Quick Summary - Entries from the Past

Here is a compilation of the original blog, which went away from my inattention two years ago:

Sunday, May 07, 2006
Going Home to DC!!!
Hey! I'm going back to DC for a weekend! Out SUV choir and Gladys Knight (www.suvchoir.org) are booked for the Suitland Stake Center Sat. and Sun., May 20 and 21, 5 and 8pm each day. Sooo cool. Linda's going with me. We're going to rent a car and visit the old stomping grounds in Prince George's County.
posted by Astronut at 9:50 PM
Bye Bye Bus...
Well, it had to happen. Much as I loved the kids, the sunrises, the moonsets, and the free think time, an unexpected thing happened. This wonderful "no brainer" job became just that. It takes full time concentration (though not a lot of brainpower) to drive a bus full of kids well. I was certifiably (tested at three months) one of the best drivers (out of 1,200) in the district. Problem was, I got increasingly frustrated at the time lost...3 hours twice a day...where I wasn't supposed to think of anything else. Even though I had a major client with heavy demands, two college classes with prep time needed, and other things I needed to do, I had to just drive for that six hour period. After a while, my driving mind went on automatic and the rest of my brain planned the rest of the day. I ignored my cell phone (though I left it on) while the bus was moving...most of the time. The time I chose to answer it, I got caught and written up...three extra months of probation! That was just before I was to come off probation. That put it to the end of the year. THEN, one morning at 4am, as I was backing into the garage for a minor repair, I bumped into a retaining post at idle speed. Not seeing any damage except a little paint chipped of the post, I continued on my run and reported it when I got back. They gave me a written reprimand for "leaving the scene of an accident." CYBTS!! Three more months probation, putting it well into next year. Then my rescue came. My radio station client asked me to be his Corporate Communications Director. It was part time, but there was no way I could do it and drive the bus, too. ALSO, I was falling behind in my school preparation, and was missing some client work that had to be done in the afternoon. So I decided to let go of the bus job. I didn't get the ten months retirement credit I needed, but I got 7. I'll buy the other three.There's a certain circle of people (can you way, wife?) who think I may have just sabatoged the job like I did the airport, so I could be a victim and blame someone else. I won't deny the theory, because I have wanted to find a way out of it for a couple of months. But the difference this time is, I knew I wanted to quit, and agressively took the action to do it, rather than let the "system" do me in. I would have stuck it out if I had truly needed to. But I didn't, so I didn't.Since I quit, I've missed the kids (but I have MySpace site now, and they talk to me there), and one of the drivers, but the rest I filed as "a good experience." I know now what it takes to be a bus driver and I never want to do it again. It was like when I got myself fired from the drilling job during the semester I took off from school. Nothing made me want to get a college education more than hard labor with a blue collar. However, I have filled that time with much more lucrative pursuits. In fact, I'll be teaching summer school at UNLV all through June and July in those afternoon hours.So, it's Bye Bye Bus..and hello, SANITY!!
posted by Astronut at 9:29 PM
Sunday, April 09, 2006
Top of the World
It's a little scary when all you've ever wanted is dropped into your lap. I've always loved singing and otherwise making music, and I enjoy making a difference in people's lives. That's why I enjoyed my mission so much. Now I am singing in the Saints Unified Voices, directed by Gladys Knight ( www.suvchoir.org). It's the absolute top of the world for quality music and life-changing work. We've been at it 3 years, and Gladys has taken us to the pinnacle. We make "presentations" all over the world, performing her arrangements of LDS music and a few standard gospel tunes. They have the look of a mega-fireside, complete with testimonials from Gladys, her husband, daughter, and a couple of narrators. But the music....oh my! The bar is so high it challenges all hundred of us...and we have risen to the occasion. Gladys drives us hard in rehearsals and expects nothing short of excellence (notice, I didn't say perfection...we'd never perform if we waited for perfect...but it's darn close!) Check the website to see more, but just know that I'm in another zone when I'm in the choir. All the musical training I've had is tested, and it's such a thrill to achieve that level of quality. Gladys is an incredible woman with an awesome God-given talent. And as she puts it, she now knows why she sings. To spread the gospel and bring people to Christ. In fact, she has quit her show at the Flamingo in Las Vegas to dedicate her time to the SUV. She only does a few other ad hoc shows. The result is that we are now being directed by the Church Missionary Committee. We have been England, Hawaii, Atlanta, LA, Utah (tabernacle!), several places in Las Vegas, obviously; and will soon go to Washington, D.C. (to the stake in which I ended my mission and later lived and worked for 10 years!), New York City. OH, and by the way, we won a Grammy this year for "Best Gospel Choir Album." We're working on our second CD, a Christmas Album to come out this year. How sweet is all that? Gladys Knight and the Mo-Pips...or The Mormon Pippernacle Choir. Those are my names, so only I can get in trouble for them. :)
