Words With Friends

Scrabble on Facebook.   I was never a big fan of the game.  I would play the real board version probably once every other year.  

So why is the online version so appealing?  These are some of the reasons I've determined for my own self:

1. No tiles or boards to set up
2. You don't have to set time aside to play the entire game at once.  
3. You can choose to set time aside to play the next iteration of all the games at once.
4. There are a lot of online solvers to help you pick your words.  I use Scrabble Word Finder.
5. I've caught up with a lot of friends that I would have not otherwise communicated with if it weren't for this game.
6. And on the flip side, you can play a friendly game without talking to each other.  

I've learned a few strategies along the way that alluded me when I played the board version, especially defensive strategies.  If you can't quite reach the triple-word tile, then you block your opponent from getting to it.  Play shorter words for the same reason.  Play a word one tile short so you can go back and finish the word while spelling another word.  

I'm impressed with some of my opponents prowess to fit mini words along side another word which efficiently generates more points with fewer tiles, while spelling four words.  Impressive.

So today I am thankful for this electronic version for a classic board game.  

Politics and...

You either love it or hate it.

You party of preference is among the following: Republican, Democrat, Libertarian, Independent, or some other affiliation.

You can be very involved and especially emotional about it, or indifferent.

Regardless, I am thankful that I am in a country where you can express your opinions about political leaders and issues freely, without concern for censorship and punishment from the government.

Try that in North Korea.

2012 is a US Presidential election year.  I can't think of an election year that's been as hyped as this year.  Will Obama win another election, or will one of the eventual Republican nominees get the most electoral vote?

I had an interesting political conversation with my good friend Coleen the past two days.  And as a disclosure, we're both Republicans, and we're both Mormons.  And no, Mitt Romney was not an automatic vote for either of us.  She chided "Don't let it be Gingrich!!!"  She was referring to the Florida Primary election next week.  And she's yelling this all the way from Utah (texting rather).   

I'm still undecided.  I am a Herman Cain fan so I might just still vote for him.

Now, this is where the conversation becomes very interesting.

Coleen's oldest daughter had to write an opinion paper for school.  The question is "Which is more important for a leader to posses?  Faith and character, or knowledge? And why?"  And more specifically, Faith in Jesus Christ.

Now we're talking about Politics...and Religion.  

What do you say?  This can either be a rhetorical question, or you can leave comments to this blog.  I just ask that you keep it clean and friendly.

Waterburger

In between appointments, I was able to slip in some time to see my friends, who were having dinner at TGIFridays.  They had just ordered their meals, but since I wasn't staying for long, I just ordered dessert.

While we were eating our meals, my friend Rebecca was gracious enough to share half of her hamburger with me.  As I grabbed the half burger, a series of events occurred in a way that exemplifies Murphy's Laws.  I don't think you can script this any better than how it happened.

The insides of the burger began to slip from the bun...the meat, lettuce, onions, etc.

Watching helplessly as the innards made their way to the table...and by pure luck...there was a glass of water to break the fall.

An instant waterburger.  We were all so dumbfounded by this incredulous occurrance, that the entire group opened into gut busting laughter.  I almost passed out...twice.

I was left with just the bun halves in my hand, and without giving any second thought, I graciously ate them so as to salvage some benefit for my friend's kind gesture.

Thanks for the laughter today.

True Love

I love it when two people meet, and almost instantly, it seems like they've know each other for a long time.  The relationship grows rather quickly, and marriage is imminent.

I hope that I don't jinx my friend, but it looks like his relationship could head in that direction.  

These types of relationships are gems to me, because they are unique, and fairy tale like.  Now would I say that this is the purest form of finding True Love?

That would be an emphatic "not necessarily".  

There are countless iterations of how successful relationships develop, from friends that finally start dating, relationships that simmer for a long time (sometimes years) before a marriage commitment is made, and on-again off-again relationships that finally gain traction.

But I still am infatuated by the ones that find their "soul mate".

With that being said, thanks for all of you who have been great examples of finding true and enduring love, in your own way.

Long Days

Mondays are long work days for me, from morning to about 8pm.  I can't imagine doing this every day.  I don't know how people can work 60-80 hours a week, but if you live your profession, or need to do it out of necessity, you just do it.

Only once did I work 80 hours in one week.  I was working for a defense contractor as a software engineer in Northern California.  We were preparing to show our capabilities to some interested parties from Washington DC.  The work week included one all nighter, and a partial nighter, sleeping in a meeting room when I wasn't needed.

There is something therapeutic about work, compared to being idle for long periods of time.  The day tends to go faster.  You don't think as much about your needs and/or issues.  Productivity adds a sense of self worth and value.  And when the day is over, whether it's a good day or bad, it just feels good to put in a full day of work.

