What he said...

*points finger*

http://macmec.blogspot.com/2008/12/holiday-well-wishes.html

And for everyone else:

BEST.PRESENT.EVER

Yes.  Best.EVER!

This morning, I checked my GMail and noticed I had received an email from a known celebrity.  Glenn Beck was letting everyone on his SPAM list know that tonight was the last night to catch his Christmas Show ('The Christmas Sweater') at a theater near you.

I glanced over the email and thoughtlessly archived it in GMail.  I was a little bummed that I hadn't received a ticket (although it was on my Christmas list this year), but I also knew they were pricey and not easy to come by.

As I got ready to head home, Matt stopped by my desk and started asking me questions about going snowboarding tomorrow.  His questions seemed shallow and unimportant.  To girls, this might not seem odd, but to us guys who only talk when we have a pressing question - it was odd.  And awkward.  It was oddward.

After shedding Matt, I headed out to my car, unlocked the doors, and methodically threw in my bag and coat.

At that moment, a tan SUV pulled up behind me and blocked me from backing out.  A beautiful brunette bounced out of the car, grabbed me by the face and planted one right on my lips.  It was my hot wife and she was kidnapping me!

Grandma drove the boys to her house to play, eat, and spend the rest of the evening.

At first the kidnapping was just for dinner.  Then Kristine explained that she had acquired tickets to 'The Christmas Sweater'!

Because it was practically a sold out show, we didn't have time for dinner.  We decided that popcorn and soda would hold us over for a few hours.  We got our tickets, played a few video games, bought said junk food, and sat in the theater for about 40 minutes before the show started.

We chatted and scarfed down a tub of Kettle Corn.

I was impressed with the show.  It was such a great time.  The first Act was somewhat predictable, but the second Act brought many twists and tied everything into a GREAT Christmas message.  Glenn did a great job on stage, but I thought the singer (name to be placed sometime later) stole the show.  She had charisma, grace, and BOY could she sing!

We chuckled a bit here and there.  But, we mostly cried.  It was such a touching story about Christmas which tied in the Atonement.  I think its overall message was that some people feel they are not worthy or don't deserve God's love, grace, and blessings.  But 'The Christmas Sweater' showed that those are things given to us regardless of anything we have done, are doing, or have yet to do.  We simply have to accept them.  We are then encouraged to "wear" them - not hide them in a drawer like many of us do.

I'm not saying I don't enjoy an action flick as much as the next guy.  But, it is so relieving to sit in a movie theater and hear things which ring so true with my spirit.  Hearing things from Glenn's perspective opened my mind to ways I can improve myself and help others.  His words were refreshing.  I think in our Church, we often get caught up in repetition and I always love to hear Gospel Truths expressed in new ways.

Thank You, Kristine!  I love being surprised.  I love doing things with you by the seat of our pants.  I love that you planned an awesome surprise birthday party for me.  I was thrilled to go with you tonight.  And I look forward to other things coming our way.

I Love You!

I didn't get tagged, but I am doing this anyway as a pre-emptive tag:

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped 
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept overnight on a train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when your're not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden a gondola in Switzerland
29. Seen a total eclipse - lunar yes, solar no
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagra Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen Amish country
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight - coincidently coincides with the skinny dipping incident...
46. Been transported in an ambulance 
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in movie
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi concentration camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades 
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a lawsuit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. One cavity or less 

48 out of 100.  

FIRST.TAG.EVER!

Where is your cell phone? Dunno.
Where is your sig. other? Nearby.
Your hair color? Brown.
Your mother? Beth.
Your father? Bob.
Your favorite thing? Nearby.
Your dream last night? None.
Your dream/goal? Family.
The room you're in? Bed.
Your hobby? Computers.
Your fear? Heights.
Where do you want to be in 6 years? RICH!
Where were you last night? Calling.
What you're not? Ambitious.
One of your wish list items? Books.
Where you grew up? Idaho.
Last thing you ate? M&M's.
What are you wearing? Jeans.
Your TV? None.
Your pet? Dunno.
Your computer? Laptop.
Your mood? Content.
Missing someone? No.
Your car? Accord.
Something you're not wearing? Phone.
Favorite store? Amazon.
Your summer? OK.
Love someone? Definitely.
Favorite color? Green
When was the last time you laughed? Tonight.
When was the last time you cried? Birth.

Genius Orphans

I am not a HUGE fan of iTunes, but I was hooked when I found you can share your library over a network (ie - with co-workers).  At my previous job, I worked with a local artist who had EVERY SINGLE song that U2 had released, planned to release, accidentally leaked, and practiced on stage.  So, I would open up iTunes and listen to his mp3 collection goodness.

I then moved jobs and found that many enjoy listening to MY library.  THEN, Apple dropped the price of their 80 GB iPod about a year ago.  So that brings me to now.  An iTunes junky.  I just can't get enough...  There, I said it.

So, fast forward to the now.  iTunes came out with a "Duh" product a little while back called "Genius"

It was so-so at first.  I didn't like that iTunes was collecting information about my mp3 collection, but I have since gotten used to the idea.  Genius peeved me a few times when I would "Genius" a song and it would suggest that I buy an album that I already owned.

