The Proud Suburbanite

St. Mary Kevin Orphanage

2010-02-26T23:56:00.001-08:00

Our next stop on day 1 in Kampala was a refreshing dose of hope after our experience at Nsambya Babies Home. St. Mary Kevin Orphanage is a home and school for an older group of orphaned children. In contrast to our experiences that morning, St. Mary Kevin provided an atmosphere of love and nurturing to its children, along with encouragement to develop creative talents in art and music. Here, the children seemed more peaceful and happy.

Everywhere, there were cues to remember the goodness of God, to respect others, to find joy and peace in the struggles of life… My personal favorite – “Be silent, or say something better than silence.”

Children’s artwork adorned the walls and shelves, and we were treated to an amazing performance of music and dance by the students, including expressive musical storytelling, a band complete with brass and their traditional percussion instruments and colorful traditional costumes.

While the children performed for us, a small group of children came to the door of the pavilion to watch and listen. One small child came at my bidding and sat with me. I thought it was a little boy I was holding on my lap. When I asked a caretaker his name, however, she said it was a girl and that her name was Chandya. She was a beautiful little girl. She was missing her front four teeth, so I’m guessing she was about 7 or 8 years old. She liked seeing the pictures I was taking of the performance in the display on my camera.

I was impressed by the opportunities for productivity provided by St. Mary Kevin. Whether painting a well, caring for farm animals (pigs, chickens, goats and a cow) or making bricks, there were plenty of opportunities for the children to be responsible and develop skills that will serve them in being productive members of society and developing a sense of dignity and self respect.

As they did everywhere, the kids here loved my sunglasses and my camera. Put the two together, and you get quite an exciting time!

After seeing conditions in the North, those at St. Mary Kevin are quite good. It is hot and dusty and not all of the children have mosquito nets over their beds. Still, it’s obvious that the operation is well-managed and that there are volunteers and sponsors who are aware of the need and contributing what they can. Even while we were visiting, in fact, there was a group of volunteers from Denver playing with the kids and working on the facilities – painting, building, etc.

All in all, the visit to St. Mary Kevin Orphanage was a positive experience. Although the plight of the orphaned children there was sad, it was encouraging to feel the love and concern that the staff obviously had for the children. I felt like they were being given a leg up in a really tough world, and I left feeling uplifted after a downer morning.

Next stop, Reach Out Mbuya – a co-op of HIV+ women in Kampala from whom we bought our shipment of beaded jewelry in the fall.

Another Perspective

2010-02-03T08:40:00.001-08:00

I want to call out another perspective on our recent experiences in Uganda. Suzy Gillies, APF’s founder and president, has a blog of her own (Suzy’s African Adventure), where she has been sharing her take on the trip.

Good news is that, while I tend to be really detailed and – ok, I’ll just admit it – “verbose,” Suzy’s very conversational/personal. :) She’s also capturing more of the macro view of the trip.

So, while you’re reading about my experiences, make sure to pop over to her blog as well and read about how she’s coping with the transition back, about day 1 in Kampala (So happy she took a picture of me with the nameless boy at Nsambya – I didn’t have one of those!) and making our way up to Gulu on day 2.

More Nsambya Pics

2010-02-03T00:26:00.001-08:00

I had to post a few more photos of our experience at Nsambya…

The Nameless Boy (Kampala – Day 1)

2010-02-03T00:18:00.001-08:00

At Nsambya Babies’ Home in Kampala, a polite staff of caretakers busy themselves with various and sundry duties around the home, while we Mzungus (i.e., white people) anxiously await our opportunity to hold the beautiful children we’ve heard so much about. We no sooner get through the door when numerous children are reaching out for us to hold their hands, pick them up or otherwise interact with them. Playing is not enough; they need to be touched, held, nurtured.

Attention, however, comes at a price. Their need is so great, and their socialization so lacking, that they fight – literally clawing at each other – for our attention. Turning attention from one child to another means an inevitable slap, punch or scratch.

While children, Mzungus and caretakers move about in the enclosed courtyard, one small child lays on his side, nearly motionless on the concrete in the hot African sun. He pays very little attention to what’s going on around him. No matter, as the children and caretakers also pay him little attention.

But I notice him, and, once again, my heart is broken. He’s wearing nothing below the waste, and his tattered shirt is soiled with urine. His bald head betrays a history of severe malnutrition; his lack of attention to the people around him tells volumes about a likely pattern of neglect in his first years of life.

I reach down and take the little boy in my arms, forcing myself to ignore my aversion to him in his state. He looks up at me like he doesn’t know how to think of me. Who is this white person? Another new face… What is he doing here?

I don’t even know if I have the answers to his questions.

And speaking of questions…

“Excuse me,” I say to a volunteer – a college student in a nearby town spending three weeks helping at Nsambya. “What is this boy’s name?” I ask. But she doesn’t know. He’s new.

“Do you have any clothes for him?”

She rustles through a pile of donated clothes and finds a pair of old shorts. They’re too big – falling off of him – so she gets a pair of pants. They’re also too big, and they’re pink, but you know what they say about beggars… She finds a clean, pink shirt to match.

I find one of the caretakers and ask again, “What is this boy’s name?”

“We don’t know,” she says. The police found the boy on Saturday, she says, and brought him to Nsambya. It’s Monday today; he’s only been here in this strange place for two days.

No wonder he doesn’t react. If I were him, I don’t think I’d know what to make of this strange world either… Maybe he’d cried all his tears long ago. A sad thought, considering he can’t be more than two years old.

I hold him a while longer and then give him to my wife, Kirsten, and go to play a more raucous game of tag with some of the older kids. She lovingly takes him and holds him.

Bath and potty time… The caretakers gather the children together into a large “bathroom.” They bathe them and set them all onto plastic potties to do their duty. But once again they’ve forgotten the boy. The kind volunteer I met earlier takes him aside to a small basin and bathes him in the sun.

Time for us to leave… As we make our way out of the building, we pass by the bathroom. Just around the corner inside the room is the boy, once more alone, this time sitting naked on a potty, looking down with no one attending him. We touch his head – a final attempt at a loving connection.

It’s the last time we will see him, except in our pictures…

Getting To Know You (Day 1 – Kampala)

2010-01-29T09:19:00.001-08:00

I love newness. Change, transition, new people, new cultures, new animals, new sites and sounds… That’s why I love traveling, particularly to places I’ve never been before.

Monday morning, we woke early to a symphony of sounds – birds I’d never heard before, a call to a Muslim prayer service, roosters that I swear forgot to set their clocks back in the fall because the sun isn’t even close to cresting over the horizon.

25 hours travel the day before didn’t exactly leave us feeling wide- eyed and bushy-tailed, but we were excited to be there and awoke willingly. Pulling my mosquito net aside, I braced myself for everything ahead of me. Two orphanages and a new culture to discover, not to mention so many new things to take in with my full range of senses...

First thing, Suzy and Shawn got out of the 24- bed dorm and into their own rooms. Shawn actually took the double room next to me to share with Joseph when he arrived, while Suzy shacked up in Suzanne’s suite. Then off to a hearty breakfast, where we would be sharing the dining room with the Red Chilli’s two oversized (no – fat) dogs, which were lying around lazily on the floor.

Breakfast was fantastic, albeit a little slow coming. Ugandan pancakes (which are actually slightly tweaked Danish pancakes, or larger, thicker crepes), passion fruit juice (“100% pure fruit juice, with sucrose added”) and fruit plates, which included watermelon, passion fruit (which was good, because I didn’t know exactly what a passion fruit was) and some of the best pineapple I’ve ever had.

While the others were getting their things into the car to head out into the city, I took a moment to try and spot some monkeys in the trees. I had been told that there were monkeys. No luck. Try again tomorrow…

Driving into the city, several things struck me. First, the red dirt. Everything in Uganda is tinged an ochre red color. And, being the dry season, dusty…

Second, the birds. They’re everywhere. And not just small, colorful ones like I imagined in an equatorial country. (Note – Equatorial is not the same as tropical. Uganda is not tropical; it’s sub-Saharan bush. Warm year-round, but more like a beautiful lush desert than an island paradise.) Of course, there were small birds all around. I particularly liked the little black and white “love birds” that would fly everywhere in twos and “snuggle” when they landed on a power line. What really captured me, though, was the HUGE Marabou Storks. They’re 2-3 feet tall with long skinny legs and enormous beak, and they’re EVERYWHERE! In trees, on street lamps, rooftops and, of course, circling in the sky.

I’m told the storks are Uganda’s natural garbage disposal, eating everything people toss aside – food, paper, whatever. Which brings me to my next observation – the garbage. In my experience, most people tossed their garbage aside rather than finding a garbage can. Come to think of it, I don’t think I saw more than a handful of garbage cans the entire week. This was tough for me to take, and I took every opportunity to silently pick up after others when they tossed aside garbage in my presence. (More on that later…)

Next was the traffic. Lots of traffic, although I discovered later in the week that this traffic was nothing. And people walking through the traffic – salesmen, pedestrians and even children. Right down the middle of the road at times, asking for food.

And bikes… It’s amazing how much stuff – big, bulky stuff - people can carry on their bikes and motorcycles (called “boda bodas,” or “bodas” for short).

And the women carrying things on their heads… Not just little things, mind you. Big things, balanced with incredible dexterity right on top. Amazing…

**************

Our first stop on day 1 was the bank, to exchange our U.S. bills for Ugandan. This was relatively uneventful, if you don’t count the security guy standing guard outside the bank with a shotgun. A bit shocking at first, but you get used to it, as most of the guards and police officers have guns (usually large ones, often AK-47s or other machine guns) in their arms.

Back to the bank… Exchanging U.S. money for Ugandan is simple – give them a few U.S. bills and they give you lots and lots of Ugandan ones. The exchange rate is roughly 1 U.S. dollar to 2000 Ugandan schillings. It gets confusing sometimes when you’re dealing in hundreds of U.S. dollars to talk about millions of schillings, but we weren’t dealing with that amount of money at one time very often, so it wasn’t too bad.

Having exchanged our money, we were ready to dive headfirst into our Ugandan orphan experience.

Next up – a heartbreaking visit to Nsambya Babies Home in Kampala…

Giving a Sandwich, Getting a Life

2010-01-27T23:14:00.001-08:00

My first brush with poverty was unexpected…

The drive from Entebbe airport to the Red Chilli hostel in Kampala was full of interesting things to take in. More than anything, I felt the fascination of a new place, breathed the equatorial air and absorbed what little I could see in the midnight surroundings. At first I wished it were light, then I realized how much of it would have been lost on me anyway, that maybe it was a blessing to be offered only a fraction of what there was to absorb that first night.

Still, there are things I remember… The dim lights in the countless shops that were nothing more than shacks with a few shelves on the wall. The people – men, women, children – that apparently didn’t sleep at night. The rolling hills. President Museveni’s new home in Kampala standing in sharp contrast to the conditions in which so many of his people live, even in Kampala, which is relatively opulent compared to the North. The palm trees. The sprawling city. The stickiness… Our kind driver, Kiganda – an endless fountain of knowledge!

