Scary Google Policies...

** Rant Level: Very High **

So, as some of you know (because you received an false email), my wife's google email account was stolen. Obviously this is a terrible problem and extremely upsetting.

However, instead of resolving the problem, Google is making it FAR worse because of their policy for handling account theft. Basically, they take the position that 1) they don't collect enough information to verify who you are and 2) they don't believe anything anyone tells them.

They don't even use a security phrase! WOW!

My favorite line in the policy sheet goes something like this: Anyone can create an email address at google using your information at anytime, so we have no reason to believe you are entitled to your own name or email anyway.

Isn't that just great!? They acknowledge that they are basically fostering identity theft.

So, please know that you should ABSOLUTELY NOT rely on a gmail account. If you lose control of it, YOU WILL LOSE IT!

Their recommendation: create a new account.

You see, I know that Comcast will give me back my email if someone else hacked it. I know GoDaddy.com will give me back the various emails that they host for me. Primarily this is because I pay them for the service -- so they care. GoDaddy really cares, they have great customer service! Because of that, I use GoDaddy a lot. And they have great security features. Basically, I guess you get what you pay for. If it's a free service, don't expect much support.

Google security feature = do your best to protect yourself -- don't expect anything from us!

I'm really glad that I used an email that I control to create a google account. Had to when they took over Blogger. Thank goodness I didn't create a gmail address.

Just an interesting side note: Yahoo! actually has customer service, receives support email and actually responds intelligently in this type of situation. See here. I was about to say don't trust any of the free web-based services, but at this point I'm saying DON'T TRUST GOOGLE!

** Rant Level: Moderate **

I Cooked to Win!

Well, my seafood chili came in first place at our ward chili cook off! How about that! First time I've ever won a prize for cooking. Was lots of fun, but it took quite a while to make.

Definitely unique: some of the main ingredients were shrimp, salmon and butternut squash.

'Twas a fun Halloween. :)

New poem I wrote

The In and Out

Into this life we come,
In an ordinance of light and service
Immediately gasping life’s breath
And grasping for both known and unknown

And yet in that moment
More truth of wholeness abounds
Not yet caught in the attention
Of the surrounding still distant drone

That buzz that draws us in
Us in to this illusory state
Of powerlessness, isolated lack
Utterly unclothed, uneducated, unprepared

But not wrapped up in its magic
The allure, the senses so real
The cutting pain, the rich dank smell
And the light that had gone dark

Temporarily

Comes back in a form
That teases, speaking of the prior link
Unbroken and unbreakable
But this curtain sweeps in and shuts

The show has just begun
Another curtain is drawn open
And reveals the set and props
These playthings so trivial, so crucial

Calling in all who listen
And screaming unceasingly at all the others
The song of intrigue and import
Of beginnings and of endings

And soon the believing begins
The dream is spun in silk
Just waiting to see how long it takes
Or if ever, we will break free

-Bretton

Poem I wrote a while ago

Felt like sharing a poem I wrote a while ago. In fact, I think it was way back in undergrad at USU. I wrote quite a few, still write some occassionally. This one is pretty simple, but I was rereading it and I really like it. Enjoy.


Within

I know you -
I've always known you
Take away the beautiful layer
Outside, showing how sublime

the remaining spirit
which lies within

And I would shout
My spirit would see
What was always there,
And will always be.

Beautiful Poem from Ralph Waldo Emerson

This is in the heading for the chapter "Illusions" in Emerson's book "Conduct of Life." I just felt like sharing it. When I have time, I'd like to make a line-by-line commentary. Such beautiful work:

FLOW, flow the waves hated,
Accursed, adored,
The waves of mutation:
No anchorage is.
Sleep is not, death is not;
Who seem to die live.
House you were born in,
Friends of your spring-time,
Old man and young maid,
Day's toil and its guerdon,
They are all vanishing,
Fleeing to fables,
Cannot be moored.
See the stars through them,
Through treacherous marbles.
Know, the stars yonder
The stars everlasting,
Are fugitive also,
And emulate, vaulted,
The lambent heat-lightning,
And fire-fly's flight.

-Emerson

And it is then followed by this verse:

When thou dost return
On the wave's circulation,
Beholding the shimmer,
The wild dissipation,
And, out of endeavor
To change and to flow,
The gas become solid,
And phantoms and nothings
Return to be things,
And endless imbroglio
Is law and the world,
Then first shalt thou know,
That in the wild turmoil,
Horsed on the Proteus,
Thou ridest to power,
And to endurance.

-Emerson

Let us all see God more and more through our own "treacherous marbles."

Couple of really cute pictures my stepmom took when we visited Minnetoka cave last week. I haven't download the pictures I took yet... :)

At The Fair

We're at the cache county fair. Goats, rabbits, rides oh my.

Pic From Last Week

Tenny at a bass pond at one of my partner's cabins. He was a serious fish catcher! :)

CONGRATS TO JEANINE

My wife's little Marie jr. won it! WOOT!

Watching the Finale!

So, seriously awesome stuff.

Wade Robson cheerleader routine kicks off the night! It was so much fun! But, right after the routine (which, again, I loved), we see some previews of the fall season competitors. OH MY GOSH! There are some seriously talented athletes and dancers coming up!

Next routine is Evan and Jeanine by SONJA! Love it! The routine rocked. What an awesome routine. :) What a fun couple. Kimi is looking for the phone to start calling for Jeanine as I type. Heh.

So, awesome Sidekick commercial in the break... some very impressive dancing in that little ad.

Brandon's solo -- phenomenal!

Then Kayla and Brandon did an awesome Tyce routine. So incredible. Well, we are at the end of the season and this is just the capstone for sure. What a wonderful couple and an amazing dance.

Jeanine just did her solo and REALLY went for it. I think Adam is right, she's the front runner at this point. Magic!

Evan and Brandon did a nasty boys routine. Good, fun. Evan was fluid, Brandon just nailed it, hit it hard. Jeanine and Kayla danced a Mia routine. Very pretty and they did very well. Neither were my favorite routines, but they were both enjoyable.

Evan performed a wonderful, fun and really magical solo. The judges were really hypercritical in my opinion. He's just fun and brings an awesome, unique and lovely old style to light. It just seems inappropriate for the judges to be so critical of Evan at this point in the show.

