Jeff's Personal Blog

The little bit of snow we got last night was enough to break this limb off our Chinese Elm tree.

Matt didn't want to hand out candy all night so he placed this empty bowl and sign on a chair on the porch.

The father of one of the girls in my class is called Elvis by his daughter because he is an Elvis impersonater. He drives up in his SUV everyday to pick her up. His windows are darkened so I haven't had a good look at him. Yesterday he was parked in front of the building and I walked over to his car and motioned for him to roll down the window. I told him his daughter was a little late because she was getting her check.

He had these great sidburns and huge pompadore hair that was hairsprayed in place. I didn't ask him for his autograph.

The Best Drive-through Service

I nominate Wendy's for having the best and fastes fast food service. I have had nothing but good experiences when I use their drive through. I couldn't even get McDonald's to ask for my order so I drove off and over to Wendy's in Lindon and got my food before I could get my wallet out to pay for it.

Today was a good and bad day for me. It was the last day of my training but also had to take a 3 hour test.

Near the site of the controversial Michael Moore speaking engagement in Utah County is a large billboard that says:

In our training class the instructor divided us into two teams and asked us to pick a team name. One guy on one of the teams suggested "White Trash" for their name.
"Whoa! came an exclaimation from the back. It was from the only black guy in our training class. Everyone broke up laughing. Michael is an ex Seattle Sea Hawk and is a cool dude.

I passed my test I took Friday. Quite a few had to take it over.

We had a review test today that covered the first week of training for USPS. I feel I got all the answers. I don't know how I will like the working conditions for the new job. They are very strict.

Going to Mom's tomorrow. Only one day off this week.

In my training class for the US Postal Service customer service today the teacher asked what we should ask a guy if he called up and wanted to know how much it was to mail a parcel post.

This girl raised her hand and replied, "How big is your package?"

The guys and some of the slutty girls just roared. I got in trouble for laughing too loud.

I think I lost my wallet in the parking lot at work today.

Got up and went into LDS Hospital to get my new cast.
Got to work early.
Management threw a small lunch of sandwiches in the conference room.
Marilynn emailed me that HR was trying to get hold of me to fill out Government clearance paperwork.
I spent time in HR providing finger prints and background information.
I won a Convergy lunch box after joking that someone would have to be pretty nerdy to use one.
I hear Mike got his car fixed.

Potato sort

What are they looking for?

Potato harvest

Dave's chickens

How does your garden grow?

Water set-up

Large long squash.

Mike made me watch the Michael Moore movie on dvd last night. It was kinda boring. How does Moore know what Bush is thinking? But I do wonder if we would bomb the Saudis if we thought they had weapons of mass destruction such as camel dung throwers.

Slept in a little, fixed a breakfast omelet, then drove to Alpine to pick up Mike...fixed Marilynn's printer and got my browser going. Mom's is using her email again regularily. Watching the BYU and UofU football games.

This is a bigger picture

Mike, Matt, and Brian did a good job hauling the trash.

Pile Obscures Home

A huge pile of old couches, old dishwashers and tree limbs at street side has made it impossible for passing motorists to find the residence of L. J. Crane in Sandy

This is where I turn off of 90th South to head South on the I-15 freeway. I will continue to drive this route for my new job on a new US Postal Service customer service project.

Because of contruction on Southbound I-15 there is a posted speed limit of 55 MPH all the way from Sandy to American Fork. I drive 60 MPH and am almost forced off the road by all kinds of large trucks who tailgate and pass me taking half my lane. They are driving 70 MPH past the radar sign. One such truck was a large bulk bin semi belonging to LTI trucking in Salt Lake, also had a Clear Lake Distributing sign on it. His average speed was 75 MPH. Why can't the Highway Patrol enforce the speed limit and agressive driving in this area?

I was depressed Sunday. My toe is starting to open up again. Mom still can't get on the internet so we are all missing her mail.

Went to Amelia's funeral in our old Highland ward Saturday. All her kids gave nice talks. Saw Paul and waved at him but couldn't get through to him at the pre-viewing because some guy had him cornered and monopolized. Got to talk to Georgia and Dave and the cousins.

Joey cut his finger in our garage door Sunday. I hear he won't need stiches.

Regular unleaded went up to $1.89 and $1.95 at two stations Near 90th South and State.

The price per gallon is still $1.77 at the Tesoro Station at 86th and 1300 East.

Took my permanent cast off today. This is a picture of the wound closure.

Conoco station on 106th South and Auto Row Mall
$1.74 a gallon for regular unleaded.

I got my full cast off this morning. Now I am in what they call a half cast. It is like a full cast but the top is cut off and it is wrapped with ace bandages. I had to go order some foot inserts which were quite expensive and I need to buy some new shoes for them to fit in.

I went to take my drug test for my new position and after waiting for 1/2 hour they sent me away saying they couldn't do it right then. Kind of strange. I am going back to IHC Word Med tomorrow morning before work.

I was pretty much offered a job today working on the US Postal Service account. I can transfer my health insurance and everything. We get 12 holidays a year. Just like a government worker. Plus they pay 100% of my health insurance premiums instead of just 75%. I need to pass a drug test and a background check. Training starts October 19th.

GAS PRICE GOING UP

Gas is up to $1.77 a gallon at 13th East and 8600 South. Same price on 90th South and State.

