Priesthood lesson #41

I wasn't feeling well so I didn't teach the lesson this week. However I do have a few comments.

lesson #41

First, I'm glad that there wasn't any avoidance of D&C 132 "Then shall they be gods..."

Second the following quote: "He also taught that unless a man and a woman enter into the covenant of eternal marriage, “they will cease to increase when they die; that is, they will not have any children after the resurrection.” Those who do enter into this covenant and remain faithful “will continue to increase and have children in the celestial glory.”1 

I guess we are left to ourselves as to what that means. It could mean several things, from bearing children to keeping our children by covenant.

My Employer

I’ve had this thought bouncing around my head for several years and it is about time that I get it down on paper. I don’t want to be guilty of the sin of ungratefulness but more just because I want to make this public, even if no-one ever reads it.

My career took a major step when I started programming on an apple, and the Motorola 68000 processor. I thought that the instruction set and model made much more sense than the competing Intel offering. It isn’t to say that I was an Apple fan. I wasn’t. Never have been. But the Motorola chip was superior from this programmer’s standpoint.

Once I graduated, my wife and I moved to Phoenix, mainly out of desperation as the country was in a recession and my wife landed a job at a small software company. Eventually, I ended up working there too, in the hardware portion of the company (where I worked with embedded M6805 processors). Eventually, I could see the writing on the wall and the need to find a new job. After an online posting, a recruiter asked me if I would mind moving to Chicago and working for Motorola. I responded that “You’ll be able to hear the sonic boom from there.” I interviewed for a position where once again I’d be working for my beloved 68k processor. I eventually helped find a memory leak that had been plaguing a system for 10 years.

Since then, I haven’t regretted my time with Motorola. Yes, the company is about 1/3 the size of when I started, but I still love working there. I work with good people. Motorola has helped me gain my master’s degree in Computer Engineering. It has made it possible to adopt three wonderful children. It has helped me obtain the “American Dream” where I own my own home, free and clear. It has provided insurance so that my fourth child could be born and my wife survive a harrowing childbirth. It has given my family and me a wonderful life these past 15 years. I will always be deeply grateful for the opportunities provided by Motorola in my personal and professional life. It doesn’t seem to be that most people work for the company they’ve always wanted to work for, and are extremely happy being there. I don’t feel that they have abused my devotion nor my time. I know that at sometime in the future, Motorola may not have need of my services, and if that time does come, my gratitude will be none the less. I have enjoyed my time there and for the most part, worked with exceptional people. (Of course, that can’t be universal, and I’m sure some aren’t fond of me either.) I don’t hope that day comes, as I’ll be more than happy retiring from the company. But if it does, I’m still happy for the help in creating my family and will be eternally grateful for what they did provide for me.

This isn’t as eloquent as I would like to be, but, hey, I’m an engineer. It’s the best I can do.

Target Women

http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=BCC4543D90EF62A6
One of my guilty pleasures.

High School Football

I try and take in a football game every week. I do it mostly to watch people. That's what I do...and I think I mentioned that in an earlier post. Most of the time it just reminds me of the awkward time High School was. Something else manifested though a few weeks back.  I was sitting in a section of the stands and before I realized it, I was surrounded by female teenagers. As I slowly made my way to another section, mostly to avoid any complications associated with a 40 year old hanging out with the teenagers, I came to a realization.

Why was I so intimidated by girls when I was younger? Clearly, the girls surrounding me that night were complete idiots. They weren't any different than the boys, who were also complete idiots. Wow. Did I waste a few years there not dating. I could have had a lot more fun.

Perhaps the problem was that I was a troll. And I'm not just talking about living in the Lower Peninsula of Michigan (trolls live under the bridge....get it? Michigan joke.) I was sitting there in the football game watching these kids and how they acted and how it was different than my time growing up. Most had cell phones and many had cell phones with earphones in their ear. That made me wonder what in the world they were doing there, if they weren't even paying attention to those around them. I know I watched one kid who had a very pretty girl sitting next to him. I wanted to slap him aside the head and bring it to his attention that he had a stunner sitting there and he was texting his friend Bill about how he liked the last MP3 he was sent. Excuse Me! Look around you, you moron. Idiot. Girls are the most important thing in the universe and you have one RIGHT THERE!

Being a troll, I can see things like that now. And girls still make me nervous. Luckily I'm married to one that works her way past that.

Who are these people?

Depression Thoughts

For some that know me or read this blog, I had a time in my life where I was hit hard by depression. It's been 22 years and it still represents a black hole in my life. Probably because it was at a time when I had little possibility for distraction. In any case, I find I'm still coming to terms with it. I'm not sure why, other than it depresses me just thinking back on those times. Generally, the years after that have been absolutely wonderful, and I have very few regrets.

My wife is now sorting through pics taken during that time, and it brings back more memories. That and this blasted Facebook thing has put me in touch with some of the great people of that time. Now I'm hit by age. Here are photos and I can't for the life of me remember the names. I can see their manerisms, hear their voices, and remember how they looked. These people played huge roles in my life...and I can't remember names. To be honest, I can't remember names very well anyway, but it is frustrating.

I did find a post of someone else that had depression hit them.

http://mormontimes.com/mormon_voices/tequitia_andrews/?id=9383

I at least find that others that have gone through the same experience also looks for and avoids triggers. The annoying part for me is some of the triggers for me are part of my church functions. Hometeaching brings me anxiety attacks. Why? Don't know. I've learned some of my responses are completely irrational. Doesn't mean it doesn't happen. I hate the experience but there it is. It isn't something that I would wish on others. I'm just glad that I'm not the only one that has a similar way of dealing with depression. I've found that I need quite a bit of alone time where I just watch things. Trains, people in a public place, water going by. I find them mentally calming.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not generally psycho. I don't think I need counciling. I just know what sets me off and how to deal with it. Others have probably the same issues, but maybe don't realize what it does for them.

Anyway, that's the thought for the moment.