The Taco Temple

The Taco Temple: California Fusion. For a moment I want you to imagine a taco. Now I want you to imagine the best Mexican food possible. Now, if that weren't enough, imagine ingenious chefs and fabulous decor. Then you would have an indescribably holy experience with large quantities of Mexican ambrosia. I had the honey Chipotle tacos with mango cheesecake to top off the meal. It was fabulous.

Towards the end of our meal a server came out to pick up our plates. He was wearing a loose-fitting button-up shirt and khaki shorts and boats shoes. I doubted he was a regular waiter and figured he was the owner of the temple, or perhaps...the Temple President. Unfortunately Gary the man (a friend of mine) ruined the facade when he asked him if he was the owner and he said he wasn't, and that it was actually his first day there. I was befuddled at first, but then he said he was friends with the owner and that he came over from time to time to help out; he had his own restaurant nearby. But in my mind, I met the Taco Temple President.

It was not the first time I had been to this great restaurant in Morro Bay, and it certainly won't be the last.

The Blue Planet: California Gateway

I know you have all felt it at some moment in your life. It is the call to explore. The call to be something greater than yourself. The call of the wild. The call of the ocean. And, for some their is a divine call. But, for the purpose of this post I would like to talk about the call of the deep blue life source. The ocean. The blue planet.

Several months ago I was milling around in land-locked Utah caged by mountains and desert. But my mind was on the coast. The rolling hills. The cheap, yet authentic Mexican food. The boardshops with real surfers and people who actually know what they are talking about and aren't just wearing Rusty and Billabong to look cool. The sand beneath my toes. The palm trees swaying in the light afternoon breeze. Flipper's brethren beckoning me with weird chirps and clicks. It was all there. That's when I decided once again, for the second time this year, to go on a surf trip. And, after some good collaboration and planning, I'm once again back in the fatherland: California.

Don't make my face bald

Jesus wore a beard.



















Abraham Lincoln wore a beard.

Brigham Young wore a beard. God wore a beard. And using the word 'wore' just seems weird, because let's be honest, it's not an article of clothing that you can just choose to take off and put in the spin cycle with your socks. To get it off you have to apply razor blades. So, although we've developed varying strategies to make razor blades feel good against your skin, they are still razor blades, (unless some of you are forgetting this). Now shaving is not just dangerous, but annoying. Now let me tell you the situation at BYU.


To take a test, you must be clean shaven. To eat at certain cafeterias, you must be clean shaven. To go to some classes, you must be clean shaven. To go to the gym, you must be clean shaven. Let's be honest, it's written into the BYU by-laws. You must always be clean shaven. And, I don't have a particularly bothersome beard, but I know there are those out there that shave in the morning and have a Rip Van Winkle by sundown. It is kind of ludicrous. In my mind it is possible to look professional or even attractive with facial hair. I can understand the school saying, "Let's make sure we don't have any ridiculously bad-looking beards or haircuts," but outlawing them altogether is a bit much. If they want to make it fair, ladies should have to shave their legs before they take a test or go to class. Furthermore, there are some people who can't grow hair on top of their heads, and for them, a beard is all they've got. Let's not take that from them too.



BYU is run in part by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. All throughout its history, its most famous prophets had beards. From Moses to Christ, from Brigham Young and Sidney Rigdon to Heber J. Grant. The Almighty himself has a beard. Famous people throughout history have had them (And, believe it or not but some have even been successful in life). But, then why is it a crime? You know those t-shirts that say 'Skateboarding is not a crime?' I'm going to make shirts that say 'Beards are not a crime' or 'I'm trying to be like Jesus, beard and all' or 'Honest Abe had it going on; it's beard time.' Let me know what kind of slogans might be good.