But, it has by far made up for its losses over the past week when I snagged Modern Guilt by Beck (one of my all time favorite artists).  I "Genius" 'd the first song on the album (Orphans) and low and behold, the single greatest playlist was thus created.  I did have to edit a few songs out and replaced some live versions with more fuller sounding originals.  But, all in all - I can NOT get enough of this playlist.  Here it is:

Orphans	Beck
Old Enough	The Raconteurs
300 MPH Torrential Outpour Blues	The White Stripes
My Mathematical Mind	Spoon
Polar Opposites	Modest Mouse
Cemeteries of London	Coldplay
Hiphopopotamus vs. Rymenoceros	Flight of the Conchords
Black Tambourine	Beck
Drain You	Nirvana
Big Bang Baby	Stone Temple Pilots
Level	The Raconteurs
Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground	The White Stripes
Dolly Dagger	Jimi Hendrix
Troublemaker	Weezer
Modern Guilt	Beck
Jungle Gym (Feat. G. Love)	Jack Johnson
Never Ending Math Equation	Modest Mouse
Superunknown	Soundgarden
Consoler of the Lonely	The Raconteurs
42	Coldplay
Catch Hell Blues	The White Stripes
Paranoid Android	Radiohead
Guess I'm Doing Fine	Beck
Stephanie Says	The Velvet Underground
Love Revolution	Lenny Kravitz
On a Plain	Nirvana
Two Of Us	Aimee Mann and Michael Penn
Dreamin'	Weezer
Drown	The Smashing Pumpkins
Bike	Pink Floyd
Volcano	Beck
Heart Cooks Brain	Modest Mouse
Wait Until Tomorrow	Jimi Hendrix Experience
You Don't Understand Me	The Raconteurs
Prickly Thorn, But Sweetly Worn	The White Stripes
This Is Such A Pity	Weezer
Moonage Daydream	David Bowie
Lost!	Coldplay
Love Love Love	Lenny Kravitz
13 - Turn It Again	Red Hot Chili Peppers
Every Moment (Live Performance	Rogue Wave
Police & Thieves	The Clash
Scarecrow	Beck
The Greatest Man That Ever Lived	Weezer
A Martyr For My Love For You	The White Stripes
Going Missing	Maximo Park
The Switch and the Spur	The Raconteurs
Gravity Rides Everything	Modest Mouse
Soul Of A Man	Beck
Houses of the Holy	Led Zeppelin
Love You Madly	Cake
Pretty Little Ditty	Red Hot Chili Peppers
Strawberry Swing	Coldplay
Astronomy Domine	Pink Floyd
Bring It On	Lenny Kravitz
Siva	The Smashing Pumpkins
Castles Made Of Sand	Jimi Hendrix
Needle In The Hay	Elliott Smith
Chemtrails	Beck
Everybody Get Dangerous	Weezer
Rag and Bone	The White Stripes
Ten Years Gone	Led Zeppelin
Rhinocerous	The Smashing Pumpkins
Frank Sinatra	Cake
Top Yourself	The Raconteurs
Trailer Trash	Modest Mouse
Sweet Jane	The Velvet Underground
Rental Car	Beck
Surrender	U2
Lullaby (Feat. Matt Costa)	Jack Johnson
The Denial Twist	The White Stripes
Death And All His Friends	Coldplay
Dancin' Til Dawn	Lenny Kravitz
Paper Thin Walls	Modest Mouse
Heart Songs	Weezer
These Days	Nico
Walls	Beck
Perfect	The Smashing Pumpkins
That's The Way	Led Zeppelin
Many Shades of Black	The Raconteurs
Arnold Layne	Pink Floyd
Love Buzz	Nirvana
Little Cream Soda	The White Stripes
Dramamine	Modest Mouse
Staple It Together	Jack Johnson
I Could Have Lied	Red Hot Chili Peppers
High Speed	Coldplay
This Is A Call	Foo Fighters
The Golden Age	Beck
Screwdriver	The White Stripes
Automatic	Weezer
Salute Your Solution	The Raconteurs
Look At Me	John Lennon
If You Want It	Lenny Kravitz
In the Evening	Led Zeppelin
Desecration Smile	Red Hot Chili Peppers
Stay Away	Nirvana
Tropicalia	Beck

Phew!  What a list!

I have had this playing pretty much non-stop since I created it.  Loving Modest Mouse right now...

Web Comics

I am not a web comic junky, but I do enjoy a few.  

Dilbert is the best.  Hands down.  It describes everything that happens to me day by day TO.A.T. Especially anytime Mordac (The Preventer of Information Technology) shows up or anytime they introduce some Quality/Lean idea.  Maybe you would have to work here...

XKCD is also one of my favorites...  Sometimes.

Also Cy&H 

I just REALLY found today's comic hilarious for some reason.  It has nothing to do with how my dad brought me up.  Or how I plan on bringing up my children.  Ok, maybe it does.  I think it says a lot about a dad who is willing to pee in snow in front of his son.  We actually encourage Josh to pee on the lawn when he doesn't want to run inside and use the toilet.  And even when he does "use" the toilet, it ends up on the floor anyway (he uses the open lid of the toilet more like a backstop).  But that is beside the point.

The point is that I always want to be a "cool" dad.  I want to try and remain in touch with what is cool without throwing my principles aside.

I don't see how peeing in the snow is against any principle I have...

...Its good for business

Yes, finally my very own blog.  I'm not sure if I should be excited about this or not.  We'll see how it goes...

So I named thie Flush Twice because of a saying my manager at work is always saying (OK maybe not always, but he says it quite often).

Flush Twice - its good for business

I work for a company that designs and builds water treatment equipment for municipalities and mining/industrial companies.  We treat everything from fresh, clean well water to nasty poo water to industrical waste water.

I am a programmer there - I make the system's valves open and close, turn pumps and blowers on and off, control their speed, and stir poo water faster or slower.  It may sound rough, but it is the most rewarding job I have ever had.  My favorite part of my job is designing the user interface for all of this so even the most simple minded waste water treatment plant operator can use the systems we build to their full potential.

So, that's me and this is my blog.  And remember - whoever you are, wherever you live FLUSH TWICE!