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I am becoming more and more convinced that the things we use to solve our problems actually cause those problems in the first place. Take for example: dandruff shampoo. Before I started using dandruff shampoo, I don’t think that my dandruff was that bad. Now that I have had a multi-year addiction to the shampoo, I can’t stop using it. If I go off the stuff for a week, my head itches to the point of insanity. (Note: I promise I still use shampoo during those off weeks, it’s just the yummy smelling stuff that Kerrie uses). This, to me, is evidence that the producers of all dandruff shampoo have the ultimate product: one that solves a problem that it causes.

Don’t believe me? Ask anyone who has used chapstick for more than one day. For some reason, their lips continue to dry out and chap. Their only solution? The soothing salve of repeated application of chapstick. Chapstick is gem of a product: it causes chapped lips to feel better and then causes them to be more chapped. It’s a vicious cycle.

Some other products whose consumption may exacerbate the initial problem:

Pepsi: it might just make me thirstier.

Orange Juice: makes me clear my throat by taking another drink

Shaving Cream: causes my beard to grow faster

Gum: the minty flavor dwindles within 15 minutes…and the bad breath I thought I’d covered comes back with vengeance, until I pop another stick of gum in.

You see how this works? Cures cause addictions, which need curing, cures cause addictions, which need curing, cures cause addictions, which need curing, cures cause addictions, which need curing, cures cause addictions, ………… which need to stop.

I found a Once Upon a Child consignment store here in North Carolina. They have these stores, which sell used children’s clothes, in California and many like them in Utah. I was very excited to see one here. I got Allie’s Halloween costume there and it looks brand new. She’s going to be a ladybug. Allie absolutley loves her costume. She calls all insects “buzz-buzz” because of a Laurie Berkner Band song about Bees saying buzz-buzz. Everytime I open her closet and she sees her costume, she points to it and says, “buzz-buzz,” and whines until I put her costume on. Once on, she likes to look at herself in the mirror and dance.

We are excited for Halloween this year because Allie’s old enough to actually go trick or treating. We’ll probably just make the rounds in our apartment complex and go to the ward trunk or treat party at the church. We are also excited about passing out candy. We rarely got trick or treaters at our basement apartment in Utah. Halloween will actually feel like Halloween this year.

Well, it sounds like the jury is still out on whether you like the beard or not. Actually, it seems like the jury is separated by gender. The men tend to side with me…that a man should be a MAN and shave when and if he pleases. The lady-folk like the smooth man, who is ready for church seven days a week. I guess there is something to being presentable, clean and youthful. But let’s be honest brethren–for YEARS we couldn’t wait until we hit puberty. Nothing was more awkward than gym class in eighth grade…I vividly and fondly remember the day I discovered a pair of hairs in my left armpit. It was a life-changing event. The conclusion to my rant is this: facial hair makes me feel manly, shaving makes me feel like a seventh grader.

Interestingly, what Kerrie dislikes is not the look of the beard/goatee, but the feel of it. To her, kissing my hairy face is like kissing the neck of a mule. A mere peck will suffice, but anything more would be disgusting and possibly leave marks. Herein lies the motivation! If I want a friendly, wifely kiss, I must shave. So, of course, I will shave.

So where are the women that like hairy chests, legs, and butts? They died with the women’s movement. The relation between a man’s strength and a women’s is inverse: as a women gets stronger, her man gets weaker. And hence, men with earrings, shaved legs and tanning beds. Where did it all start? With the invent of the razor, which was begat around the time that women’s lib revealed its sharp, painted nails.

So, fine…I’ll shave. But, ladies, don’t complain when you’re forced to lie in the bed that you made…next to the wussie man you’ve created.

Note: this is all in jest…please don’t sue me, yell at me, or spam me. That said, let’s hear your remarks.

Jake wrote a blog about his beard a couple of weeks ago but never posted it because we couldn’t get his picture to upload. I still can’t get the picture to upload so I decided to do a slideshow. Anyway, since the move to NC, Jake had been growing a beard…until Monday. I’m not a huge fan of beards, which is the only reason he shaved it (thanks hon). Once it was gone he immediately missed it and he will probably be growing out another beard soon; or at least a goatee. Don’t be surprised if he comes back to Utah for Christmas looking like Santa Claus. Let us know what you think. Beard or no beard?

Here’s the beard a couple weeks before he shaved:
Mug Shots

Well, life is kind of slowing down as we get into the rythym of full time school again. Of course, it’s like going from 80 mph to 65 mph, so we’re still busy but at a steady pace.

