Photo of the Day - Candle

A candle on the dining room window sash, reflected in the main and storm windows. 

Clark

Photo of the Day - Our New Computer Desk

This desk is what I did all day today.  Actually it's what I've done three of the last four Saturdays.  It's done now though, and I'm sitting at it this minute, typing away.  Painting will have to wait for warmer weather.

I just realized I should have put the doors back on for this photo.  It turned out pretty good for being built entirely of scrap materials.  Except for two sets of drawer guides and a drill bit, I didn't spend any money on materials. 

Almost all of the lumber has a history.  I used to build quite a bit of furniture for family, friends and clients, but haven't built anything worth noting for about two years.  But we needed a new desk to keep us better organized so I cleaned out the shop and went to work. 

Because all the lumber was left over from other projects, some of it has a history worth noting:
 - The frame is old reclaimed pine I got from my neighbor, Jim, across the street.  He salvaged it years ago from an old Boy Scout office and gave it a few years ago to me. 
- The white parts are left over melamine from two winters ago when I built bookcases downstairs.
- The base trim is left over from when I changed all the base in the house about five years ago.
- Beadboard on the sides and in the doors was left over from a wainscot in my daughter's room, which was finished with the rest of the basement about 18 months ago in anticipation of a new baby.  
- The front edge of the keyboard drawer was salvaged maple from a shop where a friend works.
- Parts of the cabinet and door frames are alder, left over from the trim I made for my uncle and aunt when they remodeled their house several years ago. 
- Last, but most meaningful, is part of a large, thick, glued up spruce panel.  I glued the boards together about 12 years ago, intending to use them in a headboard for my brother Kris. 

I never built the headboard.  Later, he needed a table for his kitchen.  But, this too, I never got around to making for him.  When he died, I hung onto the piece of wood, and always considered it his.  I never could, until now, bring myself to use it in a project.  Even included as part of a desk for my family, it took me a long time to finally break down and use it. 

While I stood and tried to decide if I was going to finally use this particular board or not, I brushed off years of accumulated sawdust, and thought about my little brother.  I stared a long time at the old board, and talked out loud, in reverent tones to it, as if it were actually Kris with me, and not just a piece of wood.  

Photo of the Day - Shed Window

I've thought a lot about doing a photo every day this year.  But, the daily time requirements to do it right are more than my schedule can handle.  So, I'm not going to do one every day, but I am going to do one as often as possible.

Today I was hauling some stuff from my dad's garage to his shed.  Between loads, he and I rested and talked for a few minutes in his back yard.  The window of the old shed, partially hidden behind the overgrown hawthorn tree, then caught my eye.

2010

December is over . . . finally. 

Don't get me wrong, I love Christmas and the Holidays.  We've had a wonderful week or so around here.  I just don't love the hectic chaos that is December.  Maybe you can tell by the 26 day lapse between postings how crazy-busy it gets around here.  And this past December was relatively tame. 

But that's old news now, I'm looking forward to the future.  2010 is here (twenty-ten as they call it at work).  A new year, a new start, and a new set of goals to work toward. 

I better go, I have some important stuff to finish in the next 365 days and can already feel the time passing away. 

Clark

The Readers are The Leaders

I have a friend that often says, "The readers are the leaders."  As an athletic, well educated, family man, a great friend to many, volunteer coach, and an amazing heart surgeon, he's a good example of the truth of this statement.

I've probably also mentioned that I have a daughter that devours books like most kids eat up television shows.  She reads an average of about five, age appropriate chapter books per week.  I'm not sure if it's true, but I like to think she's this way because I read to her so much when she was young.  Okay, Nancy read to her quite a bit as well, but I'm the one that read an entire 3rd grade reading text book to her before she even started school.

I have not always been a great reader.  In fact, if you don't count Hardy Boys books, of which I read maybe 15, I can count on one hand all the books I read for fun in the four years of high school. 

When I was in kindergarten, my mom moved us from Salt Lake City to Las Vegas, about half way through the school year.  In Salt Lake we did a lot of crafts and ate cookies and drank milk every day.  We probably worked on our ABC's, but I don't remember for sure.

In my new school in Las Vegas, it became quickly apparent that I was about a year behind the rest of the other kids.  On my first day at Ruby Thomas Elementary, when the teacher asked the kids to pull out their books and read silently, I knew I was in big trouble.  I held the book out in front of me and did my best to look like I was reading, but the teacher realized almost at once that I was faking it.  I can clearly remember her coming to my side, squatting down next to me and saying, "You don't know how to read, do you?"

