I’m pretty excited, nay - AMPED! for our campout this weekend. Our Church has a yearly Father & Son Campout where we go and have a fun night and do fun activities. We were rained out last year and they canceled it. The year before Wyatt freaked out because he missed his Mommy. I know he’s been a little worried this time around that Mommy would be all alone. We had a little conversation this morning. Rachel said she has like 15 ERs on the DVR to watch and that she would be just fine. Wyatt felt better about that. I am hoping he does ok this time.

These campouts are pretty basic and are scheduled near Mother’s Day to give Moms a little break. They provide breakfast and some projects. We will be leaving after school/work tonight and heading south to have a great memory-building experience. I can’t recall the name of the campgrounds, but I will post them in an update soon. I will also have some pics to share!

-Timmy

Happy first birthday to us! We’ve been gradually growing our readership here. I’ve tried to post compelling information and stories. If you have suggestions, please comment! I want to thank all of you who made 3,756 visits to my humble blog. I hoped we could get 3,000 by 1 year but we far surpassed it. We tried to hit 4,000 but were just shy so thank you again! it’s been fun!

Here’s some quick info: our Most Viewed Post: House, MD: 10/2 Episode with 277 views. Our busiest day: May 9th, 2008 with 95 visits. Total Posts: 106. Most clicked link: newyorke.org.

Let’s have another great year!

-Timmy

Quick Info (from Yahoo! Movies):

• Title: Cloverfield
• US Rating: PG-13 for violence, terror and disturbing images.
• Starring: Lizzy Caplan,  T.J. Miller, Michael Stahl-David, Mike Vogel, Odette Yustman

From My List, I have to say, overall, I was a bit disappointed. I wanted to see something come of all the viral marketing and mysterious internet advertising. Don’t get me wrong, I had fun watching it. It just didn’t deliver to the extent that the hype built it up to be. I am not a huge fan of the whole shaky-cam filming concept, but I can usually get past it and enjoy the movie. I was upset that the camera guy, Hud, bit it (or vice-verse) at the end. And no one lived. Seemed kinda anti-climatic. I heard that there was some more dialog after the credits at the end and I need to check that out as it foreshadows a potential sequel.

I give it 3 random characters out of 5: ~ ~ ~

-Timmy

Hey folks! Just wanted to give you an eye-full of brief info.

Rachel absolutely LOVES her Amazon Kindle digital book reader! It’s also been a huge hit with whomever she shows it too. I am very impressed by the technology and how it works. If you’re a big reader, I would greatly consider this.

There are 2 days left until this blog turns 1 year old! I still would be thrilled if we got that hit counter to read 4,000 by then. Keep coming back and getting your friends and family to do it too!

I am brainstorming on the next steps for XRT-FM. I am really missing it! I’m happy that I got a break from it and can take a new fresh perspective on it. If I was to put a re-launch date, I would estimate June 1st. Nothing set in stone, but you have to have goals!

I have been removing all references to MFO (meaning Marini Family.org). I have heard some feedback here and there for a while now and decided to change it up. I want this all to be as friendly as possible so we keep tweaking. If you catch any on any of these sites, please let me know!

I think I’ve mentioned it before, but please head to this SITE for a really good laugh. It’s family-safe and if you like kitties, you’ll love this site.

If you would like to participate in the blogging here, please let me know. I can set you up as an author and you can be involved!

That should be it for now. I’ll keep you updated as we go forward. Be good!

-Timmy

I am posting this as a native Washingtonian who has been out of his home-hood for going on 6 years. One of my favorite things about Washington was catching this local late night comedy sketch show, Almost Live! With the likes of John Keister, Pat Cashman, Bill Nye (the Science Guy) and many more, this show was funny, original and unforgettable. As with most good things, this show was canceled. If you live in/around Seattle, you can catch re-runs after Saturday Night Live on channel 5. Without further ado, from Almost Live! in Seattle starring Pat Cashman,  Roscoe’s Oriental Rug Emporium!

[click HERE if you don't see the video above]

Imagine, all that entertainment, and I didn’t even charge you!

