My 500 Words

In junior high school, one of my math teachers convinced ten or twelve of us to learn some simple computing in an optional after-school club using an Atari system. We had to learn some BASIC programing language and we got to design some of our own games. Most of us started by writing programs that would quiz kids on math facts. I wrote programs to practice addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. It was cool to write the code and then see it come to life, especially when someone else actually played your program. I finished the club with a group project where we programmed a bouncing ball breakout-style game with sound. Lacking an outlet to practice those nascent computing skills I missed any opportunity to be an early creator of computer software, instead I became an early adopter and consumer. I was delighted when my parents got us an in-home computer. I’m embarrassed to say that I don’t even remember the name of the computer manufacturer. I do remember that when we bo...

Like a previously owned car, if it’s better than what you had before it really is new to you. You can know that someone else used to drive the car and call it her own, but those facts shouldn’t stand in the way of your enjoyment. It might take a little time, a few road trips and perhaps a dent in the fender, but sooner or later you can not only call it your own, it will feel like it was always yours. My dad was born in Canada and most of my grandparents were either born or lived there. All of my dad’s siblings made their homes in Canada and my two oldest siblings were also born there. But my mom and dad moved back down to the states and settled near my maternal relatives. The combination of having fourteen siblings and my father working in jobs that earned enough for our needs, but not very much in ways of extras meant that we didn’t get to see our Canadian cousins as often as we liked. The trips we did make stand out in my mind and rank amongst the best of childhood times. Some...

The historic Mormon Tabernacle is an impressive structure that so efficiently carries sound that musicians love to perform in its immersive space. The tortoise-shell dome and the almost completely open hall allow any performer to hear the music as it reverberates from the back walls toward the main stage. This building allows a clarity of sound whether it comes from a full orchestra and choir, a chamber group, a single voice or even a pin drop on a wooden podium. The acoustics create one of the greatest places on earth to either perform or enjoy the melodious sounds by talented artists. The Tabernacle has hosted many world-class performers but it also allows talented amateur artists the chance to put on display their own growing skills. Each year, Utah’s high schools select singers from their elite choirs to form a gigantic 400 or 500 voice All-State Choir. They then invite a respected director to come and work with these kids in a once-in-a-lifetime chance. Most will never sing in...

I was 16 years old when The Wall hit theater screens. I really looked up to my brothers and my brother-in-law who were fans of Pink Floyd. I didn’t really understand the album’s message but I acted the part and mimicked much of what my family said about the music in an attempt to sound smarter than I was.  My next oldest brother had recently turned 18 and when he said that he was going to the movie I begged him to let me tag along. He agreed, and the only question was how I was going to get into this show that required that viewers be older than 17 or be accompanied by a parent or a guardian. We decided that we were going to go to the movie at the giant screen at the Villa theater. We arrived early and as we stood in the Villa parking lot there was a lot of excitement about the show and everyone wanted it to live up to the hype. Pink Floyd music was playing on boom boxes and car stereos. Some people carried Walkman cassette players and immersed themselves in the tunes they we...

It was a simple slip of the tongue that took me back 25 years. My daughter had just made an offhand remark about peanuts.I had recently purchased a megabox filled with individual serving size packets of almonds, cashews and peanuts from our neighborhood Costco. I said, “Go down to the fruit room and get some.” You probably missed the slip of the tongue. You see, my family and I have lived in our home for five days shy of twenty years. In all of that time we have had a pantry or a storage room, but we have never had a fruit room. So why would I ask my fourteen-year-old daughter to go down to the fruit room to get a bag of peanuts? The answer has everything to do with my childhood. My mother didn’t have an actual orchard in our backyard but we had trees of many varieties.  Peach, pear, apricot, apple and cherry trees as well as vines that produced both green and red grapes. Because we were 14 children total and up to twelve of us kids lived at home at one time, my mom became the...

Once again, I didn’t make it. I have set a personal goal to watch all of the sessions of General Conference during the live broadcast. That goal requires me to watch six two-hour sessions of church talks. This year I made it up until the final session but I lost it during the end of Elder Christofferson’s talk. I’m not sure at what point I nodded off, but I didn’t wake up until the middle of Elder Keetch. As soon as I awoke my first thought was, just like a die hard Cubs fan, “Maybe next year.” Later I heard about a new craze that might be hitting Mormon communities. People were talking about this made up word that got introduced by Elder Durrant during the one talk that I completely missed during the conference. The word is ponderize. Elder Durrant and his family would choose a verse of scripture each week and spend time during the week pondering its meaning but also memorizing the verse. It apparently made for a beautiful conference address but it came with tremendous backlash whe...

