Food that makes you go yummmmm...

I love food (which is probably why I weigh 200 lbs) and I ate something the other day that was absolutely unbelievable. Colossimo jalapeno sausage (Bratwurst).



I didn't have a good camera to take a picture that would do this any justice but this was sooooo good so use your imagination. Green peppers, onions, butter, bratwurst all slow cooked over 30 min then served with Dijon mustard dripping over a bun.....I couldn't even pick it up, I had to resort to a knife and fork to finish it.

My cousin and I (Brian and I work together) went halfway on the ingredients and we ended up with enough to have it the rest of the week.....yes we had more today and I can't wait for tomorrow. The picture is actually from today (note the RED peppers instead of green). Before I was even done with this, I was looking forward to Friday....its my day to bring the peppers and we are doing yellow and gold.

(Holy Cow, my mouth is watering.)

I told Catey it had to be in the top ten of all meals I have ever eaten.....that got me thinking......what is my top ten?

***NOTE***
'Top Ten' is a running joke in our house. Top Ten isn't an actual list of 10 things, just things that qualify as 'top ten'. Its kinda our way of saying 'the best of the best'. We also have another rule called the 2% rule...I won't explain that one....{ahem}
***********

Aaron's 'TOP TEN' meals: (These are not in any real order, just listed for convenience and, yes, I know there are more than ten, I CAN count.)

** Dinner - Devoreaux House - Salt Lake City, Utah. It was my brothers birthday in 1984, we went to this exclusive $80 a plate restaurant because my Dad got a deal at his work which made it affordable....I ordered the Fillet Minion....it was divine. We finished with Cherries jubilee where they light it on fire.....crazy.

** Lunch - Quail Hollow Elementary. Chicken fried steak was my favorite. I looooooved it when they had Chicken Fried Steak. I don't think it is that good, would probably make me gag now, but I remember taking school lunch and when we had chicken fried steak, I was in heaven......mashed potatoes....small round carrots......pint of milk. It was morsel heaven for a boy of 9.

** Dinner / Lunch - Hard Rock Cafe Washington DC. I ordered the Grilled Cheese sandwich, fries and Coke. My mom worked for Delta Air lines and I took a trip back there to see some friends of the family (My mother is from there). While there I begged them to take me to the Hard Rock Cafe'......I had always wanted to go to one and here was my chance. We ate upstairs, the music was loud and the grilled cheese was on Texas toast, the fries were beer batter and I had a huge coke in a Hurricane glass. I made Ball family history by being the first to eat at a Hard Rock Cafe. It was so much fun.

** Lunch / Dinner - some dive in Georgetown, Washington DC. We had Pie Pizza. It was that same trip the day after the Hard Rock, we went to the National Mall to see some of the sights and on our way there, we stopped in Georgetown at some pizza dive for "pie" pizza. I had never had 'pie' pizza and when they ordered the small I laughed. I was 15 and could eat a whole medium Domino's pizza. They told me if I ate my piece they would get me more. I hardly ate my one piece. It was so good...meaty, veggies, cheese..hand rolled dough cooked to a golden brown, almost crunchy as you bit through it.....knife and fork pizza.

** Lunch - Newman's Deli - Cedar City Utah. I went to college at SUU (Cedar City) and the first day there (I came in halfway through the year) the guys on my hall of the dorms took me to Newman's Deli for a 6" BLT Club. Being a fan of subway, I asked if I shouldn't order the 12" and they all looked at each other and said, "I wouldn't if I were you, the 6" is pretty big". It was really BIG, stuffed full of all fresh veggies, crisp bacon, soft white bread, all the trimmings.....yum. The bread there was the best I have ever had.

** Dinner - Mountain City Chinese Food - Holladay Utah. This was a staple in our house we always order Ham Fried Rice (Wit crunchy nood-o). We made friends with the owner who is from China and about 4'2 tall, broken English and all, she so fit the part. She was the best.....she knew me by voice when I would call and she would yell in the phone "You no call long time..." I miss her. If it didn't kill me in gas I would order from her once a week. We went back the night before Charlotte was born (over a year ago) and the lady went crazy as soon as she saw me. She came out to the van to see how our family has grown and gave us a whole bag of fortune cookies. She told us to keep coming back. When I told her where I lived she waved her hand in my face and said "Why yoo move so fa away? You come when you can...yes?" I love Mountain City.