As we made our way through the sprawling city, our “hunger” got the best of us, and we pulled out our snacks. The others hadn’t appreciated the curry chicken salad sandwiches from the last flight and had stashed them away in their bags. I didn’t think they were so bad, so I took one of them. I hadn’t taken two bites when we found ourselves stopped at one of the two traffic lights in Kampala facing a beautiful little girl and her even younger sister reaching up to our open window asking for food. Suddenly, I didn’t feel so hungry. She took the sandwich and some other snacks with a smile and a thank you.

With a half-eaten sandwich, I had somehow purchased a piece of my soul that I hadn’t known was missing…

Processing - part 2...

2010-01-26T10:22:00.000-08:00

Funny how the emotion of such a heavy experience can catch up to you at completely unexpected times... I'm doing my best to keep it together at work today and focus on the task at hand. So much to do! :\

Red Chilli Hostel

2010-01-25T22:19:00.001-08:00

Red dirt, mosquito nets, great breakfasts, bohemian culture, goats, dogs, geckos in the showers and early wake up calls from a million exotic birds… That is the Red Chili. It was a good touch-down for the first couple of nights, in Kampala!

It didn’t start out so hot, though… 25 hours of air travel and an exciting drive through the city in the middle of the night will do more than prepare a group of 30-something travelers for sleep. It might just get them a little cranky. So it’s no surprise that our first thought was something like “You’ve got to be kidding me,” when we find out that they didn’t have enough rooms for us upon our arrival.

Suzy and Shawn were troopers but none-too-happy about taking a couple of beds in a dorm with a bunch of traveling girls already asleep in the room. Nothing a good night’s sleep won’t take care of, though. They gave us another room in the morning, which Shawn shared with Joseph (more on him later). Suzy shacked up in Suzanne’s room on night two.

Among other things, I’ll remember the Red Chilli as the place I discovered Ugandan pancakes, our morning staple for the remainder of the week. I introduced them to our boys this morning. I think they will become a permanent part of our breakfast repertoire in the Carson house…

I’ll also remember Red Chilli as the place I first saw a Jack Fruit. I haven’t yet had one, but I’m told they taste like Pineapple, but not as sweet and with seeds. They look pretty funky on the tree – kind of like giant green knobby warts, often growing right near the trunk and larger branches…

Processing

2010-01-25T20:44:00.001-08:00

After 30 hours of travel – from Entebbe to Heathrow to O’Hare and finally to SeaTac airport – we’re finally home from our week in Uganda. Already, I’ve been asked several times how it was, and I can’t for the life of me decide how to answer that question. “Great!” truthfully doesn’t even come close to describing “how it was.” Beautiful, horrifying, sad, productive, hard, exciting, frightening, hot, sticky, life-changing, too short, long enough, expanding, unsettling, exhilarating, shocking, encouraging, fulfilling, frustrating, touching, edifying… These would all be appropriate words to describe the experience.

Truth be told, I’m tired, and I have a lot of processing to do in the coming days/weeks/months. To experience so much in so short a time leaves me feeling a bit overwhelmed. Like this picture of a Ugandan girl picking tiny stones out of a pile of rice, I need to sort through the last 10 days piece by piece until I can truly process all that there is to take away from the experience. And, even then, I have a feeling I’ll be discovering new ways it has changed me many times over in the future.

Stick with me, and I’ll share my experiences as I fill in the blanks, piece by piece, story by story, picture by picture…

Creativity

2010-01-05T15:47:00.001-08:00

"Anonymous" made a comment today that (s)he has a hard time keeping up on blogging because of the need to feel like what (s)he writes is creative and interesting. I'm with ya, Anon. I usually hold back from writing until I feel like I have something really interesting to say. Not sure that's the point, though, is it? Maybe a blog is just a dialogue with the rest of the world about life - creating interactions for mutual enlightenment...

Of course, my K last night made a comment about how my blog needs to be more interesting. She compared me to CJane (who I suspect has more time to put into her blog than I do), who she said is much more interesting. Of course, after reading CJane's blog, I can't disagree. Her blog is WAY more interesting to read than mine. :\

Hmmm... Maybe I should hold off writing again until I think of something more creative to post about...

Nah.

Dialogue

2010-01-04T21:02:00.000-08:00

So, I mentioned on my Facebook page that I want to become a more prolific writer. It's actually one of my goals for 2010 -- "Write more, starting with my blog." My problem is that I often have a hard time thinking of things to write about. That's why I asked people to send me questions to answer. You know, make it more of a dialogue, rather than just me spewing forth my many nuggets of wisdom and brilliance. ;)

Here goes nothin'...

Juliana Hind asks: "What does prolific mean to you?"

You'd think this would be an easy question, but not so much. It means I actually have to put a stake in the ground and commit to some level of prolificity (yeah, I know, that's not a word -- not a problem). Problem is, that would also imply that I've given it that much thought, which of course I have... not. Actually, I've given it a lot of thought, but this is one of those things that I've gone back and forth on so many times that I somewhat doubt my own ability to stay consistent. In other words, I've recommitted myself to writing so many times and then fell away from it that I wonder how long I'll last this time??

So, parenthetical question... How many of you have tried to change something over and over and over again, only to continually fall back into the same old habits you're trying to change? If your answer to that question is "not me!" then either I seriously doubt your grasp on reality, or I really admire your sticktoitedness. In any case, I'll probably write about this again sometime (changing things in our personal lives), but not today. For now, I just want to know how you've gone about changing something about yourself that you struggled for a long time to change and then, finally, succeeded? How'd you do it? What was different about it that last time?

Anyway (which, according to all my old high school friends used to mean "go to that hot place down under" -- and I don't mean Australia), back to the question... What do I mean by prolific? What am I willing to commit myself to this year? How about 2-3 posts a week to start with? If I do more than that, great! It'll be easier if y'all engage in a dialogue with me, so help me out! Answer my questions, and ask me more! Be creative! I'll try to answer as many questions as I can, whether I have any clue about the subject or not. :)

Could be interesting...

Well-Paired Team

2009-12-03T08:14:00.000-08:00

I saw this poem this morning, by Orson Scott Card (author of the Ender's Game series - one of my favorites), about marriage. Given recent discussions we've had in a marriage and family class I'm in at church, this seems very appropriate. And reminds me how grateful I am for my K.

Well Paired Team
By Orson Scott Card

You don't arrive at marriage, lonely hearts.
The wedding's where the lifelong journey starts,
Forced to travel with a clumsy fool
Or trot along behind a receding dream
(You had to stop and help me when I tripped,
While you would never stick to my passionate script),
Using one another like an ill-made tool,
Like ox and antelope yoked in a single team.
And yet ... somehow, together, we managed to pull
An empty cart straight uphill;
And look -- the creaking, rickety thing is full
Of crockery, old rags, a child or two.

At the start, knowing nothing, we said "I will,"
And now look at all the things I made with you,
All our baggage, all our breakage, art
By unskilled artisans, yet beautiful,
Yours and mine, no matter how peculiar;
New and strange, no matter how familiar.
Some passages were merely dutiful.
Who could know, on our ignorant starting day
That, pulling such a long and weary way,
The man, the woman, strangers side by side,
Would end the trek inside each other's heart,
Trading forgiveness and repentances,
Finishing each other's sentences,
Only to be stranded,
The team -- for now at least -- disbanded.
Now we see how all the road maps lied:
Our destination was the yoke we shared,
Badly at first, but by the end well paired.
And only when you died did I leave my home
And pointlessly, empty-carted, roam.
You don't arrive at marriage, lonely hearts.
The wedding's where the lifelong journey starts.

The meaning of happiness

2009-09-25T21:31:00.000-07:00

Question: Is it possible for a human to have a fullness of happiness when there are other human beings in the world who are suffering in unimaginable ways?

Answer: "The opposite of love is not hate, it's indifference." (Elie Wiesel, Nobel Peace Prize winner, 1986) You can achieve true happiness in this world, but not when you're acting out the opposite of love; not at the expense of empathy for the real suffering of God's children - no matter what form that suffering takes. It's counter to God's plan. Love, sacrifice, service, faith, empathy for others = charity = the pure love of Christ = true happiness.

Over the past year, I've read a few books on child soldiers in Sierra Leone and Northern Uganda. At first, I was satisfied to have opened my eyes to the tragedy that is a part of so many people's lives there. Then K and I became friends with a couple - Suzy and Shawn - that did more than read about it. They were doing something to make life better for these people. Suzy had already gone to Uganda twice to serve in orphanages and Internal Displaced Persons (IDP) camps, and was making plans to start up a non-profit aimed at sponsoring the education of orphaned children.

After spending an evening editing an executive summary document for her, everything changed for me. That small investment changed something within me, and I knew I could no longer sit on the sidelines doing nothing but read books and feel bad for these people. I knew I had to be a part of it in a significant way. And that's how life changes in an instant...

Now, I'm a member of the board of directors of African Promise Foundation. We buy products from widowed women, often with AIDS (this helps the women feed themselves and their families; right now it's necklaces and bracelets made out of beads crafted from recycled paper) and sell them for a profit back home in the States. We then feed that profit back into the widows' community to sponsor orphans' education and build a healthy, thriving community around them. It's a simple model - one we hope will ultimately be easily replicable in many communities. And one of my favorite parts about it is that the hero of the story is the women who make the necklaces. Through the wealth created by their own handiwork, their children and their communities will have a brighter present and future.

I'm so excited to be a part of this! This is world-changing work... One person, one community at a time. APF started because of a promise Suzy made to a man named Tiger in an IDP camp in Northern Uganda. I can't wait to one day (hopefully soon) go to Uganda, hold the children for myself and make my own promise to them to do what I can to rally people here who are so privileged to ease their suffering.

Bing "Northern Uganda" to learn more.

"Living Proof" ad

2009-09-25T18:45:00.000-07:00

Love this new ad from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation...

Fishing for Pink

2009-09-14T07:08:00.000-07:00

Ah... What a great way to spend a Saturday morning! Fishing for pink salmon on a beautiful misty morning. I had 5 or 6 on my line, but unfortunately, only brought one in. Here it is - about 3 lbs/20 or so inches. My biggest catch!

Dangers of Social Media

2009-09-01T13:11:00.000-07:00

My buddy Greg shared some comments on digital social media that I think are worth reading. For all the benefits of modern digital media -- particularly on the social networking front -- there are tradeoffs as well.

I've read the article he's referring to by Elder Bednar... It's definitely worth considering whether you're letting the digital world detract from the real-life interactions and relationships that strengthen both you and others. I know I've made my own digital media cutbacks in recent months to ensure I'm focusing my attention on the relationships and things that matter most.

