Words of Tribute

My dad was born on January 14th, 1954 in La Junta, CO to Don and Joy Mitchell. The family moved to Texas while he was still young. One of the most significant memories my dad recounted about his childhood was the time he spent living with Mom and Pop, his maternal grandparents. His older brother had been in an accident, and the family’s attention was turned to him. My dad said that he loved having the undivided attention from his grandparents, and he cultivated a strong relationship with them during this time. They taught him many values, especially the value of hard work. They were two of the people he admired most in this world. The only person he may have loved more was his good mother.

When My dad was twelve, the family moved to Albuquerque. His youthful years were filled with extra curricular activities. He was a good student and loved sports. At 5’9” he was surprisingly good at basketball. He was quick and aggressive, and I do believe he dunked the ball on occasion.

At UNM, My dad’s focus shifted somewhat from sports to academics. He majored in math with a minor in economics. Clearly, he was interested, and very good at, working with numbers. He convinced professors to let him take a handful of accounting classes giving him just enough knowledge to take and pass the CPA exam. He passed three of four parts to the exam on the first try, which was all that was needed at that time. The fourth part was business law, and my dad said he never studied a single question for it. He took a risk, studying only the other three parts, hoping he passed them. It paid off. He would later go back to UNM for an MBA, which he was also very proud of.

My dad went to work for Peat, Marwick, Mitchell and did a little bit of audit work and then moved into tax work. His reviews were positive, and he advanced quickly. One night he and his friend decided to work for 24 hours straight, just to say they’d done it. He was thrilled to see the look on his colleagues’ faces when they realized My dad had worked the night through. He then packed up and went home to bed. He was a manger on the Southwest Bank account and they finally convinced him to leave his Big Eight firm and go to work for the bank.

His time at Sunwest was also enjoyable for him. He had a new bride Stephanie. With her, he had two children (myself and my brother Bradley). Sunday was arguably his favorite day, when he had the two kids to himself. We’d frequent the zoo and the museum and Putt-putt. He told us he was “Super Dad,” and I think we believed him. He seemed to know so much about everything. He was also so strong. He was really good at lifting furniture and moving it around so that we could make a pretty neat fort in the living room. He’d probably be embarrassed that I said this, but we loved when he read us bedtime stories. He would get so into it, making Jack Prelutsky sound quite dramatic.

During all of this fun, he moved into the gaming industry at the Santa Fe Downs. It soon led to a vice president opportunity at Caesar’s World in Las Vegas, Nevada. He led all sorts of projects in places all over the world. Some of his favorites include Mallorca, Spain; Dublin, Ireland; and Johannesburg, South Africa. He was an adventuresome soul and was captivated with other cultures. My dad tried all sorts of exotic cuisine and was disappointed, I think, he ended up with two picky-eaters for children.

My dad had another exciting VP position with Magna Entertainment, owner of Santa Anita Downs. He then moved on to the Maloof Group of Companies also as a vice president. He helped to open the Palms Hotel and Casino. They even printed his face on fake money used at the opening. This was a really good time for him and his son Bradley. They made many weekend trips to watch the Kings play in Sacramento.

The Venetian then offered him a job to open a casino in Macau, China. He was delighted with the opportunity and promptly moved to Macau. Here he developed a strong affinity for all things Chinese: food, artwork, and the people. He made quite a tasty bok choy dish. I don’t think the casino would have opened without his relentless dedication and gaming knowledge. He was one of the smartest people I’ve ever known.

He was also one of the most athletic. He loved to exercise. Whether it be basketball at the Boys and Girls club, squash at Midtown, or snorkeling in our backyard swimming pool, he was most content when working out. Many famous people passed through the health club he belonged to in Las Vegas. He loved to tell the story about playing Mike Tyson one-on-one in basketball. “There’s a reason Mike is a boxer,” he said. In other words, my dad creamed him.

Another favorite sport of his was playing basketball in the swimming pool. The teams were usually him and my mom versus my brother and me. He shamelessly drove the ball at me over and over, having no qualms about dunking on his kids. Of course his team always won.