posted by Astronut at 9:07 AM
Twists and turns
Oh, the ebb and flow of life. I've learned that, like a fighter, you have a perfect plan until that first punch comes. I'm still teaching and loving it. We're getting to the end of the semester, and the kids are getting antsy. The ad class is a good one...no deadbeats. They all want to learn to write ad copy and are looking forward to the field trip to an agency next week. The newswriting class published one edition of the school paper this semester and will do one more before it's over. The interpersonal relationship class will resume in the fall...it's not offered in the spring. I haven't been able to persuade either UNLV or Nevada State College to put me on full time, yet, but I'm enjoying what I have.The consulting is booming, mainly with one client, AM Radio 790. I moved from government relations (site selection, special use permit, planning commission approval) for the 4-tower array they must build, to project manager in the actual construction and compliance with all the interests who care about what we do...Bureau of Reclamation land, Desert Tortoises , Bear Poppies, Burrowing Owls, dust control, etc.) It pays the mortgage, a few bills, and a little food. I had a personal trainor client for four months, with whom I traded services. The training worked out well (I lost 30 pounds!) but the trade didn't. I just couldn't carve out enough time to deliver the service he required. So I ended the trade, and kept the training...but on my own.Now, the bus driving...that's another story. I love the task...driving a big-ass bus all over town, 115 miles a day, with young, excited, hyper, fun-loving middle-school and high-school students. But the management leaves a lot to be desired. I knew I would be just one of 1,200 blue shirt drivers...a nobody in the grand scheme. But I didn't know it would bother me as much as it does. It was supposed to be a no-brainer job that would leave me daytime hours to do the other things as well, and rack up retirement time. It did all that (though it doesn't leave nearly enough time), but there was an unexpected wrinkle. While it doesn't take a lot of brain power, nature depplores a vacuum, so my brain filled up with other things...my schedule, making plans, creating ideas, music, etc. I get so distracted, I miss a stop or a turn once in a while and have to backtrack. Once in a while, if it's safe, I take a cell phone call, which is against bus rules, unless you're stopped. I got written up for that, which extended my 6 month probation to 9 months, essentially the whole year. Then early one morning about 4:55, I misjudged the distance as I was backing into a garage bay, and bumped into a 4 foot high post that protected the door. I didn't see any damage, decided it wasn't really an "accident" (wrong!) , and decided to do my run and report it when I got back in so I wouldn't have to bother anyone (bad move!), despite the rule that you're supposed to report an "accident" immediately. Bottom line is that I now have a written reprimand for "leaving the scene of an accident", and my probation is extended another 3 months, into next year. I still get retirement accrual, but no pay raise (as if that made a difference...4 % more than nothing is still nothing.) So here I am, an excellent driver, who can't seem to follow the rules. This is just not my cup of tea. I have found a way out, though. A friend has persuaded me that there actually is a multi-level marketing business that works like a business and not a scam. If that turns out to be true, I will drop the bus driving, keep the teaching and consulting, and sell health supplements to fellow baby boomers for an additional income stream. Then I'll buy the last 4 months of retirement to make the magical ten years.Somewhere in all of this, I am missing the most important stuff...writing and recording music, acting, voiceovers, all my talent work. It languishes in the the world of possibilities in deference to the certainty of a small, but certain, income. That's what marriage is all about, I suppose. ]Caught between the longing for love and the struggle for the legal tender.It'll all work out.
posted by Astronut at 8:31 AM
Saturday, October 15, 2005
My Life in Chunks
It seems my life has evolved into a series of “chunks” of about four hours each. The chunks come 4 a day and are in three categories, Work, Volunteer and Relaxation. In the “Work” category are: teaching, consulting, bus driving, radio news, DJ’ing, and preparation (of whatever work chunk is looming largest). In “Volunteer” are: church, choir (with Gladys Knight), and Church media relations. In “Relaxation” are: movies, yardwork, and yes, the rare “rest” chunk where there is supposed to be nothing to do.So, for example, Monday is a 4-work-chunk day, with driving, teaching, driving, teaching, in that order. Each chunk is separated by one (or less) to three hours of transition/preparation/relaxation, making at total 19 hour day. Tuesday is a little better, with only two work chunks, driving and driving, separated by a preparation chunk and followed (sometimes) by a relaxation chunk. Wednesday is a three work chunk day: driving, teaching, driving; and an alternating preparation and relaxation chunk. Thursday is driving, prepartion, driving, teaching. Friday is driving, preparation, driving, relaxation (date night!).Saturday is radio, choir (or relaxation), preparation, and relaxation (replaced by a rare DJ chunk). Sunday is relaxation, church, relaxation, preparation (usually.)Then it starts all over the next week.
posted by Astronut at 8:22 AM
Sunday, September 25, 2005
My Life as a Bus Driver

