The Humor of Global SWARMING

In case you have not noticed, the media and common conversation has become inundated with stories, concerns, and worries about global warming. Some of the stories are becoming so outlandish, that they are funny. It is actually becoming hard to tell the real stories from the those designed to make fun of ourselves.

I was listening to a talk show the other day, when they quoted the following story. As I say, when it was initially related, it was so much like other stories I hear every day, that it sounded real.

NFL Meteorologists Warn Steaming Black-Guy Heads Occurring Later Every Year

The sad thing, is that this Conventional Wisdom state we are in is a runaway train that is totally out of control. See my other blog log called the Perfect Storm. It will provide information about how this social event compares to others in the past and why I feel this is out of control and of significant concern.

One of My Favorite Holiday Stories - The Little Match Girl

I know that I am a sappy old Grandpa. As I was thinking about Christmas this weekend, I reflected back to one of my favorite Chrstamas Traditions. One year my parents bought us a copy of an illustrated book of Hans Christian Anderson's The Little Match Girl.

It was beautifully illustrated, but the story would always hit home and touch my heart. My parents would read it to us on Christmas Eve, along with the story of the Night Before Christmas. I remember, in years later, after my Father had passed away, I would still read the book to myself. It still would cause a lump in my throat, out of love and appreciation.

I want to share this story with my Grandchildren. However, the parents of my grand children will have to determine how it might impact your younger children before sharing it with them.

I was going to record myself reading it, but have run out of time, so the text along with some pictures and the final piece is a musical cartoon video I found on YouTube.

The Little Match Girl

Most terribly cold it was; it snowed, and was nearly quite dark, and evening-- the last evening of the year. In this cold and darkness there went along the street a poor little girl, bareheaded, and with naked feet. When she left home she had slippers on, it is true; but what was the good of that? They were very large slippers, which her mother had hitherto worn; so large were they; and the poor little thing lost them as she scuffled away across the street, because of two carriages that rolled by dreadfully fast.

One slipper was nowhere to be found; the other had been laid hold of by an urchin, and off he ran with it; he thought it would do capitally for a cradle when he some day or other should have children himself. So the little maiden walked on with her tiny naked feet, that were quite red and blue from cold. She carried a quantity of matches in an old apron, and she held a bundle of them in her hand. Nobody had bought anything of her the whole livelong day; no one had given her a single farthing.
She crept along trembling with cold and hunger--a very picture of sorrow, the poor little thing!

The flakes of snow covered her long fair hair, which fell in beautiful curls around her neck; but of that, of course, she never once now thought. From all the windows the candles were gleaming, and it smelt so deliciously of roast goose, for you know it was New Year's Eve; yes, of that she thought.

In a corner formed by two houses, of which one advanced more than the other, she seated herself down and cowered together. Her little feet she had drawn close up to her, but she grew colder and colder, and to go home she did not venture, for she had not sold any matches and could not bring a farthing of money: from her father she would certainly get blows, and at home it was cold too, for above her she had only the roof, through which the wind whistled, even though the largest cracks were stopped up with straw and rags.

Her little hands were almost numbed with cold. Oh! a match might afford her a world of comfort, if she only dared take a single one out of the bundle, draw it against the wall, and warm her fingers by it. She drew one out. "Rischt!" how it blazed, how it burnt!

It was a warm, bright flame, like a candle, as she held her hands over it: it was a wonderful light. It seemed really to the little maiden as though she were sitting before a large iron stove, with burnished brass feet and a brass ornament at top. The fire burned with such blessed influence; it warmed so delightfully. The little girl had already stretched out her feet to warm them too; but--the small flame went out, the stove vanished: she had only the remains of the burnt-out match in her hand.

She rubbed another against the wall: it burned brightly, and where the light fell on the wall, there the wall became transparent like a veil, so that she could see into the room. On the table was spread a snow-white tablecloth; upon it was a splendid porcelain service, and the roast goose was steaming famously with its stuffing of apple and dried plums. And what was still more capital to behold was, the goose hopped down from the dish, reeled about on the floor with knife and fork in its breast, till it came up to the poor little girl; when--the match went out and nothing but the thick, cold, damp wall was left behind. She lighted another match. Now there she was sitting under the most magnificent Christmas tree: it was still larger, and more decorated than the one which she had seen through the glass door in the rich merchant's house.
Thousands of lights were burning on the green branches, and gaily-colored pictures, such as she had seen in the shop-windows, looked down upon her. The little maiden stretched out her hands towards them when--the match went out. The lights of the Christmas tree rose higher and higher, she saw them now as stars in heaven; one fell down and formed a long trail of fire.

