My Personal Language. . .

You know how every family has certain phrases or words they use that have private or individual meaning?

Well apparently (my wife always says to me;  "when you say...It actually means...) I use many of those phrases and/or words and thought it might be useful for people so they can better understand me; 

Adventure: Anything dangerous, fun, exhausting, different, brings adrenaline or is fun.

Best Wife In The World: Lets me go on adventures, goes herself and lets me take the kids.

Vacation: Get ready for a workout, every minute we will be hiking, biking, swimming or exploring. There is no time to sit around doing nothing, (What some might call relaxation).

Relaxation: Biking, hiking, swimming or exploring.

Day Trip: Leave at 3 A.M., mountain bike, hike, canyoneer, or a combination, 20-100 miles (must do at least two separate trails or it is a waste)  then return home between 11-12 PM. Ex. Moab Hiking Trip: Leave 3 A.M. Hike; Delicate, Entire Primitive Loop, Professor Creek, Corona arch 27 miles total, home by midnight.

Easy Bike Ride: Aprrox. offroad 10 miles

Medium Bike Ride: 10-20 off road miles

Difficult Bike Ride: 20-100 off road miles

Adventure Bike Ride: No real map, I have only heard about the trail, and it is fairly long.

Yes: My response when asked if I would like to do an adventure ride.

Singletrack: Wide enough for one bike, what I like to ride.

Doubletrack: Wide enough for two bikes, it can ruin any ride very quickly.

Road Running: Satan's form of Exercise punishment

Trail Running: Not as bad as road running.

Wound: "Adventure Injury" received when being adventurous (it has many categories).

Scar: "Adventure Scar" - comes from good adventure wounds.

Whining/Complaining: What some do when they get an adventure injury - not tolerated unless a bone in sticking out of the skin then "some" is tolerated.

Someone I knew had that same problem and died the next day, so when you die, what should we do with your bike?: My response to whining or complaining about adventure injuries.

Some: Them - "oww this hurts (appropriate)" me - "That was a sweet fall and will leave an awesome adventure scar".

Celebrate: What we do when we get an adventure Injury

Doctor: 1- Who you go to for treatment of the best adventure injuries.

             2- Someone you go to when sick, so they can tell you "I don't know, it must be a virus."

Virus: Apparently anything that makes you sick with no explanation.

Into The Wild: My response when my wife asks me where I am going.

Cell Phone: The reason you go into the wild.

Camera: For documenting adventures.

The Average Man...: My response when asked about adventure related items. Ex; "Does your broken neck hurt?", "The average man would be screaming in pain, but I feel okay" /  "How was your ride?" "It was really good, but, "The average man" would have died."

Christmas tree hunt: 1-3 feet of snow, colder than 20  degrees, stiff wind blowing and everyone on snowshoes.

Walk Faster: My response to most people who have to walk with me. "A slow walk is no walk at all"  -President Gordon B. Hinckley to James E. Faust.

Blah, Blah, Blah: What I think when someone's story is boring or too long.

Reader's Digest Version: What I say when someone's story is too long.

We Are Leaving In Five Minutes: We really are leaving in five minutes, if you are not ready you will be left.

The Bridge

It all began with a hat, during the last election. While picking up some medicine At walgreens, a certain hat grabbed my attention. Because I sometimes enjoy stirring up controversy, I knew this was the perfect hat for me...in Utah.

What was on this perfect hat? Vote Obama.

I immediately placed on our van dashboard and would wear it whenever the opportunity arose; Church socials, corporate meetings, any chance I got. The reaction was a little surprising, even for me.

Some would just laugh, others would question how I could support a man who was ruining our country, others were downright angry, ordering me to remove that "horrible thing".

Yet many times when I questioned why, I got the same answers. No one really knew much about this man, our current president.

I have always believed that many enemies are made because people don't try to understand this with whom they disagree.

I decided I wanted to understand our president so I read his book; The Audacity of Hope, and loved it. It helped me understand why he makes the decisions he does. I don't agree with many of the political decisions he makes, but I understand his motives.

Now I am reading the book titled "The Bridge", and again loving it. I read it whenever and wherever I can. Including doctor visits, or just waiting in line. The reaction has been similar to the hat; stares, glancing looks, dirty looks, or flat out questions like; " So you're reading about Obama huh?" You like him? I generally  respond that  I don't agree with many of PRESIDENT OBAMA'S policies but I find his life somewhat inspirational. A good father, husband and son.  Then I remark how many hate him but know nothing about him, I wanted to learn and understand all I can. Their response is anything from a mumbled, "huh" to "that's cool".

