Utahns for Obama

I know that title sounds like a lost cause around here, but still, earlier today I went to a meeting of Utahns for Obama at the City Library. For the past couple of weeks the Barack Obama website has been talking about March 31st as a day where people all over the country should get together in support of his bid for the presidency. My curiosity got the best me, as I wanted to see what people were saying about Obama. So, Jared Fawson and I met up and went to a new fashioned political town meeting, via the web.

It was interesting to attend a distance town meeting. The Internet really has changed the ways things work, even politics. Barack was in Iowa and he was speaking to people in gatherings all over the country. Cool idea. The only down side is the the video conference was streamed which meant bad video. The connection couldn't keep up and we were forced to watch choppy video for a good portion of the presentation. Still, listening to Senator Obama has only reinforced my idea that he would be a great president. I don't know how involved I want to become in his campaign, but let's just say this blog is Obama friendly.

Need a Hug

In my college class I've had the students writing in their own blogs all semester. Since we studied video over the past few weeks I encouraged the students to find a video on YouTube and post it to their blogs to make a statement. It could be funny, weird, or in this case touching. Rebecca posted a video about the Free Hugs Campaign. Basically it started as one man's campaign to help people connect with one another. He held up a sign offering Free Hugs to see what would happen. The results are pretty amazing.



Does anyone out there need a hug?

In the Throws of Madness

We're down to the Final Four in college hoops and the competition has heated up for the best Covili bracket. For the longest time Tara was killing me, but the tide has turned. I can't think of a time where I've picked the entire Final Four - that is until this year. It was a lot of fun to see the results come in over the weekend and have my bracket still in tact. Sure it's only for bragging rights, but still - who's number one......

Great Quote

Great minds discuss ideas,
Average minds discuss events,
Small minds discuss people.

Eleanor Roosevelt

I read this quote a couple of days ago on my Google customized homepage and absolutely love it! I always try to talk about concepts rather than gossiping about people. I think that's where real growth and improvement come from. That doesn't mean there isn't a place to talk about the people we love, but don't waste your time focusing on individual's weaknesses. We should use our time talking about things that our bigger than we are. What an important quote.

Fun in the Bath

Alex is finally sitting up and that means that he can now take a bath in the big tub. No more squeezing into the sink in our bathroom and taking cover when the little guy decides to water the walls. Alex absolutely loves the water. He splashes and plays and has the best time in the tub. He loves to be in there with Kennedy, but she wasn't so sure about sharing her bathtime with Alex. She's getting used to the idea. After "accidentally" tipping Alex over a couple of times, she is now the protective big sister and likes to watch after her baby brother.

It's fun to see how both Alex and Kennedy are growing up. It seems like yesterday we brought Alex home and now he is 8 months old. He is such a happy kid and loves being around people. He has his two bottom teeth and I'm sure we will see more teeth in the near future. Kennedy will be two and a half in June. She is as cute as ever and is our little drama queen. She's so smart and learns so much every day. The other day, she told me "mom, that flower is adorable". She throws out new words every day, although they aren't always good words. She's picked up "stupid" and we are trying to break her of it. It's amazing how many times you hear "that word" (as Kennedy calls it), during the day. We've heard it in church over the pulpit, on the radio, on TV and even mommy has said it a couple of times. Of course, when anyone says it, she is right on top of it and lets me know about it. It will be interesting to see what she comes up with next.

Not Another One

I know what you're thinking. No, we're not having another child. We are having another book however. I was so pleased with our first blog book from Blurb that I printed, Covili Family Blog, for the year 2005. We started blogging in August of that year, so the book is a little smaller than 2006. Still, it packs quite a punch. You'll read all about Kennedy puking in the tent, a trip to Vernal, interesting parenting techniques, and all the other comings and goings of the Covili clan. Take a sneak peak at the book, and let me know if you want a copy for your very own. I know a guy who can cut you a deal!

What About Daylight Savings?

I thought that the earlier daylight savings this year (not a fan - just so you know) would help our kids to sleep a bit longer, since it was still dark until almost 8 am. No such luck. For the the past week and a half we've been taking turns with Alex and Kennedy each waking throughout the night. Two nights ago, Alex was up repeatedly. Last night, Kennedy took over with a tantrum around 4 am. I wish we could figure out a way that both freak out at the same time and drown each other out. Oh wait, we're getting closer to sharing a room.....

Party of One

It's no secret that I enjoy playing Fantasy Sports. I've been involved for the past few years and it's been a lot of fun being involved with the regular group of guys in our leagues. Each time we have a draft, most the group talks about wanting to have a live in-person draft so we can hang out with one another. Well, I decided to set an in-person draft for our baseball league. I sent out all the invites and got everything ready for the big day. Well....

