Day 366: 525,600 Minutes . . . Plus 1,440 More

How do you measure, measure a year?

It's rare for me to make a New Year's resolution that I stick to and keep all year long, and though deciding to do Project 366 has not been the traditional resolution, per se, I do feel a sense of satisfaction because I kept at it faithfully, even on days I was not up to it; because it (mercifully) comes to a close with today's post; and because I won't have to keep pestering you with daily posts about some inane thing or occurrence in my life - for the benefit of all three or so of you who have consistenly been with me on this journey through the year 2012.

I guess that's been one of the main things - knowing who my real friends are - that has kept me going throughout this endeavor. It's been encouraging to have your feedback about the project and to know that at least one person other than myself has been interested in its success.

Looking back at the past 366 days, I guess the prevailing question is: Where did the time go? And then I look back at the posts from Day 1 to Day 366, and I see - in my family alone - the addition of a new nephew, two sisters-in-law, three dogs, and a hamster; another cousin who got married; Mom and Dad finally moving out of their Bountiful home after 18+ years; four moves for yours truly, to different parts of Davis County, and (thankfully) mostly love and happiness, mixed with some sadness and tears - for into each life, a little rain must fall, too.

Going forward into 2013, there will still be a Disconcertingly Choppy, though I will not be posting as frequently.

As the future comes, one day at a time, I am again reminded of the words of the late Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin: "Come what may, and love it."

Day 298: Early Voting

I am proudly now 0-2 in voting for failed presidents named "Barack."

This is Disconcertingly Choppy, and I approve this message.

Day 277: Party Down! 2012

Yes, there was a presidential debate tonight, and Romney mopped the floor with Obama. But even better than that, today I had another birthday. It's one of those annual events that, you know, I'm finding keeps on happening whether I'm ready for it or not.

At any rate, family and friends were good enough to treat me very well for this occasion. Mom, Dad, and Biz treated me to a delicious lunch, while Mike, Jana, and the kids decorated the kitchen in my honor:

In what has now turned into a birthday tradition, Ben, Steve, Summer, and a handful of our mutual friends accompanied me to the Karaoke Cafe for an evening of great music and singing. Among the highlights were Ben's, Gary's, Steve's "Bust a Move," complete with some sweet dance moves of their own:

Pepe's many Beatles covers:

Steve's and Summer's duets:

and Jared's rendition of "Little Red Riding Hood":

I also sang to my heart's content but did not take photos of myself. Good times were had by all.

The Glass Is Half Full

On Tuesday, American voters had their say. Whatever the outcome, it was going to be a historic election: We would either have our first black president or our first female vice president. The result: Barack Obama - like it or not - will be the 44th president of the United States.


To a lot of people I know, Obama's election was absolutely devastating news. After the verdict had become official Tuesday night, I spent a few minutes on Facebook, where I read all kinds of status updates from friends that said things like "The end is near" and "Our country has been flushed down the toilet."

I think most of them were kidding - maybe. (I have some weird friends, which is a compliment, in my book. "Normal" people are boring.)

To be honest, I felt somewhat disheartened, too, as I watched Obama's victory speech, delivered in front of a rabid crowd of supporters in Chicago.

Since then, I've done a lot of thinking about current events. And I began to realize that I was looking at a glass that was half empty, not half full. I began to think about all of the things that were and are still good about the United States of America. There are quite a few of them.


This is still the greatest country on Earth. This is a free land, where the restored gospel could come forth (and where its headquarters remain). I go back in my mind to the years I spent in Peru, in the third world, and I cannot now take for granted how good we have it here - because we really do have it a lot better than we think.

I think about the recent general conference of the Church that we had in October, both the people who delivered the messages and the messages themselves. And I don't recall hearing anything of panic or despair in their voices. Rather, I heard a lot of sound, wise counsel and a lot of hope, from people who are in control in the face of the storms of life and are looking optimistically to the present and to the future.

I also think about all of the people who rallied to help get Proposition 8 passed in California - something good that happened Tuesday - and I think, There are still good people in this country. There are still people who care about what I care about and are willing to take a stand on it.

I still don't like Barack Obama. I have questions about his ability to lead. I don't know where he's going to take this country in the next four years. It's also going to take a while for me to get used to saying "President Obama." (It just doesn't roll off the tongue like "President Lincoln" or "President Roosevelt.")

But, come January 20, I'm still going to give him a chance. I can disagree with him on issues and still support him as president. If Obama fails as president, then we, as Americans, will all fail. I'll take being led by Barack Obama any day over being led by Fidel Castro, what's-his-bucket in North Korea, or any other regime across the globe - even Canada (which, by the way, still waits for Alec Baldwin). And I don't wanna be a Canadian idiot. (Clayton knows what I mean.)

I just hope that, come January 20, Obama will be the kind of person his supporters believe they elected November 4.