Orgill Cousins

 

Get together at Uncle Ef's house to share memories of Dad.

Raising 'Em Right

I went to the BYU football game today and this is the picture that Stefanie texted me:

Simple Instructions

Stef's instructions to me late last night knowing she'd be leaving early for a volleyball tournament:

"The girls need a bath in the morning. When they get out, just blow dry their hair."

Oh, just that? Just blow dry their hair, eh? Did she forget what my head looks like? Ignore the fact that I haven't ever used a blow dryer. I haven't done anything with hair other than shave it for a decade. I'm about as familiar with a blow dryer and long hair as I am with stirrups and a horse. She might as well have told me to crochet a blanket for the baby after I was done.

I Have the Power

 

Drive in w/the best sleeping bag ever.

In Time

In Time
by Dennis R. Orgill

Briefest moments linger in the stream of time,
Though swiftly months and years may seem to pass.
With languid steps the days may slowly climb,
While ages flow by as through an hourglass.

Timidly or boldly we stumble though our days,
The song seems nearly over ere we gain our voice.
With witless wonder we, in our naive ways,
Decide an endless future by rash impulsive choice.

We cannot guess the import of our simplest move,
Nor understand the where or why or how.
In trial, our best laid plans may fruitless prove,
Yet a chance encounter’s bounty breaks the bough.

Let us then rejoice each day in the day that’s ours,
And thank whatever providence bestows
The rain, the sun, and peace and love-- and flowers,
And for our cup which daily overflows.

Dad's Art

During a visit to my parents' home tonight, my mum showed me a collection of old ink drawings that my dad had done.  Mixed in with various portraits and landscapes were drawings of buildings from around Tooele County and Utah.  A few of them were marked but several had no indication of what buildings they were.  I thought I'd post them here so they could be enjoyed, and so anyone that might know what buildings they are could comment and let me know.  As confirmations come in as to what the buildings are I will add a caption.

Old Second Ward Church

Erda School

Aroet Lucius Hale Home

Governor's Mansion

#5

#6

McCune Mansion

Missouri Homestead

#9

Tooele Clinic

Alec Johnson home

Vernon Chapel

Old Tooele Central School?

If you can't comment here, please email at orgill.od@gmail.com

Straw-scary Shortcake

I walked into the kitchen for a late snack.  Standing at the fridge filling my cup up with ice, I noticed the door to the mud room slowly start to open.  In that initial instant I didn't pay much attention...until I saw movement behind the door.  What took only a second or two felt like an eternity, and then the cause of the door opening revealed itself...

What the freaky Strawberry?  The balloon has been floating around the house since Mya's birthday.  It has lost just enough helium to put it at optimal terror height.  Scary Shortcake indeed.

Bring it on

Time for a new vehicle.  And our small garage meant we were either getting sliding doors, or my car wasn't being parked in the garage.

Tuesday Top 10 - This Is It, MJ's best

The top 10 best Michael Jackson songs of all-time. I'm quite certain my list will include songs different than yours would. Feel free to comment changes you'd make to the list.

10. Jam

9. Another Part of Me

8. In the Closet

7. Beat It

6. Butterflies

5. Remember the Time - Michael's best mix of his singing and the percussive vocals that started to pervade his songs much more commonly at the release of his Dangerous album.

4. Who's Loving You - The soul of a seasoned and mature adult presented through the voice of a 12 year old. This song had previously been recorded by legends Smokey Robinson, The Temptations, and The Supremes, but The Jackson 5 version is widely regarded as THE recording.

3. Human Nature - Accomplishes the incredibly rare feat of feeling comfortable on the R&B, Soul, Pop, or Adult Contemporary charts. So smooth, and so incredibly unique when contrasted against its contemporaries of that musical era. (As an aside, is it any wonder that Thriller absolutely killed it? The range of musical avenues pursued on that one album is remarkable)

2. Man In the Mirror - Michael at his accessible best, a social reform anthem resonating with the individual instead of the typically contrived superstar efforts to put a face in front of a chosen movement. The song climaxes with the quintessential inclusion of a gospel choir in a pop song, the pioneer to be followed by countless others. An all-time favorite to sing along with the volume dial turned way up.

