Don't Give up on me

Hi all:

Just wanted to let you know this is still an active blog. I've got three or four blogs written in my head, but just haven't put keyboard to screen yet. I hope to have at least one original post before the weekend, so please check back.

Thanks!

Mark

Dis and Dat

1. As you all know, our family is very devoted to the Yankees. As late as about 3 days ago, I really felt they'd finish 1 or 2 games out of the wild card race....they just seem so close, yet I felt they would come up short. But I'm changing my tune after tonight....you heard it hear first: they WILL get the wild card.

2. I'm a big fan of a new kids' show: "Mickey's Mouse Clubhouse" on Disney Channel. We found it during our time with Kathryn's family while in Utah. It's really quite the rip-off of Nick's Dora, which is a tad interesting to see Disney, the former king of children's animation, stealing from the new leader. But I don't mind the rip-off (which includes a journey involving three places and a 'backpack'-like item that has solutions for obstacles. It's cute, simple and innocent. And best of all, I enjoy it. Plus, it's nice to see there's now a frame of reference for Mickey and his friends for the new generation...up til now, meeting Mickey at Disneyland didn't mean that much to them.

3. As Sept. is the new January in my book (as Kathryn says), I'm trying to make sure I read a little of the Book of Mormon FOR ME each day. I do read it to the kids each night, and read the NT (or some other church stuff) on the train, but I've decided to read a little of the BOM each day (even weekends). I'm just choosing favorite chapters to read since I'm reading so little.

A phrase I found intriquing: 2 Ne 2:5 -- "Men are instructed sufficiently that they know good from evil." Is that still true? Yes, we all have the light of Christ, but are today's youth (outside of the church) REALLY being instructed sufficiently on good from evil? I've been thinking lately how it is SO accepted to "live with" or "be with" one another before marriage...it's not just tolerated or not shunned...but expected and considered the new norm. Even "good" people I know outside of church follow that route. That's why I feel that most of the world is NOT being instructed sufficiently on good vs. evil. Someone preaching those values from the rooftops would be considered as out of place today as the hippies of the 60s preaching that traditional values were no longer valid.

See also 2 Nephi 2:8 (first phrase) as to the urgency and need to proclaim the gospel. That would have been a great 'rallying' Scripture when I was on a mission.

4. Does anyone else, when getting their Ensign, race to the back page to see if there are any "Name Withheld" letters to the editors?

5. The new TV season doesn't look too great. I am interested in "Back To You" as I love stories set in newsrooms. And, hate to admit it, but I actually am intriqued with the Caveman show based on Geico commercials. There's been worse places to find a premise.

Mark

Napping

Napping is misunderstood in this country. People who nap are considered old, lazy or party too hard the night before. Yet we offer no such stigma to those who must eat or use the bathroom.

Absurd comparison? Not at all.

Nobody questions the need of workers to have breaks to use the potty, which is a bodily need. Nobody questions the need of workers to have time to eat a meal -- or snack - throughout the day to keep their energy level high.
But everybody questions the employee who says he needs to take a nap in the middle of the day.

Yet all are bodily, human needs. In my mind, a nap can be as necessary and important to productivity as eating or visiting the restroom during the work day.

I'd suggest we create a national nap day, but beyond being afraid of the stigma associated with leading such a charge, I'm afraid that those 'celebrating' the day would simply sleep away the day and hence make such a celebratory day a tad ironic.

But I encourage you to claim your rights as humans and take a nap at your desk this week. Trust me....it does wonders!

Mark

California vs. New York

On our recent trip from the Empire State to the Golden State, I noticed a couple of differences:

• In NY, they beg you not to make a U-turn, and if you do, they force you to take a separate U-turn lane that takes you up and around....and, technically, avoids an actual u-turn. In California, they seem to not only welcome but encourage U-Turns. I saw lots of actual signs showing the various ways a U-turn could be done legally.

• Don't even think of turning right on red in NY. Yes, they are legal, but it seems like very intersection posts a sign that overrules the state law by saying "no right turn at this intersection". You can make all the right turns you want in California.

• California seems to have more state pride...or at least more pride in their state flag. Have no idea what the NY state flag looks like (I think it's navy with a state seal something on it). But in California, the Bear Republic flies everywhere. I think New Yorkers are New York CITY lovers first, and kind of forget that we're associated with a state, too.

• Don't stand on the roadway in California when waiting to cross the street....DANGER! But in New York, it's kind of like taking a lead-off from first base. You get a "jump" on crossing the intersection by going as far into the crosswalk as you can without being picked off by a car. (Be careful of the 'brush back' drivers who send you scurrying back to the safety of the sidewalk.) Nobody stands on the sidewalk in NYC to wait for the light to change, but everyone does in California.

• California = friendlier people

• California = cleaner places, cleaner people

With no intended diss on my home state, I just seem to smile more and like life a lot more when I'm in the Golden State. "California Dreamin'....."


Mark

I've Returned to the Colonies....

Hi all:

Whilest on vacation in San Diego, I was alerted to the need to attend a meeting in London on Tuesday of this week. So I flew home from vacation Sunday (as planned) and headed to London on Monday morning, spending two nights 'across the pond.' Had a jolly good time.

Some comments, impressions, travelogue, etc:

• I often feel the world has become too homogenized....it all looks the same no matter where you are. In fact, at Heathrow, I saw the EXACT same ads I had just seen at JFK. But then you get into London and you realize there are still a few places that are unique and have their own soul. You may be able to shoot a movie in Canada and make it look like a US city, but you could never make another city look like London.