I had just stepped onto the long and bumpy road of a kid who is constantly running to catch up with his peers.  That road lasted all of my elementary, junior high, and high school career. 

About 15 years ago, my mom was big into her real estate sales profession and occasionally went to motivational seminars.  She invited me along to a couple of them, including a day listening to Jim Rohn.  I had never heard of Jim Rohn at the time, but I have never forgotten him.  He was down to earth, logical and straight forward.

One of the things I remember most about the seminar, and the one thing that has made the single biggest impact in my continuing education, was a comment about library cards.  He mentioned that just 3% of Americans carried a library card.  He also mentioned some statistics about high achievers, also in 3% minorities.  I don't remember the details, but I do remember feeling like this was something I needed to do.  I leaned over to my mom and said, "Sounds like I'm going to be getting a library card this week."

I don't remember now if it was that week or sometime afterword, but I soon went out and joined that 3% by signing up for my very own library card.  My first ever.  Since then, I have read or listened while driving to at least one book per month.  15 years x 1 book per month x 12 months = a conservative 180 books since Jim Rohn challenged me to get a library card and use it.

180 books:  business books, leadership books, classics, motivational books, biographies, autobiographies, educational books, military histories, even the Old and New Testaments.  And that doesn't count any Dr. Seuss, or A. A. Milne, or 3rd grade text books either.  180 books - and counting.

I don't know why, but it seems like it isn't cool to talk about motivational speakers.  At times I'm bugged that it's such a taboo subject.  If they aren't exactly taboo, they are at least never discussed like they should be.  There are some great motivational speakers out there, and they have a lot to offer.

Jim Rohn is among the greatest.  His little bits of wisdom are amazing, and they are presented in a way that really rings true to me.  I have tons of quotes by him stored in my phone. For example:

- Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment.
- Don't wish it was easier; wish you were better. 
- If you spend five minutes complaining, you have wasted five minutes.
- Learn how to be happy with what you have while you pursue all you want.

      and one I just posted a few days ago
- There is no better opportunity to receive more than to be thankful for what you already have.  Thanksgiving opens the windows of opportunity for ideas to flow your way.

This great man died earlier today, after an 18 month battle with Pulmonary Fibrosis. 

I didn't know him personally, and only heard him speak the one time.  I've listened to some of his other tapes and CD's and have read some of his articles.  None of these - even combined - have compared to the influence of that one challenge to start reading more.  I'm sad that we have lost a man like this and I'm thankful for the impact he's had on my life and the lives of my children.  Jim Rohn  (September 17, 1930 - December 5, 2009).

Clark

Flying Solo

First Posted May 22, 2009 on el Bed.com

A friend pointed out to me once that it’s impossible to babysit your own children.  “Good point,” I agreed, after giving the idea some thought.  I guess it really bugs her how dads say they are babysitting when Mom isn’t around. 

Tonight Nancy, as well as our oldest daughter and several of her friends are up at Bear Lake for a Vacation Party (also known as a long, sleepless night with 8 giggling girls.).  Ah, the last birthday party for over a month.  You would have thought we were starting a business with all the logoed paper we generated this week.  Branding is the term, and branding is what we did.  What party is complete without a tri-fold flyer, matching thank you cards, luggage tags, even water bottles with the party logo on them?  The most fun for me was the CD with traveling songs on it.   Yes, it had a full size logo sticker on it.

Tonight the younger four children and I watched a movie and ate junk food.  I may not be the best parent they have but they all did eat a decent dinner before the show.  And after the movie they all brushed their teeth, said their prayers, and were snuggly in bed before 8:30. 

I do still occasionally slip and call this babysitting.  The really odd thing about that is, except for the movie and treats, I’m involved in this same bedtime routine every night.  Only this weekend, I’m flying solo.  It really does make a difference though when you’re doing it all on your own.  I definitely see one area where I under-appreciate my sweetie pie. 

This also makes me think of my own mother, who was alone for most of the years she raised children.  I can’t figure out how she did it.  When you are stressed out of your mind, what do you do?  You can’t just leave, you can’t just stop being a parent, you can’t just say to your spouse, “tag, you’re it,” or "I cleaned up the throw up last time," or "you change this nasty diaper while I go investigate that explosion in the boys' room."  Your only option is to just dig deeper and make it happen. 

So to all of you women and men out there who are doing it by yourself, who are making it work without a built in “babysitter”, and who are digging deeper and taking great care of your children on your own, I salute you.

Clark

Annual Christmas Collage