"Bieber Fever"

Seems like every day when the clock radio wakes us up, they are reporting on the newest and latest follies of Justin Bieber.  Arrested for this, suspected of that…  And I am supposed to care why?  This is news? I prefer to think of “Bieber Fever” as an itch I want to go away, but I can’t reach to scratch it.  That nasty sinus cold you just can’t get over.  A blister on my big toe.  At the risk of offending anyone, I have to say, I really wish he would just go away.  To some deserted island and never be heard from again.  And if he could please take Miley Cyrus with him, I might be able to sleep at night!

The Road To Recovery

“I’m fat.”  “I’m ugly.”  “I hate my life.”  “I feel like there’s no hope.”  “Sometimes I just feel like killing myself.”  How can a beautiful person with so much to live for, so much to be happy about, have such thoughts?  Can’t they just think positively?  This is how I felt about depression in the past, that is, until I found myself in the grips of this affliction myself.  There were days when just simply getting out of bed was a chore.  And forget about being able to work – I didn’t want to talk to or spend time with anybody.  That in itself is a paradox, as being alone was one of the main causes of my depression!   My road to recovery began as I sat, zombie-like, in front of my computer, and a random Facebook post appeared, saying “What if when you wake up in the morning, you have only those things you thanked Heavenly Father for the night before?”  My entire perspective changed.  No longer was I depressed about not being able to see my beautiful new granddaughter.   Now I was thankful to have her, thankful for my son who sends pictures and videos, thankful for the technology which makes it possible!  But it is a long road.  Though I am no longer alone, tears were frequent, and still happen from time to time, even with medication, even with the love of my incredible, amazing wife.  She herself suffers from depression, and we support each other.  There can never be too many compliments given.  It is fun to catch a person pleasing you.  Making a note of the person who pleased you, what he or she did to please you, and how you responded to them.  And we follow wise counsel, such as the following from Jeffrey R. Holland. “Above all, never lose faith in your Father in Heaven, who loves you more than you can comprehend.”  Speaking of such love, Thomas S. Monson states “That love never changes… It is there for you when you are sad or happy, discouraged or hopeful.  God’s love is there for you whether or not you feel you deserve it.  It is simply always there.”

The Snap

Once upon a time, in a land far away, lived a high school student nicknamed Trapper.  Actually, the time was 1982.  The city was Easton, Pennsylvania – famous for Crayola crayons and Larry Holmes.  His real name was Jeff.  He carried a camera. 
It was that camera which led to a new nickname – Snapper, mainly because of the many zany snapshots he was known to take.  His love of photography and journalism provided the perfect motivation for him to begin writing a newspaper called “The Snap”.  Publication of this one copy daily newspaper ceased in June 1983, when Snapper graduated from high school.  It was briefly revived again during his college years in Columbus, Ohio.  Almost 30 years have passed, and while the paper may be ancient history, his legacy, desire to write, and snap photographs of unsuspecting prey, has never ceased.  So after much encouragement from his wife Samantha, he is entering the world of blogging.  Watch out world, HE'S BACK!!!