Golfing Amongst Legends

You ever want to spend an afternoon with John Elway? Discuss approach shots with Mike Schmidt? Stand in awe of Michael Jordan?

Well my bro-in-law has been spending the last couple of years putting together the Legends Cup Challenge. Check out the link and peruse the people who have committed to partcipate. You see these world class atheletes have a competitive drive that needs an outlet. Evidently golf is one of the few activities that can satiate this demand. Perhaps they haven't heard of backgammon. This isn't your average celebrity event. These guys have signed on to win. There are 4 teams, each comprised of retired atheletes from the NFL, NBA, MLB, and NHL.

It should be quite an experience and hopefullly it will become an annual event. The vision is for this to be something that is covered by ESPN. I'll plan on being there....will MJ?

Humanizing Our Heroes

It seems like one generation’s hero is another’s sullied, historical villain. I just got done reading a Wall Street Journal article discussing the sudden surge in popularity of Joseph Stalin in Russia as its people are beginning to reclaim more of its nationalistic past. Wasn’t it just a decade ago that they were finally dealing with the reality of his cold and barbaric figure? On a smaller scale it seems like our own US heroes like Jefferson, Washington, or even Lincoln see their popularity and venerability ebb and flow according to public opinion and thought.

I suppose a sign of societal maturity is when we are able to appreciate the historical myths of certain figures but also study and evaluate their complete histories, foibles and all. We can appreciate Jefferson’s contributions to early America in spite of his personal peccadillo’s. We even see these oscillations in the way that our favorite characters our portrayed on the Silver Screen.

Right now we are seeing a large increase in movie characters that are flawed, mistake prone, or even misguided. Gone are the images from yesterday of Errol Flynn who was above reproach and always acted selflessly and with the public’s best interest in mind. The world isn’t as black and white and movies reflect characters that have to deal with vague morals and complex problems. Movies as varied as X-Men and X-Files demonstrate that we like our protagonists to have faults and to actually deal with life’s rich and complex realities. But nowhere do we see this shift in preference more evident than in the latest installments of two venerable classics- Batman and James Bond.

Batman- The Dark Knight has never been well….as dark then as in the latest movie. The campy images of tights and Robin have been replaced by a man who is wrestling with the questions like “how far should civil liberties be jeopardized in order to combat evil and keep the peace.” Not that Batman has ever had the squeaky clean image that his pal up in Metropolis has, but at least he managed to consistently put the bad guys behind bars. Now his Gotham is more complex and the lines aren’t as clear as they once were. The questions and doubts that he has reveal a truly tormented character. This kind of complexity paid off and the reviews and box office receipts validate the brave change in the way that the series has been portrayed.

James Bond- The differences between the Pearce Brosnan and Daniel Craig depictions of 007 are stark and noted. Gone is the perfectly groomed, hardly a hair out of place, and pithy comment available at a moments notice Bond that we got in the 1990’s. It has been replaced by a character that shows weakness, gets dirty, and has serious character flaws. He still manages to get Her Majesty’s work done but it isn’t as seamless as the work of his predecessors. While there are still exotic women, fast cars, strange villains, and elaborate stunts they are much more grounded in reality.

I see these two characters as a microcosm of a bigger trend. Right now we don’t want our heroes to be perfect. We prefer real people who have problems dealing with the same difficult realities that we do. We still like the action but we prefer it to be more grounded in our reality.

Dude, where's my music: Addendum

That list got me thinking about something else. Unheralded songs by well known artists that deserve more press. These are the songs that might be a B-Side or never got any real play. But they are the songs that really solidified my relationship with these stellar bands.

My All-Star B-Side List

1. U2- "North and South of the River". This song came out in the midst of the Pop experimentation. But it really stood out at the time because it hearkened back to the earnest yearning of their earlier work. The song has a beautiful and building melody and it is definitely deserving of a few listens.
2. REM- "Sweetness Follows". It gets completely overshadowed by the more commercial songs from Automatic. But this is the most emotional and touching song on that album.
3. Beatles- "Mother Natures Son". It's hard to say that any Beatles song is under appreciated and I'm sure that even this song has been covered 43 times. But it is another simple song that is probably the most geniune song that Paul put out. Doesn't have the typical Paul pop sound at all.
4. Bono- "Dreaming with Tears in My Eyes". This is easily the best the Bono's voice has sounded in the last 10 years. This song is an old Jimmy Rogers cover and he absolutely hits it out of the park.
5. Sting- "Why Should I Cry for You". Off of Sting's best album and besides, "All this Time" his best solo song. Alot of depth and emotion here. To often Sting gets lost in jazzy, bloated numbers but this song connects.
6. David Gray- "Now and Always". Many people only equate "Babylon" to him but he has a pretty good collection. This song has great texture and a great build.
7. Cold Play "Shiver". Some very good and earnest Cold Play. It reminds me of early U2 because it is a very pure, emotional, and unadulterated sound. I often like early music from the big bands because it seems more unspoiled.
8. Death Cab for Cutie "What Sarah Said". Great lyrics, great beat, good melody. It's a very accessible song and a tribute to Ben Gibbard's song writing.
9. Foo Fighters "Walking After You". A relatively mellow song from a group I don't typically listen to. Maybe it was the fact that it was featured on the X-Files soundtrack that has made it an endearing favorite. All in all, good piece.
10. Oingo Boingo "Flesh and Blood". An absolute gem that gets buried by all of those over played 80's sound track songs that obscure the remainder of the Boingo catalog. Danny Elfman knew how to write a great pop song. It's a darn shame that he was just as talented writing stuff for Tim Burton movies.
    

Dude, where’s my music?

Since we have become a “list” society I thought I’d join the fray. With Austin City Limits just around the corner I decided that I’d turn my attention to some smaller bands that merit further interest. These aren’t your garden variety mass-market bands like Coldplay or U2; these are musicians with a smaller and more specific sound and audience. Here are my current top 10 favorite smaller bands. I’ve been listening to these guys for quite awhile now but I haven’t found anything new that really merits much interest.

