Reminder to carpool (share a ride) :
“HOV [high-occupancy vehicle] lanes are normally introduced to increase average vehicle occupancy and persons traveling with the goal of reducing traffic congestion and air pollution.” — Wikipedia
Light the World
“Sharing Jesus Christ’s Light around the World”
LightTheWorld.org
Be Someone's Angel
Regardless of shopping and mailing not done, last evening I needed quiet time (non-chaotic) away from bustle and hustle of Christmas preparation. Unlikely choice for most folks, so perfect for me: the main public library I happened to be near. It was quiet, with workers being the majority. After serendipitously finding a book of historical stories, I saw a sign: “Fiesta de Cuentos (Story Fiesta) 6:00”. Checked the time — it was 5:58. Why not. I went and enjoyed children’s storytelling about musical instruments with a darling young family. Being in my second childhood made me happy.
Later at home alone (not really), I found a treasure book of Christmas stories, poems, and recipes to give a young couple in our congregation. It was an unplanned purchase last winter at my favorite used-book store. A quick review of all the contributors discovered some familiar, local names and a few famous authors. An example of storytelling serendipity: “The Story of The Other Wise Man” by Henry van Dyke. Reading it, I vaguely recalled this tale about a fourth pilgrim, who “did not arrive with his brethren in the presence of the young child Jesus.” He spent his whole, short life in his wandering quest for the King, giving away his precious gifts to the poor in need along the way. Thus, he did not fail … rather “in a strange way, he found the One whom he sought.”
Enjoy storytelling time this Christmas Eve. As Tiny Tim says, "God bless us, everyone!"
What is your time worth? Convenience stores may save you money by charging a premium. I like to shortcut the long drive-thru lines for fast food by walking inside to order, face to face. Regardless, it’s good to get out and meet people.
Light the World Giving Machines at Times Square and other locations make it easy to do good worldwide at Christmas time. Salvation Army bell ringers at store fronts provide a shortcut to help a good cause. Say hello and thank them. To easily help thru United Way, visit subforsanta dot org
Since the 1980s, I’ve used computer shortcuts. Efficiency motivated by laziness? For example:
“When you copy and paste on a PC, the data is stored in … a temporary storage area called the ‘clipboard’ which is part of the operating system; meaning the data is held in the computer's active memory until you paste it somewhere.” — AI Overview (Actually, until you copy again.)
[Apple iPhone] “iOS Clipboard is an internal function stored in a virtual memory that stores one item at a time.” (Learn more at Reddit.)
My experience: shortcuts to wealth generally do not work well. Time and effort are required.
Numerous programs on the market promise shortcuts for learning foreign languages.
“Duolingo, Inc. is an American educational technology company that produces learning apps and provides language certification. Duolingo offers courses on 43 languages ...” — Wikipedia
That may be what I need to get up to speed with Spanish — a New Year’s resolution?
This post is a fleeting effort or transient test for unknown readers, if any. In search of “ephemeral”, this marketing article got my attention:
Forbes 11/27/23 by Rebecca Kowalewicz
“… ephemeral content … is accessible for a short duration and then disappears. (Think Snapchat or Instagram Stories, for example.) … This form of content taps into users' fear of missing out (or what we marketers like to call FOMO). Because the content disappears after a limited time, users are more likely to engage with it promptly.”
I don’t often engage with ephemeral content, so most flies by without my being afraid of missing out. My interest lies more in classic films and old books, hopefully available for years in my local library. Some content in this post may disappear.
The week of Thanksgiving 2012, my sweetheart Kay and I thoroughly enjoyed a piano recital feast in the Kaysville Tabernacle, by a world-famous concert pianist. And Thanksgiving dinner with most (27) of the family in our cozy frontier home; (the antithesis of fast food, although Kay rightfully rushed me through third helpings, to join the family program). Note: Kay is absolutely the best cook, and did most of the work – she is so amazing!!
