Planning

I haven't had much desire to read or write lately.

This is not particularly new as I have now observed the same thing occur more than a few times in my life. I think I've mentioned before that there is an amazingly useful value in perspective. It is just that for some things there is no way to achieve it without experience.

In my reading life I have several books underway and they are all interesting so the blame yet lies with me. Unfortunately you still have to read in order to understand, too. Maybe Apple or Amazon or Microsoft will make something that you plug in your ear (painlessly please) and a few nanoseconds later you've uploaded and understand the digital content.

On writing I haven't had much to say. It happens.

In my business life we are working on two actual contracts for land. Our Target deal is dead for now at least which is the way of current retail.

So I am spending an enormous amount of time on planning -- master planning it is called. It means we are attempting to actually plan the use for the entire 130 acres remaining of our old farm.

I find the process to be both exceedingly engaging and extremely difficult.

For one thing the process requires me and my associates and family to all individually think about what we like and want and hope. What kind of buildings do we like and what do we hate? What makes us proud and what disappoints?

Then there are all these practical considerations of engineering drainage and traffic and what might sell and what can we finance and what can we actually do.

There are details -- a myriad of details.

I've been driving around looking at all sorts of residential developments and office parks and apartments and retail centers. So many, in fact, that they have begun to blur together in my mind. Then I've been reading everything I can about "new urbanism" and creating enjoyable public spaces and so on.

It seems to me that all projects begin with a feeling of being overwhelmed by the size and complexity of the thing. That is followed by the chaos of synthesis of so many different and divergent ideas.

Then at some point there is this moment of clarity when the chaos dissolves into a set of principles that lead to differentiation of tasks and processes.

I'm not there yet but I feel it drawing near.

In the meantime I am off to shovel horse poop.

Me Watching 3D With Grandkids

I enjoyed such a happy afternoon yesterday.

My son and daughter-in-law asked if I wanted to go to the Warren Theater in Moore with them. I was also going to eat lunch with them but ended up on a phone call that interrupted lunch.

My cousin called to visit a bit. We're very close so I always take his calls. He said he was watching TV news and reading Atlas Shrugged and that made him think about me. But that is an entirely different blog post.

In the photo that's me on the aisle and my granddaughter, Emily next to me. Next to her are Austin, Kelli, Ian, and Aiden. My son took the picture so you can't see him. Seven of us all together. I bet the theater was happy to see us.

Emily took this picture of me with my iPhone. The movie hadn't started yet so there wasn't much need of the 3D glasses.

I am trying to smile. I've been working on smiling more. It seems a bit awkward. I am so impressed with those people on TV who smile all the time.

The 3D glasses seemed to give me just a little discomfort. Eventually I put on my regular glasses and then the 3D on top. I'm not sure that helped really.

And the glasses felt a little strange at first but eventually as I became more interested in the movie the glasses became more and more unnoticeable.

I have not seen a 3D movie in a long while. I was too young for the so called "golden era" of 3D in the 1950's. But there was a resurgence in 1970 with the release of The Stewardesses. This movie was "X" rated. A coworker and I snuck off from work one day and watched it in downtown Oklahoma City at one of the few then remaining grand old theaters. At the time we thought it was pretty "X" rated alright but compared to stuff today it was very mild. We hoped no one we knew recognized us and I remember we kind of turned our collars up.

The 1970 3D experience was entirely a different and much more unpleasant experience than the 2009 experience. The glasses then were not very good.

I have to say that 3D in 2009 is amazing. There were several times during the course of the movie that my perception was that things were coming at me to the extent that I wanted to reach out and grab them.

The movie itself wasn't so great but the kids seemed to really enjoy it. It wasn't a bad movie. The theme is pretty worn though. Ruthless businessman intent on monopoly unknowingly contributes to mad scientist plot to take over the world with computers. Good guys have to stop him. The wrinkle is the good guys are Guinea Pigs, a mole, and some other animals. They also have a scientist who is male, good, clueless, and has a hot, geeky girl assistant. There are some other wrinkles, too; but, hey go watch the movie.

Afterward we all drove over to Il Dolce Gelato for sorbetto and gelato. The boys and I sat together and engaged in an interesting discussion about dimensions while we enjoyed our sorbetto.

Austin said he thought maybe he would make a 5D movie sometime and maybe get rid of those glasses. So I tried to explain the concept of dimensions. That probably would have been worthwhile as a short video -- Pop Explains Three Dimensional Space.

When we left the movie all 4 grandkids wanted to ride with Pop (that's me) over to the gelateria.

As always the Warren Theater provided an excellent theater experience. In a way it does remind me of the grand theaters of my childhood but better. The quality of the sound and sight is just unsurpassed in my experience. But it is the wonderful design of the building and the comfort of the theaters and the uniformed employees and just how things are done that all contribute to a good time. It always makes me want to return to watch another movie.

