Hockey and Selfies

A Family Selfie

It's been a while since I posted anything about my family up north in Canada.  They're doing well.  The kids are growing like weeds.  They're undaunted by the snow and ice!

Recently they attended a hockey game as a family.  Hockey is the national sport of Canada, eh?

The Ottawa Senators

 I think hockey games are a lot of fun... and so does my nephew Daniel's family.  They had good seats for this game.  They said the game was great, and they enjoyed the fun half-time show as well.

Prime Ministers came out at half time!

My favorite part is seeing the happy expressions on their faces.  

Daniel, Fred, Holly and Livia

To forge a joyous family is a wonderful thing.  Looks like all is well is Ottawa!

Team Tee Shirt Day

Carlos showing off his shirt

I think I've mentioned before how much I love my co-workers.  We have a truly nice and talented bunch of people working for our company!

Our latest company activity was a "Wear your favorite team tee-shirt, jersey or cap" to work day.
This took place on Friday, January 30th.

Brian laughing at my lack of logo knowledge

We all took up the challenge!

Barbara looks cute showing off her team shirt

 It was fun seeing what people were wearing.

Bruce is a Lakers fan

I think we all secretly enjoy dressing up weird.

Laura's tee could have doubled as a mini-dress!

Laura borrowed a tee from her son that could have doubled as a mini-dress!  She looked very nice, but it was funny.  I should have gotten a photo of her standing up, so you could really see it!  It was huge on her.

Arnold looked handsome in his jersey
I wish my auto-focus wouldn't go wonky every now and then!

Some people surprised me.  I hadn't counted on Nikita being a Lakers' fan!

Nikita looks cute in her jersey!

And I was surprised when our company president brought his shirt in and hung it up - symbolically - in the kitchen!  He apologized and said he had to attend several business meetings that day and couldn't be wearing this Chiefs shirt.

At least he got into the spirit of the thing!

Company President Jimmy brought in his Kansas City Chiefs tee, but refused to wear it!

Some people just chose to wear a hat.

Sabrina's is quite jaunty.

Sabrina enjoyed her noodles with her team cap on

 Anthony wore his LA cap proudly.

Anthony was stylin' in his LA cap

I, of course, had to wear my BYU shirt. Go Cougars!

We all had a really good time!

Enjoy your weekend everyone!

Family History Saturday

The Lobby of the Masonic Lodge of Whittier

Saturday I enjoyed spending the day with friends at a Family History Seminar put on by the Whittier Area Genealogical Society (WAGS).  It was my first seminar with this group, and the first time I'd ever seen the inside of the Whittier Masonic Lodge.  (It was nice inside.  I just noticed that they still have their Christmas wreaths up - see the above photo!)

The social hall was full of displays from various groups

Maybe that doesn't sound like a lot of fun to you, but, believe me, it's more entertaining than you'd think!  I love the stories about how our ancestors just "want to be found" and how miracles sometimes happen when you're researching your family.

I got the feeling that I and my friends were among the youngest people there!

I met a couple of friends there.  Lisa and Danika are both interested in family history research, too. The place was packed.  There were approximately 200 attendees, which appears to be a WAGS first.

Lisa and Danika

 I also ran into other people I knew!  That was fun!

Jessica (right) and her family friend Suzie

My young friend Jessica shared she is planning on serving an LDS mission later this year.  You go, girl!

The main hall was the site of the presentation

We heard a series of four lectures, two in the morning, and two in the afternoon, with a luncheon in between.  One of these lectures was a live Webinar.  It was amazing to hear people from all over the globe check in to participate with us.  Around 450 people were tuned in on their computers from far-away places like Australia, Wales and France, if I remember correctly.

Geoff Rasmussen preparing for the Webinar

Our lecturer was Geoff Rasmussen.  He had a lot of useful tips on research techniques.  I particularly enjoyed his time-line approach to solving the problem of two people with the same name and how to determine which is your ancestor!

Our lecturer, Geoff Rasmussen

Geoff Rasmussen's bio says he graduated with a degree in Genealogy from BYU (Brigham Young University, also my Alma Mater!) and has served as Director and Vice President of the Utah Genealogical Association.

From what I understand, he helped develop Legacy Family Tree software, and is now the host of the Legacy Family Tree Webinar Series.  In addition, he has authored books, videos, and articles about Family History research.

Geoff told a funny story about meeting his wife - and eventually proposing to her - in the Family History Center in Utah.  He was an engaging speaker, and provided lots of useful information about the challenges of family history research, and how to overcome them.

WAGS had a large crowd attend, as they advertised through Legacy Family Tree

This was an informative and fun way to spend a Saturday.  Now I just need to do the work on my own family tree!

To see the free Webinar we watched being recorded, titled "Googling With Geoff", check out:
Googling With Geoff Webinar

For more information about Legacy Family Tree Webinars, visit:

Family Tree Webinars

Johnny Guitar

Whittier Community Theatre cast of Johnny Guitar
(Left to Right) Jason Miramontes as The Dancin' Kid, Mallory Kerwin as Vienna, and Matthew Berardi as Johnny Guitar

Whittier Community Theatre's next production is coming soon!  The Western musical Johnny Guitar premiers Friday, February 20th.

Some of you may know of the campy Joan Crawford movie this musical is based on.  The film version is a 1954 American Republic Pictures' Western drama, selected in 2008 for preservation by the United States National Film Registry as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".

The movie poster for the 1954 film

The musical theatre version is a fast-paced, family-friendly musical based on this historic Western.  The stage show was the winner of numerous awards as the Best Musical of 2004.

The current Community Theatre production, which opens a week from Friday,  is directed by John Francis, assisted by Nancy Tyler, and stars the talents of Mallory Kerwin, Matthew Berardi, Lindsay Marsh, Jason Miramontes, Greg Stokes, Jonathan Tupanjanin, Justin Murphy, Andy Kresowski and Richard DeVicariis.