Next was an Evan and Kayla Jazz routine. I felt that Kayla and Evan knocked this one out of the park. They just gave it their all and it was wonderful! I really expected the judges to come back and say that were wrong about Evan and that they were very impressed. Unfortunately, more criticism. Crowd didn't like it one bit.

At this point, I'm starting to think that the judges are pretty much giving Evan his ticket to "America's Favorite Dancer." I think that America will vote for him as the underdog. He's likable, fun and brings just a positive goodness.

Kayla did a good solo routine. Nothing terribly outstanding. But unlike their comments for Evan, they basically just give her nothing but kudos... 'Twill be interesting.

Brandon and Jeanine did a great routine. It really was a great start, but felt like it went a little flat toward the end. I think Mary was a little overly obvious in her support and looked over some things that could be critiqued.

Nigel is a fricking hilariously dirty old man. Hah!

I'm kind of thinking Jeanine will be the best woman, but Evan will win. Can't wait to find out!

Catching Up With So You Think You Can Dance

Well, I was really enjoying the blow-by-blow breakdown of SYTYCD this season. However, the weeks just began to go by quicker than I felt inspired to write. In a way, that is really awesome. So, tonight I thought I would just give my props to those who have left the show over the past three weeks.

Caitlan. I absolutely adore Caitlan. It was sad to see her go, but the judged probably were right about this one. The remaining five women are just FREAKS of FREAKING nature! I am just plain amazed at their sheer talent.

Phillip is a phenomenon. The only disappointing thing about Phillip is that we didn't get to see more of his solos! Laf! He rocks at what he does. They are wise to get him in on the tour.

Kupono really seemed to grow over the past few weeks, however, his personality just got more and more over the top. So, I think it was okay that he was voted off.

Randi is such a sweetie! I was really sad to see her go. But, she did seem to struggle last week with the new partnering. It was really unfortunate for her that she got paired up with the weakest guy left. She is so cute! I'll miss Randi!

But then, tonight, was a SERIOUS shocker. The bottom two girls are Kayla and JEANETTE! What!?! Jeanette? No way. The bottom two guys are Jason and BRANDON! Wow! So, it is pretty clear that the breast cancer routine had a significant impact on the voting. It was very lucky for Ade and Melissa to get that piece because I am pretty sure it saved both of their butts. Neither of them were in danger.

So, the guys -- well, it's pretty tough. I've got to say that early on I was not much of a Jason fan, but he has REALLY taken off the past few weeks. His partnering has improved astronomically and his attitude is just awesome! I was really impressed this week with his routines. I thought Mia was unfairly hard on him about the shoulders and open chest comments, but hey... she's the one that knows. Regardless, I was starting to consider Jason as a force to reckon with. However, he was voted off. Jason is an incredible dancer! Stand and clap...

Evan continues to be the one charmed performer -- I don't remember seeing him in the bottom yet.

So what the heck happened with Jeanette!? Sheesh. I had to agree with Nigel about her. She was probably at the top of my list to win the whole thing! She's a salsa dancer for crying out loud. She does every style with precision and flair. I haven't thought ANY of her performances were lacking at all! I was just shocked that Jeanette was voted off. I know it is tight and that these last few gals are FREAKING amazing, but Jeanette!? Wow. With her gone, the women's side just became a crap shoot. I'm betting Melissa will be voted off next week (unless she pulls another "Get out of jail free" type dance routine).

MIAMI!

What fun!

Something Very Special Last Night

I am in absolute, complete and utter awe over this routine. Thanks to Tice, Melissa and Ade as well Fox and SYTYCD for such a special message. Having lost my mom to breast cancer, seeing Melissa raised up on Ade's shoulders for the final lift is what I envision for my own mother in the kingdom of heaven. Through her trials, she overcame the world.

Late/Early Depends on Perspective

Playing with Facebook and Blogs together. Found a cool networked blog gadget thinger. So cool. Wow it is pretty dang late. So, I'll chuck a picture up here and call it a night. Excited to watch the SYTYCD performance show! Still sitting on the DVR. Yeah its past midnight.

Fishing and Family Fun

Phone blogging at the Hadfield family reunion. Lots of good family fun. Being assaulted with water baloons. Whee!

Went fishing with Tenny on thursday and we caught some wipers! Lots of bites. Big fish!

Last Week -- woof

So, last week was pretty darn jam packed. We went up to Green River Wyoming again for my Rocky Mountain Bass tournaments. Summertime fishing was a bit tough and my partner and I didn't run into any really good luck this time. It was a really good time. And we caught a lot of fish.

Before we went, we watched the SYTYCD performances. This was the top ten week, so very exciting stuff. The last week the judges get to weed people out. From here forward it is up to America!

Each of the couples did two routines that night. Hard to call. But I remember that I thought that Brandon/Jeanette, Melissa/Ade would be safe. I figured that Phillip/Jeanine would be safe as well and then the rest, who knew?

I was SHOCKED that Kayla and Kupono were safe. Also, Randi and Evan were safe as well. Of the gals, it was Jeanine, Melissa and Caitlan in the bottom three. The guys were Ade, Jason and Phillip. I (sadly) had to acknowledge that Caitlan was the most likely to go home of that group. Of the boys, I thought for sure it would be Jason going home.

But NO! It was Phillip! The only street dancer left! WHAT! I'm thinking, what the crap, no hip-hopper on tour? What is Nigel thinking! Then he says he "consulted" with the producers and that Phillip and Caitlan would be invited to the tour. Consulted with the producers? LAUGH. Um... who is the producer again?

So, this is absolutely hilarious, it is directly copied from EW.com:

Nigel: ''Self?''
Nigel: ''Yes, self?''
Nigel: ''You can't kick off Phillip before the tour; he's the only bloody street dancer left!''
Nigel: ''I know that, you crusty old muffin!''
Nigel: ''Hey, I look right dashing for 60!''
Nigel: ''Well, so do I, but the fact remains that Phillip's just bobbins at any style not his own.''
Nigel: ''Yes yes yes, and that isn't even taking into account that bollocks Russian routine.''
Nigel: ''Right, so...wait, which one of us is supposed to be Tour Producer Nigel again?''
Nigel: ''I think I am.''
Nigel: ''Aha! So what if we kick Phillip off but make him one of the swing dancers on the tour?''
Nigel: ''My word! If I do say so myself, self, you are one bloody brilliant television show producer!''
Nigel: ''Thanks self!''
Nigel: ''Now, er, what's a swing dancer again?''
Nigel: ''You're Tour Producer Nigel! Shouldn't you know it's theater talk for understudy?''
Nigel: ''Of course I knew that! I was just testing your knowledge on the matter!''
Nigel: ''Oh, go suck an egg!''
Nigel: ''Gladly!'' [Sucks on egg.] Fin.