One by one everyone bailed on me. One guy had Stake Conference meetings, one guy wanted to play golf, another had his kid's soccer game, another guy lives in Massachusetts (like that's an excuse!). In the end Jared Fawson and I were going to be the only two going to breakfast and then to the draft. So, guess who called me at 7 am to tell me he couldn't make it. I was already at Village Inn and just sitting in my car waiting. Needless to say it was - Jared, party of one!

Bring on the Madness

Even if the Utes were awful this year and they can't find a coach - college basketball is in the air. Tara and I just finished compiling our brackets and it's game on. We'll have to see who wins supremacy in the household! Perhaps we'll put a friendly wager on the outcome....

Jared's Bracket

Tara's Bracket

What a ZOO!

Tara and I decided to take the kids out last week to enjoy the warm weather we've been having lately. Our destination: Hoogle Zoo. Our Mission: Have fun and avoid tears. Our results: Positive, we had fun and the tears didn't come til we told Kennedy we were leaving.

It was a pretty good trip to the zoo. In truth, I was simply a tag along on the excursion. Tara was really going with the other moms in the ward. But, since it happened to be so close to my work, I managed to take a long lunch and joined them. Still, it was pretty obvious who didn't belong with the others. It's a good thing I'm comfortable with my masculinity!

Kennedy loved the animals, particularly the elephants on this trip. She didn't like the building the giraffes were in, or should I say the smell of that building. She plugged her nose and kept making puking motions. Such the Drama Queen. Alex liked looking at the different birds, especially the turkeys - what an exotic species that is.

Take look at some of our favorite pics from the Zoo.

A Day at the Zoo

This American Life

If you've never listened to the PRI program This American Life you're missing out! I have been a fan since I was first introduced to the show about 4 years ago and now it's my favorite postcast. It has to be one of the best examples of great storytelling available today, so you can imagine how excited I was to read recently that a TV version of the show was in the works. That's the good news, the bad news: it's going to be on Showtime.

I figured I would have to wait until the DVD version came out to watch an entire episode, that is until I learned that the local NPR affiliate was having a special screening of the pilot episodes at the Tower last night. I could watch the show without losing my soul to Showtime or waiting a year or so for a Hollywood Video rental.

Jason, Kristin, and I headed over to the theater to attend the screening. Naturally, there was a line - that's no surprise since it was a free preview. Only I couldn't figure out why some people were going in, while we were made to wait. Upon asking around we quickly learned that due to the high interest tickets were given out by the radio station. We were in the standby line!!! About ten minutes before showtime, the doors opened to the refugees in line and eventually, we were able to get in. We had to sit on the front row, but we made it.

It was totally worth it! Each program was 30 minutes long and the time couldn't pass quicker. Everyone in the audience were devoted TAL fans, so we laughed, cried, and cheered in unison to the program. It's going to be a great series and I can't wait to see a few more episodes. Does anyone out there have Showtime?

Here's a preview of the trailer:

A Real Fixer Downer

Yesterday we went to the Home Show for two reasons: to see my sister give a talk on fashion (not that it would do me any good) and to get a new pair of sunglasses at one of the booths (it's usually the only reason we go to the Home Show). Typically we're not very big on going out to the SouthTowne Expo Center and our trip reminded me all the reasons why I don't like it.

We arrived around 2 pm and spent the first 30 minutes there just looking for a parking space. I can't believe the county spent all that money to build the Expo Center and they don't have enough parking for half the people who come out. I saw cars parked the sides of the street, on top of grassy patches, even on the sidewalk. A cop could make his monthly quota of tickets in about an hour. We finally parked about 1/2 mile away from the center in a vacant field and walked to the show.

Alicia did a good job with her presentation. She's made quite a name for herself with her appearances on Good Things Utah. Most of the people I know consider her the fashion guru of Utah. Still, she must be extremely frustrated with my family's lack of style. Tara and I are stuck in our own little looks (most of which were on her 'what not to wear' list). My favorite part of Alicia's presentation was her discussion of bodies and their shapes - I bet you can't guess who's body is a circle, hmmm!

After Alicia's presentation was over we scoured high and low for the sunglass booth only to realize they didn't come to this year's show. What a tragedy! We braved traffic, vendors, and the public just to get a new pair of imitation designer sunglasses and they weren't there. It's a good thing the kids started to cry near the end of our day at the Home Show, that's just what I wanted to do.