I still think it comes down to the lack of trying to understand those with whom we disagree. There would be much less anger and hatred in this world if more common ground were found between those with different beliefs. Republicans think democrats are wrong, democrats think republicans are wrong, yet I think a nation or people divided against itself cannot stand.

It's time we try to understand those with whom we disagree, I think then and only then do we realize how much we truly agree upon.

What to do when you can't sleep...

It is exactly 1:27 in the morning and I am blogging. Why am I blogging so early (or late)  you ask?
Two reasons; 1. There is an app for that, yes I am blogging from my phone, or "Android device".  2. I can't sleep. Normally I go to bed around 10:30, fall asleep around midnight and wake up around three in the morning. Tonight, however, I am wide awake. I've taken unisom,( three to be exact - what, the dose is one you say?) read, counted, and even done sleep relaxation techniques all to no avail. When I lay down at night my mind goes a million miles an hour, this is what I have thought of tonight...to name a few.

I need to paint the bathroom another color.
What if the butler had remembered that Joseph had explained his dream when he (the butler) was brought back to the Pharoah's court? Would he have gone back to his family?
I should scan some stuff to my phone. Is there an app for that? Turns out there is. I scanned some stuff at 1:05.
What does Zaphnath-panaah (or however its spelled) mean?
I wonder if I could put my old fork on my hardtail bike?
Should I change the angle of my fan that blows right on me?
I wonder if my brother in law received the suspension trainer yet? Joseph and Josh need hair cuts. What do I know about the prophet Malach? What does the word Hawaii mean? Why did Lewis and Clark think the best pierce were the most hospitable Indians? What dates am I going to moab? When is spring break? Is my quilt on straight? I need to fix the whole in the outside storage room door. I should put a small brick entrance in front of the shed. How much sand and gravel would I need to do that? How could I fix the tailgate on the company truck? Could it hold sand and gravel? How much is a yard of sand weigh? I need a haircut. Why do I not like brick masonry? Should I be a school teacher? What was he name of that movie with yule brenner and tony Curtis? Taa.... something? How can John Wayne play Ghengis Khan? What was Ghengis Khan's real name? John Wayne's real name was Marion....

And it goes on...and on....and on.

Sometimes I feel like there is a monkey just shouting things out. However, I find one good thing with having a mind that runs like that. Multi-tasking is a piece of cake.

It is now 1:53, I'm going to read some more.

37th Birthday = 37 Things

On November 9th, the age 40 will be three years closer.
 I still feel young so what do I care?
Even in his 90's my Grandad walked 6 miles a day and mowed his lawn so I figure to be biking, hiking, snow hoeing and hopefully snowboarding and skiing at the same age.
However, I digress. My Sister listed 35  things, that people may not know,  about her on her Birthday. I liked it. I am going to steal the idea and do the same.

