I'm going to Mexico... feel free to tag along...

I've been talking about doing this for a while now, and finally got around to it. It takes about 10 minutes to get through the whole thing, so make sure you have some time when you click play.

Now I'm nowhere near as good of a Movie maker as Mr. Mack Strate is... so I hope you can at least get some entertainment out of the movie below... I don't have outtakes, a remote contorol, or say "action" so you'll just have to suffer through my mediocre attempt at showing you a day in my work-life... Think of it as a poorly done documentary instead of a gutbusting commecial... that should help... I hope!

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

I sure enjoy my job, and the good people I work with. Honestly, every day is a mini adventure. When it all comes to an end in about 11 months, I don't think I'll miss the long commute everyday, but I will definately miss the people.

Hope you enjoyed watching as much as I enjoyed sharing...

Joe

Bless You CardRecovery.com BLESS YOU!

Today at lunch I downloaded some trial software that lets you see if it can recover images from a deleted, or re-formatted data card. If it works, you pay the purchase price ($39.00) for the full program, and you can finish recovering your deleted pictures.

IT WORKED!!!!!

I got 160 Christmas pictures back that we thought were gone for good. Its funny, because I took this card to four different stores, and called at least six or seven others, with everyone giving me the same bleak outlook... "sorry - we just don't have much luck trying to recover pictures from re-formatted memory cards"

Then lo and behold - a little downloadable software completely restored the entire card... Amazing! What a Blessing!

For those that didn't believe my fish story... Behold!



Click on the picture to see the BIG version - and read the "Did you miss me" post below for the backstory!

Hair? or no Hair? That is the Question...

This past summer I was sitting on the floor in my family room when one of my Sisters came in and sat down on the couch behind me. I scooched back up to the couch hoping for a little shoulder rub. Instead of a shoulder rub, this is what transpired...

What she saw:

What she said:

Dang boy... your really losing your hair aren'tcha?

Other family members have lovingly begun to reference this look as my "bridge over troubled waters".

It's not like I haven't expected this day to come... I mean look at the gene pool I'm drawing from...

Its just that I so want to have a beautiful mane of hair much like that of my infamously handsome cousin Mack Strate... all shiny, wavy, and thick...

And not so long ago it wasn't too bad, its just really gone downhill from 2000 - 2008.

Lets take a stroll down memory lane:

Me in 2000 - Just out of college, two kids - new job - not bad eh?

Me in 2004 - Another new job, three kids, lots more travel, and after a move to Chicago... Ya, I guess its starting to thin a bit... but still, not bad right?

Me in 2007 - all three kids in school, yet another move and another new job, just a few months shy of officially using the "mid thirties" moniker to describe myself...

Oh yeah, we've officially arrived!

The question is... where do I go from here?

Shave it?

Rogaine it?

Plugs or implants?

Decisions, Decisions...

I guess I'll take your votes and input on the subject, then do whatever the heck I want...

Just know - that the next time I see you - If I do have a lovely mane of hair again... the operation was a HUGE success, and I'd appreciate ya'll just keeping things to yourself...

K? Thanks!

The Blogging Culture of 'Comments'

I get paid to provide analysis to my customers - which is a good thing, because I like doing analysis. There is something satisfying about taking nonsensical data, and making sense of it. The problem is that I can't really turn it off. At times I'll even over-analyze. I can make very simple decisions/situations hard, because I look too deep, or too hard at a problem instead of just taking it at face value. It's a good trait to have when you're oh, say... buying a car... bad trait, when your analyzing blog comments. So here's some insight into my twisted over-analytical mind regarding blog comments...

First - From a bloggers perspective: (using my own experience, and input from blog readers, and other blog authors that I interviewed)

Apparently - Bloggers tend to grade the quality of their blogs by the quantity and/or quality of comments that are left after a posting. One blogger recently confided that "its depressing to put so much effort into your blog, and then no-one reads it - makes me not want to even bother posting anymore". When in reality, tons of people could have read it; thoroughly enjoyed it, and just not felt like leaving a comment, or might not have had anything fun, insightful, or witty to add...

Conversing with a friend, you immediately get feedback on your input to that conversation by your counterparts response. In the Blog universe, the only feedback you get is through comments. So, if you share something you find funny, interesting, or personal - you are accustomed to immediate feedback. Knowing that your blog audience is mostly made up of family or friends only heightens that expectation. When the feedback doesn't show up, it can be a pretty big let-down, or even make you question the content of your posting - "was what I wrote offensive? boring? nonsensical? over-analytical?..." "are my kids/pets/pictures not worthy of your 'two cents'"?