Just Sittin' Around

Normally, it wouldn't be reason to blog. Someone sitting on their can. However, when it's your 7-month-old and he's finally sitting up for the first time - it makes the blog. I wouldn't say that Alex is a slow developer, Kennedy didn't sit up until she was over 6-months-old. And who can blame them? I think I would rather lay down than sit around any day. It is nice though that we can sit Alex down and have him interact with different toys. It's opened up an entirely new world to him.

We also figured out what's been bugging Alex lately. For the past couple of weeks Alex has been a bit moody, which is totally out of character for him. All he's wanted is to be held and he hasn't been willing to take a nap. It's been a long couple of weeks, to say the least. Well, the answer popped out about a week ago. His first tooth! No wonder he's bit out of sorts. The first tooth arrived while we were at my parents' house, but not to be outdone his second tooth is making an appearance this week. I guess Alex is no longer a toothless wonder!

The Man Next to the MAN

Wednesday night Tara and I were able to go a mid-week fireside at the ward (thanks to the Nursery for watching Kennedy - what a life saver!). Don Staheli isn't exactly a household name, but you've seen him in hundreds of photos over the years. Most of the time you simply see him as "that guy" who always seems to be near the Prohpet. Brother Staheli works as President Hinckley's personal secretary. What an amazing job! Throughout the fireside we were able to hear various stories of the 13+ years that Brother Staheli has worked along side the Prophet. I can't believe the draining schedule President Hinckley works (and makes Brother Staheli works as well). They've taken 2 or 3 days of a year for the past decade! I don't know how they do it.

In spite of the busy schedule, can you imagine the experiences Brother Staheli has had over his time traveling with President Hinckley. He couldn't share most of the stories, due to their spiritual nature. Still, the hour presentation provided us with some great insights into a great man. Some interesting facts about President Hinckley:

• He reads 3 newspapers a day (The Wall Street Journal, Deseret News, and Salt Lake Tribune).


• He walks to work every day and arrives around 6:30 am, working til 5 pm.


• He started working on his conference talk about a month ago by dictating his thoughts into a voice recorder. He generally spends an hour or more each day going over his address.


• He still lives alone and takes care of his personal needs.


• The only television programs he watches are local and national news broadcasts.


• His journal consists of over 120 volumes.

It was an incredible evening to listen to stories about such an amazing man. In sharing his personal testimony of the Prophet, Brother Staheli said, "Gordon B. Hinckley is a perfect man. He still makes mistakes, but he has fulfilled his potential on this Earth. The closer you get to him, the more perfect you realize he is."

Book Review: An Inconvenient Truth

I guess I've been on a bit of a roll lately reading my birthday books. It doesn't hurt that I ride the bus and have an hour everyday where can I focus on a book (that never happens at home!). Each book I've read recently has had an interesting focus and this one is no different. I can't think of a book/film that has met with the same controversy since Fahrenheit 911 - strange how all the projects by liberals are seen as controversial, hmmm...

One thing I'll say about An Inconvenient Truth is that this book shouldn't be seen as a liberal issue. Sure, it was written by Al Gore, but I think this book really doesn't have much to do with partisan politics. Gore states that this is "a moral issue", not a political issue. I can't agree more. It surprises me that whenever I encounter criticism of the book, the criticism is about Gore himself. Even if Al Gore does some thing personally that waste energy or go against some of his findings, the facts don't change - Global Warming is happening.

I came across a criticism of the book/movie in the Chronie, yes I still read the Chronicle - that's a blast from the past for some of you, from Aaron Zundel. His op-ed piece, An Inconvenient Truth about 'An Inconvenient Truth', was pretty interesting. He'd rather criticize Al Gore, than focus on the issue. Why? Al Gore isn't trying to invent Global Warming to drum up business for himself.

This was a good read. The book is adapted from Gore's presentation in the movie. It is full of graphics and graphs depicting how global warming is changing our planet. While it reminds me of the USA today with all the images, it illustrates what's going on around in a way that makes sense to the non-scientist.

I know I need to change my "carbon footprint" and make our home more earth friendly. Riding the bus is a good start, and we recently purchased the energy efficient light bulbs - those are pretty cool. Still, I want to be involved, even if it's only through small and simple ways.

Look Out Amazon

OK, so we're not out on a book tour yet, but we did publish a book version of half truths and mild tales. About 6 months ago Annie introduced me to Blurb.com, a company that publishes various kinds of books. You know, photo books, cook books, etc. Well, the new addition to this site was a blog book option. The website would basically pull your blog and put it into book form, where you and others could order a hard cover copy. Wow!!! That's exactly what I've wanted to do ever since we started this blog.

