"Monday morning, May 2nd, and I was heading from Beijing back to the states and one of the best events of my life, the creation of the Joshua and Audrey Waldron eternal family. I'm so-o-o-o-o proud of the two of you, of your choices, and your example.
When I arrived at the airport, there was Bee Bednar also heading back to the states. After he cleared passport control, I snuck up behind him and said, `I can't believe they let a reprobate like you clear passport control and customs. I did a search on "Bee" and on "Bednar" and I can't believe I have never mentioned his name in a previous Thoughtlet. Bee Bednar is an extremely good geophysicist. He was a Cities Services Research for years, which is where I first got to know him when he came to Seis Lab Consortium Meetings. While at Cities he worked for a cigar smoking Mormon who `was a prince of a man.' Bee has told me about his old boss dozens of times. When Cities was purchased by Oxy (Occidental Petroleum), Bee went to work for Amerada Hess, where he developed the first Beowulf PC Cluster for performing 3-D seismic migration. Rode Drecun hired him to help build his Rebel 3-D seismic migration system at ADS. Joe Roberts had me interview with Rode and Bee at one point (../0230.html). Nothing came of it but a lot of talk, which seems to be the case with many of these guys who have made it to the big time. I did go back for a lunch meeting with Bee Bednar, where I could tell he was going to have me work for free if I followed up at all.
It was in a meeting with Rode Drecun that I first met Lee Bell. Little did I know that Mike Dunn was recruiting him to become the President of GDC at the same time I was attempting to get Rode to put money into my ideas. Lee was in that meeting, and got very excited about the Offshore Texas data mining example that I put together with Richard Nehring's data. Rode also used the same agent Mike Dunn did in China, Xaio, whose company is Geotech (../0414.html). Replacing Xaio with Jialin was one of the harder political battles I have had to fight. Xaio also hired Bee Bednar to build a seismic migration package for him to sell in China. Bee was in China selling and working on this. The rest of the story is that Lee Bell has hired Bee Bednar as a consultant for GDC to help in building GDC's prestack depth migration software (which I think is a conflict-of-interest with what Bee is doing with Xaio).
Bee and I always have a good laugh and an enjoyable conversation when we get together. At the Beijing airport, after listening to each other's stories again, I started to talk about Bee's music background. I talked about the stuff Gary Jones and I started to do when we were working in Zhuo Zhou. We took the interpretation of three alluvial fans, and converted the horizons into music for the piano. We called it `Three Fans in Am.' It was a lot of fun, and I have often thought that we could make very interesting music from the geologic information on seismic sections, and that this music could become the basis for a whole new way to interpret subsurface geology from seismic. Yet another project that will probably never get off of the ground. Maybe one of my grandkids will pick up this paragraph in 20 years and turn it into a Ph.D. dissertation and a career. Anyway, Bee said that he doesn't know anything about interpretation and it would be very hard for him to work on something like this. It was a fun conversation, and it was nice to have someone I know to talk to in the Beijing airport. He was impressed that I was flying back early to go to the Salt Lake Temple for my daughter's wedding. I was impressed too!
We arrived in San Francisco at 12:15 PM and I had unto 3:05 PM
to make United flight 548 to Salt Lake City. The first thing I
did when I arrived in San Francisco I stopped in one of the
shops to buy some red licorice and here I saw the latest issue of
The Economist 
. There is a .pdf file of the
article for your review at
http://www.walden3d.com/thoughtlets/2005/images/050430_The_Economist.pdf.
On page 10 of the pdf is a quote by Roger Anderson, and on page
11 is a quote from me. As I read the article, there was remorse for
ever having talked to Vijay Vaitheeswaran. The things he wrote Roger
and I saying sounded like we were whining. And Geokinetics' business
"making reservoir imaging software for the oil industry"? NOT! Oh
well! I've been misquoted by the New York media ever since Mobil flew
me to Mesquite, Nevada to meet with the Science Writer for the New
York Times (../9938.html). One would think I would learn.
