My Bucket List

After watching one of my favorite movies for the umpteenth time, I've felt that I needed to post my own personal Bucket List on here.

For those who haven't seen the movie The Bucket List, a bucket list is a list of those things that you hope to do before you kick the bucket.

1. Visit Norway

• Spring 2006 — My first visit to the home of my ancestors. Met many of my distant cousins, stood in the very place where my 3gg father and his family accepted the Gospel, and fell in love with the land of my ancestors.
• Summer 2009 — My upcoming trip.

2. Visit the Arctic Circle

• Spring 2006 — Attended church in Bødo, Norway, one of the branches that my great grandfather served his mission in. It is located on the northern end of Norway, above the Arctic Circle.

3. Become a Good Husband

• Summer 2005 — Close, but no cigar.

4. Become a Good Dad

• I don't care whether I am considered "dad" by someone who is genetically my offspring, adopted by me, or my step-children.
• Summer 2005 -- (see above)
• 07 Jan 2011 -- Heidi's 16 year old daughter, Bailey, called me Dad for the first time, and said she would like to call me Dad.
  

5. Live a Life worth Living

• This one will never be checked off during my lifetime, but I hope that someone else can check it off for me when the end of this life comes.

Thanksgiving Day Dinner Photos

I love it when the holidays approach, and people tell me that they're having a big crowd for Thanksgiving Dinner.  I always chuckle when they claim that twenty people might be there.  Why?  Because our family usually has EIGHTY to ONE-HUNDRED people at our family's dinner.

We rent out an LDS wardhouse, everyone brings assigned dishes, and we have about four to six turkeys.

This year I think that we were close to one-hundred people out in West Jordan.  My cousin Paula Marsh and her family hosted it this year, and it was a great time.

The first set of photos as everyone lines up to get dinner.

The second set of photos as everyone finishes up dinner.

So now I have an Xbox 360 :)

OK, so I went out and got myself an early Christmas present for myself -- an "Xbox 360 Elite" game console. It came with Lego Indiana Jones and Kung Fu Panda, and I purchased Gears of War.

Microsoft rolled out their New Xbox Experience dashboard, which allows you to create a 3D Avatar for the system, and even be able to play a few games as the Avatar. Also, you can load games to the hard drive and play them from the hard drive (so no more drive fan noise during game time), you just need to leave the disc in the drive to verify that it's a valid game.

I'm hoping that it'll be something to keep me busy after I'm through watching my recorded shows on my nights off, and maybe even help with my wintertime depression.

I've already completed the Kung Fu Panda game, now I just need to go back through and complete the levels that I missed a few of the extra's on.

This morning, I went back to Wal-Mart and purchased the ChatPad so I can type and IM more easily on it. Especially since I found that I can't be logged into the Xbox while trying to chat on my laptop -- it keeps logging me out because the Xbox keeps signed in to MSN Instant Messenger.

My Simpson Avatars

Here are my Simpsons avatars that I created on SimpsonsMovie.com

Shock and Awe! ;)

Today, I actually fasted for the full Sabbath in quite a long time. I also attended Meadow Ward's Sacrament Meeting, paid my tithing, and went to my first Single Adults Ward at the Union Fort 9th Branch in Midvale.

I arrived just a bit late, so I didn't get a chance to ask anyone where the meetings were held in the building. I saw a group of Elders about my age meeting in the chapel's overflow area, so I sat in on Elders' Quorum with them. No one asked me to introduce myself, so I'm assuming that they have a high turnover and are used to new people every week.

After EQ, I followed where a few of the class members were heading for Sunday School. Apparently, they have several Sunday School classes, and I attended the Gospel Doctrine class in the Relief Society room. It was packed full -- standing room only. The teacher was very prepared, taught a wonderful class, and helped bring the Spirit into the room.

As class let out, we all walked over to the chapel for Sacrament Meeting. The chapel was full, with me sharing a side bench with another brother towards the front, when a lovely brunette sister asked to come sit between us. I definitely didn't mind. :)

It was nice to have a quiet "adults-only" Sacrament Meeting. The program handout showed that they have Family Home Evening every Monday (our Stake only holds them once a month.) It also mentioned a new member Fellowship Packet handed out after Sacrament Meeting in the foyer. I made sure to stop by afterwards and get one. Apparently, I need to have my local Bishop interview me, then have the Single Adult Branch Presidency interview me, before I can become a member of the branch.

When I got home and read through the information sheets, it does require the interviews, you must be a temple recommend holder or actively working towards obtaining a temple recommend, you must accept Home Teacher or Visiting Teacher assignments, and must live within the branch's boundaries. The branch covers everything in Salt Lake County south of 5600 South. I live far north of that, so I'll have to try and figure out which of the other three Single Adult wards in the county cover my home address.

OK, Time to Share My Blog :)

Well, today I received an invitation from my little sister, Misty, to view her new blog. So, now I've "got" to share mine. :)

As you may have noticed, it's mostly just little genealogy searches and findings, but I'm hoping to add more personal tidbits and insight into my own life.

What's going on in my life this week? Monday I thought I had come down with the flu, but by Tuesday had determined that it was an intestinal blockage happening again. :( I'm only able to keep solid foods down for about 4-6 hours. We'll see if some chicken noodle soup can help loosen things up a bit. I took yesterday and tonight off, which is the first time I've had to call in sick in quite a while.

I ordered a laptop swing arm for me to use my laptop a little bit easier while sitting at my couch. It's about $150 from Amazon (with a 9" extension), but should be well worth the price for me.

My Findings for Genealogue Challenge #138

The topic burning up the political blogs today is whether "Joe the Plumber" mentioned so often in last night's debate is related to Robert M. Wurzelbacher, Jr.—son-in-law of S&L crook Charles H. Keating, Jr.

Well, is he?

Robert M. Wurzelbacher, Jr.

• b. 09 Apr 1954
  
• m. 09 Oct 1976 Hamilton county, OH to Elizabeth Ann Keating.
  

Samuel Joseph Wurzelbacher (aka "Joe the Plumber")

• b. 15 Dec 1973
  
• m. 18 Aug 1992 Lucas county, OH to Jennifer P. Gates.