Caleb's New Mission President

Caleb's New Mission President is a retired professor at the University of South Carolina.  He was a geography professor.  He has written a couple of books: Remote Sensing of the Environment: An Earth Resource Perspective, and Introductory Image Processing.  These books deal with taking data from remote sensing, and applying that to make conclusions about the environment.  The second book is used as a text-book in upper level geography classes.  He is identified as a South Carolina Distinguished Professor.  He was honored by Geocarta International for contributions in the field of remote sensing.  He has mentored numerous Phd and Masters students over the years.   He has achieved success in his academic endeavors.  He will now be mentoring young men and women, including my son.  There are at least four other members of our stake who will be in his mission when Brother Jensen begins his service this month, including Sister Barker from our ward.

Life In Manteca 68: Northland Ward

Tony found fruit on our back yard tree.  We decided they were cherries, then someone said plums from a plumless tree.  I have decided hey are cherry-plums.
This week, Friday after work was barbecue at the Normans to celebrate Natalie who goes away to school in three weeks.
Family news: Kayla, Jeremy and Skylar have moved back to California, half-time with us and half in Cupertino with Kayla's family.  They are getting married June 18.
Yesterday, Saturday, Caleb and I sang for the funeral of Sister Margot England.  At two Sheri and I attended the baptism of Brother Kyle Keller, and then at six we had the ward chili cook-off.  There were hot chili's and medium chili's and mild chili's and chili's labeled medium that were really hot.  I went through many glasses of water, but it was all good.  Corn bread is an added touch.  Tony played a game, of course there were several others, but this is Tony.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hyfMAJbfz8

Book Review Dynamic Health: part three

This book is a series of interviews with prominent people in the field of health, with the goal of educating us on taking better care of our health.
Carolyn Finch is a specialist in body language.  The greater percentage of our communication is done through body language, rather than written or verbal.  She describes four personality types, analytic, driver, amiable and expressive.  She talks about the left brain and right brain, and using Brain Gym.  She says using brain exercises we can solve many issues, including sight.  She talks about using the whole brain. To be honest, I think this went over my head and I did not get anything practical from it.
Dr. Earl Mindell is a vitamin specialist. He has written many books including "The Vitamin Bible."  I found this interview much more informative.  I came away from it with a sense of needing to take a daily vitamin, and to do something about my weight.  Nutrition is an area where our knowledge is doubling every couple of years.  You have to stay informed.  He concludes with this simple statement, "If you want to be healthy, you have to responsible for your health in your own hands.  It's as simple as that.  If you want to be sick, don't worry about a thing--it's going to happen.

Seminary Graduation 2013

 Caleb, along with 44 other seniors graduated from seminary yesterday.  This included his cousin, Natalie, fellow church friends Clayton Williams, Phillip Herrera and Rachel Gass, and fellow band mates, Matthew Elliot and Joshua Cook.  I enjoyed the program.  Caleb's class sang "Nearer My God, To Thee."  The stake president talked.  He advised the graduates and parents to remember the Jesus heals physically as well as spiritually.  A big thank you to all of Caleb's teachers over the years.  His attendance has never been perfect, but he has always done enough make-up work to get through.  I think seminary has been a good experience for him.  A difference between this graduating class and any class prior was the number of graduates who already have mission calls. Another half dozen have their papers in.  When the Stake President asked for those planning on serving in the next year, so as to include the young women, another ten or so stood up.  That would make a total missionary crop from this group of close to 30.  Things are incredible.
For those who may not know, seminary is an early morning class of religious instruction.  It is early morning because it is before school.  It starts at 6:10.  Some mornings, Wednesdays, was late day at school, so the kids had time to go to someone's house for breakfast.  Usually they would go strait to school after seminary.

 

Movie Night: ***** Hoosiers

Hoosiers is one of my favorite shows.  It came out in 1986.  It is a movie about a small town basketball team.  It is fictional, but loosely based on the story of Milan High School, 1952 and their state championship run.  In small towns, basketball can be the only show in town, and is followed by everyone.  At the same time, a person's whole life can be tied up with those few years of their high school playing years.  Coach Norman Dale (Gene Hackman) is coming back to the coaching profession, after a twelve year hiatus.  His last coaching was at the university level, and he was suspended for punching one of his players.  He had spent ten years in the navy.  He teaches fundamentals, starting with basics, and insisting the players follow what he says.  However, by the end of the year, he is listening to the opinion of his players, but is still the coach.  Dennis Hooper was nominated in a supportive role for his role as the assistant coach, Shooter.  His son plays on the team.  He has a drinking problem.  Even so he assists.  The pressure gets to him and he relapses.  He is in the hospital as the team plays for the state championship.  Shooter's reaction to the game as he listens on the radio are just classic.  I highly recommend this movie.