Dave Johnson's reaction to the article was the same as mine, when I showed it to him the next week. However, Lee Bell liked the article and said my quoted comments were right on track. And on Sunday, May 1st, an e-mail from my friend John Northwood, former Chief Geophysicist at Chevron before Chuck Edwards wrote:
The other thing to point out about the author of this article is
a quote from his book, which I read a few weeks ago (0513.html
and 0514.html):
I admit, it is frustrating not having enough money to get on a
plane and to visit Ben and Sarah and Ethan, or to fix up the
computers, or to fix the master shower, or to build a prototype
of a new kind of city, after helping make 3-D seismic imaging
a reality for the oil and gas industry. Oh well! Maybe the
challenges we face really are for our good, and are what
keep us humble enough that we have a slight possibility of
returning to live with Heavenly Father and of having those we
love with us for the eternities.
One interesting thing that happened on the trip was that I misplaced my swallow counting sheet, and repeated it when I got to Salt Lake. Later I found both of them, and so I have a quantitative comparison as to how accurate (inaccurate) I am in my counting swallows. Note the differences below:
| Water | Fruits | Vegetables | Protein | Dairy | Breads & Starches | Sugar | TOTAL |
| 37 | 59 | 12 | 28 | 6 | 35 | 7 | 186 |
| 41 | 42 | 15 | 21 | 8 | 45 | 10 | 182 |
| 10% | -29% | 23% | -25% | 33% | 25% | 43% | 2% |
I rented a car and checked into the City Creek Motel on North Temple a couple of blocks away from Temple Square. The owner is in Andrea's High School Graduating class, and he had not put together the fact the reservations Andrea made were for someone he knew. I took a nap, setting the alarm so I would wake up and go to the airport to pick up Andrea. After picking Andrea up, we drove down to Provo and said hi to Paul, Kate, Grant, Ella, and Uncle Rob, who was staying with Paul and Kate. I was wiped out and slept very good Monday night.
Tuesday morning I was back on US time and woke up early. Andrea and I went for a walk up City Creek Park. They have put different animal tracks in cement tiles between North Temple and the park. It was fun to look at the different animal tracks, and I look forward to helping Grandkids discover these tracks. We walked quite a long way up the canyon. They are doing some constructions somewhere, because there were a dozen big cement trucks that passed us going one way or the other as we climbed up the canyon.
It was the fall of 1995 when I spent about a week in Salt Lake City with my Dad when the doctors at the LDS Hospital attempted to remove his cancer. I stayed at a guest house in the Avenues. The habit became that every morning I would run up the hill, and along the street which made a sharp right turn and circled around to the Utah state capital building. I would follow jog along this road to City Creek and then jog up the canyon. I went farther and farther, and on three days made it all the way to the Rotary Club Park at the top of City Creek Canyon. It is a beautiful canyon, with a nice stream and beautiful trees. There are a few people who walk or run up the canyon, and I am always surprised when I go up the canyon there are not ten times more people there. The first day I was in Salt Lake I was watching TV in Dad's room and saw Mike Leavitt on TV. It was the first time I learned he was the Governor of Utah. I called up and made an appointment and had a nice meeting with him later in the week. I gave him a copy of my book `New Technologies in Exploration Geophysics.'
The second morning, when I got to the end of the avenues, where the road takes a sharp right end, there was a bunch of police and ambulances there. It turns out a couple of drunks were driving in a Farari very fast late the night before. They tried to stop when they saw the road dead ended, and were going to fast. Slamming on the brakes caused the front end of the car to go down closer to the ground, and the road ended the front of the car was just above the curb. The car was going so fast, the front tires both blew out when they hit the curb. The car is shaped like a wedge, and it became the front end of an axe, cutting off the posts that held the guard railing, right at ground level, and bending the guard rail up in an arch that showed how the car had gone under it. The car then cut through a telephone pole that was in the way, leaving it hanging in the air by it's wires, and plunged down into City Creek Canyon, where it exploded shortly after impact. However, the driver and passenger were so inebriated and loose, that when the car landed they were just fine, and they were able to get out of the car before it started on fire.
