (Consult graphic below.)  Now realize that all those writers all collaborated TOGETHER on Buffy back in the 90s!  Pretty mind blowing, isn't it?  Kinda makes you want to go back and watch a few episodes. When Scott (my brother-in-law) wrote for the BYU Daily Universe, he interviewed a Film professor who argued that Joss Whedon's Buffy had the greatest script writing of all time. Look at what his writers went on to create! Although the content may be hokey, the script is what makes Buffy worth watching.

1. Track Your Time Part of spending your time better is knowing how you’re spending it now. If you’ve ever tried to lose weight, you know that nutritionists tell you to keep a food journal because it keeps you from eating mindlessly. It’s the same with time. Write down what you’re doing as often as you can. Use my  spreadsheet , a Word document, or a pad and pen. While measuring your mornings, try tracking your whole week. The reason? The solution to morning dilemmas often lies at other times of the day. You may be too tired because you’re staying up late. But if you look at how you’re spending your nights, you’ll notice that you’re not doing anything urgent. The  Daily Show  can be recorded and watched earlier--possibly while you’re on the treadmill at 6:30 a.m. As for the mornings themselves, you can be organized but still not be spending them well. Question your assumptions. You may believe that “a man who wants to keep his job gets into the office before hi...

I just got suckered into purchasing an online deal.  I bought this nice backpacking-ready jacket from Marmot for $67 total! Here are my justifications: It's black.  Conservative. I need something to wear to work that is less audacious than my HUMONGOUS orange coat from Mountain Harware. The orange one was for grad school.  This one is more professional. This one can go backpacking.  It's compressible down to a pocket in the lining. I can wear it around town. I can wear it when I'm sick (because I'm cold all the time). Tremendous value.  People who bought it for full retail price ($175) said it was a steal.  It was only $67, instead of $100, the next lowest price I found online. Here are my concerns: NOT breathable membrane.  I will not be doing any activity with this on lest I combust. The $67 version may or may not have a full zipper.  It didn't say on the website, but I understand that Marmot makes a pullov...