10. Beulah- An excellent combination of upbeat horns, interesting lyrics, and catchy tunes. This is the type of music that you would listen to if you were invited to a hip urban house party. Start off with “Score from Augusta” as it has great summer peppiness to it and finish your introduction off with “A Good Man is Easy to Kill” as it is their finest work.
9. Calexico- A great Tucson band that melds folk music with the deep tones familiar with traditional rural Mexican music. And they pull it off, introducing the average listener to sounds that they would traditionally avoid. I would recommend starting off with “History of Lovers” as it is a good gateway song and gives off a nice Neil Young vibe.
8. Bright Eyes- Conner Oberst has kind of been the sexy critic’s choice when it comes to song writing. But he does merit the accolades. His lyrics provide a depth and color to songs not often found this side of Bob Dylan. You can be swept away by the mood just by reading the liner notes. But if you are going to listen to some songs I’d recommend “Hot Knives” or “A Song to Pass the Time”.
7. Elf Power- A quirky band from Athens Georgia that will immediately evoke images of rustic elves….never mind, just listen. Most of their songs have a strong driving beat and some interesting additional instruments. Give “Come Lie Down with Me” and “King of Earth” and you’ll see what I mean.
6. The Shout Out Louds- A beautiful Swedish band that evokes memories of the Cure, but without the Robert Smith hair or dourness. Their percussion is as distinct and strong as anything this side of “The National”. Go ahead and sample “Out Loud” and “Normandie” and wax nostalgic about “Staring at the Sea”.
5. Sufjan Stevens- Like Bright Eyes, Mr. Stevens has received a lot of critical press. He is an exceptionally prolific writer so you might be completely inundated with the volume of his ever growing catalog. A lot of it is slightly experimental and hit and miss. Stick with these instant classics- “Come on Feel the Illinoise! Pt 1. The World’s Columbian Exposition”, “Chicago”, “No Man’s Land” or “”He Woke Me Up Again”.
4. Cafe Tacuba- I’ve been trumpeting this band ever since I stumbled upon their sound as a young college intern in Los Mochis Mexico. They are on the tip of the innovative “Rock En Espanol” movement. While their last album wasn’t up to their typical eclectic and innovative standards it was still head and shoulders above everything else coming out of the region. I don’t want to limit my recommendations so listen to the following albums in their entirety- “Re”, and “Cuatro Caminos”. You will be astounded by their energy, depth, variety, and creativity.
3. The National- My friend Wade said it best about the National. “To sum…while not the best music by whatever metric you choose, their music resonates with us because they capture and deliver what it means to be a thirty-something semi-progressive, semi-urban dude (us, if we drank), so we listen to it, again and again.” Their music has some great texture and their percussion is absolutely intoxicating. Listen to “Mr. November”, “The Geese of Beverly Road”, “Daughters of the Soho Riots”, and “Start a War”.
2. Sea Wolf- Remember those old OC soundtracks? They always showcased the hippest and coolest up and coming acts. If Sea Wolf would have been around 5 years ago they would have been one of the cover bands. Their melodies are simple but well executed, their lyrics typical but heartfelt, and their image superficial but still cool. Girls and sensitive men rejoice. I strongly recommend “The Garden That you Planted”, “Sea Monuments”, and “Leaves in the River”.
1. Matt Costa- He does the whole relaxed, acoustic surfer social guitar sound better then the current titan, Jack Johnson. His voice is as smooth and melodic as the evening waves breaking on the North Shore. I am very surprised that he hasn’t gotten more coverage. So sit out by the pool, throw some skewers on the BBQ and listen to “Cold December”, “Yellow Taxi” and “Astair”

The Century of Self.....A Nation of Selfishness

Thanks to Gar for introducing me to www.tv-links.cc and this particular documentary.

We are often fascinated with conspiracy theories. We love watching movies with dark and shadowy figures that seek to manipulate the public for personal gain and profit. Well here is the documentary for you.

It discusses how Edward Bernays shaped the 20th century. After watching this you would be convinced that he was the most influential figure of the past century. Using the principles of his uncle Freud he shaped public opinion, used psycho analysis to convince us what to buy, helped the CIA commit some of its most nefarious acts, helped elect Reagan, Clinton and Blair. Every seminal moment or trend from the 1920's to the present has felt his influential hand.

Randomizer Volume IV Series I

It's been awhile....it is time to revisit the series. It represents an easy and simple way to capture the myriad, random thoughts that ping pong their way through my existence.

Brett Favre- Seriously, man make up your mind. Decisions really aren't that hard to make. You've strung along a franchise according to your whims. But as a Cowboys fan I hope that you continue to string along the Packers and that you sign with the Vikings. You can singlehandedly implode two competitors even before the first preseason game claims it's first superstar through freak injury.

Mr. Mormon Missionary Calendar Guy- Hats off to Chad Hardy for getting the attention that he's been working hard to achieve. His Calendar is back in the news now that his church membership is in jeopardy. Personally I wasn't too offended by the idea or calendar. I was a little surprised that the church has gotten involved but I understand why. But let's get to the heart of the matter. Barnum and Bailey would be proud of the way that Chad has used this event to get his name back into the press. From the article it seems clear that he no longer is an active and practicing member. If church membership meant anything to him he wouldn't have sent the press a copy of the summons and as a result he would have sort of been sympathetic. But it seems obvious that he's not out for sympathy; he's out for publicity and sales. Talk about selling your birthright for a mess of porridge.

We now run?- Ever since the Ragnar Wasatch Back there has been a definite buzz amongst my friends when it comes to running. A few of them even pulled off a 1/2 marathon last weekend. In high school none of us ever really considered running. We all had very active lifestyles and the act of running for the sake of running was kind of weird. After all we did plenty of running in football, basketball, and being teenagers. But now those opportunities have thinned out and running has become a plausible option. It represents a challenge and something to strive for.

A new Bluth boy adventure- Every few months I dust off my Arrested Development DVDs and rediscover comedy. It's becoming increasingly difficult to encounter quality comedy within the narrow confines of mainstream media. We'll I've discovered a Fox Studio Store that sells screen worn items from shows such as Arrested Development. I've become a big fan of the idea and I'm holding out for either an old Reyn Spooner shirt from George Michael or a nice Michael Bluth dress shirt. If all else fails I can buy a Buster Bluth prosthetic hand.

Patriot Games…thoughts from the 4th of July weekend

I’ve lived in Phoenix for several years now and I still haven’t gotten used to celebrating the 4th of July here. That is because we typically flee to the north for the holiday where we can celebrate with parades, chuck wagon breakfasts, 5k runs, and water fights. This was the first year that was actually spent here. And while yes, we did have a nice neighborhood parade/breakfast, it was a quick operation designed to end before the heat pushed the mercury from oppressive to insanely oppressive. So we joined the throngs of people and headed to….yes, the mall.

