The Mighty iPod

I've been loving my Valentine's Day ipod so much that we got Ed a nano for Father's Day. Give him something to listen to on his commute - expose him to some good music that's not a movie soundtrack (he is so musically deprived it's amazing we ever hooked up), maybe some audio books. Before packing up the computer I loaded him up with some good stuff including the most recent session of General Conference, downloaded from the Church website. I saw you can subscribe to Conference as a podcast, and it occurred to me I have never looked into podcasts. So I took a gander - you know, important stuff to do before moving day - and poked around the podcast directory. There's certainly more than I can ever look through, much less listen to, so I appeal to those more experienced. What podcasts do you like and why?

Someday I may even figure out movies and audio books.

Ode to Ed

An ode is really supposed to be a "lyric poem with complex stanza structure." I am not a poet, but it makes a damn fine title for this Father's Day tribute to the best father, husband and man I know.

My first impression of Ed was - this guy needs to loosen up. While that was in fact true, it didn't take away from my impression slowly shifting to - I wish I could be more like him; and later - I don't want to live without him. I'm so, so lucky that I don't have to.

He taught me how to work a room - not that I do it - but I could in a pinch thanks to his impeccable social skills, sensitivity and manners.

The characteristic I noticed first and have loved the longest about Ed is his gentleness. He keeps his cool, laughs at himself, keeps perspective, and is extremely gentle with other people. This, I knew, would make him the best father in the world. And it has. Just ask the girls.

Ed has an endless supply of...well, Ed-isms. Apparently most of them are colloquialisms I had just never heard before, like "behind the 8-ball", "out like scouts", "riding the pine", "in your grill", etc. But then there are ones all his own. This includes the nicknames he's invented for the girls, like bungaroo, munchkinator, sugar pops, and others.

I could go on, but I want to get this posted for Father's Day. And what I really want to say about Ed is simple - we love him. And we wouldn't change a thing.

Happy Father's Day!