"Someone is just dead!" said the little girl; for her old grandmother, the only person who had loved her, and who was now no more, had told her, that when a star falls, a soul ascends to God.
She drew another match against the wall: it was again light, and in the lustre there stood the old grandmother, so bright and radiant, so mild, and with such an expression of love.

"Grandmother!" cried the little one. "Oh, take me with you! You go away when the match burns out; you vanish like the warm stove, like the delicious roast goose, and like the magnificent Christmas tree!" And she rubbed the whole bundle of matches quickly against the wall, for she wanted to be quite sure of keeping her grandmother near her. And the matches gave such a brilliant light that it was brighter than at noon-day: never formerly had the grandmother been so beautiful and so tall. She took the little maiden, on her arm, and both flew in brightness and in joy so high, so very high, and then above was neither cold, nor hunger, nor anxiety--they were with God.

But in the corner, at the cold hour of dawn, sat the poor girl, with rosy cheeks and with a smiling mouth, leaning against the wall--frozen to death on the last evening of the old year. Stiff and stark sat the child there with her matches, of which one bundle had been burnt. "She wanted to warm herself," people said. No one had the slightest suspicion of what beautiful things she had seen; no one even dreamed of the splendor in which, with her grandmother she had entered on the joys of a new year



The Little Match Girl Cartoon

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Life on the Run

It has been a while since I updated this Blog. 

It seems like all we/I do lately is run.   Run virtually from call to call, project to project, and place to place.  Between work and family lately we have been running constantly.  I would really be much more happy if it was running between Family.  Over the last two months:

• A trip to Thailand (Business 7 days in a hotel)
• A trip to  Cancun (1 week with Linda, Ellen, and David)
• Linda Drive Ellen & David Back to School
• A trip to Detroit and then Philadelphia (Work 1 day and 1 night in each city)
• A trip to San Antonio (A test to see if I can combine work away with family)
• A trip to Poland (Saturday through Saturday with 2 days travel)

Coming up:

• A trip to Santa Barbara (1/2 day work becomes 1 night and a day away)
• A trip to India?  (Targeted for January ?)
• January (Work Midwest for North America Management Training)
• A desired trip to Turkey (Visit Emily and Shane - Maybe combined with India if Turkey will allow us)

This does not count planned trips:

• To get David suites in Salt Lake
• Possibly Idaho Falls for David's endowment if call does not come to allow use of Thanksgiving
• Salt Lake / Provo some time when David reports to mission. 

CANCUN - ELLEN & DAVID

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SAN ANTONIO - BABCOCK KIDS (Madison, Brooke, and Carter)

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POLAND

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A View of Thailand from Indoors

 

After returning from my recent business trip to Thailand, I thought I would provide you my very limited perspective. 

On Friday August 10th I departed on a trip to Thailand to teach Methodology as part of a Project Management course to our Asian Project Managers.  Of course, as soon as I said I was going to Thailand, everyone imagined that I was making the great exotic trip.  May be I would see elephants or Monkeys.  Maybe I would get to shop for all kinds of great things.  When talking to those who had been before, the suggested buying silk or ivory.  Linda wanted me to bring her back a jade Budah.  I was warned of pickpockets, drugs, and cross dressers.  Interestingly, no one even mentioned to be wary of prostitutes, even though it sounds like this is probably the most likely of any of the likely issues to encounter.  I am sure it is because of my religion, that most would not worry about this, or bring it up.  I would simply explain to everyone, that I was flying in on Saturday night arriving at 11:50 pm., on Sunday, I would spend time recovering from jet lag and we had meetings to refine our training for the week, and that Monday through Friday, we would have class from 8:00 to 6:00 and then have dinner.  I would possibly get out one and maybe two nights during the week for dinner, but the fact that I was flying out of Bangkok on Saturday morning at 6:50 am. left me little time for experiencing Thailand.  And the week followed 100% true to that description

After a 20 hour flight through San Francisco, to Tokyo, to Bangkok, 40 minutes in customs and a 1 1/2 hour van ride we arrived at the Hotel at 2:30 am. 