• Spent most of my time in meetings and client dinner, but had a little time to enjoy myself. Absolutely incredible weather! We stayed near Buckingham palace, and walked around a bit to Piccadilly Circus, No. 10 Downing Street, Parliament and my absolute fave: Big Ben (cast against a navy night sky....we stayed to hear 'him' bong out 10 p.m.)

• England isn't known for its food. (Glad to get a Big Mac when I returned.) But there were some highlights: my traveling companion and I found a small little Indian restaurant on Monday night that was fantastic. Loved the Worchester-sauce pretzels on the plane. And at the airport yesterday, I had a carbonated Passion Fruit, which was very much like my famed Schwepps Granadilla soda from South Africa. And you can't beat Cadbury chocolates!

• Not trying to be mean, but an observation: there's a lot of Brits with big noses.

• My taxi driver to the airport wore a Yankees cap. He said they get the games occasionally live at 2 a.m. and he watches them before driving his shift.

• What's not to love about Virgin Atlantic? First time on them...I was a Virgin Virgin. Their in-seat entertainment in coach rocks vs. Delta's first class cabin or JetBlue's TVs. About 50 on-demand TV options and at least a couple dozen movie on-demands, too. Crowded flight over but very open on the way home. And they constantly feed you...even ice cream bars!

• I've flown from Heathrow to the US three times prior to yesterday, but this was the first time I've flown from Heathrow to NYC (JFK). (The other times were to Chicago after my mission, LA after my study abroad in South Africa, and Wash/Dulles after Kath and I went there). NY passport control pretty fast....odd that I cleared JFK customs and claimed luggage FASTER on Wed. then when I flew in to JFK/Terminal 3/Delta on Sunday night....Delta/NYC is known for their slow luggage return.

• My room in London was not much bigger than our youngest boys' room at our house. Tiny!

• London TV seems to cover only 3 stories a day. When I was there, it was all about David Beckham coming to the US, and a new proposed law that makes EVERYONE an organ donor UNLESS they opt out (vs. the other way around where you have to proactively state you are a donor).

• Felt a lot like being in South Africa (as South Africa was a British colony, it has a lot of similarities). Road signs use the same font.

• When flying to a foreign country, choose a carrier from that country. From the moment I got on Virgin, I was in the UK (they're just so darn British). I can imagine an American Airline flight would be just like flying from Atlanta to Chicago.

• Thing to do next time: Go on the "Eye" ferris wheel. Wanted to this time, but ran out of time.

Yes, This is Still an Active Blog

Hi all:

Thanks for your patience....June got busy with the launch of the Transformers movie (we handle the marketing of the toys for the movie). I have a lot of pent up things to write about -- including my review of the movie -- but alas, I have been a slaggard.

We leave on vacation to San Diego tomorrow afternoon. But I'm leaving Kathryn and the kids out west and returning to work, so when I do, I'll plan to do a better job of updating my blog site -- including (gasp!) perhaps postings every few days! So please make sure you come back and visit when I return from vacation. And thanks for visiting!

Mark

Baseball

I've decided that baseball is definitely the best sport. That's surprising, because growing up, baseball was my least favorite sport -- it was all about football, and basketball if it involved the Jazz.

So what makes baseball so great? Here are a few reasons.

1. It's perfectly made for TV. There's already built-in time for commercials, so the game isn't unnecessarily stopped for a commercial break, breaking up the flow.

2. The last 60 seconds of the game (in terms of the clock) don't last for 60 minutes. Sure, there are a couple of things that prolong the game at the conclusion, such as bringing in new pitchers, but for the most part, the game can't drag out at the end simply by calling time outs, fouling, or throwing the ball out of bounds.

3. On that same front, my complaint about basketball is that you can be up by 12 with one minute to go, and then it's foul, foul, foul and the whole game is decided by sloppy hitting of opponents and by shooting foul shots.

4. Baseball is smart enough to realize that there are times when it's not nice enough outside to play. Football players must be tough and play in tornadoes. Baseball has the good sense to head inside if it rains.

5. You get souvenirs. If the ball goes into the crowd, it's yours to keep.

6. Even if you're getting creamed, you have to keep playing. In basketball or football, you just run out the clock. In baseball, you still have to get through several more innnings.

7. When a player comes out, he's out for the game. Makes for great strategy.

8. Except for the Pitcher and the DH, you have to play offense and defense.

9. The playoffs are a fair representation of the actual season. You never play a team 7 times in a row in basketball, but in the playoffs, you do. But in baseball, you regularly play a team multiple times right in a row, just like the playoffs.

10. Baseball commentators actually have interesting things to say. I actually ask Josh to be quiet during the broadcasts and miss the commentary when I go to the stadium because it's so fascinating to learn the strategy and hear the rationale behind things.

11. Each game is SO different based on who the pitcher is. It completely changes the complexion of the game.

12. The final score is so interesting. Soccer is always like 1 to 1. Basketball is like 100 to 98. But baseball could be 1-0, 6-3, 10-2, 10-9, etc, and it is so telling. In other words, each game is so fascinating.

I could go on, but we've already written into extra innings. Go Yankees! (They're only 9.5 back now!)

Mark

PS -- Here's the plus one for the night. We got some Monopoly game pieces on the Space Shuttle and two of my team members got to go watch the launch last week. Guess what the area code is for the area in Florida with the Space Center? 3-2-1. Cool!