cc: file, Tony Hafen, Pauline Nelson via mail, Sara and Des Penny, Claude and Katherine Warner, Lloyd and Luana Warner, Diane Cluff, Maxine Shirts via mail.
"It has been hard for me to write today. So I'm going to start by giving a brief summary of the week. Monday morning Joe Roberts came over to insist I give him a 10% commission on the first $10 million he raises. Told him I'd have to raise the price on what he raises to cover the extra 5% commission he is insisting on. It will be interesting to see how it all turns out.
Tuesday I had lunch with Jeffrey Yarus and his partner Ivor Ellul. Sara, David says Hi. We ate at the Mannor House at The Houstonian. It was a really productive lunch. Their work in Knowledge Management parallels much of the work I have been doing. It will be interesting to see if and how we end up working together. Andrea had Relief Society in the evening. I took Matt to Taylor High School for Freshman orientation and then to Dairy Queen for a blizzard.
Wednesday morning I met Mike Smith in Mike McCullough's court at 9:30. We met in County Court 5 and Nicole Ann Smith was going through her estate trial in County Court 2. Mike said he saw her at the snack bar. We met with James Andrews, representing Mike, and Diane Wakin, representing the court. Because Edy died without a will, ownership of the house had to be determined in probate court. I walked out of the whole thing thinking what a scam it is. It cost Mike $2,600. and as near as I could tell, most of it went to the lawyers for a very few hours of work, and maybe some of it went to the judge, and it was all pretty arbitrary. Everyone of us needs to have a will or a living trust. If you don't have one, get one, and if you do, update it. I intend to talk more about this in coming weeks based on the experience downtown.
I left the courthouse and went to HESS on Westheimer to meet Alf Klaveness and his friend Joe Watson for lunch. Joe has a 25 mile pipeline in Colorado County, and he is generating between $600,000 and $1,000,000 per month at current gas prices. He needs to invest this somewhere, and so we are talking to him about investing in Dynamic. We had a great discussion, and he is very interested in what we are doing. I left HESS at 1:30 and was able to get in about a half hour of work before Richard Nehring arrived for a meeting from 3-6:00. I talked to Dave Ridyard at Continuum for the first time in several months. He has prepared some paperwork they want me to sign reorganizing the company (finally). Richard and I went through what to do for Joe Watson, and layed out several other plans. Joe Roberts came over and we talked about Mexican ranches for a little while. Richard ate tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches with us. Then I went to the church for Young Men/Young Woman's meeting. The Priests created a Valentine's treat as girls were doing the same for them. It turned out nice.
Thursday was spent working on web pages and documentation for investors. I have a 2 inch thick bound notebook full of back up materials. In the afternoon there was a quick trip down to Continuum to sign the papers. The I worked a while. I picked up the elders at 5:30, and they came over for dinner. After I took them home, I went by Rob's to see him. He was not home. I received a call from Briarwood informing me he has failed a drug test and has been kicked out of school there. So he is back at Taylor. I am very worried for him.
Friday morning, at 7:00 AM, I picked up Dick Coons. We drove up to Bush Intercontinental Airport and had a 4 hour meeting with Swede Nelson at Sheriden. It was very productive. Swede called me Saturday afternoon, while I was at camp to clarify a couple of points, and we ended up talking for about an hour. In the afternoon I talked to Albert Boulanger, Roger Anderson, Neal Brossard, and Richard Nehring. We are getting ready for the 2nd Dynamic Technology Meeting next Friday. Matt came home devastated because someone had erased his project from the computer and had written a nasty note to him. Once he calmed down he got ready and we left for the Annual Mustang District camporee, which was at Camp Strake this year. It was a good campout. At one point Ray Farrell stopped me and said hello. Matt turned to me and said, `Who is he?' I explained we had worked together about 10 years ago. Later I had a good discussion with Ray about Dynamic. Blue Dolphin just had a couple of discoveries, and they expect to be in a position needing to reinvest cash soon. He is interested in the Dynamic Professional NetWork. It was cold Friday night. On Saturday afternoon there was a message on my cell phone from Melanie. She and Jared were asked to replace a postponed High Councilor Speaker today, and she called for the words to her baby song. I called her back from camp 4B at Camp Strake and she typed out:
I called Andrea on her cell phone at the Regional Priest/Laurel Conference at Cypress Stake Center. She called me back, and we talked about me going to Vidor to listen to Melanie's Sacrament Meeting Talk. Andrea thought it was good idea. Andrea could not join me because she had Ward Council and Bishop's Youth Committee. I went back to the orienteering course after the calls. Before we left, I finished a song about the last two scout camps:
Matt rode up with Brother Lunt and I rode up with Brother Beckstrom. We both rode back with Brother Lunt. I slept coming home. I'm still tired. When we got home I read Friday and Saturday's papers, then Ken Turner came by to take some digital photos. After cleaning up, I spent the time until Andrea and Rachel got home building an Infinite Grid (SM) of Colorado, Wharton, Jackson, and Lavaca Counties. As we were going to sleep, I learned Rachel was also giving a Sacrament Meeting talk tomorrow. So I found myself in a conundrum. At 7:00 AM this morning I was still debating with myself about whether to stay and listen to Rachel's Sacrament Meeting talk, or to drive 2 hours to Vidor and listen to Melanie's and Jared's talks. I went upstairs and woke Rachel up and she said she didn't care, and she would let me read her talk, so I went to Vidor. I-10 was closed in Beaumont, and I had to go through a bunch of red lights. I finally made it to the church at 9:04, just as the congregation was finishing the opening song.