Thanksgiving 2024, the family enjoyed a feast at our son Spencer’s home — an absolute success! Note: With his wife Ann’s help and others contributing, he is the best cook, and did most of the work. Like his mom, Spence is so amazing!!
It’s about time! Since 2010, I like to write at least once a month, as a random, “baby-steps” form of personal history.
How time flies … and sometimes crawls, like during a meeting. Hours for reading and playing piano, as I did for two years in “assisted living” — a luxury on hold since I moved downtown. Time for family as a high priority? For all my adult life, I have believed the holiday season (4th quarter) is prime time for “reaching out”, as many say. Annual newsletters summarizing the time of your life — a priceless tradition in my wife’s Hinckley Family. Kay & I have been married 53 years so far, yet unforgettable times we recorded are recalled like yesterday. In 1975, she led singing on the charter bus to Disneyland.
I remember the remarkable program of home teaching, when time was running out at the end of the month, urging 11th-hour visits before it was time to report, while I was suggesting some needed a visit every three or five weeks. Now it’s a continuum, as I see it, according to needs as prompted by the Spirit. A timely adjustment for these last days.
Another disjointed post, as one reader described my blog. Some others like freestyle writing. My time is short, I feel. How blessed we are, knowing life goes on without end!
(To be continued … before it runs out.)
The change in keys, typical in most symphonies, can relate to life. I have heard many works starting in a minor key, sounding sad or foreboding, and ending in a major key, sounding joyful or triumphant. Multiple changes are often heard throughout a piece.
Life can be like that. An attitude of gratitude can turn a hopeless feeling into a happy state of mind. That is my experience.
In a different sense of the words, focusing on minor tasks of little importance, should change to major accomplishments, as one matures and learns to prioritize. I am still working on that. However, it should be noted that small acts of service have major effects on the lives of others, especially when passed forward … with love.
Cookies, m&m candy, and Halloween treats.
Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches with milk.
Organic animal crackers (all animals are organic, so it goes without saying).
Razor kick scooter — actually my senior mobility device for fun and cheap transportation.
Rollerblading — a senior balance exercise.
Model railroad for my second childhood.
Children’s songs, especially some I loved in Primary. (“Teach Me to Walk in the Light”)
These are a few of my favorite things … whenever I feel like a kid at heart.
Be adventurous!
Plan family vacations. Go, learn, and have fun!
Learn to play piano or other instrument, and love it.
Don’t let a garage or unfinished basement turn into a storage trap. Simplify!
Wives, let your husband sometimes open and close the car door for you, as gentlemen used to do. Lovingly encourage him to help you in other ways. Praise him.
Husbands, be kind and communicative with your wife. Together at church and events, keep her in mind as the most important person there, hopefully close … with love.
Keep a journal.
“Live every day to its fullest. Act on good impressions. Follow the Prophet with love for the Lord.”
Remember me.
Repurpose an old toothbrush to sweep lint off the dryer screen. Also good for sweeping bugs into a bottle.
To disable a laptop CapsLock key, jam a bit of TP under the left end. My problem solved!
Use a very short paring knife for most food preparation, including carving-out ice cream.
Keep a big $4 Walmart clock in its box frame to easily keep track of time in the bathroom or wherever (mobile); cover it at night to mute the tick-tock.
Choose Oreo Mini cookies to reduce sugar intake. Same for healthy Hershey’s Miniatures - Special Dark Chocolate Assortment (recommended one a day).
(Dove dark chocolate: “Be fearlessly authentic.”)
Shop Costco at peak busy times to avoid the temptation to wait for a cheap hot dog or slice of pizza. (Works every time for me.) Read something inspiring while waiting for check-out.
Apartment dwellers: use Bluetooth headphone for high-volume music etc. to avoid annoying the neighbors who have sensitive hearing like mine. Save the smart speaker for the social/club room.
Slow down sometimes, read a good book, and know that God loves and guides His children.
Be prepared.
