Oh, Books!

I love reading. Yesterday I decided to try and get all of my books onto my two bookshelves. (I had a massive pile of books on the side on my big bookshelf). It didn't work. Now I have books stacked on top of each and crammed in to small places and still a massive pile of books on the side of the bookshelf.

And all I can think about is buying more books.

Biking

Biked 85 miles this week.
Pretty good, I think.
Started 1 1/2 months ago.
Shaved off 15 minutes to work and 20 back.
And my legs are awesome!!

Harry Potter & Biking

As the new movie has come out... the last one... I have been on a huge Harry Potter High. (Even though, having 2 kids, both young, I probably wont see it until it comes out on DVD). And so I am rereading all of the books. I forget how good they are, even the first ones that I thought wouldn't be as good as 5-7. I am really enjoying them!!

Also. Biking is easier. Yesterday I took on the hill at University Parkway--the one that use to kill me--and was able to get up it in about a minute and a half instead of 5. I've been taking a different route, going along University Ave., to Center and then up Center St., The whole thing is uphill accept for very small stretches, so I think my leg muscles have been getting some good conditioning. I'm going to try to get up it faster today... We'll see.

Also, I think we're going to get Maddox a bike soon. I'm not sure if he is too little, but he loves my bike and riding it/sitting on it while I move him around, so I think he'd really like his own.

Wild Root Wizard Wands

I have to say, I am horribly excited about the last of the Harry Potter movies coming out. Almost as excited as I was for the 7th book. No, that's a lie, I took 3 days off of work devoted to reading the book and finished it in 2 days, easy. But still, I am excited. 

I recently was able to meet up with Jeff, who is a good friend, at his home to look at the wands. He had about 40 in a box that he had made in his spare time. I was amazed at the quality and detail put into every single wand. They were, amazing!! He has even made a few replicas such as Snape's wand, (as seen below) and even Voldemort's. (Which, by the way, was horribly realistic. I sat there for some time feeling as though I was the Dark Lord, He Who Must Not Be Named). The finish on each wand gives them their own individuality along with the intricate and original designs. 

But if you don't want one of those, just let him know what you had in mind and he can make you your own custom wand. One of a kind!!! As though Olivander himself made it for you!

So contact Jeff (801.971.0361), and let him know what you are interested in, or just do what I did and look through the ones he already has, because they are simply amazing!!

Here is a sample of the quality of his wands. A replica of Severus Snape's wand.

*You will also be able to go to his blog soon, at http://wildrootwizardwands.blogspot.com.

Consistency

So, for the last 3 days I've biked I've hit a consistent 35 minutes to go 9 miles. So that's about a 4 minute mile. (People run that fast!!!) I'm hoping to get that down by a minute within a month. So, Hopefully I'll be taking 25 minutes to get here. When I started I was taking 45-50 minutes, so I can definitely tell I'm getting in better shape.

I am really starting to enjoy riding in the morning as well. It helps wake me up, (which has been a struggle as 4am is just too early). But the ride has been more enjoyable, lately.

Good times biking. I think Ty and I are going to be going sometime soon to the lake to bike half of it or something. I think I want to go with him before school starts again and go around the whole lake. Should be good.

Meh and other news.

So, after much debate, I've decided not to finish the short short stories. I don't feel like they were going in where, or really doing much for me. Meh.

In other news, I have decided to only eat meat for dinner, (that is, if we even have meat for dinner), and it has to be at home, (or my or Lesa's parents house). For some time now I've been wanting to try being vegetarian but the reality in having two kids is that it would simply be to hard. And as it is for health reasons, I figure only eating meat for dinner, (which is about 4 or so times a week) should be really good. This will also help me not eat out at all.

I haven't decided if I am going to count fish in this meat thing yet. But then again, I really only eat fish at dinner... hmmm.

Also, I am going to try (again) to not drink any soda. I had gone about 3 months without it and then just stopped, but every time I drank it I felt like crap and so I am quitting again. Hopefully this one sticks.

I've also been biking a lot more. I try to bike (but have been slightly less successful due to rain and the like) at least three times a week. Basically, because I am limited on time I can do stuff, I decided to bike to work and back. 18 mile round trip. I also try to bike to my other job which is about 1/2 there, and 1/2 back. I bike there 3 days a week, so I get in about 57 miles a week. That is pretty good, I think. It's a good workout. I have a goal to wake up at 5 on Saturdays and bike Provo Canyon--to Vivian Park and back--we'll see if I do it this weekend.

Also, I've been drinking a lot of healthy organic drinks, like Sambazon, Acai. It's good stuff and I definitely recommend it.

Missing Short Short Stories

I have several written, but haven't typed them up yet. Please be patient, but the 4th threw me off in updating this.

Oh wait . . . is there anyone even out there?

What Freedom Means to Me

This means so much more to me in regards to Freedom than any speech, sermon, talk, address, etc. has ever meant. It is simple, different and correct. I wish/hope that as a country we can view lived like this, and view freedom like this. Freedom doesn't need to be about wars fought or us leaving England's rule. It could be about so much more. 


I hope we can all remember this on the 4th of July. It is important.


***


(This is from Kurt Vonnegut's Sirens of Titan).

"You come and tell me the big news," said Boaz. "'Boaz — ' you say, 'we're going to be free!' And I get all excited, and I drop everthing I'm doin', and I get set to be free.

"And I keep saying it over to myself about how I'm going to be free," said Boaz, "and then I try to think what that's going to be like, and all I can see is people. They push me this way, then they push me that — and nothing pleases 'em, and they get madder and madder, on account of nothing makes 'em happy. And they holler at me on account of I ain't made 'em happy, and we all push and pull some more.

"And then, all of a sudden," said Boaz, "I remember all the crazy little animals I been making so happy so easy with music. And I go find thousands of 'em lying around dead, on account of Boaz forgot all about 'em, he was so excited about being free. And ever' one of them lost lives I could have saved, if I'd have just kept my mind on what I was doing.

"And then I say to myself," said Boaz, "'I ain't never been nothing good to people, and people never been nothing good to me. So what I want to be free in crowds of people for?'

"And then I knew what I was going to say to you, Unk, when I got back here," said Boaz.
Boaz now said it:

"I found me a place where I can do good without doing any harm, and I can see I'm doing good, and them I'm doing good for know I'm doing it, and they love me, Unk, as best they can. I found me a home.

"And when I die down here some day," said Boaz, "I'm going to be able to say to myself, 'Boaz — you made millions of lives worth living. Ain't nobody ever spread more joy. You ain't got an enemy in the Universe.'"

A Monsters Meal

The city fled from the attack. Oh, what evil a thing. They watched stunned as the creature, smiling, devoured the city, sitting down happily, munching on metal, concrete and glass.

Short, short story #23, as apart of the BlogShorts Challenge.