Slurping Watermelon

2009-08-29T08:12:00.001-07:00

The activity committee for the family reunion worked hard to make sure everyone had plenty to keep them busy and having a good time. Uncle Andrew (the one with the wet face) won this time. Here are a few of my favorite shots from the contest... Lest you wonder, I toned down most of the colors in the pictures, except for the watermelon (and Mel's hair and Andrew's eyes)...

Melanie...

O slurping...

Sweet victory...

Up up and away

2009-08-26T22:28:00.000-07:00

On the last day of the family reunion in Ashton, in celebration of Steve's 60th birthday, we inflated 60 helium balloons and let them go outside the cabin. It was beautiful to watch them float away and, in a way, say a happier "goodbye" to Steve. Looking back, it was also a nice last memory with Grandpa Sorensen...

The Cabin

2009-08-22T20:17:00.000-07:00

Couple of cabin pics from vacation...

4-Wheelin'

2009-08-22T20:14:00.000-07:00

Couple of pics of D 4-wheelin' on Uncle Curtis' quad at the cabin in Ashton... I was on the back. :)

Peaceful Grandpa

2009-08-22T20:02:00.000-07:00

Kirsten's brother Jon took this photo of Grandpa Sorensen at the cabin a couple of days before he passed. I edited it a bit... Thanks for the pic, Jon.

Goodbye Grandpa Sorensen...

2009-08-22T19:37:00.001-07:00

It's been a tough couple of months... First we lost Steve (Kirsten's dad), then Steve's father and Kirsten's grandpa, Bert Sorensen. I'll always remember him for the constant smile on his face and his example of endless service to others. We got to spend some quality time with him just before he died at the family reunion in Idaho, where he told stories about the family's beginnings and about Steve when he was young. We'll miss him a lot.

-------------------------------

Bert Sorensen
Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Bert Ray Sorensen, 81, a longtime Winslow resident, died on Aug. 12, 2009, while traveling in Salt Lake City, Utah. He was born in Heber City, Utah, on July 31, 1928, to loving parents Ingbert "Bert" and Mary Ellen Ash Sorensen.

Growing up in Blackfoot, Idaho, Mr. Sorensen loved camping, fishing and scouting, earning the rank of Eagle Scout. He was married to Raeola Johnson, the love of his life, in 1947, and the young couple moved to Arizona. He managed a dairy on the PZ Ranch near Winkleman and later worked in Phoenix on a wholesale milk route. In 1961, Mr. Sorensen purchased a small wholesale and retail distributorship and moved his family to Winslow.

The relentless hard work and struggles did not diminish the satisfaction he found in owning and running his own business and providing for his family. Though spare time was precious, Mr. Sorensen managed to carry out many church responsibilities, and was well-known in the community for his generosity and service to others.

After retiring, he and Mrs. Sorensen fulfilled a lifelong dream by serving two missions to the Philippine Islands for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In his retirement, he continued to provide volunteer service to AARP, the Winslow Senior Center, Meals on Wheels, the Winslow Historical Society and Old Trails Museum.

He was loved as a husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother, uncle and friend.

Mr. Sorensen is survived by his wife of 62 years, Raeola; children Susan and Doran Bryson of Austin, Texas, Mareen Sorensen of Provo, Utah, Andrea and Darwin Rhoton of Eager, Douglas and Dawn Sorensen of Glendale, Gwen and George Higginson of Berrnuda, and Jean and Kimm Zufelt of Winslow; 31 grandchildren; 40 great-grandchildren; numerous nieces and nephews; sisters Joyce Willyerd, Kathryn Ethington, Anne Reber and Renae Chase; and brothers James Sorensen and Sanford Sorensen.

He was preceded in death by his son, Steven Sorensen.

Ashton Pics

2009-08-22T19:22:00.000-07:00

I know I've been completely off the radar lately... It's been crazy since Kirsten's dad died. She went back to Utah and Idaho with the boys for a month to keep her mom company, and then I met up with her for a week and a half in Ashton, Idaho, at the family cabin for a family reunion. Upon my return, I started into a new position at work, so working hard to ramp up.

Below are a few of the pictures I took while looking around for a place to take family photos at the reunion... It's beautiful there; wish we could spend more time at the cabin...

Stopped Counting after 10...

2009-07-21T22:51:00.000-07:00

I have to start this post by saying that fly fishing is not about how many fish you catch or how big they were. It's about pitting yourself against nature and enjoying the great outdoors and relaxing to the cast, etc. But, when you're a newbie flyfisher like me, there's something to be said for having a killer evening on the river. That was tonight... I went out in the late afternoon expecting not to catch much, if anything, because they usually don't start rising until around 9:15 or so. But, almost as soon as I cast off my fly, I started ripping them out of the water. Not big, but plenty of them to make up for it! I did grab a couple of 14 inchers, though -- all rainbows...

The bad part of having such a good time fishing, though, is that I spent a couple hours more doing it than I'd planned. I'd hoped to get a long night of sleep in after working for a while, but alas, no such luck. Even now, I still have some work to do before a couple of meetings tomorrow. Ugh...

Finger Fly

2009-07-21T07:39:00.000-07:00

This weekend, I went on part of the super activity with our young men to Olympic National Park. I had to take off early to be back to work today and thought I'd take in a little flyfishing on my way out of the park. Unfortunately, I had a little mishap before I got to actually fish. Thought I'd share...

The nice doctor at Clini-Care in Port Angeles got it out for me and taught me how to do it next time. Fun stuff...

Faint Not...

2009-06-12T22:32:00.000-07:00

OK, so we've all been there, right? You get on your knees and start praying after a long day only to find yourself opening your eyes two hours later and your knees are sore as anything... I can remember all too well many a night like that on my mission. :) Well, our little Rudiber was the sleeper tonight. I said the family prayer and apparently waxed on a little too long for the little guy...

I better go get him into bed or his knees will be sore... ;)

Steve Sorensen (1949-2009)

2009-06-02T13:43:00.000-07:00

We lost my father-in-law on Friday evening after a long battle with pulmonary fibrosis. He had already long outlived the predictions for the disease, but he only ended up with one year after receiving his lung transplant last year. We all expected more... Last Tuesday, K's mom called us all down to Stanford Medical Center, where he was in the ICU. We flew down early Wednesday to be with them; everyone (all 7 siblings and most spouses) were able to be there and with him as he passed. We were able to speak to him and provide support to his dear wife as she made some really tough decisions. In the end, the experience of his passing was deeply moving and sacred to all of us (each in our own way, I'm sure), so I won't go into detail here.

I'm not even going to try to capture all that Steve meant to me in this post. He was another father to me and an unfailing friend. I feel his absence deeply. I had the privilege of helping compile his obituary (largely written by his sweet mother and a long-time friend at work), which ran today in the Deseret News and other papers here and in Arizona and Idaho. I've pasted it below as well.

While I'm deeply saddened by the separation, I know that he's returned home to a better place where he doesn't have to suffer through the malidies of mortality, that we'll be together again as a family in the presence of our Heavenly Father and that he'll be resurrected with a perfect and glorified body when that time comes. Because of this, the "sting of death" is lessoned, replaced by comfort and peace.

Steven Ray Sorensen was born Oct. 18, 1949, in Mesa, AZ, to Bert and Raeola Sorensen. His early years were spent at the P.Z. Ranch near Winkelman, AZ. By age five, his family had located to Phoenix, AZ; and at age 14 to Winslow, AZ, where Steve graduated from Winslow High School in 1967.
Steve began college at Northern Arizona University on a music scholarship. He interrupted his education to serve as an LDS missionary in the Kentucky/ Tennessee mission. After his mission, he continued his education at Ricks College in Rexburg, ID, and later at Brigham Young University in Provo, UT, where he earned a B.S. in history and a M.S. in library science.
Steve's greatest loves were his family, LDS church history and fishing a dry fly. In 1974, Steve married Mareen Peterson in the LDS temple in Provo. In 1980, he began a distinguished career as an archivist for the church, serving many years as the Director of Church Archives, a stimulating job that took him to many areas of the world. Steve's significant contributions to the preservation of the church's history were acknowledged by many, including the Mormon History Association, which awarded him its highest distinction in 2006. At the time of his death, he was an editor of the Joseph Smith Papers.
Steve's earthly life ended May 29, 2009, at the Stanford University Medical Center in Palo Alto, CA, where he had been a lung-transplant recipient following a long battle with pulmonary fibrosis. He slipped quietly away surrounded by his wife and seven children.
Steve is survived by his wife Mareen; seven children, Dane (Cassandra), Kirsten (Jason) Carson, Andrew (Merilee), Ernest (Melanie), Jon, Annikka (Jason) Fluckiger, Curtis (Emily); 11 grandchildren; five siblings Douglas, Susan Bryson, Andrea Rhoton, Gwen Higginson, Jean Zufelt; and his parents.
Steve's family wishes to thank the doctors and nurses at the Stanford University Medical Center, including the Heart and Lung Transplant team, as well as Dr. Tracy Hill in Provo, UT, who worked tirelessly to allow Steve to spend more precious time with his family and loved ones.
Funeral services will be held on Thursday, June 4, at 11 a.m., at the Sharon East Stake Center at 1060 E. 2400 N., Provo, UT. Public viewings will be held on Wednesday, 6-8 p.m., at the Sundberg-Olpin Mortuary, at 495 S. State, Orem, UT; and preceding the funeral service at 9:45-10:45 a.m. Interment will be at the Pineview Cemetery, on Highway 47 in Ashton, ID, on Saturday, June 6, at noon. Condolences at www.sundbergolpinmortuary.com.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Coalition for Pulmonary Fibrosis, http://www.coalitionforpf.org/cpf_contribute.php.

Father-in-law not doing so hot

2009-05-26T12:17:00.000-07:00

Steve's hit what may be his last major bump in the road after his lung transplant last year, and we're heading down to visit him in Stanford/Palo Alto tomorrow morning early. That's where he got his transplant and where he's in ICU.

Prayers are appreciated...

Me & Mom Day

2009-05-24T10:12:00.000-07:00

I had a delightful day yesterday with my mom in Seattle. As a Mother's Day present, I took her to take pictures in the city (we went to Queen Anne, Fremont and Pike Place Market), to dinner (at the 5 Spot -- a place on Queen Anne I learned about from an offsite with my team at work) and to the Mariners/Giants game. After the game, we trekked back up to Queen Anne for some night shots of the city. In all, I have a great mom, and it was fun to spend the afternoon/evening with her. Thanks, Mom! Here are some photos from the day:

(Hi-res version on my photo blog...)

We is Friends

2009-05-21T13:06:00.000-07:00

I'm not usually a fan of cat humor, but this gave me a chuckle today...

2009-05-19T22:25:00.000-07:00

So... Here you are... So cruel and unbending, stark, stubborn and completely unopen to persuasion... You have no heart, not a single ounce of compassion or empathy... You pop up out of nowhere; don't even give me a warning shot across the bow before you dive straight in and take me down. You blame me completely before even giving me a chance to make good and avoid such harsh judgment... You don't even know me and still you treat me like some criminal.

I feel so judged...

I hate parking tickets.