We used to watch a ton of movies, but we just haven’t had time for them. We watched a few good ones from Cleanflicks this summer, but they obviously didn’t stick, cuz I can’t remember any glaring examples. So unfortunately, the movie reviews are few and far between. But, I am reading a great book called Freakonomics for one of my classes. I recommend it to the curious minded, as it offers to interesting explanations for life’s little phenomena.

Right now I am taking a Calculus class, which I am finding a lot less difficult the second time around. I took a Business Calculus class a couple years ago, and so this is a good class to build on that. It is taking a bit to sharpen the ol’ saw again, but I am slowly remembering how to do all the Calc stuff.

Funny thing is, as much as knowledge is crammed down your throat during college, I don’t think that much of it sticks. The problem is the incentive the many professors give you to study and the format of their testing. Professors tend to reward the students who remember the terms and their definitions—as shown by how they test. If I can regurgitate how many years were in the Triassic period, I can get an A. But do I remember that two years or even two months later? I think this causes many of us to finish college and say “What have I really learned in the past few years other than the ability to retain and regurgitate short-term info?”

I’ve found that since professors don’t reward learning, it’s up to the student to figure out how to LEARN the material. As Dr. Crawford says, “Focus on learning the main points of the class, and the grade will follow in its shadow.” I fully believe that. I just wish I had learned it five years ago…

I officially signed up to take the GMAT. I’ll be taking it on August 26th, and I must admit, I am terrified. Though in a way it is a chance for me to “strut my stuff,” I think the phrase “go break a leg” is more applicable. So, I have a lot to do in only 3 weeks and 4 days. My plan is to finish the Kaplan book that I borrowed from Jared and then crank questions til I drop. I’ve found a ton of questions on a sweet website called testmagic.com. I recommend it if you’re looking for tough GMAT/GRE questions and you’ve done all you can find in the books. Anyways, my life in the next couple weeks is full, so while you may hear from Kerrie and Allie, you may not hear from me. Onward!

We have been terrible at getting stuff up lately. It’s just been a fun, yet busy summer. We just blessed our little baby, Allie, on Sunday. It was a very special event. We’re so grateful for those who came. To those who didn’t come, we hate you…

Life has been good for us. I am currently in Statistics for Economists, which is a class I need to satisfy my minor in Economics. It’s a great class…I am amazed at how much I enjoy Economics. It keeps me plenty busy. I am also studying for the GMAT right now. I have taken a couple practice exams, and though I wouldn’t be satisfied with my scores if they were the real thing, I feel like I am getting the hang of it slowly but surely.

Kerrie is enjoying life as a mother. She stays home (and stays up) with our daughter and loves the time she has with Allie. Parenting has a learning curve that we are both adjusting to. But, it’s the most rewarding endeavor we’ve ever embarked on.

We’ll get some pics up soon. And I have lots of opinions that have been building up over the past few weeks, so I’ll get those on the board too. Until then…nos catchamos.

If you’re anything like me, you have the post-long-weekend blues. I love spending time with fam, just telling stories, teasing each other and eating lots of food. We had pretty much the whole fam in town over the weekend. Kelli & Co, Greg & Co, and my Dad were all around for the fun. Unfortunately, I didn’t take any pictures—I only used the camcorder.

On Friday night, we decided to see Star Wars III as a fam. Kerrie couldn’t come because of Allie, but Greg, Dad, Kelli and Greg’s son, Jacob, were all there. It was fun to get out as a fam. Don’t tell anyone, but we snuck in Mountain Dew and licorice.

Saturday was spent up at Greg’s place. It was a gorgeous day in Eureka so we spent many hours outside sitting on fold-up chairs just chatting. Anthony loved the cat so much that he nearly yanked its tail off before it got mad and bit (very lightly) him. Ulises found his dad’s new motorcycle helmet and wore it for three hours. It was a very fun, very relaxing day.

Sunday we had everyone over to our apartment, which got very crowded. It’ll be nice to someday be a homeowner so that we can host our family with a little more space. Who knows when that day will come… After dinner I spent the night at the Clapie’s house, and we chatted over some Salt n’ Vinegar chips.

Monday we had tons of plans, but the weather botched them all. The boys planned to go fishing (that’s why I slept over) at 7:00am, but it was storming so bad in Springville at 7 that we decided to cancel. The girls were going to all go out to breakfast in celebration of Allie and Kerrie, but that didn’t work out either. We ended up making a huge breakfast and loving it.

It was a good weekend, good enough to make coming back to reality a bummer

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