** Dinner - Rodizio Grill - Holladay Utah. I had a company party there and took Catey. We ate so well but the grilled pineapple is what I remember most. It was outstanding. We have been back only a couple times (mostly because of expense) but I love the Rodizio grill.

** Breakfast - Little America Hotel - Salt Lake City, UT - August 6th 1997. It was the morning after Catey and I were married. I used to work Room Service at the hotel so my former boss was there and all the guys I knew. I called the next morning to order room service and the other end of the line was my boss. I didn't even get a word out, he just picked up the phone and said "Good morning, Mr. Ball, Your breakfast is on the way." 10 min later 4 tables were wheeled into our room, 5 kinds of juice, milk, water, waffles, pancakes, maple syrup, fruit, whipped cream, jams, jellies, rolls, bagels, muffins, pastries, hash browns and eggs of every kind. Scrambled, Benedict, over easy, poached....everything. Having done that job over a year, I know what he brought me was well in the $200 price range. He didn't ask for anything, just smiled and said "Its on the house". Truly one of the best breakfasts ever.

** Breakfast - Ritz-Carlton Hotel - Maui HI. August 7th, 1997. We worked for the Ritz-Carlton / Marriott hotel chain so we were staying at the finest hotel in the islands for $50 a night. The Motel 6 was more expensive for us, so we lived it up. I ordered breakfast for us the next morning. It was their All American Breakfast with pancakes, maple syrup, scrambled eggs, white toast, orange juice and hot chocolate. The tab came to $51.75.....the breakfast cost more than the room....it was worth it.

** Lunch - Colossimo sausages - Work - Salt Lake City, UT, July 29-31, 2009. This was amazing I already told you about it. I can't wait for lunch tomorrow.

** Dinner - Olive Garden - Anywhere USA - Anytime with Catey. This is our place.....also the place for millions of Americans but can you blame us? Its great food. Many times, Catey and I get away for a night, we gravitate to the Olive Garden. You know what you are going to get and although everything on the Menu is good, we never change our order and it is perfect every time. Zuppa Toscana with Bread sticks and Fettucini Alfredo. Catey forgoes the soup and gets their salad....well, its a little more like a little lettuce and veggies with her parmesan cheese.

** Lunch - Dive hole - Columbus Georgia - 1995. I have no clue where this place was, but it was in the middle of nowhere and it was a dive. The place was made out of bricks with a real brick oven in the back. I don't know what they did to these ribs, but they were to good enough to sell a sibling to get.

** Dinner - P.F.Changs - Salt Lake City, UT - We had a gift certificate from Catey's brother for Christmas (which has become a welcome tradition!!! - Thanks Chris) We went with my cousins (Brian and Heidi) and we ate very well. We had the Beef and Broccoli with the sweet and sour chicken and pork, with lettuce wraps for appetizer. This is our once a year big date and it always delivers.

** Dinner - Ball House - Eagle Mountain, UT - Lasagne. My wife makes the best lasagne in the world. Really....you should try it. With sausage, ground beef, wide noodles, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, onion, garlic, cottage cheese, mozzarella cheese, parmesan cheese, eggs, parsley....I need to stop. I am gaining weight right now.


These are some of the best meals I have ever had. Some are once in a lifetime, others reoccur, but they make my taste buds dance and sing....


....I haven't even touched dessert.....I will leave that for another post.

Envirofacists need not apply....

Do you like that title? Man, I do. There is little that sends me over the edge more than "Man-made climate change". It is a hoax for politicians, rock stars and the elite of society to enslave and control humanity....you better believe it.

Here is yet another scientist "coming out" and saying it's all bunk. Read some of this:

____________________________________________

Global warming is the new religion of First World urban elites

Geologist Ian Plimer takes a contrary view, arguing that man-made climate change is a con trick perpetuated by environmentalists

The following is part of a story that was taken from the Vancouver Sun. It was a piece written by Johnathan Manthorpe. Here is the link.


