Varsity Shoot Out

Seven years ago Don Dixon and I started an activity in the Nevada Area Council for the Boy Scouts. A Varsity Shoot out for older scouts. We did the last one about five years ago and figured we'd pass the baton for others to carry on. So that was the last shoot out. We decided this year to resurrect the event. We started planning it, finding a location, recruiting a staff, and getting the word out.

The event was this past weekend. We had about 100 people in attendance. We had tomahawk and knife throwing, black powder rifles, 22s, and trap shooting with 12 gauge shot guns. We also had water balloon catapults. We cooked hamburgers and hot dogs for lunch. (We discovered too late that boys were going through the line 3-4 times and we ran out of food and had to go buy more. We went through about 3000 rounds of ammunition. For a little diversion we had the Navy helicopter rescue team fly in from Fallon and do a demonstration. We also had the K9 unit from Douglas County come and make a demonstration. Everyone seemed pretty happy with the event. We'll see how long it takes to forget how much work it was to put on and decide to do it again.

A bit of Hispanic Irony

A bit of Hispanic irony. In the Hispanic culture there is a great admiration for Jesus Christ. (Jesucristo) They love Jesus so much that they frequently name there male children Jesus. This would not be disrespectful since the name of the Savior in Spanish is Jesucristo. One member of our Spanish Branch is Jesus Rodriguez. Another member of our branch is Cesar (Ceasar) Valedez. They both spoke in sacrament meeting today. I'm sure the irony was lost to the members of the Branch. But the gringo in me thought it very interesting in the eternal perspective of things to have a Sacrament Meeting where the two main speakers were Jesus and Ceasar

Ten years and still growng

Ten years ago I introduced my business partner Donovan Jackson to the church and the missionaries. I was there when he was baptized. I ordained him an Elder. I was there when he went through the Temple in Oakland I was there when he was sealed to Heather Paterson in the Reno Temple and High Priest. I ordained him a High Priest and was there when he was ordained a Bishop. On Saturday he baptized his son Cody. It is very satisfying to see a life changed and lives blessed by his accepting the gospel and joining the Church. I can't wait to see what the next ten years bring.

Ok I'm in the Spirit now.

December is always such a busy time. I do not find it easy to get "into the spirit of Christmas" I've seen all the TV specials dozens of times, even the new ones are just like the old ones. Shopping gives me a headache. I never really know what to give as gifts. There aren't any gifts that I really want that I can have. The things that do it for me are music and family. Jesse, Cori and the grand kids are doing the in law turn this year, so we won't see them for Christmas. I went to San Francisco on Friday and brought Thea home from college and Sara got in from BYU late Friday night. As for music, last Saturday we had our church Christmas party , a breakfast this year with a performance by the Tintabulations a bell choir that plays with the Reno Philharmonic. They were great. 12 members some playing as many as four bells at a time. Then last Sunday night I sang with the Methodists choir in a Handel's Messiah sing along. What incredible music and to think he wrote it in about two weeks. Then last Tuesday the Douglas High School Madrigals came to the office and sang to us at the office. (Probably had something to do with the fact that Marla just made all new costumes for them this year. 90 separate pieces of clothing.) I paid for the material so I got the concert. Doesn't seem fair. Today the church choir sang the annual Christmas program followed by the annual rendition of silent night complete with all of Helen Jone's string students playing violins and cellos. The shopping is done. The decorations are up. Sara and Thea are cooking up a Storm. Jared and girlfriend Erin will be hear for Christmas and I'm in the Spirit.

Grandma Bettie Goes Hard Rocker

We have a family tradition of seeing a movie on Thanksgiving. This year we saw The Blind Side with Sandra Bullock. It is the true story of Michael Lewis, who became one of the highest paid defensive ends in NFL history. He was a poor boy from the projects and got taken in by a wealthly white family in Memphis. He tested in the lowest 5% in all categories except being protective in which he tested in the top 2%. He was a gentle giant but figured out defense in football. A very good movie and a touching story. A great Thanksgiving flick.

Last night at Grandma Bettie's suggestion we went to Reno through a binding snow storm to see the Trans-Siberian-Orchestra. (eat your heart out Glasmanns) It is kind of a Black Sabath version of Manhiem Steamrollers doing Christmas Songs. We had tickets on the fourth row. We could see the swet on the guitarists upper lips, feel the heat from the pyro-technics, and tell when the violinists were faking it. Great light show, very loud music, lots of talent and energy and on occasion very lovely. Did I mention it was loud. At times I thought that maybe it was a little too loud and crazy for Grandma Bettie, but everytime I looked over to see how she was doing she had a smile on her face. ( She did pass out ear plugs to everyone around her.) Afterwards she said she loved it and it was a once in a life time experience.

A little perspective

I don't know if it is the economic difficulties of the times or the fact that Marla has been sick in bed all week but I decided to commit the time to watch two classic films about hardship and oppression: Richard Llewellyn's "How Green Was My Valley and John Steinbeck's "Grapes Of Wrath". It was my first time with either story,due to my Southern California Public Education. I suspect the books would be better but the pictures and images were very moving. Llewellyn's story is set in a Welsh coal mining town. Grapes of Wrath is a story of a Oklahoma share cropper's family fate in the depression and dust bowel. Both stories were about hard times, corruption, and oppressoin. Recommended viewing for anyone thinking they have it bad in America today. Hopefully we will never see times like that again in this country but unfortunately that is how things are in other parts of the world. Count your blessings everyone.

A little visit to Illinois

This past week I had Waddell and Reed meetings in Kansas City. Marla flew to Chicago on Wednesday and I came up after my meetings on Friday. We are staying with Jesse and Cori in their house in Freeport Illinois. Today we took a field trip to Galena. It is three miles from the Mississippi River on a tributary on the Galena River. At one time it was a very rich community with it's wealth coming from lead mining and river boats on the Mississippi. (Interesting how things change.) It was also the home of Ulyssis S Grant. After walking around down town and a delicious Italian meal we stopped in at the Apple River Fort. This fort dates back to the 1830s. Abraham Lincoln was stationed here as a 23 year old member of the Militia. We always enjoy seeing the country and hanging out with the grand kids. Their parents are OK too.