I think that is a pretty good transcription of how a "consulting" session between Nigel and the producer (Nigel) goes.

More later I must go home and go bowl. :)

Good Times, Noodle Salad

Yeah so that is actually potato salad. But, fun game, name the movie that quote came from. No google searching cheaters now. :)

Mom-in-law made some great potato salad, but my gut is paying the penalty for consuming so many eggs. Sort of like deviled eggs at easter time. There's a reason they are called "deviled" I tell you.

Heard some great talks about independence day on Sunday by some really pillars of the Hyrum community. Robert Taylor, Bonnie Nielsen and Kim Cheshire. Really inspirational messages from each of them. They each have a very different speaking style, which made it that much easier to hear from them back-to-back.

So, in case you were wondering what I thought of the SYTYCD cut show last week:

WOW! Caitlan was finally (!) safe. That chick dances herself silly and hits the bottom three far too often.

Kayla was not safe! (!) Yet again, an awesome routine by Kayla netted her the bottom three. Maybe Kupono is the unfortunate one now... Is there something about Kayla that America doesn't get? Maybe its that "she's just too good" envy thing or something... Wild. As I mentioned, I was certain that she would be safe.

Jeanine hits the bottom three. This one was pretty surprising to me as well. But, wow, she nailed her solo. Definitely a cut above the rest that night.

And, Karla, it was just your time sweetie. Sad to see you go, but you would have been my vote to leave the show this week as well.

As for the gals, now it gets really, really, REALLY tough to make a decision. I think Jeanette will be in trouble if she gets in the bottom three, because of the apparent anti-ballroom bias. Kayla may be in trouble as soon as it switches away from the judges.

So, Phillip is safe because he is the only hip-hopper left. Well, that and he is freaking fun to watch. Judges said he seemed a bit frantic, but I would have loved his solo to have kept going...

It was Kupono's time too. He LUCKED out. What a lame solo! Bah!

And, it was Vitolio's time as well. I always felt that Vitolio danced with a ton of heart, but he just seemed technically outclassed by the rest of the field, including those voted off and EXCEPTING Tony (and Kupono's solos -- ick). Vitolio is a major stud though. What an awe-inspiring and uplifting story!!! Way to go VITOLIO!

After Kupono goes (probably this week), then it will probably be Jason. After that, it gets really tough to call. Ade and Brandon seem to be toward the top with Evan and Phillip just a notch below.

And, just keep on dancing the miraculous dance of life!

Parade Time on the 4th

My baby boy all sacked out at the fourth of july parade in hyrum. Whole weekend of festivities. amazed that he could sleep through the sirens, horns etc.

BTW, was shocked at the so you think you can dance cut show... wow! Those who left weren't a surprise, but the bottom three sure were. Well, trying this from my phone so I'm going to cut it short. Enjoy!

Wednesday (Last) Night

So, I bowled a freaking 648 series. Definitely my best ever. It was 179, 242, 227! The 242 was my best game so far. Wow.. that was seriously fun! I'm still kind of buzzing on it. :)

I had a great time watching SYTYCD this week. But, I'm going to have to do a quicker rundown this time. But I'm still going to enjoy it. The cut show is sitting on the DVR just waiting for me, so I want to fly through this. Hehe.

Brandon and Jeanette doing the cha-cha-cha. It was brilliant. Those two are freaks. I love them. They dance so well together. Was talking with Kimi about Brandon/Mia... Y'know, I really think she did him a favor. Dunno if it was intentional or not, but America has really jumped on the Brandon wagon and a large part of it may be due to Mia coming down on him. I don't think that was intentional, but he seems to be fairing much better than other dancers of his caliber from the past as far as his attitude (see: Will or Danny).

Kupono and Kayla. They did an awesome (SONYA!!!) vampire-esque routine. Nailed it, loved it. Dang Kupono, I hate to admit it, but you're starting to come around.

Evan and Randi did an awesome broadway piece. I think the judges need to give Evan a little bit of a break. I mean, really, Nigel, Evan's hands were too limp? That's pretty darn picky.

Caitlan and Jason. Sigh. What a wild, freaky piece. I thought the dancers really, really committed to it, but I'm afraid it was just too wierd.

Ade and Melissa dancing ballet, Romeo and Juliet. I just loved it from start to finish. Graceful and beautiful. Made me want to get some Ballet West tickets.

Chbeeb and Jeanine's hip hop was a bit too limited for me. But Jeanine rocked the house! What an awesome concept, but it just was a bit to restricted for me.

Vitolio and Karla. They had a quick step. I really enjoyed it. I thought they did a really stand up job.

Unless I've forgotten someone, that wraps it up for this week. Solid performances from everyone. Safe are Brandon/Jeanette, Kayla/Kupono and Ade/Melissa. Bottom three are Vitolio/Karla, Caitlan/Jason (sigh) and Evan/Randi. Chbeeb and Jeanine are too cute for the bottom three still as well.

So, I'm off to watch the cut show.

So, Apparently I Say So A Lot

I read through that last post and I think I started at least seven sentences with "So,". How about that.

This weekend was a lot of fun. Had a really good time fishing with my buddy Kent. We had a pretty good weekend. 6th of 17 boats on Friday and then 2nd of 13 boats on Saturday. Friday was quite the experience. It rained from launch at 5:30 am until around noon. And I'm not talking a little sprinkle. We're talking buckets here. The ole rain gear got a serious test that day. Fortunately my gear did really, really well. The real challenge is driving about 60 to get where you want to fish with rain pelting your face. Also, you can imagine, it is pretty challenging to just see when rain is hitting the sunglasses constantly.