Ian Plimer has outraged the ayatollahs of purist environmentalism, the Torquemadas of the doctrine of global warming, and he seems to relish the damnation they heap on him.

Plimer is a geologist, professor of mining geology at Adelaide University, and he may well be Australia's best-known and most notorious academic.

Plimer, you see, is an unremitting critic of "anthropogenic global warming" -- man-made climate change to you and me -- and the current environmental orthodoxy that if we change our polluting ways, global warming can be reversed.

It is, of course, not new to have a highly qualified scientist saying that global warming is an entirely natural phenomenon with many precedents in history. Many have made the argument, too, that it is rubbish to contend human behaviour is causing the current climate change. And it has often been well argued that it is totally ridiculous to suppose that changes in human behaviour -- cleaning up our act through expensive slight-of-hand taxation tricks -- can reverse the trend.

But most of these scientific and academic voices have fallen silent in the face of environmental Jacobinism. Purging humankind of its supposed sins of environmental degradation has become a religion with a fanatical and often intolerant priesthood, especially among the First World urban elites.

Plimer presents the proposition that anthropogenic global warming is little more than a con trick on the public perpetrated by fundamentalist environmentalists and callously adopted by politicians and government officials who love nothing more than an issue that causes public anxiety.

While environmentalists for the most part draw their conclusions based on climate information gathered in the last few hundred years, geologists, Plimer says, have a time frame stretching back many thousands of millions of years.

The dynamic and changing character of the Earth's climate has always been known by geologists. These changes are cyclical and random, he says. They are not caused or significantly affected by human behaviour.

Polar ice, for example, has been present on the Earth for less than 20 per cent of geological time, Plimer writes. Plus, animal extinctions are an entirely normal part of the Earth's evolution.

(Plimer, by the way, is also a vehement anti-creationist and has been hauled into court for disrupting meetings by religious leaders and evangelists who claim the Bible is literal truth.)

Plimer gets especially upset about carbon dioxide, its role in Earth's daily life and the supposed effects on climate of human manufacture of the gas. He says atmospheric carbon dioxide is now at the lowest levels it has been for 500 million years, and that atmospheric carbon dioxide is only 0.001 per cent of the total amount of the chemical held in the oceans, surface rocks, soils and various life forms. Indeed, Plimer says carbon dioxide is not a pollutant, but a plant food. Plants eat carbon dioxide and excrete oxygen. Human activity, he says, contributes only the tiniest fraction to even the atmospheric presence of carbon dioxide.

There is no problem with global warming, Plimer says repeatedly. He points out that for humans periods of global warming have been times of abundance when civilization made leaps forward. Ice ages, in contrast, have been times when human development slowed or even declined.

So global warming, says Plimer, is something humans should welcome and embrace as a harbinger of good times to come.

_______________________________________

Did you catch the part where carbon dioxide is "plant food"?!?!?! I have been saying this for years.

Did you catch where carbon dioxide only accounts for 0.001 percent of the atmosphere? People, please use your brains.

Did you also note that this guy doesn't even believe in God? Most of the nut balls out there point and say something about how Christians are the non-believers in the new religion of environment....right back at cha.

Its nice to see someone stand up and join those who clearly see the Emperors new clothes for what they really are.....nothing.

These facists (don't kid yourself, that is what they are) act like we are at war......I quote Orson Wells: "It's not a matter of whether the war is not real, or if it is, Victory is not possible. The war is not meant to be won, it is meant to be continuous. Hierarchical society is only possible on the basis of poverty and ignorance. This new version is the past and no different past can ever have existed. In principle the war effort is always planned to keep society on the brink of starvation. The war is waged by the ruling group against its own subjects and its object is not the victory over either Eurasia or East Asia but to keep the very structure of society intact."

This is just the next thing we will be fighting over.

God bless Global Warming........I could use a tan.....

Lightning

Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

(I actually posted this last week, but thought I would post it on Photostory Friday for fun!)