It was strange indeed. I sat in the main hallway waiting while Jodi thumbed her way through the Anthropologie. I observed countless people going up and down the concourse just like a typical Saturday. There were no visible indications of the holiday other then a few stores advertising a few sales that mentioned the day. I sat there waiting and thinking about our evening plans. Back home in Utah there were myriad patriotic events complete with fireworks. Here the only major advertised event was a party in Tempe.

So we wrapped up the day with a BBQ and a little emptiness. I thought about what made this so weird and the big common denominator was tradition, or lack thereof. In Phoenix the heat is so brutal it prevents any great massive celebrations or activities that might engender grand traditions or displays of patriotism. Most people flee to cooler climes or visit relatives up North. The result is that there is little going on and little that resembles the pomp and circumstance of my youth.

Moving on……

During the week of the fourth I read “What Happened”, the book by Scott McClellan. It was a pretty honest, and sometimes negative account, of his experience as the Press Secretary in the Bush Whitehouse. It was of particular interest to me due to the fact that my friend also served in the Administration as a Spokesman.

I, like many Americans, have become more and more jaded with the direction of our Country and politicians over the last few years. 8 years ago I was staunchly Republican who saw Bush as the man who would cross the Political divide and lead Washington out of the cesspool that had been created by a few decades of partisanship and bitterness. The world was more black and white and absolute back then.

Now things have changed. I’ve seen leaders in the Republican Party do the same things that I once excoriated the Democrats for doing. I’ve seen countless more posturing and I’ve seen less accomplished. I’ve witnessed our Country go from being an economic and global power to a “has been” with little respect and a foundering economy. This is just the past few years!

“What Happened” discusses this environment in some length and blames it on the “zero sum game” environment of Washington, the quest for power, and the persistence of the “permanent campaign” where decisions are based on polls and marketing. In Scott’s mind the Bush Whitehouse entered Washington with good intentions but quickly got bogged down in the game that has been played there since the Nixon days.

It was an interesting read and I feel that it effectively captures the mood of all those Americans that feel like Washington has become completely disaffected from reality. I’m glad that I read it because it made me sit back and take a look at my political tendencies and assess if the current political leadership is capable of solving our complex problems.

I think that a grass roots change is fomenting. In the past it was easy to have an apathetic opinion towards politics because we all had jobs and our lifestyles weren’t being threatened. We cast a blind eye to all the politicians and their shenanigan’s because our lives were fine. Now the economy is on the rocks and years of myopia and special interests have caught up and we all have to come to grips with this ugly situation. This problem might require some sacrifice and concessions; two things that have been in short supply the last couple of years.

Marketing Lacuna

Starting your own business is fraught with intrigue, heartache, possibility, and satisfaction. I've gotten off to a good start but I've come to the conclusion that I need to build some credibility within the local Phoenix market. All of my business to date has been generated through my established network my future growth will depend on how well I'm able to communicate my message to companies that are just meeting me.

So I've joined a few professional associations and I've decided to come up with affordable ways to get my brand some exposure. I have some contacts at Jobing.com and they are looking to grow their traffic and loyalty by assembling a series of blogs written by certain 'experts.' I was contacted to write some pieces. My angle is this- "Apply marketing principles to the jobsearch". The idea being that these principles will provide job seekers with fresh and more effective ways to market themselves to prospective employers. I build credibility for myself and get exposure to a website that gets 50,000+ unique visits a day, a good percentage being employers that could also use my services.

Here is a link to my Jobing.com profile

Nurturing your softer side

We are currently between cable providers. Having limited channels means that you either make do with the network crap, go without TV, or spend some quality time with your DVD collection. Jodi and I have opted for a combination of all three.

One surprising outcome of this is that I've become a fan of the now defunct WB program, Gilmore Girls. Jodi is getting a kick out of this because she no longer has to hear my complaints whenever she wants to watch programs that are typically associated with sugar and spice. I've found the dialouge to be rather witty and the stories to be relatively engrossing. Here is a small tribute to those other small things that could often be miscontrued as effeminate or 'girly'. We live in the age of the metrosexual, otherwise I would never come out of the closet with some of this stuff.

• I own a Banana Republic card and I enjoy using it. The last time that Robb Finlinson came down to visit we spent the better part of the day shopping for clothes. I know that this declaration means that I become subject to ridicule. But at least I will be well dressed as my masculinity stands on trial.
• I like watching TMZ. Not necessarily because I'm a celebrity addict but because it is fun to watch how TMZ makes fun at the whole celebrity culture.
• I do pluck my eyebrows, nose, and whatever other region of my body that could use it. That's just good hygiene.
• My eyes teared up the last time I caught "You've Got Mail" on TNT. (I probably should have kept that one in house)
• I don't mind cooking or domestic chores, cleaning the bathroom being the big exception. I will even twirl around in an apron should the mood strike me right.

We'll leave it at this for now. I suppose I will need to go to a Maxim type website to refuel my testastorone levels. At the very least I will need to regrow my beard. Having a soft side isn't all that bad. Just ask Bono.

Legend of the Troll Monster

All those who have vacationed at the Wolf Creek Condos are aware of the legendary troll monster who lived in the waterslide. Recently that waterslide was filled in, leaving the ferocious beast without a lair. Now havoc has been unleashed in the community. I found this in a recent edition of the "Huntsville Gazette".

Wasatch Back captured in photos

Here are some photos from Wasatch Back, a little commentary is forthcoming.

The Wasatch has my back

About six months ago Garrett invited the group to join him on the 200 mile Wasatch Back Relay race. Essentially we form a team of 12 and run the 200 miles between Logan and Park City. It was far off so a bunch of us naively accepted the challenge. Our ignorant pride blindsided us.

Now we are three days away from this. Up until last week I was feeling very confident. That all changed in Sun Valley. I was out to do a quick three mile run when it happened. The elevation turned my muscles into a heaping mass of goo. I had no push. I had no idea that running from 1,100 ft (Phoenix) to 6,000ft (Sun Valley) would make that much of a difference. I was defeated. I nearly sat on the side of the road and cried.

But a few days have passed and my desire to blood dope have subsided somewhat. Yesterday a few of us went a running store and bought some gear and magical medicinals that should help us out. Right now we will take what ever will help. We grossly underestimated this grisly task before us.

Pray for us all! I will post some updates and pictures as they become available.

