Poll results

Well, here it is.  I had an outpouring of votes and now it's time to throw down 

the results.  By the way, I didn't vote on the matter

Would you donate your body to science if you knew I would be dissecting it for my anatomy course?

35% of you voted Yes

56% of you voted No.

9% of you actually wanted to dissect your own body. :)Thanks Kyle for that fun bit of info.

Leaving my mark in Iowa

I attended a basic science course for the past month and a half learning all about how to fix problems in the head and neck. Well, it stunk being away from my fantastic family, but I made good use of my time. I decided to lose some weight (since I was cooking for myself), and amp up my physical conditioning in preparation for the 15K Tulsa Run coming up the end of October. So, with the fear of Debbie kicking my trash, I began running. It was usually to scorching hot for me to run after classes, so I went back to the house where I was staying, ate some food, vegged in front of his big screen TV and awaited digestion to have a fair chance. At 9:00pm I set off on my dark run. Since I don't have the best vision at night, it was always an adventure.

One night, I started off. There was a lot of construction going on in this new neighborhood and some of the sidewalks were unfinished. Well, somebody decided to all of a sudden fix them without giving me the heads up. The nerve! Anyway, as I was jogging, I felt something pull at my feet. I realized that I had passed over some yellow plastic tape about ankle high with writing on it. Hoping it wasn't a crime scene, I carried on. Then I realized it was recently poured cement. Well, I thought it was over and plunk, plunk, I ran over another patch of the newly poured stuff. It felt solid under my feet so I kept going.

On my next run 4 days later I ran the same route. All of a sudden I saw foot prints in the concrete and thought, HA, I wasn't the only one! Someone must have run across it before I did. Then I looked closer. I realized that the shoe prints in the sidewalk matched exactly the prints on my soles. Wow, that's better than Hollywood. Those lucky Iowans will have my foot prints for a very long time now.

My political compass

Well, just a blurb here...

I guess I am very close in my political career to Pope Benedict XVI according to 

http://politicalcompass.org/test

Very interesting.  I guess Mormons and Catholics do have some views in common. :)  Of course, that's assuming the majority of Catholics think like Pope Benedict, and the majority of Mormons think like I do.  

How do you all rank?

Thank you Brad H. for sending it my way. 

Oil Crisis

Thank all four of you who voted for the "what would you have our leaders do in regards to our oil crisis?" poll.  The results are as follows...

1- for Start drilling on our soil so we can become independent

0- for Start amping up our wind, solar, and hydrogen production technologies

1- for  both of the above

2- for  None of the above, who cares about the economy, lets convert to Socialism

Very funny on the bottom two.  I'm glad you have a sense of humor. :)

The Farlow weekend

Yes, I invaded the Farlow residence this past weekend. I proceeded to take over their basement and stake my claim on the bed found there. Next I finished off all of their Red Vines licorice. I then drug Den Farlow out to watch The Dark Knight while the Misses was stranded at home. Upon arrival to the homestead once again, I underwent cross-examination by Dr. Farlow and wife while eating their Chinese food. After fighting back with questions of my own, I commandeered their newly purchased Wii system. I must have been very good at it. Den Farlow fell asleep watching me ski down the black diamonds on the Wii Fit board. I only consented to let another have a go at the board because she was 27 years younger than I. Thank you Farlow residence for allowing me to disrupt your way of life for a weekend. It was good times! Now it's your turn to commandeer my X-box and eat our food in Tulsa OK in the near future.

The very dark Knight

For those whom have not seen the movie yet. The acting is superb. The story line is superb. The good is apparent and the evil is palpable. However, Drink responsibly, and think responsibly. Don't be like those irresponsible parents who think this is "just another Batman movie". The Joker is the ideal satanic terrorist, and it is well portrayed by his actions and verbiage. So, don't be like the 5 parents I saw in the theater (there was only 20 people in the theater on mid Saturday afternoon) and bring your 8-12 year old kids with you. Consider it rated R in order to give yourself the appropriate state of mind.

Now on a different thought. I have been thinking about the tragedy of the incredible actor Heath Ledger who plays the part of the villainous Joker. Though I might be balanced on the edge of being crowned a conspiracy theorist or one who can't join the crowd and give it my two thumbs and toes up, I feel there is a dark topic discuss. I think Heath's death was in part caused by the vileness of his character and hence the movie itself. Now, before you think I need my head checked, hear me out...

He experienced severe depression, anxiety, and insomnia as he became more entrenched in his character during it's filming. From what I have read and heard, his run of these symptoms were more than just a coincidence. Heath was in fact a good person. His father was quoted by saying, "He was a down-to-earth, generous, kindhearted, live-loving, unselfish individual extremely inspirational to many." I believe his father. It's amazing how such a person acting such a horrible and evil villain, made him seek medical therapy to cure his outwardly symptoms of internal spiritual conflict.

In what seems to have been an attempt at reaching the seemingly unobtainable sleep which he so craved, his life was ended prematurely. Some may say "ah, it was the pills themselves that killed him." Or "he was just another stupid Hollywood actor mindlessly taking overzealous amounts of illegal substances". I think it was not the gun that killed him so to speak, but the person holding the gun. In essence, I feel the evil influence that the villainous role had on him was so strong that coping with the symptoms became unbearable. Unbearable to the extent that even the strongest dose of prescription medications wasn't enough to rid him of the internal torment and thus pushing him to take more in order to obtain relief.