Most of you know that I like to take pictures.....sometimes I even get paid to do it...but I digress. I have always wanted to take some cool pictures of lightning....but have never been able to do it. I was on the phone with Chris while driving home tonight and a lightning storm started.....I went home, grabbed my camera and Catey and took the following pictures:








I guess not too bad, but they were out of focus, not really the breathtaking shots I wanted, I was disappointed. Catey said, "Grab your camera and go back out there....". It was 10:30 pm and I really didn't want to. At the request of my wife, I went back out to see what else I could get. I changed positions and waited.......and waited......


(You can click on the pictures to see them bigger.....)









This last picture, scared me. After that one it was time to leave......they were just getting a little too close.




I was so excited, I had to post them as soon as I got back. By the posting time....its pretty late, but really, wasn't it worth it? Thanks for sending me back out there Catey.....I would have never got any of these good ones without your prodding. Thanks.

KSL is awesome!

I posted the puppies on KSL Saturday afternoon....the puppies are all sold. That was easy....


I love KSL.com.

Selling the puppies

HEY!!!

Do I have your attention?

Good.....want a puppy?

www.sellingthepuppies.blogspot.com

Check out that link.....awwwww.....cute.....

Three rules

In looking at the sign from the last post.




(I changed the days to reflect actual time...)

We have three rules in the house.

#1 - Listen and Follow Instructions
#2 - Obey
#3 - Tell the Truth

Those are the rules of the Ball home. (Have I blogged about this before?....if so, tough, you get it again. We cover it hourly in our house).

There is a follow up to rule #1. "When you don't listen and follow instructions, something bad happens." My kids mumble this in their sleep they hear it so much.

Some may say that #1 and #2 are the same....they are not. Even if they were....my kids could use the reiteration, but they are different. Listen and Follow instructions is present tense, what you are being instructed to do right now. The other is past/present/future. Everyone has 'house-rules' (whatever they may be) like 'stay off the counter', 'don't pick up the dog', 'don't throw your brother down the stairs'....you know, rules like that. These must be obeyed. So number two could be changed to read 'Obey [the rules]'.

Either way, all the kids can recite them as soon as they can speak....but none of them follow them.

The one that makes me the most upset is lying. Trust is the most important part of any relationship...think about it. There are people you love dearly but don't trust. But there is NOONE you trust that you don't love.

Trust reigns supreme.

When you lie to me, I have no trust in you.

Back to the point of this blog.....when you don't listen and follow instructions, something bad happens. Think about that, then look at all the problems in the world. If people would simply listen and follow instructions, obey the rules and tell the truth....I don't think you can name a problem that isn't resolved by following those simple rules.

0 Days since last accident......

I could make a whole blog just on what my kids do to themselves and each other. I would have 2-3 posts a week. It's getting rediculous. I have told (and so has Catey) the kids to stay out of the kitchen. They are 'so starving' that they just can't avoid it.

Chaos insues and accidents are bound to happen.

Enter Lincoln.

Catey was cooking Pizza's for dinner and Lincoln decides he is hungry and does not want to wait....off to the kitchen he goes, reaches up on the stove and grabbs the pizza stone Catey JUST pulled out of the oven....400 degrees.

Two nice little 2nd degree burns.






I can't sew that up.....or can I?........

I have said in past I love Apple......

I've changed my mind a little....






The following is a letter I wrote to The Gateway Apple store:

I love Apple, however, I have just had a week of horrible experiences with your store, staff, phone support and overall treatment. It started when my Harddrive broke....that's ok, I work in IT support, I understand hardware failure. I also upgraded to AppleCare just in case something like this were to happen. Gratefully I do use TimeMachine so the data was secure. I called your phone support and let them know the issue and they spent over an hour troubleshooting the problem I already diagnosed.....again, I work in IT and I get how this works, they have to verify the data for themselves.

It wasn't their attempt to double check my assement but the condesending attitiude that really started the process out poorly. I told him what the issue was and he told me I was wrong and didn't know Apple. (Yes, this is really what he told me.) I provided proof and yet he sent me through hoops while being very curt and rude.