Greetings from Sun Valley, Idaho

This is for Jodi who is stuck in Virginia until Friday. The Jensen's have been coming to the magical mountains of Sun Valley since the early 1970's. These panoramic pictures were taken near the dollar mountain ski area.

Send out the clowns

Things in this country are a mess. Ergo, I’m currently completing an exercise that I’m positive that many Americans are also participating in. I’m taking an inventory of what is going on in the world, wondering how it affects my life, trying to figure out how responsible the politicians are, and trying to figure out if any of the current batch of politicians is capable of fixing the things that I believe that they are responsible for.

But ...before I move on I want to add a couple of caveats. I represent main stream America. Most of my opinions are formed by what I hear and see through mainstream media. I listen to folks on both sides of the aisle so I think I am able to walk the tightrope and keep any bias in check. I do have a few “informed” friends but most of my views are shaped by what I see and hear and what is affecting my life.

So here are a few things that are important to me. If any politician wants my vote they will try to work on clearing these things up. Politicians always take credit for anything that is positive (Think Al Gore and the internet) so I’m going to ask that they take responsibility for the negative as well.


The Economy, stupid- I want to work in a land where barriers to innovation are destroyed and where the Dagny Taggart’s of the world can spread their wings. The minute that special interests and pork barrel spending (Think farm subsidies) enter the equation we lose efficiency for the sake of pandering for votes and influence. As a result we see things like the Ethanol/Gas situation. Politicians have won primary votes in the mid west but they’ve created a solution that is more of a mess. I think that the primary role of government is to make sure that the economy is free to operate and fair for everyone.

Gas Prices- I realize that this is related to point 1. Poor policy leads to inflation, which leads to a weakened dollar, which is one of the factors leading to really sucky gas prices, which leads to me getting my bike tuned up. Hell, we had a plan and a program to send a man to the moon. Why can’t we have a sound energy policy that can increase oil supply in the short term, select an alternative fuel that is less harmful, help create the necessary infrastructure to extract, refine, and distribute the fuel, and provide incentives to the private sector to create machines that will run off of it? We’re getting close to crisis mode here.

Belligerent Foreign Policy- This is where the Bush Administration really lost me. It has tried to paint the world as black and white and bully everyone into that paradigm. At least in Saddam we knew what we had. Now we have created a black hole in the Middle East that could last years. We’ve polarized the world against us. And our war effort is draining valuable money that needs to be spent with more pressing issues at home. I wish we could just turn our attention home so that we could fix ourselves first before we pretend to preach to the world.

Infrastructure- This hasn’t affected my day to day routine too badly but I fear that it will down the road. We have an aging infrastructure that needs to be fitted for the 21st Century. This is going to come with an incredible price tag and I wonder how it is going to be covered.

Legislating morals- I’m kind of fed up when I see Congress spending their time dealing with baseball players with steroid issues. I have a hard time when Government tries to get involved in moral issues that can best be dealt with on a local or state level. I strongly believe in morality but I also strongly believe in freedom of choice. I believe that the government should defend certain basic morality. But I feel more comfortable my religious education from the church of my choice then having it come from a government.

Well, this has become a little long winded. I usually stay out of politics but it has gotten to the point where it is affecting “main street” America. I have become very disillusioned with the current President. But I just don’t believe that either McCain or Obama has the ability to be a whole lot better.

Help me Obi- Wan you’re my only hope.

Uncovering the internet

Like many people I have my daily internet routine. I have 10-15 sites that I visit without fail multiple times a day. Unfortunately this gets old and distracting. I always love it when a friend uncovers a new site, especially the type of site- think www.howstuffworks.com- that you can spend hours on and not feel completely guilty.

Well, I have been enjoying www.lumosity.com. It was featured on PC Mag's Top 100 undiscovered websites. It's like Christmas in June.

Here is the link to the complete list. (Most of them are for computer geeks, but there are a few new gems worthy of inclusion for the daily circulation.)

http://www.pcmag.com/slideshow/0,1206,l=213934&pg=0&s=25234&a=213919,00.asp

Well the new site is live. I don't expect that it will generate a lot of business for me but it should provide some professional polish when people view my site after I meet them. It lets them now I'm serious and ready for business.

An old gem

So I was rummaging through an old disk drive when I stumbled across this. I made this when I was working in Mexico during the spring of 1999. I was pretty bored at work and figured that my time was best spent learning power point. So here is my life, circa 1999, as presented by Microsoft technology. (Please excuse the formating. The upload caused certain slides to get a little funky.)

Running off the rough edges

I came to a certain understanding the other morning while I was slogging away on the treadmill. I was somewhere between miles 4 and 5 and I was desperately trying to keep my mind occupied and away from the fact that I was jogging for that long. The mental exercise involved me replaying some of my finest athletic achievements from my youth, keep in mind that they are few and far between, and then determining whether or not I could replay those feats in my current physical condition. The conclusion?

NO.

I no longer have that burst or ability to cut quickly. I guess that happens with age. I even observe it while watching the older players in the NBA or NFL. The player no longer has the ability to dart or weave so his actions become more measured, more controlled, more economical. It’s just a fact of life. As we get older our flashes of brilliance get replaced with more level play. I suppose that this analogy can carry over to a wider range of relevance.

When we are young we want the music loud, the movie big, and the extra value meal. We think in terms of big returns, massive ratings, and big curves. As we get older our experience and wisdom kick in. We start to balance our checkbook, watch our diet, and think in more tempered moderation. A large part of that may be due to the fact that we have more at stake- family, career, etc…- and that we are responsible for more things then just ourselves.

So we evolve. I look at myself and see that the rough edges and spiky hair have been replaced with softer features and a more corporate look. I work within my limitations but I also still see possibility. Aging isn’t all that bad once you get used to it. Instead of preparing for a sprint I am trying for a long distance race. There is still much that can be attained and accomplished. I don’t mind the process so long as you don’t fill up my closet with a bunch of chinos and polo shirts.

The tracks keep a comin'

I was hoping to have this one complete but the timing of the vocals were off in a couple of places. I need to go back on the drawing board. The final cut will also contain a hammond organ in the bridge and an additional guitar.

Feedback is appreciated.

Click here to listen to Ryan's super cool "Untitled-Track-1-46"

Where have all the “early risers” gone?