The last morning I was there with Dad I left about 6:00 AM for the run and didn't get back until about 2:00 in the afternoon. When I got to the Rotary Park I decided to keep going, and I followed the trail for several miles. It is absolutely beautiful up the canyon, and I completely lost track of the time. When I got back and showered and to Dad's room he was sitting up in his bed dressed and ready to go, and his first words were `Where have you been?' When the Doctors opened him up they found the cancer was everywhere in his upper intestines and there was nothing they could do to resect it. So they had stapled him back up and told him to go home and die sometime in the next six weeks. He lived a bit longer than six months after that. Dad was tough. Much tougher than any of you kids or I will ever be. And as Andrea and I walked up City Creek Park there were all of these stories to tell her, and many more emotions which I could not put into words to feel and play out in my mind.
Tuesday, the first morning Andrea and I walked up City Creek Canyon, we left for our walk about 7:00 AM got back to City Creek Motel about 10:00 in the morning. We spent several hours in The Church History Museum, which had a very nice set of displays celebrating the 200th birthday of the Prophet Joseph Smith. Joshua and Audrey invited us out to their house to eat a dinner of roast beef, corn, rice, and a tossed salad with them. They are starting out their life together with a house bigger than I had until I moved to 1307 Emerald Green in the fall of 1984 when I was 34 years old. I'm glad I don't have to clean it, especially with two big dogs roaming around the house. But then, why should this come to my mind, since I have very seldom cleaned the house I live in? It was a wonderful evening, and the more time I spend around Joshua the more impressed I am with him. He sees Audrey see beyond her initial reactions, and is a very caring individual. It was a perfect evening. Maybe because Joshua sang me one of his songs, and I sang him one of my songs. Audrey and Andrea seemed to disappear when we played the guitar.
We went for a shorter walk on Wednesday morning. We had to be back to go to the airport. People were starting to arrive for Joshua and Audrey's wedding. Grandma Shirts and Andrea went shopping at ZCMI's while I went to say hello to Parker Gay, who had just left town, and Bob Ehrlich, who was just leaving town. It was fun to catch up with Bob. I enjoy him a lot. They have had some significant success with their oil and gas exploration company, and have several dozen places to drill located in Southern Illinois, Tennessee, and the surrounding area. I'm more convinced than ever that the Dynamic Resources virtual oil company model is right on track. Oh well! Time will tell if I'm ever able to pull it together and perform against the vision.
Grandma Shirts, Andrea, and I walked up to the Salt Lake Temple Wednesday evening and met Audrey and Joshua so Audrey could take out her endowments. Joshua and I did vicarious washings and anointings for folks who have died while this was going on. I had completed 9 washings when I was told they were waiting on me for the endowment session. Opps! I was about the last one there. There were almost a dozen young people going through the endowment ceremony for the first time. It was wonderful to look across the room and see the shining faces. Audrey is beautiful and definitely stood out among her peers. Joshua had asked me to be his escort, and that was special for me. When his Dad arrived, I changed places with him, so he could sit next to Joshua. After the temple session, Andrea and I took both families to the Market Street Grill for dinner. A second perfect evening.
Thursday was the big day. I don't remember what happened in the day. I was feeling jet lagged and did not go for a walk with Andrea. She went up City Creek Canyon again. The wedding was in the afternoon. It was a colored wedding, which means that attendees all wore suits and street clothes and not the white clothes normally worn in the temple. Because of the large number of weddings in the Salt Lake Temple, I think most, if not all of the weddings are this way. The waiting room in the basement is the first time folks from both families meet each other. Of course, I don't remember the names of any of the people I met. I really like Joshua's parents, and I was particularly impressed with his maternal Grandmother, and her candor and feisty spirit. Reminds me of my Grandma Hafen.
