Christmas Greetings

Happy Holidays all.  Just checking to see if the blog is still functional.

Fathers and Ghosts, mostly Ghosts

I wish all my friends a belated Happy Father's Day!  Also should wish anyone that is having a birthday this year a happy birthday!  I don't remember those well. Some of you have them next month so I got ahead, but for Abe--sorry it was late.  

Isn't being a dad fun? The end on that.

What are ghosts?  That is my question to you all. Just type up your thoughts and submit. If you have any stories, those are most welcome also. No, please do not include your spiritual temple stories. Not that those aren't great and true, but we're talking ghosts, not genealogy. Plus, those are highly spiritual and probably shouldn't be dragged through a blog. Thanks. And no possession or evil spirit stories from your mission. Heard way too many of those stories.  

My mother has a fascinating book titled New England Ghost Stories. It is filled with true ghost stories, some of them downright spiritual and only one semi-creepy one.

Now, Brigham Young said the spirit world is here on this earth. If we had our eyes opened we could see it. So, in essence, lots of spirits are walking all around us. But ghosts?

If a ghost is the spirit of someone who has passed on, why do they cross over the veil? The book I mentioned above sites a lot of suicides. If such ghosts were spirits of the deceased then does there grief for having done something to end their mortality tie them here?

Are they just energy from someone in the past?  That is a common theory.

Why do I ask this?  I've always had a special fascination with ghosts. Maybe because they are the ultimate mystery. Along with dinosaurs, Bigfoot and all that jazz.

Just a random musing on a warm summer's day. 

Treasure

Just saw this on KSL:

http://www.ksl.com/?sid=24953902&nid=148&title=utah-adventurers-believe-they-located-multimillion-dollar-treasure&fm=home_page&s_cid=featured-2

Some guys think they know where the treasure is that Ked had mentioned.

Which made me think, as I had thought when Ked first pointed out the contest, "Wouldn't it be cool to be able to do something like that, searching for hidden treasure?"

The answer, of course, is yes.  So, why don't I?

Startup Weekend Cedar City

Hey everybody I don't have any cool pictures or talk of treasure, although Kedrik got Jane's interest with the mention of the treasure.  I talked to Nate earlier and decided to post regarding Startup Weekend.  Which Cedar is hosting April 11-13

Startup Weekend is a cool event where we get designers, software developers and business developers in the same room for 54 hrs and take business ideas from a seed level to a finished product.  The event starts with the idea pitch.  The ideas are typically going to be about a software product or have a software component since the aim is to build the entire idea during the weekend.  After everyone that wants to pitch an idea does the whole group votes to come up with the top 10-12 ideas.  After that teams form around ideas and the race is on.  This video from Startup Weekend is a good overview of the experience.

Our event is going to be great we have a cool venue, we are going to have midnight pancakes on Thursday and Friday night and a chocolate fountain going all weekend.  We are going to make some great businesses and we are working to recruit everyone we can .  If you know any developers, designers or entrepreneur types get the word out.  And of course for you that fit those groups come join us.  We have a sponsorship from Custom Fit training that gives 40% use the discount code NerdUp40 to take advantage of the discount and pass it along, it is available to anyone willing to fill out a short form for Custom Fit.

Get registered ASAP so we can have accurate counts for T-shirts and the like.

Callout for Information, Secrets, Mysteries

 Even though it snowed again spring is pretty much here. The skies are clearing, the roads are drying and the hills are ready for someone to traverse them and discover their secrets.

My explorations are dwindling. Mines are closing, caves are gated, and water tanks mights be repaired (see picture caption for water tank update).

This, my friends is a callout for any information you may have about exciting places you have been to or heard of.  My list for Southern Utah is running out. I've revisited most things we went to during or after high school and more besides. Things you could include: abandoned places, anything underground, cool natural formations, you know the kind of stuff. Or if you know someone that knows some secret, mysteries--let me know who I can talk to. Please, no alien conspiracies, lost plates tales, or the like. Ghost stories are acceptable as long as there is a place to visit with them mentioned.

I did recently find an old document detailing a mine tunnel near Milford that was excavated and opened into natural caves. Have yet to find a good day to go out there.

I've included a random sampler of some exploits from the last few years.

 "Catching out" is the phrase many use to denote train hopping.

 The Cedar City concrete water tank built in 1939. Last year the city completed an assessment on repairs or replacement. Over $480,000 to replace it or something like $250,000 to repair it. Goodbye water tank adventures. I've actually been down there four or five times since being back in Cedar. Mostly for photographs.

 Nate, you might remember this place from the photo above and the two below, although this was a recent trip.

Treasure Hunt

Not that this post has anything to do with leprechauns or St. Patrick's Day, but I thought I'd use the image because of the gold. So, you guys want a summer adventure? Apparently for three years some guy has revealed clues for a treasure he hid. He has now released another clue. Check out the story here.  Or just google it and find dozens of news sites. Millions of dollars in jewels and coins. Whoa.  The odds of finding it?  Probably one in just that-millions.

Ella Baby Blessing

Thought I would let everyone know that we are blessing Ella at 1:00 PM this Sunday.  We attend the chapel next to my Mom's house (previously my grandparents' house).

Also, here is a belated Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!