The Resort

The resort was a very nice place called the Aisawan Resort and Spa.  It was 12 floors high with two pools four restaurants and some meeting rooms as well as a Spa and a meeting complex.  It was right on the beach. 

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• View from First Room Balcony
• View from 2nd Room Balcony
• View of Spa from 2nd Room Balcony
• View from Classroom

All week long I had breakfast the class then lunch at one of the four Restaurants looking over the beach, then Class then Dinner at one of the same restaurants. I did go get a massage at the Spa on Thursday night.   A Thai massage is like a combination of massage and Chiropractics.  They push and pull your body in all kinds of directions stretching you to the max.  It is amazing that while they are doing all of that you can actually dose off.   

One Night Out - Dinner and a SHOW?

On Wednesday, we all went to dinner in Pattaya.  Being a seaside resort, the Thai food, which only slightly resembled what we get here in restaurants was primarily fish, squid, chicken, and rice.  Some dishes were fried, others were heavily curried, others slightly curried.  One plate was a large crab with the shell cracked and meet seasoned and spiced and exposed to be extracted onto your plate with a fork. 

After dinner, we went to the famous Tiffany Show.  It was a kind of variety show with elaborate sets and costumes with song and dance.  The key feature was that all of the very beautiful girls in the show, were men.  It is obvious that some had implants and I would have to say that they all were very attractive.  But the thought of it is repulsive.  Afterward, you wondered if any of the beautiful Thai girls waiting on you in the Restaurants were guys as well.  At the end of the show, the main players were out front for people to take pictures.  Some of our group went up to get pictures with them.  I had forgotten my camera so I tried to take a picture with my phone, but the camera part of my phone would not work.  I am sure it is because this was just gross. 

Going Home

Since I had to leave at 6:50 am on Saturday, I caught the van to Bangkok with a group of other people.  I checked into the Grand Hotel in Bangkok (very plush) and then after a dinner by myself in the restaurant, I tried to sleep, however, I kept waking up afraid the wake up call might not occur.  At 3:00 am I got up, showered and caught my 4:00 am ride to the airport where my return trip was just as long as the trip over. 

 

Highlights of the Trip

While I never did get out of the hotel, other to go to dinner and the boy/girl show. 

1. I did get to meet some great people.  My favorite was Darren, the 5 year old son of the Project Manager in Shanghai.  he came with us along with his Mother to the Boy/Girl Show and was with me on the bus back to Bangkok.  He was always full of energy and reminded me of my grandchildren whom I miss very much.  He was born in Canada and spoke great English.  He loved it when I would pick him up above my head upside down then put him over my head and swing him back down landing on his feet.  He also, was asking me lots of questions about tornados and hurricanes and mud slides.  He is afraid to go to the US since he thinks all of these things happen all of the time. 
2. The massage was very relaxing.  And the Thai people bowing with their hands together as if praying every time you passed through the door or they served you. 
3. Lunch and Dinner by the sea is also very relaxing, but I was getting tired of the same things.
4. The little Thai shrine outside of the Grand Hotel
5. The Thai serpent and god statue in the Bangkok Airport

 

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Darren and his Dad, Eric Tang of Shanghai - Darren called me Uncle Dennis

I tried to see if I could get my trip extended by a couple of days so that I could see some of Thailand, but all of the flights were full of students going back to the states for school.  If had to do it again, and next time, I would have planned an extra day and would have traveled home eastward and stopped in Turkey to see Emily and family.  It was only 4 time zones away.  NEXT TIME I WILL EXPERIENCE MORE AND HAVE MORE TO REPORT

PS: For those of you who really think I work for the CIA or as a Drug Lord, this whole story could be a ruse. 

A Really Great Father's Day

While Father's Day was officially a few weeks past, today July 1, 2007 is a great Father's day. It is one of those great days in an LDS Father's life. Today I get the privilege of conferring the Melchizedek Priesthood on my youngest son, David. I had this great opportunity once before with my older son Scott.