Even though we are not from the Salt Lake area, we had a pretty good contingent to represent Audrey's side of the family. Besides Andrea and myself and Grandma Shirts, Russell and Marilyn Shirts drove up from Ivans (St. George), Kirsten, Randy, Kathryn Shirts drove up from Provo, Kim and Gigi Nielson - Andrey's Dad's brother and wife were able to make it, Ella Dawn and Paul and Kate drove up from Provo, Taylor and Melanie and Jared were there from Vidor, Texas, and Bridget and Justin. The temple ceremony is very simple, and there was a very strong good spirit there. The sealing was performed by a Japanese American, which was very touching to Andrea, who served her mission in Japan. He gave good advice, and for some reason I did not get any of it written down. I think Melanie passed my notes on to Audrey, so hopefully they are in the family record someplace. I remember Joshua's smile as he looked inside his ring and said `You really did write it there!' Then he read to us `I really, really, really like you!' Joshua and Audrey Waldron, hopefully this will be the case every day the rest of your lives. Including those days you have a disagreement, at least by the time you get down on your knees to say a prayer together before going to sleep.
After the ceremony, I retrieved my digital camera and we made
our way outside, where we were able to join with Roice, Sara Ellyn,
Rob, Rachel, and Matt. There are 173 digital images and 1 nice movie
at http://www.walden3d.com/photos/Family/06_JoshuaAudrey/0505_Audrey_Joshua that summarize the events of the week.
The picture to the
right shows Joshua and Audrey Waldron as they first emerged
from the temple as a married couple Click here for a high resolution version. They were very happy.
One of Audrey's friends from college also got married and
it was fun to watch them catch up. Of course, what was special
for me was to have 8 of my children together for this most
special occasion. After the photos we walked down to Lamb's
Restaurant, where the Waldron's provided a wonderful dinner
for all of us. Then some of Joshua's friends performed.
They are very good musicians. I think they could improve by
not scrunching up their faces and making their voices sound
like they are singing through a long period vibrato microphone.
And that's probably because I grew up in the era of hippies
and acoustic guitars.
Friday was the day of the reception. Sara Ellyn, Taylor, Andrea, and I started the day out with a walk up City Creek Canyon. We spent most of the time in the memorial park at the bottom of the hill. We did go up past were Salt Lake High Schools have special places they have built. It is such a pretty place. I thoroughly enjoyed walking up the canyon this trip. Maybe it is because it is so much prettier than the desolate wastes of far Western China (0518.html). In the morning some of us went to see The Testaments, a movie about Christ in Jerusalem as described in the Bible and in Bountiful as described in the Book of Mormon. I am always deeply spiritually touched by these stories.
When Paul and Kate arrived with Grant and Ella Dawn we all drove down to Joshua and Audrey Waldron's house. There was Grandma Shirts, Andrea, Roice, Paul, Kate, Grant, Ella Dawn, Melanie, Jared, Taylor, Sara, Rob, Rachel, Matt, Bridget, Rachel Lee, and myself. It was a full house, and Joshua and Audrey Waldron were certainly gracious hosts. We stopped at a sandwich shop on the way back to the City Creek Motel. Looking back over the digital photos, the memories of how much fun these times together were. We made it back to the motel, got ready, and proceeded up in back of Fort Douglas to the Red Butte Gardens Orangerie and the reception.
I thought the reception was perfect. It was in a fancier
place than I am used to going to wedding receptions at.
We didn't pay for any of it, and so there is certainly no
reason for me to complain. I loved the fruit decorations.
It was the first time I had seen a chocolate fountain. It
was raining some of the time, and so Joshua was not able to
have the family photos taken outside.
I thought the ones I
took that were in focus turned out excellent, as shown by the photo to the left.
Weddings are always awkward because you have never met the
folks from the other side of the family. And we are not from
Salt Lake, so we did not have large numbers of Nelsons and
Hafens and Shirts and Bairds in attendance. Oh well! Aunt
Sara drove up. And all the rest of us that had been hanging
around together for the previous couple of days were there.
I was so impressed with how well everything went. Normally
there are miscommunications, hurt feelings, or some other type
of social foopas accompanying momentous events. I've come to
put this kind of stuff down to the spirit of Satan fighting
to place wedges between family members and to thwart Heavenly
Father's plan for eternal families. I was very impressed with
how everything went, and was honored to be able to participate.