As a way of building up the retirement time I need, I have become a bus driver for the Clark County School District. For six hours a day, I drive high school and middle school student to and from their schools. It we supposed to be a no-brainer job, but it has turned out to be much more. I’m a little embarrassed about how much I enjoy it. The kids are great. The driving is fun…like a live video game. And the hours are nice. I get three hours in before 8am, then I go back from 1:30 to 4:30. There’s plenty of time for class prep and consulting.

Since the first day of school, I’ve have very few incidents. One student left a knuckle knife in the shape of a Batman insignia..quite illegal on a bus. Once in a while they leave a backpack or gym bag…lip gloss, a toy dinosaur, patch, pens, and money. I keep the money. How could I trust someone who claims money?

I’ve started to see the kids’ home life in their eyes. I can tell who has love in their home and who doesn’t. I’m thinking that my smile may be the only one they see all day. I tried it out on a couple of them. I said hi every day, and it took several days, but they finally started saying hi. Even a weak smile every so often. It’s sad.

There are a lot of friendly kids, too. I have to keep them in line sometimes. To get them to throw away their trash and not leave it for me. I collected both in separate bags last week and showed them on Friday. I said, “Now, you don’t want the Professor to pick up your trash, do you?” We’ll see how they do.

The first day, two students got on my bus mistakenly. I had to take them to their neighborhoods on the complete opposite side of town…45 minutes extra. Another kid missed his stop and I took him right to his street corner. Freaked out the neighborhood, but impressed him.

The story of the string of bureaucratic errors is still to come.


