A Very Productive Last Day of November

When you give a team of editors over a thousand tasks on Nov. 30th, what happens?

They crush the queue of tasks to oblivion.

When you give a man 200 envelopes to address on Nov. 30th, what happens?

He crushes it, while watching Top Gear.

This day has been a more productive day for me than most, and I'm grateful for that. 

Clear Winter Day

Today's winter weather was much more mild. No less cold, but much more clear. I am grateful for a truly lovely winter day today. (And for those in my local area who hated the icy sidewalks, maybe you would benefit from walking like a penguin).

The Transit Buses That Could

Today, the weather wrecked havoc on after-work traffic! The wet snow and slush caused many drivers to become overly cautious or not cautious enough. As for me, I was expecting to ride the bus back home in this white wash.

At my transfer point, several buses got stuck trying to go up a hill. My bus kept persevering, pressing on foot by foot (or meter by meter, whatever floats your boat, I guess), just like the Little Engine That Could. My bus made it over the hill (worthy of applause for our great bus driver!), until it got stuck at another point. Another bus came to rescue us to take us to another transfer point, where I took my final bus to the stop two blocks from my place.

The snow was beautiful, but hazardous for all drivers. My fellow passengers were able to keep in relatively good spirits despite everything, and I felt the same way. I am grateful for today's transit bus drivers, for their diligence and perseverance as they navigated the weather and relied on the patience of others. They truly do great work. :)

Gingerbread Houses

I got to help make one of these the other day. So much fun! I realized that it had been too long since I had done this holiday activity. Apart from making lovely photos and displays with the new edible edifice, the best thing about gingerbread houses is the fact that they can be a wonderful milk-and-cookies dessert for several people (or for one person for several days, like in my case). I am grateful for gingerbread houses!

What's In [My] Name?

Today, my name was spelled wrong at a special family event. They put an H in Nicolas, and somehow my last name, Totten, became Totter on their records. This was soon corrected, but I thought it was funny while it lasted. I am grateful for opportunities to laugh with other people, even when things become a little inconvenient. :)

Sleepy Black Friday

Most of my Black Friday morning was truly black...because I didn't get out of bed until 2:30! Usually, on days like this, I feel like I've wasted the day away. But, it's a vacation day, and I actually got a few important errands done today! I am grateful for a Black Friday in which all I saw for half the day was the dark inside of my eyelids. :)

Happy Thanksgiving!

Some days, we forget to look around us.
Some days, we can't see the joy that surrounds us.
So caught up inside ourselves, 
We take when we should give.

So for tonight, we pray for
What we know can be. 
And on this day, we hope for
What we still can't see. 

It's up to us to be the change, 
And even though we all could still do more...
And even though this world needs so much more...
There's so much to be thankful for. 

Those lyrics are taken from the song thankful, as sung by Josh Groban.

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving with loved ones. I for one am very grateful that I can find something to be grateful for every day, all year long (that's why I have this blog to prove it)!

A Few Reassuring Messages from Our President-Elect

I want to start by saying that some of my personal biases will be made manifest here, but only because I think my perspectives may be beginning to change.

I learned today that earlier this week, President-elect Donald Trump released an official video update of his transition to the White House and the plans being set up by him and his forming administration. Everything about this video looks and sounds official. Trump doesn't look anything like his rally performances, and—honestly—the things he says he and his administration are planning actually sound reasonable to me. I think any Republican or Democrat or otherwise could agree that, if nothing else, the sentiment and purpose behind what Trump explains stems from a good cause (in other words, I think very few American people would object to more American jobs, a more secure infrastructure, or fewer government regulations). Nothing terribly radical.

Now, I have had my own opinions about Trump, but I am willing to keep an open mind. I'm not saying that I'm naive enough to think that a person's personality changes overnight, but I do have faith in the office of President of the United States (the mantle, the responsibility). I have faith in the entire executive branch (because it includes many, many employees). I have faith in our government and in our people. I have faith that things will work out.

I'm still somewhat skeptical. I know Trump was reading from a teleprompter or something, but I also think he was giving the American people his own words. He seems to be trying to reassure everyone that he will be everyone's president, even if some may not accept him as their president.

Something else that gives me hope, President-elect Trump also provided a Thanksgiving message. I am grateful for Donald Trump's video messages to America. He has been making an effort to present himself as a presidential figure to all, and I'm willing to keep an open, inquiring mind.

Disney Continues to Deliver

I got to see the new Disney movie, Moana today, and I enjoyed it so much! I expected Disney to continue its tradition and standard of great, diverse protagonists (Polynesian Disney Princess in the making, anyone?). And, all in all, it delivered. Plus, Mark Mancina is still at it (since the days of The Lion King and The Hunchback of Notre Dame!). Plus, you also can't beat having Lin-Manuel Miranda helping with a few songs!