Watching sports was almost as exciting for My dad as playing them. He used to have season tickets to the Lobo basketball games and proudly wore his cherry sweater. The Sacramento Kings were probably his favorite pro basketball team; although, he did love Sir Charles with the Phoenix Suns as well. Oh, and of course, he loved his Dallas Cowboys.

The two qualities my dad possessed that I admire most are generosity and a forgiving nature. He hardly thought twice about donating money to charities, and we found several charitable checks on his desk written shortly before he passed. The Quarters was a favorite restaurant of his, and he would treat the whole family every chance he got. When I say the whole family, he would take out uncles, aunts, cousins, grandparents, on both his side and my mom’s side of the family. It was his way of showing he cared.

My very favorite quality was his quick ability to forgive. I don’t think he ever once followed through with grounding us because he always said, “I’m sorry, and if you say you’re sorry too, we’ll call it even.” I was in a car accident my freshman year of college, just two weeks after my parents reluctantly bought me a car. He called from China and said, “Cissy, it’ll be alright. Don’t worry about the car. I’m just so glad you’re okay.”

He spent his last few years on earth trying to mend and strengthen relationships with family, friends, and with God. I know the Lord must be very proud of him for that. I know I am. We will sure miss him but I am so glad to know he is at peace.

Prop 102/Prop 8

I have felt like I should post something about Prop 102 (or Prop 8 be you in California) but have struggled with what to say. Let me start by saying that I understand the viewpoint of the "no" supporters. It is only by serious reflection that I've decided I am a "yes" supporter.

I'll post some links to some of my favorite articles and videos, but first I'd like to add my own thoughts.


First off, the rights of gays and lesbians should not be diminished by the passing of these propositions. I am just fine with partners having the rights of benefits, etc. We're talking strictly about the definition of "marriage." Partners will be just as much "partners" as they were before but will not be "married" partners.

A failure to pass the propositions could, however, limit the rights of religious organizations in what types of marriages they can perform. It could also limit the rights of parents in what is taught in the educational system. It could also limit the rights of adoption agencies in deciding to whom they will adopt children.

I'm sure people will still argue that homosexuals are being treated differently. I would agree. Being treated differently does NOT necessarily imply inequality. We should have equal rights but we shouldn't all be treated exactly the same.
I do not see this as discrimination. People are not the same. Does a "woman's" restroom discriminate against men? Yes, but I think most people would agree that a man's rights as a human being are not diminished by this concept. Separate bathrooms are there to protect the privacy (an important right) of the women and men.


I'm not a supporter of the ERA for this same reason. I don't think women and men are the SAME, so they should be treated differently. As a woman, I am totally okay with that! I don't feel discriminated against or "oppressed."

Another argument I've heard is that moral views don't have a place in politics. That's a little stupid. Many laws are in place based on morals. Why isn't prostitution legal? Or why can't cousins marry? Or a father marry his daughter? Clearly, we do make moral judgments as a society and expect our government to uphold us in these decisions.

Hopefully I've expressed myself in a manner that makes sense and is not horrifically offensive. Here are some of the sites that explain things a little better than I could explain them:

Video with Elder Bednar

PreservingMarriage.org Videos

My Definition of Family

November 4th

My next couple of posts will be political, so consider yourselves warned. I am very concerned about what will happen to our nation over the next few years. A vote for either candidate doesn't seems like a "great" decision or maybe even a "reasonably good" decision. I have strong complaints against both the republican and democratic candidates but am not a believer in voting third party. So what's a girl to do?

Here are some of my complaints/observations:

As far as McCain goes, I don't think I need to list most of my complaints with him. I think the media's done a fine job of exposing all of his faults and weaknesses.

One thing I would like to defend him on though, is that the state of the economy is not his fault nor his party's. Bush may not have been our finest or most brilliant president, but he did not single-handedly cause this recession. I was under the impression that our founding fathers had built in something to prevent that kind of thing called "checks and balances." In other words, Congress. Which has had a democrat majority, I might point out. No, I don't think the democrats caused it either. My point is, let's figure out who will FIX it the best, not who caused it.