This isn't your issue, you are in The Gateway, he is in some phone center somewhere....he just set the tone for issues that just got worse. I gave him my email and he set me an appointment for the Genius bar at your facility.

When I arrived, I walked up to the bar to check in and let them know I was here and ready when they are. There were three reps available when I barely was able to utter "Excuse me" to one of your Genuis's when he held his hand up and said "You'll have to wait, we're very busy." Again, I understand, I used to work retail. I patiently watied for over 15 min while they worked. Finally they called for me and I gave the unit to a woman who was very helpful (the only redeeming quality of the entire process). She wanted to verify that the issue was what I told the tech support, I showed her and she was very apologetic and grateful that I was able to bring the system to them.

She told me they don't have the part on site and that it would be a couple days to ship it in then 5-7 business days to have it fixed. I was amazed at the length of time it would take to fix and asked if they provided a loaner PC while mine was down. She said that "It is Apple's policy not to do that." This is where it went from bad to worse. My wife runs a business from our home online and that is her connection to the business. I told her that I can't be without a system and she said "Sorry."

Reluctantly I gave her my system.

Two days later I called to check up on my computer. I wanted to make sure the part came in so I could start the clock and get an update on how long my 5-7 business day would take. The technition who checked on it kept me on the line for almost 15 min. She came back and the first words out of her mouth were "Um, Aaron, didn't we tell you it would be 5-7 business days?"

I said "yes".

She replied "Well, you brought this in two days ago, why are you calling back so soon?"

I said "I wanted to check and see if the part arrived so I can get a better ETA."

She said (Rather condesending) "Yes, the part is in and it will take another 5-7 business days as we previously told you. You will get a call from us when it is ready so don't call us, we will call you."

I was rather bothered by the condesending tone, but grateful the part arrived. Fast Forward to Saturday, my phone rings at 8:45pm telling me that the iMac was ready for pickup......15 min before you close? You call your client and say 'come get it'? If I was standing outside the front door, I coudln't get in, pick it up and leave with it within 15 min.

Before I left, I asked a tech how to restore from TimeMachine backup (since I have never had to do it). It took 10 min to find someone and when he arrived, he treated my like I was an idiot for asking. When leaving the store I asked one of your employee's if they could get me a couple strips of packing tape and he was obviously bothered that I had asked. (I brought in the original box for transporting). I asked for sales assistance and was snubbed for 15 more min.

When I dropped it off I was promised that it would be upgraded to Leopard 10.5.7 with iLife 09. I picked it up, brought it all the way home (52 miles away from your store) and found out it had been loaded with Leopard 10.5.5 with no iLife 09. When I called back to complain, I was given a 'sorry' and this email.

I was planning on spending some money on other applications while in there but due to the rudeness and frustrations I simply left. I will not be spending money in your facility if I can at all help it.

Again, I have worked IT, retail and customer service most of my career and I understand being busy, customers that think they know what is going on and trying to run a store on limited staff. However, I am appaled at the treatment by Apple Care and your facility. I spent over $3,500 when I originally purchased my iMac, and overall, I have been pleased, however, because of this outage and your being bothered with me, I won't be shopping with you again. I have contemplated a Macbook for my wife, but it won't be purchased at your facility. I would like some upgraded editing software and a couple more pieces of hardware, but they will be purchased elsewhere.

It is really frustrating when little old me is bludgened like this. I know my little purchase means little to you, I am not a business owner, school or someone else who owns everything Apple, however, it is everything to me. I don't make a lavish living and this was a serious purchase for our home. I was very disappointed in the service.

Please just treat us like family, not 'users', that was part of the draw to Apple to begin with.

-Aaron Ball


Needless to say, I hope they get their act together. I love the system, just very frustrated with the followup service. This is the kind of treatment I expect of Microsoft and its retailers.

....I wish HONDA made computers.....

The $800 Mower

This summer has been so fun, I decided Malia and Taylor are old enough to learn to take care of the yard with me. I want my kids to learn how, because it teaches to view your accomplishment with an eye of gratitude for hard work.