I'm planning in my imagination right now a return trip with the guys at lunch maybe.

What a great time. I am just so thankful for my family and for the invitation and that I went along.

Young Couple

I was really tired the morning after our quick but long trip. I was a bit later than normal and it was already sunny.

Earlier I thought about staying in bed even longer but I never have been much of a morning sleeper. It's like a switch for me. I am either awake or asleep or on a very brief trip to one or the other.

It was a beautiful Sunday morning. The Sun was bright and the sky was clear and there was no wind. Things seemed cleaner and fresher. And I was so glad to be home. Just nothing like sleeping in your own bed with your own pillow.

I was taking it pretty easy and driving even beneath the already slow speed limit. I was so enjoying the day and looking all around me and noticing things in more detail than normal. And "more" for me is not a lot I am acutely aware.

It was just before I turned the corner that I noticed the parked car and a little ways from it a young couple.

It is not unusual to see cars in that place nor people enjoying the little park like area at the entrance to our addition. It is one of the things that attracted us to the area. Photographers use it often as a setting for their commissions.

Really I don't know how old they were but the sense I have is that they were young. I think they were nearer to high school than college graduation. But it is just a feeling.

They were sitting on the ground and they were facing each other. They were very close and their bodies were entwined. Her arms were around his neck and his around hers. Their faces were hidden in each others embrace.

It was the briefest glimpse even at my slow speed and then I was past them and in seconds they were only shadows of thought in my mind.

There had been no motion I had noticed when I passed them by. I could not see expressions on either face.

But there was nothing amorous about their embrace.

Perhaps there was joy. I cannot say not.

But I think it was a sad embrace. I don't know for certain but that's my feeling. And it made me a little sad myself. As though there had been some awful misfortune that had befallen them. And each was comforting the other though the experience of this grief.

But my sadness gave way to a feeling of happiness. But it was the kind of happiness that makes you want to cry because it is so beautiful.

I think they were comforting each other. It wasn't comfort by word or deed. It was comfort by presence and touch and that amazing thing we call love.

There's a beauty to that.

When I returned a few hours later they were gone.

Meeting Strangers

When we arrived at the concert of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir the other evening it was about 100 degrees. The thermometer on the car said it was 104. Just by "feel" I think it was maybe a little hotter than that in the parking lot but I'll concede "about 100."

Regardless the temperature, or maybe because of it, we did not linger in the parking lot. I did, however, pay attention to where the car was parked as we began walking away. Good planning on my part but only because of my previous experiences losing cars in parking lots. It always impresses me how different a parking lot looks full compared to empty and in darkness rather than light.

There was a queue of people gathered at the building entrance closest to us so we began walking towards the end of the line.

Coincidentally we arrived about the same time as another couple. It was one of those situations where the man preceded us but we preceded his wife. So she joined him in front of us. Immediately he apologized for "cutting the line" which really hadn't happened. Besides no one was behind us anyway. So it was said in a pleasant, joking kind of way.

And we joked back about the fact that they gained so much ground and then we all laughed. I noticed the couple's laugh. Their laughs were exactly the same and very happy. Those laughs were such happy laughs in fact that it made me happy.

Then the woman asked her husband if he had the tickets. And he responded with kind of a blank look that was subtle enough to make me wonder. And then there was his big laugh again as he produced the tickets which was followed by her equally big laugh. Again it made me happy just hearing those laughs.

We made casual conversation then as the line moved towards the entrance. They mentioned their city and she regretted she had not brought a jacket. We laughed together at that because it was hotter in line than it was in the parking lot.

After we entered the building they went one way and we another. As we parted we wished each other well.

I thought to myself that it was such a pleasant experience to meet someone like this couple in a line of many other strangers. What a blessing.

Later Judy and I talked about how wonderfully matched we found this couple and how much we enjoyed talking to them in line and how happy their laughs made us both.

I bet you like this couple, too. And I bet you have a mental image of the man and the woman somehow based on my mere words.

And I bet in that mental image they are each of the same color.

And you would be wrong because he was one color and she was another and I've decided to omit the detail.

And it mattered not one bit. In fact it was not noticeable at all. That was especially true in light of the amazing similarity of their sense of humor.

And that's the way it should be.

Mormon Tabernacle Choir

Saturday, June 27, 2009, we attended a performance of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir at The Lloyd Noble Arena on the campus of The University of Oklahoma.

This photo, taken by Judy's iPhone, shows the choir and orchestra all on stage but prior to the start of their performance. Someone else forgot to charge his iPhone.

According to the free program the choir began in 1847 which is pretty impressive. Also impressive is the voice of the choir's announcer, Lloyd Newell. He's served since 1990. You can immediately tell why he is the announcer.

