Daddy-Daughter Bonding
Sorry for another video, but I thought Grandma Cochran would enjoy seeing these little videos I took of her son and granddaughter having fun together:
Tag Archives: Zach
Just for Fun
IHOP in Charlotte, NC
Isaac and Zach at the beach
Another Road Trip: Pensacola, Florida
So my best friend David has been down at NAS Pensacola for some training, and I thought this was the best time to go see the National Museum of Naval Aviation with him. I’ve always wanted to visit; they have a great selection of aircraft. Naturally, a road trip these days means bringing Isaac with me; bringing Isaac usually means bringing Charlotte too. Hit the jump for a boatload of pictures and a quick summary.
Zach at 33
On my birthday I’ll take some time to be a little self-indulgent and describe myself and some of the ways I’ve changed.
I’m a bit plumper than I once was. I’m about 185 lbs these days, where just a few years ago I was 155. My hair is receding just a bit, but it’s at an awkward in-between place and has been for a couple of years.
I’m still a Mormon boy, true blue, dyed in the wool, through and through. I’m not always very good at it, but that’s what I am, and that’s what I’ll stay.
I’m still a little bit cranky, especially when I feel like my living space is out of sorts. More than ever, I like things a certain way. This causes friction for visitors, and I try to be less particular (without much success). Outside of my own “caveâ€, I’m more sociable. I have a decent sense of humor when used appropriately and generally have no trouble making friends and getting along with people.
I still play the piano and guitar. I left my grandfather’s accordion with my parents in Utah and I sold my trumpet a long time ago. I have experimented with composition on the computer, but it’s not serious and just for fun. I don’t take time to write music seriously anymore.
I like the Colts, Cougars, Vols, and Jazz. I hate the Utes, Gators, and Lakers.
I was a lot more physically active last year. I climbed Mt. Nebo, Provo Peak, and Deseret Peak for the first time. Now that I’m in Tennessee, all the mountains seem too small and climbing them is less interesting. They are pretty, though.
I still love gadgets, but not so obsessively. We have three Roombas of various types; one sweeps, one vacuums, and one mops. I got a Kindle for Christmas. I carry a BlackBerry, but work pays for it. My mp3 player is an old brown Zune; haven’t found a pressing reason to upgrade it. I’ve had the same digital camera for about 4 years now. We don’t have an HDTV, but we’ve had DVRs of some sort or another for at least 7 years. I have 4 computers; my main computer, running Windows 7; my work computer, which runs Windows XP; my netbook, which runs whatever version of Windows or Linux I’m in the mood for, and my “other†computer, running Ubuntu. My main computer’s processor is about 4 generations old, and the graphics card is about 3 generations old. I guess the point is I’m a bit more discriminating about my technology and waste less money on it.
I love all kinds of music. I have a penchant to really love melancholy songs, such as “This is Just a Modern Rock Song†by Belle & Sebastian, “Over Yonder†by Steve Earle, “Word on a Wing†by David Bowie, “Miami†by Counting Crows, “I Wish it Would Rain†by the Temptations, “Take it Back†by Pink Floyd, “Hearts and Bones†by Paul Simon, “Sleeping In†by the Postal Service, “Fast Train†by Solomon Burke, “Going to California†by Led Zeppelin.
I like upbeat songs too, especially rock and blues (and alt-country/bluegrass, surprisingly): “Sitting on Top of the Worldâ€, especially the Cream and Carl Perkins versions, “Sukie in the Graveyard†by Belle & Sebastian, “Sugar Magnolia†by the Grateful Dead, “Gone Gone Gone†by Carl Jackson and Emmylou Harris, “Dreamin’" by Weezer, “99 in the Shade†by Bon Jovi.
I love to read history, especially military history. Sometimes details or individuals make a great impact on my mind and remain with me. Most recent have been histories on the 6 Days War and the Yom Kippur War. I like Paul Johnson’s work too.
I love fiction, when it “has a priceâ€. My favorite book this past year was Suttree by Cormac McCarthy, which is coincidental since it’s set in Knoxville. I also still love epic fantasy when it’s well done. Robert Jordan was the best world-builder with his Wheel of Time, and Brandon Sanderson is carrying that work on fairly well. George R. R. Martin is the best for plot and very good with characters, too; try his Song of Ice and Fire. I recently enjoyed Anathem by Neal Stephenson. I’d also recommend the Hyperion tetralogy by Dan Simmons for my SciFi friends. I enjoy Jack Vance for his precision of language and excellent stories. I love John LeCarre, especially The Night Manager, Little Drummer Girl, and all the Smiley books. I read All the King’s Men this last year, by Robert Penn Warren. It was heartbreaking and amazing. He paints a vivid picture, but he also exposes emotion brilliantly.
