I did get out, a bit, and more later.

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I showered and shipped out in time to make it to my appointment. We discussed a number of issues, including joining the ministry for prisoners. It seems the heavy requirements, background checks, and such, are more of a local than a state issue. Even the priest I spoke with today, after being a priest for 27 years, is having to submit a four page form and have something notarized before being allowed access, assuming he is approved! He suggested that the woman in charge of this ministry locally was suggesting that they need more people recently. I might suggest we get people together and discuss with politicians a lowering of the onerous requirements (at least for clerics). Especially when, in SLC, all one has to do is show identification and have credentials or be credentialed through an organization. I might have to see if they have thought of this. Sometimes people just accept things as they are, never thinking to question let alone outright challenge things. I am quite guilty of that myself, sometimes.

We discussed several other things. He had another appointment so I missed the confession part, though I did ask a few questions regarding confession. Honestly, I think he has heard of me. Much like in medicine, your reputation precedes you. However, when I suggested much of my trouble deals with a bad heart I think it made him have to reconsider everything he had been told. All those thoughts about bipolar, depression, whatnot... They all come into question when such a serious physical ailment really is involved. Is a man screaming curses and attacking anyone near him a lunatic? Not if he is on fire and no one is doing anything, or seemingly even noticing. Perspective. (Not that I did or do that, only giving an example of judgment without enough information).

Oh don't be silly. The Mormon and Catholic and probably your church, when you move somewhere and start up (within the denomination) they... communicate to each other. Possibly outside of your denomination. Even though I am not Mormon, because of my friend and association with past missionaries, I am quite sure they have a file on me, that came here with me, before me even. Such is the way of things. Do not think me a fool. I learned much in the military, and through a minute amount of study, learned where the military learned what it knows. Ha!

Paranoid much? But, yeah, I believe that. And I no more worry about it then I worry about the same thing happening in academics, a career, etc. It's just the way of things. If you didn't know, now you do. If you don't believe, scratch the surface just a bit the next time you travel. You'd be surprised at how well you are known. The thing is, that knowledge is a collection of words, is often at least slightly inaccurate, and only you can alter it (not by words mind you, by action or in my case providing that physical ailment that fills in the blanks).

I then went to lunch. My favorite Mexican Restaurant was the place. Instead of a Mexican dish, I went with shrimp and artichoke pasta, with tomato sauce and penne pasta. They serve large meals but I usually can handle that easily. Not having eaten well for a bit made my meal too large to finish. I did my best, ate all of the shrimp and artichoke, but left a quarter of the rest. It wasn't my absolute favorite of their offerings, but because of my preferences not the meal itself. I was just trying something new. The meal was fresh tasting, excellent, and if you love shrimp artichoke on penne with tomato sauce, this would be as good or better than any other. Ah well, it is nice to be different once in a while. Plus, I want to sample their other offerings. It is one of those restaurants that is worth taking some "risks" in dining while visiting.

I received what I had thought was a spam email. At first I thought it was someone trying to comment with a spam link to this blog. I save those, to review (and often chuckle at), when I have time. Being busy I hadn't quite gotten to it. Finally, today, I looked it over. Not only did it not have a link, nor was it a post, but merely an email asking for my opinion regarding a potential project. Further, I liked the idea. So, finally, I responded. Something about an app that would "score" good and bad behavior, to promote working out and eating right, like a first person shooter game somehow, which would link to rewards (coupons or such) as you gained points and increased in ranking. I have a smartphone, but I have never been into apps. I might consider trying such a thing (though my situation is slightly different, so I'm not sure it is quite as applicable to me). Some days I simply can't do anything, so the rewards might come too slowly to add incentive. Still, it might be worth having just to track food, or... a few other things. I think I would also add that I think rewards should come more easily in the earlier stages, where more incentive is more critical and where good behavior is less likely to otherwise go forward and wouldn't be going on as frequently. Another idea I just thought of is the thing should have programmable events. For me, perhaps, taking my medicine might be a behavior that counts for points. As well, another thing might be the ability to program in scheduled reminders to do things. Yeah, that starts getting heavy, but it would be more used if it is more useful. I will be sending these recommendations shortly. I think my main suggestion was that she not have all of the rewards be "healthy" or even "semi-healthy". Don't put a bag of granola in front of me in order to get me to climb a mountain. Put a Snickers and a Coke top of the mountain at least. Don't ask me to pedal twenty miles for a vitamin, have a steak dinner waiting. You see were I am going with that, right? Maybe as rank is attained the rewards can begin tending toward the dry and painful (healthy). But not at first.

I would love to sleep but I promised my friend I would help him escape for a bit. The life of a prisoner is harsh, even with those delicate pretty young women who act as his jailers. A pink prison is no less a prison. A dinner at Jimmy John's maybe, and a bit of shopping. He does like to shop, window shop, and just be about town once in a while. Plus, when we go shooting Sunday, we won't have to stop anywhere but for a meal so we won't be rushed to get him back on time. That should make it much easier. I am going to pick up his soda before I pick him up, too. Then he won't be watching the time and shrieking the "Danger! Danger, Will Rodger! Danger!" about the time. Oh, I know, he just doesn't want to press his luck and get tossed out. As you get older, you worry more I think.