Brotherhood Found

I had an interesting experience this past Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Deb and I went to visit Ted and Lora at their house in Ft. Collins, Co. Before we went to bed on Sunday night, I asked Ted if he wanted to walk with me in the morning. He said he did. What happened over the next three mornings is what I want to blog about.

Ted and I have only been close the past 3 years since we moved to Evanston and I could visit them on occasion. He is 13 years older than me and though we were close when I was alot younger, he left in 1957 after high school, got married in 1959 and we have never lived close to each other since then.

We started walking on Monday morning, and what was unusual for two men who rarely carry on a conversation with anyone, was that we talked. We shared thoughts, memories, concerns, and some of our own fears. We walked for an hour on Monday and Wednesday and for two hours on Tuesday. It became evident to me that Ted needed someone to talk to. And conversely, I needed someone to talk to. We shared memories of our parents, and what good people they are, of growing up in a home where we could be creative, where we had good meals and could listen to our sisters' conversations. We gained a greater appreciation for each other, and for the first time in my life, someone who shared personal concerns with me because he felt close to me.

I've never had friends with whom I could talk to like this. I felt like what I said mattered, and what he said mattered. We both shared similar teenage years without knowing it. I was kind of shy and felt like I wasn't important. Ted said he felt the same way. We both have trouble speaking with people but we are not afraid to speak in front of people.

It was a great feeling to have someone for whom I've had a great respect want to talk to me and with me. I've only had two or three occasions where I felt I could let my guard down and feel safe. It was a privilege to be with him and walk and talk. Maybe there will be a way that Deb and I can live even closer to Ted and Lora. I'm so greatful to have brother.

The Waiting Game

I thought I had a great interview last week for a job a the Hanford Nuclear Reservation. They wanted someone to do assessments of what they doing and be able to monitor and mentor subcontractors to understand the expectations for their jobs. It was great to see Corlet and Jack Thornton, Dale and Gloria, and Dave and Maria.

I looked at some homes in the tri-cities, but most of them are out of our league. Alot has changed there and it would be interesting to move back.

However, I would love to stay put because I love being able to visit our Utah kids and grandbabies.

Love
Dad

I'm Back

Since the election of 2008, I haven't been blogging because I felt that my views weren't important enough that anyone wanted to read. However, several comments from my kids indicated differently so here goes.

It is now Feb 8, 2009. I'm now a 20 hour per week marketing director for the local Domino's franchise. I still deliver pizzas, but at a much reduced rate because of my wages working as a marketeer.

We have been blessed by countless friends and family who have helped us financially. Deb and I were able to spend Thanksgiving in Sacramento with Trevor, Ellen, Rayley, Sam and Cathy. In December, we went to visit my brother Ted, his wife Lora and saw Kim and Guy Buchanon and Lora Ann and Allen Massey. We stayed overnight at Lora Ann's and they were so kind and gracious to put is up for night. We had some interesting conversations about what is happening with Ted and Lora.

I am still trying to find out why I have problems processing information. Apparently, through visits with friends, this seems to be the first step in a long, downward spiral that will eventually end in Alzheimers or as Denny Crane in "Boston Legal" calls it, "Mad Cow Disease". We are trying to get in contact with a neural psychologist in Provo to redo some testing he gave me two years ago to see if there is any more declination of abilities. According to Kim Buchanon, there is a place in San Diego that can really do a great job. However, insurance becomes an issue with both scenarios. Debbie has been working the phones trying to get information to the right places so we can be approved to make an appointment.

My optimism for a better life is running rampant. I know in whom I have trusted and in whom I have faith. Even though I don't do all the things through which blessings come, I have a willing heart.

I'm trying to be better, to be more positive, to be more organized and to lose weight this year. I've been walking more and eating less and it has benefitted me in a positive way.

I love each of my children and are greatful for the people they have become. When I hear about how the economy is affecting my children, then I began to get angry. I've screwed up with choices and I can accept that, but my children have made good choices and yet they become affected negatively from the sour economy. I wish the people who caused the problem would stand up and say, "We screwed up" and then put the controls and the attitudes in place to really help the economy. Handouts have never provided a posititve economic situation...lower taxes have. I learned many years ago that companies can hire more people and purchase new equipment when they have less taxes.