Last Saturday, listening to the BBC Proms concert, I was impressed with Emily Dickinson’s “Envelope Poems”. ( I will look into her history about that.) My first thought was of notes Grandfather Cannon often wrote on envelopes as scratch paper. ( I do the same with used envelopes carefully opened and saved. Why not?)
Now my second thought relates to the book I’m working on — Love Notes: a tribute to my wife Kay. Some of those tributes may have been drafted on envelopes or napkins. Each writer certainly exhibits his or her unique style of writing. So appreciated!
I suspect my extensive iPhone Notes and PC Notepad files lack a certain character that handwritten envelope notes preserve for future generations. Time will tell.
It’s true. In contrast to some former neighbors challenged with boredom, I have never been bored — not since the summer when, as a little boy, I complained to my mama that I was bored with nothing to do. So, she put me right to work. Problem solved … for the rest of my life.
There is never a dull moment, even during times of renewal, such as resting with music, snacking with dark chocolate, and walking for exercise at Costco. Learning from salespersons never frightens me. Browsing in the public library always fascinates me. Visiting family and friends brings me joy.
Yes, I find life is more amazing away from my phone and TV. Never dull in my experience. How is that possible.
Having a young professional write my wife Kay’s biography may appear to others like a walk in the park. It may have been a piece of cake, if I had simply handed her everything to transcribe and unloaded hundreds of photos for her to choose from. Then, not worried about editing to my satisfaction, trying to match my quirky style.
She interviewed key people, especially our children, and did most of the writing — far better than I could have done. However. it certainly was not a cakewalk. Fortunately, with both of us working on the book as a team for several months, a biography was produced that is extraordinary and fun to read. Truly, in the author’s words, “Remembering Kay is as effortless and delightful as savoring a slice of her homemade, delectable fresh peach pie.”
In my moving experience last week (that is, to a new home), I dealt with a lot of small stuff, including odds and ends. No large furniture, fortunately.
Synonym of “odds and ends”: mishmash
(Recall the junk drawer — valuable stuff, not junk to me.)
Tiny metal hook & screw, ready to install.
Old plastic 6-inch ruler & letter opener, the tool with 48+ different uses. A bunch of those — black, red, and yellow!
Extra recharging cable for unknown device.
Little bottle of hotel hand lotion for travel.
My Sweetheart Kay’s WSU student-photo-ID Wildcard with her winning smile.
Today is the day when I “lighten my load” again by moving to a new home. A recurring dilemma: what are treasures, and what do I let go from my minimalist life? A continuing goal: spare our children from a burden when I pass on.
A priority: help our posterity learn about their ancestors, including my wife Kay & me — challenges we overcame and joy we experienced. How we are blessed by the gospel of Jesus Christ. We treasure an abundance of spiritually moving stories. It’s a wonderful life! And it goes on forever … with love.
A gentleman from England (judging by his accent) hosts a Saturday radio program I’ve enjoyed for years. Last week he encouraged us to “take a listen next time.” That phrase was new to me and seemed odd. In other words, I take it to mean, “Please take the opportunity to hear next week’s program.” His short version actually says it best.
You have probably been frustrated when a friendly conversation is one-way … while wondering if the talker will ever take a listen to what you want to share. A good friend of mine, who died, knew my preference for listening rather than talking. He took full advantage of that for many years, generously sharing his life with me and others, including fast-food workers delivering at drive-thru windows. A lonely, younger man with a kind heart, he often gave his last dollar (and likely a story) to fellow sufferers on the street. Three seasons of the year, even when temporarily homeless, he set up his drums to let strangers take a listen to his popular music at a park and humbly accepted donations he never expected.
Another thought: It’s good to slow down and listen to nature, inspiring music, and the Spirit, who offers personal revelation. You may wish to include that when planning summer retreats.
How can two of the most important things be lost in a small studio apartment? I watch for them while unpacking and organizing. A few months after moving all by myself and taking time to recover, I realized phone photos of container contents would have been a simple solution to my pathetic problem.
