We got "Facebook"! How about you? ;-)

We both joined Facebook recently, I joined in an effort to network for a new job and Mirinda did mostly did after she saw all of the old friends I was reconnecting with.
I have been doing my best to network on Facebook, but it hasn't gone too well.
It's a really cool networking site, I have reconnected with a lot old acquaintances and even some family, I have also made some new friends and as well as keep up with current friends.
I was surprised to find as many people as I have on Facebook, there are a lot of people I have met on other forums that I am also friends with on Facebook now.
There's a lot on Facebook, so much in fact that you could waste a lot of time on it, there are games, groups of many kinds to name a few things. You can also post pics and comment on them too. One of the funniest things I like doing is making witty status updates. The default on it is "Brian is", but you an change the verb, it's really corny sometimes, writing in the third person, but that's where the fun can be had.
Some of my recent status updates have been, "Brian has an interview tomorrow! YES!"
"Brian is ready to begin a new chapter in his life. Who or where will it be with?", " Brian is fishing today! Salmo trutta watch out", Edit
Brian is stimulated by stimulators..... As in flies for fishing." and "Brian is fiddling with his website, while speaking in the third person."
Some people make minute by minute status changes, but I think that's too much, I usually make a few a week, Mirinda does a little less.

So if you are on Facebook, look us up! We'll be your friend... ;-)

This old mug...

I have had this coffee mug for eight years or so now, I got it sometime just after I started working full time with the Guard. For the most part it has been back and forth to work with me over the span of those eight years. I drank the hot sweet coffee from it on my early morning drive to work; pouring coffee into it, along with the milk and sugar is usually the last thing I do before I head out the door.
When I am in the truck or the car, I put it right in the center console with the handle turned to the right, so I can easily grab it and take a long slow drink.
Over the many trips to work I have drank from it thousands of times, and several gallons of coffee in it, I usually listen to KUER FM 90 (the local NPR affiliate) and have heard many wonderful news stories as I driven to work. I can't begin to remember how many stories I have heard that involved Soldiers. Soldiers leaving their families, Soldiers preparing to go to war, Soldiers at war, Soldiers on leave from war, Soldiers who have been injured, families dealing with things back home while their Soldier is at war. There have been other stories of course, but it those stories that I will remember the most.
I am in my last days of being a Soldier, and in the last days of working at the job I had before I was mobilized. I have only been there a few weeks now and as you probably know will only be there for a few more. I am grateful that I have something to come back, even it if is only for a very brief time, at least I have a job, even though I wish was at a new job, but that will happen soon though!
On my commute to my new job, I won't be using this old mug anymore; it will be time for a new one, just like it's time for a new job for me.
Mirinda got me a new one, the one hiding behind this old mug, but I want to wait until to use it for that first commute to that new job...

Cool Stuff

5 weeks and counting- that is 5 weeks that Brian will be employed with no sign of a job thereafter. I am going back and forth between peace and panic. Mostly I am just trying to think carefully about every dollar we spend. No we don’t need to get the windshield fixed. Yes we do need to go out to dinner this weekend. Yup, priorities are in place.

So I have found some cool ways to save/spend money and I wanted to pass them along

· Free seeds! On December 31st the Peoples Market is sponsoring a seed swap. These are not commercially produced seeds and many are heirloom varieties. 5:00 p.m. at Sorensen Unity Center 1307 South 900 West. You don’t need to bring seeds to leave with seeds.
· Cheep dinner! The Old Spaghetti Factory is turning 40. The next three Monday and Tuesdays they are offering 40% off. This makes my favorite half mizithra and half meet sauce dinner only $5.99 and that includes bread, salad, iced tea, and spumoni. Yummy! http://www.osf.com/menu/annv-40Off-menu.pdf
· Free Warm. I have to thank Marnie for this one. We just had insulation installed in the crawl space of our previously completely un-insulated 1962 home. What a huge difference. You can go to the kitchen in the morning without slippers! Just call Jake Warner at 808-3270. It is a win-win as the rebate from the gas company covers the cost for the company, plus a little, and the company gets to keep their guys busy.
· Free stuff. Reuse-reduce-recycle or give it to someone who can. Both Craig’s List http://saltlakecity.craigslist.org/zip/ and KSL Classifieds http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=231&cat=272 offer a place to pick up stuff for free. It is hit and miss and you have to be fast to get the good stuff, but I have found lots of things I want. Landscape rocks, firewood, canning jars, there was a picnic table we missed out on once. Just ignore the sob stories. At least half of them are fake.

Let me know if you have something to add to my list.

Happy 2009

This year I resolve to not make any resolutions. My plate is full, not overflowing, but filled with things I want on it. Carefully chosen items from the buffet available in this amazing time and place. I know from experience, that as with an actual buffet, my tendency is to overfill my plate, and then I get sick. I want to take on too much and overstuff my life. Experience has taught me that when I overstuff, my head and heart explode and then I don’t enjoy anything. Ok, so it took me several explosions to learn this, but I hope that finally I have the lesson down.

There are lots of things I would like to add, but they will have to wait. For now I will enjoy my marriage, my church, my friends, my family, my job, my home, my garden, the adoption process, the fight for chickens in my city, etc. etc. etc.

2008 had its ups and downs.

The best:
1. The process of deciding to add to our family
2. Our 24th of July party
3. Brian’s last year on active duty
4. Our garden
5. The election

The worst:
1. The process of deciding to add to our family
2. Having our house broken into and loosing the sense of security in our sanctuary.
3. Another year living with war (such a miserable dinner companion)
4. The election

May 2009 be more joyful, peaceful, and loving for all of us.