1. Billie Jean - Quincy Jones and Michael disagreed about Billie Jean. MJ loved it. Quincy thought it should be left off the Thriller album. What was Jones' issue with the song? That undeniable base line on the track. MJ won the war, the song got on the album, and that base line has become the most distinguishing sound of MJ's entire musical career. More than 25 years after its release Billie Jean still sounds current. Michael's vocal syncopation spawned pop, rock, and rap fusions. In a word (or three): Undeniable. Musical. Artistry.

A favorites list without Smooth Criminal, The Way You Make Me Feel, or Who Is It? I couldn't really differentiate enough between some of my other favorite ballads (One More Chance, On the Line, Speechless, Don't Walk Away). His remake of Come Together easily could have made it as well (which, like his version of Smile, is my favorite recording of that song).

I guess I should have saved it for a Thursday Thirty.

Track of the Week - #3

We've been watching the latest season of The Sing Off. We missed the first season, but got hooked last year. I've was reviewing some of my favorite performances and this one stands as easily the best song I've heard on the show. Plus, I saw Al Green once having a coffee in the Memphis Airport. That makes me either famous or related to this song or something.
 

Track of the Week - #2

I first came across this group after hearing their remake of "Ain't No Sunshine" on SYTYCD. They're a British musical duo that kind of have James Taylor's lyrical sensibilities, but infuse 'em with some soft soul like After 7 or Babyface. This song was featured on a small online story about some humanitarian efforts in Africa.

Track of the Week - #1

This is the song that I've listened to the most in the last week. And this week it really hasn't been close.

They've got some great songs on their album: With or Without You, Smooth Criminal, Viva La Vida, and Where the Streets Have No Name. The album is worth checking out. I give it two enthusiastic bows up!

http://www.2cellos.com/us/home

Tuesday Top 10 - Worst Things

I'm sure I'm going to miss plenty of doozies but here goes the list, in some particular order left up to reader discretion.

1. Impenetrable plastic clamshell packaging - Stuff that could be used safely as a gun safe shouldn't be used to package a light bulb or a $10 child's toy...and especially not a razor blade. I bought a razor blade because I needed it, not because I had plenty of spares laying around to cut through the bomb shelter protecting the new blade.

2. Small pockets - I don't know how you ladies or metro sexual males do it. But I'm used to jeans having pockets that can fit a wallet or cell phone AND the hand that needs to get into the pocket to remove the wallet or cell phone. I guess that is what a purse is for. But seriously, how do men function with jeans that have tiny pockets? And I'm complaining from the point of view of a guy whose fingers have been toned through years of tennis and keyboard use, not raising cattle or hanging drywall. Long slender fingers make the process easier and yet the last two pairs of jeans I've purchased have me thinking of a European man bag.

3. Church Chairs - Yep. You know the ones. Those horrible gray creations that have wonderful support for the highest part of your upper back...the part that needs no supporting in a proper chair...and that are made out of the hardest metal known to man. Or maybe they're actually made out of that super plastic stuff and then just painted to look like metal. Who decides to order millions of hard chairs with no back support for churches throughout the world?

4. Apple and lemon flavored candy - So many flavors to choose from. So much goodness available in the world. And yet we still have candy makers sticking with apple and lemon. Why? Lime is the new, and present, lemon and should have been the old one too. You know those surveys asking people what flavors of candy should be done away with? No, of course you don't know about those surveys, because they aren't done. How do I know they aren't done? Because if they were, lemon and apple flavors would be long gone by now.

5. Some parents. I'm just gonna leave it at that.

6. Automatic bathroom sinks - We went to the movies the other night. I used the restroom afterwards. And then I stood in front of the sink, waving my hands in front of the faucet for a solid 30 seconds before the water turned on. What magic trick am I missing? I get not wanting to touch the same faucet as everyone else that has just used the bathroom and then washed their hands, but I'll just grab a paper towel to cover the faucet as I turn the water on...except the paper towels have been replaced by air dryers that require you do the Macarena in front of them before they turn on too.

7. Certain garbage lids - Going back to those auto sinks, I'm all about controlling the spread of germs. So please don't make me push down or pull up a garbage can lid in order to put something inside. Give me a hokey-pokey automatic lid or no lid at all over that please.
8. DirecTV "fast" forward - Dish Network has somehow programmed their remote to allow you to fast forward at warp speed. So why when I use DirecTV do I feel like I can still get the gist of every commercial or show that I "fast" forward through because it hardly moves any fast than just watching the show at normal speed? The only thing that really changes is the sound. The "fast" forward button is essentially just a 2nd mute button.

