'Tidy Cat' Commercial

Dear Advertising Executives at Tidy Cat:

I watched your commercial where the cat hires a bloodhound in order to find his litter box in the house. The cat and bloodhound were both unsuccessful. The commercial then states, "Don't be surprised if your cat has trouble finding the litter box." Is that really such a good idea? If my cat can't find the litter box, then where will may cat pee and crap? You might want to rethink that ad...it is lame...

Regards,

Ryan

Math story problems...

So I was looking over my 8-year-old's math homework and came across a story problem. She is learning about measuring in feet and inches and converting feet to inches. The question was "Name something that you would not measure in feet and inches" meaning something really large (the circumference of the Earth) or something really small (a molecule). She wrote, "A spider because they are scary." :)

Rib City Barbecue

My friends/ex-coworkers from Foothill Treatment Center took me to lunch to celebrate my passing of the EPPP and becoming a licensed psychologist. It was fun to see them and talk with them for such a long time. Although I really like the people I work with now, I sometimes miss the comaraderie of working with multiple people in a residential setting where you interact with co-workers more frequently and have more funny experiences together upon which you can reminisce later.

The food was pretty good too...We all had the baby back ribs special....

Mean Girls...

So, Abby came in the other day and was wearing light brown capris, a turquoise shirt, and a white shirt over it. I told her I didn't think it matched very well, but she was sure it did. She came home from school that night and was sad because she had overheard some girls in class making fun of her for not matching. Why do little girls have to be so rude? Abby said, "When I heard them saying that, I wanted to say something snotty back to them, but then I thought that I have been baptized and should be nice."

She also told me, "Dad, I know I shouldn't tattle about everything, but I heard the girls talking and Brittany was saying that she doesn't like it when you cut your hair because it makes your head look so fat, and Kaila laughed and said, 'Yeah.' I didn't like it because they were making fun of you." I told her, "That is okay, but some day they will wonder why I left them out of my will..." :)

Thermostat....

Why is it that I have to wear short-sleeved clothes to work in the winter or I burn up and sweat to death? and long-sleeved shirts to work in the summer or I freeze? Can't we just leave the thermostat alone???

Weekend Yard Work

Although I love Spring, I do not love yardwork. This weekend was the first weekend we could really do yardwork, so that is what we did. I confess Melissa did much more than I did...We weeded the side of the house and put down mulch. I got rid of some big clumps of crabgrass and filled in some holes around our fence. Melissa's hands hurt so much by night that she couldn't fall asleep. :(

Saturday night, we went out past Eagle Mountain and had a bonfire with our friends, the Cannons. It was really fun. I love bonfires and want to do more of them this summer.

Work is slow today...the two evaluations promised to me last week are going to the new child psychologist to get her some work. I did pick up another eval today from American Fork, but it will only be a $200 evaluation for ADHD. I am heading down to Lehi in a minute to do a recertification evaluation for DSPD...should be interesting. Hope I get busier...

DMV

so, I drove Chase to the DMV today to get a new driving permit as he has lost his current permit and cannot drive.  We arrived and it was closed....I keep forgetting that the entire state government shuts down on Fridays.  At least I got some cool pics of the tulips in the front.

I took the day off because I am all caught up at work and had nothing to work on...next week looks busy though....

Funny T-shirt Ideas...

I know this is inappropriate, but it still makes me laugh...

My invention that never earned a patent...

My garage door opener invention...why didn't it get a patent? I'll never know....

Cottonballs fall from the sky...

So, what is up with cottonball sized snowflakes falling in mid-April? Where is Spring???

Oh, and the Jazz need to learn to play 4 quarters of basketball. They played with the Lakers for 3 full quarters and then got smashed in the fourth. :(

Bizarre Bird Story

So, there was a little Pine Sisken out in our yard that was very close to us and wasn't flying away. We walked closer and tried to pick it up and it fluttered a few feet. I went closer and it fluttered a few feet. It then flew out into the road and fell on its back and looked dead. I went and picked it up and it was still alive. We took it in the house and put it in a little box with some black nyjer seed and a cap full of water. Melissa said we should probably take it outside because if it was just stunned and then flew away, we would be chasing it all over the house and might hurt it worse. So we took it outside on the porch. It climbed to the top of the box and flew over to a tree. Then it launched and flew across the road and tumbled behind a bush. At that moment, the neighbor's cat streaked from his porch and pounced behind the bush. It emerged a few moments later with our cute pine sisken crumpled in its mouth. Miranda and Abby both saw it happen, but thankfully weren't traumatized.

