The Juice Box: May 2010

Sunday, May 30, 2010

SUGAR!!

Check THIS out! DRINKS AND THEIR SUGAR EQUIVALENTS.

Razor Blade Cuts, Phone Boxes, and Hoarder Houses

Life as an Installer can get pretty wild. This post will focus on three exciting things from the past 2 weeks.

1. Nick sliced his leg open by a very unfriendly little razor blade protruding out of his bag. I was not there to witness the event but in his words, "blood just gushed out and down my leg." I saw it later. It was a fairly deep slash. Now fast forward 2 days. Opposite leg, same injury. This time I was there. I couldn't help but laugh, then take a picture, and then use my car's first aid kit to bandage him up. Here's the evidence.

2. R.J. Blocks and Phone Boxes. We install two types of systems: Cellular and Two-Way voice. As you would guess, one uses a sim card, like those found in our cell phones(except Verizon and Sprint) and the other goes through the customer's phone line. I'm still getting a handle on the phone line stuff. Here are a few pictures I snapped and sent to Pete and Nick to get assistance.

3. Compulsive hoarding (or pathological hoarding or disposophobia^[1]) is the excessive acquisition of possessions (and failure to use or discard them), even if the items are worthless, hazardous, or unsanitary. This definition is taken from Wikipedia. I have now installed two systems for hoarders. It is both disturbing and a health risk. I have no idea how people live like this. The photos will never do justice for what it is like to step into one of these homes, but here are a few to give you an idea.

Depth of field in this photo is a little challenging. The very bottom of the photo nearly shows the floor. The rest of the picture is of stuff about 3 feet high filling the whole room. "Stuff surfing" would be the only way to enter the room.

I've learned:

1. I don't want to cut my legs like Nick does.

2. I prefer installing cellular systems.

3. I'm grateful I grew up in a clean home(thanks mom) and I want to always live in a clean home.

Saturday, May 22, 2010

Road Biking

I went on a bike ride the other morning. First I took a picture.

Then I wrote a little poem.

I go solo

Pedal harder, not to keep up

But to keep going

Towering trees provide a tunnel

A flat course, unfettered alas

Winding turns, not sure to where

Until I arrive, serenity in a bay

And a bench to breathe it in

Then I did a video.

Then I mapped my ride back.

These are the kinds of things you end up doing for entertainment when you ride alone.

Technology is wonderful.

Now...who wants to join next time?

Monday, May 17, 2010

How to keep People Following?

People constantly check facebook, right? But do people constantly check blogs or do they quit? This post is a test to see if twitterfeed sends my new blog posts as status updates on facebook and new tweets on twitter. Keep fingers crossed for automation!

Dandelions!

A collection of Dandelion photographs from Iowa. Vote in the comments on

your favorite!

Saturday, May 15, 2010

Tribute to Tiana

This is my beautiful friend Tiana. Tonight I texted to her to let her know how great I think she is. She called me a few minutes later and we had an awesome time catching up. As I walked into my apartment, I was overwhelmed with a feeling of gratitude and love. Tiana became a friend to me last fall when I needed one most. She is an incredibly caring, thoughtful, happy, wonderful, spiritual person. When I have lacked faith, she has reminded me to look to Christ. When I have doubted my abilities, she has bolstered my confidence. And when I'm 2,300 miles from almost everyone I know, she is there with a phone call. Tiana is getting married next month and I can't help but smile when I think about it. From talking to her and reading her blog, I can tell she has fallen in love with an amazing guy and I can tell she is so happy. I wish I could be there at her wedding but I know it will be a beautiful day for the two of them. I'm so excited for the two of them! Check out their beautiful photos at http://tianajeppsen.blogspot.com. I'm grateful to have a friend like Tiana. I know she truly cares about me and about my happiness. I know she will always be there. I'm blessed to have such a good friend. Thanks T.

Thursday, May 13, 2010

A Broken Neck and a Gift of Life

I was 4 1/2 years old. This is what I remember. I was tired and my mother was just finishing up at a department store in Salt Lake. Ironically, I don't even know what it was called. I walked over and started turning a large jewelry rack, revealing dangling earrings and necklaces. Due to a simple human failure to secure the two blocks together, the large, heavy block fell over on top of my little boy body. It was probably the whiplash from hitting the ground that broke my neck. X-rays of my head came back clear. My neck wasn't imaged. A couple weeks passed. My neck muscles tensed up so tight that I couldn't turn my head. The doctor's said there was just some lingering issues from the trauma.

Finally we went back to Primary Children's for more x-rays. This time they checked my neck. This time they found the fracture. The next day I had 4 screws in my head, a hal0, and a vest with bars securing the whole fancy system in place. I don't even know how long I was in the halo. I think I should get more details. I think it was 3 months? I remember all the cards that came to the hospital. I remember playing Nintendo there as well. I remember being stared at wherever I went. I remember being loved by my family.

Why did I survive? Why did I not become a paraplegic or a quadriplegic? Why was I spared so that I could live a completely normal and functional life? I can run, swim, jump, bike, ski, wakeboard, play sports, write, think, and live. Other people suffer injuries and aren't so fortunate. Why?

I don't know what my Heavenly Father has in store for me but I hope to live up to it. I have the scars on my head to remind me of the miracle. I am grateful for the chance at life that He gave me. Angels really were there to sustain and protect me. I'm grateful to Dr. Walker who was my surgeon through it all. I can't ever repay my Heavenly Father. But I can try to pay it forward. I can try to be ready to marry one day. I can be a good dad. I can find ways to help others. I can try to bear another's burden. I'm lucky. I'm blessed. And I want to never forget that.