Like I said at the first, this movie was and is incredible on several levels of parallel between good and evil of today with superb acting and everything a guy wants in a movie. My only questions is, was it really worth it? What do you think? Give me your feedback.

If a truck cuts you off and road rage strikes...

Yeah, just kick the drivers truck where it hurts the most.  That is, between the back tires!  Do people only dangle these in Oklahoma?  

Mor Man

I was walking through the hospital one day, and decided to stop in the small chapel on the first floor, tucked away in it's own little nitch with "Quiet room" above the door. I walked into the Non Denominational Chapel with a quiet reverence. It was very quiet and peaceful. After resting for a short while, I decided to take a look around at what they had to offer for their literature. There were plexiglass shelves with small books in them. Next to the shelves was this placard which I found quite amusing. Not only did they misspell "Mormon", but I found it interesting how you had to "ask the Pastoral Service" for one of the aforementioned books, as if they were a controlled substance or were afraid you would steal one. Heavens to Betsy! We can't give away enough of them, share the love Pastoral Service!

Picture of the week:)

I love to look at how creative our fellow citizens are as I drive around. I'm not so crazy about bumper stickers (although very telling of what type of driver to waive to or scowl at), but more of the vanity plates. As I had to pick up a few things at Walmart the other day, I came across this dedicated star wars fan.

Global warming...not only just hype, but hype with a solution

Yes, I think Global warming is one of those, "hey, let's dodge the real issues of today and focus on theories". Wow, when so much is going on, like gas prices affecting the poor in this nation by not allowing them to drive to work. Or how about illegal immigrants who cross our fenceless boarder with Hummers full of dope and mexicans holding submachine guns. Not to mention the countless rapists and murderers. If you think "ah, it can't be that bad". Just call my brother who is a boarder patrol agent. After story #3, you will be so furious, you'll pick up a gun and go stand on the boarder yourself. Anyway, back to my issue of Global warming.

It is a ploy to pad the pocket books of companies who have already been applying "green techniques" like the TerraPass company. Yeah, go carbon credits! Here's an idea, go plant a tree! Anyway, one of my hero's of this day and age is Glenn Beck. The man who is not afraid of political incorrectness and is a true thinker. Here's a You tube link where he shares of a man in Arizona with an ingenious idea to solve all of our carbon guilt woes.

Here's Glenn... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QF0K0I0k-Kg Here's Klaus... http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/may/31/carbonemissions.climatechange

Groin' em big in Iowa

I was in the house up in Iowa, up on the second floor when this big guy wanted to suck a pint out of me. He was big so he flew slow. I clapped him out of the air. As they say, "the bigger they are, the harder they fall". Take that ya darn skeeter!

Pioneer Heritage

Well, time to take a break from my negative thoughts and direct them towards something very enlightening. I was able to go to a fabulous event in Nauvoo Illinois this last. It's called just that, the Nauvoo pageant. It's a play put on by members of the Mormon church who volunteer 2 weeks of their time away from their normal every day jobs to be actors in this gigantic production.

Starting at 7:00pm, there are activities set up around a huge field spotted with trees where they have games from the early 1800's set up for everyone to play. It looked like the kids were having the time of their lives.

At 9:00, the play starts. It's an inspirational story about the Mormon Saints (saint means follower of Christ) in the early 1800's. It is full of stories based on families coming from Europe to the America's after their conversion to the Church of Jesus Christ. There are stories of their personal blessings and persecutions against them and the prophet Joseph Smith. It was very inspirational and sent a good feeling coursing through the soul. The music was amazing.

I was assigned to help out in the first aid tent. Took care of a kid who hit his head on a ladder. Man, ice is a beautiful thing. Anyway, since not much was happening, I went meandering. I spoke with an actor who was there with his family. Six of his nine (he has no "cave" time) were in the play. He said that much of the cast were families who did the acting in family groups. He said it was amazing how the experience pulled his family closer together. The costumes were all hand made, and everyone in the cast changed at least once during the play. There were approximately 250 to 400 people on the stage at different points during the play.

I met another of the actors after the play had finished (at 11:00) who was there with his family of four. He had just finished his residency and decided to take out another loan to pay for their "vacation" in Nauvoo so he and his family could take part in the pageant. He couldn't say enough about how wonderful the experience was for him and his family. Yup, I'm inspired. Who needs to take a gluttonous cruise and get fat when you can have 10 times the joy and fulfillment of being in a large spiritual production?

One of the pre-program festivities. Lets go Deb!

While on the socialist/communistic topic...

Wow, did anyone else hear about congresses 5 week break? How nice would that be to not have to work for a living. Especially when there are very very important issues (i.e. our delicate economy +or- drilling for oil) to be discussed and voted upon. How about all the Surgeons take a 5 week break at a hospital all at once. Can anyone say, "In the Red"? How our nation will get out of the "red" sticky mess we're in, is a mystery to me. WOW is all I have to say. Here is the link if you don't believe me.

http://www.onenewsnow.com/Politics/Default.aspx?id=201574