The next day was a lot better as far as the weather goes. The fish had really shut down and it was a tougher day fishing, but it turned out better for us. I caught a HUGE carp on my light tackle, 6 pound test line. It took some patience to haul it in, but it was a really fun fight. Definitely put my tackle to the test.

We got back from the Gorge last night. Three days of competition level fishing is a pretty major stamina check. Woof. Lots of fun though. Plus we had a really good turn out at the tournaments.

I did get to ponder quite a bit on the subject for my lesson since today I taught at church about learning. We discussed topics such as: How do we learn in life? What is it that we are learning about? And why? I learned a lot during as we discussed this topic today.

We covered concepts of intelligence, wisdom, truth and light. We talked about science, religion, philosophy and work.

Many people in this life are asking the question, why am I here? What is the point? Why do I experience the things that I experience? Even what and who am I? (More Monte Python comes to mind... heh)

And a very powerful question to consider always is: What am I learning?

When I ask myself that question, I shift perspective from the thing at hand to something different. This is a question that encourages consciousness and awareness in life. Because if I go through an experience and I don't PAY ATTENTION, how (on earth... hehe) could I possibly learn from the experience?

And if I fail to learn from my experiences, how much more likely am I to do the same thing over and over again?

You will certainly hear more from me on this. :)

Cut Show, Week 3

So, I am finally getting to watch the cut show. I've had an amazing weekend and I am just now watching it on the DVR. So, this is a blog as I go posting as well. Enjoy. :)

So, the opening number rocked! I was wondering who the choreographer was, because I saw what looked like ballroom, contemporary and hip-hop all combined. Tabitha and Napoleon rock! What an awesome opening number.

Next bit is a bit of a downer, but very appropriate. Moment of silence for Ed McMahon, Farah Fawcett and Michael Jackson. Laugher, Beauty and Talent. Thanks for hanging out in this world!
So, right off are Asuka and Vitolio to prep their solos. Brandon and Jeanette are safe. So far I'm right on track.

Laf, "Cheeky" contemporary routine. Poor Randi's butt. Wow, they are saying butt this week just about as much as "fun" last week. Evan and Randi are safe by the seat of their pants. HAHAHA.

Chbeeb and Jeanine. Freaking Jeanine is so cute. Laf, Kimi calls her Marie now. And, they are safe. Next are Ade and Melissa. Safe as well.

So, three couples are left and two of them are in trouble. Karla and Jonathan are in the bottom three. I thought they were cute together, but they just didn't make it when compared to the other couples.

Jason and Caitlan are up next... and we have to wait to find out if they are in the bottom to hear about Kayla and Kupono. Will Kayla pull it out this time? Yep she did. So, Jason and Caitlan are back in the bottom again.

Wow. I somehow picked it this time.

So, digging the return to the funky 70's with Cat. Her outfit is just right out of the ABBA era.

So, the kids are cute with the hip-hop dealio. They are dang fun. But it does feel more like a college basketball halftime routine... just probably because there is just so much going on. Tons and tons of fun though. They definitely hit it hard and they are younger than I thought.

Cat is freaking amazing. She's the hostess with the mostest for sure.

Asuka's solo is first. Now, I love the ballroom guys and gals. But, that didn't measure up to some of the ballroom solos I've seen. Max's for example was way better.

Vitolio next. He's a very powerful dancer. Very good.

Karla's solo. Interesting, pretty good. She should be outclassed by Caitlan.

Jonathan was AWESOME! Really liked that solo. Good movement, amazing tricks. Ballroom though, bad sign.

Caitlan. Beautiful, graceful, feminine, gorgeous. So tragic that she's in the bottom three. But, we get to watch her dance, so that's good news.

Jason was awesome. His solos freaking rock. If he could just pick up his couples routines he'd be a serious force to reckon with.

Nigel calls Karla desperate tonight. Agreed. Poor solo. But, Asuka is the one leaving the show tonight. Asuka is excited to have worked with Vitolio... very, very classy of her.

Now, Vitolio is told to bring it a lot harder. Jonathan is also dressed down. Nigel didn't like Jason's routine either, but Jason is safe. And, it is Jonathan going home.

Yet another ballroom guy gone. Y'know, Jonathan was almost just too happy and cheery. That maybe what the judged honed in on. Sadly, that is what probably what tipped the scale away from Jonathan. He just didn't provide the performance that Nigel expected out of the hip-hop routine.

So, I just realized that I didn't give a prediction as to who would actually be the ones to go. I probably would have picked Asuka, but I doubt I would have picked Jonathan. For me, it is just so very obvious that Jason is what is holding Caitlan back, so I probably would have picked Jason.

There are just some really phenomenal dancers this season. But, the process is still mostly working. Freaking Kupono got soooo lucky to pair with Kayla. And Jeanette, wow, she is just riding along on Brandon's sheer awesomeness.

And, the new couple will be Karla and Vitolio. This will be very, very interesting. Niether of them strike me as being able to mesh either quickly or well with each other. It may spell doom for both of them...

Looking forward to next week. :)

Blog As We Go (tm)

So you think you can dance, so I think I'll blog. And I'm going to give it a shot while I am watching the show.

My wife is making me laugh about Kupono in the intro. Yep, he's definitely in the crosshairs.

Oh fun! It's Mickey Mickey You're So Fine gal, Toni Basil! She's a fun judge and I really like her insights. So it's going to be a fun night. Woah... Nigel is dressed down tonight. Small haaands, smells like cabbage. He must be from carnie folk.

So, first up is Jonathan and Karla with hip hop. Sweet World of Warcraft/Mtn Dew commercial during the break. Heh. Well, I definitely liked this dance more than the judges seemed to like the routine. I felt like they did have some good connections. They definitely didn't do the routine like "gangsters," but I liked their interpretation of the routine. Vote for these guys and prove Nigel wrong! Kimi is thinking that Karla purposely outperformed Jonathan, which threw the piece off balance. I think she's got it right.

Next up is Asuka and Vitolo with a jazz routine. Very cute intro, Oh My Gosh. :) Wild outfits. Seemed pretty iffy in the middle, but the end lift moves were pretty awesome. Nigel must really like these guys, because he was way too nice in my opinion. Mary got it right. But, I didn't feel that they performed any better than Jonathan and Karla. Perhaps they got the spirit of the routine better and that's what Nigel was into.