However, I am grateful for what I have found, including pills, food, my wife Kay’s journals, and my favorite paring knife. With hindsight, lessons for future moves. Finding my load is lighter with each “mission transfer”.
Consider what you learned from your moves.
January of last year, I had been listening to a public radio station, hearing commercial encouragement to, “Learn more at (whatever) dot com.” (Posted about it.) Now it’s still the thing — maybe more so. “Information available at …” What would life be like without the Internet and instant access? (Really a rhetorical question.)
This year we can get a restaurant menu by scanning a QR (Quick Response) code on the table … instead of having a friendly waitress bring one with a smile and suggestions. (The tip may be the same.) Learn more about the deceased with QR codes adhered to cemetery markers. Instead of printed information for instant reading on posters, it’s “in the cloud” via QR codes, now ubiquitous (everywhere) … to help us learn more … using a smartphone as usual.
FamilySearch Centers let you do it on Discover big screens to see ancestors, famous relatives, and facts about the year you were born. It goes on … and discoveries are emailed to you. Then ice cream may be served at the snack bar — one reason I will go to learn more.
Are you old enough to remember personal devices that did not need recharging? As a teenager I had a solar-powered transistor radio that only worked in the sun or artificial light. Most of my life I enjoyed radios plugged into an electrical outlet (and had no Internet connection!) In the 20th Century we had telephones cabled to a wall. Until a few years ago, my favorite wristwatches ran on a battery that never died. Starting with a “portable” in 1982, my computers were simply plugged into an outlet. My wife Kay and I used disposable cameras for many years, being careful with our choice of subjects.
Now it’s a challenge for me to keep everything recharged: my phone, watch, radio, laptop computer, Bluetooth headphone, desk lamp, flashlights, and camera (for a major project). The list could go on.
More importantly, I need daily recharging physically, mentally, and spiritually. Especially for Kay, recall our favorite place for renewal: Cannon Beach, Oregon Coast. Exercise, rest, continuing education, service to others, prayer and scripture study work for me at home in Ogden. Recharging should be so simple.
Every day is full of miracles and blessings from Heavenly Father to help us endure and be happy. Today goes way beyond the common “Thank goodness it’s Friday.”
Good Friday commemorates the sacrifice of our Savior, Jesus Christ, who atoned for all sins and pains of mankind, and died on the cross for us. My eternal companion Kay & I are forever grateful for the Atonement of Jesus Christ and for His Resurrection. Because of Him, families are forever. I deeply feel gratitude on this Friday. We know Christ, The Lamb of God, lives and loves all of Heavenly Father’s children.
As assigned by Sister Johnson in personal history class at FamilySearch Center 2/28/24, I wrote a memory of school activity. Discarding the handwritten scrap today, I decided to transcribe and post it for future digital reference. ( I’ve done that with a few other scraps of paper since 2010.)
Lowell Elementary, where my father began his education, had huge playgrounds. As a student there, I joined small groups of friends playing hopscotch, marbles, and baseball. Bryant Junior High School and East High School were different. I don’t recall seeing any playgrounds or sports at Bryant. At East High, of course, I watched the amazing athletes and cheerleaders on the football field and basketball court. I was lucky to count some of them as friends.
As a serious student, I was more into math and music — another story to write.
As you know, the popular number pi is “… the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter.” — PiDay.org
Kay’s legendary fresh peach pie!
Grandmother Cannon’s gooseberry pie with plenty of sugar.
Variety of pies at Hinckley Family Thanksgiving dinners.
( I could go on about my favorite pies.)
Our Kanab kids always celebrate special occasions including Pi Day … with its corresponding sweet treat.
Enjoy!
My favorite, like magic for my old age: running up and down stairs, two steps at a time. Keeping up momentum that way since my youth. Power walking — same effect. My senior kick scooter, a Razor purchased three years ago, carefully going downhill, with momentum from gravity. A new habit of rollerblading every Monday — my senior balance exercise, as I call it.
