Defending Utah

I find myself defending Utah every now and then.

But the more I think about it, Utah doesn’t need a lot of defending.

We have a number of majestic national parks. We are an educated group. Most of our schools are a safe place to send your kids. Residents can drink the water without getting ill. We have lakes and streams and forests to both hunt and fish.

Have you skied the powder in our mountains? Have you driven through the red rocks of southern Utah? Or hiked Angel’s Landing at Zion? Have you dropped a ski at Pineview Reservoir?

The people I hear making fun of Utah probably haven’t visited many states outside of Wyoming or Idaho.

Yep, we have some strange liquor laws. Sometimes the dominant religion puts its thumb on the political scales. The air isn’t great around the Salt Lake area during the winter months, and you will drive behind a lot of minivans and big ass trucks.

But hey, have you been to other states?

Favorite Product of 2019

I didn’t purchase a lot of new technology in 2019. I replaced an aging HP printer with an HP OfficeJet 8035 printer my kids use to copy and scan and occasionally print. I wanted to update our AppleTV with a newer model but can’t justify the $150 price tag right now. My Windows 10 PC is starting to act sluggish when I have more than a couple of browser tabs open and try to launch Adobe Acrobat or Photoshop. But for the most part, between my PC and my MacBook Pro, I can perform the tasks I need to for work and play.

A few months ago, my daughter bought AirPods. She loved them immediately. My son followed with his own pair a month later and told me used them every day. So for my birthday, I bought myself some AirPods and figured I could return them if they didn’t impress me.

If you’ve owned wireless headphones or earbuds, you know that Bluetooth can be finicky. My Jaybird buds mostly worked once connected, but switching them between my iPhone and Mac wasn’t as easy as it should be. But they worked for the most part, and I enjoyed them for a couple of years. I never really got used to how they sealed off my ears from outside sounds.

My AirPods have become one of the best Apple products I’ve ever purchased. I use them every day, on my Mac and my iPhone. The only place I don’t use them is while at my PC because I have a Turtle Beach headset there that works well for making calls or joining conference calls.

Like most Apple products, AirPods just work. I open the case and they immediately connect to my device. The tiny case keeps them running for about 20 hours total, or about 5 hours per charge. The ubiquitous white buds fit my ears well and stay in place surprisingly well. They also sound great for earbuds. I highly recommend them.

The Gift to Not Believe

One of the things I’m most proud of as a parent is giving my children the gift to believe or not to believe.

It will be their choice either way. They won’t be forced to attend the same church I was raised in. I like this quote from Richard Dawkins:

It is a remarkable coincidence that almost everyone has the same religion as their parents and it always just happens to be the right religion.

Children naturally gravitate to the belief system of their parents. Whether your parents are Catholic, Buddist, Seventh-Day Adventist, Mormon or one of the nearly 4200 religions around the world, there is a good chance the religion you believe to be true will be the same one your parents believe to be true.

If our children want to try out different churches, they are welcome to do so. Even though I don’t believe in God, I will encourage them to learn as much as they can about the people, history, and doctrine of any religion they consider joining.

Man-Made

I didn’t drink coffee until I was into my mid 40s.

Same goes for beer or any type of alcoholic beverage.

I was told what color of shirt to wear to church. I was told what type of activities I could join in on Sunday. No swimming because Satan controls the waters!

R-rated movies were discouraged.

When I decided to have a vasectomy, I was supposed to consult with my local bishop.

For over 40 years I thought God made the rules and it was my responsibility to follow them. I felt incredible amounts of guilt when I failed.

Until I realized it was all man-made.

God doesn’t judge me if I have an Americano with cream. He doesn’t care how I spend my time on Sunday or what I wear.

If there is a God I bet he cares more about how I treat others than if I’m wearing the right underwear.

I had followed rules created by men.

When I allowed myself to act outside these artificial restrictions I began to think for myself again.

And as for God? Man made him too.

The Trump Crime Family

Something in American politics changed this week.

A CIA agent finally blew the whistle on the Trump Crime Family who has taken up residence in the White House.

watergate

The tapes brought down Nixon. No, Nixon’s own words on the tapes brought down his presidency. We might have a similar situation where Trump’s own words result in his demise.

But something changed.

A person in a position of authority spoke up. He or she saw corruption at the highest levels of our government and submitted a formal complaint that neither Trump nor his cronies can bribe to make it go away.

We are still in the early innings of this political saga. Grab some popcorn and take a seat. It’s going to be a wild ride.

Shaving Revisited

A while back, I described my early experience learning to wet shave. I got to the point where I was mostly happy with my shave. I could complete my shave without too much blood and my skin felt soft afterwards, but I still struggled to find an even shave across my upper lip and especially my neck.