This is one of many special spiritual days a LDS Father has with his children, starting with that special day when you get to take your new beautiful new child, fresh from heaven and innocent, and give him or her a name and a blessing. What a marvelous experience to have Father in Heaven give you an insight into this new child's possibilities and gifts as you pronounce a blessing upon him or her.

The next great formal experience comes when you get to take them into the waters of baptism. That little child, full of life and frequently mischief as well, with faith and worshipful intent walks into the font. After pronouncing the baptismal prayer, they are buried in the water, coming up fresh and clean from all sin (although it may be short lived). As they come out of the water, they push their hair back away from their face and blink and wipe the water form their eyes and clear the water form their nose as though this is their first breath and site. Their eyes are full of wonder. Shortly afterward, we get to use our Priesthood again to confirm them a member of the Church and give them the right to receive the most precious of all gifts, the Holy Ghost. What a great gift if we teach them how to recognize it in their lives. Personal revelation from God.

Other more formal Father Child opportunities are more limited to our sons for a few years as we Confer the Aaronic Priesthood and Ordain them from one office of the Priesthood to another. However, it does not limit our joy. Our joy is full when we get to give a Father's Blessing each year or especially on occasions when your child requests one to help with special needs. Joy comes when we get to be the Lord's voice in blessing our ill family members, and provide both emotional and physical relief. Informally joy even comes, when there is a real family problem we are facing, and we turn to the Lord, and ask as, a priesthood holder and Patriarch, for guidance and inspiration of how to deal with the situation. This exercise of my Priesthood, has provided some of my more spiritual and memorable experiences.

It would be great if I had the keys to use my Priesthood to seal my children in the Temple, but the experience of participating is just as great.

Back to Today. The great thing about today, is that like I have done once before with Scott, I get to open the door for my son, David, to have these same experiences. Both you David and you Scott, have the opportunity for all of these joyous experiences because you hold the Melchizedek Priesthood. And all of my Daughters, I am happy to say, will be able to join in those joyous days because they have married someone who have "chosen" to hold and honor this same Priesthood. (Ellen I am counting on you doing the same, and am sure you will, that is why I said All)

Yes - I am a corny "old man" but this is the way I feel on this special day.

To all of my family, with Love

DAVID's MISSION PHOTO - All of his paper work is complete. His physical is tomorrow. Now we just have to wait until the September 27 for it to be submitted.

Working In Mexico City - Day 1 June 24, 2007

The first of a series of blogs on a working trip to Mexico City.  I am sure you will all find this riveting in formation, and will look forward to the next day. 

 

Traveling

Today, Sunday, I got up early at 5:00 am and quickly got dressed and finished packing for my trip to Mexico City.  I tried to get breakfast, but remembered that I needed to drive fast, because this was an international flight.  I left home at 6:02 am and arrived at the Airport at about 6:45 am.  I quickly went to the ticket counter, and there was a long line.  Fortunately, the started allowing international travelers to check in by a kiosk like national travelers, so I was not only able to print my ticket but to check my passport as well, so that I could quickly get to my gate.  After passing security I arrived at the gate with about 10 minutes to spare before they loaded (7:30 am) for an 8:00 am flight.  So I was able to buy an Egg McMuffin before I boarded my flight.

Arrived at Dallas Airport at 11:10 am.  Took the train to a different Concourse arriving at my gate at 11:40 am just 10 minutes before the plane started loading for a 12:10 flight to Mexico City.  I arrived in Mexico City at 2:40 PM. In the Airport in Mexico City, I had to wait with everyone else to go through Immigration and Customs.  The line was really long.  1 and 1/2 hour later I had finally made it through customs.  Outside, a driver was to be waiting for me with a sign with my name.  I saw no one.  After about 15 minutes, I received a call from the Hotel saying that the Driver had been waiting since 2:40 and was wondering if I had left.  I told them where I was, at Gate E3 outside of Customs, as I was instructed to be.  She then told me she would send him my way.  After another 15 minutes of looking for him, I saw a new man with a folder looking around.  I thought I saw Barrett on the folder written in pencil.  He was not holding the folder up, so I went and asked him if he was looking for me.  He then took me about 100 yards down the hall to where another place was marked E3, and introduced me to my driver.  Finally, I was able to arrive at the hotel at 5:00 PM. 