I'm sorry Audrey's Dad is struggling so much and was not able
to support her, and I'm glad I was able to be there and not
stuck on an overnight train somewhere in Western China.
After it was all over, everyone worked together, and it was all cleaned up in about a half an hour. We took the vases in our rental SUV. Joshua and Audrey Waldron left in an extra long black limousine. The sun was set on a momentous and very special occasion, and the Salt Lake City lights were shining across the whole Salt Lake Valley. As we drove off of the mountain I felt really good about the day and the week. When we got back to the motel, Corey, my cousin Debra Wood's daughter, came by the hotel. It was fun to see her and to see her interact with you kids. She is a very strong person, just like her Mom and her Grandpa, my Uncle Tony Hafen.
Saturday morning I took the vases back to the store they came from. It turns out they were not opened, and I was finally able to raise someone by calling information and calling the number. It turned out just fine. When I got back to the motel, I stayed and packed and showered and got things together while Andrea went for a walk. I had purchased a bunch of small gifts in China (shell bracelets, ties, hangey things, and bookmarks), and we divided these up among the folks that wanted one. Sara Ellyn took a tie and mentioned it was for Charlamagne. When we hugged to say good by, I did not hug her correctly, she started crying, saying `What did I do wrong?' I asked Andrea to leave the room, she was picking up things and didn't move as quick I thought she should, and I strongly asked her to leave the room so I could talk to Sara and not bring her into what was certain to become a problem. I tried to diplomatically tell Sara my concerns. She left in tears and I was torn up for the next several weeks. Sara never has been by the house since then when I have been home. She spent a week with Melanie, then moved to Austin to live with Roice and Sarah Elizabeth. I'm sure this 10 minute event is a giant part of the reason I am so far behind on writing these Thoughtlets. I guess it was too much to expect that the whole week would be perfect. There are a lot of emotions tied up in these events. And in my family of origin, there is a tradition of turning weddings into negative events. Oh well! At least I left Salt Lake thinking that Joshua and Audrey Waldron were happy with everything tied to their wedding.
Grandma Shirts, Andrea, Rachel, Matt, Rob, and I drove south. We stopped in Provo so Rob could pick up some clothes for the weekend. Then we stopped in Spanish Fork and gave a birthday present to Madison Staheli. It was good to see Wesley, Madison, Logan, and Carly. They all seem to be doing very good. It was a short and a very nice visit. The ride to Cedar City was quiet. I was wrapped up in my emotions and my fears. I think everyone else was worn out.
When we got to Cedar City we went right to Burger King, where Matt went in and talked to the manager about applying for a job. Then we dropped of Rachel, and then Andrea and Grandma and Rob, and then Matt and I went to a couple of other places where he also applied for a job. Because Matt's father lives in Utah, and because he grew up in Utah, by moving him to Utah and getting him a job immediately after High School, he is able to apply for in state tuition. This was why it was so important to drive down to Cedar City and then back to Salt Lake to catch a plane on Sunday. In the afternoon we went to see Steve and Jill Shirts' new house in Fiddlers. It is very big, and very nice. I really enjoy their little daughter Stephanie. She is the only niece on born after Andrea and I got married. We played hide and seek in the house. Then Rob and I got into a rubberband war. It was a lot of fun. Bradley, Steve and Jill's son, made a quote worth documenting: `Some people see us red heads as angry blondes.' In the evening we went to see Hitchhiker's Guide to the Universe. I was still jet lagged, and had a very hard time staying awake during the movie. Sometime we will rent it and I will see the parts I missed in the Cedar City theater.
We got up early the next morning, and Andrea, Rob, Matt, and I drove back north. We stopped and dropped off Rob at Paul and Kate's. Then the three of us went to the airport. Matt was on a different flight than Andrea and me. And I flew to Houston with Andrea, but then continued on to Washington D.C. So Matt took my big suitcase with his graduation present from China inside it back to Houston with him. And thus ended the week that sealed a couple for eternity, creating a family unit named Joshua and Audrey Waldron."
