A tiny Halloween screed

Right, I know I said I like Halloween.  I even wrote a column about it.  But I do have this question:  when did we start celebrating Halloween for an entire week?  Between school parties and church parties--all of which involve costumes and candy--I wonder if kids are worn out by the time Halloween actually arrives?

I think Halloween should be one day.  On Halloween.  Having too much of a good thing serves to diminish that good thing, don't you think?

Another Monday, another column

So it must be said that I am not a good loser.

And to tell you the truth, this column is actually more about football than it is about baseball  . . .

Something I suddenly missed today at the grocery store

Someone to help me take out my groceries (of which there were MANY) and load my car.

This used to be a standard part of the shopping experience.  An adolescent boy in his special grocery store uniform would help you out if you wanted him to.  Which I sometimes did, actually.

But now?  No.  The helpful grocery store boys have gone the way of the helpful gas station attendants and I miss all of them sometimes.  Like I did early this morning when I was slinging bags of dog food and cartons of soda and other things of an awkward size into the back of my car.

What do you miss?

What I bought instead of dog food, which I went to the store for in the first place . .

I bought a gnome with a Rudolph nose and antlers.

It was just standing there on top of the ice cream freezer, calling my name, saying, "I know it's not Christmas yet.  And I know that I'm not even officially on sale yet, which is why I and my antlers are standing on top of the ice cream freezer where nobody can reach us.  BUT.  I should go home with you and take my place amongst the many gnomes who reside in your yard."

So I made Tim from the pharmacy get the gnome down for me and when I held it in my arms like a toddler--a cute one with antlers and a Rudolph nose--I discovered a button.

A BUTTON.

A button on its feet.  So I pushed the button and the nose and other body parts (appropriate ones) LIT UP.  So then I walked through the store and the parking lot with a gnome with flashing body parts, cradled in my arms like a grandchild.  You could almost see people feel sorry for me.  And sorrier for my family.

But I feel fulfilled right now.

SCORE!!

Lisa B writes about Halloween

So those of you who read my blog know Lisa B., my friend of many years who got me into blogging and who writes snappy comments.  Anyway, she pretty much wrote most of my column this week.

I think I owe her dinner at least.  Don't you?

Books for kids who wanna read about sports

Another Trib piece!

I've been writing a little bit more for the paper, and I must say I enjoy it.  That's one of the reasons I've been a little silent here--also, I've picked up a few regular shifts at TKE, which feels right and good, too.

Today's column

Yes.  It's all about the trip Ken Cannon and I took last weekend to the Great Basin National Park where I had many spiritual experiences.  It was exactly what the doctor ordered.

Column, y'all.

Books about girls and sports and sports and girls

I'm working on a Trib piece about sports novels wherein I mention Mike Lupica's new novel, Fantasy League, which is Moneyball for minors.  It involves a genius kid whose ability to pick 'em helps a struggling NFL team.

I know.

But Lupica is a good writer and the book reminded me of a fantasy I used to have when I was little, involving me saving the day.  I used to pretend that things had gotten so desperate for the Cougars that the Coach had no choice but to look up into the stands and signal for me to put on a helmet, join him on the football field, and reveal to a stadium of very (!) surprised fans all of my sweet, sweet moves.

Many years laters I was interested to learn that Jennifer Allen, daughter of the late George Allen and author of Fifth Quarter, used to have the exact same fantasy, because you know how third-grade girls are.

All kickass when it comes to helping the paterfamilias.

Here's something I'm grateful for today

That my dad isn't coaching anymore.

Honestly, I'm surprised by how CRAPPY I feel after BYU loses, even though I DO NOT CARE ANYMORE.  A loss just triggers all these memories of being afraid to turn on the radio to hear what people were saying or avoiding the newspapers to read what people were writing or going to Spanish class on Monday morning where Señor Jarman would talk about the loss like it was MY fault.

Dude!  I wasn't the coach!

Or as I would have said to Señor Jarman back in the dia, "Hombre!  Yo not soy el football coach!"

Thanks, Erynn!

My adorbs friend Erynn texted last night to ask if I'm ok because I've been so blog-silent.  She even asked me to rate my life on a scale of 1-10 to with 1 being the s*#@%!  and 10 being AWESOME!

Anyway, it reminded me that I really should update here.  I'm actually doing fine, but I have been a little busier than usual, and I'm still figuring out how to manage this new busy-ness.  I've gone back on the schedule at TKE (I'm working 2-3 days a week), and I've also been writing a little more for the Trib.  Last week I had three pieces in the paper, including . . .

This one based on an experience which reminded me why I'm kind of glad I don't have little kids anymore (EVEN THOUGH MY GRANKIDS ARE FABULOUS).

And there was this one where I discuss recently released Halloween books.

And then there was this one, which the Trib actually asked me to write.  They wanted something about conference.  I wrote it a little reluctantly, actually, because they've already got Kirby and Peggy doing the Mormon stuff.  Also, the comments get so STUPID whenever Mormon World gets mentioned in Trib, which just gets exhausting, frankly.  But I think (I hope) it worked out ok.  And that column certainly got much more traction than either of the other pieces.  Maybe I should just write about Mormons, Mormons, Mormons all the damn time.

Here's hoping I keep up the blogging.