Triscadecaversary

2009-05-04T15:26:00.000-07:00

13 – is it unlucky?

Maybe for you, but not for me.
Not right now, not today.
‘Cause 13 years ago I heard her say,
“I do.”

13 years, with my sweetheart by
my side. Today’s the day alright.
Hard to believe… No big limelight.
But I feel dang lucky when my head’s on right.

And when it’s not, well… I gotta admit,
I’m pretty darn blessed to end up with
A woman with heart and enough patience
To stick with me. Let’s face it…

I’m just glad she said, “I do.”
13 years ago…

I love you babe. Thanks for making me

so much cooler than I am alone. ;)

Birds

2009-04-26T20:31:00.000-07:00

Can you remember how much fun it was to go to a park or beach and find a big flock of birds? Well, my boys will certainly be boys, like this trip to Idylwood Park back in December. Birds were everywhere, and my boys were in heaven... Check these out...

Shadows

2009-04-25T22:05:00.000-07:00

I love this shot of S. I have it on my photo blog, but had to post it here for those who don't check there very often... :)

Blue Eyes

2009-04-25T21:57:00.000-07:00

Took this the other day at the park up in Maple Ridge... I love little O's blue eyes!

Interfacelift

2009-04-15T09:16:00.000-07:00

For those of you wallpaper fanatics who haven't yet discovered Interfacelift, check it out. There are daily additions to its growing store of high-resolution wallpapers to fit most monitor sizes (including wide- and dual-screen). Most are nature or travel-oriented, and I've never seen anything questionnable. The best part, though, is that you can sign up for an RSS feed that delivers all new photos matching your monitor size directly to your inbox. Very cool!
Here are some of my more recent favorites:

Fits and Starts

2009-04-15T08:36:00.000-07:00

Those of you who read my blog with any degree of regularity have a pretty good feel for what my journal has looked like for the last, oh, 28 years... Ever since I started keeping one, I've gone in fits and starts in keeping it up. I'll get really excited or inspired to do it and go in to it all gung ho only to fizzle out a week later. I don't know what it is about journaling... Thing is, it's translated over into blogging as well. In fact, I've been more consistent with my blog than I have with my own journal (scary, isn't it?).

So, I'm starting again. And since my lovely K likes to remind me that no one wants to read a novel when they're blog-surfing, I'll try and keep them shorter, starting now. :)

Aha! Moments

2009-03-12T10:38:00.000-07:00

Have you ever had one of those days where it seems like every step you take, you're having another "Aha!" moment? Times when something clicks about yourself -- either through feedback from someone else or from simple self realization? It's now 10:39 a.m., and I've already had several of those this morning... I'm excited, because they're clear enough in my mind that I see how improving myself in these areas will bring me both more peace and greater confidence. So, here's my list:

Simplify! Elder L. Tom Perry (an apostle) gave a great talk in the Oct. 2008 General Conference about simplifying our lives. I've been thinking about this lately and (to be honest) procrastinated acting on it a bit, knowing that I was going to be laid up around the house for a week after my surgery. But I need to do this...
Be engaged/present wherever I am. Sometimes I'm distracted by the temptation to multi-task -- at home and at work. I need to stop doing that and pay more attention to what's in front of me.
Process in advance as much as possible. I'm a "processor," so I often need time to internalize info and consider the factors involved before responding. The "aha" for me today is that I can ask for meeting materials in advance and do a lot of my processing ahead of time, instead of after the meeting. Then I can contribute more on-the-spot.
I don't have to have all the answers. I've been told this before, but for some reason, when I heard this today from my client, it resonated in a different way. There are a lot of people who have put time and effort into finding great solutions to the same (or similar) tough problems that we face today. Ask for time to go back and consult with others rather than thinking I have to know it all to be valuable. :)
Ask for feedback more often. I'm always amazed at how empowering it feels to receive honest feedback about how I'm doing. If I'm blind to my gaps, I can't progress. But with knowledge, I can take action.

I hope this is helpful to someone else. But if not, it's still helpful to write it down for my own benefit. :) I'm sure I'll have more "aha's" as the day goes on. It's just that kind of day!

Catching up, post-op

2009-03-01T08:57:00.000-08:00

Sometimes I amaze myself. No seriously - I amaze myself with how unpredictable I can be with journal-keeping. Both the hard-copy kind (and actual journal) as well as the online kind (blogging). No doubt anyone who tracked my blog has pretty much written me off at this point. The good news is that anyone who uses RSS feeds will get my posts whether or not they actively track my blog. :)

In any case, I have quite a bit more time on my hands for the next few days, thanks to doctor's orders to stay off my feet and in this "continual passive movement" (CPM) machine for most of the day for the week after my surgery. So, let me take a step back... (Warning: If you have a weak stomach, you may not want to read about my surgery/recovery below.)

On Friday morning, I had my right knee (ACL specifically) reconstructed. I may post the two minutes of video sometime that my doc gave me after the surgery, for those of you who get a kick out of the blood and guts thing. Truth be told, there was no blood in sight in the video -- everything was white (kind of like chicken). Kind of strange... Anyway, thanks to a priesthood blessing on Wednesday evening (thank you, Derek and Luis), lots of prayers by me and others and a highly referred and skilled doctor (Dr. Bruce Rolfes, at the KneeFootAnkle Center in Kirkland, for those of you who may need his services someday), the surgery went very well. I was in the office by 6:15 a.m. and out by 10:45 a.m., loopy from the oxycodone (i.e., Percusset) and on my way home. Kirsten -- bless her heart -- waited for me the whole time in the surgery center waiting room, despite being bored out of her mind.

I was really nervous the 30 minutes before the surgery. The anesthesiologist had explained to me that he would be "blocking" my leg, which would essentially make it numb for about 18-20 hours. When he explained the process, I wasn't excited (to say the least). Put a big needle in, feel around for the right place, then inject and pull back out to make sure they didn't strike an artery or something. He told me I wouldn't remember anything, but frankly, I didn't want to be conscious of it in the moment either.

When they finally brought me back, it was different than when I had my first surgery 19 years ago. Before, they brought me into a dimly lit pre-op waiting area and put me under. This time, they brought me straight into the bright operating room and had me lay down on the table. They covered me in a sheet and a plastic bubble-wrap like blanket that had warm air flowing through it (makes a VERY efficient heat blanket!), and started chatting me up about how it happened, where I work, etc., while the anesthesiologist put the IV in. The last thing I remember, I was chatting away. Next thing I know, I'm waking up in the recovery room, stuck for a while in an almost-awake state and sounding really silly to the nurse, I'm sure. They helped me get dressed, get into a wheelchair and head out to the waiting room with Kirsten. They gave me my meds, put me in the car, and off we went. All done...

When I got home, Kirsten set me up on the couch downstairs with my ice machine and my CPM machine, a blanket, lots of pillows, my XBOX controller and TV remote, a book, my meds, water, something to eat, etc. And that pretty much describes the last two days since returning home. Two straight days of reading, games, movies and tv shows (Jericho and the latest episode of Heroes, to be exact) and dozing. To be honest, I'm starting to go a little stir-crazy. Kind of dull to think that I have five more days ahead of me like this. Ugh...

Good news is that I'm progressing very well. The doc last night was pleased that I had gotten myself to 90 degrees mobility already, and that I've tapered off the Oxycodone a bit (one every six hours instead of 1-2 every four hours). I took my dressing off and took a shower this morning, as all was well there. Not TOO swollen and everything was dry...

So there you go... I'm on my way back. I've been surprised that the pain has been less than I anticipated. I'm pretty sure it will get worse, though, as I start rehab. (I get to start riding the stationary bike today or tomorrow -- 30 minutes a day). But I'm determined to work hard to get back to good in as short a time as possible while doing right by the knee.

Before I close out this post, I have to give a shout out to my wonderful wife, who has so selflessly taken care of my every need these last two days (and will continue to do so for much of this week). I love and appreciate her more than I can say.

As for the blog... I'll try to post more this week than I have in the past couple of months, which should be easy. ;) I also have a ton of photos that I can post. Both the older boys started basketball, I went on a snow campout last weekend with the scouts, and lots of other events. Till later...

"Stop" Flowchart

2009-02-10T14:57:00.000-08:00

For all those geeks out there...

A projector phone?? I want one...

2009-02-09T15:49:00.000-08:00

Video: Samsung Show W7900 projector phone

Too bad it's not running Windows Mobile! ;)

DAANG!

2009-02-03T23:07:00.001-08:00

I am soo out of it - it's not even funny. I was out of commission for a while with a little work project thingy (ok, not so little a thing -- I was helping plan/implementing Microsoft's first company-wide layoff). Not the most enjoyable part of HR by any stretch of the imagination... But that's behind us now, and I'm slowly getting back into the swing of things. I will start blogging again -- I promise!

Moments Earlier...

2009-01-12T21:24:00.001-08:00

In the Bat Cave... (This is how I first found him.)

Finger Pickin' Good!

2009-01-12T21:14:00.001-08:00

Ah... You gotta love when you catch Batman pickin' his nose! :)

Knee Woes

2009-01-12T10:38:00.000-08:00

Well - it finally happened... I got the results back from my MRI on my right knee (i.e., previously known as my "good knee") last week and chatted with my physical therapist. It seems that I have a nasty little tear in my ACL (OK - it's completely torn off) along with some lovely medial meniscal damage.

Looks like I have another ACL reconstruction in my future... Ever since I found out about it last week, I've been having lots of flash backs to high school. Hobbling around on crutches... Leg muscles becoming severely atrophied... The good news is that they have a better procedure these days, stealing from your hamstring rather than from your patelar tendon (which came with a longer recovery and not-so-pleasant long-term pain when I kneel on anything hard).

Now, if I could only get things to settle down a little at work, I might actually have time to see an ortho doc about it! Ugh...

Christmas Day

2009-01-10T13:58:00.000-08:00

Christmas was good at the Carson home. We had told the boys that we wouldn't get up before 6 a.m., so you can imagine what happened at 6. First, D came in early, to no avail. Then, a couple minutes later, O came pouncing into the room with a look of excitement only a 3-year-old can display, yelling at full voice, "It's Christmas! Santa came! Get up!" What parent can resist that?? So, off we went to enjoy the Christmas morning revelries! See for yourself...

A white Christmas!!! I don't remember very many of these growing up around here...

"I told you Santa would bring me a Zune!!"

Digging into the stockings...

Peekaboo through the GeoTrax track that Santa set up...

Mayhem...

Santa always brings a Life Saver book for the stockings.

Every time O opened something, he said ecstatically, "Just what I wanted!!"

D got something he didn't ask for, but he loved it. A remote control helicopter. It turned out to be one of the biggest hits of the day.

O played with his new GeoTrax from Mommy most of the day. He liked the track Santa put together for him...

Comin' through!!

Lots of new games this year! We had fun playing them during our 5 "man days" while K went to visit her family in Utah.

The aftermath...

Will the snow ever stop???