Now we've got Ade and Melissa doing the Rumba. Fantastic routine. I think I saw one fumble with their hands, but other than that it was just beautiful. I didn't even think to write anything while I was watching it. Their chemistry was amazing. I totally agree with what the judges have to say on this routine. Just a fantastic job.

Sometimes I wonder how much the choreography has to do with how well the dancers do. But, I suppose, it is completely up to the dancers to do what is necessary to bring the piece alive.

Another hip hop next, Brandon and Jeanette. Wow. That was a fantastic routine. I got totally caught up in the dancing. Brandon killed it and Jeanette just did a phenomenal job as well. They got the spirit of it and had great chemistry. Ooh... they got the first Mary scream of the night. That's a good sign. So far, they are in good shape.

Ok, its Kayla and Kupono time. They did a great job. Beautiful to watch, easy on the eyes. Again, Kayla just shines. Kupono did a great job in support. Mary's getting excited. And I agree with her. They just flowed with grace and elegance. They had a great connection, which is really good for them being a brand new pair. Oh my, they got the hot tamale train! Wow. That's Kayla, still riding strong on Mary's train.

Randi and Evan are coming up next. Okay, apparently it's going to be a butt dance. It just wasn't very flashy for me. They were obviously committed to the piece, but perhaps the idea from Mia was just a bit too cliche period. I definitely felt that the dancers gave it their all and they were all over it. "But" something felt kind of flat for me. The judges (and Kimi) liked it a lot more than I did. So, good for Randi and Evan. Admittedly, they did nail it. They were dead on. I think the concept just didn't work for me.

Oooh ooh! Pasa doble with Caitlan! Oh and Jason too. heh. This looks like fun. Ok. Loved it. There were parts that were a little slow, but the end just completely ROCKED! So awesome! Loved it, loved it, loved it. Loved the cape too. www.caitlankinney.com :)

Oh hey, now it is Chbeeb and Jeanine. The young Marie Osmond per Kimi. Yay! That was a great broadway routine by Tice. They did a great job. I liked it a lot. It didn't completely wow me, but it was a lot of fun.

So, bottom three. Hmm. Am I predicting who will be in the bottom or am I listing who I think ought to be in the bottom? So, I guess I'm going with who I think American will vote into the bottom three.

Jonathan and Karla almost certainly. Next in my view would be Vitolio and Asuka, but I'm uneasy about this selection because Nigel was so gushy over them. The final couple in the bottom three is almost too hard for me to call. Sort of a four way tie between Kayla/Kupono, Jason/Caitlan, Chbeeb/Jeanine and Randi/Evan. I think the for sure safe couples are Ade/Melissa and Brandon/Jeanine.

After getting major pressure from my wife to name a final couple for the bottom three, as much as I hate to do it, I will have to go with Jason/Caitlan. The dancers are really, really good this season and it is starting to become more of chance selection than any real distinction in ability. My initial inclination would be Kayla/Kupono, but that may be more out of Max vengence upon Kupono than their actual performance.

Whee!

Crazy week, crazier weekend

So, I may have to give blogging by mobile phone a try at some point this week. Because I've barely had a chance to sit down at the computer. Wow!

But, I am looking forward to SYTYCD tomorrow. I may have to wait for the cut show until SUNDAY (yipes!), because I have a big fishing tournament this weekend. I am the tournament director for a bass fishing region through American Bass. The region is getting a lot of interest this year, which is great -- but it also means that there's plenty to do to prepare.

At this point, you may be asking yourself, fishing tournament? What the... ?

Just turn on ESPN2 some Saturday morning (very early) and watch the Bassmasters. That's very similar to our tournaments, just without the huge sponsors and television cameras. The winning team has the five heaviest bass of the field. It's a lot of fun competition. Skill, luck, adventure and fun.

Thank goodness for the DVR. :)

I must also say that I had a fantastic weekend! I got to spend it with the family in SLC at a hotel. I think we spent most of our time in the swimming pool. Heh. It was a great time. Father's day on Sunday was made great by my sweet wife.

LG. Life's good.

Cut night, Week Two

Well, a SYTYCD weeks of surprises!

And just a quick note. If you are reading this blog and don't want spoilers, you probably should just never come back here again. Woot!

I was right on with the failure to spark Sparks routines. But Max and Kayla being the in the bottom three? Who'd a thunk it? Definitely not me. After rocking that crazy Friedman pop jazz routine, I never would have imagined they would be in the bottom three. Never. There were at least two other couples that performed below them. Namely, Evan/Randi and Asuka/Vitolio.

I think I even said, well, I guess I got it wrong. Asuka and Vitolio are in trouble. When it was Kayla and Max, I wanted to throw a big "No, you di-unt" at America. Cause when a ballroom dancer is in the bottom three, well history tells us it will be trouble for said dancer.

So the tragedy was worsening.

The guys: Jason, Kupono and Max. Y'know, Jason nailed his solo. Jason has been the weak link in the partnership with Caitlan, but he really rocked that solo. Kupono's solo? It didn't work for me at all. I thought it was almost boring. Ouch. Then Max danced his ballroom butt off. I was sad when the time ran out. Really, really fun stuff.

The gals: Caitlan, Ashley and Kayla. First out of the box, Caitlan rocks her solo. Wow! Ashly. WTH? Umm... It seemed to me that she just kind of walked around the stage, did I miss something? Kayla. My wife said it right, she seemed frantic. The judges said she tried to do to much. My wife and I both think she pulled something during last third of the routine. Just Too Much Walking On Air For Me.

The judges say something about how none of this weeks bottom three were deserving to be leaving the show. That tells me that Vitolio, Phillip and Evan had better bring it hard: the judges were referring to the three of you! For the girls, Asuka, Randi and Janette hadbetter pick it up. (Probably Jeanine too, but she's just too cute for me to call out on my list this time.)

Off the judges go to convene. I'm calling the death of Kupono and Ashley. Another couple to bite the dust. Boring, because the couples don't have to re-sort, but based on what I saw, that made the most sense.

Nigel, as cool as his job may be, always gets the hard part. Being a boss, I know what it is like to tell someone they are done. Whether it is in an office at work or on national TV as part of a program, it can't be an easy thing to just say to someone: well, that's it, it's over for you. Oof.