I am grateful for another wonderful Disney animated film, with the continuing high standard of great music and a great female protagonist.

Some Guy with a Santa Hat

When I hopped on the bus after work today, one of my fellow passengers was a man laden with a backpack, cargo pants, a heavy coat, and—best of all—a Santa hat. I'll admit that the thought crossed my mind that he looked and smelled homeless, but there was no way for me to know for sure. But, what matters here is what I noticed about the man's demeanor. He was cheerful and social. He said hi to me directly as I walked by. Plus, he had a Santa hat on! The first Santa hat I've seen in the upcoming holiday season! The man was happy and festive. He got off the bus a few stops later.

I am grateful for a cheerful bus rider with a Santa hat. :)

Live-and-Learn Moments

When I did laundry, I found a black pen in the pile. After a minute, it started to dawn on me that some of the ink could have rubbed onto the clothes. sure enough, I found small ink blotches on a couple items of clothing. Although it was frustrating, I was pleasantly surprised that it didn't affect more clothing. This was one of those live-and-learn moments. I am grateful for such moments, especially when the results of the mistake weren't terrible, which makes it easier to move on.

Wedding Photos

I participated in wedding photos today. The funny thing was, there were five other brides and their grooms walking around the grounds of an LDS temple with their respective photographers. I expected as much, since it was a Saturday. Still, the photographer did a good job of finding angles that didn't include a lot of other people. I am grateful for wedding photographers, and for photographers that work any special event. Their work is truly appreciated.

Friendsgiving

Never heard of the term "Friendsgiving" before, but I like it! It makes sense for young adults away from home, because sometimes we can't go home, or we want to enjoy the holiday with friends before going home to family. I am grateful for Friendsgiving, because the one I attended tonight was lots of fun and a great success!

Orange Fluff

In my family, a mixture of orange jello, cool whip, mini marshmallows, and mandarin orange slices is a staple in our holiday dinners. I bought the ingredients and attempted to make it tonight, for a Thanksgiving celebration with friends tomorrow. I tried to call my mom for the exact recipe, but she was busy with her own errands. So, I did the best I could, and now we'll just wait and see. :)

Regardless, I'm grateful for what my family has called "orange fluff" for years.

The Few, the Proud, My Meaningful Facebook Chats

I don't do very much on Facebook. I may spend time on the newsfeed to check out what my friends and family are up to, but apart from sharing links to my blog each day, I don't actually do much on social media. I've never been one to spend hours on instant messaging because I tend to focus on my current circle of friends and acquaintances.

That being said, I am grateful that the few direct interactions I have with people on Facebook have all been meaningful connections. As an example, I was chatting with a friend this evening, and we each shared our own good news and bad, sharing convictions and words of encouragement. This uplifting connection is made possible by using Facebook as a blessing. In this case, it was a good way to end my day. :)

Genre-Bending?

If portraying a person as a different gender is "genderbent," perhaps portraying an artistic medium in a different genre could be..."genre-bent"?

I thought about this as I was singing one of my favorite songs, Owl City's "Fireflies." I discovered that it was fun to sing in a reggae style with a Jamaican accent, and then in the style of a country song (but one of those in which the words are spoken, not sung, like in Johnny Cash's "Man Named Sue," or "Wolf Creek Pass"). Yeah. Lots of fun.

This is random, I know, but it's what came to mind when I thought about what I was grateful for today. I am grateful for when "genre-bending" works well, and for the myriad of opportunities to make it happen. :)

P.S.—If there is an actual, better term for what I've sloppily called "genre-bending," forgive me. Maybe crossover would be better? Whatever. It's for fun.

Fan Theorists on Youtube

Like most people I know, I am a big fan of Disney, Harry Potter, Marvel, Nintendo, and Star Wars (as well as a few other fandoms, but those are the biggest ones for me). Therefore, I am a big fan of people who like to discuss theories, cross-overs, big picture universe stuff. You know, the normal things geeks nerd out about.

I have recently discovered a few such theorists who have gained some attention on Youtube, and it is so much fun to watch their presentations (specific ones I've discovered include The Game Theorists and SuperCarlinBrothers). I am grateful for creative people who present fun, geeky theories for public view on Youtube.

Linguistic Voicing

There is a linguistic trait called "voicing." It refers to the usage of the vocal chords for certain sounds in a language. In English, for example, voicing is the only difference between a "b" and a "p," or an "f" and a "v." Today, I am grateful for voicing for a couple of different reasons.

First, whenever I try to come up with new names or words for a creative writing or role playing project, just changing the voicing may be enough (for example, if I wanted to have an alternate reality George Washington, I could simply call him "George Wodgington," using the "dge" sound in "badge" in place of "sh").