We see it all around us. Its ubiquitous, it’s everywhere, you can’t look at a single scene from our daily existence without running right into it. You’ve most likely fallen victim to it more then once. It can be equal parts help meet and hell. It is also, in my opinion, one of the primary reasons that we have witnessed such a precipitous decline as a nation these past several years.

What is it? It can be called many names. Short cut. Expedience. Convenience. But at it’s core it’s the same….wanting optimal results with minimal effort.

It can be very simple and with minimal consequences. Something that comes to mind might be a fast food dinner. It’s understandable that time is at a premium and that we can’t expect a five star meal without the effort. Yet we still want to get a good meal and keep our figures. These circumstances span a whole litany of ’30 Minute Meals’, Home-Style Deli’s, and frozen meals. Yep, we all want to feel like we are having aunt Betty’s blueberry pie but we don’t want to put in the time or hours to get it right.

But things can get far worse when the stakes are raised. And this is what has me worried about where we are heading. Here are a couple of examples to illustrate the point:

• I see so many people who look to ’swing from the fences’ when it comes to finances. As a result you see so many schemes that are marketed as low risk- high reward. The whole lottery mentality has replaced the notion of slowly building up a nest egg.
• This extends to companies. I see a lot of small firms and venture capitalists who have 3-5 year plans. They want only to fatten up a company to the point that it can be taken to the market and sold. So in essence they want 30 years worth of income for 3 years worth of work. I understand that those that take the high risks need the high rewards. But I’ve been a part of several of these companies and the greater emphasis on the short-term (getting a company ready for the sale) has greatly and negatively impacted the company’s long term viability. (I wish I had some statistical evidence to validate this claim.)
• I even see this with larger more established companies. Long term goals are completely ignored because short-term expectations need to be met. Programs that will pay great dividends down the road are sacrificed in order to meet the Wall-Street EBITDA expectations for that quarter. A vicious cycle ensues as companies have to find increasingly creative, and sometimes unethical and unwise, ways to keep up with investor expectations.
• Perhaps no world is more soiled then the realm of politics. One of the strange ironies however is that we excoriate the politicians for actions that many of us practice in our own private lives. Politicians operate at the behest of the latest opinion poll and pander for votes by adding wasteful pork to our public spending. Our budget is shot to hell and no current politicians have the courage or leadership to do the necessary things to getting things back on track. Not when it would mean that you might short change a powerful lobbyist or offend one of the hands that feed you.
• It’s not just business. It extends to popular culture and relationships as well. It seems like everyone is pandering for their 20 seconds on You tube. Nothing can top the instant gratification that comes with the thrill of seeing your senseless exploit viewed by 200,000 anonymous viewers or colleagues, or potential employers. The dark side of this primal urge is revealed when we see people denigrate, humiliate, or scandalize others for the sake of the temporary notoriety. This is yet another case in which people are willing to sacrifice the long-term efforts required to build an honest reputation for the thrill being talked about.

I could go on and on with more examples of people or organizations that have stunted the natural gains that come through hard work and labor by making short sighted decisions. I have lived long enough to where I can successfully measure the ebbs and flows of societal progress.
In talking to people and organizations I am able to observe motivations. Sadly these motivations generally don’t include things like group benefit. It is a lot ‘parts not looking to sum up into something greater’. Short cuts are being taken at an alarming pace. Self interest has never been higher. Effort has never been lower.

Crap…I better not continue for fear of setting off the apocalypse. I believe that at our roots we are all great. But I hope that we realize that before our situation becomes worse, our purchasing power further diminished, and our “light on the hill” has been extinguished by the economic and military prowess of China or the moral superiority of some other culture or form of government.

The Essence of Life

Sure, it's in human nature to aspire for something that is bigger and better then what we currently have. I think that we've all seen enough sales pitches from the neighbors down the street who want to get us involved in the next big MLM scheme to agree. While yachts, shiny red European cars, a 5th home in the Carribbean, and endless cuts of Omaha Steaks are all nice, I would have to declare that it's the simple pleasures that really squeeze joy from the fruit of life. Hat's off to those people who can live independent of the rat race and can enjoy those things that are simple, cheap, and around us....those things that might be unheralded or simply waiting to be discovered.


Here is my own little simple pleasure list:

• Public Libraries
• Cheap books at half.com
• "Promenade" by U2
• Fresh almonds, lightly roasted
• The 1st season of "Arrested Development"
• Free software
• Walks at dusk in Phoenix when the Orange trees are blossoming
• Photography
• Revisiting old back issues of Sports Illustrated and National Geographic
• Fun time with kids
• Getting great service at your favorite restaurant
• Ideas
• Coming up with schemes with friends
• Wikipedia
• Frosted Mini-Wheats
• Weekend getaways
• Music Making
• Netflix

Selling a house in a bearish market

I've got somewhat of a conundrum on my hands. I've got a perfectly fine house that I'd like to sell....in the midst of a very tight real estate market. I could wait and sell the house in a year or two once the market stabilizes. I live in a great area that will continue to see growth and investment. But that delays our goal of getting into a more suitable "family friendly" house when the market is ripe with good buys.

So I am going to test the market now and see how it plays out. If no wealthy benefactor decides to swoop in and make a generous offer I will just rent it out. Until then we have a nice weekend cottage in the city.

Here is the link to the MLS listing for your viewing pleasure. Don't be afraid to make an offer.

Your Future Dream Home

I've been drafted

Fact: Men devote too much time to sports.

That fact applies to me as well. But I try to do my part by limiting my sports watching hours to Football, basketball, and a little soccer. There is one event, however, that has held a spell over me since I was a wee tot. The NFL Draft. It my siren song and I am its captive sailor.

Why is the draft so cool? Why do I watch hours of TV in early April of the same stupid talking heads debating picks into oblivion? I think I heard 25 hours worth of opinion regarding who the Rams should take with the 2nd pick. Why do I care about what kind of draft grade the Cowboys got with their picks even though none of the players have even played a game?

The draft is somewhat special because it is an event that includes everyone. It is the rare day that the Lions could come out a winner. It allows the average fan the chance to step into the role of the GM and try to pick the right player for their club. There is a definite fantasy football type of aspect to the draft. And I guess that is why it is so wildly popular.

Well the draft has come and gone and I am mildly satisfied with how the Cowboys picked. I am eternally grateful for Jodi for putting up with me this past weekend and even feigning interest in the process. Now this is over and I have to what a while before I get some more football news. Until then I have the Jazz to satisfy my sports fix.

This is a desert?

