I’m not going to lie, I like the break, the slow down in pace.

We live in a time where life is moving at a break neck pace, instant gratification is the name of the game, if it isn’t faster, we don’t want it. So it’s nice when we can slow down, life is about so much more than work, than BYU-Utah (though that’s a tough one to swallow), than bills (Carolyn would say otherwise), life can be so much more.

One of the reasons, I believe, many companies slow down this time of year is so we CAN take time to stop and smell the roses. Thanksgiving is the first of the big holidays and appropriately gives us an opportunity to think of all we have — or, at the very least, to say thank you to someone for something.

So, here’re some things I’m thankful for this year:

• My family
• My wife
• My job
• My car
• My health
• My computer (the Mac, not the PC — okay, I’m thankful for the PC)
• Technology
• A heater
• My friends
• The fact that I am where I’m at, at the right time, doing the things I’m doing, with the people I interact with
• Food
• A comfortable office chair
• The gospel
• My calling
• Facebook, Twitter, blogs, email and all the apps and networks where I can meet new people and keep in touch with dear friends
• Good tennis shoes
• A comfy bed
• Good ideas
• The opportunity to live in this great country of ours (regardless of what some say, it is a GREAT country)
• And many, many more things

So, between turkey bowls, parades, food and whatever other traditions you may have, find a moment to say “thank you.” Whether it’s to your family, friends or Heavenly Father, do it and you’ll be thankful you did.

Sad, but true. Like I said, humor is always based on some portion of the truth.

My son is very charitable. He is always sharing things with others, in a good way. Recently he asked if he could take a second drink to share with his kindergarten friend, I said that would be fine and he took two drinks to school that day. A short time later he asked if he could again take a drink to his friend, my wife replied that it was nice to do once in a while, but not every week.

Fast forward a couple weeks, my son is getting ready to go to school and as he is putting together his lunch asks, “has it been once in a while?”

What a hoot! I guess that’s how he measures time. He is a really good example to me on being charitable and forgiving. I think the Savior said it best when he admonished all of us to “become as little children.” They are pure and truly Christlike, real examples to us curmudgeonly adults!

Recently my wife was cleaning out her purse (read:duffle bag). My daughter who was close by — and was learning to talk — exclaimed, as some coins fell to the ground, “Some!”

True to her female nature she already wanted money, and she’s only one and a half!

Here is today’s crazy news courtesy of Venezuela:

CARACAS — D’oh! Venezuelan TV channel has yanked “the Simpsons” off the air because it may be inappropriate for children. Taking its place: “Baywatch Hawaii.”

You’ve got to love the irony of this news!! Read more in the AP’s write-up.

The bottom line is somebody embellished something and did it repeatedly, and to the media that was present at the same event 12 years ago. And rather than just saying “Oops!” they’ve tried to spin the story — modern spin doctors, this is where we flacks/flaks get our bad reputation!

So, with all that said, my Canadian, soon-to-be-American colleague, sent me this Slate cartoon of the day:

In the end she says she “misspoke” and that she was “sleep deprived,” well, Mrs. Clinton, if the phone rings at 3 a.m. you better believe you’re gonna be sleep deprived, what’ll you do then? Once you send the missiles out you can’t bring ‘em home again.

I think Hillary thinks she’s entitled to the presidency and that’s one of the problems with nepotism in politics and she has a real vicious attitude about politics and, in my opinion, give politics & politicians an even worse name. Although I’m not pulling for anyone in particular this election, I am pulling for anyone but her!

[Photo courtesy of The GinBlog]

“It’s like giving a glass of ice water to somebody in hell.”

~Steve Jobs

(This was said at the June 2007 D: All Things Digital conference in Carlsbad, CA. Jobs was referring to Apple’s popular iTunes music program being available to Windows OS users.)