Fixing the Puter

Drove up to mom's after work tonight and fixed her computer.

ELDER PERRY'S REMARKS AS CIRCULATED ELECTRONICALLY

IN OUR PRESENT Council of the 12 Apostles, there has been no change in nine years. This is the longest in the history of the Church that the same 12 apostles have served together. We asked President Hinckley why this is so and he said our wisdom is needed _to stand up against the great changes in the world.
President Packer is the most inspirational spiritual man I've ever had the opportunity to work with. He also can get very irate and it is my job to kick him in the shins if he gets too irate. Next time you see him, ask him to lift his pant legs so you can see my kick marks on his shins!
Elder Haight is stronger today than he has been in a long time. We fully expected him to die last July. His daughter called us and told us the doctors gave him just days to live. But he rallied and he now has a physical therapist that comes to his house every day and works with him. I visited him in his apartment and he showed me that he walks around his table 12 times, then he walks around his couch 12 times, then he walks a circuit in his apartment. He said, "Anything the physical therapist asks me to do, 1 do twice!" He comes to our council meetings and contributes to each one. We even plan on him speaking for General Conference for 5 minutes—we hope! He can't see well and he doesn't see the teleprompter so we don't know what he will say or how long he will go.
Elder Maxwell's life has been preserved in a most remarkable way. He has been preserved to bless us with that brilliant mind of his. Oh the jewels that come out of Elder Maxwell!
Elder Nelson is the physician to the First Presidency and to the Twelve. If we have an ailment we can talk to him about it. He is our doctor. He still makes hospital rounds. He is the greatest ambassador we have because he has a reputation all over the world. He can go anywhere in the world and people know and respect him because of his great pioneering work in heart surgery.
Elder Ballard is our used car salesman! He is our enthusiastic leader of the missionary department. He is telling our missionaries, "Stop being robots! Learn how to teach by the Spirit!" He has convinced President Hinckley to raise the bar. Now you have to qualify for a mission. We should raise the bar in our own activities.
Elder Scott is our nuclear scientist. He is a computer genius. He helps us all keep our compulers working right. He has the talent of looking to the future.
Elder Hales is our international businessman. He was in charge of the international sales of all the men's shaving products and the like for a large international area (I think in the Orient). He has a great financial talent. He sits on committees with our First Presidency.
Oh, I forgot Elder Oaks! Well, he's away! No wonder 1 should forget. He is our judge. He is very detailed like an

attorney. Nothing escapes his mind. I send him a message and [hel replies back correcting my voice-mail! He understands the law and principles. He is our great public relations man. He understands the needs of the Church.
Elder Holland is our great student. President of a university or two. He is an excellent writer. Whenever there is a difficult assignment in that way, he gets the assignment to do the writing for it.
Elder Eyring ... 1 wish someone could explain him to me! He gives me a headache with that brilliant mind of his! When we travel together he sits up front next to the driver and pops questions, trying to understand everyone and everything around him.
Each of us is wonderfully different but as a combination as a whole we make a wonderful high council. We are certain to follow the order of the Church in our meetings and in all we do. This has been clearly established. For example, 1 would never think of going through a door before Elder Packer. He is the President of our Council. It is the President of the Council who selects the President of the Church. Is there any other way the Lord controls who he selects as a prophet? If He doesn't want an apostle to preside, He who controls life and death calls him home.
Every week the Cummings Chocolate people send us a 3 Ib. box of chocolates. In our meeting, we follow our order and President Packer picks first, then I choose, and so on. Poor Elder Eyring has never had a light chocolate yet! Perhaps if he lives long enough!!!
CES MEMORANDUM REGARDING THE REMARKS
To: Area Directors (U.S. and Canada)
From: CES Administrators' Council
Date: 23 April 2004
Subject: Remarks Inaccurately Attributed to Elder L. Tom Perry
Please forward the following message to all CES teachers and administrators in your area:
On 21 March 2004, Elder L. Tom Perry, of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, spoke at the Kuna Idaho Stake Conference. Since that time an e-mail has been circulating throughout the Church purporting to be notes from his speech. Please be aware that they do not accurately reflect his comments. If you have or receive copies of these notes by e-mail or in some other way, please:
• Delete or destroy them.
• Inform the person who sent them to you that the remarks are not an accurate recollection of Elder Perry's remarks.
• Do not use or refer to them in class.
• Do not spread or refer to them in any way except to discourage their use when someone else brings them up in conversation.
It is essential that CES personnel remain vigilant in seeing that legitimate sources be used in the CES classroom and in preventing the spread of inaccurate information. The safest sources are those found in official Church publications.

They dropped the bomb on us today. Our last day on the project will be October 18th. Looks like Convergys has positions available in Orem and Murray that we can transfer to and keep our benefits. In Orem we would be working on the US Postal Service account. In Murray it would probably be Direct TV.

Marilynn and I had Chinese buffet with mom for lunch today. The Fall colors on the mountains were beautiful.

Sky Captain or "Too Many Robots - More People?"

Gwyneth Palthrow does Lois Lane and Jude Law does Clark Gable as they hunt down and kill Adam and Eve and prevent the start of a new planet by blowing up a rocket zoo. "Less graphics - More color" would be good.