In Mexico, I called my work associate and we went out for dinner and discussed the training plans and other things we needed to accomplish on Monday and through the week.

Church

Since it was Sunday, and I did not get a chance to attend our church meetings, during the flights I listened to part of the New Testament on mp3 files I had downloaded from the church web site. I was able to listen and repeat as necessary, where I felt I did not hear or understand well, from Acts 11 through Romans 11.  I had not read these parts of the New Testament in years.  It was very good.  I especially liked reading about Paul's travels, miracles, visions, imprisonment, angelic rescues and teachings.  Reading some of this with the understand we also have from the Book of Mormon and other scriptures, it is hard to understand how other religions can not believe some of our doctrines.  Especially when it comes to things like personal revelation, ordination by one with authority, baptism as an part of repentance rather than as infants, and other items. 

The Hotel

 The Hotel was a real surprise, it is very nice hotel in the best part of Mexico City, but it is very European/Scandinavian/Modernistic.  All of the furnishings are very modern and cold looking.  Halls are dark with strips of red lighting down the halls.  The room is very comfortable, but again modern and cold.  It has a huge shower area, with marble floors and walls and a complete wall of windows, with a large plantation shutter.  There is one shower head from the ceiling to the side, with a marble post in front of it that has two additional shower heads that spray on your legs and your stomach or bottom.  You can clean all of your body parts at once.  Oh! I forgot to mention the large Mexican Hammock in my shower area as well.  I guess we are supposed to shower then lay in the hammock while we dry off.

It does have a 32" HD TV and DVD player. 

Having stayed up until 1:00 am the night before, woken at 5:00 am I decided it was time to go finish a few e-mails, update my blog  and go to bed. 

The pictures below are of the Hotel, and the view out of my shower window. 

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Never Prepared for the Event

Ever since we had children, it seems that we have never quite been prepared for their events. Linda will declare that this is one of my weaknesses. That is probably true since she always plans things out in advance. This is one area, where she has let me fail a number of times. Recently was one of those times.

David had his lats choir concert in High School. He was given a solo. As we had to hurry and leave, I quickly checked my video camera bag, and then after a quick review of several tapes, could not find one that I had copied to somewhere else so that I could re-use the tape or one which had space on it. So I decided, I would have to record it on my digital camera.

We went to the event, then of course, had to take a few pictures here and there. About the time that his solo started, which was near the end, I started recording the solo in video mode. Linda also had her brand new digital camera and was taking pictures, and I thought recording also. About 15 seconds into his solo, of about 40 seconds, my card ran out of space. Linda thought she might have caught it, but was unsure. The result was that we only captured 15 seconds or so in less then ideal detail.

But what we did get, I share with you all

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He was pretty good, huh! Too bad we didn't get more detail. It is also too bad, he would never expand on this great talent earlier.

BUT WE LOVE HIM AND WILL MISS HIM WHEN HE LEAVES HOME! JUST AS WE LOVE AND MISS YOU ALL!!

What Does Your Father Do?

Both my wife and my children have asked numerous time what I do for a living. When people ask them, the have a hard time explaining it, because I have a hard time explaining it.

I am going to attempt to write it down in as short an explanation as possible.

I develop the methods or steps and tools that help the consultants at the company I work for, currently QAD, Inc, to quickly understand our client companies business operations and determine how they can be improved to result in cost savings and improved profits by installing and making use of features of the company's software. This includes improving the business processes by which our clients Plan their business product needs, take customer orders for product, purchase needed components of the ordered product, manufacture the product, and then deliver the correct product in the necessary time. My job not only includes defining the methods and tools to be used, but the training and supporting consultants to do this job more effectively.

In Short, I am the Consulting Methodology and Development Manager for an Supply Chain Management Software Company.

A simple view of a Supply Chain

A more complex view of a Supply Chain that shows at a high level all of the details our consultants must be able to help our customers improve

I am also a Realtor/Real Estate Investor who finds/buys bargain Single Family homes and either rents them or sells them through a Lease with an option to buy to people with marginal credit.