9. Thin straws - You know that next week when a Top 10 Best Things list comes out that Dr. Pepper will be on there. It might make the list 3 times. But Dr. Pepper with a big, fat straw isn't the same as Dr. Pepper through a tiny straw. I will most definitely select my prime cold beverage purchase locations based on their quality of Dr. Pepper AND their straw selection. Don't hate.
10. Ergonomic keyboards - Is "ergonomic" an old buzz word for "not functional" or "not natural except for someone who always wants to embrace the newest technological advances so they pretend like they love it until they are used to it and can't go back?" I didn't set the speed record in Mr. Camp's computer lab with any newfangled keyboard. Just leave me be with the ol' tried and true version.

Phone Pet Peeves

I had to make a few phone calls today at work. I detest being on the phone. I'm surprised I was so late to the texting game because it has really lessened the already very little time I spend on the phone. But now instead of just ignoring call after call until I realized somebody did indeed have something important that needed to be communicated we can just text that information...and realize much more quickly and painlessly that a phone call really wasn't necessary anyway.

But I had to call a few of our vendors to pay some bills, after having waited until the due date so the phone call was a necessity. I didn't even dial a number before I hit a major phone pet peeve...

1-800-ARE-YOU-KIDDING

When I'm looking for a phone number to call, why did the company just give me a bunch of phone letters? I'm pretty familiar with the number pad on my phone, and I can comfortably dial a number without looking, allowing for self-medication with the Dr. Pepper in the other hand. But when you give me letters instead of numbers that means I have to look at the number pad, and it means I have to dial slower, and it means we're already starting off on the wrong foot on this call...

"Please listen to our menu because our options have changed"

I'm okay with automated menus. After holding the phone because I had to look at the numbers to figure out which letters to punch in to spell whatever vanity phone # they have it is nice to be able to hit speakerphone, put the phone on the desk, and then listen to the menu choices while browsing the interweb. It works well because I can just vaguely pay attention to the choices being uttered by the nice lady's voice, and as soon as I hear the "accounting" option I need I know that it was the 3rd option presented so I just push #3...unless the updated menu options go something like this..."If you'd like customer service, push 2"...why would the menu start at 2?..."If you'd like accounting, push 6"...First 2, and then 6? Seriously?..."If you'd to hear these options again, push 8"...Eight? I don't think I've ever heard an automated phone menu ever have an option 8, having to hear the options again always means you push 9 or 0. But even though there were only two options, I had to push 8 again so I could have them repeated because I was so completely thrown off by the only two choices being 2 and 6.

"Yep, I really am talking myself through it...all of it"

I've spent the extra 1.3 seconds it took to dial letters instead of numbers, I sat through the menu options one more time because of the horrendous menu number choices (I'm somewhat surprised they didn't tell me the menu options were C, N, and T instead of 2, 6, and 8), and now the worst part of it starts, actually having to communicate with a living person. At least they are mostly living, most of the time. I usually speak quickly and emphatically, displaying an air of importance and a sense of urgency...like the lady in Bangladesh on the other end is paying attention to any of that. We get through the contrived pleasantries and then get down to business, but for some reason after I tell "Cindy" what needs to be done, she thinks it would be a good idea to walk me through everything she is doing on her end...

"OK, Spectrum...pull it up here...ok, got it...Utah, Grantsville, Main St....punch this in...hmmm, sorry, my system is really just running slowly today...let's wait just one more minute...curried rice...alright, account #, mmmmmm...ok, yep...so slow today...oops, sorry...just one more minute...that's all Mr. Ryan. Is there anything else I can help you with today?"

Potty Training

Potty training week emotions...with pictures.

Floor and furniture are potty proof, 173 pairs of little girl panties ready, and no plans to leave the house for the next week...check.



Okay, we can do this. It always starts slow, but we just had our first success.




I don't know if this is going to happen. It is the same thing, over and over and over again.




We did it!! Two success in a row!!




Why? Whhhyyy???!!!




I've got it!! Why did it take so long to see it? We've finally nailed it.




Nope.




This was supposed to be a good idea, right?




Success!!!