1. I like to sow, and I'm fairly good at it. In fact there is a sowing machine in my room. I have made; backpacks, bike bags, suspension trainers, camping gear, etc.
2. I love to cook. Today I made home made bread. One night I even made steak and beans look like a garden on a plate.
3. People. I love people. I care about them. . .however, I am not real talkative. I can sit in a room in absolute silence, without feeling awkward or a need to "chat". But with all these people I love, There are very few people I enjoy hanging out with.
4. I like Taylor Swift's music, there it's out.
5. I hate romantic movies. Matter-of-fact I hate romance in any movies. If I rent a movie with romance, I fast forward it. . .all of it. . .Can't stand it. . .at all.
6. I love mountain biking and other extreme sports (I know that. . .you say) Did you know I owned the first "Mountain Bike" that Schwinn ever made? It's true. My Dad got it for me. My uncle owned a Schwinn shop. I loved it.
7. I love having fun with my kids and other's kids, pinatas, tattoos, face painting, parties, wrestling, lacrosse, whatever, I love making it fun for kids.
8. I still read Portuguese at least one time a week so I don't lose the language entirely.
9. Before my mission, I wanted to be a ski bum and get married much older. I was 21 when I married. We had 8 children in 10 years.
10. I like doing new things. Even hiking or biking the same trail too many times gets old and boring.
11. Some day I want to base jump. My brother and I almost did it once, but the guy inviting us was quite drunk, okay, he was completely sloshed.
12. Wind chimes are amazing. There is a set outside my window and a set in my room. I love the sound of them.
13. Every night, I sleep with the windows open (even in winter) and a 30 inch fan blowing less than one foot from my face. My dream is a commercial wind machine.
14. I love reading. But I hate fiction. My favorite reads are early American history, business and science based. Currently I am reading about the eruption of Krakatoa, before that it was Benjamin Franklin.
15. My wife and I never would have spoken if she hadn't initiated it. I thought she was way out of my league. She still is.
16. I would rather be biking, hiking, snowshoeing or just being "in the wild" than at any amusement park. Hugh Nibley summed up my feeling when he said that "Disneyland was a hell on earth". Will I go there some day with my kids, perhaps some day, but only if includes surfing the waves and exploring the mountains.
17. When my children were young and I had but a few, I thought I was a good parent. Now that they are older, I realize I'm pretty much clueless, it's more survival.
18. I don't think newborns are cute. None of them. Not even my own. Before I would hold them I would always make the nurses wash and clean them. They become cute later.
19. I try to do creative things for valentines day. One year I made a Fruit bouquet. Another year I wrote the story of our meeting and dating from my point of view - things I remembered. My wife says I'm a romantic, I say I'm just creative.
20. I hate baseball.
21. Next year my brother and I are doing a 24 hour California trip - Drive - Surf - Bike -Drive --Die.
22. I enjoy blogging, my wife hates it. She can;t even say "Computer". But it's fun to hear her practice.  "Compppoooter".  No, shorter the "oo" sound. . .every night. But she is getting better.
23. I won the "Ruby's Inn Bryce Canyon Rim" WALK! Yes I hurt my knee so I walked . . . and won. Not proud of that.
24. I was in the choir that sang at President Hinckley's first priesthood session as the Prophet.
25. I was the only missionary in my mission who got Malaria in three years. The only one.
26. I fractured my C2 vertebrae (went on a forty mile bike ride the next weekend) and broke my tailbone within four months of each other.
27. I love lighthouses.
28. Every year my children get me a Lego bionicle for Christmas. I still have them all.
29. Next year, I am starting "canyoneering". I have the harness, carabiners, atc and figure eight. I just need my rope.
30. My whole purpose of losing weight is so I can go uphill faster on a bike. I'm always last. However, I can descend very quickly.
31. I have a stripped quilt I sleep with every night. The stripes must be facing outward and vertical, or I will not sleep, it drives me nuts.
32. I am copying my Mission journal onto the computer so someday I can make it a small book and pass it down to my children.
33. I love working on bikes. It relaxes me, most of the time.
34. Favorite Holiday - Christmas. 2nd- Halloween. Confession - I do not like thanksgiving. It's too boring. When my children are old enough thanksgiving will be spent riding bikes in Moab then a big dinner down there.
35. In a span of 2 years I had 7 concussions. One I got doing the half pipe at Brighton, then skied for the rest of the night with purple and yellow lines crossing my vision and a great desire to throw up.
36. My Name is Gage R Gillings. Why Gage? It was the name of a villain on a john Wayne show. Why R? (no it's not an abbreviation) My Grandad's name was Richard, Grandpa's name was Ray - you get the picture. Why Gillings? Here is a long explanation. My favorite part was that it is a derivative of "Julian" which comes from "Iuppiter" which means "The Supreme God".
37. Finally, the last one, I was reaching there for a while. Here it is; I think my wife is the most amazing woman. She is not perfect but she is perfect for me. She lets me be adventurous, puts up with long Moab adventures, and has never complained. She only says, "tell me where you are going in case you die, but if you die I will be very angry with you." She is smokin' hot, a blast to hang out with and takes care of the children so well. She is amazing and one of my heroes.

What an adventure that was.

That's me.

37 Years worth.

November 9th.

1917 Josef Stalin enters the provisional government of the USSR

1921 Albert Einstein is awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics for his work with the photoelectric effect.

1939 Adolf Hitler narrowly escapes assassination when a bomb explodes in the historic Buergenbraeu Hall in Munich shortly after the Chancellor had left to return to Berlin. (Dang it)

1989 Cold War: Fall of the Berlin Wall. Communist-controlled East Germany opens checkpoints in the Berlin Wall allowing its citizens to freely travel to West Germany. People start demolishing the Berlin Wall.

1989 East Berlin opens its borders.

In 1973 it was the day I was born.

The end. . .but not of me.

New Weight Loss Idea!

      "Use more energy than you put in your face!"

No way I thought of that! Click to see where I got it.

It's so simple, If only I could do it.

I always figure; Eat more, Exercise more.

It usually ends up; Eat more, Exercise less.

It's not fat, It's fuel!