Finally something I want to blog about again.

We had a couple of big events during this past month of April. Of course, I had my 59th birthday, but that is of no great consequence in the eternal scheme of things. The first real important event to me was the birth of our first grandchild, Kalvin Lee Harris. My daughter, Ingrid, went into labor while packing to move to their new home. Ingrid and my son-in-law, Jeff, had been trying to move to a more family-friendly house—they lived in a small apartment with a pair of big rowdy Vizsla dogs—and thought they would have plenty of time to get settled before the expected and blessed event.
However, Kalvin came five weeks early. It was a bit scary. Kalvin ended up staying in the hospital for 9 days, though he weighed in at 6 lbs. 3 oz. at birth. Karen, Dylan and I drove out the following day (Saturday) and drove back five days later (Wednesday). Karen and I ended up holding little Kalvin twice each for about five minutes—not nearly enough to suit us—during our stay there. Poor Dylan was not given the opportunity to even hold him—his first nephew. He had to be satisfied to just see him through a window with an IV in the baby’s head and breathing tube going into his nose. Kalvin was wearing what looked like a wrestlers cap on his head to hold everything in place.
Of course the baby is at home now and the parents are able to enjoy almost constant contact with him. We of course know how they must have felt. Ingrid was also born a few weeks early and had to spend a week in the hospital, with us making visits back and forth. Of course, we had three other children at home to care for also, so we may have been a little bit more stressed, but it is hard to say when it is your first child it may be more stressful. I can’t help but have some regret that we live over 500 miles from the little guy and won’t be able to see him as often as we would like and be able to share in the daily, if not weekly, changes he and any siblings will go through as they mature.

The other big event was our youngest son, Dylan’s ordination to an Elder. I was able to perform the ordinance with Tyler, my second oldest son, at my side participating in the ordination circle. It was a very spiritual and joyful experience for me personally. I felt guided by the Spirit as I pronounced a blessing at the end of the conferring of the Melchizedek Priesthood and ordination to the office of Elder. Karen related to the group in attendance how before Dylan was born, though Karen did not want to have another pregnancy—she had had more miscarriages than full term births at that point—she felt prompted by the Holy Ghost that she was to have one more child and that it would be a boy.
We have always believed that Dylan was here for a special purpose and I felt that strongly during the ordination and following blessing. Bishop Garrison also added a testimony of how special he thought Dylan was and of his leadership qualities, as well as his athletic prowess, by relating a story of Dylan’s participation in a young men’s activity which he personally witnessed. The circumstance was at the Army’s local Camp Williams obstacle course, where the young men as a team had the challenge of crossing a body of water after climbing upward through a lengthy tube just wide enough for one person to climb through which ended at a small platform 15 feet above a water obstacle. As I understand it, the water obstacle was about 25 feet across and some 10 feet deep. There were two round concrete posts of about two feet wide coming out of the water at about 10 feet apart with flat landings at the top. The top of the first column was a little lower than the platform at the top of the tube and the second column was again a little lower than the preceding column leaving a bout 5 feet left to cross to the opposite bank which was a little lower again. The problem was to get everyone (30 some people) across from one bank to the other with some aluminum walking platforms that could reach across the ten-foot spans and then get all of their gear and walkways with them. Apparently, Dylan’s solution to the problem included his being the last one across from the bank to the platform, but it necessitated him to leap across after the walkway was removed and then to push or pull the walkway along its way after walking acrossthe second span on the walkway. Without any more discussion and to everyone’s surprise, when the time came, he made the leap, landed solidly on the top of the first column and then helped push the walkway to the other side. The Young Men’s President, Brother Reese Roberts, who is a Major in the Army said he had never in his time at the post ever seen anyone do or even consider doing what Dylan had done to resolve the problem. That is our Dylan: Impulsive and totally self-assured in athletic abilities. He has injured himself many times in his short lifetime doing athletic stunts to prove his daring and self-confidence. I’m not sure if he knows that he has physical limitations. He is also dogged in his determination to accomplish a goal if it is something that peaks his interest. Within the last year he has taken to teach himself the piano and guitar. In a very short time he has developed a fluidity on the piano that astounds me and is way beyond where I was on the guitar is such a short time—all without learning to read a bit of music to any considerable degree. And last but not least I believe he has a strong testimony of the Gospel. Though somewhat reserved about expressing publicly his deep convictions, I’ve seen the emotion well up in him as he received his patriarchal blessing and his ordination to an Elder in the Melchizedek Priesthood. He decided this past year to serve a mission for our church and has “put in his papers in” and had the interviews required for a mission call. We are now awaiting notice in the mail to know where the Lord wants him to serve. When asked where he would like to go by the high councilman of our stake at the ordination last week, Dylan responded that he really didn’t care. I’m sure that he will make an impression and an impact wherever he goes. He always has.