Our mower was not going to be very useful for the kids. I have had the mower about 6 years. Rebuilt it once, paid around $100 for it. It worked but that is like saying the Titanic floated for a while after it hit the iceberg.

So I went looking for a mower that would be easy to start and had some traction control for the kids.....when I laid my eyes upon the mowers that fit that discription, I choked. They STARTED around $400. Yikes....

What would be an acceptable price of teaching the kids the lessons of yard-care? Ugh. I looked and looked and nothing was much under that cost. I figured if I was going to pay $400 for a mower, I would buy the holy grail of lawncare.....a HONDA!

I would like to take a moment of silence for uttering the very name of the finest of powered instruments.......hummmmmmmmm.........(That will do). I love anything Honda, they can do no wrong. I will always maintain that you cannot beat Honda, for the price you pay and the value you recieve, they are the best. If I ever buy a brand new car, it will be a Honda. If they made food I would eat it. If they made shoes, I would wear them.

I love Honda.

AHEM!!!....back to the point.

So I am looking at Honda's and angels are singing, lights shine upon the wonderment and I have that dreamy look in my eye....even though I am looking at their basement model, I am trying to justify $399 for a mower. I decide I can't spend that much, it is far too much for a mower, I don't care how much I love my kids....

I grabbed a salesman (which at Home Depot is just some dude in a orange apron) and he is talking to me about the benefits of the $299 no-name model they have on sale. I merely mention that I would REALLY like the Honda and he lit up and said...."Oh, you like Honda?! Then look at this model..."



- Self propelled, Honda hydrostatic Cruise Control - allows infinitely variable speed control
- Honda Roto-Stop® BBC: start and stop the blades with the engine running
- 4-in-1 Versamow system with Clip Director
- Mulch, bag, discharge and leaf shred with no parts to lose, no tools required
- MicroCut™ twin blade system - four cutting surfaces for finer clippings
- 21" worry-free Nexite® cutting deck with limited lifetime warranty
- Honda's premium residential GCV190 OHC/OHV Engine
- 3-position EZ Fold handle for easy height adjustment and storage
- Large 9" ball bearing wheels
- 7 position cutting height adjustment (.75" to 4")
- Manual fuel shut-off valve
- 3 year residential warranty

Total Price = $799.00

I looked at him and said "You're an idiot. NOBODY in their right mind would pay $800 for a lawnmower....unless you ride on it and sip a cool drink with your feet up..."

He laughed, but I was serious. Why would anyone really pay that much for a mower? Admittedly it WAS a HONDA and they are WORTH EVERY PENNY you spend...but {slap} back to reality.....its $800!!! I didn't even dream about that one I just left the store.

On the way out of the parking lot, my friend James pointed to a row of mowers they had outside the store linked together by chain. These were the refurb, buy-back models...the rejects. He said we should stop and look at those to see if there is a deal. I agreed so we got out of the car and there was the $800 mower for WHAT!?!?!?!?! only $375. I had to catch my breath...what could be wrong with this? Why is it out here? I went back inside and got another orange apron to find out, and who do they send out?.....the idiot. He laughed and said...."oh yeah, I forgot about this one....you want this?....YOU'RE and idiot...." We both laughed.

Turns out some poor dude bought the thing, took it home and for a month heard his wife yell at him about spending $800 on a lawnmower, so he brought it back. Home Depot said they would give me 30 days worry free trial and promised that Honda would honor the 3 year full warranty from My date of purchase. I couldn't lose. I bought it.

So for the price of the basement model, I got the $800 mower. I have never been happier, however, I have only used it twice. My kids fight over who gets to mow the lawn. I love my Mower.

Puppies, puppies everywhere....

This blog is to satisfy my mom....just about every time I talk to her I get "Nice blog....still no pictures of the puppies....."

Here are the puppies.

Anyone want them?....they ARE for sale.....














There is no extra charge for the puppy breath.

My daughter is not for sale.....yet.

It don't matter if your black or white....

It don't matter if your black or white.....or does it.

I was recently made aware of how alive and well racism is in America.

