It is time for the election of 2008!

In all my life I have never been so interested in politics and in the world around me. I thought that it was always someone else's problem. But its really not everyone has their own agenda, I even do now. But the underlying strand that I feel is necessary is that we pick the best men and/or women for the job.

Our presidential debate has had its ups and downs and twists and turns so far and people are crossing party lines to meet what they feel is a good decision for them and the way they see our country progressing. The part of me that is a constitutionalist screams out "back... back to the 1760's, get back while we still can!"

But as De Tocqueville put it and many others of his day even back to Greek and Roman times, the government is upheld by the virtue of the people. And it seems the virtue of America has been on a decline for the past while and moving in a steeper decline daily. Crime, hatred for other ethnic groups, the global attack on families, degradation of women through pornography and feminist groups devaluing their sacred duty to be mothers.

I feel that we need to start affecting some of these issues in the positive. I feel like we can do this by standing up for true principles and finding more truth all around us throughout our lives, and creating a standard in our associations with other people so that they know what we stand for. People with good principles can stand up for the things they they know to be true.

Obviously some will be offended here and there, you can't stop that from happening, just as you can't stop others from speaking their minds. But by moving forward with love and charity for those around you people will be affected. They will love, honor, and respect you for being a man or woman of principle.

I feel as though I can affect the people in the sphere around me for good regardless of the president's name or party. SO vote well and be as informed as you can but stick up for the things you know are right.

My big Bro

I have an older brother who is an amazing guy, he is so talented, he is an artist simply put, but so much more his art isn't just a throw away kind of unconnected crap that I feel is out there and out everywhere. It is an intimate expression of him. Sometimes what he produces is difficult to understand or see in its true meaning. Sometimes what he creates brings up emotions that I never thought I had.

I feel like the artist's expression is the artist own therapy that we are looking in on and it gives us the opportunity to have a therapeutic experience too.

My brother Covey has won every artistic competition he has ever entered. The contests I can think of, that he entered his art in, were for opportunities to receive scholarships for schooling so that he could further his knowledge of art and photography.

Currently he has two amazing projects that he is working on and that give great intrigue to the mind; the first is his "THANK YOU" bag t-shirt which he sells but mostly gives away as gifts and the other which most will never see is his apartment, this huge installment transforms his apartment and gives the feeling of no beginning or ending of walls even doors disappear as you enter each of the vastly different rooms.

When I was there last week my other brother Jefferson wanted to take pictures of the apartment but Covey wouldn't have it. I Love Covey and I am so grateful to have him as a brother He helps me to see art where I would miss it.

I didn't take "the hit"...

Today I was driving to meet a man for work and I was driving my little boy blue Ford Ranger pick up in the right lane on a road with no shoulder but it had three lanes for traffic and a turning lane; so I am driving and I saw someone about 150 feet ahead of me come barreling into the road and just about when the drivers door was even with my passenger side bumper he stopped and did the deer in the headlights thing. It was as if he was giving up and so I return SLAMMED on my brakes and as I was doing this I had a many times repeated conversation with myself;

I said, "self, you have two options here you can hit this man's car, the accident would be completely his fault, get a new truck, and still drive you other truck until you find a new one. Self, This is perfect."

But then...I though even quicker,(now typing faster too)cause I was getting closer, I ses, "Self this sounds like a good idea on paper but after you hit him you will have to wait for the cops to come and fill out a report then find someone to pick you up in salt lake, and you will ruin this guys day and maybe his life, what if he is depending on that car and that job he's going to to support his family and self what if he got hurt, you will always know that you didn't do everything you could to avoid hitting him"

And so I did, I slammed on my brakes so hard that I thought I would push through the old floor of my truck. I was so close there was smoke from my tires filling the air and and as completely stopped my truck lunged forward I was so close to the other car that I was sure we had collided.

In fact when the other driver gave a look of relief I did not believe him until he finally backed up and I could see his fender, not even a scratch!

I am glad I hit my brakes, it really made my day to see what I was really made of and I know I made the best decision.

Home teaching, I'm an idiot!

Last night I went home teaching, my companion is a software specialist. So he picked me up kinda late and he was dressed in business clothes, tie etc. So we are in our visit and the girl asked what we did for work and he said he was a computer man, and she further ask him if he has to dress up so nice for work everyday. and he replied no just for home teaching; needless to say I was so uncomfortable wearing my jeans and tee shirt. But the church was still true and it went well.

Later last night I was with cinnamon girl and her brother Lance came over for a minute so I decided to ask him if he ever wore casual clothes to home teach and he said, "only twice when my companion refused to dress up."

So the moral of the story is dress up to home teach but even more importantly, I feel, get the home teaching done!