Waffles

Last time I went to Utah to drop off my son to the MTC my family and I stayed in this descent motel where they offered a good variety of complimentary continental breakfast.  Having instant oatmeal and boiled eggs the previous morning, the following day I decided to venture on the wild side and come up with something new.  As I was scanning the ingredients laid before me I noticed a Danish doughnut which instantly gave me a thought “that thing in the middle is cheese cream…hmmm.”  "Bang!" I came up a perfect recipe.

I went to the bagel section of the kitchen/longue, which was only 5 feet away from me.  I grabbed two pockets of Kraft cream cheese and a little plastic container of  Kraft strawberry jam.  I then went to the waffle section of the kitchen/lounge which was about 10 feet away and I took a cup of premade waffle batter and dispensed it in the already hot PRO Belgian Waffle Maker.  Before closing the ½ of the waffle iron, I opened the pockets of cream cheese and strawberry jam and spread it throughout the batter as it began to sizzle.  I then closed the waffle iron, flipped it upside down, and the waited for the 2 min 30 sec alarm signal, which automatically starts as soon as you close and flip over the waffle iron.  I waited and then opened it.  The end product smelled and  looked delicious.  

I then took my newly made food invention to the table where my family sat eating cereals and bagels.  I sat down with a smirk on my face and told them what I did.  Some of my critics, as always, rolled their eyes.  This is to be expected if you are always coming up with inventions that never materialize or see the light of their creation.  This time it was in front of them.  I took the first bite, and the waffle just melted in my mouth….delicious!  Kelly, noticing my sublime reaction, asked for a bite, and guess what?  She liked it! She was converted an instant convert.  You have to know Kelly; she is the best cook in town.  She is also a hard critique of food because she is that good.  To have her thumbs up should mean a lot to anybody; to me it just gave me much pleasure.  Jay followed and he liked it too.  The reviews were in.  I had to be taken serious as a novice cool.  Kelly thought it was the best waffles she has ever tasted.  

A good complimentary continental breakfast offers you choices for your imagination and it provides you with the basic tools, waffle iron, toaster, microwave, to help you materialize your imaginings, even a perfect recipe.  Don't just take my words, ask the critiques.

Standing

If the Lord were to come tomorrow where would you be? What will you be doing? Where were you be standing? What would you be looking at? What would you be saying? What would you be thinking?


For that last two or three days I have had this strong impression that the Lord's second coming is near. It is not an apocalyptic feeling, a prophetic statement, or even a vision that I had. It is a peaceful feeling that He can't wait to come and meet with us and I can't wait to see Him again. It's a feeling of joy that He will be returning soon to the House of his Father, even the temple. Yes, I know for a fact, and my heart doesn't doubt it for a second, that He will visit us there. This feeling just can't seem to escape from me.

Have you been there lately? Have you heard Him whisper to you? Have you felt his countenance around you? Have you felt his presence there? If so, then you'll know what I am referringn to.  If you haven't yet, don't wait. Each time I go to the temple the feelings and the promptings that He is there gets stronger and stronger. His coming is near. I am not sure if I will live to see his second coming, but lately I have had the stongest desire to see that my children and grandchild, and future grandchildren know and be ready to know where to stand, where to be, when the second coming finally takes place.  I hope that they know they feel very comfortable in that place.  

So where will I be standing when He comes? By now, you know where I want and will be when He comes.  If I am permitted to live that great and glorious day, I hope that I will be standing in the temple with my wife and children, and Penny, and future grandchildren. There, we'll be all dressed in white, hugging, crying with joy, embracing each other, and hearing Kelly saying “I told you He will come” and me saying “I always knew He will” and hearing my children say “I don't want us to be anywhere else. Thank you mom for all that you taught us, because without it we wouldn't be standing here.”

 I hope to see us all there, dressed in white, being ready to receive Him. To me, this is what the second coming would be like.



“Stand ye in holy places, and be not moved, until the day of the Lord come; for behold, it cometh quickly, saith the Lord.”

Morbid but genius marketing idea!

So, let's say you are living your last days on this earth, advanced in age, don't have much money, and don't want to place the financial burden of having your children pitch in to buy you a casket.  What do you do?  Well...here is this little morbid idea that I came up with that could revolutionize the way we purchase our caskets in these troubling economic times.  A self-made kit casket!  Yes!  Wouldn't this be a wonderful idea?  A casket that your family can put together on their own that you already purchased for no more than 300 dollars.  Yes.  A casket that all it takes is a  little assemble.  Heck, if you can buy a desk at Wal-Mart and put it together, why can't you put a casket your self?  Well, not your self, but your family would be put it together.  All you would need to do is go to a place like Wal-Mart, purchase the casket, store it underneath your bed, and inform your children or will executor where they would find the casket if you were to pass away.  Imagine that...Instead of spending 5000 dollars, save your money, invest in a 300 dollar self-made casket, and enjoy living the last days of your life with the money you saved, 4,700, or donate it to someone in need. 

Now, I know that this sounds sac religious, but to be honest, I wouldn't like myself to be burried in anything other than a rectangular, simple made casket, made out of plywood and nails, and then donate my saving to someone who needs it, a young man who needs money to go on a mission, or helping a starving college student, or a homeless single parent.  That makes plain sense to me. So, if you want to go into the business of making and selling home made kit caskets, be my guest, take it from here; if it works, all I would ask that you do is to donate 10% of your gross earnings to yours truly.  Thanks for your kind consideration.