Randy Mundy & the Mundy Mourning Blues Band

Wahoo! My band is out and about the next couple of weekends. We are playing a dinner and show--a Valentine's Day package--at Peery's Egyptian Theater in Ogden Utah, Saturday the 12th--dinner at 6pm, show at 7:30pm. My usual players will be there except for Bob Bailey. Our good friend and great blues and jazz piano player, Stan Seale, will be sitting in for Bob. Believe me, we will be just as good with Stan in the lineup. The following weekend, Saturday the 19th we will be at the Murray Theater in Murray Utah--south of down town Salt lake City proper at State Street and Vine. That show will also start at 7:30pm. Stan will again fill in for Bob and guitarist and bassist, Ralph Edson, who filled in for Bob Bohnam, our regular lead guitarist, at the Midway Show last year--you can catch some of that show on youtube--search Randy Mundy and it should come right up--will be filling in for our regular bassist, Eric Manning. Again, with Ralph on bass the band will not suffer. We usually do a couple of songs where Bassist and background vocalist, Dave Wayt covers the Bass and Eric Manning goes to the baritone sax to join Berin Stephens and Jim Brearton in the horn section. That will be the case at the show in Ogden on the 12th. Dave will also do his bit on the bass for those tunes on the 19th, but we will have the treat of Ralph joining Bob Bonham on lead guitars. It will be fun to hear them play together. So if you are in the Salt Lake area during the next couple of weekends, you should definitely catch one if not both of our shows.

See You There!,
Randy

Merry Christmas and a Happy Hobbitdays!

Well, it's that time again. we try to do a Christmas card every years that has a special theme. This year it is J. R. R. Tolkien theme; Happy Hobbitdays! My son, Tyler has done his usually great job at putting our families faces on Lord of the Rings Characters with a fair amount of humour. I especially liked the effort of Jesse and Amanda as hobbits trying to pass themselves off as Gandalf the White Wizard. I am, of course, old Bilbo, admiring his ring and dylan is a bruding Frodo. Ty is either Pippin or Merry and Jeff is either Pippin, Merry or Sam. Karen, Heidi and Ingrid are lovely hobbit ladies at a Bilbo's birthday celebration obviuously having a good time. You can also read our Christmas letter to catch up on the family.

Meniere's is My Nemisis

I have not blogged for some time and the predominant reason is I am suffering from frequent bouts with Meniere's Disease. I am seeing a specialist on Monday next week ans will see what my options are. Since I have not been molested much by the condition for 24 or so years until moving to Utah and taking my current job, I have not seriously considered surgery. But since I have had little relief over the better part of two months, I see surgery as a promising light at the end of a very dark tunnel. Wish me luck and pray for me.

Music, Art, Hope and Change

I have been working pretty hard as of late on my recording and sculpting. I continue to add more songs to my list of tunes for proposed CDs. I think my next blues CD has now stretched into two. Just as was the case with my “Blue Mundy” CD, I have accumulated more good material—in my opinion—than can fit on a single CD. So, I will probably pick a couple of my older blusier tunes from the Randy Mundy Band and Mundy Mundy days to touch up and include on what will likely be two distinct CDs. I would like to have at least one ready for Christmas. And, I still have the latest Mundy Mundy project with Karen and the Karen Mundy solo CD—actually a compilation of all of our songs that feature her as lead vocalist. The members of my band keep telling me I need to slow down the song writing so we can get caught up, but I can’t help it if the spirit of inspiration will not let me alone. A writer worries that the eventual writer’s block will come and he will not be able to force out a quality piece, so I feel I must strike while the iron is at least warm.