Jazz in a Tailspin

Well, it was fun to go to the Jazz game the other night, but they are in a tailspin and I hope they can pull out of it. They lost to one of the worst teams in the league. And, the team only suited 7 players and didn't even bring their starters. The head coach didn't even coach. I think they were trying to lose (well, the organization, not the players/assistant coach) and still managed to man-handle the Jazz. I hope they figure out what they need to do to fix things or they will get swept by the Lakers in the first round...

Because of Facebook

I love Facebook...Because of Facebook, I got into contact with high school friends I haven't seen in almost 20 years.  Because of Facebook, I saw that one of these friends was giving away lower-bowl Jazz tickets last week.  Because of Facebook, I was able to respond to her request of "Who wants Jazz tickets?"  Because of Facebook, she was able to email me some tickets that are on Row 23!!!  Yay for Facebook....and old high school friends.  :)

Spreading Good Cheer...

I arrived at work today and saw that I had a message on my work phone.  I entered my password and listened to the message.  It was from a nurse who works with DCFS who had recently read one of the neuropsychological evaluations I completed.  She told me I didn't have to call her back, but that she just wanted to tell me that she had never received such a "delightful" report.  She said it was "thorough," "well-organized," "nicely typed," and was "exceptional."  She ended the message with something like, "...so kudos to you."  That was a nice start to the day.  

I think it is nice that in today's busy world someone would take a minute of their time to compliment a complete stranger on a job well-done.  I should try to do more of that.

Family Photos on Facebook

I think all of my family members should be on Facebook...It is MUCH easier to upload photos there...

Check out my family

http://www.facebook.com/editpicture.php?success=1#/album.php?aid=115765&id=606785608&ref=mf

Caught up...

I am officially caught up at work...I have a few reports to finish up on Thursday, but survived the onslaught of reports for the past 2 months.  Luckily have more work lined up...

After work photography...

I visited a few antique stores in downtown SLC after work today and then swung by temple square...mostly to use the restroom at the Visitor's Center, but also to get a few shots...

Check out links to see the cool temple shots and other shots from today...

http://www.redbubble.com/products/configure/9785336

http://www.redbubble.com/products/configure/9785020

http://www.redbubble.com/products/configure/9785575

http://www.redbubble.com/products/configure/9785538

http://www.redbubble.com/people/photoforyou/art/2871752-2-pink-blossoms

http://www.redbubble.com/products/configure/9785387

http://www.deviantart.com/print/5599706/?utm_source=deviantart&utm_medium=deviationpage&utm_campaign=buyprintleft

http://www.deviantart.com/print/5599683/?utm_source=deviantart&utm_medium=deviationpage&utm_campaign=buyprintleft

For some reason, I can't download the thumbnails from RedBubble anymore...Hopefully you don't mind clicking the links...but I understand if you don't have time... :)

Black-Necked Stilts

I bought an issue of Shutterbug yesterday and saw a picture very similar to this that won honorable mention in a photography contest they held....I need to start entering some contests.... :)

School Presentation

I did a presentation in Abby's class today...

A few weeks ago, she wanted me to talk about photography, then last night, she told me she wanted me to talk about being a psychologist. I told her I thought I should stick to photography since my job is relatively boring...

I ended up taking a jumpstick full of pictures of birds I have taken and asked the kids if they could identify each one. They were funny because they thought an American Avocet wading in the water was a robin, a raven, a hawk, etc. Most of the kids seemed to like it and they were active participants. They seemed amazed that I had actually taken the pictures I was showing them.

Hopefully the presentation went well and Abby wasn't embarrassed. At least I didn't take my turkey blind. Before leaving for the bus in the morning Abby reminded me that I should leave it home... :)

Sing a Song....

Western Meadowlark Spring 2009