Sunday, December 30, 2007

Gift Card Freedom

Maybe y'all have known about this for years but I just barely ran across it and I think it is a great idea!
Trade your gift cards online. You can trade the gift card you got for Christmas for another to a place you really want to shop.
Uh, I'm not saying I'm using this I just ran across it ;) No, really!

Profundity

I'm currently reading a book called, "What's so great about Christianity" by Dinesh D'Souza. HERE is a link to the book on Amazon if you're interested.
Anyway, I am two thirds of the way through and have been enjoying the book. It is very interesting. I may choose to write a review of it when I am finished. Before that though I did want to share a paragraph from the book that I found particularly profound. D'Souza is referencing an idea by Blaise Pascal the 17th century philosopher/mathematician.

"Pascal contends that it is fortunate for man that the highest truths are accessible through faith rather than reason. In other words, faith is available to everyone. If the only way to find out about God was through reason, then smarter people would have the inside track and the less intelligent would be shut out. Getting into heaven would be like getting into Harvard. Apparently God wants to have people other than PhDs in heaven; He seems to have made room for some fishermen and other humble folk. Reason is aristocratic, but faith is democratic."

Saturday, December 29, 2007

Growing Pains

Shelby's big 'Santa' gift this year was getting her ears pierced.
She was very very excited and then started getting nervous. This was a big deal in our family so I thought I would chronicle it. Here are the pics.







Thursday, December 27, 2007

To Resolve or not to Resolve

I'm thinking about taking a bold step and listing my new years resolutions here for all to see.
"A desire not written down is just a wish" I read somewhere once. Not sure who to credit for the quote.
I have learned over the years that you must write down your goals or you are doomed to failure. The question I am struggling with is whether to make my list public.
So, to my handful of readers/family/friends I ask what you think. Are you planning on listing your 2008 resolutions on your blog? Should I do this? Is it a good idea? Bad idea? The worry for me is that if I do this then if I fail I fail in full view of some of the people that mean the most to me. Or, will the pressure of putting myself out there motivate me more to actually fulfill my promises to myself.
Some food for thought, I would love to know what you all think.

Frosty Caught!




Thanks to my good friend and faithful blog reader Hockeyguy for the pic.

Wednesday, December 26, 2007

#1 - Countdown to 500

#1. Last and best.
Many of my posts have been about my family. THIS was probably my favorite. After a family trip to Sea World in San Diego last year I made this montage and I enjoy it every time I look back on it. Not sure if anyone else thought it as funny as I did but I don't care. After 4 years of blogging I've found that I do this for myself not for anyone else. I don't monitor traffic any longer and don't really care if anyone reads. I just enjoy writing and sharing and having something 'out there'.
So, for goals I am hoping to someday reach the 1000 post bar. It took 4 years to get to 500 I hope to get to 1000 much quicker. One way I hope to accomplish this is to write more of my own thoughts and not just sharing other things that I have found or have been sent by others. Of course because I am stubbornly arrogant as so many have pointed out this means I may step on a few toes now and again. I hope those of you who do stop by don't get too offended. I hope you'll take the 2 seconds it takes to 'put me in my place' and tell me I'm wrong and why. Some of my favorite moments blogging have been when I've had some tense and serious discussions with many of you. I've learned from them and for the most part have enjoyed it.

#2 - Countdown to 500

#2. I vowed to re-use this POST one day.
A picture is worth a thousand words and this one is worth a thousand revenges from Mr. Guadspot. Hopefully he'll take mercy on me and not pound me too hard. But then again, if you're gonna do the 'crime' you better be prepared to do the time.

#3 - Countdown to 500

#3. THIS post is from this year but ended up having one of the funniest moments on Clariticity. Click the 'HERE' link in the post and scroll down to watch a video. Now we know why we were sent to earth NOT in pioneer times ;)

#4 - Countdown to 500

#4 in the countdown. One of my favorite posts.
The family came home one evening to cook dinner only to find that the thawing 'whole' chicken was GONE.
Our chocolate lab Bailey had a 'little' snack. We were worried but she never so much as barfed anything back up.

Sunday, December 23, 2007

#5 - Countdown to 500

#5. Celebrating the accomplishments of my children has been a common theme through the last several years. I think there are some pretty cool posts to come. THIS post was the first parade we went to see KJ march in his first year in marching band at Lone Peak High School. 2 years later he is a leader in the band and was able to travel to Washington D.C. for a band competition in October.

#6 - Countdown to 500

#6. THIS post came after I left Microsoft for the last time and started our own business. Inspiripics. 3 years later it is still open and keeping us hopping! Not as successful as I had originally hoped and dreamed but it is still taking orders and we are still making efforts to build it bigger.
Thanks to all who have supported us in this endeavor!

