Alexander Pope Said...

Blessed is he who expects nothing, for he shall never be disappointed.

3 Things Not To Do On The Bus

3 things not to do on the bus:

1. Don't fall asleep. Yes, people make fun of you. No, no one is going to wake you at your stop. And yes, drooling does kill your credibility.

2. Don't talk politics. If you really had an interesting take to share publicly, you'd be on the radio. No matter what point you have, no matter how good you articulate it, 1/2 the bus will think your wrong, and the other half will think you're right for the wrong reason. You can't win, move on to something else. If you can't think of anything else, get off the bus and run for office.

3. Don't eat unless you have plenty to share. Just a carry over from kindergarten and plain good policy.

Runners on the Corners!

Game On

It's not like it's the first time, nor will it be the only time or the last time (I hope), but tonight I get to spend an evening at the ball park with my boys.

I recall all too well the games I attended while a boy. I remember the ballpark, the players, everything. Going to a baseball game was magical, in that we didn't go all the time and it was something I shared with my mom and dad.

In Salt Lake, we have The Bees. They are not Major League and have nothing to do with our team the A's, but they are a AAA team and are the affiliate of the Anaheim Angels. But what do we care, this is baseball. There will be pitches thrown, balls hit, runs scored, and about one million questions asked and hopefully answered and even more hopefully, answered correctly.

Who knows what tonight will bring. We might even have a chance to at a home run or foul ball. Or see a player that becomes a star. Maybe share a memory that lasts a lifetime.

I find myself watching the clock and getting excited as the hour approaches. I might be working myself up too much. It's all good. Baseball is on tonight and the best line-up I will ever see, is the one that will be following me into the stadium.

Play Ball!

Sunday Scripture Choice

Amos 4:12

Therefore thus will I do unto thee, O Israel:and because I will do this unto thee, prepare to meet thy God, O Israel.

Thomas Watson Said...

I think there is a world market for maybe five computers.

Thomas Watson, chairman of IBM, 1943

Singing Within

I was introduced to the existence of Paul Potts yesterday. Paul Potts had been introduced to his own existence just shortly before that.

Paul Potts was a man, like many, who was dredging his way through life, day by day, half aware of a talent that lodged up inside of him. Within him, Paul Potts had the ability to sing as well as any other human being that can sing yet on the outside he was a cellular phone salesman, lacking confidence, lacking opportunity, lacking the awareness of the ability to shine.

His voice had escaped its solitary confinement in a few instances: for Paul's own personal escape from the rigors and harshness of life, for Paul's wife who believed and supported a quiet scarcely-possible dream of making people happy with his voice, and an occasional lesson and failed audition. Along came reality TV.

In a suit even I knew was bad, looking nervous, scared, and yet quietly determined, Paul Potts announced he was to sing opera on a stage filled with low to no expectations, in a show filled with others making absolute fools of themselves, with judges and an audience set to laugh, ridicule, and exploit weakness. The music started, the audience and judges prepared themselves for their assault and then amidst the quiet intro music, Paul Potts shocked the world. Out of this funny looking man, came a beauty no one could deny or resist and he sang his way into the soul of thousands.

Under the lights of the studio, in front of God, his angels, a studio and television audience, Paul Potts, in a fearless moment, let his light shine. He sang as if oblivious to the possibility of doing wrong, fearless to failure, and courageous to the opportunity of one last go at it. Most, like me, could not tell you very much about opera but most, like me, knew what we were hearing was fantastic. We were not hearing a man sing, we were feeling a man's music.

His song filled the otherwise void of the studio. A television audience awaiting scorn and ridicule was moved instantly. The suit became unnoticeable, the bad teeth that had once been so embarrassing that he withheld his singing disappeared, and the stage became filled by a man who suddenly seemed too big for it. Paul Potts walked out of obscurity and became a name, a feeling, an inspiration to millions.

Unassuming would be one way to describe his reaction. Humble would be another. I would say it was the most refreshing, the most awesome and the most heartfelt thing I have experienced for some time. Paul Potts. I think he knew he enjoyed his voice, but I doubt he knew how much it could fill others.