Election Fever

I'll be voting in my 10th President election on Tuesday. If I count the wins and losses, I guess its 6 winners and 3 losers. In 1992 I didn't think George HW Bush really wanted to be president any more and I voted for Ross Perot. This split the vote and Clinton won. Many people think Clinton was the best president in the 20th century. What he did was come to the center, politically, because the Republicans came into power in 1994 (Remember the contract with america?) That is why there was a balanced budget, and welfare reform by the end of his term. The best president in my lifetime (1972 and beyond) was undoubtedly Ronald Reagan. He changed Washington before Washington changed him. He brought the country out of the doldrums of Jimmy Carter. People believed in the American dream again. He stood up to the Soviets and caused them to collapse. He lowered taxes, removed regulations so that the market forces could moved foreward. He started the economy on an almost 20 year expansion that has been slowed, almost stopped by the housing mortgage debacle.

My concern is that the politics in this country has gotten so devisive that it is hard to distinguish who really has American interests at heart. There is a dearth of politcal leadership that makes a mockery of the American intelligence. Smoke and mirrors has been used to test the patience of the American people and I think on Tuesday, there may be a surprise.

My biggest hope is that good American people will vote for the right person and America can put their differences aside and we can move foreward.

Fred Newcomer

Trust in God

This September is one of meaningful contemplation. Here I am, turning 56 in the 14th and still unemployed and seeking for work. I'm sorry that this has been the story of my life. When I started out in 1977 I was going to work in the Nuclear Construction industry for the rest of my life. After Three Mile Island, the nuclear industry died. I worked in manufacturing, government contracts and cellular industries trying to keep my family afloat. Now I'm still trying get traction in the job market and nothing seems to fit. However, like Nephi, I know in whom I have trusted and I haven't given up hope.

We received work last night that little Gavin Spragues slipped the bonds of mortality and entered into perfection with his Heavenly Father. It has only been 16 months since his second cousin Hollis Newcomer passed away. Our love and trust of our Heavenly Father reminds us that His will be done. We don't know why little children barely removed from their pre-existant standing have to suffer and having completed their short missions, returned to the Father who gave them life. The two babies must be huge stalwart spirits and Heavenly Father couldn't let them be stained by mortality. As with any tragedy, though, there are survivors and our thoughts and prayers should be with them. It is my hope that Andre and Bethany will recover from this and love Gavin for the time they had with him.

Yes, Heavenly Father is in charge and only He knows the reasons for tragedy and misfortune.

Dbone

When I consider Derricks Blessing, and whenever I lay my hands on his head, I get a sense of spiritual greatness that has been cloaked in his disabilities. I feel that the Lord will gently peel back those disabilities as Derrick stays close to the Lord. His anger issues are issues of frustration (which we all have) because he wants to be like everyone else and knows that he isn't. I don't think as a family that we have jammed those disabilities down his throat, but maybe as parents we have jumped in to "save him" from certain situations. There is such a fine line with him about doing too much and doing not enough.

I appreciate all that his siblings are doing for him financially because we are not in a position to do much in that arena. I hope that as a family we will all love him and help him achieve everything that is possible for him to achieve.

Election Excitement (Finally

I had some serious concerns about this year's presidential elections because we had the potential of having 4 senators running (two Presidents and two VP's). For years I've worried about pompous senators who don't govern anything trying to be a president. That is the reason that for the past 16 years, the men in the white house were governers. Until last Friday when Senator McCain took the covers off of Sarah Palin, I was planning on writing in Mitt Romney's name when it came to the election. Now, I'm so pumped up for John McCain because last night he told us what he was going to do, why he was going to do it and he's going to do it by changing attitudes in Washington. I think Sarah Palin will be his secret weapon (for Trev--the Cardinals had a secret weapon in the '80's who did wonders for them) and she will crack the heads of Washington Insiders to do the right things. Not since Ronald Reagon gained the GOP nomination in 1980 have I been as excited about this election. I'm going to work hard to support McCain and other conservative Republicans. It's time we let our actions and our attitudes work to help the right candidates separate themselves from the bad candidates. I think in the end, good will triumph over mediocrity which is what the Dem's are promoting.

Have a great day.
Fred Newcomer