Charcloth

My boys and I went to Marty’s to make charcloth.  I hadn’t heard of it until about two weeks ago.  We made the charcloth on the BBQ and started a fire with flint and steel.  It was manly and I pounded my chest.

2014 was a good year

I have been horrible and blogging for the last six months, but I wanted to wrap up a few things.  I feels like 2014 was a turning point.  I decided to focus on being positive and trying new things, which led to some great things.  I went back to E*Trade and was promoted to the Stock Plans team.  I spent a lot of time being quiet and listening.  I had a goal to try or accomplish 12 new things.  I think I hit 37.  Here they are:

NPOST
Oscillating spindle sander
Japanese pull saw
Lathe project- ice cream scoop
Swim with nurse sharks
Play marbles
Coyote hunting
Conquistador facial hair
Drug bust assist
Red Lobster’s Lobsterfest (Lobster Lovers Dream)
Waxed mustache
Giving up something for Lent- energy drinks
Wood berm on Juniper downhill trail
Drive to end of Ophir Canyon
Camping in Ophir Canyon
Cutting a basketball in half
Run a 5k
Book end ordinances in the same day- baptisms and sealings
Concert at Silver Lake ampitheater- Nashville Tribute Band
Ride a Harley
Ride a Vespa
Shoot a Beretta FS
Ride at The Canyons
Ride a huge ferris wheel-  Lagoon
Sliding Rock in Alpine
Caveman cooking- egg in a pepper, hamburger in onion, biscuit in orange peel
Join a book club
Join a Fantasy Football league
Ride at Trailside in Park City
Make a slingshot
Wear a mustache for one year
Work in Stock Plans
Blue Velvet cupcake
Shoot a crossbow
Ride a 27.5″ tire mountain
Wear a beard
Make a bike bracelet

Lunch just got better

My daughter got this for me at Powell’s Sweet Shoppe.  Lunch now tastes better.

Dollar Shave Club

I joined the Dollar Shave Club over a week ago, and have been waiting impatiently for my razor to arrive. Our friend walked up the street to visit my wife and saw a package on the ground several doors down leaning against a mailbox. It was my razor. I wonder why the Postal Service is bankrupt. Maybe because they hire imcompetent people? I digress.  It was perfect timing because I needed to shave my face and head.  The razor was really nice, and at four cartridges for $6/month, you can’t beat it.  I switched from the Gillette Mach 3 to the Schick Hydra because of cost.  This is an even better option.  And their commercial is awesome.

Art of Shaving lemon shaving cream

I went to Las Vegas with Ben, Susan, Shawn and Jill about five years ago. Ben, Shawn and I went to Art of Shaving for a straight razor shave. That was a cool experience. I am embarrassed to say a woman had to teach me how to shave my face, but Carol was great. She had worked in a barber shop in Chicago for close to 20 years, so she knew what she was talking about. I bought a starter kit, which included a shaving brush, pre-shave oil, shaving cream and after shave. I replaced that shaving brush a few months ago at Christmas. My starter kit actually came with sandalwood products, but I bought the lemon cream last year and I love it. There is something cool about using a brush to shave, and it does give you a better shave.

This rope swing is so cool!

My cool birthday cake

DeLana had Abby Isaacson make my birthday cake as a surprise. The only instructions were to use mint flavoring and have a penguin theme.  Abby used 12 cupcakes and tons of mint frosting for the snow.  The penguins were made of fondant, and I am keeping them to add to my collection.

Abby did a great job on creating the penguins.  I can’t believe the detail on each one.  She did a fantastic job.

An awesome birthday cake, blueberry pancakes for lunch, BBQ with friends for dinner, chocolate, gift certificates and a nap. What a great birthday.

iPhone

I bought an iPad a few months ago, and started my experience with Apple products. We found out today that we could upgrade our phones with Verizon, and anyone who doesn’t upgrade in the next two days will lose unlimited data. We had been grandfathered in on the unlimited data plan, so we had a short window to make it all happen. In considering which phone to buy, the ability to sync with my iPad was a major factor for me. I couldn’t think of a compelling reason to choose Android over the ability to sync, so I went with the iPhone 4S. Ideally I would have waited for the new iPhone, but that window was closing quickly and I didn’t want to mess with changing cell providers. I think I am going to love this phone.

My bike rules

My bike rules. I took two of my kids and my dog for a leisure ride this evening. I got this bike a few years ago after I had surgery and the doctor told me I couldn’t mountain bike for a year. Unacceptable. I bought it for the cool frame and sweet ape hanger handle bars. It’s hard to see in this picture, but I added blue dice valve stem covers. It is fun to ride because it reminds me of riding a bike as a kid. My bike rules.

Western Bluebird?

This is a Western Bluebird, and I believe I saw one of these in my backyard yesterday.  The bird I saw was a little bit fatter, but it had the same coloring.  I have never seen a bird like this before.  I tried to take a picture with my PHD camera, but I couldn’t zoom in close enough.  The bird was on the grass by my retaining wall near a patch of dandelions, which also made it difficult to get a picture.  I was surprised by how bright it was.