Camping. That single word carries the alternate power to either inspire or cause unmistakable dread. Some see mountains and deserts as escapes that offer near infinite opportunities to explore in settings that are simultaneously serene and stimulating. Others cringe at the thought of surviving without the common comforts of modern convenience, especially those that come from running water and mattresses. I count myself as someone completely enamored by the idea of camping but too timid to explore on my own. The fears of getting lost or encountering a wild animal are enough to require a guide to accompany me when I go out to explore. So when I go out with a backpack and a sleeping bag I make sure to tag along with family and friends. On these trips I have discovered that most campers are happy to follow the ever increasing trend toward bringing all the comforts of home while you are out on the campout. Many people simply drive a motor home which, by definition, means taking an ac...

I’ve been involved in more arguments than I’d like to count. Most arise out of the course of practicing law. The structure of a litigated resolution demands argument by the respective parties. My professors taught that the adversarial system intentionally pits opposing viewpoints before a neutral fact finder. When done correctly and each side effectively presents its own interests and uncovers the flaws of the other, advocates of the adversarial system opine that truth will emerge through the vigorous contest between these opposing points of view. I believe in the adversarial system and have see it work beautifully in the discovery of truth. But even this system fails to persuade the entrenched litigant who refuses to see any perspective other than her own. In my experience, the adversarial system especially fails to persuade those who are not only convinced of their correctness, but insist on others being wrong. This a fundamental goal of the adversary system is to present dispute...

I love the Old Testament.  Recently someone joked that much of Leviticus has proven properties to combat insomnia. I laughed because I have personally used the Old Testament to get me to sleep, especially in my youth. Nonetheless I recognized that the joke carries the undertone of why so many people glance over the Old Testament rather than find the many gems that glimmer the light of truth. The Old Testament does present some obvious challenges. The lifestyle and culture are alien to our present day life and most translations use words and phrases that our out of step with modern speaking style. We also have other writings and scripture that seem so much clearer. It is not uncommon to simply skim the Old Testament and then move on to the more understandable teachings of Christ and his apostles. I decided to take myself to task and read the first two chapters of Leviticus. These chapters discuss the sacrifice of herd, fowl and grain. To my lifestyle and moral code, these sac...

In the northwest quarter of Madrid lies the quiet neighborhood of Saconia where most of the hustle and bustle comes from children getting to and from school. Each morning, my companion and I would pass by the school playground as the children would laugh and giggle as they ran and played. Their carefree attitudes reminded me of the happiness that can sometimes get lost as we mature into responsible and ostensibly more rational adults. I saw the beginnings of that maturation when our passing coincided with the appearance of the teacher. Suddenly, all games would cease and the children would quickly form lines, waiting to be called into their classes. Innocence remained the primary characteristics of their countenances, but some had already mastered the ability to lose any sense of joyous expression. These few adroitly eliminated anything that resembled the happiness they displayed moments before and in its place glared a stoic, almost lifeless gaze. Leaving the children behind, w...

A long time ago in our very own galaxy, leaders of diverse political parties gathered to remedy problems that plagued the young republic that had been created by the Articles of Confederation. Their victory, earned during the Revolutionary War, had given them the right to pursue their own governance but they soon realized that they had missed the mark on their first attempt. They needed a better balance between federal and state rights and they needed to guarantee the rights of individual Americans. Supermajorities were needed before Congress could act and they couldn’t raise money through taxes. What laws they did enact could not be imposed upon the states and the federal government became a dependent appendage with no means to correct its mistakes. From state to state, individuasl had no certainty of their rights and privileges as citizens of the United States of America. Those were times of great uncertainty. Then came the Constitutional Convention, scheduled to start on May 14...

I am a flip-flopper. I have held very strong positions that I later eschew for sometimes completely contrary viewpoints. For some reason the suggestion that someone has changed his or her mind results in a collective conclusion suggesting indecision and ineffectiveness. So without any fear that one day I may have to defend myself to a voting public, I share my opposition to the death penalty and my hope that the United States citizenry will come to a point where we place ourselves above the visceral desires for vengeance and honor our own self respect by allowing those who have committed great acts of evil to live. In my youth, I argued that the death penalty should be utilized because it performed several useful functions. I believed that it served as a powerful deterrent to others so that such acts would be lessened over time. I believed that it served justice as a fair consequence for actions that were determined to be so heinous that death was the only punishment that approxima...