On the sculpting side, I am currently trying to get the mold done for my Joseph Smith bust. The latex part is done and I started the fiberglass outer shell last night. If I get in a little bit of work on it every day or two, I could possibly have the mold ready to cast something in roughly a week. Then I’ll post pictures of the pieces I have finished so far.

I might say here that I am beginning to have “hope” and feel that a pleasant “change” is on the political horizon. Polling seems to indicate a Republican landslide for the off-years election coming in three weeks or so. I pray that it will be the case. Thomas Jefferson once opined that—I am paraphrasing here—we, as Americans would surely make mistakes, but that we would surely recognize it when it happens and take corrective actions. I am beginning to believe that the American electorate has realized that they made a huge mistake two years ago in putting Obama and the Democrats in control of the White House and both houses of Congress. I just “hope” it is not too late.

Can You Go Back? Yes and No.

I took some vacation time this past week. I was able to do some work on my music and sculpting and then Karen, Dylan and I flew to Kansas to participate in the Mundy reunion. We had a reasonably good time. I was able to spend time with the usuals and also with the unusuals—perhaps it would be better to say the family members I do not usually or normally get to spend time with. I was able to see my brothers, Tom and Dan, and their kids and a lot of their grandkids. And I was able to see my younger sister, Janna and three of her kids—her married kids and grandkids were unable to make it this time around. My oldest sister’s—Anna, who passed away about 29 years ago—kids were represented by her two oldest kids. My next oldest sister to reach adulthood, Sharon, and her family were unable to attend. I got to play some golf with my oldest son, Jesse and his fiancée, Amanda, and my daughter, Ingrid’s husband, Jeff. We swam and barbecued, hung out, talked about old times, and went to church. I came home physically tired but spiritually refreshed.

Family is very important to an individual’s growth and development and continues to be a source of strength as you continue through life. By the same token, the individual is important to the well-being of the family. It is good to touch your base once in a while to reflect on the connections we have and appreciate who we are and who the most important people in our lives really are. Families should be for ever.

On the other hand, I also dropped in on my 40-year high school reunion which happened to be going on one of the nights I was there in Topeka and I was a bit surprised that I only recognized three guys, who happened to be brothers—twins and a younger brother, by one year—and whom I had seen a few years earlier while I was living in Kansas again for a stretch. It was nice to see them of course—we had been good friends—but, it was not a big thrill for me to be there. Just about everyone there, besides Karen, Dylan and myself, were swigging on their alcoholic beverages and chatting amicably and watching the newcomers who entered to see if it might be someone they could recognize. I faked recognizing one gal after my friend, Dave Boyles, told me who she was. It was kind of mean to put her on the spot, because she clearly had no idea who I was, but I am not above that kind of stuff if I can get a little self-satisfied chuckle out of it. I owned up to the deception though, and when I told her who I was, I was not convinced that she remembered me. Most of my very best friends, with the exception of Danny Wood (my best friend), are people I have known outside of my high school setting. They are people with whom I have shared mutual interests in music, art, literature, politics and faith. I guess I have moved on and there were no serious ties that bind in regards to school to make me very nostalgic.

Ignorance Is Blistering! (edited version)*

* (note: my earlier version of this blog posted a few days ago had some inadvertent spellcheck errors-it had Obama spelled "Osmam". Apparently a computer has a hard time telling the too apart since they both apparently are doing their best to destroy the America we know and love.)Well, it has been awhile since I blogged. What can I say? I’ve been occupied. I’ve been working and paying taxes, trying to develop my music and sculpting projects, and scratching my head—most of my hair on top continues falling out because of it, I think—about why the country is in the dire straights it finds itself in. But, it’s probably time to spout off a bit, to preserve what bit of sanity I have left. Ignorance may be bliss, but it is also dangerous and the reason, I believe, for I current state of affairs.

