Adding luster

I cleaned out my closet recently and took an inventory of all the equipment I’ve acquired in the last few years (skis, road bike, rollerblades, golf clubs, scuba gear, etc). With just what I currently have, I’ll never have enough free time to enjoy it all. I’ve found myself thinking long and hard about some new things in my life.

I find when I start something new; it’s always a lot of fun. Whether it’s meeting a new friend, taking on a new sport/hobby, or learning a new skill - it is automatically enjoyable because it’s new and exciting. As I look at my collection I can’t help to realize some of these things have lost some luster.

I realize I enjoyed some things so much purely because they were new, but sadly after the luster wears off you’re not left with much except with something you use to be into – sorry golf clubs, the dust on you will probably be there next season.

Then there are those things that you find that even after the luster wears off, you find an even better layer underneath. These things have become so much a part of me that I wonder how I ever got along without them – close friends, running shoes, scriptures.

So I guess this is why we still go out and seek new things to do, people to meet and places to visit even when our “to do” list seems to already be too full. After the initial luster wears off we discover a little more about who we really are.

Life Under the Sea

After talking about it for nearly two years I finally signed up for an open water scuba class at the University of Utah.

In June I will be going on an eight day dive trip with one of my best friends and his family. This is the Occidental Grand Cozumel, it doesn't currently look like this. It has been closed for three months due to Hurricane Wilma and is scheduled to reopen in February.

In preparation for this trip, I've gotten a bit overwhelmed by all the gear I will either need to purchase or rent. I have already spent more than you would like on the sweetest pair of fins, boots, snorkel and mask. They are black and silver, I'm told it's not good to get dark colors for you might get mistaken for a seal, but I make a good looking seal!

It's funny how I, a normally detailed person, don't consider any details when attempting new things. My thought process of learning to scuba went like this....

I like fish, if I can breathe underwater I'll be able to see all sorts of fish. If I get really good at it I think they call you a master. I will learn to scuba.

Now that I am in the scuba class, I realize this breathing underwater is kind of complicated. All sorts of buoyancy and pressure to think about and if anything goes wrong with this complicated equipment you have about 90 seconds to fix it before certain death. Maybe that's why it took me two years to find someone to take a class with me.

I wonder what else I've gotten myself into without really considering the details.

High RENT

I can't control

My destiny

I trust my soul

My only goal is just

To be

There's only now

There's only here

Give in to love

Or live in fear

No other path

No other way

No day but today...

Light the Fire Within

The Olympic Games, a time where nations put their differences aside and come together to compete and celebrate humanity. Building a peaceful and better world by education through sport without discrimination, requiring mutual understanding with a spirit of friendship, solidarity and fair play.

One of my favorite Olympic memories was having the opportunity to meeting Mr. Apolo Anton Ono. This humble speedster was team USA’s hope of winning 5 Olympic gold medals in short track in 2002. His disposition was surprisingly down to earth; as we only conversed for a few minutes, he still took the time to remember my name.

As I look forward to the games next month, I wonder what it is about the Olympic Games that get people so excited. For me I think there is something infectious about seeing someone that has found their purpose. They dedicate years of their lives to training and perfecting their sport to the point that they get a chance to compete to be the best. The hunger and drive of the athletes is unmatched, the excitement in those moments right before the race is unreal, and the knowledge that your nation has an interest in the outcome must be unbelievable.

The Mix of '06

Here we are at the begining of another year, a chance to review our countless priorities and take score on the previous year's accomplishments.

I must say I have a lot of nervous energy at this time, more than at any other point in my life. I keep reflecting on the following C.S. Lewis quote:

We all want progress, but if you're on the wrong road, progress means doing an about-turn and walking back to the right road; in that case, the man who turns back soonest is the most progressive.

RED REIGN

After another unreal bowl game victory, I can't help but think about the unanswered question from last year. While in Tempe, for the historic BCS bustin' opponent crushing dynasty of Urban Meyer, I couldn't help but feel a little bitterness for a system that could allow a team to go totally untested all year long.

How could the supposed "learned" allow themselves to make millions off of collegiate sports, denying any sponsorship or payment for these athletes, turn around and say because of money we cannot allow a playoff or system that is actually fair or that presents a clear champion?

Enough of the negative, this season checkered with defeat and mediocrity made this ending all the more sweet. I can easily say this year's ending is much better in my books, for I can sleep easy knowing we fought the good fight. I can say it no better than John F. Kennedy on Theodore Roosevelt in December of '61

Daring Greatly

It is not the critic who counts, nor the man who points out how the strong man
stumbled or where the doer of deeds could have done them better.

The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by dust
and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and
again; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, and spends himself in a
worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumphs of high achievement; and
who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly; so that his place shall never
be with those cold and timid souls who know neither defeat nor victory.

From Thought to Finish

Lately I have been researching and thinking about leading a Vida project in Africa for summer 2006. Right now it is just a thought in my head. I realize I have a lot of work to do and a lot of people really need to come together for this to really happen but right here right now is the first step to making this thought a reality.

I will keep you updated as I attempt to get this project funded and find a worthy cause for our efforts, for now this email I received will serve as a catalyst for me to stay on course and keep my perspective:

In the world today, 6 billion 300 million people live. If this world were shrunk to the size of 100, what would it look like?
52 would be women, 48 would be men
30 would be children, 70 would be adults.
7 would be aged.
90 would be heterosexual, 10 would be homosexual
70 would be nonwhite, 30 would be white
61 would be Asian, 13 African, 13 from North and South America, 12 Europeans, and the remaining one from the South Pacific.
33 would be Christians, 19 believers in Islam, 13 would be Hindus, and 6 would follow Buddhist teachings. 5 would believe that there are spirits in the trees and rocks and in all of nature. 24 would be believe in other religions, or would believe in no religion.
17 would speak Chinese, 9 English, 8 Hindi and Urdu, 6 Spanish, 6 Russian, and 4 would speak Arabic. That would account for half the village. The other half would speak Bengal, Portuguese, Indonesian, Japanese, German, French, or some other language.
In such a village with so many sorts of folks, it would be very important to learn to understand people different from yourself and to accept others as they are. But consider this. Of the 100 people in this village,
20 are malnourished, 1 is dying of starvation, while 15 are overweight.
Of the wealth in this village, 6 people own 59% (all of them from the United States), 74 people own 39%, and 20 people share the remaining 2%.
Of the energy of this village, 20 people consume 80%, and 80 people share the remaining 20%.
75 people have some supply of food and a place to shelter them from the wind and the rain, but 25 do not. 17 have no clean, safe water to drink.
If you have money in the bank, money in your wallet and spare change somewhere around the house, then you are among the richest 8.
If you have a car, you are among the richest 7.
Among the villages, 1 has a college education. 2 have computers. 14 cannot read.
If you can speak and act according to your faith and your conscience without harassment, imprisonment, torture or death, then you are more fortunate than 48, who cannot.
If you do not live in fear of death by bombardment, armed attack, landmines, or of rape or kidnapping by armed groups, then you are more fortunate than 20, who do.
In one year, 1 person in the village will die, but in the same year, 2 babies will be born, so that at the year's end the number of villagers will be 101.

The first real snow storm has hit the Salt Lake Valley, we had to follow suit and Christmas has officially landed in the Fan household.

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light, not our darkness that more frightens us.

We ask ourselves - who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?

Actually, who are we not to be?

You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It is not just in some of us, it is in everyone.

And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.
–Marianne Williamson