"I'd Like Some...Perspective."

There are those moments in life that allow you a little perspective. You may think it silly, but I had one of those moments on September 17th, 2011.

I love football. Okay, I love college football. Okay, okay, okay. I love BYU football. In fact, I love it so much, that my mood is often determined by the outcome of the football game any particular week. And by often, I mean 100% of the time.

And if there is any week that can really make...or break...my attitude toward others, it's the week of the BYU/Utah Football Game.  Please take note of the use of capital letters.

When the two meet in any other sport - ANY other sport - I really do not care.  Don't get me wrong, I really hope that BYU wins. However, a loss will not create an unrecoverable funk that only victories can overcome.

In recent years, the games have been agonizingly close. And no, I don't need Ute fans commenting on the couple of years where it wasn't as close as others. I am fully aware of the history, 26-23.

Last year, when BYU declared it's move to independence and Utah accepted its invitation to the PAC, many bemoaned the end of the rivalry. Not me. I was actually hoping it would die. I can't take that kind of stress any more. True, winning on a last second throw to Jonny Harline is exquisite. But just as exceedingly exquisite is that joy, equally exquisite is the pain of a last-second blocked field goal that would have won the game.

No more. Please.  Yet, at least they are competitive and exciting games.

I would rather have BYU lose that way than by handing the ball over to Utah 7 times. Even Utah will beat BYU with that sort of gifting.  I found myself repeating the words of Peach, "Find a happy place.  Find a happy place. Find a happy place!"

You might think the drive home was a LONG 6 hours. And you would be correct in your thinking.  But, I had time to reflect on a few things.

Throughout my life, I have said, half-jokingly (and by half-jokingly, I mean in complete honesty), that very few things are more important the BYU Football.  In fact, you could count them on one or two fingers, using only the entire finger.  I have decided there are more than that, actually.

Such as driving all the way home, rather than stopping in St. George to sleep for a few hours because your 3-year-old is suddenly sick and Mommy needs to get there ASAP.

Or, watching my wife sleep - in an attempt to get a little bit of rest while the girls are not calling us - in the passenger seat on the long drive home from Provo and listening to her snore.  There's another one.  I found a particular joy in that I would not have otherwise. (I took a picture, but I will not post it for fear of death)

Or, watching my 9-year-old son try to get the last of the nacho cheese out of the plastic tray.

Or, the Primary Program the next day and watching my children sing and participate is more important.

Seeing Matti lead the music for the first time in Sacrament meeting the next day, that too.

Setting another personal best at the triathlon at Sand Hollow Reservoir.

Nick and Josh playing together - happily, without fighting.

Or, as Nicki was about to let the boys go play in the water while I started the swim portion of the triathlon, she said to them, "Make sure you take off your shoes, socks, and pants before you get in the water."  To paraphrase Dori, "Something about the water.  Got it."  And the first thing Josh does is run straight into the water - without doing any of those things.

Even the smell of the rain as we drove home that night/morning.

So, I found quite a few things other than the most obvious.  Like eating Ratatouille just like your mom used to make for you when you were a child - a little perspective.

I'm Getting Too Old for This

If you haven't tried it, wakeboarding is pretty fun - while you are doing it. The following 2 or 3 days - not so much.

I tried the sport for the first time last week. (No pictures. The camera was left in the car.) And, contrary to my first experience waterskiing, I was actually able to stand up fairly quickly. I enjoyed it for the time I was actually on top of the water. I didn't think that the slamming into the water was having too big an effect on me. I seemed to be able to take it pretty well.

Then morning came.

I usually like to get up at 5 in the morning and exercise - running, cycling, or swimming. Okay...well...maybe I don't LIKE to, but I do it.

Not that morning.

My alarm went off. I opened my eyes. Head pounding. Body aching.

"I didn't realize I had muscles there," I thought to myself, in too much pain to actually move my mouth or use my vocal chords. (Although, I suppose that my being the only one home may have contributed to that, as well.)

I was late for work that day. And the next day.

My alarm went off. I opened my eyes. Head pounding. Body aching.

"I didn't realize there were muscles there," I thought to myself, in too much pain to actually move my mouth or use my vocal chords. (I suppose being the only one home contributed to that, as well.)

By the end of Thursday, I was feeling a little stronger. Strong enough, apparently, to go to a movie with Nicki and another couple. The movie started at 10:10.

PM.

Actually, the previews started at that time. And the movie was 2 hours and 22 minutes long.

How old do we think we are, for crying out loud? Must I remind you that I graduated from college 11 years ago? And I was old when that happened?

"This had better be a good movie, or I am sleeping through it," I told my partners-in-idiocy. They were quite intimidated by that threat, make no mistake.

Unfortunately for me, it was the best movie that I had ever seen with the title "Inception." Or, rather, the plot involved multiple realities/timelines, etc., that you have to keep track of or you get lost. I kind of like those types of stories and I didn't want to be lost (in limbo on the 4th level or deeper).

If the movie had been Romantic Comedy 3,257: This Time Love is Forever (starring, if I remember correctly, Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant), I would have had no worries about being lost:



Preview 1 - close eyes.

Preview 2 - REM.

Previews 3 through 17 - enjoy rest.

Wake up for Fox Fanfare. Close eyes at light, bubbly intro music.

Minute 35 - Open eyes as I shift my body for added comfort. Couple has met by this point. They are in love, but can't admit it to themselves, let alone each other. Aaaaand I'm back to sleep.

Minute 57 - Another body shift as I raise the armrest poking into my side. Couple is experiencing trials and some friction. They cannot take it. They are breaking u...sleeping again, as I hear faint sniffles coming from the row behind me.

Minute 92 - Couple is riding on a camelhorsellama away from their wedding. Everyone is happy. Roll credits. And stretch. In the end, not too much sleep is lost. It just cost me $30.

After all, can anyone really take more than 92 minutes of a romantic comedy? In fact, does it even take that long to tell that story?

Instead, we got home just after 1:00.

AM.

As in, after midnight. As in, I was up 4 hours later. No more excuses - back to the routine.

Maybe I'm not getting too old for this.