Remember when we were in grade school, we looked forward to the last day of school because of Summer break.  For the first few weeks of break, it was a lot of fun not having to work.  Played all day.  No set schedule.  But heading into August, we were ready to get back to school, ready to learn again, ready to have structure in our life....or was I the only one that thought that way?  ;-)

That's our internal nature, instilled by God, that we were created to work, that we do not generally feel comfortable being idle for long.  Even in the scriptures we are counseled to not be idle.

I'm glad that I have a job, and that I have that opportunity to work.

Choir Practice

Another good Spiritual day today, albeit a little laid back.  I didn't have as many church meetings today, but I did have choir practice.

My church is having Stake Conference next week.  A Stake consists of multiple Wards (or congregations) and twice a year, the wards get together for a stake conference weekend of leadership training, and two  church services, one on Saturday evening for just the adults, the other on Sunday morning for the entire family.

I am in the Stake Choir that sings at the services.  I love our choir director, Artis Hudnall.  He's a dynamic character, full of energy and passion.  He even broke his baton today trying to make an emphatic statement.  The first thing that went through my mind was "When is his birthday?  I'll be sure to get him a new baton as a gift".

For the latter part of the rehearsal, we worked on a beautiful arrangement of "I Stand All Amazed".  Artis put us through the ringer, going over parts of the piece over, and over, and over again, until we were satisfied with the results.  I could tell that as we were going through the repetitions, we were getting more comfortable with the piece, and that we started to focus more on the emotions of the piece instead of the technical mechanics.

Towards the end of rehearsal, Artis went to the back of the chapel, and painted the picture to us that he was going to be sick for the church service, and that we were not going to have anyone direct this piece.  And then, as if he was challenging us (although I could already tell the outcome), he wanted to perform this piece to him.

We put our collective game faces on, and with only the piano accompanist and each other to keep the piece together, we poured our hearts out to our director, in one of the most beautiful vocal renditions ever.  The entrances and cut-offs were precise.  The dynamics transitioned flawlessly.  Even the little artistic liberty to speed up and slow down were perfectly in line.  And the a capella section was just heavenly.  Artis just sat back there with a smile on his face, and afterwards, gave his heartfelt approval.

I've been in a lot of performances, and so I am familiar with being "in the zone", where the entire group gels as one.  But this time it was especially emotional to me, which doesn't usually happen.

Thanks, Artis, for such moving rehearsal, and it was just rehearsal.  I am looking forward to performing this hymn on Saturday.

Computer Support

My uncle called me a couple of days ago stating that he was having problems with his laptop again.  A software window kept popping up and he couldn't get rid of it.  I didn't have time to look at his laptop until this morning. Apparently Microsoft's Live OneCare software was trying to update, but wasn't getting a connection to the mothership.  After some further research, I found out that Microsoft discontinued the sale of the software a couple of years ago, so I'm assuming that the maintenance of it stopped recently, hence no response from the mothership (Microsoft).

I tried to uninstall it, but it wouldn't work, so I found something online to download that would clean it out, but then it stated during the cleaning process that I had to have administrator privileges.  I went back to Google to find out how to activate the "Administrator" user.

I was finally able to remove the software.  It was rather easy.

Back in August last year, my uncle had an offending virus on his laptop, displaying an advertisement (rather annoyingly), asking him to order some anti-virus tool to remove it.  It's a ploy for the company to get people to buy stuff they don't need, but putting a virus on their computer to remove.

That one took some leg work to find the solution.  Once again Google helped me.

My uncle (and my dad, too...numerous times) know who to go to when they have computer problems...me.  And inevitable, while I am fixing their computer, each would then ask a similar question "Did you go to school for this?"

"No", I reply, "I just know how to identify the problem, and know where to find the solution."

Either way, they're thankful that they have an inexpensive resource for their computer problems (my aunt and uncle fed me breakfast for my visit this morning).

"But I thought your blog was about you giving thanks."

You spoke too soon, grasshopper.

There's is something therapeutic, and Spiritual, about giving a "service of value" to someone who could have not otherwise accomplish for themselves, of which I give thanks.  

I love that feeling of alleviating someone else's burden, and in this case, it was "my computer hacking skills" that helped my uncle (reference to my blog about Napoleon Dynamite).  I'm thankful that I do have that special knowledge that allowed me to provide that service.

With that being said, you don't necessarily need a special skill to serve one another.  Heavenly Father blesses those that help one another.  In the Book of Mormon, King Benjamin summarizes service in the following verse:

"And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God." - Mosiah 2:17