In junior high school, I did well in classes, but keeping up momentum for homework after walking miles uphill was a challenge for me. My neighbor cousin, who walked home with me, wanted to get his done immediately. David couldn’t relate to my procrastination. Lingering at my house on his way home, he encouraged me to get started. I’m grateful for his sacrificing some momentum to help a close friend improve.
The process of becoming a minimalist is served by momentum. As I’ve previously confessed, overcoming OC collecting is a constant battle for me since a turnaround ten years ago. I am happy to be blessed now with visible progress in this matter of momentum.
A year ago on that special day, Tuesday the 14th, I was imagining how many love songs are repeated for Valentine’s Day. Then I suggested imagining the sound of silence while “listening” to the love in your heart. I still like to think one owns that music as something purely personal.
A favorite quote i often share:
“Music has power to provide spiritual nourishment. It has healing power.”
Daily Joy, p.31, c.2020, by Russell M. Nelson
A memory cherished today as in years past: my sweetheart Kay & I enjoyed many moments of silence while listening to love together. We are blessed to own that ongoing experience ... without end.
Everyone goes through it — maybe getting older, moving to a new place, changing jobs, getting married, or focusing on service to others. Lifestyle change is likely evident in your journal and personal history I hope you are writing.
My lifestyle changed dramatically when I moved from The HR “independent living” last fall to a younger community downtown. I became much more independent, lost 10 lbs, worked more, walked less, slept more, ate less, read more, talked less, and took up rollerblading. Having made the change, I can devote more time to family and writing my book this year.
Loving life.
Then there is life after death … without a physical body until resurrection; free from pain; possessing all intelligence gained during earthly life; together again with loved ones who have passed on. That is a lifestyle change my wife Kay is enjoying, to which we can all look forward.
There is no end to my eternal wife’s loving influence on our family, friends, and this older man. At age 18 my neighbor, Kay Hinckley, had served a three-year mission in Canada. She was an officer at East High School, held a job at the University of Utah, and enjoyed a calling in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Outgoing Kay had unforgettable, positive influence on her amazing circles of friends, family, neighbors, and strangers. Being the youngest of eight children, she helped her parents stay young (sometimes adding to their gray hairs). A life filled with adventure!
Also a returned missionary, I was years older than Kay, but years behind her socially and in other ways. However, she must have seen potential in me for improvement when we started dating as classmates in Music Appreciation at the “U”. I was privileged to experience Kay’s love for life and her love for all that God offers to His children. Her students in English classes were blessed by that, many continuing to be so inspired. Sister Cannon also made long-lasting impressions where we served in the Michigan Detroit Mission. The lives of our five children clearly reflect their mother’s positive influence. And Kay’s beauty, famously with her engaging smile, also has me … “let me count the ways” .… forever falling in love.
When the personal history of Kay Hinckley Cannon is written, a main theme throughout will be her loving, enduring influence on us all. It will be a history influenced by Kay … with no end.
Speeding up and slowing down — I see improvement in both when reading a Spanish copy of the Book of Mormon, an ancient record Joseph Smith translated by the gift and power of God. Having read the book in English many times since my youth, I find the Spanish easy to understand now as I pick up the pace. However, slowing down is more important to me in my old age, so I can receive new impressions about repeated truths and take precious moments to ponder. Slowing down also helps me look up unfamiliar words and increase my vocabulary. In particular, my study of Spanish verb conjugations in Argentina continues to pay back. And just like that, it came to pass (y asà aconteció); I am grateful (estoy agradecido).
Reading magazines published in Spanish by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints also helps me learn and retain. (The pictures are still my favorite part.) And I see more bilingual, English-Spanish signage and printed material everywhere — educational for me and helpful for the Hispanic population of Ogden. (My iPhone photo album set apart for that is filling up.)
I love the language — even better when combined with a little fast food.