However, on that rare occasion that there are tons of comments, the feedback can be immensely satisfying and rewarding. "They do care" - "I am funny" - "my kids are cute enough for your two cents" These feelings tend to leave the author wanting more, and willing to go through the 'comment dry spells' - hoping for another posting that will bring a deluge of comments.

To use a golf analogy - Its kind of like that rare occasion that you hit a golf ball so pure and perfect, and it feels soo good, that you keep going back for more and more even if you only hit that kind of shot once every three or four times you play...

Now - From a Reader/Commenter's Perspective: (also drawn from my own experience as a blog reader, and input from other blog readers regarding their propensity for leaving comments on a blog)

"Do you know how many times I've written out a comment for someones posting, then just deleted it, because I thought that maybe someone would think it was silly or wouldn't make sense..." (confidential source)

Overwhelmingly, blog readers have the utmost respect and admiration for bloggers - they love that the blogger is willing to put it all out there for the world to read, imperfections and all.

Self conscious about how everyone might take their comment, sometimes its just safer for the reader to say nothing at all. This is especially true when the commenter does not know who all might read the comment. Maybe he/she wants to say something funny about a particular posting, but is worried that their mom/dad/uncle/aunt/brother/sister/cousin/friend might read it and think less of them because the comment was going to be funny and appropriate for some audiences, but maybe not for all...

Other readers may not have much time on their hands, and after reading a blog posting that they thoroughly enjoyed - are called back to the task at hand before an opportunity for comments presents itself...

And so the conflict continues... Bloggers eager for comments, and readers worried about what they say, or short on time... Can the two worlds come together in perfect harmony and create a blogging Shan-gri-la (Zion for us Mormons)? I guess that remains to be seen...

Any comment?

Did you miss me?

Wow, its been almost a full month without blogging... I guess if its good to get away from work for a while, its probably ok to take a break from blogging too. Sorry for the lack of info on our family over the past few weeks - they have been full and fun!

This year we spent Christmas in Moscow, ID with Sheri's family. We flew into Spokane Washington on Dec. 18th, and Cal (Sheri's Dad) came and picked us up. I came back to Arizona on the 31st, so I could get back to work for year end close. Sheri and the kids came back on Jan. 4th, just in time for school. We had lots of snow and enough cold weather to remind us how much we Love Arizona!

There are eight siblings in Sheri's family, and at one time or another over the Christmas/New Year Holidays, all eight of them were in Moscow. It was quite a celebration, with our kids getting to spend lots a quality time with their grandparents, cousins, and uncles and aunts. I had a great time with my kids too, and finally took a much needed extensive break from 'Motorola de Nogales'

THE WORST PART OF THE TRIP:

On Christmas Eve, I checked the memory card on our digital camera, to make sure it wasn't running out of space, so I could take pictures Christmas morning. Somehow, when I exited out of the "memory card" option in the camera, all our pictures disappeared. I took the card to Costco, because they offer memory restoration services, but they couldn't resurrect any pictures - I'm now looking into other options, hoping and praying I'll get all the pictures back! There were some great pictures on there, and I get sick every time I think of not having them anymore.

THE BEST PART(s) OF THE TRIP:

Part 1: Cal took me and Cade Steelhead fishing down on the river. I caught a 13lb. 32 in. Steelhead. Of course the evidence of said Monster Fish is on the previously mentioned erased memory card from our camera. I truly enjoyed fishing with the family, but more than catching the fish, I loved Cade's reaction. We literally fished all day, leaving the house at 4:30 a.m. and getting home at 6:30 p.m. In all that time, we only caught 3 fish. You can imagine how tough that can be on a 7yr. old with a short attention span. Cal caught a small Steelhead early in the morning. My brother-in-law Jared caught a big wild one in the early afternoon that had to be released. Cade was really worried that his old man might strike out for the day. But, late in the day BAM! a nice big fish hit my line, and with the help of Steve and Cal, I was able to land it. After pictures, and some of the excitement dissipated, Cade wanted to whisper something in my ear. I bent over and he said "Dad, I know why you caught that fish"... "oh yeah?" I said "why?" He replied "because I said a prayer that you would be able to catch a fish today, and I just knew Heavenly Father would help us". The faith of a child... strong enough to help his non-fisherman-father catch a whopper! Thanks Cade!

Part 2: Sledding and snowboarding... Santa brought Cade and Tyler new kid snowboards for Christmas. The kind you just poke your toes under some straps, and start sliding down the hill. The day after Christmas, we got a really good snow, and took the kids sledding and snowboarding. I think the trick to snowboarding is balance, and bravery... which both of my boys have in spades. From the word go, they would both fly down the hill, and were amazing to watch. Especially Cade - that kid could go off little jumps, land them, and keep on boarding. We are going to have to plan a trip to a real ski mountain, and rent real gear to see how well he can do with the proper equipment. Honestly though - I got as much, if not more joy from watching them, then they got from riding... One of my all time great "I'm glad I'm a Dad" moments!