I like to read about culture and its decline, too. Most recently, Amusing Ourselves to Death by Neal Postman. My favorite authors on culture are Victor Davis Hansen, Theodore Dalrymple, and James Bowman.
My favorite TV shows: House, Top Gear, How It’s Made, South Park, Futurama, The Office, American Idol, Parks and Recreation. Mostly Top Gear. All other TV is terrible by comparison. Even if you don’t care about cars, it’s great television. And if you do like cars, it’s Nirvana.
I’m still indifferent to most movies, though I did finally watch “Once Upon a Time in the West†and “The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly†this past year and was amazed at the perfection of acting, cinematography, and score for each. I don’t mean to be a curmudgeon, but most movies today are crap.
Blogs I follow: Engadget, Big Government, Big Hollywood, Michelle Malkin, Camille Paglia, Jay Nordlinger, Michael J. Totten, James Bowman, Gizmodo, WhichTestWon, Lifehacker, People of Walmart, Art of Manliness, ty.rannosaur.us, mental_floss, Bleat, Autoblog, FAILblog, Claremont, Michael Yon. Honorable mention to James Taranto and Best of the Web Today, which no longer has an RSS feed but which is the most pithy thing I read in any day.
My blogs (all infrequently updated): Virtute.org, Modstomp.com, slingandstones.org.
Podcasts I listen to: Radio Derb, History of Rome, History Network: Military, BYU: New Speeches, BYU: Classic Speeches, Mark Levin.
I read stories to Isaac and Charlotte every night, and often I get to tuck Nicole in too. I spend a lot of time with Ila when I can so Kathleen can have her hands free. I feel just a little nuts: we have 4 children, all 5 years old and younger. This is a hard thing now, but it will be a good thing soon. With them close together we can do more as a family and hopefully they’ll bond together really well. I’m pretty sure we’re not done at 4. The world needs more Cochrans.
Well, I think that sums me up as much as a blog post can. Happy New Year, everybody.
Happy Birthday Zachary!!
Today Zach is 32 years old. Next week we will celebrate our 9th wedding anniversary. Tonight as I reflect over the years we’ve spent together I’m grateful for the man that Zach has become.
I admire his Zest for learning. He’s always reading and studying one subject or another. He’s incredibly smart and has an answer for almost any question I ask. He can talk intelligently on almost any subject (he claims to know just enough to sound intelligent, but I think he’s just being modest). I always thought I had a fairly good vocabulary, but Zach’s vocabulary is much broader and deeper than mine. He is really good at defining words and spelling them and he’s much better at grammar than me (I still don’t completely understand the uses of the semicolon). I’ve heard that he’s also very good at diagramming a sentence, but I don’t know exactly what that means.
He has a good head for music, although he laments that he is out of practice on everything. I wish I had some of his musical ability. When I did try out an instrument or two back in school, I didn’t have the commitment or the musical background to succeed at them and I quickly quit.
Zach has a good sense of humor. He sometimes makes the best jokes, and it makes me smile.
Where I tend to be stingy, particularly when money is involved, Zach is generous. He is always willing to give to others and he has a compassionate heart. 
His philosophy is to "Cast your bread upon the water. . . " and as you do, you find out that you have enough for yourself as well. When he knows that a family member is having a hard time, his heart goes out to them and he wants to be with them to comfort and help.
I admire his knowledge of the scriptures and of history. I know whenever there’s a question relating to historical events or scriptural knowledge in Sunday School that Zach knows the answer even if no-one else does and I’ve never been aware of a time that he didn’t know.
I admire the way he accepts less than ideal situations sometimes in callings and other things, 
and he has a mature attitude about them. He respects authority even when he disagrees with it. He sustains his leaders in spite of their flaws.
Of all the things I appreciate about my husband, one of the things I appreciate most is that he’s a good dad. I appreciate when he takes over with the kids and reads stories to them or takes a child who is having a rough time into his arms and helps him or her calm down. He’s a kind and thoughtful dad who loves his children and they love him.
Zach, I’m lucky to be your wife! Have a great birthday!