Joan Crawford and Sterling Hayden in a scene from the movie

Song legend Peggy Lee made the title song a 1950s a hugely popular hit.  She helped write (with Victor Young) the title song, and sang it herself in the film's closing moments:

Play the guitar, play it again, my Johnny

Maybe you’re cold, but you’re so warm inside

I was always a fool for my Johnny

For the one they call Johnny Guitar

If you are a film buff, you may have seen Johnny Guitar playing briefly in Pedro Almadovar's famous film (one of my favorites!), Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, as two of the main characters are dubbers for the film into Spanish.

The film version of Johnny Guitar also appears in the French film La Sirène du Mississippi, where Jean-Paul Belmondo and Catherine Deneuve go to a showing of it in Lyon and discuss the film in the street afterwards.

The stage version has been described as 

"Pure entertainment delight, Western Style!"  

Y'all come see it now, y'hear?

Friday and Saturdays, February 20th - March 7th, 2015  

(with one matinee on Sunday, March 1st)

The Center Theatre  7630 S. Washington Avenue

Whittier, California

For Ticket information:

go to www.whittiercommunitytheatre.org 

or call 562-696-0600 for reservations 

Monarch Flutterbys

The Monarch Butterfly (Danaus plexippus)

Monarch Butterflies are known to winter in California, but imagine our surprise upon leaving church services yesterday, to find a couple right outside the door!

This little sweetheart butterfly was enjoying the flowers outside the Relief Society room, and my friend Deonne just happened to have her camera with her.

Monarchs are easy to spot because of their orange and black markings and white spots.  In fact, by the markings, I can tell this is a female - which only makes sense, as she was found trying to attend Relief Society!

Wikipedia notes that the western North America population of monarchs who live west of the Rocky Mountains, most often migrate to sites in California for the winter.  Some of them also winter in Mexico.  They obviously have good taste in vacation spots.

Monarchs have also taken a ride into space to the international space station!

When I was growing up, Monarchs were my favorite butterflies.  It was so much fun to see this one enjoying our balmy weather.

A little bee tags behind his lady friend, Miss Monarch

Monarchs are currently in danger due to both genetically modified maize which is killing larvae and widespread herbicide use which is destroying their habitat.  Because of this, a petition has been filed with the US Department of the Interior to have the Monarch declared an endangered species.

Conservationists are also trying to encourage milkweed (an important plant for Butterflies) growth along roadways and power lines.  Reducing roadside mowing and application of herbicides during the butterfly breeding season will encourage milkweed growth.  They are further urging agricultural companies to set aside areas that remain unsprayed to allow butterflies of all kinds to breed.

I'm glad the State of California has instituted various conservation programs, policies, laws, reserves and habitat restoration projects throughout the state to facilitate the health and migration of these beautiful insects.

So, think twice before you spray your garden with chemicals!  Butterflies are worth saving for future generations!

Jack in the Box

Checking boxes is hard work.

Hi, my name is Jack.  I live with my human mom.  It's just the two of us, and let me tell you, I have an active lifestyle taking care of my human!

First, I have to inspect all the boxes that come into our house.

Inspecting the afghan on my chair.. okay, I know it looks like I'm sleeping

Second, I'm keeping a good watch on, well, everything.

You never know what kind of stuff might be lurking in mom's tote bags!
Could be dangerous.

My mom brings home a lot of stuff and I have to inspect it all for safety.  It's my job to make sure our place is free from critters and stuff.

Sniffing for bombs and Ninjas and stuff

It's all a lot of hard work, but that's what I do.  I know mom counts on me to keep her safe!

That's my report.  I'll have to get back to cuddling now.
It's a tough job, but it's my duty.

Reporting from our house.  That's a wrap.

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Merry Crew-mas!

Julie cracking up over her gift

Many years ago my singular group of friends gave up on trying to find a Saturday in December that was free and good for everyone, and began holding our main Christmas party in January.  It was too hard to compete with work, church and family parties during the holidays, and even if we found a day to meet, someone was always rushing off early to be somewhere else.

Holding our party in January means no competition from other distractions and leaves us with a whole day to hang out, eat, have fun, talk, laugh, and exchange gifts.

It's become a tradition, now with the Crew.  In fact, this year a new phrase was coined, "Merry Crew-mas".

Julie and Laura look on while Peggy gives her "look of joy"

For many of us, family is far away, and this is the only "real" Christmas fun we have.  Let me just go on record as saying no kid could have a better Christmas, than the 16 of us adults who celebrate "Crew-mas" together.

Paula showing off her new journal

For one thing, we've all been friends for many years.  Many, many years.  That makes us more family, in some ways, than friends.

Maura smiling for the camera

Secondly, we're all bound together in a geeky, nerdy, fannish bond.  (Yes, we are fannish.  Don't ask.  We're all a little crazy.)

Mark and Robin watch Jackie open her gift

The house where we held the gathering was beautifully decorated with lights, as you can see.  And we all went a little crazy with the talking and laughing and eating way too much.  I arrived around 2 on Saturday and left at... um, ... 2 on Sunday.

Rooting for the BYU Volleyball team in the middle of the festivities

WE LAUGH A LOT.  A WHOLE LOT.

and we open a LOT of presents.  A BOAT LOAD OF PRESENTS.

There were so many presents there wasn't room for them in the living room.  They had to be staged in the back bedroom!

Presents abound in the back bedroom

This is always such a wonderful end to the holiday season.  It gives me something to look forward to every year once actual Christmas and New Year celebrations are past.

I have the best friends, ever.  Thanks for a very Happy Crew-mas!

(Photos by Elaine)