The formal opera world now waits for Paul Potts. There are some all ready to pounce on the untrained man from Pop culture that thinks he can sing. There are some who await the opportunity to expose the wannabe. I think they will find themselves disappointed. Paul Potts comes not with his audience out of sympathy, not out of some wishful thinking, but Paul Potts comes with his built-in audience because he moved us. He brought to many that rare experience of feeling the music, of not understanding the strings within that he was pulling but feeling them pulled, and of witnessing a miracle before our eyes. Paul Potts, with his voice, opens a conduit into the soul and human existence that most did not know existed. He brought hope to many, extracted cheers from most, and provided joy to all that heard him.

Thank God for people like Paul Potts.

Outside Looking In

I was one of the millions of people who paid their money to see the new Harry Potter movie. We did not catch the midnight showing, but we did catch the first morning show at 8:45 yesterday morning. I was not alone. I had my family with me, more to the point, I was with them. We, of course, we not alone either, as there were many, many people there to also catch the first showing.

I find it amazing that so many people are caught up in the story and I wonder what it is. You see, I am one of the few who do not get it. I always feel like I'm on the outside of an inside joke.

I do not read the books. I have no problem with them other than I cannot get interested. I tried to read the books aloud at one point. I thought it would be a good opportunity to exercise my speaking voice, but I could not stay awake reading. I fall to sleep often while reading, which is not strange, what is strange was falling asleep while reading aloud. It’s quite embarrassing to be awaken by angry young children because you starting snoring during the best part. I do this in movies as well, but they can continue to watch without me. It was not so easily managed when I am the reader.

As I said, I never understood the fascination with Harry Potter and I don’t completely get the die hard following. But I do get that the story was not written for me. I understand my kids liking it. My parents- I do not get. My co-workers- I do not get. The critiques saying it might not be for small children- I do not get.

Maybe it’s because I am a “muggle” and I realize it. Maybe it’s because my shoes are on too tight and my heart is 2 sizes too small. In any case, I enjoyed the scenes of the movie. I enjoyed the looks on the faces of my kids, before, during and after, and I relish the conversations we will all share now discussing this last movie, the tweener book already published and the one forthcoming. I don’t get the hoopla, but I do get the opportunity to be part of my kids’ imagination!

Rerun: Better than a Poke With A Stick??

It's fire season. That means that from now, or actually about a month ago, there will be wildfires here in the west. Thousands if not millions of acres will burn, the sky will have the hazy smoke look, and newscasters will do those ridiculous story on location. It's a scene played out every year. I don't understand why?

We just got back from camping. Have you ever tried to start a fire? Have you been in charge of maintaining the fire? You work and work to get the kindling just right, the tender situated just so, and then have to baby this little fire along until it can burn grown-up wood and then...it topples over and goes out.

I can have a fire going for an hour, poke it with a stick a couple of times and it's out! Yet get two kids and a couple of firecrackers and next you'll have hundreds of firefighters, a couple of helicopters, and about a million dollars to put it out. What they should do is just hire me. I'll just poke with a stick a couple of times and it'll be out in no time!

If it's really a big fire, just line up a couple of hungry campers who are desperate for fire for cooking, ask them to maintain it...the fire won't stand a chance!

Fundamental Law of Life

A friend of mine let me borrow a tape of a speaker that meant a lot to him. The speaker was Bob Richards, Olympic gold medalist in the pole vault and a long time speaker.

Within the speech, I found a nugget of wisdom that I agree with completely. It was my hope to share it with my readers. And here it is:

Life does not go to the gifted. Life goes to the people who see life. If there's an enigma that has always baffled me, it's this one: The smart get smarter. The rich get richer. The motivated get more motivated. The strong get stronger. Isn't that a strange enigma? You would think the laws of justice in the Universe would go the other way! That the dumb would get smarter, that the weak would get stronger. But there's a fundamental law of life and let me tell you what it is. The more motivated you become, the more you want motivation and the more you look for it. The smarter you become the more you are able to become smarter, to co-relate, to associate, to think. When you get strong, you get in shape so you can get stronger, so you can run farther, so you can get stronger.