Well, today was a big test for me. a self control test. Sitting around a table of friends and business partners enjoying some dinner together, the topic of Mitt Romney and politics came up. The table then got loud with a sudden outburst of opinions like starving wolves devouring a meal  they have been longing to eat, just needing the 'permission'.  It was quite an interesting observation to hold my tongue, look around and listen to them and think to myself, If I were to say anything, it would do no good to anyone. But I sure learned a lot from listening and watching. It is good to know where people stand, and their thought process. At the same time, I wish I had recorded so I can play it back to them and they can hear what they sounded like and what they said. Do people really realize what they say? I know I don't sometimes. Most of it was complaining, no solutions offered, what we need in the Government to get 'morals back into this country', don't like this candidate because of his personality, etc. etc. etc. Well here are some questions I would like to ask...What are the solutions? Do we need to look to the government to fix the government? what are the principles the candidates stand on? When you say bring the Constitution back, what do you think that means? What if there was a candidate that was atheist and gay but stood on Constitution principles and freedom. Would you vote for that person?  What are the candidates going to do to protect your individual rights and individual freedom? and do you even know what that means? No more of this wishy washy 'I don't like his personality so I'm not voting for him' crap! That is so shallow!....ok ok you have the individual right to say that, but I am no longer thinking that way. As Rick Koerber says, 'turn your brain on, people!!!'...ok I added the people part. Anyway, I kept my mouth shut at dinner so I can vent here on my blog. It was hard for me not to say anything today, but I am proud of myself for not because I preserved the relationships that might have been destroyed if I spoke. They didn't care what I had to say, so I didn't care to speak.

Starting this blog has a little bit of history and is interesting how it all came about.  This blog is for me. Whoever decides to follow, judge me if you want, I don't care, but I warn you that you are going to see my insides because I am holding nothing back and going to be completely transparent. And it might not be pretty. Lol It all started when I was having a 'discussion' with some friends and when the conversation went from a reasonable discussion to an emotional debate, I stopped the conversation. I got frustrated with myself  and started thinking, I want so bad to know stuff about philosophy, the Founding Fathers, the Constitution and Individual Rights, the Gospel, and everything else! Once I know more about these subjects I can have a better conversation with people. I cannot force my views on others, nor do I want to, but I can use my power of persuasion to teach truth. But I cannot teach truth if I don't know it for myself. There are many things I do know to be true, but hard for me to articulate into words. I was pondering this 'weakness' I have and what I can do about it. So I thought for 1 year I am just going to keep my mouth shut and read at least 1 book a month for a whole year.  A few nights ago I started reading The Real Thomas Jefferson. I read how Thomas's Mom was described as and I long for those characteristics - "a woman of a clear and strong understanding". I began to read about his father, and when I did, it validated my feelings I had earlier about reading. - "Peter...but being of a strong mind, sound judgement, and eager after information, he read much and improved himself." Oh how I love that! I want to read much and improve myself too. As I was telling Jewel about this, she informed me of a way Grandpa Skousen did this, and how Rick did this. Well those are 2 men I admire greatly, so I was eager to hear. They read and read and read, and as they did, they created a blog.  They wrote their feelings, findings and inspiration down.  When you write things down, you retain the information better, and as others comment, you learn from them as well. good and bad I am sure. I can write better than I can talk most times, so this is great advice for me. Then Jewel was inspired. I am forever grateful to her. She reminded me that 1 year from now is Grandpa Skousen's 100th birthday. What better birthday gift could I give to him, then a better foundation on truth, a more keen intellect and a greater love for myself and those whom I am studying? Especially when most of those books I am reading are his? :) So...short story long, this will be my blog until January 20, 2013 of what I am learning, studying, my inspirations and ah-ha moments. If any of you want to leave comments, that is fine, but if you start saying really stupid stuff, I might block you. That is what Facebook is for. One more thing, the reason my blog is called one blog in front of the other.  That came from, again, my Jewel when I was down on life. She so lovingly and wisely said "One step in front of the other.... one day at a time. Keep moving forward." That is what I am doing with this blog. one blog in front of the other, one day at a time, keep moving forward and in one years time, I can see how far I have really come.