Many things about Obama make me nervous. No, I do not think he is a Muslim terrorist. I would hope my issues with him are based upon more rationality than that. I won't list them all out because they are a little plentiful. My biggest complaint is his stance on abortion. The sanctity of life is a BIG deal-breaker for me. I cannot see myself voting for/supporting any candidate who is pro-partial birth abortion. I think that every woman has a right to decide what happens to her own body. Yes, her OWN body. Not somebody else's. It's not the only issue, but it is a VERY important one to me.

In summary, neither candidate accurately reflects my social, fiscal, or moral views. I admit I'm very discouraged about the future of our nation.

Our Uninvited Guest

Soooo...I knew this day would come, but I was REALLY hoping we'd be the only house in the state that would avoid finding one of these critters in our home. It was one of the most traumatic things that has ever happened to me and probably WOULD'VE been the most traumatic if I had stepped on him. In some ways I'm grateful he was big because he was pretty hard to miss, even though our "pale spice" carpet should've been named "scorpion tan." Yech! Just thinking about it makes me shiver.

Pepper Steak Stir Fry

A few posts ago I mentioned having some steak stir fry. Here is the recipe:

3 cups cooked rice
1 lb round steak
1 tbs paprika
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 large tomatoes, chopped (or 1 can tomatoes)
1 1/2 cups beef broth
1 cup onions, chopped
1 green pepper, julienne chopped
2 tbs cornstarch
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup soy sauce
sesame seeds

1. Pound steak to 1/4" thickness and cut in strips.
2. Sprinkle meat with paprika and allow to stand for a few minutes.
3. Brown meat in small amount of oil in large skillet.
4. Add garlic and onions and saute for a minute longer.
5. Add broth.
6. Cover and simmer 30 minutes.
7. Stir in green peppers.
8. Cover and cook 10-15 minutes longer.
9. Blend cornstarch, water, and soy sauce.
10. Stir into meat mixture.
11. Cook, stirring until thickened (about 2 minutes).
12. Add tomatoes (stirring gently) and cook for a minute or two longer.
13. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve over rice.

Musings on Music

First off, I have a deep dark secret. I am a Hannah Montana fan. Actually, it's not a secret because I'm not nearly as ashamed as I probably should be. That being said, I give the credit to the marketing geniuses of Disney, not to any extraordinary talent of her own.

Taylor Swift is different. If I could be anyone in the world besides myself for a week, I just might pick Taylor. Aside from her gorgeous looks, curly hair, and fun music to belt out during my Wednesday commutes, I think she is very talented. She writes her own songs and plays the guitar. For one so young, she seems to be quite mature. I really do respect her as a person in addition to loving her music.

Yet, I admit the part of me that loves her best is the part of me that secretly wants to wear a princess dress and run around the house dancing and singing at the top of my lungs. Her newest song "Love Story" is my favorite Taylor Swift song yet. I was belting it out tonight, twirling in the kitchen in between stirring the pasta and nuking the bacon. [Don't tell my husband or he'll know that's what took me so long to make dinner!] Taylor, here's to you!

Oh Say Where Is Truth? And....hope?

So I have decided to be a good citizen and become more politically involved or at least aware. My first step was to re-register to vote since moving into a new precinct (and re-register my husband whether he likes it or not). Next, I started trying to learn more about the political candidates. I started frequenting news websites and cable networks and actually read the political forwards sent in hoards to my inbox. I tried to learn of each candidate's policies and understand their views. I tried to learn of each person's character and determine whether he or she would each be a good leader for our country. I compared all of this to what I believe and what I would like in a president. Here is what I have learned:

I hate politics. Everybody lies! Everybody. All of the candidates from both parties. Everyone flip-flips. Everyone is vague and when anyone does say anything solid, there's a good chance they may go back on it just days later. I listened to someone at work rant and rave about how the Obama campaign is being smeared unfairly by the McCain campaign. My aunt's political forwards insinuate Obama's campaign is doing the same to McCain's. I also hate that the politics have to be this way. I'm not so naive as to think a candidate would probably win without a little bit of schmoozing or a little bit of fibbing and a heck of a lot of mud-slinging. But I hate that it is that way.

