Thriller

Saturday afternoon we all headed up to see Alysha perform in the Odyssey Dance Theater's production of this year's "Thriller". A series of Halloween oriented dances. Kind of an eclectic mix of classic dances, but set with a somewhat disturbing difference... made for the Halloween season. It was hard to recognize Alysha in all that makeup - but she did a great job and I'm proud of her first dance performance with a professional troupe. Then we returned home for an even worse nightmare... watch BYU get beat-up, trounced, and mangled by the TCU Hornfrogs. It was gruesome.

Internet Connection Speeds and Costs around the world

I saw this graphic about the various connection speeds and costs around the world for Internet access.

We in the US are no where near the top on this one... shame on us! Not to mention, we are paying too much!

Check it out.

Proud Bird

Tonight I got to have a nice dinner with my friends Barry and Donna Woodbridge. They came up from Orange County and we went to dinner at a great little place near the LAX airport. You can eat your fine meal, and watch the planes land and take off.The gardens are areas around the restaurant have many older planes on static display. I *really* enjoy old planes. I spent many years dreaming of being a pilot and reading everything I could about flying and planes.

It was fun to recognize and know the names and many specs of all the planes on display. (It took lots of self-control to not spit out all the names and stories about each of the planes...)

A great night at dinner with friends - thanks Barry & Donna.

Hunger Games!

My daughter Karrissa was telling me about a new book she read called 'Hunger Games'. She loved it, and thought I would too. Then she bought me the book and the sequel for my birthday present a couple of weeks ago. (Thanks Karrissa)

I left them sit on my shelf for the past couple of weeks - waiting for the right week to read them.

I borrowed season one of 'Lie to Me' from my sister Janet - and that has been my 'travel media' on planes for the last couple of weeks.So it wasn't until dinner on Monday night that I thought to take this new book 'Hunger Games' to the restaurant downstairs for something to read during dinner. I started the book, then sat in the restaurant for 2 1/2 hours reading the story, then went up to my room and read the rest of the book till midnight. Great read!

Then with a little less intensity finished the second in the series - Catching Fire over the last two evenings. Tonight I'm going to have 'withdrawals' - there is a third in the trilogy, but it won't be out till next year some time. BUMMER!

So obviously I HIGHLY RECOMMEND this series. It was a great read. If you want to borrow mine - just ask.

Just a work week

This was just a work week.

Up early on Monday for a flight over to SFO - then a drive down to AirMagnet corporate for a day of meetings with the development team working on some new "hush hush" projects.

The rest of the week was catching up on a variety of work and home projects.

Basically a boring week... nice to have prior to the next 6 weeks on the road.

Braces for the Old Man

Well, after much teasing from my wife and daughter about the gap between my front teeth... I finally went to an orthodontist to see about getting it fixed. I thought there was something they could do to just pull the front to teeth together.

What I found out was my entire 'bite' was off and getting worse. When I was a teenager I had braces... but that was in Bangkok, Thailand and they took out too many of my upper teeth. Now years later the upper teeth are separating into the left over open space. So not only did I have a little 'gap' problem, but my bite was getting much worse.

So on Tuesday I just bit the bullet and went in and got braces! One of the girls from our church, who's father is the Orthodontist did the actual work in 'gluing' the brackets to the teeth and stringing a temperature sensitive wire in between them. The wire wants to return to its normally straight state, and puts pressure on the teeth to gradually move them into the correct position.

This is going to take between 18 and 24 months! Yeck!

But, hey, 18 months from now I could have straighter teeth, or still be delaying the braces. So I just got it done.

It hurts way more than I remember as a teenager - I've been thinking "What have I got myself into" - but I'm sure that will pass. (Hopefully soon)

Here's the new look:
By the way - it was much harder to take my own picture that I'd have thought. After about 10 shots I finally got one that worked. (Try it sometime - get your teeth in the picture, good lighting, and nothing else in the shot)

A friend on Twitter said I looked like 'Jaws' from the James Bond movie 'Moonraker' - what do you think?

Weekend in Vegas with Family

The flights back from Indianapolis were delayed - and so I didn't arrive home in Utah until 3:00am on Saturday morning. Jill, Ryan and Alysha drove down to Vegas, then on Saturday morning my Dad drove me to the airport and I also went down to Las Vegas to spend the weekend with Karrissa, Joe and the grand-daughters.

We stopped by the Bellagio hotel to visit their 'conservatory' and look at the flowers, trees, and exhibits. Next door was the world's largest 'Chocolate Fountain' - so we had to stop and also eat some chocolate stuff. We got a crepe. Mmmmm.

Then off to a great Pizza place that served 'real' pizza. Thick 'Chicago Style' pizza, not that thin whimpy stuff they try to foist on folks from New York. (Yes my preference is showing)

Home to Karrissa's for naps for all. Then the men all went to the General Conference Priesthood session at a church nearby with Joe's friend - and the girls went to the new movie 'Fame'.

Last time if Vegas we found a nice restaurant called - Claim Jumper - and really enjoyed it. So we took Ryan and Alysha with us this time. Yes - it was a great as we remembered.

Today we went over to a park called 'Tule Springs'. These springs have been around at least 11,000 years. The Mormon Pioneers stopped here from St. George while getting wood from Mt. Charleston. Then in the early 20th century when Nevada had the easiest divorces in the nation - only 6 weeks residency to qualify for a legal divorce. The springs were a haven for divorce couples to come and rest/recreate while waiting their divorces.

We took lots of pictures and had a good time walking around this 'oasis' in the Las Vegas desert.

Back home we played with the girls - and had another wonderful meal (thanks Jill and Karrissa).

At night Joe invented this new 'ride' in their house. Using an air mattress to slide down their stairs.

It is fun watching our grown kids get along together! Thanks kids - it is very fulfilling to see you all friends.

We sure miss having Brent with us - he has about 11 months left in Brazil before he comes home.

Kids all together at Bellagio

Talking Tree in the Bellagio Conservatory

Ryan is just 'Happy to be here'

Mini Bellagio Model

World's Biggest Chocolate Fountain

Our Chocolate Crepe

My Girls - Karrissa and Alysha

Me and my daughters

Poppa and McKinely playing 'Pooh Sticks'

An 'Oasis' in the Las Vegas desert

McKinley Posing

Kylie Walking

Karrissa Posing

Alysha trying to get a Peacock to spread its feathers

Alysha Posing

Alysha and McKinley

This reminded us that we sure miss Brent

Karrissa and McKinley sliding on Air Mattress

Ryan and McKinely sliding down stairs

Girls after sliding

Homecoming & Indianapolis

After the great Hot Air Balloon trip - we watched a BYU football game, made and ate wonderful shish-ka-bobs and then also got to take pictures of Alysha and friends going to their High School Homecoming dance.A friend down the street made me a great Chocolate cake for my birthday - Thanks Darla!Then off to Indianapolis for a week.

They have pretty cheap gas

Hard Rock Cafe

Downtown Indianapolis

The 'Weber Grill' - great food

Great 'Real Free WiFi' at the SLC Airport