Most people conjure up images of the barren Sahara or atleast anything around Las Vegas when the word desert is brought up. But after living in Phoenix for several years you grow to realize that this stereotype doesn't quite pertain. There are places here that at the right time appear to be just downright verdant and lush.

Here are some recent photos from the famed Superstition Mountains that are east of Mesa. We will continue to poke around these hills in search of desert beauty and some of the Lost Dutchmans cache of gold.

http://picasaweb.google.com/ronifer/SuperstitionMountains

New Song

I've taken my act back to the studio. I still have about 12 songs to record before I feel comfortable in moving on to new stuff. This song is a couple of years old and carries emotion from another time and place.


Click here to listen to "Held-you-in-my-arms-once-upon-a-time"

Open for business

The dream is slowly becoming a reality. I've got my first work and as things grow I will need to look the part. Lacuna Strategy, LLC was formed this week and the business cards and websites will follow shortly there after. Thanks, Gar and Glen for the help.

Here is a sneak peak at the card. The journey begins.

Rome and a little Photoshop

Here are a couple of the better shots from Rome. They have been altered somewhat by Photoshop.

The New Venture

I've started my own company, Lacuna Strategy LLC. I've been doing a lot of marketing consulting lately and I thought that I should incorporate as to take advantage of some tax benefits. It has been very exhilerating so far and I look forward to doing things like business cards, website, branding, and sales.


Here are a couple of current logos that I am working on. By way of explanation- Lacuna is Latin for "gap". My services bridge the gap between what customers currently do in terms of marketing and what they can accomplish with the right strategic guidance. (Triangle 1= Company wit

h smallish performance, Triangle 2=The company as it would want to be, The Line= the solutions provided by Lacuna)

Disregard the colors, they are showing up wrong. It should be Navy Blue and Gold.

Wedding Links

Enjoy some photos from the wedding. They can be viewed from the following links.

http://www.pictage.com/448096

Sorry that you have to put up with that gnarly registration process.

The new gold rush

Our recent trip to Europe highlighted one thing. The dollar sucks. It becomes less abstract and more real when you have to shell out $80 for a very average pasta dinner. Since most major commodities are sold in dollars it also means that things like gas and gold become that much more expensive.
The press has caught on and I recently watched some special on the local news about "Gold parties" where people gather together and hawk their old jewelry for cash. With a recession looming, with Gold prices at $1,000/ounce and Platinum at $2,000/ounce this has created somewhat of another gold rush. The big difference being that instead of combing the foothills above Sutters Mill we are all secretly scouring through our spouses jewelry in search of that pair of earrings that they really didn't like.
I took an old platinum/gold ring and decided to play the game....daddy needed a new blazer from Banana Republic. I took my act over to a local jewelry/hobby store in the area. The type of place that smelt of many years and poor taste. The trip was memorable.
I was greeted by a large cage. I buzzed in the door and entered the cage. From there someone on the inside buzzed me through the next door. The place was a veritable low budget fortress with bars and security cameras protecting the small cache of 18th Century coins, baseball cards, and tasteless jewelry. It was also exceptionally crowded and I was given a number to wait my turn. I perused the collection of old European coins and eavesdropped in on some conversations.
To my left was an elderly lady with a shoebox. She poured it out in front of the store owner who was wearing loupe and trying to find value in her dusty treasure trove. She went through each piece and after explaining its history (things like 'this was given to me by an ex-husband after I discovered that had been cheating on me') passed it on to the owner. He examined it for a few seconds, weighed it, and then pulled out his calculator to determine what he would offer. This followed with each piece. She ended up walking away with $400 for troubles and probably took her new wad of cash directly over to the nearest bingo table.
I observed this event with a few other people. I saw a kid and a mom, probably amateur coin collectors, try to trade some coins. I saw a middle aged man and his watch. It was all quite interesting.
Finally my turn arrived. My situation was a little more complicated because he also had to calculate how much platinum was involved. He gave me a fair quote but I decided that I would get a second quote elsewhere or at least to try and sell it directly without a middle man. I went home and got one of those free "gold kits" you see on TV and am using that route to squeeze an extra $100 out of the ring.
The whole experience was quite interesting. I was able to see how inventive and desperate people can be when it comes to making ends meet. I was also able to witness how broad economic happenings can affect live on 'main street.'

Italian Impressions Version 1

We will spend the next couple of entries recapping some of the highlights, memories, and key learnings from the Italian trip.

Rome at first glance

Rome is akin to Janus. You have to deal with both faces. There is much to love and there is much to hate. We enjoyed our stay by coming to grips with the good and the bad.

Some of the good:

• Rome is steeped in 3,000 years of history. You can find it on every corner.
• Rome has all of the requisite romantic stops (Trevi, Spanish Steps, etc...) that make it appealing to couples.
• Rome has a definite vibe and pulse. While it can be overwhelming to some, it is worth experiencing.
• Food and dining is an integral part of Roman living.
• Clothing and style is also an essential part of the Roman experience. Savor the 3 Euro ties.
• The popes commissioned and stole some pretty good art over the centuries. Take advantage of this and visit the myriad locations.
• Experienced with an insider or with inside knowledge and the very best of Rome can be experienced. You will avoid the traps designed to suck money and experience the places that get the seal of approval and patronage of the local populace.

Some of the bad:

• Everything has a price. The Vactican for 2? About $40. A drink of water? Try 3 Euro.
• The price is exponentially more steep for the unwitting tourist. There are many traps waiting to spring on a couple of unsuspecting sight seers from Yonkers. You can easily spend $50 for a horrible pasta dinner if you go to the wrong place.
• The constant crowds can be grating. We went during the low season and we still felt the body heat. We broke our Rome stay by taking a couple of excursions. This made things a little less overwhelming.
• The damn dollar. It was a deflating experience to check the internet everyday and discover that your greenback got you less and less.

Italy Highlights

The next few entries will probably contain highlights from our recent Italian excursion. So pull up a cup of Gelato and enjoy.

In the meantime click on the following link to view some pictures.

The Roman Jensens

Pre wedding Highlights

Day 1 activities:

-Camelback Hike

-18 Holes of Golf (Thanks Bott)

-Rehearsal Dinner @Monti's.

Four days before our wedding trip to Rome and we get this news; what's up with that?


The Dollar sinks to new low

Hope the Rotary Club doesn't get this photo...