-Timmy

Folks, I saw this on another blog. I would link it but I can’t find it again. This blogger wrote a list of 100 items about him and his life, his history and some just random stuff. It was pretty impressive. For the record, I am beginning this on May 7th, 2008 at about 1:15pm MST. I write this in because I imagine that it will not be posted for a few days. This is in no real order of importance, just what comes to mind, I will put it down. Here I go…

1. I love my wife, Rachel
2. I love my son, Wyatt
3. I love my family and friends
4. I am living in Utah
5. I was in Sacramento for about 4 years
6. I didn’t much like it there
7. I was born and raised in the Tacoma, WA area
8. I WILL live there again
9. I attended public school
10. I belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
11. Yes, I’m a Mormon
12. (not a polygamist FLDS)
13. I know Jesus Christ lives and loves us as individuals
14. I know the Book of Mormon is another testament of Jesus Christ as is the Bible
15. I worked at Intel for a little while
16. I thought I would retire there
17. My training trip to Costa Rica last year dismissed #16
18. I loved Costa Rica
19. I served a two year voluntary full time LDS mission in Jacksonville, FL
20. I cried when Wyatt was born
21. I almost passed out from hyperventilating when Wyatt was born
22. I really enjoy listening to Country Music
23. I used to be a DJ on a small AM radio station
24. I used to DJ Church Young Adult Dances
25. I always dream of being a hot shot DJ on a commercial radio station
26. My internet radio station, XRT-FM is great, but it’s sleeping now
27. Although the California State Fair is incredible, I prefer the Puyallup Fair
28. Fairs in Utah are horrible
29. I drive an ‘04 Nissan Altima
30. I get to trade it in next March
31. I love car shopping
32. Car buying is the pits
33. I don’t think it should snow in April or May
34. I love driving
35. My favorite soda is Henry Weinhard’s Root Beer
36. My favorite pizza is pepperoni
37. I was disappointed by Cloverfield
38. The Princess Bride is my all-time favorite movie
39. Managing a technical support team is hard but rewarding
40. I lasted 3 months doing #39 before being laid off
41. I need Rachel
42. I only get drowsy while driving if my wife is with me
43. I work 4 miles from home
44. Riding my bike to work is still a goal of mine
45. Wyatt is on a t-ball team this year
46. Mowing my back yard is hell
47. I am terrified of bees
48. I want another child
49. Almost half way
50. There!
51. Wyatt is a natural at T-Ball
52. Watching 5 and 6 year olds play T-Ball is so much fun
53. Flowers ALWAYS work
54. I love my Mom
55. I miss my Dad
56. I have Mike Wazowski, Lightning McQueen, an Easy Button, and a Rubik’s Cube on my desk at work
57. I love a good maple bar
58. Honey and crunchy peanut butter is an excellent combination
59. I have Type 2 Diabetes
60. I’m not always careful with my blood sugar
61. I am very patriotic
62. I thought I was done being a help desk agent
63. My eczema flares up when I’m nervous
64. I love to walk in the snow with the woman I love
65. I like to splurge on a good dinner out occasionally
66. I like a really good basic hamburger (not McD’s)
67. Fry Sauce needs to go National
68. Utah McD’s does not sell the regular McChicken
69. Texas Roadhouse is in the top 3 of my favorite restaurants
70. I don’t like onions but I like how they taste
71. I drink the leftover milk after the cereal is gone
72. I get really addicted to SimCity
73. I am against pills (see #60)
74. I can’t deal with too much silence
75. I trust people by default
76. I’d like to take Wyatt out fishing
77. I really like to vacuum (something to do with leaving nice tracks in the carpet)
78. Not so much the same with mowing the lawn (see #46)
79. I’m pretty funny
80. I can get very sarcastic
81. I LOVE the rain
82. I want to rock and roll all night
83. And party every day
84. I would love to see Garth Brooks in concert
85. I am naturally a very generous person
86. I want to lose about 100 pounds
87. WoW does not interest me
88. We should get a Wii
89. Dr. House is my idol
90. Michael Scott is right up there
91. O’Doyle Rules!
92. I Love the 80’s
93. I still have to look twice when I see a full size billboard by the Interstate for the Salt Lake Temple
94. I need music to survive
95. I will miss Deborah
96. My radio station should be back online shortly
97. Open Source freaks annoy me
98. A Mac would be fun
99. One left
100. I like bread

Ok. Have at it. If you blog, or wanted something to blog about, try this for starters!

-Timmy

Hi there. There comes some great benefits from Rachel working at BYU. One really great one is that I can go to school there for free and get 20% off books. I am seriously considering getting back in there now. I am deciding between a Management path or something like Communications so I can be involved with Broadcasting. It has to be undergraduate or it costs.