So, now you can enjoy this blog in cyberspace or you can have a copy for your very own! I don't expect anyone else to buy one, but it is definitely a treasure for Tara and me. Our 2006 book contains 200 pages of posts and pics from a wonderful year in our lives. Everything from the arrival of Alex, to the loss of our youth is packed into this fun little book. Here's a preview of the book for everyone to check out. Who knows, maybe you'll want your own copy!

Clean as a Whistle

Coleton's baptism was earlier today and I'd hate to let it go by without mentioning what a great kid he is. Coleton has always been a special boy in my life. Ever since he was born the two of us have had a special relationship. From geocaching and camping (especially getting warm by the fire...)to sleep-overs with Papa, Coleton and I have always been good friends.

I was really touched when Coleton called me on Friday and asked if I would give the spotlight about him at the baptism. It's not that I didn't know already I was important to him, we all know who our friends are - still, it's neat to have someone honor you with a special request. The spotlight went well, as I managed to stay relatively composed and didn't embarrass myself or Coleton. It was a special day for my buddy and I'm really glad I was able to be involved. I'm proud of you Coleton!

UCET Conference

As part of my job I get to attend and present at the UCET (Utah Coalition for Educational Technology) conference each year. I've always enjoyed presenting, but sometimes the national keynote speakers have been a bit hit or miss. Too many of them have been trying to sell something. This year David Warlick provided a fantastic presentation about the future of technology. One of my favorite thoughts Warlick shared was: We are preparing the children of tomorrow for a future we can't clearly describe. Can you imagine any other generation being able to make such a bold claim? For most the future was a slightly better version of the present, but our children probably won't even use a mouse (or even a computer) in 15 years!

I was really excited by everything I saw and learned over the past two days. It's amazing to know that the Web and technology are bringing the world closer together. This blog is a perfect example of collaborating and sharing with people all over the world. I mean, this blog has been hit over 13,000 times (and I've only hit it 10,000 times..) by people all over the world. Have we shared a deep conversation, no - but just the fact that we could is very exciting. I presented this afternoon on Web 2.0 and shared the following video with my participants. I think it speaks volumes about what the real potential we're deal with here.

Book Review: Why my Wife Thinks I'm an Idiot

I know it's no surprise to most of you that I like listening to sports talk radio. In fact, my radio dial rarely reaches over into FM, unless I'm going to KUER (the local NPR affiliate). My favorite sports talk program has to be Mike and Mike in the Morning from ESPN radio. It has a great premise - put an ex-jock who played in the NFL, Mike Golic, with an ESPN anchor noted for his sense of style and interest in pop culture, Mike Greenberg. They're a great match and it's an awesome program.

So, when I saw the Greeny had written a book I knew I wanted to give it a read. It was much different than I expected. Of course the root of the book is sports. Greenberg has been a sports junkie throughout most of his life, but the book is more than sports. In fact, I think the book is primarily about being a parent, a parent who wants to give your kids more time than is possible because of work.

The book is basically an ongoing journal than Greeny put together over the course of 6 or 7 years for his therapist. In its pages we get to see the funny parts of parenting, mixed together with the challenges of watching our kids grow too fast. The one issue I have with the idea of parenting for the Greenbergs is the fact that they have a live in nanny. Not that's there anything wrong with that, but it certainly changes the dynamic of having to change diapers at 2 am. At one point in the book Greeny is freaking out because his wife is leaving for a few days and he'll be alone with the kids, oh wait except he'll have Lourdes - the nanny with him. Still, it's now 2 on 2 instead of 3 on 2 and those "aren't good odds." You can all relate right?!

One comment in the book really stood out to me. Dr. Grey, the therapist, and Greeny were talking about how quickly his kids were growing up when they had the following exchange:

"The greatest frustration of getting older is when you begin to miss things that you didn't enjoy when they were happening. If you look up the word regret in the dictionary, that's what it should say.

I nodded. Actually, I nodded a long time. And as soon as we were done with the session I jotted the words down. They seem worth remembering."

Those words are worth remembering. It seems like every time I turn around I'm so bogged down with the minutia of what's going on around me that I'm not taking the time to appreciate those little gems in life. Sure changing diapers isn't the greatest thing in the world, but imagine how I'll feel in 7 or 8 years when Kennedy won't let me near her. I know I'll miss the enjoyment of her needing me and wanting me around. What about Alex's desire to be held? Soon he'll be off and running on his own and then I won't have the chance to have him sleep on my chest. It was a pivotal moment in the book and it's certainly got me thinking about similar issues.

If you're interested in sports and life (even if you're only slightly interested in sports) this is a fun, quick read. I know I enjoyed looking in on another man's issues, even if I can only relate to some of them.