It's a good thing Bruce isn't a politician. I think a similar photo allegedly ended the career of Dan Quayle. Should I embarrassed? I'm glad to see that my dad can have a good time on the streets of Buenos Aires.

The endless possibilities of Europe

Planning a 10 day trip to Rome and Italy is no easy task. The task begins easily with the standards- Coliseum, Sistine, Spanish Steps, Uffizi, Academia, and Roman Forum. But things get very difficult very quickly as you begin to sift through 2,500 years of varied and very interesting sites of historical interest. Here in Phoenix we make a big deal out of a building that is 100 years old. There a building designed by Michelangelo and housing paintings from Botticelli is just one of the many sites vying for your interest.

Case in point. Just when I thought we had the Florence leg of our trip under control a friend mentioned the Medici Chapel, particularly the basement. It was in that basement that Michelangelo hid from the Medici’s for 6 weeks. During that stay he spent his time sketching on the basement walls. These drawings were discovered in the 1970’s and can now be arranged to be seen. Just one more thing that is off the beaten path but that is very worthwhile.


Read here for more on our buddy Michelangelo

The Magical Magnetic Memories of Music

Music has an uncanny ability to define the emotion of a moment. I imagine that everyone has a certain list of songs that, when heard, can replay a specific memory down to the last detail. Some songs are very difficult to hear because of their ability to bring back the feelings of a moment that is long since passed and not to be recaptured. Other songs bring back a flood of happy thoughts. While still others do absolutely nothing and are not tethered to any part of memory. Here are a few:

1. Beatles, Lovely Rita- It is high school and we are feverishly trying to make the most of our car free moments. Our musical tastes are also expanding exponentially. The Beatles would provide the sound track to many memories during this era. On one such Saturday afternoon I am in Salt Lake with the Botts, Pete, and Norm. We are out and about in the Bott's old beat up 1984 Civic. I can still remember the distinct smell of syrup in that car; remnants from all of those late drives to school when breakfast was on the run. We are just returning from "Babe Hollow", a stones throw from the Patagonia outlet. Our latest attempt at meeting girls has failed. Undaunted we proceed up 13th East to the Spaghetti Factory, our Salt Lake meal of choice. With pungent melodies of "Lovely Rita" blaring through those little speakers we proceed to drive up and the steep streets of east Salt Lake looking for adventure.


2. The Samples, Everytime- I was out on my mission, probably 3 or 4 months. I was still homesick and getting acclimated to my new life. We were visiting a family. During the visit one of the kids was watching MTV in the other room, just loud enough that we could hear. Then out of nowwhere come the familar strains of the Everytime. It has a somber tone and I immediately become sad and somewhat homesick. The Samples represented all of the memories and friends of my recent past.


3. First Time, U2- The summer of 1993 and I was in the throes of my first certified crush, Nikki Francis. U2 had just released Zooropa and I couldn't get enough. Every night before I would go to bed I would turn off the lights and listen to that song 4-5 times all the while thinking of my hopeless crush.


4. Stand, REM- I was in the 9th grade and eager to explore music. We were taking a family trip to California and I had just received my latest batch of music from BMG. I was very much looking forward to REM, Green. I had loved Out of Time so much that I was eager to get to the rest of the catalog. I remember being on the "bumpy road" between Barstow and Simi Valley and listening to that entire album, particularly Stand.


5. Walking after you, Foo Fighters- I am living in Mexico, very much isolated from my normal world. I have recently purchased the Foo Fighters album based on the fact that I liked one of their songs on the X-Files soundtrack. Every Sunday afternoon after church I would take a Sunday stroll through the streets and activity of Los Mochis. I would always have a pen and paper in hand and I would always have my walkman in tow. I really discovered that song on my Sunday walks.

I could literally go on and on. I have so many songs that are indelibly tied to a moment or period in time of my life. What are some of yours?

Every Rockville trip was always full of Billy Joel and REM.

Managing the Market

So I follow a daily routine that I’m sure many Americans take part in. During a brief moment at work I will peruse a couple of sports sites and then check and see how the stock market is performing. The market will naturally be up or down and there will always be a headline that seeks to simplify the entire movement of the market into one event.
Now I’m all about executive summaries and cutting to the chase but I have a hard time believing that all of the hundreds and thousands of independent decisions made regarding individually unique companies and industries can roll up into a nice one sentence headline day in and day out.
Now I’m willing to concede that big macro decisions like rate cuts or jobs reports might create ripples throughout the entire market. I’m also the first to tell you that I am not anything of an expert and that I probably don’t fully understand the weight that huge financial institutions carry when they make decisions that are a hundred times more impactful than the decision of Joe Smith living on 123 Anywhere Street to buy a few extra shares of GE.
But c’mon. Every day the performance of the market is tied together with a neat and brief summary like the one mentioned above. “Market rebounds after strong employment report”, “Overseas trading down, market plunges”, “Chairman Bernanke’s daughter has Bat Mitzvah, Market celebrates by gaining 300 points.”

Saturday afternoon

I'm currently at the library doing some consulting work. But the task is becoming too difficult as I'm listening to the Funeral of the Prophet over the internet.

(Kind of how I feel right now)

Farewell to "our" Prophet

With the recent passing of President Gordon B. Hinckley I began to take stock of the role that his example has played in my life. One of my friends said that President Hinckley meant so much to him because he was the prophet during the period in his life when his testimony came of age and began to mean something to him. I have to completely agree with that. He has been the prophet during just about every milestone in my life. He will be sorely missed.

So I’ve begun the process of looking through old journals and conference talks, highlighting certain themes that have resonated with me through my various journeys and struggles. Above all there is one moment that stands out in my life. The time that he made a surprise visit to my mission.

I had been out for about a year. We were notified that Elder Holland was going to make a visit to one of the cities in the mission and speak. For several weeks we made an effort to publicize the event and organize caravans to the sort of distant town of Edinburg, some 5 hours away. To be honest I remember that the response to the invitation was somewhat tepid. It seemed like a long way for people to be driving. After much effort we were able to get 3 or 4 buses prepared for the journey. I remember being somewhat disappointed that we couldn’t get many people signed up for the trip. I also remember being very excited to hear an apostle in my remote part of the vineyard and for the chance to run into a few mission buddies.

The weekend of the event arrived. The missionaries left early so that we could attend a special training session with Elder Holland and Busche that Saturday night. The ride down almost felt like a road trip. A bunch of young men working to suppress the world and focus on missionary work. Soon enough the conversation drifted towards girls, life back home, and other conversations from a distant world that we no longer belonged to. There was almost a feeling of spring break amongst us; a brief respite from our hard efforts.