Part 3: Christmas morning... As our kids get older, gift giving and receiving gets a lot easier. Christmas was pretty simple this year. Each of our kids only asked for a few things, and were genuinely surprised and extremely grateful for what they received. I don't feel like I've been the best Dad in the world... there is so much I would have done differently, and lots of things I've done that I'd love to take back. But somehow I feel like the Lord has protected my kids from my shortcomings, and only let them absorb the good. I think that their Mom's strengths and abilities protect them from my shortcoming too, but I couldn't be prouder of how they are turning out. Of course they have there moments, but their concern for others this Christmas, and the way they actually converse with the Lord in their prayers really shows me that they are coming along just fine... for this, I am truly grateful!

Part 4: Family time... I got to spend more time with Sheri and the kids over this Holiday then I have in years. Maybe even since College. I loved being with my family. Nothing like a little quality time to remind me of where my priorities should be, and where I should be focusing my efforts.

Part 5: A HOLE IN ONE!!!!! After the new year is when work really heats up for me. I have to make sure that our factory finances are accounted for correctly, and that the year is properly closed out, before we begin our fiscal 2008. Wednesday was my heavy day. I didn't get home from the office until 9:30, then kept on working until past midnight. Early Thursday morning we were at it again. This time instead of driving into Mexico, my boss came over to my house, and we kept working through our close issues. Things got really heated and hectic as our 9:00 a.m. deadline approached. We booked our final journal entries for the year, only minutes before the cutoff. The next few hours were spent monitoring everything, and running reports to make sure we got it all right, then sending out reports to everyone letting them know how the year went. Once we could see that the close was successful, and things would be pretty light for the rest of the day... Kevin looked up at me over the top of his laptop and asked "you want to go chase a little white ball around a golf course for the rest of the day"? I wasn't going to say no, so we took off. We teed off around 2:30 (in short sleeves no-less) and had a really enjoyable round of golf.

We played the back nine first, so when we got to the 6th hole, we only had four holes left to finish up our round. The sixth hole at Torres Blancas is a 145 yd. Par 3. It has an elevated tee box, and a beautiful view of the mountains behind the green. This link will show you the course layout, and a picture of the 12th, which faces the same Mountains as the 6th does.(http://www.torresblancasgolf.com/layout.htm)

I took out my eight iron, and as I swung the club, everything felt right... nice take away, good tempo, smooth downstroke, solid/soft contact... and everything looked right... the ball flew straight and high, and landed soft... one bounce, a little roll, and IN THE HOLE!!!!

Kevin and I started yelling and high fiving... It was incredible. I never ever thought I would get a hole in one, so I never thought of what it would feel like... trust me - IT FEELS REALLY GOOD. As we drove up to the green, I was worried that maybe the ball was hiding behind the flag and didn't really go in, but nope - there it was in the hole... and if you watch much golf, there is something extremely satisfying about doing the "two finger pick it out of the hole while the flag is still in" method of retrieving your ball.

What an amazing payback for two incredibly stressful days. The golf Gods were smiling down upon me that day - and if I wasn't already hooked on this crazy game - you better believe I am now!

Part 6: Our anniversary! Sheri and I have been married for 12 years as of this past Friday. On January 4th, 1996 we were wed in the Cardston Alberta Temple. The time has gone by fast, and the more that passes the faster is seems to go. They have been wonderful years, and I love her more and more with everyday that passes. I'm grateful for her love and support. I couldn't do what I do without her by my side holding me up. I'm especially grateful for her example to me and to our kids - specifically her example of selfless service, and unconditional love.

This year our anniversary was spent with her on a plane coming home - getting delayed, and not getting home until past 11pm. And me working and running errands until it was time to drive to the Phoenix airport to pick them up. Nothing extraordinary, or super romantic about the day... just nice to pass another milestone, and reflect upon our life, our blessings, and the exciting road ahead of us!

Part 7: New Nieces and Nephews... Congratulations to my Sisters Shaela and Camille on the births of their new babies. My nephew Jameson (Shaela and David's new addition) arrived on the same day as my hole-in-one. I won't forget his Birthday... January 3rd 2008 - what a great day. Camille's new bundle of joy arrived only a few days later. Margo Fox joined Camille and Nathan's family on January 5th. I'm so proud of both of you, and happy for your families.

PS - I feel the need to point out that these "Best parts" are more chronological, and not necessarily in order of importance... lest you think my hole-in-one trumps my anniversary, or the new additions to our growing family...