So I’ve gone back and forth, testing a number of razors, creams, gels and blades over the past four years, and I realize that each method takes some practice. Some more than others, but each handle and blade has its own learning curve.

Talking to friends and a few readers who emailed me their favorite shaving products, I’ve come to realize there is no best method for everyone. What works for me, may not work for you. So with that said, I’ve narrowed down my list of favorite shaving products.

Gillette Mach3 – This is the best handle and blade for my money. The 3-blade systems is easier to navigate around my face than the more expensive 5-blade Gillette Fusion models. The Mach3 isn’t as easy to use out of the gate as the Fusion, but with some practice I get as close a shave with the Mach3 as I have with any blade I’ve tried. You might see a “Power” version of the Mach3 that vibrates, but skip it. It’s made of cheap plastic and won’t last as long as the simple metal handled version. ($7 with one blade)

Proraso Shaving Cream – It has a hint of menthol but not enough to overwhelm. It lathers up nicely and doesn’t require a shaving bowl like some fancy creams. I feel like I just stepped out of a barbershop after using Proraso. ($10)

Taylor of Old Bond Shaving Cream – If Proraso has the feel of an authentic barbershop, then Taylor of Old Bond makes me feel like I stepped out of a luxury bath. This is a more dense cream compared to Proraso, but it smells delicious and a little goes a long way. I rotate between these two creams. ($12-$17)

Parker Synthetic Shaving Brush – You can get away using your hands, but I prefer applying shaving cream with this brush because it’s less messy and allows me to apply it evenly all over my face and neck. My brush has lasted over four years, and I plan to replace it at the first of the year. ($22)

Osma Alum Block – After I finish shaving, I wash my face with cold water and then rub this block over my face to close any nicks. Even if I haven’t nicked myself it stings a little, which I don’t mind. ($12 for 2)

Aveda Aftershave Lotion – It’s expensive but lasts a long time, and nothing I’ve tried soothes my face like it does. ($35)

One thing I’ve learned over the years that is that using a cheap shaving foam or gel isn’t worth the hassle and abuse to my face. Whenever I use a foam or gel my face pays the price so I will skip a day shaving before I use one again.

What are a few of your favorite shaving products?

Don’t Stop Asking

When many people know something is true, they stop asking questions.

This is especially dangerous when the truth isn’t based on science or provable facts, but rather feelings or hunches. I once belonged to a church that asked its members to pray to God if the church was true. If God gave you a feeling, it was true! If God didn’t give you a feeling, then keep praying until you got an answer.

It all feels so manipulative today.

one-true-religion

Millions….no billions of people were born into a religion chosen by their parents or other family members. Many never ask themselves this question: What if the only religion I know isn’t true? Or worse, what if the only religion I know is harmful?

Never stop asking questions. Never stop asking for evidence. Remain involved if the organization is a net positive in your life. But continue to be skeptical. Skepticism isn’t a sign of weakness, rather a sign of intelligence and willingness to change one’s mind.

One thought that helped me step away from my religion was asking myself what the chances were that I was born into the “one true” religion out of the nearly 4200 different religions around the world. From a probability standpoint, I had a .02% chance my parents chose the true religion. This exercise assumes one truth which is absurd on its own.

How do you like your chances?

Embarrassed

Some days I’m embarrassed to be an American.

Trump represents the worst of how some people see Americans: egocentric, stupid, arrogant and crass. How did we end up with this degenerate?

America has incredible wealth. Yet we can’t figure out how to provide healthcare for every citizen. Drug companies are raising drug prices so fast that people go across the border to Mexico or Canada to get what they need to stay alive for a fraction of the cost.

Religious groups worm they way into local politics and we end up with teachers forced to teach intelligent design and abstinence only sex education. Yet they can’t teach about safe sex practices because these religious zealots think talking about condoms will lead kids having sex. They think chastity vows actually work though.

What is the least religious state? I need to move there. Utah is a beautiful state but enough is enough.

Fleabag

It’s a great show. I’m two episodes into season two.

It’s on Amazon Prime. I haven’t laughed this hard since the BBC version of the Office.

The characters are multidimensional and the dialog is witty and brilliant.

What sets is apart from most comedies is how real the people feel. Their language and mannerisms are familiar.

The show is hilarious and poignant and crass. I love it.

Believing the Best

When you hear a rumor about a friend or colleague, do you assume the best or worst about them?

I believe it’s human nature to believe the worst, but could be swayed to believe the opposite.

Recently a rumor went through my family that placed me in a situation far from the truth. The person who spread the rumor needed me to fit their narrative.

The rumor stung but what hurt the most was the realization that people close to me chose to believe the rumor before speaking to me.

I want to fight the urge to believe the worst next time I hear a rumor about a friend. I will give them the benefit of the doubt until proven otherwise.