The Fam

Mokka

Sadie

This is Hysterical!

Male or Female?

You might not have known this, but a lot of non-living objects are actually either male or female.

Here are some examples:

FREEZER BAGS: They are male, because they hold everything in, but you can see right through them.

PHOTOCOPIERS: These are female, because once turned off; it takes a while to warm them up again.
They are an effective reproductive device if the right buttons are pushed, but can also wreak havoc if you push the wrong Buttons.

TIRES: Tires are male, because they go bald easily and are often over inflated
HOT AIR BALLOONS: Also a male object, because to get them to go anywhere, you have to light a fire under their butt.

SPONGES: These are female, because they are soft, squeezable and retain water.

WEB PAGES: Female, because they're constantly being looked at and frequently getting hit on.

TRAINS: Definitely male, because they always use the same old lines for picking up people.

EGG TIMERS: Egg timers are female because, over time, all the weight shifts to the bottom.

HAMMERS: Male, because in the last 5000 years, they've hardly changed at all, and are occasionally handy to have around.

THE REMOTE CONTROL: Female. Ha! You probably thought it would be male, but consider this: It easily gives a man pleasure, he'd be lost without it, and while he doesn't always know which buttons to push, he just keeps trying

Note to Self: Older is Happier

"Though we as a society extol the years of early adulthood, research studies have demonstrated that younger adults are not as happy as adults in their older years.

In the years of later, relatively healthy adulthood(ages 50-75), the horizon of time has shifted and the outlines of a person's story have become much clearer.

The future tense is greatly diminished in importance, and it is the present tense-the possibilities for pleasure, connectedness, and a sense of emotional embeddedness-that emerges into prominence...

Developmentally speaking, older adults tend to live in the moment, and this appears to increase their satisfaction and well-being."

September Songs

Live Your Best Life

I know

it's hard to be reconciled

not everything is exactly

the way it ought to be

but please turn around

and step into the future

leave memories behind

enter the land of hope

Zbigniew Herbert, from A Life

Brawn vs. Beauty

Behind every strong man is a stronger woman
by Kurt Bestor

I have a theory about which is really the stronger gender. Now, I haven't tested this like Galileo dropping rotten fruit off the Tower of Pisa or like Einstein contemplating relativity at a lonely train station. But — after observing approximately half the earth's "better looking" population for the last four decades, I think I know what I'm talking about here.

In short: women rule the world.

I know, I know. History books (written mostly by bespectacled old male university professors I might add) are full of examples of chieftains, generals and dictators flexing their muscles as they conquer another country or two before clocking out for the day. Marvel comics and Warner Brothers Pictures depict testosterone-laden superheroes with bulging biceps righting a capsizing ocean liner, taking on an entire rogue army and deftly swooping up a swooning maiden on the way home from the office. Even now, as I put pen to paper here, I'm watching a massive Olympic weightlifter hoist barbells the size of a large 747 over his head on his way to a gold medal.

But look a little deeper and I think you'll see just who is ruling the roost. Even the most powerful despot and influential leader has to come home and, after he kisses little Genghis and tussles Napoleon Junior's hair, gets an unsolicited critique of his job. "I can't believe you invaded that country today, after promising me you would stop after Mesopotamia!" "Isn't that just typical — you get a few extra shekels and you can't help but buy a new chariot!" Houses throughout history and kitchens across all continents have always resonated with the same feminine power. "Before you go downstairs to plan your next pillage and plunder, I need you to take out that stinking garbage."

Yes, as sure as that apple hitting Newton on the head, this theory needs no proving.

In the meantime, we men will continue with the only jobs that
are left to us — that of being "breeding stock" and reaching for the soup cans on the highest shelf.

Oops ... hang on a sec ... Wish I could stay, but I got a jar of pickles that my wife needs opening.

When not writing music for films, CDs and his very popular holiday concerts — Emmy-award-winning composer/performerKurt Bestor can be found hiking and camping in the picturesque mountains behind his home. The father of two girls, he and wife Petrina make their home in Salt Lake City. You can follow Kurt on his Web site, www.kurtbestor.com

Me ? On Facebook???

So I'm a 50+ using FaceBook-and I have to admit, it's fun but I feel like one of those women who dresses like she's twenty something when she's pushing 60.

How wierd it is to have all of your children as friends(ok not so wierd)but before you know it you now have your kids friends as friends. If the friend is now a very good looking 32 year old male, (instead of the acne laden 13 year old you loved too death, eating you out of house and home)you start feeling just a little creepy.

But you persevere and start inviting people in your ward and neighborhood who are your age, straight laced, mature and "spiritual". All is good until one morning when checking status a friend of a friend of one of your kids who you've added gets a comment that is WAY x-rated.

For instance: The other day there's a picture of 5 young men mooning me on my profile page.

Yikes! I immediately start thinking of this Bishop, or this RS Pres, who I've invited to be my friend. What will they think???

And then there's the whole issure of accepting friends. How do you NOT accept someone's invitation? It's not like their not going to know it. I for instance received an invitaion from a person that I KNOW doesn't like me. What's up with that?

Then there's the whole boundary issue which I'm really pretty tight with. Do I really want my husband talking to 20 year olds who happen to be in our ward and are just adding to their friend list? Does he want me looking up an old boy friend from college? (you know, just because I was curious how he was looking these days). What if he's not so happy and he's still kind of interested and....

Where's it all gonna end

Skinny...(guess)

I'm totally in shock and I hate to say it but a little amused by a book purchase I made today.

Buyer beware: If the title has the word "Bi**h in it the somewhat astute individual might assume that the book isn't exactly G rated.

Yet I bought it anyway.

I've read the first few pages and lost count of just how many swear words I 'read'. But the authors are spot on(it is a #1 New York Times Bestseller).

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/01/books/01skin.html?_r=2&ref=dining&oref=slogin

A no-nonsense, tough-love guide for savvy girls who want to stop

eating crap(if only they spoke so nicely in the book)and start looking fabulous!

For example: You need to exercise you lazy S***(fill in the blanks) You've gotta move your A**. Or this...So your junk food has a shelf life of 22 yrs. and will probably outlive your fat, sorry A**.

Come on, be honest. Maybe we've never actually said it out loud but in our most self-loathing times, we've thought it right?

They have a point(or two). They call coffee 'crack cocaine' and soda drinks 'liquid satan' and after Posh was spotted with their book, sales went up...WAY UP! Who doesn't want to look like POSH???

So now I have a dilemma; do I read this smart-mouthed girlfriends book(one of the authors holds a Masters of Science in Holistic Nutrition, the other is a self-taught know-it all) that might actually be educational, thought provoking and work.

Or do I toss it in the trash?

Taylor's Christmas Present

Christmas Eve, Dale went out to feed Mokka, Taylor's Lab. I ran into him in the kitchen and through tears he said "Mokka died".

We couldn't have been more surprised. For the last several months we've been on a week by week basis with our dog Sadie. She's dropped weight-even though she's eating, has a hard time breathing, can't go to the bathroom---We have tried to prepare ourselves for her passing, but not Mokka.

Mokka hadn't even been sick-

We spent Christmas Eve at the vet's deciding how to best say good-bye. The only thing that got us through it was knowing that Taylor was saying hello.