Late Innovative Ideas

There are some new products are out in the market that I have actually thought about years before they came but somehow some else did and made it happen.  About 7 to 8 years ago I thought of how convenient would it be if sleeping bags came attach with inflatable mattresses.  It was fun thinking about how to go about developing and marketing it.  But I ran out of steam and let that thought evaporate.  About three years ago I read in the internet about some company coming up with a sleeping bag attach to an inflable mattress.  I said "What the heck!!!"  Well, that is usually what happens to my ideas.  I think of them but don't do anything about it.  But the funny thing about it is that my family doesn't believe that I had thought of these ideas first.  Well, now I am on my way to prove them wrong.  I've decided to post my 'back to the future' ideas in this blog.  So here is my new idea:

A lawmower that cuts grass with water pressure; its doable.  People already use water to cut through metal.  What if you develop a lawnmower that instead of having blades it has fine hair diameter size streams of water that the mower shoots with a x amount of pressure, precise enought that it cuts grass and weeds but not toes?  I think is doable. What if it runs on one gallon of water rather than gas? Genius!!!

So, if you like this idea, you have my permission to steal it because I will never have the energy or brains to make it happen.  But remember, I thought of it first.

Ok...not exactly a good example of a prototype, but heck; you have to give it to guys like us who think just a bit different than the rest of the world. 

Mandatory Referrals to Counseling...with Jose

Work can be very stressful to some people.  I get the priviledge of working with some of these individuals at my private practice.    They are actually really nice people if you get to know them.  

Cortisol vs. DHA...the fight is on.

So, here is a secret for a long and happy life.  Create more DHA and eliminate Cortisol.  The secret to life is DHA. The more your body produces it the more happy you will be.  DHA cannot only be found in good fatty acids like fish oil or omega 3 oil, but your body can secrete this magic fatty acid in your own body, specially your brain, each time you have good thoughts about your self and others, whenever you force to see the glass half full rather than half empty, or whenever you think rationally.  Being out in the sun doing gardening, or exercising produces DHA, kissing produces DHA, so does holding hands and being touched. 

Cortisol is necessary to combat stress but too much can be very bad for you.  Yes.  This is a hormone that your body secretes whenever you are under stress, in a bad mood, grouchy, irritable, cranky, or you just having negative thoughts about yourself or others.  Cortisol is to the brain as water is to a computer, it causes electrical damage.  Watching the news, a depressing movie, being too sarcastic, or hating someone causes your body to  create unnecessary levels of Cortisol in your brain and body.  Cortisol also lowers your immune system and it causes you to be more susceptible to air borne illnesses.  It is well known that it also causes cognitive impairments.

Two days ago a study came out indicating that people that were optimistic about life recover much faster from surgery than people who are pessimistic...why?  DHA!!!  That is right.  DHA improves your immune system and it increase your life expentacy.  I have a grandmother named Etelvina and everyone thinks that she is a little bit loca but she has a lot of energy and she is always laughing; manic, but laughing; why? DHA!

Want some good DHA? Start taking Omega 3 oil capsules, they sell it over the market; start eating more fish, spend more time outside, talk to people, buy flowers and put it on your table, or go to your nearest worship house and borrow some from their beautiful garden (ha ha ha).

Three Days of Camping at Box Lake, Idaho

Glad that I could hike 15 miles of steep and trecharous trails. 

 

Box Lake, Idaho

The Challenge: Climbing down a mountain designed only for mountain goats to climb.

40 lbs of backpacs and miles of hiking upward, priceless!!!

Trails without ends

Tree tipping; just because...

Nature

Sprinklers

I have noticed that during the times that I go out to the front yard to fix a broken sprinkler, which is about once or twice a year, either of my neighbors goes out to do some chore like get the mail or get in their car. From that small conversations have started. Simple ones, but enough to get a glimpse of their lives.

I am taking back to the times in my childhood when my grandmother Etelvina went out to her small small patch of green grass and flowers located in front of her house. She would dig out the hose and water the plants and stood there, for hours it seemed, until the job was done. At times I would notice that during the time she was out doing this chore other neighbors would come out and head to the store, get their newspaper, or get in the car. Some of them took time to start conversations; from small chats to 'chismes' the conversations appeared lively and the stories began to take shape. I am wondering if sprinklers were never invented, would our neighborly life be different today?

I am wondering if sprinklers are to blame for the lack of social interaction that used to take place between neighbors. Sure, they help us water the grass so that we can be involved doing other things, like sleep, or work, or cater to the needs of our children. But what we have given up to save time is now costing us more as a community. The regular face to face interaction with our neighbors is priceless. Facebook won't replace it. A summer neighborhood block barbeque won't substitute it. Hoses gave us more opportunities to know our neighbors than sprinklers ever will. Don't get me wrong, I am not Ted Kazynski. Nor I am making a case for getting rid of sprinklers. I am making an observation to make a point. Sometimes when you get something that you think it will save you time and money you could be given up something that you could later regret.

Now, off to fix my sprinkler. 

The First

There is always a first time.  This is one of them.  Blogging.  Yes, I'll be posting thoughts and things that capture my curiosity and fancy.  First things first, the title of this blog.  It is my favorite quote from anything that I have read, and it comes from the Book of Mormon :

20 Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men.  (2 Nephi 30). 

Ok...this passage says it all.  It is the motto for my life; it is what I strive for.  What is your favorite quote or scripture?