Panda in Paradise

Yesterday I headed down to the studio around 10am to start our regular 10-4 shift that we have on Saturdays now.

I am currently codifying the art director position which is now full time.  Formerly a principally quality control position, after the project was done, now doing rounds/patrol to double and quadruple check multiple times.  A person whose sole objective in life is to make sure that your project turns out just right.  It's about time.  It's the right time.

A member of our ward (Kirk W.) came by with some cookies so I gave him a tour.  What a kind soul.  Always checking in on me.  Got in the start of a Chaos Dwarf vs Ogres with Mason. 

There are four major fires burning all around Utah.  There is a fine ash slowly settling, tiny bits of dry foliage identifiable in the dust.  The sky is thick and dry; sunlight yellow and sullen.  I can't wait for this to be over.

Once home my wife immediately took off to some vegan cooking class which apparently takes five hours.  Hate to say it but I resent it a little when she's out that much.  Just a little.  Not a lot.  It goes both ways.  I realized recently that we two just don't like the same things.  For example: she loves to travel and I hate it (yes, hate).  So, I feel sorry for her, being married to this loves to stay in town/at home guy.  I like people, you all know I'm sociable.  Just not traffic.  Anyway, instead of letting her invent this or that trip/outing which I drag my feet about, I'm going to take the initiative (which she loves) and invent things for the family to do.  Plan and make them happen.  Working hard on the marital bliss.

I got Tara to run to the FLGS and pick up my sixth edition book.  I spent the entire afternoon and a good part of Sunday (today) looking it over with a giant stack of codexes nearby.  I am also studying online forums to get insights.  I have decided that I'm going to leartn 6th edition 40K but good and thorough.

I for one and very, very happy with 40K.  It's exciting and new.  Things have changed, they always do, but at least the power structure is shaken up which is what I was hoping for.

Sunday was church, just the usual thing, and then an afternoon of lounging around.  Repeat of giant stack of 40K books.  Next shot: Oceanic Eldar again.

I made an egg salad sandwich for dinner.

And now the week in pictures!

 Sarah and I went to scope out a local convention center in Provo which is awesome and we love it.  Shawn-con coming up!  Also ran into Linda Hamilton, the actress who played Sarah Connor in Terminator One.

I had the privilege and honor of voting for RON PAUL this week!  Sadly, Utahns seem to care little for civil liberties or massive over-spending as they voted Sen. Orrin Hatch back into office by a wide margin.  Sad panda.  Same for Mitt Romney who got like 93% of the vote.  A Federal-reserve-loving (or ignoring) Imperialist wish-washer who on key issues that matter to Shawn Gately (sound money, civil liberties, banking system, taxes, foreign intervention) is fundamentally the same as Obama.  Four more years of tinkering around the edges while not changing anything of note. Yes, this panda is quite displeased...

I shouldn't be overly hard on my fellow Utahns.  The vast majority are used to being led without question by a kindly old guy, so it's only natural to landslide in the status quo.  Children are indoctrinated from a young age to be obedient and not to question authority, to look up to their leaders and follow their counsel.  It's the culture.  It can be a great thing, like being in a hive of industry and sharing, but sometimes makes me scratch my head.

Thomas Jefferson was reincarnated in our day and the public sent him packing.  Won't even listen or read.  It's odd really, the power of media.  To make people parrot things back.

 Apparently Brittany Spears is doing some volunteer work at our church.  Here she is posing with Willow outside her primary class.