Looking both ways 2012 to 2013

2012 was great. Overall a really great year. Kept my job, because I'm doing well at it. Vanessa is rocking hers too. We lost Harvey, and we miss him. We've been able to pay our bills and have more money in the bank now than we did last new years.

2013 ought to be awesome as well. I'm forcing my self to believe that my life is only ever going to get better. The coming year has more opportunity for change than 2012 did. It might, it will be an interesting ride what ever happens.

no resolutions though. nothing so drastic that i need to change. I know what trail i'm on and following it will do just fine.

"Christmas Letter" Draft 1

So, it's the 8th day of December and I we just set up the trees!

in the past i've written these types of letters and always felt like i was bragging, by only telling you how awesome and legendary my life has been or complaining by sharing all the struggles and white people problems i've had to deal with. I dont really like to brag or complain. but i do like to talk about my self.

Actually i think the part that's hardest about the winter letter is actually mailing it out once it passes the peer review. i let Vanessa correct my grammar and spelling and also she makes sure that i dont say anything too stupid or offensive, thats why i love her.

Anyway a note about the trees: Mema, The Bartons, The Mackenzies, and The Smallest Strasburg (crazy capitalization! )  all have gifts. gifts that are Steven tested and Vanessa approved. ha! so depending on shipping rates and correct address information they might arrive in time to open with other gifts.

Now let me tell you a little about "What i don't understand about christmas". Never mind. Let me just say that this year i will also be celebrating on the 21st,  it's the solstice. i'm going to celebrate by eating a pecan pie. there are all ready so many crazy traditions out there i figure i can eat a pie.

Also i found a great song for the 25th. go download it and sing in rejoicing this gravmass season.  

Pause and Reflect

Good day,

Or at least a day. A day can't really be sad to be bad or good it just is? i don't believe that right now.

I understand the value of reflective observation within the learning cycle. I know what they are trying to do from a business point of view too. In fact I think it was a prophet of god who said "When performance is measured, performance improves. When performance is measured and reported back, the rate of improvement accelerates." 


So i get setting goals and remembering them. But i just hate grading myself. Which is what the system feels like. Really i just hate grades. I thank public school for that. I hated the end of semesters because i knew that whether the grades were good or bad i would still be in trouble. I dropped out of student government after only half a semester because i got a letter telling me i was on "academical probation" or something. I had enough stress without being reminded that my grades were bad twice as often. And i hate it even more now that i give my self the grades. 

Tent cleaning

Four hooks and a ceiling. No poles required.

Memorial Day at Yellowstone

Look pictures and a story!

My sister Rouie and her growing family came back to the main land recently. I've been trying to get the to come visit us here in Williston but the drive is too long. So we met up with them and my Mom and Dad and Little Bro. Robert.

The weather was horrid. Snow and rain and more snow. A few minutes of sunshine but mostly just cold.

Vanessa and I arrived a day late because the West Entrance was closed. We slept in our car at a church house in Cody WY. On Saturday when we finally arrived at the campsite just in time, Rouie and Mom are heading out to find us ( a recipe for playing ping pong on the roads in Yellowstone).

We set up a couple more tents and threw our gear out of the cars then drove up to Mammoth Hot Springs. It was foggy. Mom and Dad and the oldest grandkid went for a walk to beaver sepulcher? Everyone else went on the wooden walkway to see some of the hot tubs. After our walk and sight seeing we eat lunch in the parking lot out of the back of our car. We were worried that the road south would close so we head to Old Faithful as soon as lunch is over.

Old Faithful is still there. It went off on time and everything. Actually Vanessa made an interesting discovery. The weather had mellowed out a little until the geyser went off and then it started hailing. Clearly Old Faithful caused the hail. I watched the 15 minute film in the theater with my nephew and Mom while most of the family waited out side or something. After the hail stopped we went over the the restaurant for hot coco. I am certain that the guy who took our order of 9 hot coco's told his wife about us after work, because he kept telling all his co-workers that he had never had an order this big! And then the coco was gone so we went back to camp.

Driving in Yellowstone is slow, we saw a buffalo walking down the correct lane and a line of 20 cars behind it.

At camp us boys (Dad, Robert, Me, and Kapono with the help of his son) struggled to get a fire going. We broke a few rules and set up a canopy over the fire ring. Cooked dinner of hotdogs and decided we would all sleep in the same tent.

The next morning we parted ways after breakfast and Vanessa and I stopped in a the mud volcanoes and waterfalls on the way out of the park.

It was nice to camp with my family again. Even with the weather I think we all had a good time.

Taxes Aren't Much Fun

Good news? I worked January, February, and March to pay my taxes for 2010.

Yep, no refund for me. I'm just complaining because it's cathartic, that means like therapy right?

I don't like the government at all. I didn't vote for any of those politician fellows. I sure didn't get to approve their budget. And I don't have any friends in the IRS that can help me pay less.

It's really silly that if I could have paid off my credit card and 2 of my student loans with the amount of taxes I paid this year.

How is this any different than left?

Dinner and Catan with friends makes me introspective

I fell like I've been slacking lately. It's time for an update. We just had a couple and their little girl over for the evening. we had dinner for breakfast and played a game with dice. the little girl wandered around getting into stuff. It was a fun relaxing evening. But now I'm thinking too much and have decided to refresh my memory of my new year goals.

a. Play more Violin; upload to youtube? Play at campfire? Play at least 1 time a week.

I am learning "If you could hie to kolob" I can play it all the way through. I mess up a lot but I am getting better. I am playing about once a week. This week I played for 15 mins while I was trying to decide what to write as a reply to an email.

b. Be awesome at my job. Ask my boss for specifics.

I don't feel awesome at my job right now.

c. Go Rock Climbing!

I did go rock climbing, Vanessa and I took a trip to Utah to say goodbye to her father. Matt and Micheal and I found a cliff and jumped off it. Then we climbed up it too. I'll be going again as often as I can.

d. Keep Vanessa in love with me.

Doing alright with this one. Going camping tomorrow evening so that will keep us close.

e. read books.

We got a kindle. I've read too many books. I even read the Hunger Games (barf). I've filled in the gaps from the disc world series, I've read a couple little house on the prairie, the sequels to enders game, and yeah with the audio books on long road trips and a digital library that doesn't hurt my eyes... I've read too many books.

That's my update. I'm going to make a podcast for work soon. Or at least I'm going to keep telling everyone that untill I do it.