"Send some rain"

My family has always loved the rain. Living in the desert we are often left wishing for more rain to soak the earth and clean the air. Today I think all of my family would tell you that though we still love the rain and hope for it to come soon, we will be grateful for the sun that warms our faces.

Send some rain, would You send some rain?
'Cause the earth is dry and needs to drink again
And the sun is high and we are sinking in the shade
Would You send a cloud, thunder long and loud?
Let the sky grow black and send some mercy down
Surely You can see that we are thirsty and afraid
But maybe not, not today
Maybe You'll provide in other ways
And if that's the case ...

We'll give thanks to You with gratitude
For lessons learned in how to thirst for You
How to bless the very sun that warms our face
If You never send us rain

Daily bread, give us daily bread
Bless our bodies, keep our children fed
Fill our cups, then fill them up again tonight
Wrap us up and warm us through
Tucked away beneath our sturdy roofs
Let us slumber safe from danger's view this time
Or maybe not, not today
Maybe You'll provide in other ways
And if that's the case ...

We'll give thanks to You with gratitude
A lesson learned to hunger after You
That a starry sky offers a better view
If no roof is overhead
And if we never taste that bread

Oh, the differences that often are between
Everything we want and what we really need

So grant us peace, Jesus, grant us peace
Move our hearts to hear a single beat
Between alibis and enemies tonight
Or maybe not, not today
Peace might be another world away
And if that's the case ...

We'll give thanks to You with gratitude
For lessons learned in how to trust in You
That we are blessed beyond what we could ever dream
In abundance or in need
And if You never grant us peace ...

But, Jesus, would You please ...

In a world full of loss, I give thanks for divine providence often brought in unexpected ways and for the lessons it teaches to willing students. And that still each day can be concluded with a hopeful pleading of "But Jesus, would You please..."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=waYUzxK8TYA

BYU, My Dad, and Grandpas

When my age had barely crossed into double-digits there was a scrawny little Texan that had moved to Provo, UT, and taken over my world.

Every Saturday morning my Dad and I would make a trip to the local grocery store for chips, salsa, and Shasta. Then we'd hunker down in front of the TV for another day of Ty Detmer slinging the ball all around the field. BYU football ruled the fall months, and to some degree defined my relationship with my Dad during those years. We both loved it, looked forward to it, talked about it constantly...we shared each other through it...

High school, mission, college, and growing up meant our mutual love for all things BYU carried on, but separately rather than on the same couch in the family room on 335 E. Main Street. I didn't really ever imagine being able to make those same types of memories together with Dad again. Then I moved back to Grantsville and a kid from upstate New York moved across the country and started throwing the ball in the basketball hoop from about as far away as Detmer could throw the football...

Jimmer and BYU started a magical run this season and it meant Dad coming over to our house to watch all of the games. It was great again to watch games when you believed BYU was going to win every one and that Fredette would be thrilling to watch nearly every time he stepped on the court. Dad and I talked about how there were games we wouldn't ever delete off our DVRs because we would want to watch Fredette over and over again. It has been a great ride starting to reach its peak last week with the start of the NCAA tournament. Dad joined us to watch BYU's first round win over Wofford. The next game was to be difficult, a tough match-up, a game that might be Jimmer's last...

I was nervous when the game was starting, as I usually am before a game. We waited to start our viewing a little late so Jim and his boys could get there. I called Dad to make sure he was coming over, even though there was an unspoken standing invite for all things BYU between us, but he didn't answer. I figured he must have gone with Mom to Provo with our English visitors or he would have already been at my house. So we turned the game on...

A few hours later we were standing in the hospital. The euphoria over a huge win, wondering when Dad would be home so he could watch the replay, had evaporated and left behind feelings of concern, worry, guilt, and fear. Dad hadn't been in Provo. He'd been home when he suffered a hemorrhagic stroke. We were wanting the best, wishing away the worst...

Two days later, Dad is still with us. I won't delete that game from my DVR, because we'll watch it together one day. There is a long and winding road laid before us, and not one we would have chosen to travel, but one that we'll gladly and thankfully accept. Because Dad gets to go along with us. And not just Dad, but Grandpa, too...

I have few working memories of my Grandpa Orgill or Grandpa Lisenbee. I met my Granddad Simmonds on only two different occasions, but those visits with him brought a level of fulfillment to my life that few other interactions have. He was witty and fun. He was both interesting and interested. I loved hearing his stories of the service, old sport, and the French. Meeting him left me wishing for more, but yet grateful and accepting that I had known Commander Simmonds...

