What I Think About the Patriots

The Patriots are the best football team in NFL history. Already a "Dynasty" (winning half of the last 6 Super Bowls), I have no doubt that the Pats are going to take home another Lombardi by winning a World record-setting 19 and 0, and then the world will be forced to acknowledge that they are the best ever and indeed are a Dynasty; indeed an ultimate dominating force, like Ninja.

Best team in NFL history aside, the Pats are also the classiest team ever. They exemplify true team mentality and team spirit. They never cheat, and if they ever experienced an oversight in the interpretation of a rule, they always made up for it, and then they went on to prove why it didn't even matter and they didn't even need any external illicit assistance. Go Patriots! Bring it Home boys, Bring it Home!



~~ Super Fan

P.S. Check out my friend Jason's sports analysis at his site http://www.rotopro.com/

Like Aunts, Uncles, and Cousins; More like Moms, Dads, and Brothers and Sisters

See the lady standing there in front of the birthday cake with the 50 on it - that's Aunt Carol, and the guy standing behind her is Uncle Dave (after whom I am named.) The celebration took place in my parent’s dining room which hasn’t changed much since then.

Now these great folks are my best friend Adam's parents, and they were almost like parents to me, but they're not really even my Aunt and Uncle. In truth their family and my family are such good friends that I grew up calling them Aunt and Uncle (like I wrote I was named after Uncle Dave), and their kids were like cousins. But as I also wrote, often they were more like parents to me, and their kids were more like siblings. Also in truth, I knew my honorary cousins better than my blood cousins and through-marriage cousins.

Over the years I’ve probably given them more headache than some of their own kids, but we have also enjoyed plenty of wonderful experiences which way outweigh the grief. In the long run I will always love my Aunt Carol and Uncle Dave and all eight of their crazy kids, my cousins; my brothers and sisters.

~~ Dave with the green bug on his neck

P.S. The lady standing with her arms folded is Dottie (who also has a bunch of kids.) Carmen is sitting

P.S.S. I need a better scanner; the original is much clearer.

Take Time to Scan Some Previous Posts, Please

A Moment for Memories

Rather than posting a joke which may or may not make you laugh, I would rather allow the laughter to arise from any joyful, fond, or even funny memory you may have about our beloved late Prophet, and please share them if you have any; thank you.

On my mission I had the benefit of hearing his inspired counsel on a tape which was made for one of his grandchildren. I can remember hearing him wisely remind the grandson to remember to smile, just smile to the good people of Germany. That's what I did, and that's what I still try to do to anyone with whom I come in contact.

Sincerely,

David

In Tranquility He Lives

"Beloved Church President, Gordon B. Hinckley, dies at 97
SALT LAKE CITY 27 January 2008 President Gordon B. Hinckley, who led The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints through twelve years of global expansion, has died at the age of 97.
President Hinckley was the 15th president in the 177-year history of the Church and had served as its president since 12 March 1995.
The Church president died at his apartment in downtown Salt Lake City at 7:00 p.m. Sunday night from cause’s incident to age. Member of his family were at his bedside. A successor is not expected to be formally chosen by the Church’s Quorum of the Twelve Apostles until after President Hinckley’s funeral within the next few days."

-----

I am saddened to learn of the passing of such a great man, and my condolences extend to his family and all those who knew him. Despite this being a typically somber moment I am not only comforted, but also filled with joy in knowing that he is in a better place with others who love him.

Though I never met the Prophet in person, I have been moved by his words, both written and spoken, and I know that he will be missed.

When my time has past, if I may have lived half as great a life as he, I will have lived a greater life than most.

~~ David

Wood-frame Ninjas (Chronicle One): Embryonic Calling

Mystically the Wood-frame Ninjas, even while yet wombed, already were kickers each. Yet their callings neither began nor ended with this embryonic coincidence. Fore from the beginning were they meant to be who they are and what they are; who they would be and what they would become: ninjas, sons, husbands, brothers, righters of wrong and wrongfully understood, justifiers of force and enforcers of justice.