posted by Astronut at 5:48 PM
Teaching 2005/6 begins
We’ve had four weeks of school now, and I am so loving the classes I'm teaching at UNLV and Nevada State College (NSC.). I’ve gone from one class (3 credit hours) to three (9 credit hours) on my way to a full time (12 CH at NSC and 16 if it’s UNLV).I am continuing to teach the Communications 374, “Copywriting for Advertising” at UNLV on Monday nights from 7 to 9:45. It’s a creative writing class teaching 19 kids to write commercials. I get some really creative kids in that class. Most are seniors in their last semester who need this class to graduate. So most are well motivated. The only drawback is that most, a great majority, can’t put a sentence together with proper English. I don’t know where they were in their English classes, but it’s just not there. It’s frustrating. I tell them then can break all the rules they want to for a good ad (“Got Milk?”) but they better know the rules first. Other than that I have a great time with them. Like my son, J.D., the high school math teacher, says, it’s a great place to perform to a captive audience.The biggest new class is Communications 102, “Interpersonal Communication” at NSC Thursday nights from 7 to 8:40. I love this class! It’s where I get to teach the 12 students all about self examination, self esteem, self disclosure, intention, effective listening, and all those things related to just communicating with fellow Homo sapiens. We get into some real eye opening stuff for the kids. Many of them are reserved and hesitant to open up and it’s a joy to see them break through that and become really open in their interaction with each other.The second new class and third overall is a fun one…Communications 250, “News Gathering and Writing.” It’s right up my alley, eh? As a former reporter and flack, I’ve worked all sides of journalism and bring a lot of good stories to the table. This class is tasked with printed the college newspaper as well. Only thing is, they had some problems last semester and the class’ reputation is a little sullied. So only two students signed up for it. (They must have not heard the rumors.) But it won’t be long before that changes. I’ve recruited a few volunteers – writers, a photographer, a graphics artist, etc. – to publish the paper, which we will have in mid-October. Basically, I’m giving it the “John Hanks treatment” to turn it around. I’ve set my intention to really make it work…so it will! Next semester should see a full class.Anyway, I’m well on my way to seeing my dream of teaching college full time and increasing my retirement benefits. Stay tuned.
posted by Astronut at 6:37 AM
Thursday, July 21, 2005
Return to the Moon Conference
I’m sitting in Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas at the opening session of the sixth annual “Return to the Moon” Conference sponsored by the Space Frontier Foundation. This is the fourth RTM I’ve been involved with…I handled the media for RTM’s 3, 4, and 5. But last year I spent so much of their money and got so little in return, they decided to replace me. I also lost the monthly contract I had with them for putting out press releases. So this year I am just a participant. It’s kind of nice, actually, to sit and enjoy the sessions, which I’ve never been able to do before. SFF’s mission is to facilitate the human settlement of space as soon as possible. As regards the Moon, they want to establish a permanent human presence with commercial facilities in the next 15 years. It’s kind of like Lewis and Clark. Their exploration was government funded, but as they were coming back up the river they were met by shopkeepers and entrepreneurs ready to settle the new frontier. Space is the same. Let NASA do the “out there” exploration, but let the private sector take over the settlement and commercialization. That means that low earth orbit (LEO) and the Moon, places already established, should be the purview of “we, the people.” The technology is there, we just need the government to get out of the way and let the creativity of the private sector drive the settlement and development of LEO and the Moon.Gene Meyers is here, too. He’s the first “space nut” I met. Shortly after I left the airport and started my business, I targeted space as a preferred client. I located Gene Meyers and his Space Island group (www. Spaceislandgroup.com) and persuaded him to hire me as his PR firm. His funding has come and gone, come again and gone again. It’s currently “”gone” so I’m not doing anything with him. But he has a great concept…using the Shuttle Fuel Tanks as space habitats. Right now he’s preparing to meet with Governor Schwarzenegger on the solar power segment of his project. Check it out.
posted by Astronut at 10:00 AM
Friday, July 08, 2005
Welcome
Welcome to my world. In my life, I play many roles: Husband, Father, Grandfather, Son, Brother, Teacher, Consultant, Newscaster, Actor, Singer, Voiceover artist, Media Coach, DJ, and some others that slip my mind at the moment.This Blog is my way of getting past those "roles" and down to the core of who I am. In some ways, I'm not too sure who that is. In some ways I'm VERY sure. This form gives me a chance to explore that in depth and gives anyone who cares to observe a chance to watch the process unfold. Part of who I really am likes to be watched, but this is more for me than you. I'm going to ignore you as much as possible and just log my life as I see it.Please feel free to give me your feedback. I'm a man who thrives on contact and conversation.Wish me luck.
posted by Astronut at 6:42 AM
About Me
Name: Astronut
Location: Henderson, Nevada, United States
I was born a poor child in a log cabin I built with my own hands. No? Ok, I was born the son of a coal miner in Kenilworth, Utah. I grew up in Vernal (Maeser), Manila, Bountiful, Utah, and a dozen other little towns (including Palmer, Alaska) as my Dad followed his government drilling job. I graduated Bountiful HS(drama). I married Linda half way through college; We had six children (lost one in infancy, raised five to adulthood.) Worked in radio and TV in IF, ID (KTEE, KIFI) and SLC, UT (KSL), was Press Sec. and Chief of Staff to UT Congressman Dan Marriott, Reagan Pres'l. appointee (FAA Pub. Affairs Spec.Asst.), PR Dir. for Las Vegas' McCarran Int'l Airport (9-way tie for 3rd in command), and now, as John Hanks Communications, I am a media consultant, college professor (UNLV, Nev. State Coll.), voiceover artist, TV/Radio/Movie actor, and party DJ. There's a great back story for each of those careers. Any questions?