The first speaker was a young Sister Williamson who told the story about Peter Nielson coming up for the money for the window panes for the St. George Tabernacle. Her talk was on faith. She had two quotes I think are wonderful:
Then Melanie got up, and started of with `Since I wanted to start off with a song my Dad wrote for me when I was a baby, and since he has made a suprise visit to listen to my talk, I want him to come up here and sing the song for you.' The pregnant pause made me very nervous, then she said: `Just kidding!' Melanie, you gave a wonderful sacrament meeting talk. Your insight that example is passive is a new concept for me. I agree. I'm sure Bridget and Justin, as well as Uncle Des and Aunt Sara would have enjoyed your version of the impact of the example of Bridget's friends on her. It is absolutely true that if you are going to have a rebellious child, there are worse things than a temple marriage. And I liked how you tied your English language theme through the whole talk: `We will BE a good example by following the Savior.
I have been thinking a lot about how we come across to others, and what the impact of example is. I watched Leno a couple of times this week (bad example, as he can be really gross), and listened to him make fun of the cannibalism in the new movie Hannibal. When are we going to see a real life example of this? As I look at the other movies playing at the Katy CineMark, I find the example scary. Senator (Bishop) Hatch is playing himself in Traffic, which he says in the paper is terrible, just based on the language. Sugar & Spice turns cheerleader's into thieves. Even `Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon' is built around the Eastern tradition of hari kari, or suicide. When we fill our minds with garbage, it eventually starts to come out of our mouths and our hands. Melanie's story of a Lady telling Jared he must be a member of the church based on his countenance, when he was going door to door in Denver doing airating, is a perfect example of someone not stained by the worldly. And Melanie, you are right on track, when we set an example, we normally have no idea if we have any effect. Your words about the tone of our sincerity or our sarcasm being a function of our example cuts me deep, for I have too often found myself being sarcastic. Likewise your story from `Know Your Religion' of fixing yourself first and then you don't have to worry about your son, also hits home. Especially with where Rob is right now. There is tremendous wisdom in the Chinese philosopher you quoted as `not needing to teach, just needing to be.'
Jared, it was good to get to know you better. Your openness shows maturity beyond your years. The memory of our mistakes does stay with us. If we say we will do something, we do need to follow through. Honesty, purity, and humilty are three keys to a fullfilling life. The story of the missionary who was almost sent home for pride and arrogance is all too real. It is true that when we are as humble as a little child, we become the greatest in the Kingdom of God. You and Melanie make a lovely couple, and as I said to your Dad and Mom after they fed me lunch, your example is all that is needed to impress me with how well they have done as parents. I know they are both very proud of you and how well you are both doing.
I was wiped out, and stopped in a picnic area and took a nap on the way back to Houston. I have slept since I've been home, and still am tired. Rachel did a nice Family Home Evening Lesson around the Prodigal Son. She also shared the typed version of her talk on what a mother's role is in the home. I'm just going to quote some of the words Rachel wrote out:
At the bottom of Rachel's talk are hand written the words: `Talk about own experience, emptyness vs. warmth.' I can imagine all of the ten years of Andrea being at work whenever she got home. To a minor degree, Rachel, I understand coming home from school to an empty house. Before I was old enough to have chores to do every night after school, I remember watching out the dinning room window for Mom's car to come down the Minersville Lane from work, and, when she was late, being afraid she was dead. I have always tried to provide an environment for you kids where you wouldn't have these feelings of loneliness and isolation. And I've failed and have had some success. Guess that is what life is about. A series of sacrament meeting talks."