Fate had made them and fate had brought them together. Having all the inherent tools necessary to fulfill their calling, they lacked the knowledge that the others even existed until they had heard their inner cry and they had followed.

Predestination to be revealed...

~~ Chops

The Age in Which We Live

We all know that this is the digital age, but it still amazes me at how entrenched in it we have become. Often true is the saying, "Out with the old, and in with the new." But I like to keep some old stuff around. Yet at times I automatically respond to things from a "digital" perspective rather than from an old-school "analog" one as in the following situation where Ellen had asked me for my brother-in-law Jeff’s mailing address so that she could send him something…


Sent: Thursday, January 24, 2008 7:52 AM
Subject: Jeff
What is his mailing address? I have an article to send him. Thanks, ep

On Jan 24, 2008 8:22 AM, Chops wrote:
jeffiscool@ohyeah.OK

On Jan 24, 2008 9:01 AM, EP wrote:
Mailing address. For real mail. :)

On Jan 24, 2008 9:16 AM, Chops wrote:
lol, that just shows you what kind of age we're in - the digital age.

~~Retro D.

Topsfield Scare

Anyone who has ever walked with me down at the North End or shuffled with me through a bustling mall knows that if you do not keep me within sight of eye, soon I will be without it.

Understandably Jenn gets a bit frustrated and at times considers this to be a somewhat nerve-racking experience, but what must have been an even more nerve-racking experience is what happened to my evanescent chaperone:

When I was about Eight years old - old enough to know better, yet I still don’t know better - I got lost at the Topsfield Fair. Though I don’t remember all of the details, I do remember a great barn, and inside the great barn were peddlers of various wares, like snake oil (just kidding), but really: honey of bee, still in its wax; and glue of super; and an evolving table full of Die-Cast chariots morphing into binarily autonomous bots! Outside I remember a mighty steed, and along his mighty side was an authoritative figure, petting Nitro’s mane, and wearing boots, black boots…with straps, he peered, seemingly, through his Aviators, and his dark blue uniform was crisp, pinned, with a shiny metallic shield over his chest, and he wore a magnificent holster which secured not only his pants, but also a Colt .45, Silver! Away…

Could any of these have lured me like the Lorelei’s Siren? Or had another alarm, like that of the Burning Banjos Quartet, smokescreened my senses such that blind faith followed? What was I or was I thinking?

Just ask my friend Brian what he was thinking after I had walked away from him. Oh, and don’t forget to ask him how went the date? That’s right, whilst courting a prospective helpmeet, Brian looked left and I left right wandering off to talk to the cop with the horse or to manipulate the Transformers or something, and it subsequently took hours before I would be recovered.

However nice it was of Brian to accept my invitation to have me briefly accompany him and his fare lady (at least I would like to think that it was nice; maybe he was merely trying to take home the prize for Best in Show) and squash any chance of visiting the kissing booth (or was that where he was the whole time while I was unwittingly winning the Freelance Daredevil competition?) Whoever knows what came from it or would have come had he declined?

If not his genuine niceness that caused him to accept, then the next more surer appeasement against which I lean is that the fiery winds of fate must have intervened; fore Brian now is one of Arlington’s Finest, a selfless crusader who saves lives and who ended up winning the American Dream (complete with great wife and kids.) Inevitably I am consoled by the thought of each and by my final fair-scare solace: I was his first rescue?

Brian, thanks for finding me, and thanks for the memorable solo-mission.

~~Chatter Chop

On the Moon with Zoom...Be Back Tomorrow

Man in Tree

Q : How do you get a one-armed man out of a tree?


A: Wave

What I Do When I Don't Have a Punching Bag

In ’94 the BYU Bookstore had a great selection of Jack(son) Hand(il)y “Deep(est) Th(i)oughts” greeting cards. After American Heritage study sessions on the lawn outside the bookstore, Dori and I used to go into the store to read the greeting cards and laugh our heads off. In particular I’ll never forget this one card that described what to do if you ever go temporarily insane – basically it suggested that one should get some weeding done rather than shoot somebody, like a lot of people do, because of how surprised you’d be.