What would you say if I posted the following about a great man who recently passed:

"...no need to be sad, we want to celebrate this white man... (pause for cheers)..this WHITE MAN... he belongs to us..and we shared him with everybody else.."

Do you think I am talking about what was said at a memorial service of Abraham Lincoln? Walt Disney? Or Elvis?

I would be a racist, those who said it would be racists wouldn't they? Don't those words just ring with absurdity?

These actual words were spoken last week by Jamie Foxx at the BET awards about Michael Jackson (he said 'black man' not 'white man'). Don't get me wrong, or misunderstand, Michael Jackson was a great entertainer but he was a uniter and an enabler who crossed the boundaries of race and brought the world his music.

I don't think I can ever recall thinking that Michael Jackson was a black man first and an entertainer second.....he was simply Michael Jackson. The same could be said for Michael Jordan, Bill Cosby, Colin Powell or Oprah Winfrey (although not a man). On the flip side, I don't see people like The Beatles, Elvis, Walt Disney, Bill Gates, or Steve Jobs, as white people, they are just great people. I am sickened by the social prostitution of who Michael was and what he meant for the 'black people'.

I seem to recall another American icon saying "I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character".

Does this gross display of racism (thinking one race is better than another) not just fly in the face of what Dr. Martin Luther King Jr fought against? Is it not a step backward? Can't we just say Michael was a great American, one who lived the American dream? Pulled himself and his family out of the brink of poverty and hit it bigger than anyone ever dreamed? Made a name for himself that is known only as well as some of the largest Icons of the Human Race?

I quote another great American who was deliberately speaking to the black community "Let me tell you something, your dirty laundry gets out of school at 2:30 every day, it’s cursing and calling each other n------ as they’re walking up and down the street...Brown or black versus the Board of Education is no longer the white person's problem. We have got to take the neighborhood back. People used to be ashamed. Today a woman has eight children with eight different 'husbands' -- or men, or whatever you call them now. We have millionaire football players who cannot read. We have million-dollar basketball players who can't write two paragraphs. We, as black folks, have to do a better job. Someone working at Wal-Mart with seven kids, you are hurting us. We have to start holding each other to a higher standard.

We cannot blame the white people any longer." --

Who was this great American? Were his comments not racist? The man who said these words is one of my hero's (I don't have many) Bill Cosby.

If Michael says "It don't matter if your black or white", Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. wants [us] not to be judged by the color of [our] skin but by the content of [our] character shouldn't we listen?

I agree Michael....It doesn't matter....

4 stitches on the 4th...gives me an idea

Why is it, when I wake up the morning of my favorite National Holiday that I feel like a trip to the ER is imminent?.....


.....because it is.


Lincoln was hiking with Catey from our Uncles Cabin (Big Cottonwood Canyon) to my Grandma's cabin and tripped. He fell down and started complaining about his knee. He is usually a tough kid and will get up, brush himself off and keep going, but this time he was limping and complaining.



Catey (trying to catch up to the other kids) was pulling him along saying "You're OK, just walk it off". I have to note here that this is unusual for Catey as she is so apt to over-nurture our kids to counter-balance my gruff approach.

I noticed that he was trying to hold his knee and was limping a bit so I picked him up and "AGGGGGGHGHGHGHGH!, you have a HOLE in your knee! Dang!" So we left the cabin and headed out to get stitches.

We waited in the Urgent Care center for over 2 hours for everything to be done....ridiculous. There was two other people in the office (only one of which was being seen) and they made us wait 20 min until they brought us back to the suture room. Then another 20 min until anyone saw us (gratefully Lincoln had fallen asleep before we got there so he was taking a much needed nap). Then after the doc saw us there was another 20 min until her 'assistant' came back to wash the wound clean. Then we waited another 30 min for the doctor to come back and actually stitch up the wound (which took 30 min).

2 Hours?!?!!? Unbelievable.

Gratefully Lincoln is fine, he loves his battle wounds...don't all boys?

So I got to thinking that there isn't anything to stitches, I have had them (and seen them) enough times It would be a piece of cake to do them myself. I found a couple suture kits online and for the price it is cheaper than going to the Urgent Care ($35) or the ER ($75) and having the qualified (haha) doctor stitch up my kids.

