This is the scene outside our door this morning, 28 February 2008. The temperature is 21 degrees farenheit and we’ve had it! So, its on the road again. This time we’re bound for Arizona. Candleman has never been south of the Grand Canyon and we here it is pretty nice down there this time of year.
We expect to be gone six days and hope you’ll join us on our journey as we report in each day. Unlike our trip to Newfoundland, Booklogged hasn’t had time to plan each day in much detail. Candleman sprang this on her at short notice. So if you have suggestions for things to do and places to EAT, please let us know in the comments. We’re hoping a wet winter has produced abundant wildflowers. Candleman hopes to extend his quest for the World’s Best Chicken Fried Steak. We’d like to visit Candleman’s little Navajo sister in Surprise and Booklogged’s sister in Cedar City. Booklogged’s mother is joining us, but will stay in Cedar while we’re in Arizona. The birdwatching should be great and the scenery fantastic. We’ll take lots of pictures. Probably won’t rate with Arizona Highways magazine, but hey, we’ll try. Mostly though, we’re looking for a little sunshine and some warmth to ease the rheumatism and gladden the heart.
A few years back Bil Lepp came to the Indian Summer Storytelling Fesival and told this story. I’ve been a fan ever since. He has several CD’s of his amazing tall tales and I own and repeatedly enjoy them all. Don’t miss this free one.
My favorite is called The Teacher in the Patriotic Swimsuit. There are dozens and all are absolutely hilarious.
You can purchase his recordings at Bil’s site. Or you can download his stories as MP3’s
A while back on a Midweek Activity with the youth at the detention center we went into the gym and played Blind and Deaf Referee. Teams each take half of the court. The referee is blind folded and has a headset on playing loud music. He has a whistle which he blows at random. If the ball is in your end of the court when the whistle blows the other team gets a point. So… the object of the game is to keep the ball out of your end of the court. Obviously the referee is blind and deaf to keep him from favoring one team or another. It is always fun. I like it because players of all skill levels can enjoy themselves.
On that particular night a young man participated whose athletic prowess was exceptional. Later, I asked him if he participated in organized sports. His answer was no. There could be a million reasons why not. I didn’t discover his reason, he seemed embarassed. Maybe his parents can’t afford to pay for uniforms. Or perhaps transportation to and from practice is a challenge. Maybe his dad doesn’t have the political clout some other kid’s dad does. Could be the community he lives in ran out of voluteers. Or, possibly, the coaches quit because the parents only wanted babysitters and expressed no interest in either watching or supporting the program. In some places elitism prevails. In others appathy. In every case, the tragedy is that enormous talent, not just athletic, goes unnoticed, unrewarded and underdeveloped.
To get some idea of what I’m talking about here, get a load of this video.
The Ute Indian Tribe has a reservation in a neighboring town. Few of their kids participate in sports at the local High School. Some have elegibility problems, most just don’t get excited about the competetive, do or die culture sports has become. Still, if you visit the Tribal Gymnasium on a Saturday morning, you’ll see some of the most fantasitic basketball around. I was invited over once by my friend Bobby, Grandpa Bob, as the kids call him. I showed up after the game had started. I found Bobby and took a seat behind him. We exchanged greetings and I asked him which team we were rooting for. He gave me look that was at once, exasperated and quizzical. “Both! ” Bobby showed me that it wasn’t about winning and losing, it was about fun, companionship, teamwork and skill development. It was some of the most beautiful basketball I’d ever watched. The teamwork and ball handling were incredible! I’d rather watch those kids than any High School, College or Pro basketball I’ve ever seen. It was clearly more fun and the talent was unbelievable.
We could learn a great lesson from our Native American friends. Nobody gets left out. Everybody’s talent gets developed. There is no elitism and everybody gets included. Show me any High School in the United States and I’ll bet I could find talented kids who are better than those on the court or field. Why are we not reaching out to these kids?
I wish High School sports, in particular, was intramural. Everybody who wants to play plays. Then if you have to compete with other schools, choose an All Star team and have a tournment. Think of the kids! Give them a chance to develop their skills. Keep them off the bus (road trips) and on the court. Think of the money we’d save. Think of the talent we’d develop. In our local High School there are 1000 students. Ten of them play basketball. What is wrong with this picture?
Here’s a great story that illustrates what I mean.
YOU COULD WIN A FREE COPY. READ THE ARTICLE TOO DISCOVER HOW.
I don’t often review books. I make exceptions only when the book is exceptional. Drawing Heaven Into Your Marriage by H. Wallace Goddard, PhD, is exceptional!
Casting off conventional “wisdom,” Dr. Wally gets right to the root of successful, happy marriages and for that matter, successful, happy lives. His approach is based entirely on the Atonement, Merits, and Mercy of Jesus Christ. No more tricks and techniques, no more fooling around with each other’s behavior or feelings, Wally teaches us the true nature of love and change. The book is refreshing, motivating, readable and hits close to home. Without being preachy, Wally teaches fundamental principles that are full of warmth, compassion and believability. I wish every married couple had and studied this wonderful, bright work of love and testimony.
So pleased, am I with Drawing Heaven Into Your Marriage that I’m going to give away a copy on the 15th of March. If you’d like to have your name entered into the drawing please indicate in the comments of this article.
Booklogged and I enjoy and warm and joyful marriage. We’ve learned many of the things Dr. Wally teaches, in the marriage school of hard knocks. We affirm that the principles are true. Oh, how I wish I’d had this book in the earlier moments of our marriage, where I could possibly have avoided inflicting so much pain on her. I did have Wally in those days, though, (he’s a personal and very dear friend) and he was, even then, catalyst for much of the progress I was able to make. Why? Because even 20 years ago, Wally understood better than I, the goodness, kindness and love of Jesus Christ and the impact my Savior could have on every facet of my enormously imperfect life.
Tonight show begins around 6:45 with a total eclipse, lasting about an hour, occuring at about 8:00 PM. These times are for here in the West. The local forecast where I live predicts clouds, so I might not get to see it. You’ll see the full moon darken to red as the earth blocks direct sunlight to the moon’s surface. So many of us have been complaining about cabin fever this late in a long winter. Lets get out then, and enjoy the majesty of nature tonight.
My Nephew has built backyard luges for several years. Some are long and loopy. Some have interior rooms and tunnels the track runs through. This year he went for altitude! Check it out here.
“I hate to see people get all caught up in national elections. The Presidential election is, as CNN puts it so well, a Ballot Bowl, analogous to the Super Bowl. It is a marketing extravanganza for centralized government.” — Arnold Kling
“Vote: The only commodity that is peddleable without a license” — Mark Twain
Carpe Crustulum had over 1000 Hits Today. Don’t know if anybody cares, but it seems like someone out there likes my blog. The numbers of visitors has been climbing steadily, but until recently, I never dreamed it would get this busy.
Thanks to everyone who’s stopped by, and keep coming over to see what I’ve go to share next.
My, most geography minded brother-in-law, SpiderWings (aka SpiderTracks) has sent me this great little contest of the mind. Try it here. On my first attempt I managed to get 431,782 points, giving me and IQ of 117. I was pretty pleased with that but was sure disappointed I didn’t get a shot at level 12. I will try again, probably several times.
This is the scene outside our door this morning, 28 February 2008. The temperature is 21 degrees farenheit and we’ve had it! So, its on the road again. This time we’re bound for Arizona. Candleman has never been south of the Grand Canyon and we here it is pretty nice down there this time of year.
If so go 
IN ONE DAY!!!!!!!