I like that because it makes sense. Even if I never were to go temporarily insane, if I were to get angry or frustrated I would rather thrash on a piñata or beat the stuffing out of a punching bag rather than put my hand through a wall or someone’s face.

Since I currently am in possession of neither, from now on to settle down I plan on blogging. In the heat of the moment I may post a confusing, poignant, and pointed blog. If I allow myself to cool off and wait ‘till Sunday, then I will post a retro-meditative perspectived blog. During the week if I experience no episodes of anger or frustration, then I will simple use the Sunday Settle-downs to post something calming and peaceful, like perhaps an Ode to Water such as this one that I learned in Germany (if I can remember it correctly): “Nichts in der Welt ist ebenso weich als Wind und Wasser, doch nichts hat mehr Gewalt!” Translation: Nothing in the World is as soft as Wind and Water, certainly nothing has more Force!”

~~ Serenity Dave

Wood-frame Ninjas (Prologue): Genesis

By morning they seemed like Three Musky Peers; by midday they seemed like Ninjas!

Training began promptly at 3:30PM. The sturdy rafters (evenly spaced 2 x 4s) provided the ideal dojo. Combined with the inherent danger (a 10 ft drop when the bottom floor already was completed, at least 20 to a cement basement when not), the mental proving grounds also had clearly been established. Some key areas targeted for improvement included balance, agility, strength, courage, madness, deftness, precision, coordination (both hand-eye and foot-eye), and trust. They conducted speed trials and crucible trials, and do not forget sparring trials.

Indeed, having ample access to continually constructed homes and ever abundant power tools and supplies, the Wood-frame Ninjas were able to fashion weapons of skill such as the Bo Staff and Nunchaku, and then test these weapon’s might and merit, not to mention the might and merit of the combatants.



Predestination to be revealed...

~~ Chops

Happy To Be 32!

Today I could have blown out 32 candles.
Today I could have been spanked 32 times.
Today I could have eaten for free at Superific's Burrito Bar.
Today I could have begun a career as a ballroom dancer. (It's true; Snowflake and Misty the Gym Leader said so. In response to an Ask Yahoo, Snowflake and Misty were very encouraging and supportive toward Roxy who is 32, so I hope Roxy goes for it!)
Today I could have mowed the lawn. (But it would have been difficult getting through all the Snow, unless I had chartered my own Private Jet - in other words, booked a flight on SW Airlines [at least that is what they would like you to think, and that aint even close, even if I were to have gotten more ripped off by "upgrading" to business select/susucked] - or I could have driven somewhere where the green grass shows and maybe have rented a lawnmower or bought one at the 5 and Dime or something.)
Today I could have had a midlife crisis.
I could have done lot of things today, whether I just turned 11,680 days old or not. And I did do a lot of things, just none of the above. I'm just happy to be.

Happy Life Mission Passageway Day to Me!

May I live to post many more,

David who wishes he were with Zoom on the Moon

~~~

New Year's Eve 2007

BOSTON 07/08 Happy New Year!!!

Jenn and I went into Boston for First Night http://www.firstnight.org/, and we had a blast. Growing up here I had never done this, and this was our first First Night since moving from Oklahoma over two years ago.

The night was filled with great music, a parade, fireworks, food, and of course people watching. We even got to see the inside of the Park Street Church and witnessed a terrific instrumental trio who performed Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing, Auld Lang Syne, and a New Zealand violin piece. The main performer was a girl on violin, and there was a guitar player and a cellist. The music was so invigorating that people were dancing in the pews and aisles (we were able to get some great footage of that.)

Hope everyone had an awesome 2007, and I wish everyone all the best in '08! May the next 12 months be full of joy and prosperity!

Best regards,

Chops