We arrived in McAllen late that afternoon and were quickly shuttled off to the nearest Stake Center for training. I’m sure that our leaders were somewhat frustrated because we were so eager to renew old acquaintances rather then to learn. Quickly gossip started to spread that the Prophet was going to be present for the big speech in the morning. I quickly dismissed the gossip because it was coming from the same Elders who gossiped about everything and anything. The leaders soon got a hold of the situation and we were caroled into the meeting room.

As soon as we sat down something changed. I remember feeling a palpable and tangible energy. It was a buzz that caused my heart to speed up and hair to stand on end. The rumors of a visit from President Hinckley persisted….but now they seemed real. We began to sing hymns in anticipation of the arrival of Elder Holland. We probably sang 10 hymns in a row. It didn’t matter because all of us felt this incredible energy.

And then all of the sudden we caught a glimpse of an old familiar face entering in through a back door. Without hesitation we stood up and sang in unison, “We Thank Thee o God for A Prophet”. I have never sung with that much emotion or conviction. I couldn’t help but weep with joy. I looked around and everyone else was in the same exuberant emotional state that I was as well.

He took to the podium and called the meeting to order. The first thing that he wanted to do was to meet us all in person. For the next 20 or so minutes we all walked outside into the foyer and were able to shake his hand and say hello. It was an absolutely incredible experience.

The evening carried on and I was completely enveloped by his presence. I don’t remember exactly what he said or what doctrine he shared. I know that he offered some kind words of encouragement. He could have been speaking about Kolob for all I cared. It was the feeling that I will remember. It was on that night that my testimony of living Prophets became cemented.

I have heard him speak several times and even interacted with him on a couple of occasions but nothing will ever come close to that evening while I was a missionary. I have never felt feelings like that with that kind of intensity ever since.

I don’t laud or admire President Hinckley just because he wore the mantel of Prophet. His character alone demands adulation irregardless of his standing within the church. He was so approachable, so wise, and so kind, so giving. In short he was the kind of person that you would, without hesitation, be proud to associate yourself with. He was my Prophet in the very same way that he was your Prophet. It seemed like we all had a personal relationship with President Gordon B Hinckley.

Revised Song

This is a song that I posted awhile ago but was still rough. I like version better but there are still a couple of issues. I had three guitars layered and there are spots in which they don't synch. I think that all of the guitars might detract a little bit from the bleak mood that the song is trying to evoke.

Click here to watch 'I-had-a-dream-and-it-wouldnt-end-17'

What's your carbon footprint?

I'm currently doing some consulting work that has me evaluating the viability of certain solutions that can assist corporations in becoming more "green". Among those is the much ballyhooed solution called "telepresence" that is being trumpeted by Cisco and HP. Both of these companies, duly noted, are both actively selling their solutions to companies willing to spend millions of dollars for super nice video conferencing capabilities.

Anyways, I have read a number of articles discussing green initiatives such as "carbon footprint" reduction. And the more I read the more I come to the following conclusions:

• Generally speaking, everyone supports and is behind green initiatives. It's a very popular talking point for progressive companies.
• Specifically speaking, very few companies make decisions with the environment as their principle concern. But when action that impacts the environment is taken it is primarily for issues pertaining to the bottom line such as cost reduction.

This leads me to believe that the free market not altruist ideas will drive the next rounds of environmental changes. Companies will issue less plane tickets and replace them with teleconferencing not because of their desire to see a greener planet but rather their desire to keep their jobs by maintaining a healthy bottom line. The fact that these kinds of "business driven" activities benefit the environment just allows companies one more arrow in their public relations quiver to help expound their high levels of corporate responsibility to the consumer.

I definitely don't begrudge capitalism, in fact I actively participate it. I also don't begrudge environmentalist, in fact I try to do my part to help out. I'm just glad to observe a situation like this were we see that both interests can be served.

How 'bout dem Cowboys?

Well the bottom quickly fell off the good ship Cowboys this past week. I'm still coming to grips with the fact that the season is over and all I have to look forward to now is asking "what if" and analyzing stats of obscure players for the upcoming draft.

For some reason the Cowboys have been plagued with a couple of criticle weaknesses these past few years. These weaknesses have not been covered up by the superior atheletes on the team. They were present under the highly controlled and strict Parcells regime and they were also evident under the laid back leadership of Wade Phillips. In my humble opinion, the Cowboys won't be able to step into the football Pantheon that the Patriots are currently hanging out in until these are corrected.

1) Penalties- In the two biggest loses of the year (Patriots and Giants) the Boys had multiple drives killed by penalities, particularly holding or offsides. This forced the Cowboys into 3rd and long situations that limited play calling. We have a very powerful line but we need to play as a complete unit. Hats off to the Patriots because they do.

2) Discipline- This one stems from the coach I believe. This is the other sucky edge of the sword that gave Phillips and the Boys their early success. They were loose and won during the early going. But come December and playoff time they didn't have the discipline to ratchet up the intensity. As a result we had costly penalties (think Davis mauling Ominura during Giants game) There aren't enough strong personalities in the locker room to keep players in check and keep them from being complacent. Once again the Patriots are successful largely because they are the most disciplined bunch of the lot.

3) Distraction- Holywood starlets, stupid comments by players, etc....These things distract players and create posterboard materials for the opposition. Take a lot at the damn Patriots. Their benign and politically correct statements give nothing to their opponents to use. Everything is kept in house and you never hear discussion about the Brazilian bombshells that Brady is dating.

4) Defensive Secondary- This one is more on the schemes employed. The Cowboys high pressure pass rush dictates that CB's play in tight man to man or bump coverage. This prevents the QB from dropping the ball off to his hot receiver. But for some reason the Cowboys played with a big enough cushion that would make the princess and the pea jealous. We were too worried about giving up the deep ball that we let teams nickel and dime us with the short pass. This is a huge concern and it needs to be addressed in the draft.

All in all we are so close. It will be difficult to replicate a 13-3 season but we have the talent to pull it off. We need to take care of the intangibles. These are the things that seperate the champions from the chumps. These are the reasons why the Patriots are what they are.

One more mystery. Why didn't the Cowboys get TO involved in the 2nd Half? The Giants secondary was completely depleted and ripe for the picking.