Christmas Eve

2009-01-10T13:29:00.000-08:00

Catching up from the holidays... We had a fantastic Christmas Eve, with a lot of our family at our house for a nice sit-down dinner. We broke out the Lips game for the XBOX and it turned out to be the hit of the party. We ended the night with every family sharing a favorite song or story. My mom read the first chapter of "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever" and gave everyone a copy to finish with their kids at home. Several others played songs on the guitar and piano. While we listened and enjoyed the peace of the experience, we ate cheesecake and then called it a night so the kids could all get home in time for Santa to make his much-anticipated stops... :) Here are some pics of the evening:

I'm Still Alive!

2009-01-07T17:27:00.001-08:00

Sorry about the no posts... Over vacation, I simply didn't spend much time on the computer, so I didn't even think to post other than a few photos on the photo blog. Now, I'm buried at work, so not a lot of time. I'll get caught up sometime soon. Promise... ;)

Sunrise on Samammish

2008-12-16T15:09:00.000-08:00

I had to stop on my way into work this morning at Idylwood Park to snap a few photos of a spectacular sunrise with mist coming off the water. So beautiful... You can see these photos on my photo blog in hi-res.

Laughter

2008-12-11T14:22:00.001-08:00

It's funny how you can be walking down the hallway and something profound can hit you in a split second... I just had one of those moments on my way -- of all times -- to the restroom after a client 1-on-1.

I was walking fast, focused on the million things I need to do during my one free (i.e., not in meetings) hour this afternoon. I passed in front of the elevators...

*** Totally useless interruption: I just saw a truck drive by outside with
a big, red "open sleigh" in the back... Tis the season! ***

...where a couple of women were laughing as one was holding the elevator door open and saying goodbye. It was obvious their laughter was genuine -- not just a polite laugh between professionals kind of thing.

My "moment" came when I looked up and smiled. Nothing intentional, not meaning to say hi or anything. Their laughter tore me out of my hurried and harried (or maybe overly focused) condition and just plain made me smile. And that smile must have made the endorphines flow or something, because I was suddenly happier than I was just a minute before. And it struck me -- laughter makes people smile. Sounds like a "duh" statement, huh? But it feels so profound! Laughter can shake others out of their minute-to-minute grind and shoot a ray of sunshine into their day, like the one tiny hole in the clouds outside my window right now provides a glimpse of blue sky on an otherwise totally gray day (ok, now it's gone, but the point remains).

The other impression I got that hit me in the same moment was that I don't laugh/smile enough, at least not in a deep and true way. I have let myself get too sucked up in the daily grind to remember very often how truly good life is, even amidst all the turmoil in the world right now. There is so much for me/us to be grateful for. Why be stressed? I love my work and there will be more of it tomorrow! ;)

Finally, I'm going to admit something I'm not very proud of. I know, I know -- too much disclosure going on here... But it's important to me. Too often, I get put off by my boys' laughter. It's loud and sometimes obnoxious. But what would I rather have? Sad and sullen sons? Of course not! I love that they're happy and enjoy playing with each other and being kids! I need to let myself be more infected by their laughter and energy! I need to laugh with them and play more often.

Hmmm... I think I just identified next year's focus (I don't like to call them resolutions or goals -- it's rather the thing I want to keep in the back of my mind all year, at all times)... This year it was peace -- and I still have a long way to go on that one. But next year, it's going to be "Be of good cheer!" Smile! Laugh!

And, of course, these are my favorite smilers/laughers in a couple of my favorite smiling photos:

Microspotting

2008-12-09T15:13:00.000-08:00

At least partially for a very self-serving reason (i.e., to get a free "I am the empire" t-shirt), I have to point out a really cool blog that I track at Microsoft. Called Microspotting, the blog's author -- Ariel -- spotlights diverse people that work at Microsoft.

I have to say that one of the things I've always loved about Microsoft is the diverse spectrum of employees. I've often said that one of my favorite things to do as I'm walking the hallways is to notice the nametags on office doors -- many (if not most) of which I cannot even pronounce, and some of which are so long they don't even fit on the name tag. ;-) The diversity contributes to more divergent and innovative thinking as well as a fun place to work for someone (like me) who loves getting to know new people, cultures, perspectives, etc.

So, this is my brazen advertisement for Microspotting. Check it out sometime -- Ariel posts some fascinating (and brief!) spotlights about a lot of interesting people, and it's not all work-related stuff... And, if you do happen to be interested in working for Microsoft, this is a great place to learn about the many types of people who work here.

The Robot

2008-11-23T23:12:00.000-08:00

I had to post this one... This is O's best impression of a robot. :)

Welcome Holidays!

2008-11-23T23:05:00.000-08:00

We welcomed in the holiday season after church by building a gingerbread house. It was good fun for all, and we have a beautiful centerpiece now for our dining room table. (We'll see how long it lasts there!)

Paint Job

2008-11-23T23:01:00.000-08:00

I know it's taken a while, but I finally took some photos of our finished living/dining room with the new paint job... Turned out pretty good, and the color change isn't nearly so shocking, now that we're used to it.

Temple Trip

2008-11-23T22:47:00.000-08:00

We had the most amazing trip to the temple yesterday! My parents had taken the boys on Friday night and kept them through Saturday, so we could get a break and think through some critical family issues. As part of this process, we attended the temple. We ended up getting to bed a little later Friday than planned and decided to sleep in a little and attend a later session. As we walked into the chapel to wait for our session, we ran into John and Sandy Nielsen (Becca's parents) and said hello. It's always a wonderful surprise to see them, but an extra special treat to see them in the temple. Given what Sandy's been through over the last couple of years, I was pleased to see her looking so great. We had a good chat and separated, as they were invited out of the chapel.

We no sooner sat down (near the back, mind you) when we were asked to be the witness couple. We led the way up into the endowment room and, again to my surprise, found John and Sandy waiting in the same room! And to my even greater surprise, they were there with Jill and Craig and their oldest son, who was receiving his endownment for the first time in preparation for his mission! What an awesome experience to be there in our position for such a momentous occasion for a family I love so much!

After the session, as I met up with the family in the celestial room, I spoke for a moment to Jill, who said how great it was to have us there - "It was almost like having Greg and Becca here! We miss them so much!" That made me feel great. I also shared with her that, when I saw her and her son together in the session, I envisioned my lovely wife there with our sons as well. The thought brought tears to both of our eyes, and she told me to cherish the time now, because we'll be in their position before we know it. I don't doubt it for a second, although it still feels like a long time until then.

And, lest you think that was the end of the pleasant surprises... My family's long-time home teacher when I was growing up -- Bro. Gubler -- sat next to me in the same session. Sitting next to him was his son, who was also getting his endowment in prep for his mission. Too cool...

As He does so often, I'm sure the Lord had His hand in guiding us to the session we attended. It was exactly what I/we needed...

Faith and Works

2008-11-12T08:54:00.000-08:00

It's been a while since I posted anything of a religious nature... But as I read Greg's blog post this morning, I was uplifted by his articulation of our beliefs around faith and works. This is an often-misunderstood tenet of our faith, and it's worth a read -- whether you're of the LDS faith or not.

Thanks for the morning boost, Greg!

Scary Monsters

2008-11-11T21:27:00.000-08:00

So, K went upstairs tonight to respond to our little O, who was yelling about being scared at bedtime. The interaction was precious enough that I had to post. Here's how it went:

O: I'm scared.

Mom: Why are you scared?

O: 'Cause of monsters.

Mom: When's the last time you saw a monster in our house?

O: I had a dream about a goat … on a roller coaster … with no seat … and it made a face like this… But that wasn't a monster… [cute smile]

And here's a recent picture that captures the face he made to K depicting the goat on the roller coaster with no seats. ;)

Down by the River

2008-11-09T21:53:00.000-08:00

Today, the weather cleared for a while and we took the opportunity to drive down to the Cedar River to see how high it is after all the rain we've received lately. Pretty high, but not as high as I've seen it. Still an impressive sight.

While we were there, we snapped a few shots around the little park off of Issaquah Hobart Road.
Unfortunately not as clear as I'd like, but I had to post it just because I love it so much.

Looks kind of eery with D in the background...

Courtesy of K...

K pointed out the one flower in the visible area, so I had to shoot it. I love that the bug was sitting there...

It's been 13 years...

2008-11-05T11:23:00.000-08:00

...since K agreed to marry me, which means we've now been married for 12 1/2 years! Actually, it was 13 years yesterday (shame on me for not saying anything -- we got caught up in election night and watching a couple episodes of The Office together).

I know she'll hate that I posted this, but sometimes I just can't avoid it. The last 13 years have been the best of my life for so many reasons, most of them having to do with this incredibly smart and beautiful woman who agreed to make the wonderful and challenging journey through life by my side. I'm looking forward to spending the next... oh... eternity with her...

I love you, K. :)

Halloween

2008-11-01T15:36:00.000-07:00

Every year, it seems we get to the last day before Halloween and still haven't though of costumes for the boys (let alone for us -- I don't know that we've ever dressed up). I don't know -- dressing up just isn't our thing... But the boys love it. They were stressing out about not having thought of a costume, so we broke out the makeup and did a job on their faces, making them into "zombie soccer players." They turned out pretty good, actually.

Oli is the exception this year, of course, as he's been wearing the Spider Man costume we picked up at Goodwill for $2 or so for the last month. Every day he woke up and asked if he could wear his Spider Man costume, and every day he asked whether it was Halloween that night. Well -- he finally got to wear it last night, and they all got tons of candy, then came home and watched Haunted Mansion. A fun evening in all... :)

Here are the little monsters:

Painting Project - In Progress

2008-11-01T15:16:00.000-07:00

I'm done with the painting project for now (THANK HEAVENS!), but I wanted to post some of the in-progress pictures anyway, then I'll show you the final product.

The obligatory picture of me holding the paint roller.

The entryway...

Living room...

Painting

2008-10-27T06:53:00.000-07:00

I'm home for the week (my first true week off this year!) to take care of some "honey-dos," the biggest of which is painting our living/dining room. I started prepping and painted the first coat on one wall on Saturday evening, and it looks really good. But before I post any photos of the progress, here's what it looked like before any painting...

Photo Shoot

2008-10-22T23:28:00.000-07:00

We took the boys out on Sunday to try and take some family photos at a couple of locations in Redmond near my work. I've got a long way to go, but some of these turned out alright, so I figured I'd share...

Correction

2008-10-22T12:12:00.000-07:00

OK - So obviously there's an error with SiteMeter, as there have been some visitors to my blog this past week... ;-)

What is family?

2008-10-22T06:53:00.001-07:00

I've been thinking a lot about this question lately... What is family? Is it a father, mother and any children they may have? Is it a husband and wife? Is it the people you grew up with together in the same house? Is it blood relations? Is it a group that treats each other with respect and kindness? Is it a group of people you're stuck with no matter how badly you treat each other (think sibling rivalry, etc.)? Is it people you get together with on a regular basis? Is it your best friends in the world? Is it those people linked together through an eternal bond of priesthood sealing? Is it those you think about before anyone else in this world? Is it those people you keep in your prayers every day? Is it the people you're committed to, no matter what happens in life? Is it the people you love so much you couldn't bare to think of going through life without them? Is it everyone around us?