Both decisions are split. Ashley goes. But, it came down to her and Kayla! Kayla the hereinbeforethismoment sacred one. Whoops! Look out Kayla. I really can't figure out how the split vote went. Maybe Mary wanted to keep Ashley.


Next one off: Max! NO NO NO! Not the 'Maxum' as Lil'C called him! Why oh why must the judges pick on the ballroom boys. Pretty sure the vote was Lil'C for Max, Nigel and Mary for Kupono. I think they see Mark in him. Erg. So, right now my target is square on Kupono for next off. Sorry man, that's just the way it is.

So, Kayla is just absolutely coming apart. Sometimes I really wonder about the dynamics of all of the performers. It is obvious that she is beyond upset by losing Max. Maybe she recognized quickly that she was now seated with Kupono. I'm not sure what it was, but wow, she REACTED! I'm hoping she wasn't hurt as bad as it looked to me.

It would be really fascinating to do some sort of study to learn more about the dynamics of the voting. I wonder if people just assumed that Kayla and Max were safe, so they spent their time voting for their second favorites. Lesson: always vote for your favorite! They may not be safe!!!

SYTYCD Week Two, Wednesday

Well, no flashy Bollywood this time.

But, we were treated to several stand out performances. Seriously fun night. I really love the personality of this group. Last season was a little flat for me -- Twitch had a great personality, everyone else was just kind of "so excited to be there" *jump jump jump*.

As a recap. The two couples from the bottom three are Vitolio/Asuka and Jonathan/Karla, with Vitolio and Asuka firmly in the last place for me.

So the night begins! Evan and Randi doing the Jive. Well, I would definitely say it was a lot of "fun, fun fun"! ;) But, my socks remained firmly in place. Maybe Evan is disappointed to be paired up with a married chick, dunno, but the commitment that they had last week was missing. Just Ok.

Next up, Melissa and Ade dance Jazz. Okay, you should know that I am a huge Sonya fan. This dance is an illustration of why. She is packed full of just the wildest, wierdest concepts, but they are full of technically specific steps and dance moves. My praise is about the highest I can give, Melissa and Ade danced it like they just decided out of the blue to walk on the stage and by some divine source that dance happened. Seriously, it was that effortless to me. Just like it was nature, a stream or a waterfall. So, when Lil'C points out Ade as a serious contender, I can totally see where he's coming from.

Caitlin & Jason with the Shane Sparks hip hop (#1). Eh. Yeah. So, they did it. But, I'm beginning to see that a Sparks hip hop routine for non-hip hop dancers is sort of like a popper doing the tango (which we got to see, wait for it...). As gushy as I was about Caitlin in the Bollywood is about as iffy as I am about this routine. Barely Ok. Jason just didn't hit it. They never seemed to be on the same page.

Brandon & Janette disco their butts off next in a freaky fast number. I don't like disco that fast. I love disco. I was amazed that they could even make it a disco moving that quickly. Brandon seriously nailed it. Janette worked her butt off and mostly nailed it. That spread eagle lift was freaky! Wow! Good thing she's very flexible! LOOK OUT!

Next was Asuka and Vitolio doing the waltz. First thing out of my mouth was uh-oh, they're in trouble. They needed something that would pull them up. I didn't think that the waltz would do it for them. Well, I was wrong. That waltz was absolutely amazing. Graceful, elegant, sincere. Kimi has a hard time with Asuka because she comes off pretty fake. I totally agree. I don't know what she's going for, but she definitely comes off aloof at a minimum, more often: totally stuck on herself. But, I think they may have done what they needed to in order to move out of the bottom three this week. We'll soon see.

Kayla and Max were next with a Pop Jazz routine. Wow. They absolutely knocked that routine out of the park. The judges were all full of gush for Kayla. Rightfully so. She was really, really impressive tonight. But, I thought they may have been a little throttled back as to Max. He really did an excellent job. Remember, this is not his genre. But, Kayla seems to walk around with a little magic glow about her. Good sign for her: Mary (through Nigel's comment) names her as a top contender.

A contemporary routine with Jonathan and Karla followed. Yet again, wow! Two in a row that were just right freaking on. Jonathan was so committed to this routine. There is a part that they showed at least three times (or maybe I just hit rewind on the DVR) where they flop their heads and bend their bodies in just the coolest way, with the freaking coolest timing. Seriously awesome Canadian coreography. Yay for them! I think they moved out of the bottom.

Next up, the tango. Poor Chbeeb. Still love that last name. It was a serious disservice to them that the featured dance on the cut show last week was that beautiful tango. This was not a beautiful tango. Phillips facial expressions appeared completely tortured to me. And though Jeanine looked amazing, it just clunked. For the first 20 seconds, I thought they were going to get it. Then, something just died and the jumpers were nowhere to be found. Uh-oh.

Ending the night was Kupono and Ashley. Another Sparks routine, another couple that was outclassed by the routine. At least, that's what I'm thinking happened. For some reason, it seems like the dancers have a hard time really 'getting' Shane. Kupono really needed to find his character, find the story, not Shane. *sigh*

So, in the end, bottom three couples for me are Kupono/Ashley, Caitlin/Jason and Phillip/Jeanine. Evan and Randi are on the edge. Safe are Ade (and therefore Melissa) and Kayla (and therefore Max), Brandon (and therefore JSF [Janette-So-Flex]), Vitolio/Asuka (based on their performance -- her little smiley arrogance may cause them trouble) and Jonathan/Karla.

By the way. Don't you think Ashley has just a little Rachel Dratch in her? ;)

So You Think You Can -- Bowl?

Well, bowling went pretty well for me last night. First game, 205 out of the box! I LOVE fresh lanes. As the lanes broke down and my ball picked up more and more oil though, the night got a bit tougher. I got myself into trouble in the 2nd and 3rd games, but then pulled myself up by rocking the X's in the 10th frames. 540 series, one of my better performances in league.

Still chasing my little bro though. He's having some ball trouble but still rockin' it in the upper 500's. He bowled a freaking 247! Started out with 5 X's in a row! He's bowled enough strikes in a row for the perfect 300 and I'm just waiting to hear that he's done it one of these days. I'd love to be there when it happens.

