Music

I love music! I can't imagine life without music. I can't think of a day when I don't listen to music - I wake up to it, I drive to it, I often walk to it, I work to it - it penetrates every aspect of my life. And the truly great thing is the variety of music I enjoy, from Gaelic Storm (Irish folk/pop) to Trans-Siberian Orchestra (Christmas rock) to Three Dog Night to Bon Jovi and on and on.

During a break the other day at work, I stepped outside on the streets of Hollywood at DCA to listen to the Delta Daddios (4 piece a cappella group). I remembered how much I loved the sound of a good a cappella sound. I came home & pulled up The Nylons on my iPod to continue the theme. I'm jealous of those that are able to use their voice as an instrument.

Then today, I got to work at the Jedi Training Academy & thoroughly enjoy the music of John Williams. It's so amazing the themes he is able to create and the emotions he can invoke with his instrumentation & composition.

And continuing the idea of marking time - music is similar to sports which I mused about previously. I hear Neil Diamond and am instantly transported to thoughts of Mom and summer vacation. We used to listen to the Hot August Night album as she took her turn driving. I loved to sit up front & listen with her. Toto makes me think of my sisters & I in the upper part of the camper singing our hearts out as we passed the time on the road. Guns n' Roses takes me to my teenage years & Motley Crue to my pre-game pump up sessions.

I am so grateful to be blessed with the ability to hear. Music takes me places & colors my life in so many ways.

Sports, Seasons & Other Thoughts

It's amazing to me how much of my life and time can be counted in the sports I watch and/or participate in over the years. For me growing up the sports year began in the summer - July meant beginning to train for the upcoming soccer season; August was all the pre-season tournaments; fall & winter the actual soccer season - albeit club or high school; spring was the playoffs; June a month off if playoffs didn't go well.

No longer a player, my sports year now begins in March with MLB Spring Training. Following the Angels requires all summer long in hopes of acquiring a playoff berth in October. But it doesn't end there, in fact in August the NFL sneaks in & enjoys a pre-season leading to a September opening. So it's double duty for a while. But as soon as baseball is over, football can take center stage. For me, it's about the NFL but a college game every now and then is good. Otherwise, how can I prepare for Bowl Season? Now Bowl Season isn't quite what it used to be growing up, now they spread it out over too many nights. I long for the past when a family could park in front of the TV for the entire day of January 1 (unless it was a Sunday) and watch bowl game after bowl game after bowl game - often several games at the same time. My family ate nothing but snacks & cheeses & mini-sausages & crackers & whatever else didn't constitute a "real meal". New Year's resolutions didn't go into effect until after Bowl Day. So it's been a bit of an adjustment to Bowl Season - still fun, but will never be the same. Not to be forgotten, the NFL then goes into postseason & playoffs leading to Super Bowl Sunday near the beginning of February.

American sports then takes a backseat for the Academy Awards season, EPL postseason (when I get a chance to watch), and hockey postseason (admit it, hockey is not truly an American sport). It's crazy but I know what time of year it is by what sports I'm watching. Throw in family & friends birthdays, special events, & work - and holy cow, where has the year gone? But I can look back & count memories connected to sports throughout my life. As the Angels lost tonight to the Yankees on the quest to another World Series, I thought about the last time they were at the Series & how Mom, Dad, a very pregnant Karen, & I all sat around the TV cheering on our boys in red! I will never forget that - all thanks to sports in my life.

ASM Safety Celebration

So the ASM team at Disneyland just completed 2 years injury free. To celebrate, management took us to Tortilla Jo's at Downtown Disney. Good (free) food + good friends + interesting yet sometimes wandering conversation = fantastic time... even if it was a work activity!

Phil & Renee

Sean & Marcie

Miss Holly

Sarah & Sean

The "other" table: Sandy, Heidi, Chris, Britany, Karen

Catching up on Summer fun!

Since I've been quite absent over the summer months... here's a bit of what I've been doing besides working... hanging out at Disneyland with old friends, hitting local spots (Wild Rivers, movies, etc) with the family, & of course the road-trip to Idaho for the big Betts Family Reunion. Good times had by all! :D


Crystal, Francesca, Me & Stormy in line for Big Thunder Mountain on Labor Day!



Shane at Wild Rivers Labor Day weekend.



Brandon at Wild Rivers Labor Day weekend.

Shane & Grandpa washing the car before the roadtrip to Idaho.

Some of the extended Betts family!

Pumpkin Patch Time!

The family went to the local pumpkin "patch" at the local mall tonight for Family Night! I came away from the night with some fun pictures & a small pumpkin. I love having most of my family nearby - it makes the holidays much more enjoyable! Even better with the autumn weather because it actually feels like fall now. After playing at the pumpkin patch, we went to dinner at the mall - Ruby's! The family loves Ruby's!