Clearly, there are "yes's" and "no's" to all of these, to some extent and depending on how you interpret the question. But I'm interested in knowing what you think...

Now, the real question is whether there's anyone left reading my blog... According to the latest SiteMeter stats, there isn't. Let's see if we can prove them wrong. :)

Photo Blog

2008-10-13T17:59:00.000-07:00

In case you didn't know (all 3 of you who visit the Proud Suburbanite), I've resurrected my photo blog at http://jcarsonphotos.blogspot.com, now that I have something worthwhile to post. :) Check it out. Many days when I don't get around to posting something in writing, I'll still post a picture or two there...

Bobbing for FHE

2008-10-07T06:48:00.000-07:00

For Family Home Evening (FHE) last night, we introduced our boys to the age-old (and somewhat unsanitary) tradition of bobbing for apples. K had bought a couple boxes of apples at a fundraiser for a local youth ministry, and we had to start using them.

O had a little trouble, so K helped him out a bit.

And at one point, things seemed way too tame, so I had to show them how it's really done... :)

It was a great time for everyone, and we ended up slicing them up and dipping them in some really good caramel topping for the FHE treat.

Our Weekend

2008-10-05T22:22:00.000-07:00

We had a great weekend... I played around a bit with light painting on Friday night...

Funny how, every night we say we're going to get to bed early, but we always happen to look at the clock when it says this...

Then, on Saturday, we did this...

...while D did this...

...and this goalie had every right to be proud this game, having stopped all but one goal...

Then, we were inspired by this prophet...

And many other general authorities of the LDS church as we watched the semi-annual General Conference of the church, broadcast from the LDS Conference Center in Salt Lake City. I so look forward to these conferences during the year. Each time, they inspire me and give me a spiritual boost for the next six months. Already, I can't wait for the Spring 2010 conference! Also, it's so great to see D watching more on his own accord -- I'm really proud of him and our other two awesome boys and the progress they're making in their lives on all fronts.

Finally, I got a chance to snap a couple of fall leaf photos. The rain made it pretty dreary, but it gave me a chance to practice getting some crisp shots of the rain drops on the colorful leaves. Not as good as I can see it in my mind's eye (I still had to do some post processing to sharpen them up a bit), but I'm getting better, I think...

FHE at the Park

2008-09-30T08:33:00.001-07:00

Those who know the LDS culture at all know that we typically reserve Monday evenings for something called “Family Home Evening” (FHE). It’s one evening a week that we set aside for family – no meetings, no phone calls (some families are more strict about this than others), no distractions. We typically have a lesson, an activity and a treat. Last night, for our FHE activity, we went to Maple Woods Park and let the boys run around and play for a while before coming back and having a nice lesson (thanks Kirsten) on faith. We had our treats earlier, thanks to the wonderful Mason family, who brought us some vanilla pie with chocolate-lined crust. Yummmmm!

I grabbed some photos at the park of the family, and Kirsten got a few of me. I’ve been messing around with them in the vanpool on the way to work – experimenting a little with brightness, contrast and color, cropping, etc. I know these aren’t also crystal clear, but that’s ok. I’m getting there… :)

Rainier Walk

2008-09-29T12:07:00.000-07:00

We went on a drive and short walk today at Mt. Rainier National Park. It's amazingly less than 90 minutes away! Why did we never take advantage of this before??? Such a beautiful place! Following are a few pictures from the day...

Me and the boys - S, O and D...

O got tired... From what I hear, it's payback from when I was little and complained about walking around Green Lake. ;)

K leading the pack along a nice easy little walk with amazing views!

Like I said, amazing views of Mt. Rainier. Gave me a chance to try out the polarizing filter from my mom.

Another view...

Band and such...

2008-09-26T20:56:00.000-07:00

We've hit a milestone in our family. Our older boys have finally started playing musical instruments! S is taking piano lessons and D is playing clarinet in 5th grade band. I'm so proud of both of them and love to see the joy they get from making their own music. I love that feeling and am glad they're learning to appreciate it as well.

Beautiful Morning

2008-09-26T11:52:00.000-07:00

Amazing what treasures a 15-minute stop at the park on the way to work can yield! Like this...

On a related note, I also posted this on my old photo blog (yes - I've resurrected it, now that I have something worth posting!) with a link to the full-res file.

Monday Night Project

2008-09-24T23:23:00.001-07:00

The boys and I worked on a house project Monday night together for FHE. I had found a $15 mirror at Goodwill on Saturday that I couldn't pass up, and Kirsten wanted it redone in antique white with a distressed look, like our "French country" dining room table. Here's how it turned out:

Now, I'd love to get an artist to detail some ivy art on the two top panels, to give it an extra touch of uniqueness... What do you think?

First Photos

2008-09-24T23:06:00.001-07:00

OK - I have a lot to learn, but I'm excited nonetheless to get a few first photos from our new camera! Despite my assumption to the contrary, even a great camera doesn't just spit out perfect photos the first time you pick it up. But now that we have it, I've no excuse not to learn! Here they are... Grainier than I'd like - I'll work on that. ;)

Summertime Farewell

2008-09-21T23:34:00.001-07:00

Here are a few more photos to say farewell to the last day of summer...

O hangin' at the park

The cousins in Idaho

O splashing in Rexburg's water park

O and D at Wild Waves

Nothing like a popsicle with the cousins on hot summer day!

Finally...

2008-09-21T00:30:00.001-07:00

Oh, and by the way, we're finally getting one of these...

I'm only a little excited. :) I know, I know, I've always said I wanted to break into the DSLR scene with a Nikon, but after comparing feature-for-feature, particularly in low-light settings, I decided this was the way to go. It should be here this week -- I'll post some of the first photos of the fam soon! :)

Pics...

2008-09-21T00:17:00.001-07:00

I was going through some of our summer photos just now and couldn't pass up posting a couple of these of D and S. What handsome and awesome boys we have! I'm so proud of them and what good people they are -- they work hard at school, are good friends and respect others. They do their best and are learning how to be better everyday...

Sunset Stitch

2008-09-11T23:22:00.000-07:00

Here's a panorama of that same evening. To create this, I stitched three photos together using Windows Live Photo Gallery. Yah, the right end of the shot is less exposed than the rest, but for a quick and easy stitch (you just select the photos you want to stitch and click "create panaramic photo"), the Photo Gallery does an awesome job, I think.

Beautiful Sunset

2008-09-11T23:14:00.001-07:00

I was just going back through our pictures from the summer and found this one of a stunning sunset out our back door a couple weeks ago. Check out the swirling clouds on the horizon... If only I had my D80 that night... ;-)

Insanity

2008-09-11T11:54:00.001-07:00

The past couple of months since I took on my new HR Business Partner role in MGS have been a perfect storm of activity. Needless to say, it's completely derailed (again) my efforts to post regularly -- even short posts. Part of it is that, when I get absorbed in something, I kind of tune out everything else, which means that I don't even think about posting. (Terrible, I know.)

Anyway - It's been particularly crazy the last week, as we were preparing to announce to our employees in the Ensemble studio in Dallas that we're going to close the studio in the next few months. It's never easy news to deliver, but I think most people are going to land either in another role at Microsoft or else in a new company being formed by the leaders of the studio. The rest will receive what to me seems like a really great severance package. Of course, I can't discuss the details of that here, but it feels good that Microsoft is willing to take care of its people in this way, when we're making them go through such an uncomfortable experience...

On the bright side, I'll be traveling down to Dallas for a few days next week to meet with the employees individually and outline their severance packages. And, while the work itself doesn't sound terribly fun, I'm excited to see Greg Hanson -- my best friend and best man at my wedding, whom I haven't seen in years. Greg and fam live outside of Ft. Worth, and they've invited me for dinner Sunday evening. Hopefully, we can take some photos and post them after the visit!

Heading out rafting!

2008-08-14T23:43:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow morning, I'm flying to Missoula, Montana, for the annual BYU OB/HR major orientation rafting trip. It's a great way for new students to become more familiar with (1) the MBA program and OB/HR major and (2) each other and some alumni from the program (like me). From the MSFT standpoint, it's a great opportunity for one of us HR employees who came through BYU's program to attend and become familiar with the new incoming class of first-year students, who will be interviewing this fall for internships next summer. Strange to think we're already in recruiting mode again! Time flies when you're having fun... In any case, I'm excited for the trip.

I'm also going to miss my family dearly. We just barely came back together after K was gone for two weeks to Idaho with the boys. I'm not looking forward to five more days apart...

Here's hoping we flip the boat! Can't wait to ride rodeo on a class 3-4 rapid! :) I'll be sure to post photos when I get them...

Creations, Part 5

2008-08-12T08:00:00.000-07:00

Bestowal

Blue, the color of a jovial heart...
The feather guides the straight course
of the arrow,
swift in flight;
It falls, softly, to the ground.
When thunder rolls, it cannot be ignored,
nor denied.

Swift as the arrow,
The power of thunder;
Wielded with the softness
of the feather,
Guides the straight course.

Blue Feather Thunder...
The name, not lightly bestowed,
fell softly
on unworthy shoulders...

Creations, Part 4

2008-08-11T07:00:00.000-07:00

'Mid Summer Nights' Dreams

On moonlit night, 'neath princess' glare,

I chanced to cross a cottage fair;

And drunk with wishes from the day,

Methought I saw a woman there

Who gathered blossoms as in May.

A summer's breeze so softly blew.

I wondered why a woman, who

As fair as she, in pale moonlight

Such blooms there gathered all anew

In woven crib with such delight.

Intent to ask, I chimed hello

To rouse the woman from the glow

Of wild yellow petals, and on me there

Cast eyes and thought that I may know

Why she thus plucked without a care.

But as I hailed the woman there,

She disappeared, to my dismay!

And I was left, on moonlit night,

To chance across a cottage fair

And drown in wishes of the day.

Creations, Part 3

2008-08-10T08:00:00.000-07:00

Conversion

A drop of light, it falls onto
A darkened, hardened soul;
And sifts through cracks and crags alike,
Invading hidden coves.

The drop of light then turns to rain;
The rain into a storm;
The storm into a dreaded flood
That drives the soul to scorn.

Afraid, the troubled soul attempts
The flood to barricade;

To save the dark, familiar place

From changes heaven-made.

But tardy efforts cannot halt

The flooding of the soul,

With light and life and truth unfeigned

By one who holds them all.

Creations, Part 2

2008-08-09T14:00:00.000-07:00

A Walk in the Desert

Blue skies laugh as the popcorn clouds

Drift freely across the vast expanse.

The lightsome air dances about the Earth below

And lifts my heavy heart to the realms above.