That's a picture of my favorite ball so far, the Storm Dimension. I just knew you'd want to see it. Hah!

Tonight, Tonight, Tonight

Yay Phil Collins. Thank you for that title.

Well, three things on the agenda for me tonight. Can't wait to see my family after work today. Then also summer league bowling and Wednesday night SYTYCD. It is gonna be a great night.

So far in league bowling this summer I've managed to stay above a 500 series every night. That's pretty darn good for me. I'm shooting to hit a 600 one of these nights! Tonight, Tonight, Tonight... Oh-oh.

Keep an eye out for my SYTYCD run down. Heheh.

I'm so looking forward to watching it with my dearest wife, tossing my little bouncing baby boy around and tackling my big kid. Freaking blessed I am. (Yes, that last sentence was written in Yoda voice.)

Yay for small triumphs!

Figured out the spacing issue! Well, I figured out how to fix it; I didn't figure out why it happens.

It's a work in process.

Just a bit obessive

Obsessive -- Passionate. That can be a very thin line.

I've looked through the code for my blog template because there are a few things that just kind of bug me. Sadly, unless I want to recode the xml template, I'm kind of stuck with some of the little "features."

Also, blogger somehow double spaced that last post. I went through, TWICE, and removed the extra spaces. But back they came. Wow. Apparently it happens sometimes when I post a picture. Go figure. This post will probably do it as well. I welcome any input to free my posts from this double spacing "feature."

So, I'm learning to live and let go. And that's a good thing.

Right?

Heh. So, my stepmother rocks. She found some old printing that I had done in like 1st or 2nd grade. I'll have to scan some of that in. I really, REALLY, liked printing. I would write and write and write. And it showed. Looking at that sheet of printing, I was actually kind of amazed at how meticulous my little 6 or 7 year old self was with my writing. I loved the idea of caligraphy, and I did some of it -- even started cursive in 1st grade. I had learned to write my name at 2 and 1/2 years old. But something about that old style, block printing was just attractive to me. I would practice and practice.

Since becoming an attorney, my printing has gone a bit downhill. I suppose my justification is that speed is more important than form at times.

But how about that. At 35 I'm reevaluating whether my printing is up to snuff.

The main point of all of that is that practice, sometimes somewhat obsessive practice, can create mastery and excellence.

And really, that seems to be the point of this existence. Excellence and mastery.

What brings me joy and happiness? And am I willing to do what is necessary to create that joy and happiness as a constant, permanent way of life?

Do I practice Heaven or do I practice Hell or am I satisfied with that squishy place in between?

I choose Heaven.

And sometimes there will be extra spaces and little tweaks and that's actually something to celebrate. :)

By the way, I won a GLX Loomis Jig Rod from an April tourney. Just picked it up yesterday. It is a freaking nice rod! WOOT!

SYTYCD - Week One

Lots of fun stuff week one. We get to see the couples and their first performance. We also get to see how the show is freaking rigged. J/K. But oh my gosh, several dancers were totally lucky and got their own style or a style very similar to their own.

So. Here we go.

And, by the way, my wife has taken to calling me metrosexual. In fact, she suggested the name for the blog as something like 'The inner workings of the metrosexual mind.' Ha-ha.

Then I found myself reading a SYTYCD recap. It wasn't until she sat down next to me that I noticed I was on the website "HOMO-RAZZI." Well. I'd probably better just leave it at that.

Phillip Chbeeb (just have to put that last name) and Jeanine get hip-hop. Big blessing for Phillip and he nailed it. Jeanine was hitting it too. Really enjoyed this piece.

Asuka (silent u so it sounds like OSCA... picture JFK saying oscar the grouch...) and Vitolio. Broadway. Sorry Tice, but ewwww. Old concept, old style, very few standout moves. Part of it was the great act before them, but most of it was just... ewww. Felt fake. Gonna have to order some sukiyaki and call it skeeyaki. Not looking good for these two.

Karla and Jonathan cha-cha'n away. Loved it. Really good example of commitment too. Jonathan sees the show, loves it, and does what it takes to get good enough to get on the show. Cool story. AWESOME costumes. Awesome.

Randi and Evan were awesome. They had a lovey-dovey contemporary routine and nailed it. I'm putting it out there that they let the whole "but she's married" thing to rest. Evan dealt with all of that really well.

Paris and Tony. I'm pretty sure that they were supposed to do a hip-hop routine. Kinda felt like Vanilla Ice thawed. Obviously they possess some serious skeels, but it didn't show in that routine. I think I've seen better stuff from high school dance squads. Seriously. But yet again, is this thing rigged??? How did these two get paired up. It's like they were setting them up to get axed. Heh. And, kudos to the aforementioned homo-razzi, dubbing Paris "Jay Leno's love child." Sorry, but that is dead on.

Caitlan and Jason rocked the Bollywood. Holy handstand batman. Caitlan is a surprise and as Kimi said, it looks like she'll be pulling Jason along. Not that Jason is bad, she just really rocked it. In week one, they were a top couple.

Brandon and Janette with the foxtrot were awesome. Graceful and, as the judges noted, great carriage in the shoulders by Brandon even though he didn't have ballroom training. Mia, good grief, let go of your ego and just admit that the kid is one helluva dancer.

Ashley and Kupono doing what they labeled a jazz routine. Umm. More like a pass into an alternate reality where crash test dummies have lives and personalities. What a risk by the choreographer. But, wow, Wade Robson pulls it through again thanks to some great dancing and commitment by these two. Big risk in this case = big reward.

Melissa and Ade contemporary. Yeah, it was good. Melissa is a bit of a freak show though... what the crap is up with the burping? Wow. Okay. Ade and the pick? What is the deal with this couple. One up-ing each other for strange quirks I guess? Oh well they did good.

Kayla and Max samba samba samba. Adam put it best, don't know how I could do any better. However, it did seem to lack some training on the part of Kayla. Don't know about Max cause that outfit they had Kayla in was like impossible not to look at.

Okay. So that is the run down of the first night.

Second night will be much faster at least this time. Four of the bottom six were dead on. The other couple (Jonathan and Karla) were probably the least deserving of the bottom six to be there. Nice sentence. Oh well.

