Just like the Olympics Talk about getting its nose in a knot by being outdone last week by a 3.6 minor earthquake in Emery UT, West Yellowstone WY replied late last evening with a 3.2 also in the minor range, and the biggest for the week, in a time when they just edged out Utah 24 -20 in all events (earthquakes) for the same period. Gardiner MT had registered an early 2.3. but this was held in check by Smithfield UT also with a 2.3 micro two days later. Micro range was the norm for the week. Sounds as exciting as the Olympics, this hobby of mine of observing seismic events in the Intermountain West (Utah to Yellowstone). A simple formula: one week period of observation, map of Intermountain West,  seismic information provided by US Seismic Service, located at the University of Utah, my ... 08/07/2012

Market changes, even in Sandy UT - don't miss your opportunity Economic writers, political commentators and others would have us believe that the housing market is still in shambles. The fodder of this approach - we are in a Buyers Market, evaluate your best deal, delay to wait for "rock bottom", don't get burned, like everyone else with a mortgage. Negativity is easy to sell ~ misery loves company. Enough already. Times change. We live with hope and expectation. We are free to compete. We have goals and dreams. Local changes, some quite subtle, over the last few months have indicated that although Real Estate might still be soft, sluggish, and still lacking real fire, there is a change to a Sellers Market. A house available yesterday is now under contract, sellers get to choose between... 08/05/2012

Who do you call in Utah when its an emergency?  non 911 information for Utah.  Utah has put together a great website for consumers to go and check out who t call when its an emergency in Utah but its not a 911 call.   I've often wondered over the years I should report that, but who do I call.  Then you stumble around to find a phone book in the good ole days or google who you need to call.  Now  they even have an app for your iphone, android or blackberry.  Now you'll always know who to call for all your non 911 needs. I've printed the local information out and put it on my refrigerator for my family.  Check out 911Utah.Gov        you can even enter in your zip code and get a detailed list of numbers like I did shown below for the zip code 84093 in Sandy Utah           great info for yo... 08/02/2012

It's got to be here somewhere Still some months shy of two years of actively participating in ActiveRain but about the anniversary of when I started lurking because I did not have much to say/did not know what to say, I can look back with pleasure on my associations formed in ActiveRain. I dipped my toe (metaphorically of course because I come up a little short in that department.) ~ I was encouraged and challenged. I tried some more, and the horn of plenty delivered.. I contribute, I like to think, regularly (the numbers down the side show my lapses and shortfalls). I have made lots of friends, very quickly, I might add, especially for an older person relatively new to this country. and what a way to learn about a new environment than from interested individuals living in all parts of ... 08/02/2012

Pioneer Day in Utah In memory of the Pioneers We're having a holiday in Utah today. It's Pioneer Day ~ the Utah biggie. A day of Parade, picnics, family gatherings, lots of food and fireworks. It's a celebration of the Pioneer Heritage of Utah. Today we remember the 70,000 pioneers who made their way, often under extreme hardship, from the east to the Valley of the Great Salt Lake to make their home in peace among the mountains of Utah. They came in wagons, or pulling handcarts, or walking, in all seasons, to achieve their dream and to make Utah into the great State it is today. (Deseret became Utah in 1896). Many died along the way, their names held dear by surviving descendant families. It you get a chance, go to see the movie 17 Miracles (2011) to see a portrayal of events endured an... 07/24/2012

Quick and Easy Button Design For about the last six years I have been known in Sandy UT as the Badge and Button Man, my initial self employment when I arrived in the USA for my last great adventure. In that time I have experimented with various programs for designing buttons ~ some intuitive, some downright cumbersome. Recently I trialed Build A Button from American Button Machines and have since become a subscriber to their on-line design center. Backgrounds, Text, Photos and Shapes are all available to me, with lots of control in each. Easy to use, allowing lots of creativity. Since I produce buttons in three sizes, usually in small quantities, often for myself, even changing on a whim, the quick design capability of Build A Button is ideal for me. The output/storage as either JPEG or... 07/21/2012

Lunchtime serendipity A delightful late lunch today at the Pei Wei Asian Diner at 10373 S State Street in Sandy UT. I like shrimp (prawns to me) and they do them nicely with a coconut curry, vegetables and brown rice. It certainly hit the spot with enough leftovers for me to make a great dip later for reprise. But the tale of the day was desert ~ a fortune cookie. It was reading the same books as me. A meal and an education at the same time. A great reason to go back ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~         07/19/2012