Slowly, I walk through the valley of fire,

Scorched by the red coal rocks at my feet;

Fiery arrows fall from the blistering sun

And burrow into the nape of my sol-singed neck.

Needlepoint thorns pierce my leather fingertips

As I reach for the blood-red fruit of the prickly pear --

A lone taste of sweetness on a sour desert floor.

Ice cold water taunts the parched world

And sings in harmony with the dancing air.

I rest in the sweeping crystal bed,

And drink life into my withered veins.

And walk once more in the desert...

Creations, Part 1

2008-08-09T10:04:00.000-07:00

Last night, I had a fun jaunt down memory lane as I sorted through the old trunk that holds all my stuff from high school and friends, etc. Lots of good memories... I wish I had a scanner, as I found some old photos that would be fun to post (e.g., couple photos of me, Greg, Becca, Kim J. and others in high school, etc.). I'll find some way sometime to post them... I also got a kick out of Kim J's note in my senior yearbook, the first line of which included the word "mass" (a la "mass cool"). Ah, those were the days... :)

I also came across my work from my creative writing class in college (undergrad) and thought someone might get a kick out of my more creative side... If you don't like it, don't tell me. Just have a chuckle to yourself... ;) I'll post a couple of them over the next few days. Here's the first:

A Change of Heart

Somewhere between your doorstep and my car,
I lost a bit of wisdom from my grasp.
And though the journey did not seem too far,
The winds of passing seasons paused to ask
What aim I took to heart in loving there;
And, pondering, the time slipped from my hands;
Yet for such thought, the winds no time would spare.
The explanation offered then -- "To stand."

A man can no more stand alone in love
Than rivers flow along without a bed.
From him who holds such ends will be repealed
The strength and wisdom from the One above.
And so the aim I took to heart instead --
A simple change of heart and soul -- "To kneel."

Tragedy Breeds...

2008-08-01T18:24:00.001-07:00

Sadness... Anger... Questions... Grief... Doubt...

Tragedy can also yield compassion, sacrifice, leadership, bonding, strength, change, faith and much more... I saw these things up close and personal this week as the group I support as an HR generalist lost a teammate in a terrible and senseless domestic violence-related death.

Melissa was killed in the parking lot of a nearby apartment complex by her estranged husband, who then turned the gun on himself and committed suicide. Nothing can prepare you for being pulled out of an otherwise-normal team meeting with a business team leader to be told this kind of news by the person's manager. But that's where I found myself Tuesday morning...

My emotions ran high all week, but particularly on Tuesday, as we struggled through how to deal with this issue... How and when do we inform and support our other employees? What is appropriate for us to say and do and what's not? What are our legal responsibilities? What should we do about her office? Are there any other security concerns to think about? How can we help people through this and hold up ourselves while we do?

While I didn't know Melissa, she was clearly a kind and fun person, a friend to many and a valuable contributor to the teams on which she worked.

I've had so many thoughts going through my head this week... What can I learn from this -- b0th personally and professionally? I'm so grateful for my faith and knowledge of God's plan of happiness for us. That I know why we're here and where we go when we die. I'm so lucky to have a wife and children whom I love and trust and who love me in return. While I haven't distilled my thoughts into words or even firmly grasped the full spectrum of learning yet, I want to share one thing...

While I wish this never had happened, I'm so grateful to have gone through this experience with this team of people. Not just the HR team, but the entire business team we support as well and all those behind-the-scenes who helped those of us on the front line through it all. I saw the true greatness in many people come out into the open this week. The leader of Melissa's team was incredible. A very rational and analytical person by nature, I saw him demonstrate superb and admirable leadership, compassion, thoughtfulness and humanity in general. I learned much from him this week.

I saw employees offer each other support, being willing to set aside deadlines and take on more work to allow the most directly impacted team time to grieve and get through the first few days.

I also saw an HR team that had never gone through something like this (out of three people, two of us are brand new -- one of us three weeks and the other two days -- to the HR generalist role) pull together and draw on all the resources at their disposal, locked at the hip, to do something none of us would have been able to do alone. I also saw a team of people behind the curtain raise the bar in terms of providing largely unrecognized support that enabled us to do our jobs on the ground -- all without much, if any, of the expressions of sincere gratitude that we all received from our clients.

My prayers and thoughts are with the families of those who lost their loved ones this week and all those who knew and loved them...

Gain Weight Quickly -- No Side Effects

2008-07-23T06:26:00.000-07:00

Funny pic, huh? That is, until you realize that it was taken in Uganda, where they have hunger issues... Thanks to my friend Lizzie for the photo and for reminding me every time I look at her Facebook page that there are so many people in the world who have so much less than we do and who need our prayers and our help.

Perfection -- Expectation or Invitation?

2008-07-20T15:01:00.000-07:00

Not everyone reading my blog is interested in christian doctrinal musings, but hey -- it's my blog. And if you're interested in learning about a profound Truth that I've discovered, then read on -- lengthy though it may be... :)

My Sunday School lesson last week was on perfection, and I've been meaning to write something on it, as the insights I had in preparing the lesson have remained in my mind ever since. The lesson -- and the concept from a Christian perspective -- revolves around the 48th verse in Matthew, chapter 5, which reads, "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect." I think a lot of people wonder about this verse; in fact, for many years I had concerns about this as well. How can Christ ask us to be perfect when he is the only perfect person who has ever walked the Earth? Combine this with 3 Nephi 27:19 ("And no unclean thing can enter into his kingdom...") and you have the possibility of a serious misperception of the meaning of life. Could it be that Heavenly Father expects us to be perfect and that everyone who isn't is bound for eternal damnation? Well... we know that's not what this life is all about. We know that Jesus died and was resurrected to bring us physical life again through the resurrection. And we know that he suffered in the Garden of Gethsemane to take upon him our sins so that we can each repent and come back into the presence of God as clean as he is.

So, back to the scripture... Is this Jesus' way of telling us, once again, to repent and be clean of our sins? Well, yes and no. You see, there's more to the commandment to be perfect than repentence alone. In fact, as I see it, this is more than a commandment alone. It's an invitation, just like a parent who sends his child overseas for a study abroad experience and tells her -- commands her -- to be safe and come back home. This is Christ's invitation to us to come back home to him and to our Heavenly Father. Let me explain how I get to this conclusion...

Jesus' commandment to "be perfect" appears another time in the scriptures -- in the Book of Mormon, actually. In 3 Nephi 12:48, he is speaking to the Nephites and says something very similar, albeit with a slight but profound difference: "Therefore I would that ye should be perfect even as I, or your Father who is in heaven is perfect." Notice the difference? This time, he includes himself as an example of perfection, whereas in the Biblical reference, he did not. Why is that? The answer to that question, in fact, holds the answer to the larger question of what Christ meant with the commandment to "be perfect."

To understand the answer to the latter question (i.e., why Jesus included himself in his commandment to the Nephites), you have to understand the circumstances of his appearance to the Nephites. When he walked in Jerusalem with his apostles, Jesus said, "Other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one voice, and one shephard." (John 10: 16) Those other sheep included, among others, the people who lived on the American continent at the time -- people who decended from Lehi, also of the House of Israel through the tribe of Joseph. Lehi left Jerusalem with his family in 600 BC after having a vision about the city's destruction and receiving a commandment from God to leave the city and lead his family to a "promised land" for him and his decendants. To make a long story short, he did that, and over the next 600 years, his family and a few others populated much of the American continent (don't ask me which part -- that's all conjecture). These people had the early scriptures (i.e., books of Moses, Isaiah, etc.) and heard prophecies about the coming of Christ from prophets who lived among them and wrote their experiences and prophecies on plates of gold and brass, which were later translated into the Book of Mormon, by Joseph Smith. (See the Introduction to the Book of Mormon for a more detailed description of what the Book of Mormon is.)

And visit the Nephites he did. Shortly after his ascention in Jerusalem, he came to visit the Nephites in America as the resurrected Christ. He spent days with them and taught them much of what he'd taught his apostles in the "old world," and -- you guessed it -- he commanded them to "be perfect." So now we come to it... The only difference between the commandment to his apostles in Jerusalem and to the people of Nephi in America was the inclusion of himself as an example of the perfection he was commanding. But if the commandment were to be without flaw, then why wouldn't he have included himself in the original statement? After all, he was already a flawless man, right? The answer is simple -- it's because it's not about being perfect, without flaw. Rather, it's about being "complete" or "finished." Indeed, the Greek translation of the original word is "complete, finished or wholly development."

With this additional information, we can see that what Jesus really meant by his commandment to "be perfect" was to become whole and finished -- like him, in the sense that he became "finished" after he died and took up life again as a resurrected, glorified being... The kind of being who could live in the presence of God because he is clean and pure. And this gift he gave to us through his death (i.e., resurrection, which is a free gift to all who are born into this life) and atonement (i.e., suffering for our sins, which created the possibility for repentence and forgiveness).

To wrap up the discussion of the scripture, then, rather than commanding us to do something that's impossible for us to achieve, he's actually extending his mercy to us and inviting us to come home to him. "Be perfect. Be safe. Come back to me and your Father by accepting my gifts of repentence and resurrection." Just like the child going on study abroad.

With this understanding, what once was a source of consternation for me has become one of my favorite scriptures... :)

Consumerism

2008-07-20T14:02:00.001-07:00

I woke up this morning with an interesting thought on my mind -- consumerism. But not as most people talk about it these days. You know, buying stuff upon stuff and throwing away that stuff when you're finished with it and getting more stuff. No -- that's not what I was thinking about (although admittedly, my own thoughts probably stemmed from my wife's preoccupation with the topic overall lately). Instead, I was thinking about consuming books. Yes, books. Here I sit, reading book after book -- consuming them really... As soon as I finish one, I pick up another one and start consuming. But here's the kicker -- What have I given back? What have I created? Not much... A poem... Some blog entries... A couple of stories when I was in junior high that only an 8-year old boy would read and enjoy (and not even all of them).

I've often thought I wanted to write a book someday. But this morning, it was a different feeling... Like I should really give something back. Like I should create something of my own. Not sure what yet, but someday I'll publish something with my name on it. Any ideas?

The Coolest Job

2008-07-19T00:34:00.001-07:00

Can I just say, I have the coolest job... I mean, where else can you have an XBOX hooked up in your office, and when your clients come by and see you playing it, you actually GAIN credibility!?? Not that I actually have much time to do it -- I'm crazy busy -- but an occasional diversion is fun over lunch when the brain needs a rest for a few minutes...

I walked into one of my client's office today, and he was playing a test version of one of our forthcoming games. I sat and played for a few minutes with him on his big flat HD screen before we started our meeting and was seriously amazed at how far games have come since the days of Zork on the Mac classic back in sixth grade. I've always loved being on the inside and knowing stuff before the rest of the world gets to see it -- and I gotta say, the games we're making in MS Games Studios for release this/next year are pretty dang cool.

This client is a psychology PhD who leads the user research team and is doing some fascinating stuff in the way of psych research. For example, his team is diving into (or maybe already did) what "fun" actually is and looks like. How do you measure fun? How do you even study it? Fascinating...