So, the real questions were, Tony or Vitolio to go and Asuka or Paris. Well, my wife got her wish this night. Both of the dancers that she liked the least fell to the judges. In his solo piece, Tony looked like some sort of flunky from the Joker's crew from the very first Batman.

So to Tony and Paris, we say hello and wave goodbye. Keep on reaching!

So You Think You Can Dance - Catching Up

Okay. I admit it.

I really like this show. And I like the judges. Well most of them. The choreographers are amazing. Some of them, however, are really, really -- well, I'll keep it PG (for now) -- ornery.

Specifically Mia. I want to make it clear that she is absolutely freaking amazing as a choreographer. I have yet to see a routine that she put together that I didn't like. Well, that I didn't LOVE on some level to be honest.

But oh me, oh my. She has an attitude! Which I can totally get, by the way. Except that she goes off at just absolutely bizarrely odd times. At times that don't make any sense. I'd give her the benefit of saying, well, it's just the editing. But it just happens so much.

And I sit there like Mary, going, what the heck? Where did this come from? Kherington and Twitch's routine by Jean Marc Generaux (the Waltz) was PHENOMENAL. See for yourself:



Mia's reaction... well, it was off to say the least. More like totally off-ensive. I think she thinks it's her duty to belittle the dancers in order to scare them into improving. But, for me, most of the time it just come off as -- ornery. So it's a good thing she's good at what she does.

So, that was kind of a long story to get to this point. Natalie Reid. She barely missed the top 10 last season and was a big favorite to make the show this year. I still don't know what happened. I watched it a couple of times on the DVR. This is what I remember:

1) They show her learning the routine (by Sonya Tayeh).
2) They show her dancing with Brandon, at Sonya's direction, as an EXAMPLE of how to do the routine.
3) They show her performing the routine in front of the Judges.
4) They show the judges having some sort of freak out. Adam and Mia mostly.
5) They tell Natalie, "See ya."

No dance for your life, no nothing. I think Mary was disturbed in retrospect, and I think that may have been what has saved Brandon for now. Mia hates him. He's freaking brilliant. What a strange woman.

I was sad on one hand to see my friend Chanel not make the show. But on the other hand, it seems that (at times) the judges really have a way of chewing up the dancers, breaking them down, and just beating them to a pulp. I would almost be sad to see Chanel go through that type of process...

Wow... turned into sort of Mia rant there for a bit. Laf.

The rest of the try outs were mostly typical but fun. I was sad to see Evan's brother Ryan not make the show, but I am convinced it was just to get him on the next one. Also, Tony and Paris both probably received a gift in making the top ten at all. Looked like a fun and interesting top 20. Lots of contemporary this time. Last year was the year of the popper.

Ok Look Out

So, I've decided to take this blogging thing to the next level. We'll see if anyone else in interested in the ride.

So, I welcome you to this page.

But, chances are you are in the wrong spot. So, just in case, be aware that you are on the blog page for BRETTON K. HADFIELD, the same guy that most people knew growing up simply as Brett Hadfield.

Now I do lawyering.

And I write books and I write other stuff. I write a lot.

I read a lot too.

And I am a passionate man. My passion is Heaven on Earth. But I also recognize that my Heaven might look quite a bit different than your Heaven. That is something that I choose to CELEBRATE. We are all individuals (Monty Python: "Yes, we are all individuals!" "I'm not.") and our uniqueness is what makes this experience interesting.

Stuff you're likely to hear about is my family, fishing, bowling, gaming, SYTYCD (So You Think You Can Dance), music, sports (the six time superbowl champion Steelers), and who knows what else.

Somehow for me this all relates to spirituality. For, that spark within, however you address it personally, that spark is our true heritage. I am happiest when I recognize and honor that heritage.

So anyway off we go. Enjoy.

Wish Group

My wife is setting up a Wish Group to begin on Thursday, March 12. This is over email--and it's a group to do the process of MTW with others so you are motivated to continue and complete it!

Here's her email she is sending out if you are interested. Facebook her or email me and I'll give her that information:

"First thing, is to get the book out. If you don't have a copy (any edition of the copy will do), email him at bretton@mythreewishes.net to have him email you the first chapter so you can start the process while the book is being shipped, if you deserve to buy one.

Second, as more people join us in the process, be pondering regarding your wishes. Read the first step to get you in touch with what you want.

Third, be ready to write your three wishes down on or before Thursday the 12th.

I thought of us doing this as a group because of several reasons. Mainly, because it will make me accountable to myself and others to be going through the process together. Because I know we are doing this together, I can see that it will push me to make my wishes and the process of my wishes a priority (versus thinking, "Oh yeah, I really need to sit down and do that soon...") and "soon" never comes!

Another reason is because I love hearing how magnificent the Creator is in our lives, and I know the Divine will be present as we go through this process. I fully expect and intend that we will have lots of experiences, breakthroughs, miracles and even little, tender mercies that we get to share. Sharing together in this process will only buoy us up and hold us to our integrity and intention!

So thank you for joining me in doing this process. As we do this, we are going to have fun!

I want your input too. Feel free to drop me a line. I'll get our Wish Group put together so when we share, everyone will be in on it!

Hugs,
KimberLeigh"

Winners of December Book Giveaway!

The winners of the December Book Giveaway are:

Toni D.
Valerie M.
Donna H.
Tom S.
Connie W.
Anne P.
C. Davis
Julie D.
Rebecca M.
Pat D.

Congratulations to the ten of you! The winners will be contacted by email. If you did not receive an email from me, you were not a winner.

Newsletter subscribers will receive a special discount coupon that is good December 15th and 16th only!

Best wishes,
-Bretton

December Book Giveaway

You can win a copy of "My Three Wishes" by going to http://www.mythreewishes.com/ and subscribing to the My Three Wishes newsletter (you can always opt out after, but you won't want to).

Contest ends December 14th at 10 p.m. MST so winners can receive their books the following week.

All entrants will also be given a special coupon to use December 15-16th to purchase books as gifts.

Want to make 2009 better than "fine?" Make your resolutions REAL. Be the genie of your own life NOW! Start today!

Get your copy of "My Three Wishes!" (And while you are at it, be sure and scroll down to view what Richard Paul Evans and Robert G. Allen says about the book!)