A Father's Day tribute to Mom.

As I have reflected on Father's day this year, I recognize that I would not even be able to be called Father if it were not for Linda who has consented and taken on the enormous but rewarding role of Mother. While I have had the more simple role of going off every day to make a living so we could all eat, sleep, and play in comfort. She is the one who endured the months of pregnancy, the pain of child birth, the anxiety of children's health concerns, the frustration of cleaning up after the messes left by 5 children who gradually learn personal responsibility. She is the one who spent late nights helping (doing) children's last minute school projects. She is the one who bought the groceries and prepared the meals until she got so tired of it, that she doesn't want to cook any more. She is the one who taught our children to read, write, draw, talk, write, and clean up after themselves. She is the one who made sure you were where they needed to be, doing the things you needed to do.

I am a proud Father. I have 5 wonderful children who, so far, have turned out as very good people. But when I look at my 5 wonderful children and 6 beautiful grandchildren, I realize that each of you are a primarily a product of Mom's contributions with a little bit of my seasoning. Linda is a wonder. She is organized, disciplined, honest, forthright and caring. She smother's you with her love as she still calls and is an integral part of each of your lives. She is the one who communicates and pulls us together as a family. I regretfully admit she is the one from whom I experience most of what has and does occur in your lives. I want to change that a little and become more involved in the lives of my children. But I am very grateful that I have a companion like Linda who has blessed both your lives as well as mine.

So while it is Father's Day - I want to celebrate Mom, who has made me look to the world like a good Father.

Story Time

One of my favorite activities with my grandchilren is making up and telling them stories on the fly. You never know how the story will end, or what will happen. The last time I got to do this was last summer in our back yard, Madison and Carter camped out in the back yard with me, and we had treats and watched a movie projected on a sheet on the patio. They wanted to see another movie, but it was getting late so I told them a story. I can't remember how it went or how it ended, but I know it included a little boy and girl camping with their Grandpa. They always seem to want another story afterward.

I am not going to tell one of my own stories here today, but I am including a story for my younger grandchilren that I found on the web. So for my grandchilren and children with love:

Pirates Treasure
Written by Carol Moore
Illustrated by Aura Moser

"Ten steps from the porch and twenty steps from the rose bushes," growled Bluebeard in Jimmy's dream one night. "There be treasure there! Aawrgh

So the next day Jimmy began to dig. He dug until the hole was deep and the dirt pile was high.

He kept digging. The hole got deeper and the dirt pile got higher.

He dug until the hole was deepest and the dirt pile was at its highest.

He sighed. "I'm too tired. I can't dig anymore." Then he spied something...

...but it was only one of Woofy's bones. Instead of treasure, all Jimmy had was a dog bone, a hole, and a big pile of dirt to fill it in with. He thought "That pirate lied to me!"

But when Jimmy's mother saw what he had done, she clasped her hands and smiled a smile from here to Sunday. "Oh, thank you, Jimmy. I always wanted a rhododendron bush planted just there. Here's $5.00 for digging that hole."

~ The End ~ ~

Happy Birthday Blythe

To Blythe: (Emily you will have to show this to her and read it to her)



Though you are across the world and we can not see you in person, you are on our mind daily.



Grandma Barrett and I (Poppers) love you very much and wish we could be there to play with you and hug and kiss you on your birthday.



But since we are not there, we can only say to you " WE LOVE YOU"


Keep that sly smile !


Take this Link to your Birthday Card

To My Children

God created families so that we can learn to love like he does. Being in a family does not force us to live like him, but having children like he does creates a strong bond. Our children are our creation. We are responsible for them. When we assume the responsibility to care for them, our love starts to grow. This love becomes more like God's when we are able to forgive and overlook each other's faults. As parents and grandparents, we experience God's glory as our children and grandchildren, having been taught by us, begin to choose "of their own free will" to do what we know from experience will bring them joy. We experience God's sorrow, when they exercise that free will and do something that we know from experience will bring them sorrow. But we know that without that opportunity to choose and either fall or succeed, they will never learn what they will need to know to become compassionate like our Father in Heaven.