Speaking of fun, another one of the leads I support always talks about "good fun." It's a catchy term. If you ever played 007 on the N64, by the way, you know something about him. One of the guns in the game is called the Klobb; it's named after this guy -- Ken Lobb. His face was also on some of the enemy soldiers. He's something of an icon in the gaming industry. Good fun... ;)

Finally, I'm back to helping manage the performance of some struggling employees. Now, some people would say that is a horrible thing to have to do. Well, for me, it's energizing. Dealing with people issues like that is why I changed careers in the first place. After working through a couple issues with my own direct reports, I realized that that was more exciting to me than the actual work we did in PR. It's awesome to get back to it now and help other managers work through these kinds of issues in a way that leaves both the manager and the employee feeling good about the outcome and the future. I'm a weird HR guy in that way...

Ender's Game Series, by Orson Scott Card

2008-07-19T00:12:00.001-07:00

If you like sci-fi, you should read the Ender series, by Orson Scott Card. There are a TON of analogies and applications to the business world and life in general, plus it's just a really good story. Card has a unique way of opening up the strategic thinking part of my mind. I have more insights at work after reading the books. For that matter, I have more insights when I read pretty much anything. Reading does that to a mind... ;)

MS Company Picnic

2008-07-19T00:05:00.001-07:00

It's tomorrow! We're all excited to go. Last year's picnic was really fun. Crowded and hot, but fun. And good food! This year, we're meeting up with all the BYU MBA alum for lunch as well. More good fun! ;)

Addictive Personality & Books

2008-07-19T00:02:00.001-07:00

So, I've been told I have an addictive personality. Nothing recent, but just throughout my life. Now, the problem with this is that you have a hard time finding balance. You get into something, and you forget about half the other things you ought to be thinking about. Take me, for example. I get into a good book, and I forget that I should go to sleep at a decent hour. I fill all my "free" moments with reading, because I'm immersed in the writer's world and want to "continue the dream," so to speak, and find out what happens next. As a result, other things fall off my radar. Most of the things don't really matter too much, but occasionally K reminds me that I'm forgetting to pay enough attention to what matters most, and then I need to stop and reassess. Fortunately, I usually only get THAT immersed toward the end of a book when I'm close to finishing. There's something about finishing a book that is SO satisfying. Still, the fact that I'm so distractible is concerning to me. I clearly need to watch that closely.

I just finished another book in the Ender's Game series, which has quickly become one of my favorite series of books (along with Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter). I read it in three days, but my sleep suffered as a result. One night of this isn't a big deal, but I definitely start to notice if it goes on any longer than that. I feel different, and I don't think through things as clearly. I need at least 6.5 or 7 hours on a regular basis to feel tops.

Anyway - there are several leisurely things I like to do with my time when I get the chance. Of course, reading is one of them. I also enjoy photography, blogging, gaming (although I'm not a true "gamer" -- that title is reserved for a whole different sub-species of human for whom gaming takes on a whole new meaning in their existence), writing and various outdoor activities. Problem is, I haven't found a good balance of these activities. If I'm spending time on one, I don't really think to build in time for the others. This is something I want to change, as I really love photography, and I really want to blog more regularly. And this is where the addictive personality comes in -- I just don't think of it...

Anyway - enough of my rambling. I'll try to remember (again) to jump on and ramble (albeit in shorter and more frequent spurts) more often... :)

Busy Weekend

2008-06-23T18:00:00.000-07:00

We had a busy weekend... This was my mom's weekend with the boys (she takes the boys one Friday night/Saturday each month to give me and K some time alone), and we took the opportunity to have some fun and get some things done as well. Friday night, we went to a friend's wedding reception. :) It was fun, and we got to check out the latest and greatest neighborhood that Maple Valley has to offer -- Cherry Creek (it'll be its own ward soon with how many LDS families are moving in there). So that was a nice time... Then, on Saturday, I cut my hair in the morning, we went to Remlinger Farm in Carnation and picked about 20 lbs. of strawberries (which K made into probably the best jam I've ever had in the afternoon!). We ate lunch there (yum!) and then came home. While K made jam, I went with my neighbor to pick up a load of bark for the easement in front of our house. I still haven't taken any pictures of the yard, but I will soon, as it's looking pretty darn good, I must say. :) We picked the boys up from my mom's place and borrowed my mom's copy of National Treasure 2. The boys love the National Treasure movies, so it was fun to watch that together...

King for a Day

2008-06-16T12:20:00.000-07:00

I have the greatest family ever... Fatherhood is special for so many reasons, but my family really went over the top to make Father's Day a priceless memory for me yesterday. First, I woke up to a warm breakfast downstairs that K and O had cooked. They showered me with gifts, including a cool ceramic M&M bowl for my desk, some wonderful framed art, coupons for services, more art for my desk, and a new tie. We got the boys ready for church, and they were almost completely cooperative. ;) Then, after church, they let me take a nap on the beanbag chair for about two hours while the sunshine streamed in the window... Oh so nice... We then sat outside and ate popsicles while we called our dads to wish them a happy Father's Day. I was also able to redeem one of my coupons from D for a 20-minute back/shoulder massage. And, when I told him his time was up, he said, "That's ok" and kept going!!! :) Bedtime wasn't a problem, and I ended the day feeling like a king.

I know that pulling something like that off doesn't happen on its own, so thank you to my wonderful wife and to my three awesome boys. I'm so grateful to be their dad -- I count that as one of my greatest blessings in this life...

My Son, the Go-Getter

2008-06-08T20:34:00.001-07:00

I had to comment about this... My oldest son, D, totally impressed me a couple of weeks ago. There is a series of books we're all reading that he is totally in love with -- the Fablehaven series, by Brandon Mull. Brandon does book tours to elementary schools around the country, and D decided he wanted him to come to his school. So he tromped upstairs to the computer and sent Brandon an email, asking him to come. What do you know -- he heard back from the publisher, who said that Brandon's schedule was full this school year but that they'd try to get the school on his schedule for next year! To boot -- Brandon himself followed up and wrote to D, thanking him for his email and asking D to put him in touch with the principal and/or librarian of the school to see if they can arrange the visit. Way cool! I was so proud of D for taking the initiative to reach out and make that happen. His email was very complimentary and mature for a 10-year-old -- he's a natural communicator when he puts his mind to it. ;)

Sailing with the Leaches!

2008-06-08T20:07:00.000-07:00

We had a blast yesterday sailing on the Puget Sound, compliments of my friends, Dan and Karen Leach. Dan was a client of mine on the Microsoft Office marketing team when I worked in PR before going back to school. He left Microsoft back in 2005 to go back to school and learn to be a marine carpenter -- a gutsy and admirable move to follow his dreams. When he found out we were moving up to Seattle, he generously offered to take us out sailing sometime. It took me a while to take him up on it, but I'm so glad I did! What a blast we all had -- me, D and my nephew from Auburn.

Below are a few pictures from the adventure... First things first -- Dan had us hoist the pirate flag and don the pirate gear...

Despite the grey weather, we struggled to find wind (those from my HR Trax program at Microsoft last year will comiserate with this). But we were able to find a light breeze for a while, and Dan let Master D take the helm, to his great delight.
One of the boys' favorite parts of the trip was sitting out over the water on the seat at the front of the boat.
I enjoyed the first-time experience doing something I've always wanted to do, as well as the great company of two wonderful people. Thanks again Dan and Karen!

3 Weeks... Sheesh...

2008-06-02T13:32:00.000-07:00

What a slacker I've been! Nearly three weeks without a post... I am still alive. Trying to wrap up my work in my current rotation at Microsoft, so I can move cleanly on to my next with a solid plan for how to move my work forward after I'm gone...

The fam's doing well... D and S are finishing out the school year. It's weird to think it's almost summer when we're still battling temperatures in the 50s half the time! :(

I'm reading a couple of interesting books lately -- The Holy Secret, by James Ferrel, and Finite & Infinite Games, by James Carse -- both thought-provoking in very different ways. I've also got quite a lineup of books waiting to be read once I'm done with these two...

I'll put a placeholder here for a couple of things I want to write about when get a few spare minutes:

Thoughts from the two books above (personal)
Work I've been doing in the yard (home)
Thoughts about benchmarking (work)
Following your heart (work/personal)
Having the "big discussion" with my boys before they hear it in the "maturation program" at school (home)
The kids' new RipStik (home) ;)

OK -- there you go. If you care to know anything about any of these things, keep pestering me until I write about them. Until then...

Grandpa S Got A New Lung!

2008-05-14T11:43:00.001-07:00

As promised, I wanted to tell about a great experience in our family this last weekend. I apologize in advance for the wordiness of the story, but it means a lot to me, so I don't want to short-change the details, as someone may find inspiration there...

To start, my father-in-law (S) contracted a lung disease many years ago, where his body attacked his own lungs and left them scarred and increasingly inefficient at absorbing oxygen from the air he breathed. I won't even try to get into the details of the illness, but it made him cough more and more over the years and eventually left his lungs severely scarred.

Over time, it became apparent that he was going to need a lung transplant to keep going. He has been on supplemental oxygen for about two years now, I think, and his lung capacity was reduced to critical levels (i.e., about 1/3 at rest, and that decreased dramatically when he became active). After a long struggle to complete the requirements to get on the list for a lung transplant, they finally listed him last Monday. Then, an amazingly short six days later, he got the call on Saturday night that a donor had died and that a lung was on its way to Stanford, where he was staying and waiting for the surgery.

His wife rushed to catch the earliest flight to San Fran that she could. By the time she got there Sunday morning, the 8-hour surgery was nearly complete. We kept our cell phone on at church on Sunday in case any news came through. Sure enough, halfway through Sacrament Meeting, we got a call letting us know that the surgery went perfectly and that he was doing well so far. The story only gets better in that, by Sunday afternoon, he was sitting up, smiling and asking for his books (he's an avid reader). He has continued to improve since that point as well, and we're hoping for a grand recovery and several more years of his welcome company here on Earth. Maybe he'll even put up with me snagging more flies in trees on fishing trips! :)

At times of great suffering, people often turn to God more earnestly than they do otherwise. While I'd like to think we turn to him as a family all the time, I must say that we did pray more earnestly and with perhaps greater faith than we have at other times to petition the Lord for his blessings on behalf of S as he went through this experience. I don't think it was a coincidence that this all happened on the day that my mother-in-law called a family fast for her husband. Now, our fast on Saturday night and Sunday took on a different twist than we had anticipated, and I know that God heard and answered our prayers for S.

Finally, after hearing that he was getting a lung, we knelt together as a family and prayed, not only for him, but also for the family who had lost a loved one that enabled our father and grandpa to receive this great blessing. I was personally overcome with gratitude for this individual's and family's gift to our family. I continue to hope and pray that (1) they're comforted through their loss and (2) they somehow know that great good came of their difficulty/loss.

Needless to say, I've "seen God" many times this last week...