In the summer of 1989 I took a two-week trip to Washington DC, Philadelphia, and New York City with a group of about 20 theater students. At fifteen, I was the oldest kid in the group but still not nearly old enough to...

I submitted my formal resignation from the LDS church almost one year ago. Upon me telling her that I had done so, Donna replied in a way that I still don't fully understand.

"I'm not surprised and really, I've...

"Warren Jeffs has been taken into custody by Las Vegas police. Details coming up...", said the voice on the...

My brother-in-law Christopher finally managed to knock his wife up. Thank God too since they've been trying to shoot one past the goalie for almost six months and she's pushing twenty-three and they've been married for 2...

A few nights ago I noticed while flipping through the on-screen cable guide that The History Channel was to air a 2-hour show,

In my family there is a famous story, "The Miracle of the Blessing". It is more of an anecdote, really. The whos, wheres, and whens have long since been lost but it re-surfaces once in a while despite it's total lack of...

One Sunday, not long ago, my seven-year-old daughter came home from church complaining that her foot hurt. I asked her what she thought the cause of the problem was.

"Last week, my Primary teacher had us put a...

The vacation this past weekend included a day trip to Fossil Butte National Monument. Fossil Butte is a 50-million...

I'm on vacation this weekend. I use the word vacation strictly in the technical sense. I won't be at home or at work, I'll get paid for my time off and I'll come home more tired than when I left. In no other way is this a...

I post a lot of my frustrations here because this is generally my only outlet to do so. I say shit here I can't say anywhere else. Well, that's not exactly accurate. I can, and do, say them in therapy. What I mean is that...

Sally Field is hot. She always has been. So How Does The Grinder Work?

I finally did it. Today, after a couple of years of regular coffee drinking, I finally asked someone at work to show me how to use the coffee maker.

I have appreciated the kindness of a few people in the office who...

I never suffered from allergies as a kid. I remember hearing the term "hay fever" in movies and on TV. I had friends who complained about seasonal allergies but always felt it was something of a literary convention,...

Donna is still an active, practicing Mormon. She is a Cub Scout Den Leader in her ward. At a dutch oven dinner she held for the scouts and their parents at our house I was approached by one of the dads.

"So, Pete...

Donna called me today to apologize about the phone call on Saturday. There's been a lot of tension between us since...

Most nights are like last night. I lay in bed, perfectly still, as near the edge as I can. The clock says 2:21. I'm not sleeping despite having lied perfectly still and silent for 4 hours. My brain is shouting but my mouth...

As I looked west down Young Street I saw the familiar blue Lincoln Continental turn the corner and approach the Temple Lot. I looked nervously across the street at the restored, nineteenth century two-story duplex where...

Yesterday morning I arose at 8. A little early for a Saturday but I wanted to be awake and warmed up for the call back audition at 10. I felt prepared for the most part. I was also a little nervous.

I told Donna I...

I first went to the temple on my first wedding anniversary. June 22, 1994. I was nervous and excited. I had promised Donna a year earlier that I would take her to the temple as soon as we could.

We would have been...

Saturday, November 10, 2001 was the last day I wore the LDS church-approved, church-issued, regulation, knee length, temple garments.

I had not given Donna any indication that I was having a crisis of faith. But I...

A few weeks ago, when I heard the theater where I used to perform regularly was going to produce Little Shop of Horrors, I immediately emailed Steve Goldman. Steve is the Artistic Director at the theater and a good...