My house has a name. The archives of ActiveRain (you do search for information topics, don't you?) indicate posts on this subject stretching back over five years. Chrissy Doremus yesterday queried the added value of a house name on your listing  http://activerain.com/blogsview/3372727/what-s-in-a-house-name- My house name has historical significance. My grandfather visited the US in 1910 on a working holiday, aa a sixteen year old, where he traveled from west to east over a 5 month period. He was in New York when the Earth passed through the tail of Halley's Comet. You really have to be around to see this wonder in 1986. (He died in 1985) In 1986 Halley's Comet was barely visible, being its furthest away possible. His stories of the 1910 event stay with me. During Grandfather's travels,... 07/12/2012

Zipping right along there Day 40 of my 100 Day Attack sees me with new habits. Business, health, mental focus are all showing definite signs of improvement. There's a lot to be said for programmed activity - persistent and consistent are the catchwords. My best description of this 100 Day Attack is that it is like a much needed tonic. It is a joy to attack each day, especially when the results are so pleasingly obvious. My multiplier of Effort x 1.1 each 10 days is proving achievable - and beneficial. I am fitting so-o much more into each day. I read more and adsorb more. Ideas for future growth are flowing. I am better placed to see what is not working in my activity, and to improve, or equally, without remorse, to discard it. My health and endurance ensure that I can put in long days,... 07/10/2012

Happy 4th to all A flag in our front yard placed by our Scout Troop, makings of a barbeque lunch, decorative triutes, wife with red, white and blue scarf, our cats with additions to their collars, historical recollections, remembrance of family and deeds done, the heat of summer, cold watermelon,  a slower pace for the day, and me. - we are celerating the Fourth of July in Sandy UT We are sure to enjoy (controlled) fireworks at end of day. Wherever you are ~Hope yours is a great one too. 07/04/2012

Greg sent me a postcard Attention grabbing front, precise statement of services, attractive pricing , a call to action and an offer of further information. The card has it all. Gregory Hawkins is a lawyer, "Your Family's Lawyer". I got to know him from attending his classes on Living Trusts. Make this subject part of your personal education. Leave your name on his office phone to a advised of future courses, private and public. Don't be surprised if he answers the phone; he is friendly interested and involved. He knows his stuff, and can really deliver the message - with attendant humor and attention riveting style. Greg had been surprised that I had repeated his course on Family Trusts and asked whether he mightn't have explained himself fully. Not so - I was making sure that I had cau... 06/29/2012

A rodent's tale As much as I searched my photo library for a suitable graphic for today's blog post I have come up empty. We are in the nature category and a lot of imagination may be needed if you, too, are in unfamiliar territory.  Having been raised in a land of fascinating marsupials where oddity is the norm, I have been adapting to American wildlife, over the last few years, sometimes not sure whether I am seeing reality or looking for cartoon equivalents (eg an encounter with a roadrunner, making friends with a very thin squirrel who accepted hand offered cookies, a skunk who thought it was one of the neighborhood cats, or deer who were of the notion that newly planted shrubbery was just their own personal food supply). I had noticed earth movement, new earth scattered on nearby g... 06/27/2012

That changing corner lot in Sandy UT The NW corner of 9000 S and State Street in Sandy UT sometimes sits vacant with its surrounding wire fence. Then it can become a hive of seasonal activity. It can be a pumpkin patch at the end of October for Halloween, a tract of "live" Christmas trees during our snows of November and December, complete with resident reindeer, even the tented base of life-size and greater wild animal statuary of a moving display and sale. The location is a very busy place for passing traffic, and stationary traffic awaiting its appropriate light. The current occupant is the large yellow and black marquee tent of Black Cat fireworks advertising "Best deals inside". Dozens of US flags adorn the tent with their own sound and activity in the summer breezes of Sandy UT. T... 06/26/2012

We are certainly enjoying summer in Sandy UT. Sunrise (over the mountains of the Wasath Front) arrives prior to 6am and sunset it not until past 9pm - 15 plus hours of daylight to get everything done in that summer suggests. First and last light makes daytime even longer as late arriving vehicular tourists attest. Now the days can shorten again, little by little to the end of summer. Here we are at 6pm, basking in 93F. (Weather Channel is happy to observe "feels like 87F ~ as if I could really tell the difference by personal observation.) The 5 - 15 mph winds, and very low humidity of this high altitude desert area make this a pleasant place to live, even if we have a tendency to avoid some of the outdoor warmth. Parks with leafy shade and water parks offer more instant relief. Our apri... 06/24/2012