Am I a bad Dad if I try it myself next time?

Are there any laws against that?

I am being serious, I would like to know, can I legally stitch up my own kid? Obviously if it is a large gash I would take them in, but what about the last 4 sets of stitches? They were minor and just needed to be closed.

It would certainly save time and money and what does the Doctor do that I can't anyway besides administer lidocane for pain (which I think I can get online)? If it gets infected I just have to take him in and they would check the stitches and give him antibiotics.

So what say you? Can I do this? Or rather, Should I do this?

Facebook no more....(again)

Posted today on my Facebook page:

Today my Stake President stood in our Priesthood meeting and told us that he had been reviewing President Monson’s recent conference address. He stated that in praying for us as a Stake, he received some inspiration and guidance. He then asked us to prayerfully consider closing our Facebook and/or My-space accounts and to discontinue any online- gaming communities to which we may belong. He expressed concern over a growing trend in our area of negative behavior that he felt could be directly linked to the misuse of these tools. His plea was sincere and he seemed to genuinely be concerned for our well being.

At first I thought this was a bit extreme because I don’t have any issues with the misuse of these online tools. The only one to which I belong is Facebook which I use for family and friends. Although I initially felt the direction was aimed at others who have problems controlling their time, when I took a second glace at myself, I realized that a man I have sustained as my spiritual leader has given me direction.

So I am left with a choice. Someone I trust and sustain as my spiritual leader has asked me to prayerfully consider following through with something in which I don’t necessarily agree….and thus the gospel of choice and personal revelation is exposed in its fullness.

On one hand, I have the choice to ignore the advice knowing that “he doesn’t really mean me, or, I know there are ‘others’ who really need to heed that advice more than I do”. Or, “Someone else must be the problem, I know my limits and I control myself.” All of which are probably true. I don’t spend (what I consider to be) excessive time on Facebook, so it isn’t a problem for me.

On the other hand I could do something that I may not agree with on the surface and follow my leader and have faith he is leading me correctly. I seem to recall someone else that did something he didn’t want to do, but did what he was asked to do.

He said “Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless, not my will, but thine, be done.” (Luke 22:42)

Elder Neal A Maxwell said “the more one’s will is “swallowed up,” the more his afflictions, rather than necessarily being removed, will be “swallowed up in the joy of Christ”. The submission of one’s will is really the only uniquely personal thing we have to place on God’s altar. The many other things we “give,” brothers and sisters, are actually the things He has already given or loaned to us. However, when you and I finally submit ourselves, by letting our individual wills be swallowed up in God’s will, then we are really giving something to Him! It is the only possession which is truly ours to give!
Consecration thus constitutes the only unconditional surrender which is also a total victory!
May we deeply desire that victory, I pray in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.”

(Neal A. Maxwell, “‘Swallowed Up in the Will of the Father’,” Ensign, Nov 1995, 22)

If I don’t allow my will to be swallowed up, what would I have learned in this life? I find it appropriate on ‘Fast Sunday’, when we reflect upon our own testimonies, that mine is revisited. My commitment to this gospel and my trust in its leaders is called upon for a sustaining vote and I will continue to sustain what I know to be true and follow those who are placed in leadership over me. It is also fitting that the day after we celebrate our Nations Independence from tyranny, I am reminded that I have my Spiritual Independence which isn’t free; it was bought with a price.

However trivial this may seem to some, it means very much to me.

I hope you will understand my decision to close my account. I have enjoyed reconnecting with many of you and hope you understand.

Please keep in contact from time to time.

-Aaron

Aaron Talmage Ball
aatball@gmail.com
www.aatball.blogspot.com


My account will close Tomorrow July 6th 2009

Nice picture....

I ran the Triathlon.


My cousin wanted to show his support.


Yup, the same photoshop cousin that got his desk foiled.....


.....his wife said that paybacks are a !@#$@#........boy was she right.


He was so proud of my accomplishment at the Rock Cliff Tri @ Jordanelle, he made a pic of me to show it.