As far back as I can recall, I always wanted to practice law. I can document this desire to the 7th grade when a teacher gave my class an autobiography assignment that included a final chapter about where we thought we would be in ten years time. Aside from the misconception of law school being “the hardest year of my life,” the story I wrote captured the enthusiasm that I have for the concepts of rules and freedom and the need for both to achieve happiness as individuals and a society. For me, I knew I could find that happiness in the law. Through good fortune, I get to work with children and young adults as I represent their interests in juvenile court proceedings. I find myself frequently and simultaneously perplexed and amazed by the worlds that these young people create to make some sense out of a nonsensical circumstance. Whenever children become the victims of abuse or neglect the ultimate analysis always concludes that the unspeakable wrongs manifest complete and utter nons...

I can’t recall what it was they did. One  might have told a really bad joke and laughed at himself for telling it. Another might have just kept talking when the time had long past to start listening. Someone else might have argued a futile point just for the sake of it. And yet another might have turned a sad situation to pure joy with unfeigned, unconditional  love and devotion. Whatever the circumstance I know that I repeated the phrase, “That’s the Newton in him” dozens of times while I was visiting with family at my cousin Scott’s funeral. I often refer to my family as Newtons whether they are Burtons, Yeatses, Davises, Hansens, Ridings, Demeesters, Salmons, Wilcoxes or Harkers. My dad is Wallace. His dad is Lawrence. His dad is Sam, S.S. or Samuel. His father is Benjamin and his father is Benjamin. Benjamin’s father is Richard and his father is William and his father is believed to be Thomas. Besides being William’s father, all that I know about Thomas is that he was ...

A teacher at my children’s school posed some questions to get parental thoughts about art education. I found the questions stimulating and they moved me to reflection. Here are my thoughts. Why is art an essential component of a child's education in America today? Art classes present a unique opportunity to explore learning in a forum that most children and parents will see as fun. Participating in school should be enjoyable and when art teachers demonstrate how, so called, “hard” principles of math, history’s horrors and complex social issues can be explored, communicated and understood through art, the entire curriculum becomes synergistic and supportive. Too many times we encounter the need to emphasize either science, or the humanities, or the arts. Art classes can play a key role in unifying all of these education disciplines; and all the while the kids are having fun and the adults are inspired by the insights the children continually display. How has your child ben...

My daughter participated in an annual New Beginnings program that welcomes girls into our church’s Young Women group. During the event all the participants who know the organization’s theme are invited to stand and recite it. The theme includes the enumeration of eight key values that are a focus of their personal progress during the six years they spend in the group. Those values are: faith, divine nature, individual worth, knowledge, choice and accountability, good works, integrity and virtue. The Young Women leaders had asked the girls to talk about these traits as they related to the year’s theme of “embark in the service of God.” My daughter spoke on the relationship between choice and accountability and service. She highlighted the lesson that Joshua tried to teach the Israelites. He taught them of the need to leave behind false gods that had corrupted their worship and confused their belief. He invited them to choose whom they would serve and left no doubt about his position...

Jeff always did things first. At times I considered his advantage something that was obviously unfair. He went to school, drove a car, flew in a plane, met our favorite band, served a mission, graduated college and received a graduate degree, all before I did. And this was just because he happened to be born before I was. With less than two years separating us, it seemed there should be some chances for me to do something before he got the chance. Now that Jeff turns 50, I’m happy to let him lead the way. As they say, “First is the worst.” While there are many areas where Jeff gave me a great example, the value of a quality education certainly stands out. Jeff was a persistent and determined student and always strove to do his best, even when he had already satisfied what the teacher or professor might have expected. He always did what he could to do his best and he benefitted by earning an education that allows him to meet his needs and bless others all the time. Jeff’s pursui...

The massive structure stands as a solemn witness of deep reverence. The sacred structure has been built and rebuilt over the centuries. It serves as a central point that connects the present to the past and promises a hopeful future. Its majesty lures millions to cross the threshold and partake of prayerful communion. Many who come, arrive dirty and tired after a long journey filled with quiet contemplation and purposeful abnegation. While those who travel long bring a spirit of sacrifice, all who enter can feel the power of faith, as long as they are willing. I have entered the cathedral in Santiago de Compostela many times and I have never been disappointed, even though my expectations are extraordinarily high. I have walked in as a tourist who was fascinated by the architecture, textiles, sculptures, and paintings that adorn the holy place. I was intrigued to witness the botafumeiro (thurible) as it wafts the incense through the chapel. And there is no better day than July...