The organist was equally impressive and I do love organ music. Of course the organ was one they haul around with them and not the one located at the Temple in Salt Lake City. I heard that once when I was there although it was only some kind of rehearsal. It was still quite impressive.

The arena usually is used for basketball games among other things. It holds about 12,000 people but the area behind the stage was unavailable for use for obvious reasons. So I'm guessing that it was maybe 2/3 full which would be 8,000 people. The Sunday paper reported there were 8,500 in attendance so my estimate was pretty good. The paper also reported this was the largest group yet on the tour.

The last time the choir was in Oklahoma was in 1969 when they performed in Tulsa.

The choir has 360 members according to the literature but I think there were maybe 250 or so in Norman. The orchestra was easily 40 or more additional performers. Everyone is a "non-paid volunteer." (I thought non-paid was unncessary if you said volunteer but that's what they said.) They said that all together there were 570 people on 11 buses and a whole bunch of trucks and 3 airplanes.

From Norman they were all heading to Denver for the final performance of this tour which began in Cincinnati.

The arena is not exactly comfortable but it was okay I suppose. Probably that is more of a reflection on me than on the facility.

The parking lot was easy to get into but hard to leave. I've noticed a lot of things are that way.

It was after 11 sometime when we finally made it home and it took us a good 2 hours to wind down.

We had a wonderful time.

Message On White Board

The other day my granddaughter and her family took a little trip. Her parents planned it as a surprise for the children and swore me to secrecy.

So one day my daughter-in-law came down to meet my son at the office under some pretense or another. The kids suspected something but really didn't know what.

I think I had to leave before they did. When I arrived at the office the next morning I found this note on the white board.

I took a picture with my iPhone.

Happy Pop

My dad's father was my "pop" and dad was "pop" to my kids and I am "pop" to theirs. So I guess I come from a long line of "pops."

Somewhere out there in this picture is my oldest granddaughter.

I don't know exactly what the event was called but at her school they were having the kids compete in all sorts of athletic contests before the end of school that is coming up this next week.

My son and I were together at a lunch with some business associates and he got a text from his wife that his daughter was in a big relay race. We had time so we drove to school to watch. First thing I noticed was that it was hot and steamy and I wasn't dressed very good for it.

When we found my granddaughter she and her group had just completed the egg toss contest. This is where the boys and girls in the group pair up across from each other with each partner standing on a yard line marker of the football field. Then one partner tosses a raw egg at the other. If the egg is caught then the partner moves back 10 yards and tosses it back. The game continues until the egg breaks which usually makes a pretty big mess of the receiver's clothes.

So not only did my granddaughter want to hug me but several other girls wanted to hug me as well even though I did not know them. You get the idea I am certain that they didn't really want to hug me as much as they wanted to smear a little raw egg stuff on me.

There were all sorts of other contests. One group was shooting these water balloons with a big rubber sling shot like thing. Another was having a tug-of-war with a rope. Another was performing the song YMCA with appropriate choreography. Upon completion each group rotated then.

Everyone was having a pretty good time made even better by the occasional Popsicle break.

I had a lot of fun, too.

My new favorite place to sit

Last night we used the gas grill for the first time on the patio at the "new" house - which isn't very new even to us anymore.

I cleaned up one of the really old, white, springy chairs from Dad's house and I sat in it while cooking the chicken breasts and hamburger patties.

This is one of two chairs I kept from the porch of the old house. This is one I used to sit in next to Dad while he sat in his recliner. And before Mom died we all three would sit together but that was still my chair.

I couldn't help but think that it would have been rather nice for them to be sitting there next to me.

On Thursday the technician from the sound place finally got the Proficient M6 whole house sound deal mostly working. (Mostly is the key word as it still is not 100%. One must wonder about the company's name because they certainly have not proven proficient thus far.) I clicked on the FM tuner button on the patio control and listened to classical music thanks to KCSC 90.1 FM which is a great station for classical I might add.

We wanted baked potatoes but we always forget you have to plan ahead to bake a potato. Not to worry though because the new microwave has a "speed cook" feature. Except I didn't know what that meant. But as I've reported ignorance has never stopped me. Fortunately the microwave anticipated my ignorance and told me what to do.

It flashed on the screen to put in the black pan. We had to find the black pan and rinse it off. I wasn't aware that our microwave came with a black pan but it did. So I put it inside and this put 2 large potatoes on it. I continued following directions (from the microwave - can you believe that?) and 17 minutes later we had baked potatoes.

There is this lamp thing that comes on every so often and apparently helps cook the potatoes. The skins are a little crinkly and the insides were perfect for my taste anyway.

Actually I thought they were better than baked in a conventional oven. Maybe not quite as good as wrapped in foil and buried in coals but, hey, you sometimes have to compromised. I would post a picture but I ate the potato.

Then we enjoyed more storms and rain coming through our town. The storms continued past my bedtime so I am not sure when they stopped.

Life cannot be much better than this.