Second, I enjoy using voicing in my beat boxing. If I wanted to beat box while singing, all I have to do is use voicing to change "p" and "k" sounds into "b" and "g" sounds so I can use my vocal chords at the same time.

Voicing is something we all do every day, but I am still grateful for it. :)

Space Cowboys

This is one of the most interesting genres, and it has become popular. When I really think about it, it doesn't initially make sense, but somehow it works wonderfully. A great example is the TV show Firefly. How do these two words fit together? How are cowboy hats worn on spaceships, with laser gun duels occurring on distant planets? Well, I think it's creative, and it has been making its mark in fictional genres. I am grateful for the space cowboy genre.

Old Game, New Way

I like Harry Potter, but I have two roommates who love Harry Potter. They are bigger fans than I am! Tonight, I joined them and other friends in a round of Harry Potter Clue. I've always considered Clue a simple game, at least in terms of moving your token around the board. This Harry Potter edition was built such that doors would lock and unlock, and secret passages would change and even disappear! I was impressed, and these new mechanics made the game more of an adventure for me. I am grateful for different, creative editions of classic board games.

Also, Happy Veteran's Day! :)

Today's Training: What My Supervisor Does

We have good trainings at my work. Today's training was particularly interesting. The senior editors explained their job to the junior editors (like me). Until now, I had only a vague idea of what my direct supervisor did from day to day, and I'm grateful that I was able to learn that in today's training.

Someone Else Who Apparently Has Something to Say About Election Results

Yes, I'm one of those people. This post is not for those who are tired of reading long-winded, introspective thoughts, opinions, or beliefs in reaction to the American presidential election results. It is as much for me as it is for anyone who reads this.

Those who voted for Donald Trump didn't vote for him because of his mean, nasty flaws and words, but in spite of them. Those who voted for Hilary Clinton didn't vote for her because of her corrupt actions, but in spite of them. Can we all agree that we are really more similar than we may realize? Can we be united in our desire for a better America?

On a similar note, if Clinton had won, then half of the country would be just as concerned, upset, and frustrated as Clinton supporters and others now are. Would there be fewer riots in that situation? I don't think so. The only difference would be that riots would take place in Atlanta, Dallas, and Salt Lake City.

It may be hard for some to believe right now, but America has faced worse. For example, it has weathered a civil war, which resulted in part from a polarizing president, Abraham Lincoln, on the hot-button issues of the day: slavery, economics, and state rights.

The experience of campaigning for president is a far cry from actually taking on the tremendous weight of responsibility, trust, hope, skepticism, scrutiny, and historic precedent that comes with the most visible, guarded, checked, and balanced office in American government.

For Mr. Trump to be truly effective, he will need to work with all elected officials, the entire American people. He must earn the respect and trust of the American people, as every president before him needed to. Thus, he must compromise, as we all must. To be sure, it will take a lot for me to truly trust and respect the man, but I have always trusted and respected the office.

I remember when half the country complained that Romney didn't become president in 2012. People are more passionate this time around. Inherent in our democratic republic is the idea that we the people are to win with grace and lose with grace. Civility is a vital part of our civic duty.

All that being said, I am grateful for those of my friends and family who encourage me and others to focus on faith instead of fear, to look up instead of down, to go forward instead of backward.

May God bless America, as well as its citizens, as we work on the future together.

Election 2016

So tonight, we sleep without a president-elect. Americans (and perhaps the world) is either in horrified shock or thrilling jubilee. I have said many times on this blog how grateful I am to be an American. I was worried that the voting lines would be too long, but I'm grateful that I got to vote for who I felt would be the best and most effective political leaders. I am grateful for the hundreds of people combined from many news stations that have been staying up past midnight Eastern Time to try to crunch the numbers for us. I'm grateful for the presidential candidates that—love them or hate them—have been offering themselves in the service of the people and of public policy.

Our system isn't perfect, our people are flawed (this of course includes you and me), and our methods of the compromise we so desperately need more of in the public realm could be more prevalent. But, I am grateful for this presidential election, one like no other in living memory.

Okay, now I'm off to bed, hoping to wake up to a more certain consensus for our new president-elect.

At the End of the Day

To prepare for Election Day, I did a little bit of research and took a few quizzes to get a very basic idea of where the presidential candidates stand on issues, and to help me reflect on where I stand. for today, I was going to express gratitude for ISideWith.com and how helpful it is to me (so, thanks!), but something happened this evening that has caused me to change course for this post.

Many of my neighbors were going to a Four Square activity. Several "foursquares" were marked on the floor, and I joined fifty or more young adults in many great, casual games of Four Square. For two straight hours, from 7pm to 9pm, I completely forgot about the election tomorrow, and all of the stress, anxiety, and excitement associated with it. For two hours, the world was friendly, fun, and even "normal."

