Seven - Fours

No, that's not my height! The tallest person I know if in my ancestry was about 5'10". Needless to say, I and my poor children got the short end of the stick!

What this is really about, is a meme, that asks you to list 4 things, on seven different topics. I was tagged by S'mee over at Knot in the String. So here it goes:

Four Jobs I Have Had in My Life:

1. Cattle Ranch Hand. I spent the summers working on my grandpa's cattle ranch from age 5 thru 18. I would leave home at the end of each school year, and live with my grandparents for the summer. I got to do things like build fences, fight mosquitoes, move sprinkler pipe, fight mosquitoes, drive tractors and machinery, bale hay, fight mosquitoes, ride horses, go on cattle drives, milk cows, deliver calves, and did I mention fighting mosquitoes? You can read more about Grandpa and my experiences on the ranch here.

2. Dish Room at the BYU Wilkinson Center. Oh, this was a glorious job. I got to use commercial dishwashers, and clean up all sorts of yucky stuff. The best part was when I met a cute girl, that I really liked. Unfortunately, after getting to know one another, she turned out to be a cousin of mine form Canada! (Drat!)

3. Police Dispatcher/9-1-1 Operator. I took police, fire, and medical calls and worked in public safety for about 10 years. I spoke with a wide variety of people in all kinds of circumstances. I was exposed to people and circumstances that I had never before known. When you deal with people who are at their worst, I found that I had to make extra efforts to protect myself spiritually. I enjoyed the work a lot, but found that the shiftwork (and the pay) didn't match up with my needs to provide for my family. You can read more about my dispatching days here.

4. Computer Programmer. In my later years in public safety, I was put in charge of the 911 computer systems. I learned a lot of things, and then took some classes in programming. When a computer programmer retired, I was able to move into his position. I have been in this position now for about 13 years. Information technology is constantly changing, and so it requires continuing education to stay up on your skills, and to keep yourself marketable. I've enjoyed my work in programming. My favorite part is when I can find ways to help people do their jobs, and help make them more efficient and productive. Especially when I can take something that was once very tedious and time consuming, and automate it for them. As an in-house programmer, I have the opportunity to work directly with those who use my programs. Our IT department takes pleasure in spoiling our customers.

Many programmers work for large software development companies, and never get to see how their work is used (and hopefully appreciated) by end users. I would hate that.

Four Movies I Watch Over and Over:

1. Sound of Music - Great music and Story
2. Fiddler on the Roof - Again, great music and story
3. A shot in the Dark (Pink Panther) - Just for fun
4. Never Cry Wolf - Breathtakingly beautiful Alaska scenery, funny, and hauntingly beautiful music at the end.

Four Places I've Lived:

1. Biloxi, Mississippi - (I was born there while dad was in the Air Force)
2. Lompoc, California (Also an Air Force venue)
3. Randolph, Utah (Where Grandpa's Ranch was located)
4. Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada (I served my mission in BC)

Four TV shows you love to watch

First, you should know that there has not been a regular network TV show that I have watched for years and years. The shows I like are either cable fare, or classic shows from days gone by that are in syndication.

1. Star Trek, The Next Generation
2. The Andy Griffith Show
3. The MythBusters
4. Special Report with Brit Hume

Four Websites you visit daily

Boy could I get in trouble here! I visit several blogs daily, and its more than just four! Just look on my LDS blogroll on the sidebar. I highly recommend all of them. To avoid any hurt feelings, I will list some blogs that you may not be familiar with, but are of interest:

1. K-Pinion Katie, is a practicing Christian in the Dallas, TX area. She writes a combination of funny and whimsical pieces, and throws in a few philosophical/religious posts to boot, which are often quite thought provoking.

2. Mamacita at the Scheiss Weekly. Mamacita is an English teacher at a Jr. College in Indiana. She is witty, humorous, and often has some good insights on education.

3. Worship Naked - Don't let the name scare you off. Tracey, the proprietress is another Christian woman living in Southern California. She is an excellent writer, and can really tell a tale when she wants to. Perhaps the funniest blog post I have ever read was Tracey's The End Times. If you don't follow any of the rest of these links -- read The End Times. You won't be sorry you did.

4. Micaheal Yon Michael Yon is a Military Blogger (Mil-blogger for short). He is a former special forces officer who was retired, and working a productive civilian career. However, after getting sick of the mainstream media coverage of the war in Iraq, he self-financed a trip to Iraq to do his own reports. He still is an independent journalist, and he depends on contributions by his readers to support his trips to Iraq. He tells you the stories that the media refuses to tell or are too lazy (scared) to report on. Especially stories that might cast the troops and the mission in Iraq in a positive light. I encourage you to read his posting called The Gates of Fire, which is a real-life account of the battle of Mosul. I don't know when I have read a more riveting combat narrative. Read it, and hold on to your seats.

Four of My Favorite Foods:

1. Shrimp - Grilled, Coconut, butterflied, creole, you name it.
2. Chocolate dipped Strawberries
3. Home bottled peaches - (grandma and my mama's recipe)
4. Grilled Mahi-Mahi (best eaten in Hawaii, with a little grilled pineapple on the side.)

Four Places I'd Rather Be Right Now:

1. Moab, Utah - I'd love to be out 4-wheeling on the jeep trails there. Redrock country touches my soul.
2. Hawaii - Paradise, what more can I say.
3. Australia - Would love to see the land down under. Besides, they have redrock deserts too!
4. Alaska - Never been there. In some ways I'm afraid to go -- I'm not sure I'd ever want to come back!


I wont' tag anyone. But if you would like to participate, post it on your blog, and let me know in comments here.