So where does that leave me? I have no idea what is true and what is false. I don't know which candidate to believe. I don't know which candidate to trust. Probably neither but I have to vote for someone! I find myself becoming more and more cynical as I question every news story I hear, every email I read, every conversation I overhear about politics. "Oh say, where is truth??"

And not just truth. But hope. The economy is in a bad way. I'm quite disturbed by the fact that the government has been handing out loans to the business giants as if these loans represented a few dollars' worth of food stamps. I don't know that our nation can handle this kind of debt but I don't know that we could afford to lose that many jobs either. How are we ever going to get out of this mess? It sure makes me feel hopeless too.

And then I realize how silly I am. I need not "wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east...run to and fro to seek the [truth], and shall not find it" (Amos 8:12). Even when I feel like young Joseph that everyone is "entirely lost in a strife of words and a contest about opinions" about what is best for our country, I know I can find the truth just like that 14-year-old boy. Truth is in the Lord's word. I can study the scriptures and apply them to the things that find in the world of politics. But even better than that, I can ask the Lord which is right. Even though, "none of them" is probably right, at least He can guide me to the best choice possible. And of course in this faith in God is also the place to find hope. I don't know how we'll work through this economic dearth, but I can still have peace. Somehow everything will work out. "But if not" I can still have peace.

Brigadoon

I must first admit that I've neither seen nor read Brigadoon. But I think I get the concept. Brigadoon to me was Progress Mfg. I worked there to get a little experience (and income) while going to school. My good friend and former coworker sent word that a second round of layoffs occurred today, and he isn't one of the survivors. This kind of thing really does happen all of the time, especially in an economy doing as well as ours. But there is something intrinsically sad to me about a struggling company, and this goes deeper than that. Tonight I realized I can't return again to my Brigadoon. Ironically I was going to visit Progress on Friday for the first time in over a year. So this is how Tommy must've felt.

Progress Mfg isn't something that matters to very many people, but I can tell you it matters to me. And I would think to anybody who has worked there. It was truly something special--an anomaly of the business world. Maybe not perfect, but as close as any place could ever get. Everyone's ideas were valued, whether coming from an executive or a welder. Everyone was given the chance to voice those opinions, and everyone was appreciated and recognized for their efforts. I felt empowered and fulfilled as an employee. I felt safe to take risks and make mistakes. The very best part, however, was the people. Never have a worked with such genuinely good people. Knowing that, makes it even harder to hear that so many of them have been laid off.

Though fleeting, I was glad to catch even a glimpse of Brigadoon.

Passionate about Cooking

Cooking does matter in the sense that somebody has to do it or we'll all die. Or eat grass. Sick. But I do definitely have a passion for it. Food, generally speaking, will probably be mentioned frequently on this blog. After fasting all day, I decided to have a pretty good dinner. We had a beef stir-fry recipe that we just love (my mom gave it to me, but I think it's from an old Betty Crocker cookbook). I got distracted (setting up my blog, actually), so the sauce evaporated a little more than usual. It was thicker but still nice and flavorful. To drink I tried a recipe from this silly non-alcoholic drinks pamphlet-like book I inherited from my grandmother. It was this minty lemonade drink consisting of lemonade and a little mint extract. Really tasty! Then, to finish it all off, I attempted individual molten chocolate cakes. This is my fourth attempt, I'm ashamed to say. All other attempts have resulted in tasty "brownies" with no molten center. But hooray because tonight they were super-liquid in the middle! Then I dumped some sweetened raspberries on top with a hint of raspberry extract. Mmmmmmm...... I admit I'm feeling quite pleased with my cooking tonight. Being an eperimental chef (with no professional training), things can be a bit hit or miss in the kitchen. Tonight was definitely a hit.

My First Post

Today I decided to start a blog. I've been a little hesitant, fighting the urge to move into the mainstream. It's a feeling I've fought for as long as I can remember. Anyone who knows me would realize that I also have the urge to talk, type, or anything that resembles communicating--an urge which I usually choose not to fight. So here I am. This is all pretty new to me, but hopefully I'll improve with time. The colors are ugly. Don't worry, I know. My ability to coordinate is limited, so I should probably focus on matching my clothes before I do so for my blog.