Application for a Wordle Wednesday's diary notes remind me that my Wordle for the group "Wednesday Wordles" is due. Somehow it is Thursday again. In my playing with Worle creation on wordle.net I have been brainstorming possible uses for Wordles. Cards, both business and greeting, posters, book covers and reports etc came to mind earlier. I am sure that you can think of others as well. My involvement in button making predates my move to the US six years go, although my supplies always came from here. In Sandy Utah I am known as the Badge and Button Man. This gives me the luxury of short, sharp promotions (eg the house that I am selling has its images on a casual button I can wear). Enter Wordles in combination with buttons. Was there a possible link? Wordles, involving screen captures, ... 06/21/2012

Same question; different responses We can offer different answers to the same question depending on the environment we find ourselves in. I have made two different buttons to be used on different occasions, answering the same question. One gives my response when I am being manipulated by a (phone) sales approach, and the second for when I develop the right mood for best serving my client.     Both responses reside in my arsenal, to be used as circumstances dictate. They don't make me Jekyll and Hyde. They allow me to be in control. These buttons are in the 3" format for emphasis. Small runs for my own use allow for easy tweaking, if the sentiment expressed doesn't fly. You may find these statements a little "tongue in cheek", but often a button allows a true feeling with humor and witho... 06/17/2012

This week's earthquake events in the Intermountain West For those of you who follow the descriptions of my hobby of observing local seismic activity (Earthquakes, Mate!), you know my area of Interest is the Intermountain Corridor (Utah to Yellowstone), again this week fairly quiet with a mere 19 events , all under 2.0.  The usual map I provide is devoid of place names, so in the interests of  more explanation I have included two smaller area maps one to the north, the other to the south closer to my location of Sandy UT, each recording four events during the week. Sandy UT appears on both maps marked with an X.   *****              Ever wondered what fault lines are? US Seismic Service notes: Brown lines (on the maps) represent known hazardous faults or fault zones. White lines are road... 06/11/2012

Badge and buttons, buttons and badges... My buttons match my moods and the seasons. You will rarely find me without at least one, on bag, lapel or hat. It depends on the message I'm trying to get across when I choose what to make and what to wear. Like my cards, because I do the manufacturing, I am able to allow for a great variety ~ and can make changes quickly and efficiently (short, sharp promotions). 1.25 inch:  Mere accents and can easily worn in groups (or attached to my chair or its carrying bags. Viewers have to come close, and they do, to comprehend the messages. Can be quite an icebreaker. 2.25 inch: More formal name badges and company statements. These can be of more intricate, eyecatching design, even with striking, attention-getting additions. These need the most planning a... 06/09/2012

I look for gold, but along the way... Utah is mineral and gem rich. During active prospecting times, gold did not run out ~ people just stopped looking. 19th century writings of prospecting and mining in Utah are a "goldmine " of information, indicating the extent of the wealth. Utah is home to a world's largest open-cut copper mine, the Bingham Mine, seen in the distance from my home in Sandy UT, as well as from space. The Bingham Mine is a disappeared mountain from ninety years of digging, now a mile deep, producing gold as well as copper. Early 20th century Sandy boasted near thirty hotels to cater for the silver mining in the Cottonwood Canyons of the Wasatch Front. At one time three smelters were in operation. There are expectation hints of mineral wealth thoughout the State with l... 06/05/2012

Earthquakes in my life   My readers: you will realize that I may have a strange hobby for a Real Estate Agent. I like to observe earth movements (earthquakes) in my locality. Here I have chosen to look at the whole of Utah and include places north to Yellowstone, conveniently labeled “The Intermountain Corridor” by the US Seismic Service.   The maps that I observe indicate earthquake locations and intensity for the last week. This time 34 events are recorded.         Draw an X on a map corner to corner, and at the overlap you have my approximate location.  I live in Sandy UT   Several years of observation indicate that I can expect 20 – 50 earthquakes per week in the region Most of these are under 2.5 (Richter Scale), in the micro range, at a significant depth and of short duration. Mos... 05/20/2012