I read quite a bit. I read books about politics, religion, biographies, etc. and I try to squeeze in a fun read when ever I can from my favorite novelists (Jim Butcher, Terry Ratchet, and Vince Flynn, amongst others). At the moment, I am reading Michelle Malkian’s expose on the Obama’s: Culture of Corruption. It is a great book, by the way, but it has me hopping mad because it reminded me that most of the public is unaware of the stuff in this book. If they had been, the Obamas would not likely be living in the White House at the moment. Of course that would mean that McCain would be living there now and would not be a completely happy thought for me either, but that is another issue for another time, perhaps. Of course I already knew that Bark and Michelle Obama were corrupt. During the elections of 2008, I had done my homework. I read a lot about them and their connections with shady characters and radical leftist, and I wondered at the fact that the “mainstream news media” was ignoring such newsworthy stuff. If you check my earlier bogs at the time, you’ll see that I was all over Obama’s case for his friendships with a multitude of outrageous and unsavory people, so the information was clearly out there for interested people to see. However, the news media largely ignored the treasure troves of negative information on the Obama’s.

Of course I knew, or at least I thought, that it could be chalked up to simple media bias—an unconscious prejudice against conservatives by the “elite” majority of news media types. However, the recent uncovering of the “Journalist” memos shows that there was conspiracy at foot. Some of the evil—and I do mean EVIL—journalists and journalism professors were not only willing to turn blind eyes to news stories that might be damaging to Obama’o election chances, but they were also encouraging the use of slander—calling critics racists—to stifle questions from more conservative media. This clearly shows that deception is part and parcel to what the radical left—this would include a fair amount of the mainstream news media at this point—is willing to do to achieve their agenda.

Now, I have some several liberal friends. And, I believe them to be good honest people who desire the best for their fellows, and, who would not knowingly be a part of destructiveness. But, in all honesty, they tend to be prejudice in their liberality. For example, they will refuse to believe that conservatives are caring and non-prejudice. An extremely liberal friend of mine asked me before the election, in a slightly superior tone, if I were ready to have a black man as president. Of course, the implication was that, as a conservative (and obviously a bit racist), I would be uncomfortable with a “black man” as my president. My response was that I would be more than happy if I had the choice of a “black man” like Thomas Sowell—one of the most brilliant minds in America today—but that my aversion to Obama was because of his obvious radical leftist background and his abundant connections with unsavory characters.
Liberals also tend to be extremely ignorant when it comes to history, economic theory and who their political leaders really are. This is clearly not all their fault due to the agendas of left-leaning college professors and the negligence and conspiratorial efforts of the mainstream media. But, it dose not free them from the obvious responsibility they have as voters to become informed. I think enough red flags have been waved by non-mainstream media to get their attention. The negligence of the Obama administration’s justice department to be evenhanded with the New Black Panther voter intimidation case and the SEIU beating of a black Tea Party member case screams for attention by morally superior liberals. And what about the ACORN travesty? This leftist organization which gets 40% of its income from the federal government and is tied at the hip to the Obamas is constantly involved in voter fraud cases and was recently shown to have endorsed the scamming of the government to help fund teenage prostitution rings. Then there is the recent uncovering of memos in respect to doing end runs around congress—a favorite pastime of the Obama administration—to give amnesty to illegal immigrants. No matter how you feel about the amnesty issue, you should be able to see that such machinations would be wrong.

It is time for my liberal friends to educate themselves, to read a few books by conservatives, like Michelle Malkin, who are doing their homework and listen to some conservative radio talk, like Glenn Beck, who has doing amazing research. They need not be afraid of Fox News. You can study other sources of information as well. Study and Compare. As they say, “the truth will make you free”. If enough people know the truth, and act upon it, it might keep us free as a nation.