#7 - Countdown to 500

#7 on memory lane is THIS post.
Funny pictures often make it on to my blog. However when you combine friends and family in the pictures it makes it all the better.

Thursday, December 20, 2007

#8 - Countdown to 500

#8 on the most memorable posts lists is THIS.
This was the first of many 'Shelbyisms'. I even had a special page for awhile devoted just to her quirky diatribes on the human condition. She still surprises now and again but not as frequently as when she was younger.
Her latest was the other night while on a drive to see Christmas lights she piped up out of nowhere and said, "I want an elephant for Christmas!"

#9 - Countdown to 500

#9 on my most memorable blog postings list is THIS post where I try to explain how to say the name of my blog, Clariticity.
If nothing else you can't say I don't come up with unique names for things.

Sunday, December 16, 2007

Countdown to 500

I'm not one to be a big braggart. Some may dispute that claim. I hope not.
However, my blog post count is nearing 500 and I want to celebrate a bit.
It has been a bumpy ride. I created the blog in September 2001. Right at the time of 9/11. I then didn't post again for almost another 2 full years. However since July 2003 I've been able to post relatively often and regularly. There have been some dry spells and some 'wet' spells with many many posts in rapid fire succession.
What I want to do with my next 10 posts counting up to 500 is to reminisce back on some of my favorite or maybe least favorite posts. A trip down memory lane to finish out 2007 and almost 4 years of blogging.
My first duty is to shout out to the 3 people that inspired me to do this and keep doing it.

1. My little sis who now has a blog at Fille de Tulipe. Many many years ago before there were really 'blogs' as we now know them my sis was journaling on the web and was part of some journaling 'webrings'. Remember those? So, it has to be said that she was first! Nowadays with our busy lives I sometimes only hear from her or about her life by reading her sporadic blog posts. They are always interesting even if it is simply because we are so different. I enjoy ribbing her by posting smarthy comments to her posts. Thanks Raq.

2. iPaulo. Paul is a good friend that I know through family connections. He was the first to put up a real blog and for a time he hosted Clariticity. Thanks Paul for your example and your generosity in helping me keep going as a blogger. I have enjoyed Paul's viewpoints and perspective on the world and have seen some films I probably would not have seen if I hadn't followed his recommendations from his blog.

3. GuadSpot.
Mr. GuadSpot has probably been my most faithful reader and commenter. He is a family relation by marriage but is more like the brother that I never had. We are a lot alike but are also very different in some of our tastes and perspective on many aspects of life. In an environment of friends and family that is very politically and intellectually charged Mr. Guad and I have been able to help each other through editorial difficulties. Even when my posts are waaaaay over the top with my stubborn opinion Mr. Guad will make every effort to give a well thought out comment on my rants and raves. I thank him most for that and the example he is in my life. I absolutely love to read his posts and if I had more money I would pay him to post every day if he would do it. He has a gift and I wish he would find a way to share it more often, consequences be damned ;)

So, now that this is becoming one of my longest posts in a long time I will end it.

My number 10 most 'memorable' blog post of the last 4 years:

Ode to Salmon
This was a post I actually posted on another blog! Mr. GuadSpot gave me access to post to his blog several years ago and I have only taken advantage a handful of times. This post was when he was in Alaska on a fishing trip with his Father near Father's Day 2005.

Soft as a...

This made me laugh.

Friday, December 14, 2007

Merry Yodamas


I saw this first on iPaulo. It was so cool I had to reblog it.
Check out all the Christmas Cards from George Lucas and LucasArts.
There are some pretty cool ones.

Thursday, December 13, 2007

Segway Polo - who knew?




I had no idea this was going on. Segway Polo. Play polo on a team against others riding Segway scooters.
Dang! Another expensive toy I need to save up for ;)
Cheg eet owt! Segway Polo

Wednesday, December 12, 2007

EDGE vs 3G

If you have an iPhone or are thinking of getting one and are worried about surfing the 'real' internet on AT&T's EDGE network you should check out the YouTube video below. It is in German but you should get the idea. In a side by side comparison the hardware and iPhone OS make up for the slower EDGE network by displaying the page quicker and in a more usable way (in my opinion). What do you think?

Monday, December 10, 2007

Hmmm, Interesting...

Ran across this interesting article on MSNBC today.
Evidently the Mormon practice of fasting or going without food for a day one day a month is good for your heart.
Read the article for the good news. Like many studies it's not a 100% convincing result but there was "enough good evidence in the study to look into it further".
So, maybe if Mitt Romney takes the White House he can institute a national day of fasting each month and save millions of people from heart disease. Now there's a reason right there to vote for him ;)