This leads me to think this: At the end of the day, we are still here. Those of us in America are still in America and we will continue to live our lives, no matter who our president for the next four years will be. I truly have faith in the American people, just as I have in every other election I voted in. When I focus on faith instead of fear, things seem to fit into proper perspective, and I believe that things will work out, at the end of the day.

Henry Knox

Henry Knox was an impressive individual, a friend to General George Washington during the American Revolution. I once heard the story of him taking some men to Fort Ticonderoga to recapture artillery, and then take those big, heavy cannons back to Cambridge, MA. The trek, going just one way, is just under 300 miles. Having spent some time in Utah, it helps me to think about walking from Provo to St. George. A simple drive today would take several hours. In the late 1700s, it took many weeks, in the dead of winter!

I'm currently running a Dungeons & Dragons game set in an alternative reality of the American Revolution. In today's game, a group of players "hiked" to Fort Ticonderoga to help Henry Knox with his artillery mission. It made for a fun game scenario. But, after hearing about the real, inspiring story, I am grateful for Henry Knox. He is one of the many men and women we are eternally indebted to for the formation of America as it stands today.

Good Bachelor Parties

I am aware of the stereotypes associated with bachelor parties. I'm here to express gratitude for those that I consider of good quality. I personally disagree with those that feel that alcohol or anything more extreme is a staple of such occasions. Why can't a guy just go laser tagging with his friends before sharing a lunch? That's what happened to the party I went to today. It was a very good time focused not on pleasure, but on friendships. I think that's what it should be like.

Walter Cronkite

Google honored Walter Cronkite's 100th birthday in yet another good doodle. My generation never saw much of this man, though I am aware (to some extent) his impact on journalism and on world events. I really appreciate the honest, straightforward, and respectful way he spoke and carried out his work.

I don't anticipate becoming a journalist, but I truly admire this man's class, his dedication, and his empathy for people. I am grateful for Walter Cronkite.

Dr. Strange Accents

I got to see the film Dr. Strange today (I suspect it was released at midnight in London, so American theatres had showtimes tonight). Oh. wow. I had no idea who Dr. Strange was, but I knew Marvel and Benedict Cumberbatch, and that's enough for me.

There were many things in the film that impressed me, but the first thing that caught my attention was Mr. Cumberbatch speaking with an American accent. I know good actors can train themselves to speak in different accents. Still, this was the first time I noticed this particular British actor speaking "American." I am grateful for Dr. Strange, and for strange accents. :)

True Politics, True Civics, True Dialogue, True Persuasion

Throughout this American presidential election cycle I've held on to certain biases and certain opinions. Like everyone else, there were few things people could say, especially with raised voices or words in all caps, to change my mind. And yet, I've considered myself a neutral citizen, telling myself that I was keeping aloof from all the political parties.

So I was surprised when I read someone's Facebook post, someone who had determined where they would stand on November 8th. I was surprised for two reasons. First, I actually didn't expect that they would reach the conclusion they did, choose the candidate they did. Second, and most importantly, this person's explanation of why they would be voting this way was incredibly honest, civil, and based on earnest research, consideration, and prayer. It was so refreshing. Most interesting of all, it was perhaps the most persuasive message in support of this certain candidate I had ever encountered.

You see, almost all of the people who I see and hear adamantly supporting this candidate or that one, almost all of them seemed—at least to me—to get on their individual soapboxes and proclaim why they are right and others are wrong. That frustrates me so much. Almost every politicaly-charged meme or video I see posted, almost every post or article I see that seeks to convince opposers, once and for all, of the "obvious" errors of their ways is like this. I think it's good to have strong feelings for what you believe is right, but are you really trying to convince your personal network on the Internet, your friends, that they are absolutely wrong and you are absolutely right?

Such have been my thoughts. I've had my own biases all along, and it took just one friend to come to the middle ground and explain his sincere thoughts and feelings to truly persuade me to rethink what I was thinking.

Today, I am grateful to see a simple demonstration of civil, respectful, even persuasive political dialogue on the internet.

Taking Down Halloween Decorations

Is it depressing to take down decorations the day after a holiday? I'm thinking of January 2nd, December 26th, and—in this case—November 1st. My office made some fantastic decorations, and we had to tear them down during our break today. Some of my co-workers mentioned that it was a sad thing to be tearing down all this fun, hard work. I agree it's a little sad, but when everything was cleaned up, I saw something a little different.

Everything was normal.

I hadn't seen this normal since two weeks ago. There was more room to move around. It was the old environment, and yet, it felt new. As much as I enjoy escaping reality with really cool fandoms and fantasy worlds (Harry Potter, Star Wars, Dungeons & Dragons, Legend of Zelda), as much as I really enjoy dressing up into other characters, I reallize how much I can truly appreciate normalcy. I am grateful that a couple weeks of Halloween festivities and decorations have led me to more fully appreciate things as they really, normally are.