Cliff Klingenhagen

"Cliff Klingenhagen"
By Edward Arlington Robinson

Cliff Klingenhagen had me in to dine
With him one day; and after soup and meat,
And all the other things there were to eat,
Cliff took two glasses and filled one with wine
And one with wormwood.  Then, without a sign
For me to choose at all, he took the draught
Of bitterness himself, and lightly quaffed
It off, and said the other one was mine.

And when I asked him what the deuce he meant
By doing that, he only looked at me
And grinned, and said it was a way of his.
And though I know the fellow, I have spent
Long time a-wondering when I shall be
As happy as Cliff Klingenhagen is.

The Same Thing

I wrote this back in October of 2004:

Every TV channel reports the same “news,” in the same way, and at almost the same time

That’s why I like the movie Napoleon Dynamite ---- because it is not the same. It is not typical, predictable. No sex, no ridiculous violence, and filled with fabulous character development.

I don’t want the same everywhere I go ---- the same pants, the same books, the same music and ridiculously predictable radio stations, the same-o same-o food in every restaurant chain, the same merchandise in every store

WE ARE DOMINATED BY THE SAME in so many settings.

What happened to tie dye shirts?
What happened to greasy spoon restaurants?
What happened to stores that sell unique items you can’t find anywhere else?
What happened to grass roots bands and local poetry?
Where are the mavericks and the individuals?
Where are unique plots full of soul?

Considerations, Thoughts

The picture you see here is of my two aunts with President McKay. Awesome! My relatives with the prophet. This picture was taken in 1953 at a "Golden Gleaner Banquet." I don't know what that is.

Listening to Neil Diamond's "12 Songs" album again. Soothing and pensive. He is such a talented song writer!

Today is Saturday. Saturday is a special day; it's the day we get ready for Sunday, then Monday, then we head to Disneyland! We are very pumped to be going. Karin checked the weather forecast in Anaheim, and it's possible rain. She is discouraged, but I'm not too worried. In fact, it might be good to have a bit of rain to discourage some of the locals from going.

I need to keep exercising.

Jordan School District is dropping retirement benefits from their employees at the end of this school year. Disheartening. It was predicted in one newspaper that as many as 1/4 of the district teachers might jump ship in the next year. That would be so devastating for our school system (larger classes, more inexperienced and perhaps less qualified teachers). I am concerned not only about that but even more so for our family's financial future. It causes me to consider moving to another state, where teachers are better compensated. But our families live here! We want to be near them. Maybe I could go into another profession --- but what? The future is a question mark.

Why do I Blog?

Why do I blog?

My brother Matt today and I were discussing my new blog site. He voiced some general distaste for blogs, asking aloud why anyone would want to have a blog, a somewhat public journal, that anyone could access.

When he said this I didn’t have an answer, and it got me thinking. Why do I have a blog? Why am I (at least for the moment) intrigued with having one?

I thought about it.

I remember about 10 years ago, when I decorated two blank white t-shirts. I went out and bought a couple of permanent laundry markers and marked up those two shirts. One was a collage/list of “things I didn’t like” (although nowhere on the shirt did it say “These are things I don’t like”). It included things like lima beans, country music, Dennis Rodman, rude people, B.O., etc. For me it was a fun, gentle way to voice myself.

I filled the other shirt with quotes -- quotes from movies, poems, scriptures, TV shows, etc. It was a lot of fun to do, and quite a conversation piece. I still have that shirt, and even though it’s getting old, I am very attached to it. It means a lot to me.

I also remember how BYU had (has?) a “Soap Box” every Wednesday. It was a public forum for people to say whatever they wanted, within appropriate bounds, on any topic that weighed their minds.

As I am often a very outspoken person, for me the blog is a great way to have my own newspaper, or more specifically, editorial column -- a place where I can praise, question, complain, wonder, observe, spew, wax poetic, journalize, or whatever. It’s also nice in that I don’t have to send a specific e-mail to a certain person and await for a reply. Here I can just throw it out to sea, like a fish, and let anyone who wants to catch it.

So, why do I blog? To express. To voice. To be heard. To connect.

My Grandpa, 1917

This is an awesome, noble picture of my grandfather (not great grandfather), Samuel Brooks Sr. He was born June 10, 1886. Most people are surprised to hear that my grandfather was born in the 19th century. He died five years before I was even born, so I never had the chance to know him (at least in this life).

I'm still experimenting with the idea of this blog thing, and I thought that posting this would be an excellent way to do so.

Ten days till we head out to Disneyland.

Today we go to the baby shower of my cousin-in-law, Kerstin Daynes, down in Orem. It should be pretty enjoyable to see my relatives.

Life is pretty good.

Neil Diamond and all things 2-16-2006

Today is Thursday. I participated in the annual 9th grade boys' basketball team vs. the male faculty game at West Jordan Middle School. This is the 11th year I have participated in this tribal ritual. Imagine having 1,000 teenagers screaming against you in a gym (with a few loyal rebels who actually dare to cheer for the teachers). Gives me cotton mouth. Up till now, we were 8-2 over my first 10 years. Now we're 8-3. These kids drubbed us, raining down 3-pointers like no other. I am so relieved that it's over. And exhausted. Mentally drained. I get too worked up over these dumb games.

I have listened a lot to Neil Diamond's "12 Songs" album. Just released last year.

Karin and I and our kids will be going to Disneyland soon. We plan out our trips like, like uh, like a lot. Meticulously. Passionately. It costs a lot to go there, and we want to get our money's worth. If you ever go to Disneyland, see The Unoffical Guide to Disneyland. It's insightful, factual, and extremely helpful. It tells you how to go there in a stress-free way, go on all the rides you really want to go on, and avoid lines. Who wants to go to Disneyland to wait in lines?

This is a fun way to say whatever --- and feel like I have an audience.

My very first blog posting!

"Hail Caesar!" as they say in Ben Hur, one of the greatest movies of all time, and an excellent teaching tool about forgiveness.

This picture is my high score of all time on Boxikon, the great Tetris-esque shape-arranging game from www.shoecakegames.com. We actually purchased our copy. I told this to one of my students and he furrowed his brow. "Why'd'ja pay for it, Brooks?"

"Because, Wes. I want to support the companies who provide me with eye-straining entertainment."