Afton and Mya and their cousins will get to build up their memories with Grandpa Orgill..."And that has made all the difference."

Thank you to everyone for your prayers, your thoughts and concerns, and for loving our Dad and Grandpa.

My First Nephis

1 Nephi 1:1 - I, Nephi, having been born of goodly parents...

I've read 1 Nephi before. And I've read it a lot. I likely should be able to recite the first few chapters from memory. 2 Nephi, Jacob, Enos, Jarom, and Omni? Not nearly as often. Someone picking up the BofM, opening to 1st Nephi, and reading those words for the 100th time signifies something deeper than just what is written on the pages. It usually signals someone committing to be better, to accomplish a task that has been put off, and/or to be more consistent at something that they consider to be important. Turning 33 years old seemed as good of a time as any to send some attention to the different First Nephis in my life.

This Blog - Little girls say and do a lot of cute things. Afton and Mya have been watching a lot of videos of themselves. It is fun to watch them react to old memories or to things that happened before they could remember. And it makes this parent wish he had written down more of those memories. So we'll try to fire this puppy up again. Maybe we'll see more reality TV show critiques to help spur on this uncreative mind to more creative and frequent entries.

Losing Weight/Getting in Shape - 33 years old last week. No more excuses and no more guilt. My solution? No more trying to stop with Dr. Pepper and no more guilt about it. How does that play in to the master plan of losing weight and getting in shape? It doesn't. But oh well, right? At least my feelings of guilt will be gone.

1st Nephi - What is the new solution to make regular scripture reading a success in the Orgill home? Starting in Matthew instead of 1st Nephi. We resumed family scripture study last night in the book of Matthew of the New Testament. Afton was excited that we were learning about Jesus being a baby. She is remarkably attentive when we read through the scriptures. Last night she stopped Stefanie and asked, "Mom, what does flee mean?". Mya tried to hush our reading so she could take a turn reading to us from her own books.

So no more lying down while life whisks us away. I'm gonna see if I can't push through my own First Nephis. If 1st Nephi represents a new commitment, what does 2nd Nephi mean? Not sure yet. I'll let ya know when I get there.

Jimmermania

Stef and I were part of the 22,700 at the Marriott Centers last night. It was a remarkable atmosphere. The stands were almost full 45 minutes before tip-off. And the game didn't disappoint. Jimmer Fredette is all over the national news, including Tweets from all over the country. There were some that were funny enough that I had to jot them down to try to remember them.

"Voldemort refers to Jimmer as You Know Who"

"Blame the weather on El Jimmer...he's raining 3's all over"

"Jimmer invented Al Gore"

"Two Nephites were at the game last night; the 3rd one scored 43 points"

"You're only going to stop Jimmer...when the game ends"

"MC Hammer can't touch Jimmer."

"Jimmer is the best scorer in the world" - from Kevin Durant, the leading scorer in the NBA

Mr. Mom

Stefanie is helping at an elementary school this year on Thursdays. So that gives me a chance to stay home with the girls for a while before heading into the office in the afternoon. It has been great to spend more time during the day with Afton and Mya...not sure how great it is to have other "motherly" duties. Here is the list of completed jobs from yesterday morning:

• Make beds
• Unload and reload dishwasher
• Clean kitchen
• Sweep and steam mop tile in kitchen, dining room, entry, and bathroom
• Steam clean shower (thanks for the tip on the steamer, Alison)
• Water trees
• Laundry
• w/Afton: dress, feed, play Candyland, pretend to be animals, sing/dance on stage downstairs, diffuse 1 tantrum, negotiate for nap time
• w/Mya: dress, feed, read books, get milk cup out of the fridge 8.5 times, change 2 stinky and 2 wet diapers, diffuse 2 tantrums, put down for nap w/o negotiation
• Read final 200 pages of Breaking Dawn and watch Good Things Utah while folding laundry
• 2 phone calls and 3 Facebook chats with friends/siblings to compare daily job lists

Alright, two of those things didn't happen...you didn't really think I'd clean the shower, did you? Next Thursday I am finding a stay-at-home dad to set up a play date for sure. Notice how I didn't say anything about a vacuum...I've seen the movie Mr. Mom, and that vacuum still freaks me out.