Another thing is that I love the rain! Being from the great Pacific Northwest, rain was the breath of life. Sure if you live there, you get sick of it.. But deep, deep down, you always love it. I moved to Sacramento, then here to Utah. I will tell you, you really start to miss it. I get the craziest looks from people when I pine for the wet stuff. One of the funniest things I ever heard about people in the Northwest was that they don’t tan, they rust! It’s true. I miss my home in Washington! I miss seeing Mt. Rainier every day that it was clear. I miss my family and old friends. I will make it back there.. oh yes, I will.

Wyatt has his first T-Ball game today. We are so excited for him. I will try to upload some pics and video clips to here or my home page, or both. The one contradiction, I hope it doesn’t rain for the game.

I am working on a very introspective post that I should have up by the end of the week. I’ve seen some bloggers also do this. I don’t want to reveal too much but it should be fun and I will encourage my fellow bloggers to do the same at some point. I also would like to let you know that currently, this blog has about 3,500 hits. The one year birthday is on the 15th of May and I think it would be awesome to get that total up to 4,000 hits by then. Tell all your friends and family about this little blog! Thanks!

Be good, Have a good day and SMILE!

-Timmy

I got this from my Mom today…

Recently, I overheard a mother and daughter in their last moments together at the airport. They had announced the departure.

Standing near the security gate, they hugged and the mother said, ‘I love you, and I wish you enough.’The daughter replied, ‘Mom, our life together has been more than enough. Your love is all I ever needed. I wish you enough, too, Mom.’

They kissed and the daughter left. The mother walked over to the window where I was seated. Standing there I could see she wanted and needed to cry. I tried not to intrude on her privacy, but she welcomed me in by asking, ‘Did you ever say good-bye to someone knowing it would be forever?’

‘Yes, I have,’ I replied. ‘Forgive me for asking, but why is this a forever good-bye?’.

‘I am old, and she lives so far away. I have challenges ahead and the reality is - the next trip back will be for my funeral,’ she said.

‘When you were saying good-bye, I heard you say, ‘I wish you enough.’ May I ask what that means?’

She began to smile. ‘That’s a wish that has been handed down from other generations. My parents used to say it to everyone.’ She paused a moment and looked up as if trying to remember it in detail, and she smiled even more. ‘When we said, ‘I wish you enough,’ we were wanting the other person to have a life filled with just enough good things to sustain them.’ Then turning toward me, she shared the following as if she were reciting it from memory.

I wish you enough sun to keep your attitude bright no matter how gray the day may appear.
I wish you enough rain to appreciate the sun even more.
I wish you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive and everlasting.
I wish you enough pain so that even the smallest of joys in life may appear bigger.
I wish you enough gain to satisfy your wanting.
I wish you enough loss to appreciate all that you possess.
I wish you enough hellos to get you through the final good- bye.

She then began to cry and walked away.

They say it takes a minute to find a special person, an hour to appreciate them, a day to love them; but then an entire life to forget them.

TAKE TIME TO LIVE…..

To all my friends and loved ones,
I WISH YOU ENOUGH.

We bought the new Amazon Kindle. I was really searching for a great idea for a Mother’s Day gift for my dear, sweet wife. Rachel, as many of you know, is a very avid reader. She loves books! Her favorites include James Patterson and LDS author, Anita Stansfield. Instead of going the very risky route of surprising her with this $400 gift, I opted to include her in the selection and decision process. She was thrilled and the sticker price didn’t really shock her too much.

This device has a lot of great features. One that I find most fascinating is the e-ink screen. This is not a regular LCD display found in iPods or Palm devices. It is an electronically controlled ink-based display. It claims to read just like paper. No glare, no backlight, no heat problems. It would even require a reading light to read in the dark, but is entirely visible in direct sunlight! It can hold up to 200 entire books in the built-in memory. It also has an SD memory card slot for expansion. Plus, your online account can also archive your books. It receives the content through Sprint’s EVDO wireless data network (Whispernet), which is free. This is better than wi-fi since it’s available in most places that cellphones work. You can also subscribe to blogs and national and international newspapers. It can, for a small fee, process and store your own documents.

I can’t wait to get this thing and check it all out. I will provide an update with our thoughts and opinions. It should be here in the next day or so as Amazon.com is currently providing free Two-Day shipping (normally $12). Yes, it’s a bit costly. Yes, it’s a little risky to plunge into something new like this